USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 55
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 55
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to the young man. When his education in this line was finished, not even the most trusted employe of his father could grasp the details of each and every branch of the mercantile business as he could. Indeed, it was remarked, so well had he improved his time and his talents in each department that he was capable of enlightening his father on many important features of the business. He was next given a position in the office, where he remained another year, and later was assigned to the duties of outside fore- man, continuing in that place for a period of three years. He was in the saw-mills and other manufacturing plants in the yards, where millions of feet of lumber were piled up in the woods, where the trees were cut down and the logs prepared for the mill, and kept in mind every detail relating to the line of steamboats owned and operated by the company. He was next transferred to the banking department, beginning, as he had in all of the others, at the foot of the ladder and steadily advanced until he reached his present responsible position of cashier of the Traverse City State Bank. The writer was assured by people familiar with the facts that very little if any of his advancement was due to his relationship to the head of the house of Hannah, Lay & Company. It was chiefly due to the zeal, energy and business tact displayed by him, the knowledge of the departments he ac- quired and the good use he made of it. The Traverse City State Bank, of which he is cashier, is an institution that was incorpor- ated in 1892 with a paid-up capital stock of $100,000, with a surplus fund of $25,000 and undivided net profits of $56,520.77. Its re- sources are $1,491,983.74, and its deposits are $1,310,462.97. The officers of the bank
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are Perry Hannah, president; A. Tracy Lay, vice-president; J. T. Hannah, cashier ; Samuel S. Garland, assistant cashier. The board of directors are Perry Hannah, A. Tracy Lay, J. T. Hannah, Samuel S. Gar- land and Harry C. Davis. The figures given above are taken from the last sworn state- ment of the cashier to the state bank com- missioner.
June 30, 1896, Julius T. Hannah was united in marriage to Miss Elsie K. Raff, daughter of George W. Raff, present post- master of Traverse City, a review of whose career will be found in another part of this volume. She was born in Napoleon, Ohio, and was educated there. She is a lady of talent and refinement, possessed of many accomplishments, and presides with grace and dignity over the beautiful home occupied by herself and husband.
The life of the subject of this review has been too busy to give him an opportunity to take much part in politics, and he has never sought or held office of any kind. He is a Republican, generally votes the ticket and while he displays no partisan zeal during campaigns, he is always a liberal contributor to the sinews of war. While he and Mrs. Hannah frequently attend divine services at one or the other of the churches of the city, neither belongs to any religious denomina- tion. The cause of religion, charity and other worthy movements, however, have been greatly benefited by their bounty. He is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, a Knight of Pythias, both subordinate and uniform rank, and an Elk and a Knight of the Maccabees.
To the father of the subject it must be very gratifying to be able to relieve himself from
business cares and feel that every detail will be as well and carefully attended to by his son as if he were himself in charge of it. Though still directing the entire business of the corporation of Hannah, Lay & Company in Grand Traverse county, and exercising direct supervision over all its affairs, the de- tails of all of the various branches are at- tended to by Julius T. Hannah. His father is now in the seventy-ninth year of his age and, while strong and vigorous for a man of his years, his son considers it only proper to relieve him of every business anxiety possi- ble. Hence of late years the care of most of the business affairs of the corporation have devolved upon the subject. Under this or- der of affairs not only has the business of the corporation greatly increased, but that of the entire city shows a marked improvement. Alive to all modern business methods, Julius T. Hannah in the past few years has aided and encouraged the location of more busi- ness enterprises of various kinds than the city has ever known before. The result is that at this time Traverse City is enjoying an era of prosperity far beyond any other town or city in northern Michigan. There are few places which possess the glorious possibilities of this city. About one hun- dred homes of the better order are in course of construction, and contracts have been let for many more. That Traverse City will be the metropolis of the northern lakes no resi- dent of the city doubts. With Julius T. Hannah actively interested in its welfare and with his efforts ably seconded by the enter- prising business men of the place, even the outside world must admit that there is a great future in store for the county seat of Grand Traverse county.
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WALTER N. KELLEY.
To present in brief outline the leading facts in the life of one of Grand Traverse's busy men of affairs and throw light upon some of his more pronounced char- acteristics is the task in hand in placing be- fore the reader the following biographical review of Walter N. Kelley. Though still young and in the prime of vigorous man- hood, he has already won a conspicuous place in the business circles of Michigan, be- sides impressing his strong personality upon the community in which he now lives, and where for some years he has been a forceful factor in directing and controlling important industrial and commercial enterprises. Mr. Kelley was born in the town of Maybee, Monroe county, Michigan, May 4, 1866, the son of William and Julia (Farmer) Kelley. Like the majority of boys in a country town, his early years were comparatively unevent- ful, and at intervals until a youth in his teens he attended the public schools of his native place, where were laid the foundations of the thorough practical training which subsequently characterized his career. His scholastic experience terminated with his fifteenth year, at which early age he entered the employ of the Wabash Railroad as agent, and after spending five years in that capac- ity he resigned his position to become book- keeper for J. A. Doty & Company, a large lumber firm at Slights, Grand Traverse county. Four months after engaging with this company he purchased an interest in the concern, and one year later bought the other interests in the business, and, as sole proprietor, carried on the manufacture of lumber, shingles and charcoal until 1892, when Charles T. Covell became his associate,
thus forming the firm of Kelley &. Covell. Under the latter style the business was con- ducted until the spring of 1898, when, by reason of financial depressions, the firm sus- pended operations and dissolved. Follow- ing this Mr. Kelley started the Kelley Shin- gle Company at Traverse City, which, under his management, was continued until Jan- uary 15, 1903, when it was reorganized as the Kelley. Lumber and Shingle Company, with a capital of $100,000, the subject being elected president, which responsible position he still holds. The enterprise has been suc- cesful from the beginning, and its steady and substantial growth from the beginning indicates a high order of tact and business ability on the part of the proprietors, espe- cially of the efficient executive, to whose wise forethought, able management and cor- rect methods generally the company is large- ly indebted for the remarkable success it now enjoys.
Additional to the specific industry to which he has chiefly devoted his time and at- tention, Mr. Kelley is identified with other enterprises of like character in his own city and elsewhere, being connected with the Parr Lumber Company, of St. Johns, Mich- igan; the Campbell Company, of Hillsdale, this state; and the South Side Lumber Com- pany, of Traverse City, to all of which he sustains the relation of president. As an all-around business man Mr. Kelley has few equals and no superiors in northwestern Michigan, and his success as a manufacturer and dealer in lumber has won him a com- manding position among the leading lumber men of the state. It is not too extravagant to say that much of the prestige of Traverse City as an important industrial and commer- cial center may be attributed to him, his ef-
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forts in advancing the material interests of the place being so widely recognized as to constitute no secondary part in his career of signal usefulness. He belongs to that rep- resentative class of Americans who, while gaining individual success, also promote public prosperity, and today he stands among those who have conferred honor and ad- vancement upon the community, not only by well-connected business interests, but by an upright life and commendable course of con- duct as well.
Mr. Kelley is a man of broad and liberal views, there being nothing narrow or intol- erant in his nature. He is enterprising and progressive in all the terms imply, lives in the present, and, taking a pardonable pride in his community and state, has faith in their future and uses his power and influence to make this faith realize the largest possibili- ties. Socially, he is an affable gentleman, genial in manner, agreeable in conversa- tion, courteous to all with whom he mingles, and he impresses those with whom he has business or other relations as possessing a power of mind and force of peronality in- dicative of the natural leader in large and impartant undertakings.
Fraternally, Mr. Kelley is a Mason of high standing, having taken all the degrees in the order up to and including the Mystic Shrine, and he is also a leading member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Traverse City. In politics he is de- cidedly Republican, but, like the majority of active business men, he has little time to de- vote to political affairs, the claims of his pri- vate interests demanding by far the greater share of his attention.
The domestic life of Mr. Kelley dates from 1884, on November 27th of which
year he was happily married at Whittaker, Washtenaw county, this state, to Miss Nel- lie Van Lieu, a union blessed with five chil- dren, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Eunice, September 7, 1886; Frank, January 1I, 1888; Julia, September 7, 1891; Lucy, November 24, 1894, and Helen, whose natal day is November 9, 1899.
CHARLES M. BEERS.
Charles M. Beers was born in La Grange county, Indiana, November 14, 1858, mov- ing to Michigan in the fall of 1861, so that his entire life since he was three years old has been spent in Grand Traverse county. At Old Mission, sixteen miles up the bay, he attended school until he was nineteen years old. He then became an employe of the Hannah, Lay Mercantile Company, con- tinuing with them one year. Not content with what education he already possessed, he took a complete commercial course at Swensburg's Business College of Grand Rapids. For three years thereafter he was employed as a clerk on a line of steamships plying between Traverse City and Macki- naw. The next four years of his life were occupied clerking in a hotel at Big Rapids. In each and every one of the different posi- tions he was called upon to occupy he gave the utmost satisfaction, never leaving a place otherwise than voluntarily.
On August 31, 1887, in Traverse City, Charles M. Beers was united in marriage to Miss Laura Raff, a native of Stark county, Ohio, and the daughter of G. W. Raff, pres- ent postmaster of Traverse City, a sketch of whose interesting career will be found in an-
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other part of this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Beers one child has been born, Julius L., the date of whose birth is July 26, 1888. He is now attending school in Traverse City and is an industrious, intelligent, studious boy.
In 1887, soon after his marriage, Charles M .. Beers became bookkeeper and general foreman for William Beitner, in his manu- facturing establishment. The plant is de- voted to the manufacture of lumber, chair stock, curtain poles, etc. This position he held for ten years and relinquished it only to assume the duties of city clerk, to which position he was elected in the spring of 1891. In 1895, in connection with S. E. Pond, Mr. Beers prepared and issued an atlas of Grand Traverse county. It is a work that has re- ceived much commendation from the press and public and an edition of about one thou- sand copies was issued. It is still used as the standard reference in all matters relating to localities in this city and county. An atlas of Antrim county was also published in 1897 and on it Mr. Beers was the draughtsman. An edition of one thou- sand copies of it was also issued and it is a publication that is very highly prized by the citizens of Antrim county.
In politics Charles M. Beers is a Re- publican. There is no discordant strain in his political make-up, as all of his ancestry, clear back to the Whig party, were Republi- cans. However, the only office he ever held is his present position as city clerk and that of township clerk, which he held for four years before the city was incorporated. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Elks, of the Forresters and of the Knights of Pythias. His membership in the latter includes both the subordinate and Uni-
form rank. He holds the rank of colonel in the Uniform rank, being on the staff of the brigadier-general of the Michigan brigade.
JOSEPH J. THOMAS.
Joseph J. Thomas has spent his entire life in Leelanaw county, being numbered among its native sons, and he now lives on section 22, Leelanaw township, where he is carrying on general farming. His birth oc- curred in this township, September 28, 1862, and he is of Welch and English lineage. His father, the late William Thomas, was born in the little rockribbed country of Wales in 1818 and when a young man crossed the Atlantic to the new world. Here he was united in marriage to Miss Jane Elizabeth Davis, whose birth occurred near London, England, in 1819. They came from Schuyl- kill county to Michigan, spending their re- maining days in this state. They established their home in Leelanaw county in 1856. Securing a tract of land in the township of the same name, Mr. Thomas there carried on agricultural pursuits until his demise. Both he and his wife have passed away, the former having died in 1897, and the latter in 1895. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Joseph J. is the youngest.
On the old family homestead Joseph J. .Thomas was married and this place has al- ways been his home, while throughout his entire life he has carried on agricultural pursuits. At the usual age he entered the public schools and therein pursued his studies until he had largely mastered the branches of learning taught in such institu- tions. On putting aside his text books he
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devoted his entire attention to farm work and the practical knowledge which he gained of the best methods of cultivating the fields, . harvesting crops and caring for stock has proven of much value to him since he began farm operations on his own account. He today owns two hundred and eight acres of valuable land, of which he has about one hundred and thirty acres improved.
In Leelanaw county, in June, 1900, Mr. Thomas was united in marriage to Miss Alice Parcher, who was born in this town- ship. They have become the parents of three children, but the first born died in in- fancy, the others being Martha L. and Olive T. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are devoted mem- bers of the First Congregational church at Northport, and he has held the office of over- seer of highways, but he has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, pre- ferring that his undivided attention shall be given to his business affairs, whereby he hopes to gain a very comfortable competence for himself and his family. He has already attained a creditable degree of success and is one of the prosperous and well-known ag- riculturists of his community. His life his- tory is as an open book which all may read, for he has always lived in Leelanaw county and the work which he has performed has been of a nature that has never sought nor required disguise.
DAVID H. SCOTT.
David H. Scott, who is filling the post- tion of supervisor of Leelanaw township, Leelanaw county, and resides on section 2, where he is successfully carrying on general farming, is a native of Hastings county, On-
tario. He was born July 26, 1851, and is a son of John and Jane (Hamilton) Scott. They were both natives of the Emerald Isle, but were of Scotch-Irish parentage and their last days were spent in Hastings county, Ontario, where they were well known and highly respected. people, their lives exem- plifying many admirable traits of character that won for them the regard and confidence of those with whom they were associated.
David H. Scott was the youngest of their thirteen children and upon his father's farm he was reared. The picture of his boyhood days would present him there as an assistant in the fields or as a student in the common schools of the neighborhood. He continued upon the old home place until he came to Michigan. He had engaged, however, in teaching school for three years in Lenox county, Ontario, and proved a ca- pable educator, having the ability to im- part clearly and concisely to others the knowledge that he had acquired. On leav- ing Canada he removed to Michigan and for about six months he was employed on the railroad between Walton Junction and Traverse City. Subsequently he worked in the woods for several years and he is there- fore familiar with the experiences of the life of the lumberman. While thus engaged he saved his money and as the result of his economy and industry he was enabled to purchase a home, becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land on sec- tion 22, Leelanaw township, and settling upon that tract he made it his home for a year, after which he was employed by the firm of John & Hitchcock, of Northport. There he remained for three years and dur -. ing that period he became familiar with the methods of conducting a general mercantile
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establishment. The firm also dealt in wood and bark and Mr. Scott had charge of their dock and other shipping interests, control- ling the exportation of their wood and bark. On leaving their employ he returned to his farm and it has been his home continuously since, covering a number of years. Of his quarter section of land he now has one hun- dred acres under the plow and this cultivated tract returns to him golden harvests in re- ward for the care and labor he bestows upon the fields. Buildings, such as are seen upon a model farm, also stand as monuments to his enterprise and thrift and his work has ever been of a nature that has produced good results. True his business career has not been one of continuous prosperity, un- marked by difficulties or obstacles, but when such have arisen he has put forth his strong- est effort to overcome them and in the end has come off . conqueror in the strife.
Mr. Scott was married in Leland, Mich- igan, on the 18th of May, 1880, the lady of his choice being Miss Agnes Bryant, a na- tive of this state and a daughter of John A. Bryant, who was one of the honored pioneer settlers of Leelanaw county. During an early epoch in the history of this portion of the state her father made his way into the timber regions and aided in reclaiming the district for the use of the white man. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Scott have been born three children who are yet living, Hugh, Ida M. and Hazel. They also lost two children who died in infancy. In 1900 Mr. Scott was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the IIth of May, of that year, at their home in Leelanaw township. On the 14th of April, 1902, he was again married, his second union being with Miss Jennie
Gill, a daughter of the late William Gill, of Northport.
Mr. Scott exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party at the present time, but in former years was a Democrat. Believing, however, that the first named organization is now advocating measures for the best de- velopment of the country, he changed his political allegiance. He has served as super- visor of the township for several years and keeps well informed on the questions of the day, political and otherwise. Matters per- taining to general progress and improve- ment receive his earnest attention and along many lines he has co-operated in a way that has led to the substantial advancement of the community. He is popular in the Ma- sonic fraternity, belonging to Northport Lodge No. 265, Free and Accepted Masons, in which he is now serving as master. He is also a charter member of Northport Lodge No. 16, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Scott is widely and favorably known throughout the state, his abilities well fitting him for leadership in political and social life. The terms progress and patriotism might be considered the keynote of his character, for throughout his career he has labored for the improvement of every line of business or public interest with which he has been asso- ciated, and at all times has been actuated by a fidelity to his country and her welfare.
ALBERT H. HOLLIDAY, M. D.
Any one who has given the subject se- rious consideration must question the jus- tice of the treatment of Canada by the
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United States. If there is a latent suspicion that it has not been all that it should be, a visit to the region along the border will not only confirm the suspicion, but establish the fact that the people of Canada have treated the people of the United States far better than have the people of the United States treated the Canadians. Take Traverse City as a sample. There some of the brightest lawyers, most successful business men, edu- cated physicians and skilled surgeons were born, reared and educated in Canada. Can- ada has given those worthy and accom- plished persons to us. They are our citizens now, they are helping to build up the com- munity, and swell the population, for here their children are born and here will be their home. What have the people of the United States given Canada in return ? Defaulting bank cashiers, boodle aldermen and crooks of various other de- scriptions. Among Traverse City's most worthy professional men who are natives of Canada may be mentioned Dr. Albert H. Holliday, a practicing physician and surgeon and the subject of this review.
Dr. Albert H. Holliday was born in Brooklyn, Ontario, June 30, 1859. His father was Jackson Holliday, a native of Cumberlandshire, England, born in 1818, who, at the age of fourteen, immigrated to Canada, where he grew to manhood and de- voted his life to agricultural pursuits. In 1845 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Hall, a native of Canada, born in 1830. Both are now dead, he departing this life in May, 1874, while she survived him only two years, passing to her eternal rest in 1876. They were the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are still liv- ing, viz: Nancy A., wife of G. W. Still, a
merchant in Toronto, Canada; Marcus J., a farmer, married and the father of a fam- ily, lives in Brooklyn, Canada; Jesse G., a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, resides at Bear Lake, Michigan; Albert H., the subject of this review; Joseph W., farm- er, married and has a family, resides at Man- chester, Canada; Edward D., merchant, married and has a family and resides in To- ronto, Canada; George A. has been en- gaged in the practice of dentistry in Trav- erse City for ten years, is married and has a family ; he is now taking a course in medi- cine at a Detroit medical college, with the view of becoming a physician and surgeon.
The early life of Dr. Albert H. Holliday was spent in Canada. He attended the pub- lic schools and graduated from the high school of Port Perry. After leaving the high school he took the course and gradu- ated from the Ontario Business College at Belleville, Canada. For the next five years he devoted himself to teaching, then took up the study of medicine, and after taking the full course at Toronto University grad- uated in 1889. The Doctor is also a gradu- ate of the Victoria Medical College of Co- burg, Ontario, where he attained the degree of M. D., C. M. He began the practice of his profession in 1889 at Belwood, Ontario.
At Port Perry, June 25, 1890, Albert H. Holliday was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Shaw, a native of Port Perry, born October 9, 1867, and in that place she was reared, educated and grew to woman- hood. Her father was Joseph Shaw, also a native of Canada, born in 1830, and who died at his home in Port Perry in 1870. The mother was Jane (McWaters) Shaw, a na- tive of Ireland, born in 1842, and she is still living at her home in Port Perry and enjoy-
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