My City January 2022

Grant Decker 1855-56

had six children – ’ve daughters and a son. His son was taken prisoner at Gettysburg during the Civil War and died in Andersonville Prison. Decker died in 1890 and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery, which he co-founded. At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, a stained-glass window near the main west doors was dedicated in memory of Grant and Julia Isabella Decker by their daughter, Julia. Decker Street in Flint is named for the former mayor. During his year in oŸce, the wagon business began in the city.

“e city’s ’rst mayor, Decker arrived in 1838 from the state of New York. He began work in the lumber industry, built a •our mill with Artemas “ayer and owned interests in a •our and feed mill with Ira H. Wilder. One of the founders of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Decker served in the vestry for more than 40 years and played the •ute as one of the church’s ’rst musicians. In 1837, he married Elizabeth Stevens who died in 1844 of consumption (tuberculosis). “e next year, he married the sister of William M. Fenton, Julia Isabella Fenton. In all, Decker

Henry M. Henderson 1857-58

Henderson came to Genesee County in 1836 and opened a dry goods store with his brother, James. In 1848, as a commissioner of the Genesee County Plank Road Company, Henderson received the authority to construct a plank road from Flint to Grand Blanc on the Saginaw Road. Two years later, Henderson and Company were appointed commissioners of the Genesee & Oakland Railroad Company and tasked with building a railroad connecting Flint and Pontiac. In 1855, the railroad was extended to Saginaw County. In 1859, the Flint & Pere Marquette Company purchased the rights, property and franchises of Henderson and Company’s railroad. In 1865, Henderson became president and director of the newly formed First National Bank. He acted as vice president of the Glenwood Cemetery Association and therefore, played a large role in its establishment. He died in 1879 and was buried at Glenwood. During his time as mayor, the Randall Carriage Factory, Flint’s ’rst vehicle factory, was established.

Robert J. S. Page 1856-57 Mayor No. 2 was attorney Robert J. S. Page. He came to Flint in 1838 and was appointed receiver in the Genesee District of the U.S. Land OŸce. In 1850, he was elected to serve in the oŸce of Justice of the Peace and would later serve on the bench as a probate judge. Page was also one of the county’s foremost “wildcat bankers,” establishing the Flint River Bank and serving as president, cashier and sole proprietor. Page died in 1875 and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery.

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