Many of the mid–19th–century settlers of Ovid and its
village of Shepardsville were from Yates County, New York. Among
these were the families of William and Sarah Casner/Castner and Edward and Sophia Potter. The Casners arrived at Ovid in 1854. In a few years, on March 10, 1857, they purchased 80 acres of land in Section 18, patent document No. 13649. The Potters settled in Section 22 in the fall of 1855. It was wild land south of Shepardsville occupied only by the family of Jacob W. Welter. Edward became township treasurer begining in 1855 and lasting 4 terms.
The family of Jacob Welter, including his wife Emily and their three boys and one girl, was the first in the neighborhood. The children's names were: Bruce Kiddu, Frances E., Martin Scott, and Milo Lee. The property was so undeveloped that Jacob had to cut an access road. Jacob, born in Morris County, New Jersey, was a probable cousin of Sarah and Sophia's. His parents were William and Ann (Bird) Welter. Jacob had gone to Genesee County, New York, in 1839, where he met and married Emily Sayre, and where at least one of their children was born. The Welters initially immigrated to Michigan's St. Joseph County in 1854, relocating to Section 22 south of Shepardsville prior to the Potters' arrival.
Bruce Kiddu Welter, who had been born in 1843 at Milo, Yates County, New York, was 18 years old when he enlisted in the 15th Michigan Infantry, Company D, at Detroit on December 5, 1861. He was killed in action April 6, 1862, at Shiloh, Tennessee, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Pittsburgh Landing.
Edward Coke Potter's son Henry became a merchant in Shepardsville with
his uncle Evan M. Potter. On July 28, 1862, Henry enlisted at Ovid as a Private
in the 4th Michigan Cavalry. He served under Gens. Buell, Rosecrans,
and Sherman in the army of the Cumberland, and was promoted to
Second Lieutenant February 16, 1863. Besides participating in the battles of Stone
River, Chatanooga, and the seige of Atlanta, the young lieutenant
had two horses shot out from under him while leading charges at
Rome, Georgia. The final honor of his military stretch came when
he assisted in the capture of Jefferson Davis. Henry and Catherine's
son Monroe B. was their only child and was the first male born
of the sixth generation of Judge William Potter.
| NOTE: Michael Ruddy, a descendant of the Potters, has transcribed letters written by Henry Potter during his Civil War years. They may be found on the internet starting with the following URL: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mruddy/letters.htm |
Elizabeth Castner was married to Charles Bigelow/Bigalow March 15, 1856, at Clinton County, Michigan. Charles was born about 1833 in New York and died May 12, 1864 at Spotsylvania, VA. The Bigalow family was living at Ovid, Clinton County, at the time of the 1860 Federal census. In the household were: Charles, 27 years old, a farmer, with no real estate and a personal estate valued at $100, born in New York; Elizabeth, 26 years old, born in New Jersey; and George, 2 years old, born in Michigan. Sarah A. would be born in 1861 and Megan A. in 1862. Charles Bigelow, at age 31, served in the Civil War as a Private by enlisting in the 1st Company of Sharpshooters of the 27th Michigan Infantry, also known as “Perrin's Sharpshooters.” The sharpshooters operated with the 27th from 1864, when the 1st was formed, until the end of the war. They carried Spencer repeating rifles—leading-edge weapons of the day. Charles died in action at Spotsylvania. Some Civil War records have his surname misspelled as "Bigslow."
The widow Elizabeth (Castner) Bigelow married October 8, 1865, at Clinton County, Michigan, to Thomas Sturgis, born about 1831 in New York and died July 18, 1893, in Clinton County. They each had three children from prior marriages. Thomas had served in the Civil War, enlisting at age 34 in the 7th Michigan Cavalry, Company E, from Scio, Michigan. Elizabeth and Thomas had one child: Ella A. Sturgis, born in July 1873 in Michigan. Thomas and Elizabeth would both receive burial at the expense of Clinton County ostensibly due to Thomas's Civil War participation as a member of General George Armstrong Custer's famous 7th Cavalry. They were laid to rest at the Mt. Rest Cemetery, St. Johns, Clinton County, in Section OP-3, Lot #733.
Ella Sturgis married Frank Downham in about 1890. Frank was born in May 1867 in Michigan. The Downham family was living in a house they owned with a mortgage at the time of the 1900 Federal census of Bingham, Clinton County, Michigan. In the household were: Frank, 33 years old; Ella A., 26 years old; and Elizabeth Sturgis, 66 years old. Frank and Ella had been married 10 years and Ella had lost their only child. Both Ella and Elizabeth were working as dressmakers. The family was living in a house free of mortgage at the time of the 1910 Federal census of the 3rd Ward of St. Johns, Clinton County, Michigan. The household still consisted of Frank and Ella Downham and Elizabeth Sturgis. Ella had not had any more children.
Isaiah Castner was married to Eliza Ann Sloan around 1867. Eliza's
parents, Asa and Charlotte (Atwood) Sloan, had been born at Providence,
Rhode Island—Asa in 1791 and Charlotte in 1801. The Sloans had
moved to New York where they had the first five of their seven
children: Horace b. 1823, Maria b. 1829, Philip b. 1831, Oliver
b. 1834, Mary D. b. 1836. Then they moved again, this time to
Plymouth Township, Wayne County, Michigan, where they had: Eliza
Ann b. February 13, 1839—d. May 27, 1905; Loretta b. 1843.
Isaiah and Eliza A. settled at Ovid, where Isaiah was known for playing the fiddle at dances. Their children were:
Apparently Eliza had a mental problem before Lewis was born, as
she was listed in the 1880 federal census as "insane."
That year she, Isaiah and Clara were living with William and Sarah
Castner, while little Sarah was staying with Isaiah's sister and brother–in–law, the Easterlys.
Isaiah, Eliza, Lewis, and Arthur were interred at the Mt. Rest Cemetery, St. Johns, Clinton County—Isaiah and Eliza in Section C, Lot #118; Lewis and Elenor in Section G, Lot #55; and Arthur in Section K, Lot #12.
Sarah Castner was married to Salmon J. Sutliff (a.k.a. Johnson, Salmon Johnson, and Solomon J.) January 18, 1859, at the United Methodist Church in Ovid by Pastor N.L. Brockway. Witnesses were I. Castner (Isaiah, Sarah's older brother) and L. Sutliff (Lucy, Salmon's younger sister). Salmon was born July 12, 1837, in Hillsdale, Hillsdale Co., MI, and died April 27, 1893, in Mount Pleasant, Isabella Co., MI. He was one of seven children born to Van Ransaler Sutliff (a.k.a. Ransley and Romsley) and Catharine Barnhart. During the Civil War "Solomon J. Sutliff" was 26 years old when he enlisted in the 2nd Michigan Cavalry, Company A, from Bingham, Clinton Co., MI. The 2nd Cavalry primarily saw action in Tennessee, with some, also, in Alabama and Virginia.
Sarah and Salmon's child was:
More information about the Sutliffs can be found in the segment "On Being Franc" later in this history, or open a new window and go immediately to that segment by clicking Castner_Family_p6.html.
"Dorah" D. Castner, 18, was married to Richard L. Easterly,
25—born at Granger, Allegany County, New York—on August
29, 1869. They were married at the residence of Albert McEuen
in Ovid, by Albert McEuen, Minister of the Gospel. Witnesses were:
W. Sounsbury of Ovid and Adella Lewis of Shepardsville. The Easterlys
settled for a while at Shepardsville, where they were living near
Dora's parents, most of her siblings, and her Uncle Edward and
Aunt Sophia Potter in 1880. Richard and Dora's only child,
Willie, was born in 1876. Richard received his Ph. D. and taught school before dying of consumption at Kalamazoo
on April 14, 1886. (Dora's second and third marriages will be discussed later.)
Edward Potter Castner was married to neighbor Frances Marie Laronge Sutliff on August 11, 1878, at
Shepardsville by Elisha M. Ney, Minister of
the Gospel. Witnesses were: E. G. Ney and Eva Ney. Edward
was shown on the marriage registration to have been born in
Yates County, New York, while "Franky" was listed as
being born at Gratiot County, Michigan. Franky's traditional birth date was July 4, 1862, and she died February 7, 1964, in Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan.
From: History of
Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan…. Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885, De
La Vergne, Earl W.
"
Last modified: Friday February 5, 2010
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