My Genealogy Hound

Richard Bartlett, one of the large and prosperous farmers of Oakland County, Michigan, located in section 27, Pontiac township, where he owns a fine estate of 430 acres, was born on a farm near Collins, Erie County, New York, November 28, 1829, and is a son of Smith and Sarah (Allen) Bartlett, both of whom belonged to honored old families of New England.

Smith Bartlett was a son of Abel and Drusilla (Phillips) Bartlett, the former of whom was a native of Rhode Island, and a blacksmith by trade. Abel Bartlett and wife reared a family of nine children, namely : Dexter, Mrs. Amy Taft, Daniel, Smith, Mrs. Lydia Allen and Mrs. Mary Pierson (twins), David, Jeremy and Abel. The fourth member of this family was the father of our subject and he married Sarah Allen, who was born at Danby, Vermont, and was a daughter of Zoheth Allen of that place. Their children were as follows: Zoheth A.; Mrs. Mary Pratt; Mrs. Jane Lawton; Seth, who lives at Collins, New York, aged 82 years; John, a resident of Pasadena, California; Richard, of this sketch; Mrs. Sylvia Willett of Collins, New York; Mrs. Sarah Allen; and Mrs. Ann Taylor, of Collins, New York. The father of this family was born in Rhode Island and died at Collins, New York. He took part in the war of 1812. For some 30 years he was engaged in tanning and shoe-making at Collins and was one of the leading citizens of the village.

Our subject was educated in the district schools of his native locality which he attended during the winter seasons until he was about 20 years of age, remaining at home until the age of 18 years. He assisted in his father’s tannery when he was a lad and later spent five years at this business at Collins Center, New York. In May, 1865, he came to Oakland County, Michigan, and located on his present farm of 430 acres, the beautiful home being situated in section 27, Pontiac township. Mr. Bartlett has built all the commodious and substantial buildings on the place, and has made most of the improvements; the farm ranks as one of the best in Oakland County. He is a practical farmer and has been more than usually successful.

In 1851 our subject married Phoebe L. Smith, who was born in Collins, New York, and is a daughter of Augustus and Elizabeth (White) Smith, and two children were born to them: Charles S., a farmer of Pontiac, who married Carrie Osmun, a native of New York, and has three children, — Lena, Beulah and Charles; and Augustus Smith, who married Louise Carr, a native of Germany, and has three children, — Lola, Phoebe and Nettie.

Mr. Bartlett cast his first Presidential vote for John C. Fremont and has voted with the Republican and the Prohibition parties ever since. He has taken much interest in the agricultural development of his section and is a valued member of the Pontiac Grange. He is also one of the leading advocates of temperance in the township and belongs to the order of Sons of Temperance. Mr. Bartlett is a good citizen and a worthy representative of that sober, industrious class which has done so much to make Oakland County the banner agricultural county of the State.