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Fred Arden Dig gins 



The death of Fred Arden Diggins at his home at Cadillac, Mich., 

 on Tiiesda}^ of this week, is an event which will not leave a mere 

 temporary sliock, but which will result in a sense of loss, a sud- 

 denly created void, which it will be impossible to fill. Mr. Dig- 

 gins' knack of making all of his friends feel that he took a per- 

 sonal interest in their affairs will liave the effect of making his 

 loss a personal one to all of his many close acquaintances in the 

 hardwood and other fields. 



Mr. Diggins died suddenly of heart failure at 2:30 o'clock, 

 Tuesday morning, July 7. He was takeu seriously ill in Decem- 

 ber, 1912, at which time his 



life was despaired of. How- 

 ever, excellent treatment and 

 a strong constitution pulled 

 him through and it seemed 

 that he was gradually over- 

 coming his ailment. In fact, 

 in the last few months he 

 w'as coming* back more ac- 

 tively into his old affairs and 

 of late attended a number 

 of meetings and conventions, 

 and has taken care of his 

 regular duties, seemingly en- 

 joying life and being in good 

 health and spirits. Mr. Dig 

 gins took special pleasure in 

 making the fourth of July 

 celebration at Cadillac, of 

 which he was chairman this 

 year, the greatest success of 

 any in its history. In addi- 

 tion to supervising the de- 

 tails of this work he took 

 care of his other duties and 

 was around as usual at his 

 office on Monday, writing a 

 number of letters, but leav- 

 ing at noon complaining of 

 not feeling very well. He 

 visited the barber shop in 

 the evening and received 

 company until 9:30 on Mon- 

 day night. At 10:30, how- 

 ever, he was abruptly seizeil 

 with violent pains in tlio 

 region of his heart, this 

 condition growing constantly 

 more serious; up to the 

 time of his death at 2:30 in 

 the morning. 



Mr. Diggins leaves a wid- 

 ow, Mrs. Carrie E. Cummer 

 Diggins, two daughters, Mrs. 

 Donald A. McMullen and 

 Miss Dorothy Diggins, and a lirother living at Harvard, 111. 



Fred A. Diggins was born on a farm near Harvard, 111., July 8, 

 1862. Thus at his death he was but one day short of fifty-two 

 years of age. He was brought up on the farm, spending his child- 

 hood and early life in that section and receiving his education in 

 the public school and receiving also his early training in life under 

 the wholesome discipline of the farm. In 1879 he moved to 

 Osceola county, Michigan, living at Hersey, at which place he 

 remained for a short period as bookkeeper. In 1880 he entered 

 the Grand Rapids Business college, taking instruction in that insti- 

 tution for two years, at the end of which period he accepted a 



ith 



position as bookkeeper for his brother, Delos F. Dig 

 whom he was associated until the latter part of 1886. 



In the fall of the year he went to Cadillac and entered the 

 employ of a private banking firm, D. A. Blodgett & Co., continu- 

 ing in this connection for the two years ensuing. 



In 1888 Mr. Diggins organized F. A. Diggins & Co., entering at 

 that time his first effort as a lumberman operating on his own 

 responsibility. This arangement continued until 1897 at which 

 time Mr. Diggins became associated with Joseph Murphy, the two 

 organizing the firm of Murphy & Diggins, which firm has continued 

 up "to the present time. 



In addition to his connec- 

 tion with Murphy & Diggins, 

 the deceased was a strong 

 factor in many other busi- 

 ness affairs in Cadillac 

 and other points. He was 

 treasurer of Cummer-Diggins 

 Company, Cadillac; president 

 of the Northland Lumber 

 Company, Green Bay, Wis.; 

 secretary of the Cummer 

 Lumber Company, Jackson- 

 ville, Fla.; vice-president of 

 the Grand Bapids Lumber 

 Company, Grand Bapids, 

 Mich.; treasurer of the 

 MitchellDiggins Iron Com- 

 pany of Caaillae, and a di- 

 rector in the Cadillac State 

 bank and the St. Johns Table 

 Company of Cadillac. In ad- 

 dition he was interested in 

 timberlands in Oregon and 

 the upper peninsula of Mich- 

 igan. 



Mr. Diggins, aside from 

 his direct business work, was 

 powerful in many affairs of 

 the state and the national 

 hardwood associations. His 

 counsel was always sought 

 and accepted because of his 

 keen mind and absolute fair- 

 ness. Mr. Diggins was presi- 

 dent of the Michigan Hard- 

 wood Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation from 1907 to 1908, 

 and president of the National 

 Hardwood Lumber Associa- 

 tion, 1909-1910. He made an 

 unusual record during his 

 terms of office with both of 

 these associations. Since his 

 terms expired he had been 

 one of the prominent men who had shaped the policies of both 

 organizations up to the time he was taken seriously ill, December, 

 1912. Since then he has not been able to give much attention to 

 business affairs until recently when he had been recovering from 

 his illness. 



In 1890 Mr. Diggins married Carrie E. Cummer, daughter of Jacob 

 C. Cummer, and sister of Wellington Cummer, two of Cadillac's 

 pioneer lumbermen. He attended the Congregational church at 

 Cadillac, and both he and his wife were large supporters of Olivet 

 college. As a philanthropist, Mr. Diggins while modest in his 

 manner of helping others, was very generous in the extent of 



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