fBIOGRAPHY PROJECT - GRAND TRAVERSE & LEELANAU

Charles M. Beers

Grand Traverse and Leelanaw Counties 1903
by E. L. Sprague of Michigan

He then became an employee of the Hannah, Lay Mercantile Company, continuing with them one year.  Not content with what education he already possessed, he took a complete commercial course at Swensburg's Business College of Grand Rapids.  For three years thereafter he was employed as a clerk on a line of steamships plying between Traverse City and Mackinaw. 

The next for years of his life were occupied clerking in a hotel in Big Rapids.  In each and every one of the different positions he was called upon to occupy he gave the utmost satisfaction, never leaving a place otherwise than voluntarily.

On August 31, 1887, in Traverse City, Charles M. Beers was united in marriage to Miss Laura Raff, a native of Stark county, Ohio, and the daughter of  G. W. Raff, present postmaster of Traverse City, a sketch of whose interesting career will be found in another part of this volume.  To Mr. and Mrs. Beers one child has been born, Julius L., the date of whose birth is July 26, 1888.  He is now attending school in Traverse City and is an industrious, intelligent, studious boy. In 1887, soon after his marriage, Charles became a bookkeeper and general foreman for William Beitner, in his

manufacturing establishment.

The plant is devoted to the manufacture of lumber, chair stock, curtain poles, etc.  This position he held for ten years and relinquished it only to assume the duties of the city clerk, to which position he was elected in the spring of 1891. 

In 1895, in connection with S. E. Pond, Mr. Beers prepared and issued an atlas of Grand Traverse County.  It is a work that has received much commendation from the press and public and an edition of about one thousand copies was issued.  It is still used as the standard reference in all matters relating to localities in this city and county.  An atlas of Antrim county was also published in 1897 and on it Mr. Beers was the draughtsman.  An edition of one thousand copies of it was also issued and it is a publication that is very highly prized by the citizens of Antrim county.

In politics Charles M. Beers is a Republican.  There is no discordant strain in his political make-up, as all of his ancestry, clear back to the Whig party, were Republicans.  However, the only office he ever held is his present position as city clerk and that of township clerk, which he held for four years before the city was incorporated.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Elks, of the Foresters and of the Knights of Pythias.  His membership in the latter includes both the subordinate and uniform rank.  He holds the rank of colonel in the Uniform rank, being on the staff of brigadier-general of the Michigan brigade.