Taken 1876.
From left: William A., Catherine A., Richard A. Saxton.
(Original photo is the possession of Harry A. Nordan.)
William Alvin (Henderson) SAXTON,
(son of Alvin SAXTON and Sarah MURRAY)
b. 7-Nov-1850, Meigs Co., OH, d. 23-May-1941, Custer, Mason Co.,
MI,
buried: 29-May-1941, Riverside Cem., Custer, Mason Co., MI.
m. 11-Oct-1874, Catherine Ann COPPESS
(daughter of Josiah COPPESS and Mary
MARTIN),
b. 16-Apr-1854, Beamsville, Darke Co., OH, d. 16-Dec-1937, Custer,
Mason
Co., MI, buried: 18-Dec-1937, Riverside Cem., Custer, Mason Co.,
MI.
On 12-Mar-2007, Beverly (Blocher) Lawther
told the story of her and Patricia (Saxton) Fille
going in to the back bedroom where William A. Saxton was laid out in 1941 and
that his head turned to the side and scared them so, that they screamed and fled the room.
Beverly would have been 12 years old and Patricia 15 years old.
Since that time whenever she stayed in that house, she would never sleep in that room.
-----
In an email from Richard D. Saxton on 12-Mar-2007, he, too, remembers
William A. Saxton laid out in the house, only one he ever saw that way.
He would have been 14 years old at the time.
-----
In an email from Joanne Yost on 13-Mar-2007:
I haven't had a chance to check all your new pages yet, but do want to comment on G. Grandpa Saxton.
I do recall him lying in state in the back bedroom. That sure made quite an impression on me
as I was 10 or about 11 years at the time. I still have a mental picture of that in my mind
and remember not much else about him.
It probably made quite an impression on Bev, too. I don't recall Bev's visit to him
and can't recall a funeral or anything. But that is where they use to have bodies lie in state (at the home).
Seems strange now and don't know if neighbors called or what.
going in to the back bedroom where William A. Saxton was laid out in 1941 and
that his head turned to the side and scared them so, that they screamed and fled the room.
Beverly would have been 12 years old and Patricia 15 years old.
Since that time whenever she stayed in that house, she would never sleep in that room.
-----
In an email from Richard D. Saxton on 12-Mar-2007, he, too, remembers
William A. Saxton laid out in the house, only one he ever saw that way.
He would have been 14 years old at the time.
-----
In an email from Joanne Yost on 13-Mar-2007:
I haven't had a chance to check all your new pages yet, but do want to comment on G. Grandpa Saxton.
I do recall him lying in state in the back bedroom. That sure made quite an impression on me
as I was 10 or about 11 years at the time. I still have a mental picture of that in my mind
and remember not much else about him.
It probably made quite an impression on Bev, too. I don't recall Bev's visit to him
and can't recall a funeral or anything. But that is where they use to have bodies lie in state (at the home).
Seems strange now and don't know if neighbors called or what.
Reason I call him William Alvin Saxton is that his son,
Richard Alvin Saxton, called him that.
Children:
I. Richard Alvin SAXTON
b. 26-Jun-1875, d. 2-Nov-1967.
II. Mary Alice SAXTON
b. ca Apr-1878, OH, d. 14-Dec-1889, Lansing Twp., Ingham Co., MI;
buried: Mt Hope Cem., Lansing, MI.
(Called "SIBBY", died at age 11 of diptheria from card.)
III. Sarah Maude SAXTON
b. ca Aug-1880, OH, d. 5-Jan-1890, Lansing, Ingham Co., MI;
buried: Mt. Hope Cem., Lansing, MI.
(Called "MAUDIE", died at age 9 of diptheria from card.)
IV. Bessie Celestia SAXTON
b. 22-Mar-1883, d. 26-Nov-1947.
V. Girl SAXTON,
b. 1885, Mt. Hope, MI, d. 1885, Mt. Hope, MI.
"When my family (the Wm. Alvin Saxtons) lived in Lansing on
Mt. Hope Ave., they had a baby die at birth and the neighbors
helped my father build a little wooden coffin. They buried it in
the backyard in a fence corner..." this from Richard A. Saxton in 1966.
VI. Gracie SAXTON
b. ca Jun-1886, Wiley Place, Lansing, MI, d. 25-Dec-1889,
Lansing Twp., Ingham Co., MI;
buried: Mt. Hope Cem., Lansing, MI.
(Died at age 4 of diptheria from card.)
VII. Minerva Cecil SAXTON
b. 26-Mar-1889, d. 5-Sep-1963.
VIII. Mabel Gay SAXTON
b. 11-Sep-1891, 6-Jun-1979.
IX. William Washington Grover SAXTON
b. 11-Feb-1894, d. 10-May-1978.
X. Nellie Marie SAXTON
b. 5-Oct-1896, 15-Jul-1984.
XI. Orvan John SAXTON
b. 5-Feb-1900, d. 19-Aug-1971.