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

203

Four years later, when Theodore Roosevelt started on his famous scientific expedition to Africa, Mr. Brix was a passenger on the steamship which
took the distinguished party to the Mediterranean. He met the ex-president
and enjoyed several conversations with him, finding much of common
interest.
In August, 1914, at the beginning of the World War, he was in Germany
buying furs, and only after many difficulties and the intercession of Ambassador Gerard was he permitted to leave and return home.
THOMAS PERRIN
Among the older generation of prominent lumbermen, who operated
during the rise and decline of lumbering on the Saginaw, was Thomas Perrin.
He was born at Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, England, on December 28,
1827, his parents being Thomas and Martha
Hanley Perrin, sturdy farmers of the British Isle.
In boyhood he attended the country schools, and
his first work was farming with his father. Later,
he engaged in the business of buying and selling
cattle, in which he continued for several years.
The desire to emigrate to America was
strong within him, and he left his old home and
associates, crossed the Atlantic, and landed at
New York City April 7, 1850. He first settled
in Branchport, Yates County, New York, but
later went to Havana and then to Geneva, both
in New York State, where he was engaged in
the ship timber and lumber business.
In 1870 Mr. Perrin came to Saginaw and
formed a partnership with Myron T. \Veaver to
carry on a lumbering business. He brought a
saw mill equipment from New York and established one of the first industries of the kind at
THOMAS PERRIN the south end of the city. A specialty of this
business was getting out of long, square timber and bill stuff for a large trade.
During this period Mr. Perrin bought a large farm near Bridgeport where
he resided until 1884, when he returned to Saginaw and resumed the timber
and lumber business. He continued in this active trade until a few years
before his death, which occurred March 9, 1916, at the advan-sced age of
eighty-nine years.
On October 25, 1864, he was united in marriage with Miss Susan Hitchcock, of Skaneateles, New York, who was born April 11, 1841. Five children
were born to them, namely, Alfred H., Annabel, Jessie, Arthur C. and Bessie
M. Perrin. The two older daughters died when quite young. Alfred H.
Perrin is assistant cashier of the Second National Bank of Saginaw, and
Arthur C. Perrin is engaged in the lumber business in the northern part of
the State.
Mr. Perrin was a citizen temperate in all things, and an unswerving
believer in personal and business truth and honesty. \While he never sought
public office, he was always interested in every move for the good of the cominunity and the country at large. The family home for a long period of
y-ears was at 609 South Weadock Avenue.
Mrs. Perrin, the wife and mother of this family, enjoyed a large acquaintance among the people of Saginaw, and was beloved by many friends. She
was a charter member of the Saginaw Woman's Club and active in church
and charitable work. She died June 11, 1917, in the seventy-seventh year of
her life.