Alfred Melancthon Apted Alfred Melancthon Apted, ex-soldier and superintendent of the Eagle Plaster mills and Grand Rapids Gypsum works, is a native of Greenwich, England, was born September 4, 1837, and is a son of Francis and Sarah M. Apted, natives of the same place, who came to America in 1858 and settled at Three Rivers, Mich., where the father, who was a baker and confectioner, and his wife passed the remainder of their days. Their family comprised four sons and three daughters, of whom there are now only two living. Alfred M. Apted was a lad of fifteen years when he came to Grand Rapids, and he here received his education in the common schools. He then served an apprenticeship at the millwright’s trade, at which he worked until his enlistment for three years, in February, 1862, at Grand Rapids, in a company of sharpshooters attached to the Sixteenth Michigan Infantry, which was assigned to the army of the Potomac. Mr. Apted took part in nearly all the battles in which that illustrious army was engaged, and was wounded at North Anna river, Fredericksburg and Popular Grove church-the wound sustained at the last named place being of so serious a nature as to disable him for further active service. He was confined in hospital at City Point, Va., and at Washington, D.C., until after the expiration of his term of service, and received an honorable discharge at Washington, and is now receiving a pension. Soon after returning to Grand Rapids, Mr. Apted was appointed superintendent of the Eagle Mills a position he has held for more than thirty years. Since his incumbency of this position, the original mill has been destroyed by fire and a larger one erected in its stead, and a few years later the gypsum was added, the combined plant now giving employment to sixty men. Mr. Apted was united in marriage at Plymouth, N.H.., July 11, 1865, with Miss Ruth A. Webster, a native of that state, and four children have blessed this union, viz: Alfred H., who is employed with his father; William F., an engineer in the city fire department; David W., a carver, and Ralph C., a student in the literary and medical department of the Michigan university at Ann Arbor; he served a year as hospital steward in the Thirty-fifth Michigan regiment during the Spanish-American war and will complete his college work in 1900. Mr. Apted is prominently identified with the G.A.R., being past commander of Custer post, No. 5, and alternate delegate to the national encampment, and he is likewise a member of Grand Rapids lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M. Mrs. Apted, a sister-in-law of the late pioneer philanthropist, John Ball, his wife having been her elder sister, is with her husband a member of the Division street Methodist Episcopal church, in which faith the children have been care-fully reared. In politics Mr. Apted is a republican, but is satisfied with simply exercising his franchise, never having sought nor held a public office. He is contented with devoting his time and attention to his business possibly to the detriment of his health bed he has been prosperous, and owns a beautiful home at No. 170 Summer street, besides other valuable property in the city, which has been his home since childhood, with the exception of two passed in Colorado, having made a trip across the plains during the Pike’s Peak excitement in 1857 before the birth of Denver his trip being reasonably successful in his search for the precious metal. Albert H. Apted, assistant superintendent of the Eagle Plaster mills, at Grand Rapids, is the eldest of the four children that constitute the family of Alfred M. and Ruth (Webster) Apted, whose biographical sketch is given above. He is a native of this city, was born May 1, 1866, and graduated from the high school in 1886. His first employment was in the office of the Democrat for about five years as advertising solicitor, bookkeeper, collector, manager, etc. He was next employed in the bicycle trade for a few months by Studley & Bartley, and in 1891 he took his present position with the Eagle Plaster mills, in which he assists his father in superintending the mechanical work of the two plants. Mr. Apted married, in Grand Rapids, in June, 1897, Miss Dora Bradford, a native of Kent county, and a daughter of Charles H. Bradford, a prominent fruit grower in Walker township. One child, Isadore, has crowned this union. Mrs. Apted attends All Soul’s church, although Mr. Apted was reared in the Methodist faith. Fraternally, Mr. Apted was a member of the first Valley City lodge, No. 124, and is now a member of the second York lodge, No. 410, F.& A.M., and is likewise a member of the K. of P. In politics he is independent. He has a pleasant home of his own at No. 69 Allen street, and socially he and wife, like all the other of the adult members of the Apted family, mingle with the best circles of Grand Rapids.