Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Kilbourn, Freeman 1909
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net January 7, 2011, 9:52 pm

Belding News, 2 Dec 1909


Old and Respected Pioneer of Otisco Township Passes to That Bourne Whence No 
Traveler Returns

Again, we are called upon to pay tribute to the passing away of an old friend 
and neighbor, one of the pioneers of our township.  The spirit of Freeman 
Kilbourn took its flight from earth through the gates eternal, Friday evening 
at seven o’clock, November 26, 1909.  In the passing away of Mr. Kilbourn, the 
family have lost a kind and indulgent parent, and the neighbors, a respected 
citizen.

Freeman Kilbourn was born March 12, 1823, in the township of Sheldon, Wyoming 
county, N. Y., where he lived with his parents and worked on his father’s farm 
until he was twenty-one years of age.  He then came to Otisco township, Ionia 
county, and purchased from the state, eighty acres of wild land which has 
nearly ever since been his home.  After remaining here one year, he returned to 
his former home in New York, where on February 25, 1846, he was united in 
marriage to Miss Cynthia Joy.

In the spring of the next year, the young couple came to Michigan with the 
intention of making for themselves a home from the piece of wild land he had 
purchased.  His brother, Jeremiah, and wife, who had preceded him here, a few 
years, made them welcome in their home until, with ax and saw, Freeman could 
build a rude cabin for himself and wife from the forest trees.  In this rude 
home they lived while together they labored and suffered the privations and 
hardships of early pioneer life.  They lived to establish through their united 
efforts, the beautiful farm home which we now see, and now that they, each, 
have laid down life’s work, we can say: “verily the world is better for their 
having lived,” and they have been benefactors of the human race.  To this union 
two children were born, Edgar, who lives on part of the homestead, and Mrs. Wm. 
Sparks, who passed from earth life last January.  The demise of Mrs. Kilbourn 
occurred March 29, 1903.  Ten grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren 
survive.

Funeral services were held at his late home on Monday, November 29, at ten 
o’clock in the forenoon.  Foster & Ritter taking charge, and Rev. Edrie 
Collins, pastor of the congregational church in Belding, officiating.  Mrs. J. 
E. Ferguson sang appropriate selections with Miss Elizabeth Abbot presiding at 
the organ.  The interment was in Smyrna cemetery by the side of his wife.


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