STATE OF MICHIGAN.

To all to whom these presents shall come, or may in any wise concern, the President, Secretary and Censors of, the Monroe County Medical Society send greeting: Whereas, Joseph L. Tucker hath exhibited unto us satisfactory evidence that he is duly qualified to practice physic and surgery, know ye, that pursuant to the power and authority vested in us by law, we do grant unto the said Joseph L. Tucker the privilege of practicing physic and surgery in this State, together with all the rights and immunities which usually appertain to physicians and surgeons.

In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of the society to be hereunto affixed, at the city of Monroe, this 26th day of February, A. D. 1840.

WILLIAM M. SMITH, President, P. L. Attest: HARRY CONANT, Secretary.

In the spring of 1850, Dr. Tucker with his wife became actively identified with the First Baptist Church of Erie, under the pastorate of Elder John Thomas, and during his long residence in that locality he contributed to its true interest with unswerving fidelity. He was eminently faithful and strict in meeting every personal obligation in business, in the church, in society, and wherever duty called him to act. He was of that conscientious New England mould which made him especially vigilant of every charge committed to his care, and throughout his long residence in Erie was largely relied upon in promoting the true pros · perity of the township, seeking faithfully to promote the establishment of general education, and was among the first to secure a scholarship in Hillsdale College when that institution was in its infancy. Dr. Tucker was a member of the Masonic fraternity and held the office of treasurer at the time of his death.

In politics he was originally a Democrat, but from the beginning of the presidential campaign of 1857 until his death he was identified with the Republican party.

On the 6th of June, 1860, he was called to mourn the death of his wife, who for over a quarter of a century had walked faithfully by his side; a woman endowed with rare social

qualities which attracted to her a large circle of acquaintances. Three children survived her, Melissa M., wife of Dr. R. R. Kirby, of Petersburgh, and two sons, Charles M. and Sheldon B., who lived to maturity, but both now deceased. In the autumn of 1867 Dr. Tucker removed to the village of Petersburgh, Monroe county, and on May 2, 1868, was united in marriage with Miss Isabel E. Posey, of Helena, Ohio, who died November 15, 1874. One daughter by this marriage survives, Nora Bell, who is at present a student in the scientific department of the Northern Indiana Normal College at Valparaiso, Indiana.

The

His residence continued in Petersburgh until his death, which occurred June 11, 1880. funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Edwin Dawes,of the Methodist church of Petersburgh. The funeral was largely attended by his friends, and as a special mark of respect the Masonic lodges of Lambertville, Dundee and Petersburgh were represented in a body and accompanied the remains to the cemetery east of the village, where the Hon. James I. Russell, master of Blanchard Lodge, of Petersburgh, pronounced an eulogy, making just recognition of the honorable and useful life of the deceased.

EDWARD GEORGE JOSEPH LAUER,

Or as he is better known to the inhabitants of Monroe and vicinity, Ed. G. J. Lauer, was born February 20, 1859, the place of his nativity being Monroe, and his parents Sebastian and Phillipine (Seitz) Lauer. Phillipine (Seitz) Lauer. His father was a native of Landshausen, Baden, where he was born February 9, 1820, and came to this country in 1841, settling in Monroe in 1843, and married August 2, 1845; beginning the boot and shoe business with his brother-in-law, E. Yaeger, June 1, 1846, remaining in partnership with him until his death, July 19, 1860; the business being now carried on by E. Yaeger & Son at the same stand where it was commenced in 1846. His mother was born in Wachenheim, Bavaria, May 11, 1826, coming to America and settling in Monroe in 1837. August 17, 1883, she died. She left to mourn her loss one daughter, Mrs. J. F. Wagner, of Monroe, and two sons, Emanuel S. and Edward, of which Edward was the youngest.

Left an orphan at the tender age of two years,

Mr. Lauer owes, in a great measure, his present position in society to the Christian teachings of a loved mother, and after three years' instruction at the parochial school connected with Emanuel (Lutheran) church, more familiarly known as "the Old Peartree church," at the age of nine he entered the Monroe union schools and pursued his studies for five years, when the necessity of doing something for the support of his aged mother so worked on his filial affections that he renounced all idea of further education and entered upon his life work by securing employment in the dry goods store of Gouverneur Morris, starting at the princely salary of seven dollars a month and board himself. His connection with Mr. Morris continued until the spring of 1877, when he entered the employ of J. M. Bulkley, where he remained until the spring of 1881, when Mr. B. improved the opportunity of enlarging his business by removal to Manistee, Michigan. Mr. Lauer, having by close application acquired a thorough knowledge of the dry goods business during his nine years' clerkship, conceived the idea that Monroe could sustain a metropolitan dry goods emporium, and with that vision in his mind he made the start on May 1, 1881, the result of which has already shown that he had a peculiar adaptation and talent for his chosen occupation. Engaging the store at No. 25 Front street, he went to New York City, and with no capital and but little backing other than his experience in the business and the well wishes of his many friends in Monroe, made the acquaintance of Mr. John H. Reed, of the large wholesale dry goods house of Bates, Reed & Cooley, to whom he frankly stated the circumstances in which he was situated, the condition of business in Monroe and a brief outline of what he expected to accomplish. His manly bearing and honest appearance, together with his intimate knowledge of the wants of prospective customers, soon made a warm friend of Mr. Reed, who, with no further references than his own practical judgment of human nature, offered Mr. Lauer all the credit he might need in starting his business venture. He commenced with a small stock of fine and well selected goods, and in accordance with his convictions began a system of judicious advertising in which he announced to the public what he had in stock, and that he was offering bargains in his line of

goods. By being careful to do in every case as he promised in his advertisements, and keeping faith with his customers, and already having the good will and confidence of the public by reason of his long acquaintance with them, trade grew apace, until before the year had passed his first venture of a light stock of goods compelled him to fill a large portion of his shelving with empty boxes in order to make a showing. He had visited the eastern markets several times, posting himself on all the latest novelties that were being introduced and from them selecting all the most desirable for the Monroe market, making it always his study and aim to keep on hand only fresh, desirable and salable goods, and giving his cus tomers a selection from a line as large and varied as any store of the kind in Toledo or Detroit. To all who came he took pleasure in showing goods and quoting prices; the rich, the poor, were always shown the same attention in his store, and found Mr. Lauer and his clerks pleasant, affable and courteous, with whom it was always a pleasure to do business. This line of conduct deservedly found its reward in the rapid increase of his business, until the empty boxes had been taken from the shelving and new goods and greater varieties taken their place, and in less than two years he was crowded for room in which to show his stock He sucand accommodate his customers. ceeded in obtaining a lease of the rear end of the adjoining store, which was soon filled and more room wanted. This was temporarily obtained by adding twelve feet of the rear end of Miss Webb's store to this ell, and in June, 1886, he took the entire store and at once threw the two rooms into one, new show windows were put in and the store handsomely painted and papered, giving it a neat, fresh, attractive and convenient appearance, which can hardly be excelled in the county. While the fact that Mr. Lauer has by his untiring industry, judicious advertising and honest dealing, as well as his universally courteous and gentlemanly conduct, built up his trade from its small beginning to its present mammoth proportions, is greatly to his credit as an energetic and pushing business man, yet he modestly shifts much of the credit to his clerical force, in which he has been exceeding fortunate in his selection. On the starting of his mercantile bark, Mr. William F. Schmidt, who