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. 447.......__,-. - _ -.-............. _- _................

tenant upon. In February, 1878, this gentleman
was taken ill with typhoid fever and was so prostrated as to be unable to attend to business for six
months. Hiis brother took him to his farm and
took care of him. HIe sold his music store and
removed back onto the farm for awhile. In 1880
lie represented the Ft. Wayne Company and worked
in their employ for a year at a salary of $1,500.
After this lie located in Lalnsing once more establishing himself in the Opera House Block whence
he removed to his present location in the Slnyder
Block.
The firm carries flom twenty-live to fifty pianos
of the best makes, such as the Steinway, HIenry F.
Miller, lHallett & l)avis, Iver3 & Pond, Emerson.
Shoninger, also the Estey and Packard organs and
all kinds of musical publications. The sewing
machines which lie handles most promlinently arce
the Standard and the Helpmate. They keel) from
ten to fifteen men on the road il their employ.
Upon the 1st of January, 1889 tlie firm was chan ged
to the style which appears above. After one year
Mr.. C1. H. owe came into the firm and since Jalnuary 1, 1890 he has been a partner.
Mr. Holmes owns four hundred and twenty acres
of improved land in Unadilla Township, which he
rents out on shares and has eighty acres in Delta
Township, Eaton Coounty, upon which lie also has
a tenant, and in Clinton County lie has eighty
acres in Watertown Township and one hundred and
twenty in Reily Township. Hle has been singularly favored throughout life in all his_ transactions.
The marriage iln Unadilla Township of W. S.
Holmes and Miss Adelia E. HIowe took place in
1868. This lady was born in Illinois but had her
education in Coldwater, Mich. Two children have
blessed their home, the eldest Robert S. was born in
Unadilla Township, Livingston County, Mich.,
February 8, 1870, and has spent most of his life at
Lansing. At the age of fifteen he entered the
High School, from which he graduated at the age
of eighteen with the honors of his class which
numbered twenty-one, and to him vwas awarded the
salutatory.
The young man then entered the Detroit Business College and finished the course January 1,

1889 and ul)on the same day formed a partnership
with his father under the firm name of W. S.
Holmes & Son. EHe has traveled some on the road
in Southern, Central and Eastern Michigan, making
his first trip when he was nineteen years old, when
lie made the best record of any manr in their employ. lie lhas charge of the musical and sewing
machine department of tlhe business. In the realestate business the father and son are in partlnersil:), Ilnder the style of W. S. Holmes & Son, blut
the music }business is now 'arried on under the
name of W.. H. olmes & Co. The young manlil is
chorister in the Baltist Chulrch and a member. lie
is a member of the lManard Maale Quartette of Lansingo, singing basso, and is esteemed a fine vocalist.
Tlie daughllter, Jennie L., is still at lhome wvith her
lparents. tlhe father is a Trustee in tihe Baptist
Church and was prominent in organizingl thle Soutll
Street Mission Sulnday-school, of which lie is the
Superintendent. Since 1886 his political efforts
have been in the direction of the Prohibition party,
as he feels that other questions of public policy
should be subordinated to the tremendous task of
overthlrowing the liquor power.
ACOB CONRAD. This fine old gentleman,
who has been a successful farmer, is one of
the popular men in Genoa Township, Livingston County. He was born in the Province of Byron, Germany, July 16, 1822. His father, Charles, and his grandfather, Jacob, Sr., were
both natives of Germany, and the latter was a
shoemaker who spent all his days in the old country. The father came to this country about Chrismas time, 1832, and spent some three years in New
York at Albany, and Montgomery. He was himself a poor man but brought with him from the old
country $400 which belonged to his sister. He
placed it in a bank at Albany, N. Y., and came near
being defrauded out of it through forgery.
The journey Westward was made by boat from
New York to Michigan and then Charles Conrad