A Deed In Roscommon Co., MI, Between Lumbermen

 [Note: Originally posted at Detour Through History on May 6, 2007]

After searching the Defiance County, Ohio, deeds recently [the Duncan Cameron family was living there when the 1870 census was taken] with negative results, I looked in my notes for some Roscommon Co., Michigan, deed extracts for the Cameron family.  Duncan & Ellen Cameron were in Roscommon County, Michigan, when the 1880 census was taken. 

1880 United States Census – Roscommon Co., MI
CAMERON, Duncan Self Male M W 52 Can Scot Scot , Laborer
“, Ellen Wife Female M W 45 Can Scot Ireland
“ , Edward S W 15 Can Can Can, Laborer “, Anna S W 13 Can Can Can
“, Bruce S W 8 Ohio Can Can
“ , Lillian S W 5 Can Can Can
“ . Bridget S W 1 MI Can Can

One deed in particular seemed interesting because the Grantors were from Cleveland, Ohio. Was there a relationship to our Camerons? Couldn’t find the first name listed (Albert Hameore?) and probably didn’t transcribe it correctly. Next was Harriet Crowl, of Cleveland, Ohio, and one of the witnesses, Samuel Crowl.

Roscommon Co., MI, Deeds
Liber “8”, Page 116
Recorded: November 17, 1885
Albert Hameore?, et al, of Cleveland, Ohio
Harriet Crowl, of Cleveland, Ohio
Quit Claims To
Duncan Cameron of Roscommon Village
NW ¼ of Section 19, T 23 N of Range 2 W
Witnesses: A. J. Brewer & Samuel Crowl

The Cleveland Public Library has a Necrology (Obituary) File online and is a terrific source if there is a Cleveland, Ohio, connection. The following entry was made for a Harriet Crowl:

Id#: 0066955
Name: Crowl, Mrs. Harriet
Date: November 10, 1893
Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #017.
Notes: Crowl-Mrs. Harriet Crowl, widow of the late Samuel H. Crowl, aged 73 years at St. Louis, Mo. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 7 a. m. Funeral at residence, of M. Y. Hutton, No. 78 Clinton st., Friday, Nov. 10, 2 p. m., standard time. Burial private.


The 1880 Census at was checked online and the following entry was found:

1880 OH Cleveland, Cuyahoga
Crowl, Harriet, self, Widow, Female, age 60, NY NY NY, Keeps house
“ , Edward, son, 26, OH NY NY, lumber dealer
“ , Harmon, son, 18, OH NY NY, at school
“ , Samuel H., son, 15, OH NY NY, at school
Walter, Lena, other, servant, 21, OH GER GER
Williams, Mrs., other, 60, Wales Wales Wales, nurse

Was the “Samuel Crowl” who witnessed the deed, the son of Harriet Crowl? Probably.

Also checked the following census records:

1860 OH, Cuyahoga, Cleveland, 10th Ward
Crowl, S.H., 40, LUMBER MERCHANT, b. Vermont
“ , Harriet, 40, b. NY
“, William, 17, b. NY
“, John, 15, b. OH
“ , Edward, 6, b. OH
“ , Alpha, 3, b. OH
Hogan, Lorinda, 17, domestic

The Crowl family [lumber merchant] lived next to a ship builder from Canada [George Bradley] in 1860.

1870 OH Cuyahoga, Cleveland, 10th Ward
Crowl, Samuel H., 50, lumber dealer, b. NY
“ , Harriet, 50, b. NY
“ , Eddie, 18, b. OH
“ , Alfra, 13, b. OH
“ , Harmon, 7, b. OH
“ , Samuel, 5, b. OH
Haetje, Linah, 20, Prussia


The Camerons, from Canada, dealt in lumber in Roscommon County, Michigan, so at this point it appears as though there may have been a professional connection [lumber] rather than a familial connection to the Crowls.