Undertaking the Undertakers

Lena M Bennett was the daughter of Hiel T Bennett & Mary Louise Spring. She married Daniel C Brown, the son of Noah Brown & Sarah Ann Cunningham and they had 2 children - Hazel & Rexford.

The family lost their first born, Hazel to cholera

Abridged
Hudson Post Gazette, 27 Sep 1901
Hazel M Brown, 7 months old baby of Dan C and Lena M Brown, died in Hudson Thursday. Born Mar 1, 1901.

From looking thru the various records, it appears that Dan joined Lena's father in business - from furniture to undertaking at a funeral parlor. Later Dan worked with his son and after Daniel died, his son partnered with another and it became Brown-Eagle Funeral Home.

Hudson Post Gazette, May 1950
HUDSON - Dan C Brown, 73, a former mayor of Hudson and businessman for 50 years, died at 5:30 am Sunday at St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor following a long illness. Since 1930, Brown had been senior partner in the firm of Dan C and Rex Brown, undertakers. He had been in the same business since 1900 when he and his bride, Lena Bennett Brown, moved to Hudson. They were married June 13, 1900. A lifelong resident of the Hudson area, Brown was born three miles southeast of Hudson on July 24, 1876. He was the son of Noah and Sarah Cunningham Brown. At the time of his death, he was living at 427 South Church Street in Hudson. An active club member as well as civil leader, Brown served two terms on the city council before becoming mayor in 1935. He belonged to the Hudson IOOF, Masonic Bodies, Past Masters Club, OES and Hudson Thanksgiving Club. His survivors include his son, Rexford Brown; three grandchildren; his widow; two sisters, Mrs Eva Steuerwald of Hudson and Mrs Carrie Leisenring of Hudson and a brother, Charles E Brown of Addison. Private funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 3 at the Dan C and Rex Brown Funeral Chapel. Burial in Maple Grove Cemetery

courtesy of Hudson City Clerk's office

Hudson Post Gazette, Dec 1961
Hudson - Mrs Lena M Brown, 85 years old, a resident of Hudson for 70 years, died Wednesday at 2:05 pm in the Swanson Convalescent Home in Hudson. She had been ill several months. Mrs Brown assisted her husband, the late Dan C Brown in the funeral business for many years in Hudson. Born Sept 17, 1876 in Ingham County, Mich. Mrs Brown was the daughter of Hiel T and Mary Spring Bennett. She spent her early years in Prattville. On June 13, 1900 she was married to Mr Brown. She was a member of the Lenawee Chapter No 174 of the Order of the Easter Star in Hudson and the WSCS of the Methodist Church. Surviving are one son, Rexford H Brown of Hudson; one sister, Mrs Leo Steger of Hudson; three grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Mrs Brown was preceded in death by her husband and one daughter, Hazel, who died in infancy. Funeral services will be in charge of Ned M Towns of Hillsdale at the Eagle Funeral Home in Hudson, Saturday at 2 pm. The Rev Carlon Foltz will officiate. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery. 

Their son Rexford Hiel Brown married Dorothy Arlene Stoltz, the daughter of William Stoltz & Mae Tuttle; they had 3 children - Dan, Mary & Carole.

courtesy of Keith Larzelere - Find A Grave

Abridged
Hudson Post Gazette, 5 Feb 1976
Rexford H Brown, 73, former Hudson funeral director, died January 29 at Thorn Hospital. Lifelong community resident. Born Mar 13, 1902 to Dan C and Lena (Bennett) Brown. Married Aug 12, 1927 to Dorothy Stoltz in Adrian. Went in funeral business in 1925 with Gurney Lowe and Dan Brown. Joined his father in 1930. In 1950 the business became the Brown-Eagle Funeral Home. Retired in 1952 and worked as bookkeeper for Hawkins Lumber until 1968. Joined many organizations. leaves wife, daughters, Mrs Mary Dolan of Jonesville and Mrs Clementino (Carole) Gutjerrez of Hudson, and son Dan W Brown of Plymouth; 11 grandchildren and 1 great granddaughter. Preceded by 1 granddaughter and 1 sister. Burial in Maple Grove.
 
Unknown Paper, Dec 1986
HUDSON - Dorothy A Brown, 83, a former school teacher in the Hudson area who resided at 754 N Maple Grove, Hudson, died Tuesday (Dec 2, 1986) at Thorn Hospital in Hudson following a brief illness. Born June 10, 1903, in Prattville, she was the daughter of William and Mary Tuttle Stoltz. She lived all her life in Hudson. Mrs Bronw was a member of the First United Methodist Church where she was a communion steward, taught Sunday school and was a member of the church's Faith Circle. In addition, she was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, a former member of the Pythian Sisters and the Order of Eastern Star, a former 4-H leader and den mother. On Aug 12, 1927, she married Rexford H Brown. He preceded her in death in 1976. One brother, one sister and one granddaughter also preceded her in death. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs Clementino (Carole) Gutierrez of Hudson and Mrs Mary Dolan of Jonesville; one son, Don Brown of Romulus; one sister, Mrs Beulah Moore of Hudson; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be Friday at 2 pm at the Eagle Funeral Home, Hudson with the Rev Myra Sparks officiating. Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery, Hudson.

Spring - Bennett

Mary Louise Spring was the daughter of Leander A Spring & Mary J Peck. She married Hiel T Bennett, the son of William W Bennett & Sophia Johnson, and they had 3 children - Elbert, Lena & Maud.

courtesy of Keith Larzelere - Find A Grave

Abridged

Hudson Post Gazette, 9 Sep 1941

Mrs Mary L Bennett, 92, died Friday in home of Mrs Sam Kohl where she had been cared for since May 1. Born in Medina Twp and spent most of her life in this area. Husband, Hiel Bennett, died 15 years ago. Leaves a son Bert Bennett of Jackson, two daughters, Mrs Dan C Brown and Mrs Leo Steger of this city, 5 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, Burial in Maple Grove.

courtesy of Keith Larzelere - Find A Grave

Abridged
Hudson Post Gazette, 29 May 1925
Hiel T Bennett, 76, died May 27 at the home of his daughter, Mrs Dan C Brown, W Main. Burial in Maple Grove. Born in Prattville Sep 14, 1848. Was in grocery business and other businesses in Hudson and Bronson. Leaves his wife, 1 son, Bert Bennett of Jackson, 2 daughters, Mrs Brown and Mrs Leo Steger of this City, 5 grandsons, and 1 brother, Eli Bennett of Jackson.

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Their son Elbert R Bennett married Nellie E Harley, the daughter of David Harley & Melinda Fellows and they one son, Zahel Harley Bennett.

The censuses show that he was a teacher, a bookkeeper and this one in 1910 - was he an aspiring actor or a projector operator in a theater, but wouldn't it say theater under industry?

Abridged
Hudson Post Gazette, 2 Jan 1947
Bert Bennett, 73, died at his home in Jackson, Friday. Born in Prattville, May 4, 1873 and lived in Hudson area for many years. Had lived in Jackson last 25 years. Leaves wife, Nellie, son Zahel, and 1 grandson, 2 sisters, Mrs Dan C Brown and Mrs Leo Steger of Hudson. Burial in Maple Grove.

Abridged
Hudson Post Gazette, 28 Dec 1972
Funeral of Mrs Nellie Hagerty, 94, of Jackson, held December 12. Was sister-in-law of Mrs Leo Steger. First husband was Bert Bennett, formerly of Hudson. M/M Rex Brown, Mrs Nellie Jay and Mrs Zella Acker of Fayette were all relatives.
~~~

courtesy of Vernon W Goodrich - Find A Grave

Bert & Nellie's son Zahel Harley Bennett married Madge Pauline Faust, the daughter of Benjamin Faust & Mary Wack and they had one son, David B who passed away in 2008; Madge passed away in 1997.

Jackson Citizen Patriot, 27 Jun 1978
BENNETT - Zahel H, of 1566 Navajo Rd, Jackson, passed away at Foote Hospital East, Monday morning, age 78. Surviving are his wife Madge P; one son David B of St Joseph, Mich; one granddaughter, Susan Bennett; two grandsons, Michael D Bennett and David B Bennett II. Friends may call at the Wetherby Co where services will be held Wednesday 2:00 pm. Interment Roseland Cemetery. the Reverend Claude Ridely officiating.

Spring

courtesy of Gene Eric Salecker - Find A Grave

We start back with one Cpl Jeremiah Spring 1844-1865. Jeremiah was the son of Leander A Spring & Mary J Peck and like his brother James, he enlisted in the Civil War.

Cpl Jeremiah enlisted with Co A, the 18th Michigan Infantry, on 6 Aug 1862 at the young age of 18. 

In 1864, most of his regiment was captured at Athens, AL and held at Camp Morgan Prison. He was released in 1865 to a parole camp near Vicksburg, MS. 

On 24 Apr 1865, nearly 2000 recently released Union POWs boarded the 'Sultana' steamboat and 3 days later, the boilers exploded killing about 1200 men - Cpl Jeremiah was one of them.
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Jeremiah's younger brother, Arthur Almerion Spring married Margarette Ellen Fisher, the daughter of Valentine Fisher & Elizabeth Bender, and they had 2 sons - Valentine & Arthur Jr.

courtesy of Diane Mills - Find A Grave

Abridged Obit
Hudson Post, 24 Jul 1914
Almeron A Spring died Thursday at his home 5 miles south of the city. Survived by his wife and 2 sons, Arthur in New Mexico, and Valentine, Jackson, Mich. Arthur Almeron Spring was born Nov 26, 1847, and died July 23. Married Apr 26, 1883 to Margaret Fisher. Also survived by a brother and sister, Charles Spring, Winnipeg, Canada, and Mrs Hiel Bennett, Bronson, Mich.
Abridged Obit
Hudson Post Gazette, 25 Jun 1935
Mrs Margaret Spring, 84, died Friday at home of her son, Valentine, at Philadelphia, Pa. Born 5 miles south of here and spent most of her live here. Was last of family of 7 children. Leaves three grandchildren, a nephew, Val W Fisher, and sister-in-law, Mrs Hiel Bennett, Hudson. Burial in Maple Grove.
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Their youngest son, Arthur Almerion Spring Jr married Orpha E Cockin, the daughter of James H Cockin &  Nancy A Laughlin; they had one daughter, Margaret Anne.

Arthur died in 1920 of complications from tuberculosis

Abridged
Hudson Post Gazette, 16 Jan 1920
Val W Fisher received word Monday that Arthur Spring had died at his home in Phoenix, Ariz that day. He leaves a wife and small daughter, a mother, Mrs A A Spring, of Phoenix, and a brother, Valentine W Spring of Philadelphia. Burial to be in Hudson.
Jan 23 - Born near Hudson September 13, 1891. Went west in 1911 after graduating from Hudson. Married Aug 1913 to Orpha Cockin, who survives, as does a baby daughter.

Orpha went on to marry two more times - first to  Joseph Pope who died in 1938 and then Harold B Fish. She died in 1974 and her daughter with Arthur, Margaret, married a Lee Rowe and she died at Florida in 2000

Jackson Citizen Patriot, 3 Sep 1974
FISH - Mrs Orpha E, wife of Harold B, 336 W Cortiano St, passed away at the Medical Care Facility, Tuesday morning, age 84. Besides the husband, she is survived by one daughter, Mrs Lee (Margaret) Rowe of Boca Raton, Fla; three granddaughters, Mrs Nancy Vail of Pittsburgh, Pa, Miss Jeanne Rowe and Miss Janet Rowe, both of Boca Raton, Fla; one sister, Mrs Vena Lemons of Michigan Center. Mrs Fish was a member of the First Baptist church. Friends may call at the Wetherby Co where services will be held at 1:00 pm Friday. Pastor John DiGangi officiating. Interment Woodland Cemetery.
 ~~~

Their eldest, Valentine Fisher Spring, married Celia Emma Bullis, the daughter of Leigh W Bullis & Mary A Johnson and they too had 2 sons - Charles & Robert.

1/Lt Charles Seager Spring died in 1944 - like his Great Uncle Jeremiah, in the Mississippi River.

Charles was on American Airlines Fight #2 from Los Angeles to New York via Fort Worth & Little Rock when it crashed into the river seven minutes out from the airport.

Charles was 26 years old.

His father Valentine died in 1962 in a car accident and his mother died 1987 at the home of his brother Robert.

Abridged Obit
Hudson Post Gazette, 6 Sep 1962
Valentine F Spring, 73, retired civil engineer, killed in an auto accident Thursday near New Kensington, Pa. He and his wife had moved to Hudson in 1950. Born Feb 14, 1889, in Medina Twp, son of Almiran and Margaret Fisher Spring. Besides his wife, Celia, he is survived by a son Robert and granddaughter Caryl Spring of Philadelphia; cousins, Mrs Carroll (Edith) Hart and Mrs Leo (Maude) Steger of Hudson; a niece, Mrs Lee Rowe of Jackson. A son, Charles, died in an air accident during WWII.
 

Hudson Post Gazette, 10 Dec 1987

Mrs Celia (Bullis) Spring, 96, of Philadelphia, Pa, passed away November 23, 1987 at a Philadelphia Nursing Home. She was born June 28, 1891 on a farm near Hudson to Leigh and Bina Bullis. She lived in and near Hudson and in 1916 married Valentine F Spring. They moved to Philadelphia and lived until 1949 when Mr Spring retired and they returned to Hudson. Mr Spring died in 1962 and she moved back to Philadelphia where she spent her remaining life with her son. Survivors are one son, Robert B Spring of Philadelphia; one granddaughter, Mrs Caryl M Grant of Alexandria, Virginia and two great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Monday, December 14, 1987 at 11 am in the Mt Ary Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Interment has taken place at Maple Grove Cemetery, Hudson.

Jackson of Jackson, MI

courtesy of Deb HayesWolfe - Find A Grave

Rowena Garlick was the daughter of George Garlick & Emeretta Smith who traces back to Hezekiah Rogers Jr & Hannah Vincent.

courtesy of Deb HayesWolfe - Find A Grave

At 15, Rowena married a boiler maker named Frederick Thomas Jackson who was born to English parents Edwin G Jackson & Naomi Woolsey. Together they had 2 children - Effie & George.  

courtesy of Deb HayesWolfe - Find A Grave

Fred died in 1938, Rowena in 1957 both at Jackson, MI & are buried at Woodland Cemetery.

Effie Rowena Jackson was born in 1890 and in 1909 she married Samuel E Cunningham, the son of John Cunningham & Sarah Hinton.  

Unfortunately, Effie died of tuberculosis 2 days shy of her 28th birthday!

George married Marjorie Ella Laraby, the daughter of Henry D Laraby & Jessie A Horton.  George was a machinist who got work where he could - automobiles to the railroad company to a steel factory.

Unknown Paper, Jun 1951

courtesy of Susan Baker - Find A Grave

JACKSON, George E - 1155 Carson St, passed away at Foote Hospital, Sunday at 5:30 pm, age 55 years. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; mother, Mrs Rowena Jackson of Jackson. Mr Jackson is at Bailey's Home where funeral services will be held Wednesday, 11 am. Burial at Woodland. He was a member of the Eagle Lodge No 612, Jackson.

A Couple of Senecal Connections

Alice Margaret Moore was the daughter of  Royal Dewaine Moore & Harriet Elizabeth Peck and she married Luke Anthony Senecal, the son of Antoine Senecal & Adelaide Truckey. They had 2 children - Vivian & Warren.

courtesy of Stella L Obeshaw - Find A Grave

Unknown Paper, Jan 1954

St Ignace - Mrs Alice Senecal died suddenly at her home on South High Street at 1:00 pm Thursday, Jan 7, 1954. Death was due to a heart condition. She was born in Hart, Mich, on Oct 28, 1877, the daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Royal Moore, formerly of Naubinway. She has lived in St Ignace for about 20 years. Mrs Senecal was married to Luke Senecal, who preceded her in death, and the couple had two children, a son, Warren, and a daughter, Mrs Otto Roe of St Ignace. Surviving, in addition to Mrs Roe, are two brothers, James Moore of California and Clayton Moore of Bay City; two sisters, Mrs Allen Newberry of Escanaba and Mrs Edna Bunton of Burlingham, Mass; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The body is at the Davis Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted from the St Ignatius Loyola Church on Tuesday morning at nine o'clock. Burial will be in St Ignatius Cemetery.

Warren Anthony Senecal married Helen Marie Jankowski, the daughter of Stefan 'Steven' Jankowski & Leokadya 'Leona' Skipski, and they had 2 children - Donald & James

Record-Eagle, Tues, 23 May 1961
Ex-Maple City Resident Dies
Mrs Helen Senecal of 9105 Mendota, Detroit, a former resident of Maple City, died Wednesday, May 17 at Mt Carmel Hospital after a long illness. Funeral services were held Friday morning at the Epiphany Catholic Church and interment was made in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Mrs Senecal (Helen Jankowski) was born September 25, 1902 in Manistee where she spent her early childhood. In 1915, she came with her parents to Maple City where they settled on a farm in Kasson township which has been her home until moving to Detroit in 1923 where she has since resided. On June 22, 1929 she was married to Warren Senecal, who preceded her in death August 21, 1933.  A brother Joseph Jankowski, passed away August 25, 1960. Surviving her are two sons, Donald of Detroit and James of Southgate; one brother, Basil Jankowski of Maple City and five sisters, Mrs Harry (Sophie) Andrews of Dearborn, Mrs Bernadine Rudd of Detroit, Mrs Wilber (Nettie) Leonard of Oakland, California, Mrs Clarence (Blanche) Ottoman of Chelsea, Mrs Frank (Virigina) Zawilanski of Dearborm, two granddaughters and several nieces and nephews.