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Compiled by John H. Wheeler Published in 1903 by B. F. Bowen Biography Page 83 - 85 |
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JACOB CUMMER
It
requires a master mind to rise superior to discouraging environment and
establish and successfully direct and control large and important industrial
enterprises. The record of a life abounding in triumphs over obstacles, in
perseverance in the face of difficulties and in gradual advancements from modest
beginnings to a place of honor and distinction in the business world, when
imprinted on the pages of history presents to the youth of the rising generation
an example worthy of study and emulation. Such a life has been that of the
eminent business man and distinguished citizen to a brief review of whose long
and varied career this article is devoted. Jacob Cummer, for many years one of
the leading business men of Michigan, is known from one extremity of the
state to the other, and his name is also familiar in business circles throughout
the entire country, as his operations have by no means been circumscribed by
the bounds of the commonwealth in which he has conducted his extensive
interests and in which his signal financial successes have been achieved. Mr.
Cummer is a native of Canada, in which country his family settled in an
early day and with the local history of certain parts of which the name has
long been identified. His father, John Henry Cummer, was a farmer and lumberman,
who at one time operated several sawmills, in addition to which he also did
a flourishing business in the manufacture of flour. He spent all his life in
Canada and died in the city of Toronto in the seventy-fifth year of his age. The
maiden name of Mrs. John H. Cummer was Sarah Lockman Smith; she bore her
husband ten children and departed this life shortly after his death at
Waterdown, being between sixty and seventy years of age at the time of her
demise. Of the large family of children that once gathered around the
hearthstone of John H. and Sarah (Smith) Cummer, Jacob, the subject of this
review, is the oldest. He was born November 1, 1823, in the city of Toronto,
but spent his youthful years on his father's farm where he early learned those
lessons of industry and thrift which had such a decided influence in forming
his character and shaping his future course of action. At the age of
eighteen he entered his father's business and after two years of hard work and
steady application there, went to Lockport, New York, where he received
additional instruction in flour making, in due time becoming a very
efficient miller. After remaining one year in that city he returned to Canada
and took charge of the home mill, which he operated for his father one year,
and at the expiration of that time entered into an agreement to run the
business for a share of the proceeds. Leasing the mill, he continued its
operation about two years, when he purchased the structure and as sole
proprietor did a reasonably successful business until selling out at a fair
profit several years later. After disposing of the mill, the
subject, in partnership with his brother, Lockman Cummer, engaged in the
manufacture of flour at Waterdown, where they took charge of two grist-mills, in
connection with which they also operated the same number of sawmills and a
foundry and a machine shop. While Mr. Cummer went to Waterdown he invested
all of his earnings, amounting to twenty-seven thousand dollars, in the above
enterprises and for a time things went favorably; the business continued to
grow in volume and importance until fortune seemed assured, but the great
financial panic of 1857 coming on, during which time it was impossible to make
collections, the business was so seriously crippled that at the expiration
of about seventeen months payments were suspended and the doors closed. This
failure swallowed up the entire capital of the firm and entailed a loss from
which the brothers were a long time recovering. Shortly after suspending
business Mr. Cummer engaged to conduct a mill for another party at Delaware,
Ontario, having been reccomended for the position by certain parties who
were cognizant of his superior abilities as a miller. After operating the mill
about a year for a share of the earnings he gave up the place and came to
Michigan, locating in 1860 in Newaygo county, where he purchased what was
known as the Brooks property, consisting of a lumber and flouring-mill, to which
he subsequently added a plant for the manufacture of staves. Mr. Cummer
embarked in the three-fold enterprise with every prospect of success, but
the Civil war breaking out soon afterwards and the consequent flooding of
the country with a depreciated and largely irredeemable, or "wild cat,"
currency, brought on a season of depression which continued with little or
no abatement for three and a half years, to the great detriment of all
business enterprises, many of which suffered severe losses, while others failed,
never again to resume operations. During this period Mr. Cummer tried hard
to keep his business on a paying basis, but owing to stringency of money
matters he finally succumbed to the inevitable and was obliged to suspend and
relinquish the property on which he had already made several large payments.
With nothing better in view, he soon afterwards rented one of the mills and
for a period of two years operated it with fair success, giving it up at the
end of that time and then rented for a term of years Rice Bros.' mill in the
town of Croton, Michigan. During the three years in which he operated the
latter Mr. Cummer met with encouraging success, and it was while at Croton
that he began in vesting his surplus capital in pine lands, a venture which
ultimately proved the making of his fortune. In company with the late Nelson
Higbee and Robert J. Mitchell, both shrewd, far-seeing businessmen, he
purchased large tracts in various parts of the country, all of which afterward
proved very profitable, and in due time he retired from milling to devote
his entire attention to the lumber industry. With an eye to the future, he
bought, shortly after leaving Croton, a large amount of fine timber land, which
he subsequently sold at profit of one hundred thousand dollars, the
meanwhile continuing his investments until, as stated in the preceding
paragraph, he became widely known as one of the leading lumber dealers in the
state. Removing from Croton, Mr. Cummer took
up his residence at Cedar Springs, Kent county, Michigan, where he remained
between one and two years, devoting his attention to buying and selling lumber
and assisting his brother, Franklin D. Cummer, who some time before had
become involved in various business difficulties. Mr. Cummer's ability to rise superior
to obstacles that would have discouraged the majority of men and to win
success from conditions which 'would have meant defeat to many, shows him the
possessor of a resourceful mind, a soundness of judgment, a clearness of
perception and rare forethought such as few men are endowed with. His career
presents much that is commendable, not the least being his ability to rally from
severe financial reverses, to perceive in the midst of discouraging
circumstances a way to take advantage of them, and to create opportunities
where they did not hitherto exist. In the midst of the thronging cares and
demands of a busy life he has never been unmindful of his obligations to the
community as a citizen, being always gracious in his associations with his
fellow men and enjoying a popularity which is the natural result of his
characteristics. The married life of Mr. Cummer dates
from 1845, on November 6 of which year he was united in the bonds of wedlock
with Miss Mary A. Snider, who was born April 7, 1825, in the dominion of Canada.
Her parents, Jacob and Rachel (McCready) Snider, were natives of New
Brunswick, but spent much of their lives in Canada, and died near the city
of Toronto. Their family consisted of nine children, Mrs. Cummer being the fifth
in order of birth. To Mr. and Mrs. Cummer have been born six children, whose
names are as follows: Wellington W., a sketch of whom will be found
elsewhere in this volume; Emily Eliza died in infancy; Emma Bell also died
young; Harvey F. departed this life in his sixth year; Elmer C. died when
twenty-seven years old, and Carrie E., who married Fred A. Diggins, a
prominent business man of Cadillac. Mr. Cummer and wife have been zealous
members of the Congregational church for many years and since coming to Cadillac
have been active in all lines of religious and benevolent work and to their
efforts and liberal financial support the church in this city is largely
indebted for its material prosperity and spiritual growth. Since becoming a
naturalized citizen of the United States Mr. Cummer has acted with the
Republican party and while not a partisan, much less an aspirant for
official honors, he has been active in party councils and an influential worker
for the cause he espouses. In political matters as well as in business
affairs and in his relations with the world generally he is a vigorous as
well as an independent thinker and has the courage of his convictions upon all
subjects he investigates. He is also cosmopolitan in his ideas, a man of the
people, and cares little for conventionalism or for the sanctity attaching
to person or place by reason of artificial distinction, accident of birth or
time-honored tradition. In brief, he is a representative type of the strong,
virile American manhood, that by reason of inherent merit, sound sense and
correct conduct commands and retains the respect of the people, and he stands
today, as he has stood in the past, a forceful and influential factor in
business affairs and an honored citizen in the walk of life.
From Cedar Springs he
removed to Morley, Michigan, where he formed a partnership in the lumber
business with his son, Wellington W., erecting a saw-mill which they
operated with a large financial profit until 1876, when the subject changed
his abode to Cadillac. Here, in partnership with his son, he continued to deal
extensively in timber lands, purchasing large tracts in the counties of
Wexford and Missaukee, which, like his previous investments, returned him
liberalprofits and added greatly to the already independent fortune at that
time in his possession. Becoming somewhat advanced in years and not caring to
assume any additional responsibilities, Mr. Cummer, as soon as he could
reasonably do so, gradually turned, his extensive business interests over to
other hands and sought the quiet shades of retirement in Cadillac, where he has
since lived in the enjoyment of the fruits of his many years of strenuous
toil. He still retains, however, an interest in the business which he
formerly conducted with such marked success and in addition thereto keeps in
touch with the trend of affairs in the city, manifesting a lively regard for
everything pertaining to the good of the community and contributing to the
promotion of the welfare of his fellow men.
He is a man of strong intellectuality and keen discernment,
and, calculating well the future outcome of business transactions, is seldom
mistaken in the ultimate results of any of his undertakings: As already stated,
he has devoted considerable of his time and talent to the improvement of his
town and county and his generosity, unswerving integrity, public spirit and
pronounced ability have gained him a distinctive position as one of the
truest and best citizens of Cadillac.