In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1913) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1847
From Biographical memoirs of Gratiot County, Michigan : compendium of biography of celebrated Americans (1906), Gratiot County, Michigan. Historical, biographical, statistical. Chronicling the events of the first sixty years of the county's existence as the abode of white men; with county, township, city and vi (1913)
HON. CHARLES W. GIDDINGS. Among the members of the legal profession that have practiced before the Bar of Gratiot county there has been none to excel in thoroughness and efficiency the Hon. Charles W. Giddings, ex-State Senator and ex-member of the State board of pardons. Mr. Giddings was born February 9, 1847, in Sherman, Fairfield county, Connecticut, in the same house where occurred the birth of his father, Jonathan C. Giddings, on October 5, 1822. His mother, Mary E. (Conn) Giddings, was born in the town of New Milford, Litchfield county, Connecticut, August 31, 1822.
In the fall of 1848 Jonathan C. Giddings removed with his family to Palmyra, Portage county, Ohio, where he engaged in farming >for a time, and later in mercantile pursuits, to which latter he had been trained in his boyhood days. Throughout a considerable period of the Civil war he served faithfully and unostentatiously as a private and sergeant in the Union army. The family came to St. Louis, Michigan, in 1866, and Mir. Giddings purchased a sixty-acre tract of land within the present limits of the city, which was subsequently platted and recorded as "Giddings' Addition." Jonathan C. Giddings was elected supervisor the year following his removal thither, being chosen to the office for seven successive years. He also served as chairman of the board of supervisors; was a member of.the village council for two terms, and for eight years held the office of justice of the peace. After locating in St. Louis he devoted considerable attention to transactions in real estate, in which he continued interested until his death, which occurred January 14, 1883. Mr. Giddings was a man of ability and influence. His wife, Mary E., survived him for nearly twenty years. She was a woman of strong and attractive character, was generally beloved, and died January 19, 1902.
Charles W. Giddings acquired his education in the common schools of Palmyra, Ohio, supplemented by three years' study in select schools. Coming with his parents to Michigan in 1866, shortly after arriving in St. Louis he learned the carpenter's trade, and at the age of twenty-two years engaged in business as a builder, combining with that the furniture and undertaking branches. In 1873 he was appointed under sheriff of the county by Sheriff Pratt, and occupied that position for four years, during which period he also held an appointment as deputy United States marshal of the Eastern District of Michigan. After his appointment as under sheriff he closed his other business interests and concentrated his entire energies upon the duties of his office and the study of the law becoming a student in the office of James K. Wright, of St. Louis. In March, 1877, he was admitted to the Bar, and at once ente/ed upon the practice of his profession as the junior member of the firm of Whitney & Giddings, which existed one year. He then opened an independent office, laboring zealously in his professional field, but for a time was associated with Judge Paddock in the real estate business. Six of Gratiot county's young lawyers were at different times students in Mr. Giddings' office, two of whom were associated with him in business after their admission to the Bar.
Since his admission to the Bar Mr. Giddings has been a member of the village and city councils, and corporation attorney for many years; was elected Circuit court commissioner in 1878 on the Republican ticket, and served his district as State senator in 1899 an(l 1900. He was also a member of the State board of pardons, in 1902-03, Fraternally Mr. Giddings is connected with the Freemasons, and has taken fourteen degrees in the Scottish Rite.
On November 26, 1871, at St. Louis, Charlesi W. Giddings and Lovila Higby, daughter of Horace Higby, were united in marriage. Mfrs. Giddings was born September 14, 1852, in Youngstown, Niagara county, New York, of which State her parents were also natives, migrating to Michigan at an early day. Mr., Giddings is a most excellent gentleman, and commands universal respect and esteem. His understanding of the law is largely intuitive, his knowledge acquired by long and careful study, and early in life he established a reputation as a trial lawyer and safe counselor which he has maintained to the present day. He has always taken a lively interest in the growth and prosperity of St. Louis, and is the owner of some very desirable residence property, in the "Giddings' Addition" to the city. He has one brother, Hiram B. Giddings, in the mercantile business in St. Louis, and another brother, Clarence, now living in Pasadena, California.
As printed in Biographical memoirs of Gratiot County, Michigan : compendium of biography of celebrated Americans (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Hon. Charles W. Giddings, now and for many- years one of the leading attorneys of the county, was born February 9, 1847. in Sherman, Fairfield County, Conn., where his father, Jonathan C. Giddings, was born October 5, 1822. His mother, Mary E. (Conn) Giddings, was born in New Milford, Litchfield County, Conn., August 31, 1822.
In 1848 the elder Giddings removed with his family to Palmyra, Portage County, Ohio, where he resided until the spring of 1866, when he removed with his family, consisting of his wife and three sons — Chas. \' Hiram and Clarence — to St. Louis, Gratiot County. Mich. Jonathan C. Giddings was a veteran of the Civil War.
After coming to St. Louis, Jonathan C. Giddings purchased a 60-acre tract of land within the present limits of the city, which was subsequently platted and known as Giddings" Addition to St. Louis. The year following his arrival at St. Louis he was elected supervisor of Bethany, which office he held several years, as well as the office of justice of the peace. He was also a member of the St. Louis Village Council, and took great interest in the development and growth of the village. He was a man of superior ability, of much influence, and had many friends. He died January 14, 1883. His wife. Mary E., survived him for many years. She was a woman of strong personal character and integrity, and died beloved by all who knew her. at the old Giddings homestead in St. Louis, January 19, 1902. Hiram B. Giddings still resides in St. Louis. Clarence, soon after his mother's death, went to Pasadena, Cal., where he still resides.
Chas. W. Giddings, the subject of this sketch, acquired his education in the schools of PalmyTa. Ohio. Soon after coming to St. Louis he took up the carpenter trade which he prosecuted, together with the furniture and undertaking business, until he began the study of law in 1873. He was admitted to the bar in March, 1877, and since that time has continued in the practice of his profession. During the years he gave to the study of law, he held the office of under-sheriff, and a portion of the time was also a deputy United States marshal. Since his admission to the bar he has at times been a member of the village and city councils, and for manv years has been corporation attorney for the city. He was elected circuit court commissioner in 1878 and served two years. He represented his district as state senator during the years 189) and 1900, and was a member of the State Board of Pardons in 1902 and '03.
'hen the City of St. Louis took over what is now known as Oak- Grove Cemetery, Mr. Giddings was elected as one of the cemetery trustees, which position he held four years, during which period he spent much of his time in its improvement. On being elected mayor of the city in 1911, he resigned as chairman of the Board of Cemetery Trustees. During his first term as mayor he succeeded in bringing about negotiations which resulted in the city purchasing the splendid water power at that point. Few. if any people of the city have given more time or more conscientious work in behalf of municipal aff'airs of the city than has Mr. Giddings. He was re-elected mayor in the spring of 112.
As a lawyer, Mr. Giddings has always enjoyed a good practice and the confidence of his clients, among whom are numbered some of the leading business men and farmers of the county..\s an advisor he is considered safe and conservative, and has away's secured and maintained the respect and regard of the courts. Politically Mr. Giddings has always been identified with the Republican party. In the earlier years, when campaigning was no easy matter, he was found on the stump speaking in behalf of the political principles in which he believed. In professional, official and political aff'airs his friends and his opponents have always known where to find him. He always makes his position and his beliefs plain; and he never wabbles. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
On November 26, 1871, Mr. Giddings was united in marriage to Miss Lovila Higbee, daughter of Horace Higbee. She was born September 14, 1852, in Youngstown, N. Y., of which state her parents were natives, migrating to Michigan in an early day. Mrs. Giddings has always been active in social and charitable matters, and has a large and loyal circle of acquaintances.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Rev. C. B. AX'wilcox, Ph. D., recently a resident and newspaper publisher of St. Louis, Mich., was born in Branch County, Mich., June 18, 1869. He was educated in the common schools of the state and graduated from the Petoskey public schools in 1886. He attended the Northwestern Lniversity and received the degree of Ph. D. from Taylor University in 1903. Joininothe North Indiana Conference of the M. E. Church in 1891. he rose rapidly in rank, serving some of the largest churches in the Conference.
In 1909 Dr. Wilcox came to St. Louis and purchased the St. Louis Independent, one of the leading newspapers of the county. This he successfully conducted until the spring of 1912, when he sold out to E. H. Mudge the present proprietor of the Independent. His retirement from newspaper work in Gratiot County was regretted by his many friends.
In the summer of 1913 Dr. Wilcox purchased the Grass Lake News, a long-established paper at Grass Lake, Jackson County, Mich., and is now engaged in the work of publishing and building up a first-class and thoroughly up-to-date weekly news])aper. The citizens of his adopted town will find him a valuable addition to the business and social interests of the community.
Aciel F. Wright, for more than forty years, and at the present time, a resident of St. Louis, was born in Parma Township, Jackson County, Mich.. August 15, 1846, son of Deodatus E. and Sarena (Fox) Wright, the former a native of Massachusetts, born April 25, 1812, the latter born in Wayne County, N. v., in 1816. They were the parents of ten children — seven sons and three daughters. Those still living are James K., Charlotte E. Pierce, Albert L.. Philo D., L T and Aciel F.. our subject. The father came to Michigan with his family in 1837, settling in Parma Tnwnship, where he passed the remainder of his life, one of the township's most respected and prominent citizens.
The subject of this sketch did pioneer duty on his father's farm, aiding in clearing it of timber and otherwise improving it. He attended school winters until he was eighteen years old. In the winter of 1869 he
As printed in Gratiot County, Michigan. Historical, biographical, statistical. Chronicling the events of the first sixty years of the county's existence as the above of white men; with county, township, city and vi (1913). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: In March James K. Wright (b. 1844)
The printed record stops around 1906. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.