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

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1609

of the Methodist Episcopal church and the father having been a stalwart
Republican in his political adherency. Of the seven children Jesse W., of
this review, was the firstborn, and of the others only three are livingElizabeth, who is the wife of William Woodruff, of Chicago; Albert E.,
who is a skilled machinist, residing in Grand Rapids; and Oliver W.,
who is a prosperous farmer of Kent county, this state.
Jesse W. Fox was a lad of about six years at the time of the family
removal from Pennsylvania to Michigan, and he gained his early educational training principally in the public schools of Ottawa county and the
city of Grand Rapids. Owing to the death of his father he early faced
responsibilities that otherwise would not have devolved upon him, but, in
the light of ultimate results, it can not be doubted that this discipline was
most valuable and timely. As a boy he began work in a Grand Rapids barrel factory, and in this connection he developed his distinctive mechanical
ability. His ambition was equalled by his careful conservation of his
earnings and finally he initiated his independent business career by forming a partnership with Frank D. Day and engaging in the manufacture of
excelsior, a line of industrial enterprise to which he has since given his
attention and along which he has won definite and merited success. Since
1885 he has individually conducted the business and he has retained his
plant continuously in the one location. Through recurrent fires he lost fully
$52,000, and the great Grand river flood of 1904 entailed to him a further
loss of $12,000. He has made good the losses, however, and his plant is
now essentially modern in its equipment and facilities, which make possible a large annual output, the trade extending into the most diverse
sections of the United States as well as into Canada and Mexico. Mr. Fox
began life a poor boy and is now at the head of a large and substantial
business, his success being the more pleasing to note by reason of its having been won by his own efforts. The excelsior manufacturing business
is conducted under the title of the J. W. Fox Excelsior Company, and Mr.
Fox remains as the able and popular executive head of the corporation, of
which he is president and general manager.
Loyal and liberal in his civic attitude, Mr. Fox gives his co-operation
in movements for the general good of the community and his political support is given to the Republican party, though he has never manifested any
ambition for political office. He is affiliated with the lodge and chapter
bodies of York Rite Masonry and also with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. Both he and his wife are communicants of St. Paul's church,
Protestant Episcopal.
In November, 1905, Mr. Fox wedded Miss Sarah Maybell Sthoonfield, daughter of John Sthoonfield, a prominent real-estate dealer of Grand
Rapids, and they have a most attractive home, known for its generous
hospitality.
Louis FRANCIS PERKETT. When Louis Francis Perkett came to
Traverse City, in 1883, he had little save his ambition to assist him in
gaining a position among the business men of this growing community.
He had some short experience as a school teacher, and had worked for
a few years in the lumber business, but at that time he gave little promise
of developing into one of the foremost factors in the commercial life
of the community. However, he was content to begin in a humble
capacity, and where opportunities were lacking to make opportunities of
his own, and thus in a few years he had started upon a career that has
subsequently brought him to the very forefront. Today his connections
in the commercial world have reached large proportions, and it is doubtful
if there is an individual who has done more to build up Western Michigan.
Mr. Perkett is of French lineage, and was born April I8, 1857, at