Up Dated 15 February 2008
Arthur G. was born 12 April 1851, in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, and married, 22 September 1880, in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, Carrie E. SPENCER the daughter of Horace C SPENCER and Catharine C MORRIS. She was born 8 May 1855 in New York, and died 5 June 1936, in Flint, Genesee, Michigan. Arthur died 22 January 1944 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan.
1870 Census 3rd Ward, Flint, Genesee, Michigan, Page 188
Name Age Sex Race Occupation
BISHOP Giles 46 M W Druggest Retired $ 25,000 $ 10,000 New York
" Sara 37 F W Keeping House -------- -------- New York
" Henry 13 M W At School -------- -------- Michigan
" John 12 M W At School -------- -------- Michigan
SCOVELLT Geo. B 18 M W Druggests Clerk -------- -------- New York
Gill Jane 58 F W Domestic Servant -------- -------- Ireland
KERNAN Mrs. 70 F W Domestic Servant -------- -------- Ireland
BISHOP Russell 56 M W Money Broker $ 75.000 $ 75,000 New York
" Russell R 21 M W Lawyer -------- -------- Michigan
" Arthur G 18 M W At School -------- -------- Michigan
DUGAN Nora 18 F W Domestic Servant -------- -------- Michigan
SMITH Mary 20 F W Domestic Servant -------- -------- Michigan
1870 Census 2nd Ward, Flint, Genesee, Michigan, Page 159R
R Estate Personal Where
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Value Value Born
SPENCER H C 37 M W Hardware Dealer $ 10,000 $ 30,000 New York
" Catharine 36 F W Keeping House -------- -------- New York
" Carrie E 15 F W At School -------- -------- New York
MURRAY Lizzie 18 F W Domestic Servant -------- -------- Canada
1880 Census 2nd Ward, Flint, Genesee, Michigan, Page 174C
Mar | Place of Birth |
Name Race Sex Age Relat Sta Occupation |Self Father Mother|
SPENCER HORACE C W M 46 ----- M Retired Mercant N. Y. N. Y. N. Y.
" Catharine W F 44 Wife M Keeping House N. Y. N. Y. N. Y.
" Mary W F 3 Dau S --------------- Mich. N. Y. N. Y.
BISHOP Arthur G W M 29 ----- M Banker Mich. N. Y. N. Y.
SPENCER Carrie W F 25 Dau S At Home N. Y. N. Y. N. Y.
MURRAY Melissa W F 19 Other S Servant N. Y. Ire. Ire.
KREMER Carrie W F 17 Other S Servant
HOLMES EDWIN W M 30 Other S Laborer Eng. Eng. Eng.
Arthur Giles Bishop was born in Flint, Michigan, on April 12, 1851. His parents came to Flint from Genesee County, New York, in 1837. Bishop grew up and went to public schools in Flint. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1873 and then worked as a clerk at Citizens' National Bank and later in the Genesee County Savings Bank. He became the assistant cashier of the latter bank in 1889 and head cashier in 1892. In 1911, he was named vice-president and a year later he became president of the bank. He was named chairman of the board in 1933. Mr. Bishop's influence on banking was not limited to Flint. In 1915-1916 he was elected president of the Michigan Bankers Association, and he was a widely known and respected figure in the state's financial world.
Bishop was instrumental in the development of General Motors Corporation. He and other members of the community helped orchestrate the move of C. S. Mott and his company to Flint in 1905. Bishop was director of the Buick Motor Company in 1905 and on the Board of Directors of General Motors from 1915 until his death in 1944.
Bishop was well known for his philanthropic deeds. He was a generous supporter of the Genesee County Red Cross, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and many other civic organizations. His contributions to St. Paul's Episcopal Church were both financial and spiritual. Bishop was a life-long member of the church and was a member of the vestry for many years.
His attachment and loyalty to the University of Michigan was solid. An avid sports fan, Bishop often attended home and away varsity football matches. During his college days Bishop earned a varsity "M" letter as a member of the Michigan baseball team. At the time of his death he was the oldest living member of the "M" Club.
Bishop married Carrie E. Spencer in 1879. Carrie Spencer had grown up in Flint and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Spencer. A newspaper in Flint hailed the couple as "two of the most highly respected young people in the city." They had two children, Katherine and R. Spencer. Mrs. Bishop died in 1936.
A grand home in the 600 block of East Kearsley Street was built for the Bishops in 1895. The house had a ballroom on the third floor, which was the scene of many social functions. After Mrs. Bishop's death, Michael Gorman, editor of the Flint Journal, moved into the house and lived with Bishop until the latter's death. Bishop's children gave the house to the local Red Cross chapter in 1944.
There are eight ledgers/journals of Arthur G. Bishop covering the period from 1895 to 1939. Of more importance are the six family scrapbooks containing news items pertaining to the Bishop family; a collection of telegrams, letters, and cards. The subjects of these books include A. G. Bishop's 90th birthday, his death, R. Spencer Bishop's appointment as Regent of the University of Michigan, R. Spencer's death, and his family. Photographs from the collection are cataloged separately.
BOX 1 Ledgers/.journals
August 1, 1895-September 3, 1913
November 10, 1917-September 9, 1930
November 10, 1917-January 31, 1931
1935
1939
1935
1902-1911
1895-1912
OUTSIZE Scrapbooks
A. G. Bishop's 90th birthday
R. Spencer Bishop's appointment as Regent of the University of Michigan
A. G. Bishop's death
A. G. Bishop's death
R. Spencer Bishop family
R. Spencer Bishop's death/family
Horace C. Spencer, the first cashier of the Citizens Commercial and Savings Bank, was born in Springville, Erie County, New York, in 1832. Coming to Michgian in 1866, he engaged in the hardware business until 1880, when he disposed of his interests to attend to other affairs. Mr. Spencer was one of the original stockholders of the Second National Bank of Bay City, Michigan, which was organized in 1877, and has been conversant with banking affairs for many years. he served in the state Senate during Governor Alger's administration and was a member of the committee that redistricted the state. His daughter is the wife of Arthur G. Bishop, the present president of the Genesee County Savings Bank. For many years Mr. Spencer has been connected with public affairs, having served as mayor of Flint and also for several terms as a member of the city park board in which capacity he rendered invaluable service. Mr. Spencer, at the age of eighty-five, is one of the best preserved men in the county and still actively interested in financial and civic affairs.
Russell Bishop, who succeeded James B. Walker as president, came to Flint in the spring of 1837. He was born in Leroy, New York, in 1815, and removed with his family to Oakland County when he was but sixteen years of age. Upon removing to Flint he engaged in mercantile business, his stock of goods being transported from Detroit by team. His business was conducted on the corner of Kearsley and Saginaw street, where the Fenton block now stands. In 1851 his health becoming impaired, he journeyed to Mexico and Texas, making a pert of the interior trip by horseback. The same year he went to England to attend the World's Exposition in London. After his return to Flint he was appointed by Franklin Pierce as receiver of public money at the general land office in Flint, which was at that time one of three stations in the state. Mr. Bishop then engaged in the real estate business, to which he devoted himself exclusively until the organization of the Genesee County Savings Bank. In 1838 he built a fine residence on Beach street, clearing the lot of the heavy timber with which it was covered. Mr. Bishop married Miss Mary Thomson, a sister of Col. E. H. Thomson. Their son is Arthur G. Bishop, the present president of the bank and also president of the Michigan State Bankers' Association during 1915-16. Russell Bishop, after the death of his first wife, married Miss Francis Green, daughter of Judge Sanford Green, of Bay City, one of the ablest jurists of the state, who in his day contributed to his profession a valuable legal work on "Crime."
Russell Bishop was succeeded as president of the Genesee County Savings Bank by William A. Atwood, formerly vice-president of the institution. Mr. Atwood had been a member of the firm of Stone, Atwood & company, proprietors of the Flint woolen Mills, and also a member of the Wood & Atwood Hardware Company. He was born in Niagara county, New York, in 1835, and during his young manhood had been engaged in the lumber business in Canada. In 1866 he came to Michigan and was associated in the same business with Jesse B. Atwood, his brother, and B. W. Livingston, operating a mill with a capacity of about thirty thousand feet a day. In 1836 he was elected to the state Senate to represent Genesee and Livingston counties and during his incumbency of the office was chairman of the committee on state affairs, public lands, and railroads. During his term of service he secured for Flint a new city charter, and also put through various bills for public improvements at Flushing and Howell, Michigan. His wife was Miss Helen Wood, a doughtier of H. w. Wood, one of the oldest residents of Flint. Mr. Atwood died in 1908.
Other members of the board of directors of this institution who served at different periods from 1875 to 1900, were: George R. Gold, M. Davison, C. C. Behan, J. C. Willson, J. B. Atwood, H. C. Spencer, F. H. Pierce, G. E. Taylor.
The first cashier, Ira Wilder occupied this position for twenty years. Arthur G. Bishop then became cashier in 1892, and held that office until he was made president of the bank at the death of Dr. James C. Willson, who succeed William A. Atwood. James Martin, who has been associated with the bank in all its various capacities for the past thirty years, succeeded Mr. Bishop as cashier, and remains in 19196 as cashier of the amalgamated banks.
By the affiliation in 1916 of the National Bank of Flint and the Genesee County Savings Bank, the entire board of directors of both banks merged as one board, with the following officers and directors: President, A. G. Bishop; vice-president, H. C. Spencer, Cashier, James Martin; directors, W. W. Crapo, H. C. Spencer, J. D. Dort, G. C. Willson, E. W. Atwood, E. A. Aldrich, J. H. Crawford, C. S. wells, W. R. Hubbard, C. B. Burr, C. M. Begole, C. W. Nash, B. J. McDonald; capital, $500,000; surplus, $500,000.
The Genesee County Savings Bank in 1915, opened a branch of the main bank at the corner of Asylum and Kearsley streets, for the convenience of patrons on the fourth ward.
Biography Index. A cumulative index to biographical material in books and magazines. Volume 2: August, 1949-August, 1952. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1953. (BioIn 2)
The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Volume 34. New York: James T. White & Co., 1948. Reprint. Volumes 1-50. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms, 1967-1971. Use the Index to locate biographies. (NatCAB 34)
Who Was Who in America. A companion biographical reference work to "Who's Who in America." Volume 2, 1943-1950. Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co., 1963. (WhAm 2)
Horace C. Spencer was born July 27, 1832 in Coutland, New York, the son of Chester and Abigail (Badgley) Spencer. He moved to Michigan in August of 1867. For 20 years Spencer operated a hardware and farm implement store in Flint. He served as Cashier at Citizens Bank for twelve years. In 1885 he became a Director of the Genesee County Savings Bank, later serving as a Vice-President and then Chairman of the Board of Directors. He was a State Senator for four years and served as Chairman of the committee on state reform school and state insane hospitals. Spencer served as Mayor of Flint in 1908. He married Catherine Morris in 1853. He was a member of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. Spencer died at his home on Kearlsey Street, November 1, 1926.
HON. HORACE C. SPENCER, Cashier of the Citizens' Commercial and Savings Bank of Flint, has been a resident of this city for twenty-five years. He was born in Cortland, Cortland County, N. Y., July 27, 1832, and is a son of Chester and Abigail (Badgley) Spencer. His father was a merchant of Cortland but moved to Springville, where the boy was educated in the old and renowned academy of that place.
The father went out of business about that time and at the age of thirteen the young man established a trade of his own in general merchandise in his old town, and being successful, he finally decided to come West and establish himself in a similar line here. He therefore sold out his business and coming to Flint in 1866 opened up the hard- ware trade which he continued until 1880. He then sold out his hardware store and lived for awhile a retired life on his fine stock farm of Burton Township near the city of Flint and at the same time took care of the outside investment he had made.
On this splendid estate of one hundred and twenty-five acres Mr. Spencer keeps a fine line of standard bred roadsters. In August, 1890, was re-organized the old Citizens' National Bank, he taking the position of Cashier and retiring from his official position as Director of the Genesee County Savings Bank. The capital stock of the new bank is $150,000 and it now has $20,000 surplus and is in an excellent financial condition. The Nickel Savings Stamp plan has been adopted by this bank and is proving a great incentive to people in moderate means to open up a savings account. The bank has two departments, Commercial and Savings, and occupies handsome quarters on Saginaw Street. Mr. Spencer devotes himself to the management of the bank and also deals to some extent in real estate in Bay City and Saginaw, and is one of the original stockholders of the Second National Bank of Bay City, which was originated in 1877.
Mr. Spencer has been a very prominent Republican, but not an active politician, although he served in the State Senate during Gov. Alger's administration. It is universally conceded that there was more good honest material in the Legislature that year than ordinary. He acted as Chairman of the following committees: On the Reformed School; on the Kalamazoo Asylum; on the Pontiac Insane Asylum, and was a member of the Committee on Public Lands and on Rules and Joint Resolutions, and was also member of the committee that redistricted the State. His record therein was in every way creditable to himself and acceptable to the people, and he has since been frequently sent to State Conventions. For a time he was a member of the Agricultural Board, but had to resign on account of stress of duties.
Mr. Spencer was married December 12, 1853, to Catherine C. Morris of the renowned Morris family of New York and daughter of Charles Morris, of Buffalo, N. Y. One daughter came to bless their home, to whom they gave the name of Carrie and she is now the wife of A. G. Bishop, assistant Cashier of the Genesee County Savings Bank, and they have two children, Spencer and Catherine.
CHILDREN of Arthur Giles BISHOP and Carrie E. SPENCER:
G561. 1. RUSSELL SPENCER b: Apr 1886; Flint, Genesee, Michigan.
md: Abt 1910; Flint, Genesee, Michigan.
Mary B. _______
d: 1946; Flint, Genesee, Michigan.
G562. 2. KATHERINE b: Nov 1888; Flint, Genesee, Michigan.
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