With his wife and other members of
his family at his bedside Judge B. M.
Van Alstein passed into the realms of
eternal peace on Tuesday evening,
April 9, at 5:30 o'clock, aged 73 years
3 months. Death resulted from a com-
plication of stomach disorders, from
which the judge had suffered acutely
for a period of three weeks.
Judge Van Alstein possessed in a
high degree the purest qualities of
manhood. He was an honorable man,
a generous and kindly man—a man
who knew not an enemy. His ac-
quaintance was a wide one and he was
held in the highest public esteem.
Judge Van Alstein at all times strove
to do that which was right, and that
he succeeded has been made fully
manifest. As a citizen he was public
spirit$u, and as a husband and* father
kind and devoted.

Funeral services will be conducted
by Rev. Swertfager at the family resi-
dence this (Thursday) afternoon at 2
o'clock and the ceremony at the grave,
in Oak Knoll cemetery, will be in ac-
cord with the ritual of the Odd
Fellows order. The local lodge of
this order, of which Judge Van Al-
stein was a member, will direct the
funeral.

B. M. Van Alstein was born at St.
Catherines, Canada, on January 22,
1834, and came to the United States in
1851, locating at New London, Ohio.
He was married at that place to Miss
Laura Stimson on January 18, 1853,
and in the same year he and his wife
moved to Jackson, Mich., where they
remained about one year and then
went to Excelsior, Minn. At the ex-
piration of three years Mr. and Mrs.
Van Alstein removed to Minneapolis,
where they resided ten years. From
Minneapolis they went to Sacramento,
California, and after a residence there
of nine years came to Princeton in
1877.

Judge Van Alstein is survived by a
wife and three children, one son, Clay,
having died about five years ago.
Thq living children are Mrs. Alfred
Daggett, Visalia, Cal.; John
Van Alstein, Baldwin, Minn., and Byron
Van Alstein, Berkeley, Cal. He also
leaves a brother, Miles Van Alstein
of Minneapolis, and four grandchil-
dren.

After returning from California in
1877, Mr. Van Alstein became associ-
ated with his brother-in-law, the late
H. B. Cowles, in the general merchan-
dise business, and later conducted a
general store on his own account. In
1884 he was elected county auditor and
held that office continuously for a pe-
riod of twelve years. In 1898 he was
elected to the office of judge of pro-
bate, was reelected without opposition
in 1900, 1902, 1904 and 1906, and was
actively engaged in the performance
of the duties of the office until
the recent illness that preceded his
death. As county auditor and as
judge of probate he ably, faithfully
and impartially discharged every
duty that devolved upon him. Mille
Lacs county never had a more popu-
lar official than B. M. Van Alstein.
He had a wonderful hold on the affec-
tions of the voters.

He was a lover of his home, gardening
ing being his delight, and he was pas-
sionately fond of flowers. In the
spring and summer months every
spare moment at his disposal was
spent in his garden. People would go
out of their way blocks to get a peep
at his beautiful flower-beds.

For more than a week prior to his
death he knew there was no hope of
his recovery, that it was only a mat-
ter of a few days at most ere the spirit
would wing its flight from his pain-
racked body. He repeatedly expressed
himself as not afraid of death, and his
only regret was that he would be
parted for a time from the loving part-
ner of his joys and sorrows for more
than fifty-four years, she whom he
affectionately called "mother"—his
devoted wife.

PRINCETON UNION Feb 11, 1907