Oscar C. Beals Biography, Genesee County, Michigan

This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of 
Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman 
Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 1019-1020


This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.

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OSCAR C. BEALS. This gentleman is a member of the firm of Beals & Maxwell, which 
is carrying on the principal mercantile establishment of Grand Blanc. This 
extensive emporium carries a fine assortment and is undoubtedly the best and 
largest store of the kind in any village in Genesee County. Here will be found a 
complete assortment of dry goods, groceries, hardware, paints, crockery, boots 
and shoes and Indeed everything carried in a first-class village store. The 
annual sales run up into thousands of dollars and the stock and the investment 
in goods is a heavy one.

   Mr. Beals began the mercantile business in 1884 in company with A. Armstrong 
and after a year went into partnership with E. B. Palmer and four years later 
Mr. Maxwell joined the firm. Mr. Beals is a native of Niagara County, N. Y., and 
was born July 9, 1840. His parents, Adney B. and Lydia Beals were natives of 
Vermont. The boy received a fair, common-school education and learned the 
minutia of farm life, taking a thorough drill in all work of this kind. He 
graduated at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in 1865, and for several 
years taught during the winters.

   The West with its undeveloped wealth beckoned to this young man and in 1870 
he came to Genesee County, Mich., and has resided here from that time until 
this. Two years after his coming his father's family migrated also and his 
parents spent the remainder of their days here. For years he and his father 
engaged together in farming, but after awhile he drifted into the mercantile 
business. His marriage with Emma Tyler in 1872 brought him two children, E. 
Belle and Lester H. After the death of the first wife he married Miss Jenna 
Elliott and they now have a little child who was not yet received a name.

   Mr. Beals served some three terms as Supervisor of Grand Blanc Township, and 
twice he was nominated for State Senator but was defeated, as his name was on 
the Democratic ticket and this district is strongly Republican. He is a member 
of the Order of the Maccabees and also of the Masonic order. In the 
Congregational Church he is an active member and is Superintendent of the 
Sunday-school. He is a stirring political factor of Grand Mane Township, and is 
universally conceded to have excellent business abilities and to be a most 
enterprising and popular man.




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