Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-05-14
JESSE |. FLEMING.
Died Monday Morning, May
IL at 8 O'clock
FUNERAL SERVICES TUESDAY
For Years Resident of Gratiot Co..
At Time of Death In Alma

Rev. J. II. Fleming, whose illness has
beer noted in the columns of the Record
during the past two or three weeks, pass
ed to the great beyond Monday morning
at o'clock. In speaking of Mr.. Flem-
ing, w. ID. Tucker, in his history of Gra-
tiot county, says
Jesse Humphrey Fleming was born
in Parma township Jackson county,
Michigan, October 25, lS43. He attend
ed district school and one term at Albion
College, during the intervals of farm
work. until in the fall of 1864, when he
enlisted as a recruit in the 18th Michigan
Infantry, which was then doing garrison
duty at De Walls Bluff, Arkansas, and
vicinity. After thirteen months service
he was mustered out at Camden, Ar
kansas, September, 1865.
The following month he accompan-
led his fathers family to their new
home in Pine River township, this coun-
". He taught school in the Wright dis
trict the ensuing term and also the win
ter term the following year in the same
district. For several years he was
country school teacher. He also taught
private school in St. Louis in the early
70's, and in the public school of Ithaca
and ST. Louis He was a student at Al
bion College about two years, beginning
in the fall of 1879.
In the spring of 1881, Mr.. Fleming
was licensed to preach by the Presby-
terry of Saginaw. In June, of the same
year he was commissioned as Sunday
school missionary in the American Sun
day School Union and labored in Gra-
tiot county until September, when he was
directed. to work in Tuscola county and
in adjoining counties. That part Of the
state had suffered by holocaust of fire
without precedent in the history of
Michigan. Here he labored under the
auspices of the American Sunday School
Union, organizing Sunday schools and
furnishing clothing TO the fire sufferers
sent out by the Union, until December
of that year.
Early in November, 1881, Mr.. Flem-
ing was commissioned by the President
as United States Agent for the Moquis
'r to assume charge of his duties in
capacity. While Indian Agent he
red from the government a reserva-
cor the Moquis and made estimates
aterial and supplies for establish
,hool at the agency. This would
Tlted in the erection OF suitable
"a and the establishment of a
-5ol during his administration. but for
the necessary delays OF purchase of ma
terial and of transportation. The agency
was located in lonely canyon, siXty-fve
miles from a railroad with which it was
connected by the worst possible route,
indeed, there was no road at all What
few travellers passed that way made their
own roads over arroyos and down steep
and rough mesas.
Mr.. Fleming resigned as Indian Agent
in 1888. The mail that brought him the
acceptance of his resignation, announced
the diScontinuance of the agency at that
point and the consolidation of the tribal
interests with the Navajos, under one
agent at Fort Defiance, Arizona.
After Mr.. Fleming's return to St.
Louis, this county, he entered upon home
missionary work in Gladwin county, un-
der the auspices of the Presbyterian
church After years service there, he
entered the Mccormick Theological
Seminary, Chicago, completing his
course three years later, when he ac-
cepted a call to the Presbyterian church
at Florence, Wis.
Mr.. Fleming was ordained to the min
istry at East Saginaw in June, 1887 and
then entered upon his work at Florence.
Since then h has served the church of
the Presbytt' faith in Brooklyn,
Mich, Erie, ding and Saginaw. He
was in charge of the Washington Ave
nue. Church, Saginaw, for nearly six
years, when he removed to Grayling
Mich, where he served as pastor until
1912, when he removed to Alma where
he has since resided at the same time
serving the churches at Coleman and
Wise.
The funeral services were held We'd
nesday at 10 a. m. from the Presbyterian
church and were in charge OF Rev. Ma.
son. Eulogies were paid the deceased
by Rev. ]. A. Dunkle of Saginaw, Rev
W. II. Mason and others The pail.
bearers were Rev. T. S. Anderson, OF
Bay City; Rev. S. V. Reagon Of Sagi.
nav; Rev. Andrew DoremuS, of Sagi
nav; Rev. William Sidebotham of Nun
ger; Rev. John @. Durphy of Ithaca
Rev. Toseph Green of Mt Pleasant