Obituaries

Jacob Badger
Dec. 9, 1919

Well known citizen dead

Jacob Badger succumbs after brief illness.

Jacob Badger, one of Niles best known and highly respected citizens, died last evening at his home, 299 North Third street after a brief illness, although he had long been in ill health. Until he was stricken by his last illness, Mrs. Badger was employed in the Michigan Central baggage service at the local station.

An obituary will be published later.

Besides the wife, among the immediate, surviving relatives are a son, Paul, who arrived from Chicago last evening just before his father’s death occurred, and a sister, Mrs. Fanny Knox, of this city. Another sister, Mrs. R . Messenger, arrived from LaPorte today.

The funeral services will be held Friday morning at 10 o’clock from he house and will be private except for relatives and immediate friends. It is requested that flowers be omitted.

Georgia A. Badger
Oct. 22, 1896

A telegram was received here Saturday announcing the death of Mrs. Georgia A. Badger, wife of Jacob Badger of Portage Prairie. He and Mrs. Badger left here about three weeks ago to visit his brother, William, at Arlington, Nev., which place she died of bowel trouble.

Her age is about forty years, and she was well known by a large community in this city and vicinity. The remains will arrive here tomorrow noon on the day express and the funeral will take place immediately after in the Presbyterian Church.

Besides a husband, Mrs. Badger leaves a son five years old to mourn her loss.

Published in Niles Daily Star

Ella Badger (Hall)
Aug. 7, 1927

Former Niles resident passes away at home of her daughter.

Mrs. Ella Badger, widow of Jacob Badger, died this morning at 2 o’clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs. R.J. Douglass in Chicago. She had been in ill health for several years.The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow on Michigan central train due at 12:20 and will be taken directly to the Troost and Augustine Chapel where the funeral services will be held at 2:30 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Burial will take place in Silver Brook cemetery.  Mrs. Badger was about 65 years of age. She was twice married, her first husband having been Bert Everett.  Of the two children born of this marriage, Harry and Carrie Everett, the later now Mrs. Douglass only survive.  Her second husband, Jacob Badger was a member of a prominent pioneer family of Niles. The late Chester Badger was a brother and Mrs. Fanny Knox of Detroit, a sister of Jacob Badger. Besides her daughter, Mrs. Badger is survived by a brother, William Hall of Chicago and a sister, Mrs. Henry Jones also of Chicago. Mrs. Badger was former member of the Niles Lodge No 74, Lady Maccabees.

Published in Niles Daily Star Aug. 7, 1927.

Emma Smart Badger
1845-Aug. 19, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, August 20, 1936, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. E.S. BADGER DIES AT AGE OF 91

Was Oldest Member of Trinity Episcopal Parish; Married here in 1880.

Mrs. E. S. Badger, 91, one of the oldest residents of Niles and the oldest member of Trinity Episcopal parish, died at 5:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon at her home 215 ½ East Main Street.

Mrs. Badger is the last member of the Jacob Smart Family, which came to Niles from Newmarket, NH in the middle of the last century. The Smart family was widely known in the early days here. Their home was located on the site of the Niles Lumber company at 314 North Front Street.

She was married in 1880 to Edward S. Badger in Niles, and the couple lived here until 1917. In that year, with their family, they started on a trip through the west and south, living in various places and spending several years in Denver. They returned to Niles in 1931.

One son, Edward s. Badger, survives, also a stepdaughter, Mrs. Francis W. Kelsey, Ann Arbor, who arrived in Niles today. Mrs. Kelsey is the widow of the former head of the department of ancient languages at the University of Michigan.

Funeral services will be at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon in the Price and Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. Lawrence Ferguson, rector of St. James Episcopal church, South Bend, will officiate.

Elizabeth Badger (Herkimer)
Aug. 20, 1896 

Mrs. James Badger, after a long illness, past away, Friday evening at the home of her son, Chester Badger, on the Chicago Road, the cause of her death being paralysis. She was one of Niles old residents, being 72 years of age, and respected by all who knew her.

Her children, now grown and engaged in their respective walks of life, are living monuments of the noble and sterling qualities of their mother. Six children survive her, three boys, Jacob, W.D. and Chester; three girls, Mrs. Fannie B. Knox of St. Paul, Minn., Mrs. R.T. Messenger of LaPorte, Ind., and Mrs. Chas, Loomis of Lincoln, Nev., besides many other relatives.

The funeral services were held at 9 o’clock Monday morning, from the residence of her son, Rev. O.J. Roberts of the Presbyterian church of Buchanan and interment made in Silver Brook Cemetery, Niles.

Edward S. Badger
1837-Apr. 20, 1926

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 22, 1926, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

E.S. BADGER IS TO BE BURIED IN SILVERBROOK

Word was received this morning by W.G. Blish of the death in Denver, Colo., of E.S. Badger, a pioneer business man of Niles. The body will be brought to Niles and will be taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery for burial. However, it was not known today on what day the body will arrive.

While Mr. Badger had extensive business interests in Niles years ago, he engaged principally in the milling business. He was the owner for many years of what was known as the brick mills, located on the Dowagiac creek just north of the city limits, and the ruins of which may still be seen, the mills having been detsroyed[sic] by fire.

Mr. Badger was instrumental in amalgamating three flour mills in Niles, the Lacy, Vollant and brick mills. At one time the output of the mills was 1,000 barrels a day and the industry was regarded as one of the important institutions of Niles. A directory published n 1870 refers to Mr. Badger as one of the many prominent millers who had been located here for a number of years.

Mr. Badger was about 85 years of age at the time of his death.  For several years after leaving Niles, Mr. and Mrs. Badger lived in Chicago, and then went to Hot Springs.  In 1921 Mr. Badger was seriously injured by being run over by an automobile in Hot Springs, and never fully recovered from the accident on account of his advanced years.

The immediate cause of his death was shock caused by a broken leg.  On last Sunday as Mr. Badger was alighting from his bed his foot evidently caught in the bedding and before he could save himself he was thrown to the floor. One leg was broken and he suffered greatly from shock. He was removed to a hospital where he died on Tuesday.

Mr. Badger is survived by a widow who was formerly Miss Emily Smart, of Niles, a member of a prominent family, by one son, Edward, and by a daughter, Mrs. Frank Kelsey, whose husband is a member of the faculty of the University of Michigan. Mrs. Kelsey is Mr. Badger's daughter by a former marriage, her mother's maiden name having been Lottie Colby.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 26, 1926, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

E.S. BADGER IS BURIED TODAY IN SILVERBROOK

The body of E. S. Badger, who died in Denver Colo., arrived in Niles at 1 o’clock today and was taken directly to Silver Brook Cemetery for burial.  Rev. Merton G. Ross, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church conducted the committal service.

Mrs. Badger and her son, Edward, accompanied the body from Denver.  They were met in Chicago by Mrs. Badger’s nephew, W.F. McKee of Chicago, and by Mrs. H.A. McKee of Buffalo, N.Y.  The latter’s husband is a nephew of Mrs. Badger.  Professor and Mrs. Frank Kelsey and son, of Ann Arbor, and Miss Eleanor Colby of Dowagiac, met the funeral party in Niles.  Mrs. Kelsey is a daughter of the deceased.  

From the list made by Mr. Badger some time prior to his death the following were selected as pall bearers.  D.S. Scoffern, F.W. Richter, Dr. J.D. Greenamyer, Henry Henkel, George Calvin and George Flower.  Mrs. Badger and her son will remain in Niles for a few days as guests of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Blish.