Gratiot County Historical & Genealogical Society

Mystery Item of the Week

meritaten — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:26:52 +0000

WWII Exhibit – Items Solved

meritaten — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:18:18 +0000

	Earl Wickman graduated from Alma High School’s class of 1940. By 1943, he was serving in the U.S. Army’s Pacific theater of WWII. His active duty in New Guinea and the Philippines left him with thrilling tales and fascinating artifacts. Earl built the model of a P-38 pictured here, from Japanese bullets! The base is the bottom of a 40mm anti-aircraft shell. Earl has also loaned the museum a Japanese hand grenade, which he took off a Jap who had just tried to kill him. In fact, a tag with Japanese writing is still attached to the grenade – could anybody out there translate what it says? If you want to see the grenade or discover the prank Wickman used it for, visit the Gratiot County Historical Museum’s display, opening at the end of May, 2012.

	In an effort to show off some of the great memorabilia that will be displayed at the Gratiot County Historical Museum’s spring exhibit, we issued a challenge to identify the item in the accompanying picture. This sturdy canvas sack belonged to Robert Tedhams, a member of the 558 Field Army Battalian Service Battery. This was a tank unit attached to General Patton’s 3^rd Army. Tedhams carried his gear in this bag as he hit Omaha Beach on D-Day. Through the following three years, as his tank unit pushed through nearly every nation in Europe and participated in the Battle of the Bulge, Robert Tedhams carried this bag. This is only one of the items Mr. Tedhams has loaned the museum for the WWII exhibit . . . and the merest fraction of his story appears here.

Depeel, Hattie

meritaten — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:45:23 +0000

Died of acute hemorrhage of the stomach and intestines, near Ithaca, Gratiot Co., Mich., Nov. 27, 1885, Sr. Hattie Depeel, in the twenty-fourth year of her age. The circumstances attending her death were very sad. For about a year she had been impaired inhealth, though of late there had been no apparent change for the worse. The evening before her death she retired usually well, but was found by her mother in the morning in a dying condition, expiring soon after. Sr. D. embraced the truth last spring under the labors of Bro. I. H. Evans and the writer. From the first she had a deep love for the truth ; and an anxious desire to have her life correspond with tho life of tbe Master, characterized all her actions. She tried to communicate to others tbe truth that had so gladdened her own heart; and though no immediate fruit was seen, we trust she has sown for the reaping by and by. In her death the community lost a worthy and respected citizen, and the church an esteemed member. In the absence of any S.D.A. minister, the Methodist clergyman addressed a sympathic congregation from Ps. 16:11, after which she was laid to rest until the LIfegiver shall wake the sleeping saints.

S. M. Butler
Advent Review & Sabbath Herald
05 Jan 1886

Deeds, George W

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:30:58 +0000

George W. Deeds, was born in Leaville Township, Oceana County, Mich., Jan 12, 1908 and died Oct. 5, 1952 at his home in Ithaca. After spending most of his childhood on a farm near Big Rapids, he moved with his parents to Nashville in 1919. On April 1, 1932 he was united in marriage to Eleanor J. King.
They lived in Nashville until 1945 when they moved to Ithaca. During his recent illness, he gave his heart to the Lord and went to sleep with a hope in the first resurrection. He is survived by his wife; one daughter, Evelyn Mae, his father, one sister, three brothers, and a host of relatives and friends.

Grover C. Winslow
Lake Union Herald
21 Oct 1952

Barnhart, John Ruckle

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:21:13 +0000

Barnhart, John Runkle, b. Sept. 17, 1881, Putnam County, Ohio; d. July 4, 1973, Gratiot County Hospital, Alma, Mich. He was a member of the Mt. Pleasant, Mich., church.

Survivors are son, Everett, of Toledo, Ohio; stepsons Vernon Basinger of Indianapolis, Indiana; Emery Basinger of Elida, Ohio; Gerald Basinger of Lima, Ohio; Leland Basinger of Bluffton, Ohio; and stepdaughter Mrs. Don Dillman of Bluffton.

Columbia Union Visitor
27 Sep 1973

Hall, Adelaide L

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:16:21 +0000

Mrs. Adelaide L. Hall, aged a little more than 82 years had lived most of her life in Gratiot County and had been a faithful member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church over sixty years. The writer was called to conduct the funeral service on June 7, assisted by the church elder, Glenn Bugbee. Sister Hall was a sister of our church clerk of Ithaca, Mrs, Bertha Day.

We “sorrow not as others which have no hope,” for “blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.”

“He sees their footsteps falter,
When their hearts grow weak and faint;
He marks when their strength is failing,
And listens to each complaint.
He bids them rest as for a season,
For the pathway has grown too steep;
And folded in fair green pastures,
He giveth His loved one sleep.”

E. R. Potter
Lake Union Herald
19 Aug 1947

Hainer, Nehemiah

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:14:16 +0000

Nehemiah Hainer, eldest son of Peter and Mary Anne Hainer, was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, Jan. 7, 1856. With his parents, he came to Michigan at the age of about one year.

On July 14, 1878 he was married to Alice Squire of North Star, Gratiot County. In December of 1879 they moved to the farm he has since occupied carving his home out of the virgin forest. Two daughters and one son were born to this union, Maud, Eunice and George. A nephew, Ivan Hainer also found a home with them from infancy. Mrs. Hainer passed away Sep. 30, 1935 after a lingering illness.

The past few years, the son and wife have been living with him and working the farm. He has rounded out a full life of work on the farm even doing active work up until he was confined to his bed. After a two weeks’ illness, he passed away at his home, Sept. 20, 1946.

W. H. Holden
Lake Union Herald
15 Oct 1946

Wildman, Elizabeth (Whitmore)

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:12:31 +0000

Elizabeth Whitmore Wildman was born at North Star, Gratiot Co., Mich., Mar. 2, 1870. Her parents, Daniel C. and Ann Whitmore were pioneer settlers in that section of Michigan. On Dec. 8, 1902 she was united in marriage with John H. Wildman of Carson City, Mich., who passed to his rest Oct. 28, 1941. Surviving are two sons, Durward, Sr., of Battle Creek, Mich. and Virgil of Los Angeles, California. A foster daughter, Mrs. Richard Valean lives in Lansing. After leaving the farm in March of this year, Mrs. Wildman went to the home of her son in Battle Creek where she passed away very suddenly after a heart attack early on the morning of July 4, 1946.

In 1915 Mrs. Wildman with her family accepted the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist church and became a charter member of a new church organized at Middleton, Mich. However, for more than twenty-five years she attended the Adventist church in Carson City, Mich. She was loved and respected by all in the congregation for her faithful Christian ministry. A loving mother has gone to her rest beside her companion until the trumpet sounds and Christ comes to gather His own. Interment was in the Carson City Cemetery.

E. L. Pingenot
Lake Union Herald
06 Aug 1946

Peters, Elenna L (Davidson)

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:08:04 +0000

Mrs. Elenna L. Davidson-Peters, 74, was born March 15, 1869, in Gratiot County; and died at her home near Bancroft, Sabbath morning, Nov. 6. She had resided in the vicinity of Owosso most all her life and was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church there. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, one step-daughter, a sister, four grandchildren and four great-grand-children. Words of comfort were spoken by the writer.

T. G. Bunch
Lake Union Herald
30 Nov 1943

Kowalski, Ambra (Whitmore)

meritaten — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:05:04 +0000

Mrs. Ambra Whitmore Kowalski was born Mar. 13, 1902 in Gratiot County Mich.; and fell asleep Apr. 24, 1942. At the age of thirteen she, with her parents,
accepted the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist faith and for years had been a faithful member of the Carson City church. Her illness which was of many months duration, was borne with great patience. Besides her aged parents, she leaves her husband and one daughter, Eva Ann, and her double cousins, and many other relatives and friends.

Hugh Williams
Lake Union Herald
23 Jun 1942