Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Olds, Willard R. 1937 ************************************************ 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 mransom311@gmail.com September 1, 2014, 7:30 pm The Belding Banner, Thursday, September 2, 1937 Belding lost its last surviving Civil war veteran and also the last member of the Dan S. Root post, Grand Army of the Republic, when Willard R. Olds, aged nearly 92 years, passed away at his home on S. Bridge street Tuesday evening at 8:55, following a long period of poor health, the last four weeks of which were severe enough to confine him to his bed for the greater part of the time. Mr. Olds was born in 1846 and when 16 years of age he enlisted in the Union army, joining the service at Saranac. He was a member of the Third Michigan Infantry and was through all of the campaign with Gen. George B. McClellan, taking part in many of the noted battles of the Civil war, including the great conflict at Gettysburg. On November 30, 1863 he was captured by a force of Confederates and was marched, along with other prisoners, to the infamous Andersonville prison where he remained for a period of 17 months, suffering all the torments and tortures which the luckless inmates of that dread institution had to undergo. The prison was just being constructed and Mr. Olds and the Union prisoners with him were among the first to enter the place. Of the 7000 Union men to be placed in notorious Andersonville, only about 1000 survived and Mr. Olds was one of them and reputed to be the youngest survivor of Andersonville. After being released from prison Mr. Olds was sent to Detroit where, on June 24, 1865 he was honorable discharged. He made his way from Detroit to his home at Smyrna, on foot and often remarked that people were none to ready and willing to give the returning soldiers a lift with their horses and buggies in those days after the war. On October 18, 1868 Mr. Olds was married to Gertrude Russell of Otisco township. Two children were born to the union, Elma, who died many years ago, and Robert Olds, of this city, who with two grandsons, Clayton Steele of Grand Rapids and Marion Steele of Detroit and a granddaughter, Miss Carmen Olds, of this city, survive. In 1903 Mr. Olds came to Belding and established himself in the greenhouse business, having his business at his home, 415 S. Bridge St. He remained active in this work until 1921 when he retired. For a number of years he served his people as alderman of the third ward and was considered by a large majority of the people as one of the best and most conscientious officials ever to serve the community. Mrs. Olds died last May, after a short illness and after having given tender care to her husband and while the veteran’s health had been poor prior to the death of his wife, it was noticed to take a more rapid decline after her passing and during the past few weeks, those who attended him saw that he could not last a great deal longer and the end came peacefully at 8:55 Tuesday evening. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home of A. L. Cichy, corner of Alderman and E. Congress streets, Friday morning at 10 o’clock with Rev. Glen Weimer, pastor of the Congregational church officiating. Burial will be by the side of Mrs. Olds in Otisco cemetery. Due to the fact that Comrade Willard Olds was a former councilman in this city, Mayor E. V. McNally and city officials have decided to close the city hall during the service hours of his funeral Friday morning. The flag at the city hall will be at half-mast during the forenoon. A grand old man has passed to his reward, one who was not only loyal to his country but to his town, neighbors, and friends. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/o/olds28285nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb