Monday, March 19, 2018

Barbara Odeimin

Barbara Odeimin was born 3 Aug 1877, the daughter of Michael Odeimin and Mary Ann Oke-tau-o-quet. The first record of Barbara is the 1880 federal census of Cross Village, Emmet county, Michigan. Family consists of Michael, age 45, wife Mary Ann, 35, and children Jonas, 15, Andrew, 12, Regina, 5, Benedict, 4, Barbara, 3 and Pacifica, 1.




Daughter Mary (child of Sebastian Shomin) is born 20 Apr 1894. Page #107, from the Catholic church in Cross Village, shows not only the names, births and baptisms of Barbara and her parents and siblings, but also Mary (Marie filla Barbara) on the bottom of the page.



On 9 Jul 1899 in Cross Village, Barbara married William Chingwa.



Second daughter, Anna, is born in Feb 1900.

The 1900 Federal Census of Cross Village lists Barbara Tchingwa, born Aug 1877, 22, married, 1 child born, 1 child living, occupation basket work; Mary, daughter, born Feb 1900. [At this point in time Barbara has given birth to at least two childen. It is possible that Mary is away from home in boarding school. The baby in the census would be Anna.]



Daughter Rose Mary was born 10 Mar 1904, the daughter of Jonas Leo. Jonas died 7 Nov 1904. Rose Mary was taken in by Alexander McSawby and his wife Angeline Mitchel.

Durant roll #40 page 20: Michael O-tay-e-min, dead; wife dead; child #5 is Barbara Chingway, age 33, P.O. Cross Village, separated from husband, William Chingway. Her children are Mary, age 15, P.O. Tomas [Tomah] Indian School, Wisconsin and Anna, age 8, Harbor Springs School.

Durant roll #13 page 25: Alexander Mick-saw-bay, dead; wife Angeline Willis, age 48, P.O. Charlevoix, now wife of Benjamin Willis. Children are Edward, 29, Daniel, 17 and Rosie, 4. [This is the daughter of Barbara Odeimin]

Records of Carlisle School state Mary went to Tomah from 1906 to 1909 and entered school at Carlisle on 17 Sep 1909.



Link to Mary's student file.


Barbara's next child, Lawrence James, was born 21 Dec 1909 (son of Sebastian Shomin) He is later raised by James Skippergosh and his wife Angeline Odeimin. [This is not the same Angeline who was Barbara's sister and married Peter Walker.]

The 1910 Federal Census of Charlevoix township, Charlevoix finds Barbara and son Lawrence living with her sister's family. 

Peter Walker, 43, head, married twice, married 5 years, speaks English, laborer on the docks; wife Angeline, 30, married once, 3 children born, 3 children living, speaks English; Mary, 4, Lucie, 2, Benjmine, 1/12 (all listed as daughters); Barbara Damon, sister-in-law, 32, divorced, x children born, x children living, speaks English; Lawrence Shomin, nephew, 4/12. 


The next family is Angeline Mcsawba, along with adopted daughter Rose Mcsawba, age 6, the child of Barbara Odeimin.



The 1910 Federal Census for Little Traverse township, Emmet county, lists Anna Odeimin, age 10, as a student at Holy Childhood School.



The 1910 Federal Census for Cumberland county, Pennsylvania lists Mary Shomin, age 15, as a student at Carlisle School.



The following article, on file at the Traverse Area District Library in Traverse City, Michigan was written by Bernice Pulcipher Dean. She explains that these were people she knew as a child in Yuba, Michigan and describes Lawrence being adopted.









Son Clarence Joseph, (child of Sebastian Shomin) was born in 1912.

Sebastian Shomin, father of three of Barbara's children, died 30 Apr 1914 and is buried in Cross Village.

On 10 Oct 1915 in Cross Village, Mary Shomin, 21, daughter of Sebastian Shomin and Barbara Odeimin married Moses Paul Kogechiman [Kagechiwan], 23 son of John Kogechiman and Lucy Chingwa. Moses was married once before. 




Clarence died 2 Dec 1915 in Emmet county. Barbara is listed as informant on his death certificate.



Son Francis Carroll, (son of Paul Carroll), was born 9 Jan 1917.

Barbara has not been found in the 1920 census.

The 1920 Federal Census of Acme, Grand Traverse county, has Angeline Skippergosh, 60, widowed, basket maker at home, son Lawrence, 10 and Peter Shenonquot, 88, lodger.




On 13 Aug 1920 in Emmet county, Barbara married George High. Each state they were married once before.



Rose McSauba, 17, married Leo J. Tookolo, 23 on 1 Sep 1920, in Charlevoix.



Daughter Sarah High was born 27 Jan 1921 in Manistique, Schoolcraft county.

George High died 13 Jun 1921 in Manistique, Schoolcraft county, leaving Barbara a widow.



Son John High (child of Joseph High) was born 23 Sep 1923 in Manistique, Schoolcraft county.


The 1930 Federal Census of Charlevoix lists Leo Tookolo, 30, married at 23, born Mississippi, Chocktaw, wife Rose, 27, married at 16, born Michigan, Ottawa. Children are Kathryn R., 6, Lillian D., 5, Martina C., 2 10/12, and Dorothy A., 5/12.



Sarah High, age 9, died 3 Sep 1930 in Manistique, Schoolcraft county.



Francis Carroll was married 1 Jul 1939 in Petoskey to Myrtle Lasley.



By 1940 Barbara and son John are back in Charlevoix, living with daughter Rose. Household consists of Rose Tookolo, 36, married; her daughters Lillian, 15, Martina, 13 and Dorothy, 11; Barbara High, lodger, 63, widowed, and John High, lodger's son, 16. All are listed as living in the same house in 1935.





Lawrence Skippergosh was married 3 Jul 1946 in Charlevoix to Frances Loonsfoot.

Barbara died 4 May 1954. Her obituary appeared in the Charlevoix Courier on 6 May 1954, naming four surviving children - Rose, Lawrence, Francis and John.



Barbara is buried at St. Mary's cemetery in Charlevoix.




...