Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Stevenson, Margaret E. (Kidd) 1911
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Unidentified Publication, 1911

Mrs. Margaret E. Stevenson

Funeral attended at Stanton, Burial in Highland Park

The funeral for Mrs. Margaret E. Stevenson was attended at 8:30 o’clock this
morning at the home of her son, Mayor M.W. Stevenson, in Stanton.  The early
hour was necessary that the remains could be brought to Ionia on the morning train.

The service was attended by many friends of the family there, as well as
relatives.  Rev. William Weidenhoeft, pastor of the Stanton Congregational
church, conducted the service.  The bearers were the sons, M.W., J.K., Frank T.
and Wm. K. Stevenson.  Immediately following the service the remains were taken
to the 10:20 Pere Marquette train, arriving in Ionia at 11:20 a.m. and taken to
Highland Park cemetery, for interment in the family lot.  The burial service
here was given by Rev. G.W. Moore, pastor of the Ionia Church of Christ.

The death of Mrs. Stevenson removes one of the oldest pioneers in Ionia county,
and except her sister, Mrs. Elsie Jennings, who is 84, is the last of the family
of eight children among whom were James. M. Kidd, Thomas Kidd and Mrs. Mary
Miles, who have also passed away within the last few years.

The remarks by Mr. Weindenhoeft were a worthy and kindly tribute to the
deceased, referring to her many good qualities and conscientious life in the
following brief address:

Margaret E. Kidd was born in Montgomery, Orange county, New York, March 12,
1825.  She came to Oakland county, Michigan in 1830 at the age of five years,
and moved to Ionia county in 1841, at the age of sixteen years.  She has resided
there for the unusually long period of seventy years.

Mrs. Stevenson was married October 9, 1847, at the age of 22 years to Edward
Stevenson.  Her surviving children are Mrs. Mary E. Crinns of Fort Wayne, Ind.,
Frank T. of Ionia, James K., of Marquette, Morris W., of Stanton, William K., of
Ionia.  Hampton E., died three years ago last August.  Two children died in
infancy.  Her husband preceded her into the spirit world 24 years ago last January.

Her sister, Mrs. Elsie Jennings, of Ionia, who is now 84 years old, is the only
surviving member of her family and is here today.  There are nine grandchildren
and one great grandchild.

Mrs. Stevenson joined the Disciple church in Ionia forty-seven years ago.  She
was an active worker in that church as long as she was able, and until she was
past seventy years of age.  She has a record that I do not suppose there is one
member in this congregation who knows of another person who has such a record,
and that is that she lived in the one and self-same house in Ionia for a period
of fifty-four years.  She has been in Stanton a little over three months, and
she was eighty-six years old the twelfth of last March.

Mrs. Stevenson’s life covers a period of time during which she has seen Ionia
and Montcalm counties developed, and she has contributed more than her share of
activity in the growth and progress of these counties.

She passed away to her reward last Monday morning, April 3, 1911, at three
o’clock, her demise having been brought on by the general breaking down which
comes with advanced age, her mind being perfectly clear up to a short time
before her departure. 

It seems to me that among her many good qualities and the one which stands out
above the rest is that faithfulness in all the relationships of life, as she
understood it, and as she had grace given to her to exercise it.  She obeyed the
command, “Be faithful unto death.”  And because she obeyed the command, she is
now enjoying the fulfillment of the promise joined with the command, “and I will
give thee a crown of life.”  In a sense that promise was fulfilled in her even
while living, for she enjoyed a long life, and it is now fulfilled in the
spiritual sense.

Our lack of faith often stands between us and our higher responsibilities.  Many
things tempt our fidelity, comfort, aggrandizement, pleasure, position,
property.  This mother turned a deaf ear to all these, giving her first
attention to the kingdom of God, and the home which He has given her.  Living in
one house 54 years is an illustration of a magnificent characteristic of
faithfulness.  The eye of faith sees a higher world and other things than you
can see with the eye only.  Faith recognizes the ministry of sorrow.  Our path
grows more solitary as we advance.  Hers did, having but one sister left.  The
call is to be faithful until death; the duty, to be discharged continuously
until the call is heard; the reward, “I will give thee a crown of life.”  She
was faithful, she did her duty and the promised reward is hers.  Christ brought
to light these truths, conquered death, and said, “This day shalt thou be with
Me in Paradise.”

Among the relatives who accompanied the remains to Ionia were M.W. Stevenson,
wife and son, Mrs. Mary Crinns and Archie Crinns, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; F.T.
Stevenson and family; James K. Stevenson, of Marquette and W.K. Stevenson, Mrs.
Hampton Stevenson and daughters, of Shelby; Mrs. Arthur Hemingway, Mrs. Elsie
Jennings, also Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Wright, and Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Spencer, who went
to Stanton this morning.



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