My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL GENTLE. The richest, heritage of American youth is the example of their country’s brain and brawn wrought into lives of perfect harmony, of splendid fealty, of tireless industry. The annals of such a life are briefly told by one who has known him long and well. Samuel Gentle, a prominent business man of Benton Harbor, Mich., is a native of England, born in St. Albans October 25, 1842.

Our subject is the fifth in order of birth of nine children born to Samuel and Mary (Archer) Gentle, both natives of England. The father was a prominent business man, and was engaged as a manufacturer for forty-four years. His death occurred in St. Albans, where he had passed the principal part of his life. Samuel Gentle, his son, was reared in St. Albans, and was fortunate in receiving a good, practical education in the city schools, attending until fourteen years of age. He then became an apprentice to the cooper’s trade, and in about six years had completely mastered the same.

Thinking to better his condition financially and otherwise, our subject crossed the ocean to the United States in September, 1869, and his feet first touched American soil in New York City. Not seeing much of an opening for a struggling young man in that city, he traveled toward the setting sun, and finally reached the Buckeye State. He settled in Cincinnati, found employment, and there continued until December, 1871, working at his trade. The desire to find employment still farther West induced him to go to Chicago, and he was engaged in business in that city until 1872.

The same year Mr. Gentle came to Benton Harbor, Mich., and in 1873 he started in the coopering business on his own account, manufacturing all kinds of cooperage and employing several men. Being a skilled workman himself, and employing only first-class men, he soon had a flourishing trade, and continued the business until 1881. He then turned his attention to the manufacturing of fruit packages and berry baskets and boxes, but later he became a member of the firm of Danforth & Co. He remained with this company, engaged in the manufacture of staves and cooperage, for two years, when Mr. Hinkley purchased an interest and the firm title was changed to Hinkley & Co. Later the two businesses of Colby & Co. and Hinkley & Co. were merged into one business as a stock company, under the title of the Colby-Hinkley Company. They do a flourishing business, and Mr. Gentle is an able and experienced gentleman, with whom it will always be found pleasant and profitable to have dealings.

Mr. Gentle has a pleasant home on Archer Street, and this is presided over by his estimable wife, formerly Miss Sarah Gregory, of St. Albans, England, and the daughter of James Gregory. Their nuptials were celebrated February 8, 1863, and their union has been blessed by the birth of one child, a son, Harry who is a member of the same firm and assists in the office. The latter has inherited all the excellent business qualities of his father, and is a wide-awake and enterprising young business man. In politics Mr. Gentle is a Democrat.