| Notes |
- Larry Herbstritt facebook
14 hrs 20161103
Maternal ancestors of our Dorothy "Dollie" Fuller Davey begin with Dorothy's mother Electa Jane Cotton Fuller. Electa's biological parents were Joseph & Electa Anna Brown Cotton. The story begins with Electa's parents: Joseph E. Cotton, the son of John & Martha Cotton, was born in 1808 in New York. After the birth of his first child, Delevan Nelson Clark, he and his wife, Electa Brown Cotton, moved to Potter County, Harrison Township, Pennsylvania. It appears it was a family decision because Electa's parents, William and Martha Ballard (Ballord) Brown, also moved to Bingham township in Potter county. William and Martha had originally migrated from Massachusetts in the late 1790s. There, in Potter county, Joseph and Electa's other children, Dorcas, Rachel, James, Lyda and Electa Jane were born. It's not known the circumstances that caused the premature death (age 33) of Joseph's wife but Electa died when their daughter, Electa Jane, was only a year and one month old. Electa's gravestone is very weathered but still readable. Its inscription reads, "Electa A wife of Joseph Cotton". Mothering baby Electa, must have fallen into the hands of her older sister, Dorcas, and for some unknown reason (alcohol perhaps) parenting was more than Joesph could handle. It should be noted that even later in life, Joseph was not living on his own. At the age of 9, Joseph's daughter, Electa Jane, was adopted by Joseph's wife's sister, also named Dorcas, and her new husband, James Kibbe. By the year 1860 the Kibbe head of house reported to the census bureau that James Kibbe, age 46 b. NY, Dorcas Kibbe, age 50 b NY, Electa (Cotton) Kibbe, age 16 b PA, Martha Brown, age 92 (Electa's mother) and Ezra Lewis Fuller (future husband of Electa), age 23 b NY were all living in the household.
According to the 1870 census bureau report, Ezra Lewis Fuller, age 33, and his wife, Electa Jane (Cotton-Kibbe), age 26. were living in the household of James Kibbe, age 56 b NY and Dorcas (Brown) Kibbe, age 59 b NY. Also living with them were the children of Ezra and Electa, Harden Fuller, age 8 b PA, James W Fuller, age 3 b PA, Mary Fuller, age 2 b PA, and Martha Fuller, age 2 1/2 months b PA. Also living in the household was Lyman D. Fuller.
By 1880 in Genesee Township, the Fuller family consisted of, Ezra Lewis, age 43, Electa, age 36, Hardin, age 18, James, age 13, Mary, age 12, Martha, age 10, Dolly, age 7, Ruth, age 6, Norman, age 3, Kate, age 3 1/2 months. Also living with Ezra and Electa was Dorcas Kibbe, age 71.
The 1880 census report also reveals that the mother and father (Diodate & Martha Olmstead Fuller) of Ezra Lewis Fuller were born in Connecticut and the mother and father of Electa were born in Massachusetts. It also reveals that Dorcas (Brown) Kibbe was also born in Massachusetts. It would appear that the two families may have known each other in Massachusetts.
In 1854 the federal Graduation Act of 1854 allowed European-American settlers to purchase land from the government at discount rates, and the first white settlers began to arrive in what became Mount Pleasant. Under the Treaty of 1855, the Ojibwa bands (Saginaw Chippewa Tribe) from the Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black rivers were relocated to land in Isabella County (Isabella Indian Reservation). Many non-natives soon moved to Mount Pleasant, predicting prosperous relations with the natives. The Homestead Act of 1862 also attracted many new settlers, including new European immigrants, to Mount Pleasant to develop their stake on free lands offered by the US government in exchange for their labor in developing it for residence and agriculture. With the promise of free land, and bearing a heavy heart hearing of the death of his son, James, who was shot on the first of July at the battle of Gettysburg, Joseph Cotton left Potter county with the family of David and Rachael Kibbe and moved to Mt Pleasant, Michigan. In 1870, at the age of 63, Joseph was still living the the Kibbe household. He died three years later and was buried in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
'Joseph E Cotton, son of John & Martha Cotton'
'Electa Anna Brown's gravestone sits to the right of her parents, William & Martha Ballard Brown, in the North Bingham cemetery.'
'Me, visiting the gravesite of Electa Anna Brown Cotton.
The inscription on the gravestone says "ELECTA A Wife of JOSEPH COTTON"'
'This is Dorcas Brown, who married Thomas "James" Kibbe Sr. She was the sister of Electa Anna Brown Cotton. When Electa passed away she and Thomas "James" adopted her daughter, Electa Jane Cotton.'
'Thomas "James" and Dorcas Kibbe, adopted parents of Electa Jane Cotton.
Because Dorcas was Electa Jane's aunt, all the descendants of "James" & Dorcas are our DNA cousins.
One notable cousin was their son, Dr Alonzo Kibbe.'
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1808 - 1873 (64 years)
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