History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

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HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

began to carry on a contracting business here, and he has since been
occupied thus. In 1897 he took his son, whose name introduces this review, into the business, and the firm has since been known as Hoertz
& Son.
William C. Hoertz is one of the two children of his parents, the other
being Elise, who is unmarried. The parents are members of the Unitarian church, and Mr. Hoertz is a member of all the Masonic bodies,
having taken all excepting the thirty-third degree. He is a Republican
in his politics, though not particularly active in the work of the party.
He is a quiet man, attentive to his own affairs, and well liked by all who
know him either socially or in purely business relations.
William C. Hoertz had his education in the Grand Rapids High School,
from which he was graduated in 1893, and in the University of Michigan, where he followed a course in engineering for two years. During
his second year in college he figured on the engineering building for the
University and assisted in the construction of the building.
In I899 Mr. Hoertz was married to Miss Florence Ross. Like his
father, Mr. Hoertz is prominent in Masonry, and is said to be the greatest
worker in the order in the state of Michigan. He first became a member of the A. F. & A. M. in 1898, and has since taken practically all the
degrees. He is a Knight Templar and a Shriner, and has passed through
all chairs in the latter body. He has been in active service in the order
since I899, never having missed a meeting since that time. He was
elected Potentate of Saladin Temple in the Shrine on December I I,
I913, and on February 20, 1914, will put on a Circus for the benefit of
the Shrine. Mr. Hoertz' other fraternal affiliations are the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife
are members of the Christian Science church of Grand Rapids.
Mr. Hoertz and his father have much in common, and are devoted to
one another. Both are Masons of high degree, and together they conduct one of the most successful contracting enterprises in the city, the
amount of business done by them annually being about $750,ooo00.
RoY W. JENNINGS. In the ranks of younger business men at Flint,
Mr. Jennings is recognized as one of the most capable and enterprising of
the men who are rapidly gaining the rewards of success in commercial
affairs, and he is also well known and takes a prominent part in the social
and civic affairs of his home community.
Born at Almont, Lapeer county, Michigan, September 4, I884, Mr.
Jennings is a son of Rev. George W., and Sarah (Allison) Jennings, his
father a native of Virginia, and mother of Scotland. The parents were
married in Michigan, where the father engaged in the ministry of the
Methodist Episcopal church, in which he still continues. His first appointment to a regular charge was in Almont, after which he was in Port
Huron, then went to Flint for five years, was then at Saginaw, Pontiac,
Owosso, and now has charge of a church at Mt. Clemens. Rev. Jennings
is fifty-five years of age, and one of the best known ministers in the
Detroit Conference. The mother is also living, being now fifty years of
age. There were five children, and the Flint business man was the first
born.
His boyhood was spent in various cities, where his father had his
duties, and he was a student of the Pontiac high school, and the Ohio
Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, for two years. On leaving
school he came to Flint, and was employed by Mr. F. S. Crossman in the
undertaking business until 1905. He then established the JenningsMcKinney undertaking business, assuming the interests of the Crossman
estate in the old establishment. The business was incorporated in I9IO,