Biographies

Moses C. Cate
Moses C. "Mo" Cate, sheriff of Leelanau County in 1881-1882, was born in New Hampshire and lived in Northeast Ohio before moving to Leelanau County after serving in the Union Army during the Civil War.

He was born in London, New Hampshire on August 23, 1828 and moved in childhood with his parents to Solon, Ohio near Cleveland. There he worked as a shoemaker and was married on December 2, 1855 to Mary Louise Barnard.

On August 7, 1862 Mo Cate enlisted in the 103'd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a regiment formed by men for three Cleveland area counties. The 103'd OVI fought Confederate troops in Eastern Tennessee, Northern Georgia and North Carolina. When the 103'd OVI was mustered out of service at Raleigh, North Carolina on June 12, 1865, Cate was a private in the regiment's Company D, where he had served temporarily as a Sergeant.

In September 1866, he and Mary Louise and their three children -- Shadrack Barnard Cate, Eliza Ann Cate, Rebecca Cate -- moved from Solon Ohio to a farm in Leelanau County's Solon Township. Another son, also named Moses Cate, was born following that move. Mary Louise Cate died in 1897.

In addition to his term as sheriff, the senior Mo Cate served at various times at Solon Township supervision and in other local elected positions and as Solon postmaster. His tools for making and repairing shoes are in the Leelanau Historical Society's Museum in Leland.

Mo Cate died on July 28, 1916. His gravestone in Solon Township Cemetery does not carry his birth and death dates but does memorialize his Civil War service.

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Martin "Marshal" Brown
In 1897 Martin Brown was appointed Undersheriff of Leelanau County. Adam Bellinger was the Sheriff. After serving two terms as Undersheriff, Mr. Brown was elected Sheriff. He held that office for the maximum two terms. In 1912 Mr. Brown was elected probate judge of this county. He was re-elected to the same office for three consectuive four year terms.It was in 1923 that Judge Brown moved out of the realm of county politics to accept appointment as a United States marshall, a position he held until 1935.

Louis Forton
Louis L. Forton of Suttons Bay, a life long resident was elected Sheriff of Leelanau County in 1932. Mr. Forton was born February 16, 1892 in Grand Traverse County. In June of 1928 he married Adeline Kolarik of Gills Pier. Sheriff Forton served the citizens of Leelanau County for 3 terms, from 1933 until 1938. It was in 1938 that he opened the Forton Grocery and Meat Market in Suttons Bay. As a prominent area merchant, he was active in the Suttons Bay Grange and the Knights of Columbus in Traverse City. Mr. Forton continued to operate the Grocery and Meat Market until his death in September 1958. His wife, 3 daughters and 4 sons survived him. Many of his descendants still remain in the area.

Sheriff Forton's grandson John Forton, was appointed "Deputy Sheriff" on July 7th, 1999 in and for Leelanau County.

Bob White

Bob White - Pictured at the Leland Jail in 1948
Robert H. White was sheriff of Leelanau County from 1939 through 1964, longer than anyone else who has held that office earlier or since.

Bob White lived nearly all his life in this county except while in the Army during World War I. He was born in Solon Township on May, 17, 1869, the first of two sons and two daughters born to Thomas R. and Minnie (Bain) White.

Bob White recalled something of his early life in a interview [published in the Leelanau Enterprise on April 17, 1975]. He said he "wouldn't go to high school" after completing eighth grade at Clearbrook one-room school because "I didn't think anyone would teach me much, so I drove a horse team and worked at shoving lumber into railroad cars ...I was about 19 when I began to notice that there was a difference between me and the kids who went to school, so I decided that I might be able to learn something after all. So I enrolled in the Traverse City Business College ... I liked it fine."

From the college, Bob went to work for two years at the Buick plant in Flint, building radiators. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Bob enlisted in the Army. IN his 1975 Enterprise interview, he recalled that "by the time I'd attended machine gun schools in Texas and Oklahoma, I knew so much they made me an instructor. I taught aerial gunnery until May of 1919."

Bob added that he was offered an officer commission in the Army and initially intended to accept. "Didn't work out that way, though. You see, Viola Miser had been chasing me off and on for seven years. I finally gave up running away and married her on August 24, 1919." Bob and Vi (as she was known) had a son, the late Glen White, an accountant and a daughter,Ruth Marion, both life long residents of Leelanau County.

Bob made friends while repairing cars. In that same interview, he said "Pressure from many people -- that's the reason I ran for sheriff." But he wasn't elected the first time he ran for office in the mid-30s. Success came in the 1938 election, and was repeated until Bob decided to retire in 1964 rather that run again.

Two of the most visible features of today's sheriff departments came to Leelanau County while Bob White was sheriff. Full-time deputies were hired beginning "about 1956", he recalled. The first patrol cars built and marked for police work were purchased about that same time. During his first dozen years or so as sheriff, Bob drove and unmarked car equipped with a two-way radio so he could stay in contact with his office, which often meant talking with Vi, who prepared meals for jail inmates. Bob did employ part-time deputies starting early in his years as sheriff, usually during the cherry harvest times. In that 1975 interview, Bob remarked that "Cherry pickers themselves weren't the bad ones you know. It was the trash who drifted along with them, never working at all, who caused all the trouble."

Bob and Vi lived in the old White farmhouse during the 1950s, then moved into living quarters at the then new jail in Leland. Following Bob's retirement, they lived in a house they bought in Leland. During his later years, Bob was afflicted with diabetes and loss of vision but continued regularly attending American Legion meetings and the "Leland International Coffee Club" for years. He died on April 2, 1983. The graves of Bob and Viola are in the Solon Township Cemetery.

Richard Steffens
Richard Carlton Steffens was born in East Leland on June 10, 1910, a son of Richard G. and Hermina (Muchow) Steffens. After graduating from the Leelanau County Normal School in 1931, he taught at Good Harbor School and later at Leland. He also worked at Van's Garage, for $8 a week. He was elected Leelanau County Sheriff in 1964, succeeding Robert White, and in 1968 won reelection in a 4-man primary vote.

In his first months in office in 1965 he raised deputies' pay from $1.25 an hour; purchased uniforms for the officers, and saw the number of complaints handled by the Sheriff's Department increase, at a lesser cost per complaint. One of his officers had the department's first tracking dogs after Sheriff Dick conducted a community fund drive.

As sheriff he spent much time in county schools, "teaching the dangers of drugs and alcohol"; he also gave CPR instruction to all county students. He began what is now the department's Marine Division, and stressed community involvement by his officers. His wife, Margaret H., was the jail cook and the deputized jail matron. They lived in the jail until his request for a pay raise was denied; they then built a home in his cherry orchard in East Leland.

In the spring of 1971 Sheriff Steffens was one of two county officers who resigned after a year-long "impasse" with county officials, and amid a union campaign to organize his deputies. He later wrote that he was "tired of fighting with the dumm commissioners". He served 6 years and 4 months as sheriff. He was succeeded as sheriff by Frederick A. Buehrer.

After returning to private life, Mr. Steffens went into the real estate field, later becoming a broker in the Upper Peninsula with an office at manistique. But in the 1980s Mr. and Mrs. Steffens moved back to Leelanau County. In 1984 he was one of four candidates in the Republican primary for the sheriff's nomination, but with two others lost to the eventual winner, Charles A. Johnson.

Sheriff Steffens died on March 30, 1996, in his Elmwood Township home overlooking West Bay. He was 85.

Frederick Buehrer
Frederick A.Buehrer was born May 19th,1926 in Chicago. Fred moved when he was 4 years old and spent his early childhood in Leland. He graduated from Leland High School in 1944. In 1957 he married Rosalie Bogs (from Chicago)and they settled in Leland. Prior to becoming a law enforcement officer, Fred worked as a commercial fisherman and then was employed at Leland Marine.

Prior to becoming a county officer, Fred was appointed as the Suttons Bay Village Officer for 5 years. In 1961 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff for Leelanau County. In 1966 Fred Buehrer was appointed Undersheriff and served in that capacity until 1971. Sheriff Richard Steffens (1964-1971) suddenly resigned his position and Fred submitted his name for consideration. The Probate Judge, Prosecutor and County Clerk appointed Buehrer to fill the vacancy as required by State Law for the term expiring 12-31-72. Sheriff Buehrer was elected and served 1973-1984 as Leelanau Sheriff. A big man, Sheriff Fred stood 6'2" and weighed 285 pounds and says that this was a distinct advantage when called to break up fights or make an arrest!

Sheriff Buehrer graduated from one of the very first Law Enforcement Officer's Basic Academies as presented by the State of Michigan Training Council in 1967! Ahead of his time, Fred mounted a home movie camera on the dash of his patrol car in order to record drunk drivers early in his career. He also recorded the booking area of the jail in order to document the disorderly conduct of those arrested. These recordings were later presented as evidence in courtroom trials. In 1985, the Sheriff's budget was $900,000 and Fred and Rosalie lived at the jail facility located in Leland. he supervised 22 full-time and 7 part-time employees. Sheriff Buehrer said; "My objective in this field is to be of service to my fellow man, and to promote law and order in our society to the best of my abillity."

In 1985 Fred Buehrer accepted a position as Director of Security with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians in order to assist with their casino operations. He was instrumental in planning for law enforcement needs on the Reservation as related to servng their residents and visitors alike.

Fred Buehrer resided with his wife, Rosalie, in the village of Leland until he passed away on June 11, 2006.

Charles A. Johnson
Charles A. Johnson served as Leelanau County Sheriff from 1985-1996. During his watch, the agency received their first “Cops Fast” grant from the Federal Government. In addition, the County reorganized Emergency Communications into a “911 Central Dispatch Center” and “high band” radio system administrated by Sheriff Johnson. In 1995 the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office received their first computer terminal allowing entry into the age of technology! The national spotlight focused on Leland on February 2nd, 1993 when Dr. Jack Kervorkian visited and was present during an "Assisted Suicide"!

Charles Johnson is the son of former Sanilac County Sheriff John A. Johnson who served in the 1920’s. Charles Johnson was born in 1938 in Flint, Michigan. He was commissioned a Michigan State Police Trooper in 1960 and served through 1984 at which time he retired from “The Troops”. Trooper Johnson was assigned to posts in Erie, Sandusky, East Tawas, Battle Creek and Traverse City. He attained the rank of Uniform Sergeant and was a firearms instructor for 14 years while serving in the Department of State Police. He currently resides in Suttons Bay with his wife Kathy.

Historical Record of Leelanau County Sheriffs

Years in Office Sheriff
1863-1864 Edward Friend (First Sheriff)
1865-1866 John Bryant
1867-1870 Samuel Wilson
1871-1872 Valentine Lee
1873-1876 Eusebius F. Dame
1877-1878 George T. Carr
1879-1880 John Scott
1881-1882 Moses C. Cate
1883-1886 John A. Bryant
1887-1888 Henry J. Dunkelow
1889-1892 Nathaniel W. Herrington
1893-1896 Barton B. Ellis
1897-1900 Adam Belinger
1901-1902 Martin Brown
1903-1904 John Deuster
1905-1908 Martin Brown
1909-1912 Michael Horen
1913-1916 Walter E. Greilick
1917-1920 John L. Kinnucan
1921-1924 Walter Steimel
1925-1926 George Heimforth
1927-1932 Walter Steimel
1933-1938 Louis Forton
1939-1964 Bob White
1965-1972 Richard C. Steffens
1973-1984 Frederick Buehrer
1985-1996 Charlie Johnson
1997-2012 Michael F. Oltersdorf
2013-Present Michael Borkovich

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The photo to the right represents the Leelanau County Historical Jail currently located in Leland, Michigan.