73 Attend Moore Descendant Meet
    The descendants of Samuel and Mary Moore, pioneer settlers of Casnovia Township and residents of Moon Lake and their families met at Bailey Community Hall on Sunday p.m., September 16 for a family reunion and dinner.
    Members were present from Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Sparta, Kent City, Casnovia, Bailey and Fremont.
    Oldest was Mrs. Myrtle Smith, 76, from Muskegon; youngest was Jimmie Tibbie, 3 months, of Bailey. In all, 73 members were there, also, two visitors, Carl Pruitt of Great Lakes Bible College, Vestaberg and Miss Judy Tonnis of Fremont.

Mrs. Frank Smith Given Birthday Party
    Mrs. E. E. Loomis assisted by Mrs. William Farwig, entertained at her home, 916 Riordan street, Muskegon Heights, Tuesday night in honor of the birthday anniversary of Mrs. Frank Smith.
    Refreshments were served, a birthday cake centering the table, and covers were laid for Mr. and Mrs. Morton Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Smith and son, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Babcock and daughter, Mrs. Cilfford Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Gannon, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Comstock, Frank Smith, William Farwig and children, Karleen Loomis, the honor guest who was showered with gifts and the hostess.

Mrs. Smith, 86, Dies Following Long Illness
    Mrs. Mertie Smith, 86, formerly of 580 Catawba St., died early today in the Sparta Nursing Home after a long illness.
    She was born Sept. 24, 1878 in Iowa and came to Muskegon as a young girl.
    She leaves one son, Gerald Smith of Grand Rapids; a daughter, Mrs. Morton Thompson of Muskegon; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Hessel Funeral Home in Sparta. Burial will be at Idlewild Cemetery.

Sparta Sentinel July 14, 1965-
Final Rites for Myrtie Smith
    Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon in the Hessel Chapel for Mrs. Myrtie I. Smith, aged 86, of 580 Catwaba Street, Muskegon, who passed away on Monday, July 12, at Sparta Nursing Home. She had been ill for the last seven years.
    A native of Iowa, Mrs. Smith had lived most of her life in the North-Kent-Muskegon area. She was educated at Half Moon Lake, and was married to the late Frank Smith on April 28, 1897.
    She was a member of the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Muskegon.
    Surviving are one son, Gerald Smith of Grand Rapids; one daughter Mrs. Morton (Florine) Thompson of Muskegon; 8 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
    The elder William Farwig officiated at the services. Burial was in Idlewild Cemetery.

Smith- Mrs. Myrtie I. Smith, aged 86, of 580 Catwaba St., Muskegon, passed away Monday morning at the Sparta Nursing Home after a long illness. She is survived by one son, Gerald Smith of Grand Rapids; one daughter, Mrs. Morton (Florine) Thompson of Muskegon; eight grandchildren; 11 great-granschildren; five great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Hessel Funeral Home, Sparta, with Elder William Farwig officiating. Internment Idlewild Cemetery, Kent City. Friends may call at the chapel.

The Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints Founded Here in 1918
    Though the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints is not ranked among the largest churches in the community, it has played an important part in the spiritual and social life of the community since its founding 18 years ago.
    In response to a desire on the part of several people who worshipped God according to the customs of the Latter Day Saints faith, Elder A. Whitehead, pastor of the Latter Days church in Cadillac, came to Muskegon and established the church here in 1918. The church of today owes its existence to the untiring efforts of Elder Whitehead, who, through his evangelistic work among the people of Muskegon, founded the present organization.
    The church had been in existence for only a year when plans were made for a building, and on April 20, 1919, Elder A. G. Smith, president of the Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan district appointed the 12 officers of the Muskegon branch, with Elder Whithead designated as the first pastor. Until sufficient funds were raised for a church edifice, the congregation worshipped in a building at 49 E. Western avenue.The place of worship was later moved to East Walton street, where the congregation gathered until they were able to build their own church.

Funeral Services Held Here Monday For F. B. Smith
    Frank B. Smith, 68 of 916 Riordan St., Muskegon Heights, a former and well-known resident of Sparta, passed away Friday morning, January 30, following a lingering illness.
    Mr. Smith was born at Richfield Center, Lucas County, Ohio, son of Edwin and Jemima Smith and moved to Michigan with his parents at the age of eight years, settling west of Kent City. He was married to Myrtie Moore on April 28, 1897, living the greater part of his life in Sparta and vicinty. For the past year they had resided at Muskegon Heights.
    Mr. Smith was a thoughtful and kind husband and father, a congenial friend with an unassumiong, quiet nature, generous hearted and always ready to be of service. He will be remembered with love and respect by those who knew him.
    He is survived by his widow, Myrtle; two sons, Gerald of Grand Rapids and Elsworth of Sparta; one daughter, (Florine) Mrs. Morton Thompson of Muskegon; one brother, Floyd of Farewell, Mich.; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; other relatives and many friends.
    Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2:30 at the Bettes Memorial Chapel, with internment in the Idlewild cemetery at Kent City, the Rev. William F. Farwig of Muskegon Heights officiating.

Frank B. Smith, 68, Dies in Muskegon
Sparta, Jan. 31.-- (Special)--
Funeral services will be held Monday at 2:30 p.m. for Frank B. Smith, 68 years old, who died Friday in Muskegon County Sanatorium, after a long illness.
    Born in Richfield Center, O., Mr. Smith came to Michigan when eight years old, with his parents. He married Myrtie Moore on April 28, 1897. Surviving are the widow, two sons, Gerald of Grand Rapids and Ellsworth of Sparta, and a daughter, Mrs. Morton Thompson of Muskegon. There is a brother, Floyd of Farwell, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
    Service will be held at the Bettes funeral home.
 
 

E. F. Smith's Grocery

Edwin F. Smith
Proprietor of the Popular Little Grocery on the Corner
    E. F. Smith learned the carpenter's trade in Ohio when a young man, and worked at carpentering and painting for a number of years. He also was elected in several important offices in Ohio, among them being supervisor, deputy sheriff and township trustee, an office which somewhat resembles our township road commissioner. He enlisted in 1863 and served until the close of the war.
    Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Smith and family came to Michigan from Ohio in 1881 and settled on a farm a mile south and a mile west of Casnovia. Here the family remained for seventeen years. Mr. Smith doing general farming and gardening. In 1898 Mr. and Mrs. Smith sold their farm and moved to Casnovia, purchasing four lots on the east side of Main street. For a time Mr. Smith busied himself with gardening on the three vacant lots, but four years ago he commenced making cement walk. This work kept him busy a good share of the three summers and it is noted that last season he laid < unreadable>. This summer, owing to health he has done but little in this line, though his services have been much in demand. He has recently commenced a piece of work which everyone will appreciate, namely the laying of a fine cement walk along Main street in front of his store and vacant lots, at a big expense to himself.
    Two years ago Mr. and Mrs. Smith opened a little store in the front part of their residence. They handle groceries of all sorts, and have a nice business.

Obituary
    Edwin F. Smith was born in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, May 31, 1842, departed this life Feb. 4, 1909, aged 66 years, 8 months and 3 days. He was united in marriage to Miss Jemema Bowman April 8, 1869. To this union three children were born: Miss Minta Rogers, Frank B. and Floyd G. Smith, all of whom are still living. For about 30 years he has been a professional follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and about 8 years a member of the F. B. church. With the trials and disappointments of this life he is done. The harvest time is ended and the victory won. He, like us, may have had his faults- who has not? But may we so live that we may hear "Well done." He leaves to mourn their loss, a loving wife, a faithful daughter, two sons, a brother and half brother, two half sisters, two of whom were present at the funeral. Besides a host of friends, not least to them were the members of the I. O. O. F. N0. 349, of this place, and Comrades of the G. A. R. May he who holds the sea in the hollow of His hand guides us all into that Upper Lodge Room and may we be able to give the signs, grips and tokens that will entitle us to a seat among the aristocracy of Heaven, with Christ himself our Chief Commander.
    The funeral services were held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Free Baptist church, conducted by Rev. H. Docktim of Kent City, assisted by Rev. Amos Rexford, and the church was filled with sorrowing friends. The remains were laid to rest in Idlewild, the burial service of the I. O. O. F. being used.

Mr. Basil F. Thompson
4190 Mt. Garfield Rd.
Fruitport Twp., MI
    Mr. Basil F. Thompson, age 87, died Thursday morning at a local nursing home following a long illness. He was born May 13, 1894 in Kempton, Indiana, coming to Muskegon after the war. He married the former Vivian E. Speed in Muskegon, August 18, 1923; who preceded him in death, September 20, 1965. He was past member of the Hts. V.F.W. and served in W.W.I with the U.S. Army. Before retiring Mr. Thompson was employed for Central Paper Co. for 20 years and later for the Norge Corp. for 11 years. He is survived by a son, Arthur F. of Muskegon, 1 brother Cleo of Muskegon, also 3 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. The graveside Service for Mr. Thompson will be held at the Sunrise Memorial Gardens Cemetery Saturday, 11:00 a.m., Rev. Jim Morse Officiating. There will be no visitation.  -Lee

Recalls Bygone Motoring Days
Will Bring Greetings From Sparta in Transportation Day Centennial Parade Tomorrow
    The old Stanley steam car with its steam whistle, which attracted special attention of the throngs along the parade route, Saturday, the only remaining steam vehicle licensed to use Michigan highways and to be seen again as a feature of the Transportation and Automotive Day parade, Tuesday at 11 a. m., hails from an almost forgotten epoch in transportation when Muskegon, from the motor angle, was an isolated town.
    George W. Bettes, Sparta funeral director who takes great pride in his souvenir car, recalls how difficult it was to travel only a few years ago. In 1900 as an automobile salesman in Grand Rapids, it fell to him to deliver a single cylinder Cadillac from the Grand Rapids sales office to George Chartier, a lumberman, at Ludington, and the rip was anything but a picnic, he says.
    "It took 21/2 days to drive through, whereas now we drive it in only two hours. It took us a whole day to reach Muskegon over the sand roads, and we stayed at the Occidental hotel that night. The road from Muskegon to Ludington was even worse- being virtually a sand trail except through the villages. Every time we met a horse or team, there would be a commotion as most of them had never seen an automobile before," he said.
    The steam car Mr. Bettes drives is 24 years old and was made at Newton, Mass. It is powered from a boiler which generates steam at 600 pounds per square inch pressure, will travel from 12 to 14 miles to the gallon of kerosene, and will still do 60 miles an hour. Of narrower gauge than today's cars, the vehicle also looks queer because of its 34 by 41/2 inch tires of the high pressure type requiring from 60 to 70 pounds. The car still has its original Japan finish and has plenty of lustre remaining. It has been driven about 4,000 miles.
    In the parade tomorrow, the old steam car will feature the Sparta Chamber of Commerce congratulating Muskegon on its first 100 years.

Mrs. Elmira Bull Dies at Casnovia
    Casnovia, March 16, - Mrs. Elmira Bull, 81, lifelong resident of this community, died Friday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Pearl Muma. She was the widow of George Bull, who died in 1893.
    Surviving are two other daughters, Mrs. John Bolt and Mrs. Orville Vaughn of Casnovia township; a son, Elgy of Sparta; a sisiter, Mrs. R. Zuefelt of Grant, and a brother, Wallace Beery in Canada.
    Burial will be in Seaman cemetery west of Bailey.
 

Myrtie Moore Smith and Franklin B. Smith- 40th Wedding Anniversary taken April
1937. 

 Elder E. E. Loomis Is Given Surprise on Birthday Anniversary
    Elder E. E. Loomis, pastor of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, was given a pleasant birthday anniversary surprise Monday night at his home at 972 Apple avenue, and was presented with a number of gifts. A buffet supper was served to nearly 75.
    Elder Loomis served as assistant to Elder Archibald Whitehead and at his death four years ago, took over the pastorate of the church, which has prospered under his leadership.

Mrs. E. E. Loomis Is Honored on Birthday

    Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Marks, Grand Haven road, entertained at their home Saturday evening, honoring Mrs. E. E. Loomis on her birthday anniversary. Games were enjoyed. Table decorations included a large birthday cake, occupying the center of the table. Lunch was served to Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Comstock of Fruitport, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Babcock, Mr. Mrs. William Farwig and sons, Earl, William and Harold, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Cooper, the Misses Karleen and Norene Loomis, Willard Gannon, the honor guest, host and hostess. Mrs. Loomis was presented with many gifts.