Thanks to Pam Swiler we have some more divorces on line... Taber to Teachworth is done - and I will be working on the rest of the T's this weekend. We also have the U's, Y's and Z's online. http://www.rootsweb.com/~miionia/iondiv.html And Pam tells me the S's, V's and W's are in the works. Stop in and take a look. Jan Cortez Ionia County Coordinator

Found this while doing a Google search on my great-great-grandfather, Heman F. Dawson: Source: M Marriage Records Abstracted from Kent County Court Files 1845-1870 MONK, James (w) 32, Boston, Ionia co., b. Canada West;  occ. farmer, and Esther E. WINTERS (w) 19, b. Ionia Co.  19 June 1869 at Lowell by Milton M. Perry, J.P.  Heman F. DAWSON, Lowell, and Jared P. DODGE, same place, witnesses.  7:28 Al Dawson, Berea, Ohio - MA, History, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1973. RootswebConnect link to my homepage: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=aldawson Surnames include ("Mary and John" passengers) GRANT, GILLETT, WOLCOTT, PHELPS, GRISWOLD, HOLCOMBE, FORD, COOK, CHARD ("Mayflower") FRANCIS COOKE, STEPHEN HOPKINS, JOHN ALDEN PRISCILLA MULLINS, THOMAS ROGERS and WILLIAM BRADFORD Al is a daily pilgrim to http://www.thehungersite.com/ - every click helps :)

Better late than never - the R's are finally online. I've been in slow gear here of late. :-) Stop by and take a look! And thanks so much to Pam Swiler for keeping this project going. http://www.rootsweb.com/~miionia/iondiv.html Jan Cortez Ionia County Coordinator

I have located a William S. Strong on the 1850 WI census from Kenosha Co. I then found land deeds dated October 5, 1854 showing William S. Strong of Kenosha Co., WI purchasing several parcels of land through the Ionia Land Office. There is also a Pvt William S. Strong of the 12th Mi infantry, Company K during the Civil War. I'm trying to find out if there is any connection between these two bits of information and if one or both could be my great grandfather, William Stillman Strong. Thanks for any help I can get. Gwen Strong Myers

Recieved this from my Pathway tech. Please read: A new virus is sweeping the country's email. If you get an email with a subject of "Homepage" and the body says "This is a really cool page check it out!" DO NOT click on the attachment, Delete the email immediately. We have found some cases of this on our servers already so be careful! Hope this helps someone! Teresa Sweet

Hi All, Just wondering if anyone knew off hand what happened to the Belding Hospital's records when the hospital was closed and later torn down? So many of my relatives visited and stayed there over the generations, I often wonder what bits of history could be found in these old records. I drive by the old site everyday and remember visiting relatives there. Amazing how fast something we take for granted can so easily be forgotten. Thanks, Kim Pennock Smyrna

I thought this was interesting - you might, too. Food for thought. Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society >BREATHING LIFE INTO ANCESTORS >by Ted Pack tedpack@thevision.net > >["Anyone who wants to copy [this article] may do so as long as they give me >credit and spell my name correctly." Ted Pack] >How many times have you found an ancestor and wondered what they were like; >what made them laugh, what made them cry, what made them give up the farm in >Vermont and move to Kansas? What was the Civil War like, not for the >generals, but for an 18-year-old farm boy in the 118th Ohio Volunteer >Infantry? What was it like to marry at 18, move to the howling wilderness >we now call Indiana, and be expected to provide for your new wife with axe, >plow, and musket? It is too late to ask our pioneer ancestors, of course, >but you can ask your living relatives what their lives were like, and you >can write an autobiography. With luck the story will be passed down. If >you write a biography of your grandparents, your grandchildren could have an >idea of what life was like for them-a span of five generations. Your >children might think of you as dull; mine do. Your great-grandchildren, >assuming someone finds a copy of your autobiography in an attic, might find >you fascinating. >Some people have a hard time thinking of anything to write, and some of us >ramble along for hours at the slightest provocation. I'm the second type of >person; most of my relatives are the first type. I wrote up two pages of >general questions for my relatives. The questions are also on my Web site. >If you answer all of the questions in complete sentences you'll have a start >on an autobiography. If you answer each of them with a couple of >paragraphs, you will have 30 pages of heirloom more valuable than a gold >watch. You can see it at: >http://www.thevision.net/tedpack/bioguide.html > >Denise >dcmeta@interx.net >One Planet ~ One People > > > >============================== >Visit Ancestry's Library - The best collection of family history >learning and how-to articles on the Internet. >http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library

Hi list ! Here's some of my family, any more of you out there ? Always glad to swap info, Dick in Lansing, MI. Generation No. 1 1. CHARLES STALKER was born Abt. 1855. He married SUSANA OSBORN SPINK Abt. 1880. She was born Abt. 1857. Child of CHARLES STALKER and SUSANA SPINK is: 2. i. WILLIAM ELLSWORTH2 STALKER, b. May 05, 1881, Ionia, Mi; Generation No. 2 He married (1) BESSIE ELIZA ALLEN Oct. 01, 1902 in Harrison, Clare, Co. Mi, daughter of JAMES ALLEN and EMMA MCKINLEY. She was born July 06, 1884 in Dover, Clare, Co.Mi, Children of WILLIAM STALKER and BESSIE ALLEN are: 3. i. HATTIE BELL3 STALKER, b. March 29, 1904, Clare, Mi.; 4. ii. GRACE ARTIE STALKER, b. May 08, 1905, Clare, Mi.; 5. iii. LELA MAE STALKER, b. April 07, 1907, Moorestown, Missaukie, Mich iv. DORTHY DORA STALKER, b. 1908. v. CHARLES WILLIAM STALKER, b. 1909. 6. vi. PEARL ELLSWORTH STALKER, b. Aug. 03, 1911, Plainwell, Allegan co., MI.; 7. vii. EDITH SUSSANNA STALKER, b. Dec. 09, 1913, Lansing, Ingh.co., Mi.; d. December 04, 1995, Big Rapids, Macosta co., MI.. 8. viii. EFFIE ERMA STALKER, b. June 14, 1916, Doster, Berry co., MI.. 9. ix. VIOLAS ELMIRA STALKER, b. March 21, 1918, Lansing, Ingh.co., Mi.. x. EVELYN STALKER, b. 1926. ,[ Lansing, Ingh.co., Mi..] ? Child of WILLIAM STALKER and LENA CARIGAIN is: xi. BARBARA3 STALKER, b. Abt. 1936. [Lansing, Ingh.co., Mi..] ? Happy Hunting&Fishing Dick RJWeck@aol.com * Lansing, MI

I have completed the Divorce Index through the letter "R" now. Jan Cortez has the information and will soon be putting it on our site. I hope this information helps someone find a link. Best Wishes for a Happy Mother's Day Weekend! Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society

It's a long URL, but try this: http://www.sos.state.mi.us/history/museum/explore/museums/hismus/special/flags/flaglist.html Don B At 02:44 PM 5/7/01 -0400, Pamela K. Swiler wrote: >To Margaret: >Well - I got a lot of different ideas, but nothing definite. There is a >flag hanging at the Ionia Courthouse but I am not sure of what one it >is. There is a person, Kerry Chartkoff, who is in charge of a program to >restore and preserve all of the Michigan Civil War flags. She could tell >you exactly where it is, if it still exists. You may reach her at: > >Michigan State Capitol >P.O. Box 30014 >c/o Tour Guide >Lansing, MI 48909 >(517) 373-5527 > >I wish you well. >Pam Swiler, President >Ionia County Genealogical Society > > >==== MIIONIA Mailing List ==== >List Mom for Ionia County, MI is Jan Cortez. My email is >cristian@netonecom.net. Spaming, flaming and profanity are not >allowed. This is strictly a genealogy list! If you have any concerns, >send me a note, otherwise enjoy the list and post often. It helps get >your message out. > >============================== >Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp >Search over 2500 databases with one easy query!

To Margaret: Well - I got a lot of different ideas, but nothing definite. There is a flag hanging at the Ionia Courthouse but I am not sure of what one it is. There is a person, Kerry Chartkoff, who is in charge of a program to restore and preserve all of the Michigan Civil War flags. She could tell you exactly where it is, if it still exists. You may reach her at: Michigan State Capitol P.O. Box 30014 c/o Tour Guide Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 373-5527 I wish you well. Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society

Hi listers! I have had to R & R my computer and have lost a lot of my mail. Love having kids but sometimes they tend to mess things up. Too many downloads. Anyway, if you have sent me something in the last 2 weeks, chances are I did not get it. I do have most the pics of cemetery pics that were sent to me but who knows. Sorry for the inconvience there. Take Care! Teresa Leak Sweet Ionia Co. Genealogical Society and First Families Sebewa Association, Ionia Co., MI Researching: BAILIFF, CARPENTER, CURTIS, LEAK, MAKIN, SHIPMAN, MEYERS AND MYERS in Barry, Eaton and Ionia Co., MI

Pam, Evidently Tustin has moved; my atlas shows that it is in Osceola County <g>. If you happened to get the information from the Michigan Vital Records database on Ancestry, when I accessed it a couple of years ago, _many_ of the cities were listed in the wrong county. In fact, in looking back through my printouts, I don't see any that are correct. Sandy --------------------------- > Hello listers - I have a question that I hope one of you can answer. Where > is TUSTIN in Ionia County? I recently received some information that lists > Tustin, Ionia County, Michigan as a place of birth. I have no clue where > that is in the county and would appreciate any help you can give. Thanks! > Pam Swiler, President > Ionia County Genealogical Society

- Subject: Fw: VIRUS ALERT > > DO NOT OPEN "NEW PICTURES OF FAMILY". > > It is a virus that will erase your whole "C" drive. It will come to you in > > the form of an email from a familiar person. A friend sent it to me, but > > called & warned me before I opened it. He was not so lucky and now he > > can't even start his computer! Forward this to everyone in your address > > book. I would rather receive this 25 times than not at all. Also: Intel > > announced that a new and very destructive virus was discovered recently. > > If you receive an email called "FAMILY PICTURES," do not open it. Delete > > it right away! This virus removes all dynamic link libraries all files > from > > your computer. Your computer will not be able to bootup. >

I would be very interested in info about those tapes also.. would love to hear them... cheryl Do you know these people? <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/shirtail4/page1.html">Waivadaindex.html</A>

Can someone answer this question for this lady? Pam >From: MargHough@aol.com >Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 19:23:41 EDT >Subject: 21st Michigan Infantry Flag >To: pkswiler@voyager.net >X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 139 > >Do you know if the silk flag that the ladies of Ionia made for the 21st >Michigan Infantry at the beginning of the Civil War still exists? I would >like to get a picture of it. Or, maybe you could tell me where to get a >picture? > >Margaret

The next meeting of the Ionia County Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2001 at 1:00 p.m. at the Lake Manor, located on Emerson Street, Lake Odessa, MI. The guest speaker will be Lori Fox, of Portland, MI. Her topic will be "Dear Diary" - items of interest found in old diaries. The meetings are open to the public, free of charge. Refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there! Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society

The Ionia County Genealogical Society is sponsoring a cookbook of recipes from folks who either live in the area or have connections to Ionia County. If you are interested in contributing to this project, send your recipes to the following address. Be sure to include your name and what your connection is to Ionia County. Cookbooks will be available for sale later on this summer. Thanks! Send to: Joan McCord 3960 Potters Road Ionia, MI 48846 or you may fax them to her at (616) 527-9033 Thank you for your support! Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society

Hello listers, My husband's aunt Elaine called to ask me if anyone knew what ever happened to the audio tapes that Bob Gierman took of area folks many years ago. One of those tapes was of her grandmother and she would like a copy of it or at least the transcription from it. If anyone has knowledge about this, please let me know. Thanks! Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society

Thank you folks for directing me to Osceola county - the home of Tustin, MI. I appreciate all your replies! Pam Swiler, President Ionia County Genealogical Society