1921 Duluth & St Louis County MN, Van Brunt.pdf - Garon.us

DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 875
Mr. Comstock was born at Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan,
February 22, 1847, a son of Elkanah B. and Eliza (Holden) Comstock.
His father was a native of Connecticut and his mother of central New
York. Elkanah Comstock spent some of his early years selling goods in
Michigan and California, but for many years was a well known banker
at Pontiac, Michigan, where he died in 1889. He was one of the early
members of the Republican party which was first organized in Michigan
and a Presbyterian in religious affiliations. In the family of four sons
and one daughter Albert was the fourth in age, and he and a brother
are now the only survivors.
The public schools of Michigan afforded him his early preparation
for life, and as a boy he was employed in his father's bank, gaining a
thorough business and financial training. Later he entered a bank at
Saginaw, Michigan, as assistant cashier until elected cashier.
The senior partner of Marshall-Wells Company, A. M. Marshall, was
also a former Saginaw business man and citizen, and when Mr. Comstock
came to Duluth January 1, 1895, it was to engage in the wholesale
hardware business with Mr. Marshall. Mr. Comstock is now first vice
president and a director of the Marshall-Wells Company. A. M. Marshall
is now chairman of the board, while Seth Marshall is president and other
officers besides Mr. Comstock are W. P. Mars and J. W. Walker, vice
presidents; H. A. Sedgwick, treasurer; W. F. Arndt and W. H. McVay,
assistant treasurers; C. M. Rice, secretary, and C. P. Grady, assistant
secretary. A more complete story of this great Duluth business is told
on other pages.
Mr. Comstock attends the Episcopal Church and is a member of the
Republican party. January 25, 1875, he married Miss Elizabeth Hadley,
of Pontiac, Michigan. Their only child. Marguerite, is the wife of
Charles W. Andrews of Duluth.
B. A. Palmer, chief of police of Proctor, is one of the courageous
and capable men of St. Louis County, engaged in maintaining law and
order, and through his thoroughness and efficiency this region is noted
for its law-abiding citizens. He was born at Bay City, Michigan, April
10, 1876, a son of Dr. Thomas Palmer, a native of Canada, born near
Quebec. Some years ago Doctor Palmer came to the United States, and
locating at Standish, Michigan, made that vicinity his home until his
death in 1919, and there built up a large practice. He had eight children,
of whom Chief Palmer is the youngest.
Until he was eighteen years old, B. A. Palmer attended the public
schools of his native city, and then for three years was engaged in
agricultural work. With the declaration of war with Spain, in 1898, he
enlisted as a private at Alpena, Michigan, and his regiment was sent to
Atlanta. Georgia, but before he reached the front, peace was declared.
Mr. Palmer returned to Michigan, and was engaged in the lumber business
at Millersburg. Michigan, transferring his operations to Duluth,
Minnesota, later on, and in 1906 formed connections with a mining company
at Hibbing, Minnesota, which he maintained until the big strike of
the miners of that region, and he returned to Duluth. and became a member
of the police force of that city. After eighteen months of service,
he was transferred to Oliver, Wisconsin, and made chief of the police
department for a time. Once more he went back to Duluth and was on
its police force for eighteen months more when in 1914 he was made
chief of police of Proctor, and still holds that important office. During
the time he has been in office he has made over two hundred important
arrests, and has been instrumental in suppressing a large amount of