Death came to Benjamin Teeple with little warning Saturday afternoon, Sept. 14, when he dropped dead in a field near his house, after cutting a small _ag of hay for his horse.
   Mr. Teeple had passed the four-score years mark.  He was born Aug. 29, 1832, in township Westminster, county Middlesex, near London, Canada, and moved to Grant Center, St. Clair county, Michigan, in February, 1852, living there 11 years.  He came to Gladwin county in 1863, being one of three sturdy pioneers, the others being Marvil Secord and Willard Grout Sr. who were the first to make permanent homes in Gladwin county, all of whom have departed this live.  Mr. Teeple was first married in St. Clair county, in October, 1852, to Almira, daughter of Willard Grout.  His first wife died 40 years ago on their homestead in Grout township, having bravely withstood the hardships of pioneer life.  To them six chidren were born, of whom a son, Ransom and a daughter, Maud, reside in Detroit, and Lura, wife of A. B. Foster, is a resident of Oregon.  Frank, a son who is dead, was the first white child born in the county, his birth being in 1865.  Two daughters died in childhood.  Mr. Teeple married again in 1903, his second wife being Mrs. Fannie Teeple, who survives.
   Mr. Teeple was a veteran of the Civil War.  He enlisted in 1861 in St. Clair county, and served in Co. K of the Second Mich. Cavalry, Gen. Halleck in command.  Archibald Campbell, who went as captain of his company, returned a brigadier general.  Mr. Teeple was in seven engagements, including battle of Pittsburg Landing.
   During the last years of his life, Mr. Teeple lived west of the river, in the city, near the place of his first home in the county.  His first journey to the county was made on foot from St. Clair county, in March, 1863.  He returned, having homesteaded land in Grout to which he brought his family in August, 1863, in a covered wagon drawn by oxen, being two weeks on the road, the road from Edenville being only a tote road not previously travelled.  Mr. Grout had taken the first homestead in Grout, but Mr. Teeple was the first to bring his family to live in the township, and the wet part of the county.  Those were the days of real pioneer life, without railroads, or even wagon roads, when provisions were brought from Saginaw in canoes and scows.  It took nerve to make a home in the wilderness of those days.
   Funeral was held yesterday conducted by Rev. C. H. Lee.