TREASURE I S W HER E

YOU FIN D IT

Williaa Cowie Residenoe

Northeast corner o£
Canfield Avenue We.t and Third Avenue
Built in 1676 - Razed after 1957
1'rom
~ '!istoQ: ~
Detro! t ~ Michigan
by Silas F .......r
Volume I, 1689, page 420

Publication underwritten by a grant trom

The Hiatorio Memorials Sooiety
in Detroit, Miohigan
April 1969
 OUTLINE HISTORY OF CANFIELD AVENUE WEST
BETWEEN SECOND BOULEVARD AND THIRD AVENUE

IN HONOR OF ITS ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY

1869 - 1969

by Mrs. Henry G. Groehn

One lovely Wednesday afternoon, in the 1870's, two little girls sat
on the McVittie front steps on the south side of Canfield Avenue West,
between Second Boulevard and Third Avenue. They were watching the carriagos
and horses as they clip-clopped to a stop in front of the Watton carriage
stone next door. The ladies in elegant afternoon attire were "com!"" to
call" on Mrs. Walter I"atton, the wife of a prominent Detroit denti"t..
Wednesday was the day Mrs. Watton IIreceived," and this was duly noted in a
Detroit society blue book, which was a handy reference book for the lIin
societyll ladies.

Once again, almost one hundred years later, the atmosphere of ele-
gantly built homes with beautiful, landscaped lawns and quiet living can
become a reality on tilis block. The residents who are now rehe.bilitating
these homes are recognizing the advantage of historic tOlm house lh-;.ng,
wi th its proximity to the center of business, cultural, and educati'm"~_
facilities. Our enthusiasm has blossomed into a plan called the CanfIeid
West-Wayne Project, because we desire to share with others our discovery
of its unique historical phenomenon.

As an interesting aside, this bloclt is in a location Silas Farmer

mentions in his 1889 History !!!. Detroit as one that was sometimes de-
signated as IIPiety Hill.1I The_. area was just west of Woodward Avenue and
north of Grand River Avenue, forming part of the old Fifth I"ard. According
to Mr. Farmer, the reason it was called "Piety Hilill was because it Wile<
largely occupied by well-to-do citizens who were supposed to represent the
moral and religious portion of the community.

For many years, these homes have been quietly waiting for someone to
tell their story, in hopes that Others, who care about Detroit enough to
purchase, rehabilitate, and reside in an historic, well-built home, l<ill
recognize their hidden beauty and join us in our exciting endeavor.

The history of Canfield Avenue I"est began with the death of

Territorial Governor Lewis Cass on June 17, 1866. The land was a part of
the rear section of the Lewis Cass Farm . and was deeded to him on November
18, 1818, from the United States Government, a purchase by Cass.

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1869
 Governor Cass' daughter, Matilda Cass Ledyard (wife of Henl:'Y
Ledyard), was given, as a part of her inhel:'itance, the land platted a"s
Block 98 (the south side of Canfield I{est).

Canfield Avenue West waS cut thl:'ough in 1869 only from Thil:'d
Avenue to Cass Avenue, not to I{oodward. . Subsequently, lots wel:'e sold that
year, but the actuai plat of Block 98 was not recorded for public record
until Febl:'uary 5, 1870. The avenue was named in honor of Colonel Canfield,
a son-in-law of Govel:'nol:' Casso

The land on the nOl:'th side of Canfield Avenue West was willed to
Lewis Cass, JI:'., as part of his inheritance, and subsequently platted as
Bloc1< 100. This plat was recorded .for public I:'ecol:'d December 9, 1871.

The Civil I{al:' and its aftermath cl:'eated many new industl:'ies and,
consequently, more men of wealth in Detroit. Citizens from other countl:'ies,
due to hungel:' and povel:'ty in Eul:'op.e· r'!'sul ting i'rom the Franco-Pl:'ussian Wal:',
came to Detl:'oit by the thousands, pushing OUI:' city boundl:'ies evel:' outward.
The men of wealth wanted new homes on lal:'gel:' lots, not far fl:'om theil:'
business locations in the centel:' of the city, and were willing to pay a
high pl:'ice fol:' them. SUl:'pl:'isingly, the purchase price of these lots was
expensive fol:' that pel:'iod, averaging $2,500 each, but the 50 x 190 foot
size lots wel:'e very desil:'able.

Consider the value of the dollal:' dUl:'ing the 18'10' s, Ifhen the prices
of hair cuts and shaves were ten and fifteen cents. Compare these pl:'ices
with the $13,000 to $15,000 the affluent lot ownel:'s spent to build theil:'
homes on this block. It is intel:'esting to consider what they would cost
today, even if you could obtain the same material and quality of work-
manship.

The desil:'e fol:' the latest innovations and finest quality matel:'ials
brought about the populal:'ity of elaborate architectul:'al featul:'es on these
custom-built homes. Silas Fal:'mel:' states in his Histol:'Y £! Detl:'oit that
slate roofs were first used in Detl:'oit in 1853, bay IfindolfS Ifere introduced
in 1860, mansal:'d roofs in 1870. On this block, fancy lfOoden and stone
sCl:'oll wOl:'k was custom designed fol:' the homes. Thus, each house was of a
diffel:'ent design, which lent an interesting variation of architecture.

Gothic, Fl:'ench, and Italian Renaissance style architecture Ifas

popular during this period, and many of the .~I:'lier homes. reflect one or
both of these styles. Included in thi'; history is a page from I{oodward' s
National Architect for 1869, shOldng some of the designs· for dormer
Ifindolfs used by the architects il1. the 18,70's. . .

The validity of the birth of the various Renaissance styles in

America was explained, in part, by Calvert Vaux, a New YOl:'k al:'chitect, in
his book, Villas~. Cottages, i869. "All previous experience in arohi-
tectUl:'e is the inherited property of America, and should be taken every

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advantage of. Each beautiful thought form, and mode that is not unsuited
to the climate and the people, ought to be studied, sifted, an.d tested, its
principles elucidated, and itself improved on; but the past should always
be looked on as a servant, not a 1 1'faster 1• 11

Trees were the pride of Detroiters and thousands were planted to

beautify the city. Beautiful, green lawn1,1 1 now made possible by the advent
of the lawn mower in 1868 in Detroit, helped make the block an avenue of
loveliness.

AU of these events rapidly increased the value of this "suburban"

property. The introduction in Detroit, in 1863, and the subsequent ex­
pansion of horse streetcars, helped to attract many more prospective home
owners. The Cass Avenue and Third Avenue line opened October 15 1 1873, to
Holden Road, and the Woodward line was extended to the railroad crossing
near present Grand Boulevard. One is made to realize, when reading th�
newspapers for August 25 1 1872 1 that they, too, had problems with their
transportation, in one form or another. A horse disease (epizootic)
forced them to stop running the lines for a few days, and the exvress
companies had to deliver and collect their goods by hand carts, due to the
dread d;i.sease.

In compiling a history of the individual homes still standing on

this block, it would be well to note at this point that 639 Canfield Avenue
West has the distinction of being the oldest house remaining, built in
1871. Next door, 627 Canfield Avenue West, is the second oldest home,
built in 187i..

Throughout the years, · there were three address changes for this
particular block, one pre-1883 1 one 1885-1920, and one post-1920.

THE OWNERS AND RESIDENTS

Who were these men who built these beautiful, substantial homes?

Starting on the south side of Canfield Avenue West, the first house
closest to Second Boulevard, 627 1 was owned by Colin Fox, Division Superin­
tendent of lfestern Telegraph. He was the first owner in 187i.. Subse­
quently, in 1880 1 Alexander McVittie bought the former Colin Fox residence.
M.r. McVittie was President. of the Detroit Ship Building Company when he
passed away in 1909. Mr. McVittie, grandfather of Mrs. Stanley S. Kresge
of Detroit, entertained Mrs. Kresge and her family when she, as a small
child, visited her grandparents· in their lovely home on Sundays. After

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Mr. McVittie•s death, Kenneth M. Anderson, son-in-law of Mr. McVittie and
Treasurer and Manager of the Kenneth M. Anderson Company, resided here
until 1915,· when the home was sold. Today, the Henry G. Groehns are re.;.
habilitating and making this beautiful, old, historic home their residence.
Mr. Groehn is an attorney with offices in the downtown area.

· 6)9, was built in 1871 by Dr. Walter Watton, a prominent dentist

with.offices in ·downtown Detroit. He lived here for many years, until the
home was sold in 1915.

Next door, 649, built in 1879, was the home of Dr. William H�
Kessler, another prominent dentist, who had offices in the Detroit Opera
House Building. In 191), John w. Watling purchased Dr.· Kessler's resid�nce.
Mr. Watling was :in the business of municipal and corporation bonds and,
subsequently, became president of Watling, Lerchen and Company, while still
in residence at this address.

659, was originally a �rame residence when built in 1881. The first
owner was Reverend William Wallace Washburn, Pastor of the Cass Avenue·
M. E. Church. In 1890 1 the new owner who lived here was Henry H. Valpey, a
partner in Valpey and Company (boot and shoe industry). The old frnme
house was torn down and a brick apartment was built. Mrs. Valpey 1 widow of
Henry H. Valpey, continued to live in the new apartment. 'J'he apart,r.ent
building is now owned by the Kenneth M. Davies family. Mr. Davies is an
attorney with offices in the Penobscot Building. .He resides r1ext door at
669, the home of Dr. Vincent C. Wall.

669, is a beautiful house built in 1885 by the original owner,

Harry B. Parker. After his death, his widow continued to live here, until
she sold it to \faring H. Ellis in 1895. Mr. Ellis was a prominent whole­
sale and retail tobacco �ompany proprietor. In 1911 1 Harry A. Lockwood, a
noted lawyer with Clark, Lockwood, Bryant, and Klein, with offices in the
Ford Building, lived in this home. Mr. Lockwood was a Circuit Judge in
Monroe County before moving to Detroit. Later, the house became knowrt a1J
the ''Reindel" residence, because George J. Reindel, co-partner of the
George_ J.· Reindel Company, makers of office and home furn�shings 1 lived
there from 1913. Dr. Vincent CD Wall of Wayne State University purchased
this lovely home fromtho·Reindel family in 1952 and has spend much time
and effort.in the rehabilitation of the· house and groW1ds. Living at the
same stately home is the Kenneth M. Davies family, mentioned .previously.

_The next house,. 677, was ·built by G. H. Whitaker, a builder in

1888.. · Several other socially prominent men lived at this address, until
1920, when David Barclay, a physician, resided here.

685, was the home of a famous Detroit portrait and landscape artist,
William B. Conley, who owned the original frame residence built in 1871.
He lived here for many years until 1892. The home was sold to John Ward,

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E. Robinson
Atl .... 2!.. .!!:!2. CitX 2!.. Detro i t
Plate 18 .
1885
an attorney .in the Abstrac� Building,. who.also-lived here, but for only a
couple o_f year.s, until l�e mov�d into the !J.qu.s, next door.· ,. The original
f,;-p.me h1;>use wa, torn do\ffl, llnd the _p,>,•esent- brick,residence was built about
1894-95.. Subsequent - , residents· were
. Jl physi�ian · and , a . real tor- - who ha<l.
off.ices in downtown Detro-it.
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·
70l :-; O',, w�s · �!>{ bu�l t. unti.l .1894, at which. time .John Ward,· ... · the
attorney next door at 685, moved into the half of the house known as 701.
Subsequent �esidents of the double house were owners of Detroit companies.
Th,e"e ar:e listed ·in; a s.eparate �umerical ind�x o( the. individual. hoines.
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On the north side of Canfield Avenue West, the home closest to
Second Boulevard, at 650, now houses the Detroit Central Baptist Church.
This home was built in 1879 by Mr. David Paige, General Manager and o.
Treasurer of the Detr.o it Safe Company, an enormous . . vault. ;and . safe company
�n Detroit •.. .. ,Mr. Paige , resid.�¢1; here. tor many yea.rs,, .witil the. home was
purchas,ed by Mr •. Geo.:rge)f ,. Golden, . President ... of,.. Micnigan Engine �alve·
Company in 1908.

·
Next door, 640, is the �ovely,. well-kept� 1'rame· home owned today by
Ira .Cole_. · lt was built in 1879, by. John· Scott·, .a. renown .Detroit architect.
Subsequient. to Mr. Scott•s: residing at this address,. he headed a :firm·with
another prominent· architect;· Louis Kamper,: ·and his brother, : ·Arthur, an
engineer 1 as ._·Scott, l<amp·er·and ·Scott •. · They built the magnificent Frank .J.
Hecker home in 1889-90 1 on Woodward Avenue and Ferry Avenue. , The Hecker
home is now occupied by the Smiley Brothers Music Company, Inc., and it is
kept in excellent repair. Mr. Scott also built the Wayne County Building
in 1895-1902,. heading the :firm of _John Sco.tt arid Co�pany,, . as wel.l as many
other homes tor promin�ut.residents.
..
! � .' ' '

. �eorge ,W. Roby, a physician· and -president of a wholesale druggist

supply cqmpany., and ,later president . of Roby. Transportation· Company, pu?" .:.
chased the.above noted home· in 1887.from,John Scott •. Mr.·R9by was also in
business with Le�is. C •.-Waldo •. · Lewis C,. Waldo (wife, Mary E. Roby) was the
owner of many lake marine transportation and-passenger companies .. In f'acf.,
· he named one of . his 'ships . the GEORGE W. · ROBY. . Later, John E. King, · owner
ot the ·John E .. King Coffee Company,· -who was related- to the :(ormer 'owner,
George w.
Roby, purchased the home and lived there tor many years.
Mr. King's wife was the former Ida R. Waldo, daughter of Lewis C. Waldo.

650, a house·· with a .. man.sar<J· roof, , was built· by· Armon J. Fair, {
lumberman,· ,in 1882 ... · He ·lived ·in the house until 1885, when he sold it to
John M. Gage.,. In 1892 ., James Nall, -. who· was in the real estate business
and, · sub•equently 1 in the furniture business, resided here. TJlomas Murphy
. and · Duncan Stewart, 'men· prominent in Detroit. society, were in residence
here at later dates.

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 662, another mansard roof house, was built by' George Prentiss,
a lumberman and land owner, and for whom Prentis,j Street Was named. The
home was built in 1881", and he lived here until 1889 'when James C. McCaul
purchased the house.' Mr. McCaul was the Secretary of the famous Detroit
lumber company, Alger, Smith and Company. Mr. McCaul was also auditor of
the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena Railroad Company. He lived for many years
at this address,'unt:l1,the early part of the 1900's when he passed al<ay.

671"", l<as buil t in 1889, and occupied byMr~ John C. Day,Manager of

the Equitable Life Assurance Society and, at a later date, became a banker.
Mr. Day lived here for over thirty years, until the early part of the
1920's.

681"" was built by Richard R. Hodge in 1885. 'He passed away in 1891",
and his widow, Mrs. Catherine Hodge, continUed to live here. In 1911,
Frederick C. Sutter, an electrical engineer, resided here, and in 1925,
Albert Welling was listed as being in residence.

692, WIlS built in 1880 by Dr. Henry Cowie, a prominent dentist in

Detroit. Dr. Cowie's sister, Agnes, married Dr. Henry A. Cleland, a
physician, and lived next door at number 702. Dr. Cowie's office was in
the Detroit Opera House Building until he built his own office building
on 'Gratiot Avenue in the ' late 1880's. Dr. Cowie lived at this address
until the 1920' s.

The last house, on the north 'side of Canfield Avenue \fest nearest
Third Avenue, still standing, is 702. The horne was built by Dr. Henry A.
Cleland, in 1880. Dr. Cleland was a physician, connected with St. Mary's
and Harper Hospitals for many years. He had his offices in his own Cleland
Building on State Street. His father-in-lal<, '{illiam Cowie, President of
the Detroit Dry Dock Company, lived next door (now razed) on the northeast
'corner of Canfield Avenue '''est and' Third Avenue. Dr. Henry A.Cleland died
,in 1911. Dr. George Duffield, a physician who was married to Clara \f.
Cowie, owned and occupied this home from 1913, and after Dr. Duffield
passed away, his widow coritinued to live here until the early 1920's.

For almost forty years, from 1871, ,when the first homes were built
'on this block; the residents were a homogeneous 'group of prominent citi'zens
in the fields of religion, medicine, law, commerce, and industry. They
were bound together by comrnonancestoral ,backgrounds, political and
religious views, inter-family marriage, 'and inter-business relationships.
They also were "in" Detroit society.

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 Their children attended the little frame school, built in 1868 on
Willis Avsnue. The school was known at that time· a. the Willis Avenue
Sohool and housed the primary and secondary / .
grades. Miss F. Wingert was Preceptress
until 1873, when Mrs. D. B. Wells became
the principal. Miss R. Lumsden was a
teacher here for many years. The name of
the school Was chang ad to Irving School in
honor of Washington Irving in 1872. In
1882, the little frame school building was
moved to Elm Street, between Seventh and
Trumbull, and enlarged. It was re-named
. the Nichols School. The new brick Irving
School was built in 1882 and is still,
after 87 years, being used as a public SUas Farmer, .!h! History
school for the primary grades. ~ Detroit .!!!!!! Miohigan,
Volume I, 1889, p. 751

A highschool was opened in 1875 on Griswold at Capitol Park, and

the students living on this block traveled back and forth to attend high
school until the building burned in 1893. Their transportation was either
the horse streetcar or a ride with Pappa on his way to the office in his
horse and buggy. Central High School (now part of Wayne State University)
on Cass Avenue at Warren Avenue, was built and opened in 1896. The trans-
portation problem was solved, as the students could walk to school from
their homes.

And transportation wa .. a problem, as it was absolutely dependent on

the horse. Life revolved around the horse being strong and in goad health.
The fire department used well-trained, magnificent beasts to pull their
trucks. Fires were very common in those by-gone days, due a great part of
the time to the dangers of the kerosene lamps and lanterns.

The newspapers reported fires every day resut ting from· kerosene
lamp explosions. Ae a public service, the Detroit Daily ~ for December
12, 1870, desoribed what happened when the wiok was too short to reach the
oil in the bottom of the lamp. They explained that gas formed aausing the
lamp to explode with a sudden burst, which sounded like a noise from a
oannon. The glass would scatter to every corner of the room, making holes
in the plaster of the wells and ceiling, emitting an "unsupportable smell."
The solution, they said, was to keep the lamps filled with oil. There are
many people living today who can. ramember the everlasting job, as a ohild,
of having the daily duty of filling the fonts of the lamps with kerossne,
cleaning the glass ohimneys, and trimming the wicke.

Interestingly, whenever a fire occurred.on this block, the procedure

for "telegraphing" the fire alann was quite complicated. The Detroit Fire
Alarm Telegraph box olosest to this area was box #126, at the oorner of
Woodward and Willis. You either jumped on a horae or ran allot the way

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to that location. Acoording to the instruotion... as de.. oribad in thel870
Detro! t City Direotory, you looked on the box to see where you could obtain
the key, and this was UIOually with en occupant of the building near the
alarm box. After obtaining the key, you UIOed it to open the door. of the
box, then you pulled do1ft1 the hook ineide and let it elide back. You
r~ved the key and oloaed the door. If you did not immediately hear the
number of the alarlll box struck upon a sJllllll bell within, you had to ruah
to the next nearest ala.... box, wbio~, in this case, would be. three or four
more. blocks away, and repeat the whole prooedure. It is a wonder IlIOre
building. did no.t burn right to the ground before the exciting "pp~anoe
of. the fire hor.e. and band pumps.

The horse drawn fire engine. that

provided so much free excitement for the
re.idents of thia block oamo fro. the
fire hou.. on Alexandrine near Ca.es
Avanue. The fil"e house Wall built in 1876,
and after 93 y .... r., with SOllie lIIOd!tioa-
tions, it i. stiAl in UIOS, and houses our
modern fire fiGhting equipment.

WhAt :lim it Plust have bean for the

~~. and girls to watoh the lamplighters
perform their duty, as they made their
roun0.l6 lighting tho> street lampa.· The
street. were first lighted with gas on
Septe>:tber 24, 1851, And by 188), theN!
were still 22 lamplightere. Tbe little
orOSB arms you Bee on the replicaB ot
SHu Fa""" .. , .!.~ Uisto!!)!: stx-eet lanterns in front of ho..... today
.!?L .Detroit ~ !1iChi~an. were used to reBt the ladder of the
Volume I, 1889, p. 51 lamplighter.

Th.. l870'B were e:u:iting yeas... in Detroit.

It _s.the period of
"firsts" for the lIMUly inventions we take for granted today. Th.. telephone
was first explained and illustrated ·in Detroit on March 6, 1877, and by
1885 the oity directory put an asteriek in front of your nalll4!l if you had a
teleph<>ne. In 1887. there .were 720 priVate lines, at an annual coat of
350.00 each to the custolll8r.

The groat-gre!lt grandfather f)f our pre.ent "Stereo" wu fir.t

exhibited in Detroit on June 16, 1878, and I am.ure the thrill of owning
their first phonograph We. no leBa exciting for the residents of this block
than ft vas for you when yotlr firllt television was brought into .youll' ho_.

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 And, what about the invention of the electric light? Many a child
could not eat his dinner the night he was promised to be taken to see ,the
first exhibition of the electric light in Detroit on June 4, 1879. This
was such a wonderous miracle, but the anticipated fun of watching the lamp-
lighter every evening was missed, when by 1885, the street lights were all
powered by electricity.

Detroit's growth is best measured, not only by its dynamic commer-

cial explosion, but 'also by its dramatic results in meeting face to face
its social problems. New churches, homes for the elderly, the poor, and
the orphans were being organized and dedicated at an astonishing rate
during this period. Temperance societies were physically active. A con-
tinual clash between the ladies of the temperance societies and the liquor
interests brought on total war, when, on August 6, 1875, the Common Council
decided that saloons could be open from 1 P.M. to 10 P.M. on Sunday. A
few days later, on August l~, Mayor Moffat vetoed the council action, but
all of the saloons did not close. A mass meeting was held on October 4Ib at
the newly opened Whitney's Opera House in favor of closing ~ of the
saloons on Sunday, and another huge Law and Ordar mass meeting was held on
November 1st to promote the election of a mayor who was for a complete shut
down of the saloons. The people turned out in numbered strength to vote
for their cause and elected Alexander Lewis, Mayor, on the Law and Order
ticket.

Another grave law and order problem was runaway horses. Sometimes
the drivers ,WOUld be thrown out of their carriages and the carriages
wrecked. The police had to determine if the horses were startled :intool-
tionally by juveniles or inadvertently by a noise. An article in the
Detroit Daily Post for February 18, 1871, read like one of our newspapers
would today, regarding the problem of juvenile delinquents. They stated
that, in order to keep their neighborhoods in all "undisturbed state," one
of two things were necessary: either 'the ring leaders should have a chance
to learn a skilled trade at the HOUSA of Correction., where they would be
out of the way for a time, or, a policeman should be kept in the vicinity
to preserve order. The latter, they said, would be difficult with their
present number of policemen. Does this sound familiar? And, Detroit was
'not alone in its problem of crime. The November 10, 1870, Detroit Daily
Poat reported that a very prominent Detroit man, James F. Joy, was visitLlg
N;;i;Yorlt and was robbed in his hotel room of $50,000 in railroad bonds.

The residents of Canfield Avenue 1iest were the witnesses to illegal

horse· and sleigh races up Second Avenue on Sundays in the wintertime. It
was fun for the citizens to compete or watch, but it also endOOlgered lives.
The Detroit Daily Post on December 24, 1870, stated that City Ordinance,
Section 15, Chapter 2, provided: "No person shall ride or drive any horse,
carriage, sleigh or vehicle through any street or avenue in this'city, at
a faster rate than six miles per hour."

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G. WUlian, Baist
Baist's Real Gstate Atlas
Vol. 1~P1an J8, 1915
 The aforementioned ordinance does not seem unreasonable when one
understands the conditions and narrowness of the original avenues. Canfield
West, between Third Avenue and Cass Avenue, was just a dirt avenue until
about 1880 when it was paved with cedar blocks and stone. An avenue was
not cut through from Cass to Woodward until 187), and at that time i t was
named Fremont West. This apparently became confusing, and when, in the
latter part of 1882, there was a ci ty-wide' re-numbering of houses, ,the
section of the avenue from Caes to Woodward was changed from Fremont West'
to Canfield I"est.

Periodically, in tile 1870' s, the Common Council "as busy in their

endeavor to modernize the plank sidewalks to stone flaggIng. As an area
developed, the planks were replaced. The residents probably made Use of
the old planks for other purposes, just as they did many yeara later when
concrete sidewalks were installed in place of the old 4" stone flagging.
You will still find on this block of Canfield Ifest s"",e of thia old stone
being used on walks going to the front porches of a few of the houses.

Just as today, health care \fas of great importance, but one sel'ious
problem in the city of Detroit at that time waS a high infant mortality
rate. In the month of July, 1870, there were 141 infants under the age of
18 months, and 49 under 14 years of age, that paslJed alfay. A sad commen-
tary on this problem was related in the July 28, 1870, iosue of the petroict.
Daily ~!!. One man while burying his little child in Mount Elliott
Cemetery, saw 13 little coffins being brought into the cemetery by mourning
parents. It was mentioned also that the day before, a single hackman had
gone to Mount Elliott· and Elmwood Cemeteries seven times in one day. But,
the residents on this block were fortunate in having two hospitals in the
vicinityl the Harper Hospital, then on Ifoodward Avenue, and the WQl:lel'l'13
Hospital and Foundlings Home, right in back of Harper Hospital. Emergency
care was not far alf/il.Y, as Dr. Henry Cleland and later Dr. George "Duffield
both lived on thi13 block for many years and were connected with Harper
Hospital.
lfuen the first houses were being buil t in 1871 on Canfield West,
the surrounding area, nortl1 of this block, was farm land. Over on Woodward
Avenue, farms were interspersed between the man3ions of Vel;! Ifeal thy
lumbermen and industrialists. Tl10mas W. Palmer lived on Wood.,ard Avenue,
where the Detroit Art Institute now stands, and, many other mansions were
subsequently buil t in tile 1870' sand 00' s.

More and more, farm lands were being bought up by real estate
developers, and instead of buying direct from the farmers, the 'residents,
found it easier to purchase their fresh vegetables and farm produots from
tile peddlers who came around the neighborl1ood with their l10rse and wagon.
Tile milk man, the fish peddler, tile scissor grinder, th~ organ grinder, and
the ice man were all familiar daily aigl1ts on, the avenues. Or, the resi-
dents'could walk down to the meat market of Josepl1 Elder on the corner of

-1.3-
 ...... ~ .
...'..~' !'-.: .................:
• •

.
.

" .

',""'~ ,r,;""

r- .
\

...'
'.
~".,

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I

~I
(\I

il
r--,---',-c--'l"
P ".. ... ... I

II
K·"i
-.---,----~..,J ~
I.. •
•
'"
~".

75
,
-tt J'N./:",
- - •• - ,w. WILLIS AV.

Courtesy of
The Detroit City Plan Commission
1969
Third and IHllis and, at the same time, buy their groceries at l>'illiam 1<.
Huffman's on the other corner of Willis and Third. Pappa would probably
bring home the much desired delicacy of oysters and Detroit whitefish from
the many stores downtown that advertised in the Detroit newspapers. But,
whenever unlooked-for warm weather occurred, ice from the Detroit River was
Scarce and the oyster dealers could not get enough ice to keep the oysters
fresh. They were hoping someone would expand their ice business and bring
it in by ship from the north. Their problem, they felt, ~ould be solved,
and they remarked, "all they had to do was to wait a little longer and keep
cool."

About one hundred years ago, an article in the Detroit Daily Post
for February 27, 1871, expressed the sentiments and beliefs of the citizens
that Detroit was one of the finest cities on the great chain of lakes.
Business property had advanced from $200 to $1,000 per foot,·' residence lots
from $400 to $3,000, and pasture land, scarcely once saleable by the acre,
was then selling for $1,500 to $2,Ooo.for a single lot.. They boasted that
her commerce ranked ,.ith the best and her business men could compete with
any of their rivals. Her public buildings, business blocks, and street
improvements were of the most substantial kind. Her priVate residences
were elegant and costly,· and, as a healthy, pleasant city for a resident,
she challenged comparison with any in the country.

The dream of everyone, truly concerned, is to re-new this intense,

personal spirit of pride in Detroit. We need a New Historic Detroit, as
well as a New Dynamic Detroit. Preserving gem-like areas such· as this
block on Canfield West, nestled in the midst of our . revitalized areas,
would be evidence to the world that Detroit does have a glorious past.

IHth the cooperation of others who would lilte to share with us the
pride of accomplishment derived from working with the city agencies in-
volved in helping us, we will make this dream a reality.

TO YOU,
CANFIELD AVENUE l>'EST
BETlfflEN SECOND. BOULEVARD AND THIRD AVENUE

WE WISH YOU A HAPPY ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY

-15-
 CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
OF YEARS HOMES IIERE BUILT
AS DETERMINED BY AVAILABLE RECORDS

Note: For purposes of clarity, this list includes only the addresses
of buildings still in existence.

1871 6)9 Canfield '>,est

187t. 627 II
"
1879 6109 " "
628
1879
" "
6/00
1879
" "
1880 692 " "
1880 702
" "
1882 650 II
"
180t. 662 " "
1885 669 " "
1885 68t. " II

1888
" "
1889
" "
189t. 685-691 - Frame house built in 1871.
Replaced brick residence.

701-70) Canfield '>,est

1912 659 Canfield '>'est - Frame house buil t in

1881, torn down. Replaced by
brick apartment.

House occupants are those listed in the contemporary Detroit City Direc-
tories. Source of other information is cited.

-16-
 HOME OWNERS
IfflO THEY liERE
THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO DETROIT

627 CANFIELD WEST, Lot 1,*, Block 98, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 188), No. 67 Up to 1920, No. 1'*9

1875 - COLIN FOX - Division Superintendent o:f Western Union Tele-

graph Company and Agent o:f the Associat~d
Press. Mr. Fox contracted to buy this pro-
perty on June 5, 1871, and continued to live
in the house :from 1875 to 1880.

1880 - ALEX~NDER McVITTIE - Secretary-Treasurer o:f the Detroit Dry Dock

Company, Merchants Navigation Company, and
Preaident o:f the Toledo Shipping Company.
Grand:father o:f Mrs. Stanley S. Kresge.

1880 - United States Census.

II Age )8. Sec.-Treas. Detroit Dry Dock
" Born-Scotland
Elizabeth " 26, W!:fe Canada
Nellie "
II 1,*, Daughter "Canada
Jessie " 6, Daughter
"Michigan
Agnes " " '*, Daughter
"
I"alter II " II

2. Son
" Michigan
II MichIgan
Marian Campbell " 26. Sister-in-laW Scotland
" "
During the ensuing years be:fore Mr. McVittie's
death in 1909. he was Vice-President o:f the
Detroit Dry Dock Company and subsequently
President o:f the Detroit Ship Building COm-
pany_ He is the grand:father o:f Mrs. Stanley
S. Kresge.

1901 - ALE~NDER McVITTIE Listed in Dau I s Society !I.!!!! ~ ~ Ladies

Address Book.

-17-
 McVIT1'IE, Alexander 1 born,
Duntocher, Scotland, May
16, 18~21 80n of Walter and
_.'
Mary (Taylor) McVittiel
oame wilB parents to London,
Canada, in 18521 early edu-
cation in Glasgowl married
at Detroit, 186~, to Irene
C. Collierl again, 1867,
Elizabeth McLeod. Began
active career as clerk in
hardware store I learned
carpenter's trade and lo-
cated in DetrOit, 18671
entered employ of Ca.pbell,
Owen Be Compann oontinu-
ing five year~, was
elected seoretary of the
Detroit Dry Dock Co. upon
its organizationr 1872,
and has bean vice pre-
sident of Toledo Ship-
ping Co., until 19()5.
Prohibitionist. Metho-
dist, Mason. Recrea-
tionl Farming. Office:
607 Stevens Building.
Residence: 149 Canfield
Avenue, West.
The Book of Detroiters,
.&~z.&lIDB. MoVlTTJB
ed." bY""" Albert Nelson
PauIO.IIT DB11l0IT BHlPlIUfLDUfO co . Marquis, 1908, p. ,10.

. ~ Miohigan Friends ~ ~ !!! ~

N...paper Cartoonists' Association
ot Miohigan, 19()5, page 46.

-18-
'191O-'KENNETH M.· ANDERSON -'Treasurer .·and'Mahag·er;' of the'· Kenneth M.
Anderson· Company (manl!factu~ers of iron pipe
fittings).

Mrs. Alexander McVittie, widow, continued to

live here with her daughter Nellie and her
husband, Kenneth M. Anderson •

. : .(.- ...:,.' ,'I

19l1t- " II ,(. Listecl in., Dau's Society ~ ~!.!!.!! Ladie~

" Addr.. ss,~.

• ,1 ., ~ - I

: I ~ I . •
"
"
", !,') - , . ' " ,!,

.,. '., ' kNDERSON, Kenneth, owner Kenneth Anderson Manu.(actuI'ing

,,' Company! born, Montreal,-Ganada, December 28, 1861h'son
of James D. .and, Mary. ·E. ,(Troatz) Andersonl 1 ~C\\lpated
. public and high schools; . married, September, 1890,
Nellie L. McVittie of Detroitl two children; Norman D.
and Irene E. Engaged in. jobbing of wrought iron pipes
. ,. •.. and., t1 ttings ever .. since blilginning: of active carfjerj was
- with DryDock;SheetMfjtall~orksl.'· organized business on
own account ,- 1696; owner Kenneth Anderson Co., Mgr. ,
Chicago Branch of A.M. Byers & Co., Pittsburgh, Member
" Qf. Detroit Board-of Commerce. . Mason. effice'):l-:l7"
Atwater Street, E.Re/lidencel - 14.9 Ca.!t:field West.
~ -~ 2! Detroit"rs; ed. by Albert N. Marquis,
,., i19llt" page 22... "
,- ,-J

,. ! : ., :
19l5··..,·.I~ILLIAMA •. BLACK ., - Pl'esiC\ent,.· Amedcus 'Pl'oducts Company
Mr. Blaclt died in 1921t, and his widow C·.'n-
tinued to -1 i ve . here. " "

196) - H. SCOTT .THOMAS.; , ., Mrs,.-William.,A,.; Blac;k,died on .l1anuary 9, 196),

and Mr. ThomalJ purchased the home. Mr. Thomas
died in the early part ot 1965.

. ',l I._ ," ','! :';

1965 - HENRY G. GROEHN - Attorney

Mr. and Mrs. Groehn are, at present, in the
.. process - of z;ehabilitating ,,,this lpvelY.!lis-
torie home.

-19-
639 CANFIELD WEST, Lot 13, Block 98, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 1883, No. 69 - Up to 1920, No. 153

1872 - DR. WALTER WATTON - Dentist; Offices, 2 Fisher Block, 131~

Woodward Avenue. In partnership with Edmund
M. Wright as Wright & Watton.

1880 - United States Census I

II II Age 34 Dentist Born-England
" Carrie " " 33, Wife II Michigan
Maude " . " 8, Daughter " Michigan
Henry C()wie ,II 20, Brother-in;'law- Dental 'student -
Born-Michigan

1883 - DR. WALTER WATTON - Listed in Detroit Blue Book;

Address and Carriage ~ct~ -
The Private

II
1901 - " " Listed in Pau's' Society
Address ~.
BlueBook and
- .-- Ladies

Dr. and Mrs. Walter Watton received on '{ed-

nesdays.

During the subsequent years, Dr. '>'atton's

office number was 604 Cass'Office·Building.
II
1915 - " " Moved.

1916 - MRS. IDA A. LEPARD - (Widow, Edwin D.) resided here •.

1917 - J. J. BURNS - Salesman and Manager.

1920 - LEO C. HUETTEMA.N ' .. Carpenter Contractor.

-20-
 ~; 'i ~ .

6~9 CANFIELD WEST, Lot 12, Block 9B, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to'lBB3, No. 71 Up to 1920, No. 157

IBBo - DR. WILLIAM H. KESSLER- Dentist, 'Office; B3 I{oodward.

Subsequent office , addresses , were 11, 13, and
,15 Detroit Opera House Building "and then
312 Washington Arcad,e. ' P'o",{,,'
, '

IBBo - United States Census:

11 11 11 Age 30 Dentist BOrn-Indiana
Mary E. 30, IHfe
Allen H. "
11
11
11
7, Son
11 Connecticut
Michigen
IHlliam H. 11 11 2, Son 11 "
Michigan
Mary Prisel 11 11 17, Servant 11 Michigan

IB63 - DR. IHLLIAMH. KESSLER - Listed in Detroit Blue Book; The Private
Address ~ Carriage Di~ory:-

1901 - Listed in Dau' s Society .!!!.!;!.!!. ~ ~ Ladies

Address ~.

1912 - Moved.

KESSLER, William H., dentist, son of Abram P. and Mary

L. (Wirt) Kessler, was born in Elkhart County, Ind,.,
November 19, IB49. Dr. Kessler received his education
in the district schools of his native place, and during
the years of 1B66-67 was a student in' the Goshen (Ind.)
Collegiate Institute. Subsequently he began the study
of dentistry with Dr; Ii, G. Cummins at Sturgis, Michi-
gan, with whom he remained until IB73. In IB75 Dr.
Kessler located in 'Detroit' where he has since become
one of the most prominent men in his profession, and
has established a large and lucrative practice. The
disastrous fire of October 6, IB97, which destroyed the :' '
Detroit Opera House BuHding, in ..hich Dr. ,Kessler had
his orfices, caused him severe loss and a removal to
his pres;'nt quarters at 1~1-1~3 I{ood..ard A-renue. His
dentai parlors are among the finest in the country and
are models of elegance and taste.

Dr. Kessler is a prominent member of the Masonic fra-

ternity; a member of Detroit Commandery No. 1 Kinghts
Templar, of ..hich he is a present junior ..arden; of
Moslem Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Peninsular
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is principal

-21-
 sojourner, . and Union Lodge No. 3 F. '& A•. ,M.. He is a
member of the Mi,?higan State Dental Association, 'of ,the
Detroit Athletic Club and the Grande Pointe Club.

Dr. Kessler was married in November, 1870, to Mary E.

Huyler of Three Riyers, Michigan. They.are thll parents
. of threechildrert, Allen D., D.D.S., a'graduate of the

'•.
University of Michigan (class of 18910), now assoCiated
with his father' in his ,practice; 'Hlliam H. Jr., at
present in the employ of . liright, Kay & Company, jew-
elers, of Detroit, and J. Horton, ,a, student in Detroit
High School.
Robert Ross and George B. Catlin, Landmarks of Detroit,
, 1898, page 7106. ,,- .

1913 - JOHN li. '''ATLING - Manager, Bolg"r, Mosser & liilaman;, 2020 Dime
Bank Building (Municipal '&'corporate bonds).
Purchased home from Dr. Kessler.

, 19110- n Listed in D~' Society

" Address Book. ----
Blue Book and Ladies

1917 -
" " Position
Company.
nOl~ President, Natling, Lerchen &
(Investment bankers~bonds)

1919 - II , Sold home to Will'iam D. 'Bo.wman.,

"
NATLING, Joh.." W.; bonds; born, )!,psilanti, 'Michigan,
June 17, 1882; ,son of J'1hn A. and Eunice ('''right)
'''atling; educated, public, schools, Yps'ilanti; A. B.
University of Michigan, 19010, marrilld October 3, 1906,
Sallie PE\lmer .Rice of Detroit; thr~e children; John i".
Jr., Palmer, William Robinson. tame' to Detr()i t, 19010,

'". and has since been' engaged in .bond and investment,

busin.ess;· manage.. for firm of Bolger, ,",osser &: Willa-
man, of ,Chicago, D",mocrat; Clubs: U~iversity, Detroit
Golf, ChiCago Uni vel'S i ty. Recreation: Golf. ' Off ice .
2020 Dime Savin\ils B"nk Bldg. ,Residence: 157 Canfield
Avenue. The Book of,'Detr~iters, ed. by' Alberj;
N. Marquis,19'i4,""page 5 V ; . , .",

1920 - LAWRENCE E., ~OHNSON - Residing here.'

-22-
~59 CANFIELD 'fJEST, I,ot 11, Block liB. Can Fant Subdidillon - f r _ Rellidenoe
1912 - Bl'iok Apartlllel>t
Up to 1883, No. 73 Up to 1920, No. 161 and 163

1882 - REVEREND lrIlLLLUC WALLACK WASIIB~ .,. 'P";'tor, Cull Avenuo M.E. ChlU'ohl
Reverand Washburn Wall palltor of
the SimpsOn M.E. Church in 1876
ftIld Pastor of Case Avenue M. E.
Church trem 1883-1886.

1883 - ,,' " II Listed in Detroi t Blue Dookl The

Private AoSdr.'..--and ~rri~
Directory_

1886 - " .i
" .. Moved •

CASB AVENUE ClfUl!£!:!. - Thill lIocietT walJ organized May 8, 1882, by

the election of nine truete.. and a' Board ot Stewards. The lot
on the northveot corner or
eass and Shelden Avenu.s
_ purchesed by David
Pro. ton I inclUding the in-
te...st, it COllt nearly
19.000. Tho cbapel. with
itll furniehingll ooat about
'11,000. It w.... dedicated
December 2, 1883, by Rever-
and J. H. Boyli.s, D.O., in
tho afternoon. Ita pasto"'
have been. 1883-1886. w.w.
WallhbUJ"nl 1886-" C.M.
Co~ern.
Data and picture treet
BU... Fal"fMr, !!!!. Hi.torz
..2!. Detroit 2 Micbig",.. ,
VolWlle I. 1889, pave 57.5.

1887 - REVERJ!'.ND cAMDEN M. COBEIlN -!'_tor, "c::a.s Avenue M. E. c.btircb.

ReveJ'el).d Waahburn lIold the ho... to HeN?'

" " II

H. Valpey.

-1l.1-
1890 - HENRY H. VALPEY - Partner in Valpey & Company
(Boot and Shoe industry)

1901 -
" " Listed in
Address ~.
Dau's Society ~ ~ ~ Ladies

1912 -
" " Original frame house torn down and the brick
apartment no,. on this property ,.as buil t.
The widow of Mr. Valpey continued to live in
the new apartment. Address changed to 163.

1919 - PORTER A. TUCKER - Warranty deed from Mrs. Va1pey to ~~. Tucker,
who lived in the apartment.

1968 - KENNETH M. DAVIES - Attorney, Penobscot Building, present owner,

resides next door at 669 Canfield West.

669 CANFIELD lfEST, Lot 10, Block 98, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 1920, No. 169

July 1,
1885 - HARRY B. PARKER - Cleric for E. B. Pease, paper dealers.
City of Detroit Water Department records show
the water meter was set on this date.

1889 - Mrs. Harry B. Parker (widow).

" "
1895 - MRS. HARRY B. PARKER- Sold home to Waring H. Ellis.

1895 - WARING H. ELLIS Proprietor; cigars, tobacco wholesale and

retail at 20 Michigan Avenue.

1901 - Listed in Dau's Society ~~ and Ladies

" " Address Boo\c. Mrs. Ellis received on Tuesday.

-2'*-
 W. H. ELLIS - COrner of' Griswold Md Fort Street, who ill so
widely and favorably known aD the laroest jobber of tobacco. and
cigars in Detroit, i8 one of the many Canadian-~rioane who has
never bad rea80n to reoret ero.sing tbe border 8trait·· of the
Queen's domain. Very fe" native born AmericanB bave achieved
Bueh honorable auccess in bu8in..s as·haaMr. Ellis,and at the
...... ti_ had such 1aroe interuts in such extendfldenterpriaes
aB he now owns. Mr. E!lia WaD born n$ar Toronto, August·" 161t.8,
lind remained thEIr. untU b4I Wall about twarlty-tour yeaH ot age.
Then h .. felt that he wanted to start out tor hilllllolf, he .also
. tEllt that; the United Stat.. WaD tho place to 1IIAk.. the »tart in.
So he came to Detroit, and entered tbe store of' Th..,dore Schu,;-
mann, the (oRIel' well-knoWll oigar 111M, where he remained sev""
:reara. He tb~ llpent iour :rear. . .UIl Danis1 Scott!)ll &: eo.tpl!DY,

Silas Farmer,
B!!. History 2!..
Detroit ~.
!!ichigan
Volume I, 1689
page 828.

lh"WATU", 1'oloAtJ..:(I r ....C'JOAII' Of' DAHlJU.. &Ol"j lUI .& Co.,

s.,.... tbOMt ~ of P',)ft -..{ Call1pill~ Slref1~, Spri~t~. Rum ea 187s,

'wbere he gainea a practioal fAuioht into the tobacoo buainus,

and a wide experience in tho inn~able detaila, both financial
and commercial, that go to ~ up this branch of Detroit'.
trade,that haa llrown to IlUch vaatP:roportimB. In 1680, he
8tartedin business ,:tOl" bilUeU' where the H_nd Building IIIOW
rear.. it. ton~.tori.d mae., putting one baIt the capital he had
accWllUlatt?d into the whol . . . l . and retail businell8, and 1eavilll0
on. helt. in tho bank, Ii preceeding typical of h1.. 80tmd jUdgment
and ..~el1ent uanag_t. II. baa been the e_Iudve of ty agent
:10(' Daniel Scotten &: ComPan7'" (IOoda trolft the time be .tartea ill

-25-
 business, and his g~atification at their largely increased sales
year after yea~ has been second only to that of the fi~m\s. 'He
carried all the high-p~iced, fancy and standard goods in his
line, purchasing direct f~om the most celeb~ated manufactu~ers,
~eceiving large shipments from Havana, Cuba, Key \fest, Flo~ida,
New Yo~k City, Philadelphia and all principal points, handling no
less than 230 b~ands of fine ciga~s. All the popular domestic
!b~ands of tobaccos and cigars a~e also in stock, and five years
ago he became special agent fo~ the choice Queen Elizabeth.
The LaDina, a Key \fest ciga~, named by Mr. Ellis, and manufac-
tured expressly for him, has become one of the best selle~s on
the market, and give unalloYl;ld satisfaction to the custo..e~. He
has a constantly inc~easing state trade, ~ece1v1ng an immense
number of mail order pe~ diem, and has one man who t~avels in the
state exclusively for Key \fest b~ands. Two teams and two m,en a~e
kept busy in the City the year around. In spite of the, $teady
attention that this far-~eaching business demands, Mr. Ellis
finds time t~ become identified with a large number of the
interests which have been the means of making Detroit what it
is--in the lines of cities that take the fi~st rank. Mr. Ellis
is a stockholde~ in the Detroit Motor Company, in the Detroit
Electric Soap Company, a new ente~p~ise developing most favo~­
lably, ~s President of the Clark Novelty Company, and a Director
ill the Home Savings Bank. He is pretty heavily inte~ested in the
Illinois and Indiana Stone & Coal Company, and in the Felix
Mine, Montana, which is m~ing a good showing with rich prospects
ahead. He is in the Ca~ Heating Company of Albany, New York, an
immense institution, which heats seven-eighths of all of the cars
running. He owns stock in the Rogers Typograph Company and the
Dominion Typog~aph Company, the Michigan Company and the Inte~­
national Typograph Company. Real estate has conve~ted him to a
believer in its "sol~d values" and besides owning a considerable
amount of property in Detroit, he owns some soil in Kansas City,
Missouri, and Pasadena, California.

But, all this is not enough for his activities, and he recently
became the patentee of Ellis' Household Savings Bank, the popula~
1 i ttle metal banl< of the IIhome" now in such general use. Best of
all, Mr. Ellis does not owe a cent and because he pays spot cash
and discounts his bills, he has his choice f~om every:market', in
the United States and Havana, Cuba, that can supply his business.
Mr. Ellis is a Mason of the 33~d degree and Captain General of
Damascus Commandery; is also a member of Grace Church, and still
finds time to devote many hou~s to his family, consisting of two
bright children and a wife, to whom he was married in 1878.
Detroit .!!L History and Commerce, Detroit: Rogers & Thorpe,
1891, page 57.

-26-
1911-12 - HARRY A. LOCKlrKlOD - Lawyer with Clark, LoCkwood, BryllJlt& Kl.in,
1301-08 Pord Building.
'., I

LOCKWOOD, Ham Albert, Lawy.rl ,born,

Peter_burg, Michigan, August 28. 18611 son
ot: Ezra L. and Jennie (Hall) Lockwood; edu-
cated publioscbools, Miohiganl' graduated
State Naraal SOhool (Ypailanti), '18811,
LL.B., DepartlDent of, Law, ,University of
Michigan, 18811 married, August 28, 188It"
Helen stone o{ WaJlh:l.ngton, ' MichigUI '
chi,ldr~1 L,lbertH., Gertrud. A." Szra W.

Began practice at ,Monroe, Michigan, 188')1

oity attorney, Monroe, two term.1 prose-
cuting atturney, Mon.....
County, 1891..-61
appoint.a Circuit Judge of 18~ JUdicial
Circuit by Governor BU..s, S ..ptOlllber S.
19011 ,eh.cted oircuit judge for balance
of term in 1902; "-81eot:"-<1, 1'or full
teno, 1906, ro!ligr;ed ,lI'ebru,.r)' I,
1909; now...-ber firm of Clark,
LockwoO<\, Bryant,. K.I. ... inl
di:rector, Too Boehllle & Rauch
ConIpany (Monroe), Detl<'Oit
NatiOPa1 Fire In.urance Com-
pany. ~ber Association
of JudgeR of Michigan
(president, 1906)" ' Michi-
gan State Bar A.II8ooilltion
(president, 1909-10), Sons
of the A$erican Revolu-
tion, Director Y.M.C.A.

aepubU(:an, Methodist. '//

Recreational IIIOtors-ng'fl'Yff/
traveling, reading. ~t
011"ioe, , 1)01-1303 ' '
Ford Building
Realdencel 1077 Second
Avenue. WIUlI a resident
at 169 Canfiold West
J Ltool!' CIII.CU' 1: (,:Q\J~T
previous to tbie date.
The Book of Detroit.ra,
e4." ~ Mbert Marqui .. 2!Jt ~chiqan Friends As ~. See .!!2
New.paper Cartoonista' Assooiation
1911j" page 310.
ot Michigan, 1905. I>a"e 5U.

-27-
191.3 - GEORGE J. REINDEL - George J. Reindel & Company (George J. and
Herman C. Reindel) Office, library and living
room furnishings, safes and vault doors-
lB9-l91 Griswold Avenue.

REINDEL, George J.; born, Detroit, July IB, lB6~1 son of

Frederick and Margaret (Zapf) Reindel; educated in public schools
of Detroit; married at Chicago, lB92, Amelia Zapf; seven child-
renl Roy E., Ira H., Howard, Mildred, George J., Jr., Dorothy,
John D. Began active career as clerk in retail store of Aertz,
Meyers & Co., later becoming store and factory manager and super-
intendent of the office; began in business for himself under
title of George J. Reindel & Bro., IBBB, partner since lB92.
Republican. Lutheran. Member Harmonie Society. Recreations I
hunting and fishing. Office lB9-l91 Griswold Street. Residence'
169 Canfield Avenue West. The Book of Detroiters, ed. by
Albert N. Marquis, 191~, page w6. - - -

1952 - DR. VINCENT C. '''ALL - Professor, Wayne State University, present

owner. The Kenneth M. Davies family reside
with Dr. Wall. Mr. Davies is owner of
659 Canfield '''est.

677 CANFIELD 'iEST, Lot 9, Block 9B, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 1920,- No. 17)

lBB9 - GEORGE H. liHITAKER - Contractor, purchased property and lived here.

IB90 - J. MURRAY BROliN - Partner in Brmm & Wilson, Fine Tailors,

22~ '''oodward Avenue, resided here.

lB9) - COVELL C. ROYCE - Resided here.

lB95 - GEORGE H. liHITAKER - Building.

1901 - FRANK V. DAVIS - Listed in Dau1s Society ~ ~ ~ Ladies

Address Book.

1905 - LUELLA S. EDGAR - Purchased home.

-2B-
1908- JAMES P. ,LANGLEY ", Court and convention stenographer, 1311-1313
Ford Building, purchased home.

1914 -
" " LIet,e,d In Dau's Society Blue
Address Book for this address.
~ and ~hs

1920 - DAVID BARCLAY - Physician, is shol'" as livIng here.

.. : . ",
'I'

685 CA.NFIELD WEST The original Cass Farm Subdivieion, Block 98, platted
::z: -
this property facing Third Avenue. The home,faces
<;an{i~ld ,West and is ,the Rear Y.> part of Lots 6, 7, 8.
11:'

Note: Originally this home 'tas a frame residence.

Up to 1883, No. 97 Up to 1920', NQ. 179

1.872 - InLLIAM B. CONELY - Artist and portrait painter.

1880 - United States Census:

" " Age 49 Artist Born-New York
Anna" " 40, Wife
Katie " "11, Daughter
" Michigan
Michigan
Walter
" " 7, Son
"Michigan
"
Jennie McCollum "29, sisi;er-in-illw, dres,smaker
"Michigan
, ":
" "
1883 - WILLIAM B. CONELY Listed in Detroit, Blue Book; The Private
Addres,s ~ Carriage Di";:;ctory.

CONELY, William B., one of Detroit',s veteran artists, came to

this city in 1868, after studying in the New York Academy, and
devoted himself enthusiastically to his work. He opened one of
the first art schools in the city and established the first life
class. He achieved distinction in portraiture and paintings of
still life., H~ painted the porj;rai t of ,Richard Storrs, Will;i,s,
which he presented to ,the Detroit Art Institute, in 1906.
Clarence M., Burton, The City,!?!" Detroit, Michigan, Volume II,
1922, page 1196.

1892 - Home sold to Alvah E. Leavitt - neal Estate.

-29.,.
1~92 - JOHN WARD - Lawyer, 4, Abstract Building, 11 Lafayette,
resided here.
"
Moved next door to 183 Canfield West.
1892 - "
"
1895 - Home was vacant

1901 - JAMES R. DUTTON - Listed in Dau's Society ~ Book !!!.!! Ladies

Address Book.

1911 - This home is shown as a brick residence in Baist's Atlas for this
date.

1911 - EDWARD H. SICHLER -'Physician, 508 Fine Arts Building, resided

here.

1912 - Home vacant.

1913 - ALVAH H. LEAVITT - owner, now resided here. Mr~ Leavitt was i~
the real estate business in the Moffatt
Building.

Owner, now here.

1920 -
" " reside~

1920 - House divided: half - 685 Canfield '''est

half - 691 Canfield West - JAMES P. HART, resided
here.

701 CANFIELD WEST The original Cass Farm Subdivision, Block 98', platted
this property facing Third Avenue. Instead, tile home
faces Canfield '''est and is the Center 1/3 part of
Lots 6, 7, and 8 of original subdivision.

(Two family house - See 1885-703 also)-Brick Residence

Up to 1920, No. 183

-30-
1895 - JOHN WARD _Lawyer, Home Bank Building, resided here.
Frank D. Hovey was the owner of record at this
time. Mr. Ward had moved here from next door
(179 Canfield West).

1898 - THEODORE P. LADUE - of LaDue Brothers, dealers in wool. .House

purchased on December 9, 1897, by Cornelia V.
Ladue, his mother. She also lived here.

1901 - Listed in l!!!!:!..:.!. Society .!!!!! Ladies

" " Addres'!, ~.
~!~ ~

Both Theodore P. Ladue and Cornelia V. Ladue,

1911 - " " his mother, moved to the other half of the
home (185 Canfield '''est).

1912 - ISABELLA KENNEDY - Resided here.

1917 - ALEX M. KENNEDY - Dyer, resided here.

1920 _ MRS. SADIE E. BYERS - Resided here.

"

122 CANFIEI::!!. WEST - (Two family house-See 183-701 also) - Brick Residence
The original Cass Farm Subdivision, BJ,o~k' 98,. platted,
this property facing Third Avenue. I.,,,tead, the home
faces Canfield West and is the Center 1/3 part of
Lots 6,7, and 8 of original subdivioion.
Up to 1920, No. 185

1895 - EDGAR H. McCURDY - Je~,ess & McCurdy, wholesale crockery and

glassware, 73-75 Jeff.erson Avenue.

1901- Listed . in Dau' s Socie1;:[ ~ Book, and Ladies

" " Address Book.

-,31-
1911 ~ LEVI W. PARTRIDGE - ~mnager, Detroit Colorado Mining Company.

1912 - THEODORE P. LADUE - T. P. Ladue & Company, wholesale produce.

Cornelia V. Ladue - (Widow, John T., 41 Ifoodbridge.)

Moved here from other half· of house (18.))
u
1920 - "

628 CANFIELD Io/EST, Lot 3 and 10 feet of Lot 4, Block 100, Cass Farm Sub-
-=- division - Briclt Residence
Up to 1883, No. 70 Up to 1920, No. 150

1880 - DAVID o. PAIGE - Superintendent, Detroit Safe Company, 67 to 35

Fort Street East.

1880 - United States Census:

If 11 Age 46 Supt., Detroit
Sefe Company Born-New Hampshire
" 46, Ifife Maine
Abbie
Glenna B. U
"
18, Daughter
" Ohio
Frederick O. " " 16, Son U" Ohio
Tillie Ifatts "
" 23, Servant U Michigan

1883 - DAVID o. PAIGE Listed in Detroit Society ~ ~ and Ladies

Address Book.

Promotion to General Manager & Treasurer,

1882 - " " Detroit Safe Company.
U Son, FrederiCk o. Paige, who lives with his
1890 -
" father at this residence, is shown in the
Detroit City ~~ as President of Paige &
Strachan, paper manufacturers.

1901 - U II .~ Society ~.!!2.~ .!!!]! Ladies Address

Book lists Mr. Paige's clubs as Detroit Club -
~oit Athletic Club - Lake St. Clair Fishing
& Shooting Club, and the Old Club.

-32-
 , ,.

1907 ~ DAVID. O. PAIGE ,,.. ~,t,,~e ,of Davi<l.o.· paige.si~ned a, Wat'ranty

• ,.- ( i l : " • , d),eed on ,l'-pr~l, 30" 1907" to George W. Golden •
. ,: . i " ;)d 'I" . " 'I' 1 ' I

PAIGE, David Osgood " ,(as, bQrn ~ Wea,r«!, Hil:J.sboro ,Co\ll1ty, ,New
,HampshiJ''1' ~epMl)Il;Ier 14,l833, : :an,~, is the .son ,of Osgoo<l arid
MlI.-tn.. (BJ4iBdIl1,1), ,paiQe. ~~ •."father . wa,s born i,nweare" February
18, 1794, and died in July 1878. His mother was born Janua..-y a6,
1797, at Hopkinton, New Hampshire, and died in Septembei- 1851.
~h'1 ,.,fal1)ily t'~l;'i'., tpeir " I\Ilc"stry,,; ~a!lk,,,.j:1I ,Jllhn Pa~ge, b?rn, in
I/lIdhp,D) , ,El:tglan4, ~\'l,J~86, and came, to thi.,coun~..-y with Gove!"no,r
\,(intl)z:op, in,,1630, setthd, in, til", townot De<lham, Massachu,,4i\tts,
,an<l fJ'''DI there:·J~i. liOn",
SIl~t~1I1l , in, ~ry.~an!i 1 'New :York,' ""d New
·,HaIllPshire., "Ollgoo,d ,Pjl~g,II" father.ofD. O. Paige., , inherited ,the
original, homest~c;I.,j in, Wearll,
holders, : in"H)l~.b"'rQ' CQU\'lty. ,,' HII ,w~'s,
""d
was onll of the Jsrgest, ,land-
,a
man of jlbil't'iy ,a~d 10-
tl",ence, s;tropg and jlc;:ti,ve ,in M,s reHgio"l~ conv~l;ti'O!lS, an and
, earn.est,,,,,yoc,jlte 9f ·;teml'e.-anCII,and Qthermora~ refor~. ,In 1841,
.the,family rel1\oved ;tq ~phe.ter" wII,ich CIt that tilDe, was .ip~ts
infancy, and p.-omised to become one of the largest lJ1anufactun.ng
cities in the count..-y. Here, as a child, D~ O.P~ige' Came wider
"thllintluences, " ... rJ:"Oundipg , ,..,..utacturinQ, ent"ryrisel!" and ,being
,naturllUy, at ,an inventive ,and !D"ciJ!mical /IIlnd, ,,,arl'y and ear-
.nestly sought emp.loyment, q,uripg his,s.:ihoo1; vaca;t~?!'8' ,'in v,arlous
, ,man"factur:ing, ,elltablishments" where he became fa,mil iar with the
'processe•• ,and the ,,0P'1ration, Of, machine..-y ,i,n tlje man\ltactu~~of
'", fabrj,c8,., Ij.t .the ,ag'1,.<1f ,sixteenj ,he, finish,ed hi. studies at the
,llighland,J.ak~ Institute, at An,dover" "and tllHDediatelyapprenticed
himself to the AmoskellQ, ,~chine Shops; ,-mere he lellrned the
machinllst trade in its various branches.' '
" , .' I" ". : j '., ..

, .'A-t the age,9.f,ninllteen hI" was, tendered, jUld accepted a ,position

" Ils fqrel!l8"; .n4 ,,,ontractoJi'~n the~•• ex MAcMne Shop,d 4wtence,
MaSsachUSllt~s, ,wherll h!l;rema~nll<1fiv. :years, eonstan1;;J.y bu'ilding
.. up.tl1r Mm.elf,a reputat;l.on~. a iite,~ic;:. )1,eforll'h~'1~ft)l" WS
off~,rlld, ' • i;f .be1"I11;'.ld remainl .. th,. a~sist~tsuperint~ndency of
the 1'I:orJa"wh,icll ~loyed IIt.tJvilt time ~i1out tWelve' hUrad.J:~d, 1II1!\'l'
He d!lpline<1 t):l"otter".' be~iev,i.nQ ,~hat;. the West promililld a 111rger
and morll remunerative 'field toa' young 1II&n' whq)tas willing to
work, and lIarly in the spring of 1857 went to Dllyton, ,Ohio " aild
for one year took charge of~. ,Dutton & Company,'. ' agricultural
implement shops. While therll hll invented and plltented an improve-,
ment in wheat drills, which afforded him II ,handsome revenue for
· . 'feveJ:alye41r". ?)he 4isllstr,q~S ,P!1'lic of }.857 so .~Qnllt ..d.the
"lI!allutllc;:t~ing busipes. tllAt; Mr •. J'",igll, deoi~ed to a~cIIPi; IIpb.i-
, .t;ion.,p1;'ferlld him.~y thl! AJned~ Patent CqI!'P,AnY', Qt CinCinnati,
· ;and. w~1iI ,p~ace~, at 1;he, hell,d of thll, ~lIpartm~,tf~r giving pracUeal
· "te.ts ,tQ "newly, invllntlld ,qtachineI:'Y, and making mathematical
· .c~19~~I!-Hoi:t" for, ~!,chaiti,c•• ' 'whii~ in thisb~s~ne~l!I'" hebecllme
 interested' in the'development and manufacture of bank'locks'and'
'safes, and obtained' a position with Hall, Carroll & Company,
where he remained until 1865. During the War of the Rebellion,
this firm not only manUfactured safes arid lockS, but did a large
amoun:t of work for the Governnient; altering mUskets into rifles,
bliilding army wagons, etc., the care of which' 'eame: 1ai-gely upon
Mr. Paige.

In July 1865, Mr. Paige decided to 'come to Detroit, and in cOm-

pany with JohnJ. Bagley andZ. R. Brockway established the
'manufacture of' safes, vaults and: jail 'work. They' organized 'the
Detroit Safe 'Company, and iomlediBtely commenc'edwork,' with
Mr. Palge" as manager.' The company organized ' with a capital of
twenty thousand dollars,' and have steadily increased ' unt'il they
are now one' ot the largest manufacturing establishments in the
State, 'and 'their products are known all over the' world.
Mr,' Paige is'General Manager and Treasurer Of the company,and
to his 'efforts, ingenuity, arid mechanical' "skill are due the
success'they have attained. "
"

He h'ls never sought or wlshM 'political' honor,is 'promineht

socially, ' and in matters of business and with' his friends,' is
always agreeable and phasing. He has the pOwer of largely im-
pressing others with' his oWn ideas, is a ready 'talker, ' and
thoroughly well informed I writes forcibly and, well, on mechanical
matters, has the' best executive ability,' readily grasps 'the
details that make for 'success,' and by his 'acquaintances 'is es-
teemed as a valuable and reliable friend.

Mr. Paige and his family, consisting of his wife and two child-
ren, Frederick O. ,'arid 'GlenhaB~ Paige,' 'are melllbers 'of the
Woodward Avenue Baptist Church. Mr. 'Paige 'was"first 'Jllarried
January 31', 1861, and ~ his present 'wife, January 10, 1871. ' Her
maiden name was Abbie H. Rogers. She is the daughter 'of Amos and
Ewlice, (Hatch) Rogers I 'her grandfather, Major Amos Rogers i I was
killed in the battle of Lake Champlain, 'during the War of 1812.
Silas Farmer, H!sien: 2!. Detroit.!!!!!. Wayne County,>"- Volume II,
1890, , page
, ,
1196. -, ,'" ", , " "" :,,,

:,1,
• i'·

THE 'DETROIT SAFE COMPANY - This enormous factory was establiShed

in 1865, and is located at 'Nos. 67 to 85 Fort Street East~' 'Among
the original ofticers, were J. J. Bagley, Z. R. BrcckWBy, ,,' lind
D. O. Paige. The otficersare: \{. B. \{esson, PreBidolnt,' A. S.
Wiiey, Vice President, D.' 0,' Paige, ~easurer 'and general mana-
ger; A. W. Baxter, Secretary, and George Martin, Superintendent.

-34-
 " ; . ' .;{' .,' .. ',"i,'
.1'he fir.. t year two huncirec$ and :€Crt.,.~two ....h .. wue IWlll1'actured,
in leSa, 3,100. 'n1e p~,l.c",of tnll, ,.~e. ranged from 160 to
$~,OOO. The regular 1IIAke.. weiyb from 935 to 21,850 pounds and
vary in eize from one foot four inch.. by one foot six inches
wide, to six foot six inches . h'1gh bf rour :(. . t ",l.v~inches
wide. Nearly one hundrecl.' rogubr ir~riet:leS'are iliad'e,'" arid any
sIze or kind ill lllade. to order, besides walnut I>Jld iron sOOtte1"8
and iron work. Fire or burglar proof or cOlllbiD~ fire and burg-
1 ar proof aa:t'es, both for boa and office use, are Made with
other., with either single or douele ..quare or round doors. All
the ear... bave ,round comer. and particularly close fi tUng
doors, all are highly finished and soma of the interior decora-
tion ia really artistic. During 1883, they used about one hun-
d~ tona of steel and iron per _tho For door fr_s and j ....
they uaed a highly carbonized and a soft. bomogeneous stoel fused
together in ingots in
alleh a manner that, when
'rolled into plat",,', t,lle
lIotter steel,· or great
:tenSlle :'t>'~lg th, ' is
covera<1 on beth sides
with highly carbonized
II teel,' which is s" to-
perad that it is drill
proo,t. I t is roll ed
into shapes fnr nome
parts of the work under
patentll . exel usi vely .
controlled by thie 001II-
pany. Agoneies are ea-
tabUahed and stoc:cs of
sa1'lt. carried at BGston,
Maas., New York, 8dti-
more, Md., Augusta, Ga.,
Lyone, N.Y~ louisville,
Ky.,· Chicago, Ill.,
St. Paul, Minn., Dotllvea;
Col., 8lld San Francisco t ~" SAn COlllr»lY"s WOIIKs.
Cal.·1 and. their .n..tea Foo Street Fair, belWl"i'n fleal1b.j ... n I'"u:l St, Aino!r,r SIrem.. ';', '.'
are 801 d to customers Buill In 1814-&-81.

allover the UnIted

Stl\tea and in Gr.e(u'l, China, J"pM, France, South Alaerica,
A\lIItraUa,· Naw Zealand, ......s thehst· India., and in various 'other :< ; .
far awaylocali Ues.
Data and picture frollli SU ....... na.r. ~ History .2!. Detro!! !!!!!
Michigan, Volww I, 1889, pp. 808-809.
. (,

-)5-
 1908 - GEORGE W. GOLDEN - President, Michigan Engine Valve Company,
Vice-President, Golden-Belnap & Swartz Company
(gasoline engines).

Mr •. Golden continued to live at this address until the early 1920's.

6fto CANFIELD WEST, Ito :feet o:f Lot~, Block 100, Cass Farm Subdivision -
Frame Residence. Home built and probably designed by
John Scott, architect of our I{ayne County Building, at
the turn of the century.

Up to 188" No. 7~ Up to 1920, No. 15ft

. 1880 - JOHN SCOTT - Archi tect, Will iam Scott & Company, his
:father's concern.

188, - 1/ 1/ Listed in Detroit Society ~ ~ and Ladies

Address ~.

thru

1886

1887 - GEORGE I{. ROBY - President, G. L. Baldwin & Company, Whole-

salers of druggists specialties. Also a
Medical Doctor.
1/ President, Roby Transportation Company,
" 15 Atwater Street.
SCOTT, John, architect,
bont Ipswich, England,
Hay 10, 1851, son of
William Scott, was
brought to America in
185), educated CODlOn
schools, Windsor, Cana-
da, married, 1874. EoIba (" .- ~~-~c____"-1~""
-~. \-->-, .
Woodward of Rochester,
Michigan. Studied and
followed civil engi-
nearirlg at Windsor,
Can., beginning 1867,
took up architectural
work, 18751 locat.ed
permanently in Detroit,
1875, and formed part-
n . . .hip with father and
brother, which e%iated
until 1889. when father
retired, title of firm
John Scott & Coll1Pany,
architects since 18891
_ember Detroit Board of
Co~rce. )2 Mason.

Office: 2)26 DilBe

Savings Bank Building.
Residence at this date
Rochester, tUchigan.
Lived previous to this
date (1914) at 640
Cant'ield W.

The BOok of Detroi tars. .JOHlf SOOTT

00. b'Y- mert Nelson Dl:,--rIlOIT
.... IlCRI1F.Cl. JOHN f;0)'i'T.& co.
Marquis. 1914, p. 4)0.

~ Michigan FriendJI ~ ~
See 'Em, Newspaper Cartoonists'
ABBo~tion of Michigan. 1905.
page 194. .

-)7-
1902 - IDA ROBY WALDO - Deeded this property from her mother, Mary E.
I{aldo, upon her marriage to John E. King.

1902 - JOHN E. KING - Olmer of King's Tea Store & Ladies Lunchroom
and John E. King's Coffee Company, 36 Monroe.

Owner of John E. King Coffee Company

1915 -
" " only.

KING, John E., One is apt to think of Detroit as a great in-

dustrial center, the wheels of industry constantly revolving and
thereby promoting the growth and development of Michigan's metro-
polis. While Detroit merits and enjoys her advantages in this
direction, her commercial interests, too, are worthy of note and
it is in the latter field that John E. King has become well
known, being president of the John E. King Coffee Company. He
was born in Detroit, February 6, 1879, and is a son of William
Arthur and Elizabeth Robinson King, who are natives of England
and of the State of New York, respectively. They came to Detroit
in 1877, tlfO years previous to their son's birth and the father
here successfully conducted business as a coffee and tea mer-
chant, continuing active in the field up to the year 1905, when
he sold his interests and turned his attention to the insurance
business, of Ifhlch he is nOIf the hend, conducting his agency
under the name of A. King & Son, with offices in the Empire
Building. To him and his Idfe have been born tlfO children, the
younger son being David Clifton King, now a successful insurance
man, associated in business Idth his father.

John E. King, after completing a high school education, joined

his father in the tea and coffee business and the relation was
maintained until 1898, when he enlisted for service in the Navy
in connection with the Spanish-American War. He continued with
the Navy until the close of hostilities and then received an
Honorable Discharge, after which he returned to his home and
started in the wholesale business under the name of the John E.
King Coffee Company, a wholesale business which has been de-
veloped into one of the most highly successful interests of the
kind in Detroit. In 1921, the corporation completed and occupied
a handsome building on Winder Street. The largest coffee labora-
tory in the world is in connection with the King Coffee Products
Corporation, of which he is president. During the war, he de-
voted his entire time and that of his laboratory force to the
production of an improved soluble coffee for the troops in
Europe - (Note, World I{ar 1).

-38-
 011 the 2,d 9t'September, 1902, '.i'1. Detroit, .Mr. King was married
to Niss Ida Waldo, daughter ot' the late Lewis C.1faldo, .who was
president ot' the libi te-Star Line ot' steamers. To Mr. and Mrs.
King have been born three children: Lelds lialdo, who waS born
Narch 22, 1904, in Detroit, and since attending Detroit Univer-
sity school, t'rom which he graduated, is now a student in the
Phillips Exacter Academy at Exaceter, . New Hampshire; ~ohp E.,
born January 4, 1908, who is attending the University school 1
and Nary Roby, born .""-r9h.15, .. 191', wl10 is attending tl1e Grosse
Pointe school.

Nr. King is a lif.e member ot' the Detroit Boat Cl\lb.a)'ld :is. much
interested, in . aqqatic sP9rtll." .. He i, :also connected with the
Country Club, tl1e Old Club, the Detroit Athletic Club, Lochmoor,
and the Detroit Auto Club. His membership relations also extend
to the Detroit Board ot' Commerce and his interest .. ;in. the. !l~"'Y's .
welt'are is manit'est in many tangible ways. Throughout his active
business lit'e he has been associated with the tea and cot't'ee
trade in Detroit and in this connection has made a most credit-
able name and .place,. while hb bus.iness ente>:'prise' has.been: one·
that has established Detroit as an important commercial as well
as industrial center. He is the President ot' the Waldo ~~tate
Company. Mr. King's residence is in Grosse Pointe Village.
(Notel He moved to Grosse Pointe at'ter his resiC/mce at 640
Canfield West.) ., ....
Clarence H. :Bul'tOn, ~ City £! Detroit 1701 - 1922, Volume III,
1922, page ,14.
,. I.: """,'

, . :-. (

1920 - DR. E. NESBITT DOLMAN - Physician.

" I.

1925.- I, ." II, ,(,I,

. II
,.'.1 '

1_,.

, . '."

1950 - IRA COLE. - W81"ranty; Deed issued. ,on J8J;lUary 2~, 1950;
Present owner.
, , .'1,"
650 CANFIELD liEST, Lot 5, Block 100, Cass Farm Subdivision ~ Brick Residence
Op to 1920, No. 160

188) - ARMOR J.: FAIn - Lumber dealer.

188) - " " Listed in Detroit Society

Address ~.
~ ~.!.'1!! Ladies

1885 • JOHN M. GAGE - Cashier.

House'sold to Mr. Gage May 29, 1885.

1888 - Home vacant

1889' - ALBERT M. MURPHY - 'Lumber manufacturer, 40 Moffatt Building.

Resided here.

1890 - Home vacant

1892 - Home sold to IHlliam H. Dunning

1892 - JAMES NALL - Partner, NaIl's Real Estate Exchange, 1)1

Griswold.

NALL, James real estate, born Huddersfield, Eng., 1828; son

of Rev. James and Ann (Winfield) NaIl; came to America with
parents early in life and was educated in Canada; came to
Detroit, 1846, began in dry goods and carpet business, 1851, has
been interested in real estate business from the commencement
of his career and has engaged in real estate exclusively since
1897; president James and Edwin B. Nall Co., Inc. Republican.
Congregationalist. Recreations: Hunting and fishing. Office:
Hammond Building. Residence, 904 Cass Avenue. (Note: lived
previously at the 650 Canfield address before moving to'Cass
Ave. ) •
.!!!:. ~ 2f. Detroiters, ed. by Albert N. Marquis, 1908, page )40.

-40-
 1901 - THOMAS MURPHY" - Shown as residing here' 'in Dau's Society Blue
~ and'Ladies 'Adc!ress" Book for this yea.::-
---=- ---,- -
1911 - DUNCAN STEWART, - No'occupationsshowri. -.;.

II'
1914 -" II ,,:' ,Listed, in Dau's Society ~ ~"and Ladies
Addres'l :Book. ,; , , ' ",

1915 - ,II 'II Real estate busines'l.

1920 - II II; l.' .

, Real 'estate business.
'.;' ',"
, , ~ i _.: ',;

1925- CHARLES MALAFOURIS -,

.. ",
"
'. ,'j

662 CANFIELD I~EST, Lot 6, '100 BlockCass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up toi920, No. 162'
." .

, ;.

1885' ~; GEORGE PRENTISS '-' Lumberman" and land owner ,Previous to this'
address, Mr. 'Prentiss' lived, oil' Prentis.••
Prentiss Street was opened in 1878 and wae
named for him.

'1889 - JAMEsC. McCAUL - Secretary; Alger, Smith & Company. Long pine
timber ahdspars. He was alDO auditor of the
Detroit, Bay 'City & Alpena R.R. Company. At
this time, RUB&ell Alger and Oliver Newberry
also were officers of Alger, Smith & Company.

1901 II II Listed in Dau I s Society !!!y.!'.. ~ .!!!ll!. Ladies

!'ddress ~.

ALGER, SMITH & 'COMPANY ,-' Among the great lumber dealers of Michi-
gan, 'whothl'ough ,the exercise'" of enterprising and progressive
methods,' have advanced' 'the business : to its present magnitude
and distinction, importance, Mes'lrs. Alger, Smith & Company,
especially deserve the high reputation resulting from the saga-
cious and conservative conduct of the vast int'erests under their.

-41-
 control, which have culminated ill such extensive holdings and in
so satisfactory a manner. ~Iessrs. Alger, Smith & Company, suc-
ceeded to the business originally established by General R. A.
Alger in 1874, afterward, Moore, Alger & Company, and which was
incorporated under the present,name of', Alger, Smith and Company
in 1882, with a capital stock of $1,500,000 and under auspices
which have continued to secure' the most gratifying successes.'
The company gives employment to 1,000 hands and the annual output
of timber, logs, and lumber aggregates 90,000,000 feet. These
products are shipped to, Buffalo and Tonawanda, New York, Toledo
and Cleveland, Ohio and Port Huron and Detroit, Michigan. They
own 75,000 acres of timber land at Black River, Michigan. The'.
products from which are transported by the company's large
propellors, the VOLUNTEER and the GETTYSBURG in connection with
their steam tugs, TORRENT and WESTCOTT. The,officers of ,the
company are enterprising and progressive businessmen, and are
prominently associated with various leading industries, among
which are the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena Railway, of which they
are the chief owners, General Alger being its president, M. S.
Smith its vice president and treasurer, and T. H. Newberry its
secretary. They also possess a controlling interest in the
Manistique Lumber Company, of which General Alger is president,
Abijah Weston, of Painted Post, New York" vice president, M. S.
Smith, Treasurer, and J. C. McCaul, secretary., They own,the
controlling stock of the Manistique Railroad Company of which
M. S. Smith is president, L. A. Hall, vice president, and J. C.
McCaul, secretary and treasurer.
Detroit ~ History ~ Commerce, ,Detroit: RogQrs ,& Tho~pe,
publishers, 1891, page 83.

1911 - TELESTHORE L. BOURBONNAIS - Body builder, resided here.

Mr. John C. Day, who lived next door at 170

Canfield West, was issued a warranty de~d for
this property, on April 10, 1911.

1912 - JOHN E. McALLISTER, JR. - Traveler, resided here.

1913 - ERNEST T. COUPLAND - Salesman for Albert P. Parker (real estate),

Chamber of ,Commerce Building.
Mr. Coupland was issued a warranty deed for
this property, on February 28, 1916.

At same address.
1925 -
" "

-42-
&.zL...CANF1El:D li~, Lot 7, Block ·100, CaDS Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 1920, No. 170

1885 - There was no house on this property in 1885 Robinson's Detroit

Atlas.

1890 - JOHN C. DAY - Manager, Equitable Life Assurance Society,

2 Moffatt Building.

1901 - II II Listed in Dau' s Society ~ ~ and L"dies

Address ~.

1920 - II II Banker.

1925 - PHILIP BIRCH - Resided here.

68~ CANFIELD WEST, Lot 8, Block 100, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 1920, No. 17~

1885 - There was no house on this property in 1885 Robinsvn's Detrc.:'. t

Atlas.

1886 - RICHARD R. HODGE

II II
1893 -
1895 - "
" Mrs. Catherine Hodge (widow, Richard)

1901 - MRS. CATHERINE HODGE- Listed in Dau' s Society ~ Book !!!!.!! La,U"~
Address Book.
Also, Mrs. R. M. Adams - in Dau's Society Blue
Book.
1911 - FREDERICK C•. SUTTER - Electrical Engineer.

1914
" Listed in Dau' s Society ~ ~ .!!:!!! Ladies
" Address Book.

1920 - " "

1925 - ALBERT WELLING

692 CANFIELD If&ST, Lot 9, Block 100, Cass Farm Subdivision - Brick Residence
Up to 188.3, No. 100 Up to 1920, No. 180

1881 - DR. HENRY COlnE - Dentist, Office - Detroit Opera House Block.

188.3 - II II II Listed in Detroit ~_~ Bo!!~;

Address ~ Carriage Directory.
The
-----
Private

Office now in the Cowie BUilding, 42-·44

189.3 - II
" " Gratiot Avenue.

1901 - " II
" Listed in Dau's Society ~ ~!!!!!!. Ladies
Address Book.

1914 - " " II Listed in Dau' s Society ~!!2.!!!s. .!!!!l!. Ladies

Address Book.

1920 - " " " Still residing at this address.

1925 - ALBERT HUEBNER - Decorator.

-44-
702 CAflFJEI:1L!...ro:s'l?,
Lot 10, Block 100, Case Farm Subdivision~Brick Residence
Up to 188), No. 106 Up to 1920, No. '.186
: ! "

I P",

1881 ~ DR. HENRY A. CLElAND- Physician, '1 State Street.

188) - " : 'fl .' .

" 'Listed. ' in Detroit Blue Book; The ' Private
Address and carriage i)'ii;ctott~ '-.-

189) - " " '

" Office ..;
Street.
29~)1 Cl'eland Building at 29';)1 State

1901 - " " " Listed in Dau's Society

Address ~.
~ Book and Lad~

1911 -
" " " Died July 19, 1911 '" Age 76.

1912 - Harinah M. Cleland (Widow, Dr. Henry A.)

" " "
HENRY ALEXANDER CLElAND, M.D.~ of Detroit, was born in Sterling,
Scotland, March 14, 18)9,' and' is the son of' Henry and Mary
(Young) Cleland, 'and a lineal descendant of IHlliam Cleland, the
covenanter, who during the 'sixteenth century was a ,cOnspicuous
character in the' war' of the covenanters, having great influence
as a leader of the West country lfuiga.' In 1689, when the ex-
tortion and persecutions of Viscount Dundee, whom, King Jamee en~
trusted the management of 'affairs in Scotland, had. justly aroUsed
the anger of the covenanters, it was William Cleland, then living
in Edinburgh; , who became the recognized' 'head of the movement
which for a time threatened. to destroy the' forces of Dundee. At
that time, says Lord Macualey irI his Histo!i of Englan!!" the
enemyWhom'Dundee had most to fear' 'was a 'youth of,distinguished
courage' and abilities, named Wi11irun Cleland. Cleland had,wheri
little more than sixteen years old, borne anus in the insurrec';
tion at' 'Bothwell Bridge~ He had since disgusted some viruiant
fanatics by his human! ty and' moderation, but with the gree3, body
of Prenbyterians, his name stood high. With the strict rr.:'nUity
and ardent zeal" of a puritan, he United' accomplishments cd which
few puritans could boast; his manners were polished EU"ld his
literary and scientific attainments respectable. He ""s' a
linguist, a mathmatician,and. a poet', 'and his poemo 'i.ritt:"'" wh~n
a mere' boy: showed coneiderable vigor of mind~ 'He ius killed in
1689, at the aga of twenty-seven' yeal:'s. Hiariaml'"i:.ke; &11 uncle
of Henry Cleland, was for many years a promirien'~ m~ll'c~!Rllt of
Wishaw, Lanarkshire. The ancestors of ',Dr. Cleland' a mo'a",,, we~"
farmers for many generations in tti'ii toWn of ,: Stii·iitig of the
inunediate 'vicinity.
Henry Cleland spent the early years of his life in London,
England, where he learned the bUSiness of a cutler and instru-
ment mal<er. At the age of twenty-five, he went to Stirling and
began business for himself, and died there in 18~~, at the age of
forty-five, leaving his widow with eight children and with but
limited means of support. The family remained at Stirling until
1851, where Henry A. received his rUdimentary education in the
grammar school. The family then moved to Glasgow, and here for
one year young Cleland attended St. James PariSh School. He then
became an errand boy in a paint store and music store, but
diligently pursued his studies, attending the evening schools and
the Mechanics Institute and later, the Andersonian University,
and managed to secure not only a good English education, but a
fair knowledge of the classics, physics, and natural sciences.

Believing that superior advantage existed in America for

advancement, he left Scotlan" in 1858 and came to Detroi t, lihere .
an older brother named \Hlliam, had located years previously.
Here he at first secured employment. in the insurance office of
M. S. Frost, but after a few months' service, he entered the
office of Dr. Richard Inglis, to take charge of the financial
management of his practice and upon his advise soon began the
study of medicine, and in 1859 became a student in the Medical
Department of the University of Michigan. He graduated in 1861,
and soon after enlisted as a private in Co. I, 2d Regiment .of
Michigan Infantry, and after a shOrt period of service was made
hospital steward. During the Penisular Campaign of Gen. McClellan
he acted as assistant surgeon of his regiment, and was slightly
wounded at· the Battle of.Williamsbur\lh. At the battle of Charles
City Cross Roads, he was taken prisoner, and for four weeks, was
confined in Libby Prison, when he wa.s exchanged, rejoining his
regiment just prior to the second battle ot; Bull Run. He con-
tinued with his regiment until the battle of the Wilderness,when
he resigned his commission and returned to Detroit to take charge
of the medical practice of Dr. Inglis,. who on account of ill
health desired. to retire from professional work. Since then,
Dr. Cleland has been constantly engaged in the practice of his
profession, and it has· steadily grown in extent. He has a
natural liking for his calling and possesses an untiring, pains-
taking and stUdious nature; those qualities with a high order of
skill, good judgement, and pleasing address, attract confidence
and trust, and easily account for his SUccess. He is modest and
retiring in his nature, and his patients esteem him, not only as
a physician but as a friend. He has cultivated a patient familY
practice and his professional labors have resulted in securing
a large competence which has been judiciouslY invested in .real
estate in Detroit. His time is thoroughly engrossed· in his
professional duties and he finds little opportunity for any
projects not connected with his profession.

-46-
lie is a I!lembor of the State
Medical Association and is a
charter member of the Detroit
Academy of Medicine, the oldest
medical society in Det¥Oit. In,
1873, he went to Europe and
remained one year, .pending
considerable time in the hos-
pitals 01' London, Edinburgh and
Paria. At one ti~ he was a
member of the sta:ff 01' St.
Mary's Hospital, and is now
connected with Harper 'Hospital.
n", WaB aaarried in 1865 to Agnell
M. Cowie, daughter 01' William
Cowie, President 01' the Detroit
Dry Dock Engine Works, and
.1st.r of Dr. Her.ry CoWi .. ,
dentist of Detroit.
Silas Farmer, ~ History ~
Dotroit and Michigan, Volume 11
"MS9,page 1082.

Picture fro ...

Silas Farmer, !!!!. 1H..~·ory of TWR ClRL'>'ND ikn DI}I(;, ~:h.\l' NR-.. n GflS"'OW ST8KBT.
D.. tro! t .!!!!!. Michigan, Volume l," )\uilt 1:., H. A. Cit-laud in lagro
1889, page 1,,67.

phy.ician, retired, born Stirling,

and, , son of Henry' and Mary (Young) Cl<ll"..ndl
came to America in 1858, educatad in pUblic .cboo1s o!' SC<"::".mdl
Andersonian University, GlasgoWI M.D. uriivers:U:.y of Mich:i::an,
18611 1lU\1'>,ioo at Detroit, Apr. 18, 186" Agnlls M. Co"'i,~. 1>,·,r~l
a .....si.tant surgeon 2d Infantry Michigan Volunteer"'. 1861-:'~6lo1
waS prisoner of war in Libby Prison J months, 1862, ~.gan p~ac­
tieing in Detroit, 1865, retiring. 1907, 1'ol'lll8rly on sLH' of
Harper and Childr",,'" Free liospH;als and St. Mary'. HO:'l",'.ita1.
President Detroit PubliElhillg Co., Member ~rican ME:.~ica~ ,~"IIO­
eiation, Michigan Stato and Wayne County, Medical Sooi.)'~h'i!I,
Clubs: Wayne, Harbor Point Assooiation. Recreation I reL~!ng.
Addr..ss, 186 Canfield Av. ,W.
!!!.!!. ~.2! Detroiters, ed. by Albert N. Marquis, 1908, psge 113.
191' - GEORGE DUFFIELD - Physician, 901-02 J. Henry Smith BuUding.

19110 -
" " Listed in Dau ',.! §..~iety ~ ~ .!!!!!! Ladies
Address Book.

1920 - " " Clara Cowie Duffield (widow, Dr. George).

DUFFIELD, George, Physician, born Detroit, Apr. 28, 1859, son of

D. Bethune and ~mry Strong (Buell) Duffield; educated in public
schools and Patterson's Private School; Michigan Military
Academy, Detroit Medical College, M.D., 1882, post-graduato
course in Berlin and Heidelberg, Germany, and Vienna, Austria,
married at Detroit, Oct. 2, 1888, Clara W. Cowie, ,sonsl George
Bethune, Henry Cowie, Fredericlt Hodges. Has been engagad in
practice in Detroit since 18810; emeritua professor Clinical
medicine, Detroit College of Medicine; consulting physician to
Harper Hospital, Woman's Hospital, Infant's Home. Member Missis-
a~ppi Valley Medical ASSOCiation, Wayne County Medical Society,
Detroit Academy of Medicine, Michigan State Medical Sooiety,
American Medical Association. Republican. Presbyterian. Clubs)
Detroit Guild, Detroit Boat. Office 901-902 The J. Henry Smith
Building, Griswold and State Streets. Residence at 186 Canfield
Ave., W.

~ Book 2!. Detroiters, ed. by Albert N. Marquis, 19110, page 158.

1925 - JOHN J. CANNING - Resided here.

-108-
 BIB L lOG RAP H Y

ATLASES

Baist, G. lfilliam, Baist's Real Estate Atlas.

Philadelphia, 1911 and 1915.

Robinson, E., Atlas of the City of Detroit.

New York: E. Robinso~1885. --

HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES

Burton, C. M., ~ City 2!. Detroit, Volumes II and III

Detroit: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1922.

Dau's Blue Book for Detroit.

-Ne'w"Y;;";k..--oaufublishing Company, 1914.

Detroit ~ ~ook, ~ Private Address !!!!.2. carriage Directorr.

Detroit: The Detroit. Bl~e Book Company, 1881. and 1883. -

Detroit City Directories. (Annual Publications)

(Burton Historical Collection)

Detroit in History and Commerce.

Detroit': Rogers &Thorpe, 1891.

Farmer, Silas, The History of Detroit and Michigan. 2 vols.

Detroit: Sil~Farmer & COmpany, 1889.

Marquis, Albert Nelson, ed., The Book of Detroiters.

Chicago: A. N. Marquis & Company, 1908 and 1914.

Ross, Robert and catlin, George B., Landmarks of Detroit.

Detroit: The Evening News Aflsociation, 1898:-

Starkey, Jennie 0., Comp., Dau's Society Blue Book and

Ladies Address~. Detroitl Dau pUbli8hi~--­
Company, 1901.

Youngstrand, C. 0., ed., ~ Michigan Friends As ~

See 'Em. Detroit: Newspaper cartoonists Association
~ichigan, 1905.

-49-
ARCilITEC'l'UML

Vaux, Calvert, Villas and Cottages.

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1869.

Woodward, George E., and Thompson, Edward G., Woodward's National

Architect. New York, George E. Woodward, 1869.

NEWSPAPERS

Detroit Daily ~, 1870-1871.

AGENCIES' - Files.Searched

Burton Historical Collection

U. S. Census, 1880, micro£ilm

Detroit City Plan Commis.sion

Detroit Department of City Engi~eer

Detroit Historical Commission.

Detroit Water Board Records

Wayne County Tract Index

Liber I, Book 7-497.

-50-