August 25, 1912: Death of Duluth pioneer Sidney Luce

One hundred years ago today Duluth pioneer—and its third mayor—Sidney Luce died on the farm where he was born and raised in Kingsville, Ohio. Luce arrived in Duluth in 1857 (some reports say 1856) to work as an official for the newly established U. S. Land Office in Buchanan, which was soon after moved to Portland Township, today’s east hillside. Luce (pronounced “loose”) built Duluth’s first commercial building, a warehouse on the shore at the foot of Third Avenue East. In the aftermath of the Panic of 1857, Luce’s warehouse was the only occupied structure in Duluth (it stood until 1875 when it was demolished.) In 1871, after Duluth had finally recovered from the financial panic and had risen to become a city, he became the fledgling city’s first comptroller. In 1872 he was elected as Duluth’s third mayor, but resigned near the end of his term to return to his home town. Following the Financial Panic of 1873, Luce returned to take the reins of Duluth’s struggling First National Bank. After his bank failed in 1876, he returned once again to Kingsville and only visited Duluth once more. Upon his death, Luce’s dear friend and fellow Duluth pioneer J. D. Ensign said “[Luce] was a truly admirable man and citizen, ever ready to assist his neighbors and to further every undertaking to promote the community’s welfare.” Read Luce’s Zenith City History biography here and more about Duluth’s third mayor here: Luce_2.22.1873_MN, here: Luce_5.12.1896_DNT, here: Luce_8.02.1908_DNT, and here: Luce_8.25.1912_DNT.