This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: MichaelCronk28 Surnames: HOEBEKE, HULSWIT, LOUIS Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.michigan.counties.kent/8681/mb.ashx Message Board Post: FRANK T. HULSWIT FALLS TO DEATH G.R. UTILITY MAGNATE DROPS FROM NEW YORK HOTEL ROOM ACHIEVED EMINENT POSITION IN MORE THAN DOZEN COMPANIES IN WIDELY SCATTERED SECTIONS OF UNITED STATES NEW YORK, April 2 - (A.P.) - FRANK T. HULSWIT, 57-year-old Grand Rapids, Mich., public utility executive, died late today, 10 hours after falling from his fifth-floor room in the Astor hotel to the marquee over the sidewalk. Police said they believed Hulswit lost his balance and toppled while trying to repair an antenna outside his window. Beside him on the marquee they found a pair of pliers, while the broken wire of the antenna dangled from beside the window. Hulswit, who has a lower Broadway office and who has stopped at the hotel intermittently for 20 years, lived at 935 Cambridge dr., East Grand Rapids, Mich. GRAND RAPIDS NATIVE He was a native of Grand Rapids and an officer in a long list of public utility companies. CHARLES L. HULSWIT, one of two sons, was with him when he died at Bellevue hospital from a fractured skull and internal injuries. Hulswit had been president of the AMERICAN COMMONWEALTH POWER CO. since 1927. He also is listed in the latest Who's Who as holding these offices: President of the Jacksonville (Fla.) Gas company; member of the board of directors of the American Gas association; president of the Bangor (Me.) Gas Light company; chairman of the board and director of the American Community Power company; president of the St. Augustine (Fla.) Gas and Electric company. Chairman of the board of directors of the American Gas and Power company; vice president of the Minneapolis Gas Light company; chairman of the board and director of the Dominion Gas and Electric company; vice president of the General Public Utilities company; director of the Community Power and Light company. PROMINENT CLUBMAN His clubs included the Metropolitan, "Bankers", Athletic and Downtown Athletic, all of New York; Peninsular and Highlands Country of Grand Rapids; Union League of Chicago; Union of Cleveland and the Congressional Country of Washington. Hulswit's rise to importance began in 1910 when he formed the United Light & Railway Co. This corporation was absorbed by the United Light & Power Co., of which he became president. He relinquished the presidency, but five years later, in 1931, returned as a director. His fortune at one time had been estimated at $10,000,000 to $20,000,000. His son, Charles of Suffern, N.Y., made arrangements to have the body sent to Grand Rapids. THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Mon., 3 April 1933, Pg. 1, Cols. 1-2 (Lead Story) ******************************** FRANK T. HULSWIT FALLS TO DEATH G.R. UTILITY MAGNATE DROPS FROM NEW YORK HOTEL ROOM WAS COURAGEOUS, RESOURCEFUL BUSINESS LEADER, WHO BROUGHT RENOWN TO CITY; BODY WILL ARRIVE HERE TUESDAY FRANK T. HULSWIT was one of half a dozen Grand Rapids men who, by their success in the public utility business, brought to the western Michigan metropolis a renown for producing utility magnates almost as great as its fame for manufacturing fine furniture. In his 57 years Mr. Hulswit knew the satisfaction of achieving success in his chosen field-the world of business and finance. He also tasted the bitterness of despair which must come to one who helplessly sees his fortune crumble. But he was not conquered by reverses of fate. Instead, he recouped his losses and returned to a dominant position in the business world. Throughout the vicissitudes of his career Mr. Hulswit remained a plain man. There was nothing of the spectacular about his manner, although his achievements often were. MAINTAINED HOME HERE Although his business connections necessitated his presence in New York much of the time he maintained his residence at 935 Cambridge dr., East Grand Rapids. There his body will be returned Tuesday, accompanied by his son, CHARLES LOUIS HULSWIT of Suffern, N.Y., for funeral services and burial. Mr. Hulswit was in Grand Rapids at Christmas time with his family and again on business about six weeks ago. >From the prominence of his fore-bearers, Mr. Hulswit was virtually predestined to accomplish great things. His paternal great-grandfather was one of the most famous Dutch painters of the eighteenth century, JOHN HULSWIT, some of whose paintings are preserved in the National Art Gallery of Holland at the Hague. His grandfather, who also was named JOHN HULSWIT, likewise was a painter of some prominence but died quite young, leaving no paintings which approached those of his father. Mr. Hulswit's father was born in Amsterdam, Sept. 20, 1836, and after an education in the schools of that city served the regulation period in the army of The Netherlands., attaining the rank of captain. He came to Grand Rapids in 1871, worked in the Mike Caulfield grocery on Canal st., then in the bookstore of D.J. Doornink where the Paul Steketee & Sons store now stands, and finally engaged in the book and stationery business for himself on Monroe ave., just west of the present site of Daane & Witters. BORN HERE IN 1875 He married JOHANNA U. LOUIS, also a native of Holland, and to them four sons were born. FRANK T., being the oldest. Frank was born Sept. 10, 1875. After completing the eleventh grade in the old Central high school, Frank became an apprentice in Vandermeulen's jewelry store, which occupied part of the same building with his father's bookstore. Soon abandoning the business of watch repairing, he found work as a subclerk in the local postoffice. A year later he was employed as an office boy by the Michigan Trust company, where he was promptly promoted to the teller's cage. The following year he went on the road selling bonds for McDonald, McCoy & Co. of Chicago, later becoming associated with the financial house of Edward M. Deane & Co., where he made the acquaintance of Ralph Child, with whom in 1904 he engaged in the stock and bond business under the name of Child, Hulswit & Co. The business grew rapidly and eventually the co-partnership became a stock company with Richard Shaddelee, Claude Hamilton, Howard Thornton and E.A. Stowe, among the stockholders. The capital stock was increased from $50,000 to $250,000 within a short time and the company attained control of numerous utility concerns including the Cheboygan Gas company, Cadillac Gas company, La Porte (Ind.) Gas company, Mattoon (Ill.) Gas company, Fort Dodge and Muscatine Gas and Electric companies, and the Chattanooga Gas company. HIS RISE STARTS In 1910 the business was merged into the United Light & Railways company, which continued to purchase utility properties until 34 had been acquired. Later the firm name was changed to United Light & Power company, with assets totaling more than half a billion dollars. Mr. Hulswit resigned the presidency of the company in March 1926, because of pressure brought to bear upon him by men whom he believed to be his friends. He was forced to liquidate his holdings and it was reported he lost almost his entire fortune, estimated at $8,000,000. After this misfortune he returned to Grand Rapids, gained new financial backing and soon returned to New York with the intentions of rebuilding his fortune. Within three years he had turned the tables and stood again among the leading utility magnates and financiers. His record of recovery was a spectacular one and seldom had been equaled . In 1929 his fortune was estimated at between 10 and 15 millions. Prior to his reverses he had established a new holding company, the American States Securities corporation, to which he turned his efforts, building it to a place of leadership. In 1928 the corporation became known as the American Commonwealth Power corporation and in 1929 its assets were listed in the hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition to being president of this concern, he was chairman of the board of the American Gas & Power Co., and the American Community Power Co. His other utility connections included: President of Jacksonville (Fla.) Gas Co.; Bangor (Me.) Gas Light Co.; St Augustine (Fla.) Gas & Electric Light Co.; vice president, Minneapolis Gas Light Co. and General Public Utilities Co., and director of the American Gas association and National Electric Light association. WIDOW, 2 SONS SURVIVE On June 20, 1900, Mr. Hulswit and MISS CORNELIA MARIE HOEBEKE of Grand Rapids were married. She and their two sons, CHARLES of Suffern, N.Y. and ROBERT MARINUS of Grand Rapids, and one grandchild survive. Two of Mr. Hulswit's brothers also survive. JOHN A. HULSWIT, treasurer of the Grand Rapids Gas Light company and Kent County Gas company, and WILLIAM H. HULSWIT of Chicago. A third brother, C. FRED HULSWIT, died in 1924, in an auto accident near Seattle. Mr. Hulswit was a member of Central Reformed church, Grand Rapids. He also held memberships in the Michigan national guard, Metropolitan club of New York, Union League clubs of Chicago and Cleveland, Westchester-Biltmore Country club, Rye, N.Y., Peninsula, Rotary and Highland Country clubs, Grand Rapids, and Congressional Country club, Washington, D.C. He was one of 40 odd Grand Rapids residents listed in Who's Who in America. Appropriately, Mr. Hulswit turned to his artistic heritage as a hobby. His offices in Grand Rapids, New York and elsewhere were adorned with notable oil paintings, as was his home. He was regarded as a leading authority on the works of the Dutch masters. A few years ago Mr. Hulswit joined a Grand Rapids friend in presenting Hope college at Holland with $60,000 to establish and maintain a chair of theology at that institution. When Central Reformed church here was remodeled several years ago, Mr. Hulswit presented the church with an echo organ in memory of his parents. It is said that men worthy of aid never went to Mr. Hulswit without receiving it. Many of his philanthropies were never known, and his counsel on other matters than business were highly regarded. He was known as a genuine friend and a charming associate. THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Mon., 3 April 1933, Pg. 1, Col. 3 & Pg. 2, Col. 5 ******************************** To see a BIOGRAPHICAL CARICATURE of FRANK T. HULSWIT, go to: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty&cc=micounty&idno=3123296.0001.001&q1=Frank T. Hulswit&frm=frameset&view=pdf&seq=33 A BIOGRAPICAL SKETCH on FRANK T. HULSWIT can be seen at: http://kent.migenweb.net/white1924/personal/hulswitft.html Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.