Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan Vol. VI 1883 Eaton County, Michigan Copyright © 1999 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for the use in the USGenWeb Archives. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan Vol. VI 1883 Lansing, Mich. Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Company State Printers 1907 page 270 Eaton County MEMORIAL REPORT BY D. B. HALE Eaton Rapids, June 13, 1883. Mr. Geo. H. Greene, Corresponding Secretary: DEAR SIR, - I send you enclosed such names of pioneers of Eaton county as I have been able to obtain. Some weeks since, I addresses letters to parties in different parts of the county, requesting a list of the pioneers who have died since June, 1882, in their various localities. Only two to whom I wrote have responded. I very much regret I could not have obtained a complete list of such as have endured the hardships of pioneer life, and prepared the way for the comforts and even luxuries guaranteed to the present generation. They are worthy of having their names perpetuated as examples of energy and endurance which may well be honored. I regret that I am not permitted to meet with you on this occasion. I have been looking forward to this meeting with pleasant anticipations, but like all of this world’s promises, we are often doomed to disappointment. Whether I may be permitted to meet with those who shall gather for another anniversary, I know not. How many who shall gather at Lansing on the 13th and 14th of June, 1883, will be gathered with those whose obituaries will be read on this occasion, is a solemn question which possibly may be answered on the occasion of the next anniversary of 1884. May you have a pleasant and profitable gathering; profitable in good cheer and pleasant experiences. Yours, truly, D. B. HALE MRS. MARY ANN KING – died in the city of Eaton Rapids, March 23, 1883, age 72 years. She was born in Pittsford, Vermont, January 27, 1811; was married to Rufus H. King in Lowell, Mass., September 11, 1833, and with her husband settled in Eaton county in 1837. JAMES GALLERY – died in the city of Eaton Rapids, Sept. 23, 1882, aged 65 years. He was born in Caldonia, Livingston county, N. Y., June 1, 1817; came to Michigan in the fall of 1837, and settled at Eaton Rapids. JOHNSON MONTGOMERY – died in the city of Eaton Rapids, May 4, 1883, aged 77 years. He was born in Johnstown, New Jersey, January 1, 1806. He moved to Chautauqua county, New York, with his parents, when a child. He was married to Elvira Dudley at that place, and in 1836 moved to Michigan, and settled in the township of Eaton Rapids. BENNETT I. CLAFLIN – died in Benton, Eaton county, July 17, 1882, aged 72 years. He moved to Benton from the State of New York, in 1837; when this place was but a wilderness. He cleared up the farm on which he lived for forty-five years. LORENZO HALL – died in Vermontville, Nov. 11, 1882, aged 70 years. He was born in Onondaga county, New York, in 1812; settled in Vermontville in 1847. HIRAM J. MEARS – died in Vermontville, January 14, 1883, aged 74 years. He was born in St. Albans, Vermont, December 26, 1808; settled in Vermontville in July 1836. STUART H. PORTER – died in Vermontville, November 8, 1882, aged 62 years. He was born in Niagara county, New York in 1820; settled in Vermontville in the spring of 1844. ALVIRA F. PRAY – (maiden name, Torrey), died February 12, 1883, aged 48 years; was born in Ontario, New York, in February, 1835; came to Windsor, Eaton county, in 1854. SETH REED – died October 29, 1882, aged 64 years; moved to Eaton rapids from State of New York, in 1850. LEMUEL MCINTYRE – died June 10, 1882, aged 57 years; settled in Benton, Eaton county, in 1845; moved from State of New York. MARGARET H. MITCHELL – died in Benton, September 2, 1882, aged 30 years; came to Michigan with parents, when an infant. MRS. LOVINA ROY SMITH – died in Vermontville, Eaton county, May 15, 1882, aged 92 years. She was born in Sudbury, Vermont, Jan. 1, 1790, and settled in Vermontville in 1842.