Mecosta County MI Archives Biographies.....Pease, Jerome F. August 28, 1848 - ************************************************ 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: Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 18, 2009, 1:11 pm Author: Chapman Brothers DR. JEROME F. PEASE, druggist and dealer in real estate, resident at Big Rapids, was born in Otisco, Ionia Co., Mich., Aug. 28, 1848. His father, Jerome Pease, was born Feb. 22, 1815, in Enfield, Hartford Co., Conn., and became a citizen of the Peninsular State in 1839. He was married Jan. 29, 1843, to Deborah Ann, daughter of Samuel and Anna Demorest, of Otisco. He was a man of peculiar temperament, developed under the circumstances in which he was reared and fostered. He was by natire ambitious and energetic, and his pioneer labors in Ionia County, with the perpelxities under which he strove to accomplish his life's purposes, culminated in rendering him a husband and father of uncompromising principle. The mother was born July 6, 1821, in Prattsburg, Steuben Co., N.Y., of a family of stainless repute and record. She is one of eight children, all of whom are living and who are wearing worthily the descending laurels of their ancestral virtues. They are, Clark L. Demorest, Mrs. D.A. Pease, Samuel L. Demorest, Lyman Demorest, Mrs. Ezra Satterlee, Mrs. Henry Green, Valentine Demorest and Mrs. Abvram Satterlee. The second son, Samuel L., reached distinction in the service of his country during the Rebellion. He went to the front as a Captain in the 25th Mich. Vol. Inf., performed valiant duty in action, passed through the various degrees of promotion and, before reaching the termination of his meritorious career, displayed the stars of a Major-General. Mrs. Pease was a thrifty and affectionate wife and a judicious, conscientious mother. Three of five children live to honor and adorn her record as a woman and a Christina. Her son, Dr. Pease of this sketch, places upon permanent record his sense of the beauty of her character and unselfish devotion to the best interets of her family. Her children are Sophronia Ann, Charlotte, Jerome F., Sophronia Adele and Deborah. The first named daughter died when a year old; her namesake, third child, died at 19, at the dawm of a promising womanhood, leaving a most precious and beautiful memory. She learned the Christina's hope early in her life, and in her premature death she verified the truth in the words, "Those lives are long that answer life's great ends." She was a member of the Baptist Church. Dr. Pease comes of a long ancestral line of descent in both the paternal and maternal lineage, strongly characterized by almost unparallelled tenacity of life. Four progenitors within his own personal knowledge became centenarians, or approximately so, and a great-great-aunt - Peggy Demorest (Mrs. Van Vranken) - is living in Montgomery Co., N.Y., aged 103 years. The maternal grandmother died of an acute bilious attack when she was aged 84 years. She was recovering her sight and her gray hair was being rapidly replaced by a new growth, with its primal dark color. Dr. Pease was a boy of ardent, anguine temperament, entering early into an understanding of his relations to life and the world at large. His labors as the son of a pioneer and the circumstances which surrounded him, brought upon him the sobriety and apparant amturity of advanced years. At 15, Dr. Pease found himself destitute in a new world, one that demanded of him the best application of all he believed himself to be both in purpose and capacity. His early life had developed in him a dertermination and power of will that acknowledged no ruling element in events, and his active, energetic, hopeful temperament stood him in good stead when occasion demanded their co-operation. He has naturally all the traits of a successful business man, and has met with a prosperity which reflects a large degree of credit upon his abilities. His already generous fortune is the second he has accumulated within 20 years. He possesses to an unusal degree the traits of promptness, shrewdness and perception, is honest and upright in his dealings, and understands with clearness the requisite qualifications of a financier. His moral character is unimpeachible, his habits those of a self-respecting, Christian man. He considers the means he possesses as a trust to secure to those of whom he is interested the comforts and privileges their merits demand. His character is demonstrated by the record of his care of and kindness to the afflicted family of his wife. He has alleviated by every means in his power the burden resting upon them through the disability of the husband and father, and is giving the advantages of education to the two young brothers of Mrs. Pease and guarding the personal interests of all with the same vigilance he bestows upon his individual affairs. In political adherence and action he is a staunch Republican. He possesses a fine sense of the value of mental culture, and acknowledges the supremacy of the world of intellect. He has a keen discrimination in books and finds a high enjoyment in terse poetry. The following is one of his favorite quotations: "Tis toll that over nature Gives man his proud control, And purifies and hallows The temple of his coul; It scatters foul diseases With all their ghastly train, Puts iron in the muscle, And crystal in the brain. The grand Almighty Builder, Who fashioned out the earth, Hath stamped his seal of honor On Labor from her birth, In every angel flowe That blossoms from the sod, Behold the master touches - The handiwork of God!" When Dr. Pease found himself at liberty to enter upon a career in his own behalf, with wise judgement he availed himself of the first opportunity that presented, and engaged with Frank Belding, a neighboring farmer, in whose employ he remained a year. His next service was with the Hon. John Avery, M.D., of Greenville, where he won the esteem of all by his energy and probity. In 1867 he entered the employ of J.M. Fuller, druggist, now County Clerk. In 1871 he came to Big Rapids, where he engaged in the drug trade and practice of medicine, for which he has prepared at intervals during his other engagements. His business was prosperous, and in 1874 he built a store and dwelling-house. In 1876 he relinquished his medical practice on account of impaired health, and spent two years in travel in the Eastern and Southern States, In 1878 he began to operate in real estate, to which branch of business he has since devoted a portion of his time and attention. In 1879 Dr. Pease established a drug business at Gowen, Montcalm Co., which is he still managing. In 1883 he purchased a stock of drugs, located at the corner of Scotten and Michigan avenues, Detroit, where he is doing a prosperous and increasing business. Dr. Pease was married July 29, 1878, to Anna, daughter of M.F. and Caroline (Hill) Gerls, born in Texas, Crawford Co., Ohio, July 26, 1854. Her father was a native of Albany, N.Y. He was a man of shrewdness and capacity, possessed of natural characteristics such as would tend to secure a large degree of public influence; but in 1872, while yet in man's prime, he was stricken with paralysis, and has been a sufferer from its irremediable effects. He was ever keenly alive to, and solicitous for, the best advantages for his children, and made many personal sacrifices to secure for them what he considered substantial benefits. Mrs. Caroline Gerls was born in Sterling, Windham Co., Ct. She possesses the trait of character which in early times made the women of New England historical. Her patience, perserverance and hopefulness are remarkable, and, combined with uncommon mildness and amiability of temper, serve to render her a type of woman worthy of emulation. She has devoted herself with untiring assisuity to the care of her husband and father for the past twelve years, and yielded most unselfishly to the extraordinary demands incumbent upon her. Mr. and Mrs. Gerls have been the parents of five children: Mrs. Eliza West, deceased; Mrs. Ellen Henry, of Sherwood, Mich.; Mrs. Pease; Thomas W. and J. Henry Gerls. The two last named are young men of pure lives, correct habits and unusual promise. The elder is in charge of the business of Dr. Pease at Detroit, the second is occupying the same position at Gowen. Thomas F. Gerls, paternal uncle of Mrs. Pease, is Postmaster at Pontiac, Mich., and is generally esteemed for his sterling traits of character. Henry Hill, brother of Mrs. Gerls, was a soldier in the 25th Mich. Inf., rose by merit to the rank of Captain, and is now cashier of the First National Bank of Greenville. The earliest ambition of Mrs. Pease was to enter the ranks of public educators, and she bent every energy to the achievement of her purpose. She began her career as a teacher in Mecosta County when 14 years of age, and alternated as a student at school and a teacher until she was 19 years old, when she was graduated at the high school at Greenville. She passed eminently creditable examinations and ranked as a superior scholar. Sinc she left school she has been constantly engaged in the pursuit of her chosen vocation, and has made rapid progress in the grade of her position. In 1874 she was Preceptress of a school at Stanton, Montcalm Co., and in 1876 was Superintendent of a school at Howard City. The subsequent four years she taught at Greenville, and in 1881 received her appointment as Preceptress at Big Rapids, where she is doing a work that will result permanently to the advantage of educational interests at that place. Too much annot be said of her as a disciplinarian. Her silent control of her pupils is a marvel to witness, and is accomplished by an innate skill that cannot be described; it is a natural gift possessed by few. Of her work at Greenville, E. P. Church, Superintendent of Schools, says: "She is most excellent help. She posseses skill to impart instruction, is a good disciplinarian, manages pupils easily, is a willing and faithful worker and presents to her pupils the example of a blameless Christian lady in her every-day life. We should be happy to secure her services again in our corps of teachers." The expression is fully corroborated by testimonials from E.F. Grabill, editor of the Greenville Independent, Rev. J.L. Patton, Dr. Chas. Martin and Hon. James W. Belknap, all of Greenville. Prof. J.S. Crombie, Superintendent of Schools at Big Rapids, says: "Her management of the school, and the results obtained from the work done by her, have been exceedingly gratifying. Personally, I would say that I regard Mrs. Pease as a very superior teacher, and one who can guide and control a room in a manner seldom witnessed. At the same time her work is thorough and she succeeds in winning the respect and good-will of her pupils." A partial friend says of her: "It is to be hoped that a long career of usefulness lies before Mrs. Pease. She is a woman of uncommon character and aspirations, which should place her in a fitting sphere to do entire justice to herself and benefit the generation to which she belongs, and in whose interests it is her highest ambition to labor. Her temperament is as equably adjusted as is possible, and her subservience to conscience and religion guides her life in unswerving right. She sways her friends by her firmness, her candor, her toleration and her hopefulness, and her possible influence on the lives of others is always with her a matter of constant solicitude. In their relations to Christianity both herself and husband afford worthy examples. They both became members of the M.E. Church early in life and devote unlimited time and means to furthering the interests of the Church and Sunday-school. A premanent reprint of the features of Mr. and Mrs. Pease may be found on page 446, in connection with this sketch. Additional Comments: 1883 Portrait & Bio Album of Mecosta Co. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mecosta/bios/pease595nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 12.7 Kb