Early Memories of Saugatuck, Michigan : 1830-1930
Author: Heath, May Francis
Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Mich: 1930

THE WADE FAMILY

Nelson Wade came from Canada in 1840 to Newark and Singapore, when he was 18 years of age; he soon went on to Otsego and there in 1842 he was married to Miss Mary Updike at the home of Jonathan Wade. (Mr. Frank Wade now has the wedding certificate of his parents—which is just a tiny printed slip of paper 2 1/2 by 8 ½ inches in size.)

In 1842 Mr. and Mrs. Wade went back to Canada where were born three children, and they moved back to Newark or the Flats in 1852, settled on the south side of the river, now Douglas, and built a home one block east of where now stands the Congregational church. Frank Wade was born there in 1853, being the first white child born on the south side of the river, and for seventy-seven years he has been a continuous citizen, and at this time he is the oldest living citizen born in Newark.

After the village was incorporated he served 21 years as a member of the Douglas board, 5 years as president, also has had many other offices to which he was always faithful. He is a Past Master and active member today of Dutcher Lodge F. & A. M. and a Past Patron of Douglas Chapter O. E. S.

Mr. Wade was married in 1881 to Nettie Hutchinson who came at the age of 8 years with her parents from Maine, and located at Singapore.

Other members of Nelson Wade's family who have taken an active civic part in the two towns are Clarence and Fred Wade.

Clarence, born in Douglas in 1855, was married to Anna Griffin in 1884; they have one daughter, Adelaide (Mrs. Harry Walker). Clarence was early interested in saw mills, and later became a marine engineer, but after his marriage for twenty years he lived on the W. B Griffin fruit farm, being its manager, then returned to the village where for more than twenty years he took a great interest in public affairs, several years as councilman and serving several terms as president of the village. He served well and it may be said "He gave of himself." He was a member of F. & A. M. many years and a Past Patron of O. E. S. Death claimed him in 1928.

Fred Wade also was born of this fine family of seven sons and two daughters and he, too, has been a faithful public servant, filling township and village offices, as Supervisor, and President of the village several years, and many other offices, and is always interested in the home town's civic needs and improvement. He learned the printer's trade when a young man and printed the "Commercial" at Saugatuck for twenty years.

He was appointed Post Master under the administration of President Harrison and served twenty-five years, and is now a member of the House of Representatives, the fourth term.

He has one son, Ben F., who is an instructor in Lewis Institute.

Jonathan Wade was a brother of Nelson and in reading the story of Douglas you note his activities in platting and settling the town, and in Singapore.

His oldest son, Byron Wade, says that he (Byron) was born in Singapore in a brown house on top of a hill, one block from the "Bank of Singapore," which house was burned when he was two weeks old, in 1848. He lived at Singapore two years, then moved to the "Flats' for a year, then went over to "Canada" so called because his father was a Canadian. There were very few families there, where now is the beautiful village of Douglas; he lived there 35 years, then moved to "Wade Cottage" in Saugatuck in which he lived forty years, his death taking place in 1928, and he is survived by his wife and one son, Charles.