Huntley, Erwin R.

Erwin R. HUNTLEY (1823 - 1885) and Cynthia "Sinthie" BARTLETT (1822 - 1909)

my gg-grandparents

Erwin R. HUNTLEY was born 8 Aug 1823 in Michigan Territory, and died 23 Feb 1885 in Petoskey, Emmet, MI, age 61. He lived his entire life in Michigan, but moved several times.

The inscription on a gravestone at Greenwood Cemetery, Petoskey, Emmet County, Michigan reads

Erwin Huntley
Born Aug 8, 1823
Died Feb 23, 1885

Michigan became a state in 1837. Between 1805 and 1837, it was the Michigan Territory. The census records all say that Erwin HUNTLEY was born in Michigan, i.e., Michigan Territory. His parents were Enoch HUNTLEY and Betsey BURGESS, according to [VH, p. 172].

Erwin married Cynthia "Sinthie" BARTLETT on 14 Oct 1843 in Lapeer County, Michigan. They had 3 children, but only 2 survived long enough to be in any census. Cynthia HUNTLEY's parents were Horace BARTLETT and Sally WOODWORTH.

Her death certificate confirms that Cynthia HUNTLEY's maiden name was BARTLETT. Her parents were Horace BARTLETT, born in New Hampshire, and Sally WOODWORTH, born in Vermont. Cynthia was born 27 Jan 1822, in the US [mistake?], and died 14 Jan 1909, at Soldiers Home Hospital, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan. The cause of death was "senility". Her body was taken to Petosky, Michigan, to be buried next to her husband. She was 21 when first married, which means between 26 Jan 1832 and 27 Jan 1833. She was the mother of 3 children, with 2 still living in 1909. Those would be Adelbert and Aldura. It says "birthplace: US" but I think this is a mistake.

In 1850, Irwin/Erwin HUNTLEY was a Farmer, with real estate valued at $100. Cinthia/Cynthia was about 2 years older, and she was born in Upper Canada.

In 1860, Irwin HUNTLEY is a farmer, with real estate valued at $1,000 and personal estate $250. This time "Lower Canada" is spelled out, but Cynthia's birth date is moved ahead 3 years.

The 2 children of Erwin and Sinthie both married shortly after the Civil War. Aldura HUNTLEY married Miller J. STOCKING on 10 Jul 1866, in Kent County, MI. Adelbert C. HUNTLEY married Lydia Lucena CLOSE on 19 Aug 1868 in Grattan, Kent, MI.

Miller J. STOCKING was born 16 Oct 1845 in Michigan, and died 4 Dec 1932. His grave is in River Ridge Cemetery, Belding, Ionia, MI. He was a Private in Company D, 1st Regiment, Engineers and Mechanics, Michigan - the same company as Adelbert C. HUNTLEY, Aldura's brother.

The HUNTLEY family lived on a farm in Lapeer County in 1850, then Ionia County in 1860, and Kent County in 1870. The boundaries of these 3 counties have not changed since the 1830s, although the townships in Lapeer County were not settled in their final configuration until 1869.

Erwin was a farmer in 1870, and his son owned real estate valued at $3,200 and personal estate $1,060. It is strange that the son is listed first, before his parents, and that he is the property owner. Adelbert has been called Albert, and the name transcribed as Susana is unclear. It must be Lusena. See the Adelbert HUNTLEY page. I don't know who Andrew was, but he may have been the 3rd child of Erwin and Cynthia. The 1900 US Census (below) says that Cynthia had 3 children, but I only know of Adelbert and Aldura.

Miller STOCKING was also a farmer in 1870. Miller and Aldura lived in Grattan, and already had 2 children.

The 1870 Directory of Kent County has both Adelbert, and his father Erwin, living in or near the town of Grattan Center. I don't know what "11 Grattan" means. There were other HUNTLEYs in the area, probably distant cousins. I haven't sorted them all out yet.

Erwin and his son Adelbert started out as farmers, but later tried various business ventures. Adelbert must have learned some mechanical skills from his service in the Army, division of Engineers and Mechanics. He was a jack-of-all-trades. Erwin started a meat market/slaughter house in Grand Rapids by 1870, perhaps starting with several dozen cattle, oxen and sheep, listed in the 1860 ag schedule, above. His business was damaged by fire in 1870 and 1879.

Erwin must have been doing well in 1876, as he donated a steer, to be roasted and served at a political mass meeting. Apparently both Erwin and his son Adelbert were Democrats. In 1876 Erwin and Adelbert also ran a general store, probably associated with the meat market/slaughter house mentioned in the articles above.

The 1877 Michigan State Gazetteer has a general store, called E. HUNTLEY and Son, in Grattan.

Erwin and Sinthie moved to Petoskey between 1877 and 1880. Their 2 grown children and families joined them later.

By 1880, Erwin and Cynthia have moved to Petoskey, Emmet County, in the northern tip of Michigan's lower peninsula. We learn that Erwin's parents were both born in Canada, and Cynthia's parents were born in New Hampshire and Vermont. Erwin's occupation is not clear, but it almost looks like Retired ?? Farmer. He is a bit young to retire at 55, and besides, he has been running a general store.

In 1880 Adelbert and Lusena had 5 daughters. I think this is the same family, although Andrew (male) had become Audrie (female). Adelbert had taken up a trade as a Wagon Maker. All 4 of their known children were present.

Aldura and Miller ran a boarding house in Petoskey, Emmet, MI, where Erwin and Cynthia also lived. In the 1880 Census they had 15 boarders, with 11 males from 19 to 29, and 2 couples.

In 1883 Adelbert had a partnership with Thomas E CHAMBERLIN in a grocery and meat market, and another produce store with EDDY.

In the Michigan Western, 1884 Directory, Adelbert was running a general store in Petoskey, which was called Eddy & Huntley, and Erwin had become proprietor of a skating rink in Petoskey, with a partner named TYLER. So Erwin moved to Petoskey between 1876 and 1880, and his son Adelbert between 1880 and 1884.

In the 1891-2 Directory, Adelbert C HUNTLEY has a store in Petoskey, selling boots and shoes, partnered with Abner FURTNEY. This places Adelbert in Petoskey as late as 1891. His 1st wife had died in 1886, and he remarried and moved to AR by 1895. See the Adelbert HUNTLEY page.

The 1891-2 Michigan State Gazetteer and Directory also has a meat market in Ovid run by HUNTLEY & PARK. Ovid is in Clinton County, about 60 miles east of Grand Rapids. The 1893-4 Gazetteer clarifies that this meat market is run by Hector W. HUNTLEY and Lester E. PARK. I don't know who Hector was, but it can't be a coincidence that two HUNTLEYs had meat markets 60 miles apart.

The STOCKING family moved to South Dakota, about 1887. In the 1900 Census Aldura's mother, Cynthia, was with them. Miller was listed as a grocer.

In 1900 Cynthia (Sinthie) had had 3 children, with 2 still living. The 2 that I know about are Adelbert D. HUNTLEY and Aldura (HUNTLEY) STOCKING. Aldura had had 4 children, with 2 still living. We have the names of the 4 children from the 1880 Census. Miller and Aldura had been married 33 years, so they were married about 1867. Miller was a grocer and his son Erwin was a grocery salesman. They had a rented home.

This gives a more precise birth date of Jan 1824 for Cynthia. The 1880 Census had said that her parents were born in New Hampshire and Vermont, but this one says they were both born in Canada. It also gives her immigration date as 1845, which is interesting since she was married in Michigan in 1843. Aldura's mother was born in "Canada, Eng" which is the English part of Canada.

The 1895 and 1905 state censuses for South Dakota don't have the STOCKING family, so I don't think they stayed very long. By 1907 Miller STOCKING was in Grand Rapids, MI.

1907 City Directory for Grand Rapids, Michigan. The many HUNTLEYs were probably distant cousins.

In 1907, Cynthia was a widow, living in Grand Rapids, and the number of HUNTLEYs in Grand Rapids was increasing. I suppose "bds 48 Luton" means that she was a boarder, at 48 Luton Street, the same address as her son-in-law, Miller STOCKING. Google maps has a 48 Luton Avenue Southeast, a residential area on the east side of Grand Rapids.

Cynthia (BARTLETT) HUNTLEY died in 1909, and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, along with Erwin. The inscription on the gravestone is

Cynthia Huntley
1822 1909

The record does not include a photo of the gravestone. It also says she died on 14 Jan 1909 in Grand Rapids. I don't have any other evidence of that. Also buried in Greenwood Cemetery is Lydia Lucena (CLOSE) HUNTLEY. For the parents of Cynthia (BARTLETT) HUNTLEY, see the Horace BARTLETT page.

Erwin R. HUNTLEY (b. 8 Aug 1823-MI d. 23 Feb 1885-Petoskey, Emmet, MI)
sp: Cynthia "Sinthie" BARTLETT (b. Jan 1824-Lower Canada m. 14 Oct 1843 d. 14 Jan 1909-Grand Rapids, Kent, MI)
2. Aldura HUNTLEY (b. 9 Feb 1847-MI d. 12 Nov 1933-Marshall, SD)
sp: Miller J. STOCKING (b. 16 Oct 1845-MI m. 10 Jul 1866-Kent, MI d. 4 Dec 1932-Belding, Ionia, MI)
2. Adelbert Calvin HUNTLEY (b. 15 Mar 1847-Dryden, Lapeer, MI d. 9 Mar 1923-Poplar Bluff, Butler, MO)
sp: Lydia Lusena CLOSE (b. 16 Sep 1851-Grattan, Kent, MI m. 19 Aug 1868 d. 1 Apr 1886-Petoskey, Emmet, MI)
sp: Phebe Alice FISHER (b. 18 Dec 1861-Martin, IN m. 11 Mar 1895 d. 30 May 1945-Manteno, Kankakee, IL)

Adelbert Calvin HUNTLEY and Phebe Alice FISHER were my (biological) g-grandparents. See the Adelbert HUNTLEY page.

Miller and Aldura (HUNTLEY) STOCKING

The 1910 US Census has Miller and Aldura at 462 Thomas Street, Grand Rapids. They lived with the granddaughter, Jetta. They had been married 44 years, consistent with the marriage record, above. Aldura had had 4 children, with only 1 still living, but I don't know which one it was, since all 4 seem to have died by 1908. Jettora (often spelled Jetta, or her Zetta) must have been the daughter of Erwin Jr and his wife, Jennie, who died in 1906 and 1900.

The youngest, Herschell, was born in 1877. His gravestone in SD doesn't have dates, but the provider has said that "Herschel died on the train ride from Michigan to South Dakota." That would have been about 1887. They returned to MI about 1907, and lived in Grand Rapids, then Belding, Ionia, MI, where Miller died on 4 Dec 1932. Aldura went back to SD and died on 12 Nov 1933 in Marshall County, SD.

1. Aldura HUNTLEY (b. 9 Feb 1847-MI d. 12 Nov 1933-Marshall, SD)
sp: Miller J. STOCKING (b. 16 Oct 1845-MI m. 10 Jul 1866-Kent, MI d. 4 Dec 1932-Belding, Ionia, MI)
2. May Pearl STOCKING (b. 1 May 1867-Grattan, Kent, MI d. 7 May 1908-Martin Rouch, Mason, WA)
sp: James H. STORY (b. 29 May 1867-Greenville, Montcalm, MI m. 23 Jun 1888 d. 15 Jan 1954-Shelton, Mason, WA)
2. Jettora R. STOCKING (b. 1 Sep 1868-MI d. 11 Mar 1881-MI)
2. Erwin Alvin STOCKING (b. 14 Mar 1871-Grattan, Kent, MI d. 30 Nov 1906-Groton, Brown, SD)
sp: Jennie Lenora NORTHRUP (b. 29 Nov 1873-Portage, Kalamazoo, MI m. 30 Nov 1893 d. 24 Jan 1900-Claremont, Brown, SD)
2. Herschell M. STOCKING (b. 1877-MI, d. 1877 ?)

Sources

[A] Atlas of Lapeer County, Michigan (1874)

[H] History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. H. R. Page (1884)

[K1] R.L. Polk & Co.'s illustrated historical atlas of Kent County, Michigan (1894)

[K2] Illustrated historical atlas of the county of Kent, Michigan (1876)

[M1] Combination atlas map of Macomb County, Michigan / compiled, drawn and published from personal examinations and surveys by D. J. Stewart (1875)

[M2] History of Macomb County, Michigan (1882)

[MSG] Michigan state gazetteer and business directory (many years)

[VH] John Huntley, Immigrant of Boston & Roxbury, Massachusetts and Lyme, Connecticut 1647-1677, and Some of His Descendants, Book I (1978) by Virgil W. Huntley [This book can be electronically "borrowed" for one hour.]

Last updated 17 Feb 2022 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.