Tower, Helen May

Byron, Mich., Jan 17 - The little village of Byron quit work today, turned out its 690 inhabitants, borrowed twice as many more from the farms about and hundreds others from villages and towns within a radius of many miles to honor the lifeless body of Miss Helen May Tower. Seldom if ever before in the history of Michigan have similar honors been paid to a oman and every citizen of Byron is proud. Many of those who gathered at the depot and followed the body to its last resting place are relatives of the girl. Seventy-five years ago when the first pioneers were clearing away the timber to make Michigan farms, S. S. Tower and wife drifted in from Vermont, made their was by ox team to Oakland County, where they cleared a farm, now seven miles from Pontiac. Here they reared a large family, which in 1852, they took with them about Byron, Shiawassee county. The children grew up, strong pioneers. They married into the surrounding families and nearly the whole community became in one way or another related to the Towers. One son, also named S. S. Tower, enlisted in Co. A, Tenth Michigan Infantry, at the breaking out of the Civil War and returned in '65 as Captain. His daughter Helen had the spirit as well as the blood of pioneers and soldiers. Her mother died when she was but 12. In her teens she lived a year in the family of a lady physician and it was while helping this lady attend her patients that the young girl determined to become a nurse. Last year the father moved to Presque Isle county. The daughter visited him in July. " As we sat at the table on day," said the father, "she spoke suddenly and said: 'Father, I want to go south with the army.' I knew the danger, but I thought I had no right to hinder my daughter's work, so I made no objection. Perhaps if I had known that the outcome was to be death, I might have done otherwise, perhaps, not." "Her life has been a useful one. Her death has accomplished what her life could not, it has stimulated others to similar acts of patriotism. She went east. Then her letter said she was going to Porto Rico. I wrote her that I admired her for a brave, unselfish girl. I had fever in the south myself and I warned her to be cheerful and not give way to homesickness. But I never received a reply, The only answer was the story of her death." The funeral party was borne in to special cars. The rear end of the last car was occupied by the remains and the flowers. In front sat four nurses, six members of the woman's auxiliary, the father, the sisters, an aunt and two cousins. The came 25 members of the Light Guard and the company band, Capt. G. C. Waldo commanded the company. Undertaker W. H. Pillsbury conducted the trip without delay or friction. From Howell Junction, the to cars were drawn to Byron by a special engine. At the depot of the village, were lined up, Co. G, Thirty-third Michigan, from Owosso, and the G. A. R. posts of Byron, Durand, Oak Grove and Owosso. These kept the crowd back upon the hillside, where it strained and swayed to catch a glimpse of the funeral party. When the train drew in a cousin of the dead nurse caught sight of the casket and fainted. A hearse, drawn by four black horses, was on hand. To this the body was carried by Sergt. D. W. Smith, Geo. O Howard, H. J. N. Simpson, N. Winstanley, F. Avery, W. B. Allen and H. J. Pearson, all veterans of the Santiago campaign. The Procession formed at the depot, The Detroit Light Guard at its head, then the band, the Owosso company and a long line of Civil War veterans. Following came the hearse, and then the carriages of the mourners. At 11:30, this procession marched to the opera house, where the body lay in state until 1 o'clock. The casket was opened and the friends permitted to look upon the face of the dead Heroine. Brief services were held in the little opera house. Crowd and strain as they might, not half the people who followed the casket could get inside the doors. The simple plea of Rev. Mr. Joslyn, touched the hearts of the mourners. The sisters broke down and wept, tears ran down the face of the aged father and the audience cried from sympathy. Dr. C. F. Sterling, of Grace hospital, spoke briefly. At the cemetery, beside the grave of her mother, the body of Miss Tower was lowered to thee earth. A hymn was sung, a salute was fired and Michigan had for the first time in her history, honored a woman with a military burial. The Detroit party left over the Ann Arbor road on a special train.