Margaret Beamer was the last daughter born to Henry and Magdelena (Lena Blenkenberg) Beamer in 1777 in Sussex, New Jersey. Henry and Lena Beamer had ten children; Jacob (1754), John Phillip (1756), Elizabeth (1757), Benjamin (1760), Sarah (1766), Magdalena (1766), Levi (1767), Mary (1770), Phebe (1776), Margaret (1777)

Margaret married John William Schram in 1798 in Sussex, New Jersey. They left New Jersey with her parents and immigrated to the Welland, Niagara ,Ontario area.  They had four children; John Fredrick (1800), Levi (1801), Mary (1803), John Nicholas (1823).

Schram Family Stone 

Margaret died on August 22, 1855. She is buried in Rockway Presbyterian Cemetery in Welland, Lincoln, Niagara, Ontario.

Rest in Peace, Margaret!

Love Jan

Elfie Emma Daly was born on April 26, 1896 to John and Eliza (Green) Daly. She was the last child born in this family of twelve children. John and Eliza’s children were; John (1867), William (1868), Addie (1871) Charles (1874), Marion (1876), May ( 1876), Robert (1879), Adrain (1881), George (1884), Joseph (1885), Henry(1890), Goldie (1894), Elfie (1896).

In the 1900 Federal Census, the John Daly family resides in village of Clio in Vienna Township, Genesee County in Michigan. Five of the twelve children remain at home with John and Eliza which includes Elfie. By the 1910 Census, John Daly has died(1908). Eliza and the two youngest daughters, Goldie and Elfie, have moved to Montrose, Michigan.

John Daly Family taken in about 1902.

Standing in the back row from left to right: Charles, William, Robert, Adrain, Joe, John, May, George, Henry, Marion.

Seated or standing in front row left to right: John Sr., Goldie, Elfie, Eliza

Elfie married Russell Burpee in Flint, Michigan on May 23, 1917. In 1918, when Russell registered for the WWI draft, Russell and Elfie lived in Montrose, Michigan. Russell states that he is working for the Owosso Sugar company. In the 1920 Census, Elfie and Russell are living with Russell’s brother, Jay and his family in Flint, Michigan. Russell lists his occupation as Carpenter. By the 1930 census, Russell and Elfie are in Flint. They have one son, Russell, Jr. They own a meat market. Both Russell and Elfie are working in the market. In a 1936 directory of Owosso, Michigan, Russell and Elfie are listed in the Village of Lennon in Shiawassee County.  The directory states that Lennon is 10 miles east of Corunna, Michigan. They are running a meat Market and grocery store.  Yet in the 1940 Census, the Burpee’s are listed in Flint where they have two sons; Russell Jr is 16 and Gerald is 6 years old. They list their occupations as shop keepers and the business is listed as a grocery store. Did they own two for a time? Or moved away from Flint and then moved back? I can not be certain.  In Russell’s WWII draft registration, he lists Hazelton, Michigan as his place of residence and Lennon, Michigan as his place of employment and he is self employeed. At some point after 1940, they did reside in Shiawassee County and appeared to live there for the rest of their lives. The Burpee family lived in that area for several generations.

Elfie Emma Daly Burpee died on August 15, 1990 in Hazelton Township, Michigan.

She was buried in the Burpee Plot in the Elmwood Cemetery in New Lothrup.

Rest in Peace, Elfie!

Love , Jan

John Mason Carpenter was the son of Joseph and Cynthia (Rogers) Carpenter of Alden New York. He was born on December 17,1838. I am unable to locate the Carpenter family in the 1850 Federal Census but I find them in Kansas Territory in the 1860 Census. They are living in New Lancaster. Joseph and Cynthia Carpenter have four children; John (1839), Joseph (1846), Elvira (1859), Clement (1859).

John Mason married Mary Adeline Lewis, the daughter of Sadris and Sophia Lewis, on April 5, 1865 in Miami County, Kansas. In August of 1865, John M and Mary Carpenter are listed in the Kansas State Census a few months after they are married. . John is listed in the Agricultural Census as a Farmer. By the 1870 Census, John and Mary have three children; Arthur (1866), Frank (1868) and Belle (5/12). They also have Mary Lewis and Willie Lewis living with them, Mary Lewis is 79 years old and appears to be the Grandmother of Mary Carpenter and Willie is likely her brother or half brother. He appears to be the son of Sardis M Lewis and his wife Rachel. John’s occupation is now listed as a Physician. They also have John Flake living with them who is a farmer and presumably is running the farm.

By the 1875 Kansas State Census, John and Mary have four children; Artie, Frank, Belle and Carrie who was born in 1873. Mary Lewis who is 89 and Willie Lewis who is 14 years old, still live with the Carpenters. They also have a school teacher living with them whose name is A J Cothing and a 21 year old farm laborer from Germany. The Kansas Census states that John M Carpenter came to Kansas by way of Michigan while Mary Lewis Carpenter, and her Grandmother, Mary came by way of Ohio. Willie Lewis was born in Kansas.

In the 1880 Federal Census, John and Mary have added another son , John who was born in 1879. Willie is now 18 years old and still living with the Carpenter family. Sardis Lewis,  John’s father-in-law, Mary’s father, he died in 1879 on Chronic Nephritis and is listed in the 1880 Mortality schedule. The attending physician was his son-in-law, John M. Carpenter.

John M Carpenter dies on August 8, 1882. The following is a Bio which I found on Findagrave for John Mason Carpenter presents a very sad story.

John Mason Carpenter – Born : December 17, 1838 – New York, USA

Death: August 8, 1882 – New Lancaster, Miami County, Kansas, USA

Death of Dr. John M. Carpenter – The entire county was pained at the startling intelligence Wednesday morning of the death of Dr. J. M. Carpenter. The Doctor had been in ill health for some time, brought on by over-work in attempting to attend to the duties devolving upon him from his immense practice, and had sought rest and recreation by travel and sojourn in the East, North and Northwest. He returned about six weeks ago from a long stay in Minnesota and Dakota, where he had been seeking to recuperate his worn and overstrained physique. He appeared much better than when he went away, and his friends and family fondly hoped he would soon be as stout and hearty as ever, but in a week or two he seemed to relapse into his condition before going away, and became sad and melancholy. The day before his death he was missed about the home some time, and the family, becoming uneasy, instituted a search and found him lying in the barn apparently helpless. They had him taken to the house and sent for Drs. Haldeman and Hoover, who found him melancholy and unwilling to talk, but beyond this could find nothing unusual about him. Dr. Haldeman thought he had rather a strange expression about his eyes, but beyond this noted nothing unusual except melancholy and sadness. About 11 o’clock Tuesday night Dr. Carpenter raised up in bed and started to get out. His wife caught hold of him and he turned and slapped her, from which she fainted. He then ran out of the house. Mrs. Carpenter called for help as soon as she became conscious, and friends and neighbors came in. They immediately searched for the Doctor, and after some time found him lying in a field adjacent to the house with his throat cut from ear to ear, and grasping in his hand a razor. The Doctor’s brother-in-law wrenched the razor from his hand, where the grasp was so strong that it was necessary to break the handle off the razor in order to extricate it. He could not speak, and by the time they conveyed him to the house he was dead. Thus died one of the ablest, best and most influential citizens of Miami-co., and of him it may be said: “A truer, trustier, nobler heart – more loving or more loyal, never beat within a human breast.” ” 

John Mason is buried in the New Lancaster Cemetery Plot Row P and Lot 96. 

Rest in Peace, John Mason Carpenter,

Love, Jan

This turned into an interesting research assignment this week and I uncover quite a sad family story which I will continue to research and eventually post on Needles in a Haystack.

Olga Marie Anderson was the first daughter born to Andrew and Addie (Densmore) Anderson. She was born on October 27, 1911. Andrew and Addie Anderson had eight children; Olga (1911), Ray Densmore (1916), Robert Wesley (1920), Andrew Fredrick (1922), Charles Henry(1925), Leah Mae (1928), Herbert William (1930), John Hayner (1932). They lived in Marine City, Michigan.

Addie and Olga – 1911

In the 1920 Federal census, Olga is eight years old and living with her parents in Marine City, Michigan. She had one brother, Ray Densmore Anderson. Olga Marie Anderson married Edward Hayden on April 29, 1929 when she was seventeen years old.  In the 1930 Federal Census, Edward and Olga are living with Andrew and Addie.. Edward and Olga were divorced after he was arrested and jailed. (My Mother, Leah, always thought it was for robbery but she was a young child when it all happened and did not remember much about it.)

Andrew Anderson Family – 1937   Front row: Left to right:  Addie. John, Andrew, Leah, Olga, Herbert   Back Row: Andrew, Robert, Ray, Charles (Moon)

On March 18, 1937, Olga married John DeValk in Detroit, Michigan. (about the time of this picture.) She was twenty five years old. In a 1948 Dearborn directory, Olga and John lived in Dearborn in an apartment Chase Road.

Olga and John divorced, I have not been able to determine the year but John did come with Olga to an 82nd  Birthday party for Andrew in September of 1966 but he may have just brought her to the party.  I know that they remained friends and he tried to watch over her. I remember that Olga broke her hip twice or three times.  She had to have them both operated on and my Mother went to see her in the hospital and tried to help her after she got out.

Olga remained in Detroit until spring of  1970 when my mother, Leah and her brother-in-law, Harold, took her in. Olga drank and smoked excessively for many years and eventually it took it’s toll. My Mom received a call from a friend of Olga’s who was worried about her. He said that John DeValk was no longer around to help Olga. So my Mom and Dad drove down to Detroit and brought her home to our house where she was nurse back to as good of health as they could. Our family doctor made house calls daily for the first week. When she arrived, she weighed 65 pounds.  After that the doctor came weekly for several months. She lived in our home for six or eight months. She had many health issues which included osteoporosis and emphysema from years of not taking care of herself.

Olga and her father Andrew, for his 87th Birthday on September 16, 1970. Olga is 60 years old. I always thought in this photo that they looked about the same age.

She lived in several nursing homes before she was placed in Sun Crest Nursing home in Lapeer. I was married and had my first son in 1972. I spent quite a lot of time with Olga, I felt badly for her. After Shawn was born, I would take him to visit her in weekly. She love him very much. After she died, a woman who worked at Sun Crest told me how much she loved my visits and adored Shawn. She told her that for once in her life she felt like she had a family. She was so thankful that my parents took her in and gave her those last few years with our family.  Even though it forced her to detox. She was sad that she had wasted do much of her life to alcohol and cigarettes, but the damage was done. She died in Lapeer on August 1, 1973.

Rest in Peace, Olga. We loved you!

Love Jan

Nellie Best Losee Summers Death Certificate

Nellie Best was the daughter of John Landon and Dorothy Emeline (Silverthorn) Best. She was born on February 3, 1860 in near Elgin, Ontario, Canada. In the 1871 Canadian Census she is listed as Ellen Best and is eleven years old. Her parents came to Michigan in 1872 from Ontario Canada. Nellie married Newton Losee when she was 17 years old on August 26, 1877. On the marriage records it lists Forest, Michigan as her home.

In the 1880 Federal Census, Newton, Nellie and Stephen D are listed and they are living in Thetford Township, Genesee County, Michigan. Stephen D is George Stephen. By the 1900 Federal Census, they had ten children; George S (1880). Edmond E.(1881), Mert(1882), Sarah Ann(1886), Frank(1889), Harry T(1890), Grover C(1893), Emeline(1895), Gladys M (1898), Verna B (9 months). Nellie became a naturalized Citizen in 1900.

In the 1910 Federal Census, Newton is not listed in the census but Nellie still states that she is married. She lives in Flint’s Ward 1 on North Sycamore Street and runs a boarding house. She states that she has nine living children of 12 children which she has bore. In a 1916 Flint Directory, Nellie is now listed as the widow of Newton Losee. She is at 510 ½ Mill Street and is still running a boarding house. In the 1920 Federal Census, Nellie is living on 12th Street in Ward 5, of Flint where she is running a boarding house. Frank Losee is the last of her children who still live at home.

I can not be certain when this photo was taken but she looks like a woman who runs a boarding house to me. Nellie was my 2 X Great Grandmother.

On April 23, 1923, Nellie married Charles Fred Summers in Harrison, Clare County, Michigan. They lived in Farwell, Garfield Township, Clare County, Michigan. Nellie died on July 25, 1930 of Chronic Nephritis / Brights Disease/ Kidney Failure. She is buried in Garfield Township Cemetery.

Rest in Peace, Nellie!

Love Jan