JAMES MILO FORD
Sheriff from 1917-1920
James "Jim" Milo Ford was born December 27, 1869 in Vergennes Township, Kent County to Jacob A. and Cornelia Ford. Shortly after his birth his parents moved to Spencer Township, Kent County and it was there that Jim was educated and grew up. He spent years in the lumber business in Kent, Ionia, Muskegon and Montcalm Counties and served on the draft board throughout the war. He was first elected sheriff of Montcalm County in November of 1916. He was elected for a second term in November of 1918. In 1924 he was one of four candidates in the Primary for the office of sheriff. He came in second to Franklin B. Henkel who was then elected sheriff on the November ballot.
The following is from a political ad that appeared in the Stanton Clipper-Herald, August 7, 1918:
Your Sheriff - This is the best reproduction of a likeness of your sheriff, James M. Ford, better known as "Jim". When he was elected two years ago he said to the people: "If elected sheriff it will be my duty to enforce all laws." He didn't know at that time how big a job he was undertaking. He didn't know and neither did you, that the United States was going to war and that this government was going to place obligations upon him no other sheriff in the United States had ever had thrust upon him. If he had known it, we
volunteer the opinion he would have hesitated to have undertaken the task. Anyone would have shivered at the magnitude of the job. But Jim is no coward. When the increased obligations came to him, he never flinched, but buckled to the work like a brave fellow he is. All he wanted to know was his duty. That was enough for Jim - ascertaining what that duty was he went about it as fearlessly as he would to take a man in for hogging the road with a truck. That's Jim. Big, broad-gauged, honest to a hair; fearless of criticism and its possible results, he has put every other consideration behind him and been the unsuspected man of the hour. Jim Ford doesn't need this to help him get re-elected. There is really no opposition, but it is a plain statement of the honest, fearless manner in which this big-hearted citizen has met every requirement demanded of a public official.
After his service as sheriff he served as Superintendent of Roads for Montcalm County. It was in this capacity that he was serving when he died. On Tuesday morning, October 19, 1926, Jim was driving east on Main street in Stanton when, for some unknown reason, he drove his car into the path of a south bound Pere Marquette freight train at the Burgess elevator crossing. He died about two hours later; he was age 55. Funeral services were held at the Congregational Church and burial was in Forest Hill Cemetery, Stanton.
Jim was married July 24, 1890 to Elma Lockwood and they were the parents of four children. Elma died in 1898 and on August 17, 1903 he married Mary Lockwood, sister to Elma. They were the parents of 2 children. Four children were still living at his death - Ray G., Ralph, Ethel and Donald. Jim was also known for his love of horses and horse racing and was well known in racing circles.
(Sources: Ancestry.com - census; Stanton Clipper-Herald for August 7, 1918, October 22, 1926 and October 29, 1926.) |
|
