Kent County MI Archives Obituaries.....House, James W. April 6, 1914 ************************************************ 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: Laura Groom Littlekug@aol.com October 4, 2005, 9:08 am Rockford Register 9 Apr 1914 Rockford Register, 9 Apr 1914, page 1: WAS ONE MAN AMONG A THOUSAND OTHER. James House of Edgerton had No Bad Habits at All. HAS A LONG LIFE OF GOOD DEEDS. Early boyhood days spent with the Indians at Plainfield. In the death of "Uncle" James House, who passed away Monday evening at his home in Edgerton, the community there loses a good citizen and a man among a thousand in many ways. He was a man who never had an enemy and who was always a friend to everybody. He never used tobacco in any form and, though brought up when the country was new and whiskey almost as free as water, he never used that or any other strong drink. In all the 57 years that he and Mrs. House had lived together as man and wife they never had the slightest semblance of a quarrel and each one recognized the other's peculiarities and habits so that there was none of the little differences that so often come between a man and wife. They were truly lovers all the while. Mr. House was born in the town of Barry, Orleans County, NY, August 20, 1835, making him nearly 79 years of age at the time of his death. His parents settled in the township of Plainfield in 1834 and his early childhood days was spent among the Indians who lived near his father's place in large numbers. He was a great friend of the original Americans and learned to readily speak their language, at the same time acquring many of the habits of their people. He was present and saw the great decisive battle between the Snakehead Indians and the Chippewas, in which Snakeheads were completely beaten. This battle occurred in 1837 and just a half mile north of where Plainfield is now located within one mile of the House residence. December 25, 1847, he removed to Algoma with his father who purchased a sawmill and ran it 17 years. He was married June 30, 1857, to Miss Calista Shaw and to them were born four children, three of whom are now living. Some time later Mr. House purchased a farm of 100 acres west of Edgerton and many a hard days work as spent in clearing this piece of land into a good farm. Many of his early days were spent among the rivermen of Rouge and Grand rivers and he was known as a good lumberman. He also helped in building the G.R. & I railroad through this part of the country, helping also to build the stone bridge across the creek at Edgerton. All the stone used in this structure came from the farm of Mr. House and were hauled and the most of them handled by Mr. House himself. Besides these he loaded many cars of stone at Edgerton for Grand Rapids. For the past 29 years he and his wife have been residents of Edgerton where he has taken life a little easier after many years of hard work. He has suffered a great deal from rheumatism during the past few years and it was only his strong constitution and mind that kept him up when other men would have given up the fight. It was only during the past 2 or 3 weeks that he was confined to his bed and during the past week there were several times that he was thought to have passed to that other world but would rouse up and be like his old self for several hours. He was conscious to the last and talked of meeting his family and friends in that better land. He is survived by the widow, one son, Andrew House of Algoma, two daughters, Mrs. George Tompsett of this place and Mrs. Morningstar of Grand Rapids. Besides these there are 3 grandchildren, Roy Morningstar, Mrs. Maude Peterson and Mrs. Alta Alveraz and 5 great-grandchildren. The funeral was held from the late home yesterday, Rev. D.E. Birtch of Coopersville officiating and the remains were laid to rest in the Rockford Cemetery. Rockford Register 16 Apr 1914: James W. House. At the request of the family, the following has been added to the obituary of the late James House. The funeral was held from the Methodist church at Edgerton, Rev. D.E. Birtch officiating. Mr. Birtch took his text from the gospel of St. Peter, 1- 13 and the subject was "The Conditions of Hope,"Life's race well run, Life's work well done, Life's crown well worn, Now comes rest." Besides the widow and three children, Mr. House is also survived by four sisters, Mrs. Laura Hoadley, Mrs. Clara Bishop, Mrs. Arzilla Brown and Mrs. Addie Tryon. "In the hour of pain and anguish, In the hour when death was near, Suffer not ourhearts to languish, Suffer not our mouth to fear; And when mortal life is ended, Bide us on thy bosom rest, Tell, by angels band attend, We awake among the best." CARD OF THANKS: We wish through the columns of this paper to thank the many friends and neighbors who assisted so willingly in the sickness and the death of our beloved husband and father and also for the many floral offerings. Mrs. J.W. House, Mrs. George Tompsett, Mrs. H. Morningstar and Andrew House. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/kent/obits/h/house371gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 5.4 Kb