The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. IV, Part 56

Author: Burton, Clarence Monroe, 1853-1932, ed; Stocking, William, 1840- joint ed; Miller, Gordon K., joint ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Detroit-Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. IV > Part 56

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His education was obtained in the public schools of Windsor, Ontario, and as a youth of sixteen he secured a position as stenographer in a foundry supply and fire brick business, going on the road as a salesman in the same line when seventeen years of age. Six years later, when a young man of twenty-three, he became manager of the fire brick department of a Cincinnati concern. This he represented on the road to some extent and also acted as editor of the house publication. In 1903 he came to Detroit and through the succeeding seven years was identified with business interests here as the head of the Detroit Foundry Supply Company, while since 1910 he has been the president of the E. J. Woodison Company, in which connection he has built up an extensive trade in fire brick and foundry supplies. He is likewise the treas- urer of the Atlas Foundry Company, and treasurer of the Acme Foundry Company. His success is attribut- able in large measure to the fact that he has always remained in the line of business in which he em- barked as a youth, familiarizing himself therewith in every department and conducting his interests in a manner that has brought most substantial and gratifying results.

On the 24th of June, 1896, at Windsor, Ontario, Mr. Woodison was united in marriage to Miss Emma Potter and they have one daughter, Marjorie Wini- fred, who is now Mrs. Walter Scott Stanley, and has a son, Edward James Stanley. Mr. Woodison is a member of the Detroit Board of Commerce, Detroit Athletic Club, Red Run Golf Club, and a director and charter member of the Aviation Country Club, finding his recreation largely in the great outdoors. He is likewise a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Knights Templar degree, belonging to Damascus Commandery, and is also a member of Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. A man of genuine personal worth, he is no less highly esteemed for the honorable principles which through- out his life have governed his conduct than for the success which he has achieved, making him one of the leading representatives of industrial interests in the city.

FRED E. CASTLE, founder and executive head of The Fred E. Castle Company, comes of ancestry which is distinctively American in both the lineal and col- lateral lines through many generations. His father, William T. Castle, was a first lieutenant of infantry during the Civil war. His mother was Esther (Esterly) Castle and both, by reason of being well descended and well bred, occupied an enviable social position and enjoyed the high regard of all who knew them in the various communities in which they lived.

Fred E. Castle was born in Newburgh, New York, but was reared in Philadelphia, where he received a public school education. For several years in his early business career he was connected with the

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umbrella trade as a manager and later became asso- ciated with a bicycle business in New York city. In this capacity he covered the United States and Europe for the Twentieth Century Manufacturing Company and was a member of that corporation for eleven years. When the automobile began to attract public attention and win publie favor, supplanting the bi- cycle trade, he turned to the manufacture of lamps for motor cars and established the Castle Lamp Com- pany at Amesbury, Massachusetts, and also opened a plant at Battle Creek, Michigan. He conducted the business successfully for eight years and then organized the Fred E. Castle Company in Detroit in 1910. Years before he had become a resident of this city aud for the past decade or more has occupied a prominent position in manufacturing circles.

In 1898 Mr. Castle was married to Miss Madeline Sinclair. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, his membership being in Adelphic Lodge, No. 348, A. F. & A. M., of New York; Orient Chapter, No. 138, R. A. M., of New York; Clinton Commandery, No. 14, K. T., also in the Empire state; and Michigan Sover- eign Consistory, A. A. S. R. He likewise belongs to the Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, while in club circles he is well known, being a member of the De- troit, the Detroit Athletic, and the Oakland Hills Country Clubs also the Question Club, which is a very select organization, having only seventy-five members in the United States and Canada.

MICHAEL EDWARD O'BRIEN, president of the Detroit Life Insurance Company, is recognized as one of the resourceful, enterprising and progressive business men of the city. He is alert, ready for any chance for advancement and equally ready to meet any emergency, and he has ever directed his busi- ness by rules which govern striet integrity and un- faltering industry. He was born in Osceola, Michigan, September 21, 1877, a son of Patrick J. and Mary (Harrington) O'Brien, natives of Ireland, who emi- grated to the United States in 1856.

In 1893 Mr. O'Brien was graduated from the Sacred Heart high school at Calumet, Michigan, and in 1898 he entered the field of insurance, becoming a member of the firm of Webb & O'Brien, writing general in- surance and handling life insurance as agents for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. In 1900 he was made district agent for that company and three years later became their general agent for one half of northern Michigan. In 1907 he established his headquarters at Laurium, Michigan, and while there residing organized and became president of the First National Bank of Laurium and director of the First National Bank of Hubbell. He severed his con- nection with the Northwestern Mutual Life Insur- ance Company in 1910 and came to Detroit as vice president of the Detroit Life Insurance Company, in which capacity he served until June, 1911, when he

was made president and general manager and is now filling those offices, most capably directing the affairs of the company. He is thoroughly familiar with every phase of life insurance, owing to his broad ex- perience along this line of activity, and in the control of his business interests he displays marked ability and energy, regarding no detail as too unimportant to receive his attention and at the same time controlling the larger factors in his interests with notable as- surance and power. Under his capable management the business of the company has enjoyed a steady growth and it has become recognized as one of the substantial insurance firms of the state, while its business methods have ever been such as would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny.

On the 4th of February, 1903, Mr. O'Brien was united in marriage to Miss Nellie V. Harrington of Lake Linden, Michigan, and they have become the parents of seven children. He is a democrat in his political views and in religious faith he is a Catholic. He is a member of the Knights of Equity, Knights of Columbus, the Fellowcraft Club and several smaller organizations and fraternally he is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His per- sistency of purpose, his intelligently directed efforts and his initiative have been strong elements in the attainment of his present success and he stands among the foremost business men of Detroit. He has never sacrificed high standards to commercialism and in all matters of citizenship his influence is on the side of advancement and improvement.

The development and progress of the Detroit Life Insurance Company has been synonymous with the business advancement of Mr. M. E. O'Brien. When he took hold of the active management of this com- pany ten years ago, it had less than fifty thousand dollars of insurance in force. On June 30, 1921, the company had over twenty-four million dollars of in- surance in force. Indicative of the continuity of its development and advancement, it may be stated that a comparison of the figures of the insurance in force, the reserve of the company, and the gross assets all show steady growth.

December 31, 1911, the insurance in force was one million, seven hundred and twenty-nine thousand, nine hundred and seventy dollars; two years later this had increased to four million, forty one thousand, one hundred and fifty dollars; in 1915 to seven million, one hundred and ninety-nine thousand, five hundred dollars; in 1917 to eleven million, seven hundred and fifty thousand, eight hundred and eleven dollars; two years later it had increased to sixteen million, eight hundred and seventy-seven thousand, five hundred and seventy-one dollars. Since that date its growth has been so sensational as to attract favorable comment from life insurance authorities all over the country, the insurance in force at the present time being over twenty-five million.

The growth in the legal reserve has been consistent

MICHAEL E. O'BRIEN

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with the increase in insurance in force. December 31, 1911, the reserve amounted to eleven thousand, four hundred and eighty-three dollars; in 1917 this had increased to six hundred and forty-nine thousand, six hundred and sixty dollars; in 1919 to one million, one hundred and fifty-five thousand, three hundred and thirty-nine dollars; and at this writing totals one million, seven hundred and twenty-five thousand dol- lars.

Commendable as has been the constant and regular increase in all departments of this successful life in- surance company, the increase in its business during the past year has been most conspicuous because so many life insurance companies report a decrease in their business, due to the business depression which commenced in October, 1920. The business of the De- troit Life, however, every month since that time and in spite of the business reaction, has shown a sub- stantial increase, the average increase for the first six months of 1921 being over twenty per cent. As further evidence of the standing of the Detroit Life Insurance Company in its home state, the fact might be mentioned that for the past seven years, with one exception, the Detroit Life Insurance Company has lead all other Michigan companies in the amount of new insurance paid for in Michigan, the amount of insurance paid for in 1920 being over seven million, five hundred thousand dollars.

The agency force of the Detroit Life is under the direct supervision of Mr. M. E. O'Brien and the above record is one which indicates something of the success he has attained along that line.

EARL WILFRED McGOOKIN of Detroit has at- tained not only state wide but nation wide prominence as a salesman. He stands in the very front ranks of those who have been most successful in this field, and the story of his activity is an inspirational one, which may well serve as a source of encouragement to others. Mr. McGookin was born in Manistee, Mich- igan, on the 9th of May, 1879, a son of Arthur Richard and Rosalind (Tabor) McGookin, the former of Scotch descent. The mother was a daughter of H. H. Tabor, one of the pioneer lumbermen of Mich- igan. The family removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the early boyhood of Earl W. McGookin, who there pursued his education in the public schools, passing through consecutive grades to the high school, after which he took a business course, and thus quali- fied for life's practical and responsible duties. He began his business career with the Filer & Stowell Manufacturing Company at Milwaukee and remained with that house for three years. He was afterward with the W. J. Winterburn Company of Chicago for two years, and he spent five years with the Marshall & McGookin Company, handling steel, iron and wire products in Chicago. At length he entered the employ of Stewart & Clarke Manufacturing Company of Chi- cago as sales manager, occupying that position for two

years. He came to Detroit in 1909 as general manager for the Stewart-Warner Company, manufacturers of speedometers, and had charge of the sales in the factory for eight years. He then became connected with the Springfield Body Company and was vice president and sales manager with that corporation until he withdrew and became connected with the MeBeth Evans Glass Company of Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania, and the Duratex Company of Newark, New Jersey. He has had large experience in selling auto- mobile accessories, and has been the highest paid salesman, with one exception, in the entire United States. In 1920 he established his sales office at 720 Book building and sells all kinds of automobile ac- cessories, conducting an extensive business as manu- facturers agent. He is one of the best known sales- men connected with the motor ear trade, not only by reason of his long experience but also owing to the extent to which he has developed the business under his direction.

On the 1st of June, 1905, Mr. McGookin was married to Miss Alice Dixon Cromwell, a native of Henderson, Kentucky, and a representative of one of the notable southern families. Mr. McGookin is a thirty-second degree Mason, his membership being in Zion Lodge, F. & A. M .; King Cyrus Chapter, R. A. M .; Michigan Sovereign Consistory, A. A. S. R .; and Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He became one of the charter members of the Detroit Athletic Club, and is also a member of the Automobile Country Club. That he is approachable and genial are facts gathered forth between the lines of this review, which also indicate with clearness that he readily understands human nature. These qualities are always factors in good salesmanship, and in addition there is no talking point of the automobile trade with which he is not thoroughly familiar. He has mastered his line of business from start to finish, and in its conduct exemplifies a most progressive spirit, initiative and ability to handle men, while an unquestioned point in his career is his commercial integrity, without which no business venture can long succeed.

FRANK HOLMES GODDARD, president of F. H. Goddard, Inc., one of the largest contracting firms of the city of Detroit, has been engaged in this line of business for thirty-eight years and today there stand as monuments to his skill and industry some of the finest and largest buildings of the city. His life illustrates clearly what can be accomplished through individual effort, intelligently directed, and he is prominent as a man whose constantly expanding powers have taken him from humble surroundings to the field of large enterprises and continually broad- ening opportunities.

Mr. Goddard was born in New London, Connecticut, December 23, 1866, and is a representative of one of the old New England families, his parents being James and Elizabeth (Holmes) Goddard. The public

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schools of his native city afforded him his preliminary educational opportunities and later he attended the Seabury Institute at Saybrook, Connecticut. On leav- ing the boarding school he came at once to Detroit, where he entered into active connection with build- ing operations as the associate of Allen F. Holmes. While thus engaged he acquainted himself with every phase of the building business and opportunities of this ebaracter in Detroit. After eight years Mr. Holmes retired and the Frank H. Goddard, Inc., com- pany was then formed. For almost four decades Mr. Goddard has figured prominently in connection with building operations in Detroit and his marked ability in this field is manifest in such notable structures as the Ford building, the Peter Smith building, the Hotel Norton, the Puritan building, the Goldsmith building, the Cadillac hotel, the Whitney opera house, the Patton school, the Balch school and many other equally well known structures. F. H. Goddard, Inc., was founded in 1891 and incorporated in February, 1909, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, Mr. Goddard becoming president and William F. Dow secretary and treasurer. While Mr. Goddard has engaged in the general contracting business he specializes to a degree in superstructure, in excavation work, fireproof structures, masonry and concrete work and cut stone. The company also ereets a large number of residences. The office staff numbers from twelve to fifteen men and on the big jobs awarded the com- pany from three hundred to four hundred workmen are often employed. F. H. Goddard, Inc. has the most complete equipment of any contracting concern in Detroit. They have over an acre of ground under roof, in which they store equipment and they have their own railroad siding, so that supplies are easily brought into their plant.

On the 27th of January, 1900, Frank H. Goddard was married to Miss Elizabeth Burke, a native of Canada, and they have become the parents of an interesting family of six daughters: Ruth Helen, Norma Elizabeth, Dorothy Burke, Kathleen, Esther Halsey, and Sally Valentine. One of the most eminent American statesmen has said that the strongest citi- zens of the new world are those who have had their nativity and ancestry in New England aud have sought the opportunity for the development of their powers in the mid-west. Mr. Goddard is descended from Elder Brewster, who came on the Mayflower, being a representative of his progeny in the twelfth gen- eration. He grafted New England's training upon western enterprise and opportunity and as the archi- teet of his own fortunes has builded wisely and well. From the outset of his career his advancement has been continuous and while in no sense a man in public life he has nevertheless exerted an immeasurable influence on the city of his residence through his business activity. He possesses untiring energy, is quick of perception, forms his plans readily and is determined in their execution, while his close appli-

cation to business and his excellent management have brought to him the high degree of prosperity which is today his. Mr. Goddard is a member of the De- troit Builders Association. He is also well known in Masonie circles, having taken both the York and Scottish Rites degrees, becoming a Knights Templar in the Commandery and a thirty-second degree Mason in the Consistory and is likewise a member of the Mystic Shrine.

GEORGE BOWMAN BRIGHT, president and founder of the George B. Bright Company, refrigerating en- gineers and architects of Detroit, is one of the fore- most men in his line of business in the country. A Virginian by birth, George B. Bright was born on a farm near Staunton, that state, April 6, 1883, the only son of his parents, Captain Peter R. and Cath- arine (Buchanan) Bright, both of whom were natives of the Shenandoah valley, where their lives were spent. The father was a well known manufacturer of harness throughout the period of his active business career. He was a captain in the Confederate army during the Civil war and a man well known in the section of Virginia where he lived. He was an early advocate of prohibition and was one of the first two voters to support that ticket in Augusta county, Vir- ginia. His reply to the criticism and ridicule for his temperance views was that "nation-wide prohibition would prevail within the lifetime of people then living." He died in 1894, while his widow survived until 1904. They had two children, a daughter and a son, the former being Mrs. Mary Sheffer, now living near Staunton, Virginia.

George B. Bright attended the country schools in that section of the Shenandoah valley where his boy- hood days were spent. Afterward, while working during the day, he devoted his evening hours to study, attending night school. He was but a boy of ten years when his father died and circumstances arose that early gave him a practical knowledge of self- support. As a boy he was energetic and what would be called a hustler. Between the ages of thirteen and twenty-three years he worked in an ice plant and thus his attention was early directed to refrigeration en- gineering. In the meantime he pursued a course in mechanical and refrigeration engineering through the Scranton Correspondence school, completing liis studies in 1906, in which line he has specialized, gaining a notable place in his profession. In 1906 he went to Chicago and secured a position as erecting engineer with the Fred W. Wolf Company, refrigerating en- gineers, with whom he remained until September 1, 1912. In the latter year Mr. Bright came to Detroit and entered upon active association with the Heutte- man Cramer Company, with whom he remained until July, 1916. He then resigned and organized the De- troit Ice Machine Company, of which he was presi- dent until 1918. On account of other activities he then resigned and was made vice president of that

GEORGE B. BRIGHT

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company, which office he yet holds. Mr. Bright in 1917 founded the George B. Bright Company, refrig- erating engineers and architects, which has been de- veloped into the most successful business enterprise of this character in the country. Its remarkable growth includes a volume of business larger than that of any other company in this line in the United States. As the president of the George B. Bright Company, Mr. Bright has become recognized not only as an able executive but one of the most capable refrigerat- ing engineers and architects in the country. He was designer and engineer of the first electric driven raw water ice-making plants in both Chicago and De- troit. The Chicago plant was erected in 1911 and the Detroit plant in 1912. Among his other interests Mr. Bright is a director of the Pittmans & Dean Company, extensive coal and ice dealers of Detroit, and is vice president of the Midwest Engineering & Equipment Company of Chicago, which was established by him in 1918. His is a nature that could never be content with mediocrity and he has steadily pushed his way forward to success and, too, from a start in life that represented nothing but his natural ability, energy and ambition.

On the 13th of November, 1907, Mr. Bright was married in Washington, D. C., to Miss Elizabeth Frame, daughter of Samuel Frame of Charlottesville, Virginia. Their three children are: Catherine Eliza- beth, who was born at Staunton, Virginia, January 15, 1909; Mary Margaret, who was born in Detroit, June 17, 1913; and George Junior, born in Detroit, February 5, 1916. The family home since 1916 has been at No. 602 Fisher avenue.

Politically Mr. Bright maintains an independent course. He belongs to the Detroit Athletic Club, to the Rotary Club and the Detroit Automobile Club. He became a member of the Masonic blue lodge in Virginia and he is connected with Palestine Chapter, R. A. M., also Detroit Commandery, K. T., Michigan Sovereign Consistory and Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. Along strictly professional lines his connec- tion is with the Detroit Engineering Society and the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers.

WILLIAM EVANSTON CANTON. From the age of ten years William Evanston Canton has been de- pendent upon his own resources for a livelihood. Start- ing out in the business world as a cash boy, his coura- geous spirit and determined purpose have enabled him to overcome all obstacles and difficulties in his path and to pursue the course which he had marked out, winning promotion because people have believed in him and because he has proven to them his worth. He now ranks with the leading merchants of Detroit, con- ducting one of the finest men's outfitting establish- ments in the city, and the most envious cannot grudge him his success, so worthily has it been won, so wisely used.

Mr. Canton is one of Detroit's native sons. He was born July 14, 1883, and pursued his education in the

public schools of the city to the age of ten years, when he was obliged to discontinue his studies in order to provide for his own support. He obtained a position as cash boy in the old Mabley store at Nos. 122-24 Woodward avenue, receiving a salary of two dollars per week. Following the removal of the firm to the Majestic building he became wrapper boy, being employed on the third floor of the store. In 1896 C. A. Schafer of Syracuse, New York, bought out Mr. Mabley and Mr. Canton continued with the new management for some years, or until he became iden- tified with E. J. Hickey, the proprietor of an out- fitting establishment catering to men and boys. In 1903 he was made buyer for the boys' clothing de- partment and subsequently went to Chicago, Illinois, working for a time in the Marshall Field establish- ment, while later he was connected with the firm of Browning, King & Company of Chicago and Kansas City. In 1909 he returned to Detroit and again en- tered the service of his former employer, Mr. Hickey, as buyer for the boys and girls departments. He was thus active until 1917 and on the 14th of March of that year started in business for himself. He has a finely appointed store at No. 1535 Washington boule- vard, utilizing two stories of the building, and carries a complete and well assorted stock of men's and boys' clothing, headwear and shoes. He handles the best the market affords in the lines in which he specializes and his reliable dealing, reasonable prices and cour- teous treatment of customers have gained for him a large patronage, the volume of business having been doubled since the establishment of the enterprise. He employs the most progressive methods in the conduct of his business and his is recognized as one of the leading outfitting establishments in the city.

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The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. IV, Part 56

Author: Burton, Clarence Monroe, 1853-1932, ed; Stocking, William, 1840- joint ed; Miller, Gordon K., joint ed Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Detroit-Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Burton, Clarence Monroe, 1853-1932, ed; Stocking, William, 1840- joint ed; Miller, Gordon K., joint ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Detroit-Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1024