P. Marlin 2021

 

As I looked for documents relating to my ancestors in a history museum in the small town of Lawton, Michigan, I noticed old photos of William Jennings Bryan and Teddy Roosevelt hanging on the wall. The display was a collection of photos in a large frame representing 'famous' people that had stopped at the Lawton train depot. The museum curator explained to me that the photos were of William Jennings Bryan and Teddy Roosevelt speaking to a crowd of locals at the Lawton depot as part of their respective presidential campaign stops in 1896 and 1912. Dusty from hanging on the wall for a long time, I captured the photos of Roosevelt and Bryan as best I could with my phone's camera, hoping the glare of fluorescent lights overhead wouldn't disrupt the clarity too much.

William Jennings Bryan shows up on my history 'radar' often. He was born in the same town as my father, Salem, Illinois, to which I have visited his birthplace there. He also raised funds for the first student union (1936) located on the University of Florida Campus in Gainesville where I currently work. My ancestors were living in Lawton, Michigan during the time that Bryan was there, and potentially they were in this photo watching him speak. The thought was enticing as another random connection with William Jennings Bryan emerged. Though Teddy Roosevelt had served as president from 1901-1909, he decided to run again in 1912 because he was dissatisfied with the Taft presidency, hence his campaign stop in Lawton.

An 1891 article in the local newspaper, the Lawton Leader, described the completion of the Lawton depot on the Michigan Central railroad with its unique cobblestones and rounded windows in eloquent detail. After I left the museum, I decided to visit the old depot located close by. It stands quiet and alone, but speaks of many journeys and opportunites, and in the case of William Jennings Bryan and Teddy Roosevelt, a platform for early 20th century political speeches. As I captured a photo of the depot, I thought of the Bryan and Roosevelt photos at the museum, and the random moments in history that make present day life interesting.

 

Photo on display at the Lawton History Museum. P Marlin 2021

 

Lawton, Michigan Train Depot. P Marlin 2021

 

The True Northerner (Paw Paw, Michigan) article dated October 21, 1896.

 

Teddy Roosevelt at the Lawton depot in 1912.

 

The True Northerner (Paw Paw, Michigan) article dated March 29, 1912.