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 [954-956] EUGENE L. ROSE. - There are many salient points which render most consistent the according of special recognition to MR. ROSE in this history of northern Michigan, for not only is he one of the sterling and prominent business men of the city of Petoskey, where he has maintained his home for more than thirty years, within which he has contributed his quota to civic and material progress, but he has also been an influential factor in public affairs of local order, has held various positions of distinctive public trust, and, withal, has the further prestige of being a scion of one of the honored pioneer families of the fine old Wolverine state, with whose annals the name which he bears has been identified during the greater part of the history of Michigan as one of the, sovereign states of the Union. EUGENE L. ROSE was born in the village of Bronson, Branch county, Michigan, on the 21st of September, 1862, and is a son of LORENZO A. and MARTHA M. (DUBENDORFF) ROSE, the former of whom was born in the state of New York, in 1831, and the latter of whom was born in Ohio. The father died in 1903, at the age of seventy-two years, and the mother still maintains her home at Bronson, Michigan. Of the two sons and two daughters the subject of this review was the first born, the others being MAUDE, GRACE and EDWARD. The maiden name of the first wife of LORENZO A. ROSE was WEATHERBEE, and both of the children of this marriage are deceased. LORENZO A. ROSE was reared and educated in Michigan, whence he came in early life, and he became a factor of importance in connection with the development and upbuilding of the state. He became one of the contractors in the construction of the old Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, the first in the state, and he had the distinction of being conductor of the first passenger train which traversed this road. In 1872 he became associated with his brother, STEPHEN ROSE, in the building of the Cold- water, Mansfield & Ohio Railroad, and they laid the first iron rails on this line, the precarious fortunes of which are a part of the history of railroad construction in Michigan, as the road was abandoned before operations had proceeded further than construction work, the old roadbed still being in evidence along much of its course in southern Michigan. H. 0. ROSE, another of his brothers, was associated with JOHN M. METHEANY in the construction of the first railroad in Emmet county, - from Petoskey to Conway, and this line is now a part of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Rail- road. LORENZO A. ROSE had the contract to equip this primitive railroad with wooden rails, and later these were fitted with iron straps, thus constituting the old-fashioned "straprails." Later he had supervision of the extension of the line to Mackinaw City. He continued to reside in the village of Bronson until his death and was one of the well known and highly honored citizens of Branch county. He served as postmaster at Bronson under the administration of PRESIDENT CLEVELAND and was influential in connection with the local councils of the Democratic party, of whose generic principles and policies he was a stalwart advocate. He was a consistent member of the Baptist church, of which his widow also has long been a devoted communicant. EUGENE L. ROSE reverts to the public schools of his native village of Bronson as the agency through which he gained his early educational training, and in 1878, when sixteen years of age, he came to Petoskey, which was then a mere village, and became a clerk in the general store of the firm of FOX, ROSE & BUTLER, in which his uncle was an interested principal. He was thus employed for nearly a decade and his uncles, H. 0. and PERRY ROSE then became the sole owners of the business, which was thereafter conducted under the firm name of ROSE Brothers & Company. He remained in the employ of his uncles for several years and then engaged in the same line of enterprise in an independent way, as senior member of the firm of ROSE & SHAFER, in which his coadjutor was ROBERT SHAFER, to whom he sold his interest after the lapse of about eight years. He then engaged in the fancy grocery business, in which he has since continued and in which he has built up a flourishing and representative trade. His attractive establishment, at 312 Howard street, is a model in its equipment and facilities and caters to a thoroughly discriminating and appreciative patronage. MR. ROSE has ever been vitally interested in all that has touched the welfare of his home city and has given loyal support to all measures and enterprises tending to advance civic and material prosperity. In 1883 he was accorded distinctive mark of popular esteem, in his election to the office of mayor of Petoskey, an office of which he continued incumbent for one term and in which he gave a most careful and effective administration of municipal affairs. He also served two terms as register of deeds of Emmet county, and in 1890 he was again called to assume the position of chief executive of the municipal government, by his election to the office of mayor. He was the first Democrat elected to this office after the incorporation of Petoskey as a city, and in view of the large Republican majority customarily given in the city his election attested emphatically his hold upon popular confidence and esteem. The estimate placed upon his services in this capacity was shown by his retaining the office of mayor for three successive terms, and his administration was marked by most progressive policies and the institution of many public improvements of excellent order. Since his retirement from the mayoralty he has served one term as a member of the board having control of the city water system. As has already been intimated, MR. ROSE is unswerving in his allegiance to the Democratic party and he has given effective service in behalf of its cause. He is affiliated with Durand Lodge, No. 344, Free & Accepted Masons, of which he has served as treasurer since 1898; Emmet Chapter, No. 104, Royal Arch Masons; and Petoskey Lodge, No. 629, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in which he is the only member to whom has been accorded the distinction of serving two terms as exalted ruler. On the 25th of October, 1883, MR. ROSE was united in marriage to MISS ELLA S. TYLER, who was born at Adrian, the judicial center of Lenawee county, Michigan, and who is the only child of AMOS H. and SUSAN (ANDERSON) TYLER, the former of whom is deceased and the latter of whom maintains her home at Petoskey. MR. TYLER and his wife were both born in the state of New York and he came to Michigan in the early '30s, becoming one of the early business men of Adrian, where he maintained his home for many years and where he was a citizen of prominence and influence, honored by all who knew him. He was originally an oldline Whig but united with the Republican party at the time of its organization "under the oaks" at Jackson, this state, and thereafter continued a staunch supporter of its cause. MR. and MRS. ROSE have one daughter, JUNE, who is now the wife of RICHARD S. MEASICK, of Petoskey. ================================================================================ 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/ ================================================================================