A Tree Grew in Oakland

It was 189 years ago, on 19 July 1830, that George H. Lee was born in Farmington, Oakland County, Michigan to Horatio and Hannah Munn Lee.  He was the fourth of twelve children for my 3 times great grandparents.  Uncle George married Julia Waters in 1853 and the couple slacked off in the child production race and only had three children:  Frank (1856), Henry (1858), and Mary (1867).  And yes, for those of you keeping score, they were Frank Lee, and Mary Lee — only Henry seemed to not have a lyrical name.  Aunt Julia died on 30 November 1901 and Uncle George followed on 23 October 1903.  Both were laid to rest in family plots in the Southfield Cemetery in Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan.

On 16 July 1771, 248 years ago, my 4 times great grandfather, William Lee was born in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut, to William and Eunice Hotchkiss Lee.  William married Mary Summers on 27 May 1793 and the couple had eight children: born in Guilford, Chauncey (1794), William (1796), Harvey (1798), Horatio (1800) [my three times great grandfather), then in West Bloomfield, NY, Mary Ann (1804), George (1806), Richard (1808), and Norman (1811).   By the early 1820s, Grandfather and Grandmother Lee had brought the entire family west and settled in Oakland County, Michigan.  Both Grandfather and Grandmother are buried in the Quaker Cemetery in Farmington (their gravestones appear in earlier blog posts).

Also on 16 July, but in 1647, 372 years ago, my 8 times great grandmother, and William’s great great grandmother, Lydia Thompson was born and baptized 8 days later in New Haven, Connecticut, to Anthony and Katherine Thompson.   On 20 September 1665, in New Haven, Connecticut, Lydia married Isaac Cruttenden.  The pair had nine children, all born in Connecticut: Isaac (1666), Lydia (1668), Elizabeth (1670), Deborah (1673), Samuel (1675), Hannah (1678) [my 7 times great grandmother, and William’s great grandmother], Jabez (1680), Mehitable (1682), and Naomi (1685).    Lydia died in December, 1729

From History of Guilford, CT, by R. D. Smith

Nathaniel Whitfield, Wm. Johnson, William Seward, William Stevens, Richard Hubball, Isacc Cruttenden (son of Abraham), … took the oath of fidelity May 4, 1654.

George Lee, my great great great granduncle, was born on 4 July 1806, in West Bloomfield, Ontario, New York, to William and Mary Summers Lee [my 4 times great grandparents] .  He made the move west with the family to Oakland County, Michigan, and was with them in 1845.  I have no record of additional family for Uncle George and have only found a death record for him on 25 April 1856 in Batavia, Clermont, Ohio.  Why and when he left Michigan I have no idea.  But, everyone needs to be remembered.