Nestell B. Scribner, real estate, loan and insurance agent, at No. 18 West Bridge street, Grand Rapids, was born across the street from his present office 15 March 1849, and is the son of James and Eliza (Slocum) Scribner, natives of New York city and early settlers of Grand Rapids.

James Scribner was born in 1801 and his wife, 27 October 1807, and they were married in their native city 26 August 1826. In 1836 they removed to Detroit, Mich., and a few months later Mr. Scribner came alone to Grand Rapids, but later brought on his family, in March, 1837. They settled on the west side, and Mr. Scribner purchased large tracts of timber land in Alpine and Sparta townships, and was a man of wonderful enterprise, pluck and charity. He built the first bridge across the Grand river, which proved to be of such public benefit that the state bought it. He was one of the first directors of the G. R. & I. R. R., established salt works here, and by a liberal policy toward the poorer class of immigrants induced many of them to make permanent settlement roundabout the city. He died in Grand Rapids, 2 October 1860, most mourned of all the mourned. His wife, who was born in the same house in which her mother was born, and in which she was made a bride, lived to reach the greatly advanced age of ninety-one years, retainer her mental faculties until the latest hour and passed away in peace 24 December 1898, a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal church and of the Order of the Easter Star, her mortal remains being interred beside those of her husband in the Valley City cemetery. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. James Scribner comprised eight sons and four daughters, concerning whom the following record may be made in bried: Hail Columbia lost his life at Vicksburg, Miss., during the Civil War; James L., also a soldiers, was wounded at the disastrous battle of Chancellorsville, was taken prisoner and long confined on Belle Isle and In Libby prison; Stephe R., for the last two years a resident of San Francisco, Cal., first went west about 1857, remained ten of twelve years, engaged in gold mining, then came east and engaged in the hardware business for ten years, sold out and returned west, realized a fortune, and finally retired to his present home; Charles H., a partner in business with his brother, Nestell B., was a member of company C, First Michigan engineers, served four years, being a veteran, but incurred a disease from which he has never recovered. Others of the family are William R., who died in Grand Rapids, 16 December 1898, just previous to the mother’s death; Mrs. M. A. Pew, of 99 Broadway; Mrs. E. J. Sawyer, 213 Barclay street; Sarah M. Stevens, 313 Lagrave street, corner of First avenue; Belle S. Temple, 311 S. Lafayette street; and David C., the youngest of the family, is secretary and treasurer of the Grand Rapids Paint & Wood Furnishing company, and resides at 103 Lafayette street.

Nestell B. Scribner graduated from the Grand Rapids high school and is a member of its Alumni association. He has been identified with the real estate business of Grand Rapids all his life, his father having been the pioneer in this line. One year, however, he passed in travel for pleasure throughout the west, and beside this made a trip to the Pacific coast with a party of eighteen from this city for the purpose of going to Alaska and navigating the Yukon river, but unforeseen delays in the construction of a boat for that purpose caused him to sell out his interest in the expedition at Seattle, and to return home via San Francisco, arriving here during his mother’s last illness, since when he has devoted his time to the settlement of the family estate and to a general real estate business. Mr. Scribner is prominently identified with several of the leading fraternal societies of the world, being a member of the York lodge, No. 411, F. & A. M.; Grand Rapids chapter, No. 7, R.A.M.; DeMolai commandery, No. 5, K. T., and has attended several of the national meetings of the Knights Templar since and including 1876, when they were in Philadelphia; is a charter member of the DeWitt Clinton consistory, was its first S.G.W., and assisted in initiating all the thirty-second degree Masons in western Michiga; is a member of the O.E.S. in the grand chapter of Michigan, organized the first chapter of the order in Grand Rapids, and for three years was its first worthy patron. Mr. Scribner is also a charter member of the Imperial Lodge, I. Of P., of Grand Rapids, and was first S.W. of Doric lodge, and is likewise a member of Daisy lodge, No. 48, B.P.O.E. His mother donated the first lot to the St. Paul’s P. E. Memorial Church society, being the first contribution, and Mr. Scribner was the first junior warden of that organization. He has always taken an active interest in vocal music, being a chorus singer in church choirs and identified with musical circles generally. In politics, Mr. Scribner has been a lifelong democrat, as was his father and all his brothers, but he has never been ambitious as to public office. Mr. Scribner is a splendid specimen of physical manhood, standing nearly six feet in height and weighing nearly 200 pounds. He knows no sickness, and his physical strength and endurance cannot be measured, while the scope of his mentality can only be guessed at; yet some slight idea may be formed of the tenacity of his memory, when one reflects upon the fact that every word and phrase pertaining to the exalted offices he holds in the fraternal societies has been acquired through oral instruction, as not even a word is allowed to be written, for the purpose of memorizing it, or for any purpose whatever. Mr. Scribner has never married.