Granny's Genealogy

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 7 Page 447

December 17th, 2009 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 31 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

I am posting information gleaned from land records in the areas where our family’s ancestors resided. You can read more about this project in the overview. You may also check my deed record listing, which I will update frequently, but probably not every day. This group pertain to Papa’s Fenton ancestors who resided in Wexford County, Michigan.

Date:	2 May 1878
Liber:	7
Page:	447
Location:	Lansing, MI
Grantor:	Auditor General of Michigan Ralph Ely
Grantee:	John Fenton of Manton, Wexford, MI
Witnesses:	Aluaus Heruly, Margaret O’Donnell
Type of deed:	State Tax Land Deed
Rec’d and recording:	285 May 1878
Clerk/registrar:	C.J. Manktelow
Location of land:	Wexford Co., MI
Consideration:	$6.88
Notes:	1875 taxes
Description:	SE 1/4 of SE 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec 32, T24N R10W

This deed again refers to John P. Fenton, his father John Fenton died in 1872. This is the same land as described in the deed recorded in Liber 7 page 439, which was for the 1874 taxes. For reasons I do not understand, it is described as two 40 acre pieces, instead of an 80 as it was described on the previous deed. If you enlarge this thumbnail created from the 1889 Atlas¹, you can see both pieces.

E.L. Hayes & Co., Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations , Eli L. Hayes, (Chicago, Ill.: E.L. Hayes & Co., 1889), page 31; digital images, The University of Michigan. Michigan County Histories and Atlases. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009.

Fenton, Land Records, Wexford Co MI

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 7 Page 497

December 18th, 2009 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 32 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	5 July 1878
Liber:	7
Page:	497
Location:	Wexford County Michigan
Grantor:	Mary E. Higgins by Sheriff, Sanford Gasser undersheriff in and for Wexford Co., Michigan
Grantee:	John Fenton of Cedar Creek Township, Wexford County, Michigan
Witnesses:	Ernest Manktelow, C.E. Manktelow
Type of deed:	Sheriffs deed on mortgage sale
Rec’d and recording:	24 July 1878 8 a.m.
Clerk/registrar:	Manktelow
Location of land:	Wexford Co., MI
Consideration:	$183.50, highest bid at auction
Notes:	default of mortgage made by Mary Higgins to John Fenton and recorded in Liber 3, page 286 of Wexford County Mortgages
Description:	All of Lot 2, block H in Seaman and Maquestons addition to the village of Cedar Creek

I first noticed the practice of individuals loaning money to other individuals and securing the loan with a mortgage while researching the land records for my Huron County, Ontario, Canada ancestors. I have not researched the mortgage records in Wexford County, and I do not know whether John Fenton, 1802-1872, or his son John P. Fenton loaned the money to Mary Higgins.

But John P. Fenton was the purchaser of the lot at mortgage sale, he was the only one living. It may be that the proceeds from the mortgage sale benefited his widowed (and remarried) mother, Eliza (John) Fenton Thurston, or perhaps he purchased the lot to avoid losing his investment. Research in the mortgage records is required to know more.

This lot is in the plat of Seamons & Maquestons Addition to Cedar Creek, which is now called Manton. You can see the original plat on the Michigan Subdivision website. For whatever reason, when you look at the subdivision plat on that site with the text so it is right side up, the map is oriented with south at the top. I found this confusing until I saw the section lines, and realized what I was seeing.

Here is the location of the lot from the old 1889¹ Atlas, which was printed long after this transaction. In this map, north us at the top of the page, as you would expect.

Viewing the all of Manton, the lot is in this location:

E.L. Hayes & Co., Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations , Eli L. Hayes, (Chicago, Ill.: E.L. Hayes & Co., 1889), page 21; digital images, The University of Michigan. Michigan County Histories and Atlases. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009.

Fenton, Higgins, Land Records, Thurston, Wexford Co MI

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 8 page 561

December 28th, 2009 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 33 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	2 July 1878
Liber:	8
Page:	561
Location:	Jackson County, MI
Grantor:	Eliza Thurston, formerly Eliza Fenton of Albion, Calhoun County, MI
Grantee:	John P. Fenton of Wexford County and State aforesaid
Witnesses:	John Darling, E. Darling
Type of deed:	Warranty
Rec’d and recording:	24 July 1878
Clerk/registrar:	Manktelow
Location of land:	Wexford County, MI
Consideration:	$600.00
Notes:	“except a certain mortgage executed by Eliza Thurston known as Eliza Fenton to Emily A. Tower and assigned to John E. Tower, the consideration being $400 and subject to taxes for 1878.”¹
Description:	S1/2 of NE1/4 of Section 12 T23N R10W

This land is the piece described in the homestead claim made by John Fenton, and later perfected by his widow, Eliza Fenton Thurston

It is possible that Eliza and her husband, Alfred Thurston, were living in Albion. Alfred was a minister, and 1900 found the family in Kingsley, Michigan. I will need to search for the family in more places in the 1800 census.

I edited this post on 30 December 2009 to add mortgage information that was listed on this record.

Fenton, Thurston

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 8 page 562

January 1st, 2010 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 34 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	15 May 1878
Liber:	8
Page:	562
Location:	Wexford County, Michigan
Grantor:	John P. Fenton & Susie Fenton his wife of Manton, Wexford County MI
Grantee:	F Bryan Coulter? and Samuel S. Walker comprising the firm of Coulter & Walter of St. Johns Michigan
Witnesses:	C.A. Lamb, Thomas Hall
Type of deed:	Warranty
Rec’d and recording:	29 May 1880
Clerk/registrar:	C.J. Manktelow
Location of land:	Wexford County, Michigan
Consideration:	$600
Notes:	“except a certain mortgage executed by Eliza Thurston known as Eliza Fenton to Emily A. Tower and assigned to John E. Tower, the consideration being $400 and subject to taxes for 1878.”
Description:	S1/2 of the NE1/4 Sec 12 T23N R10W

This is the original homestead filing of John Fenton, who migrated from Indiana to Michigan ca 1874. Eliza (John) Fenton Thurston later perfected the claim. The land is shown as being owned by “Walker & White” on the old 1889 atlas of Wexford County¹. You may enlarge this thumbnail of a portion of the Colfax Township map from the atlas.

E.L. Hayes & Co., Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations , Eli L. Hayes, (Chicago, Ill.: E.L. Hayes & Co., 1889), 29; digital images, The University of Michigan. Michigan County Histories and Atlases. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009.

Fenton, Thurston, Tower

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 9 page 27

January 2nd, 2010 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (2 Comments)

This entry is part 35 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	13 Feb 1879
Liber:	9
Page:	27
Location:	Wexford County Michigan
Grantor:	John Fenton and Susie Fenton his wife of Wexford County, Michigan
Grantee:	Lillie Sturr of Vandalia, County of Cass, State of Michigan
Witnesses:	C.A. Lamb, Willis A. Galdding
Type of deed:	Quit Claim
Rec’d and recording:	1 March 1879
Clerk/registrar:	Manktelow
Location of land:	Township of Greenville (sic), Wexford County, Michigan
Consideration:	$25
Notes:
Description:	S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 Sec 32 T24N R10W

John P. Fenton paid back taxes on this land, which is located in Greenwood Township, Wexford County, Michigan, totaling $18.01 on deeds recorded in liber 7 page 439 and liber 7 page 447 of Wexford County deeds. The recording dates for those deeds fell in May, 1878. Although I do not know what the recording, notary and other fees associated with these transactions might have been, the $25 John received from Lillie Sturr to “quit claim” on his tax deeds more that re-paid him for his efforts.

I find it helpful to compare the value of money today to the value of the same dollar amount during our ancestors lives. It helps me put the value of estates, or other transactions. A good site for exploring that is Measuring Worth.

I entered the $7.99 that John P. Fenton realized for these two transactions on the site’s US calculator and received this result:

Current data is only available till 2008. In 2008, $7.99 from 1878 is worth
$177.90 using the Consumer Price Index
$164.11 using the GDP deflator
using the value of consumer bundle
$1,231.61 using the unskilled wage
$2,184.95 using the nominal GDP per capita
$13,770.61 using the relative share of GDP

I will need to think about that for a little while.

Fenton, Land Records, Sturr, Wexford Co MI

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 9 page 127

January 6th, 2010 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 36 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	7 June 1879
Liber:	9
Page:	127
Location:	Wexford County, MI
Grantor:	John Fenton & Susie Fenton of the township of Cedar Creek County of Wexford, state of Michigan
Grantee:	Mary Higgins of the same Place
Witnesses:	C.A. Lamb, A.J. Baudall
Type of deed:	Quit Claim
Rec’d and recording:	13 June 1879
Clerk/registrar:	C.J. Manktelow, Registrar
Location of land:	Wexford County, Michigan
Consideration:	$196.50
Notes:
Description:	Lot 2 Block H of Seaman & Maquestons addition to the village of Cedar Creek, now Manton

The transaction recorded in Liber 7 page 497, of Wexford County Deeds shows that on 5 July 1878, John P. Fenton purchased interest in this property at a mortgage sale, for $183.50. It was an interesting purchase since Fenton was the mortgage holder, in addition to being the highest bidder at the mortgage sale.

Less than one year, later, Mary Higgins found the money to clear Fenton’s interest in her property. It appears that John P. Fenton and wife realized $13.00 less costs for their trouble.

A map showing the location of the lot is posted with the transaction in Liber 7 page 497.

Fenton, Higgins, Land Records, Wexford Co MI

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 9 page 559

January 8th, 2010 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (1 Comments)

This entry is part 37 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	13 July 1878
Liber:	9
Page:	559
Location:	Wexford County, Michigan
Grantor:	Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company a corporation of the State of Michigan and Indiana*
Grantee:	Susie M. Fenton, of Manton, Wexford County, Michigan
Witnesses:	Francis?, Wm. L. Howard
Type of deed:	Warranty
Rec’d and recording:	18 Nov 1880 8 a.m.
Clerk/registrar:	C.J. Manktelow
Location of land:	Wexford County, Michigan
Consideration:	$25
Notes:	exceptionally long company title of the Grantor, see below
Description:	Lot #3, village of Manton, according to Plot except taxes for 1876 and 1877.

*The complete name of the Grantor from the deed:

The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company a corporation of the State of Michigan and Indiana respectively, and Yankton County Territory of Dakota for attorneys, and the Continental Improvement Company a Corporation of the State of Pennsylvania and George W. Cass, Trustee, State of New Your and Thomas A. Scott Trustee, State of Pennsylvania

The deed was signed by:

D. Darwin Hughes, Attorney in Fact
Trustee George W. Cass by William A. Howard, his Attorney in Fact
Trustee Thomas A. Scott by Wm. A. Howard, his Attorney if fact

This lot is currently described as Lot 3 in the Railroad Plat of the city of Manton. On the original Plat of Manton can be found in the Michigan Subdivision map search. When you review the plot, you will see that the same attorney signed the plat, on behalf of the same trustees and companies listed on this deed.

I cut just a small part of the drawing out, and here is lot 3. Although it is difficult to see from this small view, the lot is the third one north of South Street, along “Seaman Street”. Seamons Street is now Michigan Avenue, and also the old US 131 highway. You can enlarge this thumbnail by clicking on it.

On this illustration, from the 1889 atlas¹, you can see the lot, and the section lines and corners a little better. I drew along two of the defining streets. Main Street, which was M-42 and is now called 16 mile road on the north, and Seamons Street, now Michigan Avenue on the east. The south street was the south limit of the plat, and Randolph Street was the west limit. This is also a thumbnail

E.L. Hayes & Co., Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations , Eli L. Hayes, (Chicago, Ill.: E.L. Hayes & Co., 1889), 29; digital images, The University of Michigan. Michigan County Histories and Atlases. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 7 January 2010.

Fenton, Land Records, Wexford Co MI

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 11 page 237

January 12th, 2010 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 38 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	17 July 1875
Liber:	11
Page:	237
Location:	Wexford County, Michigan
Grantor:	Willis A. Gladding, of Cedar Creek, Wexford County, Michigan
Grantee:	John P. Fenton and George Fenton of Cedar Creek township, county and state aforesaid
Witnesses:	Ezra Hager, John Hager
Type of deed:	Warranty
Rec’d and recording:	31 May 1881, 3 p.m.
Clerk/registrar:	Thorp
Location of land:	Wexford Co, MI
Consideration:	$350
Notes:	I missed recording the signer of this instrument, should be John and Susie.
Description:	S 1/2 of NE 1/4 Sec 12 T23N R9W

John and George Fenton purchased this eighty in 1875, according to this deed, which was not recorded until 1881. The land is illustrated on this drawing from the old 1889 atlas¹. Why the deed showing the purchase of the land was not recorded until 1881 is beyond me. Perhaps it was forgotten.

On the deed recorded in Liber 7 page 25, on 11 July 1877, which was executed on 9 July 1877, John P. Fenton and Susie Fenton sold the east forty of this eighty acres. That land is outlined in red on my map. On the deed recorded in Liber 7 page 26, on 11 July 1877, and executed on 1 July 1877, John P. and Susie sold the west forty of the eighty acres. Both pieces were sold to Samuel Carpenter, who owned only the east forty when the information for the 1889 atlas was gathered. Maybe the fact that the Fenton’s purchase was not recorded was discovered when Carpenter sold the land, perhaps to the 1889 owner, Sarah Abbott.

Somewhere, there should be a quit claim deed in favor of John Fenton from George Fenton for the 80 acres, since John could not legally sell it without such an instrument.

E.L. Hayes & Co., Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations , Eli L. Hayes, (Chicago, Ill.: E.L. Hayes & Co., 1889), page 19; digital images, The University of Michigan. Michigan County Histories and Atlases. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009.

Abbott, Carpenter, Fenton, Land Records, Wexford Co MI

Burdick Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 71 page 420 and Liber 66 page 603

November 25th, 2009 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 39 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

The next two transactions involve the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 4, T23N R10W.

Date:	4 Sept 1909	15 May 1911
Liber:	71	66
Page:	420	603
Location:	Wexford Co MI	Wexford Co MI
Grantor:	Fink C Burdick & Cora E. Burdick his wife	George E. Thomas & Mary A. Thomas his wife
Grantee:	George E. Thomas & Mary A. Thomas his wife	Fink C Burdick & Cora E. Burdick his wife
Witnesses:	Sadie Wheeler; Isaac Wheeler	Nora B. Foote; Nellie Collier
Type of deed:	Warranty	Quit Claim
Rec’d and recording:	16 Sept 1909	17 May 1911
Clerk/registrar:	M. Northrup	M. Northrup
Location of land:	Colfax, Wexford MI	Colfax, Wexford, MI
Consideration:	$530.00	$573.33
Notes:
Description:	NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 Sec 4 T23N R10W	NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 Sec 4 T23N R10W

Fink and Cora Burdick acquired the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 on the deed recorded in liber 14, page 616. These deeds make it seem as if Fink borrowed some money from the Thomas’s, and the interest was $53.33 at the time the loan was repaid. If that is the case, it may be significant that the loan was repaid on 15 May 1911, just seven days after Mary Jane Abbott Burdick died. Or, I may be imagining things. I often think that dreams are logical.

The land described in these deeds is the “top” half of GW’s fractional 80 which he purchased from his brother–in-law, Erasmus D. Abbott back in 1874. I profiled that deed here and explored what I learned from it here.

Burdick, Thomas, Wexford Co MI, Wheeler

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 35 page 78

January 14th, 2010 | Posted by Granny Pam in Papa's Ancestors - (0 Comments)

This entry is part 40 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

Date:	28 Nov 1892
Liber:	35
Page:	78
Location:	Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Grantor:	Alfred L. Thurston of Kingsley, Grand Traverse, MI
Grantee:	William A. Longstreet of Colfax, Wexford, MI
Witnesses:	John N. Calhoun, Wm Watson
Type of deed:	Warranty
Rec’d and recording:	21 Dec 1892 1:30 p.m.
Clerk/registrar:	Samuel J. Wall
Location of land:	Colfax, Wexford MI
Consideration:	$400.00
Notes:	Alfred Thurston married Eliza John Fenton on 10 Oct 1873
Description:	SW 1/4 of the NW 1/2 Section 16 T23N R10W

This description is along 29 1/4 road in Colfax township. Twenty-nine mile road and has been reconfigured slightly since this old 1889 atlas¹ was published. Currently the road approximately follows the route of my blue line. It curves to the east while traveling down a hill, and continues north on the section line. At the section line, the name of the road becomes 29 1/4.

Some of the land in the quarter-section is still owned by descendants of John and Eliza Fenton. If you click and enlarge this thumbnail, you will see that W.G. Watson owned the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 at the time the atlas was printed. Watson was the husband of Salina Fenton, a daughter of John and Eliza. I do not know when this land was purchased by the Fentons or Thurstons. Either I missed the transaction because it was in the name Thurston, or I haven’t come to the top of the pile yet.

E.L. Hayes & Co., Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations , Eli L. Hayes, (Chicago, Ill.: E.L. Hayes & Co., 1889), page 29; digital images, The University of Michigan. Michigan County Histories and Atlases. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009.

Fenton, Land Records, Thurston, Wexford Co MI