Genesee-Wayne-Saginaw County MI Archives Biographies.....Berridge, W. H. 1849 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 1, 2007, 3:43 am Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) W. H. BERRIDGE. General merchandise business is becoming so popular in the large cities that we no longer associate it with a "corner store," but considers it a great convenience to be able to get a variety of objects in a single place. Mr. Berridge is a very successful merchant in Flint, who not only deals in drugs, keeping in stock the best and rarest things in this branch, but also keeps a well-selected stock of groceries and fine meats. He was born in the city of Detroit, August 26, 1849, and is a son of Joseph and Eliza (Walt) Berridge. They were both of English birth and parentage, the former having been born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1803. He was a ship carpenter by trade, and came to America in 1833, locating at New York, and two years later proceeded to Detroit, where he continued to work at his trade. In 1859 our subject's father located in Oakland County and there improved one hundred and twenty acres of land. Later he removed to Saginaw City, and thence went to Clio, where he engaged in the merchandise business until 1879, when he was burned out, sustaining a loss at that time of $8,000. He was later located on a farm at Otter Lake, where he now resides. His wife died while on a visit to Flint, being at that time about seventy years of age. Our subject was one of the eight children in their family; seven are now living, and of these our subject was the next to the youngest. He was reared in Detroit until ten years of age, and was graduated from the Saginaw High School at eighteen years of age, and about the year 1867 came to Flint and entered the employ of Messrs. Judd, McCreary & Avery, proprietors of a general merchandise business. Mr. Berridge had charge of their grocery department until the year 1874, and then entered the employ of Smith, Bridgeman & Co., where he also had charge of the grocery department, carrying on a large business in the wholesale and retail trade. In 1882 he started into business for himself with Thomas Collins, under the firm name of Berridge & Collins. They had a choice assortment of new goods which included drugs, groceries and meats. This partnership lasted until 1890, when, in May, our subject purchased his partner's interest and is now sole proprietor. His is the only drug establishment on the North side. Besides his retail trade in the grocery business, he deals extensively in provisions on a wholesale scale, and also in fresh and salt meats. He occupies six floors of a large building, located at No. 403 Detroit Street. The home of him of whom we write, which is a fine brick residence located at corner of Third and Chippewa Streets, is cared for in the most perfect manner by our subject's wife, to whom he was married in this city in July, 1869. She was a Miss Nellie Collins, born in Detroit, where she was also educated. The following children have been born to them—James, Ruperta, Joseph, John, Walter, Nellie, Bessie, Michael and Leo. Ruperta, who was graduated in the spring of 1891, is her father's book-keeper. Mr. Berridge is the Commander of Flint Tent, No. 464, K. O. T. M. His wife is a member of the Catholic Church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/berridge71nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb