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Frank Willis Wheeler

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Frank Willis Wheeler Famous memorial

Birth
Chaumont, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Death
9 Aug 1921 (aged 68)
Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, USA
Burial
Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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US Congressman. He was born in Chaumont (some sources say Ogdensburg), New York, he attended local common schools and moved to Michigan with his parents as a child in 1864. The family settled in East Saginaw, Michigan, and he attended the Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan, and the Ypsilanti State Normal School (later Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti, Michigan. After his education, he began a job in building boats, and then relocated to Bay City, Michigan, in 1876. He became master of the Saginaw River Tug Association in Saginaw, Michigan, and continued his boat building pursuits. He then decided to enter politics and ran for a seat in the United States Congress defeating incumbent Democrat Spencer O. Fisher. A Republican, he then served Michigan's 10th District in the United States House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1890. After his term in the United States Congress, he continued his boat building pursuits before moving to Detroit, Michigan, in 1899. In 1917, he moved back to Saginaw, Michigan, where helped organize and was later president of the Saginaw Shipbuilding Company, and once again engaged in his boat building endeavours. Considered a pioneer of boat building he started with small boats and eventually he began to build tall ships and steel steamers. He built one of the first steel steamers launched in the Saginaw Valley. He also built boats for the United States Government during World War I. He retired from boat building in 1919. He passed away from heart-related issues in Saginaw, Michigan, at the age of 68.
US Congressman. He was born in Chaumont (some sources say Ogdensburg), New York, he attended local common schools and moved to Michigan with his parents as a child in 1864. The family settled in East Saginaw, Michigan, and he attended the Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan, and the Ypsilanti State Normal School (later Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti, Michigan. After his education, he began a job in building boats, and then relocated to Bay City, Michigan, in 1876. He became master of the Saginaw River Tug Association in Saginaw, Michigan, and continued his boat building pursuits. He then decided to enter politics and ran for a seat in the United States Congress defeating incumbent Democrat Spencer O. Fisher. A Republican, he then served Michigan's 10th District in the United States House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1890. After his term in the United States Congress, he continued his boat building pursuits before moving to Detroit, Michigan, in 1899. In 1917, he moved back to Saginaw, Michigan, where helped organize and was later president of the Saginaw Shipbuilding Company, and once again engaged in his boat building endeavours. Considered a pioneer of boat building he started with small boats and eventually he began to build tall ships and steel steamers. He built one of the first steel steamers launched in the Saginaw Valley. He also built boats for the United States Government during World War I. He retired from boat building in 1919. He passed away from heart-related issues in Saginaw, Michigan, at the age of 68.

Bio by: The Silent Forgotten



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Added: May 8, 2003
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7423730/frank_willis-wheeler: accessed ), memorial page for Frank Willis Wheeler (2 Mar 1853–9 Aug 1921), Find a Grave Memorial ID 7423730, citing Elm Lawn Cemetery, Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.