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.)