the West Side with gas, being one of the original supporters of the
organization, and at present one of its directors.

In all his undertakings Mr. Sheldon has kept steadily in view the
necessity of industry and economy, and it is the practice of these two
mercantile virtues that has brought about his success. One trait of his
business character is peculiar. He has, so far as possible, avoided
recourse to law, holding the doctrine that, in most cases, when a debt
could not be collected without the aid of a lawyer, it was not worth
spending money for. In religious principles Mr. Sheldon is a
Congregationalist, and has been connected for more than thirty years with
the First Congregational Church, and during most of this time has
discharged the duties of deacon, serving the church with fidelity and
acceptance, in this official position. He has been identified with Sabbath
school labors, as teacher and superintendent, and to his zeal and
liberality the Detroit street Mission Sabbathe school largely owes its
prosperity, and its present commodious chapel. In every Christian
enterprise Deacon Sheldon has been among the foremost. No benevolent
cause, whether local or general, has appealed to him in vain for pecuniary
support, or Christian sympathy and countenance.

In 1836, Mr. Sheldon was married to Miss Cordelia H. Buxton, of Cleveland,
a descendent of the English Buxtons, of philanthropic memory. Of the
family of six children, one, the eldest, Henry A. Sheldon, died in 1842.
The only surviving son became a partner with his father in 1866.




Charles Hickox.