USA > Michigan > Michigan official directory and legislative manual for the years 1905-1906 > Part 75
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FREEMAN L. DECKER,
Representative from the Missaukee district, comprising the counties of Kalkaska and Missaukee, was born at Pinckney, Livingston county, Michigan, June 4, 1854. His edu- cation was obtained in the Pinckney public schools. While a resident of Livingston county, he served several terms as supervisor of his home township and also acted as deputy sheriff of the county. He moved to Missaukee county in 1881, and since that time has been a continuous resident of Lake City. Most of this time he has been en- gaged in farming, having improved a large amount of land, and also built a number of of residences in the village of Lake City. He now resides upon and personally conducts one of the best farms in the county. In politics he is a Republican, and has held the offices of village assessor, school assessor, justice of the peace and supervisor. In all he has held the office of supervisor for twenty-three years, and for fifteen years has been chairman of the board of supervisors of Missaukee county. He was elected to the leg- islature November 8, 1904, by a vote of 2,455 to 1,295 for Cassius M. Phelps.
GEORGE E. DEWEY,
Representative from Oceana county, was born at Pennline, Crawford county, Pennsyl- vania, July 31, 1854. He acquired his education in the district schools of Ashtabula county, Ohio. He was married to Kate Rankin in 1880, has two daughters and one son. He has been a successful business man and for a number of years was engaged in the lumber business, and at the present time is engaged in the sale of agricultural imple- ments. Mr. Dewey has been a resident of Michigan for thirty-one years. He is a Re- publican, and has held the office of president of Shelby village, five terms as trustee, township treasurer, also register of deeds of the county. He was elected to the legis- lature November 8, 1904, by a vote of 2,524 to 732 for James G. Farrell and 206 for John W. Perkins.
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LUREN D. DICKINSON,
Representative from Eaton county, was born in Niagara county, New York, April 15, 1859, of English and Irish descent. His parents removed to Michigan in 1860, where he has since lived, receiving his education in the district schools and the Charlotte high school. He taught school during the winter for nineteen years and was at one time prin- cipal of the Potterville high school. He is married, and for many years has been a suc- cessful farmer, giving special attention to fruit growing and the raising of stock. Mr. Dickinson is stockholder, director and secretary of the Charlotte Creamery Associa- tion, and stockholder in the First National Bank of Charlotte. He is a trustee of the Eaton M. E. Church, and a member of the order of K. of P. Mr. Dickinson is a Republi- can, a member of the Republican county committee for twenty years, treasurer of his school district, has been clerk, supervisor, and was a member of the legislature of 1897-8. He tied Senator A. B. Shumaker for nomination for state senator of the fifteenth district in 1901. He was elected to the legislature November 8, 1904, by a vote of 4,866 to 2,943 for James H. Gallery and 182 for Luther B. Kenyon.
THOMAS E. DOUBLE,
Representative from the Presque Isle district, comprising the counties of Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, Feb- ruary 28, 1866, of German descent. He moved with his parents to Williams county, Ohio, when three years of age, and lived at that place until eighteen years of age, work- ing on the farm and attending the public schools. He finished his education in the Pioneer high schools. In 1884 removed to Montmorency county, Michigan, and taught in the public schools for six years. Mr. Double was married in September, 1893, and has three children. He is a Republican, always active in the interests of his party, and has held the offices of township clerk, supervisor, county school examiner, and for the past two years has been chairman of the board of supervisors. In January, 1895, he took charge of the county clerk's office as deputy county clerk, and was elected county clerk in 1896 and reelected to that office in 1898. He has given his attention to farm- ing for the last few years, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 4,359 to 1,349 for James E. Spencer.
GEORGE W. DUNCAN,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county, was born at Lockport, New York, June 28, 1857, of Scotch-Irish parents, his father serving throughout the civil war. He received his education in the public schools of Lockport and later learned the print- ers trade. Mr. Duncan came to Michigan in 1879, and for the past twenty-one years has been connected with the Detroit Journal. He has been actively identified with the organized labor movement for many years, having filled the offices of president and secretary of the Detroit Trades Council and Detroit Typographical Union No. 18, and was the first secretary and treasurer of the Michigan Federation of Labor. Mr. Dun- can has always been a Republican, and was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 and re- elected November 8, 1904, on the general legislative ticket by a plurality of 17,072.
JAMES C. DUNSTAN,
Representative from the second district, Houghton county, was born in the county of Cornwall, England, 1847. He was educated in the common schools of England and at the State Normal College at Ypsilanti, Michigan. Mr. Dunstan came to Michigan in
95
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1869, settling in Keweenaw county where he worked two years in the copper mines, and then prepared himself for the work of teaching in which he engaged for fifteen years. Since 1888 he has been engaged in the local management of a lumber and real estate business, and at the present time occupies a clerical position connected with the various copper manufacturing establishments at Dollar Bay. In politics he is a Republican, and gave his first vote in America for General U. S. Grant. He was elected to the leg- islature of 1903-4 and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 1,924 to 489 for Domi- nick W. Sutter.
MILLARD DURHAM,
Representative from the second district Ottawa county, was born in the township of Polkton, Ottawa county, Michigan, July 26, 1856, of German parentage. He was edu- cated in the Coopersville graded schools, and lived on a farm until 1894, when he pur- chased the elevator at Coopersville, since which time he has been engaged in the. grain and coal trade. He was married to Sarah Pierce, January 3, 1880, and has two daugh- ters. He is a member of the firm of Durham & Moore, engaged in local fire insurance business, and is president of the Coopersville State Bank. Mr. Durham has held the offices of village trustee, township treasurer and supervisor. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 2,694 to 776 for Willard W. Dickerson and 27 for Herbert F. Martin.
PHILIP EICHHORN,
Representative from the first district, St. Clair county, was born in Port Huron, Michi- gan, February 1, 1859, of German parents. He was educated in a private school and the Detroit Business College. He is married and has three sons. Mr. Eichhorn was in the postoffice at Port Huron for twelve years, deputy collector of customs four years, and grocery business three years. He has been engaged in the hotel business for over twelve years and is at present proprietor of the Union Hotel at Port Huron. He is di- rector of the First National Exchange Bank and vice president and director of the Port Huron Building and Loan Association. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 4,316 to 2,182 for Charles V. Andrae.
GEORGE EDWIN ELLIS,
Representative from the first district, Kent county, was born at Belleville, Jefferson county, New York, December 22, 1864, of American parentage. He received his edu- cation at the Union Academy, graduating in 1881, and at the Syracuse University from which he graduated with the class of 1885. Mr. Ellis was identified with the base ball interests for several years in Michigan, and gained an enviable reputation among the patrons of the great American game as manager and owner of the Grand Rapids West- ern League team. He has been a resident of Michigan for eighteen years, and for the past eight years has been an extensive dealer in stocks and grain. He owns two farms and considerable real estate in Grand Rapids. Mr. Ellis is an active Republican, but never aspired to political office until nominated for representative, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a plurality of 5,784.
OLE ERICKSON,
Representative from Delta county, was born in Norway, August 13, 1851. He re- ceived his education in the common schools of Norway. He came to America in 1870, locating at Faribault, Minnesota, where he engaged as brakeman on a construction train
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during the winter of 1870 and 1871. He went to Dakota in the spring of 1871, roamed from place to place, and finally located at Ford River, Delta county, Michigan, in 1873. He worked for the Ford River Lumber Company in different capacities until 1884, when he started in the grocery and lumber business at Escanaba. Mr. Erickson has been a successful business man, and is now senior member of the firm of Erickson & Bissell, which was established in 1886. He is married and has one daughter. In politics he is a Republican, was mayor of Escanaba for two terms, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 3,240 to 803 for Michael Gleason.
MERTON W. FAIRBANK,
Representative from the second district, Genesee county, was born in the town of Swe- den, Monroe county, New York, September 10, 1847, of American parents. He ac- quired his education in the district schools of New York state. At the age of sixteen he enlisted in the army, serving one year and three months in the Third New York cav- alry. He came to Michigan in 1867 and settled on a farm in Genesee county where he still resides. Mr. Fairbank is married and has no children. He has held the office of township treasurer two years, supervisor twelve years, acting as chairman of the board of supervisors one year, and is at present a member of the building committee for the new court house. He is a strong Republican, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 3,189 to 1,284 for Ned Hammond, 248 for John F. Montgomery and 106 for James D. Hubbell.
EARL FAIRBANKS,
Representative from the Wexford district, comprising the counties of Lake and Wex- ford, was born at Fillmore Center, Allegan county, Michigan, July 19, 1860, of English parents. He attended the district schools until fourteen years of age. He taught school, worked in the lumber woods and on the railroad until he secured money enough to pay expenses in the medical department of the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in 1888. He established himself at once in the practice of medicine at Luther where he has since resided. He was postmaster at Luther six years, president of the village five years, chairman of the Republican county committee of Lake county eight years, and president of the high school board four years. He was alternate dele- gate to the Republican national convention at St. Louis, 1896, and delegate to tlie con- vention of 1900 at Philadelphia, from the 9th congressional district. Dr. Fairbanks is married and has four children, three sons and a daughter. He was elected to the legis- lature of 1903-4, and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 3,612 to 1,354 for Richard Norris.
ALONZO W. FISHER,
Representative from the first district of Allegan county, was born in Newton township, Calhoun county, Michigan, June 21, 1845. His parents were pioneers, having moved to Michigan from the state of New York in 1836. He was educated in the common schools, was married January 13, 1869, and moved to his present home in Ganges town- ship, Allegan county, and has successfully managed a fruit and general farming busi- ness since. He is a Republican, and has served his township as supervisor and in other capacities for ten years. He was elected to the lower house of the legislature of 1903-4 and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 2,938 to 1,020 for Jarrett N. Clark.
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J. RUSSELL FISK,
Representative from the second district of Jackson county, was born in Tompkins township, Jackson county, April 8, 1867. He was educated in the district schools. He is married and owns and conducts an extensive farm and stock raising business. He is a Republican and has taken an active part in politics. He was elected to the leg- islature of 1903-4 and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 3,244 to 2,354 for Patrick Hankerd and 136 for George Pretty.
WILLIAM J. GALBRAITH,
Representative from the first district of Houghton county, was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, November 5, 1866, of Scotch-Irish parents. He was educated in the Illinois State Normal School from which he graduated in 1889, and then entered the lit- erary department of the University of Michigan where he remained two years. He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1894. Mr. Gal- braith has been a successful educator, having been principal of schools, institute con- ductor and instructor in English in the Wisconsin State Normal for three years. He has been secretary of the school board of Calumet five years. He is a Republican, and was elected to the legislature of 1903-4, and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 2,860 to 971 for Edward Ryan.
JOHN R. GORDON,
Representative from the first district, Marquette county, was born at Silver Hill, Can- ada, February 15, 1851, of Scotch parentage. He received but little education in the common schools of the country, attending school in the winters only until the age of fourteen. At that age he commenced work in the lumber woods as chore boy, and with the exception of seven years in the hotel business at Hancock he has been engaged in lumbering all his life, in the several capacities from chore boy to general manager, having operated for himself for many years. He is a Republican, and represented his district in the legislatures of 1899-1900 and 1901-2, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 1,872 to 1,027 for Thomas M. Wells, 722 for Michael Scully and 95 for John A. Williams.
JOSEPH GREUSEL,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county, comprising the city of Detroit, was born in Glasco, Ulster county, New York, but has lived in Detroit upward of fifty years. On the father's side his family has been resident of Michigan from territorial days, and have figured in the legislative, municipal, civil and military history of the state. He is a member of the Michigan Society of the Sons of the American Revolu- tion and other patriotic societies. By profession a writer; with real estate and other business interests in Detroit and elsewhere in Michigan. He is a Republican, was a member of the legislature of 1903-4, and elected to the present house, November 8, 1904, by a plurality of 16,318.
MARTIN HANLON,
Representative from the second district, Ingham county, was born at Dunkirk, New York, August 7, 1853, of Irish parentage. Mr. Hanlon is a blacksmith by trade, having worked at his trade in Imlay City and Almont, Lapeer county, for nearly seven years.
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At the age of twenty-three years he began attending the high school at Almont, from which school he is a graduate. He continued his school work, graduating from the State Normal College at Ypsilanti in 1882. He is a widower, his wife having died in January, 1895. He was superintendent of the Williamston public schools for three years, 1882-5. He then bought an interest in a drug business at Williamston and later acquired the entire stock, which business he continues at the present time. He has al- ways been a Republican, and has held the offices of school trustee, village trustee, jus- tice of the peace, township clerk, school examiner eight years, and four years commis- sioner of schools. He was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 2,499 to 1.959 for Daniel M. Cook, 209 for David M. Woods and 23 for Hiram Rix.
MICHAEL HARRIS,
Representative from Menominee county, was born in Ireland, September 19, 1852. He received his education in the national school of that country. He came to the United States in the year 1866, settled in Hancock, Michigan, and engaged in mining for three years. He moved to Marquette in 1869 and was employed as lumber inspector. He was married in 1872 to Margret Barry and has two sons and four daughters. He moved to Spalding, Menominee county, in 1876, purchased a farm and engaged in lum- bering and general store business. He has held the offices of township clerk and jus- tice of the peace of Spalding township, and was elected supervisor of Harris town- ship in 1903 and reelected in 1904. Mr. Harris is an active Republican and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 2,638 to 1,676 for Gideon T. Werline.
HENRY T. HEALD,
Representative from the first district, Kent county, was born at Montague, Michigan, March 25, 1876, of English parents. His father, Joseph Heald, was one of the pioneer lumbermen of Michigan. He has always resided in Michigan, and moved to Grand Rapids from Montague in 1882. He received his education in the public schools of Grand Rapids, and graduated from the University of Michigan, receiving the degree of bachelor of philosophy in 1898. He afterward studied law in the office of Butter- field & Keeney, and was admitted to the bar in 1900. He became a member of the law firm of Stuart & Heald January 1, 1902. Mr. Heald is an active Republican and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a plurality of 6,683.
HENRY H. HERKIMER,
Representative from Monroe county, was born September 4, 1842, in the township of Exeter, being a descendant of General Herkimer. He received his education in the public schools. In 1862 he enlisted in company K, fifth Michigan cavalry, and re- mained in the service until the close of the war. After the war he married and settled on a farm in the township of London, where he has since resided. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4, and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 4,023 to 3,535 for Flagget H. Trabbie and 167 for Arch L. Bragg.
THOMAS T. HIGGINS,
Representative from Cass county, was born in Randolf county, Indiana, February 10, 1844, and came to Michigan with his parents in 1858 and settled on a farm in Cass county. He was educated in the common schools, married and moved on the farm where he now resides. He was elected to the legislature of 1903-4 and was reelected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 3,054 to 2,136 for H. Sylvester Chapman and 120 for Warren A. Garwood.
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JOHN W. HOLMES,
Representative from Gratiot county, was born in Livingston county, New York, in 1840, and came to Michigan in 1858, locating on a farm near Hillsdale, and completing his education in the public schools of that county. On June 9, 1861, he enlisted in the sev- enth Michigan volunteer infantry and served with his regiment until honorably dis- charged on account of physical disability. He taught school in Jackson and Hillsdale counties for ten years, afterwards engaging in the mercantile business in Mosherville, where he remained six years. In 1884 he moved to Gratiot county and engaged in the produce business at Alma. He has been a successful farmer and business man, twice elected president of the village and has been a member of the board of education. Mr. Holmes has always been a loyal Republican, was elected to the legislatures of 1901-2 and 1903-4, and reelected November 8, 1904, by a vote of 4,186 to 2,235 for Frank G. Palmer and 245 for Hugh Chisholm.
GRANT MARTIN HUDSON,
Representative from the second district, Kalamazoo county, was born on a farm in Eaton township, Lorain county, Ohio, July 23, 1868, of English descendants. A part of his childhood was spent in that locality and a part in Clinton county, Michigan. He came to Michigan when seventeen years of age and entered the high school at Pent- water, and from there he entered Kalamazoo College, graduating in 1894. In 1892 he was ordained to the Christian ministry of the Baptist denomination; first serving the church at Schoolcraft as pastor, afterward at Dowagiac. Being compelled on account of ill health to relinquish the active duties of a pastorate, Mr. Hudson returned to School- craft in 1895, and next started in the dry goods business, in a small way, at that place. He now has a general store and attends to his farming interests. He has lield the offices of village trustee, village president, school inspector and member of the school board. In politics he is a Republican, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 2,785 to 1,687 for Dewitt C. Thompson, 194 for Fred S. Delano and 89 for Daniel F. Smith.
FRED A. HUNT,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county, was born in Goshen, Massa- chusetts, May 1, 1855. His early education was received in the high school of his na- tive state, supplemented by a course at the Michigan state normal and the law depart- ment of the University of Michigan. Mr. Hunt was a student in the law office of Cutch- eon & Allen at Ypsilanti, and a law partner of Ex-Congressman E. P. Allen for two years. He held a contract with the city of Detroit for lighting gasoline street lamps from 1880 to 1882. Was engaged as traveling salesman from 1884 to 1888, and collec- tion attorney for North, Orrison Co., Kansas City, Mo., from 1888 to 1893. Since 1893 he has practiced law in Detroit. Mr. Hunt has held the office of circuit court commis- sioner for Washtenaw county and was also a member of the board of estimates from the tenth ward of the city of Detroit for two terms. He has resided in the state since 1869, and was married in 1885. He has always been a Republican and was elected to the legislatures of 1901-2 and 1903-4, and was again reelected November 8, 1904, by a plurality of 16,926.
WILLIAM E. IVORY,
Representative from Lapeer county, was born in the township of Hadley, Lapeer county, Michigan, October 14, 1866, of American and English parentage. He now lives on the farm where he was born, a farm of 325 acres which his grandfather, John Ivory, settled
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in 1839. He received his education in the Hadley high school, and has always been a resident of that township. He married Cora B. Fifield in 1885 and has one son. He has always been a staunch Republican, and has held the office of supervisor for six years, was chairman of the board of supervisors, and is at present a member of the Re- publican county committee. He has been a director of the County Mutual Fire In- surance Co., and is an active member of several orders, including F. & A. M., K. O. T. M., O. E. S. and Woodmen. Mr. Ivory was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 3,617 to 1,872 for John Conley, 158 for John H. Paton and 52 for John S. Calkins.
JAMES D. JEROME,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county, was born in the city of Detroit, Wayne county, Michigan, October 29, 1875, and has resided in Detroit continuously since his birth. Both of his parents were also born in the city of Detroit. He re- ceived his early education in the Detroit grammar schools and later entered the De- troit high school, being graduated in 1894. He entered the literary department of the University of Michigan and subsequently studied in the law department, being gradu- ated in 1898. After graduation he at once took up the practice of law in the city of Detroit and has continued in practice to the present time. Mr. Jerome is an active Republican, and was elected to the legislature November 8, 1904, by a plurality of 16,553.
LOUIS L. KELLEY,
Representative from the Clare district, comprising the counties of Clare, Gladwin and Roscommon, was born near Rutland, Vermont, December 29, 1848, of American par- ents. He came to Michigan in 1861, attended the Ann Arbor high school, clerking and teaching until the fall of 1872, when he entered the medical department of the University of Michigan. He graduated in March, 1875, and located at Farwell, Michigan, May 1, having been actively engaged in the practice of his profession to the present time. Mr. Kelley was married in 1871. He has held the offices of village trustee, village presi- dent, supervisor for fifteen years, and several terms chairman of the board of super- visors. He has always been a strong Republican, and was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 2,728 to 1,131 for William J. Terney.
SAMUEL HARLAN KELLEY,
Representative from the first district, Berrien county, was born at Marion, Grant county, Indiana, March 27, 1861, of Scotch-Irish parentage. When five years of age he moved with his parents to Savannah, Missouri, attended the public schools of Savannah, and the Missouri State University, 1878 to 1880; taught district school in 1881, and was ap- pointed clerk in the railway mail service for eight months in 1881. In 1882 he was ap- pointed adjudicator of claims in the U. S. Treasury at Washington, which position he held until November, 1885, when he resigned to become chief clerk of the U. S. land office at Wakeeney, Kansas. While in Washington, he studied law and was graduated from the Columbian University Law School in 1884. In November, 1886, he resigned his position in the land office and purchased the Scott County News, a Republican paper, and moved to Scott City, Kansas, where he practiced law and conducted his newspaper. In 1889 he moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, and practiced law until 1893, when he came to Benton Harbor, Michigan, where he has since practiced law. He is married and has three daughters. He has always been a Republican, has for ten years been a member of the county committee, and has been chairman of the city committee five years. He was elected to the legislature of 1905-6 by a vote of 3,229 to 2,269 for Alexander Halliday.
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