THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR Bulletin of the Sebewa Center Association,
APRIL 1993, Volume 28, Number 5.
Submitted with written permission of Editor Grayden D. Slowins:

SURNAMES:
STRONG, HOWLAND, MATTSON, MORGAN, EVANS, SNITGEN, LAY, HUFNAGEL, SPITZLEY, SCHMITT, KLOECKNER, McDOWELL, GOODEMOOT, ROBINSON, FAULKNER, FOX, GOODEMOOT, WOLCOTT, SLOWINSKI, LIVINGSTON, RUSH, PRESTON, JACKSON, LIND, BRAKE, COSENS, BETZNER, BREAK, SHERK, BRECH, MILLER, GOODCHILD, PARKS, SNYDER, SHON-E-KAY-ZHICK, DAVID, FISHER, DeCLERG, McDONALD, RICHARDSON, CATT, HERRON,WISELOGLE, HALLADAY, SEARS, FRIEND, MERRILL, CARPENTER, THOMPSON, GATES, McCORNACK, LOVELL, FENDER, EVEREST, BURGER, BEEBE

RECENT DEATHS:
ELMOND STRONG, 82, son of Ernest Strong, stepson of Katherine Howland Strong, husband of Agnes Mattson Strong, father of Ernest, Richard & Betsey. Graduated from PHS in 1927, clerked for Roy Dawdy & Steketee’s, farmed on Morgan-Strong-Evans farm on Bippley Road, delivered gas & oil at Wayland. They retired to Messa, Arizona, and had recently moved to Hermitage, Tenn.

ANNETTE K. SNITGEN, 61, wife of Eugene, mother of Lois, David, Russell & Eric, sister of Ivan Lay, daughter of Norman Lay & Mary K. Spitzley, daughter of Katherine Hufnagel & Joseph Spitzley, son of Mary Catherine Schmitt & Anton Spitzley, son of Anna Marie Kloeckner & Johann Jakob Spitzley, who emigrated from Prussia to Westphalia, MI, in 1846. She graduated from PHS Class of 1950.

MARIAN E. McDOWELL, 78, widow of John, mother of Ford, Robert, James, Russell & Joel McDowell, sister of Myron, Rex & Donald Goodemoot, and of Helen Robinson & Arlene (Peg) Faulkner, and of the late Frances & Ford Goodemoot. She was the daughter of Sarah (Sadie) Fox & Donald Goodemoot, son of Russell Goodemoot, son of Mary Goodemoot, and thereby was great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Oliver Wolcott Sr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Connecticut. She had farmed for many years on the Roman Slowinski portion of the Christopher Slowinski homestead.

BURDETTE W. LIVINGSTON, 84, husband of Mildren Rush & Alice Preston Jackson, father of Martha Lind and David, Paul & Lyle, brother of Karyl and the late Forrest & Frank Livingston. He was son of Walter Livingston & Ida Brake, daughter of Caroline Cosens & Abraham Brake, son of Catherine Betzner & John Break, son of Christina Magdalene Sherk & John Brech, son of Hannes Brech. Caroline was daughter of Ann Miller & Charles Cosens, son of Ann Goodchild & Charles Cosens Sr.

VERTIE FAY McDONALD, 108, widow of Frank McDonald, aunt of Hazel Richardson & LeRoy Catt, daughter of Nancy Jane Herron & George Catt, sister of the late Orvin Catt & Ida Catt. She was born February 13, 1884, during the Presidency of Chester Allen Arthur, in SE ¼ Sec. 18 Odessa Township. Vertie & Frank farmed on the A. C. Green-Reverend Hoffman-Kyle Stambaugh farm on Musgrove Hwy. Sec. 23 Sebewa, and then on their own place on State Road Sec. 19 Sebewa, for over 50 years total.
She also made her rounds with horse & buggy giving piano lessons. Retired to Thornapple Manor, she was one of the oldest people in America and had a better chance statistically of reaching her 109th birthday than any of the rest of us. She was 108 years, 10 months, and 26 days, dying on January 9. Her father’s brother, Robert, fought in the Civil War, and we helped mark his grave at Lakeside Cemetery with a bronze plaque.

MEMORIES by Fred Wiselogle (continued)
Dr. Shannon, who had been one of my bosses in the antimalarial program, had left Goldwater Hospital to head up research in the Squibb Institute for Medical Research in New Brunswick, New Jersey and asked me to join him – and I went to the Squibb Institute in August, 1946………the accomplishment of these two drug companies in marketing a drug that could be taken orally and was effective and non toxic in the treatment of TB lead to their receiving the prestigious Lasker award for their contributions to medical health…
(to be continued)

HALLADAY UPDATES: (See Vol 27, No 1, August 1991, for story)

ELIHU HALLADAY, born 1797, died 1858, married Amanda, born 1818, died 1899, and they lived at S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 25 Sebewa, where Larry Brown lives now. Their son was:

1) CHARLES LINCOLN HALLADAY married Mildred Eliza Sears and also lived at S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 25 Sebewa Township.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Edith
2. Arthur
3. Ernest
4. Lucy A.
5. Walter
6. Ruth

4) LUCY ALFREDA HALLADAY, 1877-1958, daughter of Charles L. & Mildred Sears Halladay, married Ralph Eldred Friend, 1874-1940.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Lawrence Friend.
2. Evelyn Friend – married Dale Courser.
3. Beatrice Friend – married Kenneth Curtiss.
4. Lucille Friend – married Todd.
5. Mildred L. Friend – married Royce Merrill.
6. George H. Friend – married Esther Thompson & Vida Curtis.

5) MILDRED LEONE FRIEND, daughter of Ralph E. & Lucy A. Halladay Friend, married her third cousin, Royce, Halladay Merrill, son of Roscoe & G. Lillian Halladay Merrill, and they lived at SE 10Ac S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 25 Sebewa, which their son, Gary, still owns.

DAVID HALADAY, born 1799, died 1859, brother of Elihu, married Nancy Carpenter, born 1799, died 1880, daughter of Abel Carpenter & J. Martin, and they lived at NE1/4 Sec. 36 Sebewa, which is still owned by great-granddaughter Ethelynd Thompson.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Roxanna Halladay – married Jasper Clark.
2. Elmira (Myra) Halladay – married Elisha Green.
3. Anna Halladay – married Berten Ruggles.
4. Malvina N. Halladay – married Daniel W. Halladay.
5. Daniel C. Halladay – married Susan Spooner.
6. Abel C. Halladay – married Rosabella Gates.
7. Monroe D. Halladay – married Celia Halladay.
8. Sarah Halladay.

4) MALVINA N. HALLADAY, 1836-1913, daughter of David & Nancy Carpenter Halladay, married her first cousin, Daniel W. Halladay, 1829-1890, son of Apollos & Annie Halladay, and they lived at SE ¼ Sec. 25 Sebewa.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. George D. Halladay – married Mary Dravenstatt.
2. Anna Halladay – married Oscar Dravenstatt.

6) Abel Carpenter Halladay, 1829-1905, born in New Hampshire, son of David & Nancy Carpenter Halladay, was married in Vermont to Rosebella Ingall Gates, 1833-1908, daughter of Ezra Gates & Elizabeth Ingall Gates, daughter of Jonathan Ingall, 1762-1843, Sebewa’s Soldier of the Revolution, and lived at SE 10Ac S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 25 Sebewa.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. George (Edgar) Halladay – married Ethelynd Lena McCormack.
2. Anna Jane Halladay – married Wilmont Hale Sears.
3. Lennie Victoria Halladay – married Herbert Bingham.
4. Alice Rosebella Halladay – married Charles Evans Gardner.
5. Grace Lillian Halladay – married Roscoe (Ross) Merrill.

1)GEORGE (EDGAR) HALLADAY, 1851-1930, son of Abel C. & Rosabella Gates Halladay, married Ethelynd Lena McCormack, 1861-1948, and they lived at NE1/4 Sec. 36 Sebewa, on his grandfather’s farm.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Blanche Effie Halladay – married John Lippencott.
2. A. C. (Abel C.?) (Midge) Halladay.

2)ANNA JANE HALLADAY, 1854-1929, daughter of Abel C. & Rosabella Gates Halladay, married Wilmont Hale Sears, 1848-1912, and they are buried in Danby Cemetery.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Roy Sears, 1878-1948 – married Edna L.
2. Ollie Sears.
3. Etha Sears – married Allen Amon.

5) GRACE LILLIAN HALLADAY, 1866-1959, daughter of Abel C. & Rosabella Gates Halladay, married Roscoe (Ross) W. Merrill, 1879-1927, and they lived at SE 10Ac S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 25 Sebewa.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Monroe Merrill.
2. Royce Halladay Merrill – married Mildred L. Friend.
3. Olive Merrill.

7)MONROE D. HALLADAY, son of David & Nancy Carpenter Halladay, married Celia Halladay, whose connection is not noted.
THEIR CHILDREN WERE:
1. Daniel S. Halladay.
2. William Halladay.
3. Harlow Halladay.
4. Gary Halladay.

APOLLOS HALLADAY, born 1801, died 1882, another brother of Elihu & David Halladay, married Annis, born 1804, died 1875, and they were the first of the family to live at SE 10Ac S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 25 Sebewa. They sold this home to Ed Ruggles, son of Anna Halladay & Berten Ruggles. Abel C. & Rosabella Halladay and Lillian & Roscoe Merrill got it back by caring for Ed, their nephew & cousin.
APOLLOS & ANNIS’ son was:
1. Daniel W. Halladay – married Malvina N. Halladay.

ABEL LOVELL HALLADAY, a fourth brother of Elihu, David & Apollos Halladay, never came to Sebewa. He is thought to be father of Henry Halladay, 1819-1881. Henry & wife Catherine, who died in 1890, lived at W1/2 NW1/4 Sec. 31 Danby, where Walter Brown lives now, and ran a hotel in their home. They also owned SW1/4 SW1/4 Sec. 30 Danby, where their daughter, Helen Blanchard, later lived.
HENRY 7 CATHERINE’S CHILDREN WERE:
1. Helen Halladay, 1859-1919, married Elmer Blanchard, 1851-1903
2. Eugene Halladay, 1861-1932, married Anna, 1859-1932.
3. Boy Halladay, married Lovina or Lavina, became parents of Rev. Will Halladay, longtime United Brethren Minister.

FENDER UPDATES:
DORA M. FENDER & HARRY B. EVEREST’S children were not listed in our last issue. They were:
1. Charles Everest, born 1903, died 1906.
2. Louisa M. Everest, born 1909, married Burger, lives in California.
3. Martha I. Everest, born 1911, died 1933.
4. Vera M. Everest, born 1916, married Beebe, lived in Grand Rapids.
5. Thelma M. Everest, born 1918, married Robert Johnson, Belding.
6. Raymond E. Everest, born 1925, lives in Alpena.

PETER PARKS 1836-1901 BECAME INDIAN CHIEF

This story taken from a talk by Janet Snyder of St. Johns, MI, begins with a kidnapping that took place in central Michigan sometime before 1840. Silas Leonard Parks and his wife Elizabeth were among 13 families that migrated from Rochester, NY, in 1836 and settled near St. Johns, in Duplain Township, Clinton Co, MI. One day Elizabeth was called away to care for a sick neighbor. She left her two year old son Peter in the care of his older brother William, since Silas was asleep. On her return Elizabeth could not find Peter.

He had evidently slipped out of the house unnoticed and attempted to follow his mother. Family and friends joined in the search for many days without success. Unbeknown to them, the wife of Indian Chief Jim Fisher found Peter in the woods and took him back to the nearby Indian village. To avoid his being discovered, the squaw dyed his skin and hair with walnut oil.

For years Peter’s parents never gave up the hope that he would be found. There were rumors in the neighborhood that Silas had killed his son and buried him. This turned him into a sad, silent, remote person who rarely spoke. It was not until after his death that Peter was discovered.

This young Parks boy grew up as any other lad in the Indian village, developing the various skills needed to exist. The bows and arrows he made were of high quality. Many of these he sold to the white boys in the area. Peter was given the Indian name Shon-e-kay-zhick, although he later acquired the name of the Chief in whose home he lived. The name Jim or James and other Christian names used by the Indians are believed to be an offshoot of their conversion to Christianity.

Later he was sent off to a school in Canada, perhaps run by the Methodist Church, for he later became a devoted follower of that sect. He was a manly boy who usually wore an old felt hat, the crown of which was adorned with a long black feather. Boys in Owosso found him a good friend. He was skilled at all games and sports and was a fine horseback rider.

Records show that Peter served in the Civil War on the side of the Union. On his return he married an Indian maiden, Julia David. They had three sons, Archie, Layton & John; also three daughters Jeanette, Emily, and Frances. Jim Fisher (for this is the name by which he was known) built a church and school in Indiantown where the tribe lived – some 6 miles north & east of St. Charles. He preached the word of God and gained many converts by his untiring efforts. At times he also resided in a settlement on the Flint River.

On the death of the Chief, Jim took on that responsibility. The tribe was fearful of losing its strength and wanted a white man as chief, a white man who could plead their cause with other white men. Everyone had known there was something different about Jim, for he was not like other Indians. He built his own sauna and bathed every day!

Word finally reached the Parks family in 1876 that he was alive; his parents now both dead. His brother William was living in New Have, Macomb County, some 80 miles east of Indiantown. Jim made him a visit to talk about the possibility of receiving a portion of his father’s estate. The Parks family was now prosperous and willing to share with their new-found brother Jim (Peter).

William encouraged him to come back into the white man’s world. Jim told the family that his ways were more Indian and that his place was with his family and the tribe for which he was the leader. For this reason he never made a claim nor took back the name Peter. Thus he remained until his death about 1901, teaching, preaching, and pleading the tribe’s cause in Lansing. END.
(Mrs. Maurice DeClerg of Portland is from the Parks family. She is the great-granddaughter of William Parks.)