William Finn Botsford of Port Huron St Clair County was born November 11 1851 in that city son of John S and Ann E Botsford He attended the common schools until about fifteen years of age when he engaged as clerk in the wholesale grocery store of Mr Henry McMorran at Port Huron Here he remained two years at the expiration of which time he went into the forwarding business as clerk for his brother John E Botsford At the termination of one year he engaged in the gents furnishing business in partnership with Mr George A Van Epps to whom he sold out his interest a year later when he entered the banking house of John Johnson & Co as clerk In 1872 he formed a copartnership with JE Botsford under the firm name of JE & WF Botsford their business being that of elevator and grain merchants In 1873 tnev built their elevator which was the second erected in Port Huron The following year the elevator was destroyed by fire and they immediately built the present larger one which has a capacity of seven hundred and fifty thousand bushels and covers an area of 270x70 feet situated about one mile north of the mouth of the Black River and about one half mile from Lake Huron on the St Clair River The firm continued with a constantly increasing business which gradually extended to and embraced a valuable shipping interest until July 1886 when Mr JE Botsford retired since when the business has been continued under the name of the Botsford Elevator Company William F being principal owner president and general manager He also owns a large interest in and is general manager of the Port Huron Sainia and Duluth Line of steamers He is president of the Port Huron and Gratiot Electric Street Railway Company of both of which Companies he was a charter member Mr Botsford is also very largely interested in vessels of all classes those under his management and of which he is principal owner being the propellers Colorado and City of Concord the barge FJ Dunford steamer Roanoke and steamer Osceola He is also a large owner of real estate in the city...
Exerpt from page 260 of Cyclopedia of Michigan: historical and biographical, comprising a synopsis of general history of the state, and biographical sketches of men who have, in their various spheres, contributed toward its development.
NOTE: A duplicate memorial was merged into this one by Find A Grave on 5/7/2020 at the request of another contributor.