Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Kidd, James Monell 1909 ************************************************ 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 January 7, 2011, 9:50 pm Ionia Daily Sentinel, 6 May 1909; Belding News, 6 May 1909 The funeral service for the late James M. Kidd were attended from the home where he passed away, at 2:30 o’clock this afternoon, and were made free as possible from unnecessary show, in harmony with the quiet life of deceased. Rev. E. G. Lewis, D. D., gave the funeral discourse, and was assisted in the service by Rev. Jas. E. Wilkinson, Ph.D. The remains were given their final earthly resting place in the family lot in Oak Hill, and the carriers were: C.A. Preston, Gregg Williams, Gen. F. S. Hutchinson, H. A. Rich, William Steele and Benj. R. Covert. The business houses of the city were closed during the hour of the funeral, 1:30 to 3:00 o’clock. James Monell Kidd was born in Orange county, New York, November 13, 1813. In 1833 he removed with his parents to Michigan, settling in Oakland county near Pontiac. In 1836 he came to Ionia and soon after engaged in manufacturing fanning mills, which business he followed for many years. In 1845 he purchased a saw mill and tract of pine land on Flat river where Kiddville is, and for twenty years carried on the work. In 1835 he was commissioned by Governor Stevens T. Mason captain in the Fourth regiment of Michigan troops, and was called out during the famous dispute known as the Toledo war, a boundary dispute which was settled without bloodshed. Mr. Kidd has resided in Ionia since 1836 with the exception of the few years which he spent in Chicago. he has been a life long democrat and cast his first vote for president for Martin VanBuren in 1836. He has served Ionia as mayor four terms, being elected in 1876, 1877, 1878, and again in 1881. He was the democratic nominee and member of the legislature in both of its branches. In 1839 Mr. Kidd was married to Miss Jane Stevenson, of Ionia, whose death occurred about thirty years ago. He became a member of the Methodist church in 1871. ---- Hon. James M. Kidd, aged 95 years, and one of the oldest citizens in Ionia county, died at his home in Ionia last Tuesday. Sixty years ago, Mr. Kidd owned a saw mill and general store at Kiddville, that place being named in his honor. For many years he was identified with the hardy, energetic life of the pioneers in this section. He was well known through the Grand river valley and in those early days used to raft lumber from his mill at Kiddville down the Flat and Grand rivers and across the lake to Chicago. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/k/kidd10562nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.0 Kb