Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Rich, Hampton 1900 ************************************************ 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: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net January 30, 2010, 1:26 pm Ionia Daily Standard, 8 Nov 1900 The Passing Of A Prominent Pioneer. Close of a Life Most Intimately Associated with the Early Growth and the Business, Social and Moral Development of Ionia. Another link that binds the living present with the past is broken. In the death of Hampton Rich passes forever from earthly sight one of the most notable figures associated with the early history of Ionia. Perhaps not one of all the strong men of the group prominent in the formative period of this community exercised a stronger general influence, or was more generally esteemed for high qualities of character than Mr. Rich. He stood in the front rank in business enterprise and in the promotion of every project calculated to promote the growth of the town, and he was especially prominent and influential in all the movements intended to promote the moral welfare of the city. Of late years, he has passed from public view, but he is recalled most clearly and remembered with sentiments of affectionate esteem by early residents generally. Hampton Rich was born in Sharon, Addison county, Vermont, December 1, 1815, and was the son of Samuel and Mary (Bailey) Rich, both natives of Vermont. His father was a member of a family still prominent in that part of the country; one of his brothers, Charles Rich, having represented Vermont in Congress from 1820 to 1824. Mr. Hampton Rich was named for General Wade Hampton, under whom his father fought in the War of 1812, and for whom he cherished an ardent admiration. Mr. Rich’s parents removed, during his childhood, from Vermont to St. Lawrence county, New York, and afterwards to Prescott, Canada. Here his father died in 1825, leaving the support of the family to the devoted wife and mother, who lived until February, 1856. Hampton Rich received a common-school education at Prescott, after which he attended, for a short time, an academy at Ogdensburg, New York. His father’s death having left the family in poor circumstances, he was early obliged to leave school and obtain employment. The first position he obtained was that of clerk in a dry goods store. He evidenced such an aptitude for business that, at the age of nineteen, he was entrusted with the sole charge of the large mercantile establishment of Averill & Hooker, at Kemptville, near Prescott, and retained the position for over two years. Then, at the solicitation of Mr. Warner, who had opened a general store at Ionia, Michigan, he left Canada to engage in his employment. He entered Ionia on foot and alone, - the horse, which he had intended to ride from Detroit, having given out on the journey, - and at once applied himself to his business. He remained with Mr. Warner about three years. In 1846 he engaged with Mr. Edward Stevenson in the boot, shoe, and clothing business, and continued with him until 1853. At this date he opened a general merchandise store, being associated with W. D. Arnold most of the time, under the firm name of H. Rich & Co. until 1875, when he retired from business. Mr. Rich was not only active and prominent in business, but equally so in politics. As early as 1838 he was elected town clerk, and held the office several years. For six years he was justice of the peace, part of the time combining the office with that of town clerk. In 1841 he was elected county clerk, and was honored by re-election in 1846. He also held the office of supervisor for two years. He also served four years as state senator, ’66-’70. He was a delegate in the national convention that nominated Lincoln in 1860. In 1864 Mr. Rich took an active part in the movement to build a railroad from Ionia to Lansing. During his term as senator he secured the legislation necessary in the promotion of this enterprise. Upon the organization of the Ionia and Lansing railroad company he became its first president, and retained that position for some time, performing the double duties of president and treasurer, until its consolidation with the Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad. In other public matters Mr. Rich always showed the keenest interest, and his energy and influence were the means of greatly advancing the growth and beautifying the city. He was particularly active in school matters, serving seven years as president of the board, and personally looking after the erection of the Central school building. He was active in securing the railroad shops for Ionia. He helped secure the location of the State House of Correction at Ionia, and was chairman of the commission to locate and adopt building place for same, and also chairman of the commission to suprerintend the construction of buildings. He served as president of board of managers for some years, and was afterward president of the asylum board. He was also a leader and liberal contributor for the building of the fine M.E. church, of which the city has always been proud. In fact, no worthy public enterprise ever lacked his hearty and effective support during the many years of his business activity. Mr. Rich was married Nov. 12, 1840, to Jessie M. Stevenson, who died July 14, 1860, leaving four children, who are still living. In 1862, Mr. Rich was married to Mrs. Charlotte Dygert, of Utica, N. Y., who survives him. For two years, Mr. Rich has been with his children in Chicago, helpless from paralysis. During all this time, his thoughts have turned often to Ionia and the friends here, with something of a ‘homesick’ feeling, and he has never lost interest in those with whom he has worked so long, and whose friendship he so greatly treasured. Mr. Rich was of a deeply sympathetic nature, and no one in distress appealed to him in vain. His generosity was not a matter of speculation; he delighted in extending a helping hand to those in misfortune. At the request of the Standard, a long-time resident of this city, associated closely with Mr. Rich, writes the following: “No resident of Ionia county has contributed so much as Hampton Rich to its development in material and moral prosperity. “Having known him since 1844, and of his influence in the county from that time until his retirement from active life, I think I can measure the result with a fair degree of accuracy. “In passing through the streets of our city in the last decade he may have felt that a generation had grown up that “knows not Joseph” – but to the men and women who built up the town and country Hampton Rich is remembered with the highest respect and esteem. Many of the farmers, who were the earliest settlers numbering scores and scores came to the county with but little else than land and teams, were indebted to him for long continued credit that enabled them to clear up their farms, and without him the improvements would have been long delayed. The firm of Rich & Stevenson with James M. Kidd as silent partner, and afterwards Rich & Arnold kept a general supply store where nearly everything was kept that the farmer needed – his family and hired help were supplied with all things needed and very frequently two and three years would pass before payments were made. The Kelseys, Benedicts, Halls, Hoyts, Kitsons, Dildines and hundreds of others were enabled in this way to make a competence out of the wilderness. “Many incidents might be given showing in how many and various ways he has helped the deserving needy and encouraged the ambitious young man to nobler aims and higher purposes. To me and I believe many another young man he has been a model. When a boy in Ionia I thought (as I still think) that of all of the business men here, he came the nearest to my ideal of true manhood. Of good and correct form, manly and erect bearing, moral character above reproach, habits free from criticism, and a nature kindly and generous to the last degree, he was in every way worthy of the highest esteem. “During more than forty years of his life in Ionia he was a leader in every enterprise of public utility and private benevolence. “He contributed freely to the building of every church in Ionia and to the railroads coming to the city, and until fortune smiled unkindly upon him, no widow or orphan was neglected. Of his contemporaries in business in the early forties in the county, I believe that Captain James M. Kidd, his brother-in- law, is the only survivor. “The city and county in its development was highly honored and benefited by the presence and activity of Hampton Rich.” The funeral services took place at the M.E. Church at 10 o’clock this morning and were largely attended. The floral tributes were abundant and very beautiful. The following is the program observed: Hymn, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” Quartette; Scripture Reading, Rev. A. P. Moors and Rev. Dr. Buell; Prayer, Rev. Dr. Barnes; Addresses, Rev. Dr. Barnes, Rev. L. E. Lennox, Rev. Washington Gardner; Hymn, “Lead Kindly Light,” Quartette; Address, Rev. Dr. Buell; Prayer, Rev. Dr. Buell; Hymn – “Bye and Bye,” Quartette. The quartette was composed of Miss Pearl Freeman, Mrs. H. J. Horrigan, Miss Mabel Scotford and Miss Greta Benedict, with Mr. Eugene Smith at the organ, and the selections were, of course, admirably rendered. The addresses related to Mr. Rich’s personality and his life work. They were full of tender feeling and high appreciation of his character and the good work he had done for those whose lives had come in contact with his own. No higher tributes could be paid than the utterances of these ministers of the church, who had been so closely connected with him, and received inspiration from him in the good work to which their lives are devoted. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/r/rich2756nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 10.2 Kb