Portrait and biographical album of Ingham and Livingston counties, Michigan, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties ... the governors of the state and of all the presidents of the United States.

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

425

then Postmaster of lansillg, appointed him to takke
'tcharge of thlle Nortl,ansinlg office, whicll is a
branch of the general city office, and in this capacity hie has remained from that day to this.
Thlle most eventful step) taken by this gentleman
hlafs been his marriage which occurred in Lansing
in April, 1882, wlien lie took to wife Miss Emma
A. (lates, who was born, reared and educated in
Brantford, C(anada. I-Ie thus estalblished a happy
home whichl is thie blusy man's haven of rest when he
would retire fromi the toils and perplexities of the
outer world. To this homie have come two children -Walter S. and F'lorence M. l-e is an active
member (of St. Mary's (atholic ( Church, where he
also serves as Trustee and is relied upon for counsel and hell) in all ehurcll work. HIe is Secretary
of the lansing l~rallcl, No. I8, of the Cath'olic
Mlutual Bleinefit Association. In 1878 lhe was upon
ttle l)emocratic ticket as candidate fol (Citv C(lerk
of Lalnsilng, t)ut as the city was tlenl tlloroughlll
Republican lie did not receive tile electiol. lie is
Iactive upol)n city and waVrId co(}niittees:Ill(d is
Chairman of the Foulrtl (d Comnllllittee of thle
l)emlocratic p)arty, ai(d has repeatedl!y beeIll madle
d(elegate to c(nllity anlld State colivenltiolls.
ON AV. (ILBERT. MIaniy of the }business
men of HIowell, Livingston CounIty, are
tnatives of tlhe Wolverine State, wh~o hlave
taken their training and education here
and are tlhoroughly in symipathy with tle institut;ions, past history and future greatness of Michigan. They take a pride in their State which it is
scarcely possible for one who is an alien by birth to
feel, and tlley are willing to work for its upbuilding and lprosperity. Among such we find the
gentleman whose name appears at the head of this
sketch, who was born July 8, 1843 at Union City,
Branch County, Mich.
The parents of our subject were Joseph M. and
UTrsulla (Valentine) Gilbert, natives of New York
and Michigan respectively. The father was, as the
son is. a harness-maker by trade, who came to

Michigan in 1836, and settled in Lenawee County,
remaining there for some time, after which he
lived for a short time in Indiana, but returned to
Michigan in 1845 and made his home in Pinckney
this county. He moved to Howell in March, 1852,
and engaged in the harness-making business in
which he continued until death called him hence,
November 9, 1867, having been bereaved of his
wife March 7, 1858. He was probably the first
President of I-lowell and was a prominent man in
I the rmlks of the Republican party. I-Ie was also
identified with both the Masonic ordel and that
of the Odd Fellows.
In 1850 Joseph M. Gilbert went by the overland
route to California. He remained away for twenty
months and made a successful trip, engaging while
absent in mining and harness-making and coming
black mucll improved in health. Hle bought property on Grand River Street and there carried on
his biusiness, making his home on Clinton Street
wllere lle l)irch'ased a pleasan.t residenlce. lie had
a family of eigllt children, three only (f whllom are
IIow livinlg. 'Ph'ev are namned Juilia M., now tMris.
(1riffithl of Marshall, Mich.,.1ohn V. and1 Ida I..
Mi's. l)avis, of Stillwater, Tiln.
~John V. Gilbert who is now carryinm on a pi(,sl)erous blusiness in thie manufa.cture of saddles afnd
hlarness, and is also ltnited States Agent for l)ensions, received his early education in this city and
learned his trade with his father. commencing in.June, 1859. Ihis pursuit of a trade was early
brtoken utp by the excitement and movements incident to the breaking out of the Civil War. This
b}oy of seventeen was the second man to volunteer
at HIowell after the soumnd of that "first guln" at
Ft. Sumter that roused the North. His father protested against his going to the warm on account of
hIis z-outhl, but finally gave his consent and the,boy was mustered into service July 1, 1861.
Company I, of the Fifth Miclligan Regiment
was the company with which young Gilbert went
into camlp at Ft. Wayne, Mich., and in October he went to Washington as a Corporal and
was engaged in the battle of Williamsburg, Va.,
the following spring. He was wounded in the
right instep, a ball passing through the delicate
nerves of the foot and in less than two hours lock