Ralph James BALBIRNIE is a popular representative
of the fourth generation of the BALBIRNIE family in Muskegon County and
is conducting in the city of Muskegon a business that was founded by his
paternal grandfather. In this business
he has executive charge of one of the best undertaking and funeral directing
establishments in this section of Michigan, the same being of the highest
metropolitan standard in equipment and service. The BALBIRNIE family has been one of special prominence
and influence in connection with the civic and business annals of Muskegon and
the name is one here marked by pioneer priority. James BALBIRNIE, grandfather of him whose name initiates
this review, came from Ottawa, Canada, to Muskegon, in 1865,he having been of
Scottish lineage and representative of the best attributes of the sterling race
from which he had sprung. Upon his arrival in Muskegon Mr. BALBIRNIE
became associated with lumbering operations, the lumber industry having been
then, and for many years thereafter, one of major importance in Muskegon. The city at that time was little more than a
straggling lumber town, and Mr. BALBIRNIE played well his part in the
development and upbuilding of the now attractive and prosperous metropolis of
Muskegon County. While still identified
with the lumber business Mr. BALBIRNIE also opened one of the first
undertaking establishments in Muskegon, and that the enterprise was of modest
order may be inferred from the fact that in the early period Mr. BALBIRNIE
conducted the business at his home.
After a few years of association with the lumber mills here, he opened
what was for this locality and period, a well equipped undertaking
establishment, the same having been located on Pine street and having been
destroyed in the disastrous and now locally historic fire that swept that
street in the late 60’s. After the fire
Mr. BALBIRNIE became associated with Jacob HETZ in the retail
furniture business, and several years later he purchased the interest of his
partner and assumed full control of the business, in connection with which he
continued actively in the undertaking business. He was a liberal and progressive citizen who commanded
unqualified confidence and esteem in this community, and he served as county
coroner for 1888 until 1898, in which latter year he was elected Mayor of
Muskegon, his first term of administration having been so loyal and efficient
that he was re-elected in 1899. He had
served but a few months of his second term, when, in June 1899, he met a tragic
death, having been shot and killed by a political fanatic. In 1898 his son, James F., was chosen as his
successor in the office of county coroner, and of this office James F. BALBIRNIE
continued the incumbent nearly a quarter of a century – until the time of his
death, which occurred December 15, 1922 – and he had also continued the
undertaking business that his father had founded many years previrtually
co-ordinate service as county coroner, to which he was regularly elected in
1923, and in which office he is serving at the time of this writing (1925), and
still having a general supervision successfully conducting the undertaking and
funeral directing business that was established by his honored grandfather, and
as a citizen and business man he is well upbearing the prestige of the honored
family name. He is a member of the
Century Club, Muskegon country Club, Exchange club, both York and Scottish Rite
Mason, Shrine, Eagles, Odd Fellows, Maccabees, Woodmen, Mystic Workers, Isaak Walton
League, Norden Bras, Knights of Pythias, and others. He is a Republican in politics and is a communicant of the
Protestant Episcopal Church. He was
married September 8, 1913, to Miss Blanche Irene HYDE, of Chicago,
Illinois, a daughter of Edwin Newman HYDE and Clara Elizabeth (EGAN)
HYDE, and to this union were born three children, Clara Elizabeth, Anna
Adella, and Ralph James, Jr.
Source: “Historic Michigan”, George N. Fuller/ James
L. Smith. (1925); Vol. III, pp. 115-116
Submitted
by Lisa Hoffius and Bill Moore
Funeral
Director
Webster
Avenue and Third Street
Ralph James Balbirnie,
son of James Frederick and Anna Adella (Bergstrom)Balbirnie; was born in Muskegon, Michigan, February 16, 1892.
James Frederick Balbirnie*, son of James (III) and
Ellen (Watson) Balbirnie, was born in Ottawa,
Canada, August 8, 1865. He attended school in Muskegon, Michigan, where
he subsequently entered his father’s undertaking business. His father died in
1899, and James
Frederick Balbirnie
operated the business the remainder of his life. He died in 1922. From 1912 to 1922 he served as county coroner. He was a Republican and was a member of the following: Masonic Lodge; K. of P., Elks
Lodge; I. O. O. F.; A. O. U. W.; and Eagles. His wife, Anna Adella (Bergstrom) Balbirnie, who was born in Sundsvall,
Sweden, March 8, 1874, died August 18, 1941.
Her parents, Ole and Karian Bergstrom, were born in Sweden, and
later came to the United States,
settling in Muskegon, Michigan, in
1878. James Frederick and Anna Adella (Bergstrom) Balbirnie
were the parents of one child, Ralph
James Balbirnie.
James Balbirnie
(III), father of James Frederick Balbirnie, and son of James Balbirnie (II), was born in the old
fort in Quebec, Canada, April 28, 1836
(or 1838). On September 25, 1865, he
and his father came to Muskegon, Michigan. There was no railroad running into
Muskegon at that time, and they walked
a part of the way from Grand Rapids.
After arriving in Muskegon they entered the undertaking business on Terrace
Street, between Muskegon and Webster
Avenues. Following the death of James Balbirnie
(II) , in 1868, James Balbirnie
(III) continued to operate the business the remainder of his life.
He was a cabinentmaker by trade,
and manufactured caskets and furniture.
He was employed as
superintendent of several factories.
He was a Republican, and served as county coroner of Muskegon
County, as a city supervisor, and
as mayor of Muskegon.. He was
assassinated June 29, 1899, while serving his second term as mayor. He was a member of the following:
Masonic Lodge; Royal Arcanum; Maccebees;
I. O. O. F.; and St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church. His wife, Ellen (Watson) Balbirnie, whom he married
in Ottawa, Canada, in 1861, was born in Ogdensburg, New York, in 1843.
She died in April 1900. They
were parents of 3 children: (1) Missie.
(2) James Frederick. (3)
Maud E.
James Balbirnie (II), father of James (III), and son of James Balbirnie (I),
was born aboard a French ship on the
Bay of Biscay. He later came to Ottawa, Canada, and entered the undertaking business. The building in which his business was
located, still (1941) is standing. On September 25, 1865, he came to Muskegon,
Michigan, and entered the undertaking business, in which he engaged until his
death, which occurred in April 1866.
James Balbirnie
(I), father of James (II), was born in
Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a
bandmaster in the Scottish Army, and later was
sent to Canada, to serve as an instructor to the Canadian Army
bands. He is buried in Quebec.
Ralph James Balbirnie,
the subject of this sketch, attended grade and high schools in Muskegon,
Michigan. He was a student of St.
John’s Military Academy in
Delafield, Wisconsin, spent 2 years at
the Cascadilla School, in Ithaca, New York, and later was a student of
the Tome School for Boys, at Port Deposit, Maryland. In June 1912, he was graduated from the Barnes School of Mortuary Science. He
then entered his father’s under-taking business, in Muskegon, where he
since has resided, having
continued the business at the death of
his father, in 1922. This is the oldest undertaking business in
Michigan to be operated continuously by
members of the same family. The firm’s first undertaking establishment was located
on Terrace Street, between Webster and Muskegon Avenues. The business
later was moved to Pine Street. While in that location, the building, which
not insured, was destroyed by fire. A
new building was erected on Pine Street, but it also was destroyed by fire, without having been insured. The firm then moved to a site on Western
Avenue, between Jefferson and Terrace
Streets, following which, from 1886 to 1909 it was located in what now
is the Montgomery Building. In the
latter year this establishment was
moved to the corner of Second
and Morris Street, where it remained until
1929. In 1929 Ralph James Balbirnie purchased the John Torrent
mansion, at the corner of Webster Avenue, and Third Street, and moved the
business to its present location. The
funeral home is thoroughly modern, and
is equipped with a power-ventilation system.
The chapel has a seating capacity of
240, and is equipped with a Hammond
electric organ. Mr. Balbirnie served as county coroner of
Muskegon County, 1921-1924, and later served 2 more years.
He is a Democrat, and a member of the following:
Lovell Moore Lodge No. 182, F.
and A.
M. (served as worshipful master in 1917; was grand marshal of the Grand Lodge of Michigan in 1921), Commandery
(K. T.), Consistory (32nd
dag.), and Shrine; K. of P.; Moose;
Muskegon Chapter, Citizens History Association ( a life member);
and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Mr. Balbirnie especially enjoys the radio, music, and poetry.
On September 8, 1913, Ralph James Balbirnie married Blanch Irene Hyde,
daughter of Edwin Newman Hyde. Mrs. Balbirnie
was born in Chicago, Illinois. The following children were born to Mr. and
Mrs. Balbirnie, who are
divorced: (1) Clara Elizabeth, who
born January 22, 1915. She resides with her father. (2)
Anna Adella, who was born March 27, 1916. She married Walter Klaus.
They reside at Lake Harbor, Michigan, and are parents of
one child, Maximilian Walter. (3) Ralph James, who was born March 16,
1921. He married Marian Lucille Paquin. They reside in
Norton Township, Muskegon County, Michigan.
* For further data regarding
James Frederick Balbirnie, see
Charles Moore “History of Michigan”
(Lewis Publishing Company,
Chicago, 1915), vol. 3, p. 1391.
Source: Citizens Historical
Association, Indianapolis Number: 2 D20
E61 F123 – LCD/DLH August 30, 1941
Submitted by Janet Brosius and Bill Moore