See also
1 Benjamin BAILEY1,2 (1872- ) [6689]. Born 2 Nov 1872.1 Marr Amy MOORE c. 1903.2,3
2 John J. BAILEY4,5 (1845-1933) [4595]. Born 2 Feb 1845, Near Oxford, Oakland Co., MI.2,4,5 Marr Susan M. SCHELL 1 Jan 1866, Lapeer County, MI.5 Marr Jane ? Jan 1927.5 Died 31 Aug 1933, Brown City, MI.2,5 Buried Valley Cemetery, Ubley, MI.5
Biography of John J. Bailey, contributed by Dale Cleland, actual author and date unknown. Punctuation and spelling as originally written.
"Some items of interest in the life of ELDER J.J. BAILEY
John J. Bailey was born February 5, 1845, near Oxford, Oakland co. Michigan, the 3rd. son of Clarissa Shotwell Bailey and William Bailey. There were 10 sons in his fathers family. No daughters. All the sons were born on a farm in Oakland County, Michigan. All grew to manhood and were married. They were namely as follows according to age: Edmund, Charlie, John J., William, Frank, Clarkston, Washington, Elmer, Albert, and Hermon.
At the age of 18 John J enlisted in Company L. 10th. Michigan Cavalry and served his country during the remainder of the Civil War. He received his honorable discharge from the service November 11, 1865 at Memphis Tennessee.
January 1st. 1866 he married Susan M. Schell, daughter of Jane and Benjimen Schell, in Lapeer County. Michigan. To this union were born 11 children, the two eldest died in infancy. The next oldest wqas Ada Mae, who in young womanhood married John W. Green.
The others Benjimen , married Amy Moore
Clarissa married Henry F. Moorhead.
Margaret married Charles Johnson.
Emma Marrien Earnest Mc Cann and later Joe Des Jardins.
Maude married William Wilson.
William married Mae Couser and later Anna Hopkins.
Robert married Sophia Sadler.
Frank married Estella Hicks.
Shortly after his marriage, he operated a blacksmith shop in Burnside Township, Lapeer Co. Michigan. This occupation he followed for a few years, then engaged in farming near Brown City, Michigan. He remained on the farm until 1893 when he moved, with his family to Coleman, Michigan. Here he worked as oiler and night watchman at the Peters Head Lining Millfor five years. Then he moved to Ubly, Michigan where the family resided on a farm and he spent his time in the ministry.
In 1874 he was baptized by immersion by Elder Arthur Leverton of Canada and became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His wife was baptized shortly afterwards and he studied for the ministry.
Three months after his baptism he was ordained an Elder. September 24th, 1902 he was ordained a Patriarch by John H. Lake of Ohio.
For thirty years he freely gave his services to the church. In 1897 he went under General Conference Appointment and his wife received from the Church, an allowance of 15.00 a month to care for her and 4 children who were yet of school age.
After his ordination to Patriarch he labored in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Many received patriarchial blessings under his hands and cherish them to this day. In the biography of Elder Arthur Leverton, he tells of his first meeting with John J. Bailey. Elder Leverton came from Canada to tell of the restored gospel. He was associated with Elder Robert Davis. Elder Leverton states that as the two were walking down the road, looking for a place where they could hold religious meetings . they saw a man coming, whom they had never seen before. In speaking of him Elder Leverton was impressed to say "An Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile. He will hear, obey and preach this gospel This man was John J. Bailey.
they inquired of him if he knew of a place where they might hold religious servicesas they were ministers for Christ.
John Bailey secured a school house for them to preach in and he was one of the first to be converted and receive the "Angels Message".
His wife was much prejudiced for some time, but the Spirit of the God soon bore witness to her of the truthfullness of the Gospel and she was baptised during the winter of 1875 when it was necessary to cut a hole in the ice to perform the rite.
At the ate of 85 after many years of faithful service in the church he was superannuated and received button and badge ofhonor from the president of the church: Frederick M. Smith. He still continued to do all he could in church work as health and strength permitted.
He was never confined to his bed continuously, and the afternoon before his heath, he sat on the porch of his home at Brown City and told the gospel story to loved ones and neighbors.
After the death of his wife Susan, he went to live with his daughter Maude who then lived at Owendale. One year later he married Adelaide Liscom of Flint, Michigan. Her husband had passed away several years Before. She had no children but was really a n Angel on earth. They spent several happy years together. She passed away before he did and as was her desire, she was laid to rest in his lot at ubly, Michigan.
In January 1927 he married Mrs. Peter Wood, an old time sweetheart. They lived together for six years
On August 30th, 1933 he retired as usual and at 8'oclock p.M. and passed away peacefully the following morning Aug. 31, 1933 at the age of 88 years 6mo. and 26 days. He was laid to rest by the side of his wife Susan M. who passed away Nov. 24th, 1913.
In 1914 he bought a home in Brown City, Michigan And resided there nineteen years until his death.
Funeral services were held at Brown City, conducted by Elder William Grice of Crosswell, Michigan andElder Dexter Foster of Marlette, Mich. Taps were sounded at the graveside at the valley Cemetery at Ubly, MIch. Thus honored in death as he was in life.
He oftimes liked to recall experiences of civil war times. He was with Gen. Sherman's march to the sea.
He also served under general Burnside in Kentucky in 1864.
On New Years day the temperature in Kentucky dropped to 20 degrees below zero and as several Confederate soldiers were housed only in flimsy tents, 12 of them froze to death. Mr. Bailey was also in this camp at the time that states that many horses and mules perished.
He took part in the battles of Blue Springs, East Tennessee, Chicameu? and Vicksburg. He was in the detachment that trapped the famous Confederate "General Morgan and his 500 men" At this time his company were camped at night at Bulls Gap in the Cumberlands, when the bugle was sounded for "Boots and Sadles. They were soon on their way. It was raining and the night was so dark they were able to see the road only when flashes of lightening lit up the road. Toward morning they arrived at Greenville Tennessee, where Gen Morgan was killed. Mr. Bailey saw service in Tennessee, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and other states, but was never wounded. He came close to death, when he had received permission to go on a short leave to pick black berries. When an officer sought him go in an attachment to Thorn till he was gone. All who went were either killed or captured except one officer.
He recalled a battle at Greenville, when he fought from behind a rail fence, and the fight developed into a hand to hand encounter. He escaped without serious injury, but had horses shot from under him."
From a Sanilac County newspaper (name unknown) in 1932.
"Brown City, April 30. - John J. Bailey, 87 years old, only Civil war veteran in Brown City, has been a resident of this place for more than 50 years. He recalls experiences of those days in the service of his country when "hand to hand battles were common," he says. He saw service with the 10tgh Michigan Cavalry in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma. He took part in Sherman's march to the sea, and remembers distinctly the battle at Greenville, Tenn., when he fought from behind a rail fence, and although his comrades dropped on both sides of him, and the battle developed into a hand to hand encounter, he escaped serious injury.
He remembers that on another occasion when he spent a few hours of his leave picking blackberries his company was ordered to an engagement during his absence and not a man survived. Mr. Bailey is in fairly good health and takes a keen interest in his home and surroundings. He was born Feb. 5, 1845 in Oakland-co.
After the war, Mr. Bailey engaged in farming and was a blacksmith for a number of years. Later he entered the ministry of the Latter Day Saints church where he spent 50 years of his life. While most of his preaching was done in Michigan, he also spent some time in Wisconsin and in the south. He retired from active duty about 10 years ago. He has seen Michigan grow to one of the industrial centers of the world.
Mr. Bailey is keenly interested in current events and is optimistic about the future. "We'll come out of this depression with flying colors," he says.
He has nine children, Mrs John Green of Brown City; Mrs Henry Moorehead of Detroit; Mrs Charles Johnson of Midland; Mrs. William Wilson of Owendale; Benjamin Bailey of Ubly; Mich., William Bailey of Independence, Mo., Robert Bailey of Carsonville, and Frank Bailey of Port Huron."
4 William BAILEY4 (1820-1888) [4588]. Born 17 Aug 1820, Sullivan Twp., Tioga County, PA.4 Died 26 May 1888, Independence, Oakland Co., MI.4
From a Pontiac, MI newspaper.
1874-01-28 - "On Saturday evening last our debating club met red hot at the regular hour appointed and fears were entertained that the whole meeting would burst into a political fight. Uncle Bill Bailey gave the Lincoln man a broadside which made the wool fly."
1876-02-16 - "Wm. Bailey has had a valuable horse so badly kicked by another, as to ruin it."
1881-05-25 - "Wm. Bailey has gone to Ogemaw county to visit his four sons who are located there on large farms."
1883-09-05 - "Mr. Wm. Bailey is visiting his sons in Lapeer, Saginaw and Ogemaw counties."
1884-09-17 - "Mr. William Bailey and wife intend locating in Holly. His son Elmer will run the farm."
1885-01-07 - "Mr. Wm. Bailey, braving the storms and enjoying the calms of Bailey Lake for the past fifty years has cast anchor with his second mate on the quiet shores of Holly, there to spend the afternoon of life, leasing his agricultural interests in charge of his ninth son Elmer."
1888-08-15 - "Est. of Wm. Bailey deceased; affidavit for witness filed, hearing continued to Sept. 4th.".
8 Robert Wilson BAILEY6 (1797-1868) [3549]. Born 27 Apr 1797, Brookline, MA.4,6 Marr Malinda HOTCHKISS 1815, Tioga Co., PA.6 Died 3 Sep 1868, Independence Twp, Oakland Co., MI.6 Buried Sashabaw Cemetery.7
Robert was listed as the head of a family on the 1820 Census in Sullivan Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Malinda and Robert had two girls and two boys all under ten in the household.
9 Malinda HOTCHKISS6 (1800-1876) [3550]. Born 9 May 1800, Argyle, Washington Co., NY.6 Died 20 Feb 1876, Brandon Twp., Oakland Co., MI.6 Buried Sashabaw Cemetery.8
From the Oakland County Pioneer Clippings 1873 - 1876.
"Seventy-fifth Anniversary of Mrs. Malinda Bailey:
I have noticed a number of articles that were written by the pioneers of this county. Being a pioneer myself, seventy-five years old today, I will try and give a brief account of my early days; the place of my happy childhood hours and to the present time. I was born in the year 1800, in the town of Argyle, Washington County, New York, on the east side of North River, one mile from old Fort Edward.
Not wishing to take up too much room in the columns of your valuable paper, but in order to make my account interesting I wish to say something about my parentage. My father was of English descent. His grandfather was one of the Pilgrims that landed at Plymouth Rock on the 23rd of December 1620. My mother was of French descent. Her father came from France in the latter part of 1776 or the former part of 1777 and enlisted as a soldier during the contest between the colonies and England and served under General Lafayette. My father was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1758 and went into the service when but a boy in years and remained during the principal part of the war until he, with some of his fellow soldiers, was taken prisoners. As a soldier of our revolution, he fought gallantly for our liberty; was a prisoner in the prison ship and sugar house in New York and suffered all the horrors of their dismal and lonesome places, but his sorrows are o'er and he has gone to the reward of his services. His sleep is now the calm sleep of the patriot and the soldier; his country owed him the cheer of gratitude. He was a prisoner for nine long months and was frozen from his feet to his knees. Although he lived to a good old age, as he was 96 years old when he died.
My grandfather on my mother's side was in the service also. My grandmother was left alone with a family of four at the time Burgoyne was marching through the country with his forces of soldiers and Indians, murdering, burning and destroying all before them. Even some of his Indian allies got disgusted with him, or at least a great many of them did and deserted. Then one of their number went to warn the people of approaching danger, as the able-bodied men were mostly in the service.
Fort Edward, as I have before mentioned, was filled with aged men, women and children. So that many, for the want of room, were compelled to remain outside of the fort. When the Indian came to tell them of their danger, a great many went to a large pine and spruce swamp for greater safety and among them, my grandmother with her four children, my mother being the eldest, aged 14 years. I should have stated before that those families took what provisions and things they could conveniently (take) with them and remained there several days. In the meantime, Burgoyne was defeated and surrendered his army. Again they repaired to their respective homes. The Indian that came to notify them of their danger afterwards lived and died in that town, beloved by all who knew him.
After peace was declared, my father married Miss Lucy Carey, my mother, and settled there, where they remained for a number of years, but finally sold out and went to Pennsylvania in an early day and there lived the remainder of his days in the town of Tioga, Tioga County.
As I have been saying things that have been handed down to me, I will now try and say something about myself and family.
I was married to Mr. Robert Bailey in the year 1815, in the 15th year of my age. We settled in Rutland Twp., Tioga County, Pennsylvania, where we lived a number of years. From there we moved to the town of Southport, Chemung County, New York, two miles from Elmira where we resided until the year 1835 when the Michigan emigration excitement broke out and we made up our minds, as our family was mostly sons then as it was almost impossible to get land there for them, to come to Michigan in the hopes that they would settle around us. Accordingly, on the 20th day of May 1835, we started from Southport with teams and went to a place called Horseheads, seven miles above Elmira where General Sullivan lost his pack horse; this place derives its name by the affair. There we went on board of a scow boat to the head of Seneca Lake where we went on board of the steamer, "Seneca", that towed seventeen ca**** boats to Geneva where we were again three days on the road from Horseheads to Montezuma, where we went onto the grand canal line boat to Buffalo and then we took passage on the steamer "Daniel Webster". There were about 500 passengers on board. The lake was very calm and he had a splendid time. We arrived in Detroit the 4th of June where we met some old acquaintances and friends and stayed overnight with them and they conveyed us with their teams on the morning of the 5th to Royal Oak, a distance of 12 miles, over the muddiest roads that I ever traveled on before or since to my memory. The wagon would sink to the axletree in the mud in any spot. The men were obliged to pry the wagons out of many of the sinkholes. We were all day coming from Detroit to Royal Oak, where we again met some old friends living where we concluded to stop awhile. As we had not located any land yet, we stopped at this place near as I can remember about two weeks and during that time my husband with some others started out (in the then) almost densely wooded wilderness in search of our future home and made up his mind to locate on the land that I now live on. Accordingly as before, our friends moved us to the neighborhood that I now live in; again we had a bad road from Royal Oak to Pontiac.
I will now say something about Pontiac at that time. As we stopped there to refresh ourselves and teams, it did not look at that time as though it would make the place it is at the present time. There were no public or private buildings then of any consequence. There were two small stores - one kept by Schuyler Hodges and the other by Mr. Chamberlain. There were two taverns - one was kept by Mr. Fuller and the other by the late Solomon Clone; they were old, rackety taverns, by no means hotels. I believe that this is all that I can say about Pontiac, unless I should say something about the mud that was nearly a foot deep and by no means fit for a person to walk across the street or at least many of the present time that live in Pontiac would not like to try it. Again we left Pontiac and came on the turnpike as far north and west as what is now called and known as the Williams' property. There we turned to the right and came up by Silver Lake north of Sashabaw Plains where three or four families were living. Then we came on north in the neighborhood that I now live and stopped and stayed at John Daines overnight and not wishing to be any trouble to others, my husband thought that he would look around and find some temporary home until he could erect one upon our own land. When he happen to run across a man who had the care of a lot of land having the body of a log house built upon it, which he told us we could move into if we could get in it as there was neither door or window in it. Accordingly they cut a place for a door and Mr. Issac Coon lent us some boards for a loose floor and then we moved into it and done our baking principally out-of-doors, as there was no chimney or fireplace in the house. Mr. George Miller now owns the farm where this house used to stand.
We soon commenced to make some improvements on our own land and to fix to build a house which did not get finished until sometime in October when we moved in. The winter following was very mild and we thought we had come to a state that was free from cold weather. As this last winter has been, there is a great contrast between it and the ones of 1935-36. The winter of 1875 has been the coldest I ever experienced, provisions at that time (1835-1836) were very scarce as hardly enough had been raised to supply the settlers. Flour was twelve dollars a barrel and other thing equally as high, although we never suffered any to speak of for the want of necessaries of life. There was game of almost every description that ever roamed the Michigan wild woods. There was also plenty of fish in the creeks and lakes for which this part of the county is quite famous and which was a great help to the settlers. My husband, being quite a hand to hunting, he could kill a deer at almost any time that he wished. At that time one could frequently see from fifteen to twenty in droves. They were in good order and so they supplied us with tallow as well as meat. One could go out after dark and hear the howling of the wolves in almost every direction. Their howls made it very hideous. The first winter that we lived in our place, my husband caught seventeen for which he received twelve dollars per head bounty money. Our nearest neighbor north of us was Jacob VanWagoner, who lived eight miles distant.
Our family consists of five sons and two daughters, all settled within the boundary of four miles with the exception of one, who took a notion to travel and see more of the world before he settled down. He went to California fourteen years since where he made a fortune of about thirty thousand dollars, but now resides in Pennsylvania. Our two eldest sons, William and Wilson, settled on each side of us, but we have not escaped affliction and have been called upon to mourn the loss of our two oldest children. Wilson died in 1862, aged 46 years; Mrs. Tubbs died in 1865, aged 51 years. My husband died in 1868, aged 71 years. I still live on the old homestead and am blessed with many comforts of life that many are deprived of with a measure of heath and strength for one of my age. I have 34 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren; but I feel as though I am living on borrowed time. How much longer?"
Obituary in the Pontiac Bill Poster, March 1, 1876.
"It is our painful duty this week to announce the death of an another aged pioneer, which is that of Mrs. Malinda Bailey, who died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Louisa Kingsley, Sunday evening, the 20th inst, in the 70th year of her age. Mrs. B. was born in the year 1800, in the town of Argile, Washington county, N.Y., one mile from old Fort Edward, and was married to Robert Bailey in 1815, and immigrated to the town of Independence in 1835, where in 1868, Robert Bailey died. They lived to see their four sons and two daughters settled around them, enjoying the many comforts of life. Mrs. B. was a member of the Christian church, and died expressing a complete and blessed hope beyond the tomb. Her funeral sermon was preached at the Seymour Lake church by the Rev. Mr. Hedger, in presence of her relatives and friends, who followed her remains to the Sashabaw Cemetery.".
5 Clarissa M. SHOTWELL4 (1820-1881) [4592]. Born 18 Jul 1820, Warren Co., NJ.4 Died 7 Apr 1881, Independence, Oakland Co., MI.4
From a Pontiac, MI newspaper.
1879-06-04 - "Mrs. Wm. Bailey is, at this writing, dangerously ill.".
3 Susan M. SCHELL5 (1848-1913) [6663]. Born 25 Jul 1848, Brownsville, ON.2,9 Died 24 Nov 1913.2,5
6 Benjamin SCHELL2,5 ( - ) [6687]. Buried Valley Cemetary, Ubly, MI.2
12 Henry SCHELL2 ( - ) [6718].
13 Susan BAKER2 ( - ) [6719].
7 Jane BARKER2,5 ( - ) [6688]. Buried Valley Cemetary, Ubly, MI.
| 1 | "Document written at reunion of J.J. Bailey descendants on August 27, 1978.". |
| 2 | "Letter written by Irene Bailey to her sister Velma, May 21, 1974.". |
| 3 | "1910 Sanilac, Greenleaf, MI census.". |
| 4 | "Sullivan-Rutland Genealogy Project by Joyce M. Tice". |
| 5 | "Biography of John J. Bailey contributed by Dale Cleland.". |
| 6 | "Ancestry.com, Snow/Lyman Ancestors". |
| 7 | "Sashabaw Cemetery (Independence Twp.) transcriptions". |
| 8 | "Obituary of Malinda Bailey from the Pontiac Bill Poster, March 1, 1876". |
| 9 | "1910 Sanilac, Austin, MI census.". |