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C.J. Jennison (1829-1915)
Early pioneer and prominent businessman.

1905 - Historical biography.

1915 - Obituary (Contributed by Jim Petrimoulx - Jan. 2009)

History of Bay County, Michigan and Representative Citizens
by Capt. Augustus H. Gansser (1905)
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C.E. JENNISON

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C.E. JENNISON, president of the Jennison Hardware Company, of Bay City, Michigan, is one of the city’s early business men and representative citizens. He was born in 1829, at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is a son of William Jennison, who removed to New York City when our subject was five years old.

William Jennison engaged there in the iron business in the metropolis under the firm name of Mackey, Oakley & Jennison. His home was in Brooklyn, but his death occurred in the city of Philadelphia.

C.E. Jennison came to Lower Saginaw (now Bay City) in 1850 and entered into general business in partnership with James Fraser. In 1864 he sold his other interests and entered into the hardware line, but is no longer active in its work, the business being under the management of William F., G.B. and D.M. Jennison. Formerly, Mr. Jennison was interested in other industries of this section and was one of the first in the salt business.

For many years after coming to this city, Mr. Jennison took a very prominent part in its development along all lines, and he served on civic bodies and assist in the found of the present school system. Politically he has always been in sympathy with the Republican party. In earlier years he was active in the Masonic and other fraternal societies.

Mr. Jennison was married to Florence Birney, who is the surviving daughter of the late Hon. James G. Birney, of national fame.

The Bay City Tribune – Thursday, July 1, 1915 (page 1)

CHARLES E. JENNISON,
86 YEARS OLD,
DIED AT HIS HOME.
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ACTIVE IN BUSINESS
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Took Keen Interest in the Commercial and Civic Development of the Community.
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Charles E. Jennison died at 6 o'clock Wednesday afternoon at his home, corner of Ninth and Jackson streets, of a complication of disease. He had been failing for near a year.

Mr. Jennison was one of the eldest of the Bay City pioneer settlers. He was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1829. He came north in 1834 with his parents and lived in Brooklyn until 1841, when they removed to Danville, Pa. In 1850 Mr. Jennison came to Lower Saginaw, now Bay City, to go into the merchantile business in company with the late James Fraser. After continuing the partnership for about 18 months, he purchased Mr. Fraser's interest and continued in business along until 1854, at which time was joined by his brother, the late Henry Walter Jennison.

After that the business was enlarged and carried on under the name of C. E. Jennison & Bro., till the death of the brother, which occurred in 1864. Mr. Jennison continued to be more or less interested in the hardware business until about 1870, when he gave up active work and devoted his entire time to real estate and other business activities. He was founder and president of the Jennison Harware company. He organized the Michigan Pipe Works and served as its first vice-president.

He built the first steel bridge across the Saginaw river at Third street and constructed the Jennison block on the corner of Fifth avenue and Water street in 1870. This building is still occupied by the Jennison Hardware company. He was also largely instrumental in the reorganization of the German-American Sugar company. Mr. Jennison was never active in politics although in the early days he served one term as alderman.

In 1851 Mr. Jennison built a residence on the corner of Center and Washington aveues, the site on which is now located the Carpo block. At that time there were the improvements in that part of the town and beyond where the courthouse now stands was a thick forest. He had made three additions to the city and was interested in one other. He was married in Bay City in 1853 to Miss Florence Birney, daughter of the late Hon. James G. Birney, of national fame. Mr. Jennison is survived by his widow and four sons, Charles M., George B., William F. and Dudley M. Jennison, and two daughters, Mrs. David Williams, of Duluth, Minn., and Mrs. A. J. Barton, of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Mr. Jennison was one of the men whose faith in a prosperous future for Bay City has been strong from the very first. He began early to invest in real estate and has always advised men in his employ to do the same with what means they could save. The correctness of his judgment has long since been demonstrated. Mr. Jennison was very fond of travel and had visited nearly every section of the globe. His last trip was last winter when he went to Florida.

The funeral services will be held from Trinity Episcopal church Saturday morning at 10:20 o'clock.