Biography--Clare City, Clare Co  
James F. Tatman 

Submitted for use by USGENWEB Clare County, Michigan  October 2002  
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JAMES F. TATMAN, Biography / Clare City, Clare County, Michigan 
 
Portrait and Biographical Record of Northern Michigan.  Chicago: Record 
Publishing Co., 1895. 
 
 
JAMES F. TATMAN, the leading grocer of Clare, is a stirring business man, of 
unimpeachable integrity and great ability.  He came to this place in 1882, and for 
the three years following clerked in a general store.  He then established in 
business for himself, investing $125 in a stock of groceries, which was all the 
money he owned.  His trade rapidly grew, however, and to-day he does an 
annual business amounting to $40,000.  In addition to a full line of fancy and 
staple groceries, he carries on a thriving trade in boot, shoes and crockery. 
 
Our subject was born in Clermont County, Ohio, March 25, 1859, and is the son 
of ELIJAH and JANE ELIZABETH (PERDY) TATMAN.  The father moved 
westward to Indiana in 1864, settling on a farm in Miami County, and in 1878 we 
find him a resident of Clare County, this state.  Here he became the owner of a 
farm located seven miles from Clare, and although it was an improved tract, he 
worked very hard in clearing and cultivating the same, and resided there until the 
time of his decease. 
 
ELIJAH and JANE TATMAN became the parents of eleven children, all of whom 
grew to mature years.  ALONZO, the eldest, is engaged as a butcher in Clare; 
AUGUSTUS A. resides on a farm in Miami County, Ind., BENJAMIN is a clerk in 
the store of our subject, who is the next in order of birth; NELSON also makes his 
home in Clare; JOSEPHINE is the wife of IRWIN MEGER, and lives in this 
county; ELIJAH is pastor of the Church of God in Clare; MARGARET married 
CHESTER M. BATES, of this county; MADISON is clerking in the store of 
JAMES F.; DOROTHA A. married ARMSTRONG ALLEN, of this county; and 
JOHN, the youngest, is a clerk in the post office of Traverse City.  
 
After obtaining a good education in the district school, our subject taught for three 
years in Clare County, after which he engaged as clerk, and his experience 
gained in this line fitted him for managing a business of his own.  He was married 
in 1880 to LIZZIE BERRY, a native of Elmira, N.Y.  She was a daughter of 
WILLIAM and MARGARET (VREDENBURG) BERRY, the former of whom 
served his country faithfully in the ranks of the late war, and died in the hospital 
at Baton Rouge, La.  After Mr. BERRY's death, Mrs. BERRY married PORTER 
RANDALL, and later moved to Isabella County, Mich., and her death occurred in 
Clare.  The union of our subject with Miss BERRY resulted in the birth of three 
children: ALINA, JAMES A. and ELVA BELLE. 
 
The father of our subject, although a cigarmaker by trade, followed farming 
principally during the active years of his life.  He was a Republican in politics, 
which party JAMES supported until recent years, when he joined the ranks of the 
Prohibitionists.  The latter has held many local offices of trust and has rendered 
his community efficient service as a member of the School Board.  He is an 
active Christian worker, worshipping with the Church of God, of which his brother 
is pastor.  Socially he is a member of the Uniformed Rank of the Knights of 
Pythias, and belongs to the Independent Order of Foresters.  He is one of the 
stockholders and Directors of the Clare Woodenware Company, and in many 
other ways aids in supporting those enterprises which benefit the community.  
Mr. TATMAN is truly a self-made man, and the large establishment of which he is 
now the head is the result of his own industrious efforts and good business 
ability.  He has a convenient and well arranged store, and the trade he 
commands brings him in much money. 
 
 
Submitted for use by USGENWEB, Clare County, Michigan