Categories: Burt, Jones, 52Ancestor, Michigan: Shiawassee County, Michigan: Livingston County
Continuing with the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks challenge, I am going to share what I know about my paternal 2nd great grandmother Lucinda Jones. Lucinda has always been a little bit of a mystery to me.
How I'm Related
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Lucinda Jones - My 2nd Great Grandmother
Ernest Nile Burt - My Great Grandfather Edna Jean Burt - My Grandmother Tom Orlando McKenzie - My Father |
Family
Lucinda E. Jones was born on November 24th, 1854 in Howell Township, Livingston County, Michigan to John Paul Jones and Mary Jane Chappell. She was the third child of nine.
Parents
John Paul Jones - Born on December 13th, 1825 in Stoke St. Gregory, Somerset, England. Died on August 23rd, 1901 in Brady Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. Based on census records, John was both a Mason and Farmer by trade.
Mary Jane Chappell - Born on March 8th, 1830 in Ohio. Died on May 14th, 1902 in Brady Township, Saginaw County, Michigan.
John Paul Jones and Mary Jane Chappell were married on September 25th, 1849 in Huron County, Ohio. There were nine children born to this marriage, two of which died in infancy.
Siblings
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Siblings of Lucinda E. Jones
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Childhood
I was able to find Lucinda living with her parents in the 1860 and 1870 census
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July 26th, 1860 - Lucinda, 5 years old, is shown on 1860 Federal Census with her father, mother, and two siblings; Mary O. D. (Delphine) (10) and John P. (10 Months). Lucinda and her family are living in Howell, Livingston County, Michigan. Her father, John lists his occupation as a farmer. The family has real estate worth $550 and personal property worth $67.
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I believe that the family moved from Howell to Sciota Township in Shiawassee County sometime between 1863 and 1865.
August 4, 1870 - Lucinda, now 15 years old, is shown on 1870 Federal Census with her father, mother, and four siblings; John P. (10), Merritt (6), Royal (4) and Leounch (2). I believe that Leounch is actually a misspelling of Harriet, who was born in 1868. Lucinda and her family are living in Sciota Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. John's occupation is now listed as a Mason. The family owns real estate worth $1,500 and personal property worth $250.
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We can see from 1870 census that Lucinda is living near her future husband, George Washington Burt.
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In 1870, both George and Lucinda are still attending school, most likely together. However, George, age 17, was two years older. Based on my research, they probably attended the Octagon school which was located on Doyle Road in between Austin Rd. and Shaftsburg Rd. in what is now Laingsburg. This school house still exists, although it has since been turned into a personal residence.
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The image above shows the location of the Octagon School. Shaded in blue is also the property where George W. Burt was living with his mother Amelia and four siblings, on August 4th, 1870.
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I believe that Lucinda and her family moved from Sciota Township to Brady Township, Saginaw County, Michigan sometime after the 1870 census was taken and before her youngest sibling, Elijah Babcock, was born on May 17th, 1872.
Marriage and Children
On Sunday, January, 18th, 1874 Lucinda married her schoolmate and neighbor, George Washington Burt. At the time of their marriage, George was working on the family farm. George's father Thomas had passed away 10 years earlier on June 26th, 1864. George was the oldest male in the household and most likely the primary caretaker of the family's 80 acre farm.
I have not yet found a copy of their marriage certificate, therefore, I do not know whether they were married in Sciota Township or Brady Township.
Just over a year after their marriage, George and Lucinda had their first child, a son whom they named Thomas John Burt. Thomas was born on July 15th, 1875 in Webber Township, Lake County, Michigan. My guess would be his name was chosen for each of their fathers; Thomas Burt and John Jones.
On June 14th, 1880, George and Lucinda were recorded on the 1880 census with their son Thomas. George was listed as a farmer.
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A month later, on July 20th, 1880, my great grandfather, Ernest Nile Burt, was born. The family was still living in Webber Township.
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By 1882, the family had moved to Sciota Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. This is where their third child and first daughter Leah was born on September 24th, 1882.
George and Lucinda's youngest child Miles Raymond Burt was born on July 11th, 1886 in Laingsburg, Shiawassee County, Michigan. So the family has once again moved.
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I found a clip in the Owosso Times Newspaper from Friday, November 9th, 1883 that suggests that the family moved around 1883. By the sounds of it, a bit of bad luck followed them.
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Based on information I found in the March 4th, 1887 edition of the Owosso Times Newspaper, the family is renting a farm, two miles north of Laingsburg, from a Mrs. Ann Smith. I believe that they were living on one of the plots outlined in yellow on the map below.
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As you can see from the map below, they were living close to George's mother Amelia. Her land is outlined in orange on the map.
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My assumption is that George and Lucinda moved back to the Laingsburg area to care for George's mother Amelia because she passed away not long after, on May 26th, 1888.
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The area outlined in red, was later rented, about April 12th, 1889, by Lucinda's husband George from a gentleman named G. W. Swarthout.
Taken too soon
Unfortunately, one of the reasons that I know so little about Lucinda Jones is that she died very young. My grandmother, Edna Jean (Burt) McKenzie told me the story of her grandmother's death several times.
She told me that her father, Ernest, was at home with his siblings when his mother passed away. His father George was away from home working. Ernest had to walk several miles in the snow to find his father and tell him that his mother had died.
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I later found a blurb in the Owosso Times Newspaper from Friday December 14th, 1888 that confirmed the story. Lucinda Passed away in her sleep on Saturday December 8th, 1888.
Although, I can't find the exact weather forecast for the day of Lucinda's death, based on historical averages, Shiawassee County temperatures for December range from 20.4 F to 34.5 F, with an average of 10.4 inches of snow fall in December. I can only images how Ernest felt making that long walk to deliver such horrible news to his father, while worrying about his siblings left at home with his deceased mother. |
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The news article states that George Burt was absent running a clover thresher and that Lucinda was home alone with her three small children. Based on my research, all four children were still living at home. At the time of Lucinda's death Thomas was 13, Ernest was 8, Leah was 3 and Miles was 2.
Both the new article and Lucinda's death record, states that she died of heart disease.
Lucinda was laid to rest in the Laingsburg Cemetery.
Summary
Lucinda passed away at the young age of 34, younger than I am now. She left a husband and four young children. She was the daughter of an immigrant and the wife of a farmer. Most important, she was the mother of four children, who went on to live full lives. We may not know a whole lot about Lucinda herself, but her children were her legacy. I am happy that I can share her story today, so that others will also remember her.
Outstanding Questions
- I am still looking for a photo of Lucinda. I have several photos of her siblings and their families, however, none of her or her parents.
- Where did George and Lucinda get married?
Thank you for following me on my journey!
Genealogist on a Journey
Rebecca J. Walbecq
Genealogist on a Journey
Rebecca J. Walbecq
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