This honored and influential citizen of St.
Ignace is a native of the Upper Peninsula with whose history the family
name has been identified for more than sixty years. He and his brothers have done much to further the development and upbuilding of St
Iguace, where they established themselves in the general merchandise
business many years ago and where each has contributed materially to
the civic and industrial progress. The firm of Chambers Brothers is one
of the best known and most important in St. Ignace and has long controlled a large and representative trade. Concerning the affairs of this
firm the following record is given and is worthy of perpetuation:
"The firm of Chambers Brothers succeeded that of J. Chambers &
Brothers, whose career began about the close of the Civil war and
marked an important chapter in the history of modern St. Ignace.
This city has three distinct historical periods. It was founded about the
time Philadelphia sprang into existence and the mission reports indicate
it to have been a village of sixty houses, all in a row, in which lived
ten professors and live hundred students. This was as early as 1700
and the Catholic mission at this point was one of the most important
In the great wilderness of northern America at that time. But little
authentic data are available concerning the intermediate period of the
history of St. Ignace but its existence as a modern city began in the
latter half of the nineteenth century, when it again became a commercial point. Fishing and lumbering for many years furnished the only
means of existence to the inhabitants of St. Ignace and fish and lumber
were the articles of commerce that were sent out from this northern
country in sufficient amounts to make men wealthy. The Chambers
Brothers saw here an opportunity for doing a good business, in the supplying to the fishermen needed merchandise. With this need in view
the brothers opened a small store and not long afterward they extended
their operations by buying, packing and selling fish. Still later they
also engaged in fishing, in which connection they utilized the gill-net
and the old pound-net. In the height of their career as fishermen they
operated two tugs, besides numerous smaller boats and they built up a
large and prosperous business, abandoning the fishing industry only
when the supply of fish became too small to make the enterprise longer
profitable. In the meantime their mercantile business had greatly in-
creased in scope and importance and for some time they also conducted
a branch store of Naubinway. In 1874 the firm of Chambers Brothers
constructed the first dock at St. Ignace and this supplied a very exigent
demand. They have also erected a number of stores, thus greatly improving the residence property in SU Ignace, and they are now
extensive owners of real estate. The present Ann is composed of Patrick
and Michael Chambers and another brother, John, was associated with
the enterprise until his death, which occurred in 1891."
Mr. Chambers was born in St. Ignace on the 12th of June, 1850,
and is a son of John and Margaret (O'Malley) Chambers, both natives
of county Mayo, Ireland, where the former was horn in 1801 and the
latter in 1811. The parents passed the closing years of their lives in
St. Iguace, where the father died in 1885 and the mother in 1897. Their
marriage was solemnized in their native land and there four of their
children were born, namely: William, Bridget, Patrick and John. Four
children were born after their immigration to America, namely:
Michael, Mary. Cuthcriuc and Charles. The father came to America
in 1846, making the trip on a sailing vessel and lauding in the city of
Philadelphia. He made his way to the west and found employment in
connection with the construction of the Illinois and Michigan canal, in
which connection he resided at Bridgeport, now a part of the city of
Chicago. There he remained until the spring of 1849 when he removed
to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and established his home on Mackinac Island. In this year his wife and children joined him in America.
John Chambers reclaimed a farm near Castle Rock. St. Ignace, and during the greater part of his active career in the Upper Peninsula he gave
his attention to agricultural pursuits and fishing. Both he and his
wife were devout communicants of the Catholic church and in politics
he was a stanch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party. He
was a man of sterling integrity of character and of alert mental powers, and it has been well said that, "He taught his children the
essential elements of industry and straightforward dealing, through which
they have gained prosperity and financial independence."
Michael Chambers was afforded the advantages of the somewhat
primitive schools of Mackinac county, where he was reared under the
conditions and influences of the pioneer days and where he early began
to assist in the work of his father's farm. In 1870 he became associated
with his brothers in the general merchandise business at St. Ignace,
where they erected a store in that year and the enterprise has been continued during the long intervening period under the original title of
Chambers Brothers. The brothers have ever shown a loyal interest in
all that has touched the welfare of the community and they have a secure place in the confidence and esteem of the people of their home city
and county as is shown in the fact that Michael Chambers served two
terms as mayor of St. Ignace while in 1899-90 he represented his district
in the state legislature. In 1902 he was appointed by Governor Winans
a member of the board of control for the Michigan School of Mines.
He is a Democrat in his political allegiance and is a zealous communicant of the Catholic church, in whose faith he was carefully reared.
Mr. Chambers is a bachelor.
It is worthy of note in tins sketch that Charles M. and Tully O Malley, maternal uncles of Mr. Chambers, were
numbered among the sterling pioneers and influential citizens of the Upper Peninsula, where both
attained prominence in business and public affairs. They came to Mackinac Island in 1834. several years before the admission of Michigan to
the Union, and here they entered the employ of John Jacob Astor, the
organizer of the American Fur Company. Later they engaged in the
general merchandise business on their own responsibility. Charles
O'Malley was a member of the state legislature in 1846-7 and was
speaker pro tern, of the house. Ho was a man of fine intellectual gifts,
having received an excellent educational training in Ireland and having
later completed a course of study in the University of Montreal, Canada.
While a member of the Michigan Legislature he was chairman of the
committee on education and as such chairman reported out favorably
the bill for the establishment of the University of Michigan. He
erected the first transient hotel on Mackinac Island and this historic
old building is still standing, being known as the Island House. Charles
O'Malley served as probate judge of Mackinac county and later held the
same office in Delta county, having removed to Escanaba many years
ago and having been a resident of that place at the time when the
Chicago & Northwestern Railroad extended its line into the Upper
Peninsula. He was prominently identified with the lumber industry as
was also his brother, Tully O'Malley, who served as sheriff of Mackinac county at the time when the Mormons established themselves on
Beaver Island. In his official capacity he arrested a number of the
Mormons for robbing vessels at St. Ignace, Beaver harbor, taking a detail of U. S. troops then stationed at Fort Mackinac for the purpose of
making the arrests. The Mormons at that, time were at the zenith of
their power under King Strang and according to reports committed
many depredations on defenseless fishermen and settlers who happened
from any cause to come within their influence.
A History of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan and Its People
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