My Genealogy Hound

Delbert H. Power, one of the leading financiers of Oakland County and one of the largest capitalists, largely interested in private banks both in and outside of the county, was born in Clinton County, Michigan, in 1863, and is a son of John E. and Mahala (Brown) Power, both of whom came to Michigan in 1845. They were prosperous farmers in Clinton County, where the father died in the fall of 1884, aged 58 years, and the mother in 1891.

Delbert H. Power is the youngest of a family of eight children, two of whom, Sarah and Clayton, are deceased, the survivors being: J. E., of Pontiac; Mrs. Elmer Richmond, whose husband is engaged in the produce business at Pontiac; Mrs. Hildreth, who resides in Missouri; Mrs. Seavy, who lives in Kansas; William, who is a farmer in Dakota; and Delbert H.

Mr. Power attended the common schools and assisted on his father’s farm until he attained the age of 17. He graduated at the Ovid High School and then went to the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, where he was graduated in 1884. Immediately after, he entered into the banking business and has been interested in the same line ever since. His beginning was as a collection clerk in the State Bank of St. Johns, Michigan, where he served for five years as cashier. He then came to Pontiac and here organized the Oakland County Savings Bank, of which he was cashier for six years, and later organized the Pontiac Savings Bank, in which he served as cashier four years and during the last two years was its president. Since then he has organized his private banks, giving his entire attention to this business, at present being interested in three banks in the county and one outside and also connected with the Citizens’ Savings Bank at Holly, the Pontiac Savings Bank and the Bank of Birmingham. His close and careful methods and conservative management have made all the institutions with which he has been connected very prosperous, all of them being regarded as safe and sound organizations.

Mr. Power was married to Clara B. La Montaine, who was born in Ohio, and they have four children, viz: Ernest, Harold, Robert and Dorothy. Mrs. Power is a member of the Congregational Church.

Politically, Mr. Power is identified with the Republican party. Fraternally he is a Mason, a Knight Templar and Mystic Shriner. He is also a member of the Elks, Knights of Pythias and the Foresters of America. Mr. and Mrs. Power have one of the beautiful homes of Pontiac, located on the corner of Perry and Mount Clemens streets.