Oak Knoll Cemetery; Princeton, Mille Lacs County, MN
16313.3361 Laura Ellen Bigelow, b
08 Oct 1850 ; d 02 Apr 1920 (aged 69) ; m 06 Mar 1870 William
Marcus Orton (1839-1909)
Obituary:
Princeton Union April 08, 1920 Mrs.Wm. Orton.
Mrs. William Orton passed away at the home of her son, Elmer, in Ollie, Mont., on April 2, where funeral services were held on Sunday last. The remains were brought to Princeton
and services also held in the Methodistchurch yesterday afternoon, Rev. Geer officiating. The interment was at Oak Knoll, and many friends of deceased followed the remains to their
last resting-place. There were many beautiful floral offerings.
Mrs. William Orton, whose maiden name was Laura Ellen Bigelow, was born at St. Mary, Ohio, on October 8,1850, and came to Minnesota with her
parents, who first located at Athens, when a child. She came to Princeton in 1870 and was married the same year. With her husband she located
on a farm in Princeton township, and in 1874 moved to Greenbush, where she remained until 1901, when she came to Princeton to live.
In 1909 she went to Ollie, Mont., to reside with her son and remained there until her death. She is survived by four sons and two daughters—George M., Robbinsdale, Minn.;
Elmer E. and William O. Ollie, Mont.; Luther E., Billings, Mont.; Mrs. John Scott, Ollie, Mont.; and Mrs. T. G. Galbraith, Stewart,
Minn. She also leaves a brother, Elmer E. Bigelow, Princeton; and a sister, Mrs. E. C. Reed, Morristown, S. Dakota
With the exception of Luther E. Orton and Mrs. John Scott, all the children attended the obsequies.
Mrs. Orton was a true christian woman of kindly disposition who knew not an enemy. Her memory will long be cherished by her many friends.
Oak Knoll Cemetery
William Marcus Orton, b 20 Feb 1839; d 16 Apr 1909
Obituary:
Princeton Union April 08, 1920 Mrs.Wm. Orton.
Mrs. William Orton passed away at the home of her son, Elmer, in Ollie, Mont., on April 2, where funeral services were held on Sunday last. The remains were brought to Princeton
and services also held in the Methodistchurch yesterday afternoon, Rev. Geer officiating. The interment was at Oak Knoll, and many friends of deceased followed the remains to their
last resting-place. There were many beautiful floral offerings.
Mrs. William Orton, whose maiden name was Laura Ellen Bigelow, was born at St. Mary, Ohio, on October 8,1850, and came to Minnesota with her
parents, who first located at Athens, when a child. She came to Princeton in 1870 and was married the same year. With her husband she located
on a farm in Princeton township, and in 1874 moved to Greenbush, where she remained until 1901, when she came to Princeton to live.
In 1909 she went to Ollie, Mont., to reside with her son and remained there until her death. She is survived by four sons and two daughters—George M., Robbinsdale, Minn.;
Elmer E. and William O. Ollie, Mont.; Luther E., Billings, Mont.; Mrs. John Scott, Ollie, Mont.; and Mrs. T. G. Galbraith, Stewart,
Minn. She also leaves a brother, Elmer E. Bigelow, Princeton; and a sister, Mrs. E. C. Reed, Morristown, S. Dakota
With the exception of Luther E. Orton and Mrs. John Scott, all the children attended the obsequies.
Mrs. Orton was a true christian woman of kindly disposition who knew not an enemy. Her memory will long be cherished by her many friends.
Oak Knoll Cemetery
William Marcus Orton, b 20 Feb 1839; d 16 Apr 1909
Obituary:
William M. Orton, one of the early settlers of Mille Lacs county, and a man whom to know was to honor and respect, died at his home in this village on Friday, April 16, at 10:30 a.m., aged 70 years. Mr. Orton was
taken ill on March 30 and the physician summoned pronounced the case to be a gradual attack of apoplexy. Under the physician's care he grew better and then worse, intermittently,'
until April 16, when he peacefully passed to his rest. Funeral services were held in the Methodist church on Monday after- noon at 2 o'clock. Rev. J. W. Heard
preached an impressive sermon and a quartet consisting of Mrs. C. A. Caley, Mrs. L. S. Briggs, Dr. Lester and Guy Ewing, sang some very appropriate and touching selections.
The funeral, under the charge of the Princeton Odd Fellows lodge, was one of the most largely attended in the history of the village. The Odd Fellows and G. A. R. members fol-
lowed their beloved brother to the grave, where the services were con- ducted by the first-named organiza-tion. Hundreds of people paid theirlast tribute of respect to this honor-
able citizen, including about 25 of the Rebekahs, and the floral offerings were beautiful and profuse. All of theimmediate members of the family at-tended the obsequies.
The pallbear-ers were Messrs. Harry Mott, R. D.Byers, August Henschel, E. E. Whitney, Solomon Long and Albert Townsend.
William Marcus Orton was born at Antwerp, Jefferson county, New York, on February 20, 1839. He was one of a family of twelve—eight boys and four girls—seven of whom are still
living. While still in his teens he changed residence,, with his parents, four times—first to Canada, then to Illinois in 1854, the year following to
Anoka, and a short time after to Estes Brook The family finally settled in Greenbush, where the subject of this sketch took up a homestead near that
of his father, and during the winters of several years following he worked in the lumber camps on the upper Rum river. He was enrolled in the
service of his country in Company H, First Minnesota regiment of heavy artillery volunteers, on February 10,1865, and received an honorable dis-
charge on September 25, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn., when he returned to Minnesota and again took up his residence on his claim.
William Orton was married on March 6, 1870, to Miss Laura Ellen Bigelow of Santiago and immediately
began housekeeping on his farm, which is known today as the Frank Harper place. In November, 1874, heand his wife moved to another farm, which he had purchased in the town -of
Greenbush, five miles west of Princeton. There he lived until 1901, when failing health compelled him to leave the farm and move into the vil-lage of Princeton. His condition was
largely due to a severe injury received accidentally in 1872, and from which he suffered during the remainder of his life.
Mr. Orton was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he joined at Greenbush,
on the Princeton charge, in 1874. In 1901 he transferred his membership to Princeton, where he became a memberof the official board.
There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Orton six children, four sons and two daughters, all of whom are living.
Mrs. Orton also survives her husband. The children and their residences are as follows: Geo. M., Elmer E. and Willie O., Preston, Mont.; Eliza Alice,
Bruno, Minn.; Ellen J., Elk River, Minn.: Luther E., Princeton. Five brothers and two sisters also survive him, viz., John, Otsego, Minn.; Alvin,
Swanville, Minn.; Samuel, Princeton; Nathan, Greenbush; Jefferson, Aitkin, Minn.; Mrs. Malinda Farrington.and Mrs. Anna Brown, Princeton.
As Rev. Heard truly said in his brief but eloquent tribute to the memory of the deceased, William M. Orton was an exemplary citizen and in every way an honorable man—it would be difficult to find in
all this broad land a man more up-right, honest and just. He was a neighborly man, kind, sociable and sunny natured—a man whom no one could know without respecting.
The writer has known him intimately for more than thirty yearsand we always found him to be square, manly and outspoken, one whose promise, in business or in politics, could be absolutely relied upon.
In common with his legion of other friends we sincerely mourn his departure from among us.The Princeton Union 4/20/1909
Oak Knoll Cemetery
William M. Orton, one of the early settlers of Mille Lacs county, and a man whom to know was to honor and respect, died at his home in this village on Friday, April 16, at 10:30 a.m., aged 70 years. Mr. Orton was
taken ill on March 30 and the physician summoned pronounced the case to be a gradual attack of apoplexy. Under the physician's care he grew better and then worse, intermittently,'
until April 16, when he peacefully passed to his rest. Funeral services were held in the Methodist church on Monday after- noon at 2 o'clock. Rev. J. W. Heard
preached an impressive sermon and a quartet consisting of Mrs. C. A. Caley, Mrs. L. S. Briggs, Dr. Lester and Guy Ewing, sang some very appropriate and touching selections.
The funeral, under the charge of the Princeton Odd Fellows lodge, was one of the most largely attended in the history of the village. The Odd Fellows and G. A. R. members fol-
lowed their beloved brother to the grave, where the services were con- ducted by the first-named organiza-tion. Hundreds of people paid theirlast tribute of respect to this honor-
able citizen, including about 25 of the Rebekahs, and the floral offerings were beautiful and profuse. All of theimmediate members of the family at-tended the obsequies.
The pallbear-ers were Messrs. Harry Mott, R. D.Byers, August Henschel, E. E. Whitney, Solomon Long and Albert Townsend.
William Marcus Orton was born at Antwerp, Jefferson county, New York, on February 20, 1839. He was one of a family of twelve—eight boys and four girls—seven of whom are still
living. While still in his teens he changed residence,, with his parents, four times—first to Canada, then to Illinois in 1854, the year following to
Anoka, and a short time after to Estes Brook The family finally settled in Greenbush, where the subject of this sketch took up a homestead near that
of his father, and during the winters of several years following he worked in the lumber camps on the upper Rum river. He was enrolled in the
service of his country in Company H, First Minnesota regiment of heavy artillery volunteers, on February 10,1865, and received an honorable dis-
charge on September 25, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn., when he returned to Minnesota and again took up his residence on his claim.
William Orton was married on March 6, 1870, to Miss Laura Ellen Bigelow of Santiago and immediately
began housekeeping on his farm, which is known today as the Frank Harper place. In November, 1874, heand his wife moved to another farm, which he had purchased in the town -of
Greenbush, five miles west of Princeton. There he lived until 1901, when failing health compelled him to leave the farm and move into the vil-lage of Princeton. His condition was
largely due to a severe injury received accidentally in 1872, and from which he suffered during the remainder of his life.
Mr. Orton was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he joined at Greenbush,
on the Princeton charge, in 1874. In 1901 he transferred his membership to Princeton, where he became a memberof the official board.
There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Orton six children, four sons and two daughters, all of whom are living.
Mrs. Orton also survives her husband. The children and their residences are as follows: Geo. M., Elmer E. and Willie O., Preston, Mont.; Eliza Alice,
Bruno, Minn.; Ellen J., Elk River, Minn.: Luther E., Princeton. Five brothers and two sisters also survive him, viz., John, Otsego, Minn.; Alvin,
Swanville, Minn.; Samuel, Princeton; Nathan, Greenbush; Jefferson, Aitkin, Minn.; Mrs. Malinda Farrington.and Mrs. Anna Brown, Princeton.
As Rev. Heard truly said in his brief but eloquent tribute to the memory of the deceased, William M. Orton was an exemplary citizen and in every way an honorable man—it would be difficult to find in
all this broad land a man more up-right, honest and just. He was a neighborly man, kind, sociable and sunny natured—a man whom no one could know without respecting.
The writer has known him intimately for more than thirty yearsand we always found him to be square, manly and outspoken, one whose promise, in business or in politics, could be absolutely relied upon.
In common with his legion of other friends we sincerely mourn his departure from among us.The Princeton Union 4/20/1909
Oak Knoll Cemetery
rodbigelow@netzero.net 
