IX. CHARLES HENRY CAVERLY 1870 - 1947
(Redford, Charles H., Philip, Jr., Philip, Sr., John, Sr., Peter I, Peter Gerardus, Jean)

Charles was born Jan. 18, 1870 in Ubly, Bingham Township, Huron County, MI to Redford and Julia (Stillwell) Caverly. He was named after his paternal grandfather, as was a common custom at that time. In 1892 he married Amelia Allen who was born Sept. 25, 1871 in Canada. Amelia’s father had been born in Ireland and her mother in England. Her family had emigrated from Canada to Michigan around 1880.

I suspect that the picture to the right from an old tintype might be Charles as a young man due to the time period it was taken and the fact that the other tintypes with it were of his brother William and what must be their sisters.

Per the 1900 U.S. Census for Michigan, the family was living in the Village of Elkton in Oliver Township. Charles was working as a drayman, probably for his father Redford who had been in the dray business for a number of years in Elkton, Michigan. Amelia evidently suffered a number of miscarriages since the census shows that she had given birth six times in their 8 years of marriage and only two children had survived. One of those that did not survive was Claud, born Nov. 14, 1898 in Caseville where Charles
was listed as a laborer on Huron birth record no. 295.

By the time the 1910 U.S. Census was taken they had moved to Austin Township in Sanilac County, MI. Charles was listed as a farmer on his own account and was renting. In those ten years Amelia had lost two more babies and had two more that survived for a total of four surviving out of ten births. One of those that didn’t survive was Mary B., born Jan. 15, 1904 who died Sept. 13, 1904 of indigestion at Bad Axe, MI.

The 1920 U.S. Census shows Charles, Amelia, Merrill, George, and Hubert living in Koylton Township, Tuscola County, MI. He was employed as a grain thresher and Merrill at age 20 was working as a farm laborer. By the time of the 1930 U.S. Census,
all the children had left home. Charles and Amelia owned a home in Kingston next door to Norm and Mary and he was listed as a carpenter/thresher.

After his wife Amelia died Jan. 31, 1940 in Kingston, MI, Charles went to live with his younger brother and sister-inlaw, William and Mary Caverly in Elkton. Various references of his sons visiting him or of him going to visit his sons can be found in the 1944 through 1947 editions of The Elkton Advance. One entry for Sept. 19, 1946 states
“Mr. and Mrs. Silas Norton and Charles Caverly left on Monday for a trip of several days in Northern Michigan”. Edith and Silas were his sister and brother-in-law. Barbara, daughter of Merrill, remembers that after her grandmother died, Charles would come and spend a week every summer at their home.

Charles died Feb. 26, 1947 at the age of 77 of heart disease at the home of his brother William. Charles and Amelia are buried at the Kingston, MI cemetery.

Charles and Amelia’s oldest son Clifford Lionel was born Jan. 16, 1897 and married Bernice Myrtle Clark on Sept. 27, 1916. He was a finish carpenter. They lived in Milford, MI and had son L.D. who died 13 June 2001 in Spruce, MI. Their daughter Beulah married John McBeth in 1940 and had a son by him. She later married Earl Parks and lived in Alden, MI. Clifford Lionel died Oct. 3, 1980 in Troy, MI and Bernice died
Aug. 5, 1988 in Barton City, MI.

IX. CHARLES HENRY CAVERLY 1870 - 1947
(Redford, Charles H., Philip, Jr., Philip, Sr., John, Sr., Peter I, Peter Gerardus, Jean)

The second surviving son Merrill was born Nov. 17, 1899. He married Edna Brief April 12, 1923. He was a factory worker and enjoyed hunting and fishing. They lived near Clarkston and had a large family of 12; Floyd, Marion, Margarit, Melvin, Lawrence, Barbara, Arthur, Thelma Mae, Basil, Richard, Kenneth, and Mona. Their children that have passed away are: Floyd Charles b. 23 Jan. 1926 d. 11 July 1979 in Lake Angelus, MI, Margarit b. 25 Feb. 1928 d. 10 Jan. 1991 of cancer, Melvin b. 16 April 1929 d. 9 Sept. 1939 in Pontiac, MI of streptococcic septicemia, Lawrence Edward b 8 May 1932 d. 24 Aug. 1996 in Waterford, MI, Arthur James b. 14 Oct. 1937 d. Dec. 1966 in Bradenton, FL of cancer, Basil Norris b. 30 Oct. 1941 d. circa 1993 of cancer.

Merrill died March 30, 1950 in Pontiac of hardening of the arteries and a lesion of the brain. Edna died in in Pontiac, MI in 1969 from cancer of the uterus and diabetes. She had also gone blind and lost the use of her legs. They are both buried in the cemetery in Kingston, MI.

George H. was the third son and was born Aug. 25, 1902. He married Pauline Wedemayer Oct. 13, 1928. They had two children, Eloise Flo and George J. and lived in Pontiac, MI. He had been a foreman at the General Motors Truck and Coach Division and also a life member of the Oakland County Sportsmans Club. George H. died March 12, 1975 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery. His wife Pauline died in July, 1985 in Lake Angelus, MI.

The fourth son, Hubert Lawrence was born Aug. 23, 1905 in Elkton, MI. He married Mildred Deneweth on Oct. 19, 1933. They had three sons and a daughter; Clive who died in Oct. 1995 in Port Huron, MI, Neal, Reginald who died in Nov. 1971, and Linda. Hubert died in Royal Oak, Oakland Co., MI in January, 1977.

michigan@thecaverlys.com

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