Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-22
HOW TO BEGIN LIFE
Chapters from the Lives OF
Prominent Citizens
SHOWING THE WAY TO SUCCESS
Industry, Honesty and Perseverance, Are
the QUALITIES That Win Distinction
and Dollars in business

10o 00llaIS III BUSINESS
Among the many business men OF
this city are not q few who have risen
from humble surroundings and DIS
couraging circumstances 10 places OF
permanent success and honor. IL -
believed that to make their struggles
and triumphs known will be TO encour-
age the young men Of this city to
adopt habits of thrift and frugality,
and TO spur them on TO renewed efforts
10 hew for themselves both fame and
fortune from the rugg ed walks OF per-
severance and the stern material Of un-
yielding honesty. With this IN view
The HERALD submits the following
brief blograp heal sketches, which will
be continued from week to week - .
special feature Of THE SUNDAY HERALD:
Henry sprsss. Dry Goods.
Henry Spring. the veteran dry goods
merchant. was inspired By desire 70
be . merchant one day when at the age
OF eleven years his mother sent him
for the fret time to the village store
with . bsskss Of eggs 70 exchange for
groceries The appearance OF the boy
who waited upon him In the store par
ticulAyly attracted him. He was
dressed nicely, his shoes were black
encd and he was very polite and atten-
tive 70 the boy who was to become one
OF the leading merchant in . great
state like Michigan. He asked the
young clerk many questions about the
,bussues, and vac particularly anxious
TO be able 70 occupy such poa,tlon.
From that day h;s chief ambition WAS
to get into . store. Hrs parents were
then living in FarmersviIle. N. Y. but
when young Spring was 10
years old they came to Mich
igan, locating in the township
OF Cannon, this county. The boy had
not abandoned the store idea aud soon
after tie family had located ne en-
tered general store ut Cannonsburg.
Four years later he came to this city
and applied for . position with JeffeI-
con Morrison A. clerk and was given
employment. HIS business sagxcity
WAS noted by the merchants of the city,
and il was not long before he had an
invitation to associate his ability with
tine capital Of David Burnett and Amos
Rathbone, proprietors of q leading
mercantile house. Before many years
Mr.. Spring was sole proprietor of the
business. Thus starting unassisted in
commercial life at an early age by bis
own energy, assiduity and perserver-
ance. ne fina!iy built up for himself
one of tile largest and most prosperous
dry goods businesses IN the state OF
Mich gan.
a. Preusser, Jsweiry.
A. Preusser furnishes an example OF
what young man may attain by
steady, faithful attention TO business.
He was born In Prussia May %, 1881.
HIS parents came TO the United States
three years later, locating IN Detroit.
His father was JeweIer, and young
Preusser early evinced an aptitude
and genius for practical work at the
bench. He worked at the bench for
twenty years, during which time by
close application he became one of the
most skiilfuI workman IN the country.
His father approaching the business
qualifications of the young man, kept
him strictly within his confidence.
which did much toward making for
him . career of phenomenal CONNER
cial success. In 1850 young Preusser
aud his father came TO Grand Rapids
and opened . jewelry business Ia what
vas known as "tne old yellow store" q
two story wooden building standing on
she site now occupied by Luce's block.
In two years after locating in Grand
Rapids the business fell into the hands
of the young man. who assumed en-
tire control. His previous training I'D
u,rsbty atted him for conducting 4
successful business. His career has
been marked by adversisy 1T intervals,
but his lndonitable will and businese
sAgacitv have kept hls notes from pro-
test and saved assignments which 81
times appeared 10 be almost inevitable.
Mr.. Preusser IL one Of the few men
Who have rot made several ventures IN
business during life time. He il now
conducting one OF the most extensive
ieweIry houses in western Michigan.
CO. q. vssss. miller.
G. q. A. yoigs began life ~ = farm
band. wood-chopper and raii-spiittes
Thus be followed IN the footsteps OF
Abraham Lincoln until the martyr
presidens started for Washington. Mr..
vo,at Was born VA Wenunegen, Prussia
Decsnber 5, 1888. In is4T nis parents
came 10 the United States aud settled
in Michigan City, Ind The elder voigl
Vas a baker hut that buaness Was dalI
An n. new home and he was obliged 20
take employment - il Was offered him
Young tolgt had received . pretty
good German education before coming
10 thIs country, being particularly ef
aciens in figures HIS education in thin
country was obtained by . lev weeki
in . pioneer school house with IL
limited advantages. He wss com
peiiess. 30 seek enploymsns IN order
b support himself. This be found
with = farmer AZ - month. Durns
the winter he split rails at VI Del
hundred and chopped cord wood faI