USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 35
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Jacob Veit has been twice married. On January 15, 1869, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Ackerman, a daughter of John Ackerman and wife. Her death occurred in 1870, leaving one son, William Veit, now a successful business man of Flint, where he has long been engaged in the lumber and coal business. He married Nellie Nye, and has one son, Will- iam Veit, Jr. Elizabeth Ackerman was born at Grosse Point, Wayne county, Michigan, and she was only seventeen years old at the time of her death. She was a member of the German Lutheran church. On May 21, 1873, Jacob Veit married, secondly, Sarah Hyslop Corkey, who was born in New York City, a daughter of Joseph and Catherine ( Middlemus) Corkey, the former a native of County Armagh, Ireland, from which country he came to America when seventeen years of age. Mr. Corkey was born in New York City, of Scotch and English parentage. Mr. and Mrs. Corkey came West in an early day and settled at Flint, in which vicinity he engaged in farming. They are both now deceased. Their family consisted of six chil-
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dren, Agnes, Elspeth, Joseph, Mary, Harry and Sarah H. To Mr. Veit and his last wife three children have been born, Catherine Elizabeth, who was graduated from the Flint high school and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor; Josephine, who received a good education in the local schools and is at home with her parents, and Charles Jacob, who was also given proper educational advantages and is assisting his father with his business. Politically, Mr. Veit is a Republican. Fraternally, he is a member of Genesee Lodge No. 47, Free and Accepted Masons; of Washington Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Masons; of the Flint Council, Royal and Select Masters, and of Genesee Valley Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar, and is also a member of the Tribe of Ben-Hur and of the Foresters. His wife is a member of the Congregational church.
JOSEPH W. BERRIDGE.
Joseph W. Berridge, a well-known business man of Flint, proprietor of a drug store at 401 Detroit street, is a native son of Flint and has lived there the greater part of his life. He was born on April 24, 1876, son of Walter H. and Nellie (Collins) Berridge, the former of whom was born at Detroit, this state, and the latter in Ireland.
Walter H. Berridge was a son of Joseph W. Berridge and wife, the former a native of England, who came to this country and located at Detroit. Joseph W. Berridge conducted a road house about seven miles out of Detroit for some years, at the end of which time he came to this county and located at Clio, where he engaged in the mercantile business until his establishment was destroyed by fire, after which he bought a farm in the Otter Lake neighborhood and there spent the rest of his life. His wife died when about seventy years of age and he lived to the great age of ninety-nine years, his death then being due to injuries received when he was kicked by a colt. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Eliza, William, George, Charles, Walter and Vesta. Walter Berridge was about eighteen years old when he came to this county from Detroit with his parents. Not long there- after he located at Flint and for a time worked at the present stand of Smith, Bridgeman & Company, and afterwards worked for that company a number of years. He then embarked in business for himself, in partner- ship with his brother-in-law. Thomas Collins, in the groceries, drugs and meat line, and some years later bought his partner's interest in the business
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and continued in business alone. He took an active interest in civic affairs and held various city offices. Walter H. Berridge died in 1904, at the age of fifty-five years, and his widow still survives him. She is a member of the Catholic church, as was her husband, and their children were reared in that faith. There were ten of these children, namely: Ruperta, deceased, who was the wife of William Hurley; Joseph W., the subject of this bio- graphical sketch; John C., of Flint; Walter H., of Wisconsin; Bessie, wife of Walter McGinnis, of Flint; Leo, also of Flint, and Charles, Nina, Nellie and Michael, who died in youth. . The Widow Berridge was but a baby when she came to this country from Ireland with her parents, John C. and Nora (Horan) Collins, natives of Ireland, who settled at Detroit, where they spent the remainder of their lives, he dying at the age of seventy and she at the age of eighty. They were the parents of five children, Nellie, Michael, John, Thomas and Cornelius.
Joseph W. Berridge was reared at Flint, receiving his elementary edu- cation in the parochial schools, supplementing the same by a course in the Jesuit College at Detroit, after which he went to Cadillac, where for nearly seven years he was engaged in the mercantile business, handling groceries, feed and produce. While living at Cadillac he married Minnie Wolfrain, who died about eighteen months after her marriage. Mr. Berridge then went to Grand Rapids and for eighteen months he was engaged there as a traveling salesman for the wholesale grocery house of Clark, Jewell & Wells. He then went to Detroit and for two years was manager of a restaurant there, after which he returned to Flint and was for more than six years engaged in the service of the Buick Motor Company, then with the Chevrolet company for two years, at the end of which time he engaged in the drug business at his present location and has since then been thus engaged, doing an excellent business. Mr. Berridge is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but is not included in the office-seeking class. He is a member of the Catholic church and gives proper attention . to all movements designed to advance the best interests of his home city.
During his residence in Detroit, Mr. Berridge married, secondly, Julia Hooley, who was born at Pinconning, this state, daughter of Daniel Hooley and wife, natives of Ireland, the former of whom is still living. To that union there was born one child, a daughter, Ruperta. Mrs. Julia Berridge died on December 24, 1910, and in 1912 Mr. Berridge married Bessie Bost- wick, who was born at Orion, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Berridge reside at 516 Payne street and are very comfortably situated there.
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WILLIAM N. WOOD.
Among all the occupations and professions of life, there is none more honorable, none more independent and none more conducive to health and happiness than agriculture. One of the contented farmers of Genesee county is William N. Wood, of Mundy township. He was born in Deerfield town- ship, Livingston county, Michigan, December 6, 1846, and is a son of Caleb and Jane E. (Sellers ) Wood, natives of the states of New York and Penn- sylvania, respectively. They came to Michigan when young and were mar- ried in Livingston county, May 27, 1839. The father died on January 14, 1885; the mother survived to a ripe old age, dying on February 16, 1903. To these parents four children were born, three of whom survive in 1916, namely: John W., who is engaged in farming in Gaines township, Genesee county ; Hannah E. is the wife of Ira Gazlay and they live on a farm in Mundy township, and William N .. of this sketch.
The subject of this review was ten years old when he came with his parents to Genesee county and he attended the district schools in Mundy township. Here, in 1856, the father entered eighty acres of land, which William N. now owns. It was timbered and they cleared and improved it, erecting buildings, and by their industry made a comfortable home.
William N. Wood married Eliza Larobardiere on April 26, 1868. She was born in Mundy township, this county. June 12, 1847, a daughter of Francis Larobardiere and wife, natives of France, from which country they came to the state of New York, thence to Genesee county, Michigan.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wood went to housekeeping on their present farm, he owning forty acres at that time, and he also now owns eighty acres in Gaines township and has made a very comfortable liv- ing as a general farmer and stock raiser.
Politically, Mr. Wood is a Republican and served two terms as high- way commissioner. He and his wife belong to the Methodist church at Swartz creek, of which Mr. Wood was steward for many years and was very active in church work.
Francis P. Larobardiere, brother of Mrs. Wood, who is living on his farm of one hundred acres in Mundy township, was born on this farm, September 8, 1863. He is a son of Francis and Louisa (Coquigne) Laro- bardiere, both natives of France, where they grew up, the father in Lor- raine. When a boy he came to the United States and located in Black River county, New York, later moving to Oswego county, that state. His
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MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM N. WOOD.
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wife was born and reared in Joueve, France, and was twelve years old when she came to the state of New York with her parents, her family locating in Oswego county, and there she met and married Mr. Larobardiere. Not long thereafter they came to Genesee county, Michigan, locating on a farm in Mundy township. They purchased three hundred and twenty acres in one tract, Francis settling on one hundred and sixty acres, where he spent the rest of his life, dying in the spring of 1869. His family consisted of eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, and six are still living, namely: Joseph, of Mundy township; Eliza, who married the subject of this sketch: Ora, the wife of George Newton, of Mundy township; Lunetta, the wife of Joseph Goodyear; Paulina, the wife of John Wood; Francis P., a farmer of Mundy township.
Francis P. Larobardiere grew up on the farm and attended the district schools and the Flint high school. He lived at home until his marriage, on December 14. 1887, to Lizzie M. Dittslock, a daughter of Godfrey and Minnie Dittslock, natives of the vicinity of Bremen, Germany, from which country they came to Michigan and settled on a farm in Flint township, Genesee county. After his marriage, Francis P. lived eleven years on a farm which he owned in section 9, Mundy township, then moved to his present farm in section 8. His family consists of three children: John P. is married and lives on the farm; Floyd H. is married and lives in Grand Blanc; Edessa, who was graduated from Flint Business College, lives at home.
CHARLES H. MILLER.
Charles H. Miller, a well-known hardware merchant at Flint and former president of the Michigan State Hardware Dealers' Association, is a native son of Michigan, born in the neighborhood of Ypsilanti, in Wash- tenaw county, this state, November 3. 1862, son of Benjamin and Janet (Wallace) Miller, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Scotland, both now deceased, who were the parents of eight chil- dren, namely: Helen, deceased, who was the wife of Frank Chase; Dr. Benjamin F. Miller, of Flint; William, of Ypsilanti; George, of Plymouth, this state; Charles H., the subject of this biographical sketch; Reuben, who died on December 25, 1915, and two who died in early youth.
Benjamin Miller was born in 1822, son of John and Barbara (Stuck) (23a)
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Miller, natives of Pennsylvania, who had moved to New York state and in 1836 came to Michigan, locating on a farm in Washtenaw county, where they spent the rest of their lives. John Miller died when past middle age and his widow lived to the great age of ninety-six years. They were the parents of five children, John, George. Catherine, Margaret and Benjamin. The latter was about fourteen years old when he came to this state with his parents in 1836 and he grew to manhood in Washtenaw county, becom- ing an expert millwright and bridge carpenter, which vocation he followed for some years and then became a farmer. For years he was road com- missioner and built many of the bridges in his home county. Late in life he retired from the farm and moved to Ypsilanti, which town had always been his postoffice, and there he died in 1910, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife died at the age of seventy-four years. She had come to this state with her parents from Scotland in pioneer days, the family set- tling on a farin near the village of Wayne, in Wayne county. Grandfather Wallace lived to well past middle age. He and his wife were the parents of three children, John, Matthew and Janet.
Charles H. Miller was reared on his father's farm in Washtenaw county and obtained his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and in the high school at Ypsilanti. When twenty years of age he went to Flint, where he became engaged as a clerk in the hardware store of George W. Hubbard, becoming thoroughly familiar with the details of the hardware business. In 1888 he and Frank Algoe formed a partnership and opened a hardware store at 520 South Saginaw street and were thus associated in business for nineteen years, at the end of which time Mr. Miller sold his interest in the store to his partner and in 1908 opened a new store at 424 South Saginaw street, where he has since been quite successfully engaged in business. Mr. Miller is one of the best-known hardware men in Michigan and served one term as president of the State Hardware Dealers Association, in the affairs of which organization he has for many years taken an active interest. He is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has never been included in the office-seeking class. For years he was a member of the Michigan National Guard, attached to the Flint Blues, and was captain of that organization during the years 1890-92. He has business interests outside his store and is a member of the board of direc- tors of the Citizens Commercial and Savings Bank of Flint. Mr. Miller and his wife are members of the Episcopal church, of which he is a vestryman, and long have been regarded as among the leaders in local good works. Mr. Miller is a thirty-second degree Mason, affiliated with the consistory, Ancient
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Accepted Scottish Rite, at Bay City, and is a noble of Elf Khurafeh Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Saginaw. He is past master of Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons, at Flint ; a member of Washington Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Masons; of Genesee Valley Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar, and of Flint Lodge No. 222, Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, in the affairs of all of whom organizations he takes a warm interest.
It was in October, 1887, that Charles H. Miller was united in marriage to Catherine Fellows, who was born at London, Ontario, in August, 1863, daughter of Charles Fellows and wife, the former a native of England and the latter of Canada, who later located at Flint, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Charles Fellows was the founder of the old Weekly Journal at Flint and was a man of much influence in that city in his day. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Charles, Jennie, Catherine, James, William and Harry. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller one child has been born, a daughter, Blanche, who married Charles L. Lippincott and has two children, Charles and Harry.
DARWIN P. SMITH.
Darwin P. Smith, well-known and up-to-date florist at Flint, is a native son of Michigan and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in the town of Warren, in Macomb county, October 17, 1851, son of Carleton and Jane (Dawson) Smith, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Canada, who became pioneers in Michigan and whose last days were spent in Flint.
Carleton Smith was a son of Nathaniel Smith and wife, natives of Ver- mont, the former of whom, a grandson of a soldier of the Revolution, was a soldier in the War of 1812. Nathaniel Smith was a farmer and also kept an inn on the northern line of New York state. About the close of terri- torial days, in 1837, he and his family came to Michigan and settled at Troy, later moving to Otisville, this county, where he and his wife spent their last days, among the most influential pioneers of that section. They had a con- siderable family of children, among whom are mentioned William, Vandoris, Carleton, Henry and Mercy. Carleton Smith was thus among the pioneers of this section of Michigan. He settled near Otisville, this county, at a point now called Smith Hill, several of the Smith families having settled there, and had to cut a road through the forest from Flint to Otisville, a distance
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of several miles. He married Jane Dawson, who was born at Little York, now a part of the city of Toronto, Ontario, and who was the last-born of the four children born to her parents, the others having been George, James and Ellen. Grandfather Dawson was a bookbinder. He and his wife and their three children emigrated from Scotland to Canada, settling in a suburb of Toronto, where the daughter, Jane, was born. Later the family came to Michigan and settled at Royal Oak, where Grandfather Dawson and his wife spent the rest of their lives. For some years Carleton Smith made his home on the farm near Otisville, in Forest township, and then moved to Warren, in Macomb county, but in 1860 returned to Genesee county and settled just west of Flint, where he afterward became the owner of a farm. For some time he was engaged in the extensive clearing operations of his brother-in-law, George Dawson. His last years were spent in Flint, where he died at the advanced age of eighty years. His wife had preceded him to the grave some years before, she having been sixty-seven years of age at the time of her death. They were members of the Methodist church and their children were reared in that faith. There were three of these children, sons all, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last born, the others being George D., for years a well-known resident of Clayton township, this county, who is said to have been the first white child born in Forest township, and Levi R., who was drowned in Long Lake years ago.
Darwin P. Smith was about nine years old when his parents returned from Warren, the place of his birth, to this county, and he grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Flint township, receiving his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and in the old high school at Flint. He taught district school one year and then went to Rochester, New York, where he entered the employ of Elwanger & Barry, nursery proprietors and florists, and became thoroughly familiar with the details of that business, a business which he has followed almost continuously ever since. About 1874 Mr. Smith returned to Flint and started a small nursery in the vicinity of that city, but soon afterward moved into the town and established a green- house on East street, where he was engaged in business until 1907, in which year he moved his establishment to what is now 1900 Lapeer street, where he has one of the most extensive floricultural plants in this part of the state, his great establishment carrying more than twenty-five thousand square feet of glass, and there he has built up an extensive business, with a down- town office at 121 East Kearsley street. Mr. Smith was reared as a Repub- lican. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a member of Genesee Lodge No. 24; with the Loyal Guard and with the
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Knights of the Maccabees, in all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
In October, 1874, Darwin P. Smith was united in marriage to Mary Eva Chapman, who was born on a farm in Clayton township, this county, Novem- ber 4, 1854, daughter and only child of Morgan and Adaline (Dart) Chap- man, both now deceased, the former of whom was a native of the state of New York and the latter of Connecticut, and to this union two children have been born, Roy M., associated with his father in business, as foreman of the greenhouse, who married Pearl Shepard and has two children, Bethany and Ronald, and Marian, who is a graduate of the college at Ypsilanti and is now teaching in the Flint schools. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Court Street Methodist Episcopal church. They have a very pleasant home adjoin- ing their greenhouses at 1900 Lapeer street.
LESLIE D. GILLETT.
Leslie D. Gillett, one of Flint's best-known young automobile dealers, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Vienna township, June 10, 1889, son of Isaac and Annetta (Fields) Gillett, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Canada, both now living retired at Clio, this county.
Isaac Gillett was but a boy when he came to this county from New York with his parents, the family settling in Vienna township, where his father was killed shortly after coming here by a tree falling on him while he was clearing the land on his farm. The mother died in May, 1916. Grandfather Gillett and wife were the parents of four children, William, Isaac, Melissa and Nelson. Isaac Gillett grew to manhood on that pioneer farm and mar- ried Annetta Fields, a daughter of Ralph and Hanna Fields, who had come to this county from Canada and settled in Vienna township, where they lived to old age. Ralph Fields and wife were the parents of seven children, George, Isaac, Laura, Annetta, Martin, Willetta and Theresa. After his marriage Isaac Gillett became a farmer on his own account and still owns the farm on which he made his home until his retirement and removal to Clio, where he and his wife are now living. They are members of the Methodist church. For years Isaac Gillett took an active interest in the civic affairs of his con- munity and held various township offices. To him and his wife five children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of
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birth, the others being Ralph, of Clio; Earl, who is attending the Michigan Agricultural College at Lansing, and Evelyn and Murray, at home.
Leslie D. Gillett was reared on the paternal farm in Vienna township and attended the neighboring district school, the high school at Mt. Morris and the high school at Clio, from which latter he was graduated, after which he engaged in the automobile business at Clio, his success there embold- ening him to strike out in a wider field. Early in the spring of 1915 Mr. Gillett established his present business at Flint and has done very well, his sales room and garage on North Saginaw street being one of the best-known establishments of the kind in the city. His specialty in the sales department is the Overland car, in the distribution of which hereabout he has been very successful. Mr. Gillett has other interests outside his automobile business and is vice-president of the Gillett Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of tables. He is a Republican and during his residence at Clio served as councilman there one term. He also was a member of the Clio fire depart- ment. He is a member of the Methodist church, a Mason, member of Vienna Lodge No. 205, and is a member of the Knights of Birmingham, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On August 2, 1916, Leslie D. Gillett married Florence A. Utley, a daughter of Daniel Utley, of this county.
ELMER NEHEMIAH PHILLIPS.
Elmer Nehemiah Phillips, well-known proprietor of the popular "Phil's Cafe." III Kearsley street, Flint, is a native of Illinois, born at the town of Auburn, that state, June 27 1876, son of Nehemiah and Eliza J. (Sutton) Phillips the former a native of Michigan and the latter of the Dominion of Canada, who were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow: David, deceased; Luella, wife of Herbert H. Harmon, of Flint; Raphael, of Flush- ing, this county, and Ida May, of Flint.
Nehemiah Phillips was the eldest of the eight children born to his par- ents, David and Lucretia (Mead) Phillips, pioneers of this state, whose other children were Zilpha, Lucetta. Alexander, Phidelus, Orville, Melvina and Elvington, all of whom are now deceased, save Lucetta. He was care- fully reared and early developed such pronounced artistic tendencies tliat he was trained in art and became a painter of more than local note. He
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married Eliza Sutton, youngest of the four children of Jacob and Judith (Mead ) Sutton, the others being Lucy, Josiah and John, and shortly after his marriage moved to Carlinville, Illinois, and thence to Girard, in the same state, where he died in 1879. His widow survived him about eight years, her death occurring in 1887, at the age of forty years. Nehemiah Phillips was an honored veteran of the Civil War, having served in the army of General Grant during the struggle between the states.
Elmer N. Phillips was but three years old when his father died and was but eleven when he was orphaned, indeed, by the death of his mother. His early boyhood was spent in Auburn, Carlinville and Girard, Illinois, and his schooling was obtained in the public schools and in a school for orphans at Normal, that same state. When fourteen years of age he went to live with his maternal uncle, J. M. Sutton, at Girard and later at Springfield, Illinois, in which latter city he worked in a restaurant owned by his uncle and be- came thoroughly familiar with the details of the restaurant business. In 1898 he came to Michigan and located at Flint, where he has ever since been actively connected with the restaurant business. In 1908 he opened his pres- ent place of business and has made "Phil's Cafe" one of the most distinctive eating places in this part of the state, besides which he has attained a fine reputation as a first-class caterer. His place is handsomely appointed and is noted for the excellence of its service, a material contribution to the latter being the fresh eggs and choice chickens supplied from the proprietor's own fine little chicken farm in Mt. Morris township, where he has a very pleas- ant home and where he makes a specialty of his chickens, Rhode Island Reds being his favorites. In the summer of 1915 Mr. Phillips raised thirteen hundred chickens.
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