WHISTLING BILL

Bill Haselgren, in the 1920s

In the Local Happenings section of the May 12, 1933 Commercial Record, there is a note which says:

The monument for the grave of Whistling Bill, which was paid for by donations, has been erected and looks very nice.

From Riverside Cemetery

Jack Sheridan had heard of Whistling Bill but had to refer me to Kit Lane to get the detail on who this fellow was. She wrote:

Elmer Haselgren (Whistling Bill), a cheerful greeter of people, was fondly remembered by enough friends to erect a modest tombstone in the Saugatuck cemetery.

Kit was also able to direct me to where the stone can be found today, in the Riverside Cemetery at the side of Lilac, about 40 feet from its intersection with Daffodil.

An obituary which appeared the year before in the Sep. 16, 1932 issue gives a bit more information about the gentleman.

Elmer Haselgren, better known as Whistling Bill, was born in St. Joseph, Michigan, June 26, 63 years ago. He had lived in or near Saugatuck 35 years, first coming to work on the Heath farm. He lost his mother, his only relative, 48 years ago. Friends say that as a boy Bill showed remarkable talent in drawing and music. Through his musical ability he spread much sunshine. Bill leaves to mourn his passing a host of friends. The funeral services were held at Riverside cemetery where he was laid to rest. Rev. R. L. Kortkamp officiated.

Rev. Kortkamp was then the pastor of the First Congregational Church.

A review of the Michigan census shows several entries which add a small amount to what we know about him. The 1880 census for St. Joeseph, Berrien County, shows Elmer as a 9 year old living with his mother Carey Hasselgren. She was 40, had been born in Sweden, and was a carpet weaver. Elmer was born in Michigan and was attending school.

He next appears in the 1900 census. At that time he had moved to the town of Lincoln, also in Berrien County and was a servant living in the home of Jacob and Martha Ebert. . His birth is shown as having been in June 1870 and both of his parents had been born in Sweden.

By 1910 he was a boarder in Saugatuck in the household of Nelson and Johanna Nickelson. I could not spot him in 1920, but the 1930 Michigan census shows 60 year old Elmer Hasselgren as a porter at the hotel living in the household of Edson G. Crow, age 49, and his wife Louise, age 45.

Edson Crow had had purchased Hotel Saugatuck in 1928 and following Prohibition installed the bar which is today called the Old Crow. Certainly a position as the porter for the premier Saugatuck Kalamazoo River hotel was an ideal place for Whistling Bill to spread much sunshine and be an ambassador of welcome to Saugatuck visitors.

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Who can add to this story? Why was a fellow named Elmer called Bill. Do any of our current SDHS members remember Bill or stories about him? If you have information to help fill-in the Whistling Bill Story, please send it along to Chris Yoder at cyoder@tds.net.