DE LAMATER.-John Luther De Lamater died at Grand Rapids March 13, 1902. He was born 56 years ago in Buellville, N. Y., and came to Jackson in 1834, and at his death was proprietor of the resort called Eagle Point. He was well versed in the flora and fauna of Michigan, a great student of nature, liberal in his views, and charitable in his deeds. EMMONS.-Jonathan Emmons was born in New York State, and came to Michigan in 1835. He married Mrs. Huldah Jane Harrison October 10, 1850. For 13 years he was supervisor of his ward in the city of Jackson, and was a trusted, helpful citizen. FAXON.-Edward S. Faxon was born in Milford, N. Y., May 13, 1817, and died March 17, 1902. At 17 he became a resident of Tecumseh, and learned his trade of cabinet maker. He married Jane Fry in 1850. He lived in many towns in Michigan, and for the last 21 years in Jackson. His father was a revolutionary soldier, and he was an earnest temperance worker. He leaves a wife over 81 years old and five children. HATCH.-John A. Hatch died December 12, 1901, at Hanover, Mich. He was born at Spring Arbor, Mich., and passed his 65 years of life near there. His first home was a log house, and he said there were 17 stumps in his door yard. In May, 1865, he married Angeline M. Thorn, and they possessed a fine farm and happy home. HUDSON.-W. H. Hudson, Sr., died at Michigan Center, December 10, 1901. He was born in Vermont and came to Michigan in 1836. He married Rhozema M. Palmer in 1837. She died three months before him, after they had passed 62 years together. They had six children, only two of whom are living. HUTCHINS.-William Hutchins died October 26, 1901, aged 76. He passed 70 years of this in Michigan, and 67 in Jackson county. He was a sturdy pioneer and an excellent citizen. LUDLOW.-Mrs. Harriet D. Ludlow died at Parma, May 2, 1902. She came to Springport in 1839 with her father, Comfort Joy. She was born in Ridgeway, N. Y., August 16, 1818, and married Luther H. Ludlow in 1838. She was an earnest worker in the Presbyterian church for over 70 years. NASH.-Susan A. Nash was born in Lockport, N. Y., May 11, 1832, and died at Henrietta, Mich., December 3, 1901, where she had lived 60 years. She came to the State when 9 years old in a covered wagon drawn by an ox team. Jackson was then a town of only a few buildings, and covered with tamarack stumps. The State prison, was then called The Tamaracks. The first night the family stopped at the Log Tavern, kept by Harry Hurd. In 1856 she married William E. Pickett, and lived near Munith. Russ.-Albert D. Russ only survived his sister, Mrs. Lucretia M. Sharpsteen, who lived with him, three days, dying at Jackson at the age of 64. These two had lived in the same house for 56 years. Their father, Dr. Oliver Russ, came to Jackson in 1830, and built a log cabin which had the distinction of possessing two windows whose sash was painted red, and window glass instead of the customary blankets. The track of the Michigan Central railroad destroyed this house. Russ' sister, Mrs. Corwin, of Parma, now 80 years old, has lively reminiscences of the time when Jackson county could boast of only 25 white people, and her father, the first doctor in that vicinity, traveling on horseback, his office being his saddlebags. Many of his patients lived in Marshall. Mr. SEVERANCE.-William T. Severance was born in Rutland, Vt., in 1837, and when very young settled with his parents in Ohio. When 25 years old he married Lavina Mitchell, and of the six children born to them only one, Mrs. George Barstow, remains. He served in the 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the war of the rebellion, and at its close he removed to Brooklyn, Mich., where he died. He was a member of the G. A. R., and one of the oldest Masons of Brooklyn. SHELDON-STEWART.-Mrs. Electa M. Sheldon-Stewart died at the Home for the Friendless in Jackson, February 4, 1902. She came to Michigan with her father, Ira Bronson, in 1823. Her "Childhood Memories of Life in Detroit," written in 1845 and published in the Detroit Tribune November 28, 1897, are a most interesting recital. When the steamer which bore her father's family from Buffalo arrived at the head of Grosse Isle, "a loud, shrill whoop, thrilling the nerves like an electric shock, startled everyone on board," she wrote. "There, on the Canadian shore, a band of young Indians enjoyed with great zest the surprise of the pale-faces," and occasionally they launched a flight of arrows, "in a vain attempt to send some of these missiles on board." Mrs. Stewart gave an excellent pen-picture of Detroit life in 1823. The Indians were a constant source of terror to the women and children of the frontier port. The remains of three tribes infested the city, attracted by the baneful fire-water which could be had in exchange for baskets and moccasins of their own manufacture. Sometimes they even bartered their blankets for liquor, and at night, when all more or less intoxicated, they passed the Bronson house on their way to their wigwams in the forest, the consternation of the newcomers from the East can be imagined. Invasion of the home by red men was of common occurrence. Some had amiable dispositions, however, and were held in esteem by the whites. Mrs. Stewart's first husband was Berthier M. Sheldon, for years confidential clerk of Capt. Eber B. Ward, His death from cholera occurred in 1854. Previously Mrs. Sheldon had become the editor of the Western Literary Cabinet, a monthly magazine, in which she began the publication of a series of articles on the early history of Michigan. Gen. Lewis Cass was her friend, and assisted her with matter from the French archives, collected while he was minister to France. These she afterwards revised and published in book form as "The Early History of Michigan." Subsequently she was one of the founders of the Detroit Industrial school, and while an officer of a Home for the Friendless in New York wrote a short poem, "Buy a Brick," which was sold in aid of the home for $300. She was married to John Stewart in 1868. Mr. Stewart died in 1890, at Michigan Center. Mrs. Stewart at the time of her death owned a little property at Michigan Center. She had no immediate relatives, but Mrs. A. G. Lawrence, a daughter of Mr. Stewart, with other friends, provided for her wants at the home. KALAMAZOO COUNTY. BISHOP.-Henry Bishop, vice-president of this society for many years, died at his home in Kalamazoo, January 1, 1902, aged 88. He was born in Dorsetshire, England, November 23, 1813. After the death of his mother, and financial losses, he came with his sister to Buffalo, N. Y., in 1830. At the age of 16 he returned alone to England, working his passage as cabin boy, and brought back five of his brothers and sisters, the voyage consuming seven weeks and four days. After many hardships, and suffering from sickness, and pecuniary loss, in 1835 he came to Schoolcraft, and thence to Kalamazoo, where for many years he was engaged in the mercantile trade. In 1847 he married Mrs. Sarah A. Hinman, who died in 1891, leaving one son, Henry L. Bishop. After celebrating his 88th birthday, he was re-elected secretary for the Children's Home, an office he had held for many years, and for which society he was a very earnest worker. He was a strong character, honest, industrious, and charitable. He was deeply interested in pioneer matters, contributing many items for the papers, and doing much valuable work for this society, and for his adopted country. |