History of Wexford County, MI. Compiled by John H. Wheeler Published in 1903 by B. F. Bowen Biography Page 97 - 98

GEORGE A. LAKE

George A. Lake is now a well-known, prosperous and enterprising merchant of Sherman, where he is engaged in the hardware and grocery business. His success in all his undertakings has been so marked that his methods are of interest to the commercial world. He has based his business principles and actions upon strict adherence to the rules which govern economy, industry and unswerving integrity. His enterprise and progressive spirit have made him a typical American in every sense of the word and he well deserves mention in this history. What he is today he has made himself, for he began in the world with nothing but his own energy and willing hands to aid him. By constant exertion, associated with good judgment, he has raised himself to a creditable position in trade circles, having the friendship of many and the respect of all who know him. Mr. Lake was born on a farm in Penn township, Cass county, Michigan, September 18, 1857, a son of George and Sarah (Cate) Lake. The father was a farmer by occupation and was killed by a stroke of lightning on his farm, in April, 1866. His widow still survives him. They were the parents of five sons and a daughter, George A. being the second in order of birth. He was only about eight years of age at the time of his father's death and from that time he has made his own way in the world and he also assisted in the support of his mother and the younger children of the family. He remained a resident of his native county until fourteen years of age, when he removed to Manistee county, Michigan, settling on a farm six and a half miles west of Wexford Corners, in Cleon township, where he made his home for several years, although during that time he was employed at farm labor by others and also worked in the lumber woods. When he was about twenty years of age he began business on his own account, but fate still held in store for him many hardships and difficulties, but he has met these with a resolute spirit and strong determination and has at length come off conqueror in the strife. His first venture on his own behalf was in lumbering at Walton Junction, where he remained for a brief period. He purchased logs and had them sawed into lumber, but had the misfortune to lose three carloads. This was a severe blow to the young man just starting out for himself. For three summers he was employed in the operation of a threshing machine in Wexford township and during the winter months he worked in the lumber woods. He was also employed by different farmers in Wexford township and operated rented land for a season. About that time he secured the agency for the sale of windmills and horse rakes and was thus engaged for a time, traveling on foot through the northwestern part of Wexford county, but becoming ill almost two years passed before he was again able to work. Upon his recovery he walked to Sherman, where he arrived without money and was forced to pawn his overcoat to pay for a week's board, but by doing various chores he was able to redeem the garment at the end of that time. Mr. Lake obtained employment with a man who was buying cattle through the county and after several weeks spent in that way he worked at whatever he could find to do that would yield him an honest living, saving from his earnings sixty dollars, which he added to seventy-five dollars which he had made on the sale of three yoke of cattle, thus becoming the possessor of a capital of one hundred and thirty-five dollars. Subsequently he sold agricultural implements for four or five years and at one time he employed six men to assist him in putting up the implements and constructing the windmills. This was a period of prosperity, well merited by Mr. Lake, who had made such a determined and strong fight to gain a start. His attention was directed to the implement business through the summer seasons and in the winter months he engaged in lumbering, taking off the timber from small tracts of land which he had been able to purchase. For several years he thus followed lumbering, realizing a fair profit from his labors. Purchasing a livery stable, he conducted it for seven or eight years, at first having but six horses, but gradually he increased the number until he kept from thirty-five to fifty head in order to meet the demands of his patronage. Before selling his livery stable he became interested in merchandising in Sherman, entering into partnership with H. B. Sturtevant under the firm name of G. A. Lake & Company, dealers in shelf and heavy hardware and groceries. They carry a large line of goods, carefully selected in order to meet the wishes of a varied class of patrons, and are now enjoying a large trade which returns to them a gratifying income. Surely this era of prosperity is deserved by Mr. Lake, for he has had his share of hardships and difficulties. His educational privileges were extremely limited, he having the privilege of attending school for only four months after he was eight years of age, yet he acquired much knowledge of law, and now does quite an extensive law business. During the first winter he spent in Cleon township he did shoe repairing. He had never learned the shoemaker's trade, but he possessed much natural mechanical ingenuity and as there was no shoemaker in the district he did much work. The obstacles he has encountered have seemed to serve as an impetus to renewed effort and now he is in possession of a comfortable competence as the reward of his perseverance and untiring industry. Mr. Lake was married in Manton, Michigan, to Emma Cornell, a daughter of Austin and Julia (Davison) Cornell. Her father is now deceased. Mrs. Lake was born in Steuben county, New York, but was reared in Wexford county and in January, 1886, gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Lake. They have two living children, Raymond and Urban, and they lost a son and (laughter in early childhood. The family have a pleasant home in Sherman, celebrated for its gracious hospitality. In addition, Mr. Lake owns other village property and several hundred acres of land, and holds large interests in several large marble and clay beds, and is making arrangements for operating the same in the near future. His possessions are the visible evidence of his life of tireless energy and perseverance, his sound judgment and industry, and his life record should serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to others, showing what can be accomplished when one has the will to dare and to do and when honorable purpose guides unfaltering effort. Mr. Lake is one of the most public- spirited citizens of the community, as is attested by the fact that every enterprise looking to the advancement of the interests of the village has received his hearty support. He conceived the idea that a spur line of railroad, running up the river from the Ann Arbor line to a point one and one-half miles west of the village, would be a decided inducement for factories to locate here. The river is very crooked at this point and by straightening it the old channel could be used for the storage of logs. He succeeded in his efforts to have the improvement made and results have proven the wisdom of his judgment, among the new enterprises being one of the largest stave and heading factories in the state. Industrial progress at this point was so rapid that more railroad facilities soon became necessary and he again set about to meet the demand. He succeeded in interesting the Manistee & Northwestern Railroad Company and induced them to extend their line to this locality. The survey for this line is now completed and grading has been done to within about four miles. When completed, which will be during the present summer (1903), the road will be about fifty-five miles long and will prove in many ways a blessing to the section of country through which it runs. Mr. Lake now has capitalists interested and hopes to be able to construct a dam across the Manistee river at this point (Sherman), which will furnish an inexhaustible power for factories, electric light and electric railway. If his success in this proves to be as fruitful as other enterprises to which his energies have been directed, it will be a great boon to the village as well as to a large area of country surrounding it. He has never blundered into victory, but won his battles in his head before he won them in the field.