business. In 1879 he was elected treasurer of the city, the only public elective office he ever held. In 1880 he purchased an interest in the Jackson Ice Company and became treasurer and manager of the company, retaining that office until some five years ago. In May, 1864, the Jackson Corset Company was organized, Mr. Stiles becoming its president, an office he held until his death. During the last five years of his life he gave his entire time to the duties of that office. Mr. Stiles was united in marriage, July 9, 1868, with Miss Rozella Rowan, who survives him. He leaves also an adopted son. Outside of business matters Mr. Stiles was perhaps most prominent in Masonic circles. He was a member of Michigan Lodge No. 50, Free and Accepted Masons; Jackson Chapter No. 3, Royal Arch Masons; Jackson Commandery No. 9, Knights Templar, and Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He was also a thirty-third degree Mason. He has held nearly every office in the various orders, the last one being that of grand eminent commander of the grand commandery of Michigan, Knights Templar. He was also a member of Amity Council, Royal Arcanum. Albert Stiles was a good business man. Strictly honest and honorable in all his transactions, he had succeeded in amassing a competence. He was a progressive man and was deeply interested in the growth and prosperity of his native city. In politics he was a radical Republican, and although refusing to accept office himself, he was for many years a leader in the councils of his party. As a friend Mr. Stiles was sincere and constant.

William Hammond originally settled in Eaton county, where he held the office of courty treasurer. He came to Jackson in

1854, and was an active agent in forming the Republican party. Governor Bingham made him warden at the state prison, where he instituted many necessary reforms in discipline and in the economy of management. He held the place for four years, and was succeeded by William L. Seaton. When the war broke out Governor Blair appointed Mr. Hammond paymaster-general, and he disbursed many thousands of dollars for bounties and to pay the state troops, and was a careful, correct and scrupulously honest official. He died in 1866. He had several daughters, one of whom was Mrs. George H. Mosher, and one son, J. T. Hammond, who is now filling his fourth term as probate judge of the county.

William P. and Lathan Kassick came in 1839, and opened a dry-goods store and continued in business together until 1858, when W. P. Kassick died. Lathan Kassick continued in business until 1879, when he retired, his death occurring about 1893. His widow still survives and is one of the most esteemed ladies in the city. For many years she has been one of the foremost church workers and takes especial interest in missionary and charitable work.

Levi P. Gregg was a pioneer of 1838, and for many years served the public as a tailor. He was an active and progressive man, and made his mark in politics, being city treasurer, register of deeds, and holding other positions. His two sons enlisted in the Union army one is now in the State Soldiers' Home, and his youngest daughter is the wife of Supervisor E. H. Howell, of this city. Mr. Gregg was an earnest and patriotic citizen, and through his long business career was well liked and popular.

George Byrne came to Jackson in 1838,

and engaged in teaching school. In 1840 he was elected register of deeds and held the office for two years. He was then chosen a justice of the peace and held this office ten years, or until his decease. One of his sons, Gilbert R. Byrne, was employed for many years in the Jackson City Bank, and died two years ago. A son, Benj. Byrne,

is still in the bank, and a daughter is the wife of Ald. George W. Scotford, the well known local editor of the Daily Citizen.

Samuel W. Whitwell came to Jackson county in 1838, and established himself as a merchant in the village of Leoni. In 1845 he transferred his business to Jackson, and was a leading merchant for ten or more years, until he turned the store over to William M. Bennett, and started a private bank, which afterwards became Whitwell & & Loomis, later still P. B. Loomis & Company, and after the death of William D. Thompson was merged with the Jackson City Bank. In 1859 Mr. Whitwell removed to New York and opened a wholesale commission house on Whitehall street. He retired in 1890 and soon afterward died at Aiken, South Carolina, where he had gone for his health. Many old settlers will remember "Sam" Whitwell as a most genial, but dignified, gentleman. He was very popular personally, and it was said of him that he saved more farmers from being sold out on mortgages than any other man in Jackson county.

Denman T. Merriman came from Auburn, New York, in 1837, and established a dry-goods store where the Dwight block now stands. In 1840 he built a brick block, and with his brothers, Charles E., Levi and William, who succeeded him at his death, retained the store for thirty years. Next to

the city itself, the old "Merriman Store" was a fixture of the place.

Frederick W. Kirtland was an early settler, coming here in 1842. He kept a retail store on the south side of the public square for many years, when he retired to a farm just east of the city, where the Central Railroad Junction shops now stand. Mr. Kirtland made a success of raising and selling sheep, and was for twelve years town clerk of the town of Summit. Later he moved into the city and resided on the corner of Jackson and Biddle streets, where he died some two years since.

William Jackson settled in Leoni in 1837 and kept store. He also built a mill and a distillery. These he ran for years, until the temperance wave resulted in prohibition, when he left Leoni and came to Jackson, where he was engaged in the grocery trade. Mr. Jackson was prominent as a Whig and Republican, ran several times for the legislature, and was mayor of the city in 1859. He was familiarly known as "the General," and was a devotee of the stage. His store was always the favorite resort of all who wanted "fresh garden seeds" and "Courtland county cheese."

Daniel Hodgkins came to Jackson in 1831, with his parents. He started at the age of seventeen teaching school, and in 1840 started in trade in the grocery business. By energy and thrift he extended his pursuits to dry goods, grain and wool buying and finally banking. He built the two brick stores, corner of Main and Jackson streets, on the old public square and for years was one of the foremost business n in the county. In 1857 the failure of the Bank of River Raisin, at Adrian, with which he was connected, caused a collapse

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that was fatal to his business interests. He removed to Chicago in 1868 and later to St. Louis, where he died in December, 1902, aged eighty-four years.

Joseph C. Bailey was an early pioneer, in 1833, and taught the first school on the east side of the river. He was a justice of the peace, register of deeds and in 1847 became deputy state treasurer, and died in Lansing in 1856.

William Jessup was an early merchant, the firm of Green & Jessup first appearing in 1836. They came from Buffalo. But they did not last long, as their firm disappeared during the panic of 1838-9, Mr. Green, the Buffalo end of it, having failed in that city.

Daniel Porter settled in Jackson in 1835. He was a mason by trade, and was one of the stalwart type of Connecticut pilgrims. He settled in the south part of the village, at the corner of Jackson and Franklin streets. His family consisted of five girls, all fine, well educated and religious ladies. Some old residents will remember these women as wives of Francis Woodbury, Ichabod Cole, Charles S. Johnson, of Jackson, and W. F. Hollister, of Chicago. Of the Woodbury children one son became quite noted as a preacher, and the other died in the naval service during the Civil war, and the daughter married the Rev. John Montieth. Mrs. Cole's only daughter became the wife of the late John M. Root, and is still a resident of the city of Jackson.

good musician and organized the first brass band in the city about 1842 and was its leader for twenty-five years. He was always quite prominent in local affairs, but was a Whig, and being very frank and positive in his opinions and expressions, was not a success as an office getter or holder. But Jackson had few better all-around good citizens in his day than Mr. Foster.

James M. Gilbert came in 1835 and established a saddle and harness shop. He was a very energetic man and soon built up a fine business. But the climate did not agree with him, and in 1842 he sold out to Mr. Albert Howe, and soon afterward died a victim of consumption.

Michael Norris came to Jackson in 1834 and established the first cooper shop. He cut the oak trees for his first stock of staves along Oak street. He continued the business until his death, some eight years ago. He had a large family and some of his sons. are among the present business men of the city.

Henry A. Hayden was a native of Otsego county, New York. He came to Michigan in 1837, and was employed as an assistant civil engineer on the Central Railroad, in which capacity he first came to Jackson in the winter of 1838. He spent most of his time here until the road was sold by the state in 1847. He purchased the old Vandercook Mill property, and a few years later the Ford Mills in the city, and engaged in the manufacture of flour. In 1851 the firm became Hayden & Reynolds. In 1854 they purchased the Kennedy Steam Mill from P. B. Loomis and became the leading millers in central Michigan, putting out upwards of five hundred barrels per day. Both their mills burned down,

and Mr. Hayden turned his attention to other business, principally banking and railroad building. He was one of the original stockholders of the Peoples National Bank, organized in 1861, and was its president up to the time of his death. He was also one of the original promoters of the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw Railroad Company, and retained a large interest in that. He died in 1899 and left a large fortune to his son and daughters. He was prominently connected with the Episcopal church, and to his liberality that society is very largely indebted for its prosperity. Mr. Hayden was a quiet man, of a conservative and even temper, quick and decisive in his methods, but extremely liberal in his views and dealings. He represented the district in the legislature in 1863, and was twice elected mayor of the city. Few men who have ever lived in Jackson have been so universally esteemed as a citizen or business man, or whose loss was more generally regretted.

Silas W. Stowell came from Detroit to Jackson in 1836, and opened a grocery store on the public square. When the prison was located Mr. Stowell secured the contract for supplying the prisoners, and built a store on the east side of Mechanic street, a few rods south of that institution, and carried on business there for a number of years. Later he moved back into Main street, and continued business until 1865. Mr. Stowell was a factor of no inconsiderable quantity in the growth of Jackson. He built a large number of buildings, and several brick blocks. He lived to the age of ninety-six years, and died in 1896. He was a member of the Congregational society,

and several fraternal orders, and was a most estimable man and a good citizen.

John H. Jenkins came to Jackson in 1835. He built a store on the south side of Main street and a residence on Courtland street, and opened a shoe store and shop. For some years he did a good business, but he had a strong appetite for drink. He lost his business and his property, and became a common drunkard. At last the poor authorities took him in charge, and finally he was sent to the poor house, a victim of appetite, where he died.

George H. Gardiner was an arrival of 1834, starting in as a grocer. Two years later he changed his business into a saloon. Then for the first time the denizens of Jackson saw the real thing-the large mirrors, the fine counters, and the long rows of bottles. The saloon soon became the regular resort of the drinking population and many hilarious times were reported. Not that it had been at all hard to obtain liquor, for all the merchants kept it for sale by the jug full, and nearly all kept a black quart bottle under a counter out of which customers were treated, but this was stale, compared with the gorgeous saloon. Gardiner prospered apace. Finally he sold an interest to his brother-in-law, Reynolds, and soon. after retired from business and removed to Chicago.

Erastus Champlin came in 1836, and en-. gaged to work in Ford's mill. He remained in their employ for six years, when he went to Jefferson to start the flouring mill there. Later he was connected with the Spring Arbor Mills, and at Jonesville and Homer, also at other places in the state. He had a good reputation as a miller, and it was