USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 54
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George T. Bliss was married on November 19, 1867. and seven years later opened a barber shop at Flushing, where he is still engaged in business. His wife, Lucinda Hannah (Johnson), was born in Flushing, February 6. 1848, a daughter of Asahel and Rachael ( Smith) Johnson. Her father was born in Hamilton, Madison county, New York, and was married there on November 15, 1827. He came to Michigan and settled two and one-half miles north of Flushing, where he continued to live until his death, July 18, 1886. After his death his widow moved to Flushing and made that place her home until her death, March 20, 1890. They were the parents of ten children : Mrs. Electa Lake, born on August 29, 1828, now deceased; Mrs. Amanda Crapo, now deceased, born on December 1, 1829; Mary, born March 5, 1831, who married Benjamin Griswold, and is now deceased; Amos, born on March 29, 1835, deceased; Charlotte, born on October 12, 1837, who married Edward Roberts, and is now deceased; Helen, born on June 8. 1841, who married James Cunningham, and is now deceased; Julia, born on
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November 8, 1843, who married Decatur Paine, and is now deceased; Alonzo, born on April 8, 1846; Lucinda, born on November 6, 1848, who married G. T. Bliss, and died in Flushing, March 14, 1914, aged sixty-six years, and Russell B., born on February 15, 1851, now deceased. All these brothers and sisters, save two, are buried in Flushing cemetery.
Lucinda Johnson was reared and educated in Flushing township, at- tending the district schools of the township, and taught school for about three years before her marriage to George T. Bliss. To that union two children were born, Mrs. Minnie Helen Bendle, now living in Los Angeles, California, and Effie Mae, who married Mr. Bump, the subject of this sketch. She was educated in the Flushing high school and was engaged in teaching school in that township until her marriage on November 19, 1890, to Mr. Bump. To this union one child has been born, a son, Demorest, who was born on August 12, 1892. He was educated in the Flushing high school and then took a course in mechanical engineering. He is now employed in the Buick Auto Company's plant, at Flint, as a mechanic. He was married on May 3, 1910, to Ethel Marie Buchanan, who was born on December 3. 1892, in Flushing, where she was reared and educated.
The first church in Flushing was built on a lot owned by Asahel John- son, and the first religious service held in the town was on the present site of the home of the subject of this sketch.
JACOB VOLZ.
One of the most painstaking and enterprising farmers of Montrose township, this county, is Jacob Volz, who hails from Germany, and he has evidently inherited many of the sterling characteristics of his Teutonic ancestors. He was born in Wittenberg, September 10, 1857, and is a son of Christian and Thordy ( Walz) Volz, both natives of Germany, the former born in the year 1824 and the latter in 1828. They grew up and were mar- ried there and continued to reside in the Fatherland until the spring of 1868, when they sailed for America, arriving in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 10th of that year. The father followed the trade of weaver in Ger- many, but turned his attention to farming upon coming to this state, owning a farm in Saginaw county on which he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. his death occurring in 1908, at the age of eighty-three years. His wife had preceded him to the grave in 1904, at the age of seventy-seven.
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Their family consisted of six children, namely: Christ, who lives in Sag- inaw county ; Jacob, the subject of this sketch; John, who lives in Saginaw county ; Katherine, the wife of John Reinke, and two deceased.
Jacob Volz was nine years old when his parents brought him to Mich- igan. He grew to manhood on the home farm in Saginaw county and there received a public-school education. He worked in the lumber woods, driving a team, for four or five winters. After his marriage he bought forty acres in Saginaw county, later thirty acres more, making a good farm of seventy acres, which he operated until 1910, when he sold out and bought two hundred acres in Montrose township, this county, and has resided on this latter place ever since. He has made many improvements on the place and has recently built a modern residence, also a new barn. He is successfully carrying on general farming and stock raising, specializing in Holstein cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs and Shropshire sheep.
On March 30, 1889, Jacob Volz was married to Jennie Reider, who was born in Saginaw county, Michigan, in October, 1863, and to this union eight children have been born, namely: John, who is teaching school in Saginaw City; Jacob, Jr., Arthur, Walter, Hulda, Marie, Gertrude and one who died young.
Mr. Volz is a Republican and while living in Saginaw county he served as justice of the peace very ably and acceptably for a period of fifteen years; also as township assessor for twelve years, as township treasurer for four years, and as moderator of lis school district for three years. He belongs to the Lutheran church.
DUNCAN BERRY.
Duncan Berry, a well-known farmer of Montrose township, was born in Scotland, November 22, 1853, a son of John and Margaret (McKinzie) Berry, both natives of Scotland, the former born on April 24, 1826, and the latter, December 25, 1826. They were parents of seven children, namely: Joseph, a mechanic by trade, who died on May 15, 1914, near Montrose village; Duncan, the subject of this sketch; Mary, born in 1859, who married H. F. Axtell; Ellen, born on July 3, 1862, who married Edward Creyts, now living near Lansing; Elizabeth, August 19, 1865, who married Patrick Green, now living in Montrose township; Margaret, October 3, 1871, wife of John Flynn, of Montrose, and Norman, who died when nineteen years of age.
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John Berry came to the United States with his family in 1854, and set- tled in Flint, where he lived one year, then spent one year at the home of John McKinzie. In 1856 he purchased one hundred and forty acres on the river, at the edge of the village of Montrose. It was wild land, to which not even a road led. He set to work with a will, cleared and improved the land, erecting buildings and planting crops. He prospered with advancing years and became one of the leading farmers of the township. He spent the rest of his life there, dying in 1900, at the age of seventy-four years. Politically, he was a Democrat. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Presbyterian church. His widow is still living with her son Duncan, now in her ninetieth year.
Duncan Berry was about six months of age when his parents brought him to Michigan. He grew up on the home farm where he worked hard as a boy, as did all sons of pioneers. He received a limited education, attend- ing the early-day schools two or three months each year during his boy- hood, being nine years old before he was even inside a school house. He worked on the home place, often driving oxen for a team, until 1887. When about seventeen years of age he went to work in the lumber woods, where he worked during the winters for about ten years, continuing farm work in the summer time during that period. About 1883 he and his brother, Joseph, bought forty acres adjoining the old homestead, and in 1888 pur- chased another forty acres. About ten years later they bought fifty-two acres on the river south of the old home, later bought eight and one-half acres, and in 1910 ten acres. Duncan Berry now owns one hundred and eighty acres, about one hundred of which is under cultivation, the rest being used for pasture. Mr. Berry is very successfully engaged in general farm- ing, making a specialty of raising Hereford and Holstein cattle for dairy purposes. He and his brother Joseph always worked together, or, more properly, were always partners. Duncan Berry looked after the farm, while his brother worked in the lumber woods. Mr. Berry also raises Duroc- Jersey and Poland China hogs, and Shropshire sheep and also keeps bees. He built his first barn in 1870, another in 1886 and a third one in 1909. He has an attractive dwelling, which overlooks the river, and owns a good auto- mobile of standard make. Mr. Berry is a Democrat, and a member of the Presbyterian church. He has remained unmarried.
Joseph Berry was born in Scotland, August 27, 1851, and was three years old when his parents brought him to Genesee county. Here he grew up, helped his father develop the home place at Montrose and there spent the rest of his life. He was a natural mechanic, skilled as a carpenter, mason
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and blacksmith. For many years he spent from eight to ten months in the lumber woods, spending the rest of the time building houses. It was his custom to buy a lot, build a house thereon and sell the property, and in this way he always made a good profit. He was very industrious, and it was often said of him that he could do as much in one day as two men. Politi- cally, he was a Democrat, and he belonged to the Presbyterian church, the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was never married. As stated above, his death occurred in the spring of 1914.
ANDREW HYSLOP GILLIES.
The name of Andrew Hyslop Gillies, one of the venerable and honored citizens of Flint, needs no introduction by the biographer to the people of Genesee county, where he has long been a potent factor in industrial, civic and moral affairs. He was born at what was known as the Five Points in the city of New York, November 2, 1833, and is a son of William and Ann (Weeks.) Gillies, natives of Scotland and New York, respectively. His birth occurred on June 14, 1798, and her birth occurred on October 28, 1808. They were married on November 16, 1825, and their children were named as follow: Robert Bruce, born October 10, 1826; Mary Elizabeth, born April 22, 1828; William Wallace, born August 3, 1829; Margaret J., born March 20, 1832; . Andrew Hyslop, of this sketch; Henrietta, born December 29, 1835; Helen M., born February 27, 1837; Martin Vanburen, born No- vember 30, 1838. The father of these children came to America when a young man with two of his cousins, Andrew Hyslop and John Lowrey. They located in New York City, where Mr. Gillies followed his trade of carpen- tering, and there he was married and most of his children were born there. He finally removed with his family to Ohio, locating near Port Clinton in 1834, and there kept a general store, his death occurring there on April 6, 1838, at the early age of thirty-nine years and ten months. His wife also died young, in June, 1844, when only thirty-three years of age. After the death of their parents, Andrew H. Gillies and his sister, Margaret J., went to live with their uncle, Andrew Hyslop. The daughter lived with the uncle until she was married and Andrew H. lived with him until his twenty- seventh year, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, in Company A, Eighth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, under Col. William M. Fenton, and served gallantly four years. He went out as a private, but for meritorious
ANDREW H. GILLIES.
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conduct was promoted to sergeant and on up to the rank of first lieutenant. He never sought promotion. He was never under civil or military guard, but always had the confidence and good will of his superior officers and the love of his men. He was struck by bullets and shells six different times, the last time by a bullet which passed through his right foot, which caused him to spend eight months in the hospital. He was in many important battles. Soon after he enlisted he was sent into South Carolina with the first expedi- tion, and was afterwards in the Army of the Potomac, in Virginia and in the Maryland campaigns. After receiving an honorable discharge he re- turned home. When a small boy, in 1839, he and his sister, Margaret, and their uncle, Andrew, came to Genesee county, going by boat from Port Clinton, Ohio, to Detroit, and from there by wagon, after stopping one week in Detroit. They came to Pontiac the first day and from there to Flint the next day, stopping over night at John Todd's tavern, then crossed Thread creek and went down Flint river, it being necessary for James Cronk to cut away the brush and make a road for them up the bank. They settled five miles down the river, in Flint township, where the uncle had previously pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres, which lay along the river, the uncle erecting his house half a mile from the river. John Greenfield, a Scotchman, with whom they had stopped while in Detroit, owned a piece of land adjoin- ing this, and they lived in the Greenfield house while erecting their own dwelling. After moving onto the Hyslop farm, Andrew H. Gillies made that his home until he went to the front with the army. He had owned a farm of forty acres before the war, which he sold after coming back home. He then bought a lumber yard, planing-mill, sash, door and blind factory in Flint, which he operated until 1896, and then, on account of the feeble phy- sical condition of Mrs. Gillies following a stroke of apoplexy, he turned over to other parties his factory and spent the next five years in attendance, day and night, on Mrs. Gillies, or until her death. He has since merely looked after his various property interests. He sold his old home in Smith street and purchased his present dwelling in Clifford street, which he remodeled.
Mr. Gillies was married on February 22, 1864, to Marcia Persons, a daughter of Marvin B. and Sophia Ann (Harmon) Persons. To this union four children were born, namely : Marvin P., Anna Louise, Luella and an in- fant that died unnamed. Marvin P. Gillies lives in Detroit. is married and in business. Anna Louise Gillies is an accomplished musician and has a state-wide reputation as a vocalist and harpist. The beginning of her con- cert career was as soprano wit the Heberlein Concert Company, composed (35a)
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of Herr Herman Heberlein, 'cellist; Katherine Ruth Heyman, pianiste, and herself, which toured the United States and Canada. During her musical career of many years she has held prominent positions as soloist in churches, being soloist of the First Presbyterian church of Flint for a period of eleven years consecutively. Following this position she became soloist in the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Flint. Miss Gillies has always stood for the highest form of art in music and, through her management, many cele- brated musicians, both in this country and from abroad, have been brought to Flint for public appearances.
Luella Gillies is deceased. She was the wife of Clinton Roberts, one of the prominent attorneys of Flint. They had three sons, Russell Clinton Rob- erts, David Gillies Roberts and Francis Lloyd Roberts.
Mrs. Marcia P. Gillies died, January 24, 1902, at the age of fifty-seven years, after an illness of over five years. She and her husband were for several years identified with the Methodist Episcopal church, but later with the Presbyterian church. Mr. Gillies was a trustee in both the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. He belongs to Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, having been made a Mason in 1864. He is also a member of Governor Crapo Post No. 145, Grand Army of the Republic. He was brought up a Democrat, but is now an independent Republican.
Mrs. Gillies was born on her father's farm in Flint township. Her par- ents, Marvin B. Persons and Sophia Louise Harmon, were pioneers in Gene- see county and died at their home here. They had six children, namely : David, James H., Marcia, Betsey, Labre M., and Sophia Persons Moon. of Galveston, Texas.
HON. HAL H. PROSSER.
Hon. Hal H. Prosser, of Flushing, this county, former representative in the Michigan State Legislature from Genesee county, now supreme con- mander of the Order of the Loyal Guard, with headquarters at No. 507 Harrison street, Flint, is a native son of Michigan and has lived in this state all his life. He was born at Lansing on March 13, 1870, son of Edwin A. and Esther Ann ( Ellsworth ) Prosser, natives of the state of New York, both now deceased, who were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, George Prosser, of Detroit, and Frank Prosser, of Ft. Madison, Iowa.
Edwin A. Prosser was the eldest of the five children born to his parents,
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Amos Prosser and wife, the others being Sophia, Adeline, Sarah and Sam- uel. His wife was the fourth in order of birth of the five children born to her parents, the others being James, William, Phoebe and Calista Ellsworth. The grandparents on both sides were also natives of New York and all spent their last days in that state. Edwin A. Prosser was given excellent educa- tional advantages in his youth and became a lawyer by profession. Shortly after his marriage he came to this state and located at Lansing, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession for years, afterward moving to South Lyons, in Oakland county, where he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, he being seventy-four years of age at the time of his death and she seventy-two.
Hal H. Prosser was about ten years old when his parents moved from Lansing to South Lyons and he grew to manhood at the latter place. Follow- ing his graduation from the high school at South Lyons, he entered the de- partment of pharmacy, University of Michigan, from which he was gradu- ated and became a registered pharmacist, a calling which he followed for ten years or more. In 1893 he moved to Flushing, this county, where he engaged in the drug business and where he ever since has made his home. He also was engaged in the produce business in that town for several years with the firm of J. E. Ottaway & Company. In 1904 he was elected repre- sentative from the first district of Genesee county to the Legislature and was re-elected in 1906, thus serving two terms in the lower house of the General Assembly. Upon the organization of the Order of the Loyal Guard, Mr. Prosser became actively interested in that organization and was made a state deputy of the same. He presently was raised to membership in the board of auditors of the order and later became supreme recorder, serving in that capacity until his elevation in 1916 to the position of supreme commander of the Loyal Guard, to which office he is giving his most thoughtful atten- tion. Mr. Prosser is a Republican and long has been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county.
On January 6, 1897, Hal H. Prosser was united in marriage to Winifred I. Ottaway, who was born in Clayton township, this county, December 20, 1872, daughter of James E. and Eliza A. (Ryno) Ottaway, both now de- ceased, who were the parents of three children, Mrs. Prosser having two brothers, Fred R. Ottaway, of Clayton township, and Claude V. Ottaway, of Flint. Mrs. Prosser is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In addition to his connection with the Loyal Guard, Mr. Prosser is a thirty- second-degree Mason, affiliated with the consistory of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at Detroit, and is a noble of Moslem Temple, Ancient Arabic
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Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in the same city. His local connec- tion with Masonry is through Flushing Lodge No. 223, Free and Accepted Masons; Flushing Chapter No. 116, Royal Arch Masons, and Genesee Val- ley Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar.
OLE PETERSON.
Ole Peterson, retail dealer at Clio, was born near Bergen, Norway, October 22, 1848, a son of Peter and Martha (Olsen) Peterson, both natives of Norway; the father born in 1805, the mother in 1815. Peter Peterson was a farmer in Norway all his life, was a large landowner, having prob- ably five hundred acres or more. He died in 1885 at the age of eighty years and his widow died in 1905, at the age of ninety years. They were the parents of six children : Sirene, a farmer in Vienna township, this county; Ole, the subject of this sketch; John, Nils, Minis and Anna (deceased).
Ole Peterson was educated in Bergen, Norway, in the common schools of that place. He worked on his father's farm until he was fourteen years of age then went to Bergen and worked at odd jobs for awhile. Then he found employment in a meat market and worked at that business there until he was twenty-three years of age, when he came to the United States. He left Bergen, July, 1872, in a fishing smack, and landed in Grimsby, Eng- land, in August of the same year. He remained there for three days and then went to Hull, England. There he found a sailing ship bound for Quebec, on which he secured passage and sailed in September, 1872. He was forty-four days on the ocean, finally reaching his destination, from which he went by train to Montreal, Canada; thence to Port Hope, Canada; thence across the lake to Cleveland, Ohio; thence to Windsor, Canada; thence to Detroit, and thence to Saginaw, Michigan, where he found employment with D. D. Buddick in a meat market. He remained in that employment for two years, at the end of which time he opened a meat market for himself. He continued business there for about fifteen years and did a large and suc- cessful business. In 1888 he sold his business in Saginaw and moved to Clio, where he opened a shop, which he has since continued to operate. Mr. Peterson has a neat, well-appointed meat market and has a large patronage. In 1895 he bought eighty acres of land in section 21 of Vienna township. It was mostly wild land, but Mr. Peterson has cleared it up, fenced and improved it. and now has a fine farm, giving attention, mostly, to the culti-
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vation of small grain and to stock raising. His slaughter house is on his farm and there he prepares the animals for his market.
On October 2, 1883, Ole Peterson was married to Anna Crone, who was born in Detroit, in 1853, a daughter of Joseph and Sophia Crone, natives of Germany. Coming to America they first settled in Detroit and later removed to Saginaw, Michigan, where they made their home for the rest of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have one child, Myrtle M., who was educated in the Clio high school, and is now employed in the money- order department of the Flint postoffice.
Mr. Peterson is a Republican and has served in a number of village offices at various times and was a member of the village council for two terms. He is one of Clio's upright, honorable citizens and is always ready to aid and encourage any movement that has for its object the betterment and uplift of the community of which he is a resident.
JAMES B. WHITEHEAD.
It must be borne in mind that it is often quite as important to do a thing at the right time as it is to do it at all. One of the successful general farm- ers and fruit growers of Genesee county is James O. Whitehead, of Flush- ing township, who not only seems to know how to carry on the various departments of modern agriculture and horticulture, but when to do a thing and when not to do it. He was born in Huron county, Michigan, June II, 1874, and is a son of David Whitehead, who was born in Canada, in 1846, where he grew up and was educated, remaining there until the spring of 1874 when he came to Michigan and settled in Huron county. He was a member of the first life-saving crew at Sand Beach station and helped launch the first boat from that point. He remained in the service there three years, then located on a farm near there, in Huron county, on which he spent about three years; then lived at various places, including Marquette, Flushing, Sheboygan county, and then to Canada and is now making his home in Saskatchewan, and is doing well, although his earlier career was one of hardship and failure. He married Elizabeth Brown, who was born near Hamilton, Ontario, February 5, 1844. Her father was of English descent, and had served in the British army. There was German blood on the mother's side of the house. Eleven children were born to David Whitehead and wife, namely: Katherine, born on July 31, 1868, who married Lewis
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Smith, of Corunna, Michigan; William T., born in 1870, who is now farm- ing in Flint township; Moses, born in 1872, now living in Flushing town- ship; James B., the subject of this sketch; Joseph, who died young; Sarah, who also died in early life; Anna, who married Abraham Dire, of Corunna ; John, who is engaged in farming near Byron; David, who is in the employ of the gas company at Flint; Peter E., who is living in the province of Saskatchewan with his father, and one who died in infancy, unnamed.
James B. Whitehead received his education in the public schools, then spent a number of years working out on farms in different parts of Mich- igan; also worked at the carpenter's trade and on the railroad, with the sec- tion gang, for three and one-half years. He finally sold the property he owned in the village of Flushing and on March 15, 1911, bought forty acres in section 16 of Flushing township, where he has since resided. In con- nection with general farming he specializes in raising blooded hogs, and in the raising of berries and small fruits.
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