THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR, Bulletin of the The Sebewa Center Association, Bulletin of The Sebewa Center Association, December 1973, Volume 9, Number 3    
 

1973 MOSTLY BEHIND US

     Approaching the end of 1973, though our primary effort is recalling significant and some other things of interest of the past, it would hardly be cricket not to acknowledge that we have lived through a thing or two in 1973.

     Without attempt to plus or minus the affairs, we list Flight of Sky Lab, Watergate, Resignation of Vice President, U.F.O.’s flitting, Military overthrow of governments of Chile and Greece, the Arab-Israeli War in the Middle East, attempt at recall of 5 of 7 County Commissioners on a zoning issue and finally the thing that may be felt the most—the energy crisis as a shortage of fuel.

     If 1974 does no more than take care of the leftovers of 1973 it should be an unusually interesting year. 

THE 1976 BICENTENNIAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

     If you can sufficiently get the weight of events off your back, it is time to begin thinking and planning an appropriate celebration of this nation’s bicentennial—our survival for 200 years  after declaration of independence from Britain.

     The centennial in 1876 was celebrated primarily as the Philadelphia Exposition in which people from all over the country flocked to Philadelphia by railroad excursion to see the marvels of the time as exhibited by the various industries, states and foreign governments.

     The bicentennial celebration is planned to be local in character and what we have will be what we make it.  It deserves something more than plug hats and hirsute display. 

MOVING?  CALL THE MOVERS?  NOT EXACTLY IN 1916.

In Grayden Slowin’s story of Joe Wenger in following pages he mentions that Joe returned to his father’s farm in Caledonia in 1916.  At the same time Amos Wenger moved from that farm to one he bought in Nashville.  Here is the account of the move, moved from that form to one he bought in Nashville—a distance of less than 40 miles by today’s map.  But it was a two-day trip and a major undertaking in those days.  His daughter, Fern Hawblitz of Nashville tells of it as the most memorable event in her life.  The cattle, chickens, household furnishings, dishes packed in barrels, and wife and small children were loaded on railroad cars for the forty mile ride.  On foot, one team driven by Amos was hitched to the farm wagon containing all the farm machinery and hand tools.  The second team was hitched to the grain binder, the only “large” machine and driven half the distance the first day and spent the night with brother-in-law, Johnnie Brake, west of Lake Odessa at Pleasant Valley.  The second day’s journey took them far into the night to reach their destination.  Today we glide the 45 miles to a meeting in Grand Rapids in 45 minutes without even hurrying! –Grayden Slowins 

A SEQUEL FROM THE PHILIPPINES

     Last issue’s letters from the Philippines prompted Grayden Slowins to remember a letter written from there in the same period by his great uncle, J. N. Wenger, who is now 95 years of age and living at Caledonia.  He is one of the few yet living who participated in that after-the-Spanish-America-War event in the Philippines.

     Following is the letter and Grayden’s account of his visit with Mr. Wenger last September:

                                                                              “Calamba, Lagun, Philippine Islands

                                                                              January 28, 1903”

Mr. J. F. Brake

Dear Bro. & all:

     I received your letter about a week ago and will try and answer it now.  I am well and hope these few lines may find you all the same.  Tell Elwood and Mable that I think their gifts very nice and thank them very much for them.

     You will notice by the heading of my letter that I have changed places.  Am at a little town on Laguna De Bay.  It is apparently about the size of Caledonia.  But I should judge the population to be about three or four times as great.  The Philipinos are packed in all around us.  Wish you could be here for just one day to see their habits and manner of dress.  I am of the opinion you would look some if you should see a bunch of Filipinos as they appear here.

     Well I suppose you have on all the felt boots, overcoats, etc., that you can find now.  I like to get rid of all the clothing I can to keep cool during the day.  At night it is just cool enough for comfort.  But it will be warmer in several months from now, so that the nights will warm up some too.

     Jan. 31 – Well I didn’t get my letter finished the other day, so will finish this morning.  I took a trip up the line the other day to see a sick horse or rather an injured one.  It was to a place about ten miles from here called Santo Tomas.  It looks a little wild out in the country.  It is all mountains out that way.  The Filipinos are pretty submissive at present.  I went out in the spring wagon and the Filipinos along the way were all saluting me, thinking I was an officer.  Of course I returned the salute and let them keep right on thinking so.  I did not see the horse as it had been taken to a place about ten miles farther out.  So I had a nice pleasure trip.  A little red tape you know makes lots of such occurences in the U. S. Army.  Will close for this time.  Yours as a Bro.  J. W. Wenger

     September 18, 1973.  Today I visited for several hours with my great uncle, Joseph N. Wenger, DVS at his farm near Caledonia, Michigan.  The following is a brief history of his long life.  He was born on the same farm where he lives today on September 2, 1878, the 5^th of all children born to Christian G. & Lovina Nogle Wenger.  The family were Swiss Mennonites whose ancestors came to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1927, thence to Wayne County, Ohio in 1854, to Waterloo County, Ontario in 1855, to Elkhart County, Indiana in 1857, and finally to Kent County, Michigan in 1864.  Christian Wenger was a farmer and Mennonite minister.  This remarkable generation of 11 children, all born before 1900, almost all managed to get some advanced education and there were 2 medical doctors, 1 Ph. D.,  2 teachers, 1 mining engineer, 1 doctor of Veterinary Surgery, 1 farmer, and 1 farmwife.

     Joe Wenger completed the 8^th grade at the nearby Holy Corners country school.  After several years with his father on the farm, he attended for 1 year, 1900-01, at the Kunky Veterinary College on Grand Rapids’ West Side.  The following year he transferred to Western Veterinary College in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated in 1902 at the age of 24.  At that time most Vet. courses were 2 years, although another college in Kansas City went to a 3-year course that year.  Some did not even require a State Board examination to be licensed.  The course at Kunky College was actually the best.  There was no veterinary course offered at M. A. C.

     The day he got home from college, he received in the mail his contract to serve as a civilian Vet. with the U.S. Army in the Philippines at $100 per month, a good wage in those days.  He had signed up for 2 years, but actually served a little longer—spring 1902 to summer 1904.  Veterinarians were attached to the Quarter-master Corps.  The Army officers couldn’t order him how treat, but could hinder his work.  I am not familiar with horse ailments, but the principal problem was a tropical disease called “Surry”, not found in the U. S.  It caused a high temperature and a blood test showed “wigglers” under the microscope.  There was no cure.  Treatment consisted of confirmation tests, isolation and slaughter to prevent the disease spreading.  This was where red tape caused needles suffering.  The disease originated in China.

     Joe was stationed at various places around Manila with the occupation forces.  A dozen men went from his Vet. College class.  The fighting has ended on Luzon in further south, the fighting continued for years.  There were many tribes with different languages, who often could not understand each other.  But all spoke Spanish, the language of their long-time captors.

     After his return from the Philippines in the fall of 1904, Joe owned Vet. practice in the Fremont-Grant area of Michigan until 1916.  Then he purchased the home farm at Caledonia.  In 1921 Joe advertised discontinuance of Vet. practice, because of too much interruption of farming to unhitch and go on a call.  Then in 1941 the old Vet. in town died and the next day Joe had a full practice again.  His six sons were now old enough to handle the home 80 and 80 acres of rented sheep land.  He had also been Caledonia Township Supervisor for 14 years during the Depression.

     After resuming Vet. practice he continued until age 80, when he retired because of his wife’s ill health.  He continued to operate the home 80 acres, although the sheep had been sold due to worm problems when he lost the rented pasture.  At age 90 he put a new roof on the double corn crib and sold 20 acres to the golf course next door.  Today the rest of the 80 acres that he paid 7,000 for is work $1,000 per acre, but he will stay put.  At age 92 he quit smoking pipe, cigars, and chewing tobacco, not for health reasons, but because he hated to clean up the butts and ashes and wondering how his late wife had stood it all those years.  He was 88 before he was treated by a doctor other than his brother.  Today at 95 his only complaint is a slight imbalance when he stands and walks too quickly.  “Haven’t bothered a doctor with it, just step sideways for a minute and it corrects itself.”

     Who says he is retired at 95?  When I went out to the pickup to leave, I heard a familiar “baaaa”.  Out behind the barn I saw a dozen white-faced ewes and a Suffolk ram.  I had thought it strange that he could quote me the exact price my lambs were selling for.  As I have often found, there is no such thing as a retired sheepman! ~ Grayden Slowins.

SUNFIELD AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY

     Selections from local items sent to the Charlotte Republican Tribune from Sunfield:

     January 6, 1899.  The new Liberal U. B. Church is nearly enclosed.  Dr. Morgan of Grand Rapids was recently located here in practice with headquarters at G. L. Hampton’s.

     Three of the convicts who broke jail at Ionia stole a horse and buggy near Portland and drove to Sunfield where they left the rig in an open field near the slaughter-house.  Later in the evening they entered Jum Mead’s house two miles and a half south of town, stole his best clothes and also Peter Kiblinger’s.  They burned their own in the stove and left going east.  Sheriff Jordan of Ionia caught them next day near Mulliken.  Mr. Mead went to Ionia and got the clothes.     

January 12, 1899.  Sunfield Sentinel—Nathan Peabody is circulating a petition to resubmit local option to an election.

January 19, 1899.  Sunfield.  The Free Methodists are holding a series of revivals here.

     The Radical U.B. Aid Society meets with Mrs. Frank Cogswell January 18.

     New mail route from Danby to Sebewa then to Sunfield.  Mr. Bidwell made his first trip Monday. 

February 9, 1899.  Sunfield.  Nichol and Bascom have both of their ice houses filled with very choice ice.

     The G.A.R. boys have the stone and sand on the ground for a new hall.

     Mrs. T. J. Spencer was buried last week.  H. D. Gavin preached the sermon.

     The U. B. people are waiting for weather to moderate so they can plaster their new church.    

February 19, 1899.  Sunfield.  Fred M. Daniels again on the dray for Knapp & Sons.

     The thermometer registered 24 degrees below zero February 12.

     The creamery company is harvesting their ice crop for the coming season.

     We now have full telephone connections between Sunfield and Charlotte.

     R. N. Wilson, formerly of this place, has been appointed poorhouse keeper for Ionia County.

     New furniture made to order and old furniture repaired and all kinds of upholstery done by D. W. Knapp.

     The sawmill whistle will soon be heard and the mill will run steady as the proprietors have purchased 100 acres of heavy timber in Sebewa of O. S. Tower.  No white horses but the cash every Saturday night.

February 16, 1899.  Woodbury.  Many are suffering from frozen noses, ears and fingers—the dudes mostly. 

February 23, 1899.  Sunfield.  Postmaster J. H. Bera, was in Charlotte Tuesday on business.  John Palmer and J. A. Childs went to Grand Rapids last week to hear Bryan speak.

     Two Sunfield boys, Lewis Allen and Clare Murphy were among the volunteer nurses for the Philippines. 

     Mead Bros. of Grand Ledge have bought out Meyer’s bazaar stock and will open up in the first door east of E. H. Deatsman’s on Main Street.  They are artists and will enlarge pictures.

     Mr. and Mrs. Henry Cramer, who live one mile north of Sunfield, have probably the longest period in which the domestic graces have held sway over any one household in this section.  They were born in Maryland in 1816 within 16 days of each other and were married in 1835.  They lived in a time when railroads were unknown.  Mr. Cramer was a slave owner but freed them.  Mr. and Mrs. Cramer are enjoying reasonably good health.

March 2, 1899.  Sunfield.  H. U. Meyers is remodeling his jewelry and millinery store.

     Mrs. Dr. F. F. Willey is visiting her son, Guy, of Grand Rapids.

     Dewey Castle commenced work Monday for Knapp & Sons as liverymen.

     Mr. John Smith, the blind musician, of Ionia, was in town last week selling perfume.

     Quite a number of Radical U.B. attended the Quarterly Meeting at the Troub Church Sunday.   

March 16, 1899.  Sunfield.  Dr. B. F. Willey has bought out Dr. E. M. Snyder and takes possession April 1.

     The incorporation scheme has failed but not until it had attained quite a notoriety.

March 23, 1899.  John Palmer took in 7,000 bushels of grain in 7 days.

     Will Meyers has moved to Grand Ledge.  He will work in the tile factory.

     After a disagreeable squabble, Sunfield is incorporated and the first village caucus was held Monday evening when the following ticket was nominated:  President J. H. Bera.  Clerk R. M. Bascom.  Treasurer J. Bowers Peabody.  Assessor Amos Huelett.  Trustees for one year E. H. Deatsman, John Wolcott and J. A. Childs.  Trustees, two years F.F. Lemmon, Alvin Hyde and T. E. Stinchcomb.   

March 30, 1899.  C. J. Strang was a visitor in the village Tuesday.

April 20, 1899.  Sunfield.  The village ordinances take effect April 20.  Dr. Peacock has located in the rooms over J. A. Child’s store.

May 4, 1899.  Woodbury.  Thomas Crapo has returned from Tennessee and is living with his son, James.

May 18, 1899.  Mr. W. H. Benedict of Vermontville who was sheriff of this county in 1865-66 has a vivid recollection of Charlotte when it was a hamlet of only ten or twelve houses and in speaking of those times the other day he mentioned having often picked strawberries in front of what is now the Williams House and being in a reminiscent mood, he took up the matter of the first newspaper printed here.  It was in 1843 a man named Johnson decided to launch THE EATON COUNTY BUGLE.  There were no railroads and any sort of rapid transit was then a thing of the misty future.  But eventually an old time hand press and a few type were received.  The Bugle had been designated to print the tax list and the day was approaching and no paper came.  Finally something had to be done and the publisher went to the only store in town, a log addition to the Eagle Hotel on the present site of the Phoenix and bought up the little wrapping paper he had and then gathered from the houses all the scraps to be found and on these the first edition of the Bugle was printed.  It was a paper issued under discouraging conditions but the seed seems to have been very well planted and from it in the course of time came the Charlotte Republican, which still remains as a monument to the enterprise and energy of Mr. Johnson of the Bugle.

June 1, 1899.  West Sunfield.  Sunfield has eleven churches, four of which are in the village and seven in the country.

     Marriage licenses.  Frank Mapes, 23, Sunfield; Ellen D. Bishop, Hoytville.

July 6, 1899.  Woodbury.  William Martin has the mail route to Ionia for the next four years.

July 13, 1899.  Sunfield.  New sidewalks are being built every day.  Wellfare and Kimball have started a new meat market.

     Rev. Baker and family are on a two week’s vacation and visit at Flushing.    

August 24, 1899.  Woodbury.  Edna VanHouten lost her pocketbook containing over a dollar in money at the Sunfield picnic Thursday.

August 31, 1899.  Sunfield.  W. J. Ramsey has the job of building the town hall for Sebewa Township.

September 28, 1899.  Sunfield.  Charles Cole is the new section foreman on the railroad here.

     The new planing mill and feed mill in connection is the latest for this place. 

     Rev. McNish will preach his farewell at the new U. B. Church next Sunday.

     Walks are all the go now; Main Street first, Washington Street all get a dose.

     Our high school is progressing nicely and the several teachers are giving the best of satisfaction.  There are 23 foreign scholars upstairs.

     Marriage license.  September 28, 1899.  Richard C. Lenon, Sunfield – Minnie M. Sherrard, 17, Sunfield.

November 2, 1899.  Sunfield.  Huelett Bros. are building a coal shed at the grist mill.  Palmer Bros. have shipped five carloads of apples to Chicago.

     The heating apparatus is being put in the new U. B. Church.

     The printing office was moved Saturday to the Bascom building.

     Sunfield is the champion bean market in Eaton County.  About 10,000 bushels have been bought in three weeks.

     The U. B. Conference is over and Rev. Flickenstaff is located at Sunfield and Rev. McNish at Woodland.

     The protracted meetings at Sebewa Corners closed Sunday with the Quarterly Meeting.  About 30 have been converted.

     The S. W. Grinnell Post have just received two cannon from the arsenal in California to decorate the grounds in front of their hall, the best in Eaton County, Charlotte included.

November 9, 1899.

     The new wire and switchboard will be put in this week.

     Born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Aungst on Thursday, a son.

     Boxing and shipping is the order of the day at the apple dryer.

     The council elected Warren West as city marshall Monday night.

     The new marshall is repairing the little building in the grove for a jail.

     E. Smith has moved into the shop just vacated by D. W. Knapp on Main Street.

November 30, 1899.  Sunfield.  Dr. Morgan was in Grand Rapids Saturday.

     The new jail is completed and ready for the unruly.

     George Meyers has opened a harness shop in the village.

     There are 30 non-resident pupils in our high school.

     E. H. Deatsman & Co. bought five tons of poultry last week.  E. H. Deatsman has laid a temporary sidewalk on Second Street.

     The Radical U. B. Quarterly Meeting last Sunday was largely attended.

     Sunfield is the largest marketplace for old iron between Detroit and Grand Rapids.  There are three large dealers here who have shipped nearly two hundred tons this fall.

December 7, 1899.  Sunfield.  The new jail received two victims last week.  Marshall West is O. K.

December 14, 1899.  Sunfield.  Frank Linhart is working on the railroad again, pumping at Clarksville and Sunfield.

     A new boiler has been added to the creamery this week increasing its capacity materially.  The Masons are plastering their Fridley building this week.  Another needed improvement at the creamery—a new coal shed.

     Miss Lottie Bliss, who has been at the sanitarium at Kalamazoo for treatment, has had a uterine fibrocystic tumor removed that weighed 46 pounds.  She is doing nicely and hopes are entertained of her complete recovery.  The tumor is of such unusual size and formation that it will be photographed.

January 5, 1900.  Sunfield.  G. A. Creaser, D.G.R.W. Agent is going west on a vacation and will visit his brother in Dakota.

     A. B. Barker’s harness shop burned Thursday night.  But little was saved but there was an insurance of $600 on the stock.

January 18, 1900.  Sunfield.  The Railroad Company’s fence gang is here repairing fences.

     The Quarterly Meeting of the Liberal U. B. Church will commence next Saturday at 2 o’clock.  Services Saturday evening, Sunday morning and evening.  Presiding Elder W. D. Stratton of Grand Rapids will be present.  J. A. Flickenstaff, Pastor.

February 1, 1900.  Sunfield.  The work of the large hoop factory in connection with the stave mill will commence in a few days.  The plant, when complete, will employ 50 men.  Superintendent Mulliken  or City of Mulliken, “All your staves will have to wear Sunfield hoops.”

     The district Quarterly Meeting of the Free Methodist Society was in session Saturday and Sunday.  It was largely attended.

April 12, 1900.  Sunfield.  Meda Meyers is learning the millinery trade of Miss Leonard.  H. Knapp and Son are having their store papered.  D. W. Bastion did the work.  D. W. Knapp was appointed dog warden for Sunfield Township at the meeting of the Town Board Saturday.

     The Handy Wagon Company drew a large crowd Saturday afternoon and evening.  Three entertainments have been given during the past two months.

      Mrs. Addie Weaver is building a kitchen and bathroom on her house.

     Main Street is beginning to present a fine appearance.  Marshall West is a hustler.

     There are six less dogs in Sunfield Township as their owners refused to pay the tax.

July 5, 1910.  Teachers in Sunfield School:  Thomas Green, Principal, Olivet College, 4-year, Susan Frith, assistant; Primary to be filled.

August 23, 1900.  Sunfield.  Emmet Van Antwerp is ill again.

     Remember the Farmers’ Picnic and ball game August 23.  There are 70 men employed in the hoop factory.  John Benedict is working for Fred Brooks in the barbershop.  There are three new telephone lines in Sunfield including the long distance phones.

     700 tickets were sold for the ball game two weeks ago and about the same number Saturday.  Closely contested games are played here every Saturday. 

     Remember August 23, the date for the Farmers’ Picnic here.  There will be two ball games—the first played by played by the Bissel ball team of Grand Rapids and the second by the colored Columbian Giants.  They will be the best games played in Eaton County this year.

September 20, 1900.  Sunfield.  Rev. Bunker of Freeport comes to this place for the Radical U. B. Church this year.

     A hotly contested ball game between Hastings and Sunfield Saturday resulted in favor of the latter by a score of 4 to 3.

November 22, 1900.  Sunfield.  Four more years of prosperity in sight after the election of McKinley and Roosevelt.

     The cider mill has closed for the season.

      The equalizer arbor and bolter were both broken at the stone mill Saturday.

December 6, 1900.  Sunfield.  The F.P.M.R.R. distributed new heavy steel rails last Sunday through Sunfield.

      Emory Southwell has opened a blacksmith shop in the old Fred Skinner building.

     Rev. Weldon made his appointments Sunday on foot on account of the extremely bad roads.

     W. B. Bera has an unusual smile all on the account of the arrival of a new boy last week.

     Guy Dunbar and Floyd Sprague left for the north woods last week.  They expect to remain all winter.

March 1, 1910.  Members of the Sebewa Grange presented “The Old New Hampshire Home” at the Portland opera house Saturday evening to a fair house.  The inclemency of the weather kept scores of people away for the Granges in this section had planned to give the players a royal welcome.  Sickness of one of the players proved some handicap but the amateurs did themselves credit.  Of course there were some of the amusing things that always appear in amateur performances but taken all in all the production was good.  The play had been put on in several places in an effort to raise money for a Grange Hall.  The show in Portland added a little to the fund.  PORTLAND OBSERVER. 

KOHOUTEK NOW—HALLEY’S 1910

     The world has been alerted to expect a rare astral scene in December and January when comet Kohoutek intercepts the planetary orbits of the solar system in a bright display.  Already we are told it may not be quite so bright as we were first led to believe.  In 1910 similar publicity led to expectations beyond reality for the appearance of Halley’s comet.  A search of the Portland Observer files for 1910 gives these reactions to the famous comet.  Halley’s comet has a predicted reappearance for 1985. 

PORTLAND OBSERVER, May 24, 1910.  There is evidence that Portland people were not afraid of the comet.  In all the exchanges (local newspapers) we noticed that conscience stricken people were rushing in to pay their subscriptions before the fatal day came but not one cuss showed up to shed a ray of hope in life in the Observer office.

It is some comfort when we get up at 3 AM to see Halley’s comet to know that we’ll be in the realm of endless day when the heavenly visitor comes around again.

COMET PARTIES NUMEROUS.  Everybody has been looking for the comet in the western sky and comet parties are the order of the day.  The strange visitor has been a distinct disappointment.  Clouds have shut off for several nights and when visible it looks more like an electric light through a dense fog than the brilliant spectacle people were expecting.

May 31, 1910.  A SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER FROM LUNA.  It states that the Man in the Moon is highly incensed that all this fuss has been made about Halley’s comet.  And we hereby wish to express our sympathy with the genial gentleman in the satellite who has been smiling at us for so many centuries but who has recently been sadly neglected.  Our idea of a modern goldbrick is Halley’s comet.  For six months we have been sitting up at night to read about the strange visitor and look over pictures that were supposed to give us an idea of how the cussed thing was to look.  Once even we got the bottoms of our pajamas all wet wading around in the side yard in an effort to catch a glimpse of it in the eastern sky.  When Mr. Halley’s fraud showed up in 1835, the tallow dip was in vogue and the strange light in the heavens may have been of some wonder to our fathers, but in this day of brilliant tungstens it looks like the end of a cigar through a heavy fog.  Mrs. Bandfield says they had better comets than this when she was a girl and we are going to take her word for it.  The newspapers and magazines have handed us an awful lemon and we vote to cast these devils of printers ink into the gaseous tail of the comet and let them suffer there in torture until the thing shows up again in 75 years.

June 14, 1910.  Halley’s comet, 75 years ago in 1835, marked the advent of Albert Butler of Mason and also his death as he was superstitious it would.  He died of paralysis.

June 21, 1910.  Although the interest in Halley’s comet has apparently subsided, the question remains as to whether the continued freaks in nature can be attributed to its visit.  B. B. Noyes, living near Mason, has a litter of pigs which should be fleet of foot if numbers count.  Two of the animals have each eight legs, two have seven and four have six apiece.

Many of our 1973 old timers recall the visit of Halley’s comet.  Mae Gierman recalls a line from a song about the comet with the long tail upon it. 

A REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER BURIED IN RONALD TOWNSHIP

     In the Snow’s Corner Cemetery of Ronald Township there is an old fashioned stone over the grave of William Pangborn, which gives briefly a record of the great event of his life.  “William Pangborn died March 10, 1842, aged 110 years, 3 months.  He fought with Washington through the Revolution, again through the War of 1812 to obtain independence and to preserve it he devoted his best years.  A grateful country guards his mortal remains”.  His father was a native of Prussia.  He settled in New York in 1763 and was Lieutenant Colonel of the 3^rd New York Battalion in 1776.  Mr. Pangborn came to Michigan early in the 19^th century and resided first in Wayne County but he must have come to Ionia early in its history and lived here but a few years when he died.  –PORTLAND OBSERVER March 1, 1910.

     June 21, 1910.  HE WASN’T A CITIZEN.  Sebewa Man Had Voted for Years but Now Takes Out First Papers.  Winfield Cassel, a resident of Sebewa, has always supposed that he was an American citizen.  More  recently when he tried to get a position as a rural carrier it was discovered that he was not a citizen.  However, he has always voted and enjoyed all the rights and privileges of a full-fledged citizen.  Cassel is 31 years of age and together with his younger brother had made application for his first papers with County Clerk Cook.  Cassel’s father came to this country from Canada in the late 70’s and some time afterward took out his first papers for naturalization.  When he had taken these out he supposed this to be the whole transaction and his final papers were never taken.  Later when the boys came to Michigan they supposed themselves to be good Americans and never learned their mistake until recently.  Mr. Cassel is the first resident of Ionia County to renounce allegiance to King George V.

THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR
Bulletin of The Sebewa Center Association
Robert W. Gierman, Editor
R 1
Portland, Michigan 48875  U. S. A.