Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Phelps, George F. 1911
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Ionia Daily Sentinel, 6 Mar 1911

G.F. Phelps Died Sunday

Pioneer Groceryman and Has Been in Business More Than Thirty Years.

Has Been Confined to Bed for Six Weeks But His Condition Has Been Improving – 
Stricken With Sinking Spell Saturday night.

The death of George F. Phelps, one of Ionia’s pioneer business men, occurred 
Sunday morning, at 3:30 o’clock at his residence on West Main street after an 
illness lasting about six weeks.  Mr. Phelps had been steadily improving during 
the past few days and his condition on Saturday was very favorable.  His 
recovery was looked for.  Saturday evening he was stricken with a sinking spell 
from which he failed to rally, his death following in a few hours.  Heart 
trouble was the cause of death.

Mr. Phelps has been engaged in business in Ionia since 1876 and was one of the 
best known and most enterprising of its merchants.  Always pleasant in manner 
and honorable in his business methods, he gained the esteem and friendship of 
all with whom he was thrown in contact.  He was born in Cayuga county, New 
York, December 22, 1839.  In 1869, he came to Lenawee county where the parents 
of Mr. Phelps both died.

George F. Phelps clerked for a firm in his native county and later attended 
Plattsburg academy.  In 1874 he came to Ionia county and for two years was 
engaged in business at Muir.  Then he came to Ionia.  At Hudson, Michigan, Mr. 
Phelps was married to Miss Carrie E. Moore.  Mrs. Phelps, with two sons, 
Morrison, of Ionia, and Will, of Detroit, survive.  There are also two 
brothers, Charles, of Spring View, Nebraska, and William, of Grand Rapids, and 
a sister, Mrs. H. T. Thomas, of East Tawas.

Since being in Ionia, Mr. Phelps has been engaged in the grocery business.  
Only a short time ago he removed from the store where he had been for many 
years, to the store vacated by Mr. Hearsey, and which he remodeled into a 
thoroughly up-to-date store building.

The firm name has been George F. Phelps & Son for many years, Will being 
connected with the firm until he left Ionia, when his place was taken by G. M. 
Phelps.

A year ago Mr. Phelps entertained a group of the business men of Ionia at his 
home in honor of this thirty-third anniversary as a business man on Main 
street.  Mr. Phelps is the third one of that party to die, being preceded by 
O.S. Tower and C.A. Preston.

Mr. Phelps has always been affiliated with the Presbyterian church, being a 
member of the board of trustees.  He has served on the board of aldermen and on 
the school board.  He has been the republican candidate for mayor of the city.

Mr. Phelps started in business on South Second street when he first came to 
Ionia, bur very soon removed to West Main street, where the Hutchins grocery is 
now located.  He also had a branch store in the east end of the city.  

His business career in Ionia has been marked by an earnest attention to 
business and a uniformly courteous treatment of his customers.  Through these 
methods he has built one of the most successful business houses in Ionia.

The funeral for Mr. Phelps will be attended Wednesday afternoon from the 
residence at 2:30 o’clock.


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