Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Cutler, George 1911
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net November 14, 2009, 2:12 pm

Ionia Daily Sentinel, 1 Feb 1911

Death Claims George Cutler

Takes One of Honorable Citizens, Resident of City Since Early Fifties.

Was Active in the Early Welfare of the City – Engaged in the Shoe Business 
Since 1880 – Funeral on Friday.

George Cutler, sr., died at six o’clock this morning.  He had been critically 
ill for the last two years, and his death was not unexpected.  At about four 
o’clock Tuesday afternoon he lapsed into unconsciousness and the end was then 
known to be a question of but a few hours.  All the members of the family were 
at the bedside.  Mrs. James, the only member living out of the city, has been 
at home for several weeks.

George Cutler, sr., was born in Wurtenberg, Germany, June 22, 1833.  Had he 
lived until June, 1911, he would have been 78 years of age.  He spent the days 
of his boyhood in the home of his nativity.  At the age of 21, in 1854, he 
decided that America offered opportunities worth striving for, and that summer 
he landed found himself in New York.  He continued the journey west, and spent 
several years in Washtenaw and Gratiot counties.  Late in the fifties, about 
1858, he came to Ionia county, and about that time the old Detroit & Milwaukee 
railroad was winding its way westward across the state.  Mr. Cutler was one of 
those whose energy and labor helped the project along.  Later he was offered 
the place as agent at the Ionia station, but he did not accept it.  Instead in 
1862 he entered the store of his brother, Fred Cutler, with the idea of 
learning the shoe business.  How well he succeeded is known to Ionians, for he 
succeeded and became one of Ionia’s leading merchants.

Mr. Cutler remained in his brother’s store until 1880, when he decided to go 
into business for himself.  The copartnership of Cutler & Lauster was formed, 
George F. Lauster being the junior member.  The new business was put under was 
on the site of the present Cutler store.  It was a wooden building adjoining 
the old Hackett stores, and burned when that block did.  This did not put the 
firm out of business, however.  The Morganthaler estate put up the new brick 
building, and the Cutler’s have occupied it since.

Ten years ago, Mr. Lauster retired, and was succeeded by Mr. Cutler’s younger 
son, George J. Cutler.  The name of the firm then became George Cutler and Son, 
and remained so until a year or two ago when the founder of the business was 
obliged to give up the active work, and was succeeded by the Cutler Shoe 
company – the two sons, Fred and George continuing the business.

Mr. Cutler suffered a stroke of paralysis four years ago.  Two years later the 
second stroke incapacitated him for business entirely, and he has been at home 
ever since.

In 1859 Mr. Cutler married Miss Katherine Gastler of Wurtenberg, Germany.  The 
couple knew each other in the old country, and she made the ocean trip in 1859 
to Ionia to carry out the matrimonial contract.  The wedding occurred in July 
of that year.

For many years Mr. Cutler was a prominent member of the German Evangelical 
church of this city.  He was one of the men who were active in the work of 
financing and building the modern brick building now standing on West 
Washington street.  In politics he was a republican, and while not particularly 
active, he was always interested in the success of the municipality and that 
the best men should guide its welfare.  He was called up to make a run for 
alderman, and did so, serving efficiently one term from the second ward.

Mr. Cutler was one of the quiet, honorable citizens of Ionia.  The community 
respected him for his loyalty to the city and integrity as a man.  His life was 
one of energy.  He lived in the home, 323 King street for forty years, building 
the house so well known by all friends of the family.  Those who survive are 
Mrs. Cutler and four children, Fred Cutler, jr., George J. Cutler, jr., Mrs. 
Sophia Anderson, of Ionia, and Mrs. Leslie James, of Zanesville, O., who has 
for several weeks been at the bedside to aid in the many cares incident to 
protracted illness.  He also leaves a brother, Fred Cutler, sr., and a sister, 
Mrs. Barbara Lauster, both of this city.

The funeral will be attended from the late residence Friday afternoon at two 
o’clock.  Interment in Oak Hill cemetery.


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