Rose

Over the last year and a half I have been piecing together the story of my great-grandmother, Rose. I hope her childhood wasn't half as sad as I imagine it.

Rose was born Susan Arazina Graham on 9 October 1852 in Indiana. Her father, James Madison Graham, abandoned his family before she was born to seek his fortune in California. So her mother, Elizabeth Doughty Graham, was in effect a single mother with five children to support and care for. Per family records, Rose was born near Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, however in 1850 her parents and siblings were living in German, St Joseph, Indiana and she may well have been born there. Which ever the case may be, Elizabeth returned to Muncie at some point prior to 1855 when she filed for divorce. I can only imagine the struggle and hard decisions Elizabeth faced.

By 1860, Elizabeth was living in Warren, St Joseph, Indiana and listed as a domestic in the home of Nathan and Eliza York. None of her children were living with her. So while both of her parents were still living, Rose was in effect an orphan.

While I have not located all of the children in 1860, I believe I have found Rose in Bertrand, Berrien, Michigan. Listed there is Susan A. Graham, age 7 and born in Indiana, living in the home of John and Aramalinda Blake. I have no idea if Rose was somehow related to the Blake's. The next household enumerated on the census was that of her paternal Aunt, Martha Graham Opfel. Why was Rose not living with her?

John Blake was born about 1809 in Virginia and Aramalinda about 1810 in Ohio. Elizabeth Doughty was born in Virginia and James M Graham was born in Ohio so it's possible they were relatives. Also in the household was Sarah Hogue, age 78 and born in Maryland.

Irregardless of whether they were family or not I have no idea how Rose was treated. Did the family welcome and love her or was she simply tolerated? Did she get to see her mother at all? Did she receive letters from her father? Besides her Aunt Martha she had other paternal aunts and uncles living in Bertrand, along with her grandparents, Porter and Susannah Graham. Was she close to any of them? Did she see her siblings at all when she was growing up? While the older Blake children had attended school in the last year the box for Rose was not checked. It is obvious from the letters she wrote later in life that she did not receive a great education but she was not illiterate either. Did she attend school at some point or was she taught the basics at home?

By 1870 she was using the name Zena or Zina. At the age of 17 she was listed as a servant in the home of Sidney Allen in Buchanan, Berrien, Michigan. On 8 May 1873, still using the name Zena, she married Joseph Harrison Camfield.

I wish I knew when she started using the name Rose. Was it a pet name that Joseph called her, had she been called this earlier in life or was it simply a name she liked? She seems to have used the name for the remainder of her life.

Rose and Joseph had five children. The oldest, Fred, lived most of his life with his grandparents, Michael and Sarah Ann Camfield. I'm not certain exactly how the arrangement came about but knowing how Rose was raised I can see where it could have seemed perfectly reasonable to her to send a child to live with others. I do know that while not a big part of his life most years she was in touch and Fred did return to live with his parents at various times.

This is the only picture I have of Rose and I certainly wish I had one or two from her younger years. I have several pictures of Joseph. The discrepancy in the number of pictures saved may be explained by the fact that they separated after the children were grown. There is an undercurrent of hard feelings towards Rose in the family that I don't totally understand.

Rose lived her later years with her daughter Ruby in South Bend, IN. At the end of her life, when Ruby could no longer care for her and work too, she moved to Buchanan, MI where she spent her final days with her daughter, Pearl Camfield Carlisle. She is buried in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, MI with her mother, together in death where they could not be in life........



This was written for the 85th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy to be hosted at Greta's Genealogy Bog.

The topic, “Orphans and Orphans,” can be interpreted as follows:

The first type of orphan refers to those ancestors or relatives who lost their parents when they were young.

The second type of orphan would be those siblings or cousins of our ancestors who could be called “reverse orphans.” They are the relatives who, for whatever reason – death at a young age, never having married or had children, or having children who did not survive to provide descendants – have no direct descendants of their own, so it falls to us, their collateral relatives, to learn and write their story.

I have only one ancestor in my tree that was truly an orphan, my great-grandmother, Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle. I wrote some of her story for the 72nd edition of the COG. Rose's daughter, Ruby Camfield, was a "reverse orphan" and I wrote about her for the 20th edition of the COG. Two more "reverse orphans" were Oscar Mere and Henry Bogardus.

Thanks for the poster fM!

Anna Camfield Carlisle, 3 Feb 1887

Buchanan, Michigan.
Febuary 3, 1887

Dear Ashley I received your letter last evening was glad to hear from you I should have been very much disapointed if you had not writen. We are getting along all right. Toley stayed with me the first night you was away and your Mother has been home every night since.
Now Ashley dont work so hard that you make yourself sick you had much better rest some than be sick. Frank goes to school every day. I made his coat last week, also a new cap, out of the same cloth, so he has his whole new suit to wear this week. Frank and Cuthbert Wright go together and sit together and are as good friends as they used to be.

2

Daniel has had quite a cold but is getting over it all right, he seems to fell as well as ever today, and is so busy he has not got time to go to sleep. last sunday morning Grandma got up and built the fire when Daniel saw it was built he got right up and called you to take him up he was not satisfied until he came out and see you was not here, then he said, papa gone Bend, and seemed disapointed. all the rest of the time when I get up and build the fire he seems satisfied and thinks it all right to sit in the big chair and rock.
Dell brings the water all right and we have enough in the barrel to wash next week and some over. Mrs Steretts baby has been sick but is better. Mr Sterrett was sick a few days after he went to Chicago and Harry was quite sick the last we heard. Mrs Sterrett has been here twice and Mrs Robinson once so you see we have some company. No news from Sims yet, only Ettie had to go Berrien as a witness and Sim went with her and did not let her get out of his seight. Frankie Bachilor has another baby born last sunday.
Joe Blakes baby is dead, buried last saturday. and John and Gene Hamilton have lost their little girl, funeral last Sunday at the Methodist church. I did write some in the letter you wrote to Fannie and sent it so she must have got it before this. I sent you last weeks Record and will send you this weeks when we get through reading it. I am sorry Josey is sick I hope he is better by this time. tell Rosa I am afraid I will not know Daisy if she lets her grow so fast. Frank wants to write you but I guess he wont have time this time. we will all be glad to see you when you come home so come when you think best. we seem to be getting along all right here, so dont worry about us, bu if the work seems to be hard on you, you had better come home and rest a few days. we all send love.
Anna Carlisle.

3

Sim just steped to the door and invited your Mother to come down to his house.



I believe that Anna had someone stay with her because she was pregnant. Toley was her friend and I have some letters written by her but none of them have a last name on them.

Cuthbert Wright was most likely born about 1878 and the son of Thomas and Margaret Wright. On the 1880 census they are found in Marcellus, Cass Co, MI.

The Sterrett's must have been neighbors but I haven't located them on the 1880 or 1900 census.

There was a family named Robinson who lived behind the Carlisle's. I am unsure of their first names. EDIT 15 May 2010. Etoley Robinson was a close friend of Anna's and her brother Abner Robinson and perhaps her parents lived near the Carlisle's.

So far I don't know who Sims and Ettie were. Maybe they'll be mentioned in a future letter.

My best guess is that Frankie Bachilor was Frances Norris Batchelor, 1858-1950; wife of George Batchelor.

Joe Blake is another mystery right now.

John Hamilton married Genie H. Michael, 23 October 1881, Berrien Co, MI

Fannie was Ashley's sister, Frank his son.

Josey was Anna's brother, Joseph Camfield and Rosa his wife. Apparently my grandmother, Pearl Camfield Carlisle, was called Daisy when she was a baby!

Pearl Vivian "Daisy" Camfield
born 14 July 1886, South Bend, IN
date of photograph unknown

For more see:
Camfield Family Letters
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Michael Camfield


Carlisle, Anna Camfield. (Buchanan, MI) to “Dear Ashley”
[Isaac Ashley Carlisle]. Letter. 3 February 1887. Digital Images 1-3.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Ella Jeffery to Anna Camfield, 12 Sept. 1875

13 Sheridan Ave.
Boston, Mass
Sept 12th 1875

Dear Friend Anna,

Rec’d your letter over three weeks ago, thought I should answer sooner. – went down to Boston and had some tin types taken on purpose to send you the same week I rec’d yours.

I have been back to my work two weeks. have been very busy so have not written before. I was home three weeks had a very pleasant time during my vacation. had sewing to keeps me busy most of the time. finding a great many

page 2

little things to do I spent much of my time at home. have not had any pleasure trips this summer. – business has been very dull., has been some better the last two weeks, plenty of peaches in market this season + very cheepe You say you had great many currants, they are something very dear here, very few, we have not peserved or canned this summer. – grapes have just come in market, they will sonn be cheepe + plenty.

I was surprised to hear that John Haslett + Libbie Blake were married. they were the last two I ever though would be married to each other. – Is Emma

page 3

Hamilton the youngest Hamilton girl. – is it the one that used to be in Katies Sunday school class. there must be a great changes in Buchanan during the three years we have lived here. – it was 3 yrs July since we came to Boston.

I was 21yrs the 17th of Aug. you was 20 you say the 5th of Aug. I havent any thing nice to send you for a birthday present. here is a picture of mine. all say it looks like me when sober. I think it is good.-

The weather has been quite cool the last few days have had several frosts. – have not taken in our house plants yet.

page 4
I am tired to night so please excuse this letter written with a pencil. I don’t believe you can read half of it – if you can you do better than I can. I hope you are all well. We are all usually well. now please send me a photo in your next letter. I do not think I have changed much for 3 yrs do you, only a little older.

Give my love to all friends + your-self
write soon
your friend
Ella Jeffery

[in a different hand]
Burr Oak. Mich




Ella Jeffery was a friend of Anna Camfield. This is the second of only three letters by her that were kept by Anna. I found Ella on the 1870 census In Buchanan, Berrien, MI with her parents, Allen and Ester Jeffery, and siblings William, Catherine, Frederick and Edwin. Ella was still single and living with her parents on Sheridan St, Boston, MA at the time of the 1880 census. I haven't done any more research into the family.

John Haslett was 16 and living with his family in Bertrand, Berrien, MI in 1870. Parents, William & Mary; siblings, Robert, William and Charles.

Mary Elizabeth (Libbie) Blake was also 16 and living with her family in Buchanan, Berrien, MI in 1870. Parents, Charles & Elizabeth; siblings, Theophelies, Charles and Anna.

John & Libbie were married 19 June 1875 In Berrien Co, MI. Their daughter, Minnie Belle Haslett was born 8 July 1876 in Bertrand. Minnie was married late in life (sometime in the 1920's) to my cousin, Jay M. Glover; he was born 18 Jan 1880 in Buchanan, the son of Jay O. Glover and Eliza Ann Alexander. My mother remembers Jay & Belle, they lived on Moccassin Ave which ran along the back of the Carlisle home. Jay used to clear the sidewalks in the winter with a horse drawn plow.

I'd love to know what the gossip about Emma Hamilton was. An Emma Hamilton married Lenard Eastman on 3 July 1875, so that is my best guess. There was an Emma Hamilton living in Buchanan on the 1870 census. She was 11 years old, daughter of Nathaniel & Julia with older siblings Martha and John. In 1880 I find Leonard & Emma in Kewanee, Henry Co, IL with daughters, Gertrude age 3 and Maud age 1.



Jeffery, Ella A. (Boston, MA) to “Dear Friend Anna”
[Anna Camfield]. Letter. 12 September 1875. Digital Images 1-4.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2008.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1875 - 1876,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]