USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 65
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with the Courtland Wagon Co., of Court- land, N. Y. His salary as traveling sales- man was $75 per month, but on account of his knowledge and experience in selecting and purchasing lumber, he was put in charge of the purchasing department instead, at $100 per month. He severed his connection with this company Jannary 1, 1881, and came to Kalamazoo, where he organized the Kalama- zoo Wagon Co. After two years he with- drew from this concern and organized the Michigan Buggy Co., capitalized at $100,000, in connection with F. B. Lay and Geo. T. Lay as co-corporators. The new company turned out 1,100 cutters and 800 carriages the first year, while their output in 1899 was 14,000 vehicles. The Michigan Buggy Co. is considered one of the largest and most complete establishments of its kind in the United States. The Chicago branch at 341- 345 Wabash avenue, was established in 1887, and the output of the factory goes to all parts of the country. As a business man, Mr. Lane is clear-headed, energetic and up-to-date and is known throughout the Union as a pusher in his line.
Mr. Lane first saw the light at Genoa, N. Y., January 21, 1849. On his father's side he is of New England extraction, tracing through his father, Wm. S. Lane, and grand- father, Peter Lane. His mother was Mary Smith, of Tomkins county, N. Y. Miss Ida Lay, daughter of George T. Lay, of Allegan, became Mrs. Lane in 1878. They have one child, a daughter.
Mr. Lane's energy and business ability have brought him a fair measure of material prosperity. He is an extensive owner of real estate in Kalamazoo, is president of the Belt Line Railway Co. and a director in the Port- land Cement Co. and the Mutual Telephone ('o., all of Kalamazoo, and a director in the American Cash Register Co., of Chicago and Kalamazoo, and the Comstock Manufactur- ing Co., of Comstock, Mich. Though a Re- publican in politics, he has never held politi- cal office. In 1892 he was appointed by Gov. Luce one of the three Michigan commission- ers to the Columbian Exhibition at Chicago, and served with distinction and credit to the state. He is a member of the National Car- riage Builders' Association and was its vice- president for two years. He is also a mem- ber of the Michigan (Republican) Club, and the Elks.
485
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
VAN KLEECK, JAMES. Mr. Van Kleeck is a native of Michigan, having been born at Exeter, Monroe county, Sept. 26, 1846. On his father's side he is of Dutch extraction, being descended from Baltus Van Kleeck, who came from Holland in 1610, set- tling in New York. His mother was Cather- ine MeMannis, of a family who came from Ireland early in the present century. His father, Robert Van Kleeck, was born in Can- ada, to which the family had removed, but settled in Exeter in 1832. He, however, re- turned to Canada and took part in the so- called Patriot war, 1837-8, but returned to Exeter and made it his home. James Van Kleeck attended the local schools until 15 years of age, when he entered the high school at Monroe, which he left at the age of 16, to enter the army, enlisting as a private in the 17th Michigan Infantry. The regiment was hurried to the front, and at the battle of An- tietam young Van Kleeck was wounded by a rifle ball in his left side, which he still carrics, and which sometimes causes him great pain. From the hospital he was discharged from the service because of physical disability, and came home to die, but lived through it, though eighteen months on crutches. He again en- tered the high school at Monroc, and after a year's study began reading law in the office of Baldwin & Rafter, of Monroc. In the fall of 1868 he entered the law department of the University, and graduated therefrom in June, 1870, and was admitted to the bar at Monroe. After a short experience at prac- tice there he removed to Midland City, and hung out his sign, his personal resources be- ing comprised in the sum total of four dollars. He had a client the first week, as the begin- ning of a successful career. He was city at- torney of Midland City two years, and prose- enting attorney of Midland county three terms. In 1882 he was elected to represent the Midland district in the lower house of the State Legislature, serving on the two import- ant committees of judiciary and the State University. It was at this session (1883) that the protracted struggle over the election
JAMES VAN KLEECK.
of a United States Senator occurred, finally resulting in the election of Hon. Thos. W. Palmer. In 1885 he removed to Bay City and formed a law partnership with George W. Mann. He was appointed Commissioner of Immigration by Gov. Alger in 1885, al- though the office was soon after abolished. In 1886 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Bay county and served one term. His intelligent interest in schools and the cause of education led to his election as a member of the Board of Education, of which he was four years a member, and its president two years. A Republican in politics, his position in the party indicated him as an eligible can- didate for Congress, for which he was nomi- nated in 1890, but being an off year he suf- fered defeat at the hands of his Democratic competitor, Ilon. Thos. A. E. Weadock. He has served his party as member of the State Central Committee and of local committees.
Mr. Van Kleeck attends the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Order of United Workmen, and of the G. A. R., Miss Juliette C. Car- penter, daughter of Thos. F. Carpenter, a capitalist of Midland, became Mrs. Van Kleeck in 1872. Their children are Edith A., a graduate of the literary department of the University, James C. and Delia, all at home.
486
MEN OF PROGRESS.
HENRY MILLER MARVIN.
MARVIN, HENRY MILLER. Henry M. Marvin, a prominent business man of Augusta, Kalamazoo county, is essentially a Michigan product, having been born in Bed- ford, Calhoun county, May 3, 1859. The Marvin family, as here represented, came originally from Massachusetts, the ancestors of Henry M., moving from the state to Erie county, N. Y., by ox teams, in the early days. The father of Henry M., Huntington M. Marvin, was born in Aurora, N. Y., Novem- ber 17, 1817, and came to Michigan in 1843, settling on a farm in Johnstown, Barry county, but moving to Bedford in 1855, where he built a flour mill, which he operated until 1877, when he removed to Augusta. Here he branched out in business on a larger scale, including milling, banking and real estate, continuing actively in touch with his several ventures until his death, October 23, 1896. While in Barry county (1844) he operated the first threshing machine in that part of the state, run by horse-power, which
was then the only motor. The mother of the present Mr. Marvin was Lucinda E. Riley, the daughter of Elijah Riley, of Elba, Gene- see eounty, N. Y., born December 31, 1825, and still living in good health in Augusta. The parents were married in 1844.
Henry Miller Marvin received his early education in the local schools and afterwards attended Olivet College for two years, return- ing home in 1876, and after a year in the house at Bedford, he removed with his par- ents to Augusta. He at once became assoei- ated with his father in his business enter- prises, they buying a mill site and erecting a flour mill thereon. This they operated to- gether until 1880, when the father estab- lished a bank, to which he gave his personal attention until the time of his death, the son attending to the milling branch of the busi- ness. Upon the death of his father, Mr. Mar- vin succeeded to the management of all the business interests. He is the only grain ship- per in Augusta, his grain shipments mostly going to the Toledo market, while his flour product goes to New England. He ranks with the pioneer grain dealers and flour man- ufacturers of Kalamazoo county. He is banker, miller, grain buyer, farmer and real estate dealer, having business interests at Bat- tle Creek as well as at Augusta. He is a Democrat in politics, but has held no political office. He is a member of the order of Elks.
Mr. Marvin has been twice married, his first wife having been Miss Florence Cooper, daughter of George Cooper, of Fostoria, O., who died May 15, 1885. Their three chil- dren are: Harry C., Bessie and Fred, aged respectively 19, 18 and 16, all at home. Miss Jennie C. Dodge, daughter of Martin Dodge, of Montague, Mich., became Mrs. Marvin, February 16, 1894. There is one child by this marriage.
487
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
WILLIAMS, FITCH REED. Mr. Will- iais is of mixed Dutch and Welsh ancestry, through his father, John Williams, and his mother, Bulia Calkins, who were respectively of Dutch and Welsh extraction, though re- motely. He was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., December 18, 1834, his parents re- moving to Sharon, Conn., in his infancy, and in 1845 to Sharon, Washtenaw county, Mich. The family later removed to Albion, Mich., where the son attended Albion Seminary (now Albion College), and in 1854 entered the University, from which he graduated in 1858. He was appointed to and held the chair of Latin and Greek in Albion College for two years, and afterwards assisted in the chair of Latin in the University for a like term. The death of his father at Albion com- pelled him to return there to care for the family and estate, where he remained six years. While there, in connection with a brother, he established a drug and book store, but sold his interest in 1867 to resume his law studies, which had been pursued while teaching at the University. He was admitted to the bar at Marshall in 1868 and after a successful practice of two years at Albion he went to Elk Rapids to have charge of the ex- tensive interests of the then well-known firm of Dexter & Noble, at that place. He has practised law continuously in that part of the state for thirty years, most of the time alone. In the seventies he was associated with J. A. Parkinson, now of Jackson, Mich., under the firm name of Williams & Parkinson, and afterwards for a short time with Charles T. Hickox, now of Milwaukee, Wis. In 1870 Elk Rapids was the county seat of a district which has since been divided into the four counties of Antrim, Kalkaska, Otsego and Crawford. From 1870 to 1876 Mr. Williams served as prosecuting attorney and prosecuted fifty cases for infraction of the liquor laws, securing convictions in forty-nine of them. He was elected to the State Senate in 1876 and in that body was a recognized authority on the subject of taxation, a subject on which he had bestowed special study.
Mr. Williams may be justly characterized in every sense as a leading citizen of northern Michigan, having contributed largely to its material development, and by his broad cul- ture also to its social and moral advancement. And in this connection it would be unjust to omit mention of Mrs. Williams, formerly Miss Elizabeth Jane Roberts, of Ogden, Mon- roe county, N. Y., who became Mrs. Williams August 12, 1862. An acquaintance formed at Albion College led to the union. She also re-
FITCH REED WILLIAMS.
ceived a liberal education at Albion College, Mich., and Ingham University, N. Y., and has ever been admired not only for her domes- tic and social qualities, but also her literary and artistic attaimments. One son, Fitch Rob- erts Williams, is now a law student at the University. Mr. Williams is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Alpha Delta Phi (literary) of Michigan University. He is a Republican in politics and attended with his father at the formation of the party, "under the oaks," at Jackson, in 1854. He is vice-president of and general counsel for the Elk Rapids Portland Cement Co., attor- ney for the Elk Rapids Iron Co., and many other corporations and firms in northern Michigan, and also attorney for and one of the organizing stockholders and directors of the Elk Rapids Savings Bank. The Elk Rapids Portland Cement Co. owes its exist- ence to his efforts. Securing options on 350 acres of marl land and a large bed of ideal clay suitable for such purposes, he organized the company, which is capitalized at $400,000, Jackson and other Michigan cities furnishing many of the principal shareholders, together with Elk Rapids business men. The com- pany is now building a plant on the shore of Lake Michigan, in Elk Rapids, which will be completed before 1901, capable of turning out 600 barrels on the start, designed soon to be expanded to 1,000 barrels per day, and which will give employment to 200 or more men.
488
MEN OF PROGRESS.
ROBERT SMITII.
SMITH, ROBERT. Robert Smith, presi- dent and manager of The Robert Smith Printing Company, the state printers, of Lan- sing, Michigan, was born April 13, 1843, in Syracuse, New York. Ilis father, Thomas Smith, came to this country from Ireland in 1818. Ilis mother's maiden name was Judith Morton. When he was four years of age his parents removed to a farm near Syracuse, and when the boy reached the proper age he was sent to the district sehool, where his education continued until he reached his thirteenth vear, when he was apprenticed for three years in the office of the Syracuse Standard, to learn the trade of a printer. After two years as "devil" at a salary of $1.50 a week, he quit the job and for twelve months travelled about the country as a two-thirds journeyman printer. He then got "cases" on the Roches- ter Express, where he worked alongside of John Me Viear, ex-member of the Board of Public Works in Detroit.
In the winter of 1863-4, the result of a strike in the Rochester Express, Mr. Smith removed to Lansing, Mich., where he secured a situation with John A. Kerr & Co., then state printers and binders. In the spring fol- lowing, with Henry S. Hilton, he bought the Clinton Republican, published at St. Johns, and they made the venture a success from the start. In 1883 they started the Globe, at Flint, Mich., and were the first in the country to adopt the so-called "patent insides," and they used the inside pages of the Globe, for
the Clinton Republican. In 1870 the Globe was sold to A. L. Aldrich, of St. Joseph, Mich., after which Messrs. Smith & Hilton purchased a two-thirds interest in the Jackson Daily Citizen of Hon. James O'Donnell, who retained a one-third interest. In about eight months afterward, however, Mr. O'Donnell became the sole owner again of the Citizen, Mr. Smith returning to St. Johns. Some months later, owing to failing health, Mr. Smith removed to Minnesota, engaging in the hardware business at Taylor's Falls, in that state. HIe remained there some fifteen months, when he sold out. While looking for another and more satisfactory business open- ing, he concluded to return to Michigan, and subsequently purchased the Gratiot Journal, at Ithaca, during the Grant-Greeley cam- paign, that paper having threatened to change from a Republican to a Greeley organ. He at once enlarged the paper and made it un- compromisingly Republican, which it so re- mained until he sold it in 1891. While under his charge the Gratiot Journal was recognized as the handsomest, typographically, and one of the ablest newspapers in the state. In 1899 Mr. Smith secured the state printing and binding contract, after a stubborn struggle, and has since been identified with it.
In 1896 the firms of Robert Smith & Con- pany, state printers and binders, and D. D. Thorp & Son, publishers of the State Repub- lican, were merged into one concern, under the name of The Robert Smith Printing Company, Robert Smith and H. S. Hilton owning the controlling interest. The house is still doing business under this name.
Mr. Smith was postmaster during six of the years he spent in Ithaca, and served on the conncil and school board several terms. He is a Mason and belongs to Lansing Comman- dery, K. T., No. 25, and the Shrine of Saladin Temple, Grand Rapids. He is also an Elk and a K. of P.
Ile was married to Miss Carrie H. Seatter- good, of St. Johns, Mich., Oct. 5, 1869, by whom he had one daughter, Mande, and two sons, Robert Jr., and Harry M. In April, 1887, his wife died. He remained a widower until 1889, when he wedded Miss Henrietta Chapman, daughter of the late Judge W. H. Chapman, of Lansing. One daughter, Frances, is the result of the union.
Mr. Smith is in every sense a self-made man, having carved his way to his present position by force of character and indomitable will. IIe is a good hater and one of the stanchest friends on earth. He has never been an office-seeker.
489
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
MINER, HON. JOHN. Mr. Miner is of Irish descent. His father, Edward Miner, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to New York city about 1840. ITis mother, Mary Kern, was born in County Louth, Ire- land, and came to America in 1834, and the parents were married in New York in June, 1847. John Miner, the subject of this sketch, was born in New York city, September 14, 1849, from whence with his parents he came to Detroit in 1855, where he has ever since lived. He received his education in the pub- lic schools of this city of Detroit. When he left school he assisted in his father's business, that of a merchant tailor, in which business he was engaged for several years. In 1871 he began reading law in the office of Levi Bishop, and was admitted to the bar in 1872, before Judge Jared Patchen, then presiding judge of the Wayne Circuit Court. He re- mained in Mr. Bishop's office until 1875, when he started in practice on his own ac- count. In 1877 he was elected to the office of police justice of the city of Detroit. It was certainly a responsible and difficult posi- tion in which to place a young man of but 28 years, but his subsequent election to a second and third term, covering a continuous service of twelve years, demonstrated the wis- dom of the choice. In 1890 he was elected to the lower house of the legislature, and during his service in that capacity he was principally instrumental in amending the Metropolitan Police Law, by which the appointment of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police of Detroit was placed in the hands of the mayor, instead of with the governor. Another meas- ure, however, and probably the most import- ant one of that session, of which he was the author, was known as the "Miner Law." This measure changed the method of choosing Presidential Electors, so that they were chosen by districts instead of by the state at large. It excited widespread discussion and interest, not only in Michigan but throughout the United States. In Michigan it was bitterly antagonized as being a mere partisan measure in the interest of the Democrats, which was made possible by the fact that the Democratic
HON. JOHN MINER.
party was then in control of the state adminis- tration. The measure was fought by the Re- publicans through the state courts, and into the United States Supreme Court, where its constitutionality was finally completely af- firmned. The result was that at the election in 1892 the Democrats elected five of the four- teen Presidential Electors, whereas under the other system (to which the Republicans re- turned when they came into power in 1893) the whole fourteen would have been Republi- can. In a close election this would have de- termined the result on Presidential election.
Judge Miner was a candidate for mayor of Detroit in 1891 but with a divided party, Hon. Wm. G. Thompson being also a candidate upon the Democratic ticket, Mayor Pingrce's election to a second term resulted. At the spring election in 1897 Judge Miner was again a candidate for police justice and the vote on the cast side showed his old-time popu- larity, but the Republican ticket was success- ful except on mayor (a special election for that office), when owing to special causes Mr. May- bury was elected. He was again a candidate for the Legislature in 1898, but it was a bad year for the Democrats. For the past ten years he has given his attention to his law practice, making a specialty of probate prac- tice and private trusts.
490
MEN OF PROGRESS.
ALEXANDER FORSYTH.
FORSYTH, ALEXANDER. Michigan is indebted for much of its healthy blood to the neighboring province of Ontario, and Mr. Forsyth is of this class, he having been born in Middlesex county, Ontario, May 16, 1860. Leaving the district school at 12 years of age, he became a student in the high school at Petrolia and later at Sarnia, and at the age of 17 he began his career as a teacher, his first. care on receiving an income being to eancel some indebtedness incurred in acquiring his education. He taught school in Ontario for five years, starting in at $57 per month and working as a farm hand during the summer. He came to Michigan in 1882 and taught sehool at North Branch, Lapeer county. While there he engaged in the drug business, in which he invested all his savings, but the venture was a losing one, and in 1883 the business was closed out, leaving him without a cent and with some liabilities. Ile resumed the profession of teaching and when his obli- gations had been discharged he opened an in- suranee office at North Branch, which proved a success from the start. He had the agency for all the larger companies doing business in the United States and had a reliable elientele
in the counties of Lapeer and Tuscola and the southern part of Sanilac. In 1890 he sold out the business and removed to Standish, the county seat of Arenac county. Hle here es- tablished an insurance office, the first in that county, having fifteen of the old-line eom- panies, and had an extensive business in Are- nac and adjoining counties. Having been elected to the State Senate in 1896 and being unable to give his personal attention to the business during his necessary stay at the capi- tal, he sold a half interest in the business. In 1894 a foreign insurance company insuring farm property withdrew from Arenae eounty and Mr. Forsyth organized the Home Mutual Insurance Co., being a farmer's company. Ile wrote some 300 risks the first year and to- day the company has about 2,500 members, and the policies in foree aggregate insurance of about $2,000,000. Mr. Forsyth was elected secretary and treasurer of the company, which position he now holds.
Politically, Mr. Forsyth was an indepen- dent up to 1892, since which time he has been a Populist and a Free Silver Demoerat. He was elected to the State Senate from the Twenty-fourth distriet in 1896, under the political combination known as the Demo- cratic-People's-Union-Silver party, and won great applause in his successful fight against the school book trust for the adoption of uni- form and free text books. He was a dele- gate to the National Populist Convention at St. Louis, Mo., in 1896. His lodge connec- tions are Masonic, including the Auxiliary Eastern Star. Miss Henrietta Brooks, daugh- ter of Wm. Brooks, of Lambton, Ont., be- came Mrs. Forsyth in 1882. They have three children, Jennie, Annie and William.
Mr. Forsyth is one of the solid farmers of Arenac county, and owns and operates a farm of 500 acres near Standish, and also own eon- siderable real estate in the village, all acquired within the past ten years as the fruit of his enterprise and business tact. In 1897 he took up banking and reorganized the Arenac County Bank, which had previously failed, and after getting it on a sound basis, sold out his interest.
491
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
GODFREY, MARSHALL HARTLEY. At present a member of the Board of Public Works of Detroit, Mr. Godfrey has passed a useful life in his native city, up to the age of 55 years, both in business, social and official relations. He was born in Detroit, July 16, 1845, his parents having been Jeremiah and Sophromia (Pierce) Godfrey. The Godfrey family were originally from the state of New York. Marshall H. attended the Detroit pub- lic schools, whose courses were much less ad- vanced then than now, and also attended an academy of which the Rev. Prof. Nutting was principal, located on what is known as Lodi Plains, some seven miles south of Ann Arbor, in Washtenaw county, from which he gradu- ated in 1862, also taking a course in a com- mercial college in Detroit. He was then ap- prenticed to learn the trade of a painter, with the firm of Godfrey Dean & Co., of which his uncle, Joseph Godfrey, was the senior part- ner, serving his time of four years. The next seven years were passed as an employee and working at his trade. In 1866 he became a member of the firm, representing the business first established by his father in 1838. The history of this house is thus briefly noted : Jeremiah Godfrey, 1838-52; Joseph Godfrey, 1852-74; Marshall H. Godfrey, 1866-99. Mr. Godfrey, with his business associates, did a flourishing and increasing business from year to year until the collapse of the Majestic Building Association, in which he was a stock- holder, in January, 1899, which forced him out of business.
Mr. Godfrey served the public as a member of the Board of Water Commissioners five years, 1884-89, when he resigned and was four years a member of the Fire Commission. He was the general manager of the water works system fourteen months preceding his appointment to the Board of Public Works. He was the Democratic candidate for mayor in 1893, but it was a bad year for Democrats. He has something of a record in the local volunteer militia, having been Regimental Color Sergeant of the Third Regiment, Michi-
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