Written by Sandy Kinter, from Waterford Genealogical Society E-Newsletter Volume 14 Number 12
The center of Waterford Township is the intersection of Highland Road (M-59) and Crescent Lake Road. Section 21 is the southwest corner of this intersection. The business corridor, along Highland Road, is the northern boundary of the section. South of that lies the residential part of Section 21, with Elizabeth Lake Road marking the southern boundary of the section. Running through the center of the section is Pontiac Lake Road, which is where the 1872 plat map shows most of the residences were located. The Clinton River runs diagonally across the township on its way to Pontiac.
Matching residents’ names on the 1872 plat map to names in the 1870 census was a little difficult in Section 21. Sometimes, as in the case of J. Utley, the name appears on the plat map, but cannot be found in the 1870 census, or in any census. J. Utley is still unknown. Also unknown is the F. Sutton, found in the southeast corner of the section, with 49 acres along Elizabeth Lake Road and the intersection of Crescent Lake Road. No F. Sutton was found in the 1870 census or agricultural census.
William Marvin
Sarah Struble
On the 1872 plat map for Waterford Township, Section 21 shows J. Utley as the owner of a farm of 160 acres in the northern half of the section. Oakland County, Michigan, Deed Index Volume 6, records the sale of property, in Section 21, Township 3, Range 9 (Waterford Township) from William Marvin to John L. Utley taking place in 1870. (1) Deed Index Volume 4 records that William Marvin purchased 165 acres of land in Section 21, Township 3, Range 9, in 1866, from John E. Wilcox. (2) John L. Utley is a mystery man, nothing further is known about him. In the 1870 census, page 593, Waterford Township, Oakland County, was recorded on 5 June 1870. On this page is found the family of William Marvin, age 34, born in New Jersey; his wife, Sarah, age 34, born in New Jersey; sons, Franklin, age 9, and Judson, age 7, both born in New Jersey; Lindon O., age 4, and Grace, age 1, both born in Michigan. Residing with the family is Eliza Marvin, age 59, born in New Jersey and Peter Strubles, age 36, farm laborer, born in New Jersey
William Marvin was born 2 April 1836, in Sussex County, New Jersey, (3) the son of Cornelius Marvin and Eliza Worden. (3) William married Sarah Struble (3) 5 January 1860, in New Jersey. (3) Residing with William, in the 1860 and 1870 censuses is his mother, Eliza (Worden) Marvin. (4) Sarah Struble was born 8 November 1834, (3) in New Jersey (4), the daughter of Elias Struble and Hetty Stoll. (5)(6) The Peter Strubles residing with William and Sarah Marvin, in the 1870 census, is Sarah’s older brother. (5)
The Marvin family resided in Waterford Township only from 1866 to 1870. They were residents of Ionia City, Ionia County, Michigan in 1872. A son, William Marvin, Jr., was born in Ionia County in 1872 and died there 11 October 1872 at age four months. (7) Sarah Marvin died in Ionia County on 26 December 1878. (7) The 1880 census has William’s mother, Eliza Marvin, and his son, Franklin Marvin, on page 146B, 1st and 2nd Wards, Ionia City, Ionia County, Michigan. They are residing with Eliza’s daughter and son-in-law, George and Irena Egbert. (8)
After the 1870 census, William Marvin has not been located. His son, Judson Marvin, applied for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution. On the application Judson states his father died 25 May 1914, the place is not given. (3) There is a William Marvin who resides in 1910, page 276B, White Lake Township, Oakland County, Michigan, born ca 1836, in New Jersey, wife is Abigail, and they have been married for two years. Is this the correct William Marvin? If so, there is no Michigan death certificate for a William Marvin who died in 1914 nor is there a marriage record.
Sources:
- Oakland County, Michigan, Deed Index, Volumes 5-7, 1866-1879, Volume 6,
1870-1875, no page numbers, Image 318, Film #0975558, FamilySearch,
www.familysearch.org - Oakland County, Michigan, Deed Index, Volumes 2-4, 1846-1866, Volume 4,
1859-1866, no page numbers, Image 721, Film #0975557, FamilySearch,
www.familysearch.org - Sons of the American Revolution, Membership Application #31044, Judson Marvin,
Ancestry, www.ancestry.com - 1860 Census, page 279, Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
- 1850 Census, page 111, Newton Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
- Frankford Plains Cemetery, Sussex County, New Jersey, Find A Grave,
www.findagrave.com - Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950, Ancestry, www.ancestry.com
- 1880 Census, page 146B, 1st and 2nd Wards, Ionia City, Ionia County, Michigan