LaFountain History


LaFountain History

This page is dedicated
to my Mom
Thelma Grace LaFountain Taylor
February 2, 1916 - 21 January 21, 2001

"No Love on Earth
can ever compare to a
Mother's Special Love"

Edward and William LaFountain were brothers and sons of Arthur LaFountain of New York and Cunelua a.k.a. Candis of MA. It is believed that Arthur may have come to NY from Canada and his parents may have been born in France and immigrated to Canada. Still researching that. The family appears in the 1850 Ray Township,Macomb County, Michigan census. In this census Arthur appears as Anthony, Candis age compared with 1870 census fits, as does son William living in the home. Another son Benjamin age 12 is in the home. A daughter named Candis (Candace) is also in the county in another home her age 17. Edward is not listed, he may have been in a different town, still looking for him. This provides info on two more children and variation on Arthur/Anthony's name. The death record of Edward states Arthur and Cunelua as parents and we have found from the 1870 census that she went by Candis. Daughter Candis married in 1855 to Daniel Butterfield, and Benjamin married 1859 to Hulda Thorn? last name unclear of all letters at this time. Candis appears in the 1860 census in Macomb with her family, but Benjamin doesn't show up there. He may have moved with William and Edward to Lapeer or be in the wife's father's home. Still researching. It appears that William being in the home in 1850 that he and Mary Jane Richardson must have married after 1850 in Macomb Co, MI. Mary Jane's parents appear to be Aurilla Rowley Richardson and father possibly Joseph, still working on the final details.
In the 1870 census Candis is living with William. I have no information on the deaths of Arthur/Candis but I am still researching that.
Edward married Nancy Johnsonn she may be the Nancy born 1832 in English, Ontario, Canada, but on the 1860-70 census she lists NY as place of birth, it is believed through family stories that she was Indian, but has not been documented. Although documentation hasn't been found yet, their grandchildren all had the prominent nose, jet black hair, and ruddy skin color. Edward and family lived in various towns and counties in MI, mostly residing in Lapeer, Co. Arthur/Anthony and his sons are listed as farm laborers in all the censuses.
Edward and Nancy had 2 children Albert Edward LaFountain; born 10 Jul 1852, and Rosina Eve LaFountain; born 15 Jul 1855, both in Michigan. See Ila's World Connect Database through my home page for more information on their descendents.

William H. married Mary Jane Richardson b. 4 Apr 1855 NY d. 17 Oct 1879 Lapeer, MI. William was born Feb 1831 in NY, is buried in Ogemaw Co, MI. The children of William and Mary Jane were; William Wallace, Lydia, Mariette, Rosa, Eunice and Philinda, all born in Lapeer, MI. William H. married Hannah after Mary Jane's death, Hannah is listed in Oakland Co, MI death records Jan, 1911.



Rosina called Rose by her family, she was daughter to Edward and Nancy and Albert E.'s sister, court records and newspapers report her as quite the pistol. Married at least four times to men she met through others in the family, such as; Norton Gordinier, Albert's brother-in-law; and Alfred Cole, Rosa's (her cousin) brother-in-law. She was the dealer in her marriages buying and selling property. She was divorced from her first husband whom she had two children with, and widowed by the second. Norton Gordinier was killed by a train while working for the railroad. He was crushed between cars. Rosina sued the railroad for $10,000, the case never was heard in court and a note of a settlement for $100. was entered. She next married John Sutton a.k.a. Jay. They had a wild relationship, as she claimed abuse and filed charges many times, only to still be with him two years later. One report says she was dragged out of the house by her hair, and all her possessions were thrown out into the yard. The Pontiac newspaper reported that he was found "dropped dead" on a street corner. Her final and fourth husband, at least we think he was, Alfred Cole of Lapeer, MI, the brother to her cousin Rosa's husband Nelson Cole. Rosina was 64 when she married this time and it is believed to be her last. She may be buried next to Norton as there is a stone there that says "Mother-wife Mrs. John R. Sutton. It is possible though that she is buried in the Cole family plot, that the stone was made but she was never buried there. There is only a DOB and no DOD on the stone.


Albert E. and Elizabeth Gordinier had a daughter named Jessie she married Fred Dove and lived in Pontiac, MI. One night Jessie went to the drugstore around the corner from their home to get medicine for one of her two children that was sick. She never made it to the drugstore, and never returned home. What happened to her has been a mystery ever since. Speculation that she was kidnapped and killed, or ran off with another man leaving the kids behind, or that Fred may have done her in and used the story for a cover. Whatever happened to Jessie, we may never know.

Albert A. LaFountain, Albert and Elizabeth's son, had all four of his sons in the military during World War II, all saw action, and all returned home safe, a miracle in it's own right.
Please visit the  Photo Gallery for pics of LaFountain relatives.

Updated on 15 October, 2001