Oliver E. Surprise (1839-1931)

	1927
	gravestone

Sunday, May 17th, was the 59th anniversary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Surprise and to commemorate the event their children planned a dinner party at the home of their parents, and in this way showed their appreciation of still having their parents with them. The day was very pleasantly spent by all. Those present were: Mrs. William Love, Mrs. J.W. Thompson and granddaughter, of Lawton, Okla., Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Surprise, Mrs. and Mrs. Charles Surprise, of Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Robinson.

LOWELL HAS OLDEST LIVING MAN BORN IN LAKE COUNTY

In 1835 when Lowell and Crown Point were trading posts, and the cities in the north end of the county were unknown, Peter Surprise and wife came from St. Johns, Canada, and settled on a farm northeast of Lowell. Like most pionneer families they had a large family, being the parents of 14 children, of whom Oliver Surprise and two sisters survive. Peter Surprise lived to the age of 109, passing away several years ago at the home of his son, Henry, northeast of here.

Oliver Surprise, who was born in a log cabin on a farm northeast of Lowell, is today the oldest living man born in Lake county. He will be 86 years old December 1st next. He married Clarinda Thompson, formerly of Michigan, in May 1866, and they will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary next May. Both Mr. and Mrs. Surprise have their hobbies, his being a garden and hers being her flowers. Both are adept in their especial hobby and if one visits their home on Halstead street, Lowell, they will see a fine vegetable garden and beautiful flowers. Mrs. Surprise likes to have others enjoy her flowers, giving them to callers and sending them to the sick. They had a large family, being the parents of nine children, six of whom are living. Three sons -- Clarence, Allegan, Mich., Ernest, of Lowell, and Charles, of Hammond; three daughters -- Mrs. William Love and Mrs. Melvin Robinson, of Lowell, and Mrs. J.W. Thompson, of Hollywood, Calif.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Surprise attended the Old Settlers' meeting here last Saturday and were awarded the prize for being the oldest married couple present. Mr. Surprise also received the prize for being the oldest man born in Lake county and also for being the oldest Union soldier present. Their many friends all hope they may live to enjoy many more years.

Lowell Couple Marks 62nd Year

A privilege and a distinction accorded to but few couples was the lot of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Surprise Sunday, when the pioneer Lake County couple celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary.

Mr. Surprise is the oldest native-born resident in Lake County at the present time and recently passed his 89th birthday. He and his bride of 62 years are still hale and hearty and able to work with the best of the old timers.

Their six living children were with them Sunday. They included Charles of Hammond, Ernest of Gary, Clarence of Allegan, Michigan, Mrs. Will Love of Lowell, Mrs. John Thompson of Los Angeles, California, and Mrs. Mel Robinson of Lowell.

Mr. Surprise and his wife, who was then Miss Thompson, were married in 1866, shortly after he returned from three years of service with the Union army in the Civil War. They have lived in Lowell all of their lives.

Mr. Surprise was born in a log cabin three miles north of the present town of Lowell in 1838*, three years before the first surveyor's stake was driven in the county, which was then a wilderness.

*NOTE -- Although this article lists Mr. Surprise's birth year as 1838, his obituary (below) lists it as 1839.

O. SURPRISE PASSES AWAY AT AGE OF 92

LAKE COUNTY'S OLDEST NATIVE BORN CITIZEN CALLED BY DEATH

Oliver Surprise, the oldest native born resident of Lake County, passed away at his home here Saturday night. He was born in a log cabin two miles northeast of Lowell, Dec. 1, 1839, and therefore would have been 92 years of age his next birthday.

Four weeks ago his wife, with whom he had celebrated 65 wedding anniversaries, passed away and since that time his health has failed rapidly.

The deceased was the son of Peter Surprise, who died in 190_ [illegible] at the age of 109 years and 10 months. Peter Surprise came to Lake County from Lake Champlain, New York in 1835, four years before Oliver was born, He was of French Canadian birth and was one of the first men to take out naturalization papers in Lake County, he becoming a citizen at Crown Point in 1837.

When the war of the rebellion broke out, Oliver Surprise enlisted as a Union soldier and served throughout the war. He was twice wounded in battle.

He was a man of great physical strength and unusual good health, and this summer he raised a garden that was the envy of many gardeners. He was a man of keen mind and genial disposition and because of his unquestioned integrity acted as an arbitrator in many cases. He belonged to the old school who thought that a man's word should be as good as his bond.

He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Lovisa Love Jones and Mrs. Ella Robinson, of Lowell and Mrs. Hermoine Thompson of Los Angeles, Calif., and three sons, Ernest A., of Lowell, Clarence S., of Allegan, Mich., and Charles L., of Hammond.

Funeral services were held at the M.E. church in Lowell, of which he was a member, Tuesday, at 2:00.

Oliver E. SURPRISE was born on 1 Dec 1839 in Pleasant Grove, IN. Born in a log cabin 2 miles NE of Lowell. He died on 10 Oct 1931 in Lowell, IN. At the time of his death, Oliver was the oldest native born resident of Lake County, IN.

He was buried on 13 Oct. 1931 in Lowell Cemetery, Lowell, IN. He was described as [having] great physical strength and unusual good health. Lowell Tribune article stated "He was a man of keen mind and genial disposition and because of his unquestioned integrity acted as an arbitrator in many cases. He belonged to the old school who thought that a man's word should be as good as his bond." He served in the military. Mustered 16 Aug 1862 in Indiana Volunteers -- Civil War. He mustered with the 73rd Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, Company A. He served throughout the war and was twice wounded in battle. Military Service between 2 Aug 1862 -12 Jul 1865, Indiana, Company A, 73rd Regiment, Infantry 4.

Oliver was a farmer for many years, and a soldier during the Civil War. He was a man loved by his neighbors for his integrity and genial disposition. For a number of years he was the oldest native born resident and with his wife would take the prize as the oldest married couple at the Old Settlers' meeting.

During the Civil War Oliver received a gun shot wound to his hand which resulted in the amputation of his thumb. He was then transferred to the Volunteer Relief Corp on Oct. 24th, 1863, in which he performed light duty work. Oliver E. Surprise and Carlinda Lucinda THOMPSON were married on 16 May 1866 in Cedar Lake, IN. Oliver married Carlinda Thompson. She was born in South Albian, Mich., in 1849 and came to Lowell with her parents when she was 14 years old.

Two years later she married Oliver, a young soldier just returned from the Civil War, where he was wounded twice in battle. For thirty years they lived on their farm northeast of Lowell, and then lived in Lowell for many years.

Their children were Lovisa, Hermoine Edessie "Hermie," Clarence, Clayton, Clifford, Ernest Albert, Lulu, Ella, and Charles L.