Milton is the son of DeBert Bliss (nicknamed "Bert"), and his wife Nancy A. Smith
(of Buchanan Twp. and Niles Twp.), near Buchanan, Berrien Co. Michigan.
------------------------------------
Milton had one sister named Anna (who married Joseph P. Geyer, and they then moved to New Mexico, along with Milton's mother Nancy (Smith) Bliss, about late 1900).
-------------------------------------
Milton was born on the farm that his grandparents Hiram Bliss Sr. and his wife Anna, bought when they came from Richford, Tioga County New York to Buchanan Township, Berrien County
Michigan in 1864. It was located in Buchanan Township, two miles S.W. of Buchanan, Berrien Co. MI on the "Galien-Buchanan Road" (near the Bakertown Cemetery).
-------------------------------------
When Milton was 1 and 1/2 years old, his father DeBert Bliss sold this farm on the Galien-Buchanan road to his cousin Willard Bliss French.
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Soon-after, in 1872, DeBert bought another farm in Niles township, N.-N.E. of Buchanan, Michigan, on Geyer Road. (In the late 1890's this part of Niles township, was transferred to
Buchanan township).
----------------------------------
Milton began working in the fields on this farm on Geyer Road when but
eleven years of age, putting in twenty-two acres of wheat, unassisted
(per: "A Twentieth Century History of Berrien County Michigan", by Orville W.
Coolidge, page 567).
-------------------------------------
He worked in the fields in the summer
months, while in the winter he
attended the district school
(the Mead School).
-----------------------------------
When Milton's father DeBert died in
1887, DeBert left the farm to his
son Milton, with his wife Nancy
having a life lease.
------------------------------------
Milton was married to Julia M.
Feather on June 9, 1891 in
Hinchman, in Oronoko township
(North of Buchanan), Berrien
County Michigan, by S. P.
Fryberger, Minister of the Gospel.
Julia was the daughter of John Henry
Feather Sr. and his second wife
Sophia S. Koppenheffer.
-----------------------------------
Milton and Julia had two children:
Lloyd Feather Bliss (1895-1938),
and Allene Bliss
(She died in 1900 at 5 weeks of age).
(They are listed under his wife
Julia Bliss).
--------------------------------------
When Milton was 24 years of age,
he joined the "Modern Woodmen of
America", camp in Buchanan, MI.
-------------------------------------
For about 58-60 years Milton
farmed 124 acres on Geyer Road in
Niles Twp. (N.- N.E. of Buchanan),
Berrien County Michigan, which is
where their son Lloyd was
born and raised.
---------------------------------
This area on the North-East
side of Buchanan (and the N.-E.
side of the St. Joseph river), is
known as the "Bend of the River"
(where the St. Joseph River bends).
--------------------------------------
A picture of Milton, Julia, and their
son Lloyd F. Bliss, taken on this farm
on Geyer Road around 1900 [not 1910 as
is stated in the book, because Lloyd
was born in 1895],
can be seen in "Greetings from
Buchanan, Historic Photobook
Series", by Leo J. Goodsell and
Robert C. Myers. Published in 2005
by the Berrien County Historical
Association (page 35).
--------------------------------------
This farm was near (just down the
road), from the Mead School, which
was located on the South-East corner
of Geyer Road and Range Line Road,
in District No. 5, which Milton
and later, his son Lloyd Bliss,
and then Lloyd's children, attended.
(The Mead school was "originally"
located 1/4 mile to the east, on
the opposite side of the road).
The "original" Mead School was built
in 1839. It was later located on the
S.-E. corner of Range line and Geyer
Roads, about 1853.
------------------------------------
In the "original record book"
of the Mead school, it reads:
---
"I here by accept the office of
Director in school district No. five
of the township of Niles and Buchanan,
dated this 31 day of July, 1906",
[signed] Milton J. Bliss.
---
Note: The Mead school was located on
the township line, of Niles township,
and Buchanan township.
----------------------------------
The children of Milton's son Lloyd
Bliss also attended the Mead school.
Lloyd's daughter Thelma Bliss was
the only student in the second grade
in 1925. Three generations of the
Bliss family attended the Mead School:
Milton, Lloyd, and Lloyd's children.
----------------------------------------
Milton inherited this farm (from his father),
listed as "the East half of the Southwest
quarter of Section Eighteen" in
Niles Township (on Geyer Road).
--------------------------------------
Later, Milton's wife Julia is listed
as the owner of most of this farm.
--------------------------------------
In 1894 Julia purchased 80 plus acres
of this farm from her husband Milton,
for $2,500.oo, with the money she must
have received from her wealthy
Grandfather Joshua Feather Sr.
(Deed book - Liber 111, Page 446).
-----------------------------------------
Joshua Feather Sr. gave each of
his children and each of his grand-
children, either land to start a farm,
or money to buy a farm. (Apparently
he stipulated that the money was
only to be used to buy property).
------------------------------------
Julia left her large share of the farm, in
her will, to her son Lloyd Feather Bliss
(instead of to her husband Milton).
----------------------------------------
After Milton's wife Julia died
in 1924, Milton's son Lloyd and
his family moved back (from
Edwardsburg, MI), and lived next
to Milton on this farm on Geyer Road,
N.-N.E. of Buchanan, Michigan.
------------------------------------
Four generations of the Bliss
family have lived on this farm:
DeBert, Milton, Lloyd, and
Lloyd's children.
---------------------------------------
About 1 and 1/2 years before his
death, Milton moved into town,
on N. Portage St. in Buchanan, MI.
--------------------------------------
Milton died at his home on North
Portage St. in Buchanan, MI after
an illness of several months.
---------------------------------------
He died of "chronic nepritis"
(inflammation of the kidneys),
at the age of 62 years, 6 months,
and 11 days.
--------------------------------------
The following obituary for Milton
was published in the
"Niles Daily Star" newspaper
in Niles, Michigan on Tuesday,
Aug. 9, 1932, page 2:
---
FORMER BEND OF RIVER
FARMER DIES AT HOME
IN BUCHANAN TUESDAY.
Buchanan, Aug 9 -- Milton Bliss
62, died at his home on North Portage
street, this morning at 1:30 o'clock,
after an illness of several months.
He was born on a farm at the Bend of
the River, Jan. 28, 1870 [not correct],
and was the son of
Bert [DeBert] and Nancy Bliss.
For over 60 years he lived in the Bend
of the River [on Geyer Road]. He moved
to Buchanan about a year and one half
ago. He is survived by his mother,
Mrs. Nancy [Smith - Bliss] Studebaker,
and one sister,
Mrs. Joseph [Anna] Geyer, both of
Springer, New Mexico, and one son,
Lloyd Bliss, of the Bend of the River
[on Geyer Road].
Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
-------------------------------------
Note: The sentence above, which states
that Milton was born on Jan. 28, in the
"Bend of the River" area, is NOT correct.
Milton was born Jan 20, 1870, on a
farm located on the "Galien-Buchanan"
Road, in Buchanan Township (about two
miles West of Buchanan, Michigan).
[See following obituary].
---------------------------------
The following obituary was published
in the "Berrien County Record"
newspaper, in Buchanan, MI., on
Aug. 11, 1932:
---
MILTON BLISS,
LOCAL PIONEER, BURIED TODAY.
Resided Many Years in Bend of River:
Son of Nancy [Smith - Bliss] Studebaker,
who survives him.
Milton James Bliss, 62, a native of
Buchanan township and a lifelong
resident of this section, died Tuesday
at his home on North Portage street,
after an illness of several months.
Mr. Bliss was born June 28 [20], 1870,
on the farm now owned by Ira Boyle,
two miles west of Buchanan. He was
the son of Delbert ["should" say "DeBert"]
Bliss and Nancy Smith Bliss. He had
resided on a farm in the Bend of the
River section [on Geyer Road] for many
years. His wife [Julia] died there
Sept. 13, 1924.
He is survived by a son, Lloyd, of
the Bend of the River [on Geyer Road]:
by a sister,
Mrs. Anna Geyer of Springer, N. Mex.
[New Mexico]: and by his mother,
Mrs. Nancy Smith [-Bliss-] Studebaker
of Springer, N. Mex.
The funeral will be held at 2:30 p. m.
Eastern Standard Time, from the Childs
Funeral Home, with Rev. H. W. Staver
preaching. Burial will be in Oak Ridge
cemetery.
--------------------------------------
A short "notice of death" was also
published in the Berrien Springs
"Journal Era" newspaper on
Thursday, Aug. 11, 1932, page 10.
It reads:
-----
DEATHS.
Milton Bliss, aged 62 years, Buchanan.
--------------------------------------
Milton's probate record (will) is on
file in Berrien County Michigan.
(Instead of appointing his son Lloyd
as the executor of his will),
Milton appointed his cousin,
Harry Smith, of Detroit, Michigan
as the executor of his will, and he
willed "the West fourty-two acres"
(that he still owned),
of the farm on Geyer Road, to his
cousin Harry Smith (the son
of Nancy A. Smith's brother Howard
Francis Smith and his 1st wife Libbie).
-------------------------------------
Harry Smith later moved back (from Detroit,
to Buchanan, MI), after he retired
from Detroit Edison.
Harry is buried near his father Howard
Francis Smith, in the Oak Ridge Cemetery.
See the memorial for Milton's cousin
Harry S. Smith (1872-1953), buried in
the Oak Ridge Cemetery, on this web site.
--------------------------------------
Milton James Bliss is buried in
the Bliss Family Plot,
in Section A, Lot # 33.
Milton's headstone reads:
---------
FATHER
MILTON J.
1870-1932
------------------------------------
Note: See article on Milton Bliss
in "A Twentieth Century History of
Berrien County Michigan", by
Judge Orville W. Coolidge. 1906.
Pages 567 and 568.
(This article also mentions his
parents, DeBert and Nancy Bliss
and his grandparents,
Hiram and Anna Bliss).
Note: Google "Michigan County Histories",
Then...type in "Bliss".
------------------------------------
Note: Also, see "Genealogy Of
The Bliss Family In America"
(a three volume set),
compiled and published by
Aaron Tyler Bliss, Midland, MI
1982. Volumes I and II, pages
244, 494-497, 827-828, 1151-1152,
1222, and 1458. Located in the
Allen County Public Library,
Fort Wayne, Indiana
(www.acpl.lib.in.us)
and in the
Library of Michigan, Lansing, Michigan
(www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan)
-------------------------------------
Note: See the memorials for his
family, on this web site:
-----
Grandfather, Hiram Bliss Sr., of MI.
Grandmother,
Anna (Ross) Bliss, of Michigan.
Father, DeBert Bliss, of Michigan.
Mother, Nancy (Smith-Bliss) Studebaker,
of New Mexico.
Sister,
Anna (Bliss) Geyer, of New Mexico.
Wife, Julia (Feather) Bliss, of MI.
Son, Lloyd Feather Bliss, of MI.
Granddaughter,
Thelma (Bliss) Letcher, of Michigan.
-----
Note: Milton and Julia Bliss,
are my Great, Grandparents.
Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
------------------------------------
Click on photos to see enlargements,
captions, and additional photos.
------------------------------------