My Genealogy Hound

Ralph E. Jossman, cashier of the E. Jossman State Bank of Clarkston, Independence township, Oakland County, and one of the prominent young business men of the town, was born April 4, 1881, in Clarkston, and is a son of the late Esidore and Sarah (Lehman) Jossman.

For many years the late Esidore Jossman was one of the leading citizens of Oakland County, identified with its mercantile and financial affairs. He was born October 24, 1840, probably in Posen, Germany, where he married Sarah Lehman, a daughter of Adolph Lehman. Mr. Jossman came to America with no capital, but with a determined and courageous spirit, which enabled him to soon secure work at Syracuse, New York. In 1860 he came to Oakland County, Michigan, and started a country store, stocking it with the necessities for the locality, and his honorable business methods made it a success. It grew with the village, and for 30 years he led in his line, doing a large produce business. This he continued until 1896. In 1871 he met with a loss of $1,000 by the burning of an elevator at Oxford, and with a loss of $5,000 in 1887 by another fire. However, these losses did not cripple him in any way, as he had become a man of large means, and left at his death four farms and about 700 acres of village property, and his large interests in the E. Jossman Bank. This enterprise was founded in 1885 by Mr. Jossman, and was conducted by him alone until January 1, 1901, when our subject was admitted to partnership. After the death of Mr. Jossman the bank was re-organized, December 1, 1902, with H. Walter, president; M. Bower, vice-president; and R. E. Jossman, as cashier, and H. Walter, W. E. Clark, A. K. Edgar, E. Foster, M. Bower, George Gross and J. A. Jossman, directors.

The children born to the parents of our subject were the following: Joseph, a merchant of Oxford, Oakland County, who has one child; Henry, also a merchant of Oxford, Oakland County, who has one child; Samuel, of Detroit; Ralph E.; Mrs. Martha J. Henry, of Dakota, who has one child; Carrie O., who is attending Adrian College; and the late Lieut. Albert L., whose death, on July 28, 1902, in the military hospital at Manila, Philippine Islands, brought grief not only to his devoted family, but to the residents of Clarkston, who had known him from childhood. Undoubtedly the sad death of this brilliant young man brought the father’s life to a close.

The late Lieut. Albert L. Jossman was born at Clarkston, Michigan, July 12, 1877. He attended the public schools, and after graduating spent two years at Ann Arbor in the electrical engineering department of the University of Michigan. At the beginning of the Spanish-American War, he left college and enlisted in Company M, 35th Michigan Infantry, U. S. Volunteers, at Island Lake, then accompanied his regiment to Camp Meade, Pennsylvania, thence to Camp McKenzie, near Augusta, Georgia. While at the latter camp he was made corporal. When his regiment was discharged, he immediately enlisted in the regular army, becoming a private in Company L, 21st United States Infantry, which was then stationed at Plattsburg, New York, soon after starting for Manila. At San Francisco he was again rewarded for meritorious services by promotion to the position of corporal. Two years later he was sent to the United States in charge of several insane and criminal soldiers, and was granted a furlough; but before it expired he was summoned to Fort Leavenworth, where he took and passed the examination for a lieutenancy, and he was promoted to the office of lieutenant in the 27th United States Infantry. On *January 21, 1902, he sailed from New York City with his regiment, with which he proceeded to Malabong, Island of Mindano, where, on *May 2, 1901, he received the injuries which resulted in his death, which occurred, according to the hospital record, from empyema gastric, the result of a gun-shot wound. His death came as a sad shock, as a cheerful letter, written shortly before, to his father, announced his probable recovery. He was very popular in Clarkston for his moral character and manly qualities.

Ralph E. Jossman, of this sketch, has been identified with the bank, of which he is now cashier, for a number of years in some capacity, and came to the position well qualified. He graduated at the Clarkston High School in 1896, and two years later embarked in a mercantile business at Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, which he conducted from 1898 to 1900. The bank was never in a more prosperous condition than it is today, and our subject is considered very favorably among the financial circles of the State. Possessing many of the business attributes which made his esteemed father so successful, he combines also a pleasing manner, which wins both business and personal friends.

*dates are as printed in the original book