Tag Archives: george w. noyes

Noyes Half Brothers, Franklin L. and George W. (Two Images)

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Noyes Half Brother

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Noyes Half Brother in Civil War

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Noyes Half Brother Civil War (fix)

James Allen Noyes (my line), son of James Noyes and Sally Marble, had a number of half-brothers and half-sisters by his father’s second marriage to Susan Waters, but as far as I’m aware only two of those half-brothers survived to adulthood, George W. Noyes and Franklin L. Noyes. We have two pictures of half-brothers, one in Civil War uniform and one in civilian, but as both of these men served in the Civil War we’re unable to distinguish which photo depicts which brother.

George W. Noyes was born May 8 1840 in Pavillion, Kalamazoo, Michigan and died March 3, 1870 at Pavillion (according to the family record). He married a woman named Emaline Melvina Aldrich and they had two children, Maud, born 1867, died May 3 1870 in Pavillion, and Henry A., born November 1869 in Pavillion and died March 9 1870 in Pavillion.

George served in the Civil War in Company K, the 87th Infantry Regiment out of New York.

Name: George W Noyes
Age at Enlistment: 21
Enlistment Date: 15 Feb 1862
Rank at enlistment: Private
Enlistment Place: Kalamazoo, MI
State Served: New York
Survived the War?: Yes
Service Record: Enlisted in Company K, New York 78th Infantry Regiment on 08 Apr 1862.
Mustered out on 12 Jul 1864.
Transferred to on 12 Jul 1864.
Birth Date: abt 1841
Sources: New York: Report of the Adjutant-General

George, in the family record, is given as dying 1870. However, he appears in the 1870 census with “Madeline” or Melvina (would be his wife Emaline Melvina Aldrich). I have seen him elsewhere given as dying in 1871. The Noyes Descendants, Vol. I says 3 Mar 1870. Ae. 30 y 9 m 25 d. Died of consumption. Michigan death records gives him dying March 3 1870.

1870 Pavillion, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Roll: M593_680, Page 278, Image 558
31/30 NOISE Frank 25 blacksmith $250 $100 b. MI
Maryette 21
Anna 3
William 3/12
35/34 NOISE Geo. 30 farmer $1200 $359 b. MI
Melvina 19

Franklin Noyes was born July 24 1845 at Pavillion. He was married in 1865 to Margaret A. Aldrich, sister of the above Melvina, who died in 1878 or 1873 (according to Find-a-Grave).

Frank served with Company K, New York 78th Infantry Regiment.

Name: Frank L Noyes
Age at Enlistment: 18
Enlistment Date: 15 Feb 1862
Rank at enlistment: Private
Enlistment Place: Kalamazoo, MI
State Served: New York
Survived the War?: Yes
Service Record: Enlisted in Company K, New York 78th Infantry Regiment on 08 Apr 1862.
Mustered out on 12 Jul 1864.
Transferred to on 12 Jul 1864.
Birth Date: abt 1844
Sources: New York: Report of the Adjutant-General

They had Annie M. born March 28 1867 married a man named Rheynard, William L. born March 23 1870, Louie Noyes who was born Oct 3 1870 and died Jan 12 1871, and Maude M. Noyes who was born 1873 and married a man named George Middleton.

Louie’s Cemetery record gives the birth and death dates as here. The Col. Henry E. Noyes and Harriette E. Noyes Genealogical Record of Noyes Descendants gives his birth 3 Oct 1868 in Michigan. However, Louie doesn’t appear in the 1870 census, which was recorded the 20th of August. But William was only 3 months old in the 1870 census, and Louie is given as born the 3rd of October.

The family record appears to give Franklin as dying July 28, 1871 but the 1871 is instead 1891.

The 1880 Yankee Springs, Barry, Michigan shows him and two of his children he’d had in his first marriage.

131/131 NOYES Frank L. w m 34 farmer b. MI parents b. NY
Clara (?) w f 29 b. Canada father b. England mother b. NY
Anna M. w f 13 daughter b. MI parents b. MI
Willie L. w m 10 son ” ”
James L. w m 1 b. MI father b. MI mother b. Canada

This is his headstone at Find-a-Grave and gives him dying July 29 1891. He married 2nd a Clarissa (Clara) Hubard/Hubbard 1878 Feb 3 in Yankee Springs, Barry, Michigan.

The Noyes family was particularly tragic in the way it was struck over and over with premature deaths, many said to be victims of malaria.

The photos are courtesy Nancy Benton, from the family of James Allen Noyes.

Frank’s wife Margaret and son Louis are buried at McKain Cemetery in Pavilion, Michigan, as are George W. and his children Henry A. and Maud.

James Noyes and Rebecca Russell

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“James Noyes was a circuit rider and clergyman. He preached in several New England states. He also preached among the Indians in Canada and Michigan during his later life. He was one of the first Methodist ministers in Michigan according to his youngest daughter, Eliza Ann, and was a great student of history.”

SOURCE: Noyes Family Genealogy – Generation No. 5 – James Noyes and Rebecca Russell. Compiled by Nancy Benton from Family Bible copied by Sarah Melissa Noyes Slater Anderson.

Rebecca was a Scotch Puritan. Her father was at the battle of Bunker Hill and had his leg broken in that battle. According to James Allen Noyes, born 1826, his grandmother was much beloved by her grandchildren.

Rebecca had three sisters–Patty Dunbar, Hannah Russell, Lydia Houghton and Betty Worthington. She had one brother, Peter Russell.

There is an old daguerreotype that is still in excellent condition. This, along with a silhouette of her husband James, was given to Eliza Ann Rowe, to Sarah Melissa Anderson, to Grace Noyes Pinkerton, to Nancy Bryant Benton. (It is still in excellent condition in 1998).

SOURCE: Nancy Bryant Benton

James Noyes b. 17 Nov 1771 at Winchendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, died 13 Oct 1835 at Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan at the age of 63, and was buried at Gourdneck Prairie Cemetery, Schoolcraft, Kalamazoo, Michigan. He married Rebecca Russell b. 3 Aug 1773 at Worcester County, Massachusetts. She died 17 March 1853 at Fremont, Steuben, Indiana at the age of 79.

James was a son of James Noyes and Elizabeth Brown. Rebecca was a daughter of Samuel Russell and Lydia Wheeler.

Their children were:

  1. James Noyes b. 1793 Sep 13 at Worcester Co., Massachusetts marries Sally Marble
  2. Elizabeth Noyes b. Dec 16 1795 at St. Johnsbury, Caledonia, Vermont. Dies Aug 26 1835 at Pavilion, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
  3. George W. Noyes b. Sept 7 1798 at Coos County, New Hampshire, dies Nov 23 1826 at Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Michigan. He married an unknown woman.
  4. Rebecca Noyes b. July 9 1800 at Grafton County, New Hampshire. Dies Nov 28 1874 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
  5. John Wesley Noyes b. June 14 1802 at Grafton County, New Hampshire. Dies Oct 25 1888 at Fremont, Steuben County, Indiana. He will marry Dolly Rowe in 1827. They will have at least 11 children, including Mary Jane Noyes b. abt . 1831, Enos B. Noyes b. abt. 1834 who marries Sarah E. Farnham, Hannah Noyes b. abt 1837, Eunice Noyes b. abt. 1841, and Clark Noyes b. abt. 1848
  6. Dan Y. Noyes b. June 7 1803 at Grafton County, New Hampshire, dies July 1828 in Rochester, Monroe County, New York.
  7. Eunice Noyes b. July 24 1806 at Grafton county, New Hampshire, dies May 3 1809.
  8. Ward Noyes b. Aug. 18 1808 at Grafton County, New Hampshire. He dies at an unknown time in California.
  9. Eunice Noyes b. Sep 7 1810 in Grafton County, New Hampshire, will die March 10 1894.
  10. Mary Ann Noyes b. Jan 16 1814 at Ontario, Wayne, New York. She will marry Clark (A. C.) Briggs born abt 1812 in Vermont.
  11. David R. Noyes b. Jan 7 1815 at Ontario, Wayne County, New York, will die in Illinois. On March 30 1839 in Vermilion County, Indiana he marries Eliza Jane McElvain who was born abt 1818 in Ohio. They have at least 3 children: Cordelia J. Noyes b. abt 1841, William B. Noyes b. abt 1845 and George W. Noyes b. abt 1848.
  12. Chauncey H. Noyes b. Feb 2 1818 in Ontario, Wayne Co., New York, will die June 11 1892 in North Dakota. On Feb 3 1848 in Fremont, Steuben, Indiana, he marries Joana Masters b. abt. 1828 in PA. He was an Alphadelphia Association member.
  13. Eliza Ann Noyes b. April 14 1823 in Ontario, Wayne County, New York, marries Philip Rowe who was born abt 1825 in New Jersey. Their two children were Harry b. abt. 1862 and Alice b. abt. 1865.

* * * * *

Noted events in his life were:

• Birth, 17 Nov 1771, Massachusetts, Worcester County, Winchendon.
Date from Family Record of James Noyes and Rebecca Russell.

Birth place from Noyes Family Genealogy – Generation No. 5 – James Noyes and Rebecca Russell, as compiled by Nancy Benton from Family Bible copied by Sarah Melissa Noyes Slater Anderson and Nicholas Noyes Genealogy Vol. 1, page 319..

• Note.
James was the eldest son and one of five children of James NOYES and Elizabeth BROWN, born when the elder James was 28 yoa.

• Occupation: Minister, Methodist Episcopal Church.
James was a Methodist Episcopal Minister in his early years, according to John Wesley NOYES’ bio in the History of Steuben Co. IN 1885.

James’ father was also a minister.

• Marriage: James NOYES marries Rebecca RUSSELL., 29 Apr 1793, Massachusetts, Worcester County, Winchendon.
James was 22 and Rebecca was 20 when they married. James’ father would later marry Hannah RUSSELL c. 1800, a sister of Rebecca. His sister Sally married Peter RUSSELL.

• Children: Possible unknown child.
I have not noted in the accounting below a possible unknown female child. The 1800 census shows two females under 10, one of whom is Elizabeth born 1795. The 1810 census shows 2 females 10 to 15 who would be Rebecca and the unknown female. The female in the 16 to 25 category would be Elizabeth. This female is not given as having been recorded in the Noyes Family Bible.

• 1st Known Child Born, 13 Sept 1793, Massachusetts, Worcester County.
James Sr. was 21 and Rebecca was 18 when James Jr. was born.

• Residence: Vermont, Orange County, Newbury.
A bio of John Wesley NOYES gives his parents as moving from MA to Newbury VT, then to Grafton Co., NH. After this they went to NY in 1811 and finally Kalamazoo Co., MI in 1833.

• 2nd Known Child Born:, 16 Dec 1795, Vermont.
James Sr. was 24 and Rebecca was 21 when Elizabeth was born.

• 3rd Known Child Born, 17 Sept 1798, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 26 and Rebecca was 23 when George W. was born.

George W. is in my notes as being born 1798 in Coos, NH, however Coos Co. was not formed from Grafton Co. until 1803.

1800 Franconia, Grafton, New Hampshire
Noyes, James
State: New Hampshire Year: 1800
County: Grafton Roll:
Township: Unknown Townships Page: 389

James NOYES 2 – – 1/ 2 – – 1

The two males under 10 would be James and George. Rebecca, born 1800, could be one of the two females under 10, the other being Elizabeth, but because an unknown female in the appropriate age category again appears in the 1810 census I don’t place her here. James and Rebecca Russell NOYES are 26 to 44.

There were no other NOYES in Franconia.

• 4th Known Child Born, 9 Jul 1800, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 28 and Rebecca was 24 when Rebecca was born.

• 5th Known Child Born, 14 Jun 1802, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 30 and Rebecca was 26 when John Wesley was born.

John is in my notes as born in Coos Co. NH, but Coos County was not formed until 1803 from Grafton County.

• 6th Known Child Born, 7 Jun 1804, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 32 and Rebecca was 28 when Dan Y. was born.

• 7th Known Child Born, 4 Jul 1806, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 34 and Rebecca was 30 when Eunice was born. Eunice is the individual who crafted the silhouette of James Sr.

• 8th Known Child Born, 18 Aug 1808, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 36 and Rebecca was 33 when Ward was born.

• Child’s Death, 3 May 1809, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
Eunice died at 2 years 10 months and 9 days.

1810 Concord, Grafton, New Hampshire
Daniel PRIEST
Joseph QUIMBY
Timothy NOYES 2 – 1 – 1 / 2 2 – – 1
Thomas COLBY
Enoch COLBY
Elisha SMITH
Ebenezer QUIMBY
Ezra CHAMBERLIN
Qilliam QUIMBY
Levi JUDO
Amon JUDO
Elephalt? NORTHEY
Benjamin MORSE
Farnum MORSE
Aaron MORSE
Asa MORSE
James NOYES 3 1 1 1 / – 2 1 1
Samuel MORRIS
Levi CLARK

The 3 males under 10 in the James NOYES household would be Ward, Dan and John; 1 male 10 to 15 would be George; 1 male 16 to 25 would be James Jr., 1 male 26 to 44 would be James Sr.; 2 females 10 to 15 would be Rebecca and an unknown female, 1 female 16 to 25 would be Elizabeth. Eunice, who was born in 1806, isn’t shown. She was perhaps mistakenly placed and is the unknown female in the 10 to 15 category. However, neither is James NOYES’ wife, Rebecca observed in this census. Unless the census is in error, Rebecca is probably living with her toddler daughter, Eunice, in another household.

• 9th Known Child Born, 7 Sept 1810, New Hampshire, Grafton County.
James Sr. was 38 and Rebecca was 34 when their next daughter after Eunice’s death was born. They named her Eunice. It was common at the time to name a child as a namesake of a sibling who had died in youth.

• Migration, 1811, New York.
The James NOYES family moved to NY from NH, Grafton Co.

• 10th Known Child Born, 16 Jan 1812, New York, Ontario County.
James Sr. was 40 and Rebecca was 36 when Mary Ann was born.

• Child’s Marriage: James NOYES Jr. marries Sally MARBLE., 6 Sept 1815, New York, Ontario County, Phelps.

• 11th Known Child Born, 27 Jan 1815, New York, Ontario County.
James Sr. was 43 and Rebecca was 39 when David R. was born.

• 12th Known Child Born, 2 Feb 1818, New York, Ontario County.
James Sr. was 46 and Rebecca was 42 when Chauncy was born.

1820 Phelps, Ontario, New York

Excerpt from the 1820 ONTARIO CO. PHELPS NY CENSUS, in which James’ surname is spelled NOYS:

Elisha EGGLESTON
William KING
ELihu GRANGER
Charles HUDSON
Andrew BROCKEY
Daniel PAGE
William DICKENSON
Lewis JOHNSON
William CATLIN
John SANNET?
William KINGSLEY
Elas R. DENING?
William ELDRIDGE
Horace D. WILLIAMS
Michael JONES
James NOYS 2 1 1 1 – 1 1 1 1 – 1 – 2 – 1

In the James NOYS household there are 2 white males to 10, 1 white male 10 to 16, 1 white male 16 to 18, 1 white male 16 to 26, 1 white male 45 and up, 1 white female to 10, 1 white female 10 to 16, 1 white female 16 to 26, 1 white female 45 and up, 2 persons engaged in agriculture, 1 person engaged in manufacturing.

The 2 white males to 10 would be Chauncy b. 1818 and David b. 1815, 1 white male 10 to 16 would be Ward b. 1808, 1 white male 16 to 18 would be Dan b. 1804, 1 white male 16 to 26 would be John or George. The older male is James Sr. 1 white female to 10 is Mary Ann b. 1812; 1 white female 10 to 16 is Eunice b. 1810; 1 white female 16 to 26 is Rebecca b. 1800 or Elizabeth b. 1793, 1 white female over 45 and up is Rebecca.

The possible unknown female in the 1800 and 1810 census is no longer observed.

• Brother’s Death, 23 Apr 1822, Maine.
Death of his brother, Ward, in Maine. His other full brother, David, is said to have also moved to Maine in 1804.

• 13th Known Child Born, 14 Apr 1823, New York, Ontario County.
James Sr. was 51 and Rebecca was 47 when Eliza Ann was born. She was their last child.

• Migration, 1823-1825, Michigan.
Circa 1823 to 1825, the James NOYES family migrated from NY to MI. It was after this that he would begin his preaching in Michigan and Canada.

Dan Y. did not apparently move with the family as he would die in a few years in New York. George W. and James Sr. did move with the family. John Wesley didn’t make the move from NY until 1834. Eunice is given as marrying in Ontario NY in 1828 so, being aged 17 to 19 during the time of the move, she may have chosen not to migrate with her parents to Michigan, remaining perhaps with one of her brothers in NY.

• Tax List, 1825, Michigan.

There are two listings for a James NOYES in the Wayne-Washtenaw area in the 1825 Tax List. One would be likely James NOYES SR., and the other Jame NOYES Jr. I don’t know which would be which.

1825 NOYES JAMES Wayne-wshtnwco MI 799 Tax List 1825 Tax List MI Early Census Index MIS2a927036

1825 NOYES JAMES Wayne-washtenaw MI Ann Arbor Tax List MI Early Census Index MIS2a927044

• Child’s Death, 23 Nov 1826, Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Ann Arbor.
Death of George W. at 28. He had also moved to Michigan with the family and had a saw mill operation in Ann Arbor.

1824-1826 Deeds, Washtenaw Co., Michigan

I have the following deed listings for James NOYES, but don’t know whether theyare for James NOYES Sr. or Jr.

NOYES JAMES 34 1 S 6 E 19 80.0000 02 1888 1826/02/22
NOYES JAMES 28 2 S 6 E 19 79.1400 02 907 1824/10/20
NOYES JAMES 14 2 S 6 E 19 160.0000 02 1514 1826/01/06
NOYES JAMES 3 2 S 6 E 19 58.9800 02 1889 1826/02/22

• Census, 1827, Michigan, Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor.
The 1827 Ann Arbor census shows a James NOYES. I don’t know if this is James Sr. or James Jr.

• Child’s Death: Death of Dan Y., Jul 1828.
Dan Y. is given as dying in Rochester, New York in July 1828 at about the age of 25.

• Images: Cut silhouette of James Noyes, c. 1820s.
A silhouette of James, made by his daughter Eunice, is still in excellent condition in 2002 and owned by Nancy Bryant Benton, his g-g-g-granddaughter.
Source: Nancy Benton

The image was not likely made until at least after 1821 when Eunice was 15. In 1821 James was abt 50. As Eunice perhaps stayed in NY when her family moved to Michigan, marrying in NY in 1828, the silhouette may have been made c. 1823 to 1825 before the NOYES family migrated to Michigan.


Silhouette of James Noyes at https://evermore.imagedjinn.com/images/jamessilhouette.jpg.

1830 Kalamazoo County, Michigan

James NOYES is given at Ancestry.com in the census index as being in the 1830 Kalamazoo Co. census. I am unable however to locate the census for Kalamazoo in the Michigan Territory.

• Migration, 1833, Michigan, Kalamazoo County.
The James NOYES family moved to Kalamazoo in 1833.

• Child’s Death, 26 Aug 1835, Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Pavilion Township.
Elizabeth dies at the age of 40, followed by her father’s death in Oct.

• Death, 13 Oct 1835, Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Kalamazoo.

Following his daughter Elizabeth, who had died in August, James died 13 Oct 1835 at the age of 63.

Date of death is from Family Record of James Noyes and Rebecca Russell.

Place of death from Noyes Family Genealogy – Generation No. 5 – James Noyes and Rebecca Russell, as compiled by Nancy Benton from Family Bible copied by Sarah Melissa Noyes Slater Anderson, and Nicholas Noyes Genealogy Vol. 1, page 319..

I’m unable to locate Rebecca in the 1840 census. She is found in the 1850 census living with Enos Beall, beside the household of her son, John W. Noyes.

In the 1850 16 August Census of Fremont, Steuben, Indiana, Rebecca was living with Enos BEALL, a partner of her son, John Wesley.

126/126 John W. NOYSE 47 tavern keeper $3500 b. NY
Dolly 40 b. NJ
Mary Jane 19 b. NY
Enos 16 Farmer b. NY
Hannah 13 b. MI
Eunice 9 b. MI
Clark 2 b. IN
Babe without a name 2/12 b. IN
127/127 Enos BEALL 43 (illegible) judge $7250 b. NY
Hannah 44
Therisa 6 b. MI
Dyson 3
Ellise AUSTIN 16
Rebecca NOYSE 77 b. ME (?)

Rebecca died March 27 1853 in Fremont, Steuben, Indiana.

• Cemetery: Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Schoolcraft, Gourdneck Prairie Cemetery.

View the Gourdneck Prairie Cemetery listing at https://evermore.imagedjinn.com/images/gourdneckprairiecemeteryl.jpg.

Gourdneck Prairie Cemetery–Sec. 14, East side of Portage Road, next to Schoolcraft Township Hall, Schoolcraft Township.

View location of cemetery at the Rootsweb Kalamazoo County Cemeteries website at http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikalama/cemmap2.htm#southw

View cemetery marker at the Rootsweb Kalamazoo County Cemeteries website at http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikalama/cemetery2.htm#Gourdneckpriecm

• Accessory Document: Noyes-Russell Family Record.

View the Noyes-Russell record at https://evermore.imagedjinn.com/images/recordnoyesrussell.jpg.
Copied by Sarah Noyes Slater from the family bible.

Early Settlement of Ann Arbor

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This article was courtesy of Nancy Benton. From “The Pioneer Society of Michigan, Volume VI, 1884, 1907 reprint, pg. 443. Mention is made of the Noyes sawmill in it. Transcription by me.

* * * * *

WASHTENAW COUNTY

Early Settlement of Ann Arbor
Account Given to Mrs. E. M. S. Stewart in 1852 by Bethuel Farrand, who died in Ann Arbor, July 22, 1852

Read at the annual meeting of the State Society, June 14 1883.

In May 1825, I emigrated from the town of Aurelius, Cayuga Co. NY to Detroit, Mich. Pecuniary losses, and the prospect of the successful prosecution of an extensive business enterprise were the motives which induced me to emigrate. We arrived in safety and spent the summer in the City of the Straits. A change in my business prospects induced me to remove to Ann Arbor. Accordingly in the autumn of 1825 I hired a small row boat into which I loaded my goods and chattels and getting my family aboard we started. I knew the journey would be long and tedious, but at that time I thought it preferable to journeying by land with no other road than an Indian trail. The first day of our journey we glided down the Detroit river as far as the mouth of the river Ecorse, where we went ashore and spent the night. The next day we reached the mouth of Huron river about thirty miles from Detroit. Here a family by the name of Truax permitted us to remain with them over night. On the morning of the third day, we left the Detroit river and entered the Huron. Thus far our journey had been performed with ease, but now we must row against the current when the stream would admit of rowing, and when it would not, the boat was propelled by means of poles. The third night we reached Smooth Rock and stayed at the house of a Mr. Vreeland. The next morning I heard the boatmen talking about a bend in the river which we must pass that day. On making inquiries I learned that the land route to the house of the brother of our host, Mr. Vreeland, was but two miles, while the route by water would consume most of the day. I then proposed to my wife that I would carry the babe if she would walk across and wait there for the boat. Our journey was soon accomplished, but we waited till the stars shone that night before the boat arrived.

The Huron from Smooth Rock to Ypsilanti is very crooked, and this day’s experience induced me to procure some other mode of conveyance for my family. I purchased a yoke of oxen and obtained the services of a man named Johnson with another yoke of oxen and a wagon, and taking from the boat such articles as we should need, on the morning of the fifth day we again set forward, leaving the boat to make the best of its devious course. The country through which we passed was rolling; there was no road, so we dodged here and there through the openings, over hills so steep that it required all the strength of both yokes of oxen to make the ascent, and to descend safely we would take one yoke of oxen and fasten them with a chain to the back end of the wagon and they would pull back while the other yoke went forward.

We reached Ann Arbor on the seventh day after leaving Detroit, but the boat containing our goods did not arrive at Snow’s landing, four miles below Ypsilapti, which was as far as it could come, till the fifteenth day. It cost me forty dollars to come from Detroit to Ann Arbor.

We found twenty-six families in what is now called the upper town, and eight log dwelling houses, and one small frame building occupied by Cyrus Beckwith as a store, and containing about two hundred dollars’ worth of goods.

We moved into a log house which already contained two families, and was a hotel and boarding house besides.

My own family consisted of nine persons, which was quite an addition to the former occupants, and we found that the three families numbered twenty-six. Each family occupied a separate room, but we found ourselves packed in very close quarters.

Dr. Dave E. Lord was the first physician in Ann Arbor, and he and his family formed part of our household community. The other family was that of George Roberts.

We found the people all very kind, warm hearted, and social, but all poor, mutually dependent on each other, and mutually inclined to assist each other.

I had proved myself with three barrels of flour and such groceries as I thought necessary for my family’s present use, but had not purchased any meat, supposing I could procure it here.

One morning, about a week after our arrival, one of my little daughters cried for some meat. I thought I would go to a neighbor’s and borrow some pork, till I could obtain a supply. To my surprise, I learned that there had never been any pork killed in the settlement, and every one was as destitute as myself. I could not bear to hear my children cry for any kind of food which it was in my power to procure, so I started the next morning for Detroit. When I reached Plymouth I was joined by Henry Ward and Esquire Root, who were going on the same errand. We had fifty dollars each, making one hundred and fifty, a part of which we expended in the purchase of eighty bushels of wheat, which we obtained low by purchasing such a quantity.

Just before leaving Detroit, we noticed a vessel coming up the river loaded with hogs. As soon as the vessel hove to, I went on board, and found that the owner was a man by the name of Leonard, with whom I was acquainted. Of him I purchased eight hogs for myself, and eight for my two friends, and advised Mr. Leonard to come with the remainder of the drove to Ann Arbor. When we reached Springwells we met a man with a drove of fat cattle, and I bought a cow.

I reached home near night of the second day, and the next morning before breakfast, I killed my cow and divided the meat among my neighbors, only being able to reserve enough for one meal for my own family. After breakfast I commenced butchering the hogs, and they were also divided, till only two of the eight remained for myself. Fortunately for the inhabitants, Mr. Leonard had taken my advice, and arrived the next day, and all were well supplied. Mr. James Dunn of Tonquish Plains, got my wheat floured at the Buckland Mills and brought it to Ann Arbor. Two of my barrels of flour and the flour from all my share of the eighty bushels of wheat was gone in fifteen days.

The first saw-mill in Ann Arbor was built by George W. Noyes and was complete when I arrived there, except the saw, which he had not the means to purchase. Having a little money on hand, I lent him the required sum, and he started off immediately to make the purchase. Having obtained his saw, he carried it on his shoulder from Detroit to the mouth of the river Ecorse from whence it was brought in a boat. The saw-mill was a great blessing to the young town. Poor George Noyes; he was suddenly killed a few years after at the raising of a house.

After my return from Detroit I began to make arrangements to build a house on the lot now owned by Norton R. Ramsdell, Esq. I concluded to merely erect a lean-to for the winter and in the spring build an upright part in a proper manner. I raised a light frame and enclosed it by settling planks upright and close together. The floor was laid of loose boards, the fire-place and hearth were of cobble stone, and the chimney was of sticks plastered over with mortar. One part of the house was partitioned off into two bed rooms; we had also a sung little pantry and a recess for another bed. In about four weeks we took possession; and when my wife had neatly arranged the furniture and we were once more settled in a home of our own we considered ourselves the happiest family in the village.

Family Record of James Noyes and Rebecca Russell Noyes

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Courtesy of Nancy Benton

Family Record of James and Rebecca Noyes.

James Noyes was born Nov 17 1771
Died Oct 13 1835
Rebecca Noyes was born Aug 5 1773
Died March 27 1853

James Noyes Jr. was born Sept 14 1793
Elizabeth was born Dec 16 1795. Died July
George W. was born Sept 7 1798. Died Nov. 1826
Rebecca was born July 9 1800. Died Nov 28 1874.
John W. Was born June 14 1802.
Dan Y. was born June 7 1803. Died July 1823.
Eunice was born July 24 1806. Died May 3 1809.
Ward was born Aug 18 1808.
Eunice Second was born Sept 7 1810.
Mary A. Noyes was born Jan 16 1813.
David R. was born Jan 7 1815.
Chauncy H. was born Feb 2 1818.
Eliza A. was born Apr 14 1823.

Jane Noyes. Daughter of Chauncey Noyes. Died Aug 20 1864.

NOTE: I’m unable to read the date of death for Elizabeth here except that it’s in July. I have in my genealogy program that she died Aug 26 1835 and that I got this from a family record. I need to double check her death somehow.

James Allen Noyes’ Record of James Noyes’ 2nd Marriage

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The record of James and Sally Noyes’ children, as written by James Allen Noyes can be observed here.

This document was copied by Carrie Atwell Noyes. I will continue my transcription with the record of children born to James’ second marriage to Susan Waters.

James Noyes was married again about 1839. Children of second marriage.

George W. born May 8. 1840. Died Mar. 3rd 1840
Daniel T. ” ” Sept 11. 1843
Frank ” ” July 4 1845. Died July 28 1871
Mary R. ” ” Mar 7. 1847
John W. ” ” Jan 31. 1849
Minerva ” ” June 191 1851. Died Sept 4 1874
Lunetta ” ” Apr 20 1854. Died Mar 25 1878