Francis B. Stockbridge
Encyclopedia
Francis Brown Stockbridge (April 9, 1826 April 30, 1894) was a U.S. Senator from the state
of Michigan
.
Stockbridge was born in Bath, Maine
and attended the common schools. He clerked at a wholesale house in Boston 1843-1847. He moved to Chicago and opened a lumber yard. He then moved to Saugatuck, Michigan
in 1851 and engaged in the operation of sawmills. He was also interested in mercantile pursuits. He moved to Kalamazoo
in 1863 and engaged in the lumber business there. He was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
in 1869 and a member of the Michigan State Senate in 1871. Stockbridge was appointed ambassador to the Netherlands
on July 12, 1875. He took the oath of office but never proceeded to the post.
In 1882, Stockbridge purchased the site of the famous Grand Hotel
on Mackinac Island
and arranged financing for its construction from the three major transportation companies that rendered service to the island at the time: the Michigan Central Railroad
, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
, and the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
. Together, they formed the Mackinac Island Hotel Company, which then built the Grand Hotel in 1887.
He was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate
in 1887 and was reelected in 1893. He served from March 4, 1887 until his death on April 30, 1894. He was chairman of the Committee on Fisheries in the Fiftieth
through Fifty-second Congresses
. He died suddenly while visiting his nephew James Houghteling in Chicago. He is interred in Mountain Home Cemetery in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Stockbridge was the last person to have served in the Michigan State Legislature and in the United States Senate
until Debbie Stabenow
was elected in 2000.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Stockbridge was born in Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
and attended the common schools. He clerked at a wholesale house in Boston 1843-1847. He moved to Chicago and opened a lumber yard. He then moved to Saugatuck, Michigan
Saugatuck, Michigan
Saugatuck is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 925 at the 2010 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous....
in 1851 and engaged in the operation of sawmills. He was also interested in mercantile pursuits. He moved to Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
in 1863 and engaged in the lumber business there. He was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
in 1869 and a member of the Michigan State Senate in 1871. Stockbridge was appointed ambassador to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
on July 12, 1875. He took the oath of office but never proceeded to the post.
In 1882, Stockbridge purchased the site of the famous Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island)
The Grand Hotel is a historic hotel and coastal resort located on Mackinac Island, Michigan, a small island located at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac within Lake Huron between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Constructed in the late 19th century, the facility advertises itself as...
on Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
and arranged financing for its construction from the three major transportation companies that rendered service to the island at the time: the Michigan Central Railroad
Michigan Central Railroad
The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada...
, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA...
, and the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company, often abbrievated as D&C, was a shipping company on the Great Lakes.- Operations :The main route was between Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio. Routes also lead to Buffalo, New York with the purchase of the Detroit and Buffalo Steamship Company in...
. Together, they formed the Mackinac Island Hotel Company, which then built the Grand Hotel in 1887.
He was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1887 and was reelected in 1893. He served from March 4, 1887 until his death on April 30, 1894. He was chairman of the Committee on Fisheries in the Fiftieth
50th United States Congress
The Fiftieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth...
through Fifty-second Congresses
52nd United States Congress
The Fifty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C...
. He died suddenly while visiting his nephew James Houghteling in Chicago. He is interred in Mountain Home Cemetery in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Stockbridge was the last person to have served in the Michigan State Legislature and in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
until Debbie Stabenow
Debbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001...
was elected in 2000.