Le Montage de Famille

1850-1859

The decade beginning 1850 finds some of the known vector families living in Europe and Canada, i.e., Garrett, Lindstrom and Westurlund.

In Ireland and Canada:

Garrett: The Garretts, Hugh, Sr. and Mary, apparently remained in Ireland. Hugh, Jr. remained in Canada, marrying Mary Elizabeth Thurlow in Lavant Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Upper Canada, near the decade’s beginning. Mary was a daughter of George Edward and Mary (Ballantyne) Thurlow. Four children were born to Hugh, Jr. and Mary during this decade. The last two of these, and perhaps all, were born at Goderich, Huron County, Ontario, Upper Canada.

In USA:

Keyes: The Keyes family was spread out into Niagara County, New York, and Kalamazoo County, Michigan—Climax and Prairie Ronde. Orlando had remained in Cambria after his mother immigrated to Michigan and had become a cooper a.k.a. barrel maker by profession. Near the beginning of the decade Orlando and Lucinda had one more child in New York State, purportedly in Pekin, Niagara County, before immigrating to Climax Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. They settled on a 64-acre farm in the northeast corner of Section 17. They had three children at Climax during this decade, including Sarah M. Keyes, future second wife of widower Riley Preston Page and future second wife of widower Harvey Olmstead “H. O.” Cline. Orlando became a Methodist preacher during the decade, and near its end he formed a class at the Wilson schoolhouse in West Climax late in the decade, which was the start of the West Climax Methodist Church. The earliest known marriage performed by Rev. Keyes (as notated in his record book) occurred at West Climax, when he united James A. Vandebogart and Margaret Harrison, both of Climax. Oftentimes Rev. Keyes would have members of his own family be witnesses to marriages he officiated.
Castner: The Castners were in Milo, Yates County, New York, for the first half of the decade. William and Sarah Castner had the remainder of their children including Edward Potter Castner. Ed would be the future first husband of Frances “Franky” Marie Laronge Gargett/Suttlif, daughter of Marie Laronge, and second husband of Catherine E. Yates, daughter of Richard and Anne Maria (Hurst) Yates. The family moved to Ovid, Clinton County, Michigan, for the second half of the decade, where William purchased 80 acres in Section 18 of Township 7 North, Range 1 West.
Hood: The Hoods were in Oakland, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Hillsdale counties, Michigan, and LaSalle County, Illinois. By the end of the decade the father, James Hood, would settle at Moscow, Hillsdale County, Michigan, where several of his children had made their home. He also married Emily, the widow of Lewis T. Miller. Her stepdaughter Elizabeth, from her first marriage, lived with them for some years. (Lewis was an uncle of the Hon. William H. Seward of “Seward’s Folly/Icebox” fame.)
Bliss: The Bliss family was on a 200-acre farm four miles northeast of Clyde, Wayne County, New York. Calvin and Louisa had the last of their children during this decade.
Shaw: John and Clara Ann (Hoke) Shaw had their last child before moving their family from New York to Rock, Rock County, Wisconsin, at the beginning of this decade, and later to Willow, Richland County, in the same state. James Ransler Shaw married Elizabeth Watts in Janesville, Rock County, near the beginning of the decade. Her parents were Oscar and Clara Watts. All but one of their children were born during this decade, and only the first one, James Watts Shaw, was born in Wisconsin. James W. would be the future husband of Carrie May Dow. Not long after James W.’s birth, James R. and Elizabeth took their family to Bedford, Calhoun County, Michigan, where they would reside for the next couple of decades.
Rice: The Rice family was living in Oakland, Oakland County, Michigan. Benjamin R. Rice married Hestor A. Knight in Oakland County early in the decade and they had their first three children.
Barnes: The Barnes family was in Jackson County, Michigan. David and Arvilla Barnes were in Spring Arbor, Jackson County, and had their last child. Mid-decade David lost Arvilla and their son Murvin, leaving only daughter Donzetta a.k.a. “Zetta” and “Zettie.”
Tuttle: Daniel Tuttle and Julia Ann were living in Dexter Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Julia Ann died during this decade.
Page: The Page family continued in Webster, Monroe County, New York, until selling out later in the decade. William and Chloe, and their sons William, Jr. and Riley, all emigrated to Bronson, Branch County, Michigan. William, Jr. had already married before then to English-born Mariah a.k.a. “Marie” Patch, and they had had their first of nine children—Jay D.—the only one born in the state of New York. Before the end of the decade, and after the Page migration to Michigan, Riley P. married Elizabeth Adelaide Hollenbeck at Burr Oak in St. Joseph County. She was a daughter of William and Adelaide Hollenbeck. They settled at Matteson in Branch County. Riley’s future second wife Sarah M. Keyes was born about the middle of this decade at Climax, Kalamazoo County, Michigan to Orlando and Lucinda (Shook) Keyes. Riley’s third wife Emily “Emma” Conant was born near the beginning of the decade to Cornelius B. and Sarah “Sally” (McFarlin) Conant in Perinton, Monroe County, New York. Three of William Page, Sr.’s four known English-born children from his first marriage—Esther (married Benjamin Hoag late in life), Ebenezer (married Elizabeth and had seven children) and Mary (married Alonzo Langdon and had two children)—remained in New York, mostly in the Wayne and Monroe counties area. The fourth and last born, Nathan S. (married Sarah J. Maynard and had three children), settled in Sodus, Berrien County, Michigan but would spend his last three decades in Chicago. Chloe (Thayer) Robinson Page’s firstborn Clarkson “Clark” Robinson settled in Branch County but would die during the Civil War. Chloe’s second son and daughter-in-law Chauncey “Chancy” and Louisa (Hill) Robinson moved to Quincy, Branch County, Michigan, about the same time as the Page migration, became hotel keepers and had five children. Chloe’s third son and daughter-in-law Luther and Maria (Hill) Robinson had moved their family to Branch County a few years before the others, settling at Matteson. They had either seven or eight children. Chloe’s only daughter Chloe Ann Robinson and last-born Robinson son Lewis James remained in Monroe County, New York. Chloe Ann, who never had children, lived in Webster and was married to hotel keeper Henry Smith. (In later years Riley Page would live with the widow Chloe (Robinson) Smith and buy her house.)

Last updated: Monday January 23, 2012

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