The Pioneers, Joseph and Sarah True Doty

It's difficult to imagine the wilderness of Michigan in the late 1830's when my Doty ancestors settled there after a trek from New York, either by boat or by land.  Great-great grandfather, Joseph Doty Jr. was born in or near Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York, just northeast of Albany. on August 29, 1804.   

Around 1834, his obituary stated that he was converted and baptized into the Baptist faith.  Then on August 13, 1835, he married Sallie G. True.  Sallie/Sally was a native of Vermont, born on the 4th of July, 1814 in or near Hardwick, Caledonia County, Vermont.  However, she grew up near Covington, New York, which is just east of Buffalo, and that is where the couple were married.  Since county boundaries changed frequently in the early days, sometimes researchers list this as Genessee County and where Joseph was born as Albany County.  I am not sure if Joseph's family had relocated to Covington or that area when the couple met.

On April 15, 1837, Michigan Land Records show that Joseph Doty purchased 40 acres of land at the Land Office in Detroit.  The usual procedure in that day was that the purchaser would come and clear some of the land and perhaps build a shelter before bringing his family.  Several sources indicated that Joseph and Sally came to Raisinville Township in January of 1839.  The easiest way perhaps would have been to come from Buffalo over to Detroit, if the lake were not frozen.  In the Doty homestead, I have seen the very large chest brought by the family that probably held most of their worldly goods.

The 1840 census for Raisinville Township, Monroe County, Michigan just enumerated by name the heads of household.  It shows Joseph Doty (1 male, age 30-40), 1 female 20-30 (Sally), 1 female under 5 (daughter Emeline) and 1 female 30-40 and I am not sure who that would be.
In the 1850 Federal Census enumerated on July 17, 1850 for the same place, Joseph Doty Jr., aged 45, a farmer born in New York, had real estate worth $1000.  Sallie T Doty, 36, his wife, was joined by children: Emeline, 10; Sarah, 7; William E., 5; Charles, 3; and George W. 1.  John McGuire, 29, born in Ireland was a laborer on the farm, and he, too, owned real estate worth $200.

The next reference I could find for Joseph appeared in the Monroe Commercial newspaper on June 3, 1858 on page 3. 
 "Joseph Doty, Esq., of Raisinville has presented us with a dozen of the largest hen's eggs we have ever seen.  They weigh forty ounces, and the largest measures eight and seven-eighths inches around.  If that eggs-ample can be eggs-actly beat in this country, or by any other live man, we would like to have its eggs-istence eggs-pressed by an eggs-hibition of the same in our office, and we will eggs-change hats with the owner of the eggs-traordinary hen.  This is eggs-actly so, without any eggs-aggeration as may be verified on eggs-amination.  We feel eggs-hausted with this eggs-ertion."

On November 8, 1857, the church the Dotys attended was organized into a Baptist church with 9 members, among them Joseph Doty.
No women were listed as members, probably just because they were not voting members.

In the 1860 Census, it is evident that Joseph had had success as a farmer and land owner.  At 55, he now owned real estate worth $4000 and had $450 in personal worth.  Sally was 46 and daughter, Emeline was 20.  Sarah was 17, William -15, Charles -14, *George - 12, and now there was Hellen, 9.
Helen M. was also sometimes referred to as Maria later on. This census also indicated that Emeline was born in New York, but her birthday is the summer of 1840 and they came to Michigan in January 1839...unless Sally went home for the birth of her first child.          
Sadly, in 1865, son Charles died in the War Between the States in Huntsville, Alabama.  More on Charles later.
In the 1870 census, only two children were left at home with Joseph, now 65, and Sally, 55. George W., 22, and Hellen M., 19 were listed as servants, meaning, I assume, that they labored on the home place.
On June 20, 1874, Sally True Doty died of heart disease at the age of 61 years, 11 months and 15 days.  She was buried in the Doty Cemetery on the homestead property.

Sally's obituary appeared in the Monroe Commercial on July 9, 1874, p. 4:
"Mrs. Joseph Doty, of Raisinville, Monroe Co., died very suddenly on the evening of the 20th ult.  Though not feeling very well, yet she was around all day attending to her household duties, and had made arrangements to come into the city the next day (Sunday) to attend church.  She suffered some pain during the day and evening, but no one anticipated any serious results.  She retired in the evening about 9 o'clock and in two hours, (had) several minutes of loud and difficult breathing, which led her daughter to arouse the family, she was dead.
Mrs. Doty was born in Hardwick, Caledonia county, Vermont, on the 4th of July, 1814.  Most of her early life was spent in Covington, Genesee Co., N.Y., where she was married in 1835.  On the 1st of January, 1839, she and her husband came to Michigan, and settled on the farm in Raisinville, where they have continued to live until her death, a period of over 35 years.  She will be greatly missed, not only by her family and a large circle of friends and neighbors, but also by the Baptist Church in this city, of which she was a constituent member, and remained faithful until her death."

The 1876 atlas showed that by the time of this atlas, Joseph had sold the homestead farm to sons, George and William T.  If you look to the right of the apple tree marker on the map, their land is visible.

In a previous post, I mentioned that after Sally's death, Joseph moved in with son, George W. and his new wife, Alice Newcomer Doty.  Joseph passed away on January 15, 1878. 
His obituary appeared in the Monroe Commercial on January 18, 1878:
"Raisinville...Died.  On the morning of the 15th, Mr. Joseph Doty, aged seventy four.  Mr. Doty was born in Burns Township, Albany County, N.Y., August 29th, 1804.  Married Miss Sallie G. True, August 13, 1835.  Came to Michigan in January 1839, and settled in Raisinville, Monroe County, upon the farm which he owned until about three years ago when he sold it to his two sons.  He lived with one of his sons since the death of his wife, which occurred three years ago last June.  He was converted and baptized during the winter of 1834, and united with the Baptist denomination, where he continued a faithful member until his death.  He leaves two sons and three daughters, besides a large number of friends and neighbors who deeply feel their loss.  Funeral took place on the 16th when a large procession followed the remains to their final resting place in the Raisinville Cemetery, north side.  Services at White church by Rev. T.M. Shanafelt, formerly of Monroe city."

Later in the month, another article concerning Joseph's death appeared in the Monroe Commercial on January 25th:

"London News - It is with regret we learn of the death of Joseph Doty on Jan. 13th, 1878, and also regret that no word was sent that we might follow his remains to their resting place.  The father of your correspondent and Mr. Doty grew up together, each married and went west.  For 45 years they knew nothing of each other.  Dr. Jeffery, while journeying with his own conveyance to see one of his children who had married and gone further west, noticed two men in conversation, and reining up to inquire for London, heard the name of Joseph Doty mentioned and upon inquiry, found he would go within a few miles of him.  The next day found him intent upon a surprise.  Never shall we forget the joy each manifested at meeting, then and subsequently.  Two years ago, the Dr. crossed the river, and now Mr. Doty has gone to meet him.  Both lived to a good old age, neither beyond their usefulness.  Both were intent upon the Master's service."

In these days of email and instant messaging, we sometimes forget the lag in communication in the early days of our country!

I have never come across a photo of Joseph or Sally True Doty, but I feel like one probably exists in the missing Doty Bible which was filled with old tintypes in the back.  Oh, how I wish that Bible could be located! 

Grandmother's Brothers - The Youngest, Dr. George

 George Lewis Doty, born January 28, 1895 at the Doty homestead, was named first after his father, George W., and secondly, I would guess, after his mother's only brother, Lewis.  George would have been just fifteen when his father died, but he stayed in school, graduated from high school and went on to college.  He spent his whole life as a scholar, educator, and traveler. 

George graduated from Albion College, Albion, Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in 1916 and then through another scholarship, attended the University of Illinois for graduate work.  The alumni record from that institution noted that George worked in the library in 1917 while working on his graduate degree in Romance Languages.

As the U.S. was headed into World War I, George filled out his draft registration form on the same day as his brothers in June 1917.  He gave his address as Monroe and his occupation as student and salesman for the Keystone View Company of Meadsville, PA. (The Keystone Company was a distributor of stereoscopic photos for the viewers available at the time.)  On the form, George described himself as single, of medium height and slender build with brown eyes and black hair.

This photo, labeled by my mother, noted that George was an ambulance driver in World War I.  His obituary does not state that.  His obituary stated that he was sent to Camp McClellan, Anniston, Alabama for library work with the American Expeditionary Forces. I can't find any record of service for him in the A.E.F., although he appears in uniform here.  More research will need to be done on this.

In following George's life, it was a matter of using passports and ship manifests to follow him around the world because he could not be found using census records 1920 - 1930.  He must have been out of the country during the times of enumerations.  He was a man constantly on the move with different educational positions and travels around the world, making it very challenging to follow his path.

George applied for his first passport on March 10, 1919 at the age of 24. He noted on the form that he was going to France and Britain for Y.M.C.A. work and that he was still a student.  An accompanying letter, on stationery from the Board of Education of Monroe, Michigan, stated that he was sent for service with the A.E.F.troops by the War Work Council for one year.

He arrived back in New York City on August 12, 1919. 
He applied for his next passport on May 4, 1923 when he was a professor at Meadville, PA at Allegheny College.  On this document, he stated that he planned to be abroad not more than six months and he listed the following countries as his destinations: France, Spain, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Holland, England, Great Britain. 
From his obituary and other sources, we know that he studied overseas at Oxford, England and the University of Florence, Italy.  He published his thesis for his PhD in 1925 on the poet and playwright, Juan de Zabaleta, and his work El dia de fiesta por la manana, a 402 page document still available at some university libraries.

A passenger manifest from the Aquitania, sailing from Southhampton, England, does list him returning to New York City in September 1923.  It would make sense that he would return to his teaching duties in the fall after spending a long summer abroad.

My mother had told me once that George Lewis was divorced and I did find an ex-wife was listed on his funeral record.  Sure enough, I found George with a wife in a city directory for Bloomington and Normal, Illinois in 1924:
Doty, Constance F., a teacher at Normal high sch, residence 307 Highland Ave. and George L (Constance), a teacher at the same address.  Then a look at the History of McLean County, Illinois, published in 1924, gave another clue. It noted that Constance, the daughter of Wilbert Ferguson, professor of modern languages at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, married George L. Doty, professor of romance languages at Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa.  I don't think George and Constance Ferguson were married long.  In fact, by the 1930 census, she was living back with her parents at the age of 38 and single and she had taken back her maiden name. 

Added note: The University of Illinois Library School Alumni Newsletter of June 1926, No. 7, had this note on page 6:
"George L. Doty, '16-'17, writes that he received his Ph.D. at Illinois in 1925 and is now Assistant Professor of Romance Languages at the University of Louisville.  He is taking another party to Europe this summer."

On September 6, 1926, George, at the age of 31, appeared on the ship manifest for the Leviathan which docked in New York City after departing from Southhampton, England.  On this, he gave his status as Single and his address as 405 Oak Street, Louisville, Kentucky.

His obituary stated that he took the position as Head of the Graduate Program in Languages at the University of Southern California in 1929 and stayed in that position for seven years. (1936)

On July 1, 1929, George's name appeared on the manifest for the ship Alabama Mahu which left Yokohama, Japan on June 19th and pulled into the port of Seattle on July 1st.  A notation on the manifest says, "PP 48 Seoul, China" and I'm not sure if that means his passport was checked there or what. 
On June 2, 1934, he appeared on a ship's manifest, which noted he arrived in Seattle from Seoul, China. On August 26, 1934, he left Balboa, C Z (Canal Zone, Panama) on the ship, Santa Elena, and arrived back in Los Angeles on September 3, 1934. On this manifest, his address was given as 3049 Royal Street, Los Angeles, California. 
A final appearance on a ship's manifest found George on a ship from Cherbourg, France, arriving in New York City on August 27, 1935.  This time, his address was given as 130 H Palisader Ave, 15th St., Philadelphia, PA. 

His obituary stated that he taught high school in 1936 in Santa Monica, California, so apparently, he moved back there, retiring in 1939 to go on archeological adventures in Central and South America.  In 1939, he visited in Monroe, Michigan with his family.  My grandmother and mother were probably there for this rare visit from their brother/ uncle.  Again in the summer of 1941, he came for several months, leaving July 10 for an extended trip around the U.S. and Canada.
In 1941, I found a possible border crossing record for George, coming back from Mexico into Laredo.  His brother confirmed that George had just returned from Mexico before he died on October 24, 1941 in San Francisco.  After an autopsy, which indicated a blocked artery, the body was put on a train on October 27 in the early morning, arriving back home in Monroe on the morning of October 30.

Monroe Evening News, Monroe, Michigan, October 27, 1941
"DR. GEORGE L. DOTY DIES IN CALIFORNIA
Former Monroe County Resident Was Noted Educator and Archaeologist.
Relatives and friends here were shocked to learn of the death Friday in San Francisco of Dr. George L. Doty, 46, of Santa Monica, California.  Death was caused by coronary occlusion.  A noted educator, research worker, writer and traveler, Dr. Doty was born on the George W. Doty homestead on the North Custer road, Raisinville township, on January 28, 1895, attended the Grape district school, and was graduated from Monroe High School in 1912, winning a scholarship at Albion College.  He was a brother of Guy J. Doty, Raisinville township supervisor, and former Sheriff Harry R. Doty, and twice recently visited friends and relatives in Monroe.
Upon graduation with an A. B. degree from Albion College in 1916, George Doty won a scholarship at the University of Illinois, where he received his master's degree and doctorate in ancient and romance languages.  He served in the camp library service at Anniston, Alabama and in Europe with the Y.M.C.A. during the World War, after which he traveled and studied extensively in Europe.  Upon returning to the United States, Dr. Doty taught at Irvington, New Jersey; Meadville, Pennsylvania; Lake Forest, Illinois; and two years at Louisville College, Louisville, Kentucky.  At that time he won a scholarship conferred by the Italian government at the University of Florence, Italy.  At the completion of his studies there, he conducted research work and studied at Oxford, England, after which he went on an extended tour of the world.  He spent considerable time in Asia, India, and northern Africa.
In 1929, Mr. Doty accepted a position as head of the graduate language department at the University of Southern California, a connection he maintained for seven years.  Later he taught at a Santa Monica, California, high school.  Dr. Doty, in 1939, for reasons of health and desire to do intensive research work, retired and took up research, travel and writing.  He accompanied several expeditions in Central and South America in the interests of archaeology.  An authority on archaeology and prehistoric languages, Dr. Doty wrote and published several books.
Dr. Doty visited here in 1939 and again for two months this past summer, leaving here on July 10 to go to Cleveland, Meadville, Pennsylvania, Niagara Falls, Montreal and Quebec, Canada.  He visited in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, returning to the Pacific Coast.  He was visiting friends in San Francisco when he died.
Specializing in travel for 15 years, Dr. Doty expressed the opinion last May while in Monroe that he feared the present war would curb his touring for a long while to come.  He had been in every continent except Australia and in every state of the union except North Dakota.
Dr. Doty was the son of George W. and Alice Newcomer Doty, and besides his brothers, Guy and Harry, is survived by a sister, Mrs. Dorothy Ordway of Malinta, Ohio."
(Funeral details omitted; burial in Woodland Cemetery.)

Three brothers gone - first George L. at 46 in October 1941, then Harry on April 2, 1942 at 50, then Guy at 54 in October 1944.

Grandmother's Brothers - In the Middle, Harry

Harry Russell Doty was born August 2, 1891 at the Monroe County, Michigan homestead.  When his father died in 1910, he was about nineteen years old.  All of a sudden, he was thrown, with brother Guy, into more responsiblity for the home farm.

Harry is in the back row, left side.

He filed his World War I draft registration when he was 25, on the same day as his brother, Guy.  On June 5, 1917, he reported that he worked at the Monroe Gas, Light and Fuel Company at 20 Washington Street, Monroe.  He described himself as of medium height and build, with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.  When asked if he was disabled in any way, he answered no, but he was recovering from a series of internal operations.


Several years later, on October 30, 1919, Harry married Martha Yoas in the First Presbyterian Church at the Monroe manse.  When the census taker came around a few months later in January 1920, the couple resided at 308 West Elm Street in Monroe.  Harry had a job as a pipe fitter at the Bender Board Mill.  Both were 29 years old.

By 1930, the couple had moved to 118 West Noble Street in Monroe and owned a home worth about $8500.  Daughters Kathleen, 7, and Bonnie 2 8/12 were now a part of the family and with the family lived two roomers, Marcella Poupard, 18, an instructor at the telephone company, and Jasper Mathias, 28, a telephone lineman.  Harry worked as a salesman of electrical appliances.

Later, Harry entered into law enforcement, serving as a deputy.  In 1938, he ran for Monroe County sheriff and won.  He served for two years and was defeated in the next election.  Just as his brother was, Harry was very active in his community and church, and also like his brother, Guy, Harry died of heart disease at an early age.  He was just 50 when he died on April 2, 1942.

This obituary appeared in the Monroe Evening News on the day of his death:
"HARRY R. DOTY, EX-SHERIFF, DIES
Veteran Law Enforcement Officer Succumbs to Heart Ailment
Former Sheriff Harry R. Doty died in Mercy Hospital at 1:15 this morning of a heart condition which developed after a stroke of paralysis suffered on January 11.  Since March 25, when his condition grew serious, Mr. Doty had been in the hospital.


Fifty years old and known in every part of Monroe County, Mr. Doty was a member of a pioneer Raisinville family which has long figured prominently in township and county affairs.  A brother, Guy Doty, is supervisor of Raisinville township.  The parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. George W. Doty, lived on the farm on the North Custer road near Grape settled by the father, a native of New York state.
Harry R. Doty devoted much of his life to law enforcement.  Three times under former Sheriffs Fred Cronenwett, Joseph Kinsey and Frank Gessner, he served as a deputy.  During state prohibition days, he was an inspector for the Michigan pure food commission at the time when there was extensive bootlegging between Michigan which was dry, and Ohio, which was wet.  Prior to his election as sheriff, Mr. Doty was an inspector for the Michigan public service commission.  At the time he was taken ill, he was engaged as chief of police of the Monroe Auto Equipment Company, organizing a plant police system for this expanding war plant.

For times Mr. Doty and the present sheriff, Joseph J. Bairley, contested for the office in political campaigns that always took the spotlight away from all other contests on the county ticket.  Mr. Doty, a lifelong Republican, and Mr. Bairley, an equally ardent Democrat, were energetic and effective campaigners.  Mr. Doty always made a practice of visiting almost every farm home in the county in his campaigns, and probably was known personally to as many people in the county as any other man.

Mr. Doty won the election in 1938, when Republicans defeated Democrats for most of the county offices, and served two years as sheriff.  In the election of 1940, with Mr. Bairley again his opponent, he lost by 202 votes in the largest turnout of voters in the county's history.

During his term as sheriff, Mr. Doty followed a vigorous policy of strict enforcement of the law.  It was his enforcement of the state gambling law which was widely attributged as the cause of his subsequent defeat.  He insisted on the abolition of all gambling in the county, including slot machines, bingo games and other types of games which had long been taken for granted.  Sheriff Doty played no favorites and made no exceptions in his rule.
Jail regulations were tightened up during his regime and he made an effort to provide more and better equipment for the sheriff's department, which brought him into frequent conflict with the board of supervisors.

Mr. Doty was born August 2, 1891, on the Doty homestead.  He attended the Grape school and Monroe high school.  After leaving school, he worked several years on the family farm and later secured employment a the Consolidated Paper Company.  He also worked for a time for the Monroe Gas Light and Fuel Company.  Then came his activities as state inspector and as deputy under three Republican sheriffs.

On October 30, 1919, Mr. Doty married Miss Martha Yoas of Monroe, the ceremony being performed in the manse by the Rev. Frank P. Knowles of the First Presbyterian Church.  Mr. Doty was a member of the church.  He was also a member of Monroe Lodge No. 27, F & A & M, and of the Eastern Star.

For many years Mr. Doty took an active part in the affairs of the Republican party.  He was a faithful attendant at the county conventions and campaign meetings and frequently served as a delegate to the state conventions.

Survivors, besides the widow, include two daughters, Kathleen, 19, a patient in a Jackson sanitarium, and Bonnie, 14; the brother, Guy, of Raisinville; and a sister, Mrs. Fred (Dorothy) Ordway of Malinta, Ohio.  On October 24, another brother, Dr. George L. Doty died in San Francisco, California.  Mr. Doty was a noted educator, traveler, writer and research worker."
(Funeral details omitted; burial in Roselawn Cemetery.)

Harry's wife, Martha, lived until the age of 94.

Grandmother's Brothers - First, Guy J.

Grandmother Dorothy Doty was the little sister to three big brothers, Guy, Harry and George. 

Front, L to R: George Washington Doty, Guy J. Doty

Back, L to R: Harry R. Doty, George Lewis Doty

Guy J. Doty, the firstborn of George W. and Alice Doty, entered this world on June 20, 1890.  Born on the Doty homestead, he lived there his entire life.

After his father's death in 1910, he helped take over the responsibilities on the farm.  His World War I draft registration, dated June 5, 1917, gave his age as 26 and his status as single, a farmer on his farm in Raisinville.  He described himself as tall, of medium build with brown hair and eyes.

Just a few years later, on March 4, 1920, when he was 29, he married Elsie Reber, also 29,  and they settled in on the homestead.  The couple had three sons: Robert, Donald and George J. 

Doty cousins under a mulberry tree that the first Joseph Doty brought to Michigan from New York, according to the writing on the back of the photo.

My mother identified those in the photo as: Back Row, L to R: Dorothy and Fred Ordway, Guy J Doty, Don Doty (child), Martha Doty, Kathleen Doty (child), Elsie Doty, Dorothy Kemmerling Yeager, Harry Doty, Becky Kemmerling.  Front Row, L to R: Don Kemmerling, Ed Yeager, Jack Doty, Tippy the dog,  Johnny Kemmerling, Alice Yeager, Bonnie Doty and Donna Ordway (my mom with the print dress).

My mother dated this photo circa 1934-1935.

Guy J. Doty was an incredibly active man in his church and community.  Perhaps his obituary, published after his death on October 15, 1944, says it best.

"GUY DOTY'S DEATH LOSS TO COUNTY
Raisinville Farmer Gave Unstintingly of His Energy to Many Worthy Causes
Guy J. Doty, a man who gave unstintingly of his ability and energy in the constructive work of the farmer, the grange member, the township official, the selective service official, and the multiple duties of production credit and farm insurance, of farm cooperatives and many others, died at 4:15 p.m. Sunday.  His death created an inestimable loss to the county community in which he was one of the most widely-known citizens.
Mr. Doty, who was 54 years old, had not been feeling well for about six weeks, but he had not lessened his activities in his many fields.  He was the chairman of the special committee of the board of supervisors which visited three counties and brought back a report vigorously recommending the purchase of mechanical tax equipment as a necessity of good government.  Within the last two weeks, he had devoted considerable energy to work out a cooperative financing plan between three townships for a unit of the county library.
He attended the meetings of the board of supervisors early last week.  He was elected supervisor of Raisinville township in 1940, having served previously as township treasurer from 1932-1936.  He was reelected in 1941 and again in 1942 and 1943 when the term was lengthened to two years.  He was one of the first to espouse the cause of the county health department on the board of supervisors. 

Mr. Doty went to bed last Friday and remained confined to his bed until death.  The Doty farm is on the North Custer road, the Doty family occupying the homestead since 1837.
Mr. Doty's grandfather, Joseph Doty, moved to Monroe county from New York state in 1837, and established the farm on the north bank of the River Raisin.  The Doty ancestry goes back to early Pilgrim days, Edward Doty being one of the signers of the Covenant of the Mayflower.  Edward married Hope Standish, a member of the Standish family of Mayflower and Plymouth history.

Guy Doty was the son of George W. and Alice Newcomer Doty and was born on the homestead on June 20, 1890.  He attended the Grape school and then Monroe high school as have all the members of the Doty family.  His student trips to Monroe were made by buggy over muddy roads.  He did not graduate, however, the death of his father during his school days requiring his full services on the homestead.  He later took a farm course at Michigan State College and studied and read intensively on all modern farm technique. 

Through his interest in farming, he became active in the work of the county fair and in 4-H club programs.  His sons have all been active in 4-H Club work, Donald receiving the state's highest 4-H award during the late summer.
He was active in grange work for many years and was currently master of the Raisinville grange, a post he had held previously.  He was secretary-treasurer of the Ida Farmers Cooperative, a highly successful organization.  When farmers needed financial help and the federal government provided loaning agencies for machinery and equipment, Mr. Doty became president of the Jackson Production Credit Association when that organization, handling credits for four counties, had its office in Adrian.  Later the offices were moved to Jackson and distance became too great a factor.  Mr. Doty was vice president at the time of his death.  He was recently renamed a director of the Patrons Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

With the outbreak of the war, the demands upon Mr. Doty's time increased and he patriotically answered every call to service.  He was appointed to the original membership on the county selective service board in late September of 1940, serving with C. Ward Andrews and Norbert F. Yaeger.  He has served continuously, remaining on the board when he felt his health dictated that he should resign.  He stayed on because he felt he was ably qualified to serve as the representative of the farmer.  He received many visitors on draft matters at his home at all hours of the day and night.
Early in 1941, he became a member of the United States Department of Agriculture war board, an organization of representatives of all government agencies in the county, seeking to correlate their activities.  Mr. Doty represented farm production credits.  Finding a conflict of interest with those of selective service, Mr. Doty resigned from the war board about 14 months ago.

Mr. Doty suffered an illness several years ago which forced him to curtail his physical activities on the farm.  The death of his father at an early age, followed by the deaths of two younger brothers, Dr. George L. Doty in October of 1941 and Harry R. Doty on April 3, 1942, all from heart ailments, caused Mr. Doty to be aware of the possibility of his death.  Having enjoyed the longest life of his immediate famly, Mr. Doty often remarked that he was "living on borrowed time" but that fact never caused him to hesitate an instant in calling upon his resources to do what he felt was necessary.
Of a sunny, sometimes ribald disposition, Mr. Doty loved the humorous story and his hearty goodfellowship made him the life of most meetings he attended.
One of his numerous interests was the Monroe County Historical Society, his own family's long connection with the community being of value in the work of the organization.

Mr. Doty married Elsie Reber on March 4, 1920, at Dundee, the service being performed by the Rev. J. Sommers.  Her father, John Reber, was a Raisinville supervisor.  Mrs. Doty survives, in additon to three sons and a sister.  The sons are Sergeant Robert D. Doty, now stationed at Salina, Kansas, in the Army Air Force; Donald D. Doty and George J. Doty, both at home.  The sister is Mrs. Fred (Dorothy) Ordway of Malinta, Ohio...
(Funeral arrangements omitted here.)
A staunch Republican in politics, Mr. Doty sought political preferment outside his own township only once.  He was a candidate for state representative in 1932, being unopposed for the nomination and losing to Tracy Southworth.  Mr. Doty was always outspoken and stated his position on most questions in terms which were unmistakable.  One admirer today likened the death of Mr. Doty as a county loss similar to that sustained by the nation in the death of Wendell Wilkie."

Elsie Reber Doty lived until June 1973.  Her obituary stated that she was a lifelong resident of Raisinville herself and "when she married, she merely moved from one side of the river to the other."  After her husband died in 1944, Elsie was appointed to finish out his term of county supervisor which expired in April 1945.  She was a very active member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church and the Raisinville Grange.  I found an interesting interview with Elsie at this website, where she shares her memories of the early days of Monroe.

Susie and Ada Doty, Grandmother's Sisters

My grandmother, Dorothy Doty, had two sisters who were older and both died before her.  All of the sisters, sadly, died in the prime of their lives.

From L to R: Alice Newcomer Doty, Susie Doty Kemmerling, Ada Doty Lohr, Dorothy Doty Ordway

The oldest sister and oldest child in the George W. Doty family was Susan Bertia Doty.  Known as "Susie", she was born on February 13, 1880 at the Doty homestead in Monroe County, Michigan.

Her marriage record indicated that she married Will L. Kemmerling when she was 20 and he, 21.  The marriage took place on May 24, 1900 in Raisinville, Monroe County.  The groom's parents were John and Sophia Loose Kemmerling.  The census taker came around in June of 1900 and found the month-long newlyweds,William and Susie, living with his parents in Raisinville.  Will was working as a farm laborer on the home farm at the time.  Also living with them were Will's older brother, Jerry, age 33, and his little sister, Eltie, age 16.

By 1910, Will and Susie had rented their own home at 355 Harrison Street in Monroe.  The couple had two children, Dorothy E., age 7, and Donald, 5.  (Was Dorothy E. named after Susie's little sister, my grandmother?)  Will worked as an insurance agent. 
The family eventually moved out to the River Road to a farm where the 1920 census taker found them.  Will, 40, and Susie, 39, had two teenagers, Dorothy, 17, and Donald, 15. 

Left: Dorothy Kemmerling
She was very close in age to her aunt, Dorothy.  They were only three or four years apart.

Right: Donald and Dorothy Kemmerling

I have not been able to obtain a copy of Susie's obituary, but she died on May 8, 1926 at the age of 36.  Her husband, William, on the other hand, lived a long life until the age of 95.  William's obituary appeared in the Monroe paper on September 3, 1973:

"William Kemmerling

William L. Kemmerling, 95, a resident of the Beach Nursing Home since January, 1969, died Saturday.  He had been in poor health for a year and seriously ill for a week.  (Funeral arrangements deleted for this post.)

The son of John and Sophia Kemmerling, he was born August 3, 1878, in Raisinville Township.  He married Susie Doty on May 24, 1900.  She preceded him in death on May 8, 1926.  Mr. Kemmerling was a farmer and real estate broker and a life member of the Masonic Lodge 27, F & AM; life member of the Monroe Club, and a past member of the IOOF.  Surviving are a son, Donald of Pompano Beach, Fla; a sister, Miss Ettie Kemmerling of Monroe, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a great-great grandchild.  He was preceded in death by a daughter, two brothers and a sister."

William and Susie are buried in Woodland Cemetery in Monroe.

The photo on the right shows second sister, Ada Doty, working on her car.  Ada was born on October 16, 1883, about three years after her older sister, Susie.  Ada lived on the farm homestead with her mother after her father died in 1910 until her marriage in 1915. 

Then on November 13, 1915, at the age of 32, she married Henry A. Lohr, a farmer in the area.  They obtained their marriage license on the same day they were married, which was common at that time. They had one child, George Doty Lohr, who was born January 29, 1917 and died on June 4, 1917 at about the age of 4 months.

At the time of the 1920 census, Ada and Henry were living on a farm on Azalia Road, London, Michigan, close to Monroe.  By 1930, her mother, Alice, had moved in with the couple at 163 Ostrander Road, London, Michigan on a farm Henry owned.  Alice was 72 at the time of the census and Ada, 46.  The photo below is labeled, "Aunt Ada's home," and shows the interior of one of the houses above probably.

Ada died on August 8, 1932 at the age of 48.

Her obituary appeared in the Monroe Evening News on August 11th:

"SERVICES ARE HELD FOR MRS. ADA LOHR

Lifelong Resident of County Buried Today After Rites at Azalia Church

Special to the Evening News

Azalia, Aug. 11 - Funeral srvices for Mrs. Ada Doty Lohr, wife of Henry Lohr and a lifelong resident of Monroe county, were held at the Azalia Methodist Church at 2 p.m. today.  Mrs. Lohr died suddenly of a heart attack at her home at 11:30 p.m. Monday.  Burial was in Woodland cemetery in Monroe.

The Rev. Cletus A. Parker of the Ida Evangelical Church assisted by the Rev. F. A.Blake of the Dundee and Azalia Methodist Church had charge of the service.  The pallbearers, all residents of Azalia and vicinity, were Carl Bruckner, Miles Frink, William Noble, Dan Auten, Nelson Lamson and Charles Rogers.

Mrs. Lohr was born on the Doty homestead in Raisinville township, a homestead which has been in the Doty family since 1837.  She was born October 16, 1883 and lived on the homestead until her marriage to Henry Lohr in 1915 when they moved to the present home a half mile east of Azalia on the Ostrander Road.

She was active in the work of her community.  She was a Silver Star member of the Raisinville Grange, was a member of the Azalia Methodist Church, and of the Ladies' Aid Society of the church.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Lohr is survived by her mother, Mrs. Alice Doty of Raisinville; one sister, Mrs. Dorothy Ordway of Malinta, Ohio; three brothers, Guy Doty of Raisinville; Harry Doty of Monroe and George Doty of Los Angeles.  She was a niece of Mrs. L. W. Newcomer of Monroe."

Three sisters...three early deaths

Susie at age 36, Ada at age 48 and Dorothy at age 46.