History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, profusely illustrated with portraits of early pioneers, rare pictures and scenes of olden times, and portraits of representative citizens of today, [Vol. 2]

BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

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Robertson's Valley Laundry of this city. During the college vacations he
worked in the advertising business, in the theatrical line, and at summer resorts, for two seasons being a guide at Mackinac Island. He graduated from
the University of Michigan in 1899, with the degree of L.L.B.
Having acquired a thorough education and knowledge of the law, together with an abundance of self-reliance, Mr. Travers was amply qualified
to begin the practice of his chosen profession. Returning to Saginaw he
opened a law office over the People's Savings Bank, then located at 220 Genesee Avenue, where he continued practice for several years. Later he formed
a partnership with Miles Purcell, under the name of Purcell and Travers,
whose practice in all courts was large and profitable. This partnership still
continues, with offices in the Bearinger Building.
It is pleasant to follow! the ambitious career of men who have been self
made, who have disclosed their talents in useful and successful lives, and who
are making a name for probity and honor. Such a one is Fred L. Travers,
in every sense of the terms employed; and he is accorded the friendship of
honorable men in all walks of life. His religious affiliation is with the Roman
Catholic Church, and he is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the
Fraternal Order of Eagles, L. O. O. M., and N. L. V. & S. Arbeiter.
Although deeply interested in municipal affairs and the progress of the city,
Mr. Travers has never been burdened with aspirations for public office, preferring to follow his profession in well ordered manner free from political
entanglements.
FRANK A. PICARD
Frank A. Picard was born in Saginaw, County of Saginaw, on October
19, 1889. His father was Alfred Picard, a hotel keeper of the old lumber
days, who came to East Saginaw in the early sixties from St. Louis d'Gonzageu, Province of Quebec, Canada, and his mother was Mrs. Zepherine
d'LaChapelle, formerly Miss Zepherine Legault, of the same place.
Alfred Picard was one of the best known of Saginaw's many early
French-Canadian settlers and his "Central House", formerly located on Water
Street and later on Franklin, was the mecca for the picturesque longshoremen of the city's most prosperous period. He was one of the leaders in
securing the beautiful premises in the "Grove" on South Washington Avenue
where the Holy Family Church now stands, and was one of the founders of
the Alliance Marquette Society now having over five hundred members in
Saginaw. To his marriage with Mrs. d'LaChapelle there were born eight
children - Mrs. Minnie Hambeau, Seattle, Washington; Phillip, who died
in 1912; Victoria, of Detroit; L. Alexander; Mrs. Mary Ann Hemmeter;
Louise J. and Frank A., all of Saginaw; and Joseph A. Picard, of Pontiac,
Oakland County, Michigan, in the order named. Alfred Picard died on February 9, 1909, at the age of sixty-two years. At the time of his death he was
the representative of the Canadian Government in Saginaw for the Northwest Territory.
Frank A. Picard attended the public schools in Saginaw, his grammar
grades being at the Hoyt School with the exception of one year when he
attended the "Klondike" school while the Longfellow School was in progress
of construction. He graduated from Saginaw High School in 1907, and that
year had the honor of being Captain of the first and at present the only
Saginaw High School team that has won the undisputed championship of
the State in football. In the Fall of 1907 he became reporter on the Saginaw
Daily News and the following year went to the Courier-Herald. In 1909 he
entered the University of Michigan as a student in the law department, from