203 years ago, 21 July 1817, in Caledonia, Michigan, my first cousin, 4 times removed, Mary Amanda Park, was born to Joseph and Lucy Jenks Park.  Lucy being the daughter of my Great Great Great Great Grandparents, Laban and Prudence White Jenks.   That explains Mary being my cousin.  Well, on 25 February 1836, Mary was wed to my Great Great Great Granduncle, Levi W. Botsford, the son of my Great Great Great Great Grandparents, Simeon and Esther Clark Botsford, and the brother of my GGG Grandmother, Almira Botsford who married Morris Jenks, Lucy’s brother.  Confused yet?  So, cousin Mary became Aunt Mary!  Sometime between their marriage in Oakland County, Michigan and the birth of their second child, the family removed to Recine, Wisconsin.

Mary and Levi were the parents of 6 children: Marion Iona (1838), Emily Amelia (1840), Edwin P. (1842), Charles Elmer (1852), Oliver F. (1855), and Fred Herbert (1858).  With the huge gap between Edwin and Charles, there is a probability  that there may have been other children that did not survive.

Mary passed away on 3 October 1885, and was interred at Mound Cemetery in Racine, Wisconsin.  Uncle Levi lived an additional 14 years and is interred beside her.