In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1890) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1824
From The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annals of Wayne County (1889), Chronography of notable events in the history of the Northwest territory and Wayne County (1890)
EMIL SOLOMON HEINEMAN was born December ir, 1824, at Neuhaus on the Oste, near the port of Hamburg. His father, Solomon Joachim Heineman, was born in 1780, in the Bavarimi village of Burg Ellern, where his ancestors had lived in peace for many years, until compelled to seek another habitation through the religious intolerance which was then directed against persons of the Protestant and Jewish faith, to the latter of wiiich Mr. Heineman's family had always subscribed. Seeking a home in the more northerly part of Germany, near the seaport of Hamburg, where cosmopolitan ideas had prevented the lodgment of intolerance, he established himself at Neuhaus, and by hard work and honest endeavor became in time the foremost merchant of the place, and amassed what was then a more than comfortable fortune. He held for many years an honorable civil appointment from the government He married Sarah, the daughter of Leeser Franc and Regina Josef, and became the father of ten children, Emil S. being the fourth of five brothers.
It those days it was the custom, upon the expiration of his school days, to send a boy to some tradesman in another city, either to be taught a handicraft or to be given a business education. Accordingly, in 1840, when he was sixteen years old, E. S. Heineman was sent to the city of Oldenburg to learn the practical duties of business. The Revolution of 1848 raised hopes in the hearts of young men that Germany would become a united and great nation, but the reaction in 1850 dispelled these hopes, and Mr. Heineman determined to seek his fortune in the New World. Obtaining a reluctant consent from his father, he took passage on the Washington, the pioneer trans-Atlantic steamer, and after a phenomenally short trip of two weeks, landed in New York in the spring of 1851. Going from there to Cincinnati, after a short stay in the latter city he came to Detroit, where he secured employment in David Amberg's clothing store, in the old Smart Block, on the present site of the Merrill Block. His fellow clerk here was Edward Breitung, afterwards a prominent resident of the Northern Peninsula, and its representative in Congress.
The commercial training and the instruction in the English language which Mr. Heineman had received at home, enabled him in 1853 to engage in business on his own account, in the same block where he began as a clerk. The fire which in 1854 destroyed the old Presbyterian Church, and the block in which his business was located, necessitated his removal, and for many years he occupied one or more of the stores under the National Hotel, now known as the Russell House. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he became interested in furnishing military clothing to the State, and later to the General Government, and after this time was engaged solely in the wholesale trade. His two brothers-in-law, Messrs. Magnus and Martin Butzel, were admitted to partnership in 1862, and the firm,
1 156 since known as Heineman, Butzel & Company, removed to the upper floors adjoining Messrs. G. & R. McMillan's present store, remaining there until 1 87 1, and then removing to their present location on Jefferson Avenue. Thus for thirty-five years Mr. Heineman has been engaged in mercantile life in Detroit, and during this period has witnessed almost the entire growth of the city's industries.
He has been eminently a business man, and while not neglecting political duties, has never accepted party nomination or appointment, but has been a staunch Republican ever since the founding of that party. He has been connected with many of the representative corporations of the city, and was among the first subscribers to the Detroit Fire and Marine Insurance Company, and one of its directors since its organization. In like manner he became an original subscriber tp, and director of the Michigan Life Insurance Company, and of the Fort Wayne and Elmwood Street Railway Company, of which he is at present Treasurer. He is known as a conservative in his business and investments, and judicious in his selection of real estate. In 1885 he erected a fine building on Cadillac Square, and has always had faith in the growing prosperity of the city, is known as a public-spirited citizen, and no more worthy representative of his nationality can be found anywhere.
Mr. Heineman, is almost as active as ever in business, not remiss in social duties, and is a man of quiet tastes and retiring disposition, to whom home presents the highest ideal of happiness. Almost any afternoon, in summer, he may be seen busy among the flowers in his garden, which is one of the most attractive in the city, and its care is one of his favorite pastimes. He is a over of books, and has given some attention to numismatics, having a very interesting and valuable collection of coins.
He was married in 1861, to Fanny Butzel, of Peekskill, New York. The year following he purchased his present homestead on Woodward Avenue. He has two sons and two daughters.
As printed in The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annals of Wayne County (1889). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
EMIL S. HEINEMAN.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
On his first arrival in Detroit, he for a time was associated with the late David Amburg, and also with the Hon. Edward Breitung, late Member of Congress from the Lake Superior District. In 1861, Mr. Heineman established a clothing house, occupying first, the store immer the Russell House, comer of Woodward avenue and Cadillac Square, from thence he removed and occupied the second floor over G. and R. McMillan's store, and that occupied by Roos' restaurant. He then began to extend his business into a wholesale trade, and finding the location too small, moved to the building at Nos. 142 and 144 Jefferson avenue, and established the house of Heineman, Butzel & Company, which up to the first of January last did a large and successful trade, when Mr. Heineman withdrew, and is succeeded by Messrs. Martin and Magnus Butzel, who continue the business at the same place.
In 1860, Mr. Heineman married Miss Fanny Butzel, by whom he has a number of children, David E., being a promising young lawyer, and Solomon E., secretary and treasurer of the Merz Capsule Company.
Mr. Heineman has acquired a handsome fortime, owning one very fine brick block on Bates street; is a large stockholder in the Fort and Elmwood street railway, of which he is the treasurer. He has one of the finest residences on Woodward avenue, the grounds about it being a perfect flower garden, exhibiting the fine taste of the owner in their cultivation and embellishment.
This competency has been secured by the practice of frugality, industry, and honest and honorable dealing with his fellow men, whose esteem and confidence he has won and still holds.
Mr. Heineman has been alive and active in promoting all enterprises tending to build up and improve the dty of his adoption, and has not withheld his time or money whenever and wherever the giving would benefit humanity.
As printed in Chronography of notable events in the history of the Northwest territory and Wayne County (1890). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Magnus Butzel (b. 1830) Martin Butzel (b. 1828)
The printed record stops around 1889. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.