USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. III > Part 86
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FRANK J. MINER, a contracting electrical en- gineer, was born in Detroit, March 28, 1862, a son of Captain John and Julia (Boucher) Miner, both descended from pioneer settlers of this city. The father was a shipowner and captain of vessels for fifty-five years. He was also a noted skater and at- tained such skill that he could skate on stilts. He was known in this connection all over the world. His death occurred in 1908. The family came to Detroit from Lake Champlain. The maternal grandfather of Frank J. Miner was Charles Boucher, who was a mem- ber of the expedition sent out by the first John Jacob Astor to the mouth of the Columbia river in the in- terests of the Northwestern Fur Company, which was a rival of the Hudson's Bay Company-a matter of American history which has been recorded by Washi- ington Irving. The Boucher family is of French origin.
Frank J. Miner obtained his education in Assump- tion College, in the Detroit public schools and in Mayhew's College, being a graduate of the last two mentioned. He afterward spent several years under a private tutor in the study of steam, hydraulics and electrical engineering and for several winter seasons was in machine shops, gaining practical experience, prior to 1885. He had sailed on the lakes previous to 1881 and was advanced to a captaincy in 1885, so continuing until 1901. For several years he was the youngest master on the lakes. He sailed both the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence river and was one of the best known navigators of this section of the country. He was a charter member of the Shipmas- ters Association. He also became president and man- ager of the Seidler-Miner Automobile Company, a position which he occupied for several years, and for an extended period he has been president and general manager of the Seidler-Miner Company, which was organized in 1891 and incorporated in 1903. They manufacture marine electrical fixtures, ignition devices for gas engines and other products of this character and maintain both wholesale and retail departments. Mr. Miner is widely known as an inventor and has taken out patents on many devices relating to blow- ers, steam engines, pumps and tractors. He has re- cently patented a tractor wheel which has won wide attention and is now being manufactured and placed on the market. Mr. Miner was one of the organizers and for some years a director of the Detroit Builders
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Association and of the National Electrical Contrac- tors Association of the United States. He is widely known in trade circles having to do with his chosen life work and his prominence and ability are ac- knowledged by all.
On the 8th of January, 1883, Mr. Miner was mar- ried in Detroit to Miss Celia De Guise and their children are: Celia, Julia, Frank G., Esther, Jolin J. and Beatrice. The daughter Julia is now the wife of Ross C. Brown, while Esther has become the wife of Charles O'Connor. The son, Frank G., wedded Mabel Paxton of Detroit. Another son, John J. Miner, is the secretary of the Seidler-Miner Company.
Fraternally Mr. Miner is connected with the Benev- olent Protective Order of Elks and he also belongs to the Detroit Yacht Club. He was one of the or- ganizers of the Detroit Motor Boat Club and a mem- ber of the Edgemere Club. He is characterized as a quiet, self-contained man but of forceful purpose and his contribution to the world's work through his in- ventive genius has been most valuable. The various inventions and electrical appliances which have come into being as the result of his skill, ingenuity, wide study and experiment have made his life of intense worth in this field and the achievement of his pur- poses has added new laurels to the commerical reputa- tion of Detroit.
RALPH LEONARD ALDRICH, attorney at law, is now giving much of his time and attention to his important and constantly developing duties as vice president and secretary of the Union Mortgage Com- pany of Detroit. He was born at St. Joseph, Michigan, October 2, 1864, his parents being Almon Lyman and Dency (Abbott) Aldrich. He pursued his early edu- cation in the public schools of Flint, Michigan, where he attended the high school, and later entered the University of Michigan for the study of law, winning his professional degree in 1886. In July of the same year he opened an office in Flint, Michigan, where he practiced his profession until 1891 and then came to Detroit. Since 1901 he has been counsel for the Stand- ard Loan Company and has also been counsel for the Standard Mortgage and Investment Company since its organization in 1916. His work as representative of companies of this character has led him into active connection with the mortgage business and be is now vice president and secretary of the Union Mortgage Company of Detroit, an important and rapidly growing financial concern, which was incorporated in March, 1919, by a group of men including James A. Hoyt, George H. Kirchner, Thomas Barlum, Donald Clark, Samuel Sarasohn, J. T. Leahy, Theodore F. A. Osius, Julius Berman and Ralph L. Aldrich. The company issued preferred stock to the amount of six million dollars and common stock to the amount of four million dollars. Mr. Aldrich has largely given up the general practice of law in order to attend to his important duties as vice president and secretary of
the company, which has a very extensive clientage and is recognized as one of the important financial concerns of the city.
On the 30th of October, 1894, Mr. Aldrich was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Hamilton Beagle of Flint, Michigan, and they have become the parents of two sons: Ralph Leonard, Jr., and James Griffith. The religious faith of the family is that of the Episcopal church and Mr. Aldrich gives his political support to the republican party. He is also a Knights Templar Mason and is well known in club circles, belonging to the University Club, the Detroit Athletic Club, the Detroit Boat Club, the Country Club and the Indian Village Club, while along the line of his profession he still retains membership with the Detroit and Michigan State Bar Associations.
FREDERICK HOWE MASON has devoted his life largely to engineering interests in the power plant construction field, and since coming to Detroit in 1900 has been representing collectively several repre- sentative manufacturers of power plant equipment in Michigan and northwestern Ohio. His birth occurred in Ravenna, November 26, 1870, his parents being Albert G. and Loretta (Howe) Mason. He mastered the branches of learning taught in the public and technical schools of Cleveland, where the family moved in 1881. Specializing along engineering lines, he has done important work in connection with industrial development in various localities. In 1894 Mr. Mason went to Chicago and there became connected with the Link Belt Machinery Company and later with the Crane Elevator Company as a designing and construct- ing engineer. In June, 1900, he located in Detroit to become representative of the Harrison Safety Boiler Company, now H. S. B. W., Cochrane Corporation, the Alphonse Custodis Chimney Company and others. In January, 1921, Mr. Mason reorganized his business, associating with him in partnership, members of his staff of employes, under the name of The Frederick H. Mason Company. He is secretary of the Harris Zine Process Company of Michigan. The high pro- fessional prominence to which he has attained is in- dicated in his membership in the Detroit Engineering Society, of which he was formerly secretary and treas- urer; and his membership in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, being secretary-treasurer in 1917-1919 and chairman of the Detroit section, 1919- 1920. He is vice president of the Detroit Post of the Society of American Military Engineers, his term of service being from July 1, 1921, to July 1, 1922.
On the 29th of April, 1903, in Detroit, Mr. Mason was united in marriage to Jessie K. Young of Ham- ilton, Ontario, Canada. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and during the period of the war he was resident construction engineer of the Emergency Fleet Corporation of the United States Shipping Board. He also became a member of the American Protective League. He belongs to the De-
RALPH L. ALDRICH
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troit Athletic Club, also to the Detroit Boat Club, Detroit Boat Club Yachtsman, and to the Detroit Board of Commerce, cooperating heartily with all the plans and purposes of the last named organization to upbuild the city, to extend its commercial and indus- trial relations and to uphold those interests which are a matter of civic virtue and of civic pride.
LE ROY CHURCHILL LYON. Graduated from the law school of the University of Michigan in June, 1911, when twenty-one years of age, Le Roy Churchill Lyon is practicing as one of the younger representa- tives of the Detroit bar but has already gained a position and reputation that many an older repre- sentative of the profession might well envy. He was born in Marshall, Michigan, January 13, 1890, and is a son of Ed. F. and Anna (Patterson) Lyon. His father is general agent for the International Har- vester Company at London, Ontario, Canada.
The son obtained a public school education and then in praparation for a professional career entered the University of Michigan, matriculating as a law student. He completed his course there in the year in which he attained his majority, was admitted to practice and at once entered upon the active work of the profession. His ten years of experience have greatly developed his powers, permitted the elimina- tion of any possible weak points and strengthened the ability which he has displayed in the preparation and presentation of his cases. He is making steady progress and tries in capable manner the causes which come into court for settlement. He belongs to the Detroit Bar Association and also to the Lawyers Club.
On the 7th of June, 1917, Mr. Lyon was married to Miss Netta Louise Sussex of London, Ontario, Canada, and they have a daughter, Aileen Louise. Mr. Lyon enjoys all manly athletics and outdoor sports and is fond of motoring. Fraternally he is a Mason who has attained high rank in the order, having become a member of the Consistory and also of the Mystic Shrine.
JOHN CECIL SPAULDING bas since March 1, 1916, practiced as a member of the law firm of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Perry, making a specialty of the law governing municipal bonds, in which particu- lar subject he has no superior in Detroit. He was born in St. Johns, Michigan, January 7, 1879, his parents being Oliver Lyman and Mary Cecilia (Swegles) Spaulding, both of whom are living and now reside in Washington, D. C. Two brothers of John C. Spaulding served during the World war and are now members of the United States regular army, these being Lieutenant Colonel Oliver L. Spaulding, Jr., who is stationed in Washington on the general staff and who during hostilities was a brigadier general in the field artillery of the Black Hawk Division, A.
E. F .; and Major Thomas M. Spaulding, who has also been assigned to the general staff at Washington and who served there with the rank of colonel during the war period. The father was born at Jaffrey, New Hampshire, in 1833. The family comes of English line- age and all of the different ancestral lines of O. L. Spaulding were represented in America prior to 1700, the early generations settling in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Oliver Lyman Spaulding attended Oberlin College, at Oberlin, Ohio, where he completed his studies as a graduate of the class of 1855. He af- terward located at St. Johns, Michigan, where he prac- ticed his profession, and recognition of his ability and devotion to the public welfare led to his selection for congressional honors in 1881. Several times, be- ginning in the '70s, he was made special customs agent, serving under President Harrison, and during the MeKinley administration he was assistant secre- tary of the treasury from 1890 until 1893 and was again called to that office in 1897, serving until 1903. For many years he has resided in the national capital and is a well known figure there. He is a veteran of the Civil war and commanded the Twenty-third Michigan Regiment as colonel, while subsequently he was brevetted as brigadier general. He wedded Mary Cecilia Swegles, who was born at Painted Post, New York, in 1843, a daughter of John Swegles, who was auditor of Michigan and secretary of the constitutional convention of this state in 1850. He, too, was born in New York, and coming west to Michigan, founded the town of St. Johns. His death occurred before the outbreak of the Civil war. The record of the ancestry of John C. Spaulding has always been char- acterized by patriotic devotion to duty.
John C. Spaulding pursued his early education in the public schools of his native town and afterward attended high school in Washington, D. C., where he graduated with the class of 1894. Following his re- turn to Michigan he became a student in the State University and won the Bachelor of Arts degree as an alumnus of 1897. He next entered the Columbian University, now the George Washington University, in the District of Columbia, and was graduated with the degrees of Bachelor of Laws in 1899, and Master of Laws in 1900.
Prior to the completion of his law course on the 23d of December, 1898, Mr Spaulding became a clerk in the office of the auditor of the war department at Washington and on the 1st of January, 1901, was detailed for service in the office of the Comptroller of the Treasury. He thus continued until February, 1903, when be resigned his position and returned to his native state to enter upon active law practice in De- troit. He became connected with the firm of Bowen, Douglas, Whiting & Murfin on the 5th of January, 1903, and in March, 1904, initiated an independent law practice. In February, 1910, he became a partner in the firm of Schmalzriedt, Spaulding & Herald and on the 1st of March, 1916, he joined the present firm
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of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Perry, with which he is now associated.
On the 25th of October, 1916, Mr. Spaulding was married to Miss Esther D. Roehm, a daughter of Edward R. Roehm of Detroit. They hold membership in St. Andrew's Episcopal church, in wihch Mr. Spaulding has served as vestryman. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he served on the board of education for the second ward from 1915 until 1917. He was a member of the Michigan State Naval Brigade from 1903 until 1906. He is also keenly interested in athletics, specializing in middle distance running, and belonged to the Mich- igan University track team in 1898 and to the Colum- bian University track team in 1899 and 1900. He is a member of Beta Theta Pi and Phi Delta Phi and the Cadillac Boat Club. In manner he is modest and unassuming, content at all times to do the duty nearest at hand and recognizing at all times his obli- gations to his city and country as well as to his clients and his profession.
WILLIAM C. MANCHESTER, combining strong powers of analyzation and logical reasoning and de- duction with a comprehensive knowledge of the law, has won a notable position at the Detroit bar. He was born at Canfield, Ohio, December 25, 1873, and is a son of Hon. Hugh A. and Susan Rosannah (Squire) Manchester. The Manchester family was founded in the new world by Thomas Manchester of England, who settled in Rhode Island in 1638. Fol- lowing the Revolutionary war Isaac Manchester, who had served as a soldier with the colonial forces, re- moved to Pennsylvania, settling in Washington county, where the family homestead is yet in the Manchester ownership. It is from this branch of the family that William C. Manchester is descended. His great-grand- father, Benjamin Manchester, served as a captain during the Indian wars near Toledo and was also a soldier of the War of 1812. Hon. Hugh A. Manches- ter, a native of Ohio, became a farmer and banker and in early manhood also engaged in teaching school. He represented Mahoning county in the Ohio legis- lature. He reached the very advanced age of eighty- four years, passing away in November, 1919. His wife, also a native of Ohio, died in the spring of 1918. Their family numbered three danghters and four sons and three of the latter became members of the bar.
William C. Manchester completed his more specif- ically literary education by a six years' course in the Northeastern Ohio Normal College at Canfield, from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1894. He is also a graduate of the law department of the University of Michigan, which conferred upon him the LL. B. degree in 1896. In the meantime he had studied law in the office of Cecil D. Hine and John H. Clarke, the latter now on the United States supreme bench, at Youngstown, Ohio,
in whose office he continued until the close of the vear 1897. Two of his younger brothers, Curtis A. and Leroy A., are with this notable Youngstown firm, now known as Hine, Kennedy, Manchester, Conroy & Ford.
In January, 1897, Mr. Manchester removed to De- troit, where he entered upon the practice of law, in which he has continued. He has made steady progress at the bar and in recent years has been connected with some of the most important cases tried in the courts in Detroit. "He was one of the counsel in the notable Pressly case, in which he defended speaker pro tem of the Michigan legislature, charged with manslaughter. He also defended Charles Culver when a suit for libel was brought by Grant M. Hudson before Judge Lamb. He likewise represented one of the defendants in Federal court in the noted army salvage graft case and has figured in connection with many other notable cases.
Mr. Manchester is widely known as a representa- tive of the republican party in Michigan and served on the state central committee from 1910 until 1914. He was also a delegate to the constitutional conven- tion in 1907. He has exerted a potent influence over public thought and opinion in many connections by reason of his logical reasoning, his concise and forceful statement of facts and his thorough understanding of the subjects under discussion.
At Bay City, Michigan, on the 27th of December, 1898, Mr. Manchester was married to Miss Margaret Katherine MacGregor and they have become the par- ents of seven children: Hugh Alexander, Mary Kath- erine, William Charles, Helen Margaret, Susan Ro- sannah, Frances Jane and Lanra Elizabeth. The eld- est son became a member of Company L, Twenty-sixth Infantry, First Division, in the World war and was killed in action at Soissons, France, July 19, 1918, when but eighteen years of age. He was a corporal, serving with the first contingent to land on French shores in June, 1917, and he was laid to rest in the military cemetery near the place of his death. The family residence of Mr. Manchester is at Birmingham, a Detroit suburb. The religions faith of the family is that of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Manches- ter is also an exemplary representative of the Ma- sonic fraternity, belonging to Corinthian Lodge, No. 241, A. F. & A. M., Detroit Commandery, No. 1, K. T., Detroit Consistory and the Mystic Shrine. He is also identified with Detriot Lodge, No. 34, B. P. O. E, and the Kappa Sigma fraternity. His interests are broad and varied and he keeps in touch with the trend of thought concerning the vital sociological, political and economie problems of the country.
JOSEPH A. PAYNE, one of the younger repre- sentatives of the Detroit bar, having engaged in prac- tice in this city for the past seven years, was born at Lee, Massachusetts, in 1884. At the usual age he entered the public schools, passing through consecutive
Milli Blanchiste
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grades to his graduation from the high school of his native city with the class of 1903. He has been a resident of Detroit since 1909, and entering upon pre- paration for the bar, was graduated from the De- troit College of Law in 1913 with the LL. B. degree. The same year he was admitted to practice and en- tered upon the active work of his profession, in which he is making steady and consistent progress, being now associated with his brother, Thomas W. Payne, under the firm style of Payne & Payne.
On the 5th of June, 1917, Joseph A. Payne was united in marriage to Ethel Mary Annis, nee Graham, a daughter of Lonis A. Graham. By her former mar- riage she had one son, Edward Annis. To Mr. and Mrs. Payne has been born a daughter: Elizabeth Mary. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and Mr. Payne has membership with the Knights of Columbus. He served on the legal advisory board during the World war and on the second bond drive. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party, but the honors and emolu- ments of political office have had no attraction for him. He is the president of the Graham Realty Com- pany of Detroit but otherwise has concentrated his efforts and attention upon his professional interests, which are constantly developing in scope and import- ance, his clientage being today of enviable character.
WILLIAM R. CANDLER. The life history of William R. Candler is inseparably interwoven with the annals of Detroit, owing to the fact that he con- tributed to the growth and development of the city through his real estate dealings and largely promoted its moral progress through his hearty cooperation in the work of the church and his identification with civic affairs. His life was indeed one of great use- fulness and beuefit to his fellowmen and he left an example that might be profitably followed by all who have high regard for integrity and enterprise in busi- ness and an appreciation for those higher and nobler qualities which make for honorable manhood.
Mr. Candler was of English birth. He was born in Colchester, England, April 9, 1832, and was one of a family of seven children, whose parents were Will- iam R. and Letitia (Thomas) Candler. The father was engaged in manufacturing interests in England, where both he and his wife were born.
William R. Candler was a youth of sixteen when he crossed the Atlantic, in 1848, having made the voyage on one of the old-time sailing vessels of that early day. He landed in New York and made his way westward to Detroit, where he learned the gilder's trade and was thus employed until he turned his attention to the contracting and building business. Later he became the owner and operator of vessels on the great lakes and at a subsequent period was associated with the lumber trade. In the later years of his life he concentrated his efforts and attention upon real estate dealing in Detroit and met with no-
table success in this connection. He was a prominent member of the Detroit real estate board. In all busi- ness affairs he seemed to recognize fully the oppor- tunity before him and showed the keenest discrimina- tion as to what was essential and non-essential in business affairs, quickly discarding the latter and utilizing the former in the attainment of desired results. His success was based upon industry, dili- gence and integrity and these qualities brought him at length to a point of very substantial prosperity.
Mr. Candler was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor VanDusen, the daughter of Peter VanDusen, repre- sentative of a well known Knickerbocker family of New York. She was born in 1834 and the wedding was celebrated October 26, 1853. They became the parents of four sons and three daughters: James D., George V., W. Robert, Henry E., Mariam, Ada and Eleanor. The family are devout members of the First Presbyterian church and for many years Mr. Candler took a most active and helpful part in all the work of the church, serving for many years as a deacon aud as trustee. He acted for a long period as chair- man of the board of trustees and contributed largely toward the erection of the present house of worship at the corner of Woodward avenue and Edmund place. He served for nearly a decade as a member of the session and his wise counsel was greatly appreciated in its meetings. He was also for many years a trustee of the Harper Hospital. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and while never an office seeker he did not lightly regard the duties of citizenship but cooperated in many plans and measures which were looking to the benefit and welfare of De- troit along the lines of material, intellectual, social and moral progress. He served as a member of the board of estimates and as a member of the poor com- mission of the city. He had membership in the Ma- sonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His aid and influence could always be counted upon to support any measure that would help his fellowmen, would uplift the individual and advance the welfare and moral progress of the community. He died on the 5th of September, 1909, and one of the local papers said of him: "The passing of William R. Candler removes a prominent figure from both business and church circles in Detroit. Through length of residence, force of character and contant activity to the very last he had become a part of the city's life."
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