January 21, 2003

Thanks Nancy. I guess I knew about this but had forgotten. Dee did a good job. I have saved this for my children and grandchildren.

[Dick Burpee]

March 27, 2003

I've not had an opportunity to read your history in detail, but at first glance I spotted a couple of inaccuracies.

I am the granddaughter of Lincoln and Bertha Bush, and I was raised (actually by both my mother AND father...Gerald F. Bush) to consider history, and especially family history, of paramount importance.

Thyrza Norwood Bush spelled her name as I have indicated -- a fact you can verify by a visit to the North Cemetery in Hickory Corners.

Delton, Del's Town, was named for Del Norwood. I've no idea who "Del Munroe" was. Thyrza obviously had a vested interest in having a town named after Del Norwood, and none whatsoever in naming it after Munroe. If you have any further question about her staunch support of her family, Lincoln Bush's full name was "Lincoln Norwood Bush."

FYI, Thyrza was part Indian. How much I don't know, because Bertha (Gaskill) Bush, Lincoln's wife and my grandmother, destroyed all the records saying so -- for which deed I cheerfully could strangle her.

I have a great deal of Bush and Gaskill family history on hand. There are no more Bushes, save me (and our president, to whom I think we are distantly related). There may be some Gaskills, and if you've run across any, I'd be interested to know about it.

[Karen Elizabeth Bush]

March 28, 2003

I have many of Thyrza's things here in my house, and quite a bit of Bush family history. My father's own stories of growing up in Delton at the turn of the century (he was born in 1900) paint something of a picture. He (Gerald Floyd Bush) and his high school buddies (they went to high school in Hastings, riding on the train to get there) used to chant: "Delton, dear old Delton / Town we love so well / No other place on God's green earth / is quite so near to Hell." I have one or two dandy anecdotes about his dad, Lincoln NORWOOD Bush, too.

I don't know how interested you are in Delton history, but I'm concerned that you get my family's part of it right, as I am sure you can understand!

[Karen Elizabeth Bush]

Note from Webmaster: all of Delton's history points to the town being named after Del Munroe, not Del Norwood.

May 5, 2003

We have lived in Delton since 1954. I moved to Milo rd. in 1948. My wife Mona has lived here all her life. Mullen Rd.and Osborne Rd.are named after her family. I was a officer on the Fire Dept. when the Elevater and the Delton cafe burned. Many changes in Delton have taken place since this story was written. As a member of the Bernard Museum I have enjoyed this story. Please keep up the good work.

[Bob Chamberlin]

January 21, 2004

Did not know there was a town with my name. Enjoyed the story. Also, do not know if related to any of the Bush's there either.

[Delton Bush]
dbush@bentonvillear.com

February 29, 2004

Very informative.

Dee Swinehart
deeswinehart@yahoo.com

March 15, 2004

Thanks for the history lesson. I was just married and moved to Delton. My wife's maiden name is Bush. I don't know if she knows the history of the Bush's in Delton. I enjoy metal detecting and this info will come in handy... Thanks!!!

Shawano Cleary
shawano_hawk@yahoo.com

May 9, 2004

IT WAS WONDERFUL READING THE STORY OF Delton. I went to highschool in Delton and graduated with Rush Burpee. Harold Burpee at one time was my bus driver. When he worked at the Hasting Banner my stepfather Russell Kimmell was the editor..He had much respect for Harold. I still remember the Burpee home burning down while school was in session and we could see
it from the school library. Thank you for bringing back memories. I now live in Calif.

Marian Matteson Waltman
Mariwa@aol.com

June 13, 2004

I am a descendant of Seymour Andrus and Maria Hammond Andrus, as well as Christopher Columbus Olmstead and Marie Anna Reichardt. There are others, I am sure. Seymour Andrus and Maria Hammond Andrus had an article in your father's "Fresh out of the Attic" many years back. I must read more of this area. Your illustrated article truly makes the area come alive!

Gwen Colbert
gcolbert10@comcast.net

August 11, 2004

Nice web page Nancy! This information is helpful - I'm working on my family history (Acker and Monica family from Cloverdale and Delton).

Glenda Acker/Lowery
glenda@ls-trans.com

August 23, 2004

My wife and I are both from Delton (Melanie MacLeod Fuhrman), as are all our relatives (Haywards, Garrets). We enjoyed the Web site. Thank you.

Decil Fuhrman
monsuer64@aol.com

October 15, 2004

Very nice to have out there for all to see!

Sally Texter
sally.texter@wmich.edu

November 4, 2004

Many thanks for your writing and sharing. If we could only document the memories of our older citizens imagine what a wonderful history we would have!

Kim Pennock
smyrnami@pathwaynet.com

January 17, 2005

Very interesting. I have lived in Delton all my life. It is good to read the history of it from a person who lived when it was so lively. Thank you.

Robert Bloomberg
robertbloomberg@yahoo.com

February 1, 2005

Thanks so much for putting this great article online. As the Delton District Library's genealogy person, it is a valuable tool for me to access when visitors come in to look up some family information. We're really lacking factual info for the Barry County area, so anything I can find I really appreciate.

Keep up the Great Work!

Claudette Filiputti
cfiliputti@aol.com

July 21, 2005

My family lived on Rt. 3 on Crooked Lake when I was born in 1971. My parents were Oliver and Thelma Weland. I now live in San Antonio, Texas. I was browsing the internet and thought I would look up Delton,Mi. This is what I found. You have a great site here.

Debra Weland-West
jwest20@satx.rr.com

January 18, 2006

It was a delight to visit this site and try to remember how it looked when we moved there in the early 50s. Thanks for your fine efforts in this endeavor.

Tim Mudge (Betsy's brother)
towertg@adelphia.net

March 14, 2006

Hello, Very nice to see this history -- wish other towns would do the same.

Am researching ancestors from the area, mostly Cloverdale/Hope: Ashby, Chamberlain, Wadd. Would love to hear from others with interest in these families.

I notice that several people related to the Bush family have posted notes. One of my late cousins, Eva Ashby (1876-1971) was married to John Bush (? - 1956).

Patricia Wenzel
Champaign, IL
pjwenzel@sbcglobal.net