My Genealogy Hound

SYLVANUS B. GLINES. Prominent among Mason Township’s wealthy and influential citizens stands S. B. Glines, who is a native of Vermont, born in Orleans County, Derby Township, near the Canada line, March 20, 1823. He was the third in order of birth of eleven children, and the eldest of six sons born to Asa and Roxanna (Sinclair) Glines, both natives of Vermont.

An old Vermont family, the Glineses are of English descent, and trace their ancestors back to the landing of the Pilgrims. Asa’s father was a soldier in the War of 1812, under Perry, and was stationed on Lake Erie. He was for many years an hotel-keeper near the Derby line, on the Vermont side, and was a shrewd, hard-working Vermont Yankee who knew how his money came, and how to take care of it. About 1841 Asa Glines turned his face towards the setting sun and selected a home near Painesville, Lake County, Ohio, about thirty miles from Cleveland, and then sent back for his family. The original of this notice being the eldest son, all the responsibility of bringing the family through rested on his shoulders. Although but eighteen years of age, he displayed an unusual amount of good judgment and ability in the management of this responsibility. He went by way of Lake Champlain and the Canal, and reached the Buckeye State without an accident. The good sound sense and excellent business tact displayed at that time have marked his career through life, and have made him one of the substantial men of his section. The father of our subject died in Lake County, Ohio, about 1860.

The maternal grandfather of our subject, Joseph Sinclair, was also a native of Vermont, and a carpenter and joiner by trade. He came West to Ohio at an early date and died at Painesville. Of his six children all were sons but Mrs. Glines, and were named as follows: Joseph, John, Greenleaf, Milton and Aaron. All came West to Ohio and were fairly well educated, a number of them teaching school. One or two kept hotel, but the remainder were farmers, and all became wealthy men. Their last days were passed in Ohio.

Of the brothers and sisters born to our subject, Laura, who was a teacher in her early life, married and died in Vermont. Lucinda, also a teacher, came West and married John Kelsey. After his death she moved to Elkhart, Ind., and is now residing with a daughter. Alexander died in Ohio of fever and ague when sixteen years of age. Carlos was a merchant near Cleveland, Ohio, and remained single all his life. He was at one time Postmaster in Wisconsin, accumulated a comfortable competency, and died there in 1892. Homer came to Michigan and resided in that State until his death in Cass County, in 1892. He was a single man. George, a teacher in early life, was a soldier in the Civil War and thus lost his health. For ten years before his death he was Superintendent of the poor farm in Summit County, Ohio, and received a good salary for his services. Charles was educated at Hillsdale, and followed the occupation of a teacher for some time. When but sixteen years of age he went to Oberlin to enter college, but instead enlisted in the army as a sharp-shooter, and died at Murfreesboro, Tenn. Frank went South during the war and was among the missing, for nothing was ever heard of him again.

The youthful days of our subject were spent in securing a good education and in assisting his father with the farm work, and in the hotel. Later he taught school, and then, in 1841, brought the family to Ohio. Until twenty-one years of age he remained under the parental roof, and then started for himself by working out during the summer months. For this he received the sum of $12 per month. In the winter time he attended school, and thus laid the foundation for his subsequent prosperous career. In 1849 he married Miss Mary Nye, of Painesville, Ohio. Her father was a prominent and wealthy farmer, who gave his children good educational advantages. Mrs. Glines had been a teacher, and her seven brothers had all been teachers at some time or other of their lives. One brother, Silas H. Nye, was a prominent plow manufacturer at Union City, Mich., and made a fortune, but reverses came and he lost all.

In 1850 our subject came to Michigan, bought thirty acres in Mason Township, and engaged in the nursery business, having learned grafting in Ohio. This he followed successfully for eleven years, and then became a large trader in horses, cattle and sheep. He bought and sold land, and everything he touched seemed to turn into money. For the past few years he has done but little or no work, except to look after his various interests, and for years he has been a large loaner of money. In politics he is a Republican. He was elected Justice of the Peace but did not serve, and he has been a Director in the schools for eighteen years. He has also served as Town Clerk, and was on the School Examining Board of the county. He made the race for Supervisor against Henry Thompson, one of the most popular men of the township, and the vote was a tie. They cast lots and he lost it.

Mr. Glines has been administrator for several estates and is a man well liked by all. His wife, who for many years had been an invalid, died March 26, 1888, Their children were Mary and George. The eldest was well educated in music and married M. J. Nutting, a prominent and wealthy stockman of Porter Township, and George married Miss Cora Pendle, daughter of Colins Pendle, of Chicago, and they have three children: Ethel May, Glen Bates and Russell. One died in infancy. Mrs. George Glines’ brother, Theodore, is a banker in Chicago.