  Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 200 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Being an amateur genealogist, I'm constantly going through reels of microfilm to find ancestors. Now that most of the census reports have been digitalized, it's a lot easier to browse. Tonight, I stumbled on a most interesting entry on the 1900 U.S. Census for Detroit. Living at 1293 Second street (don't forget the Detroit street numbering system was radically changed around WW I) we find: FORD, Henry Head Jul 1863 36 12 Engineer ---- Clara Wife Apr 1866 33 12 - ---- Edsel Son Nov 1893 6 - That's it; no servants, etc. The first column to the right of the years is for "age", next to that, "number of years married". I imagine in 1900 he was working for the Edison company while he tinkered with his automobiles in his Bagley workshop. Anyway, these old census reports are fascinating. I also located David Whitney at 443 Woodward with his wife, one son, and five servants in the home. He shows his occupation as "Capitalist". Anybody you all might like me to look up and post? | ||
Aaron Member Username: Aaron Post Number: 104 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.241.224.171 |
THE BOOK OF DETROITERS A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of Detroit Edited by Albert Nelson Marquis Chicago A. N. Marquis & Company 1908 Copyright, 1908 by Albert Nelson Marquis FORD, Henry; born, Greenfield, Mich., July 30, 1863; son of William and Mary (Litegott) Ford; educated in district school, Greenfield; married at Greenfield, Apr. 11, 1888, Clara J. Bryant. Came to Detroit, 1887; formerly chief engineer Edison Illuminating Co.; has been engaged in manufacture and sale of automobiles as the Ford Motor Co. since Mar. 16, 1903. Member Detroit Board of Commerce. Mason. Clubs: Fellowcraft, Automobile Club of America, New York Automobile Club. Recreations: Automobiling and hunting. Office: Cor. Piquette and Beaubien Sts. Residence: 145 Harper Av. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi /county/tuscola/det/ | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 83 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
The Springwells/Greenfield (now Detroit/Dearborn) boundary was Baby Creek (west of Woodmere Cemetery). Around 1920 Greenfield became Springwells again. Later changes for Ford's (Ford Rd. and Greenfield) location during the 1920s: Fordson - named for Ford & Son after he threatened to have Detroit annex the Rouge plant if the name change did not occur) Dearborn | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2187 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.58.137 |
...and planted tnot hat far away at Joy and Greenfield.... | ||
Eastsidechris Member Username: Eastsidechris Post Number: 70 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 4.229.114.110 |
Ray, where did you find the census info online? I've been wanting to reseach who originally owned my home, which was built in 1929. Everytime I've done an online search for it, it says that it's all on microfilm. | ||
Leoqueen Member Username: Leoqueen Post Number: 954 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
Eastsidechris, if your house was built in 1929, then the people who lived in it were most likely enumerated in the 1930 census. If you can trace the history of the house and find those names, you can go to Ancestry.com and find it easily. I have been a subscriber for about 5 years now to do genealogical research, and have been amazed at what can be found. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 208 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Chris, Leoqueen is correct; the only problem is it is a subscription service. The census index and images cost, I think, a hundred bucks for one year. There is another service called Heritage Quest that also has index and images also for a fee; however, many libraries subscribe to it and you can connect through your local library's web site if you have a library card. Worth a try. I get on to Heritage Quest through the Clark county (NV) library's website. As Leoqueen notes; it is fascinating surfing. For what it's worth, I've traced my direct male lineage right back to Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the very first U.S. Census in 1790 (they arrived from England in 1717). | ||
Leoqueen Member Username: Leoqueen Post Number: 956 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.221.36.169 |
Thanks, Ray....I have subscribed for so long to Ancestry.com with automatic fee deduction that I forgot about the fees. I also go to the Mormon site, http://www.familysearch.org/, which is free, but their search perimeters are not as vast as Ancestry. Still, Chris, you might have some luck with peripheral searches at this site. I have lost much sleep by staying up all night going to these places! I really love Familysearch.org, because it was there I was able to find out the correct names and marriage dates of my paternal great-great grandparents, who were born as slaves in Alabama circa 1850! This discovery was made at 4:30 one morning....I let out a WHOOP that woke my whole house! | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 210 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Heh, heh, heh....how I know that feeling, Leoqueen! Been there, done that, as they say. I guess we should mention that the LDS site (www.familysearch.com) does have the 1880 U.S. Census indexed and on line FOR FREE. The original images are not there, but the transcribed data is. | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 690 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.39.170.90 |
Thanks to Leoqueen and Ray I have just wasted my entire lunch hour finding family members on family search. Great stuff. Unfortunately I can't get any further than my great-grandparents (on both sides) though. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 69 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.2.191.57 |
A dear aunt traced our Michigan lineage all the way back to a foot soldier in the American Revolution. The disappointment was that his unit seemed fixated only on what kind of booze they'd find each day. <sigh> | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 211 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Jimaz, there always seems to be good news/bad news when researching ancestors. I was always told that great grandpop Lt. B.H.Downing was at the Battle of Gettysburg. His 1908 obituary (which I have) repeats that fact. Then I studied the movement of his unit, the 49th PA Volunteers. Well, turns out he was at Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863, all right, but his regiment was kept in reserve near Little Round Top and never saw action. On the other hand, probably lucky for me...... | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 103 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
It could have been worse, Ray. He might have come from a long line of feeble-minded cretins... | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 692 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.39.170.90 |
I just found out that my great grandfather has appeared to have children with three different women... | ||
Crew Member Username: Crew Post Number: 805 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 146.9.52.18 |
Scandalous! | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 70 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.2.191.57 |
Sometimes the skeletons in the family closet can be colorful. I think my parents were embarrassed to reveal our "carny" relatives in Michigan. Turns out one of them manufactured carnival highstrikers under the "Mooremade" brand. Patrons would whack highstrikers with a heavy mallet to ring a bell at the top to win a prize. I later learned of all the ingenious ways highstrikers could be rigged to cheat patrons. By today's standards, cons like that seem laughably innocent. |
