Chas. E. Bretz, one of the oldest residents of the township, died at his home, northwest of town on Wednesday afternoon, July 26th, 1905. Mr. Bretz has been failing for years, but about ten days ago, he was taken suddenly worse and took to his bed from which he never arose, and passed away as stated.
The funeral will be held at the home on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Isaac Mourer, and his remains will be laid to rest in Lakeside.
Mr. Bretz was born at Melmore, Ohio, August 7, 1827. He lived there with his parents for many years afterward, and in 1851 was married to Miss Elizabeth George, 49 years ago last February. Mr. and Mrs. Bretz moved to Michigan, Mr. Bretz buying the farm that has since been home. The 160 acres was first granted to Mr. Bretz's uncle, who had served in the war of 1812, and Mr. Bretz bought the uncle's title to the farm. When the Bretz's first moved here the country was very new and neighbors were far apart. They at once set to clearing up the farm, but afterward sold of 15 acres for money to help them keep the wolf from the door. Mrs. Bretz and children later returned to Ohio to live with parents while Mr. Bretz worked on the job of building what has since been known as the Bellevue Road, walking the many miles through the forest every day to his work and going in all kinds of weather. Later when they had secured a little better start, Mrs. Bretz returned and since that time there has been a life of continual prosperity and fairly good fortune.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bretz were born nine children, six girls and three boys. Three of the children died in infancy and one, Millie, died in 1888 a the age of 19 years. The remaining children are Oliver J. Bretz of Albion; Frank J. Bretz, of Lake View; Chas. W. Bretz of Rudyard; and Mrs. W. Curtis and Mrs. G. M. Huddle of Odessa. Mrs. Bretz passed away Sept. 25th, 1887; then Mr. Bretz took onto himself another wife, in the person of Mrs. Delilah Meyers, of Freeport, on Feb. 11, 1889, the second wife surviving, with the children to mourn their severe loss.
Mr. Bretz was one of the founders of the West Odessa U.B. Church, and he has been a trustee of the society ever since its organization. He responded to the last call of his country for soldiers at the time of the Rebellion, joining Co., I, 21st Michigan Infantry, ninety days before the close of the war.
He leaves a brother in Califotnia and a sister in Massachusetts. Mr. Bretz was well known and as well liked. He was of a Kind and of a charitable disposition, and a man not given to lauding himself. He was very devoted to his family, being in every way an ideal father and neighbor. For many years, he has been an almost daily visitor to the late afternoon west-bound train, coming to the train for the express purpose of getting his daily paper that comes on that train.
Deceased leaves a good property, and in his passing, Odessa loses another of its sturdy old pioneers that have seen our country grow from wild and vast wilderness to the pretty farms and the homes of present time.
The funeral will be held at the home on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Isaac Mourer, and his remains will be laid to rest in Lakeside.
Mr. Bretz was born at Melmore, Ohio, August 7, 1827. He lived there with his parents for many years afterward, and in 1851 was married to Miss Elizabeth George, 49 years ago last February. Mr. and Mrs. Bretz moved to Michigan, Mr. Bretz buying the farm that has since been home. The 160 acres was first granted to Mr. Bretz's uncle, who had served in the war of 1812, and Mr. Bretz bought the uncle's title to the farm. When the Bretz's first moved here the country was very new and neighbors were far apart. They at once set to clearing up the farm, but afterward sold of 15 acres for money to help them keep the wolf from the door. Mrs. Bretz and children later returned to Ohio to live with parents while Mr. Bretz worked on the job of building what has since been known as the Bellevue Road, walking the many miles through the forest every day to his work and going in all kinds of weather. Later when they had secured a little better start, Mrs. Bretz returned and since that time there has been a life of continual prosperity and fairly good fortune.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bretz were born nine children, six girls and three boys. Three of the children died in infancy and one, Millie, died in 1888 a the age of 19 years. The remaining children are Oliver J. Bretz of Albion; Frank J. Bretz, of Lake View; Chas. W. Bretz of Rudyard; and Mrs. W. Curtis and Mrs. G. M. Huddle of Odessa. Mrs. Bretz passed away Sept. 25th, 1887; then Mr. Bretz took onto himself another wife, in the person of Mrs. Delilah Meyers, of Freeport, on Feb. 11, 1889, the second wife surviving, with the children to mourn their severe loss.
Mr. Bretz was one of the founders of the West Odessa U.B. Church, and he has been a trustee of the society ever since its organization. He responded to the last call of his country for soldiers at the time of the Rebellion, joining Co., I, 21st Michigan Infantry, ninety days before the close of the war.
He leaves a brother in Califotnia and a sister in Massachusetts. Mr. Bretz was well known and as well liked. He was of a Kind and of a charitable disposition, and a man not given to lauding himself. He was very devoted to his family, being in every way an ideal father and neighbor. For many years, he has been an almost daily visitor to the late afternoon west-bound train, coming to the train for the express purpose of getting his daily paper that comes on that train.
Deceased leaves a good property, and in his passing, Odessa loses another of its sturdy old pioneers that have seen our country grow from wild and vast wilderness to the pretty farms and the homes of present time.
Chas. E. Bretz, one of the oldest residents of the township, died at his home, northwest of town on Wednesday afternoon, July 26th, 1905. Mr. Bretz has been failing for years, but about ten days ago, he was taken suddenly worse and took to his bed from which he never arose, and passed away as stated.
The funeral will be held at the home on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Isaac Mourer, and his remains will be laid to rest in Lakeside.
Mr. Bretz was born at Melmore, Ohio, August 7, 1827. He lived there with his parents for many years afterward, and in 1851 was married to Miss Elizabeth George, 49 years ago last February. Mr. and Mrs. Bretz moved to Michigan, Mr. Bretz buying the farm that has since been home. The 160 acres was first granted to Mr. Bretz's uncle, who had served in the war of 1812, and Mr. Bretz bought the uncle's title to the farm. When the Bretz's first moved here the country was very new and neighbors were far apart. They at once set to clearing up the farm, but afterward sold of 15 acres for money to help them keep the wolf from the door. Mrs. Bretz and children later returned to Ohio to live with parents while Mr. Bretz worked on the job of building what has since been known as the Bellevue Road, walking the many miles through the forest every day to his work and going in all kinds of weather. Later when they had secured a little better start, Mrs. Bretz returned and since that time there has been a life of continual prosperity and fairly good fortune.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bretz were born nine children, six girls and three boys. Three of the children died in infancy and one, Millie, died in 1888 a the age of 19 years. The remaining children are Oliver J. Bretz of Albion; Frank J. Bretz, of Lake View; Chas. W. Bretz of Rudyard; and Mrs. W. Curtis and Mrs. G. M. Huddle of Odessa. Mrs. Bretz passed away Sept. 25th, 1887; then Mr. Bretz took onto himself another wife, in the person of Mrs. Delilah Meyers, of Freeport, on Feb. 11, 1889, the second wife surviving, with the children to mourn their severe loss.
Mr. Bretz was one of the founders of the West Odessa U.B. Church, and he has been a trustee of the society ever since its organization. He responded to the last call of his country for soldiers at the time of the Rebellion, joining Co., I, 21st Michigan Infantry, ninety days before the close of the war.
He leaves a brother in Califotnia and a sister in Massachusetts. Mr. Bretz was well known and as well liked. He was of a Kind and of a charitable disposition, and a man not given to lauding himself. He was very devoted to his family, being in every way an ideal father and neighbor. For many years, he has been an almost daily visitor to the late afternoon west-bound train, coming to the train for the express purpose of getting his daily paper that comes on that train.
Deceased leaves a good property, and in his passing, Odessa loses another of its sturdy old pioneers that have seen our country grow from wild and vast wilderness to the pretty farms and the homes of present time.
The funeral will be held at the home on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Isaac Mourer, and his remains will be laid to rest in Lakeside.
Mr. Bretz was born at Melmore, Ohio, August 7, 1827. He lived there with his parents for many years afterward, and in 1851 was married to Miss Elizabeth George, 49 years ago last February. Mr. and Mrs. Bretz moved to Michigan, Mr. Bretz buying the farm that has since been home. The 160 acres was first granted to Mr. Bretz's uncle, who had served in the war of 1812, and Mr. Bretz bought the uncle's title to the farm. When the Bretz's first moved here the country was very new and neighbors were far apart. They at once set to clearing up the farm, but afterward sold of 15 acres for money to help them keep the wolf from the door. Mrs. Bretz and children later returned to Ohio to live with parents while Mr. Bretz worked on the job of building what has since been known as the Bellevue Road, walking the many miles through the forest every day to his work and going in all kinds of weather. Later when they had secured a little better start, Mrs. Bretz returned and since that time there has been a life of continual prosperity and fairly good fortune.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bretz were born nine children, six girls and three boys. Three of the children died in infancy and one, Millie, died in 1888 a the age of 19 years. The remaining children are Oliver J. Bretz of Albion; Frank J. Bretz, of Lake View; Chas. W. Bretz of Rudyard; and Mrs. W. Curtis and Mrs. G. M. Huddle of Odessa. Mrs. Bretz passed away Sept. 25th, 1887; then Mr. Bretz took onto himself another wife, in the person of Mrs. Delilah Meyers, of Freeport, on Feb. 11, 1889, the second wife surviving, with the children to mourn their severe loss.
Mr. Bretz was one of the founders of the West Odessa U.B. Church, and he has been a trustee of the society ever since its organization. He responded to the last call of his country for soldiers at the time of the Rebellion, joining Co., I, 21st Michigan Infantry, ninety days before the close of the war.
He leaves a brother in Califotnia and a sister in Massachusetts. Mr. Bretz was well known and as well liked. He was of a Kind and of a charitable disposition, and a man not given to lauding himself. He was very devoted to his family, being in every way an ideal father and neighbor. For many years, he has been an almost daily visitor to the late afternoon west-bound train, coming to the train for the express purpose of getting his daily paper that comes on that train.
Deceased leaves a good property, and in his passing, Odessa loses another of its sturdy old pioneers that have seen our country grow from wild and vast wilderness to the pretty farms and the homes of present time.
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