 The Story of the Surrarer Family
 The Story of the Surrarer Family Written by Lydia Louise (Boone) Chrichton. Written possibly some time around December 2, 1949. The original rough-graph was written on an envelope and writing paper. Originally there were two copies of the story, each with a different version. The editor, Marilyn Lee Wiggins Hale, descendant of the Author of the Surrarer Family, has compiled both copies and made them one story. Completed April 6, 1989. Chapter 1 Page 2. settlements by the English. Later, New York was founded and partly settled by the Hollanders. As time went on, some of the more courageous kept spreading northward and westward where ever most convenient, to provide homes for their families. Building materials, except for trees, was not easy to get, but the timber was used to form the main part of many a cozy woodland home. People often had little to start with except strong courage and a true love for home and it in mates. If those honest thoughts and ambitions could have gone on through the years there would have been less tears and broken homes. Chapter 1 Page 2. In those long past years, people seem to have been so different from the ones we see around us today, who are not interested in work, unless it is to be paid for by very high wages. In times past, people considered it a real disgrace, to be helped by the town or country, and it would be talked about for years. But now, since Chapter 1 Page 2. sometime after Great Grandfather came to what is the State of New York, Great Grandfather met a young orphan girl, in one of these woodland homes. Her parents were Hollannders, and had both died and she was too young to live alone and seemed to have no near relatives. A kind hearted neighbor family had taken her into their home and gave her a share of what little comfort they had. Great Grandfather must have had a kind heart for he thought he would like to do something to help that girl. After a time he thought the best way would be to marry her and he would like to have her for his wife. There were no laws regarding the age a girl could be and no relatives to give consent so after providing a home they were married and later she became my Great Grand Mother, Chapter 1 Page 3. and was the first Lydia Louise in our family, of whom we have any record. She was untrained as a housewife so Great Grandfather hired an old woman to come and stay with them and teach the young wife to cook and other home making duties. All went well for a time until one day Lydia Louise saw some girls passing the house and very likely she was lonely for the company of some one of her own age, so she went out to talk to them for a few minutes. When she returned to the house the old woman gave her a severe whipping for neglecting the work she had told her to do, and she was still crying when Great Grandfather (her husband) came home. He asked, "What happened to my wife?" And when he was told, it was his turn to be angry, and Chapter 1 Page 3. the old woman had to go. During the following years, four (4) children was born to them, Lydia Louise No. 2, and 3 boys, Van Rancelaer, likely named after some Holland relative, Ransome, and James, my own Grandfather Surrarer. Great Grandfather lived to be 115 years old when he died, 69 years ago this spring. Editors note: It is uncertain as to the exact date that this story was written. But the envolope that the author compiled her thoughts on was dated December 2, 1947, so I am assuming that this date is when she began her story. Using this date as a guide for determining the birth and death date of the above mentioned Great Grandfather, James Surrarer: Envelope date: 1947 Years decreased: -69 Year died: 1878 Years lived: 115 Birth year: 1763 (Note: The obituary of Lydia Louise, his wife, states that James was 99 years, 5 months old when he died. Using this figure, James died about 1864.) Chapter 1 page 4. they have been spoiled by so many helps from the government, such as welfare, unemployment compensations, etc. and old age pension, to able bodied people, a lot of people will do nothing unless they just take a notion, and other hard working people must pay higher prices for work, and other hardship to give those idlers a good time. Old age pension to people who are not able to work, and need help, is a very wise and kind provision. Dances and drink have very likely caused more trouble than any other two things which we could mention. the Late Charles B. Collinwood, a former Supt. of Howard City School, and later Judge of Supreme Court at Lansing, said that "Sunday dances were sending people to hell, faster than ever before and conditions are far worse now." That is when he said that and getting worse all the time. But in looking back over the years, I do not know of a single case in the homes of any of our ancestors; this is one thing for which we can be glad and thankful. Chapter 2 Page 1. Great grandfather and Great grandmother Wright, lived in Vermont. They had 3 children Nathan was the oldest, Annie 2 years younger, and Betsey. Their home was partly in the woods with many trees and bushes in the place animals used as pasture. One day, Great grandfather told Nathan age 6 and Annie, aged 2, to go out and bring in his oxen, but did not tell them where to look but the children did not ask any questions perhaps they knew better. One ox was in sight of the house but they did not see him, so they kept going on and found one near a neighbors home. Later, they found the other. They were gone some time and when they came home Great grandfather asked Annie, "What kept Chapter 2, Page 2. you so long" She answered, "we could not find the oxen" He then asked, "Where did you find them?" She said "over by Mr. Barn's". "Did you find both of them there?" "Yes Sir" but that was not true, for he could see one all the time from the house, but he did not say another word, just went outside and picked a whole handful of little whips, then he turned her across his lap, and whipped her bare skin so hard that the blood came with each one every time, then he put her down and said "Now when I ask you anything again, you tell me the truth, no matter if you have broken something you tell the truth." And she said, "you may be sure I always did." Chapter 2 Page 3. I think Great grandfather Wright was not a talkative man but methodical, and when he did talk, he meant every word and the children soon found it out. When he told one of the children to do something, that child must be on his or her feet, and ready to start, by the time he had finished saying what he wanted done. Great grandmother Wright was very different, she was short on patience and if one displeased her, a blow could be expected from anything near at hand. Nathan was a mischief and liked to tease some one, one day the children were out at play and he had his bow and arrows, and shooting at things he said, "I am going to shoot you Annie," and he did at once and struck her foot between the big toe and the second toe. Soon a fat looking thing like a short fat Chapter 2 page 4. teat, grew out from her foot which completely filled the space between the 2 toes, and was still there when she died at the age of 85 years, and nearly 8 months. Annie was a bright healthy girl, interested in learning about all kinds of work. She could do nice sewing by hand, embroider anything make butter, cheese, and also found time to study medicine, the uses of roots, barks, and teas and herbs. When she was a young girl, she worked in a farm home where a lot of cows were kept and as there no cheese factories or creameries there, people made the cheese on the farm and when it was properly cured, it was sold in market. The milk would be fixed in the evening, and in the early morning, while it was too dark to see to fix her hair, the mistress of the home pounded on the stove pipe to waken Annie to fix the cheese then get breakfast Chapter 2, page 5. for the family, and other house work which we all have to do in all farm homes. For working such long days, her wages was $1.25 per week. Then she taught school, boarding around and who ever had the most children kept the teacher longer than the others, and she was paid $3. per week in cash. Betsey the youngest of the family was a delicate child and the family lived in Vermont until Annie was 9 years old and then they moved to the State of New York. One day Great grandMother had to go some place quite unexpectedly in the after noon. I do not know where Great grandfather and Nathan were, but it was quite evident that it was Great grandmothers task to see that the cows were brought home each night perhaps taking one of the children with her so before going, she said to Annie you need not go for the cows, we can let them go. And don't you send Betsey.. Chapter 2, page 6. Bears were so numerous, there that it was not safe for children to go in the woods alone. About the usual time when some of the family should start for bringing the cows, Little Betsey said to Annie, "it is too bad to not get the cows, and Mother did not tell me not to go, and I am not afraid, I can get them." so she had her way, and the cows were in the yard when Great grandmother came home. Her first thought was that Annie had not obeyed orders, and she would have been severly punished but Betsey said, "You did not tell me not to go, Mother," and I did not want them to not be milked." Betsey had poor health and only lived until she was 17 years old. About this time, the Wright and Surrarer families both lived in New York State but I am not sure how far apart. But Annie Wright and James Surrarer became acquainted and Chapter 2, page 7. were married and if ever there was a truly devoted husband and wife they were, through their long life together. Both were Christians and members of the Methodist Church. Not just in form that canot be called religion and a disgrace to any church. Their religion was known in their home and people far and near, knew that they could trust them. They began their house keeping in New York State, just a small home at first, and grandmother told me about raising a little orphan pig in a box, in the corner, until it could be put outside. One day grandfather thought he would go out hunting, but could not see any wild animals of any kind except a pork a pine, so he thought he would take it home for the puppy, so he dressed it, and the meat looked all right and they Chapter 2, page 8. cooked it and all the puppy had was the bones. They had 6 children, 2 boys, Rufus George, and James R. Surrarer, and 4 girls, of whom my mother Betsey Ann was the oldest. Then Fanny Mariea, Lydia Louisa, number 3, and Martha Jane. Grandmother could do nice sewing and when my mother was 4 years old, she asked for something to sew; it was quite unexpected and the only thing that grandmother could find at the time was a pillow case which she had intended too make. No one at that time, at least where they lived, had a sewing machine, so women and girls had to spend a lot of time sewing by hand. Grandmother showed the little 4 year old girl how it must be done and how to take the tiny stitch. At first she tried very carefully to do it right, then she evidently wanted to get it finished soon, and then stitch became larger and more uneven, grandmother looked at it once in a while and when she saw the poor work, she said, "that will not do," Chapter 2, page 9. that must all come out", so she had to take it out and do it over. The next time was about the same, and she had to take it out and do it over four times, but the last time it was done right. That was one good lesson which she never forgot. And it meant a lot to her in after years. She knew that grandmother would not accept anything but good work, whatever that task might be, and soon she became as good a seamstress as her Mother. When she was ten years old, her uncle Nathan's wife was sick and there was no one near to be hired to come and help with the work in the house and her Aunt was in bed: then they thought of their niece Betsey Ann, and some one was sent ten miles to see if grandmother would let her come. She had been well trained as a little girl to be helpful and her mother said she could go. Grandmother had just cut out a new dress for Betsey Ann, but had not even Chapter 2, page 10. started to make it, but she said: "you can take it along and perhaps you may have time to do something at it." So she went to her uncle's home and remained several weeks. One day a man whom they knew came there and told them he did not feel well; I don't know what was the trouble with him, but they thought they had some medicine that would help him and told Betsey Ann where it was and fix it for the man, but there were two bottles much alike, and she took the wrong one. I don't know what it was but it made him feel worse than he did before. They should have known better than to depend on a little girl of ten, for such an important thing, but it did not kill him. And very likely they Chapter 2, page 11. were more careful, next time. Great Uncle Nathan seemed not to have out grown his habit of teasing and so many times his wife would say: "Nathan do stop, let the child alone" but it did not seem to do much good, and very likely helped to make her home sick. One day she thought she wanted the new dress, so bad, and so she went at it and finished it in one day, all except the buttons and button holes. When she could stand that teasing no longer she told them she would like to go home, so her uncle put her on one of his horses, and she went that ten miles alone. From the time she was a small child, she was bothered with asthma and it was worse in winter. Chapter 2, page 12. One day in winter when the snow was very deep, and many of the fences were covered with great drifts and frozen hard, grandfather had to make a trip with a young team of untrained steers, Little Betsey Ann wanted to go with him, so they started out, perhaps the world did not look just right to the steers, and for some, unknown reason they became frightened and ran away. Grandfather was not in the sleigh at the time, and it all happened so quick, that he could do nothing to stop them. So he called to her "hang on Betsey Ann: and in telling it many years later, she said "I did hang on." She was, not hurt, and in those early years, when timber was so plentiful, some farmers tried to add a little to add to their income Chapter 2, page 13. by getting out tan bark for sale in the future. My Mother remembered so well about the times when she was small; her father used to get up quietly in the morning, before daylight on mornings when he had to make the trip to town with the bark; his load would be made ready the night before, so as to lose no time, would take a little cold lunch and start out on his long cold trip of 14 miles with his heavy load and very likely the roads were not always good for that was long years before the time of county snow plows. It was 14 miles to Buffalo Chapter 2, page 14. and the same distance to White Hall Village, and he would be away all day. People had to work for what they had in early times, but from all that I ever heard, no one had so little pride, as to ask for public help, and if any unfortunate or lazy person did accept such help, it would be remembered for all years by all who knew of it. That person was looked down upon as a poor sort of a citizen but since people have been so spoiled by public help, in so many ways, it has created a greed for more and more. To be continued. Chapter 3, page 15. One day grandfather and grandmother had some business away from home, and left the two boys alone, until after bed time. Uncle Rufus was a faithful little Christian and while he was in prayer before going to bed, Uncle Jim who was younger, did something which he should not have done, and the next day, Rufus cried, when he told his Mother about it. The boys slept upstairs, where there were strings of quartered apples drying. One night Rufus told his Mother that he was sick. Her first question was, "what have you been eating?" and he said "I ate a few dried apples Chapter 3, page 16. but she knew what to expect of a boys idea of "a few' and so she only said: "Then you will have to take some Castor oil" I don't think any one ever liked it, but that made no difference to grandma; I, well remember, the bad tasting things she made us take when we were sick, and she had home made remedies for all sorts of ailments and as doctors were often far away relatives and neighbors used to send for her, if some of the family were sick, and if she was needed for a few days, would help with the family sewing of knitting but I don't think they paid her very much. Chapter 3, page 17. After the death of great grandfather Wright, great grand Mother wanted grandfather Surrarrer, who was her son-in-law, to work her farm, which was between two railroads leading to Buffalo; the house was so close to one of them, that when the trains went by, the windows would rattle, and there was trouble all the time with some of the farm animals being hurt or killed but it was home to great grand Mother and old people do not like to move. Grandfather told the children not to go in the orchard unitl after he had cut the hay, for he well knew they would be wanting to look for any apples which might have Chapter 3, page 18. fallen. One day great grand Mother went to the orchard, I am not sure whether she knew about that order or not, but it is not likely that it would have made any difference. Just then she saw some of the children in the yard, and called two of them to come to her and they went; then their Mother saw them and she went out and picked a small limb from the apple tree and gave each of them a little blow for disobeying their father; this made great grand Mother angry and quick as a wink, she took that whip from grandmas hand, and struck her across her back until she was ashamed, then she Chapter 3, page 19. Grandma just folded her arms, and never said a word, then she said there, you whip your children and I will whip mine. I suppose she was very old, so they excused a lot of things. One day a fine team of colts were killed by the train. That was the last straw for grandfather Surrarrer. And he decided that a new place had to be found for a home, so he wrote to his brother Ransome in Newaygo Co. Michigan telling him of his trouble, and he wrote back, "you had better come to Michigan. Land is cheap here." At that time great uncle Ransome and his family were living on what is now known as Surrarer Prairie. Grandfather took his advice, and sold such Chapter 3 page 20 things as he could not take to the new home, and loaded what would be needed into 2 covered wagons. Uncle Rufus George was left to care for great grandMother, until a new home was found and made comfortable. They took a boat at Buffalo, going to Detroit. It was a very slow old fashioned boat, and it took two days and two nights to get to Detroit, and my Mother, who was 15 years old then, was sea sick all the way, and decided that if she ever reached land, she would never go on the water again, and as far as I ever heard, she kept her word. Then they started the long trip Northwest to Newaygo Co. There was only one house where travelers could stay, between Detroit and Grand Rapids. Then they went on Chapter 3, page 21. to great uncle Ransome's home, and in a short time he helped them to find a place for a home. After being there a year, grandmother Surrarrer, went back alone to help her Mother settle up her business, and sell her property, then the three of them came back to the new home on Surrarrer Prairie which had been named for Uncle Ransome. There were other families not far away, and there was a school house, and a grave yard not far from the school house. After a time, a young teacher, Lewis E. Wright came to the town to teach in the country schools. Great grandmother thought he was distantly related to her family, but he told me when he was an old man, that he did not know whether he was or not. After giving it a fair trial, that Prairie proved to be Chapter 3, page 22. poor farming ground and both grandfather and Uncle Ransome, moved to better locations, but while they still lived there great grandMother Wright and Uncle Rufus George died and were buried in the Little new grave yard, the location of which is unknown today, Great Uncle Ransome and his family found a place which suited them not far from Kent City and Sparta, but I was never there. Grandfather settled on the place, now known as the Jenkens corners. Two miles from Oak Grove school house and church. Both families went to visit each other and would stay a few days at a time as long as they both lived. One day in winter when I was a small girl, a message came to grandfather that his brother was very sick, so he and grandmother started at once with one horse and cutter on the long trip, and very likely the roads were poor, for neither township or county plowed out Chapter 3, page 23. the roads at that time. When they were half a mile from the brother's home, the horse was so tired that they could go no farther, so they stopped there at the home of their neice Great Uncles oldest daughter Mrs. Sarah Murrey, expecting to stay there that night but had only been there a short time, when they heard quick steps on the porch. Mrs. Murrey said at once, "that is Jimmy, father is worse." She was right and the chore boy James Dancer had been sent to tell his daughter's family. So all of them started out and walked to the sick man's home, but they were too late. Great Uncle had just passed on, away from all of lifes troubles and sorrow. He visited at our place one day when I was a small child; he was a quiet man very much like my grandfather, but was a Chapter 3, page 24. little larger in build; one of his daughters had been named Lydia after his Mother. Grandfather had also named one daughter after his Mother. Both of the oldest girls were married while the family lived on the prairie. So there were only 5 left of the family, Grandfather, grand Mother, Uncle James, Aunt Lydia, and Aunt Martha and they moved to the new home 2 miles from Oak Grove Church and school house. The farm was mostly level but there were 2 great hills on the North, across the road, and another or I should have said, a continuation of the same big hill which angled across the road about half a mile from the corner of grandfathers place and one southwest across other... Relationships Based on Above: (Note: Relationships are to the Author, Lydia Louise (Boone) Crighton) SURRARRER, James - Great Grandfather; lived 115 years; (abt 1763 - 1878) m. ??, Lydia Louise - Great Grandmother Children: Lydia Louise #2 Van Rancelaer Ransome - Newaygo Co., Michigan - Great Uncle - Kent City & Sparta James - Grandfather - Jenkins Corners Great Grandfather WRIGHT m. Great Grandmother WRIGHT - Vermont Children: Nanthan - Uncle Annie Betsey (d. age 17) SURRARRER, James m. WRIGHT, Annie Children: Rufus George - Uncle James R. - Uncle Betsey Ann - Mother - 1st married, Thomas Jefferson Wiggins, then 2nd married, James Boone Fanny Mariea Lydia Louise #3 - Aunt Martha Jane - Aunt SURRARRER, Ransome m. ???, Martha Children: Sarah m. Murrey, ?? Lydia  Return To Wiggins Family |
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Wiggins Family History Last updated November 7, 2004 Web page copyright 2004 by Charles Paul Keller 
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