Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Clark, Mary Ann (Spitler) 1905 ************************************************ 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 December 17, 2009, 1:27 pm Unnamed Lake Odessa paper, 1905 Mrs. A.J. Clark Died Early Last Evening Mrs. Mary Ann Clark, widow of A.J. Clark, and mother of Postmaster Frank W. Clark and S.E. Clark, died at the home of her son, S.E. Clark on Thursday evening, March 16, 1905, after an illness due principally through old age, although in the past month she suffered three shocks of paralysis, the first stroke coming about three weeks ago, affecting her right side, and completely paralyzed her whole right side for about two weeks, then she suffered a stroke to her left side, and at that time her right side recovered from its affliction later she suffered a stroke of paralysis of her back, and the end came quickly. Mrs. Clark was born in Crawford county, Ohio, in 1829. She lived there with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Spitler, until married in 1848. Shortly after this union, Mr. Clark came to Michigan and took up 160 acres of land from the government the land then was wild and timber covered, it being the farm now owned by Ora Bachelder, and considered one of the best farms in Odessa township, made so principally by the hard work of Mr. and Mrs. Clark. For two years after their marriage Mr. Clark came to Michigan each spring and worked on his farm at clearing it up and getting ready to move thereon. Then they came to Michigan. Two other Ohio people came to the same neighborhood about the same time and they too took up a tract of 160 acres of forest land, and these four pioneers at that time were almost as one family, as they hewed their homes out of the solid forests, and slowly gathered around themselves the necessities and comforts of life; and curious as it may seem, all have passed away in the last two years, and the results of their coming and their presence is now but a memory. After clearing up the farm, Mr. Clark like many others, got the Dakota fever about the time so many looked upon that land as the promised land, and they sold out and moved to the western state. They lived there until the droughts and hot winds of those times had about consumed their all and then they returned to their old home in Michigan. They then moved to the village of Lake Odessa and spent the remainder of their years here near their two sons, who could look after them and care for them as they were getting old and feeble. Mr. Clark passed away about two years ago, and since that time Mrs. Clark has been living in a part of the home that was formerly owned and occupied by her and Mr. Clark, her son, S.E. Clark, living in the other part of the house where he could be near to see that mother did not want for anything. Mrs. Clark was the mother of five children, all of whom are living to mourn the loss of a devoted and loving mother, they are; Leroy Clark, of Dakota, Frank and S.E. Clark of this village, George Clark of north of town and Mrs. Clark D. Roberts, of Charlotte. Mrs. Clark has almost always enjoyed strong and rugged health, and has known but little sickness. In early life she became a member of the U.B. church until she went to Dakota, and then as there was no U.B. church near her home there, but instead a Methodist society, and she continued with the Methodists when she returned to her old home. She has been a faithful Christian worker, and passed away ready and strong in the faith that she was going to join Mr. Clark in the other world. The funeral will be held on Sunday afternoon from the home and the service conducted by Rev. Isaac Mourer, and her remains will be interred in Lakeside. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/c/clark1708nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb