Genesee-Oakland County MI Archives Biographies.....Harris, Bagley A. 1856 - 
************************************************
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 28, 2007, 1:29 am

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

BAGLEY A. HARRIS. This public-spirited citizen and whole-souled gentleman, who
was formerly superintendent of the Flint Wagon works and had been in that
position for four years, is now conducting a drug business at No. 426 Saginaw
Street. He is one of the oldest employes of this establishment having been
connected with it since its origin in 1882. He was born in Pontiac, Mich.,
December 11, 1856, and is a son of Silas and a grandson of Joseph Harris. The
grandfather brought his family to Michigan way back in the '20s and located in
Pontiac, entering land there when there were only six families in the vicinity.
There he built a log house and resided until his death at the age of
ninety-three years. Silas Harris was but seven years old when he came to Pontiac
with his father, and he was a successful farmer in that vicinity until his death
in 1872. He was a Republican in his politics and a Congregationalist in his
church connections.

  The mother of our subject was Delia, daughter of Amasa Bagley, an early
settler in Oakland County where he carried on a farm and later engaged in
merchandising. He finally studied law and became a practitioner. He was elected
Circuit Judge, which office he held for years and finally died in Pontiac, as
did also his wife.

  Our subject is one of five children of his father's family, only two of whom
are living, namely: Dr. Stanard D., of Detroit, and our subject. His education
was taken at Pontiac and at the age of eighteen he began clerking in a drugstore
at Linden, Genesee County, and in 1875 entered the University of Michigan in the
Department of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1877. He then bought out the
store in which he had clerked in Linden and began his practice there. Three
years later he gave up his practice, as his health had failed through too severe
confinement, and engaged in the manufacture of wagons with Mr. Beach. Learning
the trade and continuing with him until he came to Flint he became a thorough
and practical woodworker under the supervision of Mr. Beach.

  When the Flint Wagon Works were started Mr. Beach was made Superintendent and
our subject came here with him as one of his right hand men, helping to move the
stock here and set it up. He had charge as foreman of the wood department and
later took the foremanship of the machine room. When the manufacture of carts
was added to their line of work our subject was placed in charge of that
department as General Superintendent and since 1887 has had full charge of the
entire works.

  Mr. Harris was married in Linden in 1878 to Miss Lillie, daughter of A, J,
Beach, who came to Linden in 1836 and carried on his trade as wagon and carriage
maker which he had learned in New York. He did a large business there until he
was induced to come to Flint and help by his hard work and energy in
establishing the present successful business. He was General Superintendent
until his death, November 3, 1885, and was an inventor and natural mechanic.
Four of his valuable patents are now used in these works. Our subject is a
Republican in his political views but is not in any sense a politician as his
time and attention are taken up with business and he is willing to leave the
conduct of public affairs in the hands of others.


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/harris425gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/

File size: 4.2 Kb