125 years ago, there were public allegations of incompetence and inexperience leveled at Gen. Russell A. Alger surrounding his tenure as U.S. Secretary of War under President William McKinley 1897 - 1899. With the internet continuing to give these remaining old rumors oxygen let’s review who the General really was: his military background, his business expertise, and his personal character.

Many folks have heard about the famed Alger residence on W. Fort and First Streets in Detroit, a towering four-story brick Queen Anne showplace built in 1885 by architect Gordon W. Lloyd. Fort and Lafayette were the two ritziest streets to live on back then, with close neighbors including the Hinchman’s, Baldwin’s, Shelden’s, and Swift’s, people who soon figured into Alger history.

Back in the day, when huge mansions were the norm in the Grosse Pointes, it took large, dedicated staffs to successfully run the estates and look after its inhabitants’ needs.