USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. III > Part 34
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On the 16th of December, 1902, Mr. Busch was married to Miss Cornelia Krieghoff of Detroit, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William L. Krieghoff, rep- resentatives of a prominent family of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Busch have one child, Althea E., who was born in Detroit in 1904, and is attending the North Detroit high school.
In politics Mr. Busch is a republican but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking. He was elected vice president of the American Associa- tion of Park Superintendents at the national conven- tion held in Hartford, Connecticut, September 1, 1919, and in 1920, at Louisville, Kentucky, was elected president of that organization, an office which is indicative of his high standing among those who are active in the field in which he is now specializing.
WILLIAM J. BAIRD, president of the W. J. Baird Machinery Company of Detroit and identified with a number of other enterprises contributing to Detroit's business and industrial activities, was born in Ayr- shire, Scotland, April 8, 1876, a son of Crawford and Agnes (Jardine) Baird, both of whom are also natives of the land of hills and heather. Leaving that coun- try, they took up their abode in Toronto, Canada, at an early period and afterward settled in Galt, Ontario. At length they crossed the border into the United States, becoming residents of Detroit, where they now reside, the father living retired from active busi- ness. Nine children were born of their marriage, three of whom have passed away, while those still living are: Andrew, a resident of Detroit; James, who is a member of the board of education of De- troit; Crawford, who is engaged in ranching in Alberta, Canada; Mrs. Margaret Cowherd, whose husband is a Methodist minister of Chatham, Ontario; Mrs. Fred Ashly of Saginaw, Michigan; and William J.
In his youthful days William J. Baird attended the public and high schools at Galt, Ontario, and then became a pupil in a collegiate institute there. After leaving school he was an apprentice in a machine shop at Galt, where he was required to sign a written agreement to serve the entire time-a period of seven years. During this seven-year period his wages were on a graduated scale, the maximum being seventy-
five cents per day at the latter end of his appren- ticeship. His ability as a workman was hest shown hy the fact that while yet an apprentice with Cowan & Company he was made foreman over the machine de- partment, and at the conclusion of his apprenticeship he was retained in that position. He resigned in 1899 and came to Detroit, where he entered the me- chanical department of Parke, Davis & Company, with which house he continued for three years. His next position was that of superintendent with E. C. Clark Machine Company, with whom he remained until 1905. Early in the latter year Mr. Baird hecame engineer and general superintendent for the Detroit Auto Vehicle Company, having entire charge of the business, heing subordinate in authority only to the board of directors. While in this capacity and con- nection Mr. Baird designed two pleasure cars that were put on the market as the Crown car. He also designed what was known as the Crown truck. This was in the pioneer days of auto building in Detroit and the advent of a truck that would "run for an ordinary driver" was regarded as a long step for- ward in truck building. An article in The Journal of October 6, 1905, under the head of Industrial Detroit, gives an interview with Mr. Baird on the merits of the new auto-vehicles then being brought out. We quote in part Mr. Baird's claims for their product as a contrast with present-day claims for motor cars: "I have something that is going to put the horse and wagon out of business. Anybody can run the engine I am putting in the delivery wagon and auto cars we are soon going to put on the market. I want to put special emphasis on the word 'anybody.' It is almost foolproof, which is saying a great deal- .at least anybody with horse sense can operate the power. The engine has no valves or cams that can get out of order. It runs under all the ordinary and extraordinary conditions that confront the operator, and though it can be abused, it will not stop running unless it is the pleasure of the driver."
Mr. Baird severed his connection with the Auto Vehicle Company to go into business for himself and formed a copartnership with Andrew Henselwood as the Baird & Henselwood Machinery Company. Mr. Henselwood had previously been a foreman for the Detroit Auto Vehicle Company. This association was maintained for two years, at the end of which time Mr. Baird purchased Mr. Henselwood's interest and reorganized the business under the name of the Baird Machine & Manufacturing Company, which is yet in successful operation. They manufacture machinery, tools and accessories and the business has grown from a small beginning to one of vast proportions. In 1911 Mr. Baird organized the W. J. Baird Machinery Company, which has become one of the leading firms in its line in Detroit. In its salesroom alone more than eighty people are employed. It occupies a com- modious building on the corner of Jefferson avenue and Brush and the trade of the house is now very
WILLIAM J. BAIRD
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large. William J. Baird is the president, with Andrew Baird as vice president, this being a close corporation. William J. Baird is also directly inter- ested in many other business concerns of the city, being a director and the vice president of the De- troit Piston Company and the vice president and a director of the Hercules Machine Company, while at the present time he is organizing a new company in which he will be a large stockholder and officer. He is also a director of the B. & H. Machine Prodnets Company. Close application, thoroughness and indns- try have been salient points in his career, resulting in crowning his efforts with substantial success.
On the 28th of September, 1899, Mr. Baird was married in Galt, Ontario, to Miss Ella V. Carter, a daughter of William and Isabella Carter of that city. The two children of this marriage are: Russell J., who was born in Detroit, September 13, 1903, and is now attending the Detroit Technical Institute; and Jean Hastings, who was born May 29, 1917, in De- troit. The family occupies a fine home at 552 Edison avenue, which is the visible evidence of Mr. Baird's life of well directed energy and thrift. Mr. Baird's love for flowers may be said to be his hobby, which is evidenced in the beautiful rose garden he maintains at his home. He votes with the republican party, which he has supported since becoming an American citizen. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite in the Michigan Sovereign Consistory. He also be- longs to the Masonie Country Club, to the Fellow- craft Athletic Club, the Old Colony Club and the De- troit Athletic Club. He is likewise a member of the Detroit Board of Commerce, which indicates his iu- terest in all those forces which make for development in municipal affairs and higher ideals of citizenship. His progressiveness, enterprise and laudable ambition in business have been active features in the attainment of his present-day success, which has brought him to an enviable place in the industrial circles of his adopted city.
RICHARD MULLEN, who for a quarter of a cen- tury was deputy collector of customs at Detroit, had an extended acquaintance throughout the city and enjoyed the friendship and high regard of all with whom he was associated. Detroit was always his home, his birth occurring in this city on the 18th of October, 1860, on Elmwood street, near Monroe street, in the section then called Hamtramck. His parents were Michael and Margaret (Sullivan) Mullen, who had but two children, the other child being a sister, Mary A., who is the widow of Jeremiah O'Donnell of Detroit. The father followed navigation interests, becoming an officer on a lake vessel. He was born in Ireland and upon arriving in America established his home in Detroit.
Spending his youthful days under the parental roof, Richard Mullen attended the public schools of Detroit
and completed his studies in the Mayhew Business College, from which he was graduated in 1876. In young manhood he took up the business of pattern- making and tool-making and thoroughly acquainted himself with those trades. He continued to work along the line of his chosen vocation, until appointed in 1894 by President Cleveland to the office of one of the customs inspectors of the ports of Michigan. He continued to act in that capacity until his death, serving as assistant collector of enstoms of Michigan, during the last twenty-five years of his life.
It was on the 8th of March, 1885, that Mr. Mullen was married to Miss Emilie M. Fox, a daughter of Conrad Fox, a native of Germany. Mrs. Mullen died August 17, 1921. They became the parents of five children: Joseph R., born December 16, 1886, was married in June, 1912, to Miss Anna Funke; Mildred L., died young; Edward, died young; Harry E., born February 10, 1895; and Meleneis R., born September 3, 1896. The family are communicants of the Catholic church, and the sons, Joseph and Harry, are mem- bers of the Knights of Columbus. Joseph Mullen is a steam fitter, while Harry E. is a hardware estima- tor. The daughter, Meleneis Rose, was married in January, 1921, to Sylvester J. Andrews. Previous to her marriage, Mrs. Andrews was a teacher in the Detroit public schools. Harry E. Mullen enlisted for service on the 10th of December, 1917, in the ordnance department and served until mnstered out at Camp Custer, February 4, 1919. He acted as shell inspector at the Dupont factory for the government at Penni- man, Virginia.
Mr. Mullen passed to the Home beyond July 8, 1919, and his remains were laid to rest in Mt. Elliott ceme- tery. In politics he was always a stanch democrat, giving unfaltering support to the party and its prin- ciples, and for twenty years he was identified with the Knights of Columbus, being one of the charter members of the Detroit Council. He had a large circle of warm friends, and that his life was well spent is indicated in the fact that his stanchest friends were those who have known him from his boyhood days to the time of his demise. The family home was at what is now 1531 Hamilton avenue, the house being erected by Mr. Mullen in 1910 and was one of the first homes built on the street.
LESTER E. WISE, president of the Irvine & Wise Realty Company of Detroit, was born in Branch county, Michigan, August 24, 1858, his parents being Christian L. and Minerva (Saxton) Wise, who be- longed to the American royalty-the thrifty tillers of the soil. The father was born in Lieking county, Ohio, which was also the birthplace of the mother.
Lester E. Wise pursued his education in the public schools of Angola, Indiana, and of Coldwater, Michi- gan. For fourteen years he traveled out of Chicago for the Singer Manufacturing Company as special agent and this gave him a business experience and
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training of great value in his later undertakings. Moreover, it afforded him the opportunity to study business and commercial conditions in various leading cities of the middle west and he made mental note of those things which he deemed of most value in the business development of a community. Detroit made strongest appeal to him as a growing com- mercial center and he determined to engage in the real estate business here. Accordingly in 1889 he became associated with the firm of Peppers, Irvine & Company and when a change in the personnel was effected the style of Irvine & Wise was adopted. In the reorganization of the business this became the Irvine & Wise Realty Company, with offices at 214 Moffat block, where he has been located since Sep- tember 1, 1889. Since that time a general real estate business has been successfully conducted. With the passing years Mr. Wise has developed his powers, has acquainted himself with every phase of the real estate business and real estate conditions in Detroit and is now the efficient and forceful president of the Irvine & Wise Realty Company and a recognized leader in realty circles in Michigan's metropolis. In 1909 he was elected to the presidency of the De- troit Real Estate Board and has labored untiringly and effectively for the upbuilding and improvement of the city. He has taken great interest in the de- velopment of suburban property and was one of the incorporators of the Bloomfield Hills Country Club and purchased and sold to that club the beautiful property now constituting the clubhouse grounds at Bloomfield Hills. Mr. Wise also bought the property for the Michigan State Agricultural Society, now the State Fair grounds.
On the 6th of October, 1880, Mr. Wise was married to Miss Gertrude Beach, a daughter of Emmet A. Beach of Battle Creek, Michigan. They are parents of one daughter, Christine Marion, who was born in 1885 and has become the wife of Richard Jackson, Jr., and resides iu San Francisco, California. The family home is maintained at Birmingham, Michigan. Mr. Wise is a member of the Oakland Hills Country Club, also of the Detroit Real Estate Board and of the Christian Science church-associations that indi- cate the nature and breadth of his interests. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, and having traveled extensively he takes a keen interest in national and world affairs.
BENJAMIN STREETER WARREN, for nearly thirty-five years a member of the Detroit bar and one of the city's foremost citizens, whose activities in other lines of endeavor have been factors in Detroit's industrial growth, was born in Chicago, Illinois, July 10, 1865, a son of Benjamin Harvey Streeter and his wife, Amelia Laurenza (Dunwell) Streeter. Benjamin Harvey Streeter died January 15, 1869, and his widow subsequently married George P. Warren. Her son was legally adopted by George P. Warren and his
name changed to Benjamin Streeter Warren. The parents of Benjamin S. Warren removed to Detroit in 1872, the father being connected with the well known Simmons-Clough Organ Company, later purchasing the interest of Mr. Simmons in the business, which con- tinues under the name of Clough & Warren Company.
Largely reared in Detroit, Benjamin S. Warren attended the Houghton school and the Capitol Square high school, while later he was sent to Germany, where he was under private instruction in Stuttgart for three years. On his return to his native country he entered the law department of Yale University and was graduated with the LL. B. degree in 1886. Returning to Detroit, he entered the law office of Hon. Don M. Dickinson and in the fall of 1886 was admitted to the bar. In the course of his active practice Mr. Warren has been a member of the fore- most law firms of the city. He began his practice in the office of Dickinson, Thurber & Hosmer. Subse- quently he became a member of the firm of Dickinson, Warren & Warren, which afterwards was changed to Dickinson, Stevenson, Cullen, Warren & Butzel, in which he remained a partner until he withdrew on the 1st of February, 1908, to become receiver for the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railway Company, of which he was then general counsel. He also was general counsel of the Ann Arbor Railroad. On the 11th of May, 1912, he resigned from the receivership to take up personal business interests. He is president of the Hutchins Car Roofing Company, patentees and man- ufacturers of a special metallic railroad car roof, which has gained a wide sale and is generally being adopted by railroads for the roofing of freight cars. He is also the president of the Mailometer Company, manufacturers of letter mailing machines and other office appliances and is a director of and general counsel for the Mexican Crude Rubber Company. His business interests have thus become important and of an extensive character.
On the 29th of June, 1904, Mr. Warren was united in marriage to Miss Romayne Latta of Goshen, In- diana, a daughter of James Melyne and Elizabeth (Jack) Latta. Mr. and Mrs. Warren have three children: Romayne and Elizabeth Laurenza, both of whom received their early education at the Eastern Liggett school and are now at Miss Porter's school at Farmington, Connecticut; and Benjamin Streeter, Jr., who was born at Fairlawn, Grosse Pointe Shores, on May 17, 1912, and is a pupil in the Grosse Pointe school.
Mr. Warren has been a trustee of the village of Grosse Pointe since its organization and is greatly interested in all that pertains to the civic interests, the welfare and progress of the town in which he lives. He is a trustee and director of School District No. 3, of Grosse Pointe, where the new school build- ing was erected largely through his instrumentality. In politics he is a stanch supporter of the republican party and manifests a keen interest in its success. He
BENJAMIN S. WARREN
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is a well known figure in club circles, belonging to the Detroit Athletic, Detroit, Detroit Boat, Yondo- tega Boylston, Racquet and Curling, St. Clair Flats Shooting, Old and Country Clubs, also to the Yale Club of Detroit and of New York, to the Recess Club of New York and the Bankers Club of New York. Mr. Warren's residence, Fairlawn, is one of the at- tractive homes of Grosse Pointe Shores.
IRVING JOSEPH COFFIN, whose popularity is in- dicated in the fact that at his election to the office of sheriff in the fall of 1918 he received a larger vote than any other candidate in Wayne county, was re- elected November 2, 1920. He was born at Roch- ester, Michigan, March 20, 1875. His father, Warren J. Coffin, was born in the year 1850, on his father's farm in Avon township, Oakland county, Michigan. He was a son of Zachariah and Maria (Moran) Coffin. The former, a native of Rochester, New York, served throughout the Civil war with the Seventh Michigan Cavalry. He was a son of Harmon Coffin, who came from Londonderry, Ireland. His wife came to America from Dublin, Ireland, when thirteen years of age and was married at Rochester, New York, removing to Michigan about 1830 and settling in Detroit. About 1835 they traded their Detroit property for a farm in Oakland county, upon which they spent their remain- ing days. The mother of Irving J. Coffin is Mrs. Sarah F. Coffin, who was born at East Orange, New Jersey, in 1851 and in 1856 became a resident of Michigan when her parents settled at Rochester, where Mrs. Coffin has since made her home.
It was in the schools of his native city that Irving J. Coffin pursued his education to the year 1894. On the 1st of January of that year, however, he came to Detroit and entered the employ of Edson, Moore & Company, while during the succeeding four years he continued his education by attendance at night school. In April, 1898, he enlisted with the Michigan Naval Reserves and served with that command as seaman on the United States Steamship Yosemite throughout the Spanish-American war. After the close of the war Mr. Coffin was again with Edson, Moore & Com- pany as traveling salesman until the fall of 1900, when he went with the Detroit United Railway as assistant division superintendent, filling that position until January 1, 1905, when he resigned to take charge of a plantation near Richmond, Virginia. While in that beautiful old southern city he acted as assistant to Colonel Chapman, who was chief of the third and fourth districts in the United States internal revenne service. Mr. Coffin returned to Detroit in 1910 and in the fall of that year Mr. Coffin was appointed Wayne county detective and served in that position, which was connected with the prosecuting attorney 's office, until elected sheriff in the fall of 1918. He is now discharging the duties of the latter position faith- fully and fearlessly, making a most creditable record.
On the 22d of December, 1900, at North Webster,
Indiana, Mr. Coffin was married to Miss Ethel E. Warner, a daughter of A. B. Warner, who now resides on the farm which was taken up from the government by his father, Thomas K. Warner, who removed to Indiana from Virginia in the year 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Coffin have an adopted son, Charles, who is six years of age. Their religious faith is that of the West- minster Presbyterian church and in political belief Mr. Coffin is a republican, recognized as one of the local leaders of the party in Wayne county. Frater- nally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Loyal Moose, the Social Moose and the Knights of The Maccabees. He is also a member of Pingree Camp of the Spanish War Veterans and of Johnson Camp of the Foreign War Veterans. His social quali- ties and sterling worth at all times make for personal popularity and there is perhaps no one in Wayne county who has a larger circle of friends than Irving J. Coffin.
DR. LEWIS W. KNAPP, president of the Cady & Knapp Advertising Company of Detroit, was born in Washtenaw county, Michigan, July 11, 1871, his parents being Myron and Mary A. (Warren) Knapp, also natives of this state. The father was a promi- nent member of the medical profession, practicing suc- cessfully for many years in Detroit, where he passed away in 1911. His wife also died in this city. In their family were three children, of whom one has passed away, the surviving daughter being Edith, the wife of William Carter of Detroit.
Dr. Knapp of this review, who was the second in order of birth, attended school at Owosso, Michigan, during his boyhood days and afterward became a student in the Detroit College of Medicine, from which he was graduated with the professional degree in 1896. While engaged in the study of medicine he also be- came deeply interested in publication work and estab- lished the college paper "The Leucocyte," which he published and which gained a large circulation. It is still being published and is printed under the original title. Dr. Knapp not only published the paper but be- came its business manager and advertising expert, and it was this that first directed his attention and talents to journalism and to the advertising business. After his graduation he gave up all idea of practicing med- icine and became the head of the malt department of the Goebel Brewing Company. Later he established the Cady & Knapp Company for the conduct of an ad- vertising business. He has since been at the head of this company and has won a place among the leading advertising writers and printers in the state. His printing plant is splendidly equipped to take up any proposition in the advertising or printing business. They do plain or color work and employ from thirty to thirty-five people.
On the 5th of June, 1895, Dr. Knapp was married to Miss Anna H. Halloran of Detroit, a daughter of Mr.
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and Mrs. Jeremiah Halloran, well known people of this city. Five children have been born to Dr. and Mrs. Knapp: M. Edward, who was educated in De- troit and is now engaged in business with his father; Marianne, who was educated in the Grosse Pointe con- vent; Anna Elise, attending the Grosse Pointe con- vent; Lewis W., who is in school in Detroit; and Mark S., also a pupil in the Detroit schools.
Dr. Knapp and his family occupy a fine home at Grosse Pointe and he is devoted to the welfare of his own household, finding his greatest happiness when in the company of his wife and children. He is a mem- ber of the Lochmoor Golf and the Aderaft Clubs and belongs to the Typothetae Franklin. He is also a mem- ber of the Knights of Columbus, which is indicative of the fact that he is of the Roman Catholic faith.
MICHAEL W. O'BRIEN. The name of Michael W. O'Brien will long stand on the pages of Michigan's history as that of one of the authors of the banking laws of the state and as one of the chief financiers of Detroit, having for many years been president of the Peoples Savings Bank and for an extended period the vice president and chairman of the board of di- rectors of the Peoples State Bank. Various other corporate interests were stimulated by his cooperation and guided by his sound judgment and keen sagacity to the goal of success. Michael W. O'Brien was born in the village of Flynnfield, County Kerry, Ire- land, in September, 1834, his parents being William and Mary (Flynn) O'Brien, who spent their lives in the same sections of Ireland, where the father was identified with agricultural interests. Both he and his wife were devout members of the Catholic church and at all times enjoyed the confidence and esteem of those who knew them.
They accorded liberal educational opportunities to their son Michael, who was first instructed by a private tutor in his own home and who afterward attended an academy at Killarney. It was in 1852 that he severed home ties and came to the new world, hoping to enjoy better business opportunities on this side of the Atlantic. Mr. O'Brien landed in New York city and thence proceeded to Illinois and took up civil engineering work in connection with the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad. It was in Chi- cago that he afterward became interested in the lumber trade as a member of the firm of Cone & O'Brien, which afterward became Cone, O'Brien & Company. The business was developed to substantial proportions and in its successful conduct Mr. O'Brien laid the foundation of his future prosperity. Fol- lowing the close of the Civil war he disposed of his interests in Chicago and became a resident of Bay City, Michigan, where he successfully operated as a lumber merchant for several years. In 1869 he estab- lished his home in Detroit and through the interven- ing period to the time of his death he was an active factor in the financial and commercial circles of the
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