Dec 03

Treasure Chest Thursday – The Service Flag

This entry is part 2 of 9 in the series Treasures and Curiosities

You may or may not be familiar with the Blue Star Mothers, an organization of mothers of service members. I recently read the history of the Blue Star Mothers, and learned that the group was organized in Flint, Michigan. I am a Michigander, and finding the group’s Michigan connection made me proud. I saw the listing for chapter M1, Flint, Michigan, thereby learning it is still active, and saw a listing of the officers and meeting time and location.

I wanted to learn more about the Blue Star Mothers after I found my grandmother’s Service Flag folded into her funeral register book. I wrote about Winnie Kaiser Yearnd’s funeral register in this series, not too long ago. My grandmother died when I was six years old, but I do have wonderful memories of visits to her home. When I saw the flag, I had far off dreams of having seen it before, but I am not sure. I think it may have been displayed at her funeral; if I remember correctly perhaps that is why it was in the book. I do remember seeing Blue Star Mothers marching in the Memorial Day parades of my youth, perhaps the only women in uniform I saw during that era.

D1 sent for a service flag when GS1 entered the Navy; it has been displayed in our front window for three years. This fall, GS2 joined the Army. I remembered that D1 had mentioned needing a new flag with two stars, then forgot about it. Last night, I took the old flag out, pressed it, inserted a wood dowel in the casing at the top, and hung it in the front window.

blue on white

The stars first represented my father and uncle, who served in the world War II era. Dad was too young for service during the war, but he was in the Marines for a short time after his high school graduation. There are quite a few photos of uncle Bill in uniform, he was older than my father, and served longer. I don’t believe washing the flag would be a good idea, it has no side seams, and is slightly frayed along the edges. However, I am very proud of our grandsons, and think my grandmother would be proud too.

Do you remember being told how lucky you were to live in the United States? I certainly do, freedom was highly valued, and those who served our country were respected and honored. Things were not as friendly when Papa served during the Vietnam era. It is important to remember that a price has been paid for our way of life, and today I am glad that more citizens take pride in their country and the service members who sacrifice for us.

Are members of your family serving? Do you have a service flag for your window? You can leave a comment here if you have memories of The Service Flag. If you would like on to display in honor of your service members, there is information on how to obtain one on the Blue Star Mother’s website. Even if you have no active member of the military in your family, you might enjoy reading about the history and activities of this great organization.

Dec 02

Family Portrait – William Kaiser and Elizabeth Long Family

William and Elizabeth (Long) Kaiser were my 2nd great-grandparents. This photograph was send to me by my cousin Jan Largent Blake; the names of the subjects were recorded on the back Thanks Jan! I have added the names where they can be seen. You may click this thumbnail to enlarge the photo.

KaiserfamilycourtesyofJan

The photo was probably taken about 1886 or 1887.

Below is another photo taken in the same studio, perhaps the same day. The picture is of Mary Ann Kaiser with her husband John Garvin and their son Roy. Mary Ann is wearing the same dress in both pictures. Roy was born on March 31, 1885. I believe Roy looks closer to two in the picture, but it’s all a matter of opinion!

JohnMary KaiserGarvinRoy

The Kaisers had eleven children that I am aware of, three are buried in the cemetery of Knox Presbyterian Church, Cranbrook. The cemetery is in Huron County, Ontario. I have no information on the burial of a fourth child, Maud. She may be in the same cemetery.

The entire family was:

Joseph, 1857-1876
Mary Ann, 1860-1939
William, 1862-1940
Elizabeth, 1864-1938
Cecelia/Priscilla, 1867-1876
Sarah, 1870
Anna “Annie” 1871-1941
Austin Arthur, 1872-1962
Lucy, 1876-1914
Maud 1878
Amelia/Millie, 1878-1963

Dec 01

The Will of William Kaiser, Sr.

William Kaiser, sometimes called William Kaiser, Sr., to distinguish him from his son with the same name was my great-grandfather.  He was born in Ontario, Canada in 1862, and died in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan on 10 Oct 1909.  William married Elizabeth Long about 1857.

This Will, Petition for Probate, Inventory of Personal Property and Closing letter transcribed from Wexford County Probate Records. Recorded in Liber 17 beginning page 506 of Wexford County, Michigan Probate Court Records and

Will, Recorded Liber 70, beginning on page 464.

I William Kaiser of the City of Cadillac, in the County of Wexford and State of Michigan, being now of sound mind and memory and mindful of the uncertainty of life, do make, publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner following, That is to say:

FIRST, I direct that all my just debts and my funeral expenses be paid.

SECOND, I give, devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Elizabeth Kaiser, all my property both real and personal of which I may die seized or possessed wheresoever the same may be situated or found to do with and use the same as I could were I living, EXCEPT, that she may not sell deed or alienate any of the real estate. The true intention and meaning of this article of my will being that my said wife shall have a life estate in all my real estate but shall have all my personal property of whatsoever name or nature absolutely as her own.

THIRD, I direct that at the death of my said beloved wife all my property then in existence, whether real or personal of whatsoever name or nature, wheresoever the same may be found, shall be divided, share and share alike, equally among my children, whose names are as follows: Mary Garvin, William Kaiser, Elizabeth Johnston, Annie Phillips, Austin Kaiser, Lucy Johnston, Amelia Rice.

The executor of this my will is hereby empowered to sell the real estate and personal property at the death of my said wife or as soon thereafter as he may deem proper, under the order of the Court and give the proper deed for the same and then divide the proceeds of said sale or sales equally among my children as above named and directed.

Should any of my said children, at the time of such division of property by said executor be deceased, then the share of such deceased child of mine shall go to the child or children of such deceased child of mine. If such deceased child of mine shall have no living child then her, or his share shall be divided equally between my children who are then alive in addition to their regular share as above stated. I further direct that should a grandchild of mine have a right to inherit their parent’s share under the provisions of this will, that my own children who are alive at the time of my said wife’s death, shall not wait for their share of my property until any grand child of mine may come of age but the Executor of this will shall distribute to my living children their share of my property as soon after my said wife’s death as may be and paying to the guardian or representatives of any grandchild such share as such grandchild or grandchildren may be entitled under the provisions of this will.

FOURTH, I hereby nominate and appoint James Johnston of the City of Cadillac the Executor of this my last will and testament.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal—making my mark—a cross—instead of writing my name this 21st day of September A.D. 1907 William (his mark X) Kaiser (LS)

We hereby attest that the foregoing instrument was at the date thereof, in our presence signed, sealed, and published and declared by William Kaiser, the above named testator to be his last will and testament, and we have at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other, signed our names as witnesses thereto, this twenty-first day of September A.D. 1907.

Signed: James E. Henderson of Cadillac , Michigan

Signed: (Mrs.) Martha Gipe of Cadillac , Michigan

Petition For Probate of Will

STATE of MICHIGAN , County of Wexford Probate Court for said County.

To Fred Lamb Judge of Probate for said County

In the matter of Proving the last Will and Testament of William Kaiser Deceased, William Kaiser would respectfully represent to the Court that he is interested in the above matter as son and heir of said deceased, that said deceased departed this life a the city of Cadillac, in the County of Wexford and State of Michigan on the 10th day of October 1919, leaving a last Will and Testament, bearing the date 21st of September 1907, which is herewith deposited and filed to said court, that said will is in writing and signed by the said Testator, and is attested and subscribed to by James E. Henderson and Martha Gripe two competent witnesses, that said witnesses attested and subscribed said will in the presence of the said Testator and at his request, and that the said Testator at the time he executed said Will, was twenty-one years of age and upwards and was of sound mind and under no restraint or undue influence, whatever, as your Petitioner is informed and verily believe.

Your petitioner further represents that the said deceased, at the time of his death, was an inhabitant or resident in said County of Wexford and was possessed of Real and Personal Estate situate and being in said County of Wexford, and elsewhere to be administered, and that the estimated value of the Personal Estate is the sum of One Thousand Dollars and of the Real Estate the sum of Nine Hundred Dollars or thereabout, as your Petitioner is informed and verily believe.

And your Petitioner further represents that the names, ages and residence and relationship to the deceased of the legatees and heirs-at-law of said deceased, and other persons interested in said estate as your Petitioner is informed and believes are as follows:

Elizabeth Kaiser, widow, 73, Cadillac , Mich.

Mary Garvin, daughter, 49, Cadillac , Mich.

William Kaiser, son, 47, Cadillac , Mich.

Elizabeth Johnston, daughter, 45, Cadillac , Michigan

Annie Phillips, daughter, Cadillac Michigan

Austin Kaiser, son, Chicago , ILL

Lucy Johnston, daughter, Cadillac , Mich.

Amelia Rice, daughter, Cadillac , Mich.

Your Petitioner, therefore prays the Court to appoint a time and place for proving said Will, and that due notice thereof be given to all persons interested as the Court shall direct, and that said Will may be allowed and admitted to Probate, and that administration of said estate may be granted to James Johnston the executors named in said Will, or to some other suitable person, and that such other and further order and proceedings may be had in the promises as may be required by statutes in such case mad and provided.

Dated Cadillac, Oct 18, 1909 (signed) Wm Kaiser

State of Michigan County of Wexford }SS

The above named petitioner, being duly sworn, say that he has read the foregoing petition by him signed and knows the contents thereof, and that the same is true of his own knowledge except as to matters thereto stated, on his information and belief, and as to those matters he believes them to be true. (signed) Wm Kaiser

Subscribed and sworn to at Cadillac , Michigan this 18th day of October A.D. 1909 before me Fred C. Breen,Notary Public

Property Inventory

Johnston & Kaiser — GROCERS

(Letterhead of the establishment owned by James Johnston and William Kaiser, 2nd)

Cadillac , Michigan June 14th, 1910

Received of James Johnston, Executor of the last Will and Testament of William Kaiser, Deceased. The following goods and chattels, constituting the personal property of said deceased, and bequeathed to me by the will of said deceased,

1 Land Contract to E.G. Rice 500.00
1 Coal Stove 10.00
2 Couches 4.00
Chairs 5.00
1 Organ 10.00
Carpets 10.00
1 Dining Table and 6 Chairs 7.00
1 Refrigerator 3.00
1 Kitchen Stove and Utensils 6.00
1 Cupboard 3.00
1 Bedstead and Mattress 5.00
Curtains and Portier 2.00
1 Kitchen Table and Chairs 2.00
1 Sewing machine 10.00
1 Bedroom Suite 10.00
3 Chairs and Bedding 10.00
1 Mantel Clock 5.00
Total as appraised 602.00

(signed) Elizabeth Kaiser Widow

Closing letter, transcribed from Probate packet.

Cadillac , Michigan , Michigan , February 7th, 1928 .

To the Probate Court of Wexford County , Michigan .

In the Matter of the Estate of William Kaiser, Deceased.

The will of William Kaiser, Deceased, provided that his Wife Elizabeth Kaiser should have a life interest in the Real Estate of said Deceased. At her death is should be distributed to Mary Garvin, William Kaiser, Elizabeth Johnston, Annie Phillips, Austin Kaiser, Lucy Johnston and Amelia Rice.

The above named Heirs, except Lucy Johnston, wishing to allow Elizabeth Kaiser, their Mother, to enjoy the proceeds to be derived from the sale of the Real Estate made the following provisions.

Under date of May 8 1930, Mary Garvin, William Kaiser and Delia Kaiser His Wife, Elizabeth Johnston, Annie Phillips and Amelia Rice deeded their interest in said Real Estate to Elizabeth Kaiser their Mother, Under date of May 30, 1920 Austin Kaiser and Florence Kaiser, his Wife, signed the same deed.

Lucy Johnston died about October 1st, 1914 . About March 1st, 1924 a hearing to determine her Heirs was held in your Court, and the Heirs determined at said hearing deeded their interest in said Estate to William Kaiser, which closed up the entire Estate.

James Johnston

Executor.

Nov 30

The Web

This entry is part 24 of 99 in the series Deeds in the Family

This little quote replaced the then current earworm in my head the other day:

Oh what a tangled web we weave,

When first we practise to deceive!1

You might want to know that I really don’t think our ancestors were attempting to deceive me. Anyone who ever heated their home with wood, or tried to put food on the table all year from a garden and a little hunting, or shoveled snow out of a mile long drive with a little shovel for 6 months of winter, or even tried to clear enough trees to make room for a garden, knows that the concerns of each day were more than enough to occupy our ancestors. They did not have time to worry about what remnants of their lives I might have to work with as I try to reconstruct their lives and experience.

After I finished profiling the last of my deed transcriptions that mention Papa’s Burdick ancestors, I stopped to consider how to handle the rest of the book.

the Book

Since I love to do things in steps, I scanned all the remaining pages; and found there were 227 in Wexford County, Michigan alone. Holy Cow! Talk about boring, I can not imagine profiling all of them consecutively, and I know no one is interested enough in land records to read the entire mess.

Swinging back to the present, the reason for the transcriptions was to find out more about our ancestors lives.  Since both Papa’s family,  and my family blessed me with a group of closely associated families in  single locations in Wexford County, Michigan, the deeds looked like a bonanza.  Papa’s Fenton and Burdick ancestors were living in Colfax, Greenwood and Cedar Creek Townships, Wexford County beginning about 1870.  My Johnston, Long and Kaiser ancestors arrived in Cadillac, Wexford County between 1885 and 1890.

The next thing that occurred to me is that these transcriptions tell a lot about the relationships between our ancestors. I find that my problem is how to shift focus from actual transcriptions to the information that they contain about our ancestors. Sounds easy, right? Right.

The project person in me just decided to sort the deeds by “family”. That is where the web came in. Are the deeds in Papa’s family Burdick, Fenton, Fellows, Tinker or Longstreet? Are the deeds in my family Kaiser, Johnston, Long, or Yearnd? Many of them represent members of two or three associated families. We have all heard it a million times, our ancestors lived in communities, not in isolation. Their families, including relatives distant, close, far and near; churches; and neighbors formed the framework that supported their difficult lives. Many of these relationships are described by the stories these deed transcriptions tell. I began to think of the web of relationships, activities and actions that these transcriptions describe.

In this vein, I also thought about how easy is is to be fooled by facts. I found a deed in the Burdick group under which John and Susie (Burdick) Fenton were selling their home in Colfax Township to her brother, Fink Burdick. Knowing that John and Susie adventured out to Iowa, I mistakenly assumed that this sale preceded their migration. The sale was on 2 May 1885, perfect for a spring trip west.

Further checking disappointed me, and also pointed out how easy it is to misunderstand any given “fact”. John and Susie’s son Alfred was born in 1887, an old family history says in, “Colfax, Wexford, Michigan”.

I think, OK, maybe John and Susie lived somewhere else in Colfax for two years. Or maybe they sold out to Fink and continued to occupy the place. Or maybe older family members told the cousin all the family but the youngest was born in Colfax. Or maybe older family members recalled that Colfax and Cedar Creek Township were once united and called Colfax. Or maybe no one knew where Alfred was born and just assumed the Fentons lived in Colfax till they headed out to Iowa. Or maybe Susie went to her mother’s house in Colfax to deliver Alfred. I could go on like this all day, really.

So, instead on continuing the speculation, I checked for a birth record for Alfred in Wexford County on the Family Search site. No luck for Alfred, but there was one for Ross, who was born in 1884, in Colfax Township. Hmmmm. My next source for John P. Fenton is a directory listing, and he is in MANTON, about 1883-1884.2 I do have a birth certificate for the John and Susie’s youngest child, Mary Eliza, who was born in Iowa, 3 April 1890. Hmmmm. I still do not know for sure exactly where Alfred Fenton was born, but I do know that it was probably in Michigan, not Iowa.  But, my original assumption about the deed in question being  executed just before the Fentons left for Iowa was in error.

I am going to make every effort to post the facts and information recorded in this group of deeds, but I will also try to relate the facts to the framework of our ancestor’s lives. Time will tell how successful that effort will be, but I will bet that I will learn more along the way than I might have anticipated.

  1. Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17. Scottish author & novelist (1771 – 1832)
  2. R.L. Polk & Co., Directory of Big Rapids City, Mecosta County : Cadillac, Cedar Springs, Cheboygan, Fife Lake, Harbor Springs, Howard City, Kalkaska, Mackinac, Mackinaw, Petoskey, Reed City, Rockford, St. Ignace, and Traverse City : including also, Alanson, Alba, Ashton, Belmont, Boyne Falls, Crofton, Edgerton, Elmira, Kingsley, Leetsville, LeRoy, Lockwood, Luther, Mancelona, Manton, Maple Hill, Mansfield, Milton Junction, Pierson, Sand Lake, South Boardman, Tustin, Walton, and Westwood : embracing a complete alphabetical list of business firms and private citizens, city officers, churches and public schools, benevolent, literary and other associations, and a complete classified business directory of the above named places. (Detroit: R.L Polk and Company 1884), page 284; digital images, ProQuest LLC, Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/books : accessed 18 November 2009).

Nov 29

Burdick Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 80 page 440

This entry is part 23 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 with each post.

This is a deed transcription I found in my book, after I thought my “Burdick” deeds were completed. This one explains a little about the transaction recorded in liber 46, page 590. In that deed, Mary J. Burdick sold all but a strip on the north side of her property in Colfax Township. In this deed, that strip is sold, after her death.

Date: 9 May 1911
Liber: 80
Page: 440
Location: Wexford County, Michigan
Grantor: Susie M. Longstreet, Fink C. Burdick & Cora E. Burdick his wife of Colfax, Wexford, MI and Mable C. Jones of Lake County Michigan, Heirs of Mary J. Burdick, deceased.
Grantee: Ethel Lewis of Chicago, Illinois
Witnesses: N.A. Reynolds, A. T. Bennett
Type of deed: Warranty
Rec’d and recording: 24 May 1911
Clerk/registrar: Northrup
Location of land: Colfax, Wexford, Michigan
Consideration: $50
Notes: N. A. Reynolds was Mary’s nephew.
Description: A strip 4 rods wide off the north side of the SE 1/4 of the NE fractional 1/4 of Sec 4 T23N R10W, containing two acres more or less.

Mary Jane Burdick died on 8 May 1911. Although I do not know if the strip of land described here had a house on it, my guess is that it did not. The deed did not say, “and other valuable consideration”, a clue to a possible mortgage. It looks like it may have been two bare acres. According to the 1910 census of Colfax Township, Wexford County, Michigan, George and Mary Jane Burdick were living with her son Fink and his family. Although George Washington Burdick died a few years later, in 1914, he had signed his land to his wife before she died, and it seems that his other holdings had already been sold.

Things have changed a bit since this deed was executed. It would not be possible to legally sell a a land as an heir to an estate, if an estate had not yet been opened in probate court. I also wonder that George W. Burdick did not sign this deed as an heir to his wife’s estate.

  1. “1910 US Federal Census”, database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 November 2009), entry for Fink C. Burdick, [b.] 1859/1860, Colfax, Wexford County, Michigan.

Nov 28

Burdick Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 38 page 204 and Liber 41 page 54

This entry is part 22 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 with each post.

Date: 5 April 1895
Liber: 38
Page: 204
Location: Benzie County, Michigan
Grantor: Weslie Coal (Cole) and Nellie Coal his wife of Leland Township, Benzie County, Michigan
Grantee: George W. Burdick of Colfax, Wexford, Michigan
Witnesses: Mary FL Batt; Richard Bunndage
Type of deed: Quit Claim
Rec’d and recording: 22 May 1896 1:30
Clerk/registrar: Samuel Wall, Registrar
Location of land: Colfax, Wexford, Michigan
Consideration: $200.00
Notes:
Description: The W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Sec 6, T23N R10W

Here is the land described, as shown in the 1889 Atlas. This transaction was recorded more than a year after it was signed, a long time, but not as long as some other deeds I have seen.

38-204-colfax

The land is listed as owned by “W H Burdick” in the old 1889 Atlas1. I have not seen another record for an individual name “WH” in Wexford County. Just to check back, I quickly searched the 1870, 1800 and 1900 census indexes of Wexford County for Burdicks, with these results:

1870: George W., Mary J., Susan, and Fank (sic) C., and Mable C. in Colfax Wexford, MI. The closest families with a matching last name were: James C. and James in Manistee Ward 1, Manistee County, MI. and James and Manervia (sic) in Bear Lake, Manistee, MI.

1880: Geo, Mary, Link (sic) and Mabel G in Colfax, Wexford, Michigan. Closest family with a matching last name: Silas R, Mirtie, Larry and (Bingo!) William H. in Hersey, Osceola, Michigan. I jumped back and check Osceola for Burdicks and William H. 1870 and found none.

1900: With more Burdicks moving in, I search specifically for W H, W.H., W and H as first names with the last name Burdick in Wexford, Grand Traverse, Manistee, and Osceola counties. I found no one who might be the land owner listed as W.H. Burdick.

That information combined with my next transcription convinces me that George W. Burdick was simply listed as “H.W.” in error in the Atlas. Here is that deed:

 

Date: 3 Oct 1895
Liber: 41
Page: 54
Location: Branch County, Michigan
Grantor: Eva Hurley & Henry C Bowker Jr of Branch County, Michigan and Permilia A. Holbrook of Fife Lake, Grand Traverse County, MI
Grantee: George W. Burdick of Colfax, Wexford, Michigan
Witnesses: F.A. Keys; Willis M. Driggs
Type of deed: Warranty
Rec’d and recording: 22 May 1896
Clerk/registrar: Samuel J. Wall, Registrar
Location of land: Colfax, Wexford, Michigan
Consideration: $50.00
Notes:
Description: The W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Sec 6, T23N R10

I noticed almost immediately that although the deeds were executed in two locations, far distant from each other, they were both recorded in Wexford County on the same day. George W. Burdick obtained title to this 80 acres by purchasing the interest of five individuals.

  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 (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.

Nov 27

Burdick Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 9 page 621

This entry is part 21 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 with each post.

 

Date: 20 Feb 1881
Liber: 9
Page: 621
Location: Wexford Co., MI
Grantor: Mary J. Burdick of Manton, Wexford County, Michigan
Grantee: M Engleman of Manton, Michigan
Witnesses: C.A. Lamb; E.W. Smith
Type of deed: Quit Claim
Rec’d and recording: 9 Feb 1881 9 a.m.
Clerk/registrar: F. Thorp
Location of land: Wexford County, MI
Consideration: $25
Notes:
Description: NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 Sec 28 T24N R10W

Checking the old Atlas, I can see that this piece of land is also in Greenwood Township, near some other land that Mary Jane acquired interest in over time. I have somehow missed or mistaken the deed on which her interest in this piece was acquired, but it seems like it was probably another tax deed. Mr. Engleman owned the land at the time the 1889 Atlas1 was printed, so perhaps she just paid his taxes for him when he could not afford them, and then collected the sum that she paid, plus interest from him in exchange for a Quit Claim deed later. You can click on the thumbnail to see a larger view.

9-621

  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 (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.

Nov 26

Burdick Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 7 page 130

This entry is part 20 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 with each post.

Date: 3 Sept 1877
Liber: 7
Page: 130
Location: Wexford, MI
Grantor: George Burdick Mary J. Burdick his wife of Cedar Creek, Wexford, MI
Grantee: Wm Stobur?
Witnesses: Eliza Thurston, C.A. Lamb, Notary Public
Type of deed: Warranty
Rec’d and recording: 25 Sept 1877
Clerk/registrar: Manktelow
Location of land: Wexford Co., MI
Consideration: $250
Notes: Eliza Thurston is Eliza John, who married John Fenton, then Alfred T. Thurston. Her son, John P. Fenton married George & Mary Jane’s daughter Susie.
Description: Lot 4 block B in Seaman & Maquestons village plot in the NW 1/4 Sec 10 T23N R9W Cedar Reek

Sorting through my records, I found a few transcriptions which are a bit out of order. This is why no one in their right mind would ask me to index or alphabetize anything; I might get it right, and I might not. This lot is back to the area that Burdick’s owned in Block B of the first plot of the village of Cedar Creek. In the old 1889 Atlas1, from which I clipped and marked this drawing it looked like this:

after 7-130

Out of order or not, that is the story of how George Burdick disposed of Lot 4, block B.

 

  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 (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.

Nov 25

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

This entry is part 39 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 with each post.

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.

71-420 66-603

Nov 25

Burdick Family Land Records, Wexford County, Michigan Liber 46 page 590

This entry is part 19 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 with each post.

Date: 24 Feb 1900
Liber: 46
Page: 590
Location: Lake County, Michigan
Grantor: Mary J. Burdick of Lake County, Michigan
Grantee: Perry Clark of Colfax, Wexford, MI
Witnesses: Arthur Irons, Justice of the Peace, Lake County, Michigan; Mrs. Hiram Cronk
Type of deed: Warranty
Rec’d and recording: 12 Marcy 1900
Clerk/registrar: Palmer Hi???
Location of land: Colfax Wexford Michigan
Consideration: $600.
Notes:
Description: The SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Sec 4 T23N R10W except a strip of land 4 rods wide off the North side. Containing 38 acres more or less.

This is the home place, but Mary has reserved some of it. Let’s see, a rod is 16.5 feet, so 4 rods is 66 feet (actually, 1 chain). Since and one side of a “square” 40 acre piece of land is 1320 feet (or 20 chains) on one side, that means that Mary kept a piece 66 feet by 1320 feet, or 1 chain by 20 chains.

46-590

I wanted to take a look on the current maps to see how the land is titled now, you can do so on the Wexford County Standard Maps site, if you wish. The entire fractional 80 NE 1/4 is assessed together. The plat says: the northeast 1/4 of the fractional NE 1/4 and the SE 1/4 of the fractional NE 1/4 T23N R10W 67.45 acres.

If you look at the location using Google Maps today, you can see that the land has few trees. The description covers the corner south of 14 mile road and just to the west (left) of 31 Mile Road. If you click the map and back out slightly, you can see 16 Mile road, which marks south line of Section Four. It is pretty easy to imagine the 1/2 section line just south of the fractional NE 1/4 of the section.


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