Dec 30

2009 Resolutions, Progress?

The end is here, the end of the year, that is. It is time to see how Granny has done on her resolutions. On December 28, 2008 I considered my situation carefully and wrote:

For my research:

1. Enter all the information from the BOX into my database. No exceptions, no cheating.

2. I will file all the paperwork in the proper place, not in piles on the floor, desk, or in any convenient box.

Results:

I believe I made three assessments of my progress on August 8, on September 3, and on and October 20th.

For this final look back at 2009, I can report that all the data in the box/pile was entered, and all the original paperwork was filed. That big challenge I made to myself is complete, so I have that to be glad of.

And for my blogs:

1. I will post on either GrannyPam or Granny’s Genealogy every day.

2. I will finish posting all the data from my “old” genealogy site to Granny’s Genealogy.

When this post, and the one I have written for tomorrow is written, I will have made 406 total posts on Granny’s Genealogy, and 180 on GrannyPam. That is a total of 586. To be completely honest, there were many days that I made no post anywhere, but on some days I posted several times.

Honestly, if my goal was to post every day, I did not achieve it. If it was to write every day, I did achieve it.

I am particularly happy about the “Belle’s Box” series of posts. I wanted to highlight a bit about Papa’s family, and their way of life in the early 20th century in Wexford County. Although the series posed many questions, there were also gems, and answers.

As for posting all the data from my old website here on Granny’s Genealogy, I have almost achieved that. There is some data that needs to be reformatted, and I will need to rethink how I present it in blog format. I believe I posted about 90% of the information here, so by my estimate I “almost achieved” that goal.

That is my last look back, from now on, I will be looking forward to 2010. May if be successful for all Geneabloggers!

Dec 28

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

This entry is part 33 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 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

3-219

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.

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

Dec 24

Merry Christmas

As we enjoy this wonderful season and the blessings of home and family, I wish each of you an enjoyable and safe holiday.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dec 23

Belle Fellows and Family

These photos were posted on my old site, and I am adding them here. They are thumbnails, which you may enlarge.

BelleCharley

Belle (Lamunion) and Charlie Tinker. Belle and Charlie married in 1914. Her grandchildren say, “Grandma and Charlie”. I’ll have to ask M-in-L the dog’s name. I forgot it.

bellegrandchildren

Belle, and all her grandchildren who lived nearby at the time. One uncle told us that Bill Burgess would not sit down unless Uncle Hi was in the photo, so there is Hi. Hi was the husband of Eunice Fellows.

From the back left:L Laura Fenton (later married Pratt), daughter of Edna Fellows; Grandma (Belle Lamunion Fellows Tinker); standing: George Fenton, son of Edna Fellows; seated: Hiram Smith, husband of Eunice Fellows.

Front: Rachel Burgess, daughter of Hazel Fellows; Loren Fellows on Grandma’s lap, son of Frank Fellows; Frank Fenton in front of his brother George, son of Edna Fellows. Hiram is holding: Left: Bill Burgess, son of Hazel Fellows, right: Henry Smith, his son with Eunice Fellows.

Dec 22

The Scott Lamunion Family

This Thumbnail can be enlarged. This is the family of Merritt Winfield “Scott” Lamunion. Scott married Emma Adelia Widger on 11 March 1876, according to a family bible transcription done by two Lamunion researchers in 1975. You may enlarge this thumbnail by clicking on it.

The Lamunions had a family of seven children, according to the same bible transcription: Ray Lester 2 May 1879 – September 1879, Glen Azel b. 24 Feb 1884, Bessie Ann b. 23 May 1885, Olive b 25 July 1887, Maude Belle b. 21 Feb 1889, Jack H. b. 24 March 1891, and Nellie May, b 1894. The older man, second from the left must be Glen, and the younger man with the bow tie on the right must be Jack. If you can identify the other family members, please contact me!

ScottLamunion family

Thanks to Carolyn Stump (see comments) for identification of the people in this photo:

Bottom row left to right
Belle Lamunion French, Merritt (Scott) Winfield Lamunion, Emma Widger Lamunion, Nellie Lamunion Patterson
Top row left to right
Bessie Lamunion (married x3 Hammond,Stewart, Morrison) Glen Azel Lamunion, Olive Lamunion Bigelow (widowed) then Rev., Jack Harvey Lamunion went to Minnesota to work a harvest and died shortly after returning home from scarlet fever? He was about 22 when he died. My grandfather was Glen.

 

 

 

Dec 21

Lamunion Siblings

Here is a photo from M-in-L’s scrapbook. I have some restoration work to do here, but wanted to show it now.

lamunionsiblings

Back row: Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker, Emily (Lamunion) Carter.
Front row: George Lamunion, Mary Ann (Lamunion) Murray, Merritt Winfield “Scott” Lamunion.

Not pictured, Benjamin “Bije” Lamunion, 1856-1892; and Olive Josephine (Lamunion) Tufts, 1862-1882. Benjamin Lamunion died in an accident while working in a logging camp. Olive also died young.

Dec 19

Just Keep Looking

Many years ago, I read the films for births, deaths and marriages for Wexford County, Michigan, where my ancestors lived from about 1878 forward. The films were of poor quality, and completely unreadable in some places. I found records for many of my ancestors, including the marriage of my great-grandparents, Jane “Jennie” Johnston and William Kaiser. But, search as I did, I could never find a birth record for my grandmother. I found her marriage record, and later got a copy of her death certificate from the county clerk, but a record from the time of her birth which named her parents eluded me. It was important to me, since my great-grandmother, died when grandma was young, and some accounts name a stepmother as the mother.

Last night, I was fishing around at the new Familysearch record search, and look what I found (click to enlarge the thumbnails):

The fifth record, date July 19, 1885, Winnie L Kysor, female, white, born in the city of Cadillac!
winnie kaiser birth p1 4207267 933

Parents: William Kysor, Jennie Kysor, residents of the city of Cadillac, both born Canada, he a laborer, her no occupation, recorded on June 1, 1886.
winnie kaiser- birth p2 4207267 934

The Kaiser’s last name carries a spelling which I have never seen the family use, and the entry was indexed as “Minnie L. Kysor”. I have always know my grandmother’s name as Winnie Alice Kaiser, so the spelling caught me off guard. However, the other information, including the birthdate, parent’s name and birthplace match.

The records early Michigan records on the FamilySearch site are not the same records, or from the same films as I previously read. The films I read were of the local county books. The films on the site are returns, and may be a copy made made from local books. I am able to see that second page which contains the record is page 457, but I don’t know what the ledger name or number might be.

My next step will be to read the records line by line, to see if I can find a birth or death record for my grandmother’s missing sister, and Jennie Johnston’s missing death record.  I am also adding a review of the Wexford County films to my to do list, since I know the record is there, I may be able to find it.  You just never know.

Dec 18

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

This entry is part 32 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: 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.

7-497

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

7-497

  1. 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.

Dec 17

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

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.

7-447

 

  1. 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.

Dec 16

Fenton Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 7 page 439

This entry is part 30 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: 12 April 1878
Liber: 7
Page: 439
Location: Lansing MI
Grantor: Auditor General of Michigan, Ralph Ely
Grantee: John Fenton of Manton, Wexford, MI
Witnesses: Rob McDougel, Edith McDougel
Type of deed: State Tax Land Deed
Rec’d and recording: 21 May 1878 8 a.m.
Clerk/registrar: Manktelow
Location of land: Wexford Co MI
Consideration: $11.13
Notes: 1874 taxes
Description: S1/2 of SE 1/4 Sec 32 T24N R10W

“John Fenton” in this deed refers to John P. Fenton, his father also named John Fenton died in 1872. John paid the 1874 back taxes on this land on 12 April 1878. H.R. Sturtevant is show as the owner of this land, which is in Greenwood Township, in the 1889 Atlas1 of Wexford County. Greenwood borders Colfax township on the north. You may click to enlarge this thumbnail and see a larger view.

7-439

 

 

 

  1. 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.