Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Page, Robert Willoughby October 14, 1924
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Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com May 2, 2019, 8:49 pm

Sentinel-Std. - Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1924

                     ROBT. W. PAGE, OLDEST IONIA RESIDENT, DEAD
   Helped Build First Suspension Bridge Over Niagara; Kept Early Ionia Hotels.

After having lived almost a century, Robert Willoughby Page, one of the best 
known residents of Ionia died at 1 o'clock Wednesday morning at the home of his 
daughter, Mrs. Henry Gable, 330 Harter street. Mr. Page, who is better known to 
the children as Grandpa", was born at Fort Hill, Can., February 9, 1828, and 
had he lived until the coming February he would have been 97 years of age.

"Grandpa" Page always delighted in telling his many visitors of seeing the kite 
that carried the rope from the Canadian side to the American sides to get the 
lines for the first suspension bridge across the falls. Mr. Page was in the 
employ of the bridge company during the time of the construction. Many a time, 
said "Grandpa" Page, "I rode from one side to the other in a basket fastened to 
a wire and when the bridge was finished I had the pleasure of riding across on 
the first engine." Many a time, Mr. Page had walked in under the falls.

"Do you know how far it is from Niagara Falls to Detroit, Michigan,"  he would 
often ask his friends. "To be exact," he would say, It is just 229 1/2 miles 
because I helped survey for the Great Western railroad across Canada."

Mr. Page came to Michigan more than a half century ago on the face of his 
father's offer to give him 200 acres of land if he would stay.

Mr. Page is known to many of the older residents of Ionia as having been one 
time an Ionia hotel man, having kept three hotels at one time. He kept the 
Revere house, which stood across the tracks from the Hudson apartments, and 
which is now a part of the Hudson. Mr. Page also kept the Union house, which 
stood where Ogilvie's garage is located. Two of us children were born here. At 
one time Mr. Page also conducted the Sherman house, which is now the Wager 
block.

Mr. Page was always active, and had been able to be about the yard, and a few 
weeks ago, when he fell, always had a garden, and on bright days anyone could 
always find him at work there. 

Mr. Page is survived by four children, three daughters, Mrs. Erma Williams and 
Mrs. Henry Gable of this city, and Mrs. Myrtle Smith of Owosso, and one son, J. 
A. Page, who is connected with the telephone exchange at Saranac.

The funeral will be held from the home of Mrs. Gable, 330 Harter Street, Friday 
afternoon at 2 o'clock. 

Additional Comments:
Age: 96
Funeral: Friday, 17 October 1924
Highland Park cemetery #5-49 (no marker)



b. 9 Feb. 1828 Canada
son of Joshiah Page
marr; 30 May 1865 to Cynthia Eliza (Sweeney)


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