- HOWARD F. BLISS, a superintendent and steward of the Wisconsin
School for the Blind, who
- has his home in Janesville, Rock County, is a man of irreproachable
personal character and business standing.
- Our subject was born in Carroll County, Ill., Feb. 15, 1844,
a son of Lewis and Eliza
- (JENKINS) BLISS, both native to the soil of Connecticut.
They had three children, two of whom are now living: George
J., of Chicago; and Howard F., whose name introduces this article.
The father, who was a farmer, moved from Connecticut to Illinois
at an early day, and located on eighty acres of government land
in Carroll County. He made this his home, added more real estate
thereto and farmed until old age compelled him to retire from
active work, spending the last five and six years of his life
with his son in Janesville. He died in that city in July, 1899,
at the venerable age of ninety-three years; he was a Methodist.
His first wife, who died when she was about forty-five years
old, was a Presbyterian. He married for his second wife Mrs.
Flavilla SNOW, who still survives, and is living with her daughter
at Oak Park, Ill. The paternal grandfather of Howard F. BLISS
was also a native of Connecticut, of French descent, and died
in his native State. He reared a large family. The father of
Eliza JENKINS also died in the East. He had a small family.
- Howard F. BLISS grew to manhood on the Illinois farm, attended
the district school, and at the
- age of twenty began clerking in a drug store. About 1863
he came to Janesville, to take a clerkship in a wholesale harness
and saddlery house, which he held for some three years. Then
he and his father-in-law, Adam HAYNER, bought out the business,
and conducted it under the firm name of HAYNER, BLISS & Co.,
for a number of years. Then the firm became BASSETT, BLISS &
ECHLIN, and in 1883 Mr. BLISS retired. The business is still
continued by BASSETT & ECHLIN. Very shortly after his retirement
from the harness firm Mr. BLISS associated himself with the Gazette
Printing Company, and became its president; at the present time
he is treasurer of the concern. He was actively identified with
the Gazette office from 1883 to the fall of 1895, in which year
he was appointed by the State board of control to the office
of Superintendent and Steward of the Wisconsin School for the
Blind, the appointment being made under the administration of
Gov. Upham. The school now has 109 pupils, with fifteen teachers
in the various departments. It has a reputation among the various
schools of the kind as extremely high-grade in all its work.
- Mr. BLISS and Miss Carrie HAYNER, a daughter of Adam and
Alsora (SMITH) HAYNER,
- were married Oct. 25, 1865, and they have had four children:
George, Harry, Emma and Charles. George lives in Chicago, and
is acting secretary of the Chicago office of the National Fidelity
& Guarantee Co. Harry lives in Janesville, and is the present
manager of the Daily and Weekly Gazette; he married Miss Clara
SMITH, and has one child, Josephine. Emma died at the age of
twenty-one. Charles is now studying in the College of Osteopathy
in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. BLISS are members of the Court Street
Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been a member of the board
of stewards many years, and is at present superintendent of the
Sunday-school. Socially he belongs to Janesville Lodge, No.
55, A.F. & A.M., and politically he is a stanch Republican.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, p. 33.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|