Christian H. Buhl
Encyclopedia
Christian H. Buhl was a businessman and industrialist from Detroit, Michigan
. He served as the city's mayor in 1860-61.
on May 9, 1812. He learned the profession of a hatter, and in 1833 moved to Detroit, where he went into business with his older brother Frederick Buhl
. The two diversified from hats into the fur trade, establishing a large and successful company under the name of the F & C H Buhl Co. In 1855, Christian retired from the fur trade and went into business with Charles Ducharme as a wholesale hardware firm. Buhl was also part owner of the Sharon Iron Works
, the Detroit Locomotive Works (later the Buhl Iron Works). Buhl was also connected with the Detroit, Hillsdale, & Indiana Railroad and the Detroit, Eel River, & Illinois Railroad, as well as the Michigan State Bank, the Second National Bank of Detroit, and the Detroit National Bank, the last of which he was president of. He also organized Detroit Copper and Brass Company and the Peninsular Car Company
.
Buhl was originally a Whig
, but became a Republican
after the party first formed. He served as an alderman of the city of Detroit, and was mayor in 1860-1861. In 1885, Buhl donated a substantial law library, worth $15,000, to the University of Michigan
, and on his death willed an additional sum of $10,000 to increase the library.
In 1842, Buhl married Caroline DeLong of Utica, New York
. The couple had five children, only two of whom — Theodore D. and Frank H. — outlived their parents. Christian H. Buhl died January 23, 1894.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. He served as the city's mayor in 1860-61.
Biography
Christian H. Buhl was born in Butler County, PennsylvaniaButler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
on May 9, 1812. He learned the profession of a hatter, and in 1833 moved to Detroit, where he went into business with his older brother Frederick Buhl
Frederick Buhl
Frederick Buhl was a businessman from Detroit, Michigan. He served as the city's mayor in 1848.-Biography:Frederick Buhl was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania on November 27, 1806, the second of eleven children...
. The two diversified from hats into the fur trade, establishing a large and successful company under the name of the F & C H Buhl Co. In 1855, Christian retired from the fur trade and went into business with Charles Ducharme as a wholesale hardware firm. Buhl was also part owner of the Sharon Iron Works
Sharon Steel Corporation
The Sharon Steel Corporation was once a steel plant, and is notable due to its contribution toward the growth of the iron and steel industry in the Shenango River Valley, Mercer County, Pennsylvania....
, the Detroit Locomotive Works (later the Buhl Iron Works). Buhl was also connected with the Detroit, Hillsdale, & Indiana Railroad and the Detroit, Eel River, & Illinois Railroad, as well as the Michigan State Bank, the Second National Bank of Detroit, and the Detroit National Bank, the last of which he was president of. He also organized Detroit Copper and Brass Company and the Peninsular Car Company
Peninsular Car Company
The Peninsular Car Company was a railroad rolling stock manufacturer, founded by Charles L. Freer and Frank J. Hecker in 1885.In 1892, the company merged with Michigan Car Company, the Russel Wheel and Foundry Company, the Detroit Car Wheel Company and several smaller manufacturers to form the...
.
Buhl was originally a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
, but became a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
after the party first formed. He served as an alderman of the city of Detroit, and was mayor in 1860-1861. In 1885, Buhl donated a substantial law library, worth $15,000, to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, and on his death willed an additional sum of $10,000 to increase the library.
In 1842, Buhl married Caroline DeLong of Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. The couple had five children, only two of whom — Theodore D. and Frank H. — outlived their parents. Christian H. Buhl died January 23, 1894.