THE DESCENDANTS OF HENRY AND LOVINA STOCKWELL

CREAGER

A brief record of their lives and an account of

the overland trip from Ohio to Michigan

A Brief Record of the

Lives of

Henry and Lovina

Stockwell Creager

and their descendants

Together with an Account of the Overland Trip from Ohio

to Michigan

April, 2009

Third Edition

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First Edition

- Produced in 1904-05 - By the children of Henry and Lovina Stockwell Creager - Published privately as a hardcopy booklet.

Second Edition

- Produced in 1982 - By the children of Thomas Henry Creager and Helen

Pratt Creager - Geneological information extended with their progeny - Published privately as a hardcopy booklet. Third Edition (DRAFT EDITION)

- Produced in 2009 - By the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren

of Thomas Henry Creager and Helen Pratt Creager. - Published privately as electronic media - Distributed via the internet.

Copyright © 2009 The Descendants of Henry and Lovina Stockwell Creager.

All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Preface

Preface to the Third Edition..................................................7 Changes in the Third Edition................................................8 Thoughts of a Future Edition................................................9

Family Stories

Henry Creager.....................................................................15 Lovina Stockwell Creager ...................................................13 Marvin Henry Creager.........................................................16 Ann Janette Creager Field ...................................................19 Samamtha Creager Hastings................................................21 Myron S. Creager................................................................23 Elizabeth Lovina Creager Hastings......................................25 Martha S. Creager Kriger ....................................................27 Mary Ann Creager Merrill.................................................. 29 Minnie Creager ...................................................................31 Marion Creager ...................................................................33 Rose Creager Walker ..........................................................35

Creative Contributions

The Broken Band ................................................................14 The Trip to Michigan ..........................................................36

Second Edition Additions

Thomas Henry Creager .......................................................41 Donald Ross Creager.............................................................. Mary Jean Creager Neuman ................................................... Merrell Thomas Creager......................................................... William Henry Creager .......................................................... Robert Marion Creager........................................................... Ruth Elaine Creager Eck ........................................................ George Stuart Creager............................................................ Charlotte Rose Creager Hoskins.............................................

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Table of Contents cont ..

Third Edition Additions

TBD.....................................................................................7

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Preface to the Third Edition.

I became aware of the first edition of this work as a young

boy growing up in Conklin, Michigan. My parents clearly valued its contents greatly, but at the time its value was completely lost

on me.

A couple years after I was married, Inge and I received a copy of the Second edition from my parents as a Christmas gift. To be honest, I valued it as having significance but wasn’t interested enough to read it. Although, we did hold on to it for the next 27 years, as we migrated through eight homes in three very different

states.

I have had a simmering interest in geology for many years. But now, with the availability of the internet and various specialized sites for researching, gathering and storing such information, my interest has blossomed. As I started constructing a family tree in Ancestry.com, it became clear that I needed this book. Luckily, my wife who is well organized and pointed me

directly to its location.

After much consternation, I decided to disassemble our Christmas Gift from years ago and scan it, in order to produce an electronic version. I triple scanned each page and preserved the original as well as I knew how. I created a black and white scan, a color scan, and a text scan. This was done to capture the content as clearly as possible, to capture the state of that edition, and to provide input for optical character recognition (OCR) as a

next step.

I then ran the scanned images through an OCR program to produce text for the electronic edition. As OCR is an imperfect technology, a significant amount of review has been necessary to edit out the artifacts of the OCR program. If you find any bizarre spellings or odd hyphens still inserted, please point them out and I

will correct further.

Daniel Ross Creager Ellijay, Georgia

April 2009

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Changes in the Third Edition

If you look carefully you may notice a few changes to this edition. I hope you will agree that they are cosmetic in nature and

in no way affect the content.

First, I took the liberty to produce a new cover for the book.

Secondly, you may notice some of the images have undergone some revision. Unfortunately, I believe I am working with at least second generation scanned images. These images gather scanning artifacts and lose clarity with each scan. So I decided to try removing the backgrounds on some of the images (e.g. Henry and Lovina, Marvin, and Marion) in order to bring out the individuals. I await feedback on this decision before deciding to

continue on the other images or revert back to original forms.

Thirdly, during the editing process to remove OCR artifacts, I notices that some of the articles were so densely written as to discourage the reader from continuing. As a result, I’ve segregated some of the sentences (e.g. Marion and Minnie) into

paragraphs in the hopes of making them more pleasant to read.

However, no other changes are intended. I do not intend to rewrite any of the original material only add a little white space to

it.

Finally, I plan on recreating the section appended in the Second Edition. This section is now in serious need of an update and I am hoping to utilize more current technology to present this

material in a more graphic manner.

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Thoughts of a Future Edition

As I have read this booklet, I believe it was heavily influenced by Elizabeth Lovina Creager Hastings. The first edition was an effort to capture and preserve not only the genealogical facts of that generation but also the character, personality and history of

our family.

In the second edition the tradition was passed on in terms of capturing that generations statistics, but unfortunately the essence of the personalities of those days is missing. The good news is that this information is not yet lost. We have much to share from our collective memories concerning the deceased children of Thomas Henry and Helen Pratt Creager, as well as the possibility of capturing stories of those still living. We need to gather and capture these stories, pictures and any audio/visual material for

our great, great-grandchildren to enjoy.

Have you ever wondered about the spelling of our name? When I studied German, it perplexed me because the phonetics

are inconsistent with the context of that language.

As I have become more active in researching our family tree, I believe there are potential connections to other family trees that can extend our knowledge of who we are and where we came

from back centuries before the starting point of this book.

I have identified a potential connection to the grandparents of Henry Creager. If this proves accurate, it would connect our family tree back to a German emigrant who came to Philadelphia in 1730, fourty-six years before the signing of the Declaration of

Independence.

This would connect us back to possible German and Austrian ancestors dating back as far as the 1600’s This connection would also let us know once and for all when our name switched from

the German Krieger to the American Creager.

All of this may mean a significantly extended future version of this work, or perhaps a larger work connecting us to a

significant number of Creagers across this country and others.

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HENRY AND LOVINA CREAGER

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HENRY CREAGER, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Wringer Creager, was of German parentage. He was born in Lyons, Wayne County, New York, March 7, 1813, and was bred in a farm home. He was one of a family of ten children. The parents were of small means

and he was early taught to do all kinds of farm work.

He was of a nervous temperament, strong and active. No task in his line of work seemed too great for him to undertake and but few cared to try to outdo him. On August 20, 1835, at the age of 22, he married Lovina Stockwell and settled in Auburn, Geauga County, Ohio. They removed to Spencer, Medina County, Ohio, in 1841, where they lived until 1852, when they removed to Sullivan, Ashland County, Ohio. In 1856, they again removed to Wright, Ottawa County, Michigan, and settled on what became the old Creager homestead, in May, 1857, hav-ing to cut a road a portion of the way. They lived here until 1884, when Lovina Creager died, July 8. Henry Creager was again mar-ried January 1, 1885, to Mrs. Lois Hatch, of Berlin, Ottawa County, Michigan, where he spent his last days. He died April 19, 1891, and was buried in

the Big Spring Cemetery.

Despite his hard work, he accumulated very little during the first twenty-five years of his married life, meeting with many misfortunes in the way of losing stock, failure of crops and those things that often befall the farmer, so that, on going to Michigan he had little more than enough to pay for forty acres of land at the rate of $1.25 per acre and to move the family. This, with a good team of horses, was about all he possessed. He was a man of remarkable courage, never giving up to misfortunes, and he began work on this wild land, chopping and clearing, determined to make a home of it. He soon secured an eighty-acre lot near by, while land was yet cheap. Through industry and economy, he suc-ceeded after a few years in converting this wild land into a farm and made of it a very comfortable home. Sickness was almost unknown in his home. Until he reached 70 he marketed his farm produce by drawing it in a wagon to the city of Muskegon, a distance of twenty-five miles. At the age of 76 he broke, without help, a lively colt. Two years later he rode this colt to the farm six miles away, trimmed

apple trees through the day and rode back at night.

This was his last work. He caught a severe cold that day which

re-sulted in death a few days later.

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LOVINA STOCKWELL CREAGER, daughter of Eleazer and Martha Stockwell, was born in Fleming, Cayuga County, N. Y., February 7, 1814. She was by birth a Yankee. Her father died while she was small, leaving her dependent upon her mother for support. It thus became necessary for her to earn her own living as soon as possible. At an early age she began working away, doing housework and spinning, the latter being her favorite work. She taught one term of school but preferred other work. She was married to Henry Creager at the age of 21. Being well and strong, accustomed to hard work and privations and of sanguine temperament, she was well fitted for the life she entered

upon—that of a poor man's wife.

She became the mother of eleven children, ten of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, and from whom have descended twenty-eight grandchildren and twenty-seven great-grandchildren, who are now living. Laura, her eighth child, was born February 2, 1849, and died

May 11, 1849.

Not one of all the number remembers anything but kindness of her. Though mild in the government of her family, she was still firm, always demanding obedience where the welfare of the child was in any way concerned. She was wholly unselfish, always thinking of others rather than of herself. She took great pride in the education of her family and, though she had to work early and late to keep them in school, she seldom kept one at home a day to help in the work. She never spoke of discouragements, never expressed a wish for those things that were not for her, but did the very best she could at all times with what she had and was apparently satisfied, whatever her fate; and when others of the family sometimes murmured because of misfortunes she would often

say: "This is probably for the best."

Her last illness was long and severe, but she showed the same patient disposition as in health, never once complaining. Though 70 years of age, her mind was unimpaired and strong as in her younger days. She died July 8, 1884, and was buried in the cemetery at Big Spring.

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THE BROKEN BAND

There were ten in our band in days of old, Yet we number but nine today. Our brother, the eldest, grew weary And fell in the unequal fray. Not till then did he lay down his armor, The battles of life were now done. How many the conflicts now ended ! How many the victories won ! In life there was still much of promise; The spirit to do and to dare Still lived, as in youth so in manhood. And honor, triumphant, was there. His mental powers still were unflagging, Age had not yet dimmed his eye. Youthful in heart, and genial in manner, Fit time for the brave to die. Today we meet as in olden days, When we clasped our brother's hand; But we sadly feel, as we miss his face. That we are a broken band.

—Elizabeth Creager Hastings

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MARVIN HENRY CREAGER

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MARVIN HENRY CREAGER was born May 1, 1836, at Auburn, Ohio. He went with his father's family to Spencer, Medina County, later to Sullivan, and in 1856, to Michigan. His education began in the common schools of Ohio and he continued to attend the district schools winters until he reached the age of 17. Then after attending a select school for a short time, he began teaching. Until the breaking out of the Rebellion he taught winters, laboring on the farm or attending school as he could, during the remainder of the year. His last schooling was at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute at Hiram, Ohio, when James A.

Garfield was principal.

On August 30, 1861, he enlisted as private in Company F, Second Michigan Cavalry, at Grand Rapids. His regiment passed the winter at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, under the discipline of Gen. Gordon Granger. They engaged in some scouting along the Mississippi, but their first experience of note was at Island No. 10 and New Madrid. They took part in the siege of Corinth, under the command of Col. Philip H. Sheridan. On July 4, 1862, the subject of this sketch, then First Sergeant, was sent to Keokuk in a hospital boat, suffering from typhoid fever. After his recovery he was detailed as recruiting officer at Grand Rapids, where he remained until March, 1863. He then joined his regiment at Franklin, Tennessee. The most important engagements of the Second Michigan were during the campaign about Chickamauga and Chattanooga, the battles of Resaca, Dalton, Kennesaw Mountain, and, later, the battle of Nashville. Sergeant Creager had become a lieutenant, and on December 15, 1864, the first day of the battle of Nashville, he received his commission as Captain. His regiment spent the remainder of the time until the close of the war in Georgia, taking part in but little fighting. Captain Creager served during this time on the

staff of General McCook.

On leaving the army he was engaged for several years in lumbering and in the manufacture of furniture at Big Spring, and later at Grand

Haven, Michigan.

He was married November 8. 1866, to Alma Eldred, of Sullivan, Ohio, who died in 1874, leaving three children, Hattie, Phil and Sid. On December 31, 1874, Captain Creager married Mrs. Mary Paine of Sparta, Michigan, and to them two children were born, Clementine and

Marvin.

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In 1872 Captain Creager was elected treasurer of Ottawa County, Michigan, and served eight years, living at Grand Haven. He was appointed United States revenue agent in 1881 and was assigned at different times to Cincinnati, Huntsville, Alabama, Louisville and St. Louis. He removed in 1883 to a stock farm near Jamestown, Kansas, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was killed by a horse April

20, 1898, and was buried at Jamestown.

Of the five children of Captain Creager, the eldest, Hattie Estelle,

was born August 8, 1867, and died Februarv 18, 1875.

Phil Sheridan, the eldest living child, was born August 28, 1868. He graduated from the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan in 1891, and went into the newspaper business. He was married May 18, 1899, to Miss Weenonah Hall of Kansas City, to whom two children have been born, Helen Hall, June 10, 1900, and Marvin Hall, February 4, 1904. The family live at 3904 McGee Street, Kansas City, Mo.

Mr. Creager is telegraph editor on the Kansas City Journal.

The second son, Sid Henry, born March 31. 1873, graduated from the Kansas State Agricultural College in 1905. On December 31, 1900, he was married to Miss Pearl Piper of Emporia, Kansas. They have two sons, Eldred Stillwell, born November 29, 1901, and Marion Sidney, horn February 13, 1904. Mr. Creager is in the lumber business, with headquar-ters at Indianapolis, Indiana. His address is 2243 Central

Avenue.

Clementine Viola, the only living daughter, was born February 12, 1877. She graduated from Kansas University at Lawrence in 1900, and later took her master's degree at the same institution. She lives with her mother at 107 East Thirty-ninth Street, Kansas City, Mo. She is a

teacher of French and Spanish in Central High School.

The youngest son, Marvin H., was born February 4, 1882. He graduated from Kansas University in 1904. He entered newspaper work at once and is now on the local staff of the Kansas City World. He lives with his mother and sister at 107 East Thirty-ninth Street.

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ANN JANETTE CREAGER FIELD

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ANN JANETTE CREAGER FIELD, eldest daughter of Henry and Lovina Creager, was born October 9, 1837, in the family home in northeastern Ohio. Five years later the family moved to Spencer, Medina County, Ohio, which was the place of residence for about ten years. At the end of that time the family moved to Sullivan, Ashland County, stay-ing there three or four years. In 1856, the family left Ohio for Michigan and settled sixteen miles from Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids was then a small town, had no railroad nearer than Kalamazoo and was reached from that town by traveling over a plank road forty-

eight miles long.

Ann Janette taught school, and also attended school until April 20th, 1861, when she was married to Lyman Field, a farmer, a former resident of New York State. There were three children born to Lyman and Nettie Field. Willis, born June 18, 1864, has been in the employ of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad since finishing school. He was married September 9, 1890, to Elizabeth Cannon and has a son, Sherwood, born July 19, 1891, a daughter, Helen, born November 20, 1892. Besides these, a dear little boy, Theodore, born July 30, 1899, died November 23, 1902. The second son, Harlow, a farmer, is settled fourteen miles from Grand Rapids, near Rockford. He married Bertha Johnson November 25, 1891, and they have a son, Marvin, born July 20, 1899, and a daughter, Mildred, born June 10, 1904. Bertha, the youngest child, and only daughter, was born in Binghamton, New York, January 8, 1875, shortly after which the family moved to Grand Rapids, which has been their residence most of the time Since and where the children received their education. Bertha is a teacher in the public

schools of Grand Rapids.

The present home of the family is at 423 North Front Street, Grand

Rapids, where they have lived for the past eleven years.

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SAMANTHA CREAGER HASTINGS

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SAMANTHA CREAGER HASTINGS was born in Geauga County, Ohio, July 24, 1839. Her earliest recollections are of a home at Spencer, Medina County. From the age of 6 to 11 she attended the district school at Spencer Center. The family then removed two miles north from the old farm, where they remained two and one-half years. They then moved to Sullivan, Ashland County. Here Samantha

remained until her eighteenth year, attending the district school.

After a few weeks spent at a select school at Spencer, she moved with the family to Berlin, Michigan, arriving there November 1, 1856. The following summer she taught a four months' term and the next winter attended school at Lamont, Michigan. Following this she taught three terms and then attended a two months' term at Alpine, taught by G. H. Bell. One more term the following winter completed her teaching, and on April 26, 1860, she was married to Seymour W. Hastings, brother of Sanford Hastings, who married Elizabeth Creager. They immediately began housekeeping in a small building which still stands

just across the way from where they now live, near Conklin, Michigan.

January 19, 1862, their son Marvin was born. At the age of 22 he went to the Pacific coast. In January. 1902, he was married to Miss Evelina Ladd, settling in Northern California, where his father and mother visited them the following autumn. They now have two children, Clara, born March 7, 1903, and Walter, born November 30,

1904.

Ella, the oldest girl, was born December 1, 1863. At the age of 18 she began teaching and taught in all about five years. October 23, 1893,

she was married to Silas L. Fox, who died April 22, 1904.

Clara, the youngest, was born March 10, 1867. She lives at home,

except when engaged in her favorite occupation, nursing.

The family with the exception of Marvin, the son, are all living in the old home near Conklin, where Mr. and Mrs. Hastings have spent nearly all of their married life.

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MYRON S. CREAGER

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MYRON S. CREAGER was born at Auburn, Geauga County, Ohio, June 12, 1841. He removed with the family to Spencer, Medina County, Ohio, in 1842. He began attending school at four years of age, and continued to go more or less until he was 13, when he began working out summers and attending school winters. After he was 15 he attended school only five months all told. At 17 years of age, he began teaching and taught three winters, working on the farm the remainder of the year. He was married to Nettie C. Scott, November 3, 1861. On November 6, 1861, he enlisted for the war of the rebellion and was assigned to Company D, First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics. He served three years in the army of the Cumberland and had the experiences common to the soldier, except that he was not wounded. He came home November 17, 1864, taught school that winter and went on a farm in the spring. He taught school in what is now known as Conklin

the winter of 1865-6.

He farmed again in the summer and worked in his brother Marvin's mill in the winter. He taught again in the winter of 1866-7, after which he paid all his attention to farming until 1870, when he sold his farm and removed to Big Rapids and engaged in mason work for the next four years. In July, 1874, he removed to Fallassburg and for eight years divided his time between farming and mechanical work. In 1882 he removed to Grand Haven and for seven years engaged in carpenter work in all its branches, from laying sidewalk to shipbuilding. In 1889 he removed to Grand Rapids, continuing the carpenter's trade, interspersed with floriculture, until 1903 when he removed to Wright

township, Ottawa County, where he now lives.

Carrie Irene Creager, his daughter, was born in Chester, Ottawa County, Michigan, September 14, 1866. She was married to Christopher Beirer March 19, 1884. Her children are George John, born in Grand Haven, Michigan, August 30, 1886, occupation, carpenter, and

Luella Matilda, born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 16, 1898.

Henry Asa Creager, the son, was born in Big Rapids, Michigan, August 9, 1873. He was married to Olive C. Trumble, October 11, 1893. He is a contractor and builder at Grand Rapids. He has four children, Clifford Henry, born in Grand Rapids, July 29, 1895; Clarence Claude, born in Grand Rapids, December 22, 1897; Marion Wright, born in Grand Rapids, January 19, 1900, and Percy Leroy, born in Grand Rapids, March 20, 1904.

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ELIZABETH LOVINA CREAGER HASTINGS

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ELIZABETH LOVINA CREAGER HASTINGS was born at Spencer, Medina County, Ohio,: June 2, 1843. At the age of 9 years, she moved with her parents to Sullivan, Ashland County, Ohio, and four years later to Ottawa County, Michigan, where the remaining years of her girlhood were spent. She attended district school until she was able to pass the teachers' examination and after teaching four terms was married to Sanford W. Hastings, a farmer. Immediately after their marriage they settled on a farm in Polkton Township, Ottawa County, but a few years later moved to Wexford County, Michigan, where they began pioneer life on a homestead in the wilds of Northern Michigan. Four children were born. Myron Eugene, the eldest, was born in Ottawa County, December 2, 1852. He was educated in the common schools, with the exception of two years in high school, after which he did farm work and taught, alternately, until his marriage with Miss Arvilla Finch, on January 1, 1885, since which time his occupation has been principally farming. His present location is Cedar Lake,

Michigan. One daughter, Ruby, was born to them December 24, 1885.

Bertley L. was born in Ottawa County, October 24, 1865. He attended district school until he was 17, when he began doing farm work. On December 14, 1890, he married Miss Weltha Morris, and at this date is settled on a farm near Conklin, Mich. They have three sons: Ray, born October 16, 1891; Clyde, born September 23, 1893; Leon,

born July 24, 1895.

Minnie Almina was born in Wexford County, September 18, 1859. She was educated in district school, with one year in high school, and followed teaching as a vocation for several years. In 1892 she married Charles A. Reichner, a telegraph operator. She died September 25, 1898, after becoming mother to two sons and one daughter: Ruth Ella, born April 19, 1894; Merton, born May 4, 1895; Ivan, born February 8,

1897. They live with their father at Sheridan, Michigan.

Melvin Fayette was born August 16, 1871, and died October 2,

1872.

After the death of her husband on March 23, 1872, Mrs. Hastings returned to Ottawa County, where she still resides near Conklin.

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MARTHA S. CREAGER KRIGER

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MARTHA S. CREAGER KRIGER was born May 7, 1845, in Spencer, Medina County, Ohio. She attended the primary schools of that and adjoining counties until she was 11 years old, moving then with her parents to Berlin, Michigan, near which place the family settled on a farm. Here her schooling was continued until she passed the teachers' examination, after which she taught several years, attending se

-lect schools between terms.

In 1868 she was married to Andrew C. Kriger of Newaygo County, where they have since resided, on Maplewood farm, near Grant, excepting eighteen months on a homestead in Wexford County,

Michigan, and three and one-half years on a Kansas ranch.

Five children were born to them. Lovina Maude, born December 29, 1869, was educated in the common schools and at Valparaiso, Indiana. She taught in the schools near home, one year in Fremont, and two years in Illinois. She was married to Elder F. T. Porter August 9, 1899. They have two children : Pauline, born April 28, 1901, and Merrill, born July 13, 1902. Their present residence is New Albany,

Indiana.

Merrill M., born August 11, 1871, was educated in the home schools, finishing at Valparaiso. He taught for many years in the schools of Michigan, and also several terms in Colorado, where he resided several years. His present residence is Grant, Michigan.

October 26, 1904, he was married to Edith Scheuerman.

Alma, born September 15, 1874, received her education in the district schools and at Valparaiso. She taught several years in Michigan schools, two years in Illinois, and one in Montana, where she now holds

the position of county superintendent of schools, residing at Boulder.

Glenn A. was born July 17, 1879. He graduated from the home school and chose farming for a vocation. December 23, 1903, he married Eva Hollister of Big Rapids, who, on August 17, 1904, crossed

to the "shining shore."

Cora Ethelyn was born October 19, 1881. She attended the home school and afterward the high school at Fremont, graduating in 1900. She was a teacher of some experience. She married C. A. Sheppard, superintendent of schools at Quimmesec, Michigan. Her present residence is Ypsilanti. She has a daughter, Leone, born May 20, 1904.

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MARY ANN CREAGER MERRILL

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MARY ANN CREAGER MERRILL was born in Medina County, Ohio, March 16, 1847, and removed from there with her parents to Michigan at the age of 9. She attended district school until she was 16, when she entered a select school at Sparta, Mich., afterward attending a select school in Alpine. At the age of 18; she taught her first school in a little log school house in Ravenna, Muskegon County, Michigan. After teaching two years, she finished her education at the Union School at Grand Rapids. After teaching another year, she was married to Henry H. Merrill, a farmer of Shiawassee County, Michigan,

where they now live on a farm near Owosso.

She is the mother of six children. Henry, the oldest, died in infancy. The others are: Emma Lorinda, born March 27, 1872. married March 28, 1891. to John Bugbee, and now living on a farm near Sims, North

Dakota. Their only child, Claribel, was born February 19, 1894.

Gaylor H., born December 1, 1874, now telegraph operator for the

Pere Marquette Railroad at Fowlerville, Michigan.

Charles Creager, born March 4, 1881, now farming near Sims,

North Dakota.

Phil Sherman, born October 23, 1883, a student in a business

university at Grand Rapids.

Louise, born May 29, 1886, stenographer for a lumber company at Garyville, Louisiana.

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MINNIE CREAGER

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MINNIE CREAGER—On June 15, 1851, a little girl was born to Henry and Lovina Creager, who then resided in the township of Spencer, Medina County, Ohio. This was presumably a matter of little interest, as six girls and two boys had previously come to dwell in the same family. However, the child must have a name so was duly christened by her parents Julia Lorinda. Under this name she grew and thrived until in trying to speak her own name it proved to be too much for her baby tongue and she called the name "No-minnie," which name was promptly taken up by the family. The original was at length forgotten, the first syllable dropped from the baby name and she was

ever after known simply as Minnie Creager.

At the age of 5 this little girl removed with her parents to the village of Berlin in Ottawa County, Michigan, where the family remained during the winter. The following spring they settled on a piece of wild land lying six miles northwest of the village. Here Minnie spent the remainder of her childhood attending school when school was in session and at home doing those things that were usually expected of a

girl in a country home.

At the age of 16 she began teaching a district school in Muskegon County in a little log building that had formerly served as a blacksmith shop but had afterward been converted into a very rude school house. The salary paid for that term of school was $12 per month. All of this, however, did not discourage the young teacher, for she continued in school work either as teacher or pupil for nearly thirty years, her highest

salary being $45 per month.

In 1898, she taught her last term in her home district, where she first went to school. Since that date her principal work has been taking

care of the sick at Grand Rapids.

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MARION CREAGER

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MARION CREAGER was born at Sullivan, Ashland County, Ohio, July 19, 1853. In the fall of 1856, the family moved to Berlin, Ottawa County, Michigan, where his father, Henry Creager, and his elder brothers, Marvin and Myron, operated a sawmill during the

winter.

In the spring of 1857, the family settled on a piece of wild land, six miles from Berlin. On this place, which later was called a farm, Marion's boyhood and young manhood were passed. He attended school during the winters and helped on the farm summers until he was 17, after which he worked on the farm both summers and winters until

the spring of 1884—as long as his father cared to run the place.

In March, 1884, he went to Kansas, visiting his brother, Marvin, and his sister, Martha, who were then living on large farms three miles apart, near Jamestown. After a short stay, in Kansas, he went on west to the Pacific coast, but was called back to Michigan by the illness of his

mother, who died soon after his return, in June, 1884.

He then went to Illinois, where he did farm work for three years, near Rockford. December 13, 1888, he was married to Miss Margaret Ross of Ross Shire, Scotland. They lived six years in Rockford, Illinois, and then, in April, 1895, moved to Michigan and settled on the old Creager homestead, which his father had redeemed from the wilderness,

where they are still living.

There are four children: Thomas Henry, born October 1, 1889; Lovina Margaret, born March 10, 1892, Ruth, born May 13, 1894; Ross, born June 6, 1896.

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ROSE CREAGER WALKER

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ROSE CREAGER WALKER, youngest daughter of Henry and Lovina Creager, was born September 21, 1855, at the old homestead, in Ottawa County, Michigan, which was her home until her marriage, August 29, 1880, to Frank J. Walker of Bailey, Michigan, where she still resides.

Page 36

THE TRIP TO MICHIGAN By Elizabeth Creager Hastings

In the early autumn of 1856 we left our home in Ash-land County, Ohio, to try our fortune in the newer state of Michigan. Our equipment for the journey consisted of a team, a large farm wagon, a quantity of bedding, the clothing we expected to need on the trip, and a few

cooking utensils.

Our first day's drive was to Shalorsville, where we visited Father's parents and other relatives. Afterward we spent a few days visiting

Mother's relatives in Geauga County.

While visiting, Father and Brother Myron, a lad of 15, rigged up what is generally known as a "prairie schooner." This was done by fastening large wooden bows securely over the wagon and stretching heavy sheeting over them. They also secured an extra horse, so we had three horses for the long journey of three hundred miles, which, in those days of slow locomotion, seemed to us almost endless. After stowing nine people away—the eldest son and daughter, Marvin and Nettie, had already gone by rail to the new home—there was little spare room, but the novelty of the situation kept us for a time from minding our

cramped quarters, and, on the whole, we were quite comfortable.

When the weather was fine, we were permitted to get out and walk as much as we liked, but when bad weather kept us inside it sometimes grew tedious, and there was more or less wailing among the younger members of the family. Our father and brother usually slept in the wagon, while Mother and the girls found shelter in a hotel or with some accommodating family, and were usually given a large room with one bed for Mother, while we used our own bedding to make sleeping places for the children. We were usually fortunate in finding an accommodating landlady who would permit us to do some cooking on her stove, and we managed in that way to get along without buying

many cooked meals.

Counting the first day, which I think was only part of a day, we were nine days on the road, and I think, for the most part, we had fine

weather and good roads.

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Our first night out we put up at a hotel in Cleveland, of which I

have very little recollection. The second night we spent at Amherst with an old friend of Father's. The family were very pleasant and although there were so many of us we were cordially welcomed and kindly cared for. The only thing of interest here that I recollect was an extensive

stone quarry that had just been opened.

I have very little recollection of what passed on the third day, but think the weather was fine and roads good and that nothing occurred

worthy of note.

The fourth day we crossed Black swamp, forty miles in width. The soil was nearly as black as ink. I think the timber was mostly tamarack. As we were crossing the swamp, there was a point from which we could see the Cottonwood swamp off at our right. We hadn't a very good view of it, but could see the tops of the cottonwood trees in the distance. One disagreeable feature of the day was smoke, which made the air heavy and difficult to breathe. If my memory is not at fault, a drizzling rain, too, added to the dreariness of the situation. There was a long distance between houses and I think it must have seemed to us all as if we were in the Dismal swamp. There was one thing in our favor, however; the road was all that could be desired. It was macadamized

the whole length of the swamp.

The fifth day was the most tedious of the whole trip. We had a long stretch of poor country with the most wretched plank road imaginable. The planks were broken and deep holes were plenty where the wagon would sink in nearly to the hub. Bad as the road was, we were required to pay toll. That night we put up at a dilapidated hotel near the state

line.

Of the events of the sixth day I have no recollection, but the night was a memorable one to us children. Just at dusk we halted at a public house and inquired of a man who appeared to belong to the establishment concerning accommodations. He seemed anxious that we should stop there, but did not give his reasons for wishing it. We learned the reason later, however. The landlord soon made his appearance, and it was evident that he had taken more than he could well stand up under. The man we inquired of proved to be a neighbor and feared to leave the family alone, as our host was somewhat

inclined to be ugly.

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It was near the end of the presidential campaign and the excitement was at its height. Our landlord was a Republican and would have nothing to do with the other party. When told that we wished to stay over night, his reply was: "Hurrah for who?" We could get no answer until someone hurrahed for Fremont; and every accommodation had

must be paid for in the same way.

Several incidents occurred in the course of the evening to prove that a sober man was needed in the establishment. One was an attempt on the part of the landlord to upset the supper table. There was some inward quaking among the smaller fry, yet I think no one suffered greatly from fear. We were so confident of the ability of our father and big brother to keep the world straight, that we could not think there could be any great danger where they were. And later in the evening we were reinforced, which gave us an added sense of protection. A minister traveling with his daughter stopped there for the night. His persuasiveness, in connection with Father's compelling power, was an important factor in the promotion of peace and quietness. This, together with our brother's readiness to hurrah for Fremont (no small item in the management of our refractory host), enabled us to pass a much more

comfortable night than we anticipated.

In later years Father often remarked that Mr. Murphy (our drunken landlord) was the first drunken Republican he ever knew. Though not much of a politician, Father was a staunch Republican and he took great pride in the fact that at that day a drunken Republican was almost an unknown quantity. It was quite a relief as we continued our journey

next morning to think we had seen the last of the Murphy House.

There is little that I remember of this day's trip, excepting that the baby, Marion, a sturdy little chap of 3 years and 3 months, feeling called upon to show his colors, would greet nearly every one we met with a lusty "He-ay fob Femont!'' to the amusement of one faction and the disgust of the other. It was, easy to determine the politics of the people we met by the reception accorded the baby's greeting. That night found us near Hastings, where we stopped at a hotel built partly of logs

and partly framed.

The most of the eighth day we spent in the oak openings.

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Here we met a load of venison, which was quite a curiosity to us, as it was the first we had ever seen. Here, too, we had our first view of the

Red man. We met two Indians in blankets.

That night we stayed at a hotel in Caledonia. We found the landlady behind the bar dealing out liquid poison to her customers. It appeared later that her liege lord had taken too much of his own medicine and was incapacitated for business, so he had retired and left her in charge. And she was demonstrating her ability to look after the interests of the establishment. In spite of the forbidding aspect of affairs we put in a

fairly comfortable night.

On rising in the morning we found the ground covered with about two inches of snow. It soon disappeared, however, and it seemed as if the mud was deeper than the snow had been. We reached Grand Rapids that day about noon. It was then a town of 8,000 inhabitants. About 2

o'clock we stopped and took dinner with a friend of Father's.

Afterward we drove on and reached Berlin (where we were to spend the winter) just before nightfall on the first day of November. We were intending to stay at the hotel until we could get something together to begin housekeeping, but when only a few rods from the place Father suddenly exclaimed: "What! has the tavern burned?" and sure enough it had. We were now compelled to divide up and stay two or three in a place among the neighbors until we could arrange to care for ourselves. Our goods had been sent by water to Grand Haven, and much to the disappointment and inconvenience of the family did not arrive until

spring.

At that time Berlin boasted of a store, a schoolhouse, a hotel, a gristmill, a sawmill and perhaps two dozen dwelling houses of the

cheapest kind, but it seemed like a veritable haven of rest to us.

So ended our long and wearisome, though not altogether unpleasant

trip.

All our companions on that journey, excepting Father and Mother, are living at this date, though some of us are nearing the end of the journey of life, and as it comes to each of us, may we welcome it as we did the end of our memorable journey from Ohio to Michigan.

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THOMAS CREAGER & HELEN PRATT 1962

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