Tidbits From Atlas Township History

The History of Atlas Township (Lapeer, then Genesee County, Michigan), viewed at the Flint Public Library, included some of the following bits of information:

-- Atlas formed a portion of Lapeer county...

-- During the year 1836 many other families took up residences.  Among them Hiram Fillmore (a cousin of President Fillmore), William Carpenter, Niagara County, New York....

-- By an act of legislature approved March 9, 1843, Atlas, with other townships of Davison, Richfield and Forest, were detached from Lapeer and annexed to Genesee County.

Charlotte Husted, Mother Of Eveline (Jennings) Barnum

A BARNUM researcher (Sharon) told me that she sent the Calvin Barnum family tree to the Montrose [MI] Historical Society and generously offered to help me update my research. Calvin Barnum's father, Joshua, bought property in Erie County, New York; Joshua's birthplace has not been determined.  Calvin moved to Michigan; his brother Joshua (Jr.) moved to Missouri and another brother, Leonard, stayed in Erie County, NY.  (My paternal aunt married Ray Barnum, one of Calvin's descendants).  Calvin (1836 - 1891) is buried in the Montrose Cemetery.

Calvin Barnum was married to Eveline Jennings (1842 - 1928), daughter of Joseph & Charlotte (Husted) Jennings.  After being contacted by Sharon, a closer look was in order for my Barnum/Jennings file.  It was time to resolve the question of whether or not Charlotte (Husted) Jennings had married John Warner.  The question was implied when a Frank Jennings was found living in the household of John and Charlotte Warner in 1880. Who was Frank Jennings and what was his relationship, if any, to the Warners? 

1880 MI Census, Saginaw, Maple Grove
 John WARNER Self  M  Male W 52  CAN  Farmer  CAN  CAN
 Charlotte WARNER Wife  M  Female  W  61  NY  Keep House  NY  NY
 Sally HOWLAND  Other W  Female  W  81  MI  NY  NY
 Frank JENNINGS  Other S  Male  W  13  MI  NY  NY

There was a marriage between John Warner and Charlotte Jennings on 29 August 1879 in Saginaw Co., Michigan; was the bride Charlotte (Husted) Jennings?

My notes reflected that Joseph & Charlotte Jennings and their children Evaline (who married Calvin Barnum), Margary, age 11, and Susan, age 3, were living in Atlas Twp., Genesee County, Michigan in 1860: 

Jennings, Joseph, 52, b. NY
  "  , Charlotte, 42, b. NY
 "  , Evaline, 18, b. MI
"  , Margary, 11, b. MI
" , Susan, 3, b. MI

In 1870 Joseph & Charlotte Jennings were still in Atlas Township and were joined by their daughter Mary (Margary), her husband, George Thorett, and their son, Franklin.  The Jennings' son Eli, was living next door with his family:

1870 MI Genesee Co., Atlas
Jennings, Joseph, 50, farmer, NY
", Charlott, 41, NY
", Susan, 14, NY
Thorett, George, 24, MI
", Mary, 19, MI
", Franklin, 3, MI
Next Door:
Jennings, E. J., 33, MI
", Nancy, 32, MI
", Ulysses, 4, MI
", Ettie, 7/12, MI
Dillenback, Winston, 24, VT
Dillenback, Hattie
", Alice

Franklin Thorett, age 3, was the right age to be Frank Jennings in the 1880 census living with Charlotte; but his surname was Thorett, not Jennings.  However, when Frank J. Jennings married Mrs. Electa (Bassett) Bennett, his parents were listed as Geo. Thorett and Margery Jennings.

Groom's Name: Frank J. Jennings
Groom's Age: 33 years
Groom's Birth Date: 1865
Groom's Birthplace: Mich. Genesee Co.
Bride's Name: Electia C. Bennett
Bride's Age: 32 years
Bride's Birth Date: 1866
Bride's Birthplace: Mich. Genesee Co.
Marriage Date: 20 Jul 1898
Marriage Place: Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan
Groom's Father: Geo. Thorett
Groom's Mother: Margery Jennings
Bride's Father: Wm. Bassett
Bride's Mother: Not Given
Film Number: 2342510
Digital Folder Number: 4208266
Image Number: 223
Reference Number: v 4 p 105 rn 8180
Collection: null

 Based upon the records above, Frank Jennings enumerated in the 1880 census was the son of Margery Jennings and the grandson of Charlotte (Husted) Jennings.  Charlotte (Husted) Jennings married John Warner based upon said records.

There was a record of Charlotte's death, but her parents were not listed.  According to this site, her parents were Stephen Husted & Elizabeth Soule.

Charlotte Warner
Death Date: 25 Jun 1895
Death Place: Maple Grove, Saginaw, Michigan
Age: 78
Birth Date: 1817
Birthplace: New York
Marital Status: Married
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B53224-6
System Origin: Michigan-EASy
Source Film Number: 967174
Reference Number: v D p 8
Collection: Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995

Belle Jordan of Atlas Township, Genesee Co., MI

Obituary of Belle Jordan as posted in the Flint Journal:

JORDAN -- Belle Jordan, 8485 Perry Rd., Atlas, Mich.; age 77, died Thursday, May 22, 1947, at Goodrich Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M. Sunday May 25, 1947, from the residence. Dr. E. H. Longman officiating. Burial at Perry McFarlan Cemetery. Body will be at the residence. Service by Algoe-Gundry Co. She had been ill for several months. She was born in Atlas Township July 7, 1869, daughter of Stephen and Emily Jordan*, was a life resident of Atlas; graduated from Michigan State Normal School at Ypsilanti in June, 1897, taught public school for over 30 years; then was deputy County clerk and assistant County School Commissioner and truant officer. Surviving are: Sister-in-law, Mrs. Carrie Jordan of Atlas: 4 nieces, Mrs. Ray E. Potter** of Davison, Mrs. Merle H. Kurtz of East Lansing, Mrs. Howard F. Simmons and Mrs. Ralph Thompson of Pontiac; 3 nephews, Perry*** and Carol**** Gale of Atlas and Lewis Gale; 4 great-nephews and 3 great-nieces.

*Daughter of Simeon & Sarah (Cartwright) Perry; also buried at Perry-McFarlan Cemetery

**Nee Mary Gale

***Indexed as "Terry" here

****William? Carol Gale
The "Gale" children's parents were Will & Louise (Jordan) Gale who were married 8 October 1888 in Atlas Twp., Genesee Co., MI. Will Gale was the son of Adrian & Hellen (Wilder) Gale.

Note: I am not related; Belle Jordan's obituary was next to my great-grandmother's obituary

Carpenter Family of Atlas Twp., Genesee Co., MI

In 1850, Revolutionary War veteran George Carpenter was 88 years old and living in Atlas Twp., Genesee County, Michigan, with his son William, per the census:

1850 MI Census, Genesee, Atlas Twp.
William Carpenter, 45, b. NY
Roena, 43, b. VT
Jacob, 16, b. NY
Mary E., 12, b. MI
Julia, 10, b. MI
William, 6, b. MI
Amos, 4, b. MI
Parmelia, 10/12, b. MI
George Carpenter, 88, b. NY

Miriam, at AnceStories, who compiles Atlas Township data, provided an entry for George Carpenter at FindAGrave, who was buried in the Goodrich Cemetery.

The Carpenter family was profiled in the "History of Genesee County, Michigan, found here.

Jacob Denton Carpenter, the eldest child of William Carpenter & Loraina (Pierce) Carpenter, married Mary E. Hosler. Jacob was a soldier in the Civil War, Company B., First Engineers & Mechanics. They're buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Genesee Co., Michigan.

An earlier blog featured William James Carpenter (son of William & Loraina Carpenter) and his wife, Catherine (Kate) Colwell and can be found here.

The youngest child of Jacob Denton & Mary (Hosler) Carpenter, Loran Dell Carpenter, married my grandmother's half-sister, Ellen Johnston. Their daughter Lorraine, married Hugh Clement, who was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, son of James & Mary (Coulson) Clement, in September 1925. The Hugh Clement family moved to California some time after they were enumerated in the 1930 census.

1930 MI Census Genesee Co., Flint
Clement, Hugh M., 25, married age 21, Can Can Can
" , Lorraine, 23, married age 19
" , Bruce, 4
" Harvey, 3
CARPENTER, Audrey, sister-in-law, 18, MI MI __

Audrey, daughter of Loran Dell & Ellen (Johnston) Carpenter, married 1st Arthur Elie in 1952 and 2nd Loren Crooks, date unknown. She had no children.

Uncle Dell & Aunt Ellen Carpenter are buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

These are just a few of the many "Carpenter" pieces.

Connecting The Elliotts To Colwell And Carpenter

After being prompted towards further research of the Carpenters of Atlas Township in Genesee County, Michigan, especially William & Catherine (Colwell) Carpenter, I noticed that JAMES ELLIOTT was enumerated as a Carpenter nephew in the 1880 census.

1880 MI Census Genesee, Atlas Twp.
William CARPENTER Self M W 74 NY Farmer ENG ENG
Lurain CARPENTER Wife M W 72 VT Keeping House VT VT
William CARPENTER Son M W 36 MI Farmer NY VT
Catherine CARPENTER DauL M W 34 MI At Home ENG NY
James ELLIOTT Nephew S W 11 MI At School MI NY
James WEST Other M W 26 AT SEA Farm Laborer SCOT SCOT
Elisabeth WEST Other M W 47 PA Servant PA PA
Charles COLE Other S W 17 MI Farm Laborer --- ---

How did James Elliott fit into the Carpenter family? Whose nephew was he, anyway?

I found an Elliott/Colwell connection in the marriage record of Susan ELLIOTT Morgan and William McCarthy online here:

Groom name: Wm Mccarthy
Groom birth year: 1861
Groom birth place: Michigan
Bride name: Susan Elliott Morgan
Bride birth year: 1863
Bride birth place: Michigan
Marriage date: 23 Nov 1894
Marriage place: Corunna, Shiawassee, Michigan
Father of groom name: Dan Mccarthy
Mother of groom name: Not Known
Father of bride name: Albert Elliott
Mother of bride name: Mary Colwell
Reference number: v 4 p 21 rn 2190
Collection: Michigan Marriages 1868-1925

1900 MI Shiawassee, Hazelton
McCartney (sic), William, January 1860, m8, b. MI
Constine, Henry, hired man, Feb 1870, single
McCartney (sic), Susan, wife, Aug 1865, 34, m8, 3 children/3 living
", Bessie, daughter, June 1889, single (nee Morgan)
", Ivy, daughter, Dec 1892, b. MI
", Hazel (Azel?), son, Oct 1896

1910 MI Shiawassee, Hazelton
McCarthy, William, 48, m1, 18, MI
", Susan, 46, m2, 18, MI, 5 children/4 living
Morgan, Bessie, single, daughter, age 20, b. MI
" (sic - probably McCarthy), Ivah, daughter, 17
", Azel, son, 14, b. MI

1920 MI Shiawassee
McCarthy, William, 58, MI
", Susan, wife, 56
", Azel, son, 24
Morgan, Bessie, stepdaughter, single, 30
", Willis, grand?son, 2/12, MI
[living next door to Charles Colwell, and his parents, Francis & Marion]

Was James Elliott a nephew of Catherine (Colwell) Carpenter?

The Elliott family found in Shiawassee County (where many of the Colwells lived) appeared to be the family to which James Elliott belonged. There was a Susan Elliott, whose (2nd) marriage record named her father as Albert Elliott and her mother as Mary Colwell. James Elliott appeared to be the same (age wise) as the James Elliott enumerated as a nephew with the Carpenter family in 1880, a group that included Catherine (Colwell) Carpenter. Catherine Colwell had a sister Mary - though it appeared as though when Mary died she was Mary Libby.

1870 MI Shiawassee, Hazelton
Elliott, Albert D., 41, b. NY
" Mary, 26, b. MI
", William, 10, b. MI
", Susan, 7, b. MI
", James, 2, b. MI

A death record for a James Elliott, born in Michigan November 6, 1868, was found in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, online here. He was widowed, his wife's name was Helen, and he was to be buried in Flint, Michigan.

In 1910, boarding with an Andrew Stumpf (b. MI) there was a James Elliot, age 42, single, who was a cook and a teamster, living in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio.

In 1920 James Elliot, age 51, was in Cleveland, Ohio, on Clark Street, as a married man and head of the household, working as a salesman for an oil company, born in Michigan (as was his mother; father born in NY according to census records). Living with him was his wife, Helen, age 56, born in Ohio, and a grandson, Earl Russell, who was born in Ohio, whose father was born in Ireland, and a daughter, Lillian Russell, divorced, age 38, born in Ohio.

The Cleveland, Ohio, Library maintains a "necrology" file, so I searched it for James Elliott and for Helen Elliott (results below).


Id#: 0089864
Name: Elliott, James
Date: Jan ? 1942
Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #023.
Notes: Elliott: James, Dec. 30, age 73 years. Remains at Jay Parrish Funeral Home, 13613 Euclid ave. Burial in Flint, Mich.

Id#: 0089947
Name: Elliott, Zipf Helen
Date: Aug. 4, 1925
Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #023.
Notes: Elliott-Zipf Helen (nee Moeller), beloved wife of James, mother of Lillian, Russell, Royal L., Irvin L., Albert L. and Edward H. Zipf, grandmother, died Aug. 1, 1925, at 8:30 p. m., age 62 years. Funeral services Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 12:30 p. m., from the residence of her son, Edward H. Zipf, 4236 W. 48th street. Friends invited.

A death record for Helen Elliott online can be found here (see extract below):
Name: Helen Elliott
Death date: 01 Aug 1925
Death place: Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio
Birth date: 03 May 1863
Birth place: Germany
Age at death: 62 years 2 months 29 days
Marital status: Married
Race or color: American
Street address: 4236 West 48th Street
Occupation: Housewife
Residence: Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio
Burial date: 04 Aug 1925
Burial place: Cleveland, Ohio
Cemetery name: Monroe St. Cemetery
Spouse name: James Elliott
Father name: Henry Zoeller
Father birth place: Germany
Mother name: Helen Leftien
Mother birth place: Germany
Collection: Ohio Deaths 1908-1953


A search for James Elliott that began in Michigan took me to Ohio only to find that he was buried back in Michigan (although I did not find a record of his grave). Is this genealogy's version of taking the scenic route?

Colwells of Genesee, Lapeer & Shiawasee Counties

A recently received e-mail from a researcher (Verna) who wanted to connect Kate Colwell in my Rootsweb WorldConnect database to her William Francis Colwell.

Catherine (Kate) Colwell married William James Carpenter of Atlas Twp., Genesee Co., Michigan. My (slight) connection is to the Carpenter family, not the Colwells (my grandmother's half-sister married a Carpenter). Featuring the Carpenter family in a blog had been something I'd considered, so rather than simply answering the e-mail, I started gathering information. After gathering the information, the Carpenter blog will be separate from this "Colwells" blog. In addition, I'm going to do an Elliott/Colwell blog.

Information from Verna's e-mail stated that:
William Francis Colwell's parents were James, who was born in England, and Catherine (Collins or Calkins) born in Ireland, per his (W.F.'s) death record. William Francis Colwell married* Marion (Harding) Maine as her second husband. Marion Harding's sister married a man named Campbell whose biography was included in a history of Genesee County, MI.

James Colwell possibly remarried (Ann Burch) and his second wife could have been the mother of Kate Colwell.

*IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™
Francis Colwell Male
Birth: 05 AUG 1835 Of, Elba, Lapeer, Mich
Spouse: Marion Harding Marriage: 30 OCT 1859

Did William Francis Colwell live in Lapeer County, too? The IGI file indicated that may have been the case. [Yes he did -- see the 1870 census]

The 1850 MI Census, Genesee County, Atlas Twp.:
Caldwell, James, 43, b. England
" , Ann, 42, b. NY
", Francis, 14, b. NY
", Jane, 9, b. MI
", Mary, 7, b. MI
", Catharine, 6, b. MI
", Sarah, 4, b. MI

It would appear that all of James Colwell's children, except for Francis, were from his second marriage, based upon the children's ages.

IGI also had James Colwell's (2nd) marriage:
JAMES COLWELL
Spouse: ANN BURCH
Marriage: 24 JUN 1837 , Genesee, Michigan

Both Colwell families (James & Francis) were living in Genesee Co. when the 1860 census was taken:

1860 MI Genesee, Atlas Twp.
Colwell, James, b. England
", Ann, 55, b. NY
", Mary, 17, b. MI
", Catherine, 16, b. MI
", Sarah, 14, b. MI
Lafonton, Benj, 23, b. MI
Noble, Lucy, 24, b. NY

1860 MI Genesee, Mundy Twp.
Colwell, Francis, 24, b. NY
", Marion, 20, b. MI

Twins Fred & Frank Colwell, died on the same date in Genesee Co., according to GENDIS:

CALDWELL, FRED & FRANK
Date of death: 18-Sep-1867
Ledger Page: 110
Record Number: 6
Place of death: Atlas
County of Death: Genesee
Sex: Male
Marital Status: Single
Age: 5 months 2 days
Cause of Death: CHOLERA INFANTUM
Birthplace: ATLAS
Father's Name: Caldwell, FRANK
Father's Residence: ATLAS
Mother's Name: CALDWELL, MARION
Date of record: 20-Jul-1868

The birth records for these twins indicated that the father (Francis) was born in Cayuga Co., NY and the mother (Marion) was born in Genesee Co.

Francis & Marion Colwell were in Lapeer Co., Michigan in 1870:

1870 MI Census, Lapeer Co., Elba Twp.
Colwell, William F., 34, b. NY
", Marion, 30
", Charles, 6, b. MI
", Willis, 1, b. MI
Worter?, Harvey, 24, b. NY

The James Colwell family remained in Genesee Co.:

1870 MI Genesee, Atlas Twp.
Caldwell, James, 67, b. England
", Anna, 64, NY
Birch, Allice, 12, MI
More, Edward, 25, NY
[Allice, b. 1858, may have been the daughter of George Birch, b. 1824, and Elizabeth, b. 1832, all living in Davison, Genesee Co., MI, in 1860 -- also enumerated was Ida, b. 1857]

James Colwell died in 1874. Was Ann (Burch) Colwell living with her daughter Sarah in 1880?

1880 MI Census Genesee, Atlas Twp.
James MONCURE Self M W 40 MI Farmer SCOT SCOT
Sarah MONCURE Wife M W 35 MI Keeping House ENG CT
Jane C. MONCURE DauS W 15 MI At School MI MI
Elisabeth A. MONCURE Dau S W 11 MI At School MI MI
Lucy MONCURE Dau S W 7 MI At School MI MI
Frank W. MONCURE Son S W 4 MI MI MI
Jerome MCSHERAR Other S W 22 PA Farm Laborer SCOT PA
Ann COLDWELL Other W W 75 NY Keeping House NY NY

In 1880, the Francis Colwells were in Shiawassee County:

1880 MI Census Shiawassee, Hazelton
Francis COLWELL Self M W 43 NY Farmer ENG NY
Marian N. COLWELL Wife M W 40 MI Keeping House CT NY
Charlie COLWELL Son S W 16 MI At Home NY MI
Willis COLWELL Son S W 11 MI At School NY MI
Burt COLWELL Son S W 9 MI At School NY MI
Lula G. COLWELL Dau S W 6 MI At School NY MI
Harvy J. COLWELL Son S W 2 MI NY MI

The Francis Colwell family was still in Shiawassee Co., in 1900:
1900 MI Census, Shiawassee, Hazelton Twp.
Colwell, Francis, Aug 1835, NY Eng NY
", Marion, Jany 1839, MI CT NY, 9 children/5 living
", Charles, Sept 1863, MI NY MI
", Harvey, May 1878, MI NY MI

In 1910, Francis & Marion were living with their son, Charles, in the census taken in Shiawassee County.

The following Colwells were buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Shiawassee Co., MI: Albert (Bert), Harvie, Hazel, Lettie, Lloyd, Wauneita C., Lura, Ray and Willis.

Michigan death records online here had the following records:

Harvey Colwell, d. 21 April 1908
Single
New Lothrup
Buried: Elmwood Cemetery
Informant: Bert Colwell of New Lothrop

Mary Libby
Parents: James Colwell & Ann Burch
Born: 8 Sept 1842, Michigan
Died: 2 Nov 1908
Informant: Mrs. James McCarty, New Lothrop
[Apparently Francis Colwell's half sister and Kate (Colwell) Carpenter's sister]

Lara Jane Colwell
b. 11 Apr 187_
d. 20 June 1905
Parents: L. C. Harding & Jane Burpee
Informant: Bert Colwell, New Lothrop (husband)
Buried: Elmwood Cemetery

Mary Colwell
Parents: Daniel Harding & Emorillus Smith
b. 19 January 1859
d. 8 Aug 1912
Shiawassee Co.
Buried: Elmwood Cemetery
Informant: Charles Colwell, New Lothrop
[Mother is AKA Amaryillis Swift]


A little bit more about the HARDING family:

1850 MI Genesee, Atlas Twp.
Hardin (sic), Daniel, 38, b. CT
", Emarilla, 32, b. NY
", Lewis, 15, b. NY
", Marion, 10, b. MI
", Deloss, 5, b. MI

1870 MI Genesee Atlas Twp.
Harding, Daniel, 59, b. NY
", Amarilla, 52, NY
", Inice, 18, b. MI

"Harding" marriages from the Dibean Marriage database included:
CAMPBELL GEORGE - CAMPBELL INES - HARDING 26 SEP 1871
HARDING MARION M HARDING STEPHEN R MAINE 15 APR 1857


Daniel Harding - GENDIS
Date of death: 9-Aug-1883
Place of death: ATLAS MICH
County of Death: Genesee
Marital Status: Married
Age: 72 years
Cause of Death: HEART DISEASE
Birthplace: NEW YORK
Occupation: FARMER
Father's Name: Harding, ELIJAH
Father's Residence: CONN
Mother's Name: HARDING, BETSEY


Miriam at AnceStories maintains an Atlas Township database and has included James Colwell, William and Kate Carpenter, and Harding.

Items From Papers of Silas Gaskill, Lawyer, of Lapeer County, Michigan - Post One

Several years ago in a quest for any information about my Thomas & Laura (Backus) Richmond, last "seen" in Lapeer County, Michigan (Thomas ca 1863; Laura ca 1870), I went to the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan to search through the Silas Gaskill papers. Silas Gaskill was a lawyer in Lapeer County whose papers (specifically "Business records of the Gaskill and Geer law firm, 1864-1877; accounts, wills, and account books, 1833-1839, 1864-1870") were housed at the Bentley Library. Didn't find Thomas and/or Laura, but thought I'd post a few items I did find.

Most of the Silas Gaskill notes taken from his account book are sketchy -- I've done additional research for the post.

From The Silas Gaskill Account Book 1864 - 70:

Hurd, Lovell, Retained in Genesee Circuit Court (ca January 14, 1864)

A long-running property dispute was found involving Lovell Hurd; was Silas Gaskill involved in it? Don't know, but it is possible.

"BARR, District Judge. This is an action of ejectment brought by William Graydon, a resident and citizen of the state of New Jersey, against Lovell Hurd, a resident and citizen of Michigan, to recover possession of a fractional quarter of at section of land lying in Genesee county, Mich."

Lovell Hurd, b. 1812 in either NY or VT, was living in Davison Township, Genesee Co., Michigan, in 1850, with wife Eliza, daughter Laura, son William and Hunt, James (unknown relationship).

In 1860 Lovell Hurd was living in Genesee County, Atlas Township, Davisonville P.O., as a farmer & hotel keeper. Wife Eliza and children William, Phebe and Adeline were with him and also James Lingale?, a blacksmith.

In 1870 The Hurd family wasliving in Grand Blanc, Atlas Twp., Genesee County. Lovell was still a hotel keeper; living with them was George Titus, age 21, hotel clerk. In 1880 George Titus was living with the Hurds and listed as son-in-law (whose wife, Addie Hurd Titus, had died April 1874).

In 1888 Lovell Hurd remarried.