Montague Observer, June 14, 1928

TRIBUTE TO MRS. EMMA HUSTON
Emma Tower was born in Montague,
Muskegon county. Dec. 27,
1850, and died at Whitehall, May 31,
1928, aged 77 years. 5 months and
4 days. She was the mother of 10
children, nine of whom survive. (One
child having died in infancy) viz:
Wm. H. Huston, Spokane, Wash,;
Mrs. H. O. Bailey. Muskegon; Leslie
Huston, Claybank-; O. E. Huston,
Whitehall; Pearl Russell, Grand
Rapids; Mrs. E. W. Marquardt, Detroit;
Harvey Huston, Whitehall;
Mrs. Lynn Lewis. New Era, and
Ray Huston of Montague.
She is also survived by four broth
ers and two sisters: Rev. L. L, Tower.
Hart; Uri Tower, New Duluth,
Minn.; Ward Tower, St. Ignace,
Mich.; Emmer Tower, somewhere in
the west; Joe Tower, lone, Wash.;
Mrs. Ada Hanson. Muskegon; Mrs.
Effie Fountain. Paradise. Montana
and 19 grandchildren.
She was (he eldest daughter of
two of the earliest pioneers of Ocea
na county, Harvey and Laura Tow
er. Her father was the first Clerk
and Register of Oceana county and
although never having been admitted
to the bar was an attorney of no
mean ability, practicing in justice
courts for many years throughout
Oceana and supplying in wit,tactand
shrewdness any discepencies in his
expounding of Coke and Blackstone.
The deceased at an early age removed
with her parents to Benona
township and there as well as in
Claybanks her early life was spent.
She was among the first women
teachers in Oceana rural schools,
commencing to teach i when 15 years
old, teaching in Ferry, Benona and
Claybanks townships.
These were the times when log
school houses were in vogue, the
teacher "boarded round" and school
money was raised by " r a t e bills,"
levied according to the number of
pupils sent to school.
On June 5, 1870, she was united
in marriage to Orin E. Huston, him
self a son of pioneers, who preceded
her to the "Great Beyond" some
four years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Huston
settled to their new life on Sec.
34, Claybanks and endured all the
hardships and inconveniences of
pioneer life, but with the determin
ation to win a competence. How well
they succeeded is attested by the
fine f a rm home which had been their
dwelling place for more than half a
century and is a monument to their
industry and enterprise. On June
5, 1920, they celebrated their Golden
Wedding, surrounded by their
children and friends who wished
them"Bona voyage for the remainder
of the journey of l i f e . "
A few years ago Mr. and Mrs.
Huston removed from the old f a rm
home and the remainder of their
lives were spent in the village of
Whitehall A number of years ago
Mrs. Huston affiliated with the M.
E. church of Clavbankn and was a
member in good standing in the
Whitehall church at the time of the
death.
It was the privilege of the writer
of this modest tribute to the memory
of a school r^ate, associate and
neighbor of a life-time duration, to
know Mrs. Huston intimately. She
was a woman of retiring disposition
but engaging personality, pursuing
the "even tenor of way" ever mindful
of her duties as wife, mother, of
which she was a model, and neighbor.
Contented to say as Cato, the
old Roman, once said: " I would rather
posterity would enquire why no
monument had been erected to my
memory than why one was." She
lived to see her large family grown
to maturity and comfortably situat
ed. She died in the fullness of years,
having passedjthe Psalmist's allotted
span.
The world was better for Mrs.
Huston having lived in it. Peace to
her ashes, to her soul sweet repose;
Free from censure, free from pride,
so she lived and so she died.
Her funeral was held at the Claybanka
M E- church on Sunday. June
8. was a capacity gathering and a
deserved and fitting tribute to the
memory of one of Oceana county's
oldest and best of her Pioneers.
She was laid at rest in Mt. Hope
cemetery, within sight of the old
home over wHtch she presided so
long and so ably.—James Farrell.