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.

386

PORTRAIT AND B110GRAPHICAL ALBUM.

in re-organizing this company and in giving this
industry a broader opening than it has ever before
enjoyed. He is also a stockholder and Director
in the Ingham County Savings Bank. Htis taste
for horses is to him a luxury, and he breeds blooded.
animals, especially the IHambletonians. He is the
owner of "Nellie B.", whose record is 2:24. Mr.
Prudden is a member of the Lansing l)riving Clulb,
and no one handles the ribbons with more skill
and dexterity than does lie when on the road
with one of his favorite horses.
Mr. Prudden was married in the city of Lansing,
January 2, 1883, to Miss Jennie E. Wh-litney, who
is a native of t]-lis city. She is a graduate of the
1High Schlool here and a lady of striking accomplishments and talents besides great personal attractions.
She is the mother of two children, whose names
are respectively Amy and Edwina. Mr. and AMrs.
Prudden are both commlunicants of St. 'aull's
Episcopal Churcll, MrI. Prudden being a VestNl'inall
in that body. l'olitically lie is a lepul)blicanl, casting his vote and influence with tlalt 1)arty.
O-IN B1. V()ISELLE, tie senior imeibt)e of
the firim of V\oiselle & iarose, decorators
and fresecers of Lansing, Ing1tham ('ountv.-,
also carries a fine stock of wall p)aper willdow shades anld room mlol(dlings, anld is a (cotractor in house and siglh painting. This gentlellna l
who was born in Quebec, May 27, 1844, renmined
there till he reached the age of seventeen, and
being brought up among the French-Canadians,
reads and speaks French like a native.
John Voiselle the honored father of o(i' subject was born in Quebrec and became engagcd
as a stevedore, most of llis work being in the line
of handling square timbers. In the yearof 1815
he made a trip to Detroit, but remained only a
few years, as he returned to Quebec and resumed
his former work. The grandfather also bore the
name of John and was born in Normandy, France.
and was driven from the country during tile Revolution of 1793, because of his noble birth and

blood. The name was originally Vaiselle. The
grandfather came to (Quebec by way of England
and brought with him property. DIuring the early
conflicts lie was an officer of the English army in
the old fort at l)etroit, but finally died at Quebec.
The father in his early days was engaged in the
grocery business, ibut finally became as we have
said a stevedore and died in (Quebec in 1886. The
mothelr of our subject bore the maiden name of
Sophia Bedaur, and was a native of Quebec and a
daughter of Joseph Bedaur. She also spent her
days in that old French-American city and died in
the faith of the Ronman Catholic Churclh, Jully 5,
1866. ()f lemr seven children, our subject is the
eldest.,lolln was educated in the Christian Brothers
School at (uebec and when he ieached tile age of
thirteen years lie was apprenticed to learn the
paiinter's trad(e and r'mained with hlis master until
seventeell years old. In 1863 lie went to (O)ltonagon and took charge of thle l)ainting of the
Bigelow lIotel and( somewhat later worked in thile
col)per mines. In 1865 lie went on a tril) to the
ftar West by t1lie way of Lawrence, Kan., andl
l)enver to thle coast, after wllich lie returned to
(Queble(.
Inl 1865 tile.yolnlg mal enlilsted a.s a volunteer
ill thle Sintll lBattali!lon:)f Quehec Volunteers to
put (town tthe IFenian Raid. These troops were
disl)ailded in.July of thle succeeding year and Mr.
\'oiselle then wvent to work at Montmorency Falls,
uiitil the grieat file, at whicll time lie filrst met his
l)artiei. lie worked at his trade in Tro y, N..Y.,
for eighteen umoinths and then traveled in various
cities ill tile EJast alld South, t(louching Savannalh,
(;1a., Lo(domi, ('m011n., fosto(n, Mass., and Portland,
Mle., anll ill 1868 lie went into lbusinless with MIr'.
Larose*, \'at NWoonsocket Flalls, R. I., and later tried
lusiless ventures at C('hicago anid l)etroit.
Lansing finally becamne the home of Mr. Voiselle
as he came here September 17, 1877 to take the
position of foreman for I)ean. Brown & Godfrey
in painting the State Capitol. I-le had entire charge
of the work and he and IMr. Larose, with whom he
again engaged in business iil 179, executed the
finer parts of the work themselves.
This flourishing firm which began with a small