Ralph Fleming

Ralph Fleming, aged 14, and youngest son of Benj. Fleming of this place [Amherst], died last Friday after a brief illness of three days. Ralph was a kind hearted and faithful boy, a favorite among his schoolmates, and the idol of the household. It is hard to part, but over in that home to which death never comes, in that bright summer land to which the pure spirit has winged its early flight, we shall meet again.

—The Gazette, June 6, 1883

William V. Fleming

Died at his home near Amherst, October 10th, 1887, of pneumonia, William V. Fleming, aged 68 years. Mr. Fleming was born near Trenton, N. J., August 24th, 1819, moved to Pennsylvania when a boy, and in 1845 moved to Illinois, where he remained a short time, when he settled upon the Trap river, in this state, and engaged in making shingles and lumber. He afterwards located on the Little Eau Claire, where he was engaged quite extensively in lumbering. In 1852 he entered the farm at Amherst where he has since lived, being one of the oldest settlers in this town, and has been identified with its growth and prosperity. He has held the office of chairman of the town several times and always acceptably to the people, being an upright, fearless and honest man, enjoying the confidence of all who came in contact with him. He has always been more or less engaged in lumbering, and has located large quantities of pine lands, which has become valuable. His acquaintance through this state was large, and he will be greatly missed by all, but by none more than his neighbors and friends here, who looked to him for advice and assistance, and never in vain. His was an open hand and sympathetic heart. He leaves a wife and five children, to-wit: Geo. W. Fleming, an only son living at home, Mrs. E. M. Sherwin of Browns Valley, Minn., Mrs. D. A. Barton and Mrs. A. Howen of this place, and Mrs. Carrie Purple of Browns Valley, Minn., to mourn the loss of a guide, friend, husband and father.

In the death of Mr. Fleming this community sustains a great loss. It can be truly said of him, that the community in which he lived was the better by reason of his having lived therein. No one that has gone before will be any more missed by the people of this part of the state.

He was buried on Wednesday at 1 P. M., at the lower cemetery, followed by his neighbors and friends. All the stores were closed and the schools were let out in the afternoon in respect to his memory.

One by one as the leaves fall are we counted with our Fathers.

—Stevens Point (Weekly) Journal, October 15, 1887

(Amherst news) The infant [daughter Marjorie] of Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Fleming, whose serious illness was noted in last week's items, died Thursday noon. The funeral was held from the home Saturday afternoon, Rev. Cramer officiating, with interment in the family lot at Lower Amherst cemetery.

—Stevens Point Daily Journal, February 9, 1912

BENJAMIN FLEMING.

Benjamin Fleming, one of the early settlers of the town of Amherst, sank quietly into the last sleep at about 7 o'clock last Saturday evening. Mr. Fleming had been in poor health for the past two years but had been confined to his bed only a few weeks. Friends who called upon and conversed with him about the middle of last Saturday afternoon had no idea that the end was so near, though at that time he expressed the opinion that he would never be able to leave his bed again.

Late that afternoon, when Mrs. Marion Fleming, his daughter-in-law, went into his room, he was apparently sleeping. Some time later, when the son visited him, he was dead, and so the exact time that the great change occurred is not known, but it was at about 7 o'clock.

Mr. Fleming, who had been a resident of Amherst for more than half a century, had a large aquaintance in the county, especially among the older residents. He had filled a number of local offices, including that of deputy game warden in the county, for several years. He was in the seventy-ninth year of his age. Mrs. Fleming died about ten years ago, and since then he had lived with his son on the home farm near the village of Amherst. The only member of his family who survives him is his son, Marion.

The death of Mr. Fleming marks the passing of another who took part in the Civil war. At Amherst, Feb. 1, 1865, he enlisted in Co. "B," 46th Wisconsin infantry, and was mustered out on June 5 of the same year, on account of the close of the war.

—Stevens Point Daily Journal, September 30, 1912

(Amherst news) The funeral of Benjamin Fleming, news of whose death appeared in a previous issue of the Journal, was held from his old home Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. Kramer of the M. E. church officiating. The pallbearers were P. N. Peterson, E. N. Wold, C. N. Fenton, O. O. Penny, A. J. Luce and F. O. Adams. Mr. Fleming settled on the old homestead more than half a century ago—to be exact, 59 years, and was prominently identified with the growth and development during the earlier stages of its history. Only a few of these early settlers now survive and their ranks are being steadily thinned. The passing of each in turn awakens fond and interesting reminiscenses of the early days of this section, when men like Mr. Fleming came to what was then the frontier west, to turn the wilderness into the abode of civilized habitation. In this work Mr. Fleming bore his share and thereby gained for himself an honorable niche in the history of Amherst. Born at Trenton, N. J., May 21, 1833, Mr. Fleming came to Portage county in 1853 with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fleming, one brother, Wm. V., and five sisters, Mrs. Wm. Rice, Mrs. Reuben Thompson, Mrs. A. Ryerson, Mrs. Wm. and Mrs. Robert Wilson. Each in turn settled on farms adjoining one another, forming a colony of relatives, who have all passed to the great beyond except one sister, Mrs. Wm. Wilson. Mr. Fleming was married to Miss Anne Loing in May, 1857, and to them three children were born, Mark, Ralph and Marion A., the first two dying several years ago. Marion A. lives on the homestead and had cared for his father throughout his long illness. The G. A. R., of which he was an honored member, attended the services in a body and took charge at the grave. The out of town relatives and friends who attended the funeral were Mesdames W. F. Atwell, C. F. Haertel, A. C. Behrendt, Mr. and Mrs. N. Hoag, Messrs. Thomas and Rob. Wilson of Stevens Point and Mrs. Phoebe Grover of Waupaca.

—Stevens Point Daily Journal, October 5, 1912

Mrs. Marion Fleming

Mrs. Marion Fleming, a member of one of Portage county's well known families, died at her home in the town of Amherst, one-half mile south of Amherst village, at 1 o'clock Monday morning. Her death was unexpected as she had been confined to her bed only a couple of days. A complication of diseases was the cause.

Mrs. Fleming was Miss Mary Smith, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Casper Smith, old residents of Amherst, and was 52 years of age. She had resided in Amherst all her life. She is survived by her husband, three children, Frances, Benjamin and Florian, all at home; one sister, Mrs. Barton Harvey, Amherst village, and three brothers, George Smith, Amherst village, John Smith, Potter, Wis., and Casper Smith, Jr., who resides on the old homestead in Amherst. Mrs. C. F. Haertel, Mrs. W. F. Atwell and Robert B. Wilson of Stevens Point were cousins of the deceased.

Florence Fleming, the eldest daughter of Mrs. Fleming, died twelve years or more ago. The other daughter, Frances, formerly attended the State Normal school in Stevens Point.

The funeral was held at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon from the residence at Amherst.

—Stevens Point Daily Journal, April 27, 1921