Vol. 21

Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collection, Vol. 21, 1892

Tuscola County

Contributed by Bonnie J. Petee. Extracted from the book, "Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collection, Vol. 21, 1892."

By W. A. Heartt

Mary Rutherford – Mary Rutherford died at her home in the town of Juniata, June 10, 1891, aged seventy-six years. She was a resident of the county for thirty-five years; a native of Ireland.

Mrs. Betsey Stark – Mrs. Betsey Stark died at her home in the village of Reese, June 1, 1891, aged fifty-one years. She was a native of Ontario.

Thomas Clyne – Thomas Clyne died at Vassar, September 25, 1891, aged fifty-three years. He was born in Ontario, and a resident of Michigan since 1863 and of Vassar since 1867.

Mrs. Matilda Ellison – Mrs. Matilda Ellison died at her home in Juniata, October 14, 1891, aged fifty-seven years. A resident of Juniata thirty years.

Daniel Cram – Daniel Cram died at Woodland, Maryland, October 30, 1891, aged sixty-two. He was buried in Almer cemetery, November 4, 1891.

Henry Decow – Henry Decow died at Vassar, December 14, 1891, aged seventy-seven years. He was a resident of the place for thirty-two years.

Louis Richards – Louis Richards died at the home of his son in the town of Juniata, December 23, 1891, aged eighty years. A resident of the county since 1856 and a native of Quebec.

Marcus Cook – Marcus Cook died at Vassar, while sitting in his chair, January 3, 1892, aged ninety-five years. He was a resident of this county for eighteen years past, having formerly resided at Rochester and Maple Rapids, this State; a man who enjoyed the respect of every one and who at different periods filled many positions of trust and responsibility.

Christian Shadley – Christian Shadley, the first settler of the township of Almer, died at his home in Ellington, January 5, 1892, and was buried in the Almer cemetery, aged eighty-seven years. He was a native of Switzerland and came to American in 1833; settled in Almer in 1852. He was a Mexican war veteran, in the regular service for sixteen years, also in the Florida Indian War.

Mrs. Louisa Whipple - Mrs. Louisa Whipple died at the residence of her son in Caro, Jan. 8, 1892, aged seventy-eight years. A resident of the county twenty-eight years.

David Dearse - David Bearse died at his home in Almer, from the kick of a horse, Jan. 9, 1892, aged seventy-one years. A native of Ontario and a resident of Almer since 1857. He leaves a wife and six children.

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Schroeder, of Caro – Mrs. Schroeder died Sunday, Jan. 10, 1892, aged eighty-three. Mr. Schroeder died Monday, Jan. 11, 1892, aged seventy-four. They were natives of Germany and residents of the county for twenty-seven years.

K.Gibson – K. Gibson died at his home in Juniata, Jan. 11, 1892, aged forty-seven. He was born at Ann Arbor in 1845 and a resident of Tuscola County since 1856. He leaves a wife and one child.

Mrs. Grace Brainerd – Mrs. Grace Brainerd died at Vassar, Jan. 19, 1892, aged eighty-eight years. She was born in Oneida County, N. Y., and has been a resident of Michigan since 1835; occupied the first log house erected in the village of Hartland. She was buried at Hartland, Michigan., beside her husband.

John Thomas – John Thomas died at Vassar, Jan. 30, 1892, aged seventy-four years. He was born in County of Derby, Ireland, June 24, 1817, and came to American in 1838, and located at Ypsilanti, Mich., where he married Miss Lucy Fulton in 1847, moved to the town of Juniata, Tuscola county, in 1867. He was a war veteran of eighteen battles.

James Kirk – James Kirk died at his home in the town of Fairgrove, Feb. 3, 1892, aged fifty-eight years, of cancer. He was born at Antrim near Belfast, Ireland. He came to Oakland county at the age of twenty, and to Tuscola county when twenty-seven years of age. He represented this county in the State legislature at the time of death.

Robert Butler – Robert Butler died at Fairgrove village, Feb. 10, 1892, aged seventy-one years. He was an old resident of the county.

Mrs. Olive W. Selden - Mrs. Olive W. Selden died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Johnson, in Vassar, Feb. 11, 1892, aged eighty-nine years. A resident in Wayne county from 1830 to 1850, and of Tuscola County, in towns of Denmark and Vassar, for forty-two years.

Lovira Hart – Lovira Hart died at his home in Tuscola township, March 5, 1892, aged eighty-three years, formerly from Greene County, New York. A resident pioneer since 1837, or fifty-five years.

Jacob Alber – Jacob Alber died at his home in Juniata, April 11, 1892, aged eighty years. A resident in town for forty-three years. Native of Germany.

Simeon S. Newton, sr. – Simeon S. Newton, Sr., aged eighty-two, died May 1, 1892, while visiting in Illinois. An old pioneer of Arbela township, formerly proprietor of the Buck Horn tavern.

Rev. Samuel N. Hill - The people of the village of Vassar were very much shocked on learning of the sudden death of the Rev. Samuel N. Hill, pastor of the Presbyterian church, who dropped dead while dressing Wednesday morning, January 27, 1892, at his home, which was with his son, Charles C., on West Huron avenue. For some time Mr. Hill had been in feeble health, first with a severe attack of the grippe, and later from the injuries he received from a fall off of a chair on the porch when he was adjusting a door screen. For several weeks, however, he had been able to be out and attend to his usual pastoral and other duties, and he appeared to be steadily regaining his former health. On Monday and Tuesday he complained of feeling rather poorly again, and kept to the house.

Wednesday morning, his son on arising went to his father’s room to inquire how he was. Mr. Hill said he was feeling first-rate, and that he would get up and be down to breakfast. At this Charles left him, and went down to start the morning fire. While engaged in this he heard something fall, and hastened back to find his father partly dressed and lying on the floor, dead, the result undoubtedly of heart failure.

He was nearly seventy-six years of age, always active and energetic in whatever he was engaged, never knowing what it was to have an idle moment. Regardless of self-comfort or the infirmities of advancing years, he was ever searching out some avenue for ministering to the distressed or comforting the afflicted, while at the same time was always on hand to enter into the social pleasures of life, and of those more favored. Of him it can be truly said he was a pastor in word and deed – a friend in trouble, a participant in joys. He was respected, beloved and honored by all who knew him, and his death will be greatly felt by the church and community at large.

Mr. Hill was born in Sawsville, Susquehanna County, Penn., March 15, 1815, his father being a minister. He worked his way through college by his own endeavors, working on a farm and teaching during vacations to pay his way. In 1851 he came to Michigan and preached in Rochester and Troy four years, after which he accepted a call from Birmingham, where he remained twelve years. He came to Vassar in 1867, and occupied the Presbyterian pulpit seven years, or until 1874, when he moved to Ludington. While here, in addition to his pastoral work, he was also principal of the Vassar public schools for one year, and county superintendent of schools for three years, filling both positions with zeal and success.

In November, 1868, Mr. Hill lost his wife, and in July of the same year his daughter, Avis, aged seven, both being buried in Vassar. He remained in Ludington nearly fourteen years, during which time he built up a large and prosperous church. About three years ago he felt the necessity of being relieved of active pastoral work, and came back to Vassar to spend his declining years with his son Charles. About a year or more ago, the Presbyterian society of Vassar being without a pastor, he was induced to once more occupy the pulpit which relation he sustained to the time of his death. His crowning work is shown in the society’s new church edifice, which was nearly completed and stands as a monument to his personal endeavors, more than any one’s else. That he could not have lived to see this work, in which he was so much interested, fully completed, is a matter of much regret to all. The church would have soon been ready for occupancy, and we understand Mr. Hill already had his dedicatory and also his farewell sermons prepared, as he did not intend to preach longer on account of the uncertain condition of his health.

Mr. Hill leaves three sons, I. O. Hill, of Toledo, Charles C. Hill, of Vassar, and William H. Hill, of Chicago. He also has two brothers living, Thomas S. and George W. Hill, both of Detroit. All of the above, and also a nephew, G. W. VanTuyl, of Detroit, attended the funeral at the Presbyterian Church.

Contributed by Bonnie J. Petee

Updated January 30, 1999

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