Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2015 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= USGenNet Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== A History of Northern Michigan and its People. Vol. II Perry Francis Powers, Lewis Publishing Co., - 1912 [741-743] JAMES BUCKLEY, whose sudden death occurred June 15, 1911, was for forty years one of the most conspicuous figures in the business and public life of northern Michigan. At the time of his death he was postmaster of Petoskey, having held that office nearly twenty years and being one of the best known federal officials of the state. The city of Petoskey claimed him as one of its most prominent pioneer citizens. He located there at almost the beginning of its history as a settlement, and was the first mayor of its town government. The activities of the late JAMES BUCKLEY covered a wide field, in business, politics and social life, and his sudden passing took away a personality and power which his associates and fellow citizens could not well spare. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, December 19, 1840. His parents, DANIEL and ANN BUCKLEY, both now deceased, were natives of Ireland and after their marriage emigrated to this country in 1840. From Detroit, the father in 1841 moved out to western Michigan, becoming one of the pioneers at Paw Paw in Van Buren county, and the farm which he hewed out of the wilderness was his homestead until his death. In politics he was a Democrat. Of the seven children in the family, JAMES was the second. He was reared on a farm and educated in the schools of that period. On August 2, 1862, when twenty-two years old, he enlisted in Company C of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, and was mustered into service at Detroit, August 28, 1862. His regiment joining the Army of the Cumberland at Louisville, and he was with it in all its battles and skirmishes except while in the hospital, participating in forty-one skirmishes and engagements. Important engage- ments of his military record were: New Liberty, April 20, 1863; Chickamauga Creek, September 16, 1863; Waldron Ridge, October 1, 1863; Chickamauga Gap, January 24, 1864; Floyd Springs, January 29, 1864; Pumpkin Vine, May 25, 1864; near Kenesaw Mountain, June 26, 1864; near Jonesboro, August 19, 1864. In Kilpatrick's raid about Atlanta, on August 20, 1864, a minnie ball wounded him in the left shoulder, and he was confined in the hospital at Nashville until November 25, 1864, when he rejoined his regiment at Macon, Georgia, and continued in service to the close of the war. He received his honorable discharge at Nashville, July 1, 1865. After his return to Van Buren county, he attended Eastman's Business College in Chicago and was graduated in 1867. Having learned the carpenter trade he followed that during the summers and taught school in the winter up to 1870, when he moved to northern Michigan and became a pioneer in that then rapidly developing country. For four years he was engaged in the lumber business at Big Rapids. In 1874 MR. BUCKLEY came to Petoskey and began the career which continued until his death thirty-seven years later. This period measures the history of Petoskey from a small settlement to one of the important cities of the state, and his life work entered largely into this develop- ment. For the first three years he followed his trade as carpenter. Then, with MR. GEORGE MOSHER, he established the Petoskey Record, but other duties caused him to sell his interest after one year. He was elected county register of deeds in 1878, being the first Republican elected to this office in Emmet county, and was re-elected in 1880, serving four years. In 1879 he engaged in the hardware business, which he sold eight years later and began the manufacture of lumber and wooden-ware. Five years later he resumed the hardware business and continued one of the successful merchants of Petoskey until 1906. MR. BUCKLEY was first appointed to the office of postmaster in 1890, by PRESIDENT HARRISON, serving four years. In 1898 PRESIDENT McKINLEY ag'ain appointed him to the office, and by re-appointments in 1902. 1906, 1910, by the presidents in office at the times, he continued this public service until his death. Besides being first mayor of the city of Petoskey, MR. BUCKLEY was for two terms a member of the city council, for many years was supervisor of the township and honored with other local offices. MR. BUCKLEY was a nember of every branch of the Masonic order, and was a charter member of every Masonic auxiliary that has a lodge in Petoskey, including the Eastern Star and the White Shrine of Jerusalem, while he was a member of the Mystic Shrine and Scottish Rite at Grand Rapids. He served continuously for twenty-eight years as treasurer of both the chapter and council of this order. He became a Mason on December 16, 1868. He was past master of Durand Lodge No. 344, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was a member of Emmet Chapter No. 104, Royal Arch Masons, Petoskey Council No. 52, Royal and Select Masters; past eminent commander of Ivanhoe Commandery No. 36, Knights Templar; member of DeWitt Clinton Consistory at Grand Rapids since 1880; worthy patron of Beulah Chapter No. 63, Order of Eastern Star; official in Queen Esther Shrine No. 15, Order of White Shrine of Jerusalem. He had taken thirty-two degrees in Masonry. He was also past exalted ruler of Petoskey Lodge No. 629, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. MR. BUCKLEY was married, December 14, 1880, to MISS MAY ROWAN. Their son, PAUL BUCKLEY, is a graduate of the law department of the University of Michigan and is living at Petoskey at this time. ================================================================================ If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ================================================================================