The Lowell Star, Aug. 17, 1872, page 5, column 3 had a list of soldiers who were supporters of Grant in that election. Among them was Joshua Spaulden of the 99th IN.
This article is from The Lowell Tribune, Oct. 26, 1916, page 1, column 4:
Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Spalding celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last Sunday, October 22. A fine dinner was served and their children, grand-children and a few intimate friends were invited to spend the day with them.
Mr. and Mrs. Spalding were united in marriage by J.J. Michael, then a Justice of the Peace, at the home of the bride's parents in West Creek township, and they resided on the farm now owned by John Collins. Mrs. Spalding's maiden name was Cynthia Dodge. She was born in West Creek township and was 78 years of age on her last birthday.
Mr. Spalding is a native of Michigan and came to this county with his parents in 1837, when he was four years of age, and has lived the remainder of his 83 years in this section of the county. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Spalding lived on a farm until 1861, when the war broke out and then he heeded the call of his country and enlisted in the 99th Indiana volunteers and served until the end of the war. On entering the war he left his wife and three small children, but Mrs. Spalding was of the makeup that she willingly gave her husband to the service of his country in time of need. After the war closed he returned and began farming, which he followed until he and his estimable wife became residents of Lowell several years ago. This union has been blessed with eight children, seven of whom are living, one having died in infancy. Those living are: Milo, of Iowa, La.; Mrs. A.L. Thompson, of Eau Claire, Wis.; Henry and Levi, of San Bruno, Calif.; Mrs. L.S. Willing, of Valparaiso; and Mrs. Fred Miller and Mrs. Cass Scritchfield, of Lowell.
Mr. Spalding has been a life-long Republican and in his younger days took an active part in politics. He cast his first vote for president in 1856. Mrs. Spalding has always taken an active part in church work. Mr. and Mrs. Spalding have both lived in the county to see it grow from a wild unsettled country to one of the richest counties in the state. They can tell many stories of the hardships of pioneer life. They are the oldest married couple in the county and both of them enjoy exceptionally good health and bid fair to live to enjoy many more years of life together. Since moving to town they have been enjoying to the fullest extent the fruits of their many years of labor.
Mr. Spalding informs us that when he came to this county the Indians were still here and remained for a year after he came. He told us of one thing we had never heard before. He said that two years after the Indians left there was no wild game of any kind except ducks and geese, the Indians having killed it all off before they left.
Mrs. Spalding wore the same breast pin Sunday that she wore on the day of her marriage and she exhibited the lace collar worn by her and the collar worn by Mr. Spalding on their wedding day sixty years ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Spalding kept open house in the afternoon and evening and during that time many of their friends dropped in to offer congratulations and spend a few minutes with them on this happy occasion. There were two present at the anniversary Sunday who attended the wedding sixty years ago, namely, Mrs. Jackson Smith and William Michael.
The Tribune joins the many friends of the venerable couple in extending congratulations and best wishes and hope for them many more years of happy wedded life.
The following October 6, 1921, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 6:
Joshua P. Spalding Passes Away Tuesday Morning
Joshua P. Spalding had a stroke of paralysis last Saturday and gradually grew worse until Tuesday, when he passed away. Funeral services will be held at the M.E. church Saturday at 2 p.m. Obituary next week.
A copy of this undated article from the Spalding Scrapbook can be found in the Local History Files at the Lowell Public Library (LH--Vital Statistics, vol. 4, page 72):
Joshua Spalding died Oct. 4th, 1921 at the age of nearly 88 years. He was a soldier in the Civil war for 3 years and was one of West Creek township's pioneer settlers, having the post office in their home where Urvie Brown now lives nearly 50 years ago. He was married to Cintha Dodge about 65 years ago, they received a prize at the Old Settlers meeting for being the oldest married couple there. Seven children were born to this union of which six are living. All have families, one son in Oregon, one in California and one in Mississippi were unable to be present. Rev. J.J. Simpson, of Crown Point preached a very appropriate funeral sermon. Interment in Lowell cemetery.
A copy of this undated article from an unknow source can be found in the Local History Files at the Lowell Public Library (LH--Vital Statistics, vol. 4, page 71):
Obituary
Joshua Parker Spalding was born at Monroe county, Michigan, November 29, 1833, and died at Lowell, Indiana, October 4, 1921, aged 87 years, 10 months and five days. He was the eldest of a family of nine children, five boys and four girls. Two of this family survive him, Marietta Sims, of Shelby, and Heman Spalding, of Chicago.
Mr. Spalding came to West Creek, Lake County, Indiana, August 5, 1837, with his parents. He lived continuously where he first settled, or within a radius of ten miles of this place. He underwent all the hardships and pleasures of the pioneer boy. He saw the last of the Pottawattome Indians disappear from this region. As boy and man he helped turn a wilderness into a garden.
On October 22, 1856 he married Cynthia Dodge, who survives him. Children were born to them to the number of eight, six are still living: Milo Spalding, of Iowa, Louisiana; Mary Thompson, of EauClaire, Wisconsin; Levi Spalding, Azalia, Oregon; Henry Spalding, Red Bluff, California; Helen Willing, Valparaiso, Ind., and Alice Scritchfield, living near Lowell. He is also survived by twenty-two grand-children and twenty great-grand-children.
In the midst of pioneer life, evil days came upon the country. Civil War came to blight and destroy property and life. Mr Spalding went to the front when Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers. For three years he wore the blue and fought to save the Union for freedom. He returned at the end of the rebellion to take up his work, where he had left it. It was no easy task to regain the loss of three years absence, but he resumed his work with energy and each succeeding year found him prospering. His industry and intelligence enabled him to secure a competence. He was always honest, always industrious and understood farming. He was a careful and constant reader and well informed on all subjects. He never used tobacco and to alcoholic drinks, he was a total stranger. His dominant characteristics were honesty, sobriety, energy and persistance.
Funeral services were held at the M.E. church Saturday at 2 p.m., Rev. J.J. Simpson, of Crown Point, assisted by Rev. C.A. Brown, of Lowell, officiating. He used for his text the 91st Psalm. A quartette, consisting of Miss Michael, Mrs. Belshaw, Mssrs Pletcher and Quincy, sang "Jesus Lover of My Soul," "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" and "Rock of Ages." A military escort from the American Legion bearing the colors and followed by the G.A.R. preceeded the body to its last resting place. The following acted as pall-bearers: Messrs Pletcher, Plummer, Dickinson, Michael, Thomas and Hathaway. Interment in the Lowell cemetery. Undertaker Sheets had charge of the burial service.
