Myrtie Moore Smith's Scrapbook
Part 2

Pam Davis has graciously agreed to share the contents of her Grandmother's scrapbook with us. There is a lot of information on Casnovia Township and its other residents to be found here. You may find a reference to your own family, and if not still gain knowledge of what life was like in the area for our ancestors. If you find a link to one of Pam's relatives, or just want to thank her for sharing, you can email her here-Pam Davis.
You can find more information on Pam's family here.

 

Assorted Newspaper Clippings 

Most of the clippings in the scrapbook do not include dates or reference what paper they had appeared in. They are still interesting and include information about the area in which they lived as well as the residents of the area. 
 
 

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.