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

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1483

of Peter Thatcher. The maternal grandfather of Frank E. Thatcher
was Tyler Carpenter, who was born in Massachusetts, in early youth
moved to Pennsylvania, and following the business of carpenter and
farmer spent the rest of his years in that state. Edwin Thatcher and
wife had six children, of whom the Ravenna merchant was fourth, the
family being described briefly as follows: Fred A., a merchant at
Fountain, Michigan; Anna, widow of W. S. Averill, of Harrisburg,
Michigan; Amanda, wife of G. E. Rockwell a farmer in Ottawa county;
Frank E.; Eldred, a horse dealer in Ravenna; and Jennie, wife of James
Rockwell, a merchant of Harrisburg.
Frank E. Thatcher grew up and was educated in the local schools of
Ravenna, and later took a teacher's course in the University of Valparaiso, Indiana. His first regular work as an independent man of affairs
was in teaching, but he soon gave up that profession and became clerk
in a drug store, following that work in Muskegon and at Elk Rapids, for
a number of years. In I894 his father was made postmaster at Ravenna,
and he came to Ravenna to become assistant. At the same time he brought
a stock of goods, and conducted a drug store in the same building with the
postoffice, looking after the interests of both the Federal office and the
store. From that has developed his present large business as a druggist
and general merchant.
In 1885 Mr. Thatcher married Sadie Bennett, a daughter of Henry
Bennett of Muskegon, who was a ship carpenter in that city. Their
four children are: Edwin, who is a civil engineer, and a graduate of
Michigan Agricultural College in 1907, and is now located in Grand
Rapids; Mation, who is an assistant in his father's store; Lynn, who
passed the best examination in Muskegon in the eighth grade and has
just returned from a free trip to the State Fair at Detroit, as a reward
for his scholarship; Thomas, who is also in school.
Mr. Thatcher is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of America,
has passed all the chairs of the Odd Fellows, has been finance keeper in
the Maccabees for fifteen years, and banker in the Woodman Camp for
ten years. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Thatcher has been honored with
various positions, having served as supervisor of Ravenna township for
five years, being first elected in I866, and serving until 1890. In the
latter year came his election to the state Legislature, in which he served
creditably for one term. Mr. Thatcher is vice president of the State
Pharmaceutical Association, is secretary of the Ravenna School Board,
and from a man who started out in life as a clerk and with no capital
or advantages, except those supplied through his own energy and ability,
his success has been most pleasing and gratifying.
THOMAS J. HENDERSON. The business relations of Thomas J.
Henderson with the city of Flint have subsisted for. thirty years. In that
time he has acquired more than an ordinary success. Along with business
success has come civic and personal esteem, and Mr. Henderson is one
of the well known citizens and popular business men of his home community. His birth occurred in County Perth, Ontario, Canada, November
25, 1857. He was the fourth in a family of six children born to Thomas
and Mary (Hollingsworth) Henderson. Both parents were natives of
Great Britain, the mother born in Ireland, and the father in Scotland.
They came to Canada in early life, and the father was for many years a
stone mason and contractor, and spent all his active career in Ontario.
He came to Michigan to make visits at different times, but could never
be persuaded to take up his permanent residence on this side of the
boundary. He died in Canada in I863, when thirty-nine years of age. The