Edward and Frances Castner had their first child on July 26, 1879. Almon Edward was born at Ovid and in his later life was artistic. Some of his charcoal sketches are still in existence. The family then moved to a farm outside of St. Johns, also in Clinton County, where a daughter was born on January 1, 1883. Maude Annabelle was also artistic and expressed her talents—like her mother and later, her daughter—as a skilled seamstress. The last child, Yula, was born on February l7, 1887 in Clinton County, shortly before the family moved to 302 S. Logan Street in Lansing, Ingham County. They moved again several times including to the Hotel Butler; a flat on Shiawasee Street; St. Joe Street; lonia Avenue; and Chestnut Street.
Almon Edward was married to Celia Harrison on March 15, 1900, by James Allen, Minister. The wedding took place at Harbor Springs, Emmet County, Michigan, where the Harrisons had a pioneering history. Celia was born in Michigan in December of 1881, whereas her parents were both born in New York. Her father Daniel C., born in July 1836 and died in July 1905, is said to have been the first known white man on the Point near Harbor Springs. Daniel's two brothers, one of whom was Fred Harrison, had worked for the railroad. Celia's mother Julia A. was born about 1849 and died between 1880-1900.
Almon and Celia remained at Harbor Springs for a few years. In 1900 the new family was living with Celia's father, who was by then a widower. Also in the household was boarder Frank Tufts, a carpenter from Tennessee. At the time both Frank and Almon (who was by then a house painter) were unemployed.
Almon and Celia had two children at Harbor Springs: Laronge M., born August 12, 1901, and Gordon F., b. July 26, 1902. They later moved to Detroit, where Harry E. was born June 19, 1908, and Almon Earl on August 27, 1912. Almon Earl died September 6, the same year, of enteritis. Then the family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Carlton W. was born on September 7, 1913. Almon and Celia finally settled in Chicago, where Donald O. was born September 1, 1916, and where Almon Edward Castner died July 20, 1929. Almon had remained a professional painter and decorator. It is said that he died of lead poisoning, a common ailment among painters because of continual exposure to lead-based paints. Celia survived her husband by thirty–two years and passed away in 1960.
The Branns were renting at 9206 Blackstone Avenue in the 10th Ward of Chicago at the time of the 1930 Federal census. Their family included Earl, 34 years old, a self-employed painting contractor; Laronge, 28 years old; and six children. All were born in Illinois except for Laronge. The family owned a radio set. During their marriage Laronge and Earl were said to have had 13 children. Laronge lived sixty–four years and died on July 4, 1965, in Chicago. Earl lived nearly ninety-two years and died in February 1987 at Tinley Park, Cook County, Illinois.
Gordon F. Castner married a woman named Irma, and they were renting at 6221 University Avenue in the 6th Ward of Chicago, Cook Co., IL, at the time of the 1930 Federal census. In the household were: Gordon F., 27 years old, a janitor in an apartment building, born in Michigan; wife Irma, 22 years old, born in Germany of German parents; a son and a daughter both born in Illinois. Irma had immigrated to the US in 1913 and claimed to be naturalized. The family owned a radio set. Gordon lived seventy–five years and died in December of 1977 at Cedar Lake, Indiana.
Harry E. Castner lived sixty–eight years and died on December 19, 1976 at Titus, Hillsborough County, Florida. He had married a woman named Betty and they had three children.
Carlton W. Castner was living at Newport Richey, Pasco County, Florida, in 1982 with wife Violet, where he died May 8, 1998. Carlton and Violet had seven children—four boys and three girls.
Donald O. Castner married a woman named Dorothea M., who was born about 1919, and they lived at Lombard, Du Page County, Illinois. In 1982 they were making plans to move to Florida to be near Carlton. Donald died at Downers Grove, Du Page County, Illinois, September 26, 1984, and Dorothea died March 26, 1990, at Downers Grove. They had a girl and two boys.
William's obituary from the December 5, 1895, "Ovid Register-Union" newspaper--
| Wm. Castner, who resides on the Easterly farm southwest of Shepardsville, died Saturday, Nov. 30, at the ripe old age of 89 years. He leaves his wife, two sons and a daughter. His aged companion had shared his joys and sorrows for 62 years. The funeral took place at the Shepardsville Baptist church at 11 o'clock Monday. Interment in Maple Grove cemetery. |
Ed and Franc were still living in Lansing in June of 1900. They were renting a house at 516 St. Joe Street. In the household were: "Edward," "Franc," "Maud" and "Eulah." In the 1900 census, Ed was listed as a "house painter," and both of Franc's parents were shown as having been born in Florida.
Also living in Lansing in 1900--at 820 Capitol Street--was the family of Harvey O. and Sarah M. Cline. With them was Sarah's natural son, 23–year–old Charles Page, and Harvey's natural son, Glen W. Cline, age 26. Charles was then working as a cigar maker.
Edward Castner's mother Sarah passed away on February 21, 1901, at Ovid after suffering a stroke. For some years Sarah had been living on a farm at Ovid with her daughter Dora through Dora's marriages and widowhood.
Dora and George Manning Sober were married October 13, 1894 at DeWitt, Clinton County. (The surname "Sober" was variously spelled "Sobers" and "Sabers.") George was born December 29, 1861 at Bath, Clinton County, and had a daughter Jessie, b. May 1885 in Michigan, from another marriage. Dora had previously been married to Richard Easterly, who had died some years before. Her only child Willie was by Richard. She had subsequently married William Chamberlain on September 22, 1886 at Ingham County, who was also born in 1861.
Sarah's obituary from a 1901 "Ovid Register-Union" newspaper--
| Sarah Welter Castner was born August 1st, 1813, Morris Co., New Jersey. She was married to William Castner in 1833 and moved to the state of New York in 1835 and from there to Michigan in 1854. Eight Children were born to them, five sons and three daughters, four of whom survive her, Isaiah Castner of Shepardsville, Edward P. Castner of Lansing, Elizabeth Sturgis of St. Johns, and Dora Sobers of Shepardsville with whom she lived until the time of her death. Her husband died five years ago. Mrs. Castner was a member of the Baptist church for over fifty years and lived a devoted Christian only waiting for the Lord to call her home. She departed this life February 21. She was loved by all who knew her because of her readiness to lend a helping hand at any time. |
Dora published a thank-you in the paper to all those who had helped out and been so kind to the family after Sarah's death. She especially thanked the church choir for their performance at the funeral.
Michigan Supreme Court case Castner v. Darby, 128 Mich. 241, 87 N.W. 199, decided Sep. 25, 1901. The referenced case between Edward P. Castner and Lewis G. (or Q) Darby sheds light on the background of, and a possible causative factor for, the dissolution of the marriage between Edward and Frankie Castner. From September 26, 1894, until sometime prior to the turn of the 20th century, the Castners leased and ran a hotel in Lansing, Michigan, called the Butler House, owned by Lewis Darby and formerly known as the Tivola House. As part of the bargain, the Castners purchased the hotel’s existing kitchen, dining room, office, sleeping room, and other furniture and fixtures valued at $1,200 through an exchange of property and a chattel mortgage for $230.46. However, the enterprise failed, mortgage payments fell behind, and Darby foreclosed, taking back possession of the mortgaged chattel and having a foreclosure sale without first notifying the Castners. To add insult to injury, Darby was the only bidder and purchased the foreclosed goods at a fraction of their original, agreed-upon value. Castner sued Darby, but after the justice court ruled in favor of the plaintiff to void the foreclosure sale, the defendant appealed to the circuit court, which upheld the original verdict. Finally, Darby claimed that an error had been made in the case, and it was referred to the Michigan Supreme Court. Associate Justice Joseph B. Moore wrote the final verdict, once again in favor of Castner. It can only be imagined how costly, consuming, and traumatic the ongoing case must have been for the Castner family, as Maude never referred to it in her memoirs—even to the fact that her parents ever ran a hotel.
In Maude’s words:
Places I lived. Born on a farm. Moved to Lansing at 3. 302 S. Logan, Lansing, Hotel Butler. Flat on Shiawassee to Capitol Ave. then St. Joseph St., Ionia eng (sic) Chestnut. Moved from there. Dad went away 1902. Mother & Yula moved to Mich Ave. flat. Yula went to Business Col. Then they went to Detroit. Chas O. Page and I went over to H.O. to live. Harwood, then Bartlett. Margaret Frances born there 319 Bartlett. Then sold & moved to Battle Creek. Moved to Detroit. Marg 2. Then Mason. Howard born there 1909. Back to Battle Creek (Bunch died). 1911 moved to Jackson, Aug 1st, 319 W. Mason. [Harvey Olmstead Cline, called “H.O.,” was twice sheriff of Ingham County, Michigan, and was married to Charles Page’s mother Sarah M. (Keyes) Page, whom H.O. nicknamed “Bunch.” C.W. Paige]
It is said that Ed left Frankie in 1901/1902 and soon they were divorced. Maude stayed in Lansing, where she graduated from high school with honors in June of 1901. Although considered for a scholarship to Olivett College, she went to work for Bell Telephone as an operator when the scholarship was conferred on another girl.
In Maude’s words:
Almon and Yula went thru the 10th grade. Almon went North, Yula to business college. Yula Castner married William Wigand, divorced on account of his drinking too much. She died May 20, 1921, of TB, or Quick Consumption as called then. My brother Almon buried in Chicago.Edward was living at 360 Grand River Avenue in the 4th Ward of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, at the time of the 1910 Federal census. All those renting at the same address included: Gertrude M. Nott, 43 years old, divorced, a machine operator in a factory, born in Ohio; Julius S. Allen, 44 years old, divorced, a house carpenter rooming with Gertrude, born in Michigan; Edward P. Castner, 56 years old, divorced, a house painter, born in New York; Edmund L. Nutter, 41 years old, a cigar packer, born in Ohio; his wife Nellie, 34 years old, born in Ohio; and their son Edward J., 3 years old, born in New York. The Nutters had been married for 10 years.
Edward P. Castner married Catherine E. (Yates) Gallagher "Kate" May 10, 1911 in Detroit. They were married by Fred E. Delsaw, Justice of the Peace, and witnesses were Mary A. and Dora R. Feagan of Detroit. Edward's occupation was listed as "Restaurant." Ed's mother Sarah's maiden name was listed as "Walter," a spelling frequently used in place of Welter.
Catherine was born October 8, 1879 at Sandwich East Township, Essex County, Ontario, Canada, to parents Richard and Anne Maria (Hurst) Yates. According to the 1881 Canadian census of Windsor, Essex County, Ontario, Richard was Irish, born in Ireland, Anne Marie was Scottish, though also born in Ireland, and the family was affiliated with the Church of England. The Yates family immigrated to America in 1893, when Catherine was between 13 and 14 years old, and Catherine had married Frank Gallagher, her first husband, Bef. 1911 in Ontario, Canada.
When baby Edward Castner was stillborn October 29, 1917, the Castners were living at 208 Brainard Street in Detroit. [The death certificate lists him as "baby Castner." However, at the cemetery he is listed as "Edw. Castner."]
Ed and Kate lived in Redford, Wayne County, Michigan near Detroit most of their married lives. At the time of the 1920 Federal census, Edward P. and Catherine were living at Redford in a house that they owned without mortgage. Edward was sixty–six years old and a house painter working for wages. Catherine was not employed. The census was taken January 9, 1920. At the time of the 1930 Federal census of "Detroit City," Precinct 26, the Castners were living at and owned a house at 16863 Lenore Avenue valued at $4,000—presumably the Redford location. Ed claimed to be a home decorator. Catherine was twenty-six years younger than Ed and had no occupation.
Ed and Kate lived in Redford, Wayne County, Michigan near Detroit. At the time of the 1920 Federal census, Edward P. and Catherine were living at Redford in a house that they owned without mortgage. Edward was sixty–six years old and a house painter working for wages. Catherine was not employed. The census was taken January 9, 1920. At the time of the 1930 Federal census of "Detroit City," Precinct 26, the Castners were living at and owned a house at 16863 Lenore Avenue valued at $4,000—presumably the Redford location. Ed claimed to be a home decorator. Catherine was twenty-six years younger than Ed and had no occupation.
In later years Ed and Kate worked at a restaurant at the corner of Trumbull and Grand River streets, according to memories of Ed's grandson Howard Paige. Ed and Kate lived in their small cottage in Redford, where Ed died of a stroke in February of 1939 at age 85. He, baby Castner, and Catherine—who died in June 1965—were all laid to rest in Section 14, Lot 303, of Detroit's Grand Lawn Cemetery.
Maud A. Castner and Charles O. Page, both of Lansing, were married in Lansing May 24, 1902, by Samuel B. Chase, Minister. Witnesses were Frank Cline and Mrs. E. Castner, both of Lansing. (Maud's mother Franc's maiden name was listed as Gargett.) They stayed for a short while with Charles' mother and stepfather, Sarah and Harvey Cline. The Clines moved to Mason after Harvey's election as Sheriff of Ingham County. The Pages also moved to Mason by the time of the 1910 Federal census, where they were living on Lansing Street. Maude assisted Sheriff Cline when it was necessary to transport female prisoners. After H.O. left office in 1911, the Pages moved to Jackson, MI.
Franky Castner married jolly Harry J. Witherell in 1903 according to notes left by Franky's daughter Maude, who also wrote that Harry was born on August 1, 1860, and died on August 24, 1931. However, Franc M. Castner and Harry J. Witherell were not married to each other at the time of the 1910 Federal census of the 6th Ward of Detroit, Wayne Co., MI. Then, Harry was a roomer of Franc M. Castner's at 345 Michigan Ave. Franc was listed as 45 years old and divorced, her father having been born in NY and mother in MA. Harry was listed as 47 years old and married, his father having been born in NY and mother in VT. Both Franc and Harry claimed to have been born in MI. Franc was a dressmaker and Harry a barber. Another barber and wife, James (sic) and Ruth S. C. Yenx (sic), also lived in the apartment. James was 36, born in Canada of Canadian parents and Ruth was 25, born in Scotland of Scottish parents. James and Ruth had been married four years.
Harry J. a.k.a. Henry Witherell had been an upholsterer and a carpenter before becoming a barber. Purportedly he was born at Lakeport, St. Clair Co., MI, though his brother Alvah L. and sister Sarah Blanch were born at Clyde, same county. During the Civil War Harry’s 23-year-old father Hiram Justin Witherell enlisted in Company K of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry on September 20, 1861, at Lakeport. He was killed October 30, 1864, in action during the Battle of Shoal Creek, TN. Hiram’s daughter Sarah Blanch was born nearly four months posthumously.
After their father's death and by 1870, Harry, Alvah and Sarah were living with their Stevens grandparents. Their mother, the former Almira Stevens, a.k.a. Alma, remarried to William Franklin Davis in 1871 and they later adopted a son, Harry Davis. (In the 1870 Federal census taken at Clyde, St. Clair Co., MI, the grandfather's given name Aladdin was incorrectly listed as "Alexander"; also, the surname was incorrectly spelled "Stephens.") Aladdin and Elizabeth (Cascaddin) Stevens had immigrated from Elgin Co., Canada, to the USA in 1849.
Harry Witherell lived a number of years at Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada, where three of his four children—Blanche, Grace Lucille, and Harry, Jr.—were born by his first wife Catherine, former surname Lawrence. Later his family, as well as Catherine's parents and brother, lived together at Port Huron, St. Clair Co., MI, just across the St. Clair River from Sarnia, where Harry and Catherine’s son Frederick was born. Harry Jr., nicknamed "Doc" and "Dockie" during his service in the First World War, sent pictures from Europe home, which were added to Dockie’s stepmother Franky's picture album.
Harry Sr. was a barber as were his adopted brother Harry Davis, brother-in-law Don Mcphee (who married Sarah), father-in-law Thomas Lawrence and brother-in-law Thomas Lawrence, Jr. (Thomas Lawrence and son were listed as hair dressers in Canadian censuses.) Later, after marrying Franky, Harry and Franky lived several years in Detroit, where Harry gave free haircuts to his Castner step-grandchildren.
Thomas Lawrence, Sr. and his children were listed as having Spanish ancestry at the time of the 1871 Canadian census and as having African ancestry in Canada's 1881 census. He was born in TN but in 1900 did not know the birthplace of his parents, which he claimed had been slaves. At various times during his life he listed himself as Black (B for race in 1900 Federal census of Port Huron, St. Clair Co., MI), though he was listed as White on his death record in 1914, with his father listed as having been born in Spain and mother in TN. Most likely Thomas, Sr. was a light complexioned mulatto, quadroon or even octoroon. His wife Mary was of Irish ancestry, and their children were usually listed as White when they filled out their census information in the US. In Canada, Catherine and Thomas, Jr. were listed as having Spanish ancestry in 1871 and African ancestry in 1881. It is probable that Thomas Lawrence, Sr. had been a runaway slave.
At the time of the 1920 Federal census of Detroit’s 6th Ward, sixty-two-year-old Harry Witherell was a barber working for wages at a shop on Michigan Avenue. [A. F. Smith's Barber Shop was located at 247 Michigan Avenue. Besides haircuts, the shop also advertised "Hot and Cold Baths."] Fifty-eight-year-old Franc Witherell was listed as a dressmaker working on own account, which meant self-employed. She declared that her father was born in New York and mother was born in Massachusetts. Also in the household was thirty-one-year-old Yula Wigand. She was shown as married, an office worker for the Tool Works, and working for wages. They were living at 384 Elizabeth Street. The census was taken January 8, 1920.
Yula Castner had left high school to attend a business college. In Lansing, on September 20, 1904, she had married Horace N. Mead, b. 1880 in MO. They were married by Samuel B. Chase, Minister, and witnesses were Chas. O. Page and Mrs. Chas O. Page of Lansing. Horace was a Broker residing in Chicago. (Yula's mother Franc's maiden name was listed as Sutliff.) Consent had to be filed as Yula was under age. This marriage was later annulled. Then Yula had married William Wigand of Ionia, Michigan, on June 29, 1908 at Windsor, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. William was a son of William and Noll (Marion) Wigand. They were unted by E. G. Dymond, and witnesses were Chas. O. Page and Mrs. Chas O. Page of Detroit. However, William turned out to be a dipsomaniac, and the couple were later divorced. Yula never re-married nor had any children by either husband.
The Page family, including Charles, Maud, Margaret, Howard, and Marshal, was living at 936 S. Jackson Street when the 1920 Federal census was taken of Jackson, Michigan. They were living next door to where the Witherells would soon be moving. The family, excluding Charles and Howard, was still living at 936 S. Jackson Street when the 1930 Federal census was taken. Charles was missing due to having divorced Maud and was now staying with son Howard and daughter-in-law Jennie. At that time, Maud was an employed saleswoman at a shoe store, Margaret was an employed bookkeeper at a light and power company, and Marshal was an unemployed ambulance driver for an undertaker. The household did not yet own a radio set.
Around 1921 the Witherells moved to 934 S. Jackson Street in Jackson next door to the Pages. Yula had developed consumption (tuberculosis) and apparently had been placed in the sanitarium near there, where she died May 20, 1921. Frankie and Harry were in Jackson only a short while before Harry began suffering attacks of senility. Frankie found she could not leave him alone because he would suddenly get up and wander into the street. So she remained at home making an income working with furs for some of the wealthier people of Jackson. Frankie was assisted by her daughter Maude Page next door. Maude worked mostly with cloth, so when a fur piece was required on one of her sewing projects, she would take it for her mother to do. Additional income came from renting upstairs rooms.
Howard and Jennie's family was living at 710 Lincoln Street in Jackson at the time of the 1930 Federal census. In the household were Howard, Jennie L., Royce, and Charles. Howard was employed in operations at the electric light company, and Charles was employed in decorating for a retail store. The household owned a radio set.
Harry and Frankie were living in the house on South Jackson Street, which they owned, at the time of the 1930 Federal census. Lodging with them were two women: Helen L. McNally, 23 years old and born in Illinois, and Esther C. Jewell, 30 years old, born in Michigan. Both were working as operators for the telephone company. Frankie was employed as a seamstress for a dry goods store. Harry had no profession listed. Also, the couple did not yet own a radio set.
Some years after Maude's divorce from Charles, she and the remaining children moved in with the Witherells. The Page children eventually married and moved away, followed by their mother in 1942, after she married Ira Moore. Harry died in 1931, after which Frankie continued to maintain the house on the western edge of the Greenlawn Cemetery until leaving it for the Keeney Nursing Home on October 15, 1963, a few months before her death.
Besides upstairs tenants, Frankie had someone living with her at all times during the later years. Esther Jewell was just like one of the family until her death. For several years thereafter Frankie's helper was a man by the name of Walter Fess. He slept in the front room, where he would be nearby if Frankie needed assistance. After Walter died around 1960, Frankie had a series of female helpers. During the latter part of her life she sat in an overstuffed chair in the living room at the entrance to her bedroom. In front of her was a small table which held an ancient radio, facial tissues, other odds–'n–ends, and a birdcage which held her love, a parakeet named "Cappy." It was here that she received her visitors, and from where she related stories of her past to her grand, great-grand and great-great–grandchildren. Frankie passed away on February 7, 1964, approaching her 102nd birthday.
Frankie Witherell is interred at Woodland Cemetery in Jackson, MI, alongside her second husband Harry Witherell and daughters Maude Moore and Yula Wigand.
Additional information about Charles Orlando Page’s life can be found at Sarah_Keyes.html, including his marriage to Florence (Peck) Squier, at In_Search_of_Riley.html and Charles_and_George_Page.html.
Additional information about Maude Annabelle (Castner) Page can be found at Sarah_Keyes.html and In_Search_of_Riley.html, including her marriage to Ira Arthur Moore in the next Castner family section.
Additional information about Franky Witherell can be found in the previous Castner family section and at Castner_Family_p6.html.
Last modified: Monday August 25, 2014
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