river, but at first made his home in a log house, where is now one of our principal streets. Mr. Dinsmore was the shoemaker of the village; dividing the time between working at his trade and clearing his land. In the privations of those years Mrs. Dinsmore was like a ministering angel to the sick in the neighborhood. When not prostrated by sickness herself, she went among her less fortunate neighbors, tidying up their sick rooms, and in a thousand nameless ways relieving the despondency of those nearly or quite discouraged. She possessed a very cheerful disposition, and always maintained a hopeful exterior, sympathizing with the distressed, bearing the burdens of those weighed down with grief, and pointing to a bright prospect when the clearings in the woods should be made larger, and the air should be purified from the miasma of decaying vegetation. When the Universalist church was organized in June, 1852, she was a constituent member and maintained her membership there while she lived.

THOMAS J. MARSH.

Thomas J. Marsh, late of the town of Orange, Ionia county, was born in Tyre, Seneca county, New York, February 7, 1812. He came to Michigan in the fall of 1835 to Calhoun county, leaving that section with his brother James and arriving at their new location March 4, 1837. Their choice was on section five, town 6, range 6, Ionia county. On this a shanty about 12x16 was built which sufficed for a shelter till the summer of 1838, when quite a commodious log house was built large enough to have two rooms. In the spring of '38 a sister came on and kept house for the Marsh brothers. James, being a surveyor, left for the west in 1840.

Thomas was married about this time, 1841, to Miss Nancy Crawford, of Seneca county, New York. Several children were born, only one of whom

was a son.

Thomas J. Marsh died Friday, May 6, 1887. His education was obtained at the district school.

LEONARD GOODRICH.

Leonard Goodrich was stricken with paralysis while visiting at the residence of F. Sloan on East Main street, Ionia, for a few days before going, as was his intention, to spend the summer with his son in Dakota. He grew gradually worse, and May 16, 1887, passed peacefully away.

Deceased was born in Rutland county, Vermout, December 29, 1805, and when about 21 years of age moved with his father to Ohio. December 23, 1827, he was married to Jane Standish, sister of the late Hon. J. D. Standish, of Detroit. She died September 17, 1852, leaving, besides her husband,

two sons and three daughters; one son, N. S. Goodrich, of Dakota, and two daughters, Mrs. Henry Taylor, of Minneapolis, Minn., and Mrs. Wm. Butman, of Illinois, still being alive. Mr. Goodrich afterward married Mrs. Henrietta Andrews, of Plymouth, England, who also survives him.

He had resided in Ionia about thirty five years, twenty five years of that period being engaged in the grocery business, in the pursuit of which he made many friends by his uprightness as a man of business, and his daily walk as a man among men. He was for many years a consistent member of

the Baptist church, and a kind and indulgent husband and father.

MEMORIAL.

BY A. F. MOREHOUSE.

David A. Simmons died at his residence in the village of Portland on Saturday evening, October 6, 1883, aged 79 years. Mr. Simmons, with his family, came from the state of New York to Michigan in 1836, and bought land lying on both sides of the Looking Glass river, on sections 9 and 10 in the township of Eagle, Clinton county. By his own labor he soon had a large clearing and a comfortable log house and barn. In those early days. every house on a traveled road was a house of entertainment, and there are yet many among us who remember the Simmons house on the east bank of the Looking Glass river, about five miles east of Portland, on the direct road from Detroit to Ionia. In 1849 he removed to Portland because of its educational advantages to his children. For a few years he was proprietor of the hotel, where the Welch house now stands. After he disposed of this, he was temporarily absent in California for a couple of years, and on his return he opened a jewelry store on the corner of Kent and Bridge streets. Some years afterward he bought his late residence on the west side of Grand river, which he prepared for his home for the remainder of his days.

Mr. Simmons was no politician, and though often importunel to accept local office, would never consent, preferring the enjoyment of private life to the vexations of official position; yet he was tenacious of his opinions of men and measures, his preferences being with the republican party. In his views he was firm and but seldom changed. In his early years he was connected with the Christian denomination, but about four years prior to his death, during the series of meetings held by Rev. Mr. Rowland, his opinions of scriptural teachings were revised, and he accepted in all its fullnes the divinity of Christ, and while his preferences were with the M. E. church, yet as Mrs. Simmons was a member of the Congregational church, he desired to be free to go with her to public service, and did not therefore openly unite with any

denomination. His social qualities were of the first order, and his genial smile was as well known as was his countenance for the past forty years and upwards. He also possessed a fine taste for the beautiful in art and nature and never tired of his examination of them; in this respect his taste was a proverb to all who knew him. For several years past his health had been declining, but on the day before his death he was seen on the streets as usual. On the day of his decease he arose and made a fire in the stove and soon after was seized with a congestive chill, from the effects of which he rapidly sank and expired about 8 o'clock in the evening. Thus as the years roll on, one by one of those first settlers who came here in their early life are, with their locks silvered with age, and revered by their fellow citizens, passing to the endless future beyond, where age knows no years and infirmities unknown.

are

JACKSON COUNTY.

H. H. SMITH.

JACKSON, Mich., June 1, 1887.

To the Corresponding Secretary of the Michigan State Pioneer Society: DEAR SIR-AS vice president of the State Pioneer Society for Jackson county, I herewith submit to the society a report of the deaths of pioneers of this county for the year last past.

James A. Schretter, for the past thirty years a resident of Jackson, died at his residence, June 1, 1886, of a spinal complaint, aged 76 years. Mr. Schretter passed his youth in Poland, but subsequently went to France, thence to America. He was a man of rare intellectual abilities, and for many years gave instructions in the French and German languages. Deceased leaves a wife and five children.

ROBERT ALWARD.

Robert Alward died at 7:30 Saturday night, June 5, 1886, at his residence on Backus street, of old age. The remains were taken to Grand Rapids for interment. Deceased was 76 years old.

DOUGLAS GIBSON.

Mr. Walter Carver and Mr. Irwin, business men of New York, on their way to Chicago, arrived in the city Saturday, bringing some beautiful floral

decorations for the grave of the late Bert Gibson, their old time friend and traveling companion. Yesterday afternoon, June 6, 1886, about 1:30 o'clock, Douglas Gibson, father of the young man mentioned above, and Mr. Irwin called upon Mr. C. R. Knickerbocker, and before coming back, Mr. Gibson attempted to show his friend some of the attractive parts of Jackson, and in doing so, overtaxed himself. As they were going home they met Mr. M. Harmon, and stopped to talk with him in front of B. S. Chapin's residence. Mr. Gibson suddenly took a long breath and dropped on his knees. He was caught in this position by the two gentlemen, who attempted to lift him on his feet again, but he gave only one or two gasps and died. They carried him to W. T. Gibson's residence, 501 South Jackson street.

Mr. Gibson was born at Crown Point, N. Y., 1827, and came to Michigan in 1830 with his father, Amase Gibson, and married a daughter of Albert Howe, who survives him. He was one of the unfortunate firm of Gibson & Western, "interest and deposit" bankers, and, since the failure, has been broken down in health. For some time past his health has seemed better, and only yesterday he was heard to remark that he felt better than for a long time before.-Jackson Citizen.

MRS. BATHSHEBA ORR.

Died at her residence in the village of Concord, of Bright's disease, June 11, 1886, Mrs. Bathsheba Orr, aged 59 years. The deceased was born in England, and, when three years of age came to this country in company with her parents, and first settled in Pennsylvania. At the age of seven years she came to this state, and has since resided in Hillsdale and Jackson counties. At the age of 24 she was married to Lovell Bullock, with whom she lived until his death, which occurred in 1870. In 1875 she was married to Adam Orr, who still survives her. The deceased leaves one child, Mrs. Frances A. Stiles, who deeply mourns her loss.

WILLIAM CAPRON.

William Capron, an old resident and respected citizen of Grass Lake, died very suddenly at his residence in that place on Sunday, June 13, 1886, aged 69 years.

MRS. CHARITY COYKENDALL.

Mrs. Charity Coykendall, of Napoleon, aged 86 years, came to her death Thurday night, July 8, 1886, by falling down cellar. She intended to open her bedroom door to retire for the night, but by mistake opened the cellar door and fell, dislocating her neck. She was an old resident of the town and