Dresser, John Harvey

  • Born 6/30/1825, Dresserville, Cayuga Co., N.Y.
  • Died 1/18/1892 in Clarkston, Michigan.
  • Son of Harvey & Heldah (Gibson) Dresser.
  • John married Elizabeth C. Vliet . Born 2/28/1828 Oxford, New Jersey. One of William Van Buskirk Vliet's 14 children.
  • Children: Charles H., born 4/20/1854 in Clarkston, Mi., died in infancy; Charles C., born 7/9/1856 in Clarkston, Mi.; William H., born 10/24/1860 in Clarkston, Mi.; George E., born 6/6/1866 (drown at age thirteen in Park Lake, Clarkston, Mi.)
  • 1860 Village of Clarkston census listed Matilda Walter, a 25 year old domestic who was born in N.Y., as a part of the dresser household.
  • John came to Independence Township in 1847 to teach, returning in the summer to his home in N.Y. to work for the Union Transportation Co. as a barge captain on the Erie Canal. He became a permanent resident of Clarkston in 1847/1850. In 1860 tax records listed him for the n.e. corner of N. Main & E. Washington (tax records listed 27&1/2' x 62&1/2', Dresser & Robinson ). Dr. Horace Robinson had a drugstore at that location in 1859 with Dr. Nelson Abbey. Later it became Nicholas B. Smith Drugs. Reportedly, Dresser ran a store here for a time. John Dresser also ran the inn on S. Main started by John Hertwig for a short time. He then became an insurance agent with an office in a building on the site of the Clarkston State Bank, 21 South Main. Dresser served as Postmaster 1885 - 1889; Town Clerk 1855-1856, 1873-1877 & Justice of the Peace in 1866 & 1874. He was the original treasurer of the Union Cemetery. Residence 24 E. Washington. See 12/15/1966 Clarkston News article by Constance Lektzian & the Tiffany genealogy.