Part 2.2 Family Comparisons from Almon DeGraw's Memories

Family Comparisons from Almon DeGraw's Memories

Part 2

The DeGraw Family relied on the stories of their uncle, as to their heritage.  That was how is was, stories were handed down, written about the ancestors, by what they remembered or had been told.
Many of those stories were written in the Family Bible.

Almon DeGraw was the keeper of DeGraw Family History, and his version is not quite how it all began.

Almon Derby DeGraw was born in 1899 and died in 1985. He married Goldie Emelanine Munro. He was the brother of Henry Irvin DeGraw.

Almon's mother, was Martha Scutt, as he wrote in his memories, and she died when in hospital for a goitre operation.   The children were young.  There was an obituary notice in the Traverse City newspapers.

"Mrs. Martha DeGraw, wife of Ernest DeGraw of Mapleton, died Monday morning at the home of George DeGraw, 903 Cass Street., where she was brought for an operation for goiter. Mrs. McGraw was 35 years of age."

 (Newspaper- Traverse City,MI July 1, 1913)

According to Almon, Martha's mother was Bertha Dorothea Kennedy, and she unfortunately died along with her young son, when his mother was 5 years of age. 

She was an aunt of his father's, and his great grandmother and his great aunt.

"Evelyn DeGraw Kennedy was my great grandmother.  She was also my father's aunt.  When my dad stayed with his grandparents near Greenville, he went to the same school as my mother did.

The lineage as Almon describes is:

Almon DeGraw  his father  Henry Ernest DeGraw who married Martha Scutt - her mother was Bertha Deborah Smith - her mother was Evaline DeGraw.

But that relationship would have Bertha as Henry's aunt, in reality his aunt was Evaline or Emeline.

Evaline DeGraw 1835 - 1916   married either three or four times.  Her first marriage was to Augustus DeGraw, then Smith, then to Sherman Kennedy born 1815,in 1891. She was his third wife, and then to Melvin Berry. in 1914  She was his second wife.  

In the 1860 Census she is living in Oakfield Michigan, with her husband Augustus DeGraw, and Mary, Emma and Josephine.

Augustus is the son of her uncle, so they were first cousins.  Her parents were William and Lorena Loomis, and his were Joseph and Anna Miller.  The brothers were the sons of Isaac DeGraw and Mehitable Miller, and she is widowed.   But sometime between 1880 and 1891 she appears to have married someone by the name of Smith.

In the 1880 census she is living with Josephine and Lorany   

In 1891, Emeline Smith DeGraw, aged 56 married Sherman Kennedy aged 77.  The witnesses were Martha Scott and E H. DeGraw.  That is most likely Henry Ernest DeGraw and his wife Martha Scott.

That puts the age of Emeline as being born in 1835.  She could not have had any children with Sherman Kennedy, who she married when she was 56.    It is more likely that Emeline is a relative of the mother of Martha Scott.  Which jells with the death of Josephus Scott in 1910, and the death record of Martha, which shows her mother to be Emma DeGraw.  

It is also the reason no records can be found about Bertha Martha Kennedy

Some lateral thinking required.

For Bertha to be the mother of Almon's mother Martha, was she the child of one of Evaline's siblings or of Evaline.?   Or has Almon been confused with these statements, because clearly Martha did not die when Martha was 5 years of age.  Has he the incorrect name? 

To cross check with Almon's recollections, was Bertha then a Kennedy?

That was entirely possible.  Was the Bertha Dorothea Kennedy that Almon alluded to the natural daughter of Sherman Kennedy by another wife, or in fact his niece?  There were two Kennedy brothers each farmed next to each other, and each named a child after one another.  But not one had a daughter named Bertha Dorothea Kennedy.  

There was another scenario, and this one is the most likely.

Evaline DeGraw married Augustus DeGraw, who was not doubt her cousin.  With him she had a great many children, among one was Emma DeGraw, born 1856.  Emma was the correct age, to have been Bertha, as there are no records to be found of Bertha, nor any of Emma. 

Martha's death records states she was the daughter of Jonas Schutt and Emma DeGraw.

Now the only confusion lies with Jonas Scutt, or Josephus Scott.

Was he the barber, or a farmer?

Was it Scutt, and German, or was it Scott?

Was it Jonas or Josephus?

Despite a great deal of searching that is unknown. 

Transcript indexes for the marriages in Michigan for Scott show the following:

Martha Scott married Henry J, DeGraw.

Obituary for Frederick Becker. 

Frederick Ernest Becker died at the age of 90 due to natural causes at the VA Hospice in Long Beach, CA on Friday, August 26, 2011.  Fred will be remembered by family and friends for a life of hard work, providing for family and neighbors with loving care and competence. 

Fred is survived by daughters, Janie Becker, Sue (Gary) Chicots and their sons, Mark and Kevin, MaryJo Rowe; and brother, Hub.

Graveside services and burial will be held on Friday, September 2, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Cypress Lawn, Gate #11.

Published in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on September 1, 2011.

If Jonas was Jonas Scutt, he may be the Jonas Scutt who arrived in America in 1868.

Jonas was born in 1850 at Basel in Germany. He arrived in America on the ship, Holsatia, which left Hamburg on 22nd July 1868.

 1868   Mar. 9: launched

 1868 June 10: departed Hamburg on her maiden voyage for New York via Southampton (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 June 12: called at Southampton (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 June 22: arrived New York from Hamburg via Southampton with mdse. and 695 passengers for Kunhardt & Co. (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 June 29: cleared to depart New York for Hamburg (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 July 10: arrived Southampton on way to Hamburg (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868  July 22: departed Hamburg for New York via Southampton (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 July 24: departed Southampton (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 Aug. 2: arrived New York from Hamburg via Southampton (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 Aug. 10: cleared to depart New York for Hamburg (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 Aug. 21: arrived Southampton on way from New York to Hamburg (Capt: Ehlers)

 1868 Sep. 2: departed Hamburg for New York via Southampton (Capt: Ehlers)

In 1900 Jonas was living at Oakfield, Kent, Michigan and was widowed.

The Potrafka Family

Wilmelmina Potrafka's family arrived in America in 1883.  They departed Hamburg on 24th May 1883 on the ship Polaria.  They lived at Reichau, in Bavaria.  It is West of Munich. 

Her parents were

1.      Friedrick Patrafke          b          1843     1915.  

2.      Dorathea Patrafke         b          1849 -   1895

3.      Auguste Patrafke          b          1875

4.      Gustav Patrafke                        b          1876     1934     m Ernestine Jasnof 1865 - 1945

5.      Berta Patrafke               b          1878

6.      Friedrick Patrafke.         b          1879

7.      Rudolph Potrafka          b          1883

8.      Herman Potrafke           b          1885 -   1958    m  Edith Armour          1890-1942

9.      Edward Potrafke           b          1888 -   1969    m Marjorie Berg  1890 - 1942

Friedrick Patrafke was the son of Gottfried Potrafka  and Kathrina Morty.

Dorathea Patrafke was born Dorathea Plitt. 

After the death of Dorathea, Friedrich married her widowed sister Wilhelmina

4.  Gustav Patrafke married Ernestine Jasnof and were the parents of Wilhelmina Dorothea Potrafke.

The children included

1.      William Portrafke         1896 - 1972      m         Cleo Bernice McGarry 1902 - 1988

2.      Clara Belle Portrafke     1898 - 1938      m         Duard David Cole 1893 - 1984

3.      Greta Potrafke              1899 - 1910

4.      Susie Potrafke               1900 - 1978      m Layman Burket 1896 m Elmer Myer 1893 - 1971

5.      Margaret Potrafke         1904 -  1961     m  Leo Emmett Ingerskoll  1898  - 1986

Gustav Potrafke is buried at Traverse City Oakwood Cemetery

This story was posted by dhixon60 

"Do you believe in guardian angels? I sometimes thought I had one. Although, I also thought my angel may have gone to sleep sometimes and woke up just in time to help me when I needed some guidance or help.

I was born at 12:00 A.M. (midnight) on Friday, August 13, 1920 on a farm in Garfield Township in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. I was named Donald after my Mother's best girlfriend's brother. My middle name, Edward, was for my Father.  Woodrow Wilson was President of our country. Drinking of liquor was prohibited and the Ouija board game was the rage at that time. My Father was Edward Emanual Potrafka and my Mother was Marjorie Elizabeth Berg. I was their last child. I had a brother, Lewis Gilbert, who was born dead on May 10, 1914. He was named after my Mother's father. My sister, Helen Arlene, arrived in this world on July 25, 1915. She was named after the best friend of my Mother.

My Father was the eleventh child of twelve children of Frederick William and Dorothy (Dorathea Plitt) Potrafka. My grandfather was born in the village of Wiese, East Prussia, Germany on November 13, 1843. This village has been renamed Laczno by the Polish government. My grandfather's parents were Godfrey (Gottfried) Potrafka (Potraffki) and Katherina Morty. I believe my grandmother, Dorothy, was born in Reichau, East Prussia in 1866. This village has also been renamed Boguchwaly by the Polish government. My Father was listed as a "settler" in the church records when his children were christened in Reichau. His family name was recorded as "Potraffki". This was changed to Potrafka/Potrafke upon arrival in America.

Eight of my grandparent's children were living when I was born. Of the remaining four children, two had died in Reichau and two in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. My Father had three sisters, Augusta, Bertha and Martha and four brother, Gustave, Frederick Jr, Riley (Rudolph) and Herman. Augusta, Gustave, Bertha and Frederick Jr were born in Reichau.

My grandparents and their four children came to America on the German steamship POLARIA which left Hamburg, Germany on May 24, 1883 and arrived in New York on June 13, 1883. My grandfather was able to afford cabin accommodations on the upper deck of the POLARIA. Upon arrival in New York, the family was processed into the United States at Castle Gardens, Manhattan, New York because Ellis Island would not be opened until 1892.

The family journeyed by train to Michigan stopping briefly at Freesoil, Michigan before continuing on to Grand Traverse County, Michigan. There was some confusion as to whether my Uncle Riley (Rudolph) was born on the ship or on the train out of New York. A check of the passenger list presented to the Port Authorities did not show Riley's name. If a baby is born on a ship while at sea the passenger list would indicate "baby born on board".

Riley's social security records indicated that he was born on June 11, 1883 but the ship did not arrive in New York until June 13th. It is therefore believed that Riley was born on June 14, 1883 in New York State except that no record of his birth could be found in that state. Riley was originally named Rudolph after his uncle but he didn't like that name so he changed it to Riley. His Uncle Rudolph came to live in the Grand Traverse area which caused some confusion until Riley had his name changed.

The family settled in Peninsula Township of Grand Traverse County. Uncle Herman was born in this township which is just north of Traverse City. The four children who came to America with their parents attended the Stony Beach School in School District #6. My Father and Aunt Martha were born on my grandfather's farm in Garfield Township of Grand Traverse County.

My grandparents purchased land on East Silver Lake Road in Garfield Township on October 28, 1885. The older children helped their parents clear the land and build their house before they could move into their new home. My grandmother died on February 3, 1895. Before her death she made my grandfather promise to marry her sister Wilhelmina Plitt Seewald. Wilhelmina had two daughters and one son. Her husband had died in East Prussia. Grandfather brought this family to America and married Wilhelmina on August 30, 1895. They did not have any children during this marriage. Grandfather died on March 11, 1915. Both of my grandparents are buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City. Wilhelmina went to live with one of her daughters in Cadillac where she died on March 23, 1925. She was buried in the Maple Hill Cemetery in Cadillac, Michigan.

My Mother was the fifth and last child of Lewis Gilbert Berg and Edna Maria Cassandra Sternaman. They were married on September 2, 1874 in Chesaning, Michigan. My Mother's father was born in Columbus, St Clair County, Michigan on August 23, 1851. His parents were William (George) Berg and Mary Hickman. My Mother's mother was born on October 11, 1852 in Rainham, Lincoln County also known as Wainfleet, Ontario, Upper Canada. My Mothers maternal family was Mennonites who come to America prior to the Revolutionary War. They settled in Pennsylvania and later were forced to flee to Canada because of the alleged assistance they were giving the British during the war. Some members of this family moved to Chesaning Township, Saginaw County, Michigan in 1866.

My Mother and her brothers and sisters were born in Monroe, Michigan as her father had a painting business in that town. On December 25, 1905, my Mother's parents gave her a King James version of the Bible. This book was to be her guide throughout her life as later events revealed. I recently received this Bible from my sister.

The Bible also contained typewritten items from the Christian Science faith which my Mother apparently followed in her later life. Upon graduation from high school in Monroe, my Mother went to Detroit, Michigan where she lived with Elliott and Emma Lilly on Second Street. She worked as a telephone operator for the local telephone company. In 1912 she went to visit her sister Caroline May Berg Lake who lived on Boyd Avenue in Traverse City. She got a job working for the Hugh and Dixie Dunn who lived on a farm on East Silver Lake Road in Garfield Township in Grand

Traverse County. It was here that she met my Father who lived about two miles away.

My Father grew up as a farm boy helping his father on their 57 acre farm on East Silver Lake Road. He went to the Rennie Grade School in the area where he only received a third grade education. Later he went to work for the local railroad company building and repairing the railroad in the area. He met my Mother in 1912 and they were married on June 30, 1913. Frank Blakely and Or1etta Martin witnessed the ceremony performed by Franklin Chaplin, Clergyman.

One of the conditions of their marriage was that she asked my Father not to return to farming as she did not like the farm obligations. After their marriage, my parents lived with the Dunn family for a short time until they could move to their home at 925 State Street in Traverse City. My Uncle Riley and his wife lived next door.

My Father disregarded his promise of not farming and rented a 20 acre farm on East Silver Lake Road in 1914. This farm was close to his father's farm. Their first child Lewis Gilbert was stillborn on May 10, 1914. Doctor Minor was called to the farm to help with the birth of Lewis but believing that my Mother was not ready to deliver the baby he returned to Traverse City. Before he could return Lewis was stillborn. Lewis is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City but I have been unable to find a record of burial or his grave. A situation similar to the birth of Lewis occurred when my sister Helen Arlene was born on this farm on July 25, 1915, except that my Father refused to let Doctor Minor leave until Helen was born.

On January 23, 1918, my parents purchased a twenty acre farm for $800.00. On February 16, 1918 they sold this farm to George and Ella Robertson and in turn purchased their eighty acre farm on Zimmerman Road in Garfield Township. My father purchased some cattle and established the "Maple Grove Dairy" on this farm. He delivered milk and farm products to his customers in Traverse City. He hired Albert Janda to help with the farm work while he made his deliveries in town. Albert had a room in our house. He was our Santa Claus at Christmas time.

My Father used the team of horses and a delivery wagon painted yellow with "Maple Grove Dairy" painted on the sides. In the wintertime he put sleigh runners on the rig in order to deliver when there was snow on the ground. Recently, I found out that the Dunn family had acquired the body of the delivery wagon and that it had been parked behind their barn until it was cut in half to make fishing shanties for fishing through the ice on Silver Lake. My Father bought a Model T Ford but did not use it for deliveries. He used the car for trips to town and when visiting relatives. When the car could not make it up a hill going forward, he would turn it around and back up the hill. This was the practice in those early days when driving a Model T. I can remember seeing the neighbors racing their Model T cars across open fields during picnic times on holidays. My Father registered for the World War I draft on January 1917. His draft registration revealed he was a farmer for himself and was married with one child (my sister). He was never called for military service. My parents attended church in the area. Mother was an excellent singer and sang in the church choir. My Father quit attending church because of the necessary work required by the dairy.

My Mother had the jobs of cleaning and sterilizing the milk bottles and equipment and the usual farm chores required of a farmer's wife. In addition to extra duties, Mother was still required to do the normal duties of a mother and a homemaker. As the business of the dairy increased so did Mother's work. When I was born I arrived I with club-feet which was caused by the way Mother carried me before birth. I believe the problem with my feet was due to the heavy work she was required to do on the farm.

After my birth it was decided I would require considerable hospitalization for correction of my feet. With the assistance of the County and State health agencies, I was taken to the State Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mother was required to be with me during this early period. My right foot was corrected by placing it in a plaster cast. This method did not prove successful for my left foot so several operations were required in an effort to correct the problem. These operations resulted in limiting the growth of my left foot so that the leg and foot were smaller than my right one. During the first four years I spent considerable time in the hospital with occasional visits to my home during the summertime while wearing a cast or a brace on my leg. It was a difficult time for my Mother who cared and worried for my well-being.

I don't recall much of this period in my life but do remember of being in the hospital and all the attention I received from the nurses during the latter time of this period. The most I can remember about the farm was seeing the big threshing machine with the steam engine tractor with the big wheels. Later I was to learn that this machine belonged to my Uncle Riley. He did threshing at many of the farms in the area during the summer and fall of each year. I guess I didn't get many spankings as a little boy except for the time I was caught throwing stones at the horses in the barnyard. My Father told me not to do that. After being spanked, I started for the house saying I was going to tell my Mother. Father caught me before I got to the house and spanked me again.

My sister Helen was five years older than I. I used to tease her and she would always try to get even with me. One time when I was three years old I threw some water on her and she threw a basin of water on me. Father spanked her and she wet her pants. (She told me about this). He sent her to bed without any supper. Later that evening Mother brought her something to eat. I didn't get spanked during this incident. Mary Margaret Dunn Bristol was a playmate of my sister. She recalls that when I got in a fight with other children I would kick them with my left foot which had a steel brace on it.

We had a party line telephone at home. Each family with a phone had certain number of short and long rings as their phone number. Everyone could listen in on the calls on the line. In an emergency, there would be only one long ring and everyone would answer to find out what the emergency was about. Neighbors always came to the aid of the family in trouble whether it was a fire of an illness where help was needed. During electrical storms the phones must be turned off. One time my folks forgot to switch off the phone and a lightening bolt came in on the telephone line and out the mouthpiece and hit the wall above the head of Albert, our hired hand. Lightening also hit the big locust tree in the yard.

In the fall of 1925 my Mother and Father separated. Bill Moulton, a bachelor and a good friend of the family, came and picked up Mother and Helen and I and took us to his parent's home on Long Lake in the County. We left in a Model T touring car with open sides. Later Mother's Uncle Arthur Landon Sternaman and his wife Flora took us to their cabin on Crystal Lake in Beulah, Michigan and then to Mary Sternaman's home at 211 Robbins Street in Owosso, Michigan. Mother only had two dollars when we arrived in Owosso. She got a job as a long distant operator at the local telephone company just two days after arriving in Owosso because of her earlier telephone experience in Detroit. Mary's husband had passed away in November 1918 and she was unable to watch Helen and me so our family went to live with Uncle Arthur and Aunt Flora at 819 East Main Street in Owosso. Uncle Arthur worked on the railroad. This information was found in letters which were in papers my Father had at the time of his death.

Among the papers my Father had were several letters which Mother had written to him in November and December 1925 after she left him. In these letters she told him of how unhappy her twelve years of marriage had been and that she could no longer continue to do the hard work as a farmer's wife. She denied the alleged affairs which my Father apparently had accused her of having and could not continue to accept his verbal abuse. She was concerned about the language my Father used around her children as she was trying to raise them in a Christian manner. This resulted in her earlier Christian training when she was a child at home in Monroe, Michigan and her church attendance in Grand Traverse County. She did not want a divorce, only a separation, as she did not wish to remarry again.

She assisted on her keeping both Helen and I as she didn't want to separate~ us. Apparently there had been an earlier separation in the Traverse City area and reconciliation before this separation according to her letters. She hoped they could settle this separation out of court. Of course that was impossible because my Father refused to provide support for Helen and I. Mother was granted a divorce on March 26, 1927 after a year and a half court battle.

Mother got custody of Helen and me. My Father lost everything he owned and had to start allover again. I know from talking with him in later years that he loved Mother and was sorry their marriage ended as it did. I believe this because he kept many of her letters and divorce papers until he passed away in 1969."

Another story of hardship.

Wilhelmina and Henry DeGraw divorced in 1945

Great Grandparents -  William DeGraw and Lorena Loomis

George Emmett DeGraw was not the son of George Pierre DeGraw. George was his uncle.

He was the son of William DeGraw and Lorena Loomis. 

William and Lorena were the second great grandparents

Their children were

1.      Ernest G DeGraw

2.      Emeline DeGraw                      1835                 Augustus DeGraw        1827 - 1881

                                                                            Sherman Kennedy        1815 - 1896

3.      John DeGraw                            1838 - 1908      Anna May Clark           1845 - 1934

4.      George Emmett DeGraw          1841 - 1924      Sarah Burr Derby          1842 - 1927

5.      Evaline DeGraw                       1847 - 1916     m Kennedy  Melvin Berry    1856 - 1927

6.      Jennett DeGraw                        1849

Researching modern relatives, is often somewhat more difficult than those of long ago, by now the World population has grown.

But these children were all born in the period of the Civil War.

1.2   Emeline married her second cousin.  Augustus DeGraw was the son of Joseph D Graw 1802 - 1882 from Solon Township, Kent Couny Michigan.  He married Anna Miller 1803 - 1850.  He was the son of Johannes DeGraw and Leah deVries

She then married Sherman Kennedy 1815.  He was the son of Samuel Kennedy 1764 - 1855  and Susan Powers c 1779.  He had previously married Jerusha Banney and Sarah Moon.

 Research indicates that in 1860 Sherman Kennedy and his brother  lived three houses apart in Vergennes Twp., and each apparently named a son after the other.  His parents came from Vermont, but the family lived in London Ontario, and were Methodist.

1.3  John DeGraw married Anna May Clark.  He registered for the Civil War at Eureka Michigan.  He was a farmer.

He and Anna's children included.

1.      Fred DeGraw                1869 - 1896     m in 1893  Julia Tanner b 1875

2.      Byron Clark DeGraw     1871 - 1957     m in 1896  Lula Anna Powers b 1877

3.      Charles Leroy DeGraw  1878 - 1962     m in 1899  Anna Mason 1882 - 1946

4.      Emma Leota DeGraw    1884 - 1974     m  in 1904  Simon Duke King 1876 - 1974

5.      Judie DeGraw               1895

1.3.2  Byron Clark DeGraw m Lula Anna Powers, their children:

1.3.2.1              Helen Vida DeGraw      1899     m    in 1920  John Westbrook Sullivan 1885

                                                                                    m   Loyal Grover Arnold in 1950

1.3.2.2              George Byron DeGraw  1903     1991     m Beryl Bates and Florence Miller

1.3.2.3              Lyla Mae DeGraw         1920     2000     m   Carmada

1.3.2.1    Helen and John Sullivan had a daughter

1.3.2.1.1  Helen Anna Sullivan born 1924 in Battle Creek Michigan. She married Lloyd Clifford Acheson, (1921 - 2012)  in 1948 in Detroit.  Helen died in 1999.

Helen graduated in 1945 from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit Michigan, which seemed to train nursing staff for World War II.

1.3.2.1.1.2   George Byron DeGraw was born 1903 in Washington Columbia and died in 1991, at Battle Creek Calhoun Michigan.  He married Beryl Bates (1905) in 1923 and Florence Dawn Miller (1905 - 1974) in 1936.

1.3.3   Charles Leroy DeGraw m Anna Mason, their children

1.3.3.1              Fred L DeGraw                         1910    

1.3.3.2              Cecil Allen DeGraw                  1911 - 1996

According to Charles' WW1 Draft Card he was from Carbon Montana, and was slender, medium height, and with dark hair and brown eyes.

1.3.4  Emma Leota DeGraw m Simon  Duke King

1.3.4.1   Cecil Elwood King                   1905 -  1987   m in 1927   Amanda Ruth Knight 1905 - 1986

1.3.4.2  Anna Ruth King                      1906 -  1989   m  in 1928  Oather Dorris McKee

1.3.4.3   Aubrey Bevier King                 1913 -  1999   m  in 1935  Mary Sarah Riley

1.3.4.4  Russell King                            1919 -  2012   m in 1944   Merle Olive Cormack 

1.3.4.2.1    Anna Ruth King m Oather Dorris McKee 1905 -

1.3.4.2.1.1  Virginia Elizabeth Alexander   1934 - 2010

1.3.4.1  Cecil King m Amada King

1.3.4.1.1   Cecil Elwood King    1931 - 1989                  Served in Military 1953

1.3.4.1.2   Ruth Layniere King   1932 - 1999                 m Armstrong

1.3.4.1.3   Peggy J. King            1936 -  2015                 m Williams

George Emmett DeGraw.

According to Almon's memories, his mother was Deborah Stowe.  There is no mention of a person named Deborah Stowe as being the mother of George Emmett DeGraw.

He relates stories about John, Evelyn and George Emmet.  However, he may not have known his sister Jennett.  She was born in 1849, and by the age of 21 was living at home with her parents and there were also two children recorded.  Anne, aged 8 and Loomis aged 1year.  John was also living with the family in 1871. 

John married Anna May Clark in 1865.  They had a son Fred Loomis DeGraw.  It is possible that this boy was John's Fred Loomis DeGraw who was born in 1869, same age as the Loomis DeGraw mentioned.

Then there is Ann.  Who might she belong to?  Ann was born 2 years before the marriage to Ann.  Perhaps she was also John's daughter. 

So there is conjecture regarding Jennett who has no further records, Ann, and Loomis.  If he is Fred, then he does have records.  There is a possibility that neither Jennett nor Ann are in fact DeGraw.

Alman says that George had a daughter Nettie, but his wife died.  There is a Nettie and also a Nora DeGraw, but they belong to William Emmett DeGraw's brother, who was in fact George Pierre DeGraw.

1871 census

Living with them in 1871 census was Anna DeGraw and Lomis DeGraw.  They are not the children of Lorena and William, but are most likely their grand children.

Almon may not have known of Jennett.

George Pierre DeGraw married Emma Cole in 1881. She had previously been married.

George had been married twice. 

His first wife was Mary Bigsby and they had 5 children including Nettie.

He married Elizabeth McWilliams and she died in 1874.

There are records for the War.  George W DeGraw enlisted, or is that incorrect and should it be George Washington DeGraw.  This George was born in Iowa.  Neither lived in Illinois.

Name:	George W. DeGraw
Side:	Union
Regiment State/Origin:	Illinois
Regiment:	153rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865)
Company:	B
Rank In:	Private
Rank Out:	Corporal
Film Number:	M539 roll 22

George Washington DeGraw, 1850 - 1934

George Washington DeGraw was born on month day 1850, at birth place, Iowa, to Joseph DeGraw and Jane Locaddy DeGraw (born Gregg).

Joseph was born on May 13 1822, in New York, United States.

Jane was born on August 15 1825, in Lancaster, Canada.

George had 7 siblings: Byron Samuel DeGraw, Walter Osa DeGraw and 5 other siblings.

George married Eliza Jane DeGraw (born Thomas).

Eliza was born on January 23 1859, in Pine Village, Warren County, Indiana, United States.

They had 5 children: Irene Smith (born DeGraw) and 4 other children.

George lived on month day 1870, at address, Kansas.

He lived in 1910, at address, Kansas.

George passed away on month day 1934, at age 83 at death place, Kansas.

Almon describes George's wife as Sarah Derby Roper.  She was not married to anyone named Roper.

Sarah Burr Derby was her name, and she was born in 1841 and died in 1926.  Her parents were Chauncey Derby and Sarah Burr.

She married George Emmet DeGraw in 1869.  Both she and George were 27

Sarah in some records is Sarah Burr Derby.  In her marriage record she is Sarah Carell.

Sarah no doubt married a person of the name of Carell, probably in Sodus, New York   

According to Almon, each had a daughter by a former marriage.  The name Roper is mentioned.  He took their two boys and went to California, and left their daughter with Sarah.

Then George Emmett and his wife Sarah left the girls with his father George Pierre DeGraw.

Another mystery to try to unravel.

George did marry twice.  His first wife was Sarah Emmerson.  Sarah may have been married previously.

With Sarah, he had the following children

1.      Joseph DeGraw                                     1865

2.      William Emmerson DeGraw                 1865 - 1937

3.      Henry DeGraw                                      1867 -  1931

In the 1880 census records, the following children are living with Charles DeGraw and his wife Sarah in Ramapo, Rockland, New York

1.      Joseph DeGraw                         1865                                         Stepson

2.      Henry DeGraw                          1867     1931     Aged 16           Stepson

3.      Lewis DeGraw                          1872                 Aged 8             Stepson

4.      Barney DeGraw                         1875                 Aged 5             Son

Of interest is that these  boys were mulatto.

The mother in law Catherine DeGraw  is also living with them.

Living next door was Henry DeGraw and his wife Hannah, and three children.

In the 1870 census William Emmerson DeGraw is living with his father and his wife Sarah.

1.      William Emmerson DeGraw      1865     1937     Aged 15

In 1880 census William is living again on the farm with his father and his two younger brothers,  George Archie and Henry Ernest.  

In 1899 Henry DeGraw married Lena Kussel and they lived at Ramapo in New York.

He and Lena had 5 children and he died in 1931 in New Jersey.

In 1895 William Emmerson DeGraw married Aleatha Belle Johnson.

Aleatha had been married before and had 3 children.  Her first husband was Alexander Lardle and he drowned.

Barney DeGraw born 1875 to Sarah and Charles, died in 1945.  His obituary reads:

Bloomingburg - Barney DeGraw died Friday at his home here. A native of Ramapo, he was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Elijah DeGraw.

Surviving Mr. DeGraw are his wife, the former Ella Cooper; three daughters, Etta, wife of Charles Roe and Edith, wife of William Pellew, both of Middletown; and Luella, wife of Herman Mann of Peekskill; and four sons, Joseph D. of Allendale, N.J., Barney, Jr., and William, both of Fair Oaks, and Ralph of Bloomingburg.

Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow at Hasbrouck's Chapel, Middletown, with the Rev. Alexander M. Warren officiating. Burial will be in the family plot, Bloomingburg Cemetery.
--Middletown (NY) Times Herald, Monday, December 17, 1945, page 10

Another unexplained child and connection is  Minnie Gleason

In the 1880 Census records she is living with George Emmett DeGraw and his wife Sarah B. DeGraw, and listed as a school teacher and his stepdaughter.

The record further shows that Minnia was born in New York and that her father was born in Germany.

Was she in fact Wilhelmina Gleeson, Minnie for short.   Gleason is not a German name.

There are two possibilities, either Minnie is the daughter of Sarah Burr Derby or the daughter of Sarah Emmerson, making her in both cases George's step daughter.

The marriage records for Sarah Burr Derby confirm she had been previously married, but her name was Carrell.  She and George married in July 1869.

From Alman's memories, Nine Roper was left with Sarah.  Nina was in fact Sarah Burr Derby's niece.

She lived with her grandparents Chauncy Derby and Sarah Burr, when her father went gold prospecting.

The Roper Connection

In the 1860 Census, Nina Olivia Roper is living with Chauncey Derby and his wife Sarah.

By 1880 she is 20 and living in California, married to Elliott and mother of 4 children. From the previous census she would be 22.

Henry Isac Roper was born May 20, 1833 in Huron, Wayne County, New York.  He married Ann Eliza Derbry who was born August 22, 1836 in Phelps, new York.  They were married October 8, 1855 in Huron, New York. 


They had six children, Nina Olivia, 1858, Charles Henry Roper, 1863, Sheridan G (Ed) Roper, 1864 Minnis Estella, 1866, Elsie May, 1869 and g Emmett Roper, 1877.  Nina was born in Marshall, Michigan and Charles in Virginia City, Nevada and the other children in San Jose, Ca.

After Nina was born in Michigan they returned to New York.  The gold rush was on and Henry Roper left his wife and child in New York and drove oxen on a Prairie Schooner to Eldarodo County.  The trip took six months.  They camped at night with the wagons in a circle to keep from being molested by the Indians.

About 1861 Henry Roper sent for his wife and child.  They left New York by steamer boat and took the train across what we now know as the Panama Canal where they caught another steamer to San Francisco.  Henry met his wife in San Francisco and they went on to Virginia City, Nevada.  Henry made money and near 1865 they bought a 360 acre ranch in San Jose.  Here they raised six children, and Elsie May Roper was born August 18, 1869.  Henry had large orchards of various fruits and berries.  Ann dried fruits, pickled cucumbers by the barrel, made soap, did all the sewing for the family, and in her spare time sewed rags together to have woven into a braided rug,, which was a real luxury in those days.  Indians would come to the house begging for food. 

Charles Henry Roper was born July 29, 1863.  He was helping his father on the ranch and was thrown and died.

William Emmerson DeGraw was the son of Sarah Emmerson and George DeGraw.

He married in 1895 Aleatha Belle Johnson

Their children were:

1.      Harold DeGraw             1896 - 1980

2.      Beatrice DeGraw           1899 - 1993

3.      Fred DeGraw                1901 -  1939

4.      Aleatha  DeGraw          1904 - 1905

5.      Maurice DeGraw           1907 - 1997

Aleatha was the daughter of Frederick Johnson 1828 - 1905  and Susanna Louther 1835 - 1925

Her father was born in Mexico, and was a maniner.  She married Alexander in 1881 at Grand Rapids Michigan. The had three children and he drowned in 1889 in Bowers Harbour in Michigan.

Alexander was born in Quebec the son of George Lardie 1810 - 1888 and Esther Beauchamp 1821 -1901.  Esther was French.  Her ancestors arrived in late 1600's into Quebec.  Of interest, was the name Beauchamp.  Was there a possibility that she might have been related to a Fillies la Roix?  That would have been a story to tell.  But she wasn't.    

Daughter of Jean-Baptiste Beauchamp & Agathe Morn.
Married George Lardie Sept 15 1846 in Montreal Quebec Canada  Roy aged 15 lived with grandfather Johnson a a farm labourer

Civil war list of Michigan Hawes Township.
George Rifenbart, Henry Loux, Josiah M. Donalson, Alva Treat, Charles Beach, George H. Lee.

D/O Fred L & Susanna (Laughter) Johnson.
Married Alexander Lardie May 1 1881
Married William E DeGraw Nov 29 1894.

ge 75y. Father. Captain. Born Matamoros, Monterey, Mexico his father of Spanish birth & mother a native of Mexico.
Married Susanna Lother Dec 25 1855 in Chicago.
Veteran US Navy Mexican War; served under Gen Zachary Taylor as an interpreter 1846-1848.
Maritime sailor, Great Lakes. Died at Bowers Harbor.

Chris Rickerd originally shared this on 12 Oct 2017

Her first family into Canada -

Marie Archambault II, was born and was baptized in the parish of Dompierre-sur-Mer, near Lardillère in the province of Aunis, France, in 1644. She was the seventh child and fifth daughter of the couple "Archambault-Tourault" . His earliest family to Canada 1659

Marie Archambault (II) immigrated to Québec in New France with her family and her parents in the summer of 1646 according to data from "File Origin" or the summer of 1647, while she was aged about 2-3 years.

On November 27, 1656, when she was about 12 years, Marie Archambault (II) married Gilles Lauzon, aged 26 and son of Pierre and Anne Boivin Lauzon, Montreal, New France (now the province of Quebec, Canada)

Son of John DeGraw

Civil War Veteran
Company B, 153rd IL INF

Geo W & Mary (Bigsby) DeGraw

Name:	George W. DeGraw
Side:	Union
Regiment State/Origin:	Illinois
Regiment:	153rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865)
Company:	B
Rank In:	Private
Rank Out:	Corporal
Film Number:	M539 roll 22

Alman's memories created a rather large jigsaw puzzle, and fitting the pieces together, provided the correct answers.

But how did Barny DeGraw, son of Charles and Sarah, become the son of Elijiah BeGraw? 

Who was Charles DeGraw, mother Catherine, and what happened to Joseph?

No records can be found for Sarah Derby's first marriage.  Nor for George's marriage to Sarah Emmerson.  Was Sarah of mixed race?  How did she begin a relationship with Charles?  And was she the mother of Minnie Gleason. There are no traceable records for Sarah Emmerson.

Stumbling blocks that are likely to remain unanswered.

The missing sons, the children left with grandparents, all those points have been searched, and the results jell with the theme of Alman's story. 

 Elsie Brown was descended from Clement Briggs may be the Clement who was baptised on 12th July 1599 in South Kelsey Lincolnshire.  His father would be John Briggs.

1616 living in Southwark, Surrey England

Clement Briggs arrived in Plymouth, MA in the 55-ton ship "Fortune", 9 Nov 1621. The "Fortune," Thos. Barton master, was the second ship to come to the new colony. Governor Bradford in his History of the Plymouth Plantation says: "In November, about that time twelfe month that themselves came, ther came in a small ship to them unexpected or looked for, in which came Mr. Cushman (so much spoken of before) and with him 35 persons to remaine and live in the plantation.

Most of them were lusty young men, and many of them wild enough, who little considered whither or aboute what they wente. The plantation was glad of this addition of strength, but could have wished that many of them had been of beter condition. I shall remember one passage more, rather of mirth then of waight. One the day called Christmas-day, the Gov. called them out to worke, (as was used,) but the most of this new-company excused themselves and said it went against their conscious to work on that day. so the govr. tould them that if they made it a mater of conscience, he would spare them till they were better informed.

So he led-away the rest and left them; but when they came home at noone from their worke, he found them in the streets at play, openly; some pitching the barr, and some at stoole-ball, and shuch like sports. so he went to them, and tooke away their implements, and tould them that was against his conscience that they should play and others worke."   (original spellings)

According to the Plymouth Colony Records(XII.5) Clemente Brigges was allotted one acre of land in 1623. "These lye beyond the first brooke to the wood westward." and 22 May 1627 (Plymouth Colony Records WII:9) he received one of the four "heyfers" which were brought over in the ship "Jacob". 5 Mch. 1639-40 he was named in the records as one of the 58 "purchasers" and "Old Comers" of New Plymouth. (Plymouth Colony Records 11.177) Some time between 1627 and 1630 he removed to Dorchester, where he married in 1630 or 1631 Joan Allen, for officiating at which ceremony, Thomas Stoughton, the constable was fined 5 pounds at the March Court in 1631.

Clement Briggs was born about 1600 (a 1638 deposition implies that in 1616 he had already been a servant to Mr. Samuel Latham for a few years).

A clue to his possible origins is found in the same 1638 deposition, in which he said "about two and twenty years since[,] this deponent the dwelling with one Mr. Samuel Lathame in Barumndsey Street in Southwarke..."

He worked as an apprentice tanner, or "fels monger", and migrated as a single man to Massachusetts on the Fortune, the first ship after the Mayflower, arriving at Plymouth in November 1621.

Clement moved to Dorchester, Mass between 1627 and 1630, where he met and was married to Joan Allen in 1631 by Rev Thomas Stoughton. Joan was mother of his son Jonathan, b. Weymouth, 1635. He later suffered the first divorce in the English colonies when he separated from Joan, who had been ordered by the court to not visit another man, Arthur Warren. Clement married next Elizabeth Field c. 1639/40; she died between 11 Nov 1685 (date of codicil) and 11 Aug 1691 (when will probated), probably at Weymouth.

Clement's will was dated 1648; his inventory was taken 23 Feb 1648/9; the will was proven Oct 4, 1650; he died in Weymouth, Mass.

According to Torrey and Anderson, Clement married an Elizabeth whose maiden name is unknown. Torrey shows a different Clement Briggs, vitals and relationship to this Clement unknown (but not son Clement), marrying Elizabeth Field 3 Nov 1697 at Bridgewater/Easton, MA.

  http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Plymouth/Bridgewater/Images/Bridgewater_M063.shtml

By first wife:
Thomas, b 14 Jun 1633 [NEHGR 8:348]; m. Ann _____ [BrPR 2:65]
Jonathan, b 14 Jun 1635 [NEHGR 8:348]; m by 1664 Experience _______ [TAG 33:83-86] 

By second wife:

David b 23 Aug 1650 [NEHGR 8:348]; d btw 13 Nov 1683 (when mentioned in mother's will) and 11 Nov 1685 (codicil to that will), apparently without issue.

Clement, b 1 Jan 1642/3 [NEHGR 8:348]; m by 1669 Hannah Packard [SPR 7:1-2]
Remember, b abt 1645; m by 1686 Mary _____ (their eldest child was born Weymouth 4 Nov 1686).
John, b abt 1647; "named in father's will; no further record. Not named in will of Elizabeth Briggs, which might be evidence that he was not her son, but he almost certainly dead before she wrote her will; if he had been a son of Clement Briggs by his first wife, he should have appeared in the Weymouth vital records for the 1630s and early 1640s. there is no evidence that he is any one of the men by the name of John Briggs later appearing in New England."

1.  

"In 1966 Edna Anne Hannibal, with the assistance of Claude W. Barlow, published a solid genealogy of the descendants of Clement Briggs, as part of a series on Briggs families of New England [Clement Briggs of Plymouth Colony and His Descendants, 1621-1965 (n.p., 1966). This volume presence evidence supporting the interesting hypothesis that the widow of Clement Briggs was the "widow Briggs" residing in the early 1650s at Southampton [p. 4].

 Almon's memories, provided the groundwork for a Family Tree, for Henry Irvin DeGraw, beginning with the first three generations, from his grandmother Sarah Burr Derby.