George Shepard Boltwood, attorney at law and senior member of the legal firm of Boltwood & Boltwood, was born on the 2^nd day of March, 1861, in Amherst, Mass. His father, Rev. Lucius M. Boltwood, also a native of the Bay State, was graduated from Amherst college in 1843, and completed his theological course at Andover in 1846. He served as librarian of the above college, and was similarly connected with the Congressional Library, Washington, D. C., the meantime prosecuting his genealogical researches and becoming one of the leaders in this direction. Later, he retired from active work, and in 1895 removed to Grand Rapids, where he has since lived. Lucius M. Boltwood was married at Derry, N. H., to Clarinda B. Williams, and became

the father of five children, whose names are as follows: George S., Lucius, Charles W., Fanny H. and Thirza Elvina W. In addition to his literary work, Rev. Mr. Boltwood took an active part in the politics of Massachusetts, and during the years 1859-60 represented his district in the general assembly, elected thereto by the republican party; he also served as postmaster of Amherst during the war of the Rebellion, and in other capacities was identified with the public interest of his town, county and state. George Shepard Boltwood, whose name introduces this article, attended the high school of Hartford, Conn., until his seventeenth year, and then entered Yale university, from which he graduated in 1882 with the degree of B. A. Having decided upon the law as a profession, and after a course of preliminary reading therein, he entered the Yale law school, and after receiving the degree of LL.D. in 1885, began practicing the same year in Grand Rapids, Mich. In partnership with William H. Eastman. Superior to many of his professional associates in literary and scientific culture and well endowed with natural gifts, he entered upon his duties under most encouraging auspices. Success, professional and pecuniary, attended him, and it was not long ere he made his presence felt at a bar composed of exceptionably able lawyers. Mr. Boltwood was associated with Mr. Eastman for about six months, when he effected a co-partnership with his brother Lucius, under the firm name of Boltwood & Boltwood, to which another brother, Charles W., was admitted in 1892. The firm thus constituted still continues, and the business, large and lucrative, embraces a wide range of general practice, in which the senior member’s ability is utilized in looking up legal principles involved and exercising general management of the office. Mr. Boltwood entered into the marriage relation in Grand Rapids, September 1, 1891, with Miss Mary Gernon Rice, who was born in Lowell, Mich., on the 14^th day of October, 1870, a daughter of Harvey A. and Eliza (Gernon) Rice. To this union has been born one child, a daughter, Ruth Gernon. Though a democrat from his boyhood and a man of decided convictions, Mr. Boltwood is not an extremist in politics, and has never aspired to the dignity nor sought the emoluments of office. He belongs to that wing of the party known as gold democrats, and never hesitates when exigency demands to express himself with intelligence and vigor on all questions of financial and public policy. Socially, he is a member of the Lakeside and Hesperus clubs, and with his wife belongs to the Park Congregational church, in which at this time he holds the position of chairman of the board of trustees. In every relation of life Mr. Boltwood is known as a gentleman of pure morals and strict integrity, and his natural talents and professional acquirements are prophecy of still higher honors and greater usefulness. He enjoys the esteem and confidence of his professional brethren and the firm with which he is connected is destined to occupy and permanently maintain a distinguished place in the legal circles of Grand Rapids and Western Michigan.

Lucius Boltwood, a second son of Rev. Lucius M. and Clarinda B. Boltwood, was born July 27, 1862, in Amherst, Mass., and graduated from the Hartford public high school when sixteen years of age. He then entered Yale, from which he graduated with the degree of B. A. in 1883, and three years later received the degree of LL.B. from the law department of that university. The year following his graduation, Mr. Boltwood came to Grand Rapids, Mich., and became associated in the practice with his brother George S., and since that time has represented the firm in all its business coming before the courts. He is well grounded in the principles of the law, and his professional career, though comparatively brief, has been characterized by a perseverance which has won success, and which, united with high intellectual and legal attainments, is sure to win him a prominent position at the Kent county bar. Mr. Boltwood and Miss Etta M. Comstock, youngest daughter of Hon. C. C. Comstock, were united in marriage, September 1, 1890, and their union has been blessed by the birth of two children, Lucius Comstock and Chester Guild Boltwood. Mr. Boltwood is a gentleman of culture and refinement, pleasant in demeanor and courteous to all with whom he comes in contact professionally or otherwise.. He belongs to the Hesperus club, and in religion is an Episcopalian, belonging to the St. Mark’s church, with which his wife is also identified. Reared in the political faith of the democratic party, he has never swerved in his allegiance to its principles, and believes that true democracy is best represented in the platform adopted by the Chicago convention of 1896.

Charles Wright Boltwood, youngest son of Rev. Lucius M. Boltwood and junior member of the law firm of Boltwood & Boltwood, was born on the 6^th day of December, 1867, at Washington, D. C. He received his preliminary education in the Hillhouse high school, New Haven, Conn., completing the prescribed course in 1886, and he is also an alumnus of Yale, from which he received the degree of B. A. in 1890. After a two years’ course in the Yale law school, he was graduated with the degree of LL.B., and immediately thereafter joined his brothers in Grand Rapids, where he has since practiced his profession with success and financial profit. Mr. Boltwood brought to the profession a mind well trained by many years of severe discipline, and his knowledge of the underlying principles of jurisprudence and the tact to apply them to the cases in hand have brought him to the favorable notice of the Grand Rapids bar and the general public. He is enterprising in all the term implies, but his zeal in behalf of his clients’ interests has never led him to resort to anything savoring of disreputable practice, and his record is untarnished by a single unworthy act. A believer in the dignity of the law, he endeavors to shape his life in harmony with professional ethics, and this has not been without encouraging results in a business and financial sense. Mr. Boltwood is a genial, courteous gentleman, possesses social qualities, of a high order, and is popular with the people of his adopted city. He is a member of the Schubert and Lakeside clubs, and politically votes with the democratic party.