Son of Philo Atwell and Laury Meaker

OBIT; Cass City Chronicle, August 17, 1906
ANOTHER OLD SOLDIER GONE
John Atwell Passed Away Monday at
the Age of 76 Years.

John Atwell, who has been in fail-
ling health for several months, died at
his residence on the corner of Third
and Sherman streets, Monday morn-
ing, August 13, about seven o'clock, at
the ago of seventy-six years and nine
months. He had been able to attend
to his duties around home until last
Friday morning, when he was strick-
en with a slight paralysis, after which
he grew rapidly weaker and although
he was conscious, his friends realized
that the end was near.
About three years ago Mr. Atwell
dictated to his daughter a short bio-
graphy of his life with the request
that it be printed in the Chronicle
after his death, and it is from that
manuscript this article is copied, with
some minor changes.
John Atwell was born in Hamburg,
Erie County, New York, in 1829, and
eight years later he went with his
parents to Oakland County, Michigan.
Shortly afterward they came to the
vicinity of Dryden where they lived
for twenty years. In the meantime
Mr. Atwell took for his companion
Miss Theresa Tuttle of Dryden, and
they went to Imlay City to reside.
After a two years' residence there
they moved to Goodland. They were
the parents of six children, two of
whom are still living, Mrs. D. J. Lan-
don of Detroit, and Mrs. Wm. Bent-
ley of Caro.
In February, 1864, he enlisted In
Company F. 10th Michigan Volunteer
Infantry, and served in the following
engagements under General Sherman;
Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Rome, Dallas,
Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochee
River, Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta,
where he was badly wounded. He
was honorably discharged.
After his discharge from the army
he was too ill to return home for a
long time and his family moved to
Attica where Mrs. Atwell died in
November, 1867. He was again mar-
ried, this time to Miss Prudence L.
Hathley of Attica, and in 1869 the
family came to Novesta township,
then a wilderness. He "cut" a wood
road three miles through the forest
so that his family could get to their
new home. He then built a new log
house, he and his family living In a
small hunting shanty until the house
was completed.
In 1879 Mr. Atwell moved to Cass
City and secured the position of stage
driver from Cass City to Bad Axe
which work he continued to do for
two years, and then he re-engaged in
farming until 1890, when he returned
to Cass City to spend the remaining
years of his life. He was well known
among his friends and neighbors as an
honest, hard-working citizen.
Mrs. Atwell and daughter, Mrs.
Minnie Goodall, are still living.
His only brother, Ogden Atwell, re-
sides northeast of town.
He was a member of Milo Warner
Post, No. 222, G. A. R., and a faithful
and regular attendant at all the
meetings of the society. For years he
has been vice commander of the so-
ciety, that office being second In
point of honor that can be bestowed
upon a member.
The funeral services were held at
the residence Wednesday afternoon at
two o'clock, Rev. Jas. W. Fenn, com-
mander of the Post, officiating, assist-
ed by Rev. U. N. Mulholland, of the
M. E. church, and by request made
recently by the deceased the following
selections were sung, "Jesus, Lover of
My Soul," "God Be With You Till
We Meet Again," and "Sleep, Com-
rade, Sleep." The members of Milo
Warner Post and Mary DeWitt Circle
attended the services in a body and he
was buried with military honors.
His remains were laid to rest in Elk-
land cemetery.
For many years Mr. Atwell has
been a familiar figure in our village
and was well and favorably known to
many, who will miss him. The sym-
pathy of all goes out to the family,
especially to the bereaved wife, in
their sorrow.
The relatives from out of town who
attended the services were: Mr. and
Mrs. Wm. Bentley, Mr. and Mrs.
Claude Bentley, all of Caro; Mrs. D.
J. Landon, of Detroit; Mr. and Mrs.
E. Atwell, of Novesta; Mrs. D. Wil-
kinson, of Wllmot; C. Atwell, of
Dryden.