Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Otto, Stephen  1898
************************************************
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 June 30, 2012, 7:32 pm

The Lake Odessa Wave, Friday, September 9, 1898

Stephen Otto, the subject of this sketch was born in Woodland, Mich. April 12, 
1855, and when ten years of age he moved with his people to Kalamazoo county, 
where he lived for some time.  On August 30th, 1878, he married Hannah Smith, 
of Orange, who died seven years later, leaving to the fathers care two small 
boys, William and Olof, who are now living, aged respectively 19 and 14 
years.  Mr. Otto’s mother, Mrs. John Otto is now living in Sebewa with the two 
sons, on the farm owned by her son Stephen, and keeping house for her 
grandchildren, while the father of the boys was in Cuba fighting the battles 
of his country.  Three brothers, Hiram, of Orange, John, of Big Rapids, and 
David, of Ionia, and one sister Mrs. Delilah Eger of Remus, Mecosta county, 
are still living, and followed the remains to the last resting place in 
Lakeside cemetery.  

Stephen Otto had survived bye campaign before Santiago, and was returning home 
to his family and friends when disease and hardships of war made it necessary 
for him to have medical care.  He reached Montauk Point with his regiment, the 
34th Mich. Volunteers, and was sent to the Presbyterian hospital in New York 
city where he died Sunday evening, September 4.  

The funeral was held from McCartney’s hall, this forenoon and was attended by 
the members of the G.A.R. in a body, the band, several members of his company 
from Ionia, and one of the largest crowds of people ever at a funeral in Lake 
Odessa.

Subsequent Publication:  Friday, September 16, 1898

Stephen Otto, who enlisted in Co. I, 34th Mich., from Lake Odessa, died at 
Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point, a week ago Sunday.  Otto was in an invalid’s chair 
being taken to a Red Cross building just as President McKinley was on his way 
to the train after a visit to the camp.  Some one told him Otto would like to 
shake hands with him.  He went there, shook his hand warmly and said to him 
kindly and heartily, “I hope, my good man, you’ll soon get well.”  Otto was 
the last man the President spoke to on the camp ground.  He appreciated the 
trouble the President had been to to speak to him and spoke of the incident 
several times before he died the next day.  Otto was buried at Lake Odessa 
last Friday, and a part of Co. I attended the funeral.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/o/otto18445nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 2.9 Kb