Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state, Part 60

Author: Evening News Association (Detroit)
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Detroit : Evening New Assoc.
Number of Pages: 558


USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 60


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70


the Sixth United States Infantry; was mar- ried the same year to Miss May, daughter of L. E. Cleveland, of Chicago, and has one child, a son, Cleveland Nill Bandholtz. In 1892 he was transferred to Fort Thomas, Ky., and a year later to Mt. Vernon Barracks, Ala., where he was attached to the Twelfth Infan- try, then on duty in charge of Appache pris- oners of war. He returned the same year to Fort Thomas, and in September, 1896, was assigned to duty as professor of military science and tactics at the Michigan Agricul- tural College, and while on duty there he was promoted to first lieutenant, and assigned to the Seventh Infantry. The war with Spain summoned him to active service, and on February 12, 1898, he joined his regiment at Tampa, Fla., and went to Cuba with Shafter's expedition. At El Caney, July 1, 1898, he was promoted for gallantry, and when Adju- tant Gisard was wounded, Bandholtz was ap- pointed adjutant, which position he held until he left Cuba. His superior officer at El Caney, in a letter to the governor of Michigan, speak- ing of his conduct at the battle, said, "His conduet was conspicuous for bravery and fear- lessness under heavy fire. He is an officer qualified to fill any position required of him."


Before going to Cuba, Lieut. Bandholtz was offered a major's commission in the Thirty- fifth Michigan Infantry, which he accepted after the surrender of Santiago. Arriving at Island Lake, Mich., August 6, 1898, he was mustered in as senior major of the regiment. When the regiment went south, Major Band- holtz was left at Island Lake as chief muster- ing officer for Michigan, and furloughed the Thirty-second, Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth regiments, later joining the Thirty-fifth at Camp Meade, Pa., proceeding thence with the regiment to Angusta, Ga. During his stay there, Major Bandholtz was provost marshal of the First Division, Second Army Corps. At the time of the mutiny of the Fifteenth Minnesota regiment. his prompt action pre- vented serious trouble. He has received many letters complimenting him on his work at Augusta. When his regiment was mustered out. Major Bandholtz went on recruiting duty at Grand Rapids, but was for a brief time pre- viously, in charge of the Michigan Military Academy at. Orchard Lake. He was made captain in the Regular Army, November 15, 1899. The captain is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, including the Knights Templar. Consistory and the Mystic Shrine, and belongs also to the Elks.


447


HISTORICAL SKETCHES.


REED, GEORGE. George Reed, a prom- inent attorney of Mt. Pleasant, was born in Devonshire, England, January 19, 1852. ILis father was a farmer and breeder of horses. Ile attended the government schools until thir- teen years old, when he became page and of- fice boy in a law office, acting in the capacity of janitor, caretaker and copyist. He re- mained in this position two years, during which he improved his time by reading Black- stone. At the age of fifteen his father died and he returned home. Circumstances were such that he could not resume his place in the law office and he was apprenticed to a saddler, working the first year without any compensa- tion and living with his mother. He worked at the trade of a saddler until his was twenty years old, when, having a friend who had done well in America, he was urged to come to the land of promisc. He left England in November, 1873, and came to Michigan. Ilis first experience in the State was at Hadley, Lapeer county, where he worked three months at his trade. The next two years he worked at Owosso and St. Louis. During the lumbering season of 1875-6 he was in the employ of Whitney & Stinchfield, who were lumbering in Montcalm county, working as harness- maker and repair man for their several log- ging camps, and during the summer months working on the drive and sorting gap. He then worked for Whitney & Remick, who operated in Isabella county, with whom Mr. Reed remained six years, acting as bookkeeper for their logging operations in Isabella county. In 1882 he started in business for himself, and opened a harness shop at Dushville, Isabella county, where he remained until 1890. While there he was elected township clerk and ap- pointed postmaster. At the November clec- tion in 1890 he was elected county clerk of Isabella county, and moved to Mount Pleas- ant, the county scat. He was elected for a second term in 1892. While county clerk le resumed the study of law and was admitted to practice before Judge P. F. Dodds. After the expiration of his official term he entered upon the practice of law, and in the fall of 1896 was


GEORGE REED.


appointed by the Comptroller of the Currency as receiver of the First National Bank of Ithaca, which was capitalized at $50,000. He closed up the affairs of the bank in July, 1900, paying the depositors one hundred cents on the dollar and interest. In January, 1899, he was appointed receiver of the First Na- tional Bank of Mount Pleasant, which had gone into liquidation, and he is now engaged in settling with its depositors and creditors, having declared, so far, a 75 per cent. divi- dend.


Mr. Reed is a man of affairs, being largely interested in real estate and a stockholder in the Union Telephone Company, which oper- ates in northern Michigan. ITe is interested in 1,400 acres of marl beds in Antrim, Char- levoix and Isabella counties, and a Portland cement company is being projected for their working. Mr. Reed is a Democrat in politics and has been a member of the State centra! committee and chairman for four years of the Isabella county committee. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Oddfel- lows, Elks, Maccabees and Modern Woodmen. Miss Elva Earl, of Leslie, Michigan, became Mrs. Reed in 1884. They have two children, George IT. and Grover C.


448


MEN OF PROGRESS.


PATRICK NOUD.


NOUD, PATRICK. The biography of Patrick Noud of Manistee, the president of the State Lumber Company, and a prominent Imberman of northern Michigan, is one of more than ordinary interest. It is another striking illustration of what persevering energy and pluck will accomplish for the young man with but meager opportunities. Mr. Noud is of Irish lineage, but is a Canadian by birth, having been born in the town of Arnprior, Ontario, January 19, 1845. His mother died when he was 9 years old, and his father three years later, from which time he lived at the home of his grandfather until he was 20 years of age. He went to work at the age of 13 as porter in a public house, near the home of his grandparents, at $4.00 per month, and later was errand boy for contractors on government works on Mada- waska River. He went into the lumber woods at the age of 17, making square timber. He remained as a support to his grandparents until 1865, and then started out for himself, coming to Michigan. Having favorable in- formation of northern Michigan he decided to try his fortune there, and had just money enough to pay his fare from Detroit to North-


port. From there he worked his way on a sailing vessel, down Grand Traverse Bay to Elk Rapids. Not finding work there he walked to a point on Manistee River, 20 miles above Manistee, where he worked until spring, when the contractors failed and did not pay their employes. He worked in the woods until 1867, and then engaged with R. G. Peters as superintendent of logging opera- tions, and was so employed until 1873. That fall he took a contract from R. G. Peters for logging 25,000,000 feet of pine timber, and borrowed $10,000 for outfit. He completed the contract in three and one-half years, with $16,000 to the good. He then resumed work for Peters as superintendent of logging opera- tions, serving in that capacity until 1881. In 1879 Mr. Noud associated himself with Thomas Kenney in the log booming business, in which they were very successful. He had also in 1879 become a partner with Davies, Blacker & Co., which, in 1887, became the State Lumber Company, of which Mr. Noud has been president from the first. At that time Mr. Davies sold out his interest to the Manistee Lumber Company, which in turn sold out to the present company in 1898. Mr. Noud is also operating the J. C. Pomeroy Company of Manistee, manufacturers of lum- ber, and running a planing mill and retail vards.


Mr. Noud is a Democrat and, while not ac- tively engaged in political affairs, he has given considerable time to matters of a public nature, having served his ward for several terms as alderman, and the city of Manistec for one year as mayor. He is a member of the Catholic Mutual Benevolent Association, of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Elks. Miss Susan A. MeCurdy of Manistee, became Mrs. Noud in 1870. Their children are : Mary G., bookkeeper with the J. C. Pom- eroy Company; Thos. J., vice-president and cashier, State Lumber Company ; John F., foreman of Pomeroy's mill; Bernard D., in charge of J. C. Pomeroy retail yards; Mand A., in Manistee High School; Walter A. and Reuben P., in parochial school, Manistee.


449


HISTORICAL SKETCHES.


MANN, ALEXANDER V. Mr. Mam is one of the pioneers in the humber industry in Muskegon, being located there in 1857. Hle was born in Somerset county, N. J., Jnly 18, 1834, his father, John W. Mann, having been a lawyer. The son passed his early years up to the age of 21 on a farm, with but limited educational advantages, and in 1855 came to Michigan and found employment in a dry goods store in Grand Rapids, going from there, two years later, to Muskegon. His first venture there was the purchase of a small tract of timber land on Cedar Creek, north of Muskegon, from which he cut the timber and hired it sawed at a local mill, marketing the product in Chicago. He continued to operate in this way for some 10 years, making a spe- cialty also of hewed timber for bridge and railroad work, for which a ready market was found in the growing states of the west. In 1868 Mr. Mam formed a partnership with Jolm W. Moon and Henry Bourdon, and the firm purchased a mill property at Lakeside (now a part of the city of Muskegon), which they continued to operate until the death of Bourdon in 1871, when the surviving part- ners formed the firm of A. V. Mann & Co. In 1872 the mill was burned, but was rebuilt on a larger scale with all modern appliances and was sold to the lumber firm of Hovey & MeCracken in 1890. During Mr. Mann's career in the humber business either alone or in connection with his business associates, he handled between 700,000,000 and 800,000,- 000 feet of timber and lumber, giving his personal attention to the manufacture as well as to the financial details of the business. For many years the firm carried on a car lot trade direct with retailers at interior points through- out the country, while the greater distribu- tion has been by lake craft, of which they own two steam barges and a number of sail- ing vessels. After closing ont their sawmill in 1890, the firm made large purchases of pine and hardwood timber lands in Arkansas and are also interested in large tracts of red cedar and Douglas fir lands on the Columbia River in British Columbia.


Mr. Mann early became interested in the


ALEXANDER V. MANN.


banking business at Muskegon, and in 1872 he organized the National Lumberman's Bank of that city, of which he was for 10 years vice-president, and has since and up to the present time been the president. He is also president of the Alaska Refrigerator Company, the Muskegon Manufacturing Company, the Stafford Desk Company, all of Muskegon, and the Michigan Fire Ladder Company of Grand Rapids, Mich., and of the 'Muskegon Lumber Company of Little Rock, Ark., and is a director in 13 Business corpora- tions in Muskegon.


Mr. Mann is a Democrat of the gold standard class, and was a delegate to the Na- tional Conventions in 1884 and 1888, the first at Chicago and the other at St. Lonis. The only public office he ever held was that of Supervisor for one year. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, including the Knights Templar, Shrine and Consistory De- grees. Miss Sarah Rand of Muskegon, be- came Mrs. Mann in 1860. One son, William II., secretary to his father, and one daughter, Eliza B., at home, are the fruit of the mar- riage.


As a lumberman, a banker and a public spirited citizen, Mr. Mann holds a deservedly high place, in the estimation of his immediate fellow citizens, as well as of his numerous correspondents elsewhere.


450


MEN OF PROGRESS.


SILAS WILLIAM GLASGOW.


GLASGOW, SILAS WILLIAM. The name of Glasgow at once associates the bearer with the land of which the city of that name is the commercial capital. The grandparents of the present Mr. Glasgow were from Scot- land, but emigrated to the north of Ireland in 1750. His parents, William and Eliza Glasgow, were born in County Tyrone, Ire- land, coming from there to Auburn, N. Y., in 1833, and from thenee to Michigan in 1837, settling on a farm near Jonesville in Fayette township, Hillsdale county, where the son, Silas W., was born October 2, 1844. The parents both died in Jonesville, the mother February 4, 1887, and the father November 25, 1897. The son attended the neighbor- hood school and the Jonesville schools, round- ing out his education at Hillsdale College. He then spent some five years in teaching in his own neighborhood, which he gave up in 1873


to co-operate with his father in his farming interests. Mr. Glasgow was married Septem- ber 7, 1870, to Miss Emma L. Mitchell, daughter of James F. Mitchell of Jonesville, and with a growing family, he some years ago moved into that village in order that his chil- dren might have better school advantages than the country afforded, as well as for business reasons. Mr. Glasgow's father was a very extensive and successful farmer, and the son has proved no less so, combining also with farming at the present time, a real estate and money loaning business. Mr. Glasgow was elected President of the Village in March last (1900) and has been a member of the local school board for a number of years. He is an active Republican in polities and is pres- ident of the Mckinley Club in the organiza- tion of which he took an active part, a local political agency designed for work in the pres- idential campaign of 1900. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and the Knights of Pythias, and is a member and has been for several years an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Glasgow liave three children, Amarette, wife of Prof. W. D. Hill, Crystal Falls, Mich .: Eva L., wife of Benjamin F. Merchant of Jonesville, and William Mitchell, 13 years old, at home.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Glasgow take great inter- est in religious work, Mrs. G. being at the pres- ent time (as well as for some years past), president of both the Missionary Society and the Ladies' id Society. She also taught in the Jonesville schools in 1867, '68 and '69. HIer family are of English origin, coming first from England to Vermont, thence to Erie County, N. Y., and to Jonesville in 1861, where her father died January 9, 1877. Her mother still lives in Jonesville.


451


HISTORICAL SKETCHES.


FORSYTHE, LEE KERN. There is an expression sometimes heard in political circles when choosing candidates for public office, "Give the young men a chance." But if it be wise to give the young men a chance in politi- cal life, the young men are not always slow to make their own way in the business world, as shown in the case of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, who has the honor of having been the father of an important industry in Michigan. Mr. Forsythe is a native Pennsylvanian, having been born at Pittsburg April 1, 1869, his father, Wm. Forsythe, having been a foundryman in Pitts- burg. His mother, Emma Faulkner, was of Erie, Pa. The father having died when the son was but 3 years of age, the latter came to Detroit, and under the care of an uncle and aunt, attended the public schools there until the age of 14. He then went to White Sulphur Springs in Montana, working there in the mines during the summer months, in order to procure means to pay for a special eourse in chemistry during winters at the In- diana State University, at Bloomington, Ind., from which he graduated in 1889. He then opened an offiec as a chemical assavist at White Sulphur Springs, remaining there one year. In 1890 he entered the employ of the Yellowstone Mining Company. of Castle, Mont., as assavist, remaining with them one year. He then went to Nichart, Mont., where he opened an office for himself doing special assay work for miners from all parts of the state. In 1894 he returned to Michigan on the way to Mexico, in behalf of a company, of which the Hon. Wm. C. Maybury, at present Mayor of Detroit, was one of the chief owners, to make a report upon a mining venture there in which they were interested. While in Mexico his stepfather in Battle Creek died, necessitating his return to Michigan. Going to Battle Creek he became connected with the Michigan Foundry Company, as his step- father left an interest at death, with which concern he remained until it was absorbed by the Advance Thresher Company in 1896. He


LEE KERN FORSYTHE.


then conceived the idea of manufacturing cement, and organized and incorporated a company under the name of the Peerless Port- land Cement Company, of which he was sec- retary-treasurer and manager. The company built a plant at Union City with a capacity of 20 barrels per day, employing eight men, which gradually increased to a daily output of 1,200 barrels, with a payroll of about 200 men. This plant is the pioncer cement com- pany of Michigan. Mr. Forsythe never saw a eement factory previous to this venture, but being an expert chemist, he made the venture a success from the start, and from this has grown the eement industry of the state. Mr. Forsythe closed his eonneetion with the com- pany in 1899, previous to which it had been capitalized at $250.000. Returning to Battle Creek in 1899, he organized the Durable Cement Post Company at that place, of which he is at present the manager. Mr. Forsythe is a member of the Masonie Fraternity. Miss Lulu A. North, daughter of E. L. North, of Battle Creek, became Mrs. Forsythe in 1896. They have one daughter, Helen Dorothy.


452


MEN OF PROGRESS.


SUMNER O. BUSII.


BUSH, SUMNER O. Like many an- other representative Michigan man, Mr. Bush is a graduate from the farm. Born near Sandstone in Jackson county, May 7, 1847, his parents moved into Calhoun county seven years later. From the farm and local schools, he graduated from the scientific course at Olivet College in 1870. Still adhering to the farm, his first outside business venture was in live stock. With small savings, supplemented by a loan, he bought his first load of cattle when 23 years old. He was subsequently associated with Charles Roe of Detroit in buy- ing stock for the Eastern market. He further pursued the live stock business on his own account, and also engaged in buying wool and fruit, while still working the farm. En- gaged also in buying and fattening sheep for the market, some winters feeding over 1,000 sheep.


In 1889 Mr. Bush's business reputation had become such that he was made a director and vice-president of the Advance Thresher Com- pany, and he removed to Battle Creek. A little later the duties of general manager were added to those of vice-president. The Ad- vance Thresher Company is one of the newer


plants for the manufacture of threshers and engines, but under judicious management now stands in the front rank. The first year Mr. Bush was connected with the company they turned out only 45 machines. The product in 1899 represented a cash value of over $2,000,000. It is one of the leading establishments in Battle Creek and is a credit to that enterprising and go ahead central city, and to the State of Michigan.


Mr. Bush has other and varied business in- terests. He is owner and manager of a farm of 417 aeres, which is made a profit-paying investment. He is a director in and vice- president of the Peerless Portland Cement Company of Union City, and an equal part- ner in the Howes & Bush Co., who do an ex- tensive business in fruit, beans, coal, etc. He was president of the Board of Public Works of Battle Creek for six years, and was an ac- tive agent in developing the sewer system and extending the water works system of the city. He has been a trustee of Olivet College for 12 years and has been identified with the growth and improvement of that institution, which, within the past few years, has made such marked progress.


Mr. Bush may be characterized in modern phrase, as a pusher in whatever he under- takes, but with a judicions conservatism in his undertakings. He does not rush blindly into schemes, but having once determined upon an enterprise, he may be relied upon to work it for all it is worth. He is of an even balance in temperament that assures snecess in life. Ile is of pleasing personality, and, while con- sidering a proposal with candor, he can de- eline it without offense. He was an active member of the State Agricultural Society for a number of years, but has no special see- retarial connections. He is Republican in politics. His father was Frederick E. Bush, and his mother Cynthia Willard, a direct de- scendant of the Wellard family of Vermont. Miss Vernellie Daley, daughter of Elijah Daley of LeRoy, Calhoun county, and a graduate of Mt. Holyoke Seminary, Kalama- zoo, became Mrs. Bush in 1877. They have three children : Vernon E., and Charles S., students of the University of Michigan, the former having graduated from the literary department in 1900, and Bertha, attending the Battle Creek High School.


453


HISTORICAL SKETCHES.


WOLCOTT, FRANK TURNER. Frank T. Wolcott, of Port Huron, the present Judge of Probate of St. Clair county, was born at Perry, N. Y., January 1, 1861. Through his parents, Oscar M. and Emily (Thompson) Woleott, he is connected with an ancestry prominently associated with the colonial his- tory of Maine. His father was a Methodist minister and served four years in a New York regiment in the war of the rebellion. Mr. Wolcott graduated from the academy at Perry, N. Y., in 1880, and early in 1881 went to Buffalo and spent some time in the office of an unele, who was a lawyer there, in which experience he contracted an appetite for legal study. He came to Port Huron in the fall of 1881 and began the systematie study of law in the office of Stevens & Thomas, of that place, and applying himself diligently to his studies was admitted to the bar before Judge H. W. Stevens July 18, 1882. He at once opened an office and as a young attorney, practicing alone, was favored with a gratifying clientage for four years. In 1886 he became a member of the law firm of Atkinson, Vanee & Wolcott (O'Brien J. Atkinson and S. W. Vance). This connection continued until Mr. Vance was elected Circuit Judge in 1892, when the firm became Atkinson & Wolcott. Mr. Wolcott's partnership relations were a second time in- terrupted by a similar cause, when in June, 1899, Mr. Atkinson was appointed to a circuit judgeship, the Legislature of that year having provided for an additional judge for the cir- cuit. George G. Moore then became asso- ciated with Mr. Wolcott under the firm name of Wolcott & Moore, which is the present style of the firm.


FRANK TURNER WOLCOTT.


Being but a young man Mr. Woleott has his life's history yet to make, but so far as official service is concerned he has already made a worthy commencement. He served two terms as City Attorney of Port Huron and had a like service (four years) as Circuit Court, Commissioner. In 1896 he was elected to the responsible position of Judge of Pro- bate. He is a Republican in politics and was for six years, preceding the opening of the campaign of 1900, chairman of the congres- sional district committee of the seventh dis- trict. He is local attorney for the Chicago & Grand Trunk and the Flint & Pere Marquette railways. His society connections are Knights of Pythias, Maccabees and I. O. F. Miss Francis II. Ilolbert, danghter of G. H. Hol- bert, of Elmira, N. Y., became Mrs. Wolcott at St. Clair, Feb. 23, 1896.


454


MEN OF PROGRESS.


THOMAS MUNROE.


MUNROE, THOMAS. Mr. Munroe is a leading business man and manufacturer of Muskegon. He is the oldest of a family of six children born to Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Annis (Hinman) Munroe. Dr. Munroe was a native of Baltimore, Md., and settled in Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois, in 1837, where the son Thomas was born October 26, 1844. Mrs. Munroe, mother of Thomas, was a native of Herkimer county, N. Y., and a daughter of Benjamin Hinman, who held a major's com- mission in the colonial army in the War of the Revolution. Mrs. Munroe is one of the real Daughters of the American Revolution, and is still living at Rushville, Ill., at the age of 85 years. The son Thomas attended the district. schools as a boy, and at the age of eighteen entered the Illinois Wesleyan Seminary at Bloomington, where he remained about two years. Subsequently he spent six years as a clerk in a general store at Rushville, and in 1870 he resigned that position and came to Muskegon, where he has since continued to reside. He immediately entered the employ of L. G. Mason & Co., with whom he remained




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.