IX. NORMAN SYLVESTER CAVERLY 1888 - 1985
(Redford, Charles H., Philip Jr., Philip Sr., John Sr., Peter I, Peter Gerardus, Jean)

Norman Sylvester was born Sept. 6, 1888 to Redford and Susannah (Bull) Caverly in Bingham Twp., Huron Co., MI per birth record #254 in Vol. 3, page 299. His family moved to Elkton, MI area in the early 1890s. The April 12, 1907 issue of the Huron County Republican, pg. 3 noted that Norman Caverly of Kingston, formerly of Oliver Twp. is now employed with Enos Bennett on Lew Hill’s farm. On Jan. 1, 1909 he married Mary Isabelle  Thompson in Chandler Township, Huron Co., MI. The 1910 U.S. Census for Huron Co., MI, Oliver Township shows the family of Norm, Mary, and daughter Jessie living in a rented house and Norm working as a laborer. It shows that both of Mary’s parents were born in Canada and of Scotch heritage. Mary was born Mar. 26, 1889 in Canada.

Norm and Mary raised their family in Tuscola Co., MI on Shay Lake Road which is a couple of miles southwest of Kingston, MI. He worked on a dray wagon in Kingston and helped build the first bridge over the Cass River. He was a hard worker as a farmer and butcher and was known as a “Jack of All Trades”. He never drove a car so he walked into Kingston almost every day.

Mary was a hard worker too and her basement was always full of canned goods. Summers meant visiting grandchildren. On Sundays she took great joy in grooming her grandsons and combing and braiding her granddaughters’ hair. Then she arranged for cars to come and pick them up and take them to services at  pilgrim Holiness Church in Kingston. She was a happy, friendly person who was loved by all.

Below is a picture of their family in the 1940s. From left to right standing are: George, Jessie, Lee, Alvin, William Redford, Gladys and Archie. Norm and Mary are seated with Clayton between them.

michigan@thecaverlys.com

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