BIOGRAPHIES
submitted by Douglas C. Huggett
THE HALSEY
FAMILY
The first Halsey immigrant, Thomas, by name, came to
Southampton, Long Island, New York in 1636 from England.
He was born in 1591 and died in 1679. It is said that the
Halsey homestead is still in existence in England.
Oliver Halsey, six generations removed from Thomas, was born in Southampton, New York, 25 March 1769 and died in Lodi, New York, 16 December 1850. His wife was Susannah Cooper. Oliver was one of fourteen children born to Silas Halsey, Junior. Silas was an eminent physician who moved to the Lodi, New York, area in 1793.
Peter Halsey, a son of Oliver,
was born in Lodi, Seneca County, New York, 10 November
1805. He was born to Mary Van Vleet, daughter of Peter
and Mary VanVleet. The VanVleets had also came to Lodi,
New York in 1793.
In the early 1930's many families from western New York
came to the territory of Michigan. Peter and Mary were
among those who came by the Erie Canal and sailboat to
buy land cheap and found homes in the wilderness of this,
then, western territory. Their new home was near Dexter,
Washtenaw County, Michigan. Six of their children were
born there. Their children later moved to Clinton and
Eaton counties in Michigan. All that remains today in
Washtenaw county are the burial places of Peter, Mary and
their small son Herman. History repeats itself. Members
of later generations are making their homes in all parts
of our country ever looking for opportunities to improve
their way of life.
A Halsey Genealogy was printed in 1895 at the Jerseyman Office in Morristown , New Jersey. It was compiled by Jacob Lafayette Halsey and Edmund Drake Halsey. In it is a picture in color of the Halsey Coat of Arms. This grant of arms was given to two brothers of Thomas Halsey in 1633. The motto reads, "Nescit Vox Missa Reverte."
In the genealogy appears this
quotation;
"A people who take no pride in the noble
achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve
anything to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants." -- Macaulay
Wilma Miller 1973
Rt. 1
Burlington , Michigan 49029
This page was last updated January 14, 2004.