| Orris S. Case |
| May 16, 1816 - April 23 1881 |
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| On Saturday, April 23, 1881, at about 5 o'clock P.M., Orris S. Case died at his residence, corner of Washtenaw and Sycamore streets, from rheumatism of the heart, after an illness of about three weeks, aged 64 years, 11 months, and 7 days. Of the early history of Mr. Case but little is known here. He was born in New York and must have come to Michigan at an early age, as the Kalamazoo Gazette, referring to his illness, states that he was a resident of that village from 1836 to 1848, and one of the original publishers of the Gazette. He was a brother of Mrs. Henry Gilbert of Kalamazoo. At the breaking out of the Mexican war he enlisted in the First Michigan volunteers, Col. Stockton commanding, with the late Gen. A. S. Williams of Detroit as lieutenant colonel, F. W. Curtenius of Kalamazoo being captain of Mr. Cases company. He served through the war, and came out of the service in broken health and having contracted the disease which has finally terminated his life. Soon after his return to Michigan he resumed his trade, and in the fall of 1848 he came to Lansing and took position in the office of the Michigan State Journal, working on State work during the first session of the legislature held in this city. Mr. Case and C. V. DeLand printed on hand presses the Journal and bills of the session. He worked the first power press set up in the office, and was head pressman during nearly the entire period between 1848 and 1868, when he took a position in the book-room, which he has held almost continuously until the day of his death, having been, since the death of Mr. mead in 1870, the oldest employ� in the Republican office. Upon the organization of Berdan's sharpshooters, in the early days of the rebellion, Mr. Case enlisted in a company from this section, and went to Washington, but was rejected upon examination on account of the rheumatism heretofore referred to, and returned home, receiving no remuneration for his expenses. It is also true that, although a constant victim to the disease contracted while in service in Mexico, Mr. Case has never received a pension from the general government, having firmly declined to apply for any assistance, although urged to do so, and assured by competent judges that he was clearly entitled to it. Mr. Case was married in this city, November 18, 1853, to Miss Mary Teeter, daughter of Elson Teeter, and sister of Mrs. George R. Murrey. Five children have been born t them, viz.: Belle, born Oct. 1, 1854; Frank E., May 23, 1856; Ida m., Feb. 26, 1862; Oscar S., Dec. 10, 1864, and Walter March 9, 1869, all of whom with their mother, are living. The Funeral took place on Moday afternoon, and was largely attended. About thirty employ�s of the Republican office marched to his late residence, and six of the eldest marched as pall bearers. The services were held at the Universalist church, which was beautifully decorated with flowers, and a most impressive and eloquent address was delivered by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Dobson. A large concourse of friends accompanied the remains to Mount Hope cemetary. Though naturally reticent, Mr. Case was unusually intelligent, a keen observer, and accurate in his conclusions. he had an extensive fund of information, gathered from reading and experience, which, added to a tenacious memory and excellent conversational powers, made him an interesting an agreeable companion. Positive in his like and dislikes, he was plain-spoken to a fault, but his kindness of heart and sympathetic nature gained him many friends among his neighbors and acquaintances. His familiar face will be sadly missed from it's accustomed place, where he has labored for mare then thirty years, and it will be long, indeed, ere his memory will grow dim in the hearts of those who best knew and most respected him. |
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