My Genealogy Hound

Peter B. Bromley, junior member of the law firm of Davis & Bromley, of Pontiac, Michigan, was born in 1863 in Oakland township, Oakland County, Michigan, and is a son of Andrew J. and Sarah P. (Brewster) Bromley.

The late Andrew J. Bromley was also born in Oakland township, Oakland County, Michigan, in 1840 and died in 1865. He was a son of Roswell Bromley, who was born in Rutland County, Vermont, in 1803, and died in Oakland township, Oakland County, in 1890, having come to this county when about twenty-two years of age. Soon after his arrival here Roswell Bromley married Sybil Pinckney. He was one of the early prominent men of the county, serving as a justice of the peace and in various public positions. His large family located mainly in this section and the descendants are numerous: Herrick resides in Tuscola County, Michigan; Burt settled in Oakland township, Oakland County; Andrew J., was our subject’s father; Almond resides in Avon township, Oakland County; Henry resides on the old farm in Oakland township, Oakland County; Mrs. Mary Ann Andrews is deceased; and Mrs. Olive Adams resides in Avon township, Oakland County.

Peter B. Bromley is one of two children born to his parents, his one brother, Byron C., being a farmer in St. Clair County, Michigan. He was mainly reared at Pontiac, his stepfather, Tunis A. Rolison, removing from Brandon township to Pontiac when Peter B. Bromley was a lad of ten years. Mr. Rolison was also one of the pioneers of the county and died in 1890, leaving four children, viz: Charles, A., who died at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in June, 1902, after serving two years in the United States Regular Army; Mrs. Ella Calkins, of Pontiac; Mrs. Millie Livingstone, of Detroit; and Mrs. Minnie Van Piper, of Pontiac.

Our subject attended the Pontiac High School and graduated in the teacher’s course and then began teaching, in the meantime commencing the reading of law in 1881. In August, 1884, he was admitted to the bar, since which time he has won a large degree of prominence in the profession. For six years he has served as court commissioner of Oakland County; two terms as city clerk of Pontiac, and was elected by the City Council city attorney for three years. For the past ten years he has been in partnership with D. L. Davis, and the firm has been identified with many of the most important cases, particularly civil, which have been brought into the courts for years. This firm secured the largest judgment ever awarded in Oakland County — one of $8,000 — against the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway Company. A recent legal triumph was the securing of a judgment of $2,000 against the Detroit Sugar Company for Thomas Neeley, who is a prominent miller of Rochester, Oakland County.

Mr. Bromley was married to Sarah Ditmas, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, and two children have been born to them — Bruce D. and Ditmas A. — both bright lads at school. The handsome family home is located at No. 105 Franklin boulevard, in one of the finest residence sections of Pontiac.

Politically Mr. Bromley is a Democrat, but is not very active at present, the demands of his profession preventing. On account of his fine oratorical powers he is always in great demand as a campaign speaker. Fraternally he is a Mason with official position in the Commandery, Knights Templar, and also belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees. Mr. and Mrs. Bromley belong to the Presbyterian Church.