Your Heritage
Person Page 19543

Arthur Mead Birge^1,2     shirttail
b. 26 April 1861, d. 3 March 1944, #19543
Pop-up Pedigree

Birth	26 April 1861	Arthur Mead was born on 26 April 1861 at Hartford, Van Buren county, Michigan.1,3
Cen1870	1870	Arthur Mead Birge appears on the 1870 census in the household of Celina M Potter in South Haven PO, Bangor township, Van Buren county, Michigan where Celina is named as Saline Burge is living with father Harvey Potter, 52, born in New York, a farmer with $1200 of real estate and $400 of personal property. Salina is 27 years old and born in Michigan. She has two children. Arthur appears as Arthwell. He is 9 and Sarah is 2. On this census Washington Irving Birge is living in Ward 4 of Grand Rapids, Michigan with a woman that is given as his wife. He is a Book Agent. Therefore, we conclude that they were divorced by this time.1
	1880	There is an Arthur Birge, 19 years old, born in Michigan employed as farm labor living in Springdale precinct, Valley county, Nebraska on the 1800 US census. He is living with a family headed by Samuel Birce, 28, with a wife and two young children.
Marriage	1 April 1894	There is a marriage license issued to Arthur M. Birge, 32 of Cambria, Hillsdale county Michigan a daylaborer born in Hartford, Michigan and Minnie Weston 26 of Cambria, born in Illinois. They both claim they have not been married previously. This is not True.  She was married previously.  They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Cambria.4
		Arthur kept a daily diary of the events in his life.  He always recorded the weather, where he went and how came calling.  There are also numbers on each page which surely meant something to him, but do not mean a thing to us, today.   Arthur took Willie French, who was either a neighbor or hired hand or both, to  Hillsdale on 6 January 1896 with this "stuff" to attend Hillsdale college.  It was very cold that day.  For the next few days Arthur is working with a man named John and they are cutting timber and hauling it to the mill. This diary  is now in the possession of Karla Utrup.  Karla has shared parts of this diary with the family.     Date page        Birth of  Lewis. Arthur and Minnie had a child that DIED on 12 Jan 1895.  He notes this death in his diary on a 1 year and 2 year  aniversaries of this death.
Diary	12 Jan 1897	Arthur noted in his diary that this was the 2 year anniversary of the death of baby Harvey.  He also noted that they had a new baby.  That would have been Lewis who was born in December of 1896.   He had been having some help from a Mrs. Hutchins, but took her home on 17 of January and said that he would do the work himself.  Obviously, Minnie was not doing very well. In March of 1987 he began working for Mr. French and noted  this in his diary. In the last days of March in 1897 he has been tapping the maples, drawing and boiling the sap.  He also attended the Republican caucus in Cambria.  He makes note that he recieved a letter from his mother on 1 April 1897 telling that "Frank's folks had a baby girl born to them on 22 of March".  His mother would be Celina Potter Birge Bass.  Frank would be Francis Stephen Bass  1532 a step-brother of Arthur's.  The baby girl is Wava Bass  21470. On 2 July he went after "Dr. Bates for Webbie" at noon.  Who is Webbie??  Is this a person or one of the animals and Dr. Bates was a vet???
Cen1900	6 June 1900	Arthur Mead Birge shows on the 1900 U.S. census in Cambria township, Hillsdale county, Michigan. Arthur M. Birge is 39 years old, born in Michigan in April 1861 and is a day laborer. Wife of 6 years is Minnie, who is 32, born in Dec 1867. She claims to have had 5 children, 4 of whom are living but there are only 3 in this household. Children here are: Martin W. Birge b. Nov 1894 Lewis H. Birge b Dec 1896 Mable E. Birge b. July 1898.
Cen1910	1910	Arthur Mead Birge appears on the 1910 census in the household of Sarah M Birge Keeler, Van Buren county, Michigan.   Sarah M Birge appears as Sarah Irish, a 41 year old widow with no children, born in Michigan. Her mother, Celina Bass is 66, a widow, has had 6 children and 4 are living. She was born in Michigan. Arthur Birge, brother of Sarah and son of Celina is 49, widowed, employed as farm labor. His 2 children, Dewas H Birge 13 (This is likely Lewis H.) and Mable C. Birge 11 are living in this household also.5
	6 April 1912	Daughter Mable E. Birge died on 6 April 1912. Her mother was Minnie Kenyon. Mable was 13 years old.6
Cen1920	1920	Arthur Mead Birge shows on the 1920 U.S. census in Keeler, Van Buren county, Michigan. Arthur is listed as the head of the household and owns the house. He is 59 years old, a widower, employed as farm labor. Mother is Salina who is 76 and a widow.7
		From a "History of Methodist Church in Keeler" provided by Karla Utrup we learn that he was one of the men that rang the church bell and that he was a tenor.  Another page from this history can be read here.
		. There is no date on this picture of Arthur Birge provided by Karla Utrup.  Click on thumbnail to see full size
Cen 1930	1930	Arthur Mead Birge and sister Sarah M Birge Irish were found on the 1930 US census taken on in 1930  on 1st Street, in  Keeler, Van Buren county, Michigan. On this census Sarah is listed as the householder. She is 61 years old, a widow and not employed. Arthur is 68, a widower and employed as the sexton for the Keeler cemetery.8
Death	3 March 1944	Arthur Mead died on 3 March 1944 in Hartford township, Van Buren county,  Michigan at age 82. He is a widower but his wife is listed as Minnie and his birth date is given as 26 April 1861.2,3

This database was prepared for my children and their children......but I hope that you enjoy it, also. If you find any broken LINKS, or any errors........or if you have anything to add to this work please contact me. Thank you
Compiler: Pomala Black

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