William Keywis Smith and Mary Katherine Russett

William Keywis Smith was born in Hart, Oceana county, Michigan, in March of 1872 according to his death. His wife, Mary Katherine Russett was born 10 Mar 1878 in Fountain, Mason county.

William and Mary's first child, Lillie Mary, was born 29 Jan 1897 in Fountain, Mason county, Michigan. Her baptism is recorded in the records of Immaculate Conception Church (now St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church) in Peshabestown as having taken place on 31 Dec 1915. Residence is listed as Rapid City. It is unknown if she married and/or when she died.

#2) Robert Peter was born 8 Feb 1899 in Fountain.

The 1900 Federal Census for the family has not been found.

The 1907 Durant Roll Field notes give his father as Kay-wis (#3 on page 56) while his mother is Waw-said-caw-no-quay (#16 on page 52)

While the Durant Roll Field Notes give Mary's parents as Charlie Joe and Lizzie Case, other records (including her marriage) give her parents as William Russett/Billy Joe and Nancy/Theresa Green. Mary calls William and Nancy Russett's other children Alice and George her brother and sister.


#3) Wallace was born 3 Jan 1902.
#4) Mattie was born 22 Dec 1903
#5) Anna Mae was born 21 May 1906 in Freesoil.
#6) Alden B. Carl was born 20 Oct 1909 in Freesoil

The 1910 Federal Census has not been found.

#7) Cora was born 6 May 1911.
#8) Moses was born 10 Aug 1913.

#9) Theresa was born 15 Jan 1916, She died 18 Feb 1916 in Clearwater township, Kalkaska county.

Several of William and Mary's children attended Holy Childhood Boarding School in Harbor Springs.

Holy Childhood Students - quarter ending:
31 Mar 1916 - Robert, 16, Wallace, 13, (Katie, 10) and Martha A., 12
30 Jun 1916 - Robert, 15, Wallace, 13, (Leo, 8) and Maggie, 12
None of the children attended for the Sep 1916 - Jun 1917 school year.
30 Sep 1917 - Cora, 8, Anna, 11 and Maggie, 13
31 Dec 1917 - Cora, 6, Annie 11, Maggie, 13
31 Mar 1918 - Cora, 6, Annie, 11, Maggie, 13
30 Jun 1918 - Cora, 6, Annie, 11, Maggie, 13
The children in parentheses are surnamed Smith, but are not William and Mary's children

#10) Eleza was born 7 Mar 1917.

Wallace died 5 May 1918 in Hayes Township, Otsego county. He is buried in the Mancelona cemetery.

Mattie died 5 May 1918 in Hayes Township, Otsego county.

Moses died 30 Apr 1919 in Excelsior, Kalkaska county. Buried in the Mancelona cemetery.

Eliza died 2 May 1919 in Kalkaska county.

#11) Wallace (second child with this name) was born 17 Jan 1920 in Blue Lake Township

The 1920 Federal Census Mancelona, Antrim county, has the family living in lumber camp 31. William K. is 47, a laborer in the lumber woods, Mary, wife, 43; Robert P., son, 21, laborer in the lumber woods; Anna, daughter, 13; Alden, son, 11; Cora, daughter, 8.

William and Mary were married 16 Mar 1921 in Darrah, Kalkaska county, Michigan. William is 49, a woodcutter, born in Mason county, son of Smith Kaywis. Mary is 44, a housekeeper, is also born in Mason county, daughter of William Russett and Nancy Green.

Cora died 10 Jul 1921 in Clearwater township, Kalkaska county.

#12) Moses (second child with this name) was born 7 Jan 1922. He was their last child.

1930 Federal Census of Hayes township, Otsego county lists Will, 58, laborer at wood camp; Mary, wife, 53; Elden, son, 21; Wallace, son, 10; Moses, 8, son and Mabel, 10, daughter. Mabel is actually Mabel Ransom, daughter of Emma Wesley and Nelson Ransom. Not clear why she was raised by the Smith family.

William died in 22 Nov 1934 in Hayes township, Otsego county of lobar pneumonia, secondary cause TB.

Elk Rapids High School Yearbook - 1937

The 1940 Federal Census finds the family living in the village of Elk Rapids, Antrim county. Mary K., 63, widow; Alden, son, 30, woodman at pulp wood forest; Wallace, son, 20, woodcutter at pulp wood forest and Moses, son, 18, woodcutter at pulp wood forest.

On 22 Oct 1944 son Moses was killed in action in Italy, while serving in Company C, 362 Infantry Regiment. (Follow link for more information)

Photo of Mary Smith with son Alden and great-granddaughter Nancy Wilson, taken in Kewadin in late 1950s.

Mary died in Traverse City, Grand Traverse, Michigan on 7 Jun 1965, and is buried in Kewadin.

Mary's obituary was published in the Traverse City Record Eagle on 8 Jun 1965, listing four surviving children (Anna, Robert, Alden and Wallace) and counting 10 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren.


...

Logging and the Smith/Wilson families

Lumber was an important industry in Michigan.



William Keywis Smith worked for the Antrim Iron Company. In 1920 he was living in Camp 31, Mancelona Township, Antrim County, Michigan with his wife Mary and children Robert (age 21), Anna (13), Alden (11), Cora (8) and Wallace (one month). A total of 14 families made up Camp 31, the other Native families being William P. Wilson, George Russett, (wife Julia and three children), Frank Wesley, (wife Alice and daughter Elizabeth) and William Daniels, (wife Jennie and granddaughter Lily Shocko).

Camp 31 was in section 31 (lower left corner) on land labeled as Antrim Iron Works. Note all the additional lots the company owned.


By 1930 many of the lumbermen had moved to 40-House Camp in Hayes Township, Otsego County. William Keywis Smith is there with wife Mary, and children Elden, 21, Wallace, 10, Moses, 8 and Mabel, 10 [Mabel is actually the daughter of Emma Wesley and Nelson Ransom being raised by the Smiths.] William's daughter Anna, her husband Charlie Wilson, their children Angeline (8), Jim (7), Nancy (5) and Nicholas (2) are there as well, along with Charlie's mother Lizzie and brothers Henry (16) and Isaac (12). The families of Frank Wesley and George Russett had moved to Sanborn in Alpena county, both men giving their occupations as laborers - farm and woods.

On the above 1925 plat map of northern Hayes township, Antrim Iron Company has land in parts of sections 7, 15 and 16 and owns all of sections 8, 17 and 18.

This picture of 40 House Camp and School was found at the Gaylord Historical Museum.

When Anna Smith Wilson writes to the Mt. Pleasant Indian School in 1930 she states they are living at Camp 17, Mancelona. By December 1931 she writes that they are at Motts Camp near Alba.

William Smith dies in November 1934 at Hayes Township, Otsego county. (Most likely at the camp) Some members of the Wilson family still reside at 40-House Camp in December 1936 when a newspaper account is given of Mrs. Wilson (Anna) being cut on her arm by her husband's brother.

By 1940 Mary Smith and her sons Alden, Wallace and Moses have relocated to Elk Rapids in Antrim county, next to  Charles Wilson, wife and children James, Nicholas and Mary. For Charles and Moses occupation is listed as woodcutter, place of work at pulpwood forest. Wallace's occupation is woodman, also at pulpwood forest. Charles and Anna's daughter Angeline and her husband Anthony Sineway (plus their daughter Virginia) are in Cold Springs Township, Kalkaska County. Anthony is a woodsman at a log camp. Angeline and Anthony's children recall her speaking of Camp 9 in Kalkaska, while Virginia remembers a Camp 10, north of Alba in Antrim County.

Charles was a woodcutter all his life. His daughter Beverly and granddaughter Virginia remember living in Cedar in Leelanau County in the later 1940s. Their stories include Charles having a pair of pants with many pockets and candy in one of the pockets; living in a boxcar; and living next to the river which rose during the night and came into the house.

The book "Giishkiboojigeng" (Logging) - Story excerpts from the Elders of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians can be read here: https://dspace.nmc.edu/handle/11045/23849

Moses Smith

Moses Leonard Smith born January 7, 1922, died October 22, 1944 serving in Italy. He was the son of William Keywis Smith and Mary Katherine Russett; brother of Lillie, Robert, Wallace #1, Mattie, Anna, Alden, Cora, Moses #1, Theresa, Eliza, and Wallace #2; husband of  Elizabeth Theresa Southbird; father of Barbara S. Smith (who married Francis Sheahan), uncle of Angeline (Sineway), James, Nancy, Cecelia, Nicholas, Mary Ann (Moby), Shirley (Anderson) and Beverly (Crampton) Wilson and Hilton Smith.


Enlistment Record

Name:	Moses L Smith
Birth Year:	1922
Race:	American Indian, citizen (American)
Nativity State or Country:	Michigan
State of Residence:	Michigan
County or City:	Antrim
Enlistment Date:	25 Nov 1942
Enlistment State:	Michigan
Enlistment City:	Kalamazoo
Branch:	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Branch Code:	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Grade:	Private
Grade Code:	Private
Term of Enlistment:	Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Component:	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source:	Civil Life
Education:	1 year of high school
Civil Occupation:	Farm hands, general farms
Marital Status:	Married
Height:	66
Weight:	148

Tombstone - Kewadin Indian Mission Cemetery:

Traverse City Record Eagle - Monday 27 Nov 1944 - page one
MOSES L. SMITH KILLED IN ACTION
Previously reported missing in action on October 22, Pfc. Moses L. Smith, son of Mary K. Smith of this city, has been definitely reported killed in action according to word received from the War department Sunday. Pfc. Smith served 22 months with the 71st Infantry unit and the action in which he lost his life took place in Italy. His mother resides at 1116 Titus avenue.

 Moses was a PFC in Company C, 362nd Infantry Regiment, 91st Division.  A link to the North Apennines Campaign which is where Moses gave his life. http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/nap/72-34.htm