tidbits

John H. Oakley, buried at Riverside Cemetery, is my John’s brother, Joseph’s son. I was so excited to discover where he is buried this week.

Go to findagrave.com and search for John H Oakley in Michigan, Cass County, Riverside Cemetery, you can see my memorial and follow the family links.

Joseph Oakley, John’s father, was in Dearborn, in 1850, so I’m not sure how John ended up in Cass County. Joseph moved on to Kansas and his son, John H., stayed behind in Michigan. John married Martha Jane Robinson. Her parents are buried at Riverside (Spencer and Nancy) and I wonder if John isn’t even on their lot with them. John and Martha had two sons, William H. and John H. (yes, another John H.!!!). I think William is the one in Berrien but I haven’t proved that yet.

John died young, at 37. The record I found said that he died in Cass County but I was wondering if he could have been a Civil War soldier for Cass County. John’s cousin died at the Battle of Williamsburg, so that made me start wondering. from the file of Krueger, Cynthia <Cynthia.Krueger@witc.edu>
Webmaster note. - William Oakley is living in St. Joseph, MI in the 1880 census and his mother Martha is in the next city of Benton Harbor. I believe this to be the same family. William died 15 September 1886 in Benton Harbor.

William R. Adams & Mary Adelia "Addie" Hill's - family and history. (See Marriage Certificate this site)
After marriage in 1864, Howard Twp, Cass County, IN - they also lived in Pike Twp, Warren Co., IN;
Covert, Van Buren County and Niles, Berrien County, MI. They had a total of 12 children, 10 of which lived
into the 20th century.
Note from contributor of family research:
The family is mentioned in the book "A Stronger Kinship" by Anna-Lisa Cox
concerning their time in Covert. After the civil war, William, Adelia and
their growing family lived for a time in West Lebanon, Indiana then moved
back to western Michigan. William Adams is a mystery prior to his 1863
draft registration, but his wife's family lived in Cass County for quite
some time. Moving there from Ohio around 1844. Mary Adelia Hill Adams was
the daughter of Henry Nelson Hill and his wife Elizabeth. I have traced
their family back to Orange County VA in the 1750's.
William and Adelia were my great-great grandparents. Anyone who is
researching the Adams or Hill families can contact me at the following
email. merlinwv@frontier.com
Thank you, and I hope the information provided will be helpful.

Rebecca Adams Palmer

Marcellus, Michigan Stock Farms Photo Added - from the Scrap Book of Tom McKee - C. W. Bowers proprietor.
These were some of my relations business as they imported livestock and
horses from other areas, including California where Wm and Edward Bowers lived. Circa 1940's.

Bowers Family Reunion Circa 1925 - from the Scrap Book of Tom McKee
click on photo for larger image

Frank and Katherine Alverd (Bowers) McKee --- Golden (50th) Wedding Anniversary Jan 1, 1939

Joseph Hamilton Burns who came to Cass County Michigan in 1843. He purchased land on Mason Street and that land is still in the family.
Joseph married Rachel Simmons in 1851. She was the daughter of Lorenzo and Ann Gale Simmons. She died. There were no children.

Joseph married Louana Charlotte Loomis Tharp in 1854. She was the daughter of Harlin and Charlotte Loomis and the widow ofSolomon Tharp.
She had a son, Harlin Tharp who was born in 1846. Joseph and Louana had 5 children. Louana died in 1873. We have a record of all of the descendant.
Joseph married Ann Eliza Cowell Whitman in 1874. She was the widow of Orrin Whitman and had a son, Walter Whitman. She died in 1892.

Stewart Family - Meeting for 100 years in Cassopolis "If your father was a Stewart - you were there," said Patty Jordan of Springfield, Ill,
attending the 100th Stewart family reunion Saturday. A procession of wagons, horses and old cars made its way from the location of the
first family reunion on the corner of Mt. Zion and Calvin Center roads to the home of Robert and Joan Curtis on Cassopolis Road, Cassopolis.
Dorothy Stewart of Van Wert, Ohio, remembering attending the reunions when she was a little girl of four. Wearing an old fashioned bonnet and dress, s
he had a place of honor with other senior members in a horse drawn wagon which mirrored the one in which the Grand Marshall rode in 1901.

Cassopolis Vigilant - July 11, 1918 - Page 1 Two men Killed on Railway Crossing
Verne Clark and Mack LaPorte of Volinia Struck at Galsburg.
Mack Laporte was instantly killed and Laverne Clark so badly injured that he died on the way to the hospital, when their auto was struck by a
Michigan Central train just west of the Village of Galsburg last Friday evening.
   Mr. Clark, who was a parner in the firm of Etter & Clark, conducting a general store in the village of Nicholsville in Volinia township,
had driven to Camp Custer earlier in the day with an auto load of eggs, and was accompanied by Mr. Laporte, also a resident of NIcholsviller. ...
the article goes on to describe the accident and then states.....
   The remains of both men were brought to Nicholsville. Mr. Laporte's funeral serveice was held at the Volinia Baptist church Monday forenoon,
conducted by Rev. Collins, pastor of the church. Deceased was 72 years of age.

   The funeral service for Mr. Clark was helf at Bethel church Monday afternoon and was largely attended. Deceased was a son of
Albert Clark of Penn township, where he was born Dec. 2, 1883 and where he had always resided until a few month ago,
when he left the farm to engage in the mercantile business at Nicholsville. A few years ago he was married to Etherl Ray, who, with on sone, Alvin,
survives him as does his aged father, Albert Clark and a brother Ray Clark, to whom sincere sympathy is extended by a host of friends.

Harwood Lake vs. Corey Lake - It was brought to my attention in May of 2009 that Harwood Lake Cemetery was once Cory Lake or Corey Lake Cemetery.
Evidently at one time the Corry or Corey family owned land in the Newberg township area but by the 1900's the lake designated as Cory Lake had been changed
to Harwood Lake. Harwood Lake now empties into the remainder of Corey Lake with a small portion in Cass County the the bulk of Corey Lake extending into
St. Joesph Co., Michigan. If you examine the Cass County Maps for different time periods, you will see the change occur. Also in the 1928 map of Newberg township,
the cemetery location is designated with a + symbol.
  It is easy to see why the names might have mingled and interchanged over the decades. Joshua Corey arrived in the Corey Lake area circa 1836
and the following year Hiram Harwood arrived and settled close to Joshua. The change of names for the area can also be proven by reading the
Cass County History which states that Hiram and his wife were buried in the "Old Corey Burying Ground". Years later when this cemetery was read,
it was shown as Harwood Lake Cemetery.
  A further note of interest is that Hiram Harwood's daughter, Melisa Harwood (born May 17, 1816) wed Joshua Corey at Corey's Lake, Michigan,
May 18, 1834. She died in 1852 and Joshua in 1888. We have, to this date, not found their burials.

Cyrus Bacon and Melinda Guersey were the parents of Cyrus Bacon, Jr, who was a Civil War surgeon.
Cyrus Jr. died at a young age from "Brights" disease and left his pregnant widow, Arabella Knox Bacon with three young children, Knox, Lyle and Cyrus III.

Arabella raised the children in the Niles-Edwardburg area. Her Parents, Elizabeth Cholwell and Abraham Philip Knox, moved to that area from Red Hook,
New York in 1855. Between the Bacons and the Knoxs, Arabella had a lot of family support. Her youngest son, Cyrus III, died at the age of 5.
Her other two sons, Knox and Lyle, put themselves through Medical School and became physicians.
Lyle has a wonderful diary of his experiences during these times. Terry Gorton, a great grandson of Knox, and I have been trying to piece together
the family in the Niles-Edwardsburg area.
Terry has two of Cyrus Bacon Jr's civil war swords along with Cyrus's Civil War commissions and other info.
Most recently he shared with me a photo of a home we think may be in the Edwardburg area. (See our County photos page)
Notes on the back of the photo say the home was located on the Edwardburg Road just outside the Niles town limits. We are wondering if this home still stands,
picture attached. Terry has 3 Sherton chairs which are like the ones on the front porch. They belonged to Jacob Cholwell, who brought them over
from England about 1795. (Jacob was Elizabeth Cholwell Knox's father.) Would you have a way of finding out about this house?
We know the Knoxes and Bacons both owned property in this area. Contributed by: Virginia Bacon at vcbacon@sbcglobal.net

History of Camp meetings. In the late 1830's to early 1840's the first camp meetings are believed to have been held in a grove on a farm then owned
by Stephen Curtis on the sight of Sumnerville, and when you crossed the Clyborn bridge, over a half mile away,
you could hear Elder McCool preaching as though you were there.

At that time, they called preachers elders. Elder McCool and Elder Richard Meeks were the two leading preachers in the county.
Mr. McCool was a large, powerful man and his voice could be heard in every part of the grove, chosen for their meetings.

Later the meetings were exchanged from the Curtis farm to the grove on the Shaw place in Howard. Those who attended these meeting noted that arrival
of Elder Meeks, Erkenback and Elder McCool and of McCool, he said he could fight as well as he could preach.

Recalling of “Cripple” Bailey At one of the meetings Frank Bailey, who often thoughtlessly called “Cripple” Bailey, had a lunch counter and lemonade stand,
and drove his team of dogs to Niles and back in an hour. He usually drove a team of three pairs of dogs, and gave exhibitions in the county school houses.
He walked on his knees and at one time had accumulated a good farm, but his last days were spent in poverty and misfortune.

Later the meetings were changed to a place on the Edwards farm, south of Pokagon village. Here on the bank of the historic Pokagon creek were a number of springs,
and stately trees furnished the shade and harmonious surroundings. Then they were changed to the woods on Rogers farm across the cheerful Dowagiac
and near Sumnerville. The community was growing and at one such meeting a man sent a load of watermelons to one of the gatherings held.

Around March 15, 1861, meetings were moved to an unimproved spot known as Crystal Springs, in Berrien County, Michigan. -
Synopsis from The News-Palladium August 5, 1903 pg 3 Col. 1

April - 1953

“Shawnee, Okla. - The body of 64-year old JIM THORPE, hailed by millions as the greatest athlete in the world, will be buried in the scrub oak country
of eastern Oklahoma where he was born. Catholic funeral services will be conducted at St. Benedict’s Church. Following the funeral the body will be
placed in a mausoleum at Fairview Cemetery until a $100, 00 shrine in his honor is completed. THORPE, who climbed to Olympic fame from humble
beginnings as a Sac and Fox Indian tribesman, died two weeks ago at his home in Lomita, Calif. From a heart attack.”

At the Century, JENNIFER JONES and CHARLTON HESTON in “Ruby Gentry.”

And don't miss the "New" Site connection under Published and Research Connections. It is the Southwestern Michigan Directory with histories and stories about Cass County.
Southwestern Michigan Histories

St. Joseph Herald - Feb 11, 1871 pg 1
The Cassopolis Democrat says: By courtesy of Chas. W. Clisbee, reading clerk of the House, we have received a copy of the Congressional Globe for the 21st ult., by which we perceive that a joint resolution reported from the committee on military affairs by Gen. Stoughton, was passed. The resolution directs the Secretary of war to iss and deliver condemned and unserviceable brass, bronze, or iron cannon to a number of cemeteries, monument associations and villages.
That portion of it in which we are locally interested provides that one piece of condemned cannon be given to the corporate authoriteis of Cassopolis and to Dowagiac, to be used in adorning and emblellishing soldiers cemeteries. The same resolution also gives one piece to Coldwater, Sturgis, Constantine, Allegan, St. Joseph, Paw Paw, Decatur, Niles, and four pieces to the Michigan Soldiers Monument Association of Detroit.

SIXTY BEAUTIFUL YEARS - Circa 1907
Remarkably Well Preserved Couple Celebrate Anniversary in Silver Creek.
At the Aaron Nott home in Silver creek was celebrated on the 23rd, the 60th anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Nott,
a happy gathering of 25 friends, besides the relatives, assisting. Geo. W. Nott was born in the state of New York.
He with his parents moved to Ohio, and later to Bertrand where, September 23rd, 1847, he was united in marriage to Mary McKuen a native of Pennsylvania.
For several years they lived in Berrien, an din the 70-s they moved to Pokagon, and about six years ago they moved to Silver Creek, where they reside with their son Aaron.
This estimable and beloved couple is still enjoying the health, which good habits and a life of industry and generous impulse brings, and they bid fair to live for many years yet.
Mr. Nott was 83 years of age in July, and last week he walked to town, a distance of 4 ½ miles, making the trip without fatigue and refusing the offer of his son to bring him.
Mrs. Nott was 84 last April, and she insisted upon assisting in preparing the dinner for their anniversary, although the daughters finally prevailed upon her to put
on her white apron and sit with the guest and be a guest of honor with them. There were present at this remarkable anniversary-remarkable for we seldom have
the distinction of chronicling such events-the daughters, Mrs. Mary Stockmon of Silver Creek, Mrs. Dell Cooper of this city, and the son Aaron,
with whom the grand old couple live. Besides the above were the grandson, Floyd Grimes, and about 25 guests, neighbors and well wishers.
Recitations and music followed the sumptuous dinner, Mrs. Floyd A. Limbeck reciting the following poem, composed by herself for the occasion:
SIXTY BEAUTIFUL YEARS - Sixty years ago today. In a little cottage brown, There stood a youth so brave and tall, And a girl in her wedding gown.
Somely was he, and straight and strong. And the sunlight never fell. On a sweeter face than the fair young girl’s, The girl he loved so well.
Ah, sweet was her voice as she whispered low The tender words, ‘ I will”, And though many years have rolled away He is lover still. Tender
and true the long years though And the record is fair and white Few are they who can say today

“It is sixty years tonight. Since you and I stood hand in hand, And vowed that we’d be true Till god should send his messenger,
Dear heart, for me-or you. Oh, what a wealth of memories So many years much hold. Treasured within their hearts today Like jewels of worth untold.
Sunshine-sometimes the shadows- And now the sunset light Shedding a wonderous beauty on these dear heads so white. Faces of loved ones long gone home
Still linger in they heart. And often in the twilight The loving teardrops start. But in the quiet hours of night When all around is still They heart knows that his way is best
And bows unto his will. Patient and faithful, tender and true The crown thou shall sometimes wear Will never be half so bright dear heart As the crown of they silvery hair.
Sixty years, ago, ah me, How swiftly the years have flown Children and children’s children To manhood and womanhood grown. And all their lives, they will cherish T
hrough love and laughter and tears The record that though hast given to them These sixty beautiful years.

Cass County
Michigan
Tidbits

Letters | Reunions | Notes

Cass County MichiganTidbits

Letters | Reunions | Notes

Cass County
Michigan
Tidbits