By J. Joseph Mapes, a Midwest Energy & Communications member
My grandfather, C. H. Runciman, moved his small family (including my 1-year-old mother) to Lowell, Michigan, in 1917 after purchasing the Jakeway Elevator at age 27. He had previously been superintendent of Grosse Ile Township Schools (you could advance quickly in those days). Being new to the business, but also a skilled salesman, “Runci” (as he was often called, and also “C.H.”) sought ways to market his business.
In 1918, what better way to do so than to hire a local World War I pilot, Charles Stocking, and fly him to a nearby farmer’s land in Parnell. The purpose was for Runci to make an offer on the bean crop at the Cam Herreran farm. To add a little more excitement and attention to this sales call, the pilot made a spiraling drop before landing in the field. It was pretty exhilarating, especially for my grandfather! The result? Farmers came from miles around to see this spectacle and to get to know Runci, which led to doing business with him.
It worked, as he remained in business for around 50 years. He was also a community leader known as “Mr. Lowell” and received many local and state accolades over the decades. As his only grandson, for decades, I have had the desire to emulate his voluntary contributions to the community. As best as I can calculate, I have achieved about 10% of his accomplishments. At age 81, I am going to have to live a lot longer to do better!
