Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Howe, Willard 1919 ************************************************ 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: Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net August 29, 2010, 8:59 pm The Belding Banner-News, Wednesday, September 24, 1919 “Wid” Howe, aged 86 years, well and familiarly known and liked by practically everybody who ever met him during his more than a half century of living in this community, died suddenly at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Chickering, south and east of the city, Friday forenoon at about 11:30 o’clock. He had not been sick at all up until the time that he entered the Chickering home and asked Mrs. Chickering to prepare him some hot drops to relieve the terrible pain which he was having in his chest. Before Mrs. Chickering could open the cupboard door, poor old Wid Howe, everybody’s friend and general favorite, had slid to the poor—dead. Mr. Howe was born in Sandy Creek, N.Y., on July 4th, 1834. He lived there until he was about 20 years old and then came here. He was married at Sandy Creek on November 29, 1856 and soon thereafter he brought his bride to this section, settling at Orleans. After living here for a time they went back to New York but finally decided that Michigan would suit them all right and they returned, this time settling over in the Smyrna neighborhood. From here Mr. Howe worked at his trade of mason and plasterer for many miles around and but few of the old homes which are still standing, but the plaster was stuck on the walls by him. Getting around the country as he did gave him a very wide acquaintance and this was widened still more through the fact that he was one of the very few “fiddlers” in the country and of course, whenever a dance was proposed or planned, Wid Howe had to be hired up and officiate as music maker. Wid had a violin which he used at these dances and other good old time amusements which he had carried with him for more than 60 years and which he just recently disposed of. A fife, which he had used ever since he was a boy was still among his possessions when he died. This fife he used publicly for the last time when he appeared with the little band which furnished the martial music in the Labor Day doings recently. In 1892 Mr. Howe’s wife died and he went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Will Ellis. After her death he made his home with his nephews, Levi and Zala Howe, of Orleans and he could have had a good home with them had he so desired, but his restless spirit him on the go and he would be best suited when staying with one friend one night and with another the next night and so on. His nephews, Levi and Zala and Frank Howe have looked after him with money and taken other care of him and this together with an occasional sale of salve, which he had made for years back, kept him comfortable and apparently contented until his death. On Thursday he arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Emory Chickering and he remained over night with them. Friday morning he went on to Roswell Chickering’s and waited for Arba Face, the rural mail carrier, with whom he wanted to ride into the city. Mr. Face happened to get past….(portion illegible)….home and went through into the kitchen where Mrs. Chickering was at work. He told her that he had terrible pains in his chest and asker her if she would get him some hot drops to relieve them. She at once went to the cupboard and was just reaching for the medicine when she heard a queer noise in back of her and turning saw Wid blindly scratching at the door casing. She thought that she had better assist him to a chair and as she took hold of him, he sank limply to the floor, dead. Mr. Chickering came into the house and together they laid him upon the couch, and tired to restore him, but it was of no use, he had died when he sank to the floor. His remains were brought into the city and prepared for burial at the Miller & Harris Furniture Co. undertaking rooms and many people came to pay their last respects to an old friend who they had known as a brother for many years. On Sunday the remains were taken to the large west store room and at three o’clock that afternoon the funeral was conducted by Rev. B. W. McKibben, assisted by Rev. A. L. Haywood and the large concourse of people who gathered to attend taxed the capacity of the large double store and every available place was taken. After offering prayer, Rev. McKibben gave a funeral sermon. Mable Palmer, Mrs. John Palmer, A. H. Barden and Guy Glazier, of the Orleans M. E. church choir, sang several beautiful selections and then all that was mortal of Wid Howe was taken out to the Belding cemetery and laid at rest beside the wife who had preceded him into the better land many years before. Mr. Howe had always loved children and scarcely ever that he would come into a home but that he would have something for the little folks. When he died his pockets contained two pocketbooks with several dollars in money, and a certificate of deposit, his watch, some other trinkets and a large apple which he had undoubtedly placed there to give to some child that he would meet. His greatest pleasure was in turning out music to make other people happy and this had been his main occupation during the past few years. He was a musician of no mean ability and his old time playing was always sure to draw a crowd of listeners when ever he got out the old fiddle or fife and turned it up. Surviving him are his nephews, Levi and Zala Howe, of Orleans and Frank Howe of this city. Two grandchildren, Byron Ellis, of Detroit and Mrs. Gladys Dutt, of Lansing, also survive. Four great grandchildren also survive. They were all present save the Detroit and Lansing people who met with a serious accident on their way here and were unable to get through in time for the funeral File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/h/howe9005nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb