Powers-Putney Families
 

Althus Charles Powers [Orrin, Roswell] b. August 28, 1851, a son of Orrin Hall Powers and Mary Elizabeth Stone; m. Ellen Alfaretta Williams, October 1, 1874, Ashtabula Co., OH; d. December 8, 1890, Chicago, Cook Co., IL; Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago, Cook Co., IL.

            While his older brother went off to college in Boston, Althus stayed with his father and, in the 1880’s, sold religious books with his father door-to-door. After marrying Ellen, Althus had another dedicated co-worker, for Ellen also helped “canvas” the homes in Ashtabula County.         

Ellen was born August 19, 1854, in Linesville, PA, a daughter of John Williams and Adeline Meeker.

            Althus did finally go to college and graduated from the Eastman National Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York, on December 2, 1884. He had a Master of Accts degree (accounting?). Meanwhile, back at Padanaram, he was a class leader at his Methodist church. Ellen sang in the choir. 

            In January, 1883, Althus purchased 31 acres of land from his father. But a year later – April, 1884, he sold it back to him. Around 1886, they moved to San Francisco, California, where their son was born in December. Both Althus and Ellen worked as clerks for A. L. Bancroft & Company in 1887, but by 1888, they had established the Powers Publishing Company.  

            By 1890, Althus and Ellen had taken Powers Publishing to Chicago, renamed it Standard Publishing and employed 40 workers. Althus’ brother, Ordell, and father joined them in Chicago and helped with the business. His father was an agent and salesman.

            Althus died in Chicago five days after his son’s fourth birthday (1890) at the age of 39. Althus had been complaining of a bad liver for awhile and had dropped down to 128 pounds. In December, 1890, he died of appendicitis. He was buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Chicago. His brother, Ordell, bought Ellen’s share of the business in January, 1891, for $3,500. The contract included Ellen’s rights to business still being conducted in San Francisco, a patent for the Chautauqua Combination Drawing Board and Writing Desk and a copyright for the grammatical chart by Mrs. Carie Williams of Los Angeles.   

In March, 1891, Ellen took their son, Carl, and moved west. They showed up in the 1900 census in Colorado Springs, CO. It is possible the census taker never spoke with her, since most of the information about her and Carl is missing (or incorrect). Ellen A. and son, Arthur C. Powers, showed up in the 1910 census in Colorado Springs. Ellen was working as a financial secretary for a Methodist Episcopal church. Carl was a college student. Family tradition says that Ellen sold books in Colorado Springs for the Powers Publishing Company. However, there seemed to be some bad feelings because of the way the business was taken over by Ellen’s brother-in-law. In fact, in 1937, when Ordell wrote to Carl with a request for a $50 loan, Carl refused, claiming his mother had been treated unfairly by him.

            When Carl was married in 1914, he brought his new wife home, and they lived with Ellen until after 1930. The census in 1920 and 1930 shows Ellen with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

           Ellen died May 26, 1937, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Child:

            Clara Cerena Putney [Phoebe, Roswell] b. May 26, 1850, Richmond, Ashtabula Co., OH, a child of Rufus Putney and Phoebe Powers; m. Rev. William Maurice Ball, April 26, 1865, Traverse City, Grand Traverse Co., MI; d. January 1, 1904, NY.

            William was born in Michigan around 1845. The photo at the left is allegedly one of Maurice Ball, taken in Albion, MI. However, faint pencil writing on the back of the photo still shows the name Uncle Saul (Solomon Powers).

            After their wedding in 1865, Clara and William settled in St. Joseph County, Michigan. They showed up in Mottville in 1870’s census, where William was a clergyman. By 1880, they had moved east to Wakeshma, Kalamazoo County, where William was listed in the census as a Methodist Minister. He was restricted in his duties, however, because of what the census describes as “bron dif,” perhaps bronchial difficulties. William apparently wasn’t restricted from other “duties,” for they had five children in the home: Cora, Minnie, Arletta, William and Earnest.

            Family tradition claims that Clara and Maurice moved to New York State, although we have not been able to find them in the 1900 census. In fact, none of her children have been found, either.

Clara allegedly died in New York in 1904.

Children:

            Marshall "Mart" W. Putney [Phoebe, Roswell] b. October 18, 1844, Ashtabula County, Ohio, a child of Rufus Putney and Phoebe Powers; m. (1) Ophelia "Phila" J. Butler, January 1, 1864; m. (2) Velma (Cobb) Cook, August 9, 1897, Blaine Twp., Benzie Co., MI [2]; d. June 20, 1939; Blaine Township Cemetery.

            Mart's father was a successful mill operator in Andover, Ashtabula County, Ohio, before and during the Civil War.

            Phila was born 1845 a daughter of William and Emilie Butler.

            Around 1865, Mart and Phila came with their daughter Velma and Mart's Uncle Sol Powers to Benzie County, Michigan, to see if they wanted to build a homestead there. Uncle Sol and other Powers and Putney family members had already moved to Michigan, settling in Oceana County, but they were more interested in finding a place farther north – where land and lumber were more available. When they found land they liked, they laid claim to it and built a log home in what would later be Blaine Township. Mart and Uncle Sol returned to Ohio and brought other members of their families with them to Michigan, including his sister, Acelia (Putney) Fuller and her family. Mr. Joy allowed Mart's family to stay at a log cabin at Joy's Corners, while Mart cleared his land and plowed the fields.

            Mart urged his parents, Rufus and Phoebe Putney, to come to Michigan and join them there. Eventually, Rufus was convinced, and he asked Lon Fuller (Acelia's husband) to buy him some land and build a cabin for him. Mart went back to Ohio to help drive the team. Along with Rufus came his wife, their younger children, and several of Mart's aunts, uncles, and cousins. Before reaching Mart's new home, the caravan stopped in Oceana County, where several families decided to stay. The rest continued on to Benzie County.

            Dahlgren wrote, "The only settlement in the area in this time was the logging town of Burnham...There were dances there every Saturday night, and Marshall has told me that when they got so lonesome they couldn't stand it that he and Aunt Phila would each carry a baby, Velma and Walk, and walk to Burnham, dance all night and walk home on Sunday morning" (p. 8-9).

            According to Maude Dahlgren, "In Uncle Mart's younger days, he was a big man with a voice that to a child seemed to thunder. He was also a kind man. My Aunt Fannie Smith would never let us speak disrespectfully of him" (Dahlgren, p. 28). When two teenage girls from Scotland were sent to live in Benzie County near their brother, Johnny Gemmel, Mart took them into his home. He was a widower with five young children at the time but opened his home to them anyway -- until other homes were found for them.

            In June, 1876, his name showed up on a petition to create a new township in Benzie County known as Blaine. That year, his wife, Phila, died and was buried in would be called the Blaine Township Cemetery.

            The 1880 federal census showed Marshall and his children, Velma (15), Wallace (12), Gregory? (9), and Edna (7) in Joyfield Township, Benzie County, MI.

            Mart was a Democrat and was not afraid to say it. Once, when a man asked if the word "Blaine" on the local band's uniforms stood for a Republican by the name of James G. Blaine, he roared, "H--- no! We're Democrats!"  (p. 30).

            When Phila was just 31 years old (1876), she died, leaving Mart with five children. On August 9, 1897, Mart remarried to Velma Cook (b. September 1860, WI, daughter of Benjamin and Margaret (Tallusha) Cobb) [2];. Velma was married previously and brought five children into the marriage.

            In 1900, Mart and Velma showed up in Blaine Township with Velma’s children Feddie, Marian and Milton, as well as their son, Dewey, who was born in April, 1898.

The 1910 census shows Marshall as a widower, living next to his son, Guy Putney in Blaine Township.

            Velma died and was buried in the Blaine Township Cemetery, Benzie County, Michigan in 1912.

     The 1920 federal census shows Marshall W. Putney living in Blaine Township, Benzie County, with his children, Dewey (21) and Guy H. (49), Guy's wife, Mary J. (49), and grandchildren: Harold E. (24), Percy A. (22), George E. (20), Leo K. (19), Ellis L. (17), Chester L. (15), Ward F. (13), and Elsie M. B. (10). In 1930, Marshall was living in the home of his son, Dewey, who had married about a year before. They were in Blaine Township.

            Marshall died in 1939 and was buried in the Blaine Township Cemetery, next to Phila.

Children by Phila Butler:

Children by Velma Cook:          

            Acelia "Celia" R. Putney [Phoebe, Roswell] b. April 20, 1848, OH, a child of Rufus Putney and Phoebe Powers; m. Leonidas "Lon" Fuller, May 20, 1866; d. August 14, 1887, Blaine, Benzie Co., MI; Gilmore Township Cemetery, Elberta, Michigan.

            Celia’s family came to Michigan from Ashtabula County, Ohio, when she was in her teens. Within a few months after her arrival, she married Leonidas “Lon” Fuller in a ceremony in Benzie County on May 20, 1866. 

            Lon was born in Virginia around 1847, a son of Noah (Sr.) and Margaret Fuller. His younger brother, Noah Jr., may have been a cross-dresser (or hermaphrodite), for he was listed in the 1860 and 1870 census as a male and in 1900’s census as a “female son.” The family photo shown on the next page is of Noah. Inscribed on the back are the words “Aunt Noah Fuller.” Of course, the photo may have been a ruse, based on the mistake in the 1900 census, which could easily have been found out. The theory of the “cross-dressing ruse” can be argued by the fact that their widowed mother in 1900 was listed as a male. Certainly, this was a “gender confusion” issue, but we’re not sure which one was confused – Noah or the census taker.[1]

            The federal census of 1870 shows Leonidas and "Celia" in Gilmore Township with their children, Bertha (2) and Edgar (9 months). They were living next to Celia’s brother, Marshall Putney.

            In June, 1876, Lon's name showed up on a petition to create a new township in Benzie County known as Blaine.

            The 1880 census shows Leonidas and “Lacelia” in Blaine Township. Their children were Bertha, Edgar, Tena and Leo.

Celia died August 14, 1887, in Blaine, of inflammation of the lungs. She was buried in the Gilmore Township Cemetery, Elberta, Michigan. Her daughter, Bernice, showed up in the home of her brother, Lester Putney, in Blaine, Benzie County in 1900.

Children:

Last update March 07, 2018