William Butts Mershon was a well known lumberman, manufacturer and noted authority on birdlife who was born and died in Saginaw. His grandfather, E.J. Mershon came to Saginaw from Rochester, New York in 1854, and with Jesse Hoyt, built the first planning mill in the Saginaw Valley. William B. Mershon founded the William B. Mershon Co., where he manufactured bandsaws that were invented by his brother Edward C. Mershon. Mershon was instrumental in the construction of Lumbermen's Memorial Monument which stands on the Au Sable River. He also had timber interests in Arizona where he was a director of Calumet & Arizona Copper Co. William B. Mershon was an active outdoorsman, who also served as mayor of Saginaw from 1894-1895, as a member of the state forestry commission under Governor Fred M. Warner and on the state tax commission under Governor Chase S. Osborn. He was also one of the founders of the Saginaw Welfare League which became the Community Chest.
From the description of Mershon family papers, 1889-1943. (Public Libraries of Saginaw). WorldCat record id: 60427027
