Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Smith, Matilda (Canfield) September 11, 1918 ************************************************ 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: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com February 1, 2014, 1:33 pm Belding Banner-News - Wed. 18, 1918 OBITUARY-Mrs. Matilda Smith, Ms. Matilda Smith was born near Boston, Ontario, May 3, 1931. Her father was Rev. Z.W. Canfield. She was married Jan. 22, 1856 to Ansel Smith and came to Michigan to reside in April of the same year. They came as far as Jackson by train and had to come from there to Ionia by stage. They lived in Ionia county on a farm most of the time until after her husband’s death Oct. 1881. She moved to Belding Jan., 1881, and has continued to reside in the same home until the time of her death. She was the mother of three children, James A. Smith, who died Feb. 1915, Mrs. M.L. Osterhout and Mrs. E.E. Chapple. Her health began to fail in Feb. 1911, when she had a severe attack of grippe. For over three years she has been a helpless invalid. She bore her suffering with a marked degree of patience for one who was in pain almost constantly. She was converted at the age of 14 and joined the Baptist church. Mrs. Smith and her husband were charter members of the Baptist church of Belding which was organized in 1875. She had a great love for her church and no task was too hard for her to undertake if she thought it would be a benefit to the work. Her death came on Wednesday morning, Sept. 11. The funeral service was held in the Baptist church on Friday, Sept. 13. After an excellent sermon by Rev. W.A. Biss, based on the text, Ps. 73-24, which was given to him by Mrs. Smith some three years ago, she was laid to rest in Green’s cemetery by the side of her husband. Mrs. L.M. Berry and Mr. Fred Cornell, accompanied by Mr. Orlo Morse sang hymns loved and often quoted by Mrs. Smith. Additional Comments: Mrs. Ansel Smith Green Cemetery – Orleans File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/s/smith23873nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 2.3 Kb