Now on to the subject of the day. In looking more closely at the 1830 (NJ) and 1840 (MI) census for John Summers Jr., I noticed there was a female being enumerated who we haven't really accounted for in John's known children. The missing daughter was of an age in 1840 that she could have married before 1850, so I checked the Dibean marriage index. Lo, there are two marriages before 1850 that I haven't seen before (additional details are shown in images on familysearch):
- Caroline Summers, age 19, married H. H. Proctor, both of Shelby, Macomb, MI on 20 Jan 1842. Witnesses: RM and Elizabeth McCracken. Minister: Abel Warren
- Maria Summers, age 22, married Francis R. Chapel, both of Shelby, Macomb, MI on 16 Jan 1845. Witnesses: Charles W. Chapel & John H. Kaple. Minister: F.B. Baug
In both cases, the bride was born in/abt
1823. Which one might have been the missing daughter of John?
It took me awhile, but I finally realized that Caroline Summers was the daughter of William
Summers and Rachel Hoagland. Mr. Proctor must have died soon
after marriage because then in 1847, Caroline
Proctor of Avon married Calvin Potter, and by 1860,
Caroline was a widow (apparently) again. What's interesting is
to note that Caroline was of Shelby Twp in 1842, and her
witnesses, the McCracken's were of Avon (just across the county line).
So that leaves Maria Summers. I believe she
must have been the unaccounted-for daughter in the household of
John Summers Jr. The witnesses to her marriage were of Sterling
Twp. in Macomb. And then Maria must have died shortly after her
marriage because on 25 Jan 1849, Francis R. Chapel married
Freelove Covell. It does not appear that Maria had any children
before she died, or if she did, the child probably did not survive.
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