History of Detroit, a chronicle of its progress, its industries, its institutions, and the people of the fair City of the straits, / by Paul Leake ... [Vol. 3]

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HISTORY OF DETROIT

WILLIAM J. HOWARD. Among the prominent citizens of Detroit, now
gone on to that Undiscovered Country, was William J. Howard, for
many years active in business circles of the city as president of the
Howard & Northwood Malting Company. Although his demise occurred
on May 10, 1895-more than seventeen years ago, his memory remains
undimmed in those circles of life in which he was active and where
he was pleasantly known for his high civic ideals. Mr. Howard was
a Canadian, born at Amherst Island, Ontario, in 1839, and his years
numbered fifty-six at the time of his death. He was reared and educated
in his native locality and as a young man went to British Columbia,
where for a period of something like ten years he was engaged in the
somewhat adventurous and varied occupation of a miner. Eventually
he returned to Canada, locating at Chatham, there embarking in the
malting business in which he was destined to continue for the remainder
of his life.
The identification of Mr. Howard with the City of the Straits dated
from 1880 in which year he opened a large malting business in that
place. He proved an aggressive and enterprising man of business and the
splendid success of the firm which bore his name was due largely to his
executive capacity and tireless energy. He was president of the Howard
& Northwood Malting Company at the time of his death, and had been
for a considerable period.
Mr. Howard was for many years an active member of the Detroit
Board of Trade. He was well advanced in Masonry and was past master
of the lodge at Chatham, Canada, his old home, while in his daily life
he exemplified all those ideals of moral and social justice and brotherly
love for which the order stands exponent.
In 1870 Mr. Howard married Miss Mary Jane Degge at Chatham and
they have three children, as follows: Mrs. Gertrude Hazen, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Frank C. Howard, of Detroit; and W. Bruce Howard, a
graduate of the Detroit University and well and favorably known in
business circles in Detroit, where he is president of the Detroit Foundry
Supply Company. He is unmarried. Mrs. Howard, the widow of
William J. Howard, maintains her residence at No. 26 Elliott street, and
enjoys the high regard and confidence of a wide circle of friends and
acquaintances throughout the city.
ROLAND S. EVERITT, factory manager of the Briggs Manufacturing
Company, of Detroit, was born in Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada, on
February 12, 1879, the son of Seth and Florence (Haskins) Everitt.
The Everitts are of Irish stock. Roland S. Everitt was educated in
the Ridgetown public schools, and as a boy entered the employ of T. S.
Agar, decorator of Ridgetown, with whom he learned decorating and
painting. He continued with Mr. Agar until 1893, when he came to
Detroit and entered the employ of the J. C. & C. R. Wilson Body
Company. He next became foreman painter for the Economy Wall
Paper Company, where he continued for about four years.
Mr. Everitt then became identified with his brother, Byron F.
Everitt, in the latter's automobile business and has ever since continued
that association, passing through the positions of painter, foreman
painter, assistant superintendent, superintendent and factory manager
of the Briggs Manufacturing Company, which is one of the large
and important industries of the city. Mr. Everitt is a member of the
Detroit Board of Commerce.
Mr. Everitt married Miss Nancy Barr, of Ridgetown, Ontario.
DR. EDWIN STANTON SIERRILL, is one of the best known physicians in
Detroit, being especially well known through his activity in the move1