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A considerable number of Norfolk residents moved to Michigan during the lumbering boom in that state in the 1870’s and 1880’s. Port Rowan merchant Henry J. Killmaster acquired extensive timber tracts in Iosco, Alcona and Oscoda Counties and hired many Norfolk residents to work there. After the land was cleared, this became the “go to” destination for young couples looking to develop farms. The people pictured here were both lumbermen and farmers in Alcona County and some of the family are still in lumbering today.
The following Norfolk portraits from Ed Besterfeldt of Camden, South Carolina are of his Norfolk County Wheeler and Anderson ancestors after their move to Alcona County, Michigan. He received them from his grandmother Hattie Anderson Perkins (1894-1990), a daughter of Louis Anderson and his wife Jennie Becker. Hattie loved to visit her parents' native Norfolk County as a child and was very proud of her multi-generational ancestry here. Ed Besterfeldt is a great-great grandson of Richard Wheeler and a grandson of Louis Anderson.
Peter James Wesley and Nancy (Fonger) Wheeler
Peter James Wesley Wheeler, a native of Walsingham Township, Norfolk County was a son of Richard Wheeler and his wife Mary Procunier, and a grandson of Long Point Settler James Wheeler. On the maternal side his roots went back to pioneers Peter Procunier and Hezekiah Overbaugh.
This is the wedding picture of Peter Wheeler and Nancy Fonger. Born on November 20, 1858, Peter Wheeler married in Delhi, Norfolk County on January 22, 1882, Nancy Fonger, a daughter of James Fonger and his wife Elizabeth Edmonds. Nancy was born in South Norwich Township, Oxford County on April 18, 1863. At the time of their marriage, Peter was a mechanic in Walsingham Township.
Soon after their marriage, the couple moved to Alcona, Michigan and had twelve children born there. The couple is pictured here with two of their children. They next relocated to Medicine Hat, Alberta in 1910 and finally lived in British Columbia.
Mary Wheeler Hugill and
Sarah Ellen Wheeler
Peter Wheeler`s sister Mary Wheeler, at left was born in Norfolk County on October 6, 1869 and married Henry Hugill in 1886. Mary died in Alberta on March 30, 1924. Another sister to the right, Sarah Ellen Wheeler was born in 1863 and died in Alcona County Michigan in 1956. She married Oney Perkins.
Louis and Jennie Anderson
This portrait is of Louis Anderson who was born in Norfolk County on May 2, 1855 and his wife Lilly Jane (Jennie) Becker possibly from their 1879 wedding. The couple settled in Harrisville, Michigan.Louis Anderson was a descendant of Long Point Settler Captain Walter Anderson of Vittoria, Charlotteville Township, and, on his maternal side of Reuben Brown and his wife Johanna White. Another maternal ancestor was Colonel William Spurgin who pioneered near Turkey Point, Charlotteville Township. Louis’ parents William and Julia E. (Brown) Anderson had a large farm near Port Rowan, Walsingham Township.Jennie (Becker) Anderson in this photo was a daughter of Solomon Becker and his wife Lucy Ferris and grew up on the family farm near Port Royal, Walsingham Township. She descended from pioneers John Becker and Francis Ferris of Walsingham Township and Abraham Smith of Charlotteville Twp.
Anderson-Procunier Family Picnic
Lastly is a photo from about 1905 of a combined Anderson and Procunier family picnic. Among the notes of Ed Besterfeldt’s grandmother, is a page in which many in this photo have been identified.
Front row (left to right): Pearl Anderson; Helen Anderson (daughter of Henry Anderson); Unknown male child; Mary Procunier (holding infant); Unknown male child “Bell” Procunier
Middle Row (left to right): William Wallace Cowan; Margaret Cowan Anderson; Henry Anderson; George Forsythe; Hattie Forsythe; Unknown woman; “Roxy” Procunier
Back Row (left to right): Wallace Spurgeon Cowan (a.k.a. Spurge); Unknown male; Louis Anderson; Unknown male; Unknown male; Unknown female; William Procunier; Sherman Procunier
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