USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. IV > Part 75
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During the World war Dr. Honhart was connected with the medical department of the United States army, being commissioned a first lieutenant of the medical corps. Believing that progress should be the watchword of the profession at all times, he keeps in touch with the great truths which science is constantly revealing through his membership in the Wayne County, Michigan State and American Medical As- sociations. He is a member of the Detroit board of health. He was made a Mason at Louisville, Ken- tucky, and is a member of Ionic Chapter, R. A. M. at Detroit; Detroit Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar; Michigan Sovereign Consistory; and Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is also connected with the Masonic Country Club. His inherent strength of character is indicated in the fact that he worked his way through college and has ever been actuated by a spirit of enterprise and determination that has enabled him to surmount all difficulties and obstacles in his path. Prompted in all that he does by laudable ambition and broad humanitarian principles, as a member of the medical fraternity he has attained high rank among those whose skill is uniformly acknowl- edged. Dr. Honhart resides at No. 4443 Iroquois avenue.
ROBERT E. VINCENT comes of an ancestry which in both its lineal and collateral lines has been dis- tinctively American through many generations. The progenitor of the family in the new world crossed the Atlantic in 1636, and since that time representatives of the name have taken part in almost every war in
which America has been engaged. The great grand- father of Robert E. Vincent in the maternal line was John Davis, who served with Commodore Perry at Sackett's Harbor. The Vincent family had been pre- viously represented in the Revolutionary war, while Earl Vincent, an ancestor of Robert E. Vincent, served as a soldier of the War of 1812. His father, James M. Vincent, was a soldier of the Civil war, and Robert E. Vincent would undoubtedly have represented the family in the Spanish-American war had he not been in Alaska at the time, the war having closed ere his return. His son, Chester M. Vincent, however, is a veteran of the World war, having served in the American navy. James Milton Vincent was united in marriage to Ann Amelia Shadick, and in the town of Seriba, near Oswego, New York, a son was born to them on the 11th of March, 1868, to whom they gave the name of Robert E. Following his school days, the boy took up a seafaring life, but after his marriage settled down to other business pursuits. He . early learned the work of heat treating, and in 1898 he went to Alaska, where he was engaged in a search for gold through four years, during which period he traveled on foot from the southern portion to the northern end of Alaska, and also well into the east. During the winter of 1899-1900 he was at the mouth of the Mackenzie river, and at one time he penetrated northward to within forty miles of as far north as Point Barrow.
With his return to the states Robert E. Vincent went first to Chicago and afterward to Detroit. Here he entered the employ of the Detroit Screw Works, with which he was connected until 1909, when he organized the Vincent Steel Process Company, of which he has since been vice president and general manager. This company does heat treating for sev- enty-five per cent of the factories in Detroit, includ- ing some of the largest, among them being the Timken-Detroit Axle Company, the Paige Motor Com- pany, the Packard Company and others. The business has long since assumed extensive proportions and has become one of the important industrial features of Detroit. The carefully formulated and promptly exe- cuted plans of Mr. Vincent have been the basic element of the success of this undertaking, and in every de- partment the business is thoroughly systematized, so that maximum results are attained with a minimum expenditure of time, labor and material-which is the basis of all success.
In 1892 Mr. Vincent was united in marriage to Miss Susan Miller, and they have a son, Chester Milton Vincent, who during the World war was in the aviation department of the Naval Reserve and spent eight months in the Great Lakes Training Station, and was a quartermaster at the close of the war. He is still attached to the Naval Reserve.
Mr. Vincent is a member of Oriental Lodge, No. 240, A. F. & A. M .; King Cyrus Chapter, R. A. M .; Monroe Council, R. & F. M .; Damascus Commandery, K. T; and
ROBERT E. VINCENT
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Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is also con- nected with the society of Automotive Engineers, both in its local and national organizations, and with the Detroit Heat Treating Society, the American Heat Treating Society of Chicago, and the Detroit Board of Commerce. He belongs to a family whose ancestral record is one of which he has every reason to be proud, as capability in business and patriotism and devotion in citizenship have ever characterized those of the name. Moreover, his own line of life has been passed in harmony therewith, and in the years of his residence in Detroit he has made steady progress, not only in the attainment of success but also in win- ning the good name that is rather to be chosen than great riches.
HENRY J. GUTHARD. Various important inter- ests have felt the stimulus and profited by the co- operation of Henry J. Guthard, who at the present time, however, is largely concentrating his efforts and attention upon the Continental Bank and is a well known figure in the financial circles of the city. Mr. Guthard was born in Detroit, January 19, 1871, and is a son of Jacob and Louise (Aberle) Guthard. He pursued his education in the public schools and the Central high school of this city and in young man- hood turned his attention to the insurance and real estate business, entering the employ of Elias Aberle, with whom he remained until 1891. He was then but twenty years of age, yet he took over the fire insur- ance interests of Mr. Aberle and conducted the busi- ness alone under his own name. Several years later he was joined by his father, Jacob Guthard, and still later by his brother William, thus forming the well known insurance firm of the Jacob Guthard & Sons Company. The value of his cooperation in business affairs has long been recognized and his enterprising spirit was manifest strongly when he became one of the organizers of the Continental Bank, of which he is now the first vice president. He is regarded as a most capable financier and as an expert appraiser and he handles all the real estate loans of the bank, whether these are made to corporations or to indi- viduals. He was also at one time vice president and chairman of the executive committee of the Detroit Life Insurance Company, occupying the position for ten years, and was the strong man on that committee, advising in all financial affairs, loans and investments. He likewise became the vice president of the Federal State Bank. He was at one time secretary of the Detroit National Fire Insurance Company and at dif- ferent periods has been connected with many im- portant business enterprises of the city, but he has largely retired from active management in these con- nections and now concentrates his efforts and attention upon the upbuilding of the Continental Bank, while retaining a financial interest in many projects and important business interests of the city.
Mr. Guthard has figured prominently in various
public connections. He was the pioneer of the civil service commission in Detroit, having been appointed by Mayor Breitmeyer as the first representative of the commission, on which he has served continuously since. He is vice president of the Continental Real Estate Trust Company.
On the 5th of June, 1894, Mr. Guthard was married to Miss Hattie E. Shambergh of Schenectady, New York. Fraternally he is a thirty-second degree Mason, having membership in Ashlar Lodge, F. & A. M., Mich- igan Sovereign Consistory and Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is likewise connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and socially he is associated with the Detroit Athletic Club, the De- troit Golf Club, the Lochmoor Golf Club, the Masonic Country Club, of which he is a life member, and the Harmonie Society. His characteristics are a strong and pleasing personality combined with executive ability. He is a man in the prime of life, full of energy, and regarded as one of the most successful, capable and resourceful financiers of the city, an authority on all questions of finance. His residence is at 2929 Field avenue. His country home-The Twins -is on Riverside drive on the St. Clair river.
WILLIAM JOSEPH NESBITT, M. D., has been a member of the medical fraternity of Detroit since January, 1920, and his pronounced ability has already won recognition in a large and constantly increasing practice. He is a native of Canada, his birth having occurred in London on the 9th of August, 1888. His parents, James and Anna (McDonald) Nesbitt, are also natives of that country and the father was for many years a prominent and successful cattle broker of London, Ontario. He is still actively identified with business pursuits and is yet a resident of that city. The mother also survives and they have won the esteem and goodwill of a large circle of friends. Six children were born to their union: Arthur; Mary; Theresa, who follows the profession of nursing; Mrs. P. Mahon; Mrs. T. F. Morkin; and William Joseph, of this review.
Dr. Nesbitt acquired his early education in the public schools of his native city, after which he en- tered the medical department of the Western Uni- versity of London, Canada, from which he was grad- uated with the class of 1912. The following year he took the arts course in the same university. Going to Essex, in the province of Ontario, Canada, he there opened an office, successfully practicing his profession in that city from 1912 until 1918. He then became a captain in the medical corps of the Canadian army, remaining in the service until January, 1920. After receiving his discharge he became a resident of De- troit and his practice is steadily growing in volume and importance as he demonstrates his ability to cope with the intricate problems which are continually con- fronting the physician in his efforts to restore health and prolong life. In 1917 he attended the Chicago Post
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Graduate school and has ever remained a close and earnest student of his profession, thereby greatly pro- moting his efficiency. He is a member of the staff of the Provident Hospital and also of St. Mary's Hos- pital and thoroughly understands the scientific as well as the practical phases of his profession.
In London, Canada, on the 15th of July, 1919, Dr. Nesbitt was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Coles, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Coles, and they have become the parents of two children: Sheila, who was born in Detroit April 20, 1920; and William James, born May 2, 1921. Dr. Nesbitt is a Catholic in religious faith and holds membership with the Knights of Columbus, in which he has attained the third degree. That he is a loyal and public-spirited citizen is indicated by his identification with the De- troit Board of Commerce and his fraternal connec- tions are with the Wayne County, Michigan State and American Medical Associations. In order to secure his medical education he was obliged to work his way through college and is well deserving of the success which has attended his labors. He is a young man of enterprise and determination who is putting forth earnest effort to promote his knowledge and augment his skill and he is rapidly forging to the front in his profession.
WILLIAM S. CONANT, consulting engineer of De- troit, who has reached a place of high professional standing, was born on January 17, 1868, in the city which is still his home, and has come to be recog- nized as an authority in several fields of engineering science. He received his education at St. Paul's school, Concord, New Hampshire, at the Lawrence- ville school, in New Jersey, and at Princeton Uni- versity, from which he was graduated with the Bach- elor of Arts degree in 1890. He afterwards took the two years postgraduate course in electrical engi- neering. He began his business career in 1892, en- tering the employ of the Westinghouse Company in Pittsburgh, with whom he continued until 1895. The summer of the World's Fair was spent in Chicago as one of the engineers in charge of lighting and power at the exhibition.
Mr. Conant severed his connection with the West- inghouse Company to return to Detroit and form a partnership with Jesse M. Smith, as consulting engi- neers in the Moffat block. In their office were designed many of the mechanical plants of the factories which have built up industrial Detroit. Mr. Smith after- wards went to New York city, where he became prominent as a patent expert. Mr. Conant, however, continued in the old office for some time and in con- nection with his profession turned his attention to manufacturing interests, becoming one of the incorpo- rators of the Northern Engineering Works in 1899. From that date until 1906 he was a director of this company and from 1902 to 1911 was vice president
and one of the directors of the Briscoe Manufacturing Company, the first makers in a large way of sheet metal automobile components. He also became a di- rector and was secretary and manager of the McCreery Engineering Company, of Toledo, from 1907 to 1913. This was a highly specialized business involving the conditioning and cooling of ventilation air for public buildings and passenger vessels, as well as the manu- facture of ventilating fittings specified for United States battle ships and cruisers. A factory was built in Detroit and the plant moved here, under Mr. Co- nant's supervision. He is the coinventor of a method of humidity control used by the McCreery system. He has also been interested in the Boehme & Rauch Company of Monroe, since its organization, being on the board of directors. It has recently absorbed other interests and been reorganized into the Con- solidated Paper Company, of which he is a director.
In 1901 he acted as chief appraiser of telegrams and railway telephones on the first board of Michigan Railway Appraisal under Prof. M. E. Cooley. This was the earliest undertaking of the kind in this country and has formed the basis for subsequent work. In his engineering practice he has also made factory and machinery appraisals; superintended the instal- lation of railway and power plants; and designed in- dustrial plant extensions. He is recognized as an au- thority on factory cost systems and has specialized in the making of tests and reports upon the practicality of mechanical inventions and processes. There are several United States patents in his name. More- over, Mr. Conant is widely known in scientific circles by reason of his contributions to the literature of the profession. He has written technical articles for the Electrical World and the Electrical Review, also for the Street Railway Journal and for American In- dustries, the official magazine of the Manufacturers Association.
On the 25th of June, 1917, Mr. Conant was com- missioned a captain of ordnance in the army and was called to active service on the 1st of August, being detailed to the United States armory at Spring- field, Massachusetts, a government plant which later employed some five thousand men for the exclusive manufacture of service rifles. On the 15th of January, 1918, he was promoted to the rank of major. He re- mained at Springfield all through the war and received the additional appointment to duty with the North Eastern Department as constructing officer in the Construction Division, U. S. A. In this capacity there were built, under his supervision and from plans pre- pared in his office, several permanent buildings for the armory, chief of which is the experimental lab- oratory and underground sound-proof range for test- ing small arms and machine guns. The old power and light equipment of the factories was also re- placed by steam-turbine driven electric machinery. Major Conant was second in command at the army post at the end of his service and was honorably
WILLIAM S. CONANT
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discharged March 1, 1919. He was recommissioned in the Officers Reserve Corps on the 1st of April, 1919.
Mr. Conant comes of a family closely identified since 1810 with the development of the territory and the state of Michigan. He was married in 1901 to Miss Frances Elizabeth Wendling of Washington, D. C. He is a member of the Detroit Club, the Detroit Boat Club, the Country Club, Sons of the American Revolu- tion, Loyal Legion, Military Order of the World's War, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and other technical societies.
GEORGE LOUIS WEBER. Among the well known and highly respected residents of Detroit is numbered George L. Weber, who for sixty four years has made his home in this city, with whose upbuilding and development he has been closely associated. He is president of the George L. Weber Realty Company, displaying sound judgment in the conduct of his af- fairs and keen sagacity in placing investments, and by reason of his enterprise and diligence he has won a substantial measure of success. A native of Ger- many, he was born at Neustadt, Hesse, on the 16th of June, 1850, his parents being Franz and Elizabeth (Reichenbach) Weber, who were also natives of that country and emigrated to the United States in 1853. They first settled on a farm near Dearborn, Mich- igan, where they continued to make their home for four years, and then came to Detroit, here passing their remaining years, the father successfully engag- ing in the meat business for a considerable period. Their family numbered four children: Henry C., who passed away in 1915; Mrs. John B. Shefferly; Mrs. Josephine Gaulker, who died November 3, 1921; and George L.
In the pursuit of an education George L. Weber attended the schools of Dearborn and the Christian Brothers school of Detroit, but when twelve years of age he laid aside his textbooks to enter business life, learning the meat business under his father whom he succeeded in that business when the father retired. This market was at the corner of Gratiot avenue and St. Antoine street and he continued to conduct it until 1886, establishing a large business. He was then obliged to sell out on account of ill health and sub- sequently turned his attention to the crockery busi -. ness, also building up a good trade in that line. In 1910 he disposed of his establishment and has since given his time and attention to the management of his extensive real estate investments, having an inti- mate knowledge of the worth of property in the city. He is president of the George L. Weber Realty Com- pany and has negotiated many important property transfers, being regarded as one of the successful real estate men in Detroit.
On the 31st of July, 1877, Mr. Weber was united in marriage to Miss Mary Thummel, a native of Martinsburg, West Virginia, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thummel. Mrs. Weber died October
2, 1921. Seven children were born to this union: Frank A., a graduate of St. Joseph's College, is en- gaged in the real estate business with his father. He is married and has one child, Ralph; Charles H. is a graduate of St. Mary's school of this city, and is now treasurer and manager of the George L. Weber Realty Company; Alois G., also a graduate of that school, married Miss Clara Huber and they have one child, Francis. Mrs. Alois G. Weber died October 24, 1921; Clara, also a graduate of St. Mary's school, is now a Sister of Charity, connected with St. Vincent's con- vent; Raymond V., who attended the Detroit schools, was married to Miss Florence McMillan of this city; Elizabeth Josephine and Marie were educated in the schools of the city and are at home with their parents.
Mr. Weber is the owner of a beautiful home on the northwest corner of Cadillac avenue and St. Paul street, in one of the most desirable residential sections of the city. He is a democrat in his political views and in religious faith is a Roman Catholic, being identified with the Holy Name Society and the Knights of Columbus. "The force of his personality, the keen- ness of his insight and the soundness of his judgment have brought him to a position of prominence in real estate circles of Detroit and his efforts have con- stituted an important element in the development and progress of the city, in which he has spent practically his entire life.
ROBERT FINN is prominent among the younger architects of Detroit and has erected a number of the city's high class apartments and commercial build- ings, his activities thus constituting an important factor in the work of general progress and develop- ment in this part of the state. He is a native of Russia, his birth having occurred in Kiev on the 25th of December, 1883. His parents were Aaron and Fanny (Rivlin) Finn, both of whom were born in that city. He attended the governmental schools of Russia, after which he entered the government uni- versity, winning one of the twenty scholarships open to all members of the Semitic race in Russia, thus in- dicating his superior mental endowments, only the twenty who so qualify receiving the benefit of a col- lege education. While a student at the university Mr. Finn devoted his attention to the study of paint- ing and architecture, under the instruction of the most noted teachers in Russia, his course covering a period of eight years, so that he acquired an unusually thor- ough knowledge of both professions.
In 1904, when a young man of twenty-one years, Mr. Finn sought the broader opportunities offered in the United States to an ambitious, energetic young man and made his way to Detroit, where he took up the work of his profession. Entering the office of Albert Kahn, one of the most noted architects of the country, he there remained for five years, gaining valu- able practical experience. In 1910 he won one of three scholarships in a competitive examination open to all
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students of architecture in the country, given by the American Society of Architecture to Harvard Uni- versity, thus entitling him to a two years' course in architecture. Upon completing his studies he entered the office of McGinnis & Walsh, leading architects of Boston, with whom he remained for two years and then returned to Detroit in the latter part of 1914, establishing an office in the Free Press building, where he remained for one year and then removed to the David Whitney building. He continued at that loca- tion for a period of three years and then opened an office in the McKerchy building, where he has now conducted his interests for the past two years. He does not specialize in any particular branch of archi- tecture but the greater part of his work has been along the line of apartment houses and dwellings and many notable examples of his handiwork are to be seen in various sections of the city. He combines beauty of design with utility, comfort and convenience and his thorough scientific training and natural ability have enabled him to produce exceptionally high grade work. He employs a small staff of assistants and is rapidly forging to the front in his profession, having already built up a good clientele.
In 1917 Mr. Finn was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Kanterman, of St. Paul, Minnesota, and they reside in an attractive home at No. 2002 Hazelwood street. He is independent in his political views, voting for the man whom he considers best qualified for office without regard to party affiliations. He keeps in touch with the advancement that is being made along archi- tectural lines through his membership in the American and Michigan Societies of Architecture and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, with Pisgah Lodge of the Order of B'nai B'rith, and with the Perfection Lodge of the Masonic order. Mr. Finn is a young man of energy, ability and enterprise who has attained success through close application and tireless effort. He has never regretted his determina- tion to leave his native land and seek his fortune in a strange country, for here he has found the opportu- nities which he sought and in their utilization has attained an enviable position among the leading architects of Detroit.
WALTER F. TANT is the secretary and treasurer of the Michigan Stamping Company, one of the largest institutions of its kind in the entire country. His thoroughness, his persistency of purpose and his ef- ficiency, have been the salient elements in gaining him a prominence which he today occupies in manu- facturing circles of Detroit. He was born in this city, July 4, 1879, and is a son of Mark E. and Clara (Miles) Tant, both of whom were natives of England, but when quite young came to the new world, set- tling in Detroit.
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