Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Wagar, Humphrey R. 1916 ************************************************ 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 August 21, 2011, 6:42 pm Unidentified Publication, Aug 1916 H.R. Wagar Was Pioneer Merchant of Michigan and Later Prominent Lumberman Headed Electric Company Ionia, Aug. 11 - H.R. Wagar, former mayor of Ionia died at his home here this morning. He had been ill for several months, but had been confined to his bed only since the latter part of July. One week ago he underwent an operation for bladder trouble. Mr. Wagar was born in Summit county, Ohio, June 4, 1835. When twenty-one years of age he came to Michigan and in 1857 went to Lyons where he eventually started in the mercantile business. In 1860 he sold his business there and removed to Muir, where he again started in the mercantile business. In 1870 he embarked in lumbering being, extensively and actively interested in the larger lumbering operations in this section and also in lands in Alabama, Washington, Wisconsin and Arkansas. At the time of his death he had large lumbering interests in the west and south and had a great deal of real estate in Washington, D.C., where for many years both he and Mrs. Wagar had spent their winters, returning to their home here only for the warm summer months. Mr. Wagar was married to Miss Ophelia E. Libhart in 1859. Seven children were born, three of whom, Ernest E. Wagar of Washington, D.C., Fred L. Wagar of Mobile, Ala., and an only daughter, Nellie, now Mrs. Walter Peterson of Detroit, are living. In 1879 Mr. and Mrs. Wagar and family moved to Ionia, Mr. Wagar being connected with many of the business ventures of this city. For some years he had been president of the Ionia Water Power Electric company. He served the city as mayor and it was largely due to his efforts that the first paving was done. ---------- Funeral For H.R. Wagar Largely Attended This Afternoon From The Residence. Tribute to the memory of one of the leading citizens of Ionia, and to a man prominent in its history and civic improvement, was paid by a large assembly of friends and relatives, city officials and business men of the city at the funeral services for H.R. Wagar this afternoon at 3 o’clock. Among the profusion of flowers and floral pieces, tokens of the esteem and respect in which deceased had been held, was placed the casket of copper. The service at the house was the simple yet impressive ritual of the Blue lodge of the Masonic order. There was no music. The guard of honor was chosen from the Ionia commandery No. 11, Knights Templar, and was comprised of L.N. Olmstead, H.A. Rich, L.P. Essick, Walter T. Smith of Ionia and Wayne Douglas of Muir. The Knights Templar acted as escort of 35 or 40 members of the Blue lodge accompanying the body from residence to the mausoleum at Highland Park. The Blue lodge conducted the services at the grave. A testimonial of respect was given at 3 o’clock at the factories in the city, when the several thousand employees of the different factories stood at attention for five minutes. The closing of all the banks of the city after 3 o’clock and of several business establishments from 3 to 4 o’clock were last honors to the memory of one who had taken an important part in the history of the city, as a citizen and an official. Among those from out of the city to attend the funeral were J.H. Ruel, H.D. Kelly, Frank Strong, L.E. Morse, Delos Mills, Harry Mills of Lyons and C.J. Rumsey, N.B. Hayes of Muir and other friends and relatives. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/w/wagar16672nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb