Posted on: Ottawa Co., MI Obituaries - A Place to Share Obits about People Who Lived or Died in Ottawa Co., MI Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Mi/OttawaObits?read=164 Surname: Cronkright, Bender, Kirtland, Lowing, Syers, Jacques ------------------------- Obituary of Mrs. James M. Cronkright Her name was Flavilia Cordelia (Bender) Cronkright These Obits were aquired from the Herrick Library in Holland, Ottawa County, Michigan. found in the October 20, 1910 issue of the “Holland City News” Holland Michigan Mrs. James Cronkright of Byron Center died Tuesday morning and the funeral was held this morning Mrs. Cronkright is the mother of Henry Cronkright who formerly was in the barber business in this city. ______________ found in the Nov. 3, 1910 issue of the “Holland City News” Holland Michigan - I received a photocopy of the page by mail from the Herrick District Library 300 S. River Ave. Holland Michigan, on May 19, 2000 Passing of a Pioneer In the death of Mrs. James M. CRONKRIGHT at Byron Center [Kent county, Michigan] Tuesday Morning, October 18, one of the oldest residents and a pioneer in the settlement of Jamestown, [Ottawa County, Michigan] passed away. Mrs. CRONKRIGHT was the daughter of Joseph and Lydia BENDER, who in 1846, were the proprietors of the old Eagle Hotel in Grand Rapids. To Mrs. CRONKRIGHT - then Cordelia Flavilla BENDER - and James M. CRONKRIGHT, the Husband who survives her, belong the distinction of being the first couple to wed in the settlement of Jamestown. Mr. Cronkright having been the first settler and after whom the township takes its name. At the wedding every resident of the township was present, the guests numbering fifteen, including three children, one being a sister of the bride, now Mrs. George H. KIRTLAND, a resident of South Grand Rapids. The ceremony was performed by Justice Isaac LOWING, who walked about seven miles through the unbroken forest to officiate and the marriage certificate was the first legal instrument executed in the settlement which later was incorporated in the boundary of Jamestown. It was at the home of these pioneers that the first town meeting was held, the township organized and the officers elected. The adventures of these early settlers were numerous and interesting and in her declining years Mrs. CRONKRIGHT delighted in relating the thrilling and in many instances the dangerous experiences they encountered in their frontier home. She was born in the state of Ohio, in 1832 and at her death was aged seventy eight years, Nine months and three days and would have celebrated her sixty third wedding anniversary on October 24th. She was a consistent christian and lived and died strong in the faith. She is survived by her aged husband and five children: Mrs. G. SYERS and M.A. JACQUES of Byron Center, E.J. CRONKRIGHT of Edgetts, Michigan, H.J. CRONKRIGHT of Moundsville, West VA., and W.G. CRONKRIGHT of Pittsburgh, Pa. The interment took place in the Kridler [aka Star] cemetery in Jamestown, all of her family being present.