land." In the discharge of his duty at the polls he was extremely conscientious to do the best possible thing for his country, and second to this was a consideration for party and personal friends. I once saw him slap a careless but good natured joker over the mouth for asking him "what he got for his vote," and he could not understand that there could be any apology for an attempt to joke him in this way. He leaves enough property to his widow to make comfortable provision for her during the rest of her life. It was earned by him and her in a way that will never make them blush to have every item spread before the angels of heaven in the "sweet bye and bye." Ever since the war every hour, when awake, the pains of disease have been felt by him, but they were bravely borne because he thought the service in which they were contracted was necessary for the preservation of the country. He had not missed more than two of our annual reunions, previous to his death. If in spirit form he can at will visit the earth he is here with us this evening, for there is no place on earth that he would more like to be. May peace be to his ashes and joy to his soul is the wish of your speaker and of you all.

CAPT. ROBERT W. HELMER.

Capt. Robert W. Helmer died at his residence, two miles west of Dorr Center, May 12, 1885, of Bright's disease. The deceased came to Dorr seventeen years ago, and at one time was largely engaged in lumbering operations, running a saw-mill near his residence. He served in the war in the Third Michigan cavalry, and afterward became captain of a company in a colored regiment. He was a prominent and highly respected citizen and a member of the Methodist Church. He leaves a wife and five children. The funeral was held yesterday, and was conducted by Eureka chapter No. 50, R. A. M., at Allegan, and P. S. Pullen lodge No. 307, F. A. M., at Dorr, of both of which he was a member. His age was fifty-seven years. -Allegan Journal and Tribune, May 15, 1885.

BERRIEN COUNTY.

BY ALEXANDER B. LEEDS.

Judge Henry H. Cooledge, died May 31, 1884, Niles, aged 79 years.
William W. Webber, died May —, 1884, Niles township, aged
Mrs. Celia Tutton, died June 4, 1884, Pipestone, aged 72 years.
George W. Rossman, died June 5, 1884, Niles city, aged 72 years.

John Harner, died June 14, 1884, Oronoko, aged 81 years.
Jacob Luther, died June 15, 1884, Buchanan, aged 69 years.
Joseph Bowman, died June 19, 1884, Benton, aged 75 years.
Joseph De Lambert, died June 21, 1884, Niles city, aged 72 years.
Mrs. William Easton, died June 22, 1884, -, aged 73 years.
Alonzo Barrett, died June 23, 1884, Benton, aged 74 years.
Mrs. Caroline Newlan, died June 28, 1884, Benton, aged 49 years.
Salmon L. Estes, died June 29, 1884, Buchanan, aged 55 years.
Mrs. George Feodore, died July 1, 1884, ---, aged 68 years.
Almond B. Riford, died July 10, 1884, Benton, aged 44 years.
Elisha O. Allager, died July 11, 1884, Buchanan, aged 66 years.
Benjamin Stevens, died July 14, 1884, -, aged 84 years.
Philip Neeb, died July 15, 1884, Niles city, aged years.
Mrs. Juliette Griswold, died July 25, 1884, Niles city, aged 64 years.
Michael Lyons, died July 28, 1884, Niles township, aged 60 years.
Hon. Vincent L. Bradford, * died August 7, 1884, Philadelphia, Pa.
John Foster, died August 10, 1884, Niles city, aged 65 years.
Mrs. Jacobina Shaffer, died August 17, 1884, Niles city, aged 63 years.
Jesse B. Slight, died August 30, 1884, Oronoko, aged 65+ years.
George Brown, died September 1, 1884, Hagar, aged 81 years.
Horace W. Guernsey, died September 26, 1884, St. Joseph, aged 56 years.
Orlando Servis, died October 6, 1884,

aged 74 years.

-, aged 58 years. -, aged 58 years.

Mrs. Jonathan Norris, died October 14, 1884, —————————, aged 56 years.
Martin Hoshein, died October 18, 1884, Bainbridge, aged 81 years.
Mrs. Orilla Selter, died October 20, 1884, Bainbridge, aged 63 years.
Gideon Smith, died October 26, 1884, Benton, aged 74 years.
Alkanah Nickerson, died October -, 1884, Benton, aged 80 years.
John A. Zwergle, died November 13, 1884, Niles city, aged 66 years.
Dr. Charles A. Magill, died November 14, 1884,
Mrs. Honora M. Wilson, died November 15, 1884,
William W. Brown, died November 16, 1884, Lake, aged years.
Mrs. Lydia Hutson, died November 19, 1884, -, aged 68 years.
Z. R. Stickney, died November 25, 1884, Bainbridge, aged 85 years.
Marilla Wigent, died November 16, 1884, Watevliet, aged 80 years.
Archibald Stewart, died November 28, 1884, -, aged 74 years.
Philip Riley, died November -, 1884, St. Joseph, aged 72 years.
Mrs. Mary Murdock, died December 8, 1884, -, aged 86 years.
John Johnson, died December 10, 1884, Berrien, aged years.

years.

Henry Ashoff, died December 17, 1884, -, aged
Mrs. Henry H. Cooledge, died December 30, 1884, Niles city, aged

years.

Dr. John K. Finley, died December -, 1884, Niles city, aged 79 years.
Norman Castle, died February 8, 1885, Benton, aged 73 years.
Anna Burrough, died February 10, 1885, St. Joseph, aged 91 years.
Mrs. C. Rittenhouse, died February 11, 1885, ——, aged 58 years.
Mrs. Rica Veller, died February 11, 1885, -, aged 67 years.
Lucinda Hale, died February 12, 1885, Niles city, aged 73 years.
Thomas K. Clybourne, died February 14, 1885, Berrien, aged 85 years.
Mrs. Phebe Tryon, died February 14, 1885, -, aged 79 years.
Wells Crumb, died February 16, 1885, Watervliet, aged 88 years.
Deborah Gould, died February 16, 1885. —, aged 90 years.
Mrs. Martha Hand, died February 19, 1885, Berrien, aged 66 years.
Mrs. Mary Griswold, died February 24, 1885, Niles city, aged 86 years.
Stephen R. Gilson, died February 25, 1885, Watervliet, aged 80 years.
Mrs. Sophronia Woodruff, died February 26, 1885, Bainbridge,aged - years.
Jacob Beeson, died April 19, 1885, Niles city, aged 77 years.
Sylvester Kittle, died April 20, 1885, Hagar, aged 62 years.

Ferris, died April 28, 1885, St. Joseph, aged 75 years.
Terrence McCrone, died April 28, 1885, Benton, aged 77 years.
Ross Pierce, M. D., died April 29, 1885, Buchanan, aged 48 years.
Mary Zwergle, died April 30, 1885, -, aged 67 years.
Shelah Willis, died May 2, 1885, Berrien, aged 80+ years.
Margaret Shearer, died May 3, 1885, Oronoko, aged 79 years.
William Hill, died May 7, 1885, St. Joseph, aged 75 years.
Mrs. Betsey Platt, died May 8, 1885, Niles city, aged 93+ years.
Mrs. Angelina W. Jefferies, died May 12, 1885, Lincoln, aged 68 years.
John M. Gilbert, died May 12, 1885, Benton, aged 71 years.
William B. Gray, died May 13, 1885, Niles township, aged 65 years.
Mrs. John Tibbetts, died May -, 1885, Niles city, aged about 72 years.
Mrs. E. H. Phelps, died May —, 1885, Niles city, aged about 61 years.
Samuel Rodgers, died May 31, 1885, -, aged over 90 years.
Benj. Lemon, died - -, -, Lake, aged 65 years.

GIDEON SMITH.

After an illness of three weeks, Gideon Smith, aged seventy-four years, died at his home in Benton on Sunday morning, Oct. 26, 1884. Mr. Smith was one of the pioneer fruit growers of this section, and was widely known and respected. He leaves a wife and five children, two sons and three daughters. Funeral took place from the Methodist Episcopal Church on Tuesday, Rev. Mr. Earl conducting the services.-Benton Harbor Palladium, Oct. 31, 1884.

S. L. ESTES.

Died, Sunday, June 29, 1884, at 4:50 P. M., at his residence on Main street, Buchanan, Salmon L. Estes, aged fifty-five years, seven months and sixteen days. Deceased was a resident of Columbia county, N. Y., and was the oldest of six brothers all of whom, as also their mother, preceded him to the great beyond. He was a resident of Buchanan township twenty-eight years, eighteen of which were in the village, being engaged in active business until incapacitated by paralysis. An active Christian from his youth, his faith sustained him in the trying ordeal of years of suffering, and his Savior was with him in the passage of the dark river of Death. He left a devoted wife, an affectionate daughter and son, an aged father and many warm friends, to mourn the severed ties; but they mourn not as those having no hope. The funeral took place from his late residence on Tuesday afternoon, the service being conducted by Rev. C. G. Thomas. - Buchanan Record, July 1, 1884.

JACOB BEESON.

Our community was startled, - was fearfully shocked, early on Sunday morning, April 19, 1885, at the announcement, "Jacob Beeson is dead!" He had been on the streets almost daily, in his usual health, and it is not strange that the mournful message was received with surprise. An old and honored citizen had passed away suddenly and without warning; an old landmark had been removed.

Jacob Beeson was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, September 7, 1807. His early youth was passed with an uncle in Hardy County, Virginia, and later, in his early manhood, he spent some years in Georgia and New Orleans with the same uncle, who was engaged in the mercantile business. He returned to Uniontown, his native place, in 1829 for a short time, but in the fall of that year journeyed on horseback to the wilds of Michigan Territory, then just beginning to attract the attention of wide-awake and enterprising men in the old States. Being pleased with the country, then an almost unbroken wilderness, with here and there a trading post, he purchased a business site in Niles and returned to Pennsylvania, from whence, in the spring of 1830, he removed permanently to Niles, bringing with him his mother and three brothers, and here established himself in the general mercantile business in which he was for many years extensively engaged, and he was a highly prosperous and successful merchant, his brother, William B. Beeson, being much of the time his assistant. He was also largely engaged in the forwarding, commission and shipping business and in establishing lines of boats on the St. Joseph river, and built a large storage and grain warehouse on Water street, at the foot of Sycamore street, where a large business was transacted under the supervision of his brother Job J. Beeson, who will be remembered by a few of our older citizens.

Mr. Beeson served as a paymaster in the Black Hawk war, from which service he derived his title as Colonel, by which he was familiarly known in olden times, and for which service he received a bounty land warrant, afterwards located upon land in the Lake Superior mineral region.

Upon the organization of Trinity Parish in October, 1834, Jacob Beeson was elected on the first board of vestrymen and was an active and efficient helper in that work fifty years ago.

He was a very active and influential man in the organization of the State Goverument of Michigan, and was a warm and zealous supporter of our first Governor, Stevens T. Mason.

He was one of the charter members and the first Worshipful. Master of St. Joseph Valley Lodge No. 4, the first Masonic Lodge organized west of Jackson, and he assisted in the establishment of the Royal Arch Chapter in Niles, and was for many years a member of Apollo Commandery of Chicago.

Mr. Beeson was never a seeker of office, though always an active man in public affairs. He was a member of the National Democratic committee during the campaign of 1856, which resulted in the election of Mr. Buchanan to the presidency.

He was appointed Receiver of Public Moneys at Detroit, by Mr. Buchanan, in 1857, which necessitated a change of residence from Niles to Detroit, and while residing in the latter city he became a stockholder and director in the Farmers and Mechanics' Bank, of that city, and was also the president and principal stockholder in the Merchants' Bank of Detroit, and was for two years, 1876 and 1877, president of the Detroit Board of Trade, and in every position he occupied was conspicuous for untiring energy and rare business

tact.

He was a member of the last Constitutional Convention of Michigan and an active participant in the doings of that body.

He will be remembered in Niles, his old home, to which he returned a few months ago, and where he was warmly welcomed by his old neighbors, as an honorable and successful merchant, an extensive and enterprising dealer in real estate, a thorough business man, always ready to work for the interest of Niles, his chosen home, always efficiently and with his whole heart.