Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies of all the governors of the state and of the presidents of the United States. Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1892 Page 198 AMOS D. OLMSTEAD. One of the veterans of the late war whose devotion to the cause has cost him many hours of pain and ill- ness during the years that have passed since that struggle, is he whose name is above. He is a farmer, located on section 30, Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County, where he has eighty-four acres of land which is excellently improved. He was born in Buffalo, N.Y., April 27, 1841, and is a son of Maj. DANIEL and JANE A. (KIDDER) OLMSTEAD. The former was a native of Ithaca, N.Y., and was born March 16, 1810. He was a hatter by trade, and was employed in the manufacture of hats in Buffalo until 1846, when he purchased a farm in Niagara County, N.Y., and was engaged in improving the same until the breaking out of the Civil War. At the first tap of the drum he enlisted in Capt. Mapes' Company, known as the Twenty-eighth New York Infantry, serving as a fifer. Our subject's father was in many engagements -- at Winchester, Rappahannock, Antietam and Cedar Mountain. He was promoted to be Fife Major and re-enlisted in the United States Navy, serving in all four and a half years. In the fall of 1865 he came to Flint, whither his wife and our subject had preceeded him, and here he engaged in gardening until his death, which occurred December 6, 1879. Our subject's mother was a well educated woman of large business ability. She died April 4, 1888, in Flint. She be- longed to the Methodist Episcopal Church, but was at heart a Seventh Day Adventist. She was the mother of seven children, four of whom lived to be grown. Her children are named as follows: LOUISA J., HORATIO G., CHARLES H., all of whom died when young; AMOS D., our subject; WILLIAM H., MELVINE and LYDIA. After a brilliant service in the war, WILLIAM H. came to Mich- igan, and in company with a brother-in-law, Mr. THOMAS, started a business college in Flint, known as the THOMAS & OLMSTEAD National Business College. The brother died April 6, 1871; MELVINE, Mrs. THOMAS, died in Colorado, November 20, 1887; LYDIA, Mrs. SPRINGER, is now a resident of Alamosa, Col. Mr. AMOS OLMSTEAD was reared in Buffalo until five years of age, and then was on his father's farm. He attended the district school when a lad, but was early set to work and kept busy both summer and winter. When sixteen years of age he assumed charge of the farm in Pekin, which comprised ninety-six acres, and then January 1, 1863, was married in Cambria, to Miss NANCY B. COTTING- TON, a daughter of ADAM COTTINGTON. Mrs. Olmstead's maternal grandsire, ISAAC BURGESS, a New Englander, was an old Revolutionary soldier, who died at the age of one hundred years. Her mother still lives and resides on the old place. Five months after marriage, July 17, 1863, Mr. OLMSTEAD was mustered into Company G, Ninety-seventh New York Infantry. He served in the following battles: Raccoon Ford, the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania Court House, North Ann River, Bethesda Church, White Oak Swamp and Petersburg, conducting himself as a soldier most valiantly in every engagement. After the siege of Petersburg he was taken sick while on detailed duty and was sent to his regiment and was exchanged from one department to another until he reached the Armory Square Hospital in Washington. He had written to his mother to try to secure a discharge for him- self, his father and brother, and she came heroically to Wash- ington, where with some difficulty she obtained an interview with President Lincoln, and was successful in getting her wish granted. Our subject was on his way back to join his regiment when the order arrived for his discharge. The original of our sketch returned immediately to his home and as soon as able made preparations to come to Michigan, sold the farm for his mother and arrived in Flint, March 13, 1865. He located --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 199 at once upon the farm, which a few years later he purchased from his mother. Since that time he has made valuable improvements, and has built a very attractive residence, a good barn, and made other changes. He is the father of four children: FRANCES died at the age of three years; NETTIE lives at home; BELLE is Mrs. TWITCHELL, of Flint; and HARRY is a graduate of the Flint Commercial College of 1891, and is now located at Jackson. Our subject has been School Director for three years, and was School Treasurer for several terms. Socially he is a member of Ransom Post, No. 89, G.A.R., and has attended the National Encampment at Columbus, Boston and Detroit. Both himself and wife are members of the Grange at Flushing, and Mrs. OLMSTEAD, who is a lady of marked attractions, is a member of the Women's Relief Corps. ===========================================================================