Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Bretz, Valentine 1886
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net January 9, 2010, 10:17 pm

Ionia Standard, 18 Jun 1886

Valentine Bretz was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, Sept. 5, 1830, and died in 
Odessa, Ionia county, Mich., June 11, 1886.  He was the son of David and Fannie 
Bretz, and was one of a family of ten children of whom four are still living.

His early life was spent on his father’s farm in Ohio.  In 1855 he was married 
to Miss Sarah A. Telford, of Ohio, who survives him.  There have been seven 
children born to them, of whom five are still living.
Two years after his marriage he removed to Ionia county, Mich., and settled on 
the farm where he died.  He enlisted in the 21st Michigan infantry, August 6, 
1862, and served with his regiment until the close of the war.

Comrade Bretz was a good true soldier always at his post of duty and with no 
spirit of complaining at the hardships endured.  At the battle of Stone river 
he received a wound in the face, a ball or buckshot entering his nose and 
remaining lodged in his face until last winter, when sneezing violently the 
ball was discharged from his nose.  This would was the primary cause of his 
sickness and death.  He has never been in good health since he came home from 
the army.

There were six of his comrades members of his company, who accompanied the 
corpse as bearers, all that remain of a band of nineteen that went out 
together.  

As a citizen and neighbor, Bro. Bretz was held in great esteem, and was loved 
and respected by all who knew him.

He had filled the office of supervisor and clerk of his township with fidelity 
and honor to his constituents.  He was a stirring and ardent republican in 
principale, yet in action he was very considerate and was of the conservative 
order of men.  He was always a strong advocate of temperance.

As a Christian man his influence was felt in his pure and exemplary life.  He 
was a faithful and respected member of the M. E. church and has contributed 
largely in the building of the church at Bonanza.

His funeral was largely attended; many of the members of the G. A. R., and also 
of the F. & A. M. societies were present.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/b/bretz2350nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 2.6 Kb