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

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1253

village, received his education at the schools that were maintained in the
village some fifteen years after his mother had taught the pioneer school,
and the first fifteen years of his life were spent on the home farm near the
county seat. The parents then moved to Jackson which contained about
two thousand population. His father was county surveyor and township supervisor at that time, and the son received his preparatory business
training in his office. Later he engaged in the business of contracting, and
was one of the firm which performed the contract for the construction
of the east wing of the state prison. In 1884 he took a contract for the
construction of twenty miles of the line of the Northern Pacific railroad,
between Superior and Ashland, Wisconsin. The firm which did the work
was known as Dobey, Richards & Company, but Mr. Durand and Archibald Richards supplied the money. It was a profitable contract, but Mr.
Durand contributed his energy so unreservedly to its success that at its
conclusion he was stricken with nervous prostration and suffered the
effects for several years. Since then most of his attention has been given
to farming and to the care and management of his real estate in Jackson.
He owns valuable property both in the county and in the city and has
contributed several important improvements during the last thirty or forty
years. He formerly owned and conducted the Hotel Blackman, which
until a few years ago was the only first-class place of public entertainment
in the city. The Blackman and Durand families have had a notable part
in the construction and maintenance of hotels at Jackson. The building
in which the Hotel Blackman was kept was built by John Thomas Durand
in I859-60, and was later remodeled by Charles R. Durand at a cost of
twelve thousand dollars. The name of the hotel was singularly appropriate. Russell Blackman, son of Lemuel Blackman, son of the pioneer,
built in 1831 the first hotel at Jacksonburgh, and it was known as Blackman's Tavern. Since that early date the name of Blackman was identified with hotel enterprise in the city until recent date. The first building
was one of logs, and when destroyed by fire was replaced by another of
more pretentious character on the same site. However, its name was the
Marion house. During his long and active career in Jackson Mr. Durand
has in every relation retained the confidence and good will of those who
have been his fellow citizens and business associates. In politics he has
voted with the Republican party almost since its organization, supporting
the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln in I86o, and all the succeeding candidates of that party. Personally he has had no ambition for public office
and has been content to do his duty to the community through a public
spirited business career and by giving his aid and influence to the establishment of various important industries and lending his help wherever
possible to the improvement of the community. For several years Mr.
Durand was president of the Jackson Driving Club, which was the virtual
successor of the Jackson County Fair Association. The grounds occupied by the club and association were among the best in the state, and the
land in part was originally owned by John T. Durand and sold by him to
the association many years ago.
On December 23, I889, Mr. Durand married Miss Frances Porter.
She was born in Jackson, a daughter of Benjamin Porter, one of the
pioneers of the county. Mrs. Durand, who died August 21, 1903, was
during her long residence in the city one of its active leaders in social and
benevolent work.' A talented musician, before her marriage she had
taught music, and many in the city still have a grateful appreciation of her
efforts as an individual instructor and her zeal in promoting musical culture in the community. She was a member of the Tuesday and Friday
clubs, literary and musical organizations, and her support was deemed
almost invaluable to any movement connected with the cultural life of