Frank W. Clay

Frank W. Clay is one of the men who merits the high standing accorded to him by the community in which he lives, for on all occasions his principles and actions have placed him among the most public-spirited and philanthropic men of Adrian. He was born in Seneca county, New York, May 24, 1837, and came to Michigan with his parents in 1839. His father, Rev. Bradbury S. Clay, was born in Portsmouth, N. H., and was one of the pioneer Baptist ministers of Michigan. He was stationed at Adrian for five years during the early days of the First Baptist Church, and afterward he was in charge of different churches in Indiana and Illinois. He carried on a noble work among the pioneer settlers of these states during their struggles in making homes and subduing the wilderness. His death occurred in 1870, in his seventy-fifth year. The father was twice married, his second wife having been Miss Mary Raymer, of Bolton, N. Y. They became the parents of five children, of whom Frank W. is the third in order of birth. Miss Sarah Frances Clay, the daughter of his first wife, became the wife of the Hon. W. S. Wilcox, of Adrian, in 1844. After a few brief years of happy married life she was summoned, Feb. 12, 1852, to take that long journey from which no traveler has ever returned. Mrs. Mary (Raymer) Clay died in 1880, after reaching her eighty-second year. Frank W. Clay resided with his parents until he was eleven years old, and then he went forth alone to battle with the world. After acquiring such education as the pioneer schools afforded, he migrated, at the age of seventeen, to Oberlin, Ohio, and by his own unaided efforts and hard work, took a two years' course at Oberlin College. In 1854 he returned to Adrian and found employment as a clerk in the drug store of the late Samuel E. Hart, and subsequently with Remmington & Bennett, and Norman Bidwell, who were also druggists. Not content to be'the employe of another, in 1860 he formed a partnership with Rial Niles in the drug and grocery business. This firm continued for about five years, occupying what is now the Shepherd store, which they built, on North Main street. Mr. Clay's executive ability became well known, and in 1866 he was offered and accepted a position as confidential manager of the late Elihu L. Clark's loan office, and he continued to hold that important position until 1870. In that year he accepted the position of teller in Waldby's Bank at Adrian. In 1871 this bank was transformed into the First National Bank of Adrian, and Mr. Clay retained the same position that he held in the local banking company. The National Bank wound up its affairs after a few years, and the late E. I. Waldby and Mr. Clay purchased the building and continued the business as private bankers, under the firm name of Waldby & Clay. This banking company continued until 1894, when a new organization was effected, and the present institution, known as Waldby & Clay's State Bank, was founded. Mr. Clay became the president of the bank, which today enjoys the utmost confidence of the people and carries on as large if not larger business than any other bank in Southern Michigan. Mr. Clay has always taken a great interest in the growth and prosperity of Adrian. He has twice been elected city treasurer, and he served as school director for three years. In December, 1862, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Clay and Miss Amelia C. Hickox, the daughter of Reuben K. Hickox, of Avon Springs, N. Y. Two children was the issue of this marriage: Rial, born in Adrian, Feb. 20, 1864; and Geraldine, also born in Adrian, July 8, 1865, the latter of whom is the wife of Joseph H. Ames, of Detroit, Mich., the marriage occurring in 1889. Rial received his scholastic training in the excellent public schools of Adrian, and after graduating in the high school, entered his father's bank as messenger. By enterprise and application to his duties he worked his way up to the responsible position of cashier. In 1900 his health failed as the result of too close application to business, and he was obliged to seek relief in another climate, among the Alps of Switzerland. He remained there with his wife for two years, and has so far recovered as to be again in normal health. On Sept. 11, 1888, Rial Clay was united 38-2V in marriage to Fanny Ketchum, the daughter of Daniel and Martha E. Ketchum, of Adrian. Two children have come to bless this union: Frank D., born in Adrian, March 14, 1890; and Martha Amelia, born in Adrian, Sept. 17, 1894. The family are now living in Colorado Springs, Col., where they removed in 1903, and Mr. Clay is engaged in running a large chicken ranch, raising nothing but the purest breed of White Leghorn chickens. Mrs. Joseph H. Ames, Frank W. Clay's daughter, lives in Detroit, not far from her old home. On June 17, 1909, Mrs. Amelia Clay, wife of the subject of this sketch, passed away, but the memory of her, as wife, mother and Christian woman, will always live while there remains one whose life was brightened by her goodly influence. Hers had been a life of devotion to her husband, children, church, and its kindred organizations, and she was a leader among her sex in all work of a social or religious nature. Her friends were legion, and not only is she mourned by her family, but her loss is felt by church workers, her Sunday-school class and the many who received bounties from her hand. Hers had always been a life of goodly influence to her co-workers and an inspiration to those associated with her. The Clay home is in one of the fine residence districts of the city, at the southwest corner of East Church and Division streets. Bedford P. Anderson is a schon of one of the best known and most highly honored pioneer families of Lenawee county, which has been his home from the time of his birth, and is a member of the firm of Anderson Brothers, retail grocers, which represents the oldest mercantile concern in the village of Tecumseh, where the enterprise was founded by his father half a century ago. He has well upheld the prestige of the name which he bears and is one of the popular and influential citizens and business men of his native county. He was born in the village of Tecumseh, Jan. 4, 1847, and this village has been the scene of his endeavors throughout life. He is a son of Albert and Elona (Daniels) Anderson, the former, born in New Rochelle, N. Y., in 1814, and the latter in Vergennes, Vt., in 1818. His paternal grandparents, William and Sarah (Blades) Anderson, were both natives of New Rochelle, Westchester county, New York, where the former was born May 11, 1788, and the latter Nov. 28, 1793. There their marriage was solemnized May 13, 1813, Both families were founded in America in the early Colonial era and both were represented by loyal soldiers in the Continental line during the War of the Revolution. William Anderson removed with his family to Leroy, N. Y., in an early day, and there his first wife died in 1839. He later wedded Miss Charity Coles, who likewise died in Leroy. Eight children were born of the first union: Albert, Sarah Ann, Daniel, Anna Maria, Edward, William, Jr., Henry, and Egbert, and of the number the last mentioned is the only one now living. The only child of the second marriage was Webster Anderson, who is now living retired in Tecumseh, as is also Egbert, the youngest of the children of the first marriage. William Anderson came from the old Empire State to Tecumseh, in 1843, in company with his sons, Henry and Egbert, and here his death occurred in 1849, at which time he was sixty-one years of age. He was a cooper by trade and under his able direction all of his sons became capable workmen in the same vocation. He was an old-line Whig in his political proclivities and was a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Both his first and second wives were birthright members of the Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, and their lives were lived in harmony with the gentle and gracious teachings of this faith. The parents of Berford P. Anderson came to Lenawee county early in its history and the father was variously engaged as a merchant, produce buyer and miller, being the owner of the original "Red Mill." Before the organization of the Republican party he was allied with the Whigs, but severed his allegiance when the former party was created, and although always actively identified with political movements he never sought public preferment for himself. His death occurred in 1902 and his widow passed away five years later. He and his good wife were the parents of four sons and four daughters, of whom six survive. One of the sons, Faron Anderson, was a private in one of the Michigan infantry regiments and when but nineteen years of age was killed at the battle of Petersburg. Berford P. Anderson, the immediate subject of this review, is indebted to the public schools of Tecumseh for his early educational training, and after, completing the prescribed curriculum, he was employed for a number of years in the old "Red Mill," long an historic landmark of this village and county. About 1869 he became identified with the grocery business, established by his father and originally conducted under the name of the latter. After the sons were admitted to partnership the title was changed to Anderson & Sons, and May i, 1888, the sons — Berford P. and Erwin B. — purchased the father's interest, since which time the enterprise has been continued under the firm name of Anderson Brothers. The history of the business has been consecutive during the long intervening years and the name of Anderson has been connected with the enterprise without interruption. From its inception the business has based its popularity upon the strictest principles of integrity and fair dealing, and the old institution has a reputation extending over the large tributary territory from which its large trade is derived. Its record is one of which all members of the Anderson family have just reason to be proud, as have also the citizens of the attractive village in which it is maintained. The subject of this sketch is known as an alert and progressive business man and public-spirited citizen, and to him is accorded the same high regard which has ever been a popular concomitant of the family name.- He is a stockholder in the Anthony Fence Company, of Tecumseh, where he has other capitalistic interests, including a very considerable amount of valuable realty. In politics Mr. Anderson is found arrayed as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and while he has never been ambitious for public office he served for a number of years as Village assessor and also held for a time the office of village "marshal. He and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church and are active and zealous in the work of the local parish.

In the time-honored Masonic fraternity he has attained the Thirtysecond degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and his affiliations are here briefly noted: Tecumseh Lodge, No. 69, Free and Accepted Masons; Tecumseh Chapter, No. 42, Royal Arch Masons; Blanchard Council, No. 34, Royal and Select Masters; Adrian Commandery, No. 4, Knights Templars; Tecumseh Chapter, No. 51, Order of the Eastern Star; Michigan Sovereign Consistory, Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, Detroit; and Moslem Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in the same city. He is a member of Tecumseh Lodge, No. 190, Knights of Pythias, and a charter member of the Tecumseh Tent of the Knights of the Modern Maccabees. He was also a charter member of the old Tecumseh Zouaves, which was in its time a prominent military organization in the state, and in the same he was lieutenant at the time when the organization was in official service during the incumbency of Hon. John J. Bagley, as governor of the state. On Dec. 18, 1877, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Anderson to Miss Alice Smith, who was born in the state of Wisconsin and who is a daughter of William and Lydia (Hathaway) Smith, who removed from the Badger State to Michigan, first locating in Port Huron and later in Adrian. The parents passed the closing years of their lives in Tecumseh. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson is Elona, who is now the wife of Charles A. Barber, of Detroit, and who has one daughter, Mary Alice.

As printed in Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.