Robert K. Jardine Page 574-575 - Robert K. Jardine, president of the Robert K. Jardine Lumber Company, the well-equipped yards and offices of which are established at the corner of Franklin street and Sheridan avenue. This is one of the well ordered retail lumber concerns in the city of Grand Rapids, and in connection with its general operations the company gives special attention to the supplying of high-grade interior finishings. Mr Jardine was born in Manchester, England, January 23, 1884, and at the age of three years, shortly after the death of his parents, he was brought to the United States by kinsfolk, who first established residence in Detroit and later at Lapeer, Michigan in which latter city the subject of this sketch gained his youthful education in the public schools, including the high school. His first earnings were acquired by piling lumber in a Lapeer lumber yard, where he received two dollars a week for this service, and during the intervening years he has continously been associated with the lumber business, in the varied details of which he has gained thorough experience through hard work and determined effort. He has at no stage in his career waited for "things to come his way," but has worked for advancement and has finally reached the goal of his ambition -- to become the head of a substantial and prosperous lumber business. In 1914, Mr Jardine came to Grand Rapids and engaged in the retail lumber business on Grandville avenue and under the title of the Grandville Lumber Company. Three years later he sold his business, and thereafter he was for three years secretary of the Grand Rapids Lumber Company. He severed his association therewith and organized the Robert K Jardine Lumber Company, of which he has since continued the president and general manager, the company having been incorporated in 1918, and the personnel of its official corps having remained unchanged from that time. The others officers of the company are as here designated: T.William Hefferan, vice-president; Dewey Blocksma, secretary, he being individually represented in a personal sketch on another page of this work, and Gilbert L Daane, treasurer. Mr Jardine is known and valued as one of the progressive citizens and business men of Grand Rapids, is in 1925, vice-president of the Grand Rapids Association of Commerce, and for five years has served as secretary of the Michigan state hospital commission. In 1917 he was a member of the Grand Rapids board of public works, and at the time of this writing he is a director of the Michigan Lumbermen's Association and of the Grand Rapids Welfare Union. He is an active and loyal member of the local Rotary club, is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, is a Republican in politics, and he and his wife have membership in the Park Congregational church. In 1906 Mr Jardine wedded Miss Ethel B Qua, who was born and reared in the state of New York, and they have four children; Margaret, Jean, Robert K Jr, and James.

Transcriber: Terry Start
Created: 13 December 2002