Obituaries for John and William Slack, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by Janna Hall. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ___________________________________________________________________ FUNERAL FRIDAY FOR JOHN SLACK Retired Mail Carrier Died Tuesday Funeral services for John Slack, 67, retired rural mail carrier who died Tuesday, (November 24, 1941) will be held in the Bad Axe residence Friday at 2 p.m. and in the Bingham Free Methodist church at 2:30 p.m. Rev. Irwin Hoose, pastor and Rev. A. W. Augsbury, Free Methodist pastor here, will officiate. Burial will be in the Valley cemetery, Ubly. Mr. Slack had been in ill health for some time of heart trouble and suffered a slight stroke about three weeks ago. He is survived by his widow; a daughter, Mrs. Arnold MacCallum, Owendale; a son, William Slack, Detroit, and four grandchildren. A daughter, Mrs. Florence Van Norwick, died two years ago. He was the last of a family of nine. Mr. Slack was born near Ubly Oct. 24, 1874. After graduation from Ubly schools in 1893, he took a special teacher's course and then taught three years in Lincoln township schools. After spending the winter of 1898-1899 in Montana, he returned to this vicinity and engaged in painting and decorating work except for one year when he was organizer for the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he made the best record of any worker in Eastern United States. In 1904, he became substitute rural letter carrier of Ubly postoffice and in 1905 regular carrier. He was transferred to Bad Axe postoffice in 1916 and served here until he retired in 1935. He was a member of Bingham Free Methodist church 28 years and had held several positions on the official board. WILLIAM SLACK INTERRED MONDAY Pioneer Resident of County, 82 Expires in Home Friday Following Stroke William Slack, 82, retired farmer and resident of Huron county 69 years, expired at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27 (1936), in his home here. Mr. Slack's death followed a four day's illness which resulted from a stroke suffered Monday night, Nov. 23. Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Monday from the home and at 2 p.m. from the Free Methodist church. Rev. H.E. Leminger, the pastor, officiated, and burial was in Colfax cemetery. Mr. Slack was born April 17, 1854, in Durham township, Ontario, and came to Bingham township with his father in 1867. He married Miss Lucinda Jenkins June 11, 1876, and they observed their 60th wedding anniversary last June. Purchase of Farm Shortly before his marriage, Mr. Slack drove a horse and old-fashioned sulky to Port Crescent and bought the farm he owned in Sheridan township. He paid $2.50 per acre for the land, turned in his horse and sulky on the down payment, and walked home carrying the harness. In order to get to Port Crescent, he had to go by way of Verona and Huron City, as the territory north of Bad Axe was swampy wilderness. Mr. Slack engaged early in the carpentering business. He helped build the Catholic church in Ubly 51 years ago and built a lot of homes in Bingham township. He moved to Bad Axe in 1916, and it was his custom to walk eight or nine miles out in the country to go to work. He would rise early enough to walk the distance in plenty of time, and would walk back home at night. Mr. Slack A Lumberman In the early logging days, Mr. Slack was also a lumberman. He was engaged for some time as a log-runner on the Cass and Pinnebog rivers. Surviving are Mrs. Slack, seven sons, Andrew, James, and Hazen, all of Detroit; Herbert, Grand Rapids; William, San Francisco; Frank, Ubly; and Warren, Bad Axe; two brothers, John, Bad Axe, and Enoch, Fontana, Calif., and one sister, Mrs. Hannah Abell, Kalispell, Mont. Out of town people who attended the funeral were Fred and William Taylor, Burford, Ont.; Mrs. William Elliott, LaSallette, Ont.; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Norwick; Flint; Russell Knaggs, Deckerville; Ira and Miss Sarah Little, Carsonville; Mrs. Alex Simonson, Sandusky; Rev. and Mrs. M. Voorhees, Snover and Rev. and Mrs. A. A. York, Grand Rapids. ***************** Slack, -- William, was born in Derham Township, Ontario, Canada, April 17, 1854, and died at Bad Axe, Michigan, November 27, 1936. In 1876 he married Lucinda Jenkins. To this union were born twelve sons and one daughter. He is survived by his widow, seven sons, one daughter, and other relatives. Brother Slack was a wonderful man - a member of the Free Methodist Church for more than fifty years; always faithful and loyal to the principles of the church. He was twice a member of the General Conference. The writer conducted the funeral, assisted by others. Burial in Colfax Cemetery. --- H.E. Leininger. ****************** dz