Tuscola-Oakland-Livingston County MI Archives Biographies.....Bullard, Edwin A. 1840 - ************************************************ 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 February 5, 2007, 10:02 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) EDWIN A. BULLARD. Among the most influential citizens of Vassar is this one who has done so much for the upbuilding of the village. He was born in Commerce Township, Oakland County, this State, November 10, 1840. His grandparents on both sides came to Michigan while it was still a Territory, the father, Silas Bullard, being at that time only sixteen years old, and the mother, whose name was Diantha Madison, coming here at the age of ten. Their native States were New York and New Hampshire respectively, and all were genuine pioneers of Oakland County. Farm training and the scant advantages of a district school filled up the boyhood of our subject, and at the age of eighteen he began working for wages. In 1861 the young man began working in Livingston County for a pump manufacturer and then ran a thresher for his employer through the earlier part of the season, until he enlisted, in August, in Company I, of what was known as the Fighting Fifth Regiment of Michigan. This body of troops was sent to Washington, from which city they passed over the famous Long Bridge in to Virginia. They were sent to Ft. Lyons and wintered at Camp Michigan, in Virginia. The spring of 1862 saw them on their way to Fortress Monroe and they took part in the siege of Yorktown and the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks. The troops were now set to building fortifications about Richmond. Our young hero was for six days in what is known as the Seven Days' Fight and was wounded June 30, 1862, at Charles City Cross Roads, by a minie ball, which struck his left leg just below the knee. He lay in the hospital at Philadelphia from July 8 to December 11, when he was honorably discharged and came home to Livingston County. He now entered the employ again of A. J. Phillips, who had become his brother-in-law, and after working for him about a year, he bought out the business and carried it on in Hartland, Livingston County, until about 1864. The indomitable zeal for military service, which characterizes Mr. Bullard, now led him to re-enlist in Battery H, First Michigan Light Artillery, and he joined the force at Atlanta, Ga., wintering at Nashville, Tenn., and taking part in the battle at that place, removing thence to Chattanooga, where he remained until the close of the war. He had been promoted to the rank of Corporal in his first service in the Fifth and was also Corporal in this battery. After his discharge, July 22, 1865, he returned to Michigan, where he engaged first in threshing and afterward in selling pumps for his brother in-law. The marriage of Mr. Bullard and Arloa A. McCormick, of Hartland, Mich., took place November 2, 1865, after which they removed to Vassar and he began the manufacture of pumps, being the first to open that branch of business in Vassar. In 1867 he took a partner in the person of Mr. Thomas Cline, and they were thus connected for about four years, at the expiration of which time the relation was dissolved and Mr. Bullard went into the drug business, buying out Mr. Davis. He followed this up for some fifteen years, and when he disposed of that business tried the shoe trade for a year and built in connection with C. F. Phillips what is now known as the Phillips Block. He also bought a livery business, which is next door to the Jewell House, and carried that on successfully until August 1, 1891. The political principles of Mr. Bullard bring him into line with the Republican party and he has held the offices of Supervisor, Member of the Village Council, member of the School Board and Treasurer of the same. For several years he has been the Secretary of Lodge No. 63, F. & A. M., at Vassar, being a member of Caro Chapter, No. 96, and Bay City Commandery, No. 26. He has been Commander and Adjutant of the Averill Post, and since the re-organization has been Junior Vice Commander in the Gen. William T. Sherman Post, No. 410, G. A. R. He attended the meeting of the Army of the Potomac at Detroit and also the national meeting of the Grand Army at that city, in 1891, and has been a delegate to the State Encampment at Lansing and Grand Rapids. He of whom we write is the father of four children, of whom the eldest, Inez, died at the age of twenty-two and was buried in Vassar. Jessie, who was born Juty 6, 1868, is a graduate from the Vassar High School, where she afterward taught for three years, having taken a Kindergarten course at Alma, and is now living at Miles City, Mont., where she has taught for some time; Otto was born October 5, 1868, and died at the age of sixteen; and Birt was born August 20, 1871. The mother of these children was called from the active duties of life February 4, 1872, and our subject was again married to Miss Emma F. Davis, sister of Dr. Davis, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. This lady is a native of Saratoga County, N. Y. Mr. Billiard platted seven acres, which is now known as Bullard's Addition to the town of Vassar. This sub-division, which was opened in 1873, started a growth in that direction, and the town is now built up far beyond it and out toward the fair grounds. 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/tuscola/bios/bullard459gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb