Michigan Loses Oldest Oddfellow

Jonathan Sprague, one of the oldest and most prominent residents of Ann Arbor, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. L. H. Goodrich, 337 E. William street, Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, of pneumonia, after an illness which began last Wednesday afternoon.

Mr. Sprague was born in Canandaigua, N. Y., March 12, 1818. He came to Ann Arbor in the early forties and opened up a clothing house in the old Exchange building, which was located where the opera house now stands. His store was burned out after which he retired from the business altogether. He spent some time compiling a digest of the laws of the I. O. O. F., which are now used by the lodges all over the state of Michigan.

Mr. Sprague had the distinction of being the oldest Oddfellow in this state. He joined Washtenaw lodge, No. 9, I. O. O. F., July 16, 1846, and became a member of the Ann Arbor encampment in 1847. He was made grand patriarch of the grand encampment in 1860 and was Michigan's representative to the meeting of the sovereign grand lodge of the United States in 1861 and also in 1862, when the meeting convened at Baltimore, at which time he had an audience with President Lincoln. He became grand master of the state of Michigan in 1867 and the next year he again was made representative of Michigan to the sovereign grand lodge of the United States.

He took an active part and great interest in every grand encampment for the past fifty years, having attended every one of them during that time.

Mr. Sprague was married to Miss Ellen Simmons at Sandusky, Ohio in 1845 and immediately settled in Ann Arbor. He leaves his wife and five children--Mrs. Orville S. Rankin, of Dandridge, Tenn., Mrs. Florence S. Williams, of Milan, William E. Sprague, of Bloomington, Ill., Mrs. Ione S. Markham and Mrs. Eva Goodrich, of Ann Arbor--his death being the first break in the family. The last mentioned four children and his wife were at his bedside when death came.

The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon from the house at 3 o'clock, Rev. Dr. Crooker officiating.

The interment took place in Forest Hill cemetery. The services at the grave were conducted by the Odd Fellows, who also accompanied the remains to the cemetery.