Person:Charles Driver (2)

Todd's Able Seaman's Card is signed Wesley Driver and dated July 5, 1910. His position is Watchman and his height is listed as 5'10".

From Michigan Weather

1894: Lansing has a completely rainless August.

Undated News clipping

Mason Baches Rap Landlady New H.C. of L. Club Proposes Strong Entrenchment Plan Special to the State Journal. Mason, Dec 12 - The Mason Bachelors' H.C.L. club was formed Monday night at the Sweeney hotel. Todd Driver was elected president of the new organization which aims to conserve the finances of the bachelors forming the club. President Driver, following the formalities of organization, gave a short talk in which he pointed out the disposition of landladies to boost the board, while at the same time, they make two pieces of pie grow where only one flourished before. President Driver also called attention to the fact that carrots had replaced meat in the Irish stew and that all boarding house coffee seemed dispirited and weak and needed cod liver oil and sanitarium treatment to recuperate its strength.

"All landladies," declared the new president, "are retrenching. We should not blame them considering the cost of all necessities. But why add more to our board bill when all these curtailments named have been made? The bachelor is at the mercy of the boarding house keeper in these things. They raise our board but meter the beans. They even put a medicine dropper on the catsup bottle. The amount of mashed potatoes we are served looks like a recuperative dose for a convalescing typhoid fever patient. If our board bill is increased, why not increase the amount of food?"

Will Roll Own Pills The club plans to cut down the high cost of living by many means. It was agreed that every member would conscientiously save all coupons for one thing and roll his own cigarette. Where landladies have been tyrannical and niggardly in boosting board, but cutting down the side dishes, members will refuse to take the landlady's daughter to any show, opera, dance, social, entertainment of paid admission, circus or movie.

In all cases where members room where they board it is purposed to start reading circles for these, each member remaining in his room and burning as much gas or consuming as much electric juice as possible. This will cut down the expense of cigar store dice or card games as well as eliminating the expense of pool and billiards.

Each member will report weekly to the secretary the exact amount he has saved. A general fund may be started for the purpose of erecting a bachelors' home in Mason. Stock in this home will be sold probably at $5 a share. In event the home is built, it is also purposed to install a culinary department and buy tubers in the north and spagetti from the Chicago mail order houses.

Urges Strong Legislation President Driver in a second talk pointed out that the time had come when bachelors would have to organize and protect themselves. "Congress gets scared and passes an eight hour bill for the railroad men. It gets scared again and votes for free seed and the rural credit for farmers. What has it ever done for bachelors? Not a thing, gentlemen, except to solicit their votes and then forget them when elected. If the bachelors' organization grows strong enough it will wield a national influence. Some day congress may get scared enough to establish federal boarding houses for bachelors where board may be had at cost; boarding houses where a bachelor may ask for a second piece of pie without the landlady threatening to call out the militia."

Handwritten letter

Lansing, Michigan Sept 12, 1916 My dear Miss Green:-

I mailed you today via Parcels Post the engraved cards I promised you while at the Lake.

My memory failed me and I was unable to recall the name of your brother, so ask that you kindly send same to me and I will be glad to do as much for him.

Unfortunately you left the Lake before you should have. We were fishing on the Saturday you left and only caught ninety-six. We all missed you on our return. Then, too, we had a great deal of excitement there Saturday evening. I presume you have had a full a account of it before now. I refer to the attempted suicide.

I presume you think me a boof for standing in the office window so long the other day before recognizing you. With your hat on, I failed to recognize you as readily as I should.

As usual I found a lot of work and no ambition on my return, but now have gotten into the swing again so am able to pound along fairly well.

It is a long time until another summer at Pleasant Lake. Seems though each year gets better there.

I saw your esteemed friend, Mr. Potter, at Lansing the other night. He will soon be a citizen here.

We were at the Lake until Monday afternoon and drove all the way home in a driving rain. Fine ending for a pleasant a vacation.

I kept up my reputation by going to Pine Lake to their Party Friday night and expect to go to a party at Mason Saturday eve.

Please be kind enough to send me the full name of your brother and consider me

         Your Friend
         Wesley Driver
         % Robert Smith Co.
         Lansing, Mich.

more commonly known through the world as Todd

News clipping accompanied by a page of children and baby photos

The Best of the New Year Centers in Children of City and Town

As 1924 begins Lansing is boasting about a number of things that make her what she is, but readers of the State Journal have only to look at the lovely, bright little faces pictured here to realize that 1923 statistics regarding the output of automobiles and the building of roads and factory details of various kinds fade into significance when compared with the great wealth of love and hope and happiness and satisfaction that is represented by the children of the city, of whom these 18 are only a few... Full of the fine spirit of the time is Mary Helen, six months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Driver.

The Allen, Patterson, Blackburn, Hart and Bement pictures are from the LeClear studio and the others are from the Lewis Imes studio.

Excerpts of an article written about Todd and two friends: they were all great fishermen:

Two days after returning from Hopkin's Creek, a chance meeting proved the necessity of recording the impressions of a previously enjoyed angling trip in the sticks Missaukee County, MI.

... And thus was enjoyed the trip which began the morning of May 10, 1928. By noon four travelers automobile bound reached Lake City, fourteen miles from the creek, 152 miles from Lansing, MI. Lunch at Doty's Restaurant. Provisions were obtained and four fishermen headed for Hopkin's Creek. Camp was made that afternoon on the abandoned site of a log and shingle mill. Eight speckled beauties graced the table that evening for dinner.

... John Bean, Todd Driver and the writer alternated as dishwashers; the same crew doing effective service as wielders of the dishtowels.

... However fruitless it may have been, the fact remains that the writer suffered with superego of the appetite; for no one, including 215 pound Todd Driver, could best him in any gastronomical endeavor. In addition, he proceeded to pull in the prize catch of the trip, an 11 inch rainbow; and he a painful novice of the art.

... Todd Driver he of the delicate throat and leaky waders, earns the title of Championship Manipulator and Fisherman Past Patience. A man who derives pleasure from the pleasure of his fellow man, easy to know man to man.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge No 70, F & AM, Mason, Michigan. His Masonic apron is in the possession of Ann Tracy Marr.

Excerpts from a letter written by Dr. Thomas Heldt, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI to Dr. Claude Sigler about Todd's health, dated 2--25-1932:

    His chief complaint was pain in the right eye of sixteen days' duration. He gave a history of severe frontal headaches for the past year and a half, accompanied by frequent nausea, gas, belching, and easy fatigue... He also gave a history... he had considerable albumin in his urine and elevation of blood pressure... last May he had a severe headache with delirium. Following this in July, 1931, he noticed a slight numbness of the right side, which was immediately followed by a period of unconsciousness, which lasted for about nine hours. He remained in bed for one week following this with some slight numbness of the left arm and left leg. Since that time he has had sharp accuntuations of the headache, accompanied by some vertigo.... a past history of having had measles and influenza, pneumonia three times, and typhoid fever; also he had had mild attacks of hay fever and asthma....
    The patient's father is a diabetic. His mother is living and well; two brothers living and well. He has one sister living and well. There is no history of renal or cardica disease in any other members of the family; no history of cancer or tuberculosis, insanity, epilepsy, or thyroid disease....
    The patient is a markedly obese male, weighing 212 pounds...
    It is our impression after our observation of this patient that he is suffering from:-
    1) Toxic neuritis, inflammatory, right trigeminal nerve, especially involving supra-orbital branch.
    2) Left residual hemiplegia (cerebral thrombosis?)
    3) a Chronic nephretis (glomerular type with vascular element superimposed)
    3) b Arterial hypertension
    3) c Chronic myocarditis
    3) d Obesity
    3) e Chronic tonisllitis
    3) f Ametropia
    ... An attempt was made to impress him with the gravity of his condition without actually referring to the prognosis or the eventual result.

Obituary C.W. Driver Dies After Long Illness

C.W. Driver, 40, one-time accountant for the State Republican, a predecessor of the State Journal and for many years connected with the Robert Smith Printing company died Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock at the home, 421 Jenison Avenue, after two years' illness. Burial took place Monday afternoon in the Leek cemetery, Alaiedon township.

Mr. Driver, generally known as "Todd", was born in Delhi township, October 17, 1893, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Driver. He received his rudimentary education in the Holt high school and graduated later from the Mason high school. He began work over 20 years ago with the Robert Smith company. At the time of his death he was central Michigan representative for the Shaw Printing and Lithographing company, Battle Creek.

On October 18, 1919, Mr. Driver was married to Miss Helen Green of Jackson. They lived for one year in Mason and then moved to Lansing. During the World war Mr. Driver served in the anti-aircraft corps. He was a member of the Chapter and Blue lodges o the Masonic order at Mason.

Besides the widow, Mr. Driver leaves four children, Mary Helen, Martha Ann, Charles, and Jeanne; two brothers, Warren, employment supervisor for the Dow Chemical company, Midland, and Robert, cashier for the Olds motor works, and a sister, Mrs. Rex Watson of Lansing.

Charles was next in line to be General Manager of the Robert Smith Co when he died.

There is an obituary in the Midland County Obituary Index, 1928-1950, Midland, Michigan, Copyright (c) 2000 by Midland Genealogy Society dated July 20, 1933 on page 6.