Solomon Bond Bliss

Mr. Bliss was born at Bennfield, Mass., April 17, 1828, and was, therefore, in his fifty-seventh year. He was the oldest of a family of five, four sons and one daughter. He did not have the educational advantages accorded to the boys of to-day, as he left school at the age of twelve years and went to work, being employed at Springfield and Boston until he was sixteen, when he went to Ohio, where he remained about a year, returning on horseback and arriving at his home on his seventeenth birthday. The same year he went again to Ohio, settling first at Wellington, and going thence to Elyria, where he met his wife, a daughter of the late Dr. O. L. Mason, to whom he was married in 1850. He then resided in Cleveland until 1854, in the spring of which year he came to this city to transact some lumber business for his father-in-law, O. L. Mason, and in the fall moved his family here. He engaged in the grocery business with Curtis Brothers for two or three years, when Mr. Bliss purchased the interest of his partners and extended the business to that of a general character.[p.73] He also engaged in banking and the lumber business, and built the Bliss block, corner of Washington and Genesee avenues. He was elected to the Legislature in 1862, and also served as postmaster of the city under President Johnson. Of late years Mr. Bliss has not engaged as extensively in business as formerly. He was identified with the temperance movement, being president of the Reform club. Of late he also engaged in lumbering and the clothing business, being succeeded in the latter business by Seeley & Spencer. He superintended the construction of the S., T. & H. R. R. He was a member of the Pioneer Society and of St. Bernard's Commandery, Knights Templar, and was one of the charter members of the Unitarian Church; he was also at one time a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Another of East Saginaw's old and esteemed citizens passed away last evening, November 12, 1884; S. Bond Bliss died at 9:20 of typho-malarial fever. He had been ailing for two months, and dangerously ill for three weeks past. For several days it has been known that Mr. Bliss could not recover and yesterday afternoon anxious friends waited hopelessly for the inevitable summons which should call him from them. He has been closely identified with the interests of this city for the past thirty years, and has been an energetic and respected citizen.