Tim’s 2nd-great-grandfather, George Washington Verplanck, son of Henry Abraham and Catherine Ann (McMullen) Verplanck, was born 25 March 1852 in (Eaton) Michigan, and died 28 February 1930 in Hanover (Jackson) Michigan. He married 20 July 1873 in Summit (Jackson) Michigan, Ermina “Mina” Huntley, who was born 4 November 1855 in Michigan, and died 30 December 1917 in Jackson (Jackson) Michigan, daughter of Loren Grant and Mary Jane (Fowler) Huntley.
George was a farmer, mason and bricklayer. Mina was a homemaker.
On 7 December 1903, after 30 years of marriage, Mina filed an application for divorce on the grounds of extreme cruelty. The case was not contested but was quickly withdrawn on 15 December 1903.
Mina died from acute gastritis and acute angina pectoris. George died from burns when his clothing accidently caught fire while he was lighting a fire in a coal range.
photo by Deb Hayes-Wolfe (Ancestry.com)
Ermina & George lie buried in Woodland Cemetery in Jackson, Michigan. They were the parents of seven children:
1. William “Willie” Verplanck, born 20 November 1874 in Michigan, died 1 July 1908 in Blackman (Jackson) Michigan, age 33, of tuberculosis.
2. Inez Verplanck, born 25 December 1876 in Tekonsha (Calhoun) Michigan, died 2 August 1944 in LaGrange (Cook) Illinois. She married 14 April 1920 in Chicago (Cook) Illinois, Henry P. Halsted, who was born 20 March 1868 in Chicago, and died there 28 October 1926, son of Henry Smith and Anna (—) Halsted. Inez & Henry had no children.
3. Martha Janet “Mattie” Verplanck, born 13 January 1880 in Hanover, died in 1951. She married 31 December 1902 in Jackson, Charles John Myers, who was born 15 August 1879 in Grass Lake (Jackson) Michigan. Martha & Charles had no children.
4. George Ola Verplanck, born 10 May 1882 in Hanover, died in 1954. He married 15 April 1903 in Jackson, Beulah Wilson, who was born in August 1881 in Michigan, and died in 1967, daughter of James and Cora (—) Wilson. George & Beulah were the parents of four children.
5. Catherine Alta Verplanck (Tim’s great-grandmother), born 2 May 1885 in Hanover, died there 27 July 1941. She married (as her first husband) 20 June 1906 in Hanover, Marion Case Raven, who was born 18 October 1883 in Cambridge (Lenawee) Michigan, and died 4 December 1926 in Jackson, son of William Franklin and Elona Naomi (Case) Raven. Catherine & Marion were the parents of three children. Catherine married (as her second husband and as his second wife) 14 October 1931 in Jackson, Earl Edward Jewell, who was born 28 January 1893 in Three Rivers (St. Joseph) Michigan, and died there 6 June 1974, son of Elmer W. and Emilie Auguste (Hochstaedt) Jewell. Catherine & Earl had no children.
6. Ola M. Verplanck, (daughter) born 23 May 1888 in Hanover, died 23 July 1909 in Jackson, age 21.
7. Eldridge Verplanck, born 7 October 1890 in Jackson, 16 November 1918 in Quantico (Prince William) Virginia, age 28. Eldridge was a private in the US Marine Corps and died of influenza in the barracks during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic.
Tim’s great-grandfather, Marion Case Raven, son of William Franklin and Elona Naomi (Case) Raven, was born 18 October 1882 in Cambridge (Lenawee) Michigan, and died 4 December 1926 in Jackson (Jackson) Michigan. He married (as her first husband) 20 June 1906 in Hanover (Jackson) Michigan, Catherine Alta Verplanck, who was born there 2 May 1885, and died there 27 July 1941, daughter of George Washington and Ermina (Huntley) Verplanck.
Catherine married (as her second husband and as his second wife) 14 October 1931 in Jackson, Earl Edward Jewell, who was born 28 January 1893 in Three Rivers (St. Joseph) Michigan, and died there 6 June 1974, son of Elmer W. and Emilie Auguste (Hochstaedt) Jewell.
Marion was a stonemason and a fireman. He was 5’10” and of medium build, with dark hair and blue eyes. He died at age 43 of endocarditis brought on by whooping cough.
Catherine, widowed at age 41, then worked as a cook in school cafeteria for a few years until she married again. She died of a coronary aneurysm from underlying arteriosclerosis.
Marion & Catherine lie buried in Woodland Cemetery in Jackson.
Catherine & Marion were the parents of three children, all born in Jackson:
1. Lenore Naomi Raven (Tim’s grandmother), born 26 July 1907, died 6 November 1961 in Middletown (Middlesex) Connecticut. She married (as her first husband and as his first wife) 23 August 1923 in Adrian (Lenawee) Michigan, Nelson John Ladd, who was born there 18 February 1904, and died 12 June 1980 in Asheville (Buncombe) North Carolina, son of Hugh Ralph and Tina (Van Valkenburg) Ladd. Lenore & Hugh were the parents of a son and divorced 21 May 1928. Lenore married (as her second husband and as his first wife) 27 May 1929 in Manhattan (New York) New York, Joseph Asher Flanzer, who was born there 22 December 1901 and died 28 January 1997 in Willimantic (Windham) Connecticut, son of Moritz Kalman and Sadie (Roth) Flanzer. Lenore & Joseph were the parents of two children and were then divorced. Lenore married (as her third husband) John House. Lenore married (as her fourth husband) 10 June 1960 in Simsbury (Hartford) Connecticut, Robert Nelson Howard, who was born 10 May 1900 in Brownville (Piscataquis) Maine and died 30 October 1998 in Glastonbury (Hartford) Connecticut, son of Edgar and Martha (Graham) Howard. Lenore & Robert lie buried in Lakeview Cemetery in East Hampton, Connecticut.
2. Ayesha Jean Raven, born 31 March 1913, died 21 December 1998 in Mentor (Lake) Ohio. She married 23 September 1933 in Jackson, Harold Ernest Griggs, who was born there 1 May 1912, and died there 3 January 1981, son of Ernest and Mary (—) Griggs. Ayesha & Harold were the parents of two children.
3. George Franklin Raven, born 26 August 1915, died 3 March 2001 in Los Altos (Santa Clara) California. He married 8 April 1942 in Seattle (King) Washington, Barbara Ellen Hultz, who was born 20 August 1917, and died 27 March 2011 in Jackson, daughter of Forrest and Hazel (Eldred) Hultz.
World War I Draft Registration Card, 1917-1918 for Moritz Kalman Flanzer
Tim’s great-grandfather, Moritz Kalman Flanzer, was born 15 September 1874 in Austria and died 8 December 1950. He married about 1895 in Austria, Sadie Roth, who was born about 1877 in Austria and died 17 February 1963.
Moritz was a watchmaker and Sadie was a homemaker. Moritz and Sadie arrived in America with their small daughter Rose in 1901, and settled in New York City. In 1918 Moritz was employed by a jeweler, James McCreary & Co., 34th St. & 5th Ave., New York. By the time of the 1930 census he is recorded as being the proprietor of his own jewelry store and his 20 year-old son Harry also became a watchmaker.
Moritz’s draft registration card says he was of medium height and slender build with brown eyes and brown hair. The 1930 federal census states that Moritz and Sadie’s mother tongue was Yiddish.
Moritz lies buried in Mount Zion Cemetery in Maspeth-Queens (Queens) New York and Sadie rests in Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Glendale-Queens (Queens) New York.
Moritz & Sadie were the parents of seven children:
1. Rose Flanzer, born about 1898 in Austria, died 19 July 1956 in Manhattan (New York) New York. She was a public school teacher. She married 4 April 1931 in (Kings) New York, Samuel Semerik, who was born 14 March 1895 in Russia, and died 19 September 1972 in (Broward) Florida. Rose & Samuel were the parents of two daughters.
2. Joseph Asher Flanzer (Tim’s grandfather), born 22 December 1901 in Manhattan, died 28 January 1997 in Willimantic (Windham) Connecticut. He married (as his first wife and as her second husband) 27 May 1929 in Manhattan, Lenore Naomi (Raven) Ladd, who was born 26 July 1907 in Jackson (Jackson) Michigan, and died 6 November 1961 in Middletown (Middlesex) Connecticut, daughter of Marion Case and Catherine Alta (Verplanck) Raven. Joseph & Lenore were the parents of two children and were then divorced. Joseph married (as his second wife), Marion E. Lucey, who was born 13 June 1923, and died 3 December 2013 in Windham (Windham) Connecticut. Joseph adopted Marion’s daughter and Joseph & Marion were the parents of two sons.
3. Sophie Flanzer, born about 1904, died 19 March 1905 in Manhattan. Sophie is also buried in Mount Zion Cemetery.
4. Reuben Flanzer, born about 1906, died about 1912. Reuben was six years old when he succumbed to an infection due to a simple scraped knee. He had been running around playing, scraped his knee, and didn’t tell anyone anything. Within weeks, he was very sick, and the infection had spread, and he died shortly thereafter.
5. Harry Flanzer, born 18 August 1908, died 1 April 1998 in Coram (Suffolk) New York. He was a watchmaker. He married 15 February 1938 in Brooklyn (Kings) New York, Naomi Shapiro, who was born 1 June 1913, and died 3 December 1981 in Brooklyn, daughter of Philip and Sarah (—) Shapiro. Harry & Naomi were the parents of two children.
6. Frances Flanzer, born 22 October 1910. She married after 10 October 1939 in Brooklyn, Irving Laschever, who was born 3 October 1903, and died 24 May 1996 in Woodmere (Nassau) New York. Frances & Irving were the parents of a daughter.
7. Miriam “Mamie” Flanzer, born 20 May 1914 in Brooklyn, and died 29 June 2002. She married after 21 March 1938 in Brooklyn, Morris Sagman, who was born 14 December 1910. Miriam & Morris had no children.
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The information on this family is very sketchy, partly because it is difficult to obtain vital records from the city of New York and partly because of a rift in the family. Tim’s mother was estranged from her father after her parents divorced, so Tim didn’t really know this grandfather. But Tim, Toby and Larisa went to the grandfather’s funeral in 1997 and met Joseph Flanzer’s youngest sisters, Frances and Miriam. They kindly gave Larisa the names of their parents (Tim’s great-grandparents), the fact that their father was a watchmaker, and a basic outline of their siblings, all with no dates. Bit by bit in my research I’ve found a few dates and places but I hope in the future to find more. While Frances and Miriam knew about Sophie, who died in infancy, they didn’t mention Reuben, who I found on the census and who also must have died young.
Update: Frances’ granddaughter has contacted me and has told me the story of Reuben she heard from her grandmother.
Tim’s 2nd great-grandfather, William Franklin Raven, son of Henry Charles and Clarinda (Sweet) Raven, was born 12 July 1851 in Macomb (St. Lawrence) New York, and died 14 September 1917 in Escanaba (Delta) Michigan. He married, 5 March 1888 in Cambridge (Lenawee) Michigan, Elona Naomi Case, who was born 7 July 1853 in Cambridge, and died 22 January 1929 in Badaxe (Huron) Michigan, the daughter of Hermon Roberts and Paulina (Minor) Case.
The following is from Col. Charles V. DeLand, DeLand’s History of Jackson County, (Logansport, Indiana: B.F. Bowen, 1893), 1075-1076:
WILLIAM F. RAVEN
Elona Naomi Case (1853-1929)
Among the representative farmers and dairymen of Columbia township, where he owns a fine landed estate of nearly three hundred acres, is Mr. Raven, who comes of ancestry long identified with the annals of American history. Mr. Raven is a native of the old Empire state, having been born on the parental homestead farm, in St. Lawrence county, New York, on the 12th of July, 1852, a son of Henry and Clarinda (Sweet) Raven, the former of whom was born in Merrickville, province of Ontario, Canada, while the latter was born in the state of Vermont. ……. The subject of this review passed the first ten years of his life in his native county, and thereafter was for a time a resident of Herkimer and Oneida counties. His early education was received in the public schools of the locality and period, and was supplemented by a course of study in Fairfield Academy, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1873. Between his public school and academic courses he had learned the printer’s trade, and for some nine months he was employed as a compositor in an establishment on Fulton street, New York city. Thereafter he secured employment in connection with a lumber business at Ilion, New York, being thus engaged for four years, at the expiration of which, in 1877, he came to Michigan and after looking about the state in search of a suitable location finally took up his residence in the township of Cambridge, Lenawee county, where he made his home for the ensuing two years. He then, in 1880, effected the purchase of the Hoag farm of one hundred and thirty acres, in section 15, Columbia township, Jackson county, the same being most eligibly situated a short distance to the northeast of Clark’s lake. Since that time he has added to the area of his farm until he now has a finely improved and valuable landed estate of nearly three hundred acres. In addition to diversified farming he is now making a specialty of the dairy business, keeping a high grade of Jersey cattle and being known as one of the most progressive, practical and successful dairymen of this section. He takes a loyal interest in public affairs of a local nature and has been a member of the school board of this district for the past eight years, while in 1901 he was called upon to serve in the office of township treasurer, giving a discriminating and most acceptable administration of the fiscal affairs in his charge. Fraternally, he is a popular member of the Masonic order, in which he has passed the capitular degrees and also of the adjunct body, the Order of the Eastern Star, as well as the Knights of the Maccabees and the Grange. Mrs. Raven is identified also with the Eastern Star, the Ladies of the Maccabees and the Grange. In politics the subject is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party, taking an intelligent and lively interest in the questions of the hour, and in the community he commands the unequivocal confidence and esteem of all who know him and wields no slight influence in local affairs. On the 5th of March, 1888, Mr. Raven was united in marriage to Miss Eleanora Case, who was born in Lenawee county, Michigan, a daughter of Herman R. Case, a native of Connecticut, who came to Michigan in the pioneer epoch. Mr. and Mrs. Raven have seven children, all of whom are at home save the eldest, who is attending the Agricultural College, at Lansing, their names, in order of birth, being as follows: Paulina, Hermon, Marion, William, Emmett, Julia and Ayesha.
All the photographs on this post were contributed anonymously to Ancestry.com in 2013.
William & Elona (Case) Raven and their seven children…
The following is from an undated and unidentified newspaper clipping:
Sudden Death of William F. Raven
Remains Brought to Brooklyn for Burial
William F. Raven, formerly a resident of Columbia township, died suddenly in a restaurant at Escanaba last Friday morning of heart trouble. he had been in Chicago to attend a wool growers’ convention and had gone north in the interests of the state agricultural extension department, being at the head of the live stock section. The remains were taken to his home at East Lansing where the funeral was held and on Monday brought to Brooklyn for burial at Highland Cemetery. He was buried with special Masonic honors, the Master of the Lansing Masonic lodge coming with the funeral party.
William Raven was well and favorably known to every Columbia resident and few men have become so well known throughout the state. He came here, a farmer boy from Ohio, and working on farms and teaching for a few years bought a farm, now tenanted by one of his sons, William. He was united in marriage to Miss Elona Case of Cambridge and a large family came to bless their home. Besides the widow the surviving children are herman, John, Emmett, Marion and Will, daughters Paulina, Julia and Ayesha, all grown men and women, a family of honor and credit to the community.
Mr. Raven has for about ten years been in the employ of the state and made his home in East Lansing. He was for a time in charge of all the college extension work in the upper peninsula. He spent a year or two on the soil survey and had charge of the live stock extension work through out the state. Prof. R.S. Shaw, dean of agriculture, and Prof. R.J. Baldwin, director of extension work, of the M.A.C. paid tribute to Mr. Raven at the Exponent office on Monday. They spoke in highest terms of his work stating that he was the best informed and most reliable of any of the men on the extension work and that his death would be a distinct loss to the state.
And the following is from “Reminiscences” by Ayesha Raven Laidlaw, Elona’s youngest daughter:
In our neighborhood the community of Jefferson had a cemetery which was supported by the township, which did not take very good care of it, except for mowing. So the women formed an organization called the Memory Circle, and they raised money for that little cemetery. It continued for many, many years. they had Ice Cream Socials, and we had the biggest house in the township, so the Ice Cream Socials were always at our house in the summer. In the winter they had a Chicken Pie Dinner, and that, too, was at our house. Brother Herman always spoke of those dinners. When Mother was entertaining, he would say, “Well, Mother’s having another Graveyard Social.” As I said, that continued many years, and, as late as when we lived in Tecumseh on Democrat Street, Paulina and I entertained those women for Julia when she was home from the East. Many, many of them came from Jackson, Liberty, Cass Lake, and Jefferson and the community, and one lady, when she got out of the car, said, “Well, you don’t know me. I’m Zilla McCready.” And I was shocked because I thought she had been dead for many years. I think there were six or eight ladies there who were past eighty years old.
Elona & William lie buried in Highland Cemetery in Brooklyn (Jackson) Michigan. They were the parents of seven children:
1. Paulina Elona “Polly” Raven, born 20 July 1879, died 2 January 1959 in Lyon (Fulton) Ohio. She married 30 June 1917 in East Lansing (Ingham) Michigan, Frederick Elwin Morse, who was born 19 January 1876 and died 21 April 1958. Paulina & Frederick were the parents of two sons.
2. Herman Case Raven, born 24 April 1882, died 5 April 1937 in Portland (Multnomah) Oregon. He married 1 February 1908 in Cook Valley (Dunn) Wisconsin, Elvira Florence Scritsmier, who was born 1 February 1880 in Auburn (Chippewa) Wisconsin and died 28 January 1969 in Portland. Herman & Elvira had no children.
3. Marion Case Raven (Tim’s great-grandfather), born 18 October 1883, died 4 December 1926 in Jackson (Jackson) Michigan. He married (as her first husband) 20 June 1906 in Hanover (Jackson) Michigan, Catherine Alta Verplanck, who was born there 2 May 1885 and died there 27 July 1941, daughter of George Washington and Ermina (Huntley) Verplank. Marion & Catherine were the parents of three children.
4. John William “Will” “Bill” Raven, born 5 February 1886, died in Highland Park (Wayne) Michigan. He married (as his first wife and as her second husband) 13 February 1913 in Jackson, Emma Belle (Faxon) Clark, who was born there 17 October 1873 and died there 7 February 1927, daughter of Dewitt Clinton and Lucy Ann (Campbell) Faxon and widow of Harry B. Clark. Bill married (as his second wife and as her second husband) Evelyn (—). Bill married (as his third wife) Mabel (—). Bill never had any children of his own.
5. Emmett Leroy Raven, born 16 September 1889, died 20 December 1971 in Badaxe. He married (as his first wife) 23 June 1915 in Mulliken (Eaton) Michigan, Ethel Alvina Peabody, who was born 24 September 1892 in Roxand (Eaton) Michigan and died there 25 October 1927. Emmett & Ethel were the parents of four children. Emmett married (as his second wife) 18 June 1929, Mildred Nellie Gardnen, who was born 6 January 1890 and died 26 July 1979 in Colfax (Huron) Michigan.
6. Julia Agnes Raven, born 17 October 1891, died 29 February 1968 in Middletown (Middlesex) Connecticut. She married 17 May 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, William Homan, who was born 3 August 1889 and died 13 January 1951. Julia never had any children of her own.
7. Clarinda Ayesha Raven, born 8 June 1895, died 29 August 1987 in Fort Myers (Lee) Florida. She married 19 July 1917 in East Lansing (Ingham) Michigan, Orville William Laidlaw, who was born 14 July 1893, and died 24 December 1978. Ayesha & Orville were the parents of two sons.
