Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Thompson, Chancey Oscar 1911
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net August 20, 2011, 5:32 pm

Unidentified Publication, Feb 1911

Passing Of The Pioneers In Never Ending Procession They Cross

The Confines of Earth to Shores of a County Unknown. - C. Oscar Thompson Closes
a Long and Useful Life Identified With This Community.

C. Oscar Thompson, one of the best know men in Ionia county, whose face and
figure have been familiar since our older residents were boys, passed from
earthly scenes forever, just before noon today.  He has been more or less feeble
for many years but has continued most of the time devoted to business, until
three weeks ago Friday, when he was taken with a hard cold, which later
developed into grip.  There has been so little change in his appearance that the
news of his death is almost as much a shock as if he were in the prime of life.
 The fact is that he was 83 years old - would have reached 84 in August next -
and had been a resident of Ionia county for more than 66 years.

C. Oscar Thompson was born in Genesee county, N.Y., August 30, 1827.  As a boy
he enjoyed much more than average educational advantages, and coming with his
parents to Michigan in 1845, his first occupation was teaching school.  He was
early active in politics, and in 1856 was elected county clerk, serving one
term, and then passing to county treasurer’s office doing the business as deputy
until 1861, when he went to Washington as clerk in the general land office,
later being transferred to the pension bureau, where he remained until the close
of the war.  During the war, he devoted a considerable part of his time looking
after Michigan soldiers, especially those from this section, and his kindness is
remembered with gratitude to this day by those sick and suffering in hospital.

At the close of the war he returned to Ionia, and went into the dry goods
business with E.S. Johnson, in which he continued but a few years.  He had been
in the meantime appointed a revenue inspector, and was for some years deputy
revenue assessor and office man for W. Divine, assessor for the fourth district
of Michigan, the principal office being located at Ionia, where it remained
until the business was concentrated in the collector’s office at Grand Rapids. 
From 1877 to 1884 he was Treasurer of the State House of Correction, then a
salaried office, to which he devoted the main part of his time.  But for forty
years his business has been largely real estate conveyancing and loans.  He held
the business to a large extent of farmers, who had great confidence in his
thorough knowledge and great care as to accuracy.  His long experience and
thorough familiarity in the office work were a valuable asset in this business,
and caused him to be widely known, thus holding the extensive acquaintance in
the county which he seems always to have enjoyed.  

Mr. Thompson was always alive to questions of public concern.  He served for
several years as member of school board, and to his later years always attended
the annual school meetings, taking an active part in the discussions, always on
the progressive side.  He has been active in church work, being officially
connected with the Presbyterian church for a large part of his life.  Personally
he was genial and courteous, with an address that appealed to the good will and
favorable opinion of those with whom he came in contact.

He was married May 22, 1882, to Miss Mary Burgess, who survives, as do two of
five children born to them: Louis, of Ionia, and Cassie, wife of Wyckliffe
Spaulding of Boston, Mass.  

Funeral announcement later.


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