Phylura was the daughter of Joseph Sage and Betsy Giddings.  She was born on May 1, 1846 in Oakland County Michigan. Betsy Gidding Sage, Phylura’s mother, died on February 4, 1849 when Phylura was not yet three years old. In the 1850 Federal Census, Phylura is living with her grandmother Sarah Giddings.

In the 1860 census, she is in living with her father, Joseph Sage, in Farmington, Michigan. It appears that he has remarried a younger wife, Melanie.  Phylura is a fourteen years old and lists domestic working as her occupation. She now has younger half siblings; Amelia (1854), Louisa (1856), Mary (1858).

On March 20, 1865, Phylura Sage married Sidney Court in Oakland County, Michigan. In the 1870 Federal Census Sidney and Philura have two children, Sarah who was born in 1866 and Fred who was born in 1870. They also have a sixteen year old Amelia Sage living with them who is helping the family out.  Living next door to them is a 77 year old Sarah Gidding, Phylura’s Grandmother. She is living with her 37 year old daughter, Huldah Bush and her family.

By the time of the 1880 Federal Census, Sidney and Phylura have four children listed in the Census; Sarah (1866), Elizabeth (1872), Benjamin (1874), Hester (1878). There is no sign of Fred  from the earlier census.  Huldah and Harvey Bush live a few doors away now and Sarah Giddy is no longer living with them so she has likely died.

In the 1900 Federal Census, Sidney and Phylura are living in Novi. They have a married daughter, Elizabeth McVicar and James McVicar living with them. James McVicar is a sailor and currently at sea. They also have a son named Rolland Court (1885) who is 15 years old. There is also a Hester Cook (or maybe Court) listed as mother living with them. She must be Sidney’s Mother. She is an 80 year old widow. Phylura states that she has 7 children and that they have all survived but I never found Fred after the 1870 census nor an additional seventh child in any of the census records.

At some time after the 1900 Census, Sidney and Phylura move to the Clare Michigan area where several of there children reside.  Phylura has already developed her heart condition so they likely moved there to be close to Sarah Court Robinson, their oldest daughter.

Phylura Court died one hundred and ten years ago today on December 18, 1908  in Sheridan, Michigan of a heart condition.

She was buried in Cherry Grove Cemetery in Clare Michigan. There are no pictures of her tombstone unfortunately. There is a Court Plot and many of the children are buried there. Sarah and her Robinson family are buried in the Cemetery.

Rest in Peace, Phylura!

Love, Jan

Andrew Clinton Best was born on May 13, 1864 in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada, He was the son of Thomas and Rhue Anna (Pringle) Best. Thomas and Rhue Anna had three children; Alexander (1862) , Andrew Clinton (1864),  Elnora (1871).

In the Wesleyan Methodist Baptismal records for London Ontario,  Andrew and Alexander Best were both baptized on January 28, 1866 by Reverend James Kennedy.  According to US Federal Census records,  Andrew stated that they left Canada in 1868.

Two years after arriving in the United States,  the 1870 Federal Census indicates that the Best Family lives in Kingston, Michigan. Thomas is a farmer. Living next door is a Lockwood and Mary (Dale) Pringle who are Rhue Anna’s parents. The Thomas Best Family is found in Koylton township, Tuscola County, Michigan in the 1880 Federal Census. Andrew is sixteen and Nora is eight years old.

Andrew Clinton married Lemyra Sheffer on December 23, 1885 in Cass City, Michigan. The next available Census is the 1900 Federal Census so by then Andrew and Lizzie (Lemyra) are living in Clifford, Michigan. They have a daughter whose name is Lena. She is 13 years old which means that she was born in 1887.

His occupation is listed as Weaver. He has been in the United States for 30 years but has not yet become a citizen. By the 1910 Federal Census, Andrew’s status is still listed as an Alien,  not a citizen. They live in North Branch and they have an additional daughter names Dena who is three years old. The older daughter is no longer living at home and they have lost a child since there are three live births listed but only two are living as of this Census. By the 1920 Federal Census, Andrew and his family remain in North Branch. Their daughter is listed in the Census as Nina P Best and she is thirteen years old. Andrew is a Naturalized Citizen of the United States. By the 1930 Federal Census, Andrew is listed as Clinton Best and he is 65 years old. He was a general farmer. His wife who is sixty years old is listed as Almira. This is the first time I have seen this name listed. Both of the daughters are no longer living at home. They remain in North Branch.

Eighty years ago today, Andrew Clinton died in North Branch, Michigan. His cause of death is listed as heart attack and a Cerebral Hemorrhage due to Hypertension.

He is buried at the Arcadia Cemetery in Lum, Michigan along side his son, Earl who died in 1899.

Rest in Peace, Andrew!

Love,  Jan

Andrew Clinton Best is my first cousin four times removed.

Olava was the daughter of Hans Neilssen and Kirstian Pernille Hansdatter. She was born on September 23, 1828 in the Kjaere Farm on Tjome in Norway.  Tjome is a small Island in the Oslo fjord south west of Oslo about sixty five miles. It is very near the city of Tonsberg which is the oldest recorded city in Norway.  Tonsberg was founded by Harald Fairhair prior to 870 AD.

Hans and Kirstian had five children; Neils Amt(1817), Karen Henrikka (1820), Jorgen (1823), Hans (1826), Olava (1828). Olava married Anders Hansen on January 9, 1859 in Notteroy, Tjome, Norway. They were married for ten years. Anders died in 1869. Olava and Anders had two children; Hans Henrik(1859) and Kirstine Petrine(1863-1871). Olava married a second time to Nils Jorgensen on February 28, 1875.

The white house on the left is Olava’s house around 1900.

Olava was a devoted Grandmother to Hans’ sons when their mother, Ingeborg Helene, died in 1894.  Hans and Ingeborg had three sons; Andrew (1883), Hagbart (1888) and Haakon 1891). Hans was a sailor and was left to raise his sons without a mother.  The boys lived with their Grandmother, Olava, when Hans was at sea until Hans remarried 1898. Olava remained near them and actively involved with their upbringing,  living a few yards down a lane on the waterfront in the house in the picture above.

When Andrew, the oldest of Hans’ children began sailing, Olava wrote to him regularly.  When he decided to remain in America, she continued to write to him.  She and Hans both begged him to come home to Norway at least for a visit.

Village of Grimstad 1900 – Home of Olava Jorgensen

This is a post card Birthday greeting that Olava sent to her grandson, Andrew, in America for his 25^th birthday on September 16, 1908.  The post card shows Grimstad, the village that Andrew had left behind. It shows his house which is the small white house in the distance center left of the post card. Olava’s home is on the shore of the inlet of water that you see in the center of the post card and is out of view in the post card.

One hundred and seven years ago today, Olava died in Grimstad, Tjome. She was buried in the Tjome Cemetery.

In Norway, cemeteries are handled differently. Her grave does not remain because there was no money to maintain it.  In 2017, my sister, my nephew and I visited Grimstad and the Tjome Cemetery.  We could feel the spirit of our relative there but we found no evidence.

Rest in peace, Olava.  I am so happy to have found you and the village that we came from. You were a special Grandmother to Andrew and to me too.

Love, Jan

Olava is my two times Great Grandmother.