Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Part 17

Author: Beakes, Samuel W. (Samuel Willard), 1861-; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan > Part 17

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Bird Allen Tracy, their only child, was a pub- lic school student in New York and afterward attended Cook Academy at Havana, New York. from which he was graduated. Determining upon the practice of medicine as a life work he began reading in his father's office at Watkins Glenn, New York, and afterward spent three years at Burlington, Vermont, as a student in the medical department of the State University. while later he was graduated from the medical department of the Baltimore University in the class of 1890. He began the practice of his pro- fession in Blissfield, Michigan, with his father, and there remained for three years, after which he went to Ida, Monroe county, Michigan, where he spent eight years. In 1901 he came to Man- chester, where he has made for himself a splendid reputation and gained a fine practice. His

knowledge of medical principles is broad and comprehensive and he is seldom, if ever, at error in matters of judgment concerning the diagnosis of a case or the anticipation of the outcome. He belongs to the Washtenaw County Medical As- sociation.

In 1888 Dr. Tracy was married to Miss Grace Cogswell, a daughter of M. H. and Mary Cogs- well, but her death occurred in 1896, when she was twenty-eight years of age. She left two children, Ruth and Guy. In 1898 Dr. Tracy was again married, his second union being with Miss Gussie Kistler, a daughter of George and Eliza- beth Kistler, the former a blacksmith by trade. Mrs. Tracy was born in Farmington, Iowa, in 1868, and by her marriage has become the mother of three children: Dorothy and Mildred, at home, and Allen, deceased. The Doctor and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episco- pal church and he belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity, while his political support is given to the republican party. He manifests a public spirited interest in everything relating to the general wel- fare, but his time and energies are largely given in undivided manner to his professional duties. With a sense of conscientious obligation he per- forms his professional service and has gained the respect and trust of his professional brethren as well as of the general public.

ALFRED J. PAUL.

Alfred J. Paul, one of Ann Arbor's native sons, was born March 24, 1867. His father, Henry Paul, was a native of Scio township, Washtenaw county, and there his death occurred in December, 1891. He had for many years been actively engaged in business in Scio and later in Ann Arbor. He married Miss Katherine Cook, a native of Michigan, who is now living in this city. and unto this marriage were born a son and two daughters, the latter being Amelia, now the wife of Andrew Reule, of Ann Arbor, mentioned else- where in this volume; and Augusta, who died and was buried in the cemetery here.

Alfred J. Paul, the eldest of the family, ac- quired his education in the public schools of this

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city and on putting aside his text-books went upon his father's farm, being actively engaged in general agricultural pursuits until 1900. He is now in business at No. 109 North Main street, conducting a fine and splendidly equipped buffet opposite the courthouse.

Mr. Paul was married in 1903 to Miss Emma Gwinner, a representative of one of the old fami- lies of Ann Arbor, in which city her birth oc- curred. Mr. Paul is a Mason, also belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and he attends the Bethlehem Evangelical church. He represents a pioneer family of the county and he has a wide acquaintance here, where he has maintained his residence from his boyhood to the present. His friends embrace many who have known him from his youth as well as the acquaintances of his later years.

MRS. MARY COLLINS WHITING.

Almost every avenue of business activity is open to woman, and long since she has demon- started her right to rank with the men of ability. possessing the intellectual force and discrimina- tion that makes for success, especially in the "learned professions." Mrs. Whiting has a re- markable record in that she became a lawyer after attaining the age of fifty-two years, and since that time has been in active practice ; also conducting a real-estate, brokerage and insurance business. She is moreover entitled to distinction because of a wide philanthrophy that, based upon broad hu- manitarian principles, has reached out for the betterment of mankind in many ways. Mrs. Whiting was born in York township, Washte- naw county, on the 4th of March, 1835, a daugh- ter of George and Phebe (Bicknell) Collins, the former a native of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and the latter of Enfield. Connecticut. In the pa- ternal line the ancestry can be traced back to Deacon Edward Collins, whose name appears upon the records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1654. He was a representative in the general court for sixteen years, from 1654 until 1670. save for the year 1661. Cotton Mather says of

him: "There was a good old man called Collins, the deacon of the church at Cambridge, who is now gone to heaven; but before he went thither had the satisfaction to see several most worthy sons become very famous in their generation." It is not known from what part of Great Britain he came. The church records of Cambridge also give the following account of the children of Deacon Edward Collins: Daniel Collins lived in Koenigsberg, Prussia, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1649. He went to Scotland, was minister to Edinburgh in 1658 and afterward in London. There he died, December 3, 1687. Cotton Mather says, "He was a preacher of great ability and power." Samuel Collins lived in Scot- land in 1658 and had a son Edward M. Rev. Na- thaniel Collins, born in Cambridge in 1642, was the representative in the second generation in the line of descent to Mrs. Whiting. Others of the family were: Abigail ; Sybil. the wife of Rev. John Whiting, son of William Whiting, of Hart- ford ; and Edward.

Rev. Nathaniel Collins, son of Deacon Edward Colins, was born at Cambridge in 1642, and was married at Middletown, Connecticut, August 3. 1664, to Mary, daughter of William Whiting, of Hartford. He was graduated at Harvard Col- lege in 1660, and was ordained to the ministry at Middletown, Connecticut, November 6, 1668. He acted as pastor of the church there and died in Middletown, December 28, 1684. His wife died October 4, 1709. Cotton Mather in his quaint style said, "At whose death. there was more wounds given to the whole colony of Connecticut in our New England, than the body of Caesar did receive when he fell wounded in the senate house. I would have made an essay to have la- mented the fate of this, our Collins in verse, were it not for two reasons. (Distrusts his mean fac- tilties, etc.) Nevertheless his merits were such that his life must be written, or at least so much of it as this, that he merited highly to have his life written. But our history of him is to be abridged into the brief account ; that the church of Middletown, upon the Connecticut river, was the golden candlestick from whence this excel- lent person illuminated more than the whole col- ony ; and that the qualities of exemplar piety, ex-

Mary Collins Whiting

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traordinary ingenuity, obliging affability, joined with the accomplishments of an extraordinary preacher, did render him truly excellent. He left an estate of L679-1-9."

The children of Rev. Nathaniel and Mary ( Whiting) Collins were as follows: Mary, born May 11, 1666, was married to John Hamilton in January, 1684. John, born January 31, 1667. married Mary, daughter of Colonel Dixwell, (alias James Davids), one of the judges of Charles First of England, renowned as the regi- cides, December 24. 1707. Susanna, born No- vember 26, 1669. was married to William Hamlin, May 26, 1692, and died February 24, 1722. Sybil was born August 20, 1672. Martha, born Decem- ber 26, 1673, was married to William Harris, Jan- uary 8, 1600. Rev. Nathaniel Collins was born June 13, 1677. Abigail, born July 13. 1682, was married July 9, 1702. to Sergeant William Ward. Samuel, who was born April 16, 1683, died April 23, 1683.

Rev. Nathaniel Collins, son of Rev. Nathaniel Collins, Sr .. was born at Middletown, Connecti- cut, June 13, 1677, and settled at Enfield, Con- necticut. He was married there January 7. 1700. to Alice, daughter of Rev. William Adams, of Dedham, Massachusetts. He was ordained at Enfield in 1699, and served a church there for twenty-five years, when he was succeeded by Rev.

Peter Reynolds. It is reported that he possessed the same power as a preacher that characterized the preceding generations. An obituary notice of him in the Boston News Letter in 1735, one of the earliest newspapers of the country, speaks of him at some length in terms of high commenda- tion. He died December 31. 1756, and his wife died February 19, 1735. at the age of fifty-three years. Their tombstones may be seen at Enfield. Their children were as follows: Mary, who died February 14, 1702; Ann, who was born Decem- ber 2, 1702, married Ephraim Berry, September 13. 1703, and died September 10, 1775: Alice, born February 9, 1707; Nathaniel, born August 17. 1707, married Abigail Pease in 1735, went with the army to Cape Breton and afterward be- came a preacher ; William, born in June, 171I, married Ann Jones ; Edward, born November 26, 1713, married Tabitha Greer in June, 1735; Alice was born March 14, 1716.

George Collins, born in Wilbraham, Massachu- setts, became a woolen manufacturer and died in the year 1847. His wife long survived him, pass- ing away in 1874. They had three sons: Judge John Collins, of Howard City, Michigan, who died in January. 1905; George C. Collins, a farmer of Montcalm county, Michigan, who died about the same time ; and William J. Collins, who still survives. The sisters of Mrs. Whiting are, Mrs. Phebe Hurd, who died in Crystal, Montcalm county, nearly twenty years ago; Mrs. Harriet Allen, who died in Augusta, Washtenaw county, in 1852; and Mrs. Julia C. Stark, Mrs. Abi M. Fisk and Mrs. Sophronia Wilber, who are resi- dents of Ypsilanti.

Mrs. Whiting acquired her early education in the district schools of York township and the Normal School of Ypsilanti, after which she taught school until nineteen years of age, when she gave her hand in marriage to Ralph C. Whiting, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, who came to Washtenaw county with his par- ents when twelve years of age, the family home being established in Pittsfield. Mr. Whit- ing was three years his wife's senior. His father. Charles Whiting, was a wholesale leather and shoe dealer at Hartford, and came to Michigan for his health. He purchased a farm of one hun- dred acres east of Ann Arbor, which Mrs. Whit- ing, of this review. still owns, and he made his home thereon until his death, which occurred in

1847. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Whiting received congratulations from Dr. Tappan, chancellor of the Michigan University, who gave a large party in her honor, the families being warm friends, visiting each other frequently until the removal of Dr. Tappan and his son-in- law. Dr. Bruno, the great astronomer, to Europe. Subsequent to her marriage Mrs. Whiting engaged in teaching a private school, having charge of English branches and vocal and in- strumental music. She was fifty years of age when she entered the law department of the Uni- versity of Michigan, taking this step because her time was unoccupied and she wished something to take up her attention. She gave fifteen hours daily to study and was graduated in 1887 at the age of fifty-two years. At once she entered upon the practice of law and has pled many cases in

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the courts in the state, including the Michigan supreme court. She has also settled a vast num- ber of legal difficulties connected with real-es- tate transfers, and has prepared many legal pa- pers and conveyances. She has thoroughly in- formed herself concerning the value of properties in this section of Michigan, and has a large real- estate clientage. She has likewise been execu- trix of several estates involving large interests, and has never had a will broken. For several years she has served as notary public and is widely recognized as one of the most capable law- yers at the bar of this state, bringing to the work great native intellectual force, keen discernment ment and an analytical mind. Her reasoning is clear and cogent, her deductions following in logi- cal sequence, and her understanding of the prin- ciples of jurisprudence is profound. Mrs. Whit- ing has ever ben a student and reader, with broad knowledge of the history of the world and its literature. Her leisure hours have largely been given to research along lines adding to her knowledge of social and economic conditions, lit- erature and history, and of the world's philan- thropic movements, and thus she has advanced on life's journey, continually enriching her mind with an understanding of the great movements of the world and the thoughts of its best writers. She celebrated her golden wedding anniversary by taking a trip with her husband to the Louisi- ana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, Missouri. She was just recovering from a broken hip, oc- casioned by a fall from a carriage, and was still on crutches, but she made the journey. spending many pleasant hours on the fair grounds. She has in her home a large number of interesting relics, many of which have descended from previ- ous generations, including a quaintly embellished powder horn bearing the date 1764, and also the first revolver manufactured by Colt. She also has a work basket that once belonged to Martha Washington. It is a wicker work in the form of a swan and came to her through Lord and Lady Hare's family, to whom Lady Washington had presented it.

Perhaps the crowning achievement of her life was the establishment of the Mary Collins Whiting Free Dispensary in Fusan, Korea, which she terms

"A work of love." This splendid institution over- looks a beautiful bay opposite the Japanese coast and was founded by Mrs. Whiting in 1893. Dis- pensary work is not only carried on there, but the institution is also a Presbyterian mission, presided over by Rev. Charles Irvin, who was in the fire zone during the Russian-Japanese war, but was protected by the American flag. Mrs. Whiting received some most interesting letters from Rev. Irvin during the period of hostilities telling of conditions existing at the time. Koreans call the mission and dispensary, "house of mercy," and mercy," and say, "This is certainly heaven." Up to September, 1899. eighty-five hundred cases had been treated and nine thousand dollars had been collected. The institution has become almost self- supporting, but remains a free dispensary for all unable to pay.

Among the Koreans the benefactress of this institution is styled "The Princess Whitinski," which name came about in the following manner : Mrs. Whiting has a picture of herself taken in a full length seal skin coat and chinchilla fur cap and sent to the conservatory by request. The Koreans from their familiarity with Russian names and titles, and believing that all white women were princesses with names ending in ski, at once called her the Princess Whitinski, a title of which she might well be proud, for it also indicates the love and veneration which the na- tive population feel for the founder of the dis- pensary. Many acts of kindness and deeds of charity have been performed by her, of which the world has not known, for her benevolence has ever been unostentatious, prompted only by a sincere and earnest desire to help the human race and ameliorate the conditions which work hard- ships to her fellowmen. While she has made a notable name in educational and legal circles, it is perhaps her broad sympathy and generous spirit of benevolence that will make her name known and honored long after she shall have completed the journey of life. When Dr. Irvin visited Ann Arbor he said, "I am not here so much to preach to you as I am to grasp the hand of Mary Collins Whiting, whose name will go down to posterity so long as Korea has a name."

On the Ioth of January, 1906, Ralph C. Whit-

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ing passed to his final reward after an illness of several weeks. He was attended to the last by his faithful wife, who was the only one present when he drew his last breath. His death was deeply regretted by his host of friends and ac- quaintances in Ann Arbor and throughout Wash- tenaw county. Mr. Whiting was a man of quiet and retiring disposition but positive in his con- victions, and strong in his devotion to what he considered his duty. His loyalty to his friends was one of his most beautiful traits. His friend- ship was not of that vociferous or flamboyant kind, which too frequently exhausts itself with its own ardor, but was rather of an unostentatious and sedate nature ; it might not always blaze in a spirit of exurberance, but burned rather as a strong and enduring flame. Whenever anyone- friend, neighbor or stranger-was in need of ad- vice or more substantial aid, he could be sure of obtaining sympathy and assistance from Ralph C. Whiting. His devotion to his brilliant and tal- ented wife through their long and happy wedded life was in itself the expression of a character in which were embodied the higher and nobler at- tributes of human nature.

PAUL SNAUBLE.

Paul Snauble, the general manager of the Michigan Furniture Company, figures promi- nently in industrial circles in Ann Arbor, and his life record should serve as incentive to others who at the outset of their business careers and not favored with pecuniary assistance or the aid of influential friends, for his life record proves what can be accomplished through determined and pes- sistent effort in the field of business activity. Mr. Snauble was born in Germany in 1845, and was a lad of seven summers when brought to Amer- ica by his parents, Joseph Snauble and wife. They, too, were natives of the fatherland. in which country they were reared and married. and after three children had been added to the household, the father crossed the Atlantic, bring- ing with him his two sons, Paul and Joseph, and

his daughter, Anna. The mother had died in Ger- many and before his emigration to the new world the father had married again. There were six children by the second marriage, all born in this country. Father Snauble took up his abode in Prescott, Canada. He was a shoemaker by trade, but during the first six months of his residence in the new world he worked on the railroad. He then began shoemaking and moved across the river from Canada to Ogdensburg, New York, where he resided for a brief period. He then made his way westward to Detroit, where he fol- lowed his trade for a year. after which he set- tled upon a farm near Monroe, Michigan, oper- ating a tract of rented land there for two years. On the expiration of that period he settled in Saline village, Washtenaw county, and followed his trade. His skill in making fine hand-turned boots was soon manifest and he was popular both with his employer and the customers. He after- ward moved to Clinton, where he engaged in shoemaking for himself, and while there, aided by his son Paul. he purchased ten acres of land, which he afterward traded for one hundred and thirty acres in Saline township, where he car- ried on general agricultural pursuits up to the time of his death, which occurred when he was sixty-three years of age. His second wife had died prior to that time.

Paul Snauble was a district school student in the winter seasons through the period of his youth, and in the summer months he worked for different farmers, thus early becoming famil- iar with the practical labors of clearing and cul- tivating the fields and caring for the stock. As the result of these labors Mr. Snauble began the accumulation of his first "nest egg." Thinking that he would find other occupation more congen- ial, however, he left the farm on attaining his majority and secured a clerkship in a general store at Saline, where he remained until lie came to Ann Arbor in 1877, having secured a position with John Keck, as bookkeeper in his furniture store. Mr. Keck also owned and operated a fur- niture factory in Ann Arbor and Mr. Snauble soon became closely identified with the affairs of the factory as well as those of the store. In 1879 Mr. Keck interested others with him and

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a stock company was formed under the name of the Keck Furniture Company. Mr. Snauble had become convinced that the business was a good one and purchased stock in the new company and was elected superintendent. Under his manage- ment the business prospered, paying dividends to the stockholders and increasing its sales. Mr. Keck soon retired from active connection with the company, but it was run under the old name until 1884, when it was reorganized and con- tinued under the name of Michigan Furniture Company, and the officers at the present writing in 1905, are W. D. Harriman, president ; Moses Seabolt, vice-president : Charles D. Hiscock, secretary and treasurer ; and Paul Snauble, gen- eral manager. These officers in connection with Frederick Schmid, Martin Haller and William K. Childs constitute the board of directors. They manufacture all kinds of chamber sets and con- duct an extensive business. The Michigan Fur- niture Company built the plant as it is now seen, there being a four-story brick building, two hun- dred and seven by forty feet, and the extent and volume of the business is indicated in a measure by the fact that employment is now furnished to eighty men. The output finds a ready sale upon the market and the reputation sustained by the house is an enviable one. Mr. Snauble now has active charge of the business, which, under his direction, is being conducted in a man- ner most satisfactory to the stockholders, a good financial return being realized upon their invest- ment. He is likewise a director of the German- American Savings Bank, which was organized and opened its doors for business in the fall of 1905.

In 1867 occurred the marriage of Paul Snaut- ble and Miss Mary C. Lindsley, a native of Sa- line township and a daughter of Elihu and Me- lissa Lindsley. Her mother bore the maiden name of Rideout, and her first marriage was to a Mr. Bliss. Mr. and Mrs. Snauble have one son, Verner L., who was born in Saline in 1872, and was married in New York in 1893 to Miss Susie L. Baldwin, a native of that state. The son is associated with his father in the business, being the assistant manager.

Mr. Snauble is practically independent in poli-

tics, yet entertains strong views upon the ques- tion of prohibition and has long been an earnest temperance man. He is interested in everything that tends to promote the moral development of his race and as a citizen his worth is acknowl- edged for his co-operation in business affairs here has contributed to the general prosperity as well as to his individual success.

JOHN C. CHALMERS.

John C. Chalmers, who is engaged in general farming on section 2, Pittsfield township, was born January 9, 1843. in the city of New York. His father, Dr. T. C. Chalmers, was a native of West Galway, New York, born June 18, 1810, and attended Union College at Schenectady, New York, while later he became a student in the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city. He practiced in New York Hospital and (levoted his attention to his profession until life's labors were ended in death in June, 1884.

John C. Chalmers attended the New York Academy, and in 1862 entered New York Uni- versity, from which he was graduated in 1864, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His studies. however, were interrupted for a time by his serv- ice in the Twenty-second New York National Guard during the Civil war. For some years he engaged in teaching school in the Empire state. While in college he was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity.

In 1867 Mr. Chalmers was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Gilchrist, a daughter of Alexander Gilchrist. She died February 10, 1875, and he subsequently wedded Gertrude Clizbe, a daughter of Marcus Clizbe, of Amsterdam, New York. As the years have passed they have become the parents of seven children : Anna, who is now the wife of William Alexander, and is principal of the first ward school of Ypsilanti; Mary, the wife of Clay W. Alexander, and the mother of four children ; Julia Gilchrist, who married Ed- ward Hutzel and has two children ; Gilchrist, op- erating his father's farm ; Marcus, an engineer on

J. C. CHALMERS.

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the Michigan Central Railroad; George, who was graduated from the dental department of the State University at Ann Arbor in 1902, and is now assisting his brother in operating his father's farm ; and Virginia, at home.

Mr. Chalmers continued a resident of the east until 1890, when he came to Michigan in order to be near the university so that he might edu- cate his children here. He bought one hundred acres of land about three miles southeast of Ann Arbor and the place is well improved. He makes a specialty of the raising of Guernsey cattle and his opinions concerning this breed are considered authority in his locality. Today he has a herd of very valuable animals and has sold his cattle for as high as two hundred and fifty dollars per head. He keeps only registered stock and is classed with the leading cattle raisers of this part of the state. He is a member of the American Guernsey Cattle Club and the Western Guernsey Breeders' Associ- ation of Wisconsin, being vice-president of the latter organization and he is interested in all that tends to improve stock and advance the stock-raising interests of Michigan.

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Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Part 17

Author: Beakes, Samuel W. (Samuel Willard), 1861-; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 886

Author: Beakes, Samuel W. (Samuel Willard), 1861-; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 886