When Family History Sounds More Like a Daytime Drama

I have previously  posted about my 3x great-grandfather, James Fredrick Trumble and his wives Mary Scriver and Ellen
Lockhart Fletcher once before. But, since I began digging more and reading through historical newspaper articles I have uncovered the story of James and Ellen’s tumultuous marriage. After James’ first wife Mary died of Typhoid Fever on September 12, 1910, he and his unmarried children (including my 2x great grandmother, Alice Agnes Trumble Okolow) moved to Flint, Michigan where he operated a boarding house. On December 8, 1911 he married Ellen Fletcher.

Reporters in Flint began running the family’s dramatic story not even six months after the marriage on May 3, 1912. Mrs. Trumbe had brought James to court because she planned on leaving him on the grounds of non-support. She stated that she had left because his children from his previous wife interfered and that the oldest wrote letters to try and separate them (James’ eldest daughter was Edna Isabelle Trumble was around 19 at that time and living at home). The article states that on recommendation of the prosecutor and the couple had decided to work out their differences.

The next time the Trumble family is was the headlines was later that same month when Mrs. Trumble left her five week old daughter Hazel and another child under 2 years of age with a neighbor so that she could go to the court at 8am and withdraw a statement from the previous day in which she accused James of assault and battery. Afterward she did not return to the neighbor’s home for her baby, instead at 1pm she called the sheriff from a drug store and stated that someone had stolen her children. At the time of the call, the baby had already been brought to the Sheriff’s Office because she would not stop crying with hunger. Little Hazel Trumble died in August 1912 of Enteritis.

After Hazel’s death in August 1912, the papers didn’t mention Mr. and Mrs. Trumble much. In 1913, they had their second child together, a son they named Howard Trumble. It seemed that things were finally going right for Mr. and Mrs. Trumble. But in July of 1914, a headline reading “Half of Family Lives in Tent; Half in Small Shack” added to the Trumble’s unhappy marriage. By this point, Edna Isabelle was married and had left her father’s residence. Of James Tumble’s children; Harley Wesley, Mary Catherine, Alice Agnes, and Manley Herbert were all still living at his home – or tent. The baby, Howard lived in his mother’s ice cream shack. It is said in the article by an unnamed source that when the families were both living under one roof it was too crowded and living conditions were poor. The article states that James was given until August 24 to “make good” on his monetary support.

In July 1916, little Howard Trumble died. And in November of 1916, James Trumble passed away as well from pneumonia. Ellen would go on to remarry three more times, dying in 1952.

John Chauncey Fults

Rewritten from the History of Montcalm, MI Vol.II 1916
Biographical by John W Pasef

John C. Fults, successful farmer and pioneer citizen of Sidney Township, Montcalm, MI was born in Herkimer Co., NY on July 11, 1830 son of Wm. and Mariah Mckoon Fults, natives of NY state, the former of German descent and the latter of Scottish descent. Wm. died shortly after his marriage. Following which, Mariah and only child John, came to MI in 1835 settling in Romeo, Macomb, MI then moving to St. Clair County where Mariah married Benjamin D. Thornton, a union to which 2 daughters were born; Hulda and Esther (Sally) both of whom and the mother are deceased.

NOTE:
Mariah/Mariah Mckoon Fults married B.D. Thornton of Berlin, St Clair Co October 3, 1843 she was 31 and living in Ray TWP, Macomb. Her surname was given as “Collins”

John lived with his mother until the age of 7. Then he became a part of Wm Garris’ home, Garris was a farmer in Macomb County, John resided there until the age of 10. During that time he received education at the common schools in Macomb Co. In about 1840, John went to live with the Sutherland Family for about 5 years, after which he began making his way in the world, working at different places in various lines of activity, chiefly farming. Until a few years later, he purchased 40 acres in Macomb Co, a place where he engaged in farming for a short time. He then moved to St Clair Co. where he lived for several years. During the year 1879, John moved to Montcalm, purchasing 146 acres in Sidney Twp, on the south side of Lake Dickerson, which prior to his arrival was without settlement, and occupied solely by a mill. On his farm he has placed extensive improvements and now lives there as a successful farmer.

On Nov 13, 1850 John C. Fults married Catherine Youngs, who was born in Wayne Co, NY on June 1835 to Harry Youngs and wife.

9 children, 7 living:
• Cornelia w/o Josiah Decker, Douglas TWP, Montcalm
• Mariah w/o John Trumble of Pinnconning, Bay, MI
• Catherine Abyer w/o John Coleman of Stanton, Montcalm
• Ira, deceased
• Annie w/o John Adams of Stanton, Montcalm
• Andrew, lives on the homestead
• Lincoln, died in infancy
• Johnson of McBride, MI h/o Minnie
• Eva Grace w/o Seth Pickett Day TWP

Catherine died March 26, 1915 at 80 yrs. They were devout Seventh Day Adventist’s. Fults has been a lifelong republican, casting his first vote for John C Fremont.

James Fredrick Trumble and Mary Elizabeth Scriver

Jas. F. Trumble was born October 7, 1871 in Michigan to John Trumble and Mary Maria Fouts. Mary Elizabeth Scriver was born to Henry Scriver and Salina Cooper on April 12, 1874 in Ontario, Canada. Henry and Salina moved from Canada sometime before Henry’s death in Pinconning in 1895. James and Mary E. were married October 7, 1890 in Pinconning, Bay, Michigan.

The couple had nine children, all born in Bay County, Michigan:

1. Edna Isabelle Trumble Smith (1892-1918)
2. John H. Trumble
3. Harley Wesley Trumble (1895-1969)
4. Mary C. Trumble Shelton Lerch (1898-1983)
5. Agnes Alice Trumble Eichler Okolow (1901-1997) (My 2x-g-grandmother)
6. Charles T. Trumble (1904-1905) (10mo) unknown cause, death unattended.
7. Gladys Lillian Trumble (1906-1908) (2yrs) (convulsions due to swallowing totally indigestible materials)
8. Manley Trumble (1909-1970) 
9. Cora May Trumble (Jan 1910-Sept 1910) (diphtheria & cholera)

Mary Elizabeth Scriver Trumble died of Typhoid Fever on September 12, 1910, the same day as her youngest daughter, Cora May.

Following Mary Elizabeth’s death, Jas. moved to Flint with his living, unmarried children, where he operated a boarding house. There, on December 8, 1911 he married Ellen Lockhart Fletcher, the daughter of Joseph Lockhart and Nettie Gifford. With Ellen, he had a daughter named Hazel Trumble who was born and died in 1912 in Flint, and in 1913, they had a son named Howard Trumble who died July 21, 1916. James died November 15, 1916 in Flint of Pnumonia, he was buried in Pinconning. The entire Trumble family (James F., Mary E., Charles, Gladys, Cora, Hazel, and Howard) in the New Pinconning Cemetery rest in unmarked graves.

Maternal Family Tree

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