Jerome B. Fitzgerald
1822-June 5, 1878
Niles Mirror, Wednesday, June 12, 1878, page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library
Death of Hon. J.B. Fitzgerald
Died at his home in Niles, Mich., on the morning of June 5th, 1878, Jerome B. Fitzgerald, in the 56th year of his age.
On Wednesday last, in the silence of the morning and in the sheen of the newly risen sun, sad news awaited the people of Niles. As they repaired to their wonted avocations and places of business, with almost electric celerity and in utterances unused to a greater sorrow, did the intelligence pass from lip to lip and from home to home that Jerome B. Fitzgerald had ended his earthly career and labor. Death, the great harvester, had gathered another sheaf--few indeed of all his reaping more loved and honored --into his never full garner. With spells of illness lasting through many days and weeks, yet hardly one of all his many friends and acquaintances suspected so suddenly the approach of the shadow and the pall.--Blessed with a strong constitution, and endowed with a courage and endurance that seemed never, to forsake him, even in his severest hours of illness, all hoped he would come off victor of his physical maladies, and be spared to the people who through long years had loved and trusted and with unsparing hand had conferred . . . [illegible] . . .from an unseen quiver--the oak and the wayside alder bend and break alike before the omnipotence of the "appointed" time.
So well, so widely known, so long a citizen in our midst, always stalwart and often heroic in all the functions and duties of a varied citizenship, loving his constituency and in turn beloved by them, it seems most meet that the universal sorrow evoked by his demise should find expression in a brief recall of the qualities and virtues that distinguished and adorned his life.
As one, fortunate in a long and somewhat intimate acquaintance with him, recreant to friendship's righteous claim, and dastard to every conviction and sentiment of my soul, did I not bring willing testimonial to his many excellencies and virtues, mental, moral and social. As a boon companion and trusted friend, I never met his superior. Caring little for society's cold conventionalisms, as oft as was the meeting, He gave the salutation and the hand shake with the fervor of an old-time friend. His friendship of the trusting and trusted sort, lasted on and through all the changes of his residence, buoyant and triumphant over all the phases that attend upon the earnest and the busy man's life. This quality of pure, sincere, disinterested friendship gave him a ready and a welcome admission to organizations of a social character and to institutions of charitable aim and purpose, and from the purity of his friendship and the geniality of his disposition, it was not long before were assigned to him in the Lodge room and elsewhere, positions of high honor and responsibility among which were those of Master, High Priest and Eminent Commander.
Nor was his eminence wholly of a social nature. In literary and professional culture he achieved a reputation high above the common range. As student of Middletown College and as law student in the office of Green & Dana, both teacher and Professor testified to his industry and fidelity, and predicted for him an honorable and successful future. Nor were they mistaken. early was his name found in the roll call of the Senate of his State, and scarcely had he entered actively upon the labors of his profession before he was called to the office of Prosecuting Attorney of his county, and subsequently he held various offices, often against his wish, bestowed by the partiality of his more immediate neighbors and friends, such as Alderman, City Recorder and City Attorney, and in all positions form Senator to Alderman he was found equal to every duty and responsibility to their utmost verge.
And now the bar of which he was an ornament, and the bench of which he was, by the thorough preparation of his cases, and by his courteous and urbane demeanor, always a favorite, will miss and deeply lament his absence from their midst. The county which he loved and served so faithfully will miss him. The city, which oft and wisely looked to him for counsel, will feel at a loss upon whom with equal confidence to place the mantle of their departed counsellor. Kind neighbors and friends, of whom no resident of our city numbered more, will miss his manly form and cherish long the memory of his genial, hospitable and eminently gentlemanly friendships. But before and above all will he be missed in the hallowed sanctuary of his home. There he was the longest and best known--there a guardian angel, uncovered and unabashed, lighted for many years the touch and kindled the fires on home's holy altars. Yes, it was just 30 years ago to the beautiful and cloudless morning which veiled forever his vision, when, Isabel Sweet, his well chosen, loving and devoted partner, now so sadly bereft, began that divine attunement of soul to soul--that radiation of the pure and higher life--that largess and endowment of hope, faith and charity--the very temple and enshrinement of human desire, and the enthronement of all that enobles human nature. Dearest home ones who remain, it is meet that you should love on and ever, though the cherished form of our dearly loved friend shall pass out of home's portals--though the vase be broken, the unperished fragrance of his virtues and deeds shall forever remain a legacy of unwasting worth to wife, mother, son and daughter. Dear, stricken, sorrowing ones, esteem not death as your despoiler, but rather "As a fort where all may refuge find, The end of Labor--entry into rest."