DEATH OF A WEALTHY UNCLE

This Ann Arbor story begins with the death of a Washtenaw County pioneer and the vast fortune he left behind. Luther James, born in Western Massachusetts, arrived in Washtenaw County in the 1830s and began dealing in horses. He then turned his business skills toward the wool industry, buying Michigan Territory wool and shipping it east. His work greatly encouraged sheep farms in the area and, for a while, he was the largest wool-buyer in Michigan. In later years, he loaned money to local individuals and businesses. All of these efforts amassed him a sizable fortune, and he became one of Washtenaw County's wealthiest citizens.

Luther James never married and lived alone. As he aged, and his health deteriorated, he needed an assistant to manage his business affairs and help with his physical care. His unmarried nephew, James Babcock, stepped in to fill the role and became his constant companion. When Luther James died, on July 25, 1888, his nephew was his principle heir. Unfortunately for James Babcock, this inheritance came with a unique stipulation that would turn his life upside down.

THE UNMARRIED NEPHEW

James Leland Babcock was born February 10, 1840 in Goshen, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. He was raised in Western Massachusetts by his parents, Dr. Leland Babcock & Elizabeth (James) Babcock. His mother traced her family back to the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. James was educated in Goshen and Northampton, MA, and eventually moved west to work in Chicago around 1860. The Great Chicago Fire in 1871, as well as his uncle Luther James, both prompted him to relocate to Ann Arbor.

James Babcock worked as a private secretary to his uncle, assisting him in the management of his assets, and accumulated a small fortune of his own in the process. His uncle loved to travel, and James would escort him to the South during the winters. Each summer they would travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin where they stayed at the popular resort of George Burroughs, and visited the "healthful benefits" of the Bethesda Spring.

In 1888, Uncle Luther James died. He left behind an estate valued at half a million dollars or more, the equivalent of nearly $17 million in 2024. When the will was read, the sum of $5,000 was left to each of Luther James' 21 nieces and nephews, as well as his two surviving sisters. The rest of his estate was left to James Babcock, his close confidant and favorite nephew. This should have been the end of the story, but Luther James had left a condition in his will: James Babcock must be married within five years from the time the will was probated, or his share of the inheritance would be divided among the other surviving family members. James Babcock, 48 year old Ann Arbor resident, suddenly needed to find a wife.

ALL THE SINGLE LADIES (and a few lonely men)

News of James Babcock's potential windfall spread across national newspapers, and even into Europe. Much like a current reality show with women lining up to marry a total stranger, single ladies across the country quickly jostled for the attention of James Babcock. No one seemed to be deterred by reports of him being "an abrupt, gray little man of 45", or the news that "In his slippers he stands up to five-feet-three".  His mailbox filled with correspondence from marriageable women of all ages, their parents, guardians, relatives, and friends. Each letter came from someone anxious to help him select a wife. James initially found these letters pleasant, but they quickly multiplied and grew to be a burden and an annoyance. He even received cables from women in England who worried that a steamship wouldn't deliver their letters quickly enough.

Many of the letter writers included photographs of themselves or someone else, all claiming to be beautiful. One music teacher remarked that her friends say "that she bears a striking resemblance to Mrs. President Cleveland." Single women looking for a wealthy husband contacted him from every state in the union. Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Colorado, provided the largest amount of mail. Some letters arrived on delicate paper written in a fine hand, while others were impossible to decipher. Several letters were written in German, a language that James Babcock was not able to read. Many of the letters included poetry, some pulled from books and some crafted by the suitor herself. One widow from Detroit spoke of having three children that her parents were happy to take if Mr. Babcock did not want to be a father. Even men wrote to James Babcock, asking if he would share single women interested in marriage with other bachelors.

According to an 1888 article published in the San Francisco Chronicle titled "BESIEGED BY WOMEN," James took the time to read every letter. He devised a numbering and filing system for all of the correspondence, and jotted down notes about each potential suitor. When the amount of mail became too much for him to handle in his free time he was forced to hire a male secretary to take over the process.

EXAMPLES OF LETTERS TO THE BACHELOR

From Crystal Springs, Mass:

I have heard a great deal about you, and to say I am pleased with you does not express my feelings. What is the shape of your head? your complexion? Oh. Mr. Babcock, do you chew tobacco? I know I am all your heart could wish. I have a rich cream complexion that would charm the soul and paralyze the intellect. What is your ideal woman? I would practice until I reached perfection...

From Fairbury, Illinois:

...Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you my age, it is about 45, isn't that a nice age? I do hope this epistle will strike you favorably for I am so anxious to help you spend your fortune now pray do not keep me in suspense, but write to me ahead of my number and so relieve my mind, and if you write me favorably I will refuse to take in any more washings and feel that my hard lot in life is over, for I am so tired of washing for a living...

From Wareham, Mass:

Mr. Babcock: Here is one more letter from the Massachusetts surplus. If you are not too bitter a pill to take I will help protect you from the many lambs anxious to be taken into the fold. Understand, I do this from a sense of duty and not from greed. X. X.

From Indianapolis, Indiana:

I am really very much ashamed of my sex to think our American women would propose marriage to a gentleman for his wealth. I presume they will love your pocketbook and respect you...

From San Francisco, California:

I am the oldest of four children. If you have made your choice perhaps you know of some other gentleman friend who wants a wife...

THE BACHELOR CHOOSES A HOME

Before James Babcock would choose a spouse, he would choose a new home. One sentence in the City & County section of the Ann Arbor Argus, June 2, 1891, quietly announced that James Babcock spent $10,000 on the purchase of 12 N. Division Street, the elegant former residence of the late Dr. Ebenezer Wells. Wells had been a physician, a banker, and the mayor of Ann Arbor during the Civil War. The stately mansion, which we now know as the Wells-Babcock House at 208 N. Division Street, was one of the finest homes in the city. Moving into the lavish dwelling only increased the fervor of women vying for his attention.

THE BACHELOR CHOOSES A WIFE

As the years passed, stories circulated about who Mr. Babcock was engaged to marry. Several women claimed to be the chosen one, but none of these rumors proved to be true. In August 1892, after four years, and thousands of letters and proposals from potential spouses, it was announced that James Babcock was really, truly engaged.

On September 29, 1892, James Babcock married Ella Stanley Butler in her hometown of Waukesha, Wisconsin. The pair had met years before their marriage during James' regular vacations in Waukesha with his uncle, mother, and aunt. James appears to have thought Ella was engaged to another man, and proposed to her when he found out that she was actually single. The Waukesha Freeman ran a front page headline, "BRIDE AND FORTUNE. J. L. BABCOCK WINS BOTH ON HIS WEDDING DAY." Ella was a popular contralto who frequently sang in the area. On their wedding day James was 52 and Ella was 35, a seventeen year age difference. James had made the deadline set by his uncle, with one year left to spare. Much to the disappointment of countless single women, the news made headlines across the country.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

James & Ella Babcock used some of the inheritance money to renovate their large home. The Babcock coat of arms was commemorated in stained glass, leather wall coverings were shipped from Europe, pressed paper wall coverings were shipped from Boston, and mahogany furniture was upholstered in brocatelle. Many fine details of the home were upgraded and refurbished to reflect their personal taste, including Derby satin curtains, frescoed ceilings, and a Chickering grand piano. In December 1894, the Babcocks threw a party to show off their refashioned home. Nearly 300 invitations were sent out, and their residence soon became known as the site of many popular, upscale gatherings in Ann Arbor.

Philanthropy also became a focus of the Babcocks. One of the most important projects for James Babcock to support was back in his hometown of Goshen, Massachusetts. The John James Memorial Building, dedicated in 1911, was constructed as a town hall, library, and general civic center. John James was his great-grandfather, and the Babcocks contributed a portion of the funding to make the memorial a reality. Ella Babcock sang at the dedication ceremonies for the facility. The building still stands today and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

On February 8, 1912, just two days before his 72nd birthday, James Babcock died at the Hollenbeck Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida. Ella and George Woods, his private secretary, escorted his body on a train back to Ann Arbor. He was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, just steps from Dr. Ebenezer Wells, the former owner of his Ann Arbor home.

Three years later, in February 1915, Ella raised eyebrows in Ann Arbor when she married Allen Dudley. Ella was 57 years old, while Allen, a music student, had just turned 33. When she died on October 14, 1927, she was buried beside James in Forest Hill Cemetery. Little is known of what became of Allen Dudley, except that he moved to Beverly Hills, California and worked as a broker. He died in 1936. What happened to the fortune that started this whole story remains unknown.

On May 12, 1926, a seventeen year old German boarded the SS Stuttgart, a passenger ship in the port city of Bremen, Germany. His name was Max Karl Aupperle and he had journeyed to Bremen from his hometown of Schorndorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, leaving behind his friends and family. He and his fellow travelers spent 10 days on the SS Stuttgart, as it made its way from Europe to New York City’s Harbor. On May 22, 1926, he disembarked at Ellis Island and started his new life as a German-American.

Germany, 1908-1926

Max Karl Aupperle was born June 21, 1908 in Schorndorf, Germany near Stuttgart, the first child of Karl & Pauline (Weik) Aupperle. His father was a tailor. In his later years, Max had childhood memories of playing with buttons in Karl’s shop, and being interested in the sewing machine. As the eldest son, Max followed in his father's tailoring footsteps and learned much of the trade from Karl. He completed 10th grade, an apprenticeship with another tailor, and trade school, before leaving Germany in 1926. On his passenger manifest from Bremen to New York City, Max’s occupation was listed as “dressmaker”. 

New York, 1926-1936

Max had an aunt (Pauline's sister) living in Philadelphia when he arrived in the US, but decided on Syracuse, New York as his new home. He had a German friend living in Syracuse and was able to quickly find work in dry cleaning and tailoring. He also began to learn English. In 1929 he joined the Custom Tailors and Designers Association (CTDA), which he credited for much of his lifelong success. The CTDA, founded for sharing ideas and techniques for design, pattern making, fitting, cutting, and tailoring, still exists today as the oldest continuously operating trade organization in the United States. His parents and siblings (Frieda, Maria, Walter, & Samuel) soon joined him in Syracuse. By 1930, the Aupperles were all living in the same home on South Avenue, with Karl and Max working as tailors. Frieda & Maria were both listed in the Syracuse city directory as "tailoress", so clearly Max wasn't the only child that inherited Karl's skills.

In 1930 Max attended the American Mitchell Designing School of New York City and completed a course in men’s garment design. In 1931 he moved west of Syracuse to Batavia, where he took a job in the tailoring shop of John G. Poultridge. On November 11, 1933 Max married Hedwig Haas, a fellow German immigrant who had also lived in Schorndorf. Hedwig had been working domestic jobs around Syracuse, including a stint as a live-in maid for Howard Chester Will, the wealthy vice president of the Will and Baumer Candle Company. By 1934, Max had opened his own tailoring business in Batavia. Their first child, Eric Max Aupperle, was born April 14, 1935.

Ann Arbor, 1936-2003

According to Max, it was a salesman who told him about a job opening at Wild Mens Shop in Ann Arbor. In 1936 he took a boat from Buffalo to Detroit, secured the position in Ann Arbor, and began supervising five people in a busy tailoring department. The Wild family were also Germans from near Stuttgart. Their store was located at 311 South State Street, between North University and Liberty. By the time Max joined them, the Wild family had been running their Ann Arbor clothing business for nearly 50 years.

By 1938, Max's parents and his brother Walter had also made the move to Ann Arbor. His father, Karl, joined him working as a tailor at Wild & Co. Walter found work at Metzger's German restaurant as a cook. His sister Frieda returned to Germany, while Samuel and Maria remained in New York.

In his free time, Max joined the Ann Arbor Civic Orchestra, known to us today as the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. A skilled violinist, he quickly became a popular member. In both 1939 and 1940, Max won a merit award for being the most valuable player in the orchestra. As many musicians went off to World War II, he worked to keep the remaining group together. In 1941, Max served as president of the Ann Arbor Civic Orchestra. In addition to his orchestra work, Max also assisted with the war efforts by sewing army tents at Fox Tent and Awning in Ann Arbor.

On June 2, 1941, Max & Hedwig welcomed their daughter Charlotte into the world. Their third daughter Gertrude, "Trudy", would arrive on November 12, 1945. 1945 was also the year the Aupperle family purchased a cottage on Base Lake outside of Ann Arbor, which would become a destination for their growing family to rest and relax.

1946 was a life-changing year for Max Aupperle. As men returned home from World War II in droves, the supply of clothing at Wild Men's Shop was quickly being depleted. Max was friends with the director of the adult education program in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and asked him if sewing pupils from his classes could work at Wild's. At the time, however, there was no one teaching sewing and tailoring classes, and Max was offered the job on the spot. Taking the position in education meant he would have to quit his role in the Ann Arbor Civic Orchestra, which made it a difficult decision. In the end, he accepted the role of sewing and tailoring instructor and taught his first class in February 1946.

In July of 1949, the Aupperle family was featured in the Ann Arbor News. Frieda (Aupperle) Haerer, Max's sister, moved from Germany back to the United States with her three children. A photo of them arriving at Willow Run Airport, and reuniting with their extended family, was published in the paper. Frieda and her children moved in with her parents, Karl and Pauline. Her husband, Hugo, had died in World War II.

Max kept a busy schedule, working full time at Wild's store, and teaching his adult education courses multiple nights a week. In 1954, he was elected to a three year term on the board of directors of the Custom Tailors and Designers Association (CTDA). His children attended the Ann Arbor Public Schools and Hedwig, his wife, was busy in many community organizations. In 1957 his father Karl died at the age of 73. Pauline, his mother, died in 1963 at the age of 81. They were buried together in Ann Arbor's Forest Hill Cemetery.

1964 brought more change to Max's life when Wild & Company updated their business model and discontinued their tailoring department. Mass-produced clothing was cheap and readily available, and the tailoring industry was in decline. In response, Max brought much of the equipment from Wild's store into his basement at 716 Oakland Avenue and started his own private tailoring business. In the beginning, he had a staff of four. He retained clients from Wild & Company, and named his new venture Ann Arbor Apparel Studio. Over the years Max outfitted many well known men and women in Ann Arbor, including the University of Michigan's William D. Revelli, Alexander Ruthven, and Bo Schembechler.

In May 1970, Max was named an outstanding teacher of adults by the Adult Education Association of Michigan. He was presented with a citation declaring he "gained the admiration and respect of thousands of adults who have taken his courses. It is a common experience to find his classes large and enrollments closed early in the registration periods. Always deeply interested in each student, he has demonstrated unusually successful teaching techniques in imparting clothing knowledge and skills to adults of varying backgrounds and abilities...". Since his first class in February 1946, Max had continuously taught three or four evening classes during each term. The final continuing education class he instructed was in May 1978. He had been a teacher for 32 years, educating over 2,000 students.

In November 1983, Max and Hedwig celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by taking a trip to Alaska. They also had a dinner party at Barton Hills Country Club, hosted by their children and grandchildren. In 1997, Max was installed in the Custom Tailors and Designers Association (CTDA) Hall of Fame, and accepted a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the trade. Hedwig died in 1998, followed by Max in 2003. He was 94 years old. They now rest together in Ann Arbor's Washtenong Memorial Park Mausoleum. Many pieces of Max's work may still be viewed in museums, including The Aupperle Collection at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design in North Carolina.

Morning Suit, ca. 1920s, Max Aupperle (1908–2003), German-American, Hand and machine sewn wool, 39" center back jacket length, The Aupperle Collection, 2015.030.001a-c, Gregg Museum of Art & Design