Stayt, Queenie E. {I61} (b. 17 AUG 1888, d. 08 AUG 1966)

Source: (Name)
Title: Tombstone
Abbreviation: Tombstone

Birth: 17 AUG 1888

Death: 08 AUG 1966

Burial: AFT 08 AUG 1966 North Victory Cemetery, Mason Co, Michigan

Reference: 61

Note: The town Salina was later changed to Syracuse.

Note: According to his obituary, he died of an abscess of the throat.
According to his death record, he died of heart disease.

Note: Was a Postmaster in 1871 for Lake Greenwood, which was later
named Colfax.

Note: Was said to be a very large, strong man. Possibly a giant???

Source: (Name)
Title: 1850 New York Census
Abbreviation: 1850 New York Census

Source: (Name)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co

Page: Census states he was born in New York

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: States he was born in New York

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1850 New York Census
Abbreviation: 1850 New York Census

Page: States he was born in New York

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Cornelius A. Smith

Source: (Individual)
Title: Land Patent Report
Abbreviation: Land Patent Report

Source: (Burial)
Title: Tombstone
Abbreviation: Tombstone

Source: (Individual)
Title: Death Returns
Abbreviation: Death Returns

Source: (Individual)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Birth: 31 OCT 1822 Salina, Onondaga Co, New York

Nickname: Ruben//

Event: Type: Land Rec
Date: 10 FEB 1875
Place: Section 22, Township 20-N, Range 17-W, Mason Co, Michigan, USA
Note: 160 Acres

Event: Date: BETWEEN 1851 AND 1853
Place: Wisconsin
Note: Type: Moved to (1)

Event: Date: 1865
Place: Mason County, Michigan
Note: Type: Moved to (3)

Event: Date: BETWEEN 1857 AND 1860
Place: Michigan
Note: The Smiths came to Michigan as part of the lumber industry.
They followed the railroads out west from New York.

Event: Type: Death RTN
Date: 16 MAY 1891
Place: Grant Township, Mason County, Michigan, USA
Note: Parents listed as UNKNOWN on this record.

Occupation: Date: 1860
Place: Carpenter

Occupation: Was a teamster
Date: 1850
Place: Mexico, Oswego, New York, USA

Occupation: Date: 1870
Place: Farmer

Religion: Possibly a deacon of the Baptist Church of Mexicoville, later
renamed the First Baptist Church of Mexico.

Death: 11 SEP 1890

Burial: AFT 11 SEP 1890 Grant Twp Cemetery, Grant Twp, Mason Co, Michigan

Reference: 63

Note: or Howac or Kowac, Renslar Co, NY

Note: Went back to New York after her husband died. Possibly died in
either New York or Pennsylvania.

Note: After her husband died, she went to live with Hattie Parson's
family for some time.

Source: (Name)
Title: 1850 New York Census
Abbreviation: 1850 New York Census

Source: (Name)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Source: (Individual)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co

Page: Census states she was born in New York, as were both of her
parents.

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: States she was born in New York

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1850 New York Census
Abbreviation: 1850 New York Census

Page: States she was born in New York

Source: (Death)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Linda Eppinger

Birth: 02 OCT 1830 Elizabeth, New York

Nickname: Sarah Ann/Bump/

Event: Date: BETWEEN 1850 AND 1853
Place: Wisconsin
Note: Type: Moved to (1)

Event: Date: BETWEEN 1857 AND 1860
Place: Michigan
Note: Type: Moved to (2)

Event: Date: 1865
Place: Mason Co, Michigan
Note: Type: Moved to (3)

Death: AFT 12 NOV 1896

Reference: 64

Note: Died of chronic myocarditis

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census

Source: (Death)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Source: (Burial)
Title: Tombstone
Abbreviation: Tombstone

Birth: 17 MAR 1853 Waukesha, Wisconsin

Nickname: Dell//

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: AFT 19 SEP 1936
Note: Funeral services for D.A. Smith were held Tuesday afternoon at
2:30 o'clock at the Pelton schoolhouse in Grant Twp. with Rev.
J.H. Rayle of Freesoil, officiating. Mr. Smith was buried in
the Grant cemetery beside his wife, who preceded him in death
27 years ago.
Delavan Adelbert Smith was born in Merton, Wis., March 17,
1853, and passed away at the home
of his oldest daughter, Mrs. Fred D. McVicker, 839 West Front
avenue, Grand Rapids, Sept. 19 1936 at 9 a.m. On Feb. 7, 1876
Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Campbell of
Victory township.
He had lived in Grant township since he was a 12 year old boy.
He moved to Mecosta county in 1913 where he made his home until
six years ago. Since then he had made his home with his
daughter Mrs. McVicker of Grand Rapids.
Surviving are four sons, Arthur A. of Ludington, Wallace W. of
Grand Blanc, Chester C. and Ford F. of Lansing; five daughters,
Mrs. Martha M. McVicker, Grand Rapids, Mrs Eva E. Volgman and
Mrs. Laura L. Lother, Milwaukee, Wis., Mrs. Violet V. Hendry,
Lawton, and Mrs. Bertha B. Nephew, Ludington: twenty nine
grandchildren, and twenty great grandchildren; one brother,
Manvil, of Blanchard; four sisters, Mrs. Hulda Hagadorne of
Ithica, N.Y.; Mrs Pluma Brown of St. Louis, Mich; Mrs. Weltha
Campbell of Ludington and Mrs. Laura Morehouse, Grant township.
At the funeral services Mesdames Etta Stephens, Frank Hunt, and
William Toby, all of Freesoil, sang and were accompanied by
Mrs. William Toby at the organ.
Sis grandsons, Lester and Jesse McVicker, Grand Rapids, Kenneth
and Elwood Smith, Grand Blanc; Delbert A, Smith Lainsburg, and
Carl Smith, Lansing, served as pallbearers.

Death: 19 SEP 1936 Grand Rapids, Kent Co, Michigan

Burial: AFT 19 SEP 1936 Grant Twp Cemetery, Grant Twp, Mason Co, Michigan

Reference: 65

Note: Obituary states that he was born in New York.

Source: (Name)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's son

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: States he was born in Wisconsin

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Manvil A. Smith

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Birth: 09 OCT 1855 Lyslou?, Waukesha Co, Wisconsin

Nickname: Mennie//

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 03 APR 1952
Place: The Tri-County Banner, Blanchard, Michigan

Occupation: Farm Laborer and lumberman
Date: 1880
Place: Grant Twp, Mason, Michigan, USA

Religion: Was a member of Blanchard Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Death: 28 MAR 1952 Blanchard, Michigan

Reference: 66

Census: Date: 1900
Place: Rolland Twp, Isabella Co, Michigan
Note: Enumerated with Sherman D. Eldred. Manvil is his servant.

VOL 33 ED 77
SH 10 LN 38

Source: (Name)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's daughter

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: States she was born in Wisconsin

Birth: 06 DEC 1856 Lyslou?, Waukeshaw Co, Wisconsin

Death: Ithica, New York

Reference: 67

Source: (Name)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's daughter

Source: (Individual)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Source: (Birth)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Weltha Campbell

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Birth: 12 SEP 1859 Union City, Branch Co, Michigan

Nickname: Welthy A./Smith/

Event: Type: Moved to
Date: 1865
Note: Moved with her family to Mason County in a covered wagon.

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 24 MAY 1943
Place: The Ludington Daily News, Ludington, Michigan

Religion: A Member of First Methodist Church. A charter member of the
Women's Society of Christian Service.

Death: 22 MAY 1943 at her home at 724 N. Lavinia St.

Burial: 25 MAY 1943 Lakeview Cemetery, Mason Co, Michigan

Reference: 68

Source: (Name)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's daughter

Birth: 17 FEB 1862 Michigan

Reference: 69

Source: (Name)
Title: 1860 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1860 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's daughter

Birth: ABT 1864 Michigan

Reference: 70

Source: (Name)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's daughter

Source: (Birth)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Laura Morehouse

Source: (Burial)
Title: Tombstone
Abbreviation: Tombstone

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Birth: 22 FEB 1868 Mason Co, Michigan

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 08 NOV 1952
Place: The Ludington Daily News, Ludington, Michigan
Note: Funeral Services held at the Evangelical United Brethren Church
in Scottville with Rev. E. F. Rhoades of Gladwin officiating.

Religion: Was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren Church in
Scottville.

Death: 08 NOV 1952 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Jay Parsons, Scottville, Michigan

Burial: AFT 08 NOV 1952 North Victory Cemetery, Mason Co, Michgian

Reference: 71

Source: (Name)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Reuben's son

Source: (Death)
Title: Death Returns
Abbreviation: Death Returns

Source: (Burial)
Title: Tombstone
Abbreviation: Tombstone

Birth: 07 SEP 1869 Michigan

Event: Type: Death RTN
Date: 10 MAY 1898
Place: Grant Twp, Mason Co, Michigan
Note: Married. Age 28. Killed by limb.

Death: 22 DEC 1897

Burial: AFT 22 DEC 1897 Grant Twp Cemetery, Grant Twp, Mason Co, Michigan

Reference: 72

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Weltha Campbell

Birth: 28 FEB 1856 Swanton Falls, Vermont

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: AFT 01 NOV 1925
Note: Worked in Lumber Mills at Hamlin When He First came to Mason
County.
George Campbell, aged 70 years, passed away yesterday morning
at his home at 724 north Lavinia street after a long illness.
George W. Campbell was born in Swanton Falls, Vermont, Feb 28,
1856 and at the tender age of 10 years worked in the woolen
mills at that place. When 15 years of age he came to Mason
county with his parents, Mr. and Mrs Paul Campbell, and they
settled first in the northern part of the county, the men of
the family including George, working in the lumber mills at
Hamlin.
Wanted Schooling
Opportunities for obtaining an education were not then what
they are now and it was an was matter for a strong boy, able to
work, to find excuses for not attending school or acquiring the
fundamentals of education. But young George, though taking his
place with the workers, was determined to get as much schooling
as possible, studied at odd moments and recited evenings to
Paul Conkle, then teaching school at Victory Corners. All
during his life Mr. Campbell continued to build on that
foundation spending all his spare time in reading, thus
acquiring much more than the average fund of information.
April 11, 1876, he was married to Miss Weltha Smith, who
survives to mourn his loss. they lived in Ludington since their
marriage and in all those 50 years Mr. Campbell changes his
place of employment but three times. he worked first for A.E.
Carter & Sons in their mill until the mill burned and they
discontinued lumber manufacturing. He than worked in the Handy
Things factory until the main factory was destroyed by fire and
since that time, 1911, he had been employed by the Carrom Co.
factory until last May when his disability and suffering from
Brights disease forced him to discontinue his work.
Was Quiet, Industrious
Quiet, industrious, law-abiding, devoted to his home and
family, George Campbell was not often in the public eye. He was
one of those who make the solid background of good citizenship
upon which America rests. In his days of health Mr. Campbell
was fond of attending the meetings of the Odd Fellows, of which
he was one of the oldest members, and was always warmly
attached to the lodge and its precepts. The attention given him
during his illness by his lodge brothers was deeply
appreciated.
The last few days of Mr. Campbell's life were attended by
terrible suffering. Wednesday he rallied sufficiently to call
his family about him and bid them good-bye, admonishing them
all to so live that they might all meet in the promised land.
He than lapsed into unconsciousness, the physician assuring th
family that the invalid did not sense his suffering though his
struggles were terrible to see.
Surviving other than the widowed wife, are eight sons and
daughters and twelve grandchildren. The children are: Charles
Campbell of Free Soil, Mrs. Alice Selby of Riverton, Orel,
Howard, Merrel, Hazel, Lyle and Mrs. Beatrice Lonsberry, all of
Ludington. There are also two brothers, Levi Campbell of
Detroit and William Campbell of Luddington and two sisters,
Mrs. Melinda Hepburn and Mrs. Ellen Egbert of Ludington.
Funeral on Wednesday.
Funeral services, under the auspices of the Odd Fellows, will
be held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 from the residence and at 2
o'clock from the First Methodist Episcopal church

Occupation: Worked in the mills.
Date: 1866
Place: Swanton Falls, Vermont

Death: 01 NOV 1925 Ludington, Michigan

Reference: 73

Reference: 74

Note: Unsubstantiated. Taken from a letter written by Hattie
Parsons.

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co

Page: Census states he was born in New York

Birth: 07 APR 1794 New York

Event: Type: Land Rec
Date: 01 SEP 1857
Place: Parcel: Township 9 N, Range 10 E, Section 6, Michigan
Note: Possible Land Record for Cornelius:

Name: CORNELIUS Smith
Date: 01 Sep 1857
Location: MI,
Document #: 6637
Serial #: MI1800__.325
Sale Type: 272002
Acres: 125.1700
Meridian or Watershed: 19
Parcel: Township 9 N, Range 10 E, Section 6

Event: Type: Milit-Beg
Date: 1812
Note: Possibly served in the War of 1812. See memo.

Database: Full Context of New York Military Equipment Claims,
War of 1812
Combined Matches:
Previous Page Next Page
Index of Awards on Claims of the Soldiers of the War of 1812
page 440
No.: 6,202
NAME OF APPLICANT.: Smith, Cornelius A.,
RESIDENCE OF APPLICANT.: Rockland County, New York,
AMOUNTALLOWED.: 58 00

Index of Awards on Claims of the Soldiers of the War of 1812
page 441
No.: [p.441] 6,203
NAME OF APPLICANT.: Smith, Cornelius S.,
RESIDENCE OF APPLICANT.: Rockland County, New York,
AMOUNTALLOWED.: $58 00

Search Terms: CORNELIUS (1155), SMITH (6848)
Database: War of 1812 Muster Rolls
Combined Matches: 8

Surname Given Name Middle Initial Company Unit Rank -
Induction Rank - Discharge MISC ROLL-BOX ROLL-EXCT
SMITH CORNELIUS 83 REG'T (GURNEE'S), NEW YORK
MILITIA. PRIVATE PRIVATE 192 602
SMITH CORNELIUS A 83 REG'T (GURNEE'S), NEW YORK
MILITIA. CORPORAL CORPORAL 192 602
SMITH CORNELIUS A 83 REG'T (GURNEE'S), NEW YORK
MILITIA. PRIVATE PRIVATE 192 602
SMITH CORNELIUS 27 REG'T (SHOEMAKER'S). NEW YORK
MIL. PRIVATE PRIVATE 192 602

Reference: 75

Census: Date: 1880
Place: Ramapo, Rockland Co, New York
Note: Possible Cornelius. Cornelius G. Smith. Born the right year.
Widowed. Born in New York. Both parents were born in New
York.

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co
Abbreviation: 1880 Michigan Census, Mason Co

Page: Census states she was born in New York.

Birth: 05 NOV 1797 New York

Reference: 76

Note: Have birth certificate.

Note: Died of Colon Cancer

Note: I arrived in Ludington, Michigan on September 6, 1907. This
information I received from my mother. She was much older than
I and she should know. Two other boys had already arrived
ahead of me: Chauncey Joseph about eight years before and
Chester Sherman about four years. I don't remember at all what
they looked like then. When my father saw me, I think right
then and there he decided - this is enough! I never had any
sisters, don't know what they're like, don't know if I was
better off not having had any or not. I will never know now.
My mother told me she was born in Westminster, Maryland, in the
year 1869 on the sixth day of February. Her mother must have
told her, too - I can't believe she remembered all this. She
was named Catherine Elnora. her father's name was Henry
Sanders. I was told he was born in Washington, D.C. in the
year 1840. His parents had died and he had been placed in an
orphanage. His parents, I have been told, were full-blooded
Irish. Their last name was Miller. This we can't prove but
it's not important anyway. He sure looked like an Irishman,
red hair and a complexion to match. He sure liked to tell
stories, some of which I still remember. I was only ten years
old when he passed to his reward. My mother had taken him into
our home when he was sick and needed someone to care for him.
I would like to leave at least one of his stories for my
children. Here it is: There was a man who always prayed one
of those 'give me' prayers. One particular time he prayed,
'Dear God, please send me a barrel of sugar, a barrel of flour,
a barrel of salt, and a barrel of pepper.' After praying this,
he realized what he had asked for and immediately changed his
mind and said, 'Oh Lord, that's too much pepper.'
He passed away at our house in the year 1918. It was February
the tenth. I remember it real well.
My mother's mother was born in the state of Maryland in the
year 1843. Her maiden name was Magdalene Leahy. Her birthday
was March 1. Henry Sanders and Magdalene Leahy were married in
the year 1863. Mother's maternal grandmother passed away when
my mother was ten years old. She is buried in the Locust Grove
Cemetery in Henry County, Indiana. Her name was Catherine
Leahy. She had a previous marriage to a Mr. Brenneman, who had
passed away. Children were born in both marriages. So my
grandmother had several half brothers and sisters.
There were ten children born to my mother's parents, three
girls and seven boys. Elnora, my mother, was the first girl in
the family. Theodore, the first boy, passed away in the state
of Kansas where he had been working as a brick mason. He was
engaged to be married. He was twenty-one years old when he
died. Then there were Edward, Joseph, Elnora, Daniel, John,
Lydia, Mary, Charley, and Alvin. Joseph and Charley became
ministers and for some reason, known only to God, outlived all
the rest.
Mother's parents were members of the Church of the Brethren,
sometimes nicknamed 'Dunkards'. This name came from the mode
of Baptism used by their church. They believed in immersion,
but three dips were required, one for each of the Three Persons
of the Trinity. These three dips must be face forward.
Mother attended a service being held by the Free Methodists in
Custer Township. She had heard that they had received a new
pastor, Brother George Barrett. She heard the gospel in a new
way and was deeply stirred; we used to call it 'conviction'.
She went forward and prayed and became wonderfully happy in the
Lord. Later her brother Joe and her parents and some of her
other brothers and sisters were converted. Mother, her brother
Joe, and her parents joined the Free Methodist Church.
My father was born in York County, Pennsylvania, in the year
1853. His birthdate was October 29. His home was near the
Gettysburg Battlefield and he heard the canons boom during the
battle. His parents were German Reformed. My father's father
or mother or possibly both were born in Germany. I never had
contact with his relatives, as they lived far away and we had
no way to travel except by train, and that took money, of which
we had very little.
My father had left home when he became twenty-one years old.
He told us kids that he had a wonderful mother but he couldn't
give the same compliment to his father. He said his father
would collect his earnings until he was twenty-one years old.
My father never had any money until he became of age. Many
times as he was working on the roads he had no shoes and
sometimes had only frozen sandwiches for his dinner. After
awhile when he was on his own and had saved trainfare to
Michigan, he left home for Michigan, where he had heard there
was work. Michigan was considered then a new country with
opportunities for work. Pioneers were clearing the forests and
opening up new farm lands. His first job was on a farm. The
farmer who hired him said he would have to wait until fall when
the crops were harvested to receive his wages for the summer.
My father worked from daylight until dark, from spring until
fall, expecting to receive his wages. He needed clothes. The
farmer refused to pay him one penny. A whole summer he had
worked for nothing. Some things are bad today but some are
better.
I don't know much about his life after this until he married my
mother on July 4, 1885. I wasn't around then so I have to rely
on my memory of what was told to me. The man who introduced my
father and mother was Jonas Dague. His grave is near my
parents' graves in the Riverside Cemetery in Custer. This is a
pretty spot along the banks of the Pere Marquette River. This
is located at the site of one of the last battles between
Indian tribes in that area. Many Indians are buried there.
One Indian, whom I never met but remember my mother telling me
about, was 'Good John'. He had been converted to Christianity
and attended the early Free Methodist meeting in that area.
They say he was a real Christian. A few years ago a stone was
placed on his grave by some of the Indians living in that
neighborhood. They say he always had a testimony to the point
and the church folks always enjoyed them. One I remember
hearing my mother tell us was something like this: 'Sometime,
you no more see Good John. He go home. Big Camp Meeting. No
more black coat - white coat!' I'm looking forward to seeing
him in heaven. My mother can introduce me to him - I'm sure
she will.
Mother and Father were married by an Elder in the Church of the
Brethren. His name was Kreigh.
I had better tell you my father's name before I forget. It was
Amos Shue. I don't know if he had a middle name or not. If he
did, it could have been George. A few years ago we stopped at
the courthouse in York, Pennsylvania, to inquire about my
father's relatives. We saw in a large book (record of wills) a
family that could have been his. The children's names listed
were very similar to my father's family. There was one
exception. There was no Amos listed, but there was a George.
This could have been my father's middle name. The rest of the
names were exactly as the ones in my father's family. These
were: Leah, Mary Jane, Alice, Susan, and a boy named Levi.
After my parents were married, they waited thirteen years
before any babies came to their home. Then one came, a
stillborn, which must have been a disappointment. Then two
years later another came, Joseph by name. He was born in 1900.
He received a free pair of shoes. All babies that were born in
the year 1900 in Mason County received them as a gift from
Groening's Department Store in Ludington.
Before any babies had arrived in our home, a woman gave her
little baby to my mother. She just handed it to her and said,
'You can have it.' Mother named her Ollie. From all I have
heard from parents and friends, she was very intelligent and
could predict and foretell things that were to happen. Maybe
you won't believe this but I do. My mother wouldn't have said
so if it wasn't true. She could tell when mother's sisters
were expecting a baby. She could tell what they had purchased
for Christmas, and she knew two weeks before she became sick
that she was going to die. She had asked everyone to forgive
her and would ask if they would cry if she died. She died at
the age of five years from the then terrible typhoid fever.
Another baby was born in 1903, October the fourteenth. His
name was Chester. I was born about four years later on
September 6, 1907. My mother said since they had waited so
long for a baby that she had prayed for one. I remember asking
if she had prayed for me. She said, 'No, you were just thrown
in extra.'
As a child, this used to bother me, since I wasn't an answer to
prayer. I suppose I have never been the answer to anyone's
prayer. I was the baby in the family and some people use dto
say that the baby in the family was always spoiled. This I
could never accept either. I have seen where the oldest child
could get away with some things that the younger ones would be
punished for. Leah says she is glad I couldn't get away with
things.
Well, all of my aunts and uncles have died, but there is a
large group of cousins, second cousins, third cousins, more
cousins, some 'kissin' cousins', and some not so kissable.
There are many in-laws but a very few outlaws. All in all, it
is a fairly decent group to belong to.
I can't remember as far back as some claim to be able to. My
brother Chester said he remembers when he was born; he said he
drove the doctor's horses. He's got me beat! My earliest
recollection is when I went with my mother to Grand Rapids,
Michigan, to attend the funeral of my cousin Ollie, Aunt Mary's
son. He died at the age of nine years. I remember riding in a
street car, the first I had ever seen. I also remember
standing at the side of the casket which was in the living
room. My Aunt Mary was crying and her husband came up to her
and commanded her to stop crying. He said very gruffly, 'We
will have no crying around here.' My mother spoke up and said,
'Let her alone; if she wants to cry, she can cry when I am
here.' My mother was no coward.
I can't remember very many incidents during the first five
years of my life. One time when all the Sanders family were
gathered at my grandparents' home in Scottville, Michigan, in
the evening when it was getting dark and the kerosene lamp had
not been lighted yet, I was climbed up into what I thought was
my mother's lap. It wasn't hers, as I found out when I looked
into her face. I slid down just about as a snowball would from
a hot stove - just embarrassed a little! It was my Aunt Loma's
lap.
During the first year of school the kindergarten teacher, Miss
Shackelton, I always will remember as the kindest teacher I
ever had. She was so concerned about every child. If it was
stormy, and it was sometimes, she would go all the way home
with the children if she thought it was necessary for their
safety. If their parents didn't come after them, she would
never turn them loose to find their way home in a blizzard.
I distinctly remember trying to catch a ride on a horse-drawn
sleigh. I didn't get a good hold on the back of the sleigh and
I fell off - right behind was another horse coming, pulling a
cutter. (Some of you old-timers know what a cutter is). It
ran over me. The horse stepped over me and not on me; the
runners of the cutter straddled me and I was not hurt at all,
except half scared to death. I did learn a lesson. I have
never tried to catch a ride on a sleigh since. I don't think I
will try it now.
My father worked in a sawmill. The owner of the mill also
owned the store where the men must trade. They must buy coupon
books from this store, so the mill owner received most of his
money back. Once a month the men would settle accounts and
they would receive a small box of candy. This is about the
only candy I received. Once in awhile we did get a penny to
spend, and we would make a beeline for the neighborhood store
to buy a sucker or a piece of licorice, usually a long black
whip. Oranges we received on Christmas. We usually found one
in our stocking. Mother and Father really had to plan to get us
some oranges for Christmas. We called our mother 'Mama' and
our father 'Papa'. It sounds peculiar now, doesn't it? If
they were here now with us, they could get all of the oranges
they could eat, but I'm sure they are enjoying things where
they are.
My father's folks were more or less superstitious, and Papa
used to tell us ghost stories. I didn't believe them and would
laugh at them, so he quit telling them to us. I wish now I had
listened to them.
Papa was a hard worked and did all he could to provide for his
family. He walked about two miles to work, worked ten hours in
a cold sawmill and came home at night, many times with icicles
on his eyebrows and mustache. I never knew his as a young man.
He was fifty-four years old when I came to Ludington. After
working hard all day, he would usually go to bed early. I
understand it now but didn't then. Sometimes he would play
games with us but not often. I wish now that I had appreciated
him more. Sometime I will tell him; I'm sure he will
understand.
Employers those days paid as small wages as they could. My
father received $1.00 for ten hours of work. Labor unions in
some cases have gone to extremes but were a good thing in the
beginning. They brought those hard-working men out of slavery
and made them feel like human beings with a right to live. I
remember when Henry Ford announced that he was raising the
wages for his men to $5.00 per day. This was really a big news
item and raised the hopes of many.
It was necessary for my mother to work, too, to support our
family. They had bought a home and payments must be met, so
mother took in washings and ironings. I remember how she
boiled her clothes in a copper boiler on the range. She
stirred them with a stick, then after scrubbing them on a
washboard and rinsing them, she ran them through a
hand-wringer. Later she acquired a modern washing machine,
hand-propelled. She would heat her irons on the cookstove
before we had electricity. She would have several on the stove
heating at a time, replacing the one for a hot one. Chester
and I used to deliver the laundry with our little wagon.
Speaking of wagons, I now remember another use for it. We used
to have many wildflowers growing on the north side of our yard.
Chester seemed to have been born with a special desire to be a
funeral director, so he would have me lie in the wagon playing
dead, and he would load me with flowers and pull me on the
sidewalk as a funeral procession. Oh, we kids used to have fun
even if we didn't know about television. We used to play Red
Light, Hide and Seek, Pennsylvania, Statue, etc. If you don't
know how to play these games, come and visit us sometime and I
will tell you more about it.
I had one good pal amongst others whom I thought I could never
live without. Jimmy Greenwald was his name. But he did move
away and I did live without him, although my heart was almost
breaking. I never heard from him again. One time he and I
built a fire in their toolshed and the shed caught afire and we
almost didn't get out alive. But we did! Speaking of fires, I
must have been a regular arsonist. Once just after Christmas I
found some matches that my brother Joe used to light his new
kerosene lamp that he had received for a Christmas present. I
lighted one match and when it burned short and I didn't know
what to do with it, I gave it a throw. Mama had a shelf in her
bedroom with a curtain around it which she used for a clothes
closet. Of course, the match lighted on the curtain and in
seconds the whole curtain was ablaze. Now we had been having
some real cold weather and the neighbors' water pipes had
frozen. Mrs. Wilson had come to our house to get some water.
She had just filled her pail and was still standing at the door
talking to my mother - I'm glad sometimes that women talk. I
came out of the bedroom and told my mother, 'Yoah cuhtain is
afiah.' She very calmly went to Mrs. Wilson, grabbed the pail
of water and doused it on the fire. What better time could you
ask to have a fire? When the fire was out and the extent of
the damage was found, Papa's clothes were scorched and burned
but Mama's were not even scorched. This was another mystery.
Well, my Grandmother Sanders was at our house then and I really
scared her. She said she was going home. She couldn't stay
where the kids tried to burn the house down. I hadn't really
intended to!
Lest you think too badly about my grandma, I want to set you
straight. She was a kind woman who always had those luscious
big sugar cookies and molasses cookies and honey in the comb,
and best of all, she always gave us some. I will never forget
the few times that I had the pleasure of going to grandma's
house. Grandpa was a good man, but he was the kind of grandpa
that expected little kids to sit down and behave and he always
was watching me to see if I was out of line (at least I thought
he always was). So, you see, my grandma was my favorite.
Grandpa was a hard worker and did good work, too. He took
pride in his work. He was an expert stone and brick mason.
Many buildings and foundations are still standing as a memorial
to his work. One of the buildings he laid bricks for was the
Mason County Courthouse in Ludington. He also built many brick
homes.
One of the outstanding memories I have of people were my Sunday
school teachers. Sylvia Gordon, I think, topped them all. I
would just as soon see her coming to our house as I would have
enjoyed seeing an angel. In fact, she wasn't too far behind.
These girls loved children and children loved them. I will
never forget the happy times these girls made for us kids in
their large beautiful home on Gaylord Avenue in Ludington.
They would hide peanuts and candy and let us kids keep all we
could find. Their large house always fascinated me. I would
imagine that I was in a large castle in Europe or somewhere. I
want to meet those dear teachers someday.
I think most children like pets. I had some, too, when I was a
kid. Right now I'm thinking of my pet rooster - he was a banty
rooster. He was a beauty and smart, too. I used to bring him
into the house. We had one of those parlor organs with the
foot pump pedals. I would place my rooster on the keyboard and
I would pump the organ as he walked proudly back and forth. He
seemed to enjoy the music. I could tell more but guess that's
enough for now.
I had another chum named Arthur Peterson. We had many good
times together. We used to try to make words rhyme. Arthur
and Frankie Brown (who later drowned in Lake Michigan) and I
were watching Frankie's father hang wallpaper. Frankie came up
with this one: 'Archie Brown went to town with his breeches
hanging down.' Mr. Brown very quickly said, 'There, there,
now. That's enough of that.' And that's just what I think
now, so let's go on to something else.
When I was eight years old, I was playing (with one finger) on
the organ. There was one hymn I especially liked. It was
'Nearer My God To Thee'. The tears began to run down my cheeks
and I was all choked up and went to my mother. She knew right
away why I was crying and asked me, 'Charlie, do you want Jesus
to come into your heart?' I said, 'Yes.' So we knelt down
together and almost immediately that peace came into my heart.
I wish I had always lived close to Jesus and had let Him have
complete control of my life. I failed Him so many times. I
never willfully tried to hurt Him or His cause. He has never
let me drift too far away. God has been so good to me all
through my life. He has protected me and given me many
blessings. I will try to mention a few.

One of my playmates, George Adams, died when he was about
twelve years old, I was chosen as a pallbearer. Of the six
boys that were pallbearers, two more died soon after. They
were Hilliard Hagerman and Joe Lannon. The Lord has spared my
life so far for some reason. I can never repay Him for His
goodness to me. Later, several other boys with whom I had
chummed died, Stanley Paulson drowned also in Lake Michigan.

I joined the Free Methodist church when I was eight years old.
Brother Lou Fletcher was our pastor, and a real man of God.
He, too, is in heaven. I will be anxious to see him, too.

My father, as I said before, was not young when I was born; and
by the time I became a young teenager, he was not able to work
any more. My mother was working in a factory, and I could not
bear to see her working so hard to support us. I resolved to go
to work as soon as I could to help take the financial load off
my mother. So, when I was sixteen years old I started to work
at the Star Watch Case factory. It was necessary to give up
the rest of high school. I've wished so many times that I
could have graduated from high school. Did I make the right
decision? I probably will never know for sure. I worked on
what we called "the soldering bench." This called for soldering
parts with silver or gold solder. This was done on a gas
torch. Of fourteen men that worked on that bench, only three
are still living, This must be another proof of God's goodness
to me. Why? I don't know.

My father died when I was seventeen years old. This was
February 2, 1925. Some time before his death he had called
Chester and me to his bedside and told us that he couldn't
leave us very much but wanted to give us something. He gave
Chester his watch and me his jackknife. I still have it.

I was young and did not realize then all he had done for us and
how hard he had worked for us. I didn't always show him the
kindness that I should have, I am very sorry now, but it is too
late to change it now. When we meet in heaven, I'm sure it
will be right then. I'll tell him then that I love him. He
loved us boys and my mother. I heard him say once that he
loved the ground she walked on. Just a few months after his
death Grandpa Lyman Lawton saw my father in heaven just before
he crossed the river. He said he saw others, too, and named my
Uncle John as one that he saw. This vision was a wonderful
experience. Grandpa Lawton
was a good Christian man. It later happened that his
granddaughter, Leah Helen Lawton, became my wife. I saw Leah's
little sister Lois at his funeral. But just a few days later
she was in heaven with him, too. Little did anyone think this
could happen so soon, but God wanted beautiful flowers in
heaven, too.

My mother was always doing nice things for others, such as
visiting the sick and helping to deliver babies. The neighbors
had great esteem and love for her. She always knew how to make
people laugh. Many said that a visit from her did them more
good than the doctor could. She made my father laugh just a
few hours before he passed away.

She was no coward either. When we bought our first car (1923
Model "T" Ford), it was delivered to our house and parked in
the driveway. No one knew how to drive it. She and I climbed
into the front seat, with me at the wheel. I started the motor
up but that's all I knew how to do. Mother said, "Let her go."
So off we went down Rowe Street. We managed to keep it in the
street and turned to go around the block. We saw a friend and
mother waved and said, "Hello" to him. The car stopped and she
said " Isn't a car just like a horse? When you want to visit,
it just stops."

My dad wouldn't ride with me for about two weeks. He wanted to
make sure that I could drive okay.

My father passed away soon after we purchased our car and so
only had a few rides in it. It was cold and the snow was deep.
and it was almost impossible to go to the Custer Cemetery for
his funeral. So we had his body placed in the city vault at
the Ludington Cemetery until spring. We viewed his body about
six weeks after his death and he looked fine. Mother was so
anxious to see him again. Won't the reunion in heaven be
wonderful? "Lord, please help us all to be faithful so that we
will all be there as an unbroken family."

About three or four years later I sorta began looking around
for a girlfriend. There were several girls at the factory
where I worked but I was not interested in any of them. We
were among the fortunate ones who were privileged to attend
camp meeting. While there on the Manton Campground one time, I
saw a pretty girl but lacked the courage to speak to her then.
I wrote a letter later but somehow I had made a mistake and had
the name of her sister instead. So naturally, her sister
received the letter but gave it to her. I received an answer
very soon--it was not the kind that I had expected. Some of
the words she used were not the kind to make a good impression
on me. So I didn't answer the letter or go to see her. Thank
the good Lord for this. This was not the type of girl I
wanted. She afterwards became huge--about 400 pounds, I hear.

We had a good friend, Grandma Larr, who told me of a nice girl
that she knew up near Manton. She said her name was Leah
Lawton. She was also telling Leah that she knew of a nice
boy--Charley Shue was his name. It's too late now to thank
you, Grandma Larr. You sure did me a big favor. Sometime I
will thank you.

When I first saw Leah I knew she was the one for me. She
looked the good girl that she was. We've almost completed
fifty happy years together and she is still the good girl that
I married. Our courtship was short. It could have ended in a
breakup due to her father's feelings toward me. He almost
succeeded in it, but didn't. Her mother was always very nice
to me and we always enjoyed our visits together. We were
married November 30, 1929 -- at their home in Caldwell,
Michigan. Leah's father had requested that we be married
there. My Uncle Joe Sanders performed the marriage ceremony.
We were married about 4:00 pm. We had a wonderful dinner after
and drove home to Ludngton that night. It was a real cold
night. My brother Chester and Leah's sister Evelyn were our
attendants. Both are still living at this time. If we hadn't
got married then, we might not have at all. It was the year
1929--the year of the great stock market crash and the
beginning of the great depression. I was working at the time
and continued to work for over a year but was afraid to make an
adventure to secure a home of our own. Money was scarce and
hard to get your hands on, especially to build with. Banks
were not loaning money. So we continued to live with my mother
and Chester until we could save enough to start building a new
home.

After our marriage we continued to save a little money and
purchased two lots on North Delia Street in Ludington. There
was a small barn on the lots. This purchase afterwards proved
to have been a wise one. Leah owned a cow. We made a small
trailer and went to her parents' farm and brought the cow home
with us. Mother bought a cow from Brother Beebee in
Scottville. So we had two cows for our barn. These were a
blessing for us as our family started to arrive. All through
the great depression we had milk, butter, and cottage cheese.
We sold some butter to buy other groceries. We raised chickens
so had meat to eat and all the eggs we needed. We planted
potatoes, cabbage, carrots, sweet corn, plus other vegetables.
We made sauerkraut. We raised some of the biggest carrots that
we had ever seen--they were so large we couldn't pull them out
and had to dig them. Some were over eighteen inches long.
Some we fed to our cows so had nice yellow cream and butter.
We never once went hungry during the whole depression. We
later built a small new home on these lots.

On December 9, 1930, a little (not so little) girl arrived at
our house, that is, at my mother's home. We had not as yet
built our house. We had been looking for her for awhile. She
arrived hungry and also curious about her new surroundings.
About an hour after she had arrived, she raised her head up
and, resting on her elbows looked all around at everything. I
don't know if she was impressed with her parents or not. Oh, I
almost forgot to tell you her name. It was Marilyn Grace--she
assumed our last name, so she had three names like most all
other babies. Of course, she had a new buggie to ride in. Dr.
Gray made the delivery C.O.D. ($30.00). I hear the cost is
slightly higher these days.

History has a way of repeating itself and it wasn't too long
before we were expecting another baby (not necessarily a girl).
By the time it arrived, I was out of work and the depression
was really on. This little baby seemed to sense the money
situation, so she hurried and arrived ahead of the doctor. So
the doctor cut his bill in half. So her cost was only $15.00.
She was just as cute and as welcome as the first little girl,
although a pound or two smaller. So now we had two little
girls and no work. We would much rather have two girls and no
work than to have work and no girls. This little girl had a
name, too -- Margaret Eleanor. She, too, assumed our last
name. She chose to be born on May 2, 1932. Being born during
the depression made her, I think, especially economy minded.
She seemed to always worry whether we would have enough money
to pay our bills. I hope she doesn't care if I relate an
example of this. Anyway, I think I will.

One time when Marilyn had dislocated her elbow at play at
school and it was going to be necessary to have her arm x-rayed
before setting the bone Margaret said, "Oh dear, that will cost
daddy another $5.00."
We were still living with my mother and Chester. Mother and
Chester both loved our children and the children loved them.
Leah and I had always hoped for the day when we could have a
little home of our own and made plans for one. This was really
fun planning and drawing plans for one.

I knew very little about farming and had to learn a lot. Uncle
Joe Sanders used to come to Ludington to hold Quarterly Meeting
services at the Free Methodist church. He and Aunt Bertha
would stay at our house at this time. Uncle Joe liked to tease
Marilyn. He told her that she couldn't ride in his car. Leah
and the girls were planning on riding with them back to Manton
to visit her folks. Marilyn said to him, "Uncle Joe, I will
too ride in your old car." I had tried to learn the farm
language and thought I had. I said to Uncle Joe, "Doesn't this
cow have a good rudder?" Later I learned it was udder. Leah
had taught me to milk the cows. We had no pasture of our own,
so it became necessary to tie the cows out on grass and move
them several times a day to new grass. This job seemed to fall
mostly on Leah, especially when I was working. We had to carry
pails of water to them, too. This water we pumped from our
well on our lots. I had driven this well myself. We put it
down into the ground with a large hammer which wasn't easy
work. This well we continued to use after we moved into our
little new home. Later we had city Water.

Leah and I had $5.00 cash left-no more money in sight. Our
church dues, we called then "conference claims" needed to be
paid. We pondered the question, "Should we pay them with our
last $5.00 or save it for groceries?" We decided to pay them.
We put God first in our lives and God did honor us in this
decision. The very next week I was called back to work and
worked steady from that time on.

The government had set the minimum wage scale at $.44 per hour.
At this wage we saved enough money to pay the carpenter's
wages, the electrician, the plumber, and the plasterer to build
a little home for us on our lots. We had previously fenced
them. We bought the poles for $.08 a piece, peeled the bark,
and treated them with creosote. A friend of ours loaned us the
money to pay for the lumber. This was $500.00. She wouldn't
take a mortgage; she said she could trust us. We bought good
lumber for $37.50 per thousand feet. It is about ten times
that much now. So we had a little cozy home twenty feet by
twenty-four feet on a corner lot. This was on the corner of
Delia Street and Tinkham Avenue. Our dreams were coming
true--a real home of our own. Oh, how proud we were and oh, so
happy! Why shouldn't we be happy? I had a wonderful wife, two
nice little girls, and a new home without a mortgage on either.
We continued to save all we could. We didn't buy anything that
we could get along without. We purchased second-hand furniture
until we could replace it with new. Many times as we were
leaving our home, we would look back and be so proud. Why not?
We had come through the depression, saved enough to build a
house and through it all had always paid our tithe to the
church. God always honors those who put their trust in Him.
As we could afford it, we added an addition, twelve feet by
twenty feet. This enabled us to have a living room, dining
room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and a bathroom, plus a nice
clothes closet. We later put in a basement and built an
entrance to the basement and kitchen, and city water was
installed. The city laid the water main for us. We were in
the city limits. Elmer Swanson did our plumbing for the water.
It was 11:00 o'clock one night when the job was complete and we
had running water in our house. Margaret was still sitting up
and waiting until she saw the water, then went to bed happy.
We did a lot of living in that house. No one could have been
happier. Our first winter there we had only a cookstove for
heat. We couldn't hold fire for long, so we had to set our
alarm clock for every two hours. Leah and I took turns firing.
The next winter we had managed to accumulate enough money to
buy a parlor heater which we set up alongside the cookstove.
After that we only set our alarm for one call--time to get up
and get going.

Leah and I always enjoyed working together, whether it was
gardening, painting, or planning.

On September 2, 1940, my mother passed away. I did miss seeing
her sitting by the window and waving to me as I passed to and
from work. I stopped in when I had time to say, "Hello." I
lived quite a ways from my work and had to hurry to make it to
work on time but I never did like to be late and I wasn't late
more than three or four times in over forty years that I worked
at the Watch Case factory. I always came home to eat; I never
carried a lunch to work, as I enjoyed being with my family.

Mother's funeral was held at the The Ludington Free Methodist
Church. The large display of flowers told us how much she was
thought of. Brother L. D. Bodine preached her funeral sermon,
and her body was laid to rest in the Riverside Cemetery in
Custer, where she and my father are awaiting the resurrection
day.

November 11, 1940, was the day of the big storm on the Great
Lakes. Several large boats were shipwrecked between Ludington
and Pentwater. One boat was beached at Ludington. I saw a
roof of a building rise up and fly through the air while I was
looking out the window at the factory. It turned real cold and
we really had a blizzard. Several bodies of the crews on the
boats were washed ashore at Ludington. The local funeral
parlors were filled, and the Salvation Army Hall was used for
the bodies until they were identified.

About two years later our home was blessed again with the
arrival of a now baby, this time a boy. September 25 was the
date in the year of 1942. He chose rather to be born at the
Paulina Stearns Hospital than at home as the girls were. He
was a pretty little fellow with dark hair. Our girls had light
brown hair. Please don't blame me for feeling proud--I had
waited for about thirteen years for a boy. He was accepted and
much loved by his parents and proud sisters. Charles was
always an active little chap, never wanting for something to
do.

We always tried if we could to take our children on vacation
trips, and we did get to see much of our beautiful country. We
will always keep those memories; we enjoyed every trip so much.
We made several trips to the Rockies in Colorado, to the
Smokies, to Niagara Falls, Washington D. C., and several other
places of interest.

Just like other families we took our turns with sickness. Some
of the ones I remember were: hepatitis, scarlet fever, mumps
etc., but we always had good nursing care. Leah received some
good practical experience and, like other good mothers, was
always so kind and concerned.

One time we changed our address without moving. When we added
some rooms on to our house we changed the front of the house
from the east side to the north side. This, of course, made
our house face Tinkham Avenue instead of Delia Street.

We felt it necessary to either build on to our house again or
buy a larger one, as we had five in our family. We decided to
sell our little house and buy a larger one. This we did. We
bought a house on Rath Avenue. This house had four bedrooms, a
bath and a half, plus sidewalks and a paved street. It was
also closer to work and downtown. Just like any house you buy
or build, there are always repairs or remodeling necessary. We
made several improvements, such as modernizing the kitchen,
installing new bathroom fixtures, building new porches, and
putting in some new windows. We had just finished the kitchen
when I had an accident while tobogganing. I mention this now
to explain why we were broke at the time of my accident. We
had used every dollar to pay for the new kitchen cupboards.

We were at Leah's brother Verne Lawton's and were enjoying (?)
our first trip downhill. It was Saturday night and cold and
dark. The hill was very steep--just like dropping down an
elevator shaft. We struck a real bump. Toboggans have very
poor springs and no shock absorbers. My back could not stand
the shock so I think it just caved in snapped, or just plain
"busted." I was on the back and the others in front fared
better. The doctor told me after x-rays that two vertebrae
were either crushed or cracked. It wasn't exactly a picnic on
the way back to the car. They pulled me on the toboggan. I
entered the Mercy Hospital in Muskegon and ten days later was
placed in a body cast and sent home in an ambulance to wait
until my back was okay. About three months later I returned to
the hospital and was x-rayed. The injured bones had healed
good, so the cast was removed and braces fitted to my back. It
was great to come back home again, and I soon went back to
work. Previous to this accident I had had some heart problems.
Two doctors had told me I would have to take it easy. I'm
telling this so I can tell something else. After going through
with this accident and having had three month's rest, my heart
was rested and much improved. I afterwards was examined by a
doctor and passed the physical for life insurance. God has a
way of bringing good out of what we think at the time is bad.
This had been a blessing in disguise. I have sometimes
recommended a broken back as a cure for heart ailments, but no
one seems to take me up on it. I was well and able to make
more improvements on our house.

We did a lot of living in this house. Our children grew up
there. Marilyn and Charles graduated from the Ludington High
School. Margaret graduated from the Spring Arbor High School.
All three of our children were married while we lived in that
home. Marilyn married Paul Smith, of Victory Township.
Margaret married Charles Warner, of Kent, Ohio, and Charles
married Lucille Bird, of Iowa.

Leah decided that she should get a job. She obtained a job as
nurses aide in the Paulina Stearns Hospital, where she worked
until we left Ludington.

After the children had married, we were left alone. And it is
really lonely after the birds leave their nest. One time when
Leah was buying groceries for just the two of us she felt like
crying. She didn't cry, though, as she thought about what
people would think if they saw her crying in a grocery store.
Now it wouldn't matter, as most people cry when buying
groceries.

After awhile grandchildren began to arrive. Donald Paul Smith
was our first grandchild. Janice Marie was next then Beverly
Helen, Joanne Grace, and Larry Goodwin, in that order. These
children were very dear to us and still are. We will never
forget how they enjoyed coming down to grandma and grandpas
house. We always enjoyed it, too. I wish sometimes that we
could roll back time and see the kids "little" again, but I
know they wouldn't like that.

Margaret also had three children arrive in their home before we
moved away. Timothy Mark was first, Miriam Beth next, and then
Carolyn Joy. We really enjoyed these, too, but were not
privileged to see them as often as Marilyn's children. They
lived in southern Michigan.

Life doesn't always go just as we would like it to; some things
come our way that we don't enjoy. I was under strain and
pressure at the factory where I worked. I had become very
nervous. It seemed to be the best thing for us to sell our
home and for me to quit my job and move to Florida. The
winters were not easy to take anymore, either. So we sold our
house and made plans to move. Out of several houses that were
for sale in our neighborhood, ours sold first. Then came what
seemed to be a great leap in the dark. Moving day came. It
was a cold day in November. We packed all of our furniture and
belongings into a U-Haul truck and started for Florida. Floyd
Lawton drove the truck. Leah and I followed--or went ahead--in
our 1960 Olds. We had corresponded and talked on the phone to
a Rev. Sheldon, the Free Methodist pastor at Dade City,
Florida, in regards to finding us a place to move into until we
could buy a home. He rented a house and paid the rent in
advance without knowing us. We had a pleasant trip to Florida.
We really did feel sad about leaving our children and
grandchildren. We knew we wouldn't be able to see them often.
We thought at the time that it was the best thing to do, and it
has since proven to be true. Our life down here has been full.
The weather, our friends, the church, and our health here have
been enjoyable.

It seemed to us to be the will of God for us to move;
everything went so well for us. When we arrived in Florida and
had been there only about five minutes, Glenn and Lena Wilke
came over to see if we had arrived yet. They came just in time
to help us unload the furniture. This was the day before
Thanksgiving. Sheldons invited us to eat Thanksgiving dinner
with them. We were happy to accept the invitation and were
glad we did. Sheldons came over every
evening to visit us while we lived in Dade City; they know we
would be lonesome for our family. They were very dear friends.
We lived in Dade City only three weeks while we were looking to
buy a home. We had seen the new homes being built near Tarpon
Springs the winter before while we were down there. We went
over to see what we could find as there didn't seem to be any
houses in Dade City that we were interested in. We found a
house in Crest Ridge Gardens, which is now a part of Holiday.
This house was only three months old. It was just what we
wanted. We made a small deposit on it so they would hold it
for us until we could get the money transferred from the
Ludington bank. The price was $8,400. We were happy to buy
such a Pretty house. Glenn Wilke and Brother Sheldon helped us
move from Dade City. This moving day, too, was special. We
made three trips to Crest Ridge with the truck and U-Haul that
day. We missed a hard rain between trips. It didn't rain on
the furniture at all, although it had rained at both places
after we left.

We had only nicely got settled when Leah obtained employment at
the Tarpon Springs General Hospital. About four days later I
got a job at the Jester Kids Clothing Factory. We lived in
Crest Ridge about three-and-a-half years.

During this time we felt that it would be best for us to
transfer our church membership from the Tarpon Springs Free
Methodist to the Church of the Nazarene in Clearwater, where we
were welcomed and put to work in the church. These four years
in the church there we would not like to have missed. It was a
wonderful help to us. Later, as a new Free Methodist Church
was started in our area, we thought it best to transfer our
membership back again. It had become just too much to travel
so far to church up and down Highway 19.

In 1968 we purchased a lot in a new subdivision which was
called Forest Hills. We had a new home built. This home we
now live in and have enjoyed it very much. We expect it to be
our home until....

In the year of 1965 we were made happy when Margaret, Tim,
Miriam, and Carolyn moved to Florida. Chuck had been appointed
to pastor the church at Sanford. Now we could see some of our
grandchildren oftener. While living in Florida, they were
blessed with an addition to their family. Paula Jean is the
only Florida "cracker", in the family. She was born April 7,
1968.

We now had nine grandchildren. Later in the year of 1971
another granddaughter arrived to make the number up to ten.
Charles and Lucy became the proud parents of little Leah
Margaret Shue.

When the year 1974 came, we experienced some things that were
not easy to accept with a smile. Our happiness had seemed to
come to an end. But it was only temporary. We
afterwards had to accept it as it was. We tried and did keep
our heads above water. This year Margaret and Chuck and family
moved back to Michigan. Leah's father died. There were two
divorces in our family, and we had three automobile accidents.
If it hadn't been for a wife like Leah, I don't think I could
have stayed afloat.

We have had many good times, too. We have many friends here.
When our children and grandchildren come to see us, it makes us
happy; also when we can go and see them it is a big treat.
They are all so dear to us. How fortunate we are to have them.
Many of our friends do not have this blessing. The count as of
this date is ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.
We hope the count doesn't stop here. We're depending on our
grandchildren to "up" the count.

Our little chapel church was too small and it was necessary to
build a church to house the people. Plans were made to build a
new church. God made His will known to some in the church and
things began to move. Money for it began to come in, so a
building committee was appointed and plans were drawn up. Ted
Anderson, Gaylord McCall, and I were appointed as the building
committee. We worked together in harmony. On November 20,
1977, the church was dedicated by Bishop Cryderman. Brother
Sharpe was our pastor at the time of dedication. We now worship
in a small but beautiful church. The Lord really helped us to
get this new church, and we enjoy worshipping in it.

I have just about brought everything up to date. We are happy
and enjoying pretty good health for a pair of old shoes that
have been together for nearly fifty years. I hope some of this
might be of interest to you but, if not, you know where your
wastebasket is.

Someone else can add the rest when the old shoes are worn out.

Note: Have funeral book.

Source: (Name)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Source: (Individual)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Birth: 06 SEP 1907 Ludington, Mason County, MIchigan

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: AFT 24 MAR 1991
Note: CHARLES A. SHUE SR., Ludington, Mason Co, MI

Charles A. Shue Sr., 83, died Sunday in Holiday, Fla.
Charles A. Shue was born Sept. 6, 1907, in Ludington, where
he grew up and attended school. He was married Nov. 30, 1929,
in Caldwell, to Leah Lawton, and she survives. He was a member
of the Holiday Free Methodist Church, Holiday, Fla., and
attended Trinity Evangelical Free Church, Ludington, when he
visited the area.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two daughters, Mrs.
Robert (Marilyn) Moomey, Scottville; and Mrs. Charles
(Margaret) Warner, Auburndale, Fla.; three grandsons, Don (and
Vicki) Smith, Kalamazoo; Larry (and Lynn) Smith, Rockford; and
Tim Warner, Birmingham, Ala.; seven granddaughters, Mrs. Ed
(Jan) Quinn, Scottville; Mrs. John (Joanne) Bromley, Ludington;
Mrs. Scott (Beverly) Hooker, Evart; Carolyn Warner, Springhill,
Fla.; Paula Warner, Auburndale, Fla.; Miriam Warner, Chicago,
Ill.; and Leah Shue, Greencastle, Ind.; 16 great-grandchildren;
nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by one son, Charles A. Shue Jr.
Aug. 15, 1986.
Services for Mr. Shue will be conducted at 2pm Saturday at
te Dorrell Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Charles Warren
officiating. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Custer.
Friends may call the Dorrell Funeral Home after noon
Saturday when the family will be present.
Memorials may be directed to Hospice of Mason County.
Envelopes are available at the funeral home.

Event: Type: Death RTN
Date: 26 MAR 1991
Place: Bay Tree Nursing Home, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Co, Florida

Occupation: Worked on gold watches at the Star Watchcase Factory
Place: Ludington, Mason Co, Michigan, USA

Religion: Was a member of the Holiday Free Methodist Church in Holiday,
Florida and attended the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in
Ludington when he visited the area.
Date: BEF 1991

Death: 24 MAR 1991 Holiday, Florida, USA

Burial: AFT 24 MAR 1991 Riverside Cemetery, Custer, Mason Co, Michigan, USA

Will: Note: Have.

Reference: 77

Note: Have birth certificate.

Note: Had Alzheimer's Disease

Note: When I was 4 years old, I was running outdoors and fell down,
cutting a gash in my forehead. I remember my mother carrying
me to the house and watching over me, and bandaging my cut. I
survived but had a scar.

Note: We verified the tombstone's location ourselves.

Note: I was taken to camp meeting when I was one month old. The camp
was only about six miles from home, and it was always a source
of enjoyment to me to be able to attend. My Lawton
grandparents used to tent on the grounds, and I would stay with
them and help my grandmother. Grandpa was often the delegate.
I remember the tent meetings they used to have out in the woods
a half mile from my home, across from Uncle Clarence and Aunt
Cora Larr's home. My mother was a Christian, and my Aunt Cora
had been saved. Brother G. W. Archer was the first minister
who came to hold the tent meetings. He was pastor of the
Manton Free Methodist Church at that time. About a year later
they started cutting timber to build a church just across the
corner from where we lived. Rev. O. A. Kester was the first
pastor. I was about seven years old at that time, about 1916.
I was saved in December of 1917 at the age of eight, just
before Christmas time. Floyd went to town and bought me a New
Testament with the 20 cents he had. He was only eleven at the
time and thought, since I was saved, I should have a Testament
of my own. All through my younger years, my mother encouraged
me as a Christian, and my cousin Lola Larr would always say,
"Look up, Leah. Keep encouraged." There were good revival
services after that, and people were saved. I never missed a
service unless I had to. My mother couldn't take us all every
night, so she would send us to bed and check to see if we were
okay during the altar service. I didn't want to miss any
meetings because I told my aunt that God might bless the
service and I wouldn't be there.

I was eight years old when I had my first car ride. Clyde
Kinsey had a car and it was a rainy day on our last day of
school. He would fill the car with school children until he
had given everyone a car ride. A few years later an airplane
flew over, and the teacher let all the children out of school
to watch it.

One of my routine chores was to bring the cows home from
pasture. There were no cars in the road, so the cows would
wander down the road and eat the grasses along the roadside.
One day when I was about nine years old, I went to hunt the
cows and found them about two miles from home. Johnny Root, a
boy a little older than I, was getting his cows which were
mixed in with ours, so rather than try to separate them, we
thought it would be easier to drive them home together until
his cows would leave the rest and go to their own barnyard.

[Margaret, Leah's daughter remembers the rest of the story]
When Leah got home with the cows and her father learned what
happened, he teased her with a little rhyme he made up:

As the sole is to the foot,
So is Leah to Johnny Root.

Leah got so tired of this and so embarrassed about being teased
that she could hardly stand to look at Johnny Root after that,
although he was a nice farm boy.

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Source: (Burial)
Title: Verbal Record of Michelle (Smith) Caskey.
Abbreviation: Michelle (Smith) Caskey

Source: (Individual)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Source: (Individual)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Birth: 13 JUN 1909 Manton, Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 22 JUL 1996
Note: Leah (Lawton) Shue, 87, of Holiday, Fla., and formerly of
Ludington, passed away Saturday at the Westchester Gardens
Rehabilitation Center, Florida, following an extended illness.

Services for Mrs. Shue are tenatively scheduled for 1pm
Thursday at Trinity Evangelical Church, Ludington and the
family will receive friends at the church one hour before the
service.

Local arrangements are being handled by the Stephens Funeral
Home, Scottville.

Event: Type: Death RTN
Date: 22 JUL 1996
Place: Clearwater, Pinellas Co, Florida

Occupation: Was a CNA at Ludington Memorial Hospital, Paulina Stearns
Hospital, and Tarpon Springs Hospital.
Date: BEF 1996
Place: Was a CNA at Ludington Memorial Hospital and Paulina Stearns Hospital

Death: 20 JUL 1996 Westchester Gardens Rehabilitation Center, Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA

Burial: AFT 20 JUL 1996 Riverside Cemetery, Custer, Mason, Michigan, USA

Will: Date: 17 JUN 1987
Note: Have.

Reference: 78

Census: Date: 1910
Note: Look for her in Manton, MI

Note: Death Certificate #23289 Died of coronary occlusion

Note: After my Stowell and Minnie were married and before they
established their own home, they worked as cooks in a logging
camp in Northern Michigan. They bought a farm east of Manton
near to Cora and Aaron where they lived until after Minnie's
death in 1938. Their first child died at birth.

Source: (Name)
Title: 1920 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1920 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Leah Lawton's father

Source: (Death)
Title: Death Returns
Abbreviation: Death Returns

Source: (Individual)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Source: (Burial)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Michelle Caskey

Birth: 13 MAR 1879 Meauwataka, Wexford Co, Michigan

Event: Date: 1902
Place: Custer Twp, Mason Co, MI
Note: Type: Lived in

Death: 28 APR 1974 Muskegon, Michigan

Burial: AFT 28 APR 1974 Caldwell Cemetery, Missaukee Co, Michigan

Reference: 79

Census: Date: 1880
Place: Colfax Twp, Wexford County, MI

Census: Date: 1910
Place: Missaukee County, MI
Note: Look for this

Note: 1900 Census says born in Culver, Marshall Co, Indiana. Obit
says born in Knox.

Note: Died of a Heart Attack.

Source: (Name)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Page: Stowell E. Lawton and Minnie Viola Garn

Source: (Name)
Title: 1920 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1920 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Leah Lawton's mother

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census, Mason County, Eden Township
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census, Mason Co

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Minnie Viola Garn

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Source: (Burial)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Michelle Caskey

Birth: 01 JAN 1881 Culver, Marshall Twp., Stark Co, IN

Event: Type: MovedTo
Date: 1891
Place: Eden Twp, Mason County, MI

Event: Date: 1885
Place: Meauwataka, Michigan
Note: Type: Moved to

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 01 OCT 1938
Note: Manton, Oct. 1 - A heart attack caused the sudden death this
morning of Mrs. Stowell Lawton, 57. Although she had not been
in the best of health in recent months, she had been able to
attend church services last evening, and her death was
unexpected.

She was born at Knox, Indiana, Jan 1, 1881, and went to
Meauwataka with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Garn, at the
age of 4. At 11 she moved to Mason County, and lived there
until her marriage to Mr. Lawton Nov. 29, 1902. They moved to
Caldwell township shortly after their marriage, and had lived
there since.

She was a member of the Free Methodist Church at Caldwell.

Surviving, with the husband, are two sons, Floyd of Manton and
Vern of Muskegon; three daughters, Mrs. Leah Shue of Ludington,
Mrs. Evelyn Nye of Manton and Grace, at home; five
grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. C. M. Larr of Manton; and five
brothers, Aaron Garn of Manton, Charles and Jesse Garn of
Meauwataka, Archie Garn of Cadillac and Chauncey Garn of
Traverse City.

Funeral services will be held at the Caldwell Free Methodist
church Tuesday at 2:00pm following a prayer service at the
cemetery.

Religion: Member of this church
Date: BEF 1938
Place: Free Methodist Church, Caldwell, Missaukee Co, Michigan

Death: 01 OCT 1938 Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan, USA

Burial: AFT 01 OCT 1938 Caldwell Cemetery, Manton, Missaukee Co, Michigan

Reference: 80

Note: Zip Code 49663

Database: Full Context of Michigan Death Index, 1971-96
Combined Matches:
Previous Page Next Page

Surname: LAWTON
Given Name: Floyd
Initial: E
Sex: Male
Alias:
Day of Birth: 23
Month of Birth: July
Year of Birth: 06
Day of Death: 25
Month of Death: March
Year of Death: 87
City of Residence: Cadwell
County of Residence: Missaukee
State of Residence: Michigan
City of Death: Flint
County of Death: Genesee
State of Death: Michigan
Death Certificate No.: 14769

Source: (Name)
Title: 1920 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1920 Michigan Census

Page: Listed as Leah Lawton's brother

Source: (Death)
Title: Social Security Death Index
Abbreviation: Social Security Death Index

Birth: 23 JUL 1906 Michigan

Death: 25 MAR 1987 Manton, Wexford Co, Michigan

Burial: Caldwell Cemetery, Missaukee Co, Michigan

Reference: 81