USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan > Part 10
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In 1882 Dr. Wessinger was united in marriage to Miss Clara Wright, of Howell. Michigan. who died, leaving three children: Louis J., now a
shorthand reporter : Harry T., who is a student in the engineering department of the University of Michigan : and Glen J., a student of the high school of Ann Arbor. In 1801 Dr. Wessinger was again married. his second union being with Frances Crawford. of Howell. There are two children by this marriage: Ione Mary and Helen Lois, both of whom are attending the public school in Ann Arbor. In 1901 Dr. Wessinger married Miss Alice B. Walker, of this city, and they have one son. John L., now but a few months old.
Dr. Wessinger is fraternally connected with the Maccabees, and acted as commander of the order at Howell. His political allegiance was given to the democracy, but the demands of a large practice leave him little leisure time for fraternal or political work. However, he has recently been appointed health officer of Ann Ar- bor for a term of three years. He has made con- tinuous progress in his profession and now. well versed in the science of medicine and surgery, his life work is proving of value to his fellowmen as well as a good source of income that enables him to provide a comfortable home for his family.
ERVIN DAVIS BROOKS. B. S., M. D.
Dr. Ervin Davis Brooks, who as a representa- tive of the medical profession has specialized his labor, concentrating his efforts upon opthalmology and otology at Ann Arbor, was born in Dundee. Monroe county. Michigan, September 6. 1854. his parents being William James and Roxana Howe ( Harris) Brooks. the former a native of Canada and the latter of Canandaigua, New York. They became residents of Michigan in 1850, set- tling upon a farm in Dundee township, Monroe county, where they reared their family of four children : Jane A., who died in 1880: Ervin Davis: William H., who died in 1892; and George A .. who died in 1904.
Dr. Brooks was left an orphan at the early age of thirteen years and is now the only surviving member of the family. His preliminary education was acquired in the schools of his native town- ship. and in the winter of 1871-2 he was
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a student in the high school at Monroe, Michigan. In 1872 he matriculated in the Michigan Agricul- tural College, from which he graduated in 1876, and during the succeeding six years his attention was devoted to the profession of teaching. He was a very popular and successful teacher, im- parting clearly and readily to others the knowl- edge he had acquired, but he regarded this merely as an initial step to other professional labor, it being his desire to become a member of the medi- cal profession, and when his labors in the school- room had supplied him with capital sufficient to meet the expenses of a college course he enrolled as a student in the University of Michigan, in 1882, completing the regular course in homeo- pathic medicine with the class of 1885.
Dr. Brooks located for practice at Flushing. Michigan, where he remained for ten years, or until 1895. In the meantime his attention had been given to general medicine and surgery, but his deep interest in opthalmology and otology had been awakened, and in 1895 he became a specialist on diseases of the eye and ear. His ex- cellent qualifications for this branch of the medical science were acquired in the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat College, from which he was graduated in 1898. He has also taken two post- graduate courses in the Manhattan Eye and Ear Infirmary, and his theoretical knowledge was sup- plemented by broad practical training during his service of one term as clinical assistant in the New York Opthalmic College and Hospital in 1903. He is a member of the Michigan State Homeo- pathic Medical Society and the American Homeo- pathic Opthalmological, Otological and Laryngo- logical Society. He is likewise an honorary mem- ber of the Saginaw Valley Homeopathic Medical Society. He has splendidly equipped offices at the corner of Main and Washington streets, and his patients come from a wide territory.
Dr. Brooks was married March 31, 1878, to Miss Ella R. Dunlap, of South Lyon, Michigan. and they were the parents of two sons: William Don, a practicing physician at Leslie, Michigan, and Arthur E., who has recently returned from the Philippines after active service there in the United States army. Dr. Brooks' wife died in 1885 and he was again married on the 25th of
May, 1887, to Miss Gertrude Lawrence, of Flor- ence, Michigan, and they have three children: Ervene R., thirteen years of age; George Law- rence, a youth of eight years; and Mary Eliza- beth, one year of age.
Dr. Brooks is an active worker in the Presby- terian church, in which he is serving as deacon. Having a good baritone voice he began singing in choirs and choruses at the age of nineteen years and directed the choir at Flushing for nine years. When a student at Ann Arbor he joined the Choral Union and is now a member of the board of directors of that organization. He also leads the singing in the Presbyterian Sunday- school, and he plays both the flute and violin. The Doctor is a man who possesses that quality, which, for want of a better term, we have called personal magnetism, and which analyzed, perhaps, is found to be composed of a strong intellectu- ality, a ready sympathy and a deep interest in one's fellowmen, because of humanitarian princi- ples. He is popular and prominent, his social position being the result of an irreproachable pri- vate life, while his professional standing is the outcome of most careful preparation, close ap- plication and a conscientious understanding of the obligation which devolve upon him in this con- nection.
HON. JAMES S. GORMAN.
Hon. James S. Gorman has the distinction of being the only democrat that has ever represented this county in congress in forty years. Since his return from the national legislative halls, he has made his home in Chelsea and is today one of the representative citizens of Washtenaw county, whose course has reflected honor and credit upon the state that has honored him. He was born in Lyndon township, this county. December 28, 1850. His father, Peter Gorman, was a native of County Down, Ireland, born in 1816, and a son of Edward Gorman of "98 fame," who served as a lieutenant in the Irish rebellion, and on being released from prison left his native country, but did not come to America until 1832. Two years later he took up his abode in Washtenaw county.
JAMES S. GORMAN.
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In his native land he had married Ruth Johnson, and to them were born five children: Edward, James, Peter, Mary and Jane. On reaching this county Edward Gorman, the father, took up land from the government, securing one hundred and sixty acres on section 26. Lyndon township.
Peter Gorman was a youth of eighteen years when, with his parents, he became a resident of Washtenaw county. In 1840 he was married to Miss Katherine Conlon, a daughter of John and Mary Conlon, who were pioneer people of North- field township, where they took up their abode in 1834, coming to Michigan from County Caven, Ireland. Following his marriage Mr. Gorman settled on eighty acres of the quarter section which his father had entered in Lyndon township, and as his financial resources increased, he added to his original property until three hundred and sixty acres were comprised within the boundaries of his home farm. He was an enterprising and prosperous agriculturist, and in matters of citi- zenship ever stood for progress and improve- ment. He died in the year 1886, while his wife survived until 1903, passing away at the age of eighty-six years. In their family were five chil- dren: Edward, Peter and James S., who are living ; and Mary and Katherine, deceased.
Hon. James S. Gorman began his education in a log school house in the home district and after- ward attended the Chelsea high school, from which he was graduated in the class of 1873, and then entered the law department of the University of Michigan, completing the latter course with the class of 1876. Admitted to the bar, he entered upon the active practice of his profession in Jack- son, Michigan, in the office of James A. Parkin- son, the present circuit judge, with whom he re- mained for two years as assistant prosecuting at- torney. In November, 1879, he went to Dexter, where he opened an office and the following year was elected from the third district of Washtenaw county to the lower house of the Michigan legis- lature. He has since figured prominently in po- litical circles, wielding a wide influence in the rank of the democracy. In 1886 he was nomi- nated in the tenth district, comprising Washte- naw and Monroe counties, for the state senate and was elected in that year and again in 1888.
In 1800 he received his party's nomination for congress, and defeated Captain Allen by a ma- jority of nineteen hundred and three. In the redistricting of the state, Jackson county was placed in the second district and Mr. Gorman was nominated against James O'Donnell, the present member of the third district. This was one of the hottest congressional contests that has ever been waged in Michigan. In the second district he was elected by a majority of six hundred and sixty-seven votes. While in congress for the first term he became a member of the military committee on the death of McDonald, of New Jersey, by order of Speaker Crisp. He thus be- came very closely associated with the members of that committee, including General Daniel E. Sickles, General Joseph Wheeler, General John C. Black, General Curtis, General Marsh and General Hull, of Iowa, and the last named was chairman of the committee during the Spanish- American war. In the fifty-third congress he was in the third place on the military affairs commit- tee that had charge of all the forts, posts and mil- itary reservations of the United States. He it was who made the report of Jefferson Barracks military reservation, the history of which dates back to 1803. Of the many reports establishing the lines and rights of the government during the last forty years, this line is the only one voted on by the house and concurred in by the senate. Mr. Gorman was also on the sub-committee that had charge of and looked over the records of the old soldiers. While acting with the minority party his influence was nevertheless strongly felt in congressional circles, and that he made a most creditable record, is indicated by the strong friendships and personal regard which he won while serving in the council chambers of the na- tion.
Following his retirement from congress. Mr. Gorman purchased a residence in Chelsea, where he has since resided, and in 1903 he entered upon the practice of law here. He is also the owner of a farm of four hundred and eighty acres of valuable land, lying in Lyndon township, from which he derives a gratifying income. For three years he has served as president of the public school board. and is now the moving spirit for
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the erection of a handsome parochial school. He is deeply interested in community as well as state and national affairs.
In 1887 was celebrated the marriage of James S. Gorman and Miss Nellie E. Bingham, of Dun- dee, a daughter of L. D. and Harriett A. (Ed- wards) Bingham, of an old family of Lenawee county. They have two children: Galbraith Peter, born July 16, 1889; and Agnes Harriett, born December 20, 1894. Mr. Gorman is a mem- ber of the Catholic church, and in politics is a democrat. In his business career he has so di- rected his efforts that success has attended his labors, and he is today one of the substantial citi- zens of the county. He made many warm friend- ships while serving in congress, and moreover, his course was marked by a public-spirited devotion to the general good and a loyalty to principle that is above question.
WILLIAM C. CLARK.
William C. Clark, agent for the Michigan Cen- tral Railroad at Dexter, was born in Homer, New York, on the 9th of September, 1858, and was educated in the public schools. His parents were Rev. Charles A. and Mary A. (Cobb) Clark, the former born at Waterville, New York, on the 19th of September, 1815, and the latter at Auburn, New York, on the 3d of January, 1827. The father pursued his education at Ham- ilton, New York, in what is known at the present time as Colgate University, and for nearly fifty years was an active member of the Baptist min- istry. He lost his wife at Delphi, Indiana, on the 13th of October, 1874, while his death occur- red at Dexter, Michigan, on the 23d of Novem- ber, 1896, when he had reached the venerable age of eighty-one years. Thus closed a life of great usefulness, but the good which he did still remains as a potent influence in the lives and hearts of many who knew him. Only one son and one daughter of the family are yet living : William C. and Mary L., the latter principal of the schools at Huntington, Indiana.
William C. Clark spent his early youth in his parents' home, and at the age of seventeen years was called upon to support his mother and the family on account of the father's ill health. He began teaching in a country school, being thus engaged through the winter season, after which he entered the service of the Michigan Central Railroad Company as bill clerk, and has been in the office continually since. For twenty-seven years he has represented the company at Dexter, and for eighteen years has been agent at this place. No higher testimonial of his capability, fidelity and efficiency could be given than the fact that he has been so long retained in one service. As agent he is not only loyal to the interests of the corporation, but is found a most obliging and courteous official and has therefore won favor with the traveling public.
On the 26th of November, 1885, at Dexter, Mr. Clark was married to Miss Carrie L. Smith, a daughter of Oliver M. and Louise (Merrian) Smith, both of whom were natives of Vermont, whence they came to Michigan at an early day. The father engaged in merchandising in Dexter for more than thirty years and was regarded as one of the old reliable business men of the town, respected by all for his honorable life and straight- forward business dealings. In his family were five children : Jennie A., now the wife of W. I. Keal, of Dexter; Carrie L., now Mrs. Clark; Anita, the deceased wife of E. M. Walker ; Charles S. Smith, of Dexter; and Frank H. Smith, of Chicago, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have be- come the parents of three sons: Louis D., born October 28. 1886; Charles Irving, born August 28, 1888; and William Morton, who was born March 21, 1890, and died May 10, 1892.
In community affairs Mr. Clark has taken an active and helpful interest and has rendered effi- cient service to Dexter as president of the village board and also as recorder. He has voted for each presidential nominee of the republican party since attaining his majority and has firm faith in the principles of this great political organization. A valued and popular member of various fra- ternities, he was at one time commander of Crys- tal tent, No. 279, K. O. T. M., captain general of Union Division, No. 77, K. L. G., noble grand
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of Huron lodge, No. 30, I. O. O. F., and is now a trustee of Washtenaw lodge, No. 65, A. F. & A. M. He is also a trustee of the First Congrega- tional church. While there have been no excit- ing chapters in his life history he has found in the duties of the work-a-day world ample oppor- tunity for the exercise of his talents and energy. and in the faithful performance of each task that has come to him in his business career; in citi- zenship and in social and home life he has gained the respect and good will of his fellowmen.
ALBERT FIEGEL.
Albert Fiegel, a member of the firm of Reule, Conlin & Fiegel, clothiers, of Ann Arbor, was born in Pittsfield township, Washtenaw county, Michigan, December 31, 1873, his parents being John and Kunigunda (Lambarth) Fiegel. The falther was a prosperous farmer, who came from Germany to America in his boyhood days, and for over thirty-two years was a resident of Pitts- field township, where he conducted extensive in- terests as an agriculturist. He was perhaps the best known farmer of his county, carrying on his business along modern lines of progress and improvement, his place being unsurpassed, be- cause of the care and labor which he bestowed upon it. He held membership in the Zion Luth- eran church, in which he served as deacon, and his life was actuated by principles that neither sought nor required disguise. In his family were nine children, but the eldest died at birth. The others are: Fred C., who is married and living on a farm in Scio township; Lydia C., the wife of Enoch Dieterle, a prosperous undertaker of Ann Arbor; John E., who is married and lives upon the homestead farm in Pittsfield township; George W., who is married and carries on farm- ing in Scio township; Jacob, deceased ; Albert, of this review ; Mary C., the wife of John Sauer, of the firm of Sauer & Company, architects of Ann Arbor ; and Emma, the wife of Ernest Wur- ster, of this city.
Albert Fiegel spent his youth upon his father's farm, and in the district schools of Pittsfield town-
ship pursued his early education, while in the period of vacations his time and energies were devoted to the work of the fields. He afterward enjoyed the privilege of instruction in a German school in Ann Arbor, and he entered upon his business career as a clerk in the employ of Wad- ham, Kennedy & Reule. For five years he re- mained with that house, gaining an excellent knowledge of the business, both in principle and detail, and working his way steadily upward until he was admitted to a partnership, and is now actively interested in the management and owner- ship of the business under the firm style of Reule, Conlin & Fiegel.
Mr. Fiegel was married in 1900, to Miss Han- nah M. Stein, of Ann Arbor township, and they have two daughters, Gertrude Christina and Li- cile Kunigunda. Mr. Fiegel is an active worker in the Zion Lutheran church, and for many years has been a teacher in the Sunday-school, while of the young peoples' society he is a charter mem- ber. His political views accord with the princi- ples of democracy, but he has had no aspiration for public office as a reward for party fealty. His business career is in all ways honorable and commendable. From humble clerkships have come many of our most prominent merchants, and often those whose youth is spent among un- favorable conditions are found in later years in control of the great arteries and exchanges of traffic. Mr. Fiegel is one whose history is indi- cative of the positions that lie before men in the new world as a utilization of the advantages which surround all have made him one of the repre- sentative merchants of Ann Arbor.
TOM W. MINGAY.
Tom W. Mingay, editor and proprietor of the Chelsea Herald, was born at Shepreth, in Cam- bridgeshire, England, on the 2d of January, 1855, and is a son of James T. and Jane (Grey) Min- gay. The father was what is known as a gentle- man farmer, but when a young man turned his attention to railroading. He afterward abandoned that line of business activity, however, and gave
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his attention to agricultural pursuits in England until 1869, when, crossing the Atlantic to Canada, he established his home at Stratford, Ontario, where he is now living at the age of eighty-four years.
Tom W. Mingay acquired his education in England mostly under private tutors, this being the foundation of his present literary ability. He was the eldest in a family of six children, and was a youth of fourteen years when the family crossed the Atlantic to America. He entered upon his business career in Montreal as an em- ploye in a newspaper office, and subsequently fol- lowed the business in Stratford, Ontario. On the Ist of February, 1870, he entered the office of the Stratford Beacon, in which he remained until March 23, 1876, and during that time gained a complete mastery of the business in print- ciple and detail. Then owing to ill health he made a trip to Europe, traveling through Eng- land, France and Germany. He spent six months abroad, viewing many places of historic and scenic interest in those different countries. In December, 1876, he returned to Canada, purchas- ing the West Durham News, edited at Bowman- ville, Ontario. In this enterprise he was for part of the time a partner of J. W. Wilkinson, after- ward buying him out, in all conducting the News for a year and a half, after which he sold out. In May, 1878, he became manager of the Wing- ham Times, at Wingham, Ontario, which he con- ducted until 1881. On the 8th of January of that year he came to Flint, Michigan, where he worked as foreman of the Globe job room for seven years. During the last year of his resi- dence in Flint he was engaged in the job print- ing business for himself. In January, 1888, he removed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was fore- man of the Gazette job room there for eighteen months. In July, 1889, he came to Washtenaw county and, settling in Ann Arbor, acted as fore- man of the Register Publishing Company for sixteen months, when he accepted a position with the Ann Arbor Times. On the Ist of April, 1895. he entered into partnership with Samuel W. Beakes, as local editor and manager of the Ann Arbor Argus, with which he was associated until 1898, when he severed his connection with that
journal and purchased the Chelsea Herald, which he has since owned and edited. He has made this a very readable newspaper, and it now has a wide circulation and is a good advertising medium.
On the Ist of July, 1878. Mr. Mingay was mar- r'ec to Miss Mary J. Dustan, of Bowmanville, Ontario, and they have one daughter, Nellie D., who is a graduate of the Ann Arbor high school and also of the Michigan University of the class of 1900, being thus a well educated young lady of superior intellectual culture as well as natural refinement.
Mr. Mingay exercises his right of franchise in support of the republican party and advocates its principles through the columns of his paper. He is a Mason, having been initiated into the order in Flint lodge, No. 23, F. & A. M., while his membership is now in Olive lodge, No. 156. He is also connected with the Knights of Pythias. In community interests in Chelsea he takes an ac- tive and helpful part, supporting the various measures that have for their object the welfare and advancement of the village and of the county.
CHARLES E. GODFREY.
Denied in his youth many of the advantages and privileges which most boys enjoy, starting out in life for himself at an early age, Charles E. Godfrey, realizing that labor is the true basis of all desirable and honorable success, has worked so persistently and energetically that to-day he is in control of an extensive carting business and is also proprietor of a large storage warehouse in Ann Arbor. His life history therefore can not fail to prove of interest to our readers who have regard for the sure reward of character and for the dignity of labor.
Mr. Godfrey was born in Plymouth, Michigan, August 26, 1850, his parents being Charles A. and Amelia (Hoyt) Godfrey, both of whom were natives of the state of New York. The father was a carpenter and joiner and followed that pur- suit for many years. In later life he gave his at- tention to farming at Highland and subsequently in Cedar Springs township, Kent county, Michi-
6 & God frey
Af B. Godfrey.
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gan. There his death occurred when he was sev- enty-four years of age, while his wife passed away in Lima township, Washtenaw county, at the age of thirty-two years. They were the parents of five children, of whom Charles E. is the second in order of birth. The others yet living are Frances ; William B., who resides in Bay City, Michigan ; and Edwin A., of New York city.
Charles E. Godfrey went to Oakland county, Michigan, in early life and at the age of nineteen years made his way into the pine woods, where he engaged in cutting timber for two years. He then located in the town of Highland, Oak- land county, where he resided until his mar- riage, when he rented a farm, giving his attention to its cultivation and improvement for three years. Later he sold out and removed to Kansas, settling at Girard, Crawford county, but because the cli- mate and water did not agree with his family he returned to Michigan and took up his abode in Ypsilanti, where he secured a situation with the Homer Briggs dray line. Later he engaged in farming in the employ of different people until June, 1881, when he came to Ann Arbor, where he worked as a laborer for the Ann Arbor Rail- road Company on the gravel trains. He soon be- came discouraged at this, however, seeing little opportunity for advancement and success, so he gave his due card (for pay due him by the rail- road company) for a horse and dray and turned his attention to the draying business. With this small start he has worked upward to his present position and is now one of the successful and sub- stantial residents of Ann Arbor. His advance- ment has been secured through close application, unremitting diligence and earnest desire to please his patrons. He has thus obtained a good patron- age and paying business, now using twenty horses in his trucking business. He moves anything. having all kinds of wagons for heavy work. He makes a specialty of weighty articles and furniture moving. He likewise commenced in a small way to do a storage warehouse business some years ago and, seeing a bright outlook for good results in that line, he kept extending his efforts, renting first one place and then adding another, his busi- ness growing with such rapidity that in 1899 he built a large two story and basement brick build-
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