Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Chase, Frank R. 1928
************************************************
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 August 24, 2014, 9:23 pm

Belding Banner-News, 27 Dec 1928

Major Frank R. Chase, of Smyrna, is Dead!

“Taps” sounded for another of the veterans of the Civil war on Sunday night when
Major Frank R. Chase, aged 89 years, and known as Smyrna’s grand old man,
answered the summons, which was sudden, at about ten o’clock that night and
without a struggle, passed on into the realm where so many of his Civil war
comrades have preceded him.

Mr. Chase had been in the Soldiers’ home hospital at Grand Rapids for two weeks
receiving treatment for varicose veins and a weakened condition.  He went down
there to attend a board meeting of the managers of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home
three weeks ago and after the meeting was over he thought it best to remain in
the hospital for several days and take special treatment.  His stay in the
hospital was lengthened from a few days to two weeks and on Wednesday, December
20th, Mr. Chase was brought to his home in Smyrna, by his daughter, Mrs. Dora
Sheldon, of Ionia.

His condition was reported as much improved and on Sunday afternoon, the editor
and writer, with Ambrose Spencer, cashier of the Peoples Savings Bank, of which
Major Chase was vice-president, went out to visit with the veteran and we spent
perhaps an hour or two pleasantly with him, Major Chase feelingly and earnestly
expressing the great appreciation which he felt because of the fact that we
thought enough of him to come out and see him.  He was looking good and we told
him how we missed him from his accustomed places in town, and elsewhere, and
told him that we would be glad to see him back again.  He said that he was
feeling fine and that he had eaten potatoes for the first time since his
sickness and that he had enjoyed a fine dinner at noon.  “Oh, I’m soon going to
be back with you” Major Chase said and continued with “A man’s a quitter who
gives up and I am not going to give up.”

Shortly after nine o’clock Major Chase retired to his bed room and sat down in a
chair.  As he started to rise, he slumped back, dead.  Mrs. Chase, who was with
him, immediately called Dr. A. B. Panton, but the spark of life, which existed
for nearly 90 years and been fanned by an indomitable will and a strong
constitution, had gone and Major Chase was answering the last grand roll call
and a long and useful life had come to an end.

It seems a strange coincidence that on the day which Major Chase left this city
to attend the last meeting of the board of managers of the Michigan Soldiers’
Home, at Grand Rapids, that he should first visit the Banner-News office and at
that time gave the editor the following account of his life, which we herewith
publish:  

Frank R. Chase was born at Napoleon, Jackson county, Michigan, August 12, 1839.
 October 1844, his parents moved to Smyrna, Ionia county Michigan, which was
then a nameless four corners in the wilderness where his father opened a small
store with a capital of $75, his principal customers being mostly Indians. 

July 1862, Frank R. Chase, the only surviving child of his parents, filled with
patriotism, without the knowledge of anyone, called on Michigan’s War Governor,
Austin Blair, who gave him an order to recruit for the army.  Returning to
Smyrna, he enlisted 114 men in 13 days, within a radius of ten miles of Smyrna,
which had grown to be a village of five stores, a grist mill, blacksmith and
wagon shop and a tin shop.  The enlisted company was assigned as Co. B. 25th
Michigan Infantry Volunteers.

… [See Transcriber’s Note below.]…

Ever since the war closed, Major Chase has been active in the interests of the
veterans of the Civil war and for many years has been one of the best known men
in the Grand Army of the Republic in this state, having held the office of
commander of Dan S. Root Post for many years and also having been honored with
official positions on the state department of the organization.

At the close of service with the government, Major Chase came back to Smyrna,
where he took up again his part of the mercantile business which he was engaged
in with his father.  A short time afterward he went to Warsaw, Indiana, where he
entered business and it was at the place that he married Miss Hattie E. Flood,
daughter of General Martin A. Flood, also of the Union forces.  In 1875 Major
Chase again returned to Smyrna and ever since that time his name has been
connected with the progress and development of the community and the entire county.

He was for years president of the Citizens Light Company and has been for many
years a director and vice-president of the Peoples Savings Bank.

Three children were born to Major and Mrs. Chase, as follows: Dora, now Mrs.
Dwight C. Sheldon, of Ionia, who survives; Carroll F., who died in New York
about two years ago, and Bertha Lou, who passed away at the age of two years. 
In September, 1897, the wife and mother passed away.

Major Chase was again married on June 5, 1910, to Mrs. Ettie A. Trask, who has
been his helpful and considerate companion during the past 18 years of his long
and eventful life, and who, with the daughter, survive.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock from the home
in Smyrna, with Rev. H. S. Ellis, pastor of the local Congregational church,
officiating, and burial was by the side of his loved ones who have gone before
and who are at rest in Smyrna cemetery.

Pallbearers at the funeral were Dr. A. E. Penton, of Smyrna; A. M. Eaves, Wm. H.
Malone, Sumner H. Wilson, Ambrose Spencer and Ed. D. Engemann, of this city.  At
the grave, just before the flower covered casket was lowered Arthur R. Strong, a
bugler, sounded “Taps.”  A large concourse of people was present at the cemetery.

[Transcriber’s Note:  The complete obituary as printed in the newspaper is four
pages long in Microsoft Word.  I have posted the personal/family information;
the remaining information is remembrances by Major Chase of the Civil War.  If
you would like a copy of the file with the complete obit, please contact me.]


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/c/chase27196nob.txt

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

File size: 6.5 Kb