Lyman W. Bliss

Written by Anna Mae Maday, Manager, Eddy Historical & Genealogy Collection of Hoyt Public Library in Saginaw, Michigan
September 2000

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Lyman W. Bliss was born in Madison County, New York, in 1836. He studied with three Madison County physicians before attending Albany Medical College and Geneva Medical College in New York state. Before he could make a career teaching medicine at Hobart College, the Civil War intervened. He served in a medical capacity in the Tenth New York Cavalry and the 51st New York Infantry. In 1866 he moved to Saginaw City where he practiced medicine. That same year he ran for county coroner. He was a partner in the lumbering firm of his brother Aaron T. Bliss. Dr. Bliss also held stock and was involved in many other business enterprises, such as L. W. Bliss & Co. and James Stewart Co.

He was married in 1858 to Mary Jerome, the daughter of Dr. James H. Jerome. She was the mother of his children but died in 1872. He was remarried in 1877 to Harriet Granger Miller. After Harriet's death in 1887, he donated the resources of Bliss Hospital to the Detroit Methodist Episcopal Conference as a memorial to her. In 1892 he married a third wife, May Cummisky, who in 1899, published the book Doctor Joy based on the life of her doctor husband.

Dr. Lyman W. Bliss was President of the State Medical Society in 1890 and was elected honorary member in 1904. He was also president of the Saginaw Valley Medical College. He and his brother's wife, Alleseba Bliss, were involved in efforts to establish Saginaw General Hospital. He did not believe East Saginaw doctors should have staff privileges at the new hospital, so he established a private hospital. Bliss Hospital was located on the Birney farm, but Dr. Bliss later acquired the Newell Barnard residence at North Hamilton and Throop Streets. A victim of the economic depression, Bliss Hospital closed in March 1895.

Dr. Bliss served as Saginaw City alderman in 1871. He was elected Saginaw City mayor in 1879-80 and again in 1888. Even though he had endeavored to keep the medical establishments of East Saginaw and Saginaw City separated, he ran for the office of mayor when the two Saginaws finally consolidated in 1890. Dr. Bliss, a Republican, lost that mayoral contest to George W. Weadock.

During the winter of 1907, Dr. Bliss traveled to New Orleans to find relief for heart and lung ailments. He and family members then went to Texas, where he died at a hospital in San Antonio on February 19, 1907.

• Bliss, May Cummisky. Doctor Joy.
• Fisk, Anita M.The History of Saginaw County Medicine.
• Mills, James Cooke. History of Saginaw County. 1918.
• Saginaw Courier Herald. September 7, 1890.

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Keywords: Bliss, Aaron Thomas, 1837-1906  ; Bliss, Allaseba Morey Phelps  ; Bliss, Lyman W.  ; Physicians  ; Bliss, May Cummisky  ; Weadock, George W., 1853-1937  ; Saginaw General Hospital  ; 
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