Sebewa Recollector
Items of Genealogical Interest

Volume 44 Number 5
Transcribed by LaVonne I. Bennett


     LaVonne has received permission from Grayden Slowins to edit and submit Sebewa Recollector items of genealogical interest, from the beginning year of 1965 through current editions.


THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR Newsletter from Sebewa; Sebewa Township, Ionia County, MI. 
April 2009, Volume 44, Number 5.  Submitted with written permission of Editor Grayden D. Slowins:
 

Front page photo of  BERNICE HALE & LeROY NELSON DARLING 


Page 2:  THE DARLING FAMILY OF IONIA AND SEBEWA TOWNSHIP, Thanks to Benjamin T. Darling & Merrilee Morrison Cotter – With Introduction by Grayden Slowins

      The first Darling settler in Ionia County was Theodore Rice Darling, born at Lake Chautauqua County, NY, 1816, died in Orange Township, Ionia County, MI, 1883, buried in Union Cemetery on the Portland Township side of Keefer Hwy.  His father was Ephraim Darling, born in Dutchess County, NY, February 7, 1791, and later of Washtenaw County, MI, died 1879.  Ephraim was married four times:  1. Mary Hager, 2. Anna B. Markham of Washtenaw Co.  While Ephraim came to Washtenaw Co, MI, Mary took Theodore elsewhere, and he became known as Darling Stratton as a foster child of the Stratton family.  He eventually moved to New Haven Twp, Huron County, OH, where he married Mary Clarissa Holly/Selden, foster child of a Selden family, October 8, 1840, and legally changed his name back to Theodore Rice Darling.

     Theodore & Mary Clarissa came to Orange Township in 1844 and settled on 120 acres in Sec 26, just east of Eli Coleman’s 160 acres, which in our lifetime has been owned by the Riley Sandborn family.  Through several land swaps, Alfred Whitlock and later his son Harold eventually owned most of the Darling land, except for a 15-acre sliver, which belonged to one of Theodore’s sons, Charles Asa Darling, until his death in 1912, and remained under his name until the death of his brother Benjamin’s son, John Charles Darling, in 1965, at which time it was sold and divided into small tracts---building lots.  Charles Asa had married Lydia Grinnell and had no children, while John Charles married Adeline Mariah Grinnell, not Lydia’s sister, and had two daughters.  Perhaps this double connection explains how the 15 acres never got re-titled, long after Charles Asa’s death.

     Theodore & Mary Clarissa Darling had ten children:

1.  Ephraim Rice Darling, 1842-1916, married Melissa Eddy.

2.  Mariah (Maria) C. Darling, 1842-1864, married Jesse Martin.

3.  Hope Darling, died soon.

4.  Ira Selden Darling, 1845-1915, married Eliza Ann Rockwell.

5.  Celia Darling, 1847-1847, died soon.

6.  Charles Asa Darling, 1849-1912, married Lydia Grinnell.

7.  Cynthia C. Darling, 1852-1874, married Harvey Rockwell.

8. Benjamin Franklin Darling, 1854-1926, m. Charity Loretta Slaught, Lydia Lovina Johnson, Rosantha Ruby Johnson.

9.  Myron Tupper Darling, 1858-1926.

10.Orlando Cyrus Darling, 1862-1938.

     In this issue we are including mainly the descendants of LeRoy Nelson Darling & Bernice Hale.  Family residences and burials are as follows:  Ira & Eliza Ann resided in Eagle Township and are buried in North Eagle Cemetery.  Their son Wellman Rice Darling and wife Bessie Wilbur owned and farmed the Shimnecon land at the foot of Okemos Road, Danby Township, buried in Portland Cemetery.  Their son, LeRoy Nelson Darling and Bernice lived at Sebewa Corners, Sebewa side, southwest corner, buried Portland.  Their son Wellman Roy Darling & Barbara lived on Sunfield Rd., he is buried West Sebewa Cemetery, his son Wellman Jr. also.  Their wives are still living at this writing.  


DESCENDANTS OF THEODORE RICE DARLING:

1.  Theodore Rice Darling b. 22 Jan 1816; d. Jan. 22, 1883.  Married Mary Clarissa Selden b. Feb 1820, m.    Oct. 8, 1840, she d. Feb. 8, 1884.  Their children: 

     1.  Maria C. Darling b. Oct 8 1840, m. Jesse Martin 10-4-1862, she d. 3-14-1864

     2.  Ephriam Rice Darling b. 9-28-1842, d. 3-29-1916.  He married 2-21-1864 Melissa E. Eddy born 11-6-1842, married 2-21-1864, she d. 5-17-1912.

     3.  Ira Selden Darling b. 1-12-1845, d. 2-13-1916.  He married Eliza Ann Rockwell 3-5-1870.  She was born 5-12-1848 and d. 8-23-1924.

     4.  Charles Asa Darling b. 6-03-1849, d. 3-30-1912; married Lydia Lovina Grinnell 2-22-1876.  She was born 1-14-1857, d. 8-4-1892.

     5.  Cynthia C. Darling b. 3-01-1852, d. 4-16-1874.  She married Harvey Rockwell b. 4-15-1852 on Feb. 22, 1876.  He d. 8-15-1892.

     6.  Benjamin Franklin Darling b. 4-18-1854, married Charity Loretta Slaught 12-24-1883 and he d. 5-7-1926.  She was b. 3-17-1868 and d. 6-23-1945.  He m. Lydia Lovina Johnson 12-11-1916. She was b. 9-1896 and d. 5-23-1977.  Oct. 4, 1919, he married Rosantha Ruby Johnson b. 10-1-1892.  She died 12-20-1979.

     7.   Myron Tupper Darling b. 1-29-1858, died May 1926.

     8.   Orland Cyrus Darling b.  5-28-1862 and d. 1938.

     9.   Celia Darling b. 8-22-1847 and d. Abt. 1847. 


DESCENDANTS OF IRA SELDEN DARLING:

1.   Ira Selden Darling b. 1-29-1845, d. 2-13-1916.  He married Eliza Ann Rockwell b. 5-12-1848, married 3-5-1870.  She d. 3-12-1924.  Their children were: 

     1.  Frances Mahala Darling b. 10-07-1873 who married 10-9-1899 Arthur Finney Sellon b. 3-21-1866.  He  d. 2-28-1930.

     2.  Wellman Rice Darling b. 10-7-1873, d. 10-3-1941. 

     3.  Oscar Lafayette Darling b. 2-28-1877 and d. March 11, 1926.  He married 12-21-1911 Emma Sophia Parks b. 11-2-1892.  She d. 6-3-1988. 


DESCENDANTS OF WELLMAN RICE DARLING:

1.    Wellman Rice Darling b. 10-7-1873, d. 10-3-1941.  He married 1-10-1892 Mary  Libolt b. abt. 1877.   

Their children:

     1.   Cloye B. Darling b. 1-9-1904 d. 1937; she married Samuel J. Stemm b. 3-26-1902, d. 12-22-1986.

     2.   LeRoy Nelson Darling b. 3-21-1906, d. 12-22-1986, married 10-10-1924  to Bernice Enola Hale b. 1-19-1908 who d. 6-27-1959.

     3.  Cleo Margaret Darling b. 4-18-1911 and m. ca. 1930 to Burt F. Towner b. 3-1911.  They were married about 1930 and Burt was b. 3-29-1911 and died 3-1-1979.  Cleo d. 3-1971. 


DESCENDANTS OF LeROY NELSON DARLING:

     1.  Ethadelia Mable Darling b. 6-06-1925, d. 6-1925.

     2.  Ilene Marie Darling b. 2-10-1927, d. 11-16-. He then married 1903 2nd wife Bessie B. Wilbur b 9-24-1886.  She d. 6-24-1966.  She m. 9-26-1943 George Carr b. 4-14-1922 who d. 11-16-1989. 

Their children:  

     1.  LaVern Edward Carr b. 7-1944 who married 8-8-1964 Helen Pung b. 8-25-1944 

     2. Cheryl Lynn Carr b. 8-29-1965 and married Jamie D. Arnold b. 3-7-1964, m. 4-26-1985.

     Their children:  

      1.  Jessica Marie Arnold b. 4-25-1985 

      2.  Jennifer Marie Arnold b. 7-03-1988

      3.  Karen Ann Carr b. 6-3-1968 who married 5-18-1990 Dale Hoppess. 

     Their children: 

     1.  Calvin Hoppess b. 4-13-1991, Shelby Hoppess  b. 7-03-18-1998.

     2.  Daniel LaVerne Carr b. 7-4-1980.

 

1.  Kendall George Carr b. 6-15-1975; married 8-1-1970 Jacqueline Smith b. 2-5-1949. 

     Their children

     1. Kendra Marie b. 6-15-1975 married Ryan Bowser July 2004. 

          Their children:  Noah Bowser, Carrson Bowser.

     2.  Sara Louise Carr b. 6-9-23-1977, married 12-1999 Joshua David Good. 

          Their children:    Brayden Good, Lainey Good, Grant Good.

     3.   Amanda Kae Carr b 6-7-1979, married Matt Platte 8-5-2006. 

2.  LeRoy Nelson Darling b 8-26-1947, married Alma J. Hayes b. 3-19-1930. 

     Their children:

     1.  Dewayne LeRoy Darling b. 9-26-1947, d. 3-25-1950.  

     2.  Dan Nelson Darling b. 11-4-1948 and died 5-5-1982. 

     3.  Charlene Jenkins married 1974. Their Children:  A. Damon Andrew Darling b. 9-21-1974; B. Danielle Theresa Darling b. 12-9-1976, Christine Ann Darling b. 11-30-1980

3.  Dennis Mitchel Darling b. 2-26-1950 married Vivian Stanton 1-9-1978. 

     Their children: 1.  Tracie Lynn Darling b. 11-16-1979, 2. Troy Daniel Darling b 4-17-1982, 3.  Casey Nelson Darling b. 12-19-1984. 4. Shawn Mitchel Darling b 8-31-1986.

4.  Kathy Marie Darling b 5-1951, married William Muth  2-8-1969. 

     Their children:  1. Lonnie Lee Muth b. 11-9-1990,  2. Ashley Muth b. 11-25-1990, 3. Britney Muth b. 6-25-1992,  4. Casidy Muth b. 5-24-1996,  5. Tru Muth b. 9-1998,  6. Hunter Muth b 11-08-2002,  7. Beau Muth b. 6-21-2006,  Lonnie Lee Muth b. 09-11-198. 

5.  Timothy Wayne b. 10-16-1970, m. Drema Musgrove 4-1-1989. 
    
Their children:  1. Tiera Lynn Muth b. 6-30-1989, 2. Meranda Muth b. 12-17-1990, and 3. and Mateel Muth b. 5-31-1997.

6.  Kena May Darling b 1-07-1956, m. David Kerekes 9-14-1974. 
    
Their children:  Alana Marie Kerekes b. 5-21-1979, Denette Lee Kerekes b. 1-1-1981.

 
Wellman Roy Darling b 5-5-1930, married 2-25-1949 Barbara Jean Newlin b 5-6-1949.  Their children: 
  1. Wellman Roy b. 1-10-1950 and d. 9-9-1993; m. Connie Wygandt b. 10-9-1950, whose children are
    1. Cheryl Ruth Darling b. 1-19-1973 who married Scott Alan Baird b. 11-19-1972 and had child Zackery b. 4-2-1993.

2. Joshua Lee Darling b 3-12-1975 married 12-4-1993 Kara Marie Hatinger b. 1976 and had children 1. Kelsey b. 1-14-1993, 2. Austin b. 9-1994. 
  2. Joshua m. ca. 1977 Sandra K. Blough b 2-11-1948.  They had 1. Nichole Darling b. 12-4-1978 who m. Keith D. Schlottman 8-17-2001.  2 . Brett Wellman Darling b. 2-27-1981, 3. Eric Darling b. 4-19-1984.
    2.  Angela Sue Darling b. 11-25-1973, married 2-5-1994 Todd Andrew Adams b 5-2-1968.  Their child was Andrea Lynn Adams.  Angela married  2nd 8-28-1968 Joel Alan Seiler b. 5-2-1968.  Their child:  1. Jacob Charles Seiler b. 1-5-2000.

3. Kerri Ann Darling b 7-2-1975, m.  6-21-2007 Chad Taylor.  Their child Madilyn Sara Taylor b. 7-2-2007.

4.  Scott Allen Darling b. 1-22-1977 m. 7-18-1998 Jessica Ann Sottillie b. 12-3-1977.  Their children:  1.  Austen Chance Darling b. 5-5-1999, Chrishtiauna Jo Marie, b. 5-10-1999.

5.  Steven Gerald Darling b. 7-23-1979.

 

3.  Benjamin Thomas Darling b.  9-7-1952, married 11-25-1974 Carolyn Yuk Lan Lee b. 2-28-1947.  Their child:  1. Jennifer Mariko Darling b 2-6-1976 married 7-28-2007 Nolan Edward Ferreira b. 7-14-1973.  Their children:  1. Noah Thomas b. 11-3-1999, Aidan Edward b. 3-18-2006

4.  Barbara Jean Darling b 11-3-1953 married 5-6-1972 Anthony D. Wydeck b. 1952.  Married  2nd, 6-18-1977 Richard Eugene Todd b.  7-1-1947. Their children were 1. Melissa Marie Todd b. 4-29-1978, 2.  Heidi Ann Todd b. 4-24-1979 who on 8-31-2008 married Barry Michael Rockburn, and 3.  Aaron Lee Todd b. 2-12-1981.

5.  Susan Diane Darling b 5-7-1959, married 9-25-1982 Rodger Duane Meyers b. 12-23-1956.  Their children were 1.  Jason Andrew b. 6-12-1983, 2.  Justin Charles Meyers b. 11-60-1984, 3.  Joel Wellman Meyers b. 7-10-1986.

6.  Kathrine May Darling b. 8-19-1934 m. ca. 1951 Keith Russell.  Their children:  1.  Denise Fay Russell b. 10-16-1952 who m. 1-20-1968 and had children 1.  Robert Edward b. 8-24-1968 who married 5-8-1993 Barbara Lee Harris b. 6-15-1961, 2. Scottie Wayne Jackson b. 9-18-1971 who married 6-1991 Lynn Williams 6-1991.  2nd husband of Kathrine May Darling:  Henry Edward Hembree b. 4-25-1920, married 6-6-1955, d. 6-20-2008.  Their children:

    

1. Gary Edward Hembree b. 7-29-1959 who married 12-29-1981 Anita Massey b. 8-29-1981.  Their child:   1. Brandon Paul b. 12-6-1981.  2nd wife of Gary Edward Hembree, married ca. 1982 Debora Waters.

2.  Sanford Thomas Hembree b. 12-8-1961 married 8-3-1980 Sandra Lynn Tate b. 7-4-1962.  Their children were 1.  Chadd Thomas Hembree b. 3-3-1983, 2.  Brandie Lynn Hembree b. 10-2-1984, who married Shawn Jones b. 8-3-1979.  Their children:  Keaton Eustis Jones b. 8-21-2001.  Second husband of Brandie Lynn Hembree John Patterson m. 11-2008.

3.  Lonnie Lee Hembree b. 12-10-1994 married Lashell Lee and their children:  1.  Jena Lee Hembree b. 1-6-1994, 2.  Julie Ann Hembree b. 12-29. 

1.  Connie Lee Hembree b. 12-10-1963 married 6-16-1982 Dalton Calhoun b. 11-1964 and had children: 1.  Crystal Dawn Calhoun b. 7-17-1985 who married 10-8-2004 Bryan Wayne Bailey b. 6-16-1982 and had children 1.  Addison Lynn Bailey b. 3-15-2005. 


RECENT DEATHS: 

Leo Carr, 90, widower of Margery Pranger Carr, father of Delores “Sid” (Jim) Stank, Darrell “Butch” (Vicki) Carr, and David (Joyce) Carr, and the late Duane (Diana) Carr, and Diane (Richard) Timrick, brother of Delores (Lynn) Stedge, and the late Clara (Otto) Timrick, Kathryn (Robert) Martini, and George (Ilene) Carr, Edward “Jack” (Jean) Carr, and Gene (Bernadine) Carr, son of Mary Zbikowski and John Karczewski Carr, who met and married in Chicago, after emigrating from East Prussia/Poland as small children with their parents.  Leo was born in Sebewa Township, October 14, 1918, graduated from Sunfield High School in 1936, farmed for several years, and then was a building contractor for over 50 years.  Leo was a member of Sebewa Center United Methodist Church.  He died at Hastings, January 29, 2009, and will be buried at Lakeside Cemetery.  (For more on the Carr family, see our December issue, Volume 44, Number 3.) 

Maxine June Duffey Brown, 86, wife of Walter M. Brown, mother of Larry (Nancy) Brown, Lynn (Mary) Brown, Don Brown, Marge (Catlin) Duffey.  Born December 1, 1922, Maxine died January 29, 2009, in the house where she was born and raised, on the Danby Township side of Keefer Hwy. at Tupper Lake Road.  Much of her life was spent on the Sebewa Township side, where she loved gardening, baking, needlework, crossword puzzles, and Tiger baseball.  She is buried at Danby Cemetery. 


PORTLAND REVIEW December 4, 1952:  Former auto dealer and village commissioner, Burke B. Bowes, died at age 80.  Mr. Bowes was sent to Lyons by Ford Motor Co to establish an agency.  One afternoon in 1917 he came over to Portland to make a sale, and when he left town that evening, he had purchased a business lot on Kent Street at Academy St.  It had always been vacant and Dr. F. W. Martin had used it as an enclosure for his horses.  A few weeks after the purchase, the garage building now owned and occupied by Leik Brothers was under way.  In 1924 he ran for the village commission and served many years as commissioner and mayor.  He had previous business experience in the auditing and advertising departments of Post Cereal Co.  He sold his Ford Agency to P. W. Willard Auto Co, and for a time was the local representative for Buick and Oldsmobile.  Gradually the family spent more time at Crystal Lake, where they owned cottages.  A few years ago they moved from Portland and Crystal to Bellevue, where he soon suffered a stroke.  Although somewhat improved, he never recovered, and about a year ago they moved to Ann Arbor, where he died. 

Funeral services were held for Frank Urie, 88,l found dead at his home.  One sister, Mrs. Bert Sowles of Belding, and several nieces and nephews of Portland, survive.  (The Urie family once lived in Sebewa Township on the farm that is now our park, Sunshine.)  Born June 15, 1864, Frank came to Portland over 50 years ago and owned one of the first machine shops here, located on Maple River.  For years he specialized in fixing bicycles.

 Thomas Badger, 69, died Tuesday.  He had lived on Will Frost farm east of Collins for 16 years.  (At Badger Rd., recently Larry Lich farm.)


MICHIGAN TOWNSHIP NEWS, February 5, 2009, 512 Westshire Drive, P.O. Box 80078, Lansing, MI  48908-0078

Dear Editor, Evelyn David will be retiring soon and I thought you should have my “Bill Stump” story.  You and many township officials have heard it at district meetings when I was MTA President, but there is a whole crop of newer officials who have not:

     I first met Evie when she was about sixteen years old.  She was hauling corn to town in the fall for her Dad.  Each morning she drove a tractor and two wagons, or a straight truck, loaded with corn, to town, then ran up to school.  All day her dad combined corn, rotated loads to the mill, and didn’t need to wait to be unloaded, because there was always an empty vehicle. Then after school was out in the afternoon, Evie had an empty rig to drive home.  When she graduated, Evie married her high school sweetheart, Ken, moved out of Sebewa township, and started a family.

     About 10-12 years later, Evie & Ken moved back into Sebewa Township with two small children.  Soon Evie began to work part time as a cashier and lay-away-clerk at Meijer, usually at night while Ken baby-sat.  Old Mrs. Gezinnia Meijer, Fred’s mother, rated Evie as the most efficient and most pleasant cashier in the whole chain.  When they came to register to vote in 1972, I asked Evie if she would like to be an election inspector at the next election.  She said yes, and after only one or two elections I confirmed what a good employee she was, and I made her chairperson of election inspectors.

     About four or five years later, our Sebewa Township Supervisor with twenty five years on the job was dying of cancer.  He said to the Board “You folks better get someone lined up to appoint in my place.”  With gentle but firm persuasion, I convinced then to appoint Evie, one of the first women Supervisor/Assessors in mid-Michigan, and one of only a few in the State.  Within that same year, several other women also were appointed to the job and most later won election.

     That fall Evie was back hauling corn to town, this time for her brother John, who had succeeded Old John on much of the same land.  Each trip she took a different road to Lake Odessa, Woodbury, or Sunfield, and along the way she watched for new structures, plus one or two that had burned.  When she had a free day, she came back with tape measure & note pad to assess those properties.

     When Board of Review came around in March, Evie was ready for it.  A number of skeptical farmers were lounging around outside the Town Hall.  One of the first to go in was Bill Stump.  He was a portly old German gentleman with his thumbs tucked behind the bib of his overalls and was chewing tobacco.

     Bill said to the other fellows outside “I’m going to tell that ‘girlie’ a thing or two!”  And he addressed her as “Girlie” all through the hearing, as in “Girlie, you got my assessment all wrong!”

     “Oh” said Evie, “How so?”

     “Well, Girlie, I’ve got a five-acre pothole out in the middle of my farm, and you didn’t subtract it from the cropland acres!”

     “Oh, I subtracted it all right, but you would say it measured about 8 rods by 10 rods?”  I should explain here that we farmers think in terms of rods, not yards like city folks.

     Bill thought a minute and said “Ya, Girlie, I guess you got that about right.”

     Well, that’s half an acre, not five acres, and that’s how much I subtracted.”

     He thought a minute and said “By golly, Girlie, you got that right.”

     “However, I noticed you had cleared some more land back along the woods.”  This was before the days of Al Gore and the “Greens”, when a farmer could improve his/her own land as they saw fit.  “Would you say it was about two acres?”

     “Ya, Girlie, I guess you got that about right too.”

     When he walked out the door, the fellows said “Well Bill, did you tell that girlie a thing or two?”

     He broke into a big grin and said “Yup, I told her!”  His assessment had been raised, not lowered, and he was happy as a clam, because Evie got it right!  Which she almost always did, as Supervisor/Assessor of Sebewa Township for 11+ years, and as Membership Information Director of Michigan Townships Ass. 20+ years.


 

Last update October 20, 2021