Lucy Cater
ID # 3200, (1855-1941)
| Baptism | Lucy Cater was baptized in 1855 at Ohio. |
| Marriage | She married John Wesley Lawrason, son of John Purvis Lawrason and Sarah D. Crane, on 13 November 1901 at Kalamazoo, Michigan. Return of marriages for the County of Kalamazoo Nbr. 5938, date of license Nov. 9, 1901 John W. Lawrason, 46, farmer, residing Kalamazoo, born Canada. Married previously once. Parents John Lawrason and Sarah Crane. Lucy Cates, 46, residing Comstock, Michigan, born Michigan. Father John Cates, mother unknown. Not previously married. Date of marriage Nov. 13, 1901, by J.C. Floyd, clergyman. Witnesses (written rather illegibly) A.T. Geeling, Comstock, and Mrs. C.G. Shulber of Kalamazoo. |
| Death | She died on 7 May 1941 at Mecosta, Mecosta Co., Michigan. |
| Burial | She was buried at Highland View Cemetery, Big Rapids, Mecosta Co., Mich. |
| Note | John Wesley Lawrason and Lucy Cater are buried together in Highland View Cemetery in Big Rapids, Mecosta township. They are buried in Section 9, lot 79. John is in grave 1 and Lucy in grave 2. An index for Lucy's death as provided by Familysearch shows her date of death as May 7, 1941, and that is shown here. Her stone, however, as pictured on Find-a-Grave shows her years of birth and death as 1855-1940. The death index for Lucy also shows her father as John R. Cater and her mother as Mary Watson. The 1940 U.S. census dated April 4 shows Lucy Lawrason in the Mecosta County Infirmary. While Lucy's marriage registration shows her birth as being in Michigan, the 1910, 1920, and 1940 censuses show her place of birth as Ohio and the birth place of her parents as England. As mentioned above, Lucy's mother was Mary Watson. 'Mary', at some level, may be correct, but such records as we can find indicate that her name was Jane Watson. The 1860 census shows Lucy, age 4, born Ohio, in Township of Russia, Lorain County, Ohio. Her parents are shown as John Cater, 31, engineer, and Jane, age 29, both born England. Also present is a brother, Joseph, age 6, born Ohio. The 1870 census at the township of Eveline, county of Charlevoix, Michigan, shows John R. Cater, age 41, as a farmer, with Jane, age 39, keeping house. Again, both are shown as being born in England. Also present are Joseph, 16, born Ohio; Lucy, 14, born Ohio; John, 6, born Iowa; George, 1, born Michigan. It's the 1880 census where the path of Lucy's life becomes unclear. In 1880, we find Lucy Cater, age 24, in Comstock Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, born Iowa, both parents born England, but showing her as the adopted daughter of Charles and Hetty Evans. Lucy's parents are to be found in Canada Township, Labette County, Kansas, with sons John, age 16, and George, age 11, born Michigan. In 1900, Lucy Cater is still with Charles and Hettie Evans in Comstock Township, Kalamazoo, Michigan, though this time she is shown as a servant. Lucy married John Wesley Lawrason in 1901 and in the 1910 census both Lucy and John are with a Joseph and Hannah Cater. Joseph is born England and his age is 74. The writing is faint, but a transcription shows Lucy as a 'neice-in-law'. This Joseph is too old to be Lucy's brother. John Wesley Lawrason died in 1917 and in 1920 Lucy Lawrason is in Big Rapids, Mecosta Township, Michigan. She is 64, born Ohio, both parents born England. She has not been found in the 1930 census, but by 1940 she is in the Mecosta County infirmary. She is shown as age 84 and as being born in Michigan. As noted above, it's unclear as to whether she died in 1940 (per her gravestone) or in 1941 (per the death index.) |
| Last Edited | 6 Aug 2016 |