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Note: Census Chronology: 1930: Brady Township, Kalamazoo Co, Michigan Frank Moyer age 29, occupation farm laborer Lila age 33 with 4 children: Clair age 2, Murman Gary age 15, Forest (Edward) Gary age 12 and Russell Gary age 8. "Vicksburg�s Lee Paper Company, later Simpson Paper Co. and most recently known as Fox River Paper Co., was originally built to fill a need for a rag-content paper mill in the Kalamazoo Valley paper producing region. Vicksburg was selected because it had a good supply of clean water, two railroads and was centrally located to possible paper markets. Scores of workers of Polish ancestry, some of whom had papermaking experience, were brought to the mill from Chicago and other area. When construction was completed in 1905, production was 35,000 pounds per day. There were 205 employees whose wages ran from 20 cents per hour to 32-1/2 cents an hour. Girls earned 10 cents an hour sometimes working 50 to 60 hours a week. Textiles in the form of worn-out clothing and other rags formed the raw material for rag-content paper. Women sorted the rags, removed buttons and foreign objects in the Rag Room. The cloth was shredded, cooked and processed into fine-quality writing papers. Under Manager Norman Bardeen, the mill managed to operate throughout the Great Depression, though hours were cut and the available work was spread around so that as many employees as possible could take home a paycheck, however small. Eighty-percent of the mill�s production was directed at the war effort during World War II. The post-war era brought a boom in business and major plant expansions. By this time the emphasis was on producing paper from wood pulp rather than rags, and in 1959 Lee Paper Company merged with a division of Simpson Timber Co. to form Simpson-Lee Paper Company, which in later years became simply Simpson Paper Company. Lee Paper Company and its successors has had a tremendous effect on the greater Vicksburg area as its largest employer and biggest benefactor for many years. Housing construction boomed because of the mill. The Catholic Church was established here specifically to serve the mill�s Polish workers. The Vicksburg Foundation was formed with a $19,500 donation from the mill in 1943. In 1996 the mill was purchased by Fox River Paper Company, who has announced its closing by March 1 of 2001. The fate of its beautiful buildings, among the oldest manufacturing structures in the area, is unknown." Kalamazoo Gazette: Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 GARY, Russell Vicksburg, Ml Russell Gary was a spur of the moment, jack of all trades, cherry pie baking and engine fixing kind of guy. He was involved at work, involved at home, loved by his entire family, and he possessed endless amounts of energy. Despite his love of life and endless energy he was mortal. Russell died at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo early Tuesday morning, September 17, 2002. Russell was born in Vicksburg on May 25,1921. He attended Vicksburg Schools, graduating in 1940. On September 27, 1942 he married Ann Brown, and one month later, on Halloween, he entered the U.S. Army. After his tour of duty he rejoined his family and the workforce. He worked for 28 years at Simpson Paper Company in Vicksburg, as well as holding a second job for 10 years at Meijer Stores. Russell retired from Simpson paper in 1981. Retirement brought on many new projects for Russell, foremost was his involvement with his family, which includes his wife, daughters, and son, six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren; a brother; and several aunts, uncles and cousins, Friends may call at the Rupert, Durham, Marshall & Gren Funeral Homes, Vicksburg Chapel on Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. where a Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday at 11:OC a.m. Please visit his personal memory page at www.rdmg.com where you can read his complete life story, share a memory, send flowers or make a memorial contribution to VNA Hospice or the Disabled American Veterans.
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