Transcript:Portrait and Biographical Album of Hillsdale County, Mich/George L. Banks

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GEORGE L. BANKS.   Although he has but recently become a member of the farming community of Hillsdale County, Mr. Banks has shown himself to be a practical, skillful agriculturist, and is classed with its solid and well-to-do citizens. He came to Michigan in the spring of 1887, and purchased his present place of residence in Camden Township, eighty acres of land in Muskegon County, and some valuable town property in Camden. His farm comprises eighty acres of highly productive land, well located in one of the most fertile regions of the county, and is well provided with substantial buildings and every convenience for properly carrying on agriculture.
Our subject is a native of Lake County, Ohio, and was born Oct. 13, 1839. His parents were Orin and Olive (Brown) Banks, natives of Schoharie County, N. Y., and the father of mingled Scotch-Irish ancestry, and the mother of English antecedents. They settled in Lake County, Ohio, whence they removed in 1845 to LaPorte County, Ind. After living there for some years they went to Lake County, in the same State, to make their home. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom are living, as follows: Charles, Morgan, Elisha, Parley, Mary C. (wife of Balser Keith), William A., George L., Nathaniel P., Sarah L. (wife of William Adams). Orin Banks, the father of our subject, was a native of Schoharie County, N. Y., and married Miss Olive Brown, a native of the same State and county as her husband. After their marriage they settled in New York State, and remained there until 1836, when they removed to Ohio, and remained there until 1845, when they removed to Indiana and lived there until their death. The former died Oct. 29, 1857, and the latter Jan. 27, 1887; they were married in 1823.
George L., the subject of this sketch, was in his fourteenth year when his parents removed from LaPorte County to Lake County, Ind., and there the remaining years of his boyhood were passed. He received a very good education in the public schools, and in his early manhood, soon after the breaking out of the late Civil War, he joined the noble men who went forth from his adopted State to the defense of our country, enlisting on the 6th of June, 1861, in Company C, 15th Indiana Infantry. He took part in the battles of Greenbriar, West Va.; Elk Water, Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River, Mission Ridge, and many other engagements of minor importance. At Mission Ridge he was three times wounded, in the head, breast and thumb, and for some five weeks was laid up from active duty. He is now in receipt of a pension of $6 a month on account of his wounds. He was honorably discharged from service June 28, 1864, having faithfully discharged his duties as a soldier in camp and field. He returned to his old home in Indiana, and on the 9th of October, 1864, was united in marriage to Miss Ollie Chandler. She is of a good old New England family, her parrents [sic], Thomas P. and Betsy Chandler, having been natives of that part of the country. Her mother is now dead. Mrs. Banks was born in Caledonia County, Vt., in August, 1842. She and her husband are the parents of three children: William N., of Montgomery County, Kan., Charles H.Note:[1] and Arthur A.
Our subject has been the "architect of his own fortunes," as he has won his way up to his present affluent circumstances by sheer pluck and persistent toil. In his eighteenth year he paid his father $100 that he had saved from his first year's earnings. In the year 1872 our subject removed with his family to Montgomery County, Kan., and located in the township of Fawn Creek, where by his industry and enterprise he accumulated quite a comfortable property. He became one of the leading citizens of that place, and served as Township Trustee, discharging the duties of that responsible office with credit to himself and satisfaction to his fellow-citizens. He also held the office of Justice of the Peace for two terms.
Since his removal to Camden Township Mr. Banks has gained the confidence and respect of his neighbors by his frank manners, and straightforward and liberal dealings. He occupies an important social position as a member of the I. O. O. F., and Chaplain of Joseph Rice Post No. 282, G. A. R., at Camden. In politics he is a Republican.

Notes

  1. This should be Charles B.