Birth: 13 MAR 1879 Meauwataka, Wexford Co, Michigan
1880 Census: Colfax Twp, Wexford Co, Michigan.
Note: Living with parents, Lyman and Sarah Lawton.
1900 Census: 14 JUN 1900
Place: Colfax Twp, Wexford Co, Michigan, USA
Note: Was boarding with the Samuel Cassity family.
Marriage: 29 NOV 1902 Custer, Mason County, Michigan
Note: After Stowell and Minnie were married and before they established their own home, they worked as cooks in a logging camp in Northern Michigan. They bought a farm east of Manton near Cora and Aaron where they lived until after Minnie’s death in 1938. Their first child died at birth.
Birth of Son: 23 JUL 1906
Name: Floyd Earl Lawton
Birth of Daughter: 13 JUN 1909
Name: Leah Helen Lawton
Place: Manton, Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan
1910 Census: 25 APR 1910
Place: Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan
Note: Wife, Minnie, and two children are living in household.
Birth of Daughter: 18 MAY 1912
Name: Evelyn Belle Lawton
Place: Missaukee Co, Michigan
Birth of Son: 10 APR 1914
Name: Verne LeVoy Lawton
WWI Draft Card: 1917
1920 Census: Caldwell Twp, Missaukee County, MI
Note: Wife, Minnie, and four children are also in household.
Birth of Daughter: 26 JUL 1920
Name: Grace Velma Lawton
Place: Manton, Missaukee Co, Michigan
1930 Census: 08 APR 1930
Place: Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan
Note: Wife, Minnie, and four children are living in household.
1940 Census: 06 APR 1940
Place: Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan
Note: Floyd’s family is living with him
WWII Draft Card
Pic of Siblings (Lloyd Lawton, Lula Lawton McGhan, Ethel Lawton Larr, and Stowell Lawton)
1951 City Directory: Muskegon, Michigan
Note: Fireman
1954 City Directory: Muskegon, Michigan
Death: 28 APR 1974 Muskegon, Michigan
Note: Died from arteriosclerotic heart disease with terminal congestive heart failure. Also suffered from pulmonary emphysema.
Burial: Caldwell Cemetery, Missaukee Co, Michigan
Click here to see parents: Lyman Pearly Lawton and Sarah Ann Smith
Note: My mother met my father at Custer, Michigan where both the Lawton family and the Garn family had moved. The Garn family had moved to Meauwataka some years before the Lawtons. – Leah Lawton Shue – April 16, 1982
Grandpa Lyman used to send the family peaches on the train from Custer to Manton. The kids loved that. Minnie was always looking out for food for winter and she did a lot of canning. She made peach butter and pickled peaches. The pickled peaches recipe stayed in our family as we all relished them so much.
I remember Grandpa and Grandma visiting us in Michigan when I was about 6 or 7 years old. That’s the only time I remember seeing Grandma as she died when I was 9. Grandma had diabetes and major problems with her feet. Grandpa was a lay minister and he would always ask if I was saved. I didn’t know what he was talking about – so I’d shy away from him. In those days, the teachings were a scare tactic. If we weren’t good we would go to hell and burn forever. We went to church on Sundays, Sunday nights, and Thursdays and we had prayer meetings on Tuesdays. Leah was a convert at age 8 or 9. I still was very puzzled about it all. When I was in high school, one of my friends told me that God was a good God so I learned a different way.
Papa was very strict. We had no freedoms except for church related functions and school. Mama went along with it as much as she could. They had prayer service every morning where we read the Bible and Mama, Papa, and Leah prayed. The rest of us refrained. No one ever talked to us about the real love of God – just the ‘thou shalt nots’.
When I was in high school, I went with some of my friends to their young people meetings which I enjoyed. I’ve been a
United Methodist for over 45 years and I have a deep faith and love of God. I’m so thankful that I learned to be part of a church family. Free Methodists NOW are great people. In fact, I feel at home and very comfortable with different beliefs – the important part is to believe.
Grandpa came to visit us one summer after Grandma died. He built a big kitchen for us. I was only 12 when he died. He was a good man – a kind man.
My father had a temper that he didn’t control very well. I don’t know where that part of his personality came from. He was short on patience, too. He was determined that Leah and Charley weren’t going to get married – but they did – at our home. Virgil and I eloped. Papa didn’t try to control the boys, especially Floyd. Verne and Ruth got married at a parsonage. Grace wanted a church wedding, so I sat Papa down and talked to him. I told him that they were going to get married and wanted a church wedding at the Methodist church, where they could have music, and that she wanted him to give her away. But we wanted to be sure that he would control his behavior – he did! He was so handsome. Charley even got a tie on him – his first one. The wedding was lovely.
After I got married and had a family I could talk to him and let him know my views and feelings and I think he listened (too late).
I really didn’t know anything about Grandma’s temperament. I understand she was kind and loving. She was almost a stranger to me because we lived 80 miles apart and we were too poor for anything more than necessary travel. Once I was young and now I’m old, looking forward to 87 in May. I love people – most people, anyway. Virgil always said I picked my friends. I do. I have no time for whiners. – Evelyn Lawton Nye – Jan 4, 1999
Minnie Viola Garn
Birth: 01 JAN 1881 Culver, Marshall Twp., Stark Co, IN
Note: 1900 Census says born in Culver, Marshall Co, Indiana. Obit says born in Knox.
Moved to: 1885
Place: Meauwataka, Michigan
Moved to: 1891
Place: Eden Twp, Mason County, MI
1900 Census: 19 JUN 1900
Place: Eden Twp, Mason Co, Michigan, USA
Note: Living with her father.
Death: 01 OCT 1938 Caldwell Twp, Missaukee Co, Michigan, USA
Note: Died of a Heart Attack.
Obituary: 01 OCT 1938
Place: Manton, Missaukee Co, Michigan
Burial: Caldwell Cemetery, Manton, Missaukee Co, Michigan
Click here to see parents: Martin Garn and Sarah Jane Hawkins
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