Constance FITCH (1926- )

1 Constance Joyce FITCH^1,2,3 (1926- ) [3151]. Born 13 Jun 1926, Detroit, MI.¹ Marr Donald Jerome HAIGH 29 Dec 1948, Grosse Pointe, MI.³

From the Grosse Pointe News.

December 2, 1948 - "Donald Jerome Haigh will claim Constance Joyce Fitch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferris H. Fitch of Merriweather road, as his bride at an 8 o'clock evening service in Christ Church, Grosse Pointe, on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
The prospective bridegroom is the son of Mrs. Ruth E. Haigh, of San Francisco, and Arthur Jerome Haigh, of Detroit.
Mrs. Donald C. Wilson, Jr., will come from her Tecumseh, Mich., home to be her sisters honor matron. Julie Macauley, of Hampton, Conn., and Elizabeth Adams will be bridesmaids.
Alden James Haigh will serve as Donald's best man. Roger H. Fitch, Donald T. Wilson, Jr., and Lynn Slater will seat the guests."

From the Grosse Pointe Review.

January 6, 1949 - "Mrs. Donald Jerome Haigh (formerly Constance Joyce Fitch) daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferris Fitch, of 205 Merriweather, whose wedding was held on Wednesday, December 29th, services at the Christ Church. The groom is the son f Mrs. Ruth E. Haigh of San Francisco and Arthur J. Haigh of Detroit.".

2 Ferris Humphrey FITCH^4,5 (1893-1984) [3022]. Born 2 Jan 1893.⁶ Marr Marion Rose HODGES 21 Jun 1921, Home of the bride's parents on Pine Lake.^1,4 Died 13 Jul 1984, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI.^6,7,8

From Pontiac, MI newspapers.

1901-02-21- "Ferris S. Fitch, Jr., of Williams street is seriously ill with pneumonia."

1901-02-28 - "Little Ferris Fitch continues dangerously ill with pneumonia. "

1901-02-28 - "Ferris Fitch of Williams street continues dangerously ill of pneumonia. Slight hopes are entertained for his recovery."

1901-03-07 - "Ferris, young son of F. S. Fitch, of Williams street, who has been seriously ill of pneumonia for the past two weeks, is recovering."

From the Ironwood Daily Globe, Feb. 27, 1933.

"Ferris Humphrey Fitch comes from good old Wolverine stock. His grandfather, Ferris S. Fitch, homesteader the Lansing acres on which the state capitol now stands, but later abandoned his claim and moved 20 miles further east. During the turbulent Civil War days he was elected to the state senate. His son, Ferris S. Fitch, Jr., was the Democratic superintendent of public instruction during the only years between 1891 and 1933 when Michigan Democrats were in complete control of state government. Major Fitch has a leading place in the bar of Detroit, where he is in partnership with the son of former Supreme Court Justice William L. Carpenter. Governor Comstock gave the name "assistant governor" to his guide, counsellor and friend on the day he was appointed."

From Civid Searchlight, September, 1936.

"FITCH, FERRIS H., 145 Merriweather Road, Grosse Pointe Farms. 43. Attorney 19 years. Born Pontiac, Mich., lived Detroit 19 hears. Graduate University of Michigan, A.B., 1915; J.D., 1917. Judge of Probate, from appointment, March 8, 1934 till November 6, 1934, when defeated for election. PREFERRED."

From the obituary of Ferris H. Fitch in the Grosse Pointe News.

July 19, 1984 - "A resident of the Farms for more than 50 years, Mr. Fitch was captain in the U.S. Army in France in 1918 and 1919 and he earned the Legion of Honor from the French Government. He was graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in law in 1917. Mr. Fitch served as lieutenant governor in 1932 and 1933 under Michigan governor William Comstock. An avid lawn bowler and curler, Mr. Fitch was a charter member of the Detroit Curling Club.".

4 Ferris S. FITCH , Jr.^1,5 ( - ) [3147]. Buried Oak Hill Cemetery, Pontiac, MI.⁹

8 Ferris S. FITCH⁵ ( - ) [6977].

5 Lettie May HUMPHRY¹ ( - ) [3148]. Buried Oak Hill Cemetery, Pontiac, MI.⁹

3 Marion Rose HODGES^1,4,10 (1894-1987) [3003]. Born 13 Jul 1894, Pine Lake, MI.^1,6 Died 17 Feb 1987, Cottage Hospital, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI.^6,7,11 Buried White Chapel Cemetery.¹¹

From the Grosse Pointe News.

June 19, 1947 - "MRS. FERRIS FITCH OF MERRIWEATHER ROAD, by Olive H. Henry

It was natural the Mrs. Fitch should turn to painting as a means of expression, being the daughter of the well known artist, George Hodges, Sr. She grew up in a household that was the gathering place of many artists, and she laughingly remarked that she and her six sisters rarely sat down to read or knit but that some artist would ask them "to hold that pose."
Mrs. Firch studied at the Art Students League and the National Academy of Design in New York. Among her teachers were Louis Mors, Paul Vincent Dumond and George Bellows. Due to her father and his friends she was greatly influenced by "the old school" of painting.
She returned to Detroit with the desire to have a career in commercial art. Her first commission was to design a page to be used in the New York, Chicago and Detroit theatre programs advertsiing a chemical prodcut. At this point Cupid entered the picture and that was the end of the commercial art career. Mrs. FItch says that she knows that she would never have been great artist and that her career as a wife and mother has been so much more worthwhile that she had never regretted her decision to give up commercial art for matrimony. Her five children were the inspiration for many pictures during their growing up period.
For the past four years, Mrs. Fitch has been on the board of Fine Arts section of the Michigan Academy os Science, Arts and Letters. She is a charter member of the Grosse Pointe Artists Association and some years ago when they exhibited at the Neighborhood Club won several blue ribbons. She has also exhibited her oils, mostly landscapes, in Detroit, Grosse Pointe and Ann Arbor, and has sold several. Mrs. Fitch feels that the greatest progress will be made by putting into practice by painting, one's understanding of the fundamentals of art.
During the war she put aside her painting and devited herself to serving the soldiers. In the spring of 1942 the Grosse Pointe Hostess Corps was formed and Mrs. Fitch was asked to be chairman of the Grosse Pointe area. In two an done half years Mrs. Fitch billeted between 1200 and 1300 servicemen. The majority of these were serving in the R.A.F. and the Fleet Air Corps. They came from England, Australia, New Zeland and Canada. She felt that the real need was for those boys to meet and know American people in good American homes and that it would result in mutual understanding and tolerance between the British and aAmerican boys and help to make the future peace. All during the war her own home was filled every weekend and many of the boys return to their Grosse Pointe billets when they had the opportunity, even after they had left this vicinity. One of Mrs. Fitche's guests returned from Pensacola to spend a seven day leave in her home.
Mrs. FItch is well known for her love of children, not only her own but other people's; this is her first interest, after her family, needless to say, and then come painting and gardening. Her great grandmother and grandfather, with their Indians, blazed the trail from Detroit to Pontiac. She remembers her grandmother telling of being chased by wolves in the country which is now Royal Oak. Her father lives in the home which has been in the family for 65 years, and owned the first automobile in Oakland county, a "Searchmont."
With Mrs. Fitch's background it is easy to understand why she may be classified as a "doer" and how she has made not only her own life interesting, but helped others too."

From the obituary of Marion Hodges Fitch, Grosse Pointe News.

March 5, 1987 - "She was born in Pontiac and lived in Grosse Pointe Farms since 1934. She was a student at the Art Students League in New York. She was a charter member of the Grosse Pointe Artists' Association, a member of Michigan Women Artists and of the Founders' Society of the Detroit Institute of Arts. She was a member of Cottage Hospital's Auxiliary for 25 years, a member of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, and she was active in the USO during World War II.".

Note on Marriage to Ferris Humphrey FITCH: Wedding announcement in the Pontiac Gazette, June 22, 1921.

"Canterbury bells and low bowls of pink roses decorated the altar, lighted by tall cathedral candles, for the marriage of Miss Marion Hodges, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George S. Hodges, and Ferris H. Fitch, formerly of Pontiac. The wedding took place last evening at the home of the bride's parents on the shore of Pine Lake. By the soft light of the candles, the bridal party entered the living room, proceeding to the altar to the strains of Lohengrin's "Wedding March," played by Miss Dorothy Wilder, of Detroit. The bride was escorted to the altar by her father where the Episcopal marriage service was read by Rev. H. J. Simpson. As matron of honor, Miss Hodges chose Mrs. John Russell Paisley, formerly Miss Dorothy Christian. She wore a pleasing gown of Harding blue georgette trimmed with a Marie Antoinette ficha and silver ribbon, also wearing a garden hat of white and blue georgette, and carrying a nosegay of Aaron Ward roses and valley lilies. The bride was becomingly gowned in pearl grey georgette over blue satin. Her hat, which carried out the color of her costume, had an added touch in the flowers, which were repeated by a corsage of red roses and valley lilies. The bridegroom was attended by Lawrence King of Cleveland, O. The bride's mother wore a charming summer frock of white georgette. Out-of-town guests included C. C. J. Culmer of New York city, Mr. and Mrs. Wells North Carroll of Toledo, and Lawrence King of Cleveland. After Sept. 1, Mr. and Mrs. Fitch will be at home at 650 Clairmont ave., Detroit.".

6 George Schuyler HODGES¹ (1864-1953) [374]. Born 3 Mar 1864, Hodges House, Pontiac, MI.^1,12 Marr Agnes Idalene BACON 14 Feb 1888, Washington, DC.^1,13 Died 11 Apr 1953, Pine Lake, MI.¹² Buried 14 Apr 1953, Oakhill Cemetery, Pontiac, MI.¹²

From the weekly Pontiac Bill Poster and other Pontiac newspapers.

June 10, 1885 - "Geo. S. Hodges is here from California greatly improved in helath."

October 6, 1886 - "George Hodges started on Monday for Minnesota."

February 15, 1888 - "George S. Hodges gets married today."

January 16, 1889 - "Last week Tuesday, Mr. Geo. S. Hodges, of Pine Lake, was made the happy father of a nine pound baby girl."

June 20, 1890 - "Geo. S. Hodges, of Orchard Lake, has just been granted a patent on water color paints, something novel and of great use to artists."

December 5, 1890 - "Mr. George Hodges expects to sail with his family for Southern France Dec. 10th, where he will pursue his art studies."

June 17, 1892 - "George S. Hodges and Mr. Tracy obtained a patent on an improved camera, and since Mr. Hodges has been in Paris he has made arrangements with a large manufacturing establishment in that line, to place the camera on sale in France, Germany, Russia and Italy, the patentees receiving a commission on the sale."

1894-12-14 - "Three of the landscape paintings of Mr. George S. Hodges appear at the exhibit of the Association of Artists now being held at Hanna and Noyes galleries. These paintings are pronounced by art critics to be conspicuous for excellence in this, one of the best art exhibits Detroit has had in years."

1895-12-19 - "Geo. S. Hodges and family will spend the winter at Ocean Springs, Mississippi."

1896-05-15 - "Geo. S. Hodges is building three new cottages on the north bank of Pine lake."

1897-02-26 - "Geo. S. Hodges has returned from the south."

1897-03-12 - "Geo. Hodges and family have returned from the south. He has some fine paintings that he has made of southern scenery.

1900-06-27 - "George Hodges, of the Martin Halfpenny Vehicle Company and George Hilsendegen, of Detroit, are preparing to conduct a big carriage manufacturing business her. They will locate on the Osmun property adjoining the tracks of the Air Line."

1901-09-26 - "By Ald. Holser: Whereas, the conditions imposed upon the city of Pontiac in the deed from George S. Hodges and Schuyler G. Hodges, of block 6, Hodges addition, have not been fulfilled and Whereas, It is not deemed advisable to expend any money on said premises for the purposes of a public park, Resolved, That the Mayor and Clerk be and they are authorized to execute and deliver to George S. Hodges and Schuyler G. Hodges, a quit claim deed releasing any and all claim and title of the city of Pontiac, to said block 6, Hodges addition.

1901-12-26 - "The Hodges Vehicle Co. have just shipped a large order of vehicles to the Pacific Coast. They have a number of attractive styles ready to put upon the market, among them being two new driving wagons and two stanhopes. They report an excellent outlook in the trade and an unusual demand for cushion and semi-pneumatic tires, though the standard 2-inch first quality pneumatic still leads and some of the best eastern manufacturers will put no other kind on their vehicles."

Paraphrased from "Early Michigan Inns", by Lawrence McCraken, 1943.

George S. Hodges, the grandson of Schuyler Hodges, builder of the famed Hodges House Hotel in Pontiac, spent his boyhood in the Hotel, always considered Pontiac of the days when the Hodges House shown brightest as having an interest beyond any city he had ever known. "Living in that hotel was something like living a chapter of a Dickens' novel." he recalled. "We had an array of Dickens' characters and the hotel was their meeting place." Among these were Nutter, a bowlegged Negro Sampson, who tossed 250 and 300 pound trunks to his shoulders and trotted nonchalantly to the third floor with them. "Deacon", so called because he was the most profane man in the village, drove a stage coach and his artistry with cuss words won him respect of even seasoned travelers. The hotel undoubtedly played host to many men who whose names are indelibly in the nation's history books, but the old registers were lost years ago and now there is nothing but local legend, handed down through the years to testify to the visits of the great of past years.

Abraham Lincoln made a tour of Michigan in 1856 in support of presidential candidate John Freemont. It was during this tour he is reputed to have visited the Hodges House. No doubt his visit attracted but little attention as then he was an unsuccessful Illinois politician who had but recently been unable to win the vice-presidential nomination of his party. Among those who were guests of the hotel, in addition to Lincoln, were Daniel Webster and James Fenimore Cooper, according to legend. Both visited Michigan during the time the Hodges House was most famous and it is not unlikely they tasted of its comforts.

Obituary for George S. Hodges from the April 13, 1953 Pontiac Gazette. "Pioneer in Auto Industry Dies at Pine Lake Home. (3120 Pine Lake Rd.) George S. Hodges, 89, pioneer Pontiac automobile builder, died Saturday evening at his home at Pine Lake where he had lived for 73 years. He was the son of Ira G. and Mariva Hodges, and was born on March 3, 1864, in the Hodges House in Pontiac, a hotel built by his grandfather, Schuyler Hodges. He was educated in the Pontiac Schools and Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake. In 1892 Mr. Hodges went to Paris where he studied art. His work was shown at Detroit art exhibits and at other prominent art showings throughout the country. He followed painting as a hobby most of his life. He was a charter member of the Scarab Club in Detroit. He also made violins and had been granted the patents on the original reflex type camera and on other inventions. He organized the Hodges Vehicle Co. which made horse drawn carriages and buggies. Around the turn of the century Mr. Hodges became secretary of the Welch Motor Co., the nucleus of Pontiac's automobile industry. This was finally absorbed by General Motors. Mr. Hodges was a close associate of Henry Ford and had many dealings with him when when Ford was endeavoring to get his auto manufacturing underway. He built the Pine Lake Country clubhouse, Rotunda Inn and several other buildings. He later sold the clubhouse and golf course to the club. He was married in 1888 to Agnes Bacon, who died in 1923. She was the daughter of Levi Bacon, chief clerk of the U.S. Patent Office at Washington. He was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church. Mr. Hodges is survived by one son and seven daughters. George S. Hodges Jr., of Lake Angelus; Mrs. Harlan S. Smith and Mrs. Clarence K. Pattersor (n) of Pontiac; Mrs. Ferris H. Fitch of Grosse Pointe; Mrs. George W. Malcomson of Arlington, Va.; Mrs. Earle W. Parcells of Grosse Pointe; Mrs. Julian A. Spottswood of Palatine, Ill. and Mrs. Donald S. Patterson of Orchard Lake. He also leaves 19 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. from the Sparks-Griffin Funeral Home, with the Rev. William H. Hamm officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. The family requests that flowers be omitted."

Adding to his list of accomplishments, we learn from his obituary in the Detroit Times, April 13, 1953 that he:

1) invented and manufactured pneumatic-tired buggies and racing sulkies.
2) made the first closed body for a Ford car.
3) drove the first automobile in Oakland County, a Searchmont, made in Philadelphia.
4) invented the first power lawnmower.
5) was awarded a scholarship for five years study in Europe at the expense of the French government.
6) was the only living exhibitor at a 1950 exhibition in Detroit of paintings executed in Detroit before 1900.

12 Ira Gardner HODGES¹ (1829-1865) [367]. Born 28 Jan 1829, Pontiac, MI.¹ Marr Mariva Larned ROSE 3 Apr 1855.^1,14 Died 23 Mar 1865, Pontiac, MI.¹² Cause: Threat disease. Buried 26 Mar 1865, Oakhill Cemetery, Pontiac, MI.¹²

Ira Hodges managed the Hodges House Hotel in Pontiac for a time. The hotel was built by his father and was called "Pontiac's Swankiest Hotel, with every convenience of it's time". The hotel was a huge brick building located on the southwest corner of Saginaw and Pike streets. With seventy five rooms and hallways wider than present day major hotel rooms, it was called the "Astor House of Michigan".

From Vital Records from the Detroit Free Press, April 2, 1865

"Hodges, Ira G., aged 36 years in this city [Pontiac] on Thursday 23rd inst. Burial on Sunday."

From The Pontiac Weekly Gazette, March 24, 1865:

"Died - In this city, on the 23d inst., of threat disease, Ira G. Hodges, aged 36 years and 2 months.".

13 Mariva Larned ROSE¹⁵ (1830-1904) [352]. Born 4 Jul 1830, PA.¹⁵ Died 19 Nov 1904, Residence at Pine Lake, Pontiac, MI.^12,15 Buried Oakhill Cemetery, Pontiac, MI.

Appearing in a Pontiac newspaper:

1869-10-20 - "Mrs. Ira Hodges started for California yesterday."

1870-05-25 - "Mrs. Ira Hodges has returned from her visit to California, looking as though that climate agreed with her. "

1876-05-10 - "Last Saturday night we were shown a Centennial curiosity at the Hodges House by Mrs. Ira Hodges. It was a species of horseshoe geranium, very large and thrifty, and for four years had always hung full of pure white blossoms. But a few days since Mrs. Hodges was astonished to see that bright red blossoms were appearing, and now the plant is hanging full of red and white blossoms, each on a separate stock, but all from the same root. Five years since the slip was sent from California by an aunt of Mrs. Hodges. All who have seen it pronounce it a curiousity in every sense of the word."

1890-12-19 - "Mrs. Mariva Hodges accompanied her son George and his family to Europe. They will spend the holiday season in London and then take up their abode in Southern France."

1892-10-21 - "Mrs. Mariva Hodges leaves for Paris the last of the month to visit her son, George, the Artist."

1894-05-18 - "Mrs. Mariva Hodges has returned from Detroit."

1894-06-22 - "Mariva Hodges is special adminstrator of the estate Virgil M. Rose."

1894-07-20 - "Mariva Hodges is administering the estate of V. M. Rose."

1895-02-08 - "Mrs. Mariva Hodges is visiting friends at Detroit."

1895-09-06 - "Miss Jennie Williams of Detroit is visiting Mrs. Mariva Hodges.".

Witness at wedding of her sister Harriet to Joseph Dows.¹⁶

7 Agnes Idalene BACON^1,9 (1859-1923) [2704]. Born 1 Aug 1859.^9,13 Died 26 May 1923.⁹ Cause: Pneumonia.

From a Pontiac, MI newspaper.

1890-05-02 - "A girl to Mrs. Geo. S. Hodges."

1890-06-13 - "Mrs. Geo. Hodges, who has been spending the winter at Washington, D.C., returned last week with Mr. Hodges to their home at Pine Lake."

1894-07-20 - "To Mrs. Geo. S. Hodges of Pine Lake, July 14th, a daughter."

1895-01-10 - "Mrs. George Hodges of Pine Lake entertained a few of the Pontiac young ladies to tea last Thursday."

1909-03-18 - "Mrs. George Hodges and daughter, Miss Marion, of Pine Lake, have returned from a short stay at Ann Arbor. While there Miss Marion attended the annual freshman banquet.".

14 Levi BACON , Jr.^1,12 ( - ) [2672].

15 Emma WHITEHEAD¹ ( - ) [3043].

Sources

1	"Old Oakland County Families, 1945 compiled by General Richardson Chapter, DAR.".

2	"U.S. Public Records Index".

3	"Wedding announcement of Constance Joyce Fitch and Donald Jerome Haigh in the Grosse Pointe Review, January 6, 1949".

4	"Wedding announcement for Marion Hodges, Pontiac Gazette, June 22, 1921".

5	"Article on Ferris Humphrey Fitch in the Ironwood Daily Globe, Feb. 27, 1933.".

6	"Social Security Death Index".

7	"Michigan Death Index, 1971-1996".

8	"Obituary of Ferris H. Fitch, Grosse Pointe News, July 19, 1984".

9	"Oak Hill Cemetery Burials".

10	"Patterson - Hodges wedding announcement in The Pontiac Gazette, October 8, 1914".

11	"Obituary of Marion Hodges Fitch, Grosse Pointe News, March 5, 1987".

12	"Newspaper obituary".

13	"Obituary of Mrs. George S. Hodges (Agnes Bacon), Pontiac Gazette, May 26, 1923".

14	"Oakland County Marriage Record of Ira Hodges and Mariva Rose".

15	"Death Certificate".

16	"Michigan Marriage License Reports on the marriage of Joseph Dows to Harriet Rose".