Obituaries

These obituaries are Russell Genealogy Team discoveries from my April 2009 visit. Some were found at the Rochester Hills Library and some at the Library in Lansing. Mt. Avon Cemetery is referred to as the Rochester Cemetery.

John Warren Powell died at the Pontiac Asylum last Saturday night, aged 73 years. He was a native of Rochester and lived here all his life up to 16 years ago when he removed to Pontiac. He was an old soldier and pensioner and for more than 50 years was a familiar figure in and about Rochester. He had been deranged for some time and arrangements had been made for his admission to the Pontiac asylum, when death intervened. The remains were brought up to Rochester Tuesday for interment. Besides his wife he leaves a daughter by a former marriage, one brother, William of Rochester, and two sisters, Mrs. Lewis, of Pontiac, and Mrs. Tom Cooper, of Rochester. So passes another of Rochester’s early pioneers and old soldiers. He had been married five times.

Personal Notes: John W POWELL is the brother of Lydia (POWELL) WILSON which makes him the brother in law of Frank RUSSELL AKA Milo Verta RUSSELL.
John is buried at Mt. Avon and his death certificate lists his cause of death as Organic Heart Disease, Arteriosclerosis and something called Urania Nepteritis. As far as I know we only have three wives on file for him.
Wife: Almira HALL of Ontario b 1844 with which Laura and May were born with only May surviving.
Wife: Hattie b 1860-something in MI
Wife: Sarah A VAN BRACKLEY b 1840 in MI

Jerry R. Wilson, 84, of 2804 Oldsmobile Avenue. LaSalle park died at St. Joseph Mercy hospital Wednesday after a three years illness and five days in the hospital. He was born at Rochester, Feb 27, 1860, the son of Reuben and Lydia Wilson. Mr. Wilson married Minnie A. Hier Dec 24, 1886 at Ovid and came here from Carson City. He was employed as a maintenance superintendent at the Hudson Covert school and prior to that at the Pontiac Motor division. He was a resident of the city for 21 years.

Survivors include his widow: his daughters, Mrs. Asceneth Stevens of Drayton Plains, Mrs. Cleo Brownell of Detroit and Mrs. Leila Weisenberger of Pontiac; his sons, Guy of Flint, Lloyd C. of Auburn Heights, Norman D., of Pontiac, and Paul E. of Benton Harbor; his brothers, Frank Russell, of Royal Oak and Cordie Russell of Rochester, 23 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday from the Sparks-Griffin chapel, and burial will take place in the Rochester cemetery.

Personal Notes: Jerry is the son of Reuben WILSON (of the WILSON/FOX family native to the area as far back as the 18-teens) and Lydia POWELL. Lydia's marriage to Frank RUSSELL AKA Milo Verta FREEMAN made Jerry WILSON (and sibling Robert) step-sons to Frank/Milo and half siblings to Cordie, Frank, Lewis and Cora May. We have been in contact with living descendants of the Wilson's, namely one very helpful Cheryl Burtch. She has provided picture of Jerry WILSON. The home Jerry lived in at his time of death (2804 Oldsmobile Ave Waterford) still stands and is/was inhabited by a WILSON as recently as 2002. There is no proof of relationship as the WILSON residents have not been approached. (Pardon me, can you tell me who your father is? And his father's father? What's your mother's maiden name? Where is your family from? Can I see some identification?) Jerry died of a heart attack at the age of 84. He outlived two brothers Lewis RUSSELL and Robert WILSON and two sisters Minerva (WILSON) and Cora May (RUSSELL) HILTON.

Foxes of Michigan

Gustavus Fox
On 13 OCT 1835 Gustavus Fox bought some land in Macomb at the Detroit Land office. He lives in Macomb in 1850 on the same page as William and Mary Wilson and all their children including Rueben) 1860 and 1870, 1880. Gustavus is b in conn. in abt 1810.

Henry Fox
On 04 APR 1833 Henry Fox bought Macomb land and then again in 1835. I can't find Hnery in 1850 and wonder if he is even still alive. There is a Henry living in St. Clair in 1840 and 1850. The Henry in St Clair says he is b in MI in 1808 and his wife Mary says she was b in MI in 1815. Their children Lewis and Mary both 16, Hannah 12, Oscar 10 and Dora 8 are all b in MI.
In 1860 they have moved to Macomb and Mary is listed as Male Farmer b in NY. Go figure. They live next door to the Colon family (hahaha). They have a 25 yo Henry (lewis?), Oscar is 18 and now there is a Francis who is b in 52 and a Manda b in 1855. Manda and Oscar are living together in 1870. Mary married MR. Bell and died in Charlevoix in 1882 of Lung Fever.


Dorus Fox
Dorus M Fox bought land in Macomb on 18 AUG 1837 and on Rootsweb he is listed in someones family tree as being a Col, he also has a son named Oscar. They live mostly in Ionia. Here's the link to his family tree: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mbwheeler&id=I83783

Zenos Fox
On 07 MAR 1825 Zenos Fox bought land in Oakland and more again in 1837 he m Maria (or Emaria or Elmaria or Elvira) Burt on 30 JAN 1827. In 1830, 1860 and 1834 Zenos is listed in the MI state census as living in Oakland. In the 1850 Federal Census he says his is b in Conn in 1806 (he is living ion Springfield, Oakland) occupation listed is farmer. Wife is Almina or Almira b in Mass in 1806. daughter Tilpha or Zilpha b 1830 in MI, Caroline b 18382 in MI and Lorina b 1835 in MI. Ont eh same page there is a William Wilson b in NY b 1820 wife, Lydia. In 1860 Zenos says he is b in 1798 in Conn, wife Almira is b 1804 in NY (I think it says NY) there is a 80 yo Simeon Burt b in NY also livingi n the house.

In 1830 Zenus is in Oakland and in his house are 1 male between 30 and 40, 1 female 5 and under and on female between 20 and 30. In 1840 he is "Z Fox" in Oakland 1 male between 30 and 40 one female under five two between 5 and 10 and one felmale between 30 and 40. Daughter Lavina Fox (b feb 1833) m James S Hubbard on 26 OCT 1854 in Oakland

Change you can Xerox (Facts about Robert Wilson)

Haha, just kidding. I hate politics.

Robert Wilson (or The Mystery of the Family Doubles - Reuben Wilson Part Deux)


Robert Wilson is born in Rochester to Reuben Wilson and Lydia Powell.
Sources: Reuben Wilson's Pension File and Batch M017303


He married Minnie Strong, parents Edgar & Eunice in Rochester on 16 NOV 1893. She was born in Imlay, Lapeer on 09 OCT 1878.
Sources: Microfilm #974252 and Batch M017303


Robert and Minnie were married 16 NOV 1893 in Rochester, Oakland, Michigan. In Montcalm County in 1900 they live together with their son Willie who was born approx. 1899 in Michigan.
Sources: Microfilm #1295530 and 1900 Census (Bloomer, Montcalm, MI pg 2 Dist 119)


In 1910 Minnie is living with George White. George and Minnie were married on 18 SEP 1905 in Pontiac. Minnie and George have been married for three years. Children in the house are William (12), Bessie K (9) and three year old Kenneth. It should be noted that they are living on page 19 and Eunice and Edgar Strong (parents of Minnie) are living on page 16.
Sources: 1910 Census (Almont, Lapeer, MI pg 19 and 16, Dist 30) and Batch M018206.


Robert is living with his brother Jerry in 1920 in Pontiac. Robert is buried at the Mt. Avom Cemetery and died on 17 APR 1921.
Sources: 1920 Census (Pontiac, Oakland, MI pg 4, Dist 196) and City of Rochester