USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. IV > Part 31
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JASPER C. GATES. A life of intense professional activity as a member of the bar, a life of high ideals and of Christian service was ended when Jasper C. Gates responded to the call of the silent messen- ger and passed on January 8, 1916, in Detroit. He was born in Pleasantville, Pennsylvania, on the 23d of March, 1850, and was a son of Aaron and Amanda (Cross) Gates, whose family numbered three children, the brothers being Aaron B., still a resident of De- troit; and Edmund, who resided in Mill Village, Penn- sylvania. He was descended from distinguished New England ancestry, whose record is written large on the pages of American history. In his youthful days Jasper C. Gates attended the Pleasantville Academy and later was graduated from Union College at Sche- nectady, New York, thus completing a classical and civil engineering course, which served as a broad foundation upon which to build the superstructure of professional learning. Having decided to become a member of the bar he entered the Albany Law school at Albany, New York, and when he had completed his course located for practice in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1875. A year later he removed to Detroit, where his remaining days were passed. Although advance- ment at the bar is proverbially slow no dreary novi- tiate awaited him. In a very short time he had given proof of his ability as a lawyer and he tried many important cases in the courts, but was perhaps best known as a constructive and interpretative attorney. He was instrumental in framing many laws which have found their way to the statute books of the state
and he made valuable contribution to the literature of the profession, being the author of a number of legal textbooks and treatises which indicates the breadth of his research and investigation. Among his best known legal works are Cases on Evidence, Illus- trative Cases on Real Property and a textbook en- titled Gates on Real Property. Throughout his life he was a keen student and was greatly interested in the work of young lawyers. In 1893 he was made a member of the faculty of the Detroit College of Law and his lectures on real property, landlord and tenant, trusts, evidence and partnerships and domestic rela- tions were among the most popular courses at that institution. His last publie work was assisting in drafting the judicature aet which has recently gone into effect. Moreover, he was the author of the juve- nile court law, the caucus law for Detroit, the act limiting appeals from justice courts in Wayne county and various other measures. He was recognized as legal expert on city government and headed the com- mittee of one hundred, formed during the term of Mayor Breitmeyer, to solve street-car problems and bring about enforcement of the liquor laws. He was likewise instrumental in drafting the law establish- ing the court of domestic relations. The public and the profession long acknowledged him as one of the most distinguished representatives of the Detroit bar, his entire record reflecting credit and honor upon the judicial history of the state.
Mr. Gates was married in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Miss Lulu Foster, daughter of John Foster, a suc- cessful attorney, and granddaughter of Lemuel Foster, Jr., who came from the state of New York and be- came an early settler at Ann Arbor, Michigan, owning considerable land in that vicinity, some of which he donated as a part of the site of what is now the University of Michigan. His father, Judge Lemuel Foster, of Batavia, New York, was a civil engineer in early life and laid out the towns of Rochester and Buffalo. Later he practiced law and was the first judge of the western judicial district of New York. The Foster family came of Mayflower ancestry, later generations serving in the Colonial and Revolutionary wars. Mr. and Mrs. Gates became parents of two children: Lulu, who died in early womanhood, and Marjorie, who is now the wife of Frank P. Graham of Grove City, Pennsylvania, and they have one son, Jasper Gates Graham. Mrs. Gates resides at No. 286 King avenue, in Detroit, and is a member of the Twentieth Century Club, Woman's Historical Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mr. Gates held membership with the Sons of the Revolution and he also belonged to the New England Society and the Detroit Board of Commerce. He was a very promi- nent and active worker in the Woodward Avenue Baptist church and for several years was teacher of the Men's Bible class. He took a deep interest in church work and did everything in his power to advance the moral progress of the community. He
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was fond of travel and sought his recreation in that and in literature. In politics he was always a repub- lican, although never a candidate for office. He took great interest, however, in the science of government and was an adviser of Mayor Pingree and of others who have held public office. Throughout his life he worked along constructive lines. He never tore down established beliefs nor opinions, but huilt up citizen- ship and ideals according to his powers and belief. He was seated at his desk with an open law book before him studying a case when death summoned him and in his passing Detroit lost a citizen who ever stood as a man among men. The high ideals which he cherished found embodiment in practical effort for their adoption and because of the innate refinement of his nature he rejected everything opposed to good faith. The greatness of his position as a representa- tive of the har was balanced by the simplicity and beauty of his daily life and when he passed away the funeral services were conducted in accordance with that simplicity which ever characterized him in his home relations. In this connection one of the local papers - said, "The friends who assembled neverthe- less represented all the fine activities of his life. The members of his Bible class, students from the law college, young lawyers who owed much to his com- panionship and counsel, older lawyers who had worked with him in courts, judges and old friends from his church and his benevolent associations, crowded the roomy house and listened with deep feeling to the words of the minister." In the funeral service the Rev. Hoag said, "Jasper C. Gates was an Alpine man. In the geology of his soul there were divine forces that lifted to high levels lit by the sunshine of heaven. We long to look at Alpine men, to look up to them. His endowment was great, his use of talents represented faithfulness supernal. He could look back to generations of scholars, statesmen, au- thors, theologians, lawyers, patriots, pioneers-and Jasper C. Gates added yet more brilliancy to those shining lights. Never could anyone at the last day say to him, 'You lowered the level, you betrayed your heritage.' He took his abilities as responsibilties, he took his heritage as a trust. The fruits of his life are many. We have laws on our books to protect the helpless, to protect the community, to provide better citizenship and truer democracy-a real gov- ernment of the people." "It is not difficult to speak of J. C. Gates, for his life and his character were as clear as the sunlight. No man came in contact with him but speedily appreciated him at his true worth and knew he was a man who cherished not only a high ideal of duty but who lived up to it. He constantly labored for the right, and from his earliest youth he devoted a large portion of his time to the service of others. He was not an idle sentimentalist but a worker. He was at the head of large business interests which he managed successfully, yet it was his rule to set apart some time each day for the
labors of love to which he was so devoted. His friends will miss him, but the memory of his sweet and beautiful life, of his sincerity and simplicity will not be forgotten. They will not mourn for him as they would for a young man cut off in the flower and promise of his youth, but will rejoice in his memory as that of a man who laid down his task in the twi- light of the day, when all that he had to do had heen nobly, beautifully and fully completed."
WILLIAM J. ROSS. A notably successful career is that of William J. Ross, president of the Conductors Protective Assurance Company of Detroit, which has the distinction of being the only enterprise of this character in the United States. His tireless energy, determined purpose and initiative spirit have enabled him to build up a business of extensive proportions and at the same time he has contributed in substan- tial measure to the commercial development of the city.
He was born in Chatham, in the province of Ontario, Canada, November 22, 1866, a son of William S. and Caroline (Appleford) Ross. In 1867 the family crossed the border into the United States, taking up their resi- dence in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Mr. Ross acquired his education, attending the public schools of that city. His initial business experience was obtained in the employ of his father, who was engaged in con- tracting and building. He next became connected with railroad work, starting as a section hand and winning promotion to the position of freight brakeman, after which he was made freight conductor and subsequently passenger conductor.
While thus engaged Mr. Ross conceived the idea of forming an insurance company for railroad conduc- tors, engineers and officials, insuring them against the loss of their positions on account of discharge, disa- bility or old age, and in June, 1907, organized the Conductors Protective Assurance Company, starting with a very small capital but a large fund of energy and enthusiasm. From a modest beginning the enter- prise has grown from year to year until it has now assumed extensive proportions, owing to the persistent effort, close application and administrative ability of its founder, and the company now has over five million dollars of insurance in force, with a reserve fund of over a million dollars. Mr. Ross possesses the fore- sight, self-reliance and business acumen necessary to conduct large enterprises, and he ranks with the most successful insurance men of the city.
On the 12th of November, 1887, occurred the mar- riage of William J. Ross and Miss Mary Jane Duffy, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, and they have become the parents of two children: Mrs. Eva Mary Murray; and Edward William Ross, who married Miss Carmen Huvey of Detroit.
Mr. Ross is a Catholic in religious faith, attend- ing SS. Peter and Paul's church of Detroit. He is also connected with the Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Athletic Club and Oakland Hills Country Club.
WILLIAM J. ROSS
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His business record has been marked by steady ad- vancement, and his success is entirely attributable to his own efforts. Starting out in life empty-handed, he has steadily progressed and has worthily won the proud American title of a self-made man. His initia- tive spirit has prompted him to continue beyond the paths which others have marked out into new fields where his intelligently directed efforts have resulted in successful achievements. They insure conductors, engineers and officials throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, for loss of positions on account of discharge, old age or physical disability, and the state of Michigan has the proud distinction of being the only state in the Union with laws governing this class of insurance, which was made possible through Mr. Ross' efforts.
OTTO F. BARTHEL, patent attorney of Detroit, was born March 15, 1876, his parents being Edward A. and Elise (Haerter) Barthel, both of whom were natives of Bavaria, Germany. They came to America following their marriage and settling in Detroit the father engaged in business as a civil and mechanical engineer. He was also well known by reason of his inventive genius, his skill and ingenuity resulting iu the invention of various forms of guns, pistols, re- volvers and rifles. Other important inventions which he brought out were improvements in the Pullman berth. He likewise patented a device to be used in the manufacture of peat for fuel, and his contribu- tions to the world's need were real and valuable. It was also Mr. Barthel who occupied the first office in the then new MeGraw building. He went abroad to promote American inventions in Europe, and while in England, became ill of influenza and passed away there in 1890, at the age of forty-nine years. His wife sur- vived him for a considerable period and died in De- troit, December 18, 1904. In their family were three sons: Theodore E., Otto F. and Oliver E., all living in Detroit.
Otto F. Barthel attended the Trowbridge school of Detroit, situated at Lafayette and Seventeenth streets, also the Webster school on Twenty-first street, and afterwards attended the Detroit College of Law, from which he graduated in 1902, with the LL. B. degree. He then entered upon law practice in connection with his uncle, and prior to taking up his law studies he had applied himself to patent law, in which connection he became associated with his uncle on the 11th of April, 1892. After working in this way for a long period he was admitted to a partnership under the firm style of Barthel & Barthel on the 1st of Novem- ber, 1898, and has since devoted his attention to patent law. The firm is today the oldest in the state engaged in this branch of practice, succeeding Colonel Thomas S. Sprague, who established the patent law business in 1865. The father of Otto F. Barthel, and his uncle, A. Barthel, were associated with Colonel Sprague, beginning in the early seventies, and in
1885, A. Barthel became a member of the firm of Thomas S. Sprague & Son and so remained until November, 1898, changes in the partnership bringing Otto F. Barthel into his present relation. His uncle, A. Barthel, has practically retired, having largely put aside the work of the profession on the 1st of January, 1913, but he is still living in Detroit, at the age of eighty years. The soliciting of patents before the United States Patent Office is the main work of the firm, and Otto F. Barthel is familiar in every particular with patent law. His familiarity with the patent records is comprehensive and exact, and his opinions are largely accepted as an authority on patent law. ' His father's inventive geuius nat- urally drew his attention to inventions and the work of securing patents thereon, for the senior Mr. Bar- thel ranks as one of the prominent inventors of the state and nation. He was the first to introduce the American cast-iron cook stove into Europe, establish- ing a plant for one of the local stove companies at Nuremberg, Germany, and was the superintendent there for a short time. The activity of his father drew the attention of Mr. Barthel to the mechanical field and to the task of protecting inventions by pat- ent, and as the years have passed he has won an ex- tensive clientage of this character. The offices of Mr. Barthel and his predecessors have been in the Seitz block, now the Buhl Block Annex, since 1865.
On the 23d of September, 1905, Mr. Barthel was mar- ried to Miss Theresa M. Raviler of Detroit, a daughter of Ferdinand G. Raviler of East Liverpool, Ohio, later moving to Lansing, Michigan. To Mr. and Mrs. Bar- thel have been born two children: Helen Marie, whose birth occurred in Detroit, October 30, 1908; and Eliza- beth Anna, born September 24, 1915.
In his political views Mr. Barthel is an earnest republican, having supported the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He is well known in Masonic circles, belonging to Palestine Lodge, A. F. & A. M., while in the Michigan Sovereign Con- sistory he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and he is also a Noble of Moslem Tem- ple of the Mystic Shrine. He belongs to the Detroit Yacht Club, of which he was secretary in 1905 and commodore in 1906, vice commodore in 1900 of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association, and for a number of years prior was a commodore of the West End Yacht Club. He is a member of the Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit Automobile Club, Detroit Engineering Society and the Detroit Board of Commerce. His re- ligious faith is that of the Episcopal church. His interests are thus broad and varied, touching the welfare of society in many respects and at all times upholding publie progress and advancement.
GEORGE PERRY PALMER, who in the practice of law is specializing in real estate and probate law, was born in Detroit, July 13, 1868, his parents being Ervin and Emma (Humphrey) Palmer. The father,
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a native of the state of New York, was of English descent, while the mother was born in England. The paternal grandfather came to Michigan when Ervin Palmer was very young and the latter attended the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated and received the doctor's degree in law.
George Perry Palmer was graduated from the Cass school with the class of 1880 and from the Detroit high school in 1885. He afterward studied in the University of Minnesota in 1888 and 1889, and having prepared for the bar entered upon the active practice of the profession in 1893, becoming a member of the law firm of Palmer & Palmer, of which his father was the senior partner. This association was main- tained until the father's death, since which time George P. Palmer has practiced alone, specializing in real estate and probate law, upon which branches of jurisprudence he is largely recognized as an au- thority. At different periods he has been called upon to serve in positions of public honor and trust. He was assistant city attorney of Detroit for two years and assistant corporation counsel for four years. In 1912 he became a member of the Michigan house of representatives and for two terms served in that body, giving the most thoughtful and earnest con- sideration to the vital questions which came up for settlement affecting the welfare and interests of the commonwealth.
On the 2d of December, 1897, at Detroit, Mr. Palmer was married to Miss Adelaide Blodgett and they are the parents of one son, Gardner E., who is now a student in the University of Michigan. Mr. Palmer has always given his political allegiance to the repub- lican party and has kept thoroughly informed con- cerning the vital questions of the day. His religious faith is that of the Congregational church and fra- ternally he is connected with the Masons. He belongs to the Detroit Curling Club and to the Detroit Boat Club and finds his chief recreation in boating and gardening. His entire life has been passed in the city of his nativity and his record is in contradis- tinetion to the old adage that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, for Mr. Palmer through marked ability in the profession of law has gained prominence at the bar and recognition of his public- spirited citizenship on the part of his fellow townsmen has come to him in his election to the general assembly.
SHIFFLET, CUMBER & COMPANY. A strong and vita] Detroit corporation that is exercising important functions in the field of investment banking and in organization specializing, is that of Shifflet, Cumber & Company, the offices of which are established in the Penobscot building. This corporation was organ- ized in May, 1918, has a capital stock of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the following officers: J. B. Shifflet, president, B. L. Cumber, vice president and general manager, J. D. MaeKay, vice president
and R. M. Bruce, secretary and treasurer. Inceptive operations were based upon the broad experience of J. B. Shifflet in the organizing, financing and develop- ment of business organizations, his reputation in this field of enterprise being such as to insure to the new concern an auspicious future and to gain to it forth- with a representative elientage. B. L. Cumber, vice president and general manager of the company has proven a valuable coadjutor in the upbuilding of the . substantial business now controlled, having had wide and successful experience in the field and as sales manager, so that he is specially well fortified for the training of the selling department. Mr. Cumber has given his personal direction to the work of the com- pany's splendid corps of representatives in various parts of the country, the number of salesmen repre- senting the coneern at the present time being approxi- mately two hundred and fifty. J. D. Mackay, vice president of the company, is also a member of the firm of Stellwagen, MacKay and Wade, attorneys, his attention to the legal affairs of the company being an invaluable asset. The entire business career of R. M. Bruce, secretary and treasurer of the company, has been in this particular line of business, thus being well fitted to fill the position through practical experi- ence in all angles of the business.
This company has, within the past few years, or- ganized a greater number of successful business enter- prises than has any other concern of like character, not only in Michigan but also in a much wider field. Among the many sound business institutions that stand as monuments to the initiative, executive and pro- motive genius of this company and its individual mem- bers, may be noted: the Jewett, Bigelow & Brooks Coal Company, a two million five hundred thousand dollar company of Detroit; the Federal Discount Cor- poration, a three million dollar company of Detroit; the Saginaw Financing Corporation, a million dollar company of Saginaw, Michigan; the Syracuse Mort- gage Corporation, a million dollar company of Syra- euse, New York; the Michigan Mortgage-Investment Corporation, a million dollar company of Lansing, Michigan; the Detroit Housing Corporation, a five hun- dred thousand dollar concern of Detroit; the Lowry Oil Corporation, a million dollar company of Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The officers of Shifflet, Cumber & Company are in the most significant sense the makers of their own opportunities and success, and their broad-minded policy is to aid others in achieving independence and prosperity, as a definite ageney in furthering the civic and material advancement of our great republic. They are not only lending their energies toward the up- building of Detroit, where they have four branch offices, but are continually broadening their scope of endeavor. At this writing they have branch offices in the following cities, and will open other branch offices from time to time as their business grows: Syracuse, Binghamton and Buffalo, New York, and Grand Rapids,
J. B. SHIFFLET
B. L. CUMBER
Vol. IV-18
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Kalamazoo, Flint, Lansing, Saginaw and Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The firm of Shifflet, Cumber & Company now has more than eight thousand satisfied clients, and all are stanch advocates and supporters of the progressive policies of which this Detroit corporation stands rep- resentative.
G. EDWARD BLEIL, sales manager for the Michi- gan Lubricator Company, is a native Detroiter and his residence has been continuous in this city. He comes from a family which has long been identified with Detroit: his parents, John C. and Ella L. (Hess) Bleil, were both born here. The grandfather on the paternal side was Michael Bleil, who came from Germany to America in 1848. Among the earliest American an- cestors of G. Edward Bleil were those who came from England in the early part of the seventeenth cen- tury and settled at Wilmington, Delaware. Later some of their descendants returned to England and from this branch of the family came F. Michael Bleil, who located at Detroit in an early day, as did the maternal grandparents of the subject of this review. John C. Bleil and Ella L. Hess were both reared and edu- cated at Detroit, the former having attended Bishop's union school. As he approached manhood he began to learn the trade of carriage-making, and later was engaged in this business on his own account in De- troit. He became one of the successful carriage build- ers of his day. He conducted a large business from 1884 until 1901, at which time he sold his carriage manufacturing plant and turned his attention to real estate. He has since figured in real estate circles. The mother of G. Edward Bleil passed away at Detroit in 1885, when only twenty-six years of age. There were just two children in the family, the younger being a daughter, Mrs. L. Merrill, also living at De- troit.
G. Edward Bleil was born February 18, 1879, and received his education in the public schools, after which he attended the Detroit Business College. Among the first positions he held, after starting out for himself, was with the Chase Construction Company, builders of electric railways. While thus employed he acquainted himself thoroughly with the construction and equipment of electric railroads. He remained with the Chase Company for three years, at the end of which time he entered the employ of the Buhl Hard- ware Company. A little later, however, he became manager of the Breitmeyer building on Broadway and Gratiot avenue and remained in this connection until 1911. In the latter year he entered the automobile business as representative of the Warren Motor Car Company, of which Homer Warren was the executive head. In that line he directed his activities until 1913, when he secured the management of the Grasser Motor Sales Company, distributors of the Hupmobile. In 1917 he became the Detroit agent for the Republic truck and remained in this connection until October,
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