Abraham Smolk

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Lighthouse Inspector

Notes:

Abraham Smolk, the venerable and highly respected father of Mrs. Franks, died at the Mission House, Mackinac Island, at 8:15 o’clock Tuesday evening, July 7th, aged 100 years, 5 months and 12 days. From the Cheboygan News we clip the following sketch of the old gentleman’s life: “He was born at Johnston, N. Y., on January 25th, 1791, and was therefore considerably over one hundred years old at the time of his death. He lived on his father’s farm until 15 years of age, when he went to Auburn, N. Y., and learned the trade of architect and builder. At the age of 23 he was married to Mary Tuttle, sister to Allen and Bradley Tuttle, of Auburn, when he became closely identified with the building up of the village of Auburn of which he was elected chief officer at the age of 25, and served two terms as such. He was the first chief of the fire department of the village. In 1833 he removed to Detroit, succeeding Lewis Cass in the ownership of the old Cass homestead, which was recently destroyed on Larned street. Mr. Smolk was contractor in building the first thirty miles of the Michigan Central railroad, and later constructed fifty miles of the Detroit and Howell plank road. He lived in that city until 1877, when he moved to Mackinac Island, to spend his remaining days with his daughter, Mr. Franks, of the Mission House, but during that time he made frequent visits to Cheboygan. Mrs. Franks and Chas. A. Smolk of this city, are the only living children. There are also living three grand children and thirteen great grand children. Mr. Smolk became a communicant of the Presbyterian church in 1870, and has continued to be a consistent and zealous member. In all his long and eventful life he never used either ardent spirits or tobacco in any form.”

Abraham married Mary Tuttle about 1817 in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Mary (daughter of Levi Tuttle and Huldah Allen) was born on 10 Mar 1790 in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts; died on 25 Nov 1854 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Cause of Death: Pneumonia

John married Fannie Sebring on 12 Jul 1837 in Schoolcraft, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Fannie was born on 8 Dec 1813 in Troy, Rensselaer, New York; died on 5 Mar 1897 in Paw Paw, Van Buren, Michigan; was buried on 7 Mar 1897 in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Paw Paw, Van Buren, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Edward Augustas Franks, Sr. on 11 May 1837 in Wayne County, Michigan. Edward was born on 4 Nov 1814 in New York City, New York, New York; died on 24 Jan 1881 in Mackinac Island, Mackinac, Michigan; was buried on 26 Jan 1881 in Protestant Cemetery, Mackinac Island, Mackinac, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Birth date calculated using Tombstone Birth Date Calculator

Died:
proof of death: The Detroit Free Press, 18 May 1850, page 2.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Liveryman
• Cause of Death: Chronic Cystitis

Charles married Mary Amanda Cleveland on 3 Aug 1848 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. Mary was born on 26 Apr 1830 in New York; died on 25 Dec 1899 in Cheboygan, Cheboygan, Michigan; was buried on 27 Dec 1899 in Pine Hill Cemetery, Cheboygan, Cheboygan, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Harriet married Edward Coffin Keuthan on 7 Oct 1879 in Cheboygan County, Michigan. Edward was born on 2 Oct 1851 in Madison, Jefferson, Indiana; died on 1 Dec 1896 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois; was buried on 3 Dec 1896 in Springdale Cemetery, Madison, Jefferson, Indiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Cause of Death: LaGrippe and Heart Disease