231-743-2416 - The Marion Press

The Marion
Serving Marion, McBain
and Osceola County
VOLUME 125, NO. 16
Press
FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2014
75
Cents
USPS 329-840
Established 1889
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BOC eyes two Tustin sites for EMS
By Rosemary Horvath
Correspondent
library.
The building houses a
hair salon on the street side
Osceola County Comand warehouse space with
missioners decided Tuesday an elevated roof in the back.
to investigate two Tustin
A drawback is its single city
properties as offering
lot but sale price of $85,000
the greatest potential of
is attractive although the
becoming the county’s
3100-square foot building
fourth Emergency Medical requires extensive renovaServices base and its first
tion, Van Putten said.
location in the Northwest
Another choice is buildQuandrant.
ing new at 220 South NelCommissioners arrived
son. Plans for the Marion
at the two choices following EMS base, currently under
a presentation given by Bob construction, could serve as
Van Putten of the Grand
a model for the NW base,
Rapids firm Landmark
so long as EMS is satisfied
Design Group in which he
with another 3200-squareoutlined pros and cons of
foot space. EMS function
five sites suggested by offi- is compaticle with the fire
cials and reviewed by a site department and the area is
selection committee over
already prepared for emermonths of discussion.
gency vehicle access.
The two finalists include
Van Putten noted conan existing building, 109
Howard Street, and vacant
land situated between the
fire department and the
MAILING LABEL
Clover Farm Store next to Conklin Drugs, later Irish Inn.
Keepsake Edition
INSIDE
It’s a birthday celebration! Both the Marion Press
and the Village of Marion
are celebrating their 125th
year of existence. Check
out the Keepsake Edition
inside that provides a history of both institutions.
Marion Saw Mill
struction must adhere to the
Michigan Building Code
that has a set of stricter
requirements specific for
this building to withstand
wind, snow and sysmic occurrences.
Final cost of the Marion
construction is estimated at
$438,000.
Commissioners took Van
Putten’s advice to further
investigate the two locations. They voted to hire
Landmark as project manager to work with EMS Director Jeremy Beebe. They
will get a structural analysis
of the building and soil tests
for the vacant land, among
other things.
Chairman Larry Emig
and Commissioner Tammy
Stoner noted questions
remain. Whether the village
will be reviewed and voted
on at the next meeting.
If confirmed the county
will ask voters at the
August primary election to
authorize levying up to 1.33
mills to fund EMS operations through 2019 beginning with the December
2014 tax bill.
Beebe spelled out different options for commissioners to consider. He recommended having one ballot
proposal, listing $168,000
as the annual operational
cost of a base, $132,000 as
one-time cost of start-up
fees to get the fourth base
operational and borrowing the amount needed to
either construct or remodel
a building.
Beebe pointed out this
will be the first millage increase for EMS since 1997
and the first to guarantee
more coverage for the
county as a whole and the
only base for the northwest
corner.
Commissioners also
approved asking Osceola
County registered voters to
support funding 911 emergency dispatch services by
paying a monthly surcharge
of up to $2.25 on all telephone landlines, wireless
and Voice Over Internet
Protocol, or VoIP within the
county.
Voters approved a
similar surcharge in 2010
which will expire. Mecosta
County will have the same
ballot question since the
two counties support the
one dispatch center.
Voters can also anticipate deciding a millage for
Commission on Aging.
Commissioners are awaiting figures for taxable
value before drafting ballot
language. However, Scott
Schryer, director of Commission on Aging, said the
program would only last
three or four months without a millage renewal.
A few changes were
made regarding the
program for older adults.
Commissioners endorsed
State Representative Joel Johnson reads to 3rd graders at Marion Elementary.
Schryer’s recommendation
to modify the meal policy
by allowing consumers to
purchase one frozen meal in
By Marhea Pease
Elementary to read to all
one legged one armed
addition to the congregate
Correspondent
grade levels a new book
pirate who lost his family
meal they receive.
published in Milford,
heirloom, his treasured peg
In the past, leftover food
On St. Patricks Day,
Michigan entitled “A Pileg that was passed down
was not allowed to be taken
State Representative Joel
rate’s Quest”
to him that he would one
from a meal site.
Johnson visited Marion
The story is about a
day like to give to his one
Single, home-delivered
legged son or daughter. The meals are a top priority
pirate goes on an amazing
will stay a priority, but if
adventure to try to find his frozen meals and funds to
leg meeting other pirates
prepare them are available,
and sea creatures.
a second meal will be sold
“My favorite part was
if ordered a day ahead.
the crab that loved stealing
Schryer relented to the
cookies!” Nadia K.
demand of participants
“I love pirates! My
wishing to have trips to
favorite part was when the casinos. The first one is
pirate finally found a peg
planned for April 29 to
leg, but it was on another
the Little River Casino in
pirate’s leg !” -Tyler B.
Manistee. Cost is $35 per
Rep. Johnson then
person and the casino will
donated the book to Marion gift each person with a $30
Elementary’s library. The
card for playing games.
representative also talked
Commission on Aging
about how great the school pays $850 to charter a bus
was and how wonderful the and needs at least 25 people
children were. Johnson’s
to break even. Money
main focus is to bring more earned above that amount
funding to the schools to
will go into the COA’s food
continue scholastic excelprogram, the director said.
lence and has proposed a
The trip is on a firstbill for more funding but
come, first-serve basis and
it has been halted several
is not restricted to COA
times by Michigan’s senate. participants.
Rep. Johnson reads to kids
Get a copy of
The Marion Press
Weather
For the week of
March 23 - 29
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o
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Tuesday: Hi 29 , Lo 10
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of Tustin or the fire department would sell the vacant
land and permit an EMS
base at the site is unclear.
Cost is a factor. Another
factor is should a building
connect or stand alone next
to the fire department, if
that site is chosen.
“Further study will drive
what we ultimately do,”
Emig said.
On a related matter, commissioners had planned to
ask voters to renew millage
to fund Emergency Medical Services but wasn’t sure
if financing the new base
should be a separate ballot
question.
Their answer was made
Wednesday when they
decided on rolling both
measures into one proposal.
The suggested language
Representative Joel Johnson reading “A Pirates Quest”
to the a Kindergarten class at Marion Elementary.
on P
Mari
Photos by Marhea Pease
$29 in county
$35 out of county
for a years’s subscription
Call us:231-743-2481
Page 2A - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
Hello Spring!
The Marion Press - March 21, 2014 - Page 7
Community Events
Upcoming events should be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance. Email to YourMarionPress@gmail.com
HEALTH CARE ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE
Mercy Hospital Cadillac
invites you to attend one of
their Enrollment Assistance
Workshops in the month of
April. The hospital will provide access to computers
and printers for your convenience and will have Certified Application Counselors
will be on hand to assist
with any questions or guidance through the application process for the Healthy
Michigan Enrollment that
begins April 1, 2014.
If you would like to attend one of the workshops,
please RSVP at (231) 8767360.
Photographer Chelsea Durgan things spring is on its
way as she captured pics of open water on the Marion
Millpond and a swatch of green grass sprouting.
RED TAIL RING TO PERFORM AT GOPHERWOOD
On Saturday, April 12th,
the duo Red Tail Ring will
perform at the Cadillac Elks
Lodge for Gopherwood
Concerts (122 S. Mitchell
Street). The concert begins
at 8 pm, and tickets are $10
advance and $12 at the
door. Laurel Premo and Michael Beauchamp, of Red
Tail Ring, share a raw blend
of original folk music and interpretations of old ballads
and dance tunes from Appalachia. Call 231-846-8383
or visit Toy Town in Cadillac
to purchase advanced tickets for this concert.
After forming in 2011,
Red Tail Ring has released
three full-length records and
remained busy with tours
all over the US and performances overseas. They
are fresh off of a tour of 19
European shows in 19 days
(18 in Germany and 1 in the
Czech Republic), during
which they were met by enthusiastic audiences.
ANNUAL EASTER
EGG HUNT
Please donate money for
the Marion Annual Easter
Egg Hunt, April 19th at 10
a.m. at the VFW Hall in Marion. Candy or money donations can be dropped at
Flemming’s Clothing or the
Eagle’s Club. Any questions
call Brenda 231-743-2206.
SEEDLING SALE
April 25, 2014, 9 am - 5
pm April 26, 2014, 9 am - 1
pm at the Missaukee County Road Commission, 1199
N. Morey Road, Lake City.
For more information or
description on what is available, see the on-line catalog on Missaukee County
Conservation District website at www.missaukeecd.
org or call at 231-839-7193.
GROWING HOPS
April 26, 2014, 10 am at
the Missaukee County Road
Commission, free Brewing
with the Hops You Grow
April 26, 2014, 11 am at
the
Missaukee
County
Games on Page 6A
Road Commission, free
For
more
information
call 231-839-7193 or visit www.missaukeecd.org
RAFFLE DRAWING
April 26, 2014 at 1 pm,
Missaukee County Road
Commission
First Prize: log cabin
model, Second Prize: handmade hall table, Third Prize:
$50
Tickets $1 each or 6 for
$5. To purchase tickets
or more information log
onto
www.missaukeecd.
org, or call 231-839-7193
FRUIT TREE WORKSHOP
May 3, 2014, 9:15 am - 3
pm at the Missaukee Conservation District Office,
6420 W Sanborn Road,
Lake City
Learn how to prune and
maintain your fruit trees for
maximum production. Includes site visit to orchard
and lunch. Cost $10. For
more information call 231839-7193 or visit www.missaukeecd.org
HOUSEHOLD
HAZARDOUS WASTE
COLLECTION
June 7, 2014, 9 am- 1
pm at the Missaukee County Road Commission, 1199
N. Morey Road, Lake City.
Missaukee County residents and Landowners only.
Collecting
household
hazardous waste, tires,
electronics, latex paint, and
confidential paper shredding event. For more information call 231-839-7193
CADILLAC FOOTLITERS
PRESENT: THE CURIOUS
SAVAGE
Laugh away those winter blues when The Cadillac Footliters present The
Curious Savage, a heartwarming comedy with a
timeless message. The plot
evolves when Mrs. Savage,
a wealthy widow, fights off
her stepchildren’s efforts
to get their hands on her
money. When the children
commit her to a sanatorium, Mrs. Savage discovers
that the virtues of kindness
and affection can triumph
over greed and dishonesty.
You’ll enjoy this cast of social misfits who can’t adjust
to life in the real world!
The Curious Savage is
written by John Patrick, directed by Lisa Martek and
underwritten by The Wexford Community Credit
Union.
Performance dates for
The Curious Savage are
March 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th
at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:00
p.m. matinee on Saturday,
March 29th in the Cadillac
High School Auditorium.
Tickets can be purchased
in advance for just $10 from
Brinks Art & Frame Shop,
Peebles, and the UPS
Store. Tickets at the door
are $12.
Encore performances will
be held at the Crossroads
Performing Arts Center in
Reed City on April 4th and 5th
at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be
purchased from the Reed
City Depot, or by calling
231-734-9859.
More information is available on the Cadillac Footliters web site: http://cadillacfootliters.com/ or call (231)
775-7336.
SPRING SEEDLINGS
The
Mecosta
and
Osceola-Lake
Conservation Districts are taking
orders for spring seedlings. Available are a wide
variety of pines, spruces,
hardwoods, wildlife shrubs,
apple trees and other conservation products. For a
seedling list and order form
go to our website at www.
mecostacd.org or www.
osceolalakecd.org.
You can also stop in either District office or call the
Mecosta Conservation District at (231) 796-0909 Ext.
3 or Osceola-Lake Conservation District at (231) 8322950. Quantities are limited
and orders will be filled on a
first come first serve basis.
Ordering deadline is April
2nd. Think spring! Planting
season is just around the
corner. Order your seedlings today.
BIG Joe’s
989-630-0606
Auto Sales
www.bigjoesales.com
1992 Pontiac Transport Van $1999 1998 Dodge Intrepid
V-6, Auto, Loaded, 3rd door, 3rd row seating, has
170k for miles
1997 Dodge Ram
$2499
V-8, Auto, Loaded X-Cab, 4x4, 181k miles!
2003 GMC Envoy 4x4
$3499
6cyl, Auto, Loaded, 4-door, 3rd row seating, 258k
miles, runs and drives great!
1995 Chevy S-10 $1999
4cyl,Auto, Single Cab, 2wd, 172k miles!
$2499
V-6, 2.52 engine, auto, loaded, 4-door, 165k miles,
runs and drives great!
1998 Chevy Lumina
$2400
V-6, Auto, Loaded, 4-door, 179k miles, Runs Great
1999 Chevy Monte Carlo
$2499
V-6, Auto, Loaded, 2-door, 180k miles, has the 3800
engine, runs and drives great!
Stop in and Check out
these great deals!
Tax Time - Topic 413
Rollovers from Retirement Plans
A rollover occurs when
you withdraw cash or other
assets from one eligible retirement plan and contribute all
or part of it, within 60 days,
to another eligible retirement
plan. This rollover transaction
is not taxable but it is reportable on your federal tax return. You can roll over most
distributions from an eligible
retirement plan except for:
1.The nontaxable part of
a distribution, such as your
after-tax contributions to a retirement plan (in certain situations after-tax contributions
can be rolled over),
2.A distribution that is
B&
Rogers P.C.
owman
one of a series of payments
made for your life (or life expectancy), or the joint lives
(or joint life expectancies)
of you and your beneficiary,
or made for a specified period of 10 years or more,
3.A required minimum distribution, 4.A hardship distribution, 5.Dividends paid on
employer securities, or 6.The
cost of life insurance coverage.
If an eligible rollover distribution is paid to you, you
have 60 days from the date
you receive it to roll it over
to another eligible retirement
plan. Any taxable eligible
Certified Public
Accountants
705 S. Lakeshore Dr.
P.O. Box 747
Lake City
Michigan 49651
Telephone (231) 839-7248 • Fax (231) 839-5223
Nancy Brown C.P.A.
nbowman
@bowmanrogers.com
Susan Rogers C.P.A.
srogers
@bowmanrogers.com
Over 35Years of Professional Service
rollover distribution paid
from an employer-sponsored
retirement plan to you is subject to a mandatory income
tax withholding of 20%, even
if you intend to roll it over later. If you do roll it over, and
want to defer tax on the entire taxable portion, you will
have to add funds from other
sources equal to the amount
withheld. You can choose to
have the payer transfer a distribution directly to another
eligible retirement plan or
to an IRA. Under this direct
rollover option, the 20% mandatory withholding does not
apply.
In general, if you are under
age 59½ at the time of the distribution, any taxable portion
not rolled over may be subject
to a 10% additional tax on
early distributions unless an
exception applies. For a list
of exceptions, refer to Topic
558. Certain distributions
from a SIMPLE IRA will be
subject to a 25% additional
tax. For more information on
SIMPLE IRAs, refer to Publication 590, Individual Retirement Accounts.
For further information
about rollovers and transfers,
refer to Publication 575, Pension and Annuity Income.
Cadillac Accounting
& Tax Service, Inc.
Richard J. Wilson
Certified Public Accountant
105-B E. Main Street, Marion MI 49665
(231) 743-2205
851 N. Mitchell St., Cadillac, MI 49601
Ph: 213-779-2501
Fax: 231-779-2572
• Income Tax Planning & Preparation
• Computerized Bookkeeping & Payroll Services
• Accounting Services , Audits , Reviews and
Compilations
• Small Business Consulting
Marion Office Hours:
Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Other Hours by Appointment
The Marion Press - March 21, 2014 - Page 3A
Second Front Page
Bos
named Check out
to SVSU
the
list
Keepsake
Kylie Bos of Marion,
Osceola County
Sheriff’s Blotter
The Osceola County
Sheriff’s Office investigated several complaints for
the above week. The following is a brief summery
for some of that activity
which occurred.
On 03-02-2014 Deputies
investigated a larceny of
medication complaint,
which occurred within a
Evart City home. Investigation revealed that an
unknown subject entered
the victim’s residence and
took medication. This
report was completed and
forwarded to the Evart Police Department for their
review.
On 03-02-2014 Deputies
were dispatched to Cedar
Township on the report
of an unknown subject
who was knocking on
doors. Upon arrival the
Deputies patrolled the
area, and located said
subject. Investigation
revealed that the subject
was riding a snowmobile,
when the snowmobile
became stuck and the
subject started knocking
on residences looking
for help. Investigation
revealed that said subject
had consumed alcohol,
was on probation and was
operating the snowmobile
on a suspended license.
The subject was released
to their parents, and this
report was submitted to
the Prosecutor’s Office for
charges.
On 03-03-2014 a
Deputy conducted a
traffic stop on an Orient
Township vehicle for
a speeding violation.
Upon investigation it
was discovered that said
operator was driving their
vehicle with a suspended
driver’s license. At
that time the subject
was arrested and was
transported to the Osceola
County Jail without
incident.
On 03-03-2014 a
Deputy conducted a
traffic stop on a Leroy
Township vehicle for
an equipment violation.
Through investigation
it was discovered that
2 occupants within
said vehicle had valid
warrants issued for their
arrest. At that time both
subjects were arrested and
transported to the Osceola
County Jail without
incident.
On 03-042014 Deputies were
dispatched to a Lincoln
Township home on the
report of an attempted
suicide complaint. Upon
arrival the scene was
secured, and it was
discovered that the subject
in question was a danger
to themselves, as they had
ingested several unknown
pills. At that time the
subject was taken into
protective custody and was
transported by ambulance
to Reed City Spectrum
Health for treatment and a
mental evaluation.
On 03-05-2014 Deputies
investigated 5 vehicle
crashes, which occurred
within Sylvan, Evart,
Hartwick, Highland and
Richmond Townships.
On 03-052014 Deputies responded
to a Sherman Township
residence, and discovered
that an occupant of said
home had a valid warrant,
which was issued for
their arrest. At that time
the subject was secured
and was transported to
the Osceola County Jail
without incident.
On 03-06-2014 Deputies
investigated 6 vehicle
crashes, which occurred
within Hartwick, Lincoln,
and Evart Townships.
On 03-06-2014 Deputies
were dispatched to a
Lincoln Township home
on the report of an entry
alarm. Upon arrival it
was discovered that a
contractor was replacing
windows, and this action
tripped the alarm system.
The Deputies then cleared
the scene once their
assistance was no longer
needed.
On 03-07-2014 a
Deputy conducted a
traffic stop on a Marion
Township vehicle for
an equipment violation.
Through investigation it
was discovered that said
operator was driving their
vehicle with an expired
drivers license, and also
had several valid warrants
issued for their arrest. At
that time the subject was
arrested and was transported to the Osceola County
Jail without incident.
On 03-082014 Deputies were
dispatched to a Hartwick
Township home on the report of a domestic assault
complaint. Upon arrival
the scene was secured,
and through investigation
it was discovered that an
assault did occur between
2 subjects involved in a
domestic relationship. At
that time the aggressor
was transported to Cadillac Mercy by ambulance
as she was incoherent due
to alcohol intoxication and
pill ingestion. This case
has been forwarded to the
Prosecutor’s Office for
charges.
On 03-08-2014 the
Osceola County Sheriff’s
Office worked in
conjunction with the 10-16
program, and conducted
alcohol compliance checks
at local business within
the county. 1 business was
found to be in violation for
selling alcohol to a minor,
and was issued a citation
for said offence.
The Osceola County
Sheriff’s Office would like
to remind citizens to report
any and all suspicious
activity that is observed
within their neighborhoods, and to contact the
sheriff’s office if you have
any information pertaining
to the above complaints.
Mich. was one of 445 students from Saginaw Valley
State University named to
the President’s List for the
fall 2013 semester.
To be eligible for the
President’s List, a student
must take at least 12 credit
hours and earn a 4.0 grade
point average.
Nehmer declares
BOC candidacy
ning,” he said.
Nehmer also was president of the Fraternal Order
Former Marion village
of Eagles in Marion. He
president Jack Nehmer will retired as a mail carrier in
make a bid for a term on
2008 following his election
the Osceola County Board
to the village board to deof Commissioners reprevote his time to the village,
senting District 3.
he said.
Nehmer decided to run
Nehmer is familiar with
for office upon learning that county business by attendlongtime District 3 Coming county board meetings.
missioner Ron Sikkema
At one time, he was interwill retire when his 14-year ested in siting an emergentenure expires.
cy medical services base in
Sikkema confirmed he
the northeast quadrant.
will not seek re-election.
While he was still vilHis eighth grandchild was
lage president, Nehmer
just born, he runs a carpen- drew up a plan for an EMS
try business and does volbase he presented to the
unteer work. “Something
county commissioners. He
had to go,” he said. “And I offered to have the village
support Jack 100 percent.” construct the base for lease
District 3 is made up
to the county. The offer
of Highland and Marion
was turned down.
townships and one-third
County EMS is conSherman Township.
structing a new EMS base
Nehmer is well-known
slated for completion by
in the area but said he will
spring. Size of the new
not take his notoriety for
building located at the
granted.
corner of Meadow View
“I’d like to think after
Lane and Lowery Street
17 years delivering mail
is approximately 3,000
in Marion, five years as
square feet. It will house
village president, and four
two vehicles and provide
years as Marion Commuhousing for an EMS crew
nity Fire Board president
on site.
that a lot of people know
Nehmer feels he has
me, but I want to make sure a lot to contribute to the
people know I am runcounty, he said.
By Rosemary Horvath
Correspondent
Cruise into
Flashback
C A F E
Corner Main & M-66
in Marion
231-743-2271
Tuesday
20% Senior Discount
Thursday $5.00
Hamburger, Fries &
Drink
Hours:
Mon - Sat:
7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sun: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Daily Specials
Homemade Soups,
Pies & Bread
Whooping cough
cases confirmed
The Central Michigan
District Health Department has received notice of
seven confirmed cases of
whooping cough in the Mt.
Pleasant area. The patients
are expected to make a full
recovery.
Whooping cough, also
called Pertussis, starts out
like the common cold. The
initial symptoms last a
week. A cough then develops along with the characteristic whoop.
The cough of whooping cough can last as long
By Appointment Only
34 Years Experience
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as 12 weeks. Whooping
cough can lead to severe
complications such as hospitalization and pneumonia. In very young children
whooping cough can even
cause death. In Michigan,
one infant died of pertussis
in 2012.
Whooping cough is
spread by respiratory droplets. People with whooping
cough can transmit the
whooping cough germ for
four weeks after becoming ill.
If you have questions
about Pertussis, please
contact your family doctor
or the Isabella County
Branch Office of Central
Michigan District Health
Department at 989-7735921 ext. 8434.
Holton’s LP Gas
3922 S. Morey Rd., Lake City, MI 49651
(231) 839-4600
2nd Annual Food Drive!
Like
us on
Facebook
Read
stories,
see photos
and
connect
with
other
readers!
Bring in 10 items
& get $5 credited
to your account
or a friend’s.
Ends March 31, 2014
Page 4A - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
Viewpoints
Mike’s Musings
Michael Wilcox, Publisher/Editor
Blowing out 125 candles….
congrats Marion Press
From the Past
Carol Cope
March, 1953 • 61 Years Ago
Selective Service
officials report that six
Do you know how long
couldn’t continue printing
registrants from Osceola
ago 125 years is? It is beand distributing the product
county were inducted into
fore electricity. Horse and
because the publisher
the army at Detroit on
buggys were the preferred
couldn’t sell enough adverWednesday, March 11.
mode of transportationstising to pay for itself. Thus
Included in the
“When you grew up and contingent were the
automobiles had yet to be
it wasn’t unusual to see a
graduated it was the home
invented. There were no
newspaper start and end
following:
paper again gave you a nice
telephones- communication within a year’s time.
Duane Harvey Baker,
write-up.”
was by telegraph. World
In the early going, the
Marion; Richard John
“When you later on
War 1 and certainly World
Press was actually called
Ernest, Reed City; Robert
found your life companion Huey Smock, Evart; RusWar 11 didn’t occur until
The Marion Dispatch.
decades later.
Ownership bounced around and were happily married
sell Ernest Gerber, Reed
But guess what, there
for quite some times as one the home paper gave you
City; Ronald Ray Truman,
and your spouse a nice
was a Marion Press, or the
entrepreneur after another
LeRoy; Alfred George
beginnings of the newspatried to make it work, until notice.”
Gamble, Reed City.
“When sickness and misper, anyways. The Press
finally C. T. Sadler made it
The April group will
got its start in 1889, when
successful. Actually Sadler fortune invaded your home, be the largest for several
the sad news was carried to months - 15. They will
newspapers were beginning had owned the newspaper
a long run of popularity
as early as 1899, but sold it your friends and neighbors leave on the 8th. The
before radio and television four different times, before by the home paper.”
names will be published
“When you were sucwere invented.
he decided to keep it for
later.
cessful in a business venAnd with this “keepgood, and ran The Press
Richard Anderson was
ture or had been promoted, elected commander of the
sake edition” inside this
from 1923 to 1944.
week’s Marion Press, we
It’s amazing that this tiny it was the home paper that
Marion V.F.W. post at the
heralded your ability.”
celebrate the birth of The
little weekly in this tiny
organization’s meeting held
“And last, when you’re
Press and the Village of
little town has survived and
Monday evening. He will
finally laid away it is the
Marion (ironically it is their thrived to this day, while
succeed Basil Niver.
home paper that prints con125th birthday as well).
so many other newspapers
Other officers elected
Make sure you check out
have bit the dust. The Press soling news of your demise, were Al Schultz, adjutant,
and extolls your virtues
the many pages of history,
has survived the advent of
and Nick Hamming, quarso the hearts of those who
primarily written by local
television, the computer
termaster.
mourn are made to feel
historian and Press colum- and the internet without
The group will hold a
thankful that he home paper social meeting Friday evenist Julie Traynor with the
interruption. It continues
stuck by you from the
assistance of Press Office
to be a vital source of loning, March 27th. A pot
cradle to the grave.”
Manager Carol Cope. It is
cal news for thousands of
luck lunch will be served
It’s amazing to me that
a great read for those of us readers.
and a movie will be shown.
a piece written 92 years
interested in local history.
E.B Blett, who owned
Pfc. Roy D. Thompson,
Not many weekly
Press for 18 months before ago, is still very true today. son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl
newspapers can claim a
Sadler took it over in 1923 A newspaper’s task is to
Thompson, Marion, recentchronicle the significant
125th birthday. Back in
(actually Blett is responly graduated from the army
the heyday of newspapers,
sible for changing the name events that take place in a
communication school in
community and its citizens Germany.
the late 1800’s and early
from the Dispatch to the
lives. I think the Marion
1900’s, many were started. Press, ran a column called
The school, conducted
Press has performed that
But just like today, it was
“From the Cradle to the
by the 16th Infantry
task very very well over its Regiment at Schweinfurt,
easy to start a newspaper,
Grave.” In one of those
first 125 years. I’m looking stressed the fundamentals
but extremely difficult to
columns who wrote about
forward to leading it into
sustain. Many were started the role of a newspaper:
of telephone and radio
by a citizen activist who
“When you were born it another 125 years. Any
repair and operation.
had “an axe to grind”
was the home paper that in- best whether we make it or
Private First class
with local politicians, but
troduced you to the world.” not”?
Thompson, a rocket
launcher in Company B of
the 16th Infantry Regiment,
was formerly stationed at
Fort Riley, Kansas.
Julie Traynor
A graduate of Evart
High school, Thompson
was a farmer before entering the army in May, 1952.
We say Happy Birthday to when we had a paper to write,
Through the cooperation
two well established entities
we did so with paper and pen,
of the Leonard Division of
this month, the Village of
or pounded it out on a manual
the Nash-Kelvinator CorMarion and the Marion Press. typewriter and did not think a
poration, Marion has been
They are celebrating 125
thing of it. That’s how it was.
chosen as a test town to asyears of official settlement
Entertainment was supplied
certain the public demand
and business. Folks have been by a trip to the movies, or
for two oven ranges.
forecasting the demise of our via our televisions, no paid
Herman Dennis of the
town for years; but we are
programming via cable or sat- came her way in the 1950’s.
Marion
Radio and Electric
still here. Likewise they have ellite about it. As complicated By the ‘60’s she was using
Co., is happy to be a part of
predicted the end of the local as we thought life was then,
the telephone to get news to
this special event and also
written word; and the Press is we had no idea what was in
downstate papers, bypassing
that his store was picked
still with us as well. Neither a our future when President
the mail with urgent items
for this test.
shift in population nor other
Bill Clinton announced the
in those increasingly busier
All residents of Marion
forms of communication has creation of the “information
times.
are
urged to call at the
done them in. And with that
super highway”; the World
By 2001 the Marion Press Marion Radio and Electric
we have to say that we are
Wide Web; the Internet. In
had come into the computer
Co., to view the Leonard
also celebrating what is by
just twenty-five short years,
age on its own terms. Com2-oven ranges on Saturday,
comparison the infancy of
what a different world it has
puters were used to write sto- March 21.
probably the greatest personal become.
ries and for layout. However
Throughout the country
information communication
My grandmother, Fern
there was no internet for them
innovation of all; the Internet. Berry, wrote for the Marion
yet and columnists delivered
It has a mere twenty-five
Press from the 1920’s until
their copy via floppy disc.
years under its belt.
she died in 1968. The first
I was on my way to deliver
Just as several generations articles she wrote, the first
said floppy copy the mornof my family before me, I
stories she told, were hand
ing of September 11, 2001.
am proud to say that Marion, written and hand delivered
Something made me turn
Michigan is my hometown.
or mailed to long time editor around and return home, just
It was a wonderful place
and publisher C.T. Sadler
in time to see the fateful crash
Dear Editor:
to live; attend school and
at the Press Office. Via the
at the Twin Towers. Within a
It’s a “chronometer”
church, make friends, play
Press he reminded his rural
year or so, email came to the kinda Friday…have you noand to grow-up. When I was
correspondents that they
Press and I could send copy
ticed it is now darker in the
a kid I could not believe that had but to let him know
via my landline from home,
morning but lighter in the
everyone wherever I went did and he would send them
as long as it was in plain text. evening?…Voila!...our polinot know where Marion was, another supply of paper and
Warp ahead a few short
ticians did what Jim Croce
or that they had never visited envelopes for their weekly
years to the technology of
could only sing about – they
here. It most certainly was the contributions. If the writer
2014. Wireless everything has captured “time in a bottle”…
center of my world.
needed, he probably would
come to the Pines the Press.
they seized an hour of mornI am of mixed emotions
have sent them pencils as
I will copy and paste this to
ing sun and moved it to the
about the Internet. Like the
well. That’s how it was done. an email and Mike Wilcox
end of the day!!...our politimajority anywhere, I am a fan
Fern bought her first
will get it as a message on his cians were able to grasp the
and a daily Internet user, no
typewriter, a Remington
trusty cell phone. His team
most mysterious of concepts
doubt about it. The answer to model on which she made
will put the Press together
– time – and manipulate it to
any question is as close as my payments, in 1929 and began and via the magic of said
our advantage…and people
computer and literally at my
pounding out her copy. That
Internet, anyone, anywhere
say Congress can’t do anyfingertips. I love the instantmachine was the best of its
the Internet is available will
thing!?!?…
ness of email and texting; no kind and could have doubled be able to read what’s doing
Of course, the deed is
waiting days or weeks for the as a boat anchor. But it was
in our little town, cover to
diminished somewhat when
mailman to bring a hand-writ- the technology which set her cover.
you consider our retired
ten reply to a hand-written
free and let her put words on
I can’t help but wonder
friends – they were able to
letter. I am in contact with my paper as quickly as she could what Mr. Sadler and Fern
make everyday a Saturday!!
family every day. I am not,
type. It served her well until
Berry would think about us
(at least in their world)...
as so many are, connected
a much lighter typewriter
now.
that is equally amazing…
at every moment and more
not everyone supports this
involved with my computer
The Marion
rearranging of sunshine but
or my phone than I am with
most do…I once heard one
those around me. The Internet
of the great thinkers of our
is there for me to use, not to
generation extolling the
Marion
Press
Publishing
make me its slave.
virtues of Daylight Savings
P.O. Box D • Marion, MI 49665
I am fortunate to
Time by saying that the
remember life before the
Phone: 231-743-2481 • Fax: 989-386-2412
crops would benefit from
Internet and for that matter,
the extra hour of sunshine..
life before anything wireEditor/Publisher: Mike Wilcox
{pause – and rimshot!}…
less in general. I never
and yet, our politicians
Advertising
Reps:
Press
Correspondents:
complained about the phone
were a bit shortsighted in
being hooked to the wall
Carol Cope & Teresa Wilcox Ben Murphy, Carol Cope,
the actual implementation
by a wire. That’s the way it
Marhea Pease &
of this “time machine”
Graphic Consultants:
was and how great that we
magic…as you all know, the
Rosemary Horvath
could speak with our friends
Sherry Landon & Amber Howe
clocks are actually adjusted
without leaving home. When
Spring and each Fall at
Email Us At: YourMarionPress@gmail.com each
we needed information for
2a.m….Really?!?!...
homework we went to the
This newspaper is not responsible for mistakes in
Mr. Obama, if you want
encyclopedia or the library;
advertising beyond the cost of the space involved.
to be the most popular
Marion Flashcard
How We Stay Connected
in special areas Leonard is
testing public acceptance
of their new ranges, and to
help celebrate this one day
special showing, Mr. Dennis is giving away a $70.00
value of West Bend cooking utensils, 22 pieces in
all, with every LER-3D-- 2
oven range purchased.
April 7th, the Osceola
County Dairy Committee will hold it’s yearly
Banquet and choose a 1953
Dairy Queen. Joe Patterson, chairman for the Committee, thinks this year›s
Dairy Queen Banquet will
be the best yet.
Janet Brinker, the
1952 Dairy Queen, who
was chosen at last year’s
banquet, will tell about her
award trip to Chicago. The
same award will be presented to the girl winning
the contest this year.
Clyde Cairy, outstanding magician and memory
expert from Lansing,
will be the entertainer,
Mel Haist and his Happy
Hollow Ranch Boys will
provide the music. Spencer Dennison, manager of
station WBRN, Big Rapids,
will interview the queen
contestants while every
person attending votes to
pick the 1953 Dairy Queen.
Favors and decorations
will be provided by several
dairy organizations and
door prizes will be furnished by the business
people of Hersey.
Bryce Swiler, Marion›s
brilliant junior guard and
captain-elect of next year›s
basketball squad, copped
individual scoring honors
this past season with a
total of 283 points for an
average of 13.47 points per
contest in 21 games.
Swiler’s total is the
highest compiled for Marion in recent years, with the
previous record being 250
points registered by Tom
Peters in 23 games during
the 1949-50 season.
Runner-up in the
scoring race this year
was senior forward, Al
Johnson, captain of this
years squad. Johnson
also cracked Peters› record with 266 points.
In spite of the fact that
the Eagles turned in a eight
wins and nine losses in the
Tomahawk conference,
they came back to perform
brilliantly in the post season defeating Manton and
Mesick to win the district
championship. The Eagles
whipped Gaylord in the
regional finals but ended up
bowing to East Jordan.
The Eagles ended
up with a great season
outscoring all opponents
1141-1082 for the season.
20th CENTURY CLUB
HONORS PIONEERS
The Marion Twentieth
Century club paid tribute to
the pioneer women of the
village at it›s meeting held
at the Methodist church
Monday evening. The
pioneers were women who
lived in Marion 50 years
ago and who reside within
the village limits now.
Of the 32 women
invited only 16 were able
to attend. They came
dressed in the fashions
of half century ago. The
pioneers reminisced about
the early days of Marion,
recalling the big fire in the
early 1900’s and where
they did their shopping.
Those pioneer women
that attended were Mrs.
Edith Foster, Mrs Irene
Fuller, Mrs.Vinnie Sible,
Mrs.Doris Mobley, Mrs.
Alta Huntwork, Mrs.Edith
Lowery, Mrs.Winnie Johnston, Mrs.Theresa Ulrich,
Miss Jennie Hall, Mrs.
Olive McLeod, Mrs.Maude
Lewis, Mrs Nettie Wing,
Mrs.Eva Brown, Mrs.Ida
Allen, Mrs.Grace Turner,
and Mrs,Kathryn Willet.
The next meeting will
be at the church April
13th and the Evart
Women›s club will be
guests.
RECIPE FOR THIS
WEEK IS A GREAT
ENGLISH MEAT LOAF
2 egg whites, beaten
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 envelope meat loaf
seasoning
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup barbecue sauce
Mix in a large bowl. Form
into a loaf and bake at
350 degrees for one (1)
hour. Also for a little
added flavor you may add
some sharp cheddar low fat
cheese chunks in center.
Until next time, have a
great and blessed week, be
kind, Carol Jean
Letter to the Editor
And people say Congress can’t do anything...
Press
President since FDR or
maybe even A. Lincoln,
here is a simple formula
for you to follow…forget
Obamacare (it doesn’t really
fix what needs to be fixed
anyway)…drop the whole
minimum wage issue (that is
a fool’s chase up a dead end
alley)…you probably can’t
repeal The Patriot Act (the
worst piece of legislation
since The Missouri Compromise of 1820)…so here, Mr.
President, is what you do…
You make a small change
to the whole Daylight Savings thing and you’ll be
aces with the working class
(at the last census it was
determined that there are
still over a dozen people
still working in America)…
as President of the United
States of America, along
with Sen. Harry Reid and
Speaker Boehner, you
need to enact legislation
that would change when
we adjust our clocks in the
Spring from 2a.m. Sunday Morning (who in the
heck thought that one up?)
to 2p.m. Friday…amazingly
simple and yet brilliant!!...
What working person
doesn’t dread that long
Friday afternoon waiting
for the weekend to start…
and then, all of sudden, the
weekend is catapulted one
hour closer!!…every Spring
the remaining working
people in America would
leave work an hour early
singing the praises of President Obama…and don’t
worry about the retirees;
they aren’t even out of bed
yet…
Now in the Fall you
make the time change effective at 7a.m. Monday…
imagine…every working
person dreads dragging their
weary behind out of bed
on a Monday morning…
so at 7a.m. when the alarm
goes off, that poor working
stiff can roll his/her Rolex
back to 6a.m., turn over and
snuggle down for that extra
hour of sleep…
Mr. Obama, you will
forever be praised as the
“Snooze Alarm President”…well there you have
it, Sir, a golden opportunity to fix what previous
politicians didn’t get quite
right…this is your chance to
do something that working
America can understand,
agree with and be grateful
for!...you would be the first
President in our generation to achieve those three
criteria…and the 17 of us
who are still working will
wave with all five fingers
when we see you on the
street in a couple of years…
the ducks on the pond will
still see you at daybreak…
and Mother Parker knows
how to the adjust the timer
on her brew machine.
The Kelster
The Marion Press - March 21, 2014 - Page 5A
GUEST COLUMN
Researching cemeteries is my passion
By Valerie Chamberlain
Eckert
which was more than I
expected, four with no
markers, just flags and two
In 2011, my husband,
with nothing. Thanks to the
David, and myself made
Marion VFW Post they
the long trip to Albuquernow have flags and holdque, New Mexico to attend ers.
the funeral of David’s
One man, Jacob Hamp,
brother-in-law, Captain
became my pet project and
Thomas Casey who was
for some reason I felt a
killed in action in Iraq
connection with him. He
while trying to save his
was one of the four that
men. I can tell you that I
only had flags. After a lot
was not prepared for the
of research and not being
emotional effect that a
able to find any family,
Military slash Catholic
I adopted him and with
funeral would have on my the help of Donna Geyer,
life.
we were able to get Jacob
After our trip, I came
Hamp a head stone. This
home a different person,
was not an easy task as
feeling a whole lot more
there are many documents
emotion every time taps
that is needed to prove
were played on TV
where Mr. Hamp is buried
or at our town funcand that he was a Civil war
tions. That’s when I made veteran. The other three
the decision that no one
are still unknown at this
should be forgotten,
time.
especially those who have
This first book started
served our country in
with finding a document
one of the bloodiest wars
that matched my soldiers
ever, the Civil War.
and laminating the inMy mission started out formation for the Civil
simple, I would find all the War folder which can be
Civil War soldiers buried in found at the library and the
Greenwood Cemetery and Historical Society here in
make sure they had marked Marion.
graves. In my research, I
It then was decided that
found a total of 26 Civil
other Civil War soldiers
War veterans buried there, in other cemeteries should
Obituaries
Frederick R. Helfmann
HELFMANN, Frederick
Roland. Age 58 . March
13, 2014. Beloved husband
of Linda. Loving father of
Andrew and Janice (Kyle)
Vanderhoef. Dear grandfather of Logan and Brooke.
Loving son of Maria and
the late Ludwig. Brother of
Gerhardt (Mary). Services
for Mr. Helfmann were
held on Monday, March
17. Share a memory at
www.verheyden.org.
Carl A. Linstrom
lac American Legion Post.
He is survived by his wife
Norma of Marion, daughter, Kari (Jeff) Schonert of
McBain, granddaughter,
Chelsey, daughter Beth
Ann Wearing of Muskegon, sons, Carl Linstrom
(Christy) of Bradenton,
Florida, Ronald Linstrom
of Muskegon, Roger
Linstrom of Muskegon,
Tim (Kathy) Linstrom of
Livonia, stepchildren, Darrell (Caroline) Kelley of
Cadillac, Kevin (Tammy)
Kelley of McBain, Mike
(Sheila) Kelley of Kenner,
Carl August Linstrom
Louisiana, Patricia WhitJr. age 84 of McBain and
taker of Mebane, North
formerly of Marion passed Carolina, sister, Virginia
away peacefully with
Sanderson of Muskegon,
his family by his side on
brother, Russell (Jan) LinMarch 13, 2014 at Autum- strom of Fullerton, Californwood of McBain. He was nia, and sister-in-law, Mary
born on Oct. 20, 1929 in
Linstrom of Spring Lake.
Muskegon to Carl August
Many grandchildren and
Sr. & Nina (Stuyvenberg)
great grandchildren also
Linstrom. He married
survive.
Norma Jean Kelley on Nov.
He was pre-ceded in
10, 1987 in Las Vegas, Nv. death by his parents and
Carl was proud to have
brother, Jack Linstrom.
served his country during
Carl’s wishes were to be
the Korean War. He had
cremated and a celebration
managed bus services in
of life will be held at a later
Cadillac and Arizona. He
date. Memorial contrihad lived in Bullhead City butions may be made to
and worked in Las Vegas.
Autumnwood of McBain.
He and his wife had owned Funeral arrangements were
and operated the Pleasmade by the Burkholder
ant Ridge AFC Home in
Family Funeral Home, 211
Marion for many years. He N. Pine Street, McBain,
enjoyed golfing, fishing,
231-825-8191. Thoughts
and hunting. He was a
and prayers may be left at
member of the Cadillac
www.burkholderfamilyfh.
AMVETS and the Cadilcom.
also be in the folder, making my project a whole lot
larger. While looking for
all the information, I came
across a website called
“Seeking Michigan” and
noticed if you type in a
name of a family that lived
in Marion long ago you
could find people who
were
buried in our cemetery. Some of these include unmarked graves and
those buried in the part
called “Potters field”. In
pursuing this,
I found 25 more veter-
ans which means another
folder to be done.
Some of the men I
have done research on are;
Solomon Oles, who
is a great grandfather to
Helen Joslin, we also have
pictures in the
folder of him. John William Whitford is a great
grandfather of Richard
Blackledge and I was able
to find a picture of him on
Ancestry.com and with
permission was able to
place in the folder.
Issac Hall was probably
the easiest to gain information on because he is
related to Garth Hall who
still owns the Omer Hall
farm west of Marion.
With much more on
my agenda, a second book
of Michigan Area Civil
War Veterans Cemetery
records will be published
this summer.
White Law Office PLC
JAMES R. WHITE • Attorney at Law
General Practice
Real Estate
Wills
Family Law
Medical
Directives
Estate Planning
116 No. Main St., Evart MI
PH 231-734-3531 • CELL 231-349-2556
Marion • Lumber • Yard
Sat 8am to 1pm
Wood Stove
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Closed
Sundays
Call for availability
HOURS
M-F 7:30am to
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Pastor Steve Boven
606 N. Mill Street, Marion
231-743-2416
NORTH COUNTRY DISCOUNT Store
Is closing
on March 29, 2014
for good!
10% Discount Storewide
starting March 17th, remember
when its gone, its gone
17798 80th Ave. • Marion, MI 49665 • 231-743-2938
Rose of
Sharon Church
Pastor Paul Carsten
11435 Haskell Lake Rd.,
Marion
Ph. 231-743-6043
Services: Wed. 7 pm
Sunday 10 am
Everyone Welcome
A Full Gospel Church: Acts 1:8
Page 6A - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
Games
bail
belief
bless
blight
bother
breed
civil
clear
contract
death
doctor
experience
fault
fences
fight
invention
joist
lade
left
lessen
level
mules
patch
rash
shine
stare
stir
stomach
store
summer
tatter
teal
tier
tingle
tonight
ulcer
value
vanish
vile
young
youth
ACROSS
1. Houses
6. Windmill blade
10. Outlay
14. Excrete
15. Dash
16. Reflected sound
17. Sporting venue
18. Short sleeps
19. A noble gas
20. Leather shorts
22. Container weight
23. Flee
24. Concerning (archaic)
26. Kitchen
30. Fool
32. Expect
33. Instructor
37. Hefty volume
38. Filled to excess
39. Bright thought
40. Butcher
42. Gentlewoman
43. Sweetie
44. In abundance
45. Parish land
47. Annoy
48. Nameless
49. Authorized
56. Exploded star
57. Makes a mistake
58. Country estate
59. Ends a prayer
60. Hissy fit
61. Extreme
62. In order to prevent
63. Bristle
64. Comportments
DOWN
1. Make well
2. Monster
3. A fitting reward
(archaic)
4. Feudal worker
5. Hollywood hopeful
6. Animal toxin
7. “Oh my!”
8. Back of the neck
9. Caught
10. 100th anniversary
11. Sea
12. Not tall
13. Anagram of “Note”
21. Fodder
25. Neither ___
26. Handguns
27. Absent Without Leave
28. Tibetan monk
29. Officer
30. Particles
31. Not under
Have news
to share?
Classifieds?
Coming Events?
Letter to
the Editor?
Email us:
YourMarionPress@gmail.com
Visit us online:
www.marion
press.com
33. A certain trade
agreement
34. Cocoyam
35. Char
36. Alike
38. Barefoot
41. Mouth (British slang)
42. Not minimum
44. Obtain
45. Dwarf
46. Adores
47. Panorama
48. A Freudian stage
50. Sea eagle
51. Fortitude
52. Timbuktu’s land
53. Initial wager
54. Ripped
55. Historical periods
Find the solutions on page 2A
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The ClareThe
County
Review
Marion
Press- March
-March 21, 2014 - Page 9B
7A
Sports
Russell named boys “Player of the Year”
By Ben Murphy
Basketball coaches harp
on their players to follow
their shots. Marion senior
guard Ethan Russell apparently listened to head coach
TWO STORY
Harold Dodde, this year
as he averaged nearly APARTMENT
a
Nice game.
Two Story Apartment
double-double every
2 kind
bedroom,
“Rebounds are
of 1 bath upstairs,
large
living
the key to the game,” Rus- room and kitchen
on every
main level. Very spacious.
sell said. “Usually
Located
time I shot I followed it only
so 15 minutes beHarrison
if I were to miss,tween
I’d get
the Clare or Gladwin.
Recently
updated. $475/
rebound.”
month
+ security deposit. Call
It sounds simple
enough,
989-339-7676. 12/20/13
but the formula provided
Russell the tools for a
successful campaign. On
average, Russell had 16.2
points and 7.5 rebounds a
game and has been named
the Marion Press Boys’
Basketball Player of the
Year.
Elsie
“I think he really
worked
FOR
RENT
on getting into
good
physi1 BR
Apt.
$550/month
cal shape,”
Marion
head
Plus
$550.00
Deposit. UtiliHELP WANTED
coach Harold
Dodde
said. 1-24-14
ties Paid.
588-2906
“He lifted a lot and put in
a lot of extra time and it
really made him strong.
He has strong hands and it
Marion’s Ethan Russell
really led him to rebound
like he did. He got a lot
of
Russell said. “If we thought son and that gave us a little
Lansing
rebounds and points FOR
from RENT
we played well together
more motivation going into
the guard position.
He
was
then
we
were
happy.”
that game, but we knew we
2 bedroom apartment in
a good leader.
You hate
to
The 01Eagles were able
couldn’t come in cocky,”
Farwell.
989-386-4268.
see them go as
with
any
to
pick
up
a
win
over
Big
Russell said. “We knew
31-14
senior.”
Rapids Crossroads in
it was a big game for us
Despite Russell’s efthe district semi-finals,
because we hadn’t won in
forts, the Eagles went 5-16 prolonging their season
awhile. We wanted to get a
overall and 1-13 in the
another two days and putwin for our coach and make
Highland Conference.
ting Marion in the district
him fell good too.”
“Most of the guys on the championship.
After the feel good win
team all got along well to“We knew we had a win over Crossroads, the Eagles
gether, we all hang out and against them (Crossroads)
were ousted against Sacred
that’s the big thing for us,” in the beginning of the sea- Heart 70-31 on March 7.
“The biggest thing I’m
going to miss is practicing
with the guys,” Russell,
who is a member of both
future people still rememthe baseball and track teams ber my name and what I left
said. “I just hope that in the behind here for sports.”
Despite frigid weather, spring teams get to work
BINGO
day,” Ryan said. “(We’re)
the kids. There are certain
working on batting, trying
things you have to do every
The cold weather may be
day but you try to incorporate to get them conditioned and
working on increasing their
keeping them indoors but
other things here and there
area high school spring sports in other drills and keep them confidence and abilities.”
Northern Michigan Christeam’s aren’t letting that stop interested.”
tian is the only area school
them from getting ready for
Marion softball coach
with a girl’s soccer team,
the upcoming season.
Kelly Ryan feels that the 13
and has had difficulty getting
“I think we’re considerplayers she has out for the
outside as well.
ably further ahead then
“So far it has been going
last year, believe it or not,”
well considering that we
Marion baseball head coach
are practicing on a surface
Kurt Gillespie said. “They’re
which is one-eighth the size
pretty experienced, aside
of a soccer field,” head coach
from two guys I have pretty
David VanHaitsma said.
much my whole team back.
“To keep the girls focused
We’re able to work on the
when practicing inside for an
finer skills so it’s pretty
outsideBINGO
sport, I keep the pracnice.”
WEDNESDAY
tices moving. I have found
The Eagles won a district
Clare Women
Moose
thatof
asthe
long
as I don’t spend
championship a year ago
Wed. Bingo.
Wednesday
too
long
on
and have had 19 players
at 6 pm, doors open any
at 5one thing,
Marion baseball player
as long
as each player
packed in the gym each day
Clare and
Moose
Family
Zack Grill fields a pm.
ground
is getting
many touches that
as they continue to hope for
Center, 1890
E. Ludingball during an indoor
Proceeds
go focused.”
mostly stay
improved weather. Despite
practice. ton Drive.they
towards building
mainteThe Lady
Comets have 24
the slight drop in numbers,
nance fund
and commuPhoto by Roger Hagerman
players
out for
Gillespie hopes to be able to
nity service
projects.
Callthe team this
year, seven more
play full junior varsity and
Judy, 989-386-6023
or than a year
ago. With
high amount of
varsity schedules. Still, he
team are handling thelodge,
indoor386-2513
forthe
more
info. License
A03608
bodies
in an enclosed area the
knows they’ve got to keep
schedule well.
coach has had to be creative
things from getting stale
“We are dealing alright
to keep players engaged.
while inside.
with indoor practice, the
“I have also done quite a
“We try to keep things
girls are just excited to be
moving every five to 10
practicing,” she said. “So far bit of shooting, which playminutes by getting them to
everything is going well, the ers generally enjoy doing,”
a different drill, we don’t
team is getting used to being VanHaitsma said. “This has
helped them stay on track.
want them on one thing too
around each other.”
Little competitions also help
long,” Gillespie said. “I know
Like Gillespie, Ryan
the time pass more quickly
for me if I do something
knows that changing things
and helps prevent indoor
for about 15 minutes I lose
up can be beneficial.
practices from becoming a
interest and I’m not focused
“I’m trying to keep their
and I’m sure it’s the same for focus by changing drills each drudgery.”
By Ben Murphy
Clear your clutter.
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thephone)
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FURNITURE & APPLIANCES
FOR RENT
FOR RENT
BINGO
AMISH LOG \
HEADBOARD
With queen pillow top
mattress set. New in plastic. Cost $975. Sell $275.
989/773-5582. TFN
MEMORY FOAM
Mattress set. Queen size.
New. Never used. Cost
$2,400. Must sell $650.
989/953-4400.
TFN
QUEEN PILLOW TOP
Mattress set. $100 each.
King $150. Full set $85.
All new in plastic. 989/7721517. TFN
FOR RENT
Apartments downtown
Harrison, 2 bedroom/office.
$650 month – includes utilities. No pets. Call 989-3860074 or 616-403-9583. TFN
FOR RENT
2 & 3 Bedroom Homes.
Call between 8-6 weekdays. 989-544-2429. TFN
FARWELL BINGO
SERVICES
The Shootist
Handgun
Training
One Day Indoor
Concealed Carry Classes
(989) 544–4444
HOUSECLEANING
Honest, dependable, references. Weekly, monthly or
one-time. Keenon’s Kleanin’
989/429-8496 - TFN
REAL ESTATE
FOR SALE
3 Ranch-style homes
on 3 large adjacent lots in
Marion. They are 2 bedrooms with storage buildings, presently rented. Buy
all 3 rentals or live in one
and rent other 2 for income.
Will sell separately. Call
for details. 231-920-2934.
TFN
REAL ESTATE
I buy and lease homes.
Any area, any condition, any
price, Call 517-404-8803
3/28/14
FOR SALE
2 Bedroom mobile home,
attached 2 car garage, 1
acre, 1 mile from Clare,
Paved road, Great building
spot, more land available
$39,500. 989-578-9242.
4-11-14
FOR SALE
20 acres (approx.) farm
land adjoining new Soccer
Field of Clare - $160,000.
(No text – interested parties ONLY). 989-578-9242.
4-11-14
OUTDOOR
WOOD FURNACE
Eliminate high heating bills
with a Central Boiler OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE.
Instant rebates up to $1000!
Beaverton Outdoor Wood Furnace 989-435-9240 3/21/14
APARTMENT FOR
RENT
3 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 car
garage. No smoking, no pets.
$900/month + 1st month’s
rent. Utilities not included.
Call Randy 989-817-8883.
3-21-14
FOR RENT - MARION
AREA
A cozy & clean 2BR,
1Bath, LR, DR, open layout. Deposit required, Pets
welcome with deposit $450/month plus utilities.
Call (517) 404-8803 TFN
3 BEDROOM HOME
306 6th Street, Marion.
FOR RENT
$550/month + utilities.
1400 sq. ft. Office Build- Contact Greg Merrifield.
ing, separate manager’s 231-499-0474,
231-743office, located 1.8 miles 6891. TFN
West of Doherty Hotel on
RENTALS
Ludington Dr. Call Terry at
989-429-7659 for viewing. Farwell, Pinehurst Senior
TFN
Apartments. 1 bedroom
apartments, 62 years or
Upcoming Open older, disabled (regardHouses
less of age), Rent starts
Monday, March 31 &
at $460.00 (based on inApril 14
come). Contact Carolyn
from Noon – 3:00
(989) 588-3360 or Susan
Harrison Woods Apartments
616-942-6553, Equal Op850 Richard Dr. in Harrison
portunity Provider, TDD
HEAT is FREE!
800-649-3777. TFN
Equal Housing
Opportunity
HELP WANTED
Barrier Free
Units Available
HELP WANTED
TDD: 800-649-3777
Now hiring for 2014 ConRent Based on Income
struction Season, needs drivThis institution is an
ers for long double, short
equal opportunity prodouble operators with exvider and employer.
perience & laborers. Apply
No Application Fee!
in person. Drug & Alcohol
Come See Us!
screening. Robin Harsh Ex989-539-3380
cavating, Inc. 9395 S. Clare
Ave., Clare, MI. 3-28-14
ANTIQUE
Tues. 6PM, Open 4PM
CC Senior Comm. Ctr.
(Behind Hardware)
Over 18 Welcome
Proceeds: BLDG/Upkeep
License A22094
FLEA MARKET
FARWELL
FLEA MARKET
AND THRIFT
STORE
WE DO
LOANS
770 E. Main, Farwell
Clare County’s newest
and largest resale shop!
Two locations to help
you find what your
looking for!
Clear
your
clutter.
Place a
classified
today!
Open Daily 10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
CLARE COUNTY’S
LARGEST
Buy, Sell, Trade
and Consignments
(Indoor & outdoor)
Ant Treasures
Vendor Space Available
Now Taking Consignments
Outside Vendors
Rent space for $5.00
10700 N. Mission Rd
989-386-9337
Hours:
Tools, New & Used
Building Supplies, Household Items,
New Kohler Cast Iron
tubs, New Windows,
Doors & Screens,
Glassware & Clothing,
Used Appliances &
Furniture, Antiques
Monday through Friday
10am-5pm
Saturday
10am-4pm
A Little Bit
of Everything
4016 N. Clare Ave.
989-539-LOAN(5626)
Hours:
989-588-3090
Monday through Saturday
10am-5pm
Closed on Sunday
Clare County Review
105 W. Fourth Street
Clare, MI 48617
989-386-4414
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Rehab/aide, long term,
approx. 30 hours/week.
Energetic, self-motivated,
reliable transportation, w/
AC. 989-544-3386. Leave
FOR RENT
2 bedroom apartment in message. 3-21-14
Farwell.
989-386-4268.
4-11-14
FOR RENT
One bedroom $400.
Efficiency Apt. $350.00 in
Clare. 386-4370. 4/4/14
FOR RENT
2 bedroom mobile for
rent. also 3 bedroom house.
989-339-0392. 3/21/14
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Page 8A - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
Sports
McBain’s Hamlet is PRESS’s “player of the year”
By Ben Murphy
It’s safe to say that
McBain junior guard Meredith Hamlet was destined
to be a standout basketball
player. Older sisters Elizabeth and Annemarie both
starred for McBain in their
time as Lady Ramblers and
now, Meredith is taking her
turn, having scored over
1000 career points and this
year averaged 21.3 points,
8.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists a game and now has
been named the Marion
Press Girls’ Basketball
Player of the Year.
“My sisters were always
in the gym shooting,”
Meredith Hamlet said. “I
would have to give a lot of
credit to my family. I’m the
person I am today because
of my family and God
honestly. I’ve been blessed
with a lot of talent and my
parents have pushed me to
be the best I can be.”
Along with a pair of older sisters loving the game,
don’t forget her dad, Todd
Hamlet is the longtime
coach of the Ramblers.
“She understands the
game,” Todd Hamlet said.
“She reads defenses well so
she’s calling out plays a lot
of times. She has a lot of
knowledge, which is part of
being a leader. It’s almost
like having a coach on the
floor, and that’s a good
quality to have. She has
put a lot of hours into the
game and I think that she’s
a good example for young
ladies that want to put their
minds to do something they
can achieve it.”
Basketball has always
been a major part in the
lives of the Hamlets.
“I actually got to play
with Annemarie as a
freshmen, not very many
people get to play with
their brother or sister in
high school and that was a
blessing for me,” Meredith
Hamlet said. “Having my
dad as coach definitely
has its’ pros and cons, but
mostly pros. He knows a
lot about basketball and
he’s definitely a good
coach. He knows what he’s
talking about and I have a
lot of respect for my dad
and what he has to say.”
Though Meredith is the
third daughter he’s been
able to coach, Todd realizes
the burdens the coach and
father combination isn’t
without its’ drawbacks.
“It’s probably a tough
position for any young
player to have,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s a benefit and sometimes it’s a
hindrance. Sometimes you
can’t leave things on the
court because you end up
taking them home with the
coach but she handles it
well. She respects me and
the other kids see that... It
does get hairy at times but
we work through it.”
Aside from a pair of
losses in the highly competitive Motor City Round
Ball Classic in December,
the Lady Ramblers were
nearly unstoppable this
year, going 21-3 overall
and 14-0 in the Highland
Conference. McBain extended its season with district and regional titles and St. Ignace in the class ‘C’
had it end with a 54-37 loss quarterfinals on March 11.
to eventual state runner-up
“When we first got
together this year there was
just something different
about this team compared to the other years,”
Meredith Hamlet said. “I
think it was because we
have such a close bond. We
don’t all hang out in the
same groups at school but
when we get on the court
we just have that bond and
mesh really well.”
Meredith is hoping her
senior season is her best
one yet. In her eyes, there’s
still room for improvement
both as an individual and
as a team.
Get the
NEWS
the way
you want it!
Print
McBain’s Meredith Hamlet
Photos by Ben Murphy
“I’m probably going
to play a lot of one-onones with the boys, that
helps tremendously,” she
said. “I’ll also be playing
AAU (for the Midland
Fastbreak). That and just
continuing to work on my
leadership.
As a team, we don’t
have everybody back but
we do have a lot of experience returning next year
added. Our team goal next
year is to make it further
than quarterfinals.”
We have a ton of community support, they do a
lot for our team so I just
really apprecaite that.
What does she bring to
the team?
She brings hard work.
I think she brings the
every day work ethic to
the team. She enjoys the
girls that she plays with
and is a great encourager
to the team. Thats what
she’s been working on and
that’s what really helps her
and the team, just being an
encourager to everybody.
Dean’s Auto & Truck
WEST OF MARION ON 20 MILE ROAD
231-743-6825
Late model used
cars and trucks
Full-Service
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com/themarionpress
Online
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at www.marion-press.com
Specialized Care for Women
Announcing
Our New Arrival
Happily Accepting New Patients
Andrea McSwain, DO
Mercy OB/GYN Partners is pleased to
welcome Andrea McSwain, DO, to our team.
Dr. McSwain is focused on providing innovative
and compassionate patient care. A focus
promoting the well-being of all women.
Good-studentdiscounts
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od-student
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Dr. McSwain will begin seeing patients
August 26. Evening hours available.
For an appointment please call (231) 876-6100.
Knaggs Agency
AGENCY
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AGENCY
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St. • •Marion,
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Cadillac, MI 49601
Happy 125th Birthday Marion Press &
MARION PRESS KEEPSAKE EDITION
Marion
Village
Section B * March 21, 2014
Without Sadler, there wouldn’t be a Marion Press
By Julie Traynor
Correspondent
The Village of Marion
celebrated a birthday last
month; a big birthday. The
lady we call home, our
own Marion, Michigan,
marked 125 official years
on February 20. Happy
Birthday to us!
The residents of Marion
have enjoyed the luxury
of a weekly newspaper for
almost all of the village’s
125 year existence. The
early survival of the print
media in Marion involved
several players, heavy
equipment, three other
publications and a ruling
from the US Post Office.
The first newspaper man
in Marion was one C.T.
Chapin. The Chapin name is
a familiar one in this town;
however he only owned the
business for a year, before
selling to a man named Hess
and his son. They wrangled
among themselves and with
other partners, among them
Dr. Frank Willett, father of
Marion’s own Dr. Harry
Willett, and C.T. Sadler,
the man who was destined
to beThe Marion Press for
fifty years.
The Marion Dispatch
had been in circulation
for almost ten years when
Charles T. Sadler came to
Marion in 1899. Originally
from the Allegan County
town of Allegan, he had
most recently had been at
Martin, Michigan, where he
had published a successful
newspaper. Sadler arrived in
Marion with his wife, lock,
stock and printing plant
intending to stay a while.
Sadler and the younger
Hess formed a partnership
and published their version
of the Marion Dispatch
under Hess’s subscription
list and second class entry at
the Post Office.
This stirred the hackles of
the other Hess and said Dr.
Willett Sr., who pled their
case to postal authorities in
Washington D.C., only to
lose. Hess and Willett had
changed the name of their
publication to the Marion
Leader. Within a year, C.T.
Sadler had bought out Hess
and Willett and had become
the sole owner of the Marion
Dispatch. The combined
publication was known as
the Marion Dispatch and
Leader. Life was good in the
growing village for Editor/
Publisher Sadler and his
young family.
On a blustery November
night in 1904 the entire
west side of Marion’s
business district caught
fire and burned to the river.
The Marion Dispatch,
then located just south of
the corner of Main and
Mill Streets, was among
the many businesses lost.
Sadler and his wife, and
small daughter lost all they
owned. Fire claimed not
only the business but all of
their household goods.
Sadler
immediately
ordered
new
printing
equipment but there was no
available building in which
to house the newspaper.
Courtesy of Publisher
Burleson,
the
Marion
Dispatch was printed from
the offices of the McBain
Chronicle for three months
until space was once again
available in Marion.
In the spring of 1908
Sadler sold the Dispatch
and Leader to Lawrence
& Reed, who only took
three months to find that
the news business was
not for them. They sold
to the newly arrived John
Clemens, who also found
the news game not to his
liking. Enter Dewey &
Rouse, who restored the
Marion Dispatch logo and
were successful purveyors
of local news for several
years. In 1916 Rouse sold
his interest to Dewey who
promptly changed the name
to the Northern Osceola
Press.
In 1918 C.T. Sadler
returned to his home in
Marion from a stint in
Pellston where he printed
the local paper and ran the
printing plant. He leased
the Northern Osceola News
CT Sadler (at front) Chas Spencer and Irene Sadler Fuller
from Dewey until June of
1922 when Dewey sold to
E.B. Blett, who published
the paper for just over a
year before he returned
it to Dewey. Once again
picking up the pieces, C.T.
Sadler bought the paper
and continued to own and
operate it until 1944. Blett’s
one big contribution to our
local paper remains. It was
E.B. Blett who changed
the name and gave us the
Marion Press.
During Sadler’s long
tenure in Marion, the
Marion Press moved to its
longstanding building on
Main Street, (now Dynamic
Physical Therapy) just to
the east of VanDeWarker’s
Drug Store. Sadler made
many improvements in
the equipment, adding a
linotype machine for setting
the type, new presses, new
type, the occasional local
photograph and many other
conveniences considered
most modern in their time.
The front page
and the whole of the Marion
Press in general claimed
to contain “all the news
that’s fit to print.” Running
and winning candidates,
obituaries, house fires,
weddings, school news,
court news, new babies,
and the events at every
club meeting were front
page news. Advertising for
every store in town plus
businesses in other places
such as Cadillac and Evart
featured prominently on
the inside pages. Also
inside was news from local
agricultural agents, the
Bob Sharp was editor of The Marion Press for 33 years,
he would later become the owner.
rural and neighborhood
correspondents, and regular
columnists.
The
Marion
Press
remained
under
C.T.
Sadler’s watchful eye until
his health and advancing
age forced him to sell
the paper in March of
1944. The Marion Press
was bought by Smith and
Smith Publishers, owners
of the Evart Review. They
installed Claude E. Sadler,
as editor in chief. The two
Sadlers were not related.
The next editor of the
Marion Press was Bob
Sharp, who took the helm
from Claude Sadler in 1949.
Under the ownership of the
Smith’s the Marion Press
moved into its own new
building in 1953. Sharp
continued as editor and
purchased the Marion Press
in 1971. After 33 steady
years at the helm, Sharp sold
the paper to Jim Blevins in
1982 and retired, returning
to his native Midland.
Jim Blevins, to date,
has been the only native
Marionite to own the
Marion Press. It was
Blevins who brought the
Press into the twenty-first
century, changing size,
mast head, typeface, and
removing most of the
neighborhood news from
the interior pages, a bold
move which paid off for
the Press. Blevins sold the
Marion Press in 2009 to
Jenny Gray who in turn
sold to Mike Wilcox of the
Clare County Review in
December of 2012.
Countless small weekly
country papers have fallen
by the way through the
years. Most recently print
publications are bowing
to the pressures of the
internet,
television
or
have been consumed by
larger publications. Folks
in our little village have
grown accustomed to our
own particular brand of
news. We’ve anticipated
its appearance each week
for the past 125 years. The
Marion Press continues to
lead its charmed life.
Marion has changed faces many times
By Julie Traynor
Correspondent
Marion is no stranger
to change. It happens
here, just as it does
everywhere,
it
just
happens more slowly.
Fire changed the face of
Marion in 1904 when
much of the west end
of Main Street was
destroyed, stopped only
by the Middle Branch
River. This was a drastic
change in a hurry. The
rebuilding gave us much
of the Marion business
district we know today.
The Marion House
Hotel, of fame and
legend, was one of the
original buildings in
town and a survivor in
the hotel trade. It was
located on the southwest
corner of Main and
Pickard Streets and was
lost to fire in 1951. The
original wooden Ideal
Tavern building, once Ed
Friend’s Store, also went
up in flames in 1952. The
footprint of the Marion
House remains, in front
of the Horseshoe Bar; the
Ideal was replaced by a
cement block structure.
Fire has claimed several
Marion businesses in the
more recent past. Both
the Marion Lumber Yard,
in its original location on
M-66 next to what is now
McCrimmon’s Farm and
Feed, and the Gamble’s
Hardware, located in the
Morton Hardware Co.
and Marion Township
Hall buildings, went up
in spectacular flames
in the 1960’s and 70’s.
Marion Lumber moved a
block north to its present
location just north of
the railroad tracks on
M-66. Dart Oil and Gas
now holds the former
Gamble’s spot on Main.
The wrecking ball has
changed other parts of
Main Street. The upper
floor of the Piper and
Lowry Building, now
part of Artesian Springs
Medical Center, was
fitted with a large hall.
It was removed in the
mid-1950’s, to shoreup
the
structurally
damaged
building.
This gave Marion its
first ‘supermarket’ with
the enlargement of the
Marion Food Market into
Bernie’s IGA Foodliner.
In the late 1970’s the
Sun Theater,
Lucky
Hamar’s former bakery,
then Doran Realty and
the original Marion Bank
were razed to make room
for what has become the
First Merit Bank parking
lot.
Marion once supported
more than six gas
stations.
Standard,
Marathon, Pure and one
of two Gulf stations have
passed into memory. The
Pure station, last operated
by Lorraine ‘Skinny’
Brown, at the northeast
corner of Main and
Clark, became the Alpine
Drive-In in the mid
1960’s. The north M-66
Gulf station eventually
became a car wash and
was removed by the
Downtown Development
Authority to make way
for parking and a picnic
area along the Middle
Branch. The Standard
station, located in what
is now the Flashback
parking lot, sold gas from
that location for more
than 50 years before its
closing and conversion
The Marion House Hotel
Businesses of Mill and Main in Marion
to parking. The south
Gulf station is now the
Sunoco.
In 1986 the wooden
structure known as the
Marion Produce Co.,
located on the south side
of Main Street, just west
of the railroad tracks and
the red brick Marion
Village Hall by the river,
were removed to make
way for Marion’s new
municipal building and
the M. Alice Chapin
Library, dedicated in
1989.
The Marion Produce
building had served
Marion businesses for
over one hundred years,
first as depot for the
Michigan East and West
Railroad, later a gas
station, cream station
and finally as Marion
Produce Co., which sold
grain, feed and coal.
In 2005 the long unused
and dilapidated Corwin
Cash Store and Opera
House was razed. That
location is now a much
enjoyed playground.
The Middle Branch
Party Store, which for
a time reigned as the
oldest surviving business
building in town, was
known by many names
through the years. Built
in 1889 the building
was occupied for many
years
by
LaGoe’s
Confectionery, its close
proximity to the railroad
depot made this a popular
stop for many a traveler
seeking to fill a sweet
tooth. For many years
it was Marion’s only
convenience, packaged
liquor and candy store.
In August of 2012 it met
the wrecking ball and is
now a decked seating
area next to the Middle
Branch with a foot bridge
connecting Main Street
to off M-66 parking.
Main Street’s most
recent change is ongoing.
In November of last year
the block building which
was known to all as Big
Daddy’s Ideal Tavern,
and last home to Kel’s
Main
Street
Eatery,
was demolished. This
structure was built in
1953 after fire destroyed
the original wooden
building. Demolition was
necessary to make way
for the coming expansion
of the Marion Shell
Station.
Page 2B - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
The Clarks were the first to settle in Marion
Julie Traynor
Correspondent
Christopher Clarke, an
Irishman, who hailed from
Canada, was attracted to
the far reaches of northern
Michigan by stories of the
timber to be had there. He
came to what was then the
northern half of Middle
Branch
Township
in
1874. This was during his
employment as a foreman
and sometimes millwright
with the Ryerson, Hill and
Company, purveyors of
lumber. The previous year
Clarke had wed Mary Hixon, a 28 year old spinster
school teacher 12 years
his junior. Mary was hired
as the cook for the crew
working in Middle Branch.
Clarke and his crew
hiked into Middle Branch
Township from Cadillac.
At that time there was
no Marion Township, it
all being called Middle
Branch, which was later
divided. They established
a camp and built a log
house and camp buildings.
Soon after Mary Hixon
Clarke set out on the 25
mile trip from Cadillac.
She hired a buggy and driver and carried food and her
belongings, among them
two recently acquired kittens. The trip to the camp
was over rough trails, if
any, and turned near disas-
Marion Clark, the Village’s first woman settler.
Christopher Clark
ter when the buggy’s axle
broke, stranding the travelers 10 miles from their
destination with evening
falling fast. They were
rescued by a search party
from the camp after darkness fell.
She probably did not
realize it then, but Mary
M. Hixon Clark had come
to the place she would call
home for the rest of her
life.
By the fall of 1877,
Christopher Clarke had
purchased Ryerson and
Hill’s holdings, some
240 acres in the northern
reaches of the Middle
Branch river valley. He
built a mill and he and his
wife made the former camp
their home. Early plat
maps of Osceola County
mark the settlement, a dot
at the intersection of four
sections almost in the
middle of the township,
as “Saw Mill, C. Clark”.
And so were the early and
humble beginnings of the
place that would be known
as Marion, Michigan.
Chances are, if you
grew up here, or have any
familial ties whatsoever to
our little village, you’ve
heard the tales of the
woman once called “Mrs.
Marion”. We all grew up
hearing that our town was
named for Christopher
Clark’s wife, the first
resident woman at this
site, Mary M. Hixon Clark.
And from all accounts,
Mrs. Clark encouraged
and relished that reputation. But it isn’t necessarily so. It would appear that
as the years passed, Mary
Clarke, the lumber camp
jack-of-many-trades, became Marion Clark, the
pioneer woman for whom
a village and township
were named. She did not
discourage the story.
From numerous other
accounts, unearthed at the
time of the centennial, it is
more than likely that both
village and township were
named for like places in
Ohio, from which other
early settlers migrated.
In 1877 when the new
township was created,
the supervisor of Middle
Branch, Henry A. Clark,
not related to Christopher
or Mary, claimed he was
chosen to name the new
village and did so for
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Marion, Michigan
Marion Township in his
boyhood home of Harding
Co., Ohio.
Isaac Hall, of Canadian
origin, who came to
Michigan via Ohio, was
truly an early pioneer to
this area. He settled three
miles west of the Clark’s
and is also credited with
naming Marion Township.
For much of the first 33
years of the last century,
until her death, Marion
Clark claimed both were
named for her. By all
accounts, and any way you
slice it, Mary M. Hixon
Clark was indeed the first
woman to live in the valley
of the Middle Branch at
the spot which would become Marion, Michigan.
She was the first school
commissioner and first
teacher at the settlement
of Marion. She and her
husband conducted the
first store for supplies,
hotel of sorts and operated
the first post office. Along
with other settlers, like
John Chadwick and Ahira
Chapin, they worked to
expand the newly incorporated village. Land investors, like James Carland and John Stevenson,
platted and promoted the
developing village without ever living here. The
Clarks worked hard to
make this a place people
where people would want
to settle and live. And you
can’t take that away from
her.
As far as we know,
there are only a couple of
photos of the Clarks, and
none of them as a couple.
A grainy likeness of the
elderly Irishman with
wild white hair, sideburns
and moustache, appeared
on the front page of the
paper with his obituary in
August, 1911. The only
known and available photo
of Mrs. Clark appeared
in the Press at the time of
her birthday celebration,
proclaiming her ‘Mrs.
Marion’. The same photo
accompanied her obituary
in the Marion Press at
the time of her death in
1933. It also appears in the
Marion Centennial book.
It was taken, more than
likely, several years prior,
and possibly at one of the
photo studios in town.
The photo depicts an
elderly Mrs. Clark, a
slightly bent, creased and
timeworn woman. Her
gray hair is pinned up on
her head and her long, dark
dress has a bit of lace at the
neck, she wears a watch
pinned to her blouse. Her
eyes seem to pierce, even
through the fuzzy black
and white haze of the old
photo. She looks every
inch the matriarchal, pio-
neer woman.
The Clark’s seem to
have been a good couple
for the settler business.
They knew their chosen
profession, the lumber
trade, and knew a good
spot when they saw it.
Or at least a good spot
for a mill and dam. Clark
was prudent in his land
purchases, and offered up
much of the downtown,
as lots for sale. Clark
could sell you a lot one
day and then sell you the
lumber needed to build
upon it the next. Both
of the Clarks promoted
the new town when and
where they could. Mrs.
Clark frequently sent news
items to the Evart Review,
promoting the doings
in the new town and
bragging about its virtues.
It is rumored that she was
the “Northern Spark”,
the name signed by the
correspondent.
By all accounts she
wasn’t afraid of the
unsettled woods she came
to in 1875, or the hard
work of the lumber camp,
the task of starting a school
and overseeing others, or
of running a store and post
office in her home. She
was tough. Mary Hixon
Clark appears to have possessed many of the qualities most folks look for in
a founder.
The Marion Centennial
book and the archive of the
Marion Press, available at
the library on microfiche,
and the Evart Review,
are pretty much our only
sources for information
on the Clarks. Christopher
Clark died in 1911. Mrs.
Clark died in 1933, having
spent her last years as
a semi-invalid, rarely
leaving her home. In her
later years she spent time
living with her adopted
daughter in Kalamazoo
County for several months
in during the winter. She
also paid long visits to her
family home near London,
Ontario. She died in her
home, which overlooked
the Mill Pond, and is buried in her family plot in
Greenwood Cemetery.
Given the luxury of time
and a pile of evidence,
it is almost certain that
the township and village
were both named for those
places in Ohio from which
other early land holders
came. A good many
arrived in Michigan from
the area around Marion,
Ohio. That’s one on the
side of the Ohio theory. On
the other hand, this area
had its share of Canadian
immigrants as well. Like
so many places in northern
Michigan, Marion’s roots
come from as many places
as do her residents.
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The Marion Press - March 21, 2014 - Page 3B
Marion was home to many famous people
By Carol Cope
Correspondent
This
small
village,
obscure in the Palm of
Michigan’s Mitten, does
lay claim to worldly fame.
This village fostered a
pioneer pilot, a famous
artist, noted authors, an actress, politicians and many
veterans with outstanding
war
experiences.
Marion resident, Fred
Ettawageshik, a descendent of Ottawa Indian
Chief
PiPiQua, Fred, known as
“Geshik” had a business of
making Totem poles with
other Indian crafts, also
was a lecturer on Indian
Lore. He appeared and
took part in many ceremonials, made radio and
TV appearances along
with
publicity
films
about Indians.
Fred
Ettawageshik
died
at the age of 73.
“The Old Rugged
Cross” which has been
sung over and over is said
to have been finished and
premiered here in Marion in 1912 with Rev.
George Bennard
playing his guitar and singing it. Melvin Rennells
differs on the above, saying «It was sung for
the first time at a camp
meeting
in
Crocker.
Reed City capitalized
upon being the home
of the famous song’s
composer and erected
a large wooden cross
near the Bennard home
bordering US-131 north
of the city. Marion can
be proud that the «Old
Rugged Cross» that has
touched the hearts of so
many was completed and
born while Rev. Bennard was visiting Marion.
Philip Parmalee, Mechanical genius, from
Marion soared to new
heights with the Wright
Brothers as a test pilot in the early 1900›s.
He set new records in aviation history before his fatal
crash on an exhibition flight
before thousands of fairgoers in Yakima, Washington
in
June
1912.
While growing up in
Marion, Philip built a
dynamo and equipped
his father’s saw mill and
family home with electric lights, unheard of
at that time. His next
invention was a steam
auto using a buggy body,
bicycle wheels and a
steam boiler with a gasoline
heating
system.
Philip caused quite a
commotion when he drove
his vehicle into Marion
as it was the first selfpropelled four wheeler
ever seen here.
When
Buick Motors heard about
Philip’s mechanical wizardly,
they
contacted
and hired him to apply his knowledge to
the auto industry. Philip
still had his eye on the
Wright
Brothers
who
had built a gas powered
plane in 1903.
Philip
and Orville Wright met
and Wright hired Philip
over 1000 other applicants to join the Wrights’
in aviation industry and
history. Philip did exhibitions and stunt flying for
Stories
and
photos in
this
edition
were
compiled
by Julie
Traynor
and
Carol
Cope
the Wrights’ and on his
own. He set speed and endurance records, had the
distinction of being the
first pilot to transport commercial cargo and the
first to carry passengers.
In his short lifetime,
Philip attained world fame
and the Marion residents
shared in his glory. Philip
was buried in St. Johns,
Michigan, at the age of 27.
Marion’s Terry Wooten
graduated in 1967 from
Marion and has become
designing a front page
for The Saturday Evening Post, McCalls, U.S.
postage
stamps,
and
drew
comic
strips.
He won a position in
the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame. Austin
lived in Paris at the
time
of
his
death.
Many of Marion’s
young men and women
served our country well in
the Armed Services in
both wars. Many committed acts of heroism which
never
received
public
acclaim.
The Detroit Free Press
published a photo of
Isaiah VanArsdale January 1919. VanArsdale and
gun crew were praised
for helping defeat the
Kaiser’s army.
VanArsdale received special
mention for gallantry.
Highland
Township
native, Jake Bontekoe
played a significant part
in the bombing of Japan on
August 6, 1945. He and his
crew flew a B-29 bomber
on a weather reconnaissance flight over Hiroshima
affirming that conditions
were right for the bombing which ended World
War
II.
Dale Williams Jr. of
Marion arrived in Korea
with the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25 Division, and a
week later was captured
on night patrol, was sent
to Chiang-Song prisonerof-war camp. Three years
later Operation Big Switch
brought him and 17 other
Michigan
soldiers
home.
Williams was
also a Veteran of WWII.
President, Ronald
Reagan awarded nine
Marion men the Coveted
Bronze Star Medal for
Meritorious Service in
infantry combat during
WWII. Only soldiers involved in hand to hand
combat against enemy are
given
this
recognition. The Marion VFW
Post #6015 conducted the
ceremony during Old Fashion Days before the parade.
The nine veterans
were Archie P. Alberts, Raymond A. Beeby,
Revoe J. Kibby, Fen A.
McCrimmon, Harley l.
Nichols, Raymond Zeeryp,
Lewis Opper, Delbert Robinson and Gaylord Mosher.
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Joey’s Gym and Tanning Center
Our Business Is Working Out
Gregg And JoAnne Gossett
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a favorite and famous for
his unique style as a story
teller. In 1985 the Detroit
Free Press featured Terry
and the “Stone Circle”
in an article with pictures. Terry recites his own
poetry as well as folk- lore
from others to audiences of
all ages. His presentations
before students has made
Marion and Park Lake
known to many. Terry
has appeared on TV and has
had his books of poetry and
fork-lore stories published.
Terry Wooten received
a 2013 State History Award
for Outstanding Educational Program. This was
presented at an Awards
Ceremony
September,
2013
in
Kalamazoo,
Michigan.
This award
was given for his work
for and in the schools.
In October 1973,
The New York Times
mentioned
Marion,
Michigan when the news
paper devoted a half page
column to former Marion
resident Austin Briggs
obituary . Austin was a
illustrator,
commercial
artist and founder of the
famous artist school in
Woodbridge, Connecticut.
Austin’s father, Harry,
came to Marion in the
early 1900’s to work for
the railway and married
local girl, Ethel Davidson.
Austin was famous for
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Page 4B - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
From camp store to supermarket, businesses evolve
By Julie Traynor
Correspondent
Grocery shopping in
our little town has as long
and varied history as the
Village itself. Christopher
and Mary Clark were the
first settlers and business
owners and as such, sold
supplies to other settlers.
By 1884 the Clarks were
not only selling lumber
but, dry goods and food
stuffs to the fast growing
town.
By 1889 when
the village was formally
organized
it
boasted
several businesses selling
groceries and meats.
Lola Berry and Jackie Goodrich going to work at the
Clover Farm Store.
One of the earliest
and most recognizable
buildings
in
Marion
was the Piper & Lowry
building, located next
to the Post Office on the
northwest corner of Mill
and Main. The two story
brick,
constructed
in
1905 after the great fire,
consisted of two store
fronts below and a meeting
hall and offices above.
The
upstairs
meeting
hall boasted large arched
windows. The Lowry
Brothers, later joined by
the Game Brothers Meat
Market, (a.k.a. John and
Tom Meat Market) sold
groceries in that location
from 1900 until 1943 when
they sold the business and
building to Bernie and Lola
Schumacher, who renamed
George Lowry, Archie Lowry, customers and help at Lowry’s building.
it the Marion Food Market.
It would later become
Bernie’s IGA Foodliner east of Mill Street, and Emma White and later White’s Grocery. In the
when self-service came to groceries were dispensed with partner and son-in- early 1950’s the White’s
town.
for many years by Frank law, Dudley Helfrich, at sold to Ellis and Naomi
Another longstanding
Borders who operated the
grocery in Marion was
grocery until the early
located next to the former
1970’s when they sold to
Ben
Franklin.
This
Max and Judy Kibby. Ulbuilding was known as
timately, it was the Kibthe Blevins Block and was
bys who made the decihome to the Clover Farm
sion to leave Main Street.
Store, operated by Lee
To expand their business
Duddles. He eventually
they constructed the much
sold to Oscar Johnson who
larger M&J Grocery at the
operated Johnson’s Gropresent grocery store locery and Meats until the
cation on South Mill. The
early 1960’s. The building
Kibbys sold the business to
became part of the Ben
Ashcraft’s of Harrison who
Franklin during Rick and
in turn sold to the Spartan
Marilyn Russell’s tenure,
Corporation.
housing a well stocked
The current grocery,
fabric store, a popular desValuLand, is a subsidiary
tination for out of town
of Spartan Foods and conshoppers. It is now home to
tinues to serve the grocery
Joey’s Gym and Tanning.
needs of the surrounding
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Frank
White
with
famous
pot
bellied
In the business block
community.
stove in their store.
Flemming’s Clothing
Marion
Mike’s Body Shop
“Complete Auto & Collision Care Specialists”
In Business for
56 Years
Computerized Alignments • Struts
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Air Conditioning Service
Welding & Cutting Gasses
Tanks Trades & Fills
In Business for
Over 30 Years
We now offer Cavity & Underbody
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The Flemmings are proud of
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We congratulate both the
Marion Press and the
Village of Marion on their
125th Year Anniversary!
Open Mon - Sat: 9am - 5pm
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The Marion Press - March 21, 2014 - Page 5B
Organizations play an important role in Marion history
By Carol Cope
Correspondent
In the early years
of Marion, clubs and
organizations were very
strong.
Marion pioneers were joiners, so
clubs and organization
were a way of getting together and socializing.
Farmer’s clubs became
popular in the early 1900’s
as agriculture was important.
Some of the
clubs were;
The Watson Road Farmers, active
in 1915, Grandon club
was organized in 1916,
County Line and Hartwick
clubs recorded in 1916.
After WW1, the number
of clubs increased as the
automobile made it easy
to attend the meetings.
In the summer of 1924, a
unit of the Ku Klux Klan
was organized here. A
five foot oil soaked wooden cross was burned late
one night in April in front
of LaGoes Confectionery store. This was a
demonstration against a
well liked and respected Catholic family in
the community.
This
did not help the Klan›s
popularity and after the
summer of 1925 they
took their white sheets
and moved, never to be
seen
here
again.
Some clubs did not
survive
the
changing
need of the times. The
Lions
International,
charted 1979, only lasted until its fifth year.
Several other clubs include
The
Townsend
club of the 30’s and the
Radio club of the 20’s
were also short lived.
Other clubs which
lasted longer were the
Knights of Pythias, the
Knights of the Maccabees, Independent of Odd
Fellows (I.O.O.F. #533),
Marion Rebekah Lodge
#64, Marion Pioneer club,
The Harding Community
club and the Greater Marion Winter Sports club
Among the clubs that
lasted and some are still
going strong are The
Gleaners.
This organization started in 1894
as “Ancient Order of
Gleaners” in Caro, Michigan. The original purpose of the Gleaners was
issuing
life
insurance
to
members.
Groups of Small
Arbors were organized
in
Marion,
Grandon,
Winterfield,
Avondale, LeRoy and Boon.
The Gleaners contribute
much to the community in
the way of helping families
in need, Marion Public Library and Library Building
fund along with many
other communities activities. The funds are
raised
through
bake
sales,
flea
markets
and
public
events.
Two of the early
presidents of the Marion
Arbor were Ed. Bulman
and Carl Case. Barbara
Cook and Mary Keehn
were secretaries for many
years.
At
the
Society
convention in Lansing,
a sum of $1,500.was
collected through a silent
auction and was donated to
the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. The Marion
delegates to this convention
were Gerald and Winnie
Richardson.
The Ever Ready
clubs’ motto is “Always
Ready to do for Others”
was organized February 14, 1910. Mrs. Kate
Jones drove her team and
sleigh to pick up nine other
ladies and proceed to the
home of Mrs. Edgar Dean
for a pot luck dinner where
the Ever Ready club was
organized.
One of the fun summer
events was a “Gypsy
Encampment” held at
Richardson›s Grove east of
Marion. This was a money
making project , having
fortune tellers, fish ponds,
various booth and a program of fun. Homemade
ice cream and cake were
a big feature. Everyone
enjoyed this encampment.
Some of the great
things done by this club
were
making
quilts
for people who lost their
homes to fire, newlyweds
and some were raffled to
raise money. Other help
provided by the club included help for ill members
and neighbors and where
food was furnished at wood
cutting bees, a barn raising, after funerals and
many other times.
To
raise money the club had
silent auctions, programs
and socials to benefit the
needs of the community.
Cora Rodgers was
the first president of the
club. Others who served
as presidents were Pricilla
Sample, Allie Mosher,
Mary Bulman, Bertha
McLain, Zoie Landers, Ceacil Chilcote, Lillian Chilcote, Annie Perro, Minnie
Flinn, Maggie Richardson,
Ova Brown, Lena Martinson, and Marvella Mosher.
In 1984 the club was
recognized as Club of the
Year by the Chamber of
Commerce. The group is
especially proud of one
member, Ines Brocht, who
has been twice named
“Homemaker
of
the
Year” at the Marion Fair
The Marion Chamber of
Commerce was formulated
in 1902 by Dr. J.F Carrow
when Marion was a real
lumberman›s town. At that
time a narrow bridge divided the east side and west
side of Marion and caused a
Marion’s Bowl - August 7, 1937
rivalry. Some of the business people decided this
was not good for the
town and with Dr. Carrow formed a baseball
team known as “Marion
Business Men’s Baseball
Team”. These games were
played on what is now
known as Cass Street. Dr.
Carrow
planned
and
promoted a banquet for
the teams which was held
at the Marion House,
where most social events
were held.
The banquet was a huge success
as it was at this meeting
that the first Chamber of
Commerce was organized
for Marion where Dr.
Carrow was elected first
president.
Marion›s
Chamber of Commerce
achievements
are
too numerous to list.
Since 1968, Citizens
and
organizations
honored
for
being
outstanding in the community are done each year
at the Chamber meeting.
Some of those individuals
were Howard Fosnaught,
Marion • Lumber • Yard
606 N. Mill Street,
Marion, MI 49665
231-743-2416
In Business for
65 Years
In Business for
2 1/2 Years
Kristy Elsworth, Owner
Lori Clark, Office Manager
29
(231) 743-2450
In Business for
44 Years
Tuesday, Thursday
and Friday
7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Evenings by Appointment Only
Laundry • Shopping • Cleaning
Personal Care • Meal Preparation
Rides To The Doctor
per bag
208 E. Main St., Marion
231-908-9100
www.yourhomehelpers.net
HEALING HANDS
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Plumbing, Electrical, Pole Barns,
Garages, Vinyl Siding, Roof Steel, Paint,
Minor Automotive Supplies,
Wood Pellets.
Linda Baughan: Stylist/Owner
Providing In-Home
Services For Seniors
00
Installation is cheaper than
propane, gas, or fuel oil.
~Linda’s Beauty Salon~
3879 20 Mile Road
Granddaughters
of Borders MKT
Free machine
rental with 10
or more bags
all males acting all parts.
The performance was a
benefit by the Chamber
to help repair the roof of
the Sun Theatre.
This
was such a success, a second play was produced
the
following
spring.
In the summer of
1980, Artistic Wooden
Signs were well seen focusing on an “Artesian
Well”
theme.
Souvenir wishing well banks
and $1.00 bottles of the
«Good Water» went on
sale.
Jerry Horan of
Tustin painted a huge
mural on the building on
the Northeast corner of
Main Street intersection.
This shows that
the Marion Chamber of
Commerce takes every
opportunity
to
promote
the
area.
One Mile West of Marion
Hours: M-F 7:30 to 5:00, Sat 8:00 to 1:00, Sun Closed
$
Neil VanDeWarker, Dr.
Harry Willet, Dr. D C
Youngman, R.J. Bontekoe,
Lillian Orvis, Clara Lou
Birtles, Martha Fordyce,
B L .Swiler, Lon Turner,
Ethel McCrimmon, Marsha Turner, Fred Helmboldt, Barbara Eisenhauer,
William Johnson, Alice
Morton and Joanne Toth.
Organizations given
recognition
for
their
contributions
to
the
community
were
the
Community Fire Department, Marion Sports club,
Marion Fire and Rescue
Squad, Marion VFW Post,
Marion Heights Home
Extension
club
and
the Ever Ready club.
In 1962 Ryan Bontekoe and Revoe Kibby
had acting roles in “The
Imaginary
Invalid”
a
three act comedy with
In Business for
14 Years
Hours by Appointment
231-908-9100
Call Today!
Office: 231-743-2003
Cell: 231-290-9621
Fax: 231-743-6674
Congratulations to the Marion Press and
the Village of Marion for their
125 year anniversary!
Dean’s Auto & Truck
WEST OF MARION ON 20 MILE ROAD
231-743-6825
In Business for
47 Years
Congratulations to the Press
and Village on 125 Years!
Pollington Machine Tool, Inc., family owned and
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which include indusdtries such as areospace, military,
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Congratulations to
the Marion Press and the
Village of Marion on 125 years!
Page 6B - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
Marion’s natural Sugar Bowl site for many gatherings
By Julie Traynor
Correspondent
Perhaps if Christopher
Clark had given any
serious thought to the
town
which
would
inevitably
grow
up
around his mill site,
Marion might be in
a
slightly
different
location. Since the early
lumbering days and the
arrival of Mr. Clark,
dealing with the river
in this low valley of the
Middle Branch has not
been the easiest task.
This may have been
the best location for
damming the river, but
not necessarily the best
for founding a village.
The Middle Branch
River wends its way
through and around
Marion,
almost
encircling the downtown
district. Our little river
valley
gave
Marion
a bit of almost every
kind of river associated
topography, from a vast,
low swampy region to
the southeast and more
swampy land to the
west, to deep gullies and
ravines carved by small
creeks draining higher
ground from the north
and east. It also gave us
our well known artesian
or flowing wells, yet
another story.
There were two deeply
cut ravines or gullies
which sliced their way
through what was platted
as Marion’s earliest
residential area. They ran
from east of Broadway
at points between Main
and Third and between
Fifth and Sixth Streets,
to the river. There was
always at least a trickle
of water at the bottom of
each. It took many years
and more yards of soil
and fill materials than
anyone has kept track of
to fill them. They seemed
to have an appetite for
entire trees, countless
loads of large rocks and
even the remnants of
buildings. If you know
where to look today,
traces of each may still
be found.
The
solution
to
utilizing the lots along
Dr. Joseph Carrow at Bowl dedication
Main and Pickard was
simple. Buildings were
just built from the gully
up. The double building
containing the Orr &
Dunham Hardware, later
Morton’s Hardware, on
the east and the Marion
Twp. Hall on the west,
was impressive. When
viewed from Pickard, the
massive structure stood
three tin clad stories tall,
cellar to roof. Next to
the hardware, what was
left of the gully formed
a large depression, or
a deep bowl, in which
folks tossed trash and
brush grew wildly. It
became quite an eyesore.
It was Dr. Joseph F.
Carrow M.D. (18741955), early resident,
Village
President,
and one of Marion’s
staunchest
supporters,
who recognized this
asset for what it could
be. The good doctor,
who also headed up the
Chamber of Commerce,
persuaded the village to
purchase the lot in 1934.
The cost to the Village
was $75. With the help
of the Depression era
WPA, Carrow oversaw
the clean up and grading,
and
on
November
23, 1936 the former
dumping ground turned
shaded amphitheater was
completed.
Officially
named
the
Marion
Municipal
Musical
Bowl, it was ready for
use.
Spring
time
saw
area residents enjoying
weekly band concerts
and
eventually
free
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Congratulations to the
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movies. The August
7, 1937 Homecoming
celebration saw hundreds
of folks sitting on the
grassy slopes, enjoying
the High School Band
and a talent contest and
vaudeville show, which,
by all accounts, was the
hit of the celebration.
The
Bowl
saw
considerable use during
election years. Visiting
politicians found it an
easy place to speak to
large crowds. In 1940
the then Michigan State
Highway Commissioner
Murray
VanWagoner
spoke to a large crowd
from the platform within
the bowl. VanWagoner
would
later
become
governor of Michigan.
In 1950 the Marion’s
Bowl got an upgrade.
The Village removed the
well worn wooden band
platform and installed
a concrete platform,
complete with improved
steps, railings, lighting
and sound. Marionites
filled
the
newly
refurbished bowl for a
second dedication and
a summer band concert.
They also heard a few
words from Dr. Carrow
and from Fern Berry
(1898-1968) who was Dr.
Carrow’s assistant during
both eras of Bowl work.
She spoke praising Dr.
Carrow and reminding
all that the Bowl was
but a small indication of
the great civic spirit to
be found in Marion. She
ended by saying that what
it represented made “us
all proud to be residents”.
The Bowl continued to
be used for entertainments
and public speakers. Each
Halloween the Chamber
of Commerce sponsored a
costume contest and party
at the Sun Theater for all
area children. The stage
at the Bowl was used
weather permitting, for
costume judging. Scores
of Marion children found
the Bowl to be the perfect
sledding location each
winter.
By the late 1960’s
disease had taken its toll
on the large American
elm trees which grew in
and shaded the Bowl.
They were removed.
A large colony of
honey bees found an
opportunity and a home
in the side of the Morton
Hardware building and
posed somewhat of a
formidable
threat
to
those who ventured too
close. Trash began to
accumulate and the Bowl
fell into disuse. The Bowl
was then filled to street
level in the 1970’s.
Within a few short
years fire claimed the
massive old hardware
structure, by then the
Gambles Store. It too
passed into fond memory
and local lore along with
the Bowl, the elm trees,
and summer band conce
rts.
The site of the Marion
Municipal Music Bowl,
as it was formally known,
is now the Dart Building
parking lot. They say on
a quiet evening the faint
strains of band music
may be heard...
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Store Hours:
M-F 5 AM to 11 PM
Sat & Sun 6 AM to 11PM
Marion Shell Mini-Mart
101 W. Main Street • 231-743-6441
Here at the corner of Main Street
and M-66 since 1974
Mike’s Taxidermy
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Started 1980
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Press on 125 years!
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Fife Lake, MI 49633
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Marion Press and the
Village of Marion on
125 years!
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231-825-2001
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The Marion Press - March 21, 2014 - Page 7B
Marion’s history on display at museum
By Julie Traynor
Correspondent
More than 50 years have
passed since a small group
of dedicated ladies began
assembling local artifacts
and items from Marion’s
past to create the first
Marion Museum. Their
display area was in the
upstairs rooms above the
old library. The hours were
limited as was the space.
As Marion dug into its
collective attics, the little
rooms quickly filled, as did
the library rooms below.
By 1988, the ladies were
packing up the museum
as the library prepared to
move into a new purpose
built space on Main
Street; no museum space
provided. Items belonging
to M. Alice Chapin,
the library’s benefactor
who’s home served the
community for so long,
moved into the new library.
The Marion Museum went
into hibernation.
The Marion Centennial
Book Committee, Inc.,
composed of many of the
members of the museum
committee,
and
the
forerunner of the Marion
Area Historical Society,
was formed in June 1983.
The group was dedicated
to
researching
and
recording the history of the
Village of Marion as her
centennial approached in
February, 1989. After more
than five years of research,
interviewing,
writing,
editing and countless hours
of fundraising, this group
produced “Marion, 100
Years Moving Ahead” a
comprehensive history of
Marion. Its mission was
complete.
The
Marion
Area
Historical Society was
formed in 1991, born
of the Centennial Book
Committee. This group
was and is dedicated to the
preservation of Marion’s
historical heritage and
artifacts. With that as its
goal and a most generous
donation of acreage on
M-66 this group began
fund-raising once again,
toward the goal of a
museum building. After
many bike-a-thons, rocka-thons,
bake
sales,
donation drives and hard
work on site preparation,
the Society realized its
dream when the shell of
the Marion Area Historical
Museum was erected in
1994.
Through the hard work
and dedication of the
membership the interior of
the museum was finished,
carpeted and furnished
with display cabinets,
tables and shelving. Items
from the old Museum were
unpacked,
catalogued,
readied and displayed.
Marion once again had a
museum.
In 1996 the Society
received the most generous
gift of a log cabin of local
origin and history. After
much fund raising and hard
work on site preparation,
the Compton log cabin,
originally located on the
edge of “the Plains”, was
moved to its final home
on the Museum grounds.
Again, through the hard
work and dedication of
members, the log cabin was
restored and refurbished.
The cabin was opened to
the public and dedicated in
the spring of 2001.
The
Marion
Area
Historical Society honors
the Compton log cabin
with an open house in its
honor, coinciding with
Michigan’s Log Cabin
Day, the last Sunday in
June.
The summer of 2001 also
saw the building of a barn
structure on the grounds.
This display area is home
to the many farming and
lumbering items which the
Society owns. It enjoys
great popularity among
visitors.
In 2006 the Marion Area
Historical Society was
the recipient of a most
generous bequest from the
H. Millie Jones Trust. This
enabled the society to build
a long anticipated and
much appreciated addition
providing a meeting and
work area, more storage,
genealogy corner and
mini-kitchen.
Mildred Mobley Jones
was a Marion native and
educator whose bequests
have gone to groups in
her beloved hometown
of Marion. Her trust
designated monies to the
United Methodist Church,
the M. Alice Chapin
Library, Marion High
School and the Historical
Society.
The
Marion
Area
Historical Museum is
home to a sizable and
McBain
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growing collection of local
history. From lumbering
era roots, early Main
Street businesses and
residents,
homes
and
farms, to genealogy and
photographs, the museum
has, for the time being,
a space to accommodate
all. Their current project
is the digitizing of the
photograph
collection,
making it available for
viewing via computer.
Daily Specials at
Congrats to the Marion
Press & Village of
Marion for 125 years!
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Lunch Box
BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY!
Homemade pastries, pies, donuts,
cookies, soups, and the Famous
Roadkill Omelet! Homemade Crafts
& endless cups of coffee!
A visit to the Museum and
grounds is an entertaining
and educational experience
enjoyed by many each
year. In addition to June’s
Log Cabin celebration the
group hosts other events.
The grounds are busy the
first weekend of August in
conjunction with Marion’s
Old
Fashioned
Days
Homecoming celebration
and in September with a
Founder’s Day, honoring
Marion’s
founder,
Christopher
Clark,
featuring a lumberjack
stew and open house.
The
Marion
Area
Historical Museum is
located at the south village
limits on M-66. Regular
hours
are
announced
beginning in May, or by
chance or appointment.
Admission is free and all
are welcome, individuals
or groups.
HorseShoe Bar & Grill
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231-743-9814
Congratulations to the
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Page 8B - The Marion Press - March 21, 2014
Corwins Cash Store and Opera House meet wrecking ball
By Julie Traynor
Correspondent
Just a little over a year
after Mother Nature began
the process, the ninety-nine
year old Corwin Cash Store
and Opera House was pulled
down on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April of 2005.
Crews spent the better
part of two weeks removing
contents, previously fallen
brick and readying the building for demolition. Heavy
chains and a cable were attached to one of the supporting rear beams and other key
locations. April 16, 2pm,
a heavy duty John Deere
tractor tightened the chains
and exerted force upon the
cable. There was a great
deal of creaking, swaying
and falling brick before most
of the gutted upper story of
the building came crashing
down.
The two-story, I-beam reinforced, white brick building did not give up easily. As
the dust cleared, the crowd
broke into applause, as much
for the job well done as in
tribute to the building.
In recent memory Marion’s Main Street has seen
some major changes. In
2005 none was more welcome than the removal of
the once proud and historic
Corwin Cash Store and Opera House building.
Years of neglect and the
ravages of time began the
visible demolition of the
Corwin Building in April of
2004, when wind and rain
caused a partial collapse
of the rear of the building.
Brick and roofing from the
upper floor fell into the rear
of the building, Carland
Street to the east and the
Marion Post Office parking
lot, just to the west, closing
both. Further severe weather
brought about more collapse
two weeks later.
The Corwin Building
had not been significantly
used or occupied since the
mid 1960’s but was a major
player in Marion’s past.
Alva H. Corwin (18551911) and his wife, Mary
Ellen Corwin (1857-1948),
came to Marion in 1888.
Mr. Corwin taught school
and was active in local
politics and business. In
1900 Corwin was elected by
the voters of his district to
represent them for a term in
the House of Representatives
in Lansing. Upon his return,
he served as superintendent
of schools for the year 1904.
At the time of his death
Corwin was vice president
of the board of directors of
The Marion State Bank.
The Corwins established
and operated a dry goods
business in Marion overseen by Mrs. Corwin. They
had the two-story white
brick building constructed
in 1906, just two years after
a devastating fire destroyed
much of Marion’s business
district. Fire resistant materials were the order of the
day. This innovative building, located on the southwest
corner of Carland and Main
Streets, was constructed for
Alva and Mary Corwin by
B.F. Meade, local builder
and his crew. Much of the
brick and masonry work was
done by one Adam Bailey a
local brick mason. Not only
was the building constructed
entirely of white brick, it
was reinforced by the use of
I-beams which spanned the
building.
The
Corwin
Cash
Store sold dry goods and
groceries from the first
floor business and rented
the upstairs ‘Opera House’
for
dances,
basketball
games, play productions
and entertainment by high
school, local and traveling
groups. Because it was
the largest hall available,
and was complete with a
stage dressed in red velvet
curtains, early Marion High
School graduations were
held there until a more accommodating school, with a
gym and stage, was built in
1937.
Still, the Opera House
remained a busy place. The
second floor space was so
large that at one time it was
used for roller skating and as
a shooting gallery by local
boys.
Alva Corwin died in 1911
and Ellen Corwin continued
to operate the mercantile
business as she raised her
daughters. Eventually she
leased the building and
business to a Mr. Hartford,
for five years, resuming the
dry goods business with her
daughter, Pauline Corwin
Denman, in 1929 when that
lease was up.
The
Marion
Press
echoed the community’s
fondness for Mrs. Corwin in
November of that year.
“The people of Marion
and vicinity will be glad to
welcome Mrs. Corwin back
to the business circles of our
village.”
The Corwin Cash Store
sold clothing for men,
women and children, work
shoes, household goods
and groceries. In June of
1915 a Marion Dispatch
advertisement offered bulk
coffee at eleven cents a
pound. If you wanted it in
a can the cost was twentyfive cents. Ellen Corwin
and
Pauline
Denman
successfully
operated
the business through the
economic hard times of
the1930’s.
By 1947 Mrs. Corwin had
retired and daughter Pauline
and her husband had moved
on to other endeavors. The
building was sold to Pete
and Maxine Jenema of Marion. The Jenemas operated
a John Deere dealership on
the business floor and made
repairs in the back and basement. Equipment was displayed on the lot next door.
By the late 1950’s the Jenema’s changed businesses
but not location, when they
opened a Gamble’s franchise. It was out with the
farm implements, in with the
hardware, household items
and gifts. The Gamble’s store
moved to a larger accommodation when the Morton
Hardware Co. building became available in 1966. That
building succumbed to fire
in February 1977.
The former Corwin Cash
Store and Opera House
began a long period of
relative inactivity. It was
used as a warehouse and
briefly housed a couple of
small businesses, among
them a Strout Realty operated by Frank Kelley.
The upstairs Opera House
was renovated into a large
apartment and occupied for
a few years by new owners
in the 1970’s. This owner
left the area, yet retained
ownership; however the
building remained vacant
and deteriorating for more
than twenty years before
reverting to a tax sale.
After much time and
difficulty, regarding liability
and ownership, the Corwin
Cash Store and Opera House
became the property of Jim
Gunderson.
Gunderson,
along with his crew, was
responsible for the remaining
salvage and demolition.
The wrecking ball put
the Corwin Cash Store and
Opera House on the list
of famed local businesses
to pass into legend. The
big brick building is
remembered by generations
of Marionites for one reason
or another. Perhaps parents
or grandparents received a
high school diploma on that
stage. Grandpa may have
courted grandma at Opera
House dances or perhaps
b.b. gun skills were honed at
the upstairs shooting gallery.
For a young generation witnessing the demolition, the
memory will be of the buildings’ destruction.
Corwins Cash Store and Opera House 1906.
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3922 S. Morey Rd., Lake City, MI 49651 • (231) 839-4600