Harvey J. Hollister
Harvey J. Hollister, cashier of the Old National Bank, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was born at Romeo, Macomb county, Mich., August 29, 1830. For his ancestry he goes back to the pioneers of Connecticut, the first settlers of his family in this country being Lieut, John Hollister, who came from England in 1642, at the age of thirty, and settled in Wethersfield. The subject of this sketch is a representative of the eighth generation from Lieut. Hollister, the son of Col. John Bently Hollister, who was one of the early pioneers in Michigan. Col. Hollister gave distinguished service as a civil engineer in the territorial organization of this state.
At the time of Harvey J. Hollister’s birth Michigan was a frontier territory, not becoming a state until several years later. Its people had at that early day little save courage, energy and hope, and the advantages for an education were very limited. Mr. Hollister seems to have made the most of what offered, was a faithful student when at school and a hard worker on his mother’s farm. When but seventeen years old he taught school for a winter near Romeo, then entered into the employ of a drug firm in Pontiac. Two years later he joined his family, who had moved to Grand Rapids. For a few months he was a clerk in a mercantile house, then for a time in a drug store, but in 1853 he became confidential clerk in the banking house of Daniel Ball & Co., and later a partner in the firm. The trouble times of 1861 compelled Daniel Ball & Co., the last of the tree banking houses in the city, to close out their business at a great loss to themselves, but their obligations were all met in full. Hon. M. L. Sweet opened almost at once another bank, with Mr. Hollister as manager. This continued until 1864, when the First National Bank, of Grand Rapids, was organized. The Sweet bank was merged in it, and its manager made cashier and director. The bank was successful, and when its charter expired was succeeded by the Old National Bank, with Mr. Hollister as director and cashier. He is the pioneer banker in the city and the oldest banker in active service in the state, having served nearly forty-seven years continuously in these relations.
Mr. Hollister is always a busy man, and besides his banking business has been identified with many other interests. He is president of the Grand Rapids clearing-house, a position he has held since its organization ten years ago; director and stockholder in the Grand Rapids & Indiana railway; director in the Michigan Trust company; president of the Michigan Barrel company; director in the Grand Rapids Brass company and the Antrim Iron company, of Mancelona, Mich.; director and treasurer of the Cummer Lumber company, of Norfolk, Va., and Jacksonville, Fla. it has been Mr. Hollister’s wish and aim that all his business connections should work in harmony with and be of benefit to the interests of the community at large.
In addition to his business interests, Mr. Hollister, as president of the Charity Organization society, and formerly one of the board of control of the State public school, trustee of Olivet college, trustee of Butterworth hospital, and president of the Michigan Social Science association, has become identified with the charitable and educational institutions of the state and county. He is a strong supporter of the principles of the republican party, and although at no time actively engaged in politics, is closely connected with the councils of that party in the state.
He has been a member of the First Congregational church for fifty years, is one of its deacons, and has been its treasurer for twenty years. He has been identified with the Y. M. C. A. Since its organization, and is greatly interested in anything that can benefit young men and better fit them for their life work.
When Mr. Hollister went to Grand Rapids fifty years ago it contained less than 3,000 souls. Now the small hamlet has become one of the most attractive and enterprising of our western cities, with a population of 100,000.