May Francis Heath Memorial Project materials
2021.60.02
May Francis Heath (1873-1961) was the granddaughter of Stephen S. Morrison, the second white resident of Saugatuck pioneers, author of the first history of Saugatuck “Early Memories of Saugatuck”, general chairman of the 1930 Saugatuck Centennial Committee, an local entrepreneur, church and civic leader, painter, poet, artist, and honored citizen. In the spring of this year, a committee of the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society was been formed to pursue a public memorial to honor Mrs. Heath. Among her many activities, she was first President of the Saugatuck High School Alumni Association, a President of the Saugatuck Women’s Club, Chairman of the Congregational Church Board, and President of Ladies Aid and Christian Endeavor. Over a 40 plus year period she was an active officer and contributor in all of these groups. From the mid 1890s until her death, she was a leading force in the community, being instrumental in many of the major civic improvements the town enjoys today. For example, in 1909 she was the first librarian of the Saugatuck Women’s Club public lending library - which evolved to become the present-day Saugatuck Douglas Public Library. Later, she played a key role in raising funds for the construction of the Women’s Club building.
May Heath
Winthers, Sally
2021.60
Yoder, Chris
Donation
027 Heath, May
Heath, May (Francis) 1873-1961Schmiechen, James A.Kontio, MarshaLyons, MaryYoder, ChrisSanford, Peg 1944-Sheridan, John "Jack" O. 1938-Winthers, SallyCarey, Rob 1928-2019Pahl, JohnBleeker, William H. "Bill"
SDHC email: Saturday, August 14 at 1 p.m. Saugatuck Village Square May Heath Memorial Plaque Dedication A bronze plaque memorial honoring May Francis Heath (1873-1961), early Saugatuck historian, writer, teacher, artist and civic leader, will be unveiled and dedicated to the people of Saugatuck in a public ceremony at the water fountain in Saugatuck Village Square on Saturday, August 14 at 1pm. This event, funded by donations from the Saugatuck/Douglas Historical Society, Saugatuck/Douglas Art Club, Heath family descendants and friends, will feature commemorative comments by Allegan County Historian John Paul and the Historical Society's Marsha Kontio, Peg Sanford and Chris Yoder. Saugatuck Woman's Club President Karen Drongowski will comment on the Club's recently created May Heath Scholarship and introduce its first scholarship recipient. May Francis Heath's three great-grandchildren will speak and then unveil the plaque. Refreshments will follow. As granddaughter of S. A. Morrison, the man credited with naming Saugatuck when the town's first post office opened, May Heath was one of Saugatuck's most influential citizens of her time. She was instrumental in establishing Saugatuck Woman's Club, Saugatuck-Douglas Art Club and the town's first public lending library, spearheaded historical events such as the 1930 centennial celebration, and was personally responsible for preventing the cutting down of the Saugatuck Treaty Oak, which still stands on the west side of Holland Street north of Francis Street. May Heath is perhaps most widely remembered here as the author of "Early Memories of Saugatuck, Michigan 1830 to 1930", considered a masterpiece of personal retrospective and a major reference work on local history. Historical Society volunteer Rob Carey found an out-of-print edition of Heath's book, scanned and edited its contents, adding a previously published biographical sketch of Heath while Saugatuck author/historian Kit Lane created an index for the new edition. The enhanced book, reprinted by the Society and offered in 6x9" soft-cover format, includes woodcut illustrations by noted artist Carl Hoerman. The next event planned for the celebration of May Heath's life will be a program presented by Marsha Kontio at the Woman's Club on October 8 at 2 pm, titled "Tea with May Heath: Stories Of The Famous Local Historical Matriarch". A series of articles about the life, times and accomplishments of May Francis Heath is available in the Historical Society's monthly newsletters, December 2009 through current, which can be viewed and printed out on www.sdhistoricalsociety.org; select News Library, then E-News.
May Heath's Diaries One of the treasures kept in the Heath family is a set of her personal diaries covering the period from 1930 until her death in 1961. These record personal and village happenings with some detail, and provide a wonderful perspective on Saugatuck history. -- Inside the front cover of this 1930 diary, May lists her residence phone number as "133"; her height as 5'8"; her weight as 175 lbs; her shoe size as 7 1/2C; hosiery- 10; hat- 22; gloves-7; union suit- 44; and coat- 44. At the back, she lists the names of over 90 folks to whom she sent Christmas cards that year. To give you just a taste, here are some extracts from the month of October 1930, just a few months after her triumphant role in shepherding the successful Saugatuck Centennial Celebration. MAY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF LADIES AID Oct. 1st- "First Aid Meet and I am elected for President - well, I'll do my best. First Club (Woman's) of the year with 75 in attendance. Gus Butler Speaks". (Allegan Co. Probate Judge) BUSINESS DEALINGS: Oct. 5- "We bought out Williams & Lelands News Depot in order to protect our building, It may find us a grocer, & it is too bad to have empty stores." Oct. 8- "Almost the first day Parrish tries to get the GR Press, so I go to GR and confer with Mr. Smith, the circulation manager. I win. We keep them." MAY LEARNS TO DRIVE: Beginning October 13, 1930, the 57 year old May Francis Heath wrote: "Oh so busy, up and down that hill, my old ankle is giving out. So I determine I'll learn to drive the Buick and engage Joe Snay to teach me (Joe Snay was a WWI vet). I'm to hire him one hour a day. So today I learn to start and stop and I myself drive to Richmond. Tomorrow I tackle the gear shifts. I sort of dread that." "Try to drive all week and go to New Richmond, Macatawa, Holland, South Haven, and lastly on Oct. 24- Allegan. So I feel quite a confidence in myself and Saturday I drive home for dinner alone". LEE TAYLOR DIES Oct.25- "Young Lee Taylor shot while hunting". Oct 28-"Lee Taylor buried. Very large funeral- church- most gorgeous flowers" (the Taylors were fellow members of the Congregational Church). **************************************************************************** This series on Saugatuck Historian May Francis Heath (MFH) will continue until the 50th anniversary of her death in September, 2011. The MFH Study Group continues to seek information, documents, photographs of May, her paintings, and personal recollections of Mrs. Heath. If you have any to share contact: Chris Yoder at 269-857-4327 or Marsha Kontio at 616-566-1239.
May Heath Stories 1. May Heath Pioneer Granddaughter (Jan 2010) 5. May Heath – schoolteacher (Feb 2010) 15. May Heath and the Saugatuck High School Alumni Association- March 2010 20. May Heath - The Young Man She Married- April 2010 3. May Heath and the Treaty Oak-John Pahl Story (*May2010) 8. May Heath and the Saugatuck Womens Club (June 2010) 4. May Heath and the 1930 Centennial (July 2010*) 19. May Heath and the Town Square (Aug2010) 9. May Heath the Business Woman (Sept 2010) 14. May Heath and the Congregational Church (Oct2010?) 21. *May Heath, Snowbird (Nov2011) 17. *May Heath, Poet and songstress, Saugatuck Song (1921) (Dec2010) 16. *May Heath and “Houses Named Heathcote” (Jan 2011) 29. May Heath - Toastmistress (Feb 2011) 30. May Heath's Diaries (Mar2011) 10. *May Heath Author- “Early Memories of Saugatuck” (1930) (Apr2011) May Heath-Artist- May2011 May Heath Goes To Europe- June2011 LAST DOZEN FROM 24. May Heath - Realtor (Feb?) "Selling Saugatuck Over and Over Again" 26. May Heath Learns to drive (?) picture of Joe Snay- Snay's Hill" 22. ?-May Heath and The Shifting Sands Of Mt Baldhead (1929) 13. May Heath and the Garden Club (July?2011) 12. ?*May Heath and the Dedication of the Singapore Plaque (1958)(Aug 011) 28. May Heath and the Historical Society (Aug) 11. ?*May Heath and the Allegan Soldiers Memorial (1959)- John Pahl Story (Aug2011) 25. *May Heath and her Obituary (Sept 2011) 27. May Heath's children Reserve 18. May Heath “Nanan” 24. May Breaks Her Arm (?c1952) 2. May Heath and the Saugatuck Library 7. May Heath Sends her Son to College
10/03/2021
05/29/2026