USA > Michigan > Michigan official directory and legislative manual for the years 1903-1904 > Part 73
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FREDERICK F. SOVEREIGN,
Senator from the seventh district, comprising the counties of Berrien and Cass, was born in Bristol, Elkhart county, Indiana, August 27, 1846. He removed to Valparaiso, Indiana, in 1862, and entered Valparaiso Male and Female College, where he remained until 1864, when he enlisted as private in company C, 131st Indiana, and was discharged as orderly sergeant of company B, 151st Indiana, September 20, 1865. He re-entered Valparaiso College, from which he graduated in 1866, and began the study of medicine in Rush Medical College of Chicago, Illinois, graduating from that institu- tion in February, 1869. He came to Michigan in 1874, where he has suc- cessfully practiced his profession in Three Oaks, and held various town- ship offices, being school director eighteen years and school inspector of Three Oaks township for twenty years. In politics he is a strong republi- can and was elected to the senate of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 8,206 to 6,645 for Erasmus S. Heckman.
SIMEON VANAKIN,
Senator from the fitth district, comprising the counties of Lenawee and Monroe, was born in the village of Hudson, Lenawee county, Michigan, October 14, 1842. His parents were among the early pioneers of Michigan and settled in the valley of the Tiffin before Michigan became a state. His education was acquired in the district school, supplemented by occasional select schools held in the village. At the age of nineteen he enlisted in company C, 1st regiment United States sharpshooters, Berdans, and shortly after the close of the war he married and removed to Ida township, Monroe county, Michigan, where he has since resided and been engaged in farming. Mr. VanAkin has always been a consistent republican, and has held the offices of township clerk, justice of the peace, and for five years was a member of the board of supervisors. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 by a vote of 8,983 to 7,745 for Herbert B. Hathaway and 580 for Charles Bragg.
COLEMAN C. VAUGHAN,
Senator from the nineteenth district, comprising the counties of Clinton and Gratiot, was born at Machias, New York, August 1, 1857, of Welsh parents. He was educated in the district schools, supplemented by three terms in an academy in New York. He has worked on the Lapeer Clarion and the Detroit Free Press, and in 1889 bought the St. Johns Republican, which he still publishes. Mr. Vaughan is married and resides in St. Johns. He is a republican and was elected to the state senate for the term of 1903-4 by a vote of 5,876 to 3,409 for Willard D. Tucker.
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I. ROY WATERBURY,
Senator from the twelfth district, comprising the counties of Oakland and Macomb, was born October 2, 1869, on the farm in Highland township, Oakland county, where he now resides. His early education was acquired in the public schools of that community. He was married in 1892, and has always followed the occupation of farming. Mr. Waterbury is presi- dent of the State Association of Farmers' Clubs. Politically he is a republican and has served his township in the offices of clerk, treasurer and supervisor. He was a member of the house from 1899 to 1902. He was elected to the state senate for the term of 1903-4 by a vote of 9,190 to 7,754 for George J. Baker.
AUGUSTUS W. WEEKES, .
Senator from the seventeenth district, comprising all the townships of Kent county and the sixth, seventh and eighth wards of the city of Grand Rapids, was born in Keene, Ionia county, Michigan, May 27, 1850. His early education was acquired in the district schools and Grand Rapids high school, and the Michigan Agricultural College. At the age of nine- teen he began mercantile life as a clerk in a dry goods store, a few years thereafter becoming a partner. He continued in the business ten years. and selling his interest he went into the dry goods business for himself, which he has successfully conducted since. On October 27, 1875, he was married to Miss Henrietta Bailey. Their family consists of one son and one daughter. In politics he is a republican, and has held the offices of township treasurer four years, supervisor five years, chairman of board of supervisors of Kent county one year, and was for nine years president of the village of Lowell where he now resides. He represented his district in the house of representatives of 1893-4 and 1895-6 and in the senate of 1901-2, and was re-elected to the senate of 1903-4 by a vote of 5,555 to 3,615 for Henry D. Plumb, 314 for. Frank D. Cutler, and 156 for Robert A. F. Duderstadt.
FRANK L. WESTOVER,
Senator from the twenty-fourth district, comprising the counties of Bay and Midland, was born in Sheffield, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, December 17, 1853. Coming to Michigan in 1866, his education was acquired in the public schools of Bay City where he still resides. He was admitted to the bar in 1879 and for four years practiced law in both state and federal courts. In 1883 he was appointed postmaster of Bay City, holding the office four years. In 1894 he was elected clerk of Bay county and re-elected in 1896. While editor of the Bay City Tribune he was elected to the senate of 1901-2, and on the 4th of November, 1902, was re-elected by a vote of 5,515 to 4,932 for Harvey Gilbert and 223 for Daniel L. Hil- singer. Mr. Westover is at present engaged in the business of life insurance.
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JASON WOODMAN,
Senator from the eighth district, comprising the counties of Allegan and Van Buren, was born in 1865, of New England ancestors, on the farm where he now lives. He graduated from the Michigan Agricultural College in 1881. He was lecturer of the Michigan State Grange for eight years, and has served four years as chairman of the Van Buren republican county committee. Mr. Woodman is a republican in politics, and was elected to the state senate of 1903-4 by a vote of 7,305 to 3,877 for James H. Hammond.
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MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.
C. SPENCER ADAMS,
Representative from Van Buren county, was born in Joliet, Illinois, February 25, 1851. He moved to Lawton, Michigan, at the age of five and received his education in the common schools at that place. Mr. Adams is married, and has been a successful hardware merchant for twenty years. He is an enthusiastic devotee of fraternalism, being a member of the Maccabees, Modern Woodman of America, Knights of Pythias and for years has been an active worker in the Masonic fraternity from the blue lodge to the mystic . shriners. He is a strong republican, has held the various village offices of president, trustee, recorder, assessor and treasurer, and was elected to the legislature of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 3,614 to 2,428 for William Killefer.
ROBERT NEWTON ADAMS,
Representative from Chippewa county, was born of English parents in Hastings county, Ontario, May 13, 1844, and educated in the public schools of Ontario. He was married in 1867 and has six children. In 1878, he commenced farming in Chippewa county and after engaging in that occupation for a time went into the real estate business and later became interested in the mercantile and banking business. Mr. Adams was a member of the board of education of Sault Ste. Marie for ten years. He is a republican and was elected to the legislature of 1903-4, by a vote of 2,168 to 1,329 for James R. Ryan.
JEREMIAH H. ANDERSON,
Representative from the first district of Kent county, was born in Walker township, Kent county, May 22, 1843, and acquired his education in the district schools. In 1865 he moved to Grand Rapids and commenced · working at the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds, and in the spring of 1892 he began the manufacture of furniture, but two years later was burned out. He lost nearly everything invested in the plant, and resumed work in a furniture factory. In politics he is a republican and has held the office of alderman of the sixth ward of Grand Rapids, three terms. He was a member of the house of 1903-4, 1897-8, 1899-1900, and was elected
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November 4, 1902, on the general legislative ticket by a vote of 6,895 to 4,388 for Fred C. Temple, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes on the democratic ticket.
NOBLE ASHLEY,
Representative from the first district, Wayne county, comprising the city of Detroit, was born at South Ferriby, Lincolnshire, England, September 30, 1863. He is a son of George Ashley of the same place, his mother being Ellen Matilda Noble, of Kirkstead, Lincolnshire. He was educated in the English and Canadian grammar schools. At the age of nine he emigrated with his father's family to Sarnia, Ontario, and commenced to learn the trade of a printer on the "Sarnia Observer," and in 1880, his parents having both died, he located in the City of Detroit, and followed the occupation of a printer. He was married in 1888 to Florine E. Kelley of Glencoe, Ontario, and has three sons. In 1884 he became active in the affairs of the Detroit Typographical Union, filling all the positions of trust in that body and being its representative to the international body in 1893. He was a delegate to the Detroit Trades and Labor Council for years and represented that body in the Michigan Federation of Labor in 1894. He was elected alderman of the tenth ward in the city of Detroit, being president pro tem. of the common council in 1897, and was a member of the board of supervisors of Wayne county from 1896 to 1898. He became interested in the Knights of the Modern Maccabees in 1890 and was great master at arms and great sergeant of the Great Camp from 1893 to 1896, and he has been employed by that order as deputy great commander since 1896. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, National Union, D. O. K. K., Modern Woodmen, and Free and Accepted Masons. He has always been a republican and was nominated by the direct vote of the people at the primaries, and elected on the general legislative ticket of Detroit by a vote of 21,425 to 20,771 for William Stacey, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes on the democratic ticket.
ANDREW V. AUSTIN,
Representative from the second district of Oakland county, was born in Milford, December 4, 1844. His parents were pioneers of Oakland county, settling in Milford in 1836. He enlisted in company E, 185 New York volunteers, and was wounded in the head at the battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865, and reported dead. In 1868 he returned to Milford and began the grocery business, continuing in the same nearly thirty-five years, when he retired on account of ill health. He was at one time a member of the common council of Milford. He is a member of Heber Le Favour Post G. A. R. No. 181, was twice elected its commander and for thirteen years has been its quartermaster. He was married December 19, 1888, to Hattie M. Foote. He was formerly married to Lizzie Bartlett, by whom he had three children. He was elected a member of the Michigan House
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of Representatives in November, 1902, receiving 2,688 votes to 2,507 given to Leroy N. Brown.
HORACE, THOMAS BARNABY, JR.,
Representative from the second district of Kent county, was born in North Star township, Gratiot county, Michigan, October 24, 1870, descending from the old English family of Barnabys who settled about Cape Cod early in Colonial times. Mr. Barnaby traces his ancestry back to the old Puritan stock. His education was obtained at Hartsville College, Hartsville, Indiana, Kalamazoo College, and the Ferris School at Big Rapids, Michigan. He has been a successful school teacher, and graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan, in June 1902. Mr. Barnaby is married, and has held the offices of school inspector, township clerk and supervisor, and has always been a staunch republican. He was elected to the legislature of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 2,098 to 1,240 for William J. Watterson, and 83 for James H. Martin.
JOHN LAWRENCE BATCHELDER,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county, was born in Bennington county, Vermont, in 1834, of English parents. He was educated in the common schools and Chester Academy, Vermont. His ancestors came from England in 1637 and settled in Salem, Massachusetts. The land 'John Batchelder settled on in 1637 is still in the hands of the family. Mr. Batchelder was for some time in the marble and cut stone business, but is now retired from active business. He has held the office of justice of the peace and been a member of the Detroit city council. He was elected on the general legislative ticket of Detroit, November 4, 1902, by a vote of 21,411 to 20,771 for William Stacey, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes on the democratic ticket.
LEONARD BAUMGAERTNER,
Representative from the second district of Saginaw county, was born of German parents on a farm in the township of Buena Vista, Saginaw county, Michigan, December 30, 1859. He acquired an education in the common schools of his neighborhood, and reached the age of twenty- one years when his father died, leaving a family of six children, of which he was the eldest. He at once took control of the homestead, and has since held possession, being generally engaged in farming. In politics Mr. Baumgartner is a republican. He has been a member of the school board, school inspector, and township clerk. He was elected to the legis- lature of 1899-1900, 1901-2, and re-elected November 4, 1902, on the general legislative ticket by a vote of 4,499 to 4,357 for William B. Hill, the candi- date receiving the highest number of votes on the democratic ticket.
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EARL B. BOLTON,
Representative from the Presque Isle district, comprising the counties of Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and. Presque Isle, was born in Leslie, Michigan, February 13, 1862, and received his education in the high schools of Leslie and Mason. He is married and has been a resident of Gaylord twenty years, being one of its heaviest property holders. He is a member of the E. B. Bolton hardware company and a member of the firm of Buck & Bolton, commission merchants, vice-president of the Gaylord State Savings Bank and half owner of the bank at Wol- verine. Mr. Bolton is a man of sterling business integrity, has always been a staunch republican, and was elected to the legislature of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 2,762 to 1,497 for James R. Snody.
CHARLES H. BROWN,
Representative from the Iron district, comprising the counties of Baraga, Iron, Keweenaw and Ontonagon, was born in Defiance county, Olio, on the 13th day of March, 1870. His parents emigrated from Germany to Ohio in 1854, and settled on a farm where he spent his boyhood days. Mr. Brown was educated in the Columbus school. At the age of twenty he moved to Saginaw, Michigan, and secured employment as scaler of logs. The following year he moved to Ontonagon, Michigan, where he was employed in saw milling. In 1898, he enlisted in the 35th Michigan, which was under Colonel Irish and was promoted to corporal. He was mustered out of service in 1899, and moved to Greenland, Ontonagon county. Mr. Brown is a republican in politics. He has been a member of the board of review of Greenland, and chief of the fire department. He was elected to the legislature in 1903-4 by a vote of 2,524 to 916 for John O'Gorman.
CHARLES J. BYRNS,
Representative from the second district of Marquette county, Michigan, was born January 6, 1861, in Altona, New York. When eight years of age he moved with his parents to Port Henry, N. Y., where he received his education in the high school. He moved to Michigan when eighteen years of age and located in Ishpeming where after an experience of several years as bookkeeper, and manager of different lumber concerns, he pur- chased and successfully conducted a retail lumber business for a period of two years. He engaged with the Wisconsin Land & Lumber Company of Hermansville, Michigan, as traveling salesman in which capacity he suc- cessfully served for nearly four years. He is an ardent advocate of fraternal societies, being present state deputy head consul of the Modern Woodmen of America in which position he has served in Michigan and Ohio for nearly nine years. He is a past grand master workman of the Michigan Grand Lodge of the A. O. U. W. and past grand commander of
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the military branch of the same order. He is a member of the K. O. T. M., Royal Arcanum, B. P. O. E., Knights of Columbus and C. O. F. Mr. Byrns is married and has always been a strong republican. He was elected to the legislature of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 1,883 to 441 for Edward C. Thomas.
THOMAS G. CAMPBELL,
Representative from the Clare district, comprising the counties of Clare, Gladwin and Roscommon, was born in Carlisle, Middlesex county, Ontario, June 28, 1858. His early education was obtained in the common school and Toronto University, where he graduated with the degree of A. B. He came to Michigan in 1871 and entered the University of Michigan, graduat- ing in 1888 with the degree of LL. B. He taught school for a time, and in 1888 settled in Gladwin, since which time he has practiced law. · Mr. Camp- bell is married, and has always been a strong republican. He was com- missioner of schools and prosecuting attorney for Gladwin county, and mayor of the city of Gladwin, and was elected to the legislature of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 1,920 to 1,038 for George W. Graham.
JOHN J. CARTON,
Representative from the second district of Genesee county, was born in Clayton, Genesee county, Michigan, November 8, 1856, and educated in the district and high schools at Flushing and Flint, Genesee county. He was by turns a farmer, clerk and school teacher until April, 1877, when he worked in a drug store at Flushing until August 13, 1877, and then accepted a position with Niles & Cotcher, merchants at Flushing as bookkeeper and remained there until December, 1880, in which year he was elected clerk of Genesee county and re-elected in 1882, serving four years in that posi- tion. In the meantime he studied law and was admitted to the bar August 21, 1884. He at once formed a partnership with George H. Durand, under the firm name of Durand &' Carton, and the firm has still con- tinued with the exception of about three months, when Mr. Durand was upon the supreme bench by appointment. Mr. Carton was city attorney of Flint two years. He was elected to the legislatures of 1899- 1900 and 1901-2 and was chosen speaker of the house during his second term. He was re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 2,383 to 1,330 for Merton B. Clapp and 103 for Charles A. Franck, and was again elected speaker of the House.
IRA GARDNER CHAPMAN,
Representative from Macomb county was born at Sterling, Macomb county, November 20, 1841. His education was obtained at the district school supplemented by one year at the Utica high school. In February, 1878,
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he was married to Miss Mary Wilcox of Oakland county. He was appointed census enumerator in 1890 and again in 1900. In 1891 he was elected super- visor of his township which for thirty years, had elected a democratic supervisor. Mr. Chapman was elected to represent the second district of Macomb county in the house of representatives for 1901-2, and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 3,723 to 3,323 for Floyd E. Andrus and 160 for Richard H. Cottrell.
SHERIDAN J. COLBY,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county, Detroit, was born in the township of Woodhull, Shiawassee county, Michigan, December 2, 1864, and received his early education in the schools of that township, attending school winters and working summers upon the farm of his father, William. Colby, one of the earliest pioneers of Woodhull. During 1887-88 he sold fruit trees and solicited insurance and newspaper sub- scriptions. In the spring of 1889 he secured a position as conductor for the Citizen's Street Railway Company of Detroit. In September, 1892, he en- tered the Detroit College of Law, attending evening sessions and working on the street car days until, on June 21, 1894, he graduated with the degree of bachelor of laws and on June 25, of the same year was admitted to the bar in the Wayne circuit court. In November, 1894, he resigned his position as conductor and assumed the practice of his profession, which he has since followed. He was married August 3, 1893, to Miss Eva Mitte, of Detroit, who died July 22, 1895. He has always been a republican and was elected to the house of 1899-1900 and 1901-2. He was re-elected on the general legislative ticket November 4, 1902, by a vote of 22,247 to 20,771 for Wm. Stacey, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes on the democratic ticket, and at the organization of the house was chosen speaker pro tem.
JOHN H. COMBS,
Representative from the first district of Lenawee county, was born in Rome township, Lenawee county, Michigan, December 22, 1861, on the farm he now owns and occupies. His father, Dr. Henry P. Combs, was a mem- ber of the Michigan legislature from Lenawee county from 1857 to 1864, and gave his son a common school education until 1879, when he attended Adrian College two years and entered Goldsmith's Business College at Detroit in 1882, from which he graduated. Mr. Combs was married in 1884 to Miss Nellie E. Williams of Detroit, and has a daughter sixteen years of age. He is a strong republican and has always taken an active interest in politics, holding different offices in his township, being also identified with the grange and the farmers' interests in his locality. He was elected to the legislature of 1901-2 and re-elected November 4, 1902, by a vote of 2,558 to 2,337 for Don. H. C. Bowen and 197 for Albert B. Coffin.
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PETER B. DE LISLE,
Representative from the fourth district of Wayne county was born in the township of Ecorse, Wayne county, January 21, 1846. Mr. DeLisle is of French descent. He was educated in the district school and Paterson's classical and mathematical school. He was a contractor and builder for some time. He was engaged in the grocery business in Detroit for three years, after which he moved to Toledo, Ohio, and conducted a coal and wood business, after a few years he disposed of his business in Toledo and moved to Delray, Michigan, his present home, and is engaged in the real estate and insurance business. Mr. DeLisle is a prominent member of several fraternal societies. He is married and has a family of four chil- dren. He is a democrat and was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 by a vote of 1,674 to 1,563 for Ignatius J. Salliotte, and 38 for Fred H. Townsend.
EDWIN DENBY,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county was born at Evansville, Indiana, February 18, 1870. He was educated in the schools of Evansville and the law department of the University of Michigan from which he graduated in 1896. Mr. Denby has been a resident of the state nine years, and, at present, is engaged in the practice of law in the city of Detroit. He served in the Spanish-American war on the United States Steamship Yosemite. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 on the general legislative ticket, receiving 22,218 votes to 20,771 for William Stacey, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes on the democratic
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ticket.
ORVILLE DENNIS,
Representative from Missaukee district, comprising the counties of Mis- saukee and Kalkaska, was born in the township of Milton, Cass county, Michigan, March 28, 1873. He graduated from the Reed City high school in 1890 and was employed for a time in the law office of Hon. S. Wesselius of Grand Rapids, after which he spent several years teaching sucessfully in district and village schools of Osceola and Missaukee counties. During this time he served as principal of the schools at Tustin and McBain. In 1894 he purchased the Chronicle at McBain, which he conducted till 1897, when he sold out and bought the Missaukee Republican at Lake City, which he still owns and publishes. Mr. Dennis is married. He has always been a republican and was elected to the legislature of 1901-2. He has also held several village and township offices and for two terms was a member of the board of school examiners of Massaukee county. He is interested as a partner in the publication of the Omer (Arenac county) Progress, and is president of a company recently organized to develop and advertise the natural advantages of his home village as a summer resort. He was re-elected to the house November 4, 1902, by a vote of 1,747 to 656 for Henry H. Long.
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JOHN SEYMOUR DOHANY,
Representative from the second district of Wayne county, was born on a farm at Southfield, Oakland county, July 9, 1868. At the age of seventeen he commenced teaching district schools, continuing in this work for four years. After preparatory courses at Fenton Normal school and the State Normal college, he entered the Detroit College of Medicine in 1891, receiv- ing his degree of M. D. with the class of 1894. He then located in Green- field, Wayne county, where he has since lived and practiced medicine. He is a prominent member and medical examiner of Greenfield Tent, 325 K. O. M. M. Mr. Dohany has always been a democrat, but has never before been a candidate for office. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 by a . vote of 1,097 to 973 for James E. Chavey, and 29 for George H. Pettys.
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