USA > Michigan > St Clair County > St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people; a narrative account of its historical progress and its principal interests, Vol. II > Part 26
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Frank G. Cowan was given an excellent education, attending the pub- lic schools and graduating from the Port Huron high school, where he completed both the scientific and English courses. He had intended entering the legal profession, but his first work was as bookkeeper for Frank T. Wolcott, agent of the American Bonding and Trust Company, on paving contracts and factory construction, as representative of the bonding company in keeping time and book account of contracts, and since then all of his activities have been devoted to industrial and com- mercial interests. Ilis contracts completed, he was employed as book- keeper by the Port Huron Engine and Thresher Company, opening books and installing systems in several subsidiary companies, and he was then transferred to the Port Huron Steel and Screw Company, which was allied with the former concern, and in June, 1902, he became store- keeper and stock accountant for the same company. From September, 1903, to November, 1904, he continued with this firm as bookkeeper, and in the latter year the company failed, and Mr. Cowan was for two months employed by F. E. Beard, trustee in bankruptcy, in taking in- ventory and assisting in appraisal of the stock, plant and equipment of the bankrupt company. In December, 1904, he was employed as book- keeper and cost accountant by the Wilson Saw and Manufacturing Com- pany, which concern purchased the plant and equipment of the Port Huron Steel and Serew Company, and he has continued with this con- cern to the present time. In October, 1907, he was elected secretary and treasurer and a member of the directing board, and at that time became a stockholder in the company, and on April 1, 1910, he was made gen- eral manager of the firm, succeeding F. II. Keene, a position he has held to the present time.
On November 28. 1905, Mr. Cowan was married to Miss Orytha Belle Mckinnon, of Port Huron, who was born in Yale, Michigan, daughter of Charles and Sarah ( Leach ) MeKinnon, who both live in Port Huron, and one child has been born to this union, Dorothy Henrietta.
Mr. Cowan reserves the right to take an independent stand in polit- ical matters. Soon after he was twenty-two years of age he became a
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member of Port Huron Lodge, F. & A. M., of which he is now worship- ful master, and he is also a member of the Commandery and Mystic Shrine.
LEWIS ATKINS. A venerable and highly respected citizen of Port Huron, Lewis Atkins has been a resident of this part of St. Clair county for nearly three score years, during which time he has been an important factor in developing and advancing its material interests. He is a man of upright principles, excellent ability and sound judgment, and is a fine representative of the self-made men of our times, a record of his life furnishing a forcible example to the rising generation of the success to be obtained by persevering industry and wise economy. A native of Germany, he was born October 1, 1829, in the village of Neuenburg, in the grand duchy of Oldenburg, where his parents spent their entire lives.
Obtaining his early education in his native village, Lewis Atkins early determined to begin his active career in the newer country of America, the El Dorado that lured so many of his countrymen across the Atlantic. Immigrating to the United States in 1848, he clerked in a store in Detroit, Michigan, for five years. Coming from there to Port Huron in 1853, he embarked in mercantile pursuits, conducting a good business for ten or twelve years. Afterwards becoming active in the field of politics, he was one of the leading Democrats of the city, and for ten or more years rendered appreciated service as city clerk. Sub- sequently he was secretary of the Port Huron Water Works Company for a quarter of a century, but since 1884 has been prominently engaged in the fire insurance business, having an office at No. 211 Huron avenue.
Mr. Atkins has accumulated considerable property, and is now living partly retired from active pursuits, although he goes every day to his office to look after his business, which is ably conducted by his daughter, Miss Irene Atkins, who is a woman of superior ability and judgment, and a most efficient manager. A stenographer is also employed in the office. Mr. Atkins purchased, soon after coming to Port Huron, at a government sale two house lots, and on one built his pleasant home at No. 1019 Ontario street, and still owns the other lot, on which he has built four tenement houses, the rental of which bring him a good annual income. He also bought three lots at a private sale, and still owns one of those. Mr. Atkins has visited the Fatherland once since coming to this country, spending four months with friends and kinsfolk. Fraternally he has been a member of the Masonic order since August 11, 1854, and is also a Shriner, Knight Templar, treasurer of the Huron Chapter, No. 27, R. A. M., president of the Masonic Temple Association, and has served as secretary of his lodge.
Mr. Atkins married, in November, 1854, Jane Fleming, who was born in Canada, in 1834, being a sister of Daniel Fleming, who served as a soldier in the Civil war. Mrs. Atkins passed to the life beyond several years ago, leaving five children, namely : Elinor, wife of James Bradley, of Chicago, Illinois; Kate, wife of P. H. Phillips, of Port Huron; Irene M., who has the superintendence to a considerable extent of her father's affairs; Josephine, living with her father and sister, and Robert H., who died in early life, leaving a widow and one child.
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ABNER A. MCKINNON, M. D. Among the eminent physicians and surgeons of St. Clair county, the more prominent of whom find a place in this volume, none enjoys to a greater extent the confidence and esteem of the community at large than Abner A. Mckinnon, M. D., whose offices are situated at No. 304 Meisel Building, Port Huron. Dr. MeKinnon was born September 21, 1871, at Manilla, Ontario, Canada, a son of Archibald J. and Henrietta (Coryell) MeKinnon, natives of Canada, who are now living in Toronto. Dr. Mckinnon has one brother and two sisters, namely: William L., who is engaged in the drug business in New York City : Ella Maude, the wife of Wallace Ilesson, of Toronto, Canada; and Ettienne, the widow of the late W. T. Hogg, of the firm of Ilogg & Lytle, large seed merchants of Toronto. Charles Coryell, Dr. MeKinnon's uncle, served in a Michigan regiment during the Civil war, enlisting in the first year of the conflict.
Abner A. Mckinnon received his literary education in the public and collegiate institutions of Toronto, and graduated in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1899. Locating in Port Huron in October of the same year, he has since remained here engaged, in a general practice. Dr. Mckinnon's well-known professional zeal and his atten- tiveness to his patients have established for him an enviable reputation. Publie-spirited, and in all things progressive, he has identified himself with every civic movement tending to the advancement and prosperity of the city and county of his adoption, where, as a useful, loyal and intelligent citizen, he is held in the highest regard. In 1904 he erected his present handsome residence, which is located in the tunnel district. and is tastefully furnished and equipped with all modern conveniences. Ilis down-town office is conveniently located and supplied with all appurtenances for the comfort of the Doctor's patients, and its windows command one of the best and prettiest views of Canada and the St. Clair river in Port Huron. Dr. MeKinnon is a member of the St. Clair County Medical Society, and also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias. the Maccabees and the Modern Brotherhood of America.
In 1900 Dr. MeKinnon was married to Miss Morna Axworthy. also a native of Canada, and daughter of Richard Axworthy, who died in that country. Dr. and Mrs. McKinnon were reared in the Presbyterian faith, but are now attending the Congregational church in Port Huron.
ULYSSES G. BURCH. Prominent among the most progressive and successful of Grant township's citizens is Ulysses G. Burch. proprietor of Burch's village farm, adjoining Jeddo, upon which valuable property are conducted extensive operations in general farming and stock raising. Ile makes a specialty of registered stock, principally Holstein, and it is to such as he that this part of Michigan owes its fine reputation in this department. He has not always been an agriculturist. but preceded his present congenial occupation by seventeen years' identification with railroading and several years as a traveling salesman. His farm is in section 9.
Mr. Burch was born in Ontario, Canada, September 20, 1863, and is the son of Charles P. and Eliza (Charles) Burch, both of whom were natives of New York and both of whom are now deceased. The subject is the youngest member of a family of five children and received his education in the schools of Michigan, which he attended until about
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eighteen years of age. His first adventure as an actual factor in the workaday world was as a clerk in a grocery store, which position he retained for about five years and in which he learned many profitable lessons in the way of industry and thrift. He then became identified with railroading, first as brakeman and then as conductor, on different roads, his career in this field covering, as mentioned before, a period of seventeen years. He then became a traveling salesman for C. H. Ritter & Company, wine merchants, and his territory was unusually large, including a great part of the United States. In this way he saw a great deal of country and it would be indeed difficult to find anyone more familiar with the North American continent. In time he grew tired of a life so unsettled and after sixteen years' experience as a commercial traveler he concluded to identify himself with the great basic industry and bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres adjoining the village of Jeddo, and here he intends to remain. In the new line of endeavor he has "made good," to make use of the phraseology of the day. He has improved his farm in the most up-to-date manner and has fine buildings, his barn being the best in all the township. He is raising registered stock, particularly Holstein, and has made a great success of it.
Mr. Burch laid the foundations of an independent household when, in 1905, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Voltz, who was born in Huron county, Michigan, August 11, 1885, and was educated in the public schools of that section. They share their delightful home with three children-Grace E., aged four years; Elaine C., aged three years ; and Ulysses G., Jr.
In politics Mr. Burch is of Democratic conviction, but he has never been lured by the honors and emoluments of office and takes in public affairs only the interest of the public-spirited citizen, of which he is a fine type.
ROBERT WILLIAM FLEMEN WATSON was born in the town of Fort Gratiot, Michigan, in 1874. His parents, James and Margaret Watson, were both natives of Scotland and early settlers of Port Huron. Mrs. Watson is still living, but the father, who was an engineer, died some years ago.
Robert Watson received his education in Port Huron and in New York. When he had completed his course in school he took up the trade of a coppersmith in Port Huron and spent some time at this pursuit. After a time he decided to go into a more extensive business and so in 1898 he and his brother James started a wholesale and retail plumbing establishment at 506 Huron avenue. Their business has been highly successful and they now have a branch store in Detroit, of which Robert Watson is president. This store handles not only plumbers' supplies, but also heating apparatus and is one of the leading concerns of the sort in the city. Both Mr. Watson and his brother possess the qualifications for successful managers of a business, which are charac- teristic of the Scotch, and, added to this, they are excellently versed in the mechanical side of their trade.
Mr. Watson is a Democrat. He has served as park commissioner and is now supervisor. He has taken high rank in the Masonic order,
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and belongs to several other orders. Both Mr. and Mrs. Watson are members of the Methodist church.
Mrs. Watson is Charlotte, the daughter of Rufus and Charlotte Brandenmore. Both of her parents are natives of Michigan and Mrs. Watson was born in Port Huron. They live at 828 Prospect avenue, a place which they bought and rebuilt.
Mr. Watson is one of the substantial commercial men of the city and besides owning the building where he and his brother have their thriving business, in partnership with his brother Mr. Robert Watson is a director in the German American Bank of the city. Personally he is a man of genial manner, witty in his conversation and unusually good company. These attractive personal qualities, added to his signal busi- ness ability, make him one of the most respected and popular men of the city.
CARL A. WAGNER, Prominent among the leading citizens of Port Huron, Carl A. Wagner has long been a conspicuous figure in military eireles, having, while inspector of small-arms practice and inspector general for the state, very materially contributed to making Michigan a leader among the other states of the Union in regard to rifle practice, an important branch of military instruction, in which he is an expert. A native of Iluron county, Michigan, he was born November 18, 1858, in Bingham township, being the second white child born in that locality, the birth of the first white child of that township having occurred the previous day, on November 17, 1858.
His father, Andrew Wagner, was born in Bavaria, Germany. June 14. 1823, and as a young man served for three years in the German army. Immigrating to America, he lived for a short time in New York City, and subsequently followed his trade as a stone entter in Cleveland, Ohio, for a short time. In 1855 he bought one hundred and sixty aeres of land of the government in Huron county and began elearing the land and established a home there. Abont 1860 he removed with his family to Detroit, where, after the breaking out of the Civil war, he enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and was with his command in several engagements of importance, including the battles of Fredericksburg. Chancellorsville and at Gettysburg. At the latter engagement, on July 1, 1863, while carrying the regimental colors, he was shot through the breast and left for dead on the battlefield. Recover. ing, however, he returned to his farm in Huron county, Michigan, and there resided until his death, in April, 1867. He married first in Germany, and by that nion had one child, Margaret Gertrude, who is now the wife of Frank Goetz, of Cleveland, Ohio. Andrew Wagner married, for his second wife, in 1851, in New York City, Mrs. Lucy Dorothy (Muff) Seitz, who was born in Wurtemberg. Germany, Decem- ber 10, 1821. and died in Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, September 22. 1905. She was twice married. by her first union having one daughter. Mrs. Louise M. Neff. of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wagner became the parents of four children, as follows. Mrs. Dora Danenburg, a widow, living in New York; Carl A., the special subject of this brief personal record; Minnie, born in 1862, married Wesley Smith, and died at Port Huron, Michigan, April 9, 1901; and Albert A., of Port Huron, who was born in June, 1864.
Vol. II-13
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After the death of his father Carl A. Wagner remained with his mother and the family on the home farm in Huron county, and lived there until the fall of 1871, when all of the farming property was destroyed by the forest fires. The widowed mother then removed with her children to Erie, Pennsylvania, and there lived with her daughter by her first marriage. Continuing his studies in the public schools of Erie, Carl A. Wagner was graduated from the Central high school, and subsequently traveled a short time as salesman for a firm dealing in household specialties. In the spring of 1880, harkening to the "call of the soil," Mr. Wagner's mother, brother and sister came back to the old farm in Huron county, Michigan, and had just made a good start in improving the place, when, in 1881, fire again destroyed everything on the place, with the exception of the house. Mr. Wagner had charge of a branch store of the Lovell Manufacturing Company in Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1880 to September, 1885, at which time he re- turned to his native state and entered the law department of the Uni- versity of Michigan, from which he was graduated with the class of 1887. During the ensuing two years he was engaged in the practice of law at Bad Axe, the county-seat of Huron county. In 1889 Mr. Wagner located at Port Huron, and has since been a valued and highly esteemed resident of this city. He has taken an active part in local affairs, in 1894 having been elected police justice for a term of four years, and re-elected to the same office in 1898.
In 1898 Mr. Wagner was second lieutenant of the Port Huron mili- tary company, and when war was declared against Spain he went into camp with his company at Island Lake, on April 26, 1898. Soon after the Michigan division of the Sons of Veterans organized two companies from its membership, and offered them to the state of Michigan for service. Mr. Wagner was selected as captain of the first company, which was assigned to the Thirty-third Michigan Volunteer Infantry, becoming Company L of that regiment, commanded by Colonel Boyn- ton, of Port Huron. The regiment went to Cuba during the Spanish- American war, and on July 1, 1898, at Aguadores, two of the soldiers in Captain Wagner's company were killed and three wounded. In De- cember, 1898, at the close of the war, Captain Wagner was mustered out of service with his company.
In November, 1900, when Colonel Boynton was appointed brigadier general of the Michigan National Guard, Captain Wagner was com- missioned major, and made assistant inspector general on the general's staff. In June, 1903, General William T. MeGurrin appointed Captain Wagner major and inspector of small-arms practice on his staff. Two years later, in June, 1905, Governor Warner of Michigan, appointed him inspector general of Michigan, a position which he held continu- ously until the office was abolished by law in 1911, when he was re- tired from active service. He was a very efficient officer, and while in- spector of small-arms practice built the first modernly equipped rifle range ever constructed in the state. When Major Wagner was first appointed inspector of small-arms practice very little interest in rifle practice was taken by any one, but through his persistent energy and effort the subject was brought before the military department of the state and an active interest was created. and he had the pleasure of see- ing this branch of military instruction grow, under his fostering care.
1 miles e
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to splendid proportions, Michigan becoming one of the foremost states in the Union in regard to rifle practice.
Mr. Wagner is a valued member of the National Rifle Association of America, and a leading member of the National Board for the Pro- motion of Rifle Practice, a board that meets in the office of the assist- ant secretary of war every year, in January, and formulates rules for the National matches. He was deputy inspector of customs from July, 1889, until July, 1893, and for the past four years has been chairman of the Republican city committee. Fraternally he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons; to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows: to the Knights of Pythias; to the Modern Woodmen of America; and to both branches of the Knights of the Maecabees. Sinee a hoy of fifteen years he has been a faithful member of the Methodist church.
Mr. Wagner was married, in Worcester, Massachusetts, June 13, 1883, to Minnie E. Riee, and they with their four children have a pleasant home at No. 1009 Lincoln avenue. The children are: Chester S., Louise M., Edith D. and Roy Smith Wagner, Mr. Wagner and his brother Albert still own the parental homestead of one hundred and sixty aeres in Huron eounty. .
NELSON MILLS. When Nelson Mills passed from life into death St. Clair county suffered one of the greatest losses in her history. He was a real captain of industry, but his success was never due to any erooked methods but to a tremendous capacity for hard work and unusual busi- ness ability. As one of the Port Huron papers remarked at the time of his death: "That he was possessed of a remarkable business sagaeity has been coneeded for years. His marvelous acquisition of property, and always by honest means and clean methods, brought that fact home convincingly to every mind." Another paper prints the following : "Mr. Mills' secret of success was industry combined with good judg- ment. No one of his employes worked harder than he and he never seemed to be thoroughly happy unless he were doing something. He had little faith in luek, but believed that industry and perseverance would win in the end. Ile was always genial and approachable by any one. Every proposition met with respectful consideration and his word could be relied upon implicitly. While his business interests have been largely in the hands of others during the past few years, because of ad- vancing age, yet he had continued the active supervision of affairs up to a short time before his death and his removal will necessarily be felt in the community. His career may not be described as brilliant, but he was a solid, successful man, one of the real captains of industry upon whom the burden of progress always rests." Such was the estimate of those who knew him, and the following brief account of his life will prove their words to have been far from eulogistic.
Nelson Mills was born on the 15th of January. 1823. in Nova Scotia. Ilis parents were of English birth, and when their small son was three years old they removed to Wardsville, about thirty miles from Chatham, Ontario, where they bought a farm. llere the lad grew up. received what edneation he had, the conditions of the times making this rather meager, and until he was twenty-one working on his father's farm. One of these winters, however, he spent in getting out ship timber for the Quebec market. In 1844. having through the work just mentioned ar-
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quired some knowledge of shipbuilding and some acquaintance with ship-builders, Nelson Mills came to Newport, now Marine City, Michigan, where he engaged in ship-building. Here he began to gain the reputa- tion for that same strength, endurance and passion for labor that marked his whole life. He soon had the name of doing more work in one day and doing it better than any other three men in the county. In addition to carrying on his ship-building trade, between the years 1844 and 1850 much of his time was taken up by frequent trips which he made into the woods as a land looker for various people. In this way he picked up a vast amount of knowledge concerning the pine timber lands of Michigan, and when he engaged in the lumber business in 1850 he was thoroughly familiar with the details of the work. He formed a partner- ship with Myron Williams, a mill-wright by trade, and with Nathan Reeves. The firm bought a two thousand acre tract of pine timber land, west of Maryville, which was known as Vicksburg, and for a number of years did a large business in lumber and in the rafting of logs on the Black river, handling about ten million feet of timber annually. In a few years Reeves went out of the business and Williams and Mills erected their first saw-mill, located on the Fort Gratiot Turnpike, three miles from the St. Clair river. They obtained their timber from the above mentioned tract of land, hauling the logs to the mill over a wooden railroad.
In 1860 Mr. Mills purchased his partner's share in the business, and formed a partnership with his brother Barney, known as the firm of N. and B. Mills. This firm, with headquarters at Marysville, continued its prosperous career until the death of Mr. Mills. Some time after the partnership had been formed the firm bought fifteen thousand acres of pine land in Ogemaw and Arenac counties, and for fifty years this was the source of supply for a large share of their timber. In 1862 Mr. Mills opened a timber yard in Toledo, in partnership with L. M. Skidmore. This continued for six years, doing a large wholesale business.
Nelson Mills was always interested in ship-building and in vessels of any type. His first ventures along these lines were during the early sixties, and from that time until his death he was actively engaged in the operation of large fleets of boats in the lumber, grain and ore trades, and at the time of his death not a sea-man on the Great Lakes but knew of and admired the old ship-builder. His first venture in ship-building happened in 1863, when he built the schooner Antelope and placed her in the Chicago trade. During the first season she not only cleared her initial cost, but at the end of the season was sold for more than her en- tire cost. This remarkable success encouraged him to invest more capital in the business and from this small beginning grew the Mills Transpor- tation Company and the Pawnee Boat Company, as well as other similar lines, which have for years been important factors in the carrying trade of the Great Lakes.
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