Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Foote, Charles Henry September 1, 1883
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Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com January 2, 2017, 5:09 pm

Ionia Sentinel - Thursday, Sept. 6, 1883

On the first day of September, inst.,  in this city at the residence of his 
daughter, Mrs. alma T. Foote, Mrs. Charles Foote, at the age of one hundred and 
two years and seven  months. 
                            _____________________
The ordinary notice of a death, or even an extended article, would not do 
justice to the memory and character of the most estimable old gentleman whose 
death is now noticed. He was born at Colchester, Conn., in February, 1781, and 
when nineteen years of age migrated to Mendonia, Monroe county, New York, where 
he resided during most of his life. During his active life he was a farmer, and 
though attending to the cultivation of his farm, yet for twenty-three years he 
was a justice of the peace and as such gave the best of satisfaction; and it 
was even a matter of just pride to him that he never allowed a case that came 
before him to go to a trial if he could prevent it by bringing the parties to a 
friendly settlement. He was for several terms a member of the board of 
supervisors of Monroe county and took an active part in all matters of interest 
to his town and county. His first vote was cast for Thomas Jefferson for 
president in 1801, and from that time he voted at every presidential election 
save the last, from which he was prevented by severe sickness. In politics 
while the old Whig party lasted he was a Whig, but when that party passed out 
of being in 1834 he became a republican and voted for all its presidential 
nominees save Mr. Garfield, whom he would have voted for but for the reason we 
have given. He was always a man of strictly temperate habits and of great 
industry, and to these facts he attributed his almost unbroken good health for 
nearly one hundred years, not seeing a really sick day until he was over fifty 
years of age. After he was 86 year old he, with his own labor, got in eight 
acres of hay and when over 90 worked in the harvest field and boasted that at 
that great age he followed a cradler and raked and bound a hundred sheaves of 
wheat in a little over an hour. Until five days before his death his mind was 
remarkably clear and his memory excellent. When questioned concerning the 
effect of his great age, he declared that though he was physically feeble and 
conscious that at times he thoughts were expressed somewhat slowly, yet 
mentally he felt no sense of the weight of years, but on the contrary when he 
looked at himself within he felt as young as when 25. In disposition he was one 
of the loveliest of men, and through his long life his great aim was not only 
to be in action a kind and neighborly man, but to be in truth a good man. And 
he was such a man in very truth. An estimate may be had of the influence of his 
life and character when it is borne in mind that two of his son, Elias J. Foote 
of Trenton, New Jersey, and C.C. Foote of Detroit, became ministers of the 
gospel, and for years he lived with is son-in-law Dr. C. H. Foote, who died a 
few years ago while pastor of the Presbyterian church in this city. He leaves 
seven of thirteen children and his wife surviving him. He first came to this 
city with Dr. Foote, and has lived here most of the time since. Much might be 
said in view of such a life, which was until almost a century had pass, a 
career of fullest usefulness, but the old father has gone to his rest in 
sweetest peace. He witnessed over one hundred years of his country's growth and 
prosperity. He did his full share and never failed in his portion of the great 
work, and he has died as he lived, a thoroughly good man. 

Additional Comments:
Highland Park cemetery Sect. #6

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