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 35
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Miss West is the founder of the Order of the Ladies of the Maccabees of the World, and in the earlier days she did a large portion of the organization work personally, having established the first hives in Penn- sylvania and Ohio, as well as introducing the work in California and the west. In 1892, when the order was organized, Miss West was elected supreme record keeper, which position she held during the years of its creation and growth to the largest fraternal beneficiary organi- zation exclusively for women in North America, until the year 1911, when she was elected to the office of supreme commander of the society.
In her church affiliations Miss West is an active supporter of the enterprises of the Congregational denomination, and she has ever been a leader in the philanthropic work of the order of which she is the supreme commander, which comprises a large part of the outlined work of the society. She is a member of numerous fraternal and social orders, among them being: The Ladies of the Maccabees of the World. Women's Relief Corps and the Eastern Star. She is editor of the Ladies' Review, the official organ of the society of which she is the head, and she has been for many years affiliated with the National Council of Women, being a delegate from that body to the International Council of Women, held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1908. She has also held the offices of president and vice-president of the National Fraternal Press Associa- tion, has served as chairman of the committee on fraternal ethics and other committees in the National Fraternal Congress. and represented the Association at many important national gatherings of women.
Miss West is a woman of high intellectual attainments, and has been a student all her life. She is conceded to be one of the best in- formed women on the subject of life insurance in the United States today. She has been and is a thorough student of life insurance prob-
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lems, and her knowledge of the valuation requirements enabled her, as supreme record keeper for the Order from 1892 to 1911, to successfully manage and supervise the large funds and investments of the associa- tion. She is energetie, capable, optimistic, and firmly believes in the future of the order to which she has devoted the best part of her life. She has traveled extensively in foreign countries and is a woman of broad culture and intelligence, and with a keen insight into public affairs. She is acknowledged to be a speaker and writer of rare force and clearness, and has contributed to fraternal literature many papers and addresses which have aided in gaining for her a prominence among the thoughtful, the original and the progressive fraternalists.
C. F. FARMAN. One of Marine City's most admirable and highly respected citizens is Charles Frank Farman, agent for the United States Express Company and also manager for the Western Union Telegraph Company at Marine City, Michigan. A man of great public spirit and loyal patriotism, and useful and faithful in any offiee which he holds. his citizenship is of the highest character and is conducive to the best interests of the community. He enjoys a fine record for heroism, and has the remarkable distinction of having been awarded three medals for courage under trying conditions. He is a veteran of the Civil war, although very young at the outbreak of the "Great Conflict," having served almost throughout its period.
Mr. Farman is a native of the Empire state, his birth having oc- curred on February 14, 1845, at Lockport, New York. He is a son of Daniel and Charlotte (Wesloven) Farman, natives of New Jersey. He received his education in the district school, in the manner of the other lads of his day and generation, and afterwards learned the carpenter's and builder's trade, in which he was engaged for a number of years. IIe removed to Michigan when quite young, locating at Marine City and se- curing employment as a carpenter. But not being of robust health and constitution, this proved too strenuous, and he abandoned it to take up the photography business. This in turn was terminated by his eyes fail- ing, making close application impossible. He then engaged in the general mercantile business, in which he met with success, and while thus employed he was made agent of the express and telegraph company and as such is still serving, the length of time he has held the position being most eloquent testimony to his worth and efficiency.
Mr. Farman is one of the veterans of the Civil war now, alas, grown so few in number. He is one of the youngest of them, for he was but a lad of fifteen years when he enlisted. In 1861 he became a member of the Thirty-third New York Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and served thus for two years, being discharged at the end of his term of enlistment in 1863. He immediately afterward enlisted in the Sixty- fourth New York Regiment as a private and was later promoted to ser- geant-major. In the year 1864 he was transferred to the navy, and there was made quarter-gunner on the warship Brooklyn, being finally discharged on August 28. 1865. He went to Buffalo and enlisted in the British army, in the Gray Battery, as sergeant-major of artillery. He served for three years. being sent to Toronto, where he was proffered and accepted the office of assistant drill instructor in the school of gun- nery. In 1867 he retired to the life of a civilian. The three medals Vol. II-17
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granted to Mr. Farman and mentioned above were from the United States and the British government. The former was presented to him for carrying his commander, General Sickles, from the battlefield of Gettysburg when wounded in that terrible engagement. His recogni- tion from England was for taking a company from a burning building white under fire. He was wounded at Malvern Hill July 1, 1862, and was taken prisoner. He was also wounded at the battle of Fort Fisher. Nothing gives him greater pleasure than to renew the old comradeship of other days and he is post commander of Post No. 432 of the Grand Army of the Republic. This gallant veteran has been honored with several public offices, having been assessor of Lockport, New York, for several years; city treasurer of Marine City, Michigan, for two years; member of the school board and school inspector; and member of the cemetery committee. In truth, there is nothing of public import at Marine City in which he is not helpfully interested. To all that effects the city and its people he is alert and there is no local movement which in his judgment promises to benefit any considerable number of his fellow citizens that does not have his cordial advocacy and support.
In 1876 Mr. Farman laid the foundations of a happy life compan- ionship by his union with Miss Mary Tippet, a resident of Canada and a native of England. Her father's occupation was that of a stationer. Their marriage has been blessed with three children, namely: Kate, now the wife of Ira E. Cadott, a farmer of Vassar, Michigan; Ella, a stenographer at Toledo, Ohio; and Yvonne, a telegraph operator at Marine City. He and his admirable wife are communicants of the Episcopal church.
WILLIAM H. MCDONALD, who has charge of the plating, coloring and foundry departments in the shops of the Grand Trunk Railway System at Port Huron, Michigan, is one of the self-made men of his community, and the position he now occupies has been attained by many years of faithful and persevering work. Mr. McDonald is a na- tive of Culross township, Canada, and was born April 28, 1876, a son of Hugh and Sarah (Woodward) McDonald, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of New York state, born near the Canadian border. Hugh McDonald was a carpenter by occupation, and his death occurred in Port Huron in 1904, burial being made at Lakeside Cemetery.
William H. McDonald received his education in the public schools of Port Huron, having been brought to this city in 1880 by his parents, and after completing his studies he entered the plating shops of the Grand Trunk System, where he learned his trade. Faithful application to his work soon brought him to the attention of his superiors, who gave him promotion from time to time and eventually he reached the head of his department. That he is possessed of inherent ability and is an expert in his line is shown by his rapid promotion, and he is very popular with the men under him in the shops. Mr. McDonald is a Re- publican in politics, and has found time from his work to be of much use to his adopted city. He served three terms as alderman from the Tenth ward, and was acting in that capacity at the time the commis- sion form of government came into existence. During his incumbency of the office he discharged the duties of his position to the utmost satis- faction of his constituents, and was foremost in advocating the passage
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of laws that would be of benefit to the city and its best interests. In 1909 Mr. MeDonald built his residence at 2608 Gratiot avenue, one of the finest in the northern part of Port Huron, and in that section he has done much towards making improvements in paving. Broad-minded, liberal in all things, progressive and active, Mr. McDonald forms an ideal citizen, and his friends are legion. He is prominent fraternally as a Mason, an Odd Fellow, a Maccabee and a member of the American Nobles, and in all of these is very popular.
On June 19, 1899, Mr. MeDonald was married to Miss Caddie Manning, who was born in Richmond, Michigan, daughter of Hiram and Sarah (Campbell) Manning, the former a native of London, On- tario, Canada, and the latter of Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Manning now reside in Port Huron, Mr. Manning being an employe of the Jenks . Bridge Company. One son has been born to Mr. and Mrs. McDonald : Harold Alexander, born September 21, 1905. The family attends the Presbyterian church, and both Mr. and Mrs. McDonald have been active in religious and charitable work.
DURELL J. BUTTERFIELD. Every branch of industrial activity is rep- resented in Marine City, for this locality is not only a flourishing com- munity, but furnishes a large contiguous territory that looks to it as a base of supplies. For this reason many progressive men who seek the best locality for the prosecution of their lines of endeavor have settled here, confident in the future of the place and their ability to make their mark upon its advancement. The men who succeed here, as else- where, in forging ahead to the front ranks have to possess more than average ability, sound judgment and unswerving integrity of purpose, and one of the men who has raised himself to a much envied position in his line of work, and at the same time secured and maintained a reputation for good citizenship among his associates and fellow-towns- men, is Durell J. Butterfield, the proprietor of a flourishing jewelry business here. Mr. Butterfield was born September 8, 1877, at Algonac, Michigan, and is a son of Leander E. and Corlista (Campbell) Butter- field.
Leander Butterfield was born in New York State, and came to Mich- igan in 1835 with his parents, settling on the river St. Clair. He was married to Corlista Campbell, whose father, Merline Campbell, came to Michigan at an early day and took up land from the United States government. The boyhood of Durrell J. Butterfield was spent at Al- gonac, where he attended the public and high schools and worked in his father's mill, and after leaving home he sailed the Great Lakes for two years, giving up that vocation to go to Detroit, in which city he learned the watch-making business with A. R. Hazzard, a Detroit jeweler. Sub- sequently Mr. Butterfield entered the American Optical Institute in 1896, on October 26th of which year he received his certificate of pro- ficiency and license to practice in the state of Michigan, and eventually went to Capac, where he opened a jewelry store. After conducting this business for one and one-half years Mr. Butterfield sold out and went to Marine City, where he opened the Colonial Hotel, but disposed of this property to engage in the ferry business and in operating naptha launches for pleasure parties. Thinking to better himself, Mr. But- terfield then entered the service of the Singer Sewing Machine Com-
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pany, with which he was connected until December, 1910, as a traveling salesman, and at that time he purchased the jewelry business of J. W. Berry, which he has since conducted. Mr. Butterfield carries a full line of watches, jewelry and optical goods, and other articles to be found in a first-class establishment of this kind, gives particular atten- tion to his engraving department and has built up an excellent busi- ness through the fine quality of his workmanship and his fair and hon- orable methods of doing business. A man of much experience and varied talents, he is known to be possessed of superior business ability. and his desirability as an acquisition to the commercial world of this city is thereby enhanced. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Foresters, and his wife belongs to the Re- bekahs. Both attend the Episcopal church.
On December 8, 1904, Mr. Butterfield was married to Miss Cora La Croix, of Harsen Island, Michigan, daughter of Henry and Lizzie (Hope) La Croix, who are now engaged in the mercantile business at St. Clair.
DR. ROBERT BRUCE BAIRD. To achieve distinction in more than one field of endeavor is greater success than most men are able to compass, and those who are so generously endowed, energetic and ambitious as to accomplish that unusual feat should certainly be accorded a full meed of credit and praise. Marine City, Michigan, boasts one such man, Dr. Robert Bruce Baird, whose professional career as a physician has given him a foremost rank among his colleagues, and whose public life as a leading force in official circles has been crowned by his election to the highest office in the gift of his community-that of mayor of the city, he having been twice so honored, once previously, in 1889.
The office of mayor is but one of many positions of public trust that he has held, however, and the impress of Dr. Baird's progressive spirit and determination to accomplish are indelibly stamped upon the history of the progress and development of Marine City, where he has been a leading moving spirit for more than a quarter of a century, during which years he has almost continuously held some official position that gave him power to help make his home city what he desired it to be.
A mere enumeration of the public offices Dr. Baird has filled at va- rious times will show conclusively his activity and success in demon- strating his high abilities as a leader of men. He was in 1881 elected a member of the village council of Marine City, and in 1882 was elected president of the village. During 1882 and 1883 he was a member of the board of supervisors, while in 1889 he was installed mayor of the city. He was health officer of the village and city for many years and in that capacity had opportunity to bring to bear the weight of his professional knowledge and experience in promoting such measures as would tend to insure the good health of the community, than which there is no more commendable and important work to do in any city.
Dr. Baird also demonstrated his progressive spirit in the active in- terest he assumed relative to educational matters, and it was through his determined efforts that the Marine City High School attained a standing which gave it a place on the University List, that position enabling grad- uates of the school to receive credits for their work without further ex- amination when entrance is sought to the State University.
Poker & Bains
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many of the most progressive movements that have ever been accom- plished in this section had their origin in the fertile brain of Mr. Staple- ton, and he was the leader in the development of these plans. His business, that is the occupation by which he earns a living for his family, is farming, but he takes equally as great an interest in his work as supervisor of Kenockee township. He is a young man and as yet has only given us glimpses of his ability. His friends hope that he will con- tinue to show the interest that he has always had in politics, for he is a man of much strength of character and was born to be a leader.
Martin Stapleton was born in Kenockee township on the 27th of November, 1874, the son of Martin Stapleton and Mary (Dunnigan) Stapleton. Martin Stapleton, Sr., was born in Ireland, in the famous old county, immortalized in song and story, of Tipperary. His wife was born in Pennsylvania. The father was eleven years old when his parents moved to this country, or rather when they came to Canada, and he lived there for a number of years. He came across the border into Michigan in 1856 or 1857, and his first work was in the lumber regions of the state. At this time certain sections were thickly timbered, and there was a great demand for labor. He was able to command a good price and soon had saved enough money to invest in a farm. This prop- erty was the farm upon which his son Martin now lives. He was always interested and active in politics, being a firm supporter of the Demo- cratic party. For fifteen years he served as supervisor of the township, and later was made superintendent of the poor. He died while he was holding office, and it is safe to say that no man has been more sincerely mourned in the township. His family consisted of seven children, of which number five sons are living. The eldest, the Reverend James Stapleton, is a priest of the Roman Catholic church, his field of work be- ing in Detroit, Michigan; Patrick is connected with the mining industry in Fairbanks, Alaska; Michael is interested in the automobile factories of Detroit; and John lives on the farm with his brother.
Martin Stapleton, junior, was reared on his father's farm and re- ceived his education in the common schools. He attended school until he was sixteen, and then he followed the path of least resistance and went to work on the farm. The path which was easiest to take also proved to be the wisest, for he soon found that he had a natural ability and taste for the agricultural life. He now owns one hundred acres in section thirty-one of Kenockee township and in section six of Wales township. All of this land is in a high state of cultivation, for he has lived a hard working, industrious life, and has made the most of every advantage. He is a firm believer in the good of scientific cultivation, and is an authority on many subjects relating to this phase of farm life. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, being a communicant of the church at Emmett. He is a firm believer in the good works and deeds of the fraternal orders and is a member of the Elks and of the Modern Brotherhood of America.
In politics Mr. Stapleton is a stanch Democrat. The first time he cast his ballot he was elected to office, this being treasurer of his town- ship. This took place in 1899, and he served until 1900. He was active in politics through the years that followed, but he did not again hold office until 1909, when he was elected supervisor of the township. He has held this office since that time, and has proved himself to be honest
Impon IS hills
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as well as extremely capable. Ile is full of energy and has the ambi- tion to advance both himself and the country to which he is so devoted and it is easy to prophesy that he will go far.
S. BAKER & SON. The firm of S. Baker & Son, manufacturers of staves, headings and hoops at Marine City, was reorganized in 1885, the original business having been lumber and planing mill work-sash, doors and blinds. The firm as reorganized consists of Simon M. and Wellington S. Baker.
S. M. Baker was born in New York in 1833, the family moving to Canada when he was only seven years old. He ran away from home at the age of eleven, made his way to Ohio, and never returned to the old home. In 1853, when a youth of twenty, he went from Ohio to Michigan. He learned the wagon maker's trade in London, Ontario, which he followed for years. The wagons that are used in the business at the present time are constructed by Mr. Baker.
The family of Simon M. Baker consisted of ten children, seven boys and three girls. It has known only one death, a daughter who passed away at the age of twenty-eight. The family living consists of the following: R. G., who is a jeweler at Marine City; Wellington S., in business with his father; Calvin C., a carpenter and builder; George W., a mill man; Franklin A., owner of a theater; Henry B., a mill man ; William A., a stationary engineer; Lydia, wife of George Day. a carpenter and builder; and Carrie A., wife of Fred Tedder, a hoop and stave cutter and coiler.
Wellington S. Baker married Almira L. Cottrell. Their family con- sists of the following: John, who married Gretchen Brebaw, and who has a family ; Mary C., wife of Alvin Tedder; George C., in the office of the Rapid Railway; Franklin M. and Marie, who are living at home and attending school.
No time was wasted by Wellington Baker in embarking in life's activities. At the age of sixteen he shipped as engineer on a tug boat and sailed for one year. He is alderman of his ward and is chairman of the water board. Wellington Baker is a Mason of high standing, and has passed all of the chairs in lodge, chapter and council. He possesses an unusual distinction in connection with other members of his family, being one of three generations of one family in the same lodge.
Simon M. Baker was for twenty-six years justice of the peace and possesses the remarkable record of never having had a decision of his reversed by the circuit court. IIe became a Mason many years ago. John S., grandson of Simon Baker, has become a Mason, a member of the S. Ward Lodge, No. 62, F. & A. M., of which his father and grand- father are members.
MYRON W. MILLS, prominent in industrial and financial circles in St. Clair county, is a native product of that named county. He was born at Marysville, on April 8, 1866, and is a son of Nelson and Mary (Williams) Mills.
Mr. Mills was the second born in a family of seven children. As a hoy just beginning school he attended in Marysville, and later was a student in Port Huron schools, finishing the course of study prescribed by the Ann Arbor high school and then entering the University of Mich-
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igan, graduating from the literary department of that institution with the class of 1887. His schooling finished, Mr. Mills was in the employ of his father, who was extensively engaged in the lumber, mill and transportation business. With the death of the father, Mr. Mills became one of the executors of the estate left by Nelson Mills, which was both large and extensive. Mr. Mills has private interests of a considerable magnitude in St. Clair county, a farm of four hundred acres in Kimball and St. Clair townships being one of his possessions. He is identified prominently with a number of industrial and transportation corpora- tions in the county. In 1903 he became interested in electric railway construction. He was one of the promoters in the development of the Lansing, St. Johns & St. Louis Railway and with his associates acquired ownership of the street railways in Lansing, Jackson, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, which afterwards developed into the Michigan United Railways Company, of which company he is president. Mr. Mills is a director in the Commercial Bank of Port Huron, and has interests in various enterprises outside the confines of St. Clair county and of Michigan. He has never taken much active interest in politics, the only public office ever held by him being that of justice of the peace in his home township. He has resided continuously at his country home on the banks of the river St. Clair, to which he is greatly attached.
Mr. Mills is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, and is a Detroit clubman of considerable prominence. In 1893 he was united in marriage with Miss Mabel Mann, daughter of Walter S. and Mary (Teeple) Mann of Pinckney, Livingston county, Michigan, which was the birthplace of Mrs. Mills. They have one daughter, Mary Elizabeth, born in 1894, who is now attending Liggett school in Detroit.
COLIN MCLACHLAN has dealt long with the interesting business of providing means for "them that go down to the sea in ships," though for many years his ships have been those which ply the great inland seas, our wonderful Great Lakes. He was born in Kintree, Argyle- shire, Scotland, on June 2, 1838. His parents were Archibald and Mary Campbell MeLachlan of Argyle. His father was a weaver, and both parents died in the land of their birth. Colin was educated in the schools of Scotland and then went to work, first as a farm hand and later as apprentice for a ship's carpenter. He served five years as a learner of this trade, and during the war of the rebellion he ran the blockade of the American ports four times. From 1863 until 1866 he worked at his trade in Scotland and then came to America, going first to Canada.
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