Lorenzo T. Durand
Lorenzo Thurston Durand | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Morehouseville, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 7, 1917 (aged 67) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, public official |
| Known for | Legal advisor and president of Union Street Railway Company; Democratic candidate for governor of Michigan (1902) |
Lorenzo Thurston Durand (December 9, 1849 – August 7, 1917) was a notable American attorney and public official.
Early life
Born in Morehouseville, New York to parents George H. Durand and Margret McMillan, Durand hailed from a family with English and Scottish roots. In 1858, his family relocated to Genesee County, Michigan, and by the early 1860s, they had settled in Saginaw, Michigan.
Legal education and professional career
After completing his secondary education, Durand pursued legal studies initially under the mentorship of J. Brousseaer for one year, followed by an additional two years working with the firm of Webber & Smith. He earned his LL.B degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1870 and was admitted to practice law in Michigan that same year. Early in his career, Durand served as an assistant to Michigan Attorney General Dwight May.
In 1870, he established the law partnership Durand & Paine, which continued until approximately 1878 when Durand was elected as prosecuting attorney for Saginaw County. After completing two terms in this role, he resumed private legal practice in 1882. Durand played a key role as legal advisor and later president of the Union Street Railway Company of Saginaw, where he championed the transition to electric-powered railways in 1889. His legal expertise was also sought by the Central Bridge Company of Saginaw, and he held the presidency of the Saginaw County Savings Bank. Additionally, Durand was actively involved with the Saginaw County Bar Association, serving as its president.
In 1897, he was appointed trustee of the Union Saginaw School District and subsequently became president of the Saginaw Board of Education. As the Democratic candidate for governor of Michigan in 1902, Durand was defeated by incumbent Republican Aaron T. Bliss; nonetheless, he later acted as executor and principal legal representative for Bliss’ estate. That same year, amid Republican political dominance in Michigan, Durand was also nominated as a complimentary candidate for the United States Senate. He declined a nomination for Michigan Attorney General and made an unsuccessful bid for circuit judge in Michigan's 10th Circuit in 1917.
Personal life
Lorenzo T. Durand was a sibling of United States Representative George H. Durand. On February 15, 1872, he wed Flora Caroline Moore, daughter of John Moore—a distinguished judge, attorney, and Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 1868. Durand was affiliated with Freemasonry and practiced the Episcopal faith.
Death
Durand passed away due to heart complications on August 7, 1917, while traveling on a Woodward train car during a business trip to Detroit. His final resting place is in Saginaw, Michigan.