Alex H. Nimmo

The proprietor of the A.H. Nimmo Electric Company, Alex H. Nimmo, is one of the vital and progressive business men of the younger generation in Detroit and his executive ability and well ordered policies have proved potent in developing the substantial business which this company controls in the handling of all kinds of electric machinery and supplies, with headquarters at 856 Michigan avenue.

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Rev. M.D. Fuller, D.D.

Rev. M.D. Fuller, D.D., who is now serving his fifth year as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Jermyn, was born near Deckertown, N.J. After a preparatory education in the public schools there he entered Milford Academy at Milford, this State, and afterwards became a student in a private school in Warren county, New Jersey.

At about this time the Civil War broke out, and though he was only 16 years of age in 1861, left school to enlist in the Union army, from which he was honorably discharged on July 12, 1865, after four years of distinguished services as a member of the late Governor Henry M. Hoyt’s Fifty-second Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. He distinguished himself in the siege of Charlestown, South Carolina, where for months his regiment was under fire from the Southern troops. For his bravery in this siege he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, an office which he held at the time of his discharge.

Thumb Nail Sketches

No. 33 Judge E.S.B. Sutton

Judge E.S.B. Sutton is known as the small man who smokes large cigars. Mr. Sutton knows a good cigar when he sees it, and insists on smoking the best Havanas local dealers keep in stock. The judge doesn’t own any stock in the Standard Oil company, but when he puts a fresh cigar in his mouth, tips back in his chair and rests his feet on his desk, he takes about as much comfort as any man in the country.

Mr. Sutton was born in famous Oakland county, where they grow gubernatorial candidates and cucumber pickles. When but a small lad he learned how to “look wise,” followed this up with a law course and thus developed into a full fledged lawyer. He came to the Soo many years ago and by steady work has risen to a high position in legal circles.

Ford W. Margarum Is Descendant Of Many Farmers’ Bank Heads

John J. Stanton, in his column, “About Interesting People” devotes a part of this week’s issue of the Sussex, N.J., Independent to Ford W. Margarum, of whom he has the following to say:

Ford W. Margarum, who was again elected president of the Farmers’ National Bank, of Sussex, Tuesday last, began his services with the bank more than 25 years ago.  He has filled the office of president continuously since the death of Charles A. Wilson, in October, 1907.  He is a natural, ingrained banker and business man.  His great grandfather was a great business man and a pioneer in Hamburg.  His wife was Mary Ford, who died in 1856.  Stephen Ford Margarum, the son of Samuel Edward and Mary Ford Margarum, was born at Hamburg in 1793, and died 1852.  He inherited the enterprise of his family, and his business connections were very extensive.  In 1827, nearly a hundred years ago, he bought the estate of William Smith, merchant, of New York city, 1,088 and 65-100 acres of the Colonel Seward tract upon the Snufftown mountain.  He added to this purchase by others afterwards made.  The venerable John Seward mansion was his home and his mother, Mrs. Mary F. Margarum, resided with him.  About 69 years ago the old house was taken down to make room for the more commodious and tasteful dwelling erected by his son, Noah H. Margarum.  Mr. Margarum had a saw mill and grist mills and ran the forge upon the Seward creek branch of the Pennaquock above his house and near the Vernon township line.  The Col. Seward here mentioned was the grandfather of the distinguished William H. Seward, of the Lincoln cabinet.  The latter was born in Florida, Orange county, in 1801.  Dr. Samuel Swezy Seward at the time of his death was one of the wealthiest men in Orange county.  On his mother’s side Ford’s great grandfather, grandfather, great uncle and father were all presidents of the Farmers’ National Bank.  You can now readily see where Ford gets his name.

Source:  Orange County Times-Press, January 20, 1925.

Local Resident Helped to Form Country’s Largest Industrial Banking Company

Wallace Donald McLean of Morris Lane, executive vice-president of The Morris Plan Company of New York, the largest industrial banking institution in America, was born in New Hampshire of Scotch parents. He is the great grandson of John McLean of New York, who was a prominent public citizen and one of the founders of The Bank of Manhattan.

Mr. McLean’s early life was spent in Washington, D. C. He attended the public schools and later prepared for college at the Friends’ School of that city. From there, he entered Princeton University, graduating with an A.B. degree, in the class of 1896. He then concentrated on the study of law at Columbian University, (now George Washington University), in Washington, and in 1898 received his degree of LL.B.

Charles E. Gallup

Charles E. Gallup, realtor, was born in Lenawee county, Michigan, March 14, 1862, a son of Harper P. and Susan Elizabeth (Loman) Gallup, the former a native of Melbourne, Canada, and the latter a native of New Jersey. The father came to the United States at the age of twenty-two years and settled in Wisconsin where he remained four years moving from there to Lenewee county, Michigan. He was a carpenter and worked at his trade until his death. Charles E. Gallup received his education in the schools of Lenawee county and Hillsdale College. As a young man he taught school and later became a farmer, an occupation he followed until 1907, when he came to Ann Arbor and engaged in the real estate business in which he has won a considerable degree of success. In addition to his interests in Ann Arbor he is vice-president and director in the Michigan Mutual Savings Association, of Detroit and is president of the Gallup-Folker Common Law Trust Company of Detroit. Mr. Gallup was married in 1884 to Miss Emma Jewell Gallup, who died May 5, 1910, leaving four children. They are: Mrs. Agnes Jewell Ingall, Mrs. Hazel May Sprenger, of Detroit, C. Arthur Gallup, of the Washtenaw Motor Company, of Ann Arbor, and Mrs. Lucile Burd, also of Ann Arbor. On May 7, 1912, Mr. Gallup was again married to Mrs. Harriet M. Shafer. Mr. Gallup is a Mason, a member of the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, the Ann Arbor Real Estate Board and a member of the official board of the Methodist church.

Source:  Finley, Byron Allen (editor).  N.D. Historic Michigan, Land of the Great Lakes. A third volume devoted to Washtenaw County.  Dayton, OH:  National Historical Association

George Walling Loosley

One of the first white children born at Champoeg, Oregon, in Clackamas County, was George Walling Loosley on August 16, 1856. He and his father, John Loosley, came to Klamath County in 1871, built and operated the first flour mill here and took an active part in the early development of the county. John Loosley was born on February 9, 1824, in Oxford, England, where he received his education. There he sang in Queen Victoria’s choir in the Episcopal Church. His trip to the United States required three months and on arrival he began his life-long trade of flour miller by operating a mill in Chicago. In 1852 he settled in Clackamas County, after coming west by covered wagon, remaining there nearly twenty years before he located in Klamath County at Wood River Valley where he was the first rancher and built the first home, dying there November 24, 1900. George Loosley’s mother, Lucy Walling, was born at Muscatine, Iowa, January 22, 1834. She crossed the plains in a covered wagon with her father, locating at Albany, Oregon, in 1847, and was married at Amity, Oregon, April 1, 1854. Her life was devoted to her 12 children and neighborhood service as practical nurse. On May 28, 1912, she died at Wood River. Among her children known here are Benjamin Henry of Malin; Birdseye McPherson, of Diamond Lake Junction; Fanny (Mrs. Oscar Bunch), of Chiloquin; Philip Sheridan, of Medford, Oregon.

Estell H. Rorick

It was September 1, 1842, that Dr. Estell H. Rorick of Fayette began his earthly career in Seneca, Michigan. He is a son of William and Phoebe (Brees) Rorick, the father from New Jersey and the mother from New York State. The young man was reared on a farm in Lenawee County, and in 1867 he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as a student in the medical department there.

The Rorick family history began in Michigan with the coming of William Rorick in 1836, and he owned a great deal of land in Lenawee County. He was in position to give superior educational advantages to his children, and when the Doctor was 16 years old he attended the Medina, Michigan academy. He later attended college at Kalamazoo but lacking funds to continue at the time he engaged in teaching for two years. At Medina young Rorick formed the acquaintance of Doctor Weed, and it was through his influence that the young man decided to study medicine and surgery.

Estell H. Rorick

HON. ESTELL H. RORICK, Superintendent of the State Institution for the Feeble Minded at Columbus, Ohio, was born in Lenawee county, Michigan, September 1, 1842. His father moving, from Horseheads, N. Y., in 1836, was one of the early pioneers of that part of Michigan and was a large land owner when the subject of this sketch, was a. boy. Educational facilities were not good, but young Rorick, by close attention to his studies at the district school and at home to enter the Medina Academy at the age of sixteen. He afterward attended college at Kalamazoo, Michigan. but lacking means to finish his course, he taught two terms of district school, intending later on to return to college. At the Medina school, he formal the acquaintance of Dr. Weeds, a physician of note, and thereby, conceived the idea of studying medicine and turned his studies, in that direction Dr. Weeds, who became a surgeon in the United States service was located at Nashville. Tenn., where Mr. Rorick joined him in 1864 served as hospital assistant until the close of the war. He then returned to Michigan and in due time entered the University, of. Michigan at Ann Arbor and graduated, from the medical department in 1869. and located for practice at Tedrow. Ohio, and was rewarded with eminent, success from the beginning. Three years later he sold out his practice to Dr. G. P. Campbell and bought out Dr. J. 0. Allen of Fayette. He did much toward building up Fayette and making it one of the most prosperous educational and business towns of its size in Ohio, He contributed largely toward the expense of establishing the Palette Normal University and at his own expense furnished a room in the institution, fitting it up with mannikins, models, charts and all other useful apparatus and delivered regular courses of lectures, on the subjects of anatomy, physiology and hygiene free of charge. He took a postgraduate course at the Detroit Medical College and graduated March 2, 1875. In 1877 he went to Scotland and took a partial medical course in the University of Edinburgh and after visiting and studying the principal hospitals of London and Paris returned to his practice in 1878. He again took a post graduate course at the Alabama Medical Collage at Mobile and graduated March 15, 1883. He was elected to the state legislature in 1887 and again in 1889; serving four years, His service as representative was satisfactory to: his constituents and useful to the state. As a member of the Finance committee of the House he was required to visit frequently the State institutions, this giving him an opportunity to carefully study their conditions and to note their requirements. His education and professional experience as well as his interest in and familiarity with the state institutions became so well . known that he was recognized throughout the state by those in authority as a man well adapted to assume the difficult management of a state hospital, for which his name was prominently mentioned in connection with the superintendency of several institutions, but at the close of his second term in the legislature he returned to his practice in Fayette, after taking a course of studies at the Polyclinic in New York, and graduating in 1892. Under the first administration of Gov. Asa S. Bushnell, he was elected by the board of directors to the superintendency of the State Hospital at Athens, Ohio, which institution he took charge of in June, 1896. His administration was a successful one and his business management a great saving to the state. The grounds and buildings were vastly improved, and at the same time the per capita cost of maintenance was reduced to the lowest figure in the history of the state for a similar institution. A vacancy occurring by the death of Mr. Doren, Dr. Rorick was requested to take charge of the Institution. for Feeble Minded at Columbus by Gov. Myron T. Herrick, which he did in May, 1905. The same business methods used at Athens were employed at Columbus, resulting in a saving to the state of $13,222.58. for the months ending October 15, as compared with the same months for the year 1904. Dr. Rorick’s father, who was of German descent, was born in New Jersey, March 30, 1805, and died at Morenci, Mich., January 15, 1898. His mother, Phoebe Ann Breese, was of English parentage, born at Horseheads, N. Y., October 27, 1811, and died in Seneca, Michigan, September 1, 1858. He was united in marriage to Mary P. Acker, August 20, 1868. They have but one child living— Mabel, who is attending the university at Columbus. The eldest child, Clark, died at the age of eight and Georgie at the age of twenty. Dr. Rorick has been financially successful, being a large real estate owner as well as having controlling interest in the First National Bank at Morenci.

Source: Mikesell, Thomas. 1905. The County of Fulton. Madison, WI: The Northwestern Historical Association.

Estell H. Rorick

Honorable Estell H. Rorick, Athens, Ohio, was born in Lenawee county, Michigan, near the town of Morenci, September 1, 1842. His father, William Rorick, came from New York in 1836 and was one of the pioneers of Michigan. He purchased land and, when the subject of this sketch was a young boy, owned a large farm upon which all of the boys learned by practical routine the solid facts of industry and economy. Educational facilities were not good, but young Rorick managed to prepared himself at the district school to enter the Medina academy, which he did at the age of sixteen. He afterward attended college at Kalamazoo, Michigan. Not having means to finish his course, he left college and taught school two years, in the meantime spending his spare hours under the instruction of Dr. Weed, who became surgeon in the United States army, stationed at Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Rorick joined him in Nashville in 1864, and served as hospital assistant until the war closed. Still without means to take a medical course, he worked in a brickyard in Illinois one summer, carefully leaving his entire wages with his employer, who broke up in the fall and did not pay him a dollar. He then returned to Michigan and engaged in farming and teaching, and finally, with his earnings and four hundred dollars borrowed money, graduated from the medical department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1869. He again worked one summer in a brickyard in Canandaigua, Michigan, and later in the year located in Tedrow, near Wauseon, Ohio, and commenced the practice of medicine. Three years later he sold his practice in Tedrow to Dr. G.P. Campbell, now a trustee of the State hospital at Toledo, and bought out the fine practice of Dr. J.O. Allen, at Fayette, Ohio, and his success for the future was thereby assured. He did much toward making Fayette one of the most prosperous educational and business towns of its size in Ohio. He contributed largely to the expense of securing the Fayette Normal university for his town, and at his own expense furnished a room in the institute and fitted it up with mannikins, models, charts and all useful and necessary apparatus, and delivered regular courses of lectures in anatomy, physiology and hygiene free of charge until official duties required his absence from home. He took a post graduate course at the Detroit Medical college and graduated March 2, 1875. In 1877 he went to Scotland and took a partial medical course at the University of Edinburgh, and after visiting and studying the principal hospitals of London and Paris, returned to his practice in 1878. He again took a post graduate course at the Alabama Medical college at Mobile and graduated March 5, 1883.

Source: Men of Northwestern Ohio: A Collection of Portraits and Biographies of Well Know Men in this Section of the Professional, Business and Commercial World. 1898. Toledo, OH: C.S. Van Tassel.