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After serving as a
Union soldier in the Civil War, William Quimby received a land
grant for 160 acres located about three miles southeast of present day Arcadia
(called Bear Lake at the time, later Arcadia Township). In 1867 he moved
from Branch County, Michigan to the Arcadia area with his wife Ursula and
two small children: 6-year-old Jennie A. Quimby and 4-year-old Willie L.
Quimby.
The Arcadia Area of 1865
"The first settlers were John Kirchmyer and G. W. Boss,
who came in 1865. Two years afterwards Michael O'Rorke, Wm. Quimby and
Seymour Calkins located there.
The difficulties the settlers, sixteen years ago, had to
contend with cannot be well understood by the present residents, who have
good roads, excellent grist mills, saw mills and markets almost at their
doors. Then it was a serious undertaking to go to the little old-fashioned
grist mill at Benzonia 20 miles distant. It was a good day's journey then,
and after waiting three or four days to have the corn ground up and get back
home again inside of a week was considered a quick trip."
Source: "Arcadia Township: The Village of Arcadia."
Manistee City Directory. 1883. Pages 14-15.
This Family's Difficulties
To satisfy the terms of the land grant, the Quimby family
had to transform their piece of the wilderness into a homestead. Imagine
moving into a black forest. There were no roads and very few other people.
You had to build shelter, find food, clear the land, begin farming among
tree stumps, and sometimes just survive one day at a time in summer heat,
Michigan winter cold, illness, dirt, and bugs.
Add two small children. Within a few months after their
arrival in the Arcadia area, young Willie Quimby died of dysentary. Kate Quimby, born there July 26, 1867, died of "bloody flux" on August 2, 1868.
In spite of the hardships, the Quimby family improved
their property to the satisfaction of the US Government and the Homestead
Act. William Quimby tried farming. His wife Ursula made herbal medicines
including Quimby's Liver Invigorator and Blood Purifier, which she and
William began selling around 1871.
With
William Quimby's ailments (described in his pension application),
all of this must
have been extra difficult. They took out two mortgages on their property and
repaid one of them, but, as many families did, they eventually gave up and moved
on.
Probably by the mid 1880s, the family moved to Arroyo Grande,
California. By then the family consisted of William, his wife Ursula,
Jennie, Helen (born July 26, 1870 in Arcadia Township), and Harriet N.
(probably born May 1 or 11, 1875 in Arcadia Township). Harriet Quimby would
eventually make history as the first licensed female pilot in the US and as
the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel.
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The Quimby House
Located on Erdman road just east of M-22,
this is now a
registered Michigan Historic Site.
Courtesy of Barb Eldridge and the Onekama Consolidate Schools
Supporting Records
Michigan Historic Site
Thanks to Bonnie Hughes
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Family Timeline
By reading William Quimby's own
story (in his pension application) and examining US census data, official
birth records, tax records, the Manistee City Directory, the property
abstract, and ledgers from the C. W. Perry store in Pierport, Michigan, we can piece
together the following timeline. Some events are significant. Others are
just a hint at what was happening in the area.
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1859 |
William Quimby and Ursula
Cook are married in Ovid, Michigan (October 9)
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1861 |
Jennie A. Quimby is born in
Branch County, Michigan.
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1863 |
Willie L. Quimby is born in
Branch County, Michigan
(June 27).
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1865 |
William Quimby, a Union
soldier, is engaged in several battles at the end of the American
Civil War and marches to Appomattox for ceremonies ending the war. He is
too ill to participate in the Washington, D.C. review. He is
discharged July 1st and returns to Ovid, Branch County, Michigan
July 14.
(See "William
Quimby's Story in His Words: Application for Pension Benefits.")
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1867 |
William Quimby applies for a
land grant of 160 acres in Manistee County. He and his wife
Ursula and two children move to Bear Lake, later known as Arcadia
Township (1870) in Manistee County, Michigan.
William Quimby builds a log
cabin, moves his family in, and begins clearing the land. (Before
the land can be deeded to them, they must build a house, live there,
and work the land for five years.) Kate Quimby is born in Bear
Lake (July 26). Willie Quimby dies of
dysentary in Bear Lake (October 6).
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1868 |
William Quimby goes to Traverse City to file an
application for his land (January 13). He gets 160 acres for $10.00, 6.25
cents per acre plus
a $4 filing fee.
Kate Quimby dies of "bloody flux" (August 2).
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1870 |
US Census for Manistee
County lists:
"William Quimby, 36, Farmer
Ursula, 36, Keeping House
Jennie A., 9, Attending School" Helen
"Kittie" Quimby is born in Arcadia Township.
(July 26) More
permanent Quimby home built (sometime between 1870 and 1872).
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1871 |
Fire destroys the Manistee
County Courthouse. No births will be recorded until around 1877.
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1873 |
William Quimby signs annexed
mortgage (December 27).
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1874 |
The five years required for
homesteading have passed. William Quimby goes to the Traverse City
land office (January 27) to secure the patent or deed to property.
He files affidavits from Arthur Brown and William Haywood used as
proof of residence and pays a $4 filing fee.
It's official: "Patent from
the United States to William Quimby for NW 1/4 of Sec. 25, Town. 24
North, Range 16 West Manistee County, Michigan" (August 1). See
the Abstract of Title.
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1875 |
"Taxes Paid to Town
Treasurer" -- Abstract of Title's tax summary for William Quimby. Harriet Quimby
is born in Arcadia Township (May 11).
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1878 |
William Quimby has an
account at the C. W. Perry store in Pierport, Michigan. The store
ledger refers to his account in an earlier ledger: "Jan 1st
To Bal For'd Old Ledger"
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1880 |
US Census for Manistee
County lists:
"William Quimby, 46, Farmer
Ursula M., 46, Wife, Keeping House
Kittie [Helen], 10, Daughter, At Home
Hattie [Harriet], 5, Daughter"
Ursula Quimby's herbal medicine, Quimby's Liver
Invigorator and Blood Purifier, is available to the public.
The Quimby family takes in two boarders: laborers
William Grindle, 19, and Charles Grindle, 22.
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1881 |
William Quimby purchases "B.
Wheat & feed" at C. W. Perry in Pierport for $7.00. (May
17) See C. W. Perry
Store Account.
A testimonial for Quimby's Liver Invigorator and
Blood Purifier appears in The Manistee Times. (July 21)
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1882 |
Arcadia Township
Assessment and Taxes
for William Quimby:
Value of Parcel: $960. Personal Estate: $80. Total Taxes: $31.74.
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1885 |
William and Ursula Quimby
take out a mortgage on their property for $300. (June 11) See the
Abstract of Title.
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1887 |
William Quimby and his wife
take out a second mortgage for $2000. The mortgage agreement
includes the statement "No timber to be removed from said lands by
said 1st parties, excepting for the purpose of clearing or making
improvements." (June 22) See the
Abstract of Title.
William Quimby and his wife pay off the first
mortgage. (July 2) See the
Abstract of Title.
Helen "Kittie" Quimby marries Frederick Rasmussen
in Bear Lake. (August 16).
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1889 |
The mortgage holder files a
suit against William & Ursula Quimby. "Notice of suit pending in the
Circuit Court of Manistee for the foreclosure of mortgage..." (June
24) See the Abstract
of Title.
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1890 |
"Chancery Decree... Decree
of the Circuit Court for the County of Manistee -- in Chancery
foreclosing mortgage." (May 6) See the
Abstract of Title.
Commisioner's Deed. William & Ursula M. Quimby by
George L. Hilliker, Circuit Court Com'r. to Campbell Fair. (Sept. 6)
See the Abstract of
Title.
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1900 |
US Census data shows
William, Ursula, and Harriet Quimby are living in San Francisco. |
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