Gustus Giles

Gustus Giles

GUSTUS GILES, farmer, section 16, Ashland Township, was born in Essex Co., N.Y., Feb. 8, 1845, and is a son of John and Cynthia (Finch) Giles. The father was aof English descent, the mother of a line of ancestors directly traceable to the Colonial Puritans, and was a daughter of a captain in the war of the Revolution. The parents of Mr. Giles removed in his boyhood to St. Joseph Co., Ind., where he was reared and educated. He came to Michigan in the summer of 1860 and engaged as a lumberman. In 1861 he located in Bridgeton Township, this county, remaining until Feb., 1866. He was married in Bridgeton, Nov. 8, 1863, to Elizabeth J., daughter of William and Polly (Bigsby) Whittington. Her parents are of mixed Scotch-Irish and English descent, and are living in Muskegon County. Mrs. Giles was born April 1, 1847, in Niagara Co., N.Y., and came to Eaton Co., Mich., when she was eight years old, and soon after to Kent County, where she received her education. Later she came to Bridgeton. In the month of February, 1865, Mr. Giles entered into a contract with the United States Government to manage a supply train at St. Joseph, Mo., which position he filled until July following. He had previously purchased his present farm, consisting of 40 acres of land, and at the date last mentioned he located thereon. He has put nearly the entire tract under improvements and erected good and substantial farm buildings. Mr. Giles is a Democrat in political faith, but is not of the demagogue order. He belongs to the Order of Odd Fellows, being connected with Lodge No. 362, at Ashland Center. The children are: Frank, born Aug. 13, 1864; Lizzie, May 8, 1866, Ettie, Jan. 31, 1873.

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