Obituaries
S

Mrs. Helen M. SARGENT

Aged Woman Was Killed By Fall Into The Cellar
Mrs. Helen M. SARGENT, who has been keeping house for her son, Homer Sargent, and living at 153 East Bacon street, fell down cellar last night about 9:00 o'clock and broke her neck and death followed soon after. The skull was fractured and her shoulder bone broken. A doctor was hastily summoned and she breathed but a few minutes after his arrival. The cellar is reached by means of a trap door and Mrs. Sargent stepped off into space, not knowing that the door was open.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock, at the United Brethren Church at Frontier. Rev. Snyder officiating and interment will be in the Frontier cemetery.
The deceased was aged 76 years, 2 months and 6 days. The Sargents have lived in Hillsdale about a year, the home having formerly been in Frontier, the son being a flour packer at Stock's Mills, Mrs. Sargent was the daughter of Martin CARY. Her husband died and she had been living with her son, since the deaths of his wife four years ago, and looking after his three children. She had not been well for some time. There is a brother living in California.

Submitter: Joanne Fairman
Submitter Note: Helen was the daughter of Achsah (BENSON) CARY. Helen's husband was James Warren SARGENT. Her son was Homer Warren SARGENT. Helen was helping care for Homer's four children, Ila Dot SARGENT, Otto Elmer SARGENT, Roscoe Conklin SARGENT, and Orlin Clifton SARGENT after their mother, Maude Arcelia (HATCH) SARGENT died in 1907.

Mrs. Alice SAYLES

Mrs Sayles Passes Away -- Aged Woman Dies Of Infirmities Last Night
Mrs. Alice SAYLES, mother of Mrs. E.A. MARTINGALE, passed away last evening at the Martingale home on Virginia Ave. The deceased had been in her usual health during the day but died very suddenly last evening from the infirmities of old age.
Mrs. SAYLES was born in Rhode Island 90 years ago and had been a resident of Hillsdale for 50 years. She came to this city November 20th of last year to live with her daughter, with whom she has made her home for the past several years.
Undertaker Miner of Hillsdale took the body to that city last night, whre the funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 at the Baptist Church, of which she was an ardent member.
Surviving are two daugher and two sons, Mrs. MARTINGALE of this city, Mrs. E.F. NICHOLS of Fowlerville, Rev. H.E. SAYLES of Plymouth, and H.L. SAYLES of Hillsdale.

Submitter: Cindy Duhamel
Transcribers note: Alice A. TILLINGAST m. Charles H Sayles April 26, 1856. b. 8 october 1833 d. 4 May 1917-Hillsdale H.E.=Horace E H.L.=Herbert L

John SHARRAR

John SHARRAR, a brother of C. SHARRAR and brother-in-law of J.H. BOYDEN, died Saturday last at his home in Geneva, Lenawee county. Deceased was a former resident of this township.

Submitter: Nancy Nally

Mrs. Roby G. SHULTZ

Mrs. Roby G. SHULTZ [sic], Calhoun Native, dies
Mrs. Roby G. SHULTZ, 68, widow of the late Jasper A. SHULTZ, died at 3:55 p.m. Sunday, at her residence, 60 Howland street, [Battle Creek] after an extended illness. Her husband died March 12, 1935
In declining health for two years, Mrs. Shultz had been seriously ill and confined to her bed since suffering a stroke of apoplexy 10 weeks ago.
A native of Calhoun county, the deceased was born in Homer Aug. 24, 1868, the daughter of Warren F. and Adelaide C. THOMPKINS [sic]. When she was a small child the family moved to Schuyler, Neb. and she was married there to Jasper SHULTZ Nov. 20, 1890. Returning to Michigan in 1894, Mr. and Mrs. Shultz located in Litchfield and a short time later moved to Homer. They resided in Homer until coming to this city in 1910 [? can't quite be sure of last 2 digits].
Mrs. Shultz was a member of the Daughters of the G. A. R. and the First Baptist Church. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ivah A. COOK of Mt. Pleasant and Mrs. Merle BAUGHMAN, of 81 Manchester street; a son, Mason SCHULTZ [sic], of Pleasantville, N.Y.; three sisters, Mrs. Nellie GARLINGHOUSE, of Homer, and Mrs. Nina NORRIS and Mrs. Pozie [sic] SIMPSON, of Litchfield; two brothers, William THOMPKINS [sic], of Spokane, Wash. and M. M. THOMPKINS [sic] of Butler, Wis., and five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Williams and Braden Chapel with the Rev. Mark F. SANBORN, pastor of the First Baptist church, officiating. Interment will be in the cemetery at Litchfield.
Members of the William H. Mason fortress No. 3, National Daughters of the G. A. R. will meet at Williams & Braden's Funeral Home at 2 Tuesday to attend the funeral.

Submitter: Phil Anderson

Lowell Pardee SMITH

Lowell Pardee SMITH (Photograph at top of column)
Many hearts were saddened last week when it became known that Lowell SMITH had passed to his reward last Tuesday morning, after many months of constant suffering. How much he has suffered in silence no one will ever know.
With a brilliant future and with everything ahead of him to make life happy, with a remarkable ambition and perseverance to make a name for himself it was a hard blow to him to find himself stricken with disease and to have to lay down his burden. In spite of his affliction however in the 16 months that he lay in his bed he was always cheery and patient. His months of suffering have not gone without leaving their imprint upon those around him who must feel that his life was an inspiration in its cheerfulness and unselfishness. He wanted his friends about him as long as he was able to see them and his thoughts were ever on cheerful subjects and his suffering was concealed. He was exceedingly grateful for all that was done for him and he was the subject of constant care and attention from his devoted mother and his many friends and relatives.
With no bad habits his life had een one of influence and devotion to the work he found at hand. He united with the Methodist church at the age of ten and became an active member of the Epworth League and in an unassuming but practical way carried his religion into his life.
Lowell Pardee SMITH was born at Delta, Ohio, March 26, 1885, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Seth H. SMITH and when he was three years old his parents removed to this city, purchasing the residence at the corner of West and Fayette streets. He graduated from the Hillsdale high school in 1902 and then took the four years’ literary course at the college, graduating with high honors in 1906. He was a member of the Amphictyon literary society and was its president in the fall of 1905. He was also a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He took an interest in athletics and was captain and a star player on the college basket ball team. In 1901 he was seriously ill for three months with typhoid fever, his sister, Mrs. Etha DITMARS, having passed away with the disease just previous to his being taken with the illness. From this it is probable that he never fully recovered and his subsequent illness is thought by the physicians to have resulted from it.
Mr. SMITH died in February, 1906, and in the fall of 1906 after graduating at the college Lowell and his mother went to Ann Arbor where he entered the university. With indomitable pluck he continued his studies although it was afterwards found that he should have been in the hospital. For a time he thought he was merely suffering from the grip and he would not consider seeing a doctor or stopping his work. When he was finally prevailed upon to see a physician it was found that he had been working with a temperature of 104 and that his lungs were seriously affected with tuberculosis. He was taken to the home of his uncle, George PARDEE, in Manchester where everything possible was done for his relief. He suffered seven hemorrhages within the next two weeks and was so enfeebled and his heart was affected to such an extent that he could not be moved to another climate. Last March Mr. and Mrs. PARDEE removed to 180 Hillsdale street in this city where Lowell spent the last weeks of his life.
The funeral services held Friday afternoon conducted by Rev. D. D. MARTIN, presiding elder of the Albion Methodist district, assisted by Rev. H. M. FORD, were largely attended. The pall bearers were six members of his beloved fraternity, the Delta Tau Delta, Charles SHEPARD, Albert WALRATH, Charles STEWART, Guy CONVERSE, Rennselaer ALGER and Don WHELAN.

Submitter: Elaine Bennett-Sharp

Mrs. Carp SPARKS

OBITUARY. Mrs. Carp SPARKS, mention of whose illness was made in last week's issue, died Thursday night in the hospital at Jackson, she having suffered a relapse that morning. At the time of the relapse she was recovering nicely and preparations were being made to take her to her home at Hillsdale.
Her desperate illness, which baffled the skill of the best physicians in Michigan, dated from the birth of her babe, who is now eleven weeks of age.
Deceased was 26 years of age and was well known in Reading - the childhood home of her husband. The remains were taken to North Reading for interment. The bereaved husband has the sympathy of many friends here.

Submitter: Nancy Nally

Mrs. Esther SQUIERS

After an illness of about two weeks from paralysis, Mrs. Esther SQUIERS passed peacefully away Monday evening; aged 76 years, 7 months and 18 days.
Esther SQUIERS was born in Woodville, N.Y., Aug. 7, 1835; died March 25, 1912, at her home in Reading. She came to Michigan with her parents at the age of ten years. Was married to Newell SQUIERS in 1854. To this union seven children were born, three dying in infancy; Janes H., dying at the age of 45 in 1905.
She leaves to mourn three children - Melvin W. SQUIERS, of Oklahoma; Henry H. SQUIERS, of Woodbridge, and Ida M. SQUIERS, of Reading; also five grand-children, ten great-grand-children, a sister, Mrs. Cyrus ELLIOTT, of Amboy, and a host of friends.
Funeral services are being held this afternoon at the First Baptist church in Amboy; interment in the Baker cemetery. A short prayer service was held at the residence this morning by Rev. A.S. WILLIAMS.

Submitter: Nancy Nally

Truman L. SQUIRES

Died In His Chair:
Truman L. SQUIRES, one of Reading's pioneers, died in this village early last Friday morning while sitting in his chair. He had been quite feeble for some time.
Deceased, who was nearly 84 years of age, was born in Van Buren township, New York. He came to Michigan 63 years ago and bought a farm two miles southeast of Reading - what was later known as the Morey homestead. Later he owned the Watson hart farm, south of town. With the exception of 15 years spent at Hillsdale his home had been in Reading township and village all these years.
He was married three times, his wives having preceded him in death, his last wife dying a few months ago. He is survived by three sons - Clarence, of Reed City; Leslie, of Litchfield; and Sumner, of Huron, South Dakota - all of whom were present at the funeral.
Deceased was a quiet, unassuming old gentleman who had the respect of a wide circle of aquaintances.
Funeral services were held at his late home Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. F.L. NILES; interment in the M.E. church yard.

Submitter: Nancy Nally

Baby STANFIELD

Died In Mother's Arms
A sad bereavement befell Mr. and Mrs. R.J. STANFIELD last Sunday. They drove from Quincy with their two children to spend the day with Father and Mother NEUFANG. Their three months old daughter worried and cried considerably on the way over until within two miles of Reading, when it became quiet and the parents naturally supposed the child was sleeping. Arriving at the NEUFANG home Mrs. STANFIELD gave the baby to her mother, who removed its wraps and discovered that the child was dead. It was a terrible shock to the family and they have the sympathy of many friends. The babe had been sickly from birth, being afflicted with heart trouble. Funeral services were held yesterday forenoon at the NEUFANG home and the little form was laid to rest in Maplewood Cemetery.

Submitter: Nancy Nally

Julia Alvira STODDARD

Julia Alvira STODDARD. -- Another of the Early Pioneers Gone to Meet her Reward
"Grandma" STODDARD, whose failing health has previously been noted in these columns, succumbed to valvular disease of the heart and passed away Saturday afternoon at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Julia ANDERSON, surrounded by loving children and grandchildren and mourned by all who knew her.
The funeral on Tuesday was largely attended and an unusual feature was that of six grandsons tenderly bearing the remains of thier deceased ancestor to her last resting place. By request of the family T. H. WARWICK sang two solos during the services that were appreciated by the friends. Below follows a brief history of her life for which we are indebted to her pastor, Rev. D. CRONK: Again we are called to chronicle among the many removals from Litchfield of its oldest residents during the past year, the decease of Mrs. Julia Alvira Stoddard.
Julia Alvira EGGLESTON was born in the state of New York, August 14, 1823 and died in Litchfield June 28, 1902 at the age of 78 years, 10 months, and 14 days. She came to Michigan with her father in 1835 at the age of 12 years. In 1843 she was united in marriage to Wm. STODDARD November 2nd, moving onto the farm where she spent nearly all the remainder of her life located one mile north of the village of Litchfield. Eleven children were born to this union of whom three died in infancy and one at 10 years of age. Of the six children who survive their mother, Eugene STODDARD lives in Litchfield; Charles STODDARD in Kendalville, Indiana; Edwin STODDARD in California; John STODDARD in Chicago; Julia ANDERSON and Mrs. A. J. (Mary E.) LOVEJOY in Litchfield, Harriet CHAPPELL in Hillsdale. Among the decendents are twenty grand children and five great grand children.
Mrs. Stoddard united with the Methodist church soon after coming to Litchfield of which she and her husband were faithful members during their lives. She was a dutiful wife a faithful mother, proving what a mother can do in moulding the character of her children. Surely, life seems worth the living, when a mother can train up so large a family in the principles of truth, honor and morality, and at her death the children, grand children and great grand children together with the whole community rise up and call her name "blessed".

     Earthly home, adieu, adieu,          Earthly friends, farewell to you;--
     Softly breathe your last good bye,   Jesus calls me--let me die.
     Hallelujah!  Christ has come!        Halleuljah!  I'm most home!
     Friends and love ones weep no more,  Meet me on the other shore.

Submitter: Susan Simmons

"Jim" STONE

"Jim" STONE, the well known horseman, died Friday last at his home near Hillsdale, of cancer of the bladder, aged 53 years.

Submitter: Nancy Nally

Gerald R. Straw

Corp. Gerald Straw Killed on Iwo Jima
Corp. Gerald R. Straw, of Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Straw, former residents here but now of Adrian, was killed on Iwo Jima March 8, according to word received by his family. He was serving with the Fifth Marine division.

Corp. Straw was home on leave a year ago after fighting on Bougainville in the Solomons, where he served with a batallion that was cut off by the Japs and had to fight it's way back to its base. He was suffering from shell shock when home on leave a year ago and returned to California for treatment. He went back to the Pacific area last July, after his recovery.

While in Jackson the family lived at 1614 Merriman St. A sister, Mrs. Ray Borders, still lives at that address while her husband is overseas. Corp. Straw's twin sister, Geraldine, now lives in Adrian with her parents, and there is a younger brother, George Straw, also at home. Another sister, Sandie Straw, lives in Coldwater.

Note: believed to be Hillsdale Daily News - there is a photo of Corp. Straw included in the obituary.

Submitter: Pat McArthur

This page was last updated Wednesday, 05-Dec-2012 10:42:53 MST