Byron A. Nelles, D.D.S. Byron A. Nelles, D.D.S., Grand Rapids, Mich., and very skillful and popular professional, is a native of Viola township, Lee county, Ill., was born November 1, 1858, and a son of Henry W. and Elizabeth (Louckes) Nelles, natives of Canada, although the Nelles family traces its ancestry to the Mohawk Dutch of early New York. Henry W. Nelles, on leaving Canada about the year 1855, located in Lee county, Ill., and was there engaged in farming ten years, and in 1866 came to Grand Rapids township, Kent county, Mich., and here passed the remainder of his days, dying on his farm, seven and a half miles west of the Valley city. Of their three children, the doctor is the eldest; George W., is farming the homestead, is thirty-one years old, and unmarried, and Susie E., no a young lady, is also living on the homestead. Byron A. Nelles was thoroughly educated in the English branches in the district school and later became a student at the Northern Indiana Normal school at Valparaiso, Ind., and after graduating ther4efrom taught school five years. He entered the Chicago college of Dental Surgery in 1887, and graduated with the degree of D. D. S., in 1889, and at once began practice in Grand Rapids, wher4e he has met with the most flattering success. Dr. Nelles was married, October 10, 1886, in Georgetown, Ottawa county, Mich., to Miss Rettie E. Bowen, a native of that county and a daughter of William Bowen, a Canadian, and two children have come to grace this union—Guy B. and Rita V., the former ten years of age the latter ten months. The doctor is a member of the Dental Protective association of the United States and of the local dentists’ society, and keeps well abreast of the great advances that are being made in modern dentistry. He has also, with prudent foresight, made quite sure of the future financial welfare, of his family by uniting with various insurance associations. In politics he is a democrat, but has never been seeker after public office. He has met with uniform success professionally and socially he and wife stand high in the respect of their numerous friends and the general public, and have their pleasant home at No. 135 Mount Vernon street.

Transcriber: Barb Jones
Created: 10 January 2009