Milford chronicle., 1939-01-13
FREDERICK

Sr., retired State Senator of Fret
erica, died Saturday, January Z, /;
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Hel
bert ]. Dodd, of Caldwell, N. j., wit
whom he had been visiting sine
Monday of last week.
Mr.. Belts had been closely assoc
ated with Delaware for almost seN
enty years. For six decades his lii
had been working for his fellows a
well as himself and when he retire
from full activity at an advanced ag
he was known by his community an
State as one of its leading citizens
Mr.. Belts was born in DoylestowI
Buck County, Pa, May 8, 1S48. H
was the son of Stephen Kirk an
Rebecca. Van Tilling Belts. Stephel
X. was a farmer and belonged to tn
Quaker Church at Wrightstown, Pa
His wife was a native of Kingston
N. 1.-THE Van Tilling Inn then ;
famous hostelry frequented by Pres
ident George Washington when hC
stopped enroute from Philadelphia
to New York.
The deceased was one of six sons
who graduated in the Pennsylvania
SCuOOlS anu 81 duuatC0 AAO
Peirce's Business College in Phila-
delphia. In 1865 he came to Della
ware and became the owner of the
General Torbert Fruit Farms. He
purchased the entire town of Bowers
Beach (from creek to creek) and op-
Grated the large hotel at that time,
which served as many as two thou
sand dinners on special days.
Later he rented his farms and be-
came associated with the William
Deering Harvester Machine Com
pany and travelled through the East
as general sales manager, selling
and appointing agents. From this
company he went to the American
Agricultural Company with which
he was associated for another twenty
years in a like capacity, with head
quarters in Philadelphia.
He was a member of the Cover
nor's Cavalry when John w. Hall
was Governor of Delaware. Although
a staunch Democrat, he held the es-
TEEN of both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, because he was unbiased in
his opinions and liberal in his view
points. He numbered as actual
friends as many people, it is believ-
ed, as any person in the. State. He
gave liberally to the church. Older
town folk in Frederick remember
that each Christmas he had barrels
of apples shipped from storage and
throughout each Christmas morning
Mr.. and Mrs. Belts with their two
children stood at the door and gave
apples, candy and nuts to each child
in town. Suits of clothes, quantities
of food and gifts of money were sent
to others less fortunate. For many
years Mr.. Belts practiced the philo-
sophy of charity through personal
giving.
His first wife was Emma Brown
Sapp who died in 1897.
on December "a, 1901, Mr.. Belts
married Sarah Elizabeth Roat,
daughter of Richard Van Ripper Roat
of New Jersey. She is a descended
from the Van Ripper genealogy which
dates back to Holland.
Mrs. Belts, many years his Junior,
was active for years as State and
national officer in philantrophic, re-
ligious, political and social clubs,
and organizations. From this union
were two children, /. Watson Belts,
Jr., of East Orange, N. j., and Jea-
nette Roat B. Dodd of Caldwell, N.
j., and two grandchildren, Sylvia
and Watson Dodd.
Funeral services were held at the
Trinity NJ. E. Church on Tuesday af
ternoon at two o'clock. Rev. H. B.
Kelso oficiated and was assisted by
Rev. N. c. Benson of Odessa. The
choir gave two selections. Masonic
services were conducted at the grave.
Interment was made at Barratt's
Chapel cemetery.
There was an unusually large con-
course of friends from this and
other states. The floral sprays were
many and beautiful. The pallbearers
were Messrs. John E. Mcbride, Cor
don Counselman, Marion Stevenson
and Leslie Rentz, all of town; DR.. r.
Belts, Medford, N. j.; Ben
jamin Whitemour and Edward Ennis |
Eve of Oakland, N. j.; Howard |
Welch of Garden City, Long Island,
and c. Amos Belts of the University
Of Delaware.
The Sunshine Society has been
fCIy dOl1NC Tic past SCdls W. DO<AOo
were packed for the Delaware Col
ony at Stockley. Part of the years
work includes quilts, blankets,
sheets and towels distributed where
needed. $125 in cash, flowers and
plants to shut-ins and those in the
hospital from the community; wood.
coal and food and numerous other
.hings.
The society has an air cushion. tea
able, bed pan, hot water bottle.
pack rest, and two wheel chairs to
oan to emergency cases. No charges /
ire made for their use. The only re-
luest is that they be returned
when not in use to the
lome of Mrs. C. c. Speel. I
The officers of the society are Mrs. S
. w. Belts. president; Mrs. Homer I
hopkins and Mrs. Julia Darby. vice -
residents; Mrs. James Morris.
reasurer; Miss S. Helena Case, sec \
etary; Mrs. Olivia Carrow. member a
hip; Mrs. Laura Frazier. devotions; n
Irs. H. B. Kelso, Mrs. Henry Pur- +
ell and Miss Elizabeth Lank, or 7
anists. \
The work is done entirely through D
le church. Rev. and Mrs. Kelso are Il
YER ready and willing to lend any S,
ssistanee whatever.
The adult education class in hand te
raft will hold its first meeting at in
e local school this Friday, Janu- j
" 13. There will be eight sessions
two hours each. Miss Amy G. di
ardner will again be the instructor. P
is hOnpd each session will hp we'll or
tended. The school authorities of