The obituary of John Strange Harrison,
youngest son of Bazel and Martha (Stillwell) Harrison.
Transcription of an article from the "Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph”, front page, dated Tuesday 7 July 1908:Newspaper clipping which appeared in the "Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph", Thursday July 9th, 1908, page 5.
OLDEST SETTLER DIES, AGED 88John S. Harrison Expires at Home of Daughter.__HERO OF COOPER NOVEL__Was son of Basil Harrison,__
First Judge of Kalamazoo
County—Understood Several Indian Dialects"John S. Harrison, the oldest settler in Kalamazoo county died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Emma Longwell in Prairie Ronde this Tuesday morning, at the age of 88 years.__Mr. Harrison was the son of Bazil Harrison, the first judge of the circuit court of Kalamazoo county, and said to be the original of James Fenimore Cooper’s “Bee hunter.”
Mr. Harrison was born in Ohio. He came to Michigan with his parents in covered wagons when the state was largely wilderness. The family settled in Schoolcraft township, and Harrison has spent most of his long life on the old farm near Harrison lake. Some idea of the state of the county when the Harrison family moved in may be gained from the fact that Mr. Harrison close contact with the Indians enabled him to speak several of their dialects.
During the last five years, owing to failing health, he has lived in the village of Schoolcraft. For the past two years he has been in feeble health, having been confined to his bed during part of the time.
He is survived by seven children, William Harrison of Texas, James Harrison and Owen of Schoolcraft, Mrs. Ellen Young of Schoolcraft, Mrs. Esther Kinne of Seattle, Wash., Mrs. Wooley of Bannister, Mich., and Mrs. Emma Longwell of Prairie Ronde.
The funeral will be held Thursday afternoon at 1 o'clock from the residence of Mrs. Emma Longwell in Prairie Ronde. The services will be in charge of Rev. Vickers of Schoolcraft."
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