365    JAMES OATMAN

 

 

365      JAMES6     (Asahel5, Benjamin4, George3, John2, Johannes1), son of Asahel and Sarah (Parker) Oatman, was born in Cooperstown, Otsego County, New York, 24 February 1812, and died 29 March 1884 in Oxford County, Ontario.

 

He married Polly J. McCollow, (picture) who was born 1818, and died in 1900.  Both James and Polly are buried in Springford Cemetery, Springford, Oxford County, Ontario.  Polly's birthplace is still in question; two censuses of Oxford County, Ontario, state that she was born in Ontario, while two others say "U.S.".  Her daughter Achsah states in the 1891 census that her mother was born in Ireland.

 

James was a farmer.  He and Polly were active members of the First Regular Baptist Church of Christ at Norwich until the year 1844, when the church issued Letters of Admonition to James and two other men for practicing unitarianism.  During the August church meeting of that year, it was "voted that the hand of fellowship be withdrawn from all who advocate the doctrine of unitarianism (viz) Milo D. Woodward, James Oatman & David McCollow."  They were later restored as evidenced by their further involvement in the church;  James was restored on 22 December 1860. 

 

Children of James and Polly J. (McCollow) Oatman:

 

1338    Achsah, b. 30 Nov 1836, Oxford Co., ON; d. 26 Jan 1881; bur. Springford Cem., Springford, Oxford Co., ON; m. 1) on 8 May 1853 in Norwich, Oxford Co., ON, Abel Macklem, who was b. ca 1831, d. 22 Jun 1857, age 26, and is buried in the Pine Street Burying Ground at Otterville, ON.  Children, surname Macklem:

 

A         Margaret Jane "Jenny", b. 4 Jan 1856; d. 31 Mar 1934; bur. Springford Cemetery, Springford, ON.  Jenny was a member of the Springford Baptist Church; she lived her entire life in the same vicinity.  She married Albert Hicks ca 1879.  Albert, the son of Martin, Jr., and Margaret (Crossett) Hicks, was born in 1852, and died 6 Sep 1933, and is buried with his wife of 54 years.  Albert was a carpenter and he assisted with the building of the cantilever bridge at Niagara Falls.  He later turned to agriculture, retiring about 1919.  The 1891 census of South Norwich, Oxford Co., ON, list their children as:  Clarrie, 11;  Elston, 6; Fred 3; and Velma 3 months.  Albert’s obituary states that he died “following an illness of nearly a year which was the result of a fall,..”  These four children survived the couple's passing, surname Hicks:

 

  I         Clara M. “Clarrie,” b. 29 Sep 1879, Oxford Co., ON; d. 16 Apr 1967, Twilight Lodge Nursing Home, St. Thomas, ON; m. Frederick Rowland Sealey, who was b. ca 1880, Woodstock, Oxford Co., ON, and d. 12 Mar 1945 in St. Thomas, Elgin Co., ON.  They resided in Aylmer, ON, and had at least two children, surname Sealey:

 

a          George, d. 1969

 

b          Alice Eva, b. 20 Mar 1903; d. 19 Nov 1991; m. Clayton Arthurs, 28 Jul 1928.  Three children: Mary Jane, Robert Larry, and Rosemary.

 

 II        Elston Mona, b. 18 Sep 1885; d. 11 May 1969, at age 83 in Tillsonburg, ON, and is bur. in Springford Cem., Springford, ON; m. 6 Mar 1912, Lena Boughner, who was b. 17 Feb 1888 at Rosanna, ON, to Leonard Boughner.  She d. 16 Dec 1935 in Cornell, ON.  Children, surname Hicks: 

 

                                                a          Wilfred Macklem, b. 25 May 1913; d. 20 Oct 1979, Tillsonburg, Oxford Co., ON; bur. 22 Oct 1979, Springford Cem., Springford, ON; m. 8 Feb 1940 in Otterville, ON, Aletha Marie Hayward, who was b. 31 May 1919, Corinth, ON, d. 29 July 1998 and bur. Springford Cem. 

 

                                                b          Mervin, b. 20 Oct 1915; m. 19 Apr 1937, Hilda Dorene Hicks, Fonthill, ON; she b. 17 Jan 1920, Cornell, ON, and d. 23 Feb 1997, Tillsonburg, ON. 

 

                                                c          Madeline Dorothy (Hicks), b. 21 Jun 1918, Tillsonburg, ON; d. 21 Mar 1995, Kelowna, BC; m. _____ Nichols

 

III        Fred (Hicks), b. 23 Nov 1887; d. 14 Feb 1975; lived in Union Mills, IN; m. 2 Jun 1909, Eva Ann Hunt (she b. 29 Sep 1885, d. 8 Mar 1978).  Children, surname Hicks:

 

                                                a          Gordon Lee, b. 9 Jan 1912; d. 7 Feb 1997; m. 24 Nov 1939, Martha Jeanette Young, in LaPorte, IN.  Two sons.

 

                                                b          Velma Ruth, b. 20 Nov 1913; d. 15 May 1991; bur. Union Mills, IN; m. 25 Oct 1938, Martin Boesiger.  No children.

 

                                                c          Frederick Eugene, b. 1 May 1923; m. 30 Aug 1997, Jean Margaret Ruppert.  Four children.

 

 IV       Velma, b. Jan 1891; d. 19 Jun 1978; m. Archibald Lloyd “Archie” Moore; lived in Bookton, ON.  Her name is given as “Thelma” in her brother Elston’s obituary.  Archie died at age 79 in a two-car accident near Otterville, ON.  He was “an Otter Mutual insurance agent and retired farmer,...”  He was buried in Bookton Cem., Bookton, ON.  They had no children.

 

Achsah m. 2) ca 1859, Dennis Andrew Hicks, b. 22 Sep 1836, d. 11 Aug 1900, Oxford Co., ON.  He was a son of Martin Hicks, Jr., and Lodicea Oles, and was a half-brother to Albert Hicks, who m. Dennis' stepdaughter Jenny Macklem.  Children, surname Hicks:

 

B         Elston Eugene, b. 27 Jul 1861, Cornell, Oxford Co., ON; d. 26 Oct 1946, Cornell.  Bur. Springford, ON. Elston was employed as an operator on the New York Central Railway and lived in the United States for a time, but had been, since 1911, a merchant at Cornell.  He was a member of the I.O.O.F. for 61 years, and a member of the Baptist Church.  He m. 1) Amelia Shirton, who d. 9 Oct 1918 in Cornell, ON;  2) Zuella Irene Cooper, b. 22 Sep 1891, d. 8 May 1984, Tillsonburg, ON; she had first married Clarence Lillow, and had a son, Donald L. Lillow.  Children, surname Hicks (I and II are children of Amelia; the other three are children of Zuella):

 

  I         William, b. 1898; d. ca 1941, Perth (near Ottawa), ON; m. ca 1927, Violet Springway (she b. Mar 1902, d. Feb 1979, Perth, ON). 

 

 II        Achsah Fulsom (Hicks), b. 17 May 1901, d. 12 Oct 1995 “in her 95th year;” m. Hugh C. Jones, 25 Oct 1930, living in London, ON, in 1946.  Hugh was b. 1896, d. 1990, bur. Springford Cem. 

 

III        Robert Dennis, b. 23 Nov 1921; living in Hawtrey in 1946; m. 17 Jul 1943, Betty Irene Beck (b. 6 Jan 1923). 

 

 IV       Betty Doreen (Hicks), b. 17 May 1924; living Cornell in 1946, unmarried; she m. Ross Leo Adlington, 23 Mar 1946 in the Springford Baptist Church, Springford, ON.  He was b. 18 May 1925. 

 

  V       Jack Gordon, b. 20 May 1928; m. 27 Jul 1948, Shirley Rosemary Simmons; she b. 22 Apr 1929; Liv. Tillsonburg 1995. 

 

C         Emmett Franklin "Dutch” (Hicks), b. 15 Feb 1863, Cornell, ON; d. 10 Mar 1944, Cornell.  He had an extensive and successful threshing business for 30 years.  He m. Mary Wardle, 22 Feb 1893 at Springford, ON.  She was b. 24 Jun 1864; d. 10 Aug 1940.  They were members of the Springford Baptist Church. and are buried in Springford Cem.  Children, surname Hicks:

 

  I         Milo Harold, b. 7 Feb 1895; d. 1981

 

 II        Olive Blanche, b. May 1896; d. 8 May 1956.  She was unmarried.  Bur. Springford Cem., Springford, ON.

 

III        Iva Beatrice, b. 4 Jul 1898; d. 24 Nov 1966, Tillsonburg, ON; m. Rodger Garefield Foster (he b. 15 Dec 1895, d. 1 Feb 1945 in North Norwich, Oxford Co., ON, son of Adam Foster).  They were m. 21 Jan 1920 and had two children, surname Foster:

 

                                                a          Phyllis Madeline, b. 4 Mar 1922; d. 20 Mar 2000; bur. Springford, ON; m. 2 May 1942, Jack Baxter.

 

                                                b          Garefield Harold, b. 1932; m. in Tillsonburg, ON, Feb 1953, Marjorie Louise Libert

 

 IV       Muriel Alwilda, b. 24 Jun 1900, S. Norwich Twp., ON; d. in Tillsonburg Hospital on 23 May 1985 “in her 85th year.”  On 15 Apr 1925, she m. James William Patterson, living at Maple Dell, 1946.  He was b. 19 Apr 1899, N. Norwich Twp., ON, and d. 19 Feb 1967 in Brantford, ON.  Both bur. Springford Cem., Springford, ON

 

D         Elmer "Scotty" (Hicks), b. 18 Jan 1865, Cornell, ON; d. 18 Jan 1929, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., MI; bur. Otterville Cemetery, Otterville, ON; he lived in Michigan for ten years before his death; m. 1) Tamzin Carolyn “Carrie” Parks, who was b. 20 May 1870, and d. 4 Jul 1915 in Otterville, ON; 2) Barbara Woodard (she b. 14 Jul 1867, d. 1 Jun 1957). Children, surname Hicks:

 

                                      I         Tommie D., b. 10 Aug 1890, ON

 

 II        Achsah Ottie, b. 21 May 1895, Otterville, ON; d. 25 Apr 1980, San Diego, CA; m. 22 Oct 1923, Ann Arbor, MI, Edward Carl Gohenbach, living Dexter, MI, 1929.  Three children.

 

                                     III       Sarah (Hicks), b. 21 Aug 1896, ON

 

                                      IV      George Dennis, b/d. 1900.

 

                                       V      Mary, b/d. 1902, Springford, ON

 

  VI      Cora Amelia, b. 5 Oct 1904, Otterville, ON; d. 3 Dec 1956, Monroe, MI; living Dearborn, MI, 1929, unmarried.  About 1932, she married John Brandes (b. 1900, liv. 1995).  Two children.

 

E          Mary Frances "Minnie” (Hicks), b. 19 Jun 1867, Cornell, ON; d. 7 Nov 1948; bur. Springford Cemetery, Springford, ON; m. Albert Oatman (see #1376).

 

F          George Washington, b. 18 Jul 1869, Cornell, ON; d. 3 May 1937; m. Myrtle Doane, 12 Dec 1906; she b. 21 Dec 1881, d. 11 Jan 1970; moved to Minneapolis, MN.  Children, surname Hicks:

 

  I         Marietta Achsah, b. 29 Apr 1914; m.1) Lloyd Williams and had a son, Richard Dale Williams; 2) Robert Marlow.

 

 II        Myrtle Elaine, b. 29 Sep 1916; m. 29 Sep 1935, Robert Johnson and had two children: Roberta Elaine and Delbert Theodore Johnson; div. 1941.  She m. 2) Paul Redfield and had two more children: Paulette and Judith Redfield.

 

III        Earlene May, b. 10 May 1921; d. Mar 1923.

 

                                     IV       George Louis, b. 2 Feb 1924; m. Margaret Carl, 18 Jul 1943

 

G         James Dennis, b. 11 Jun 1871; originally presumed to have died 18 Apr 1906 in the San Francisco earthquake.  In the 1904 records from the San Francisco Public Library Archives, he is listed as a butcher residing at 2010 Fillmore Street; the butcher shop, also at that address, was owned by Simon P. Hicks, whose relationship is unknown.  He is not found in 1905, 1906 or 1907; however, his sister Cora May's obituary lists a surviving brother, "Jas. of Salt Lake City", which is probably James.

 

H         Cora May, b. 31 Oct 1875, Cornell, ON; d. 18 Jan 1915, Calgary, AB; bur. Springford Cem., Springford, ON; m. Charles F. Anstice, 14 Dec 1898.  He was b. 13 Dec 1980; d. 11 Dec 1961.  She was raised in Cornell and joined the Springford Baptist Church when young, where she was a member of the choir.  About 1904 they moved to Calgary; about 1907 she "became afflicted with heart trouble", which eventually claimed her in death.  Children,  surname Anstice:

 

  I         Fred, b. 25 Apr 1900

 

 II        Evelyn Morel, b. 6 Jun 1906; d. 10 Sep 1986; m. 2 Jun 1928, Percy William Bell.  Four children: Carrie Lorene, Keith Anstice, Eleanor Leone, and Willard Francis Bell.

 

 

 

After the death of Achsah, Dennis Andrew Hicks, on 22 Feb 1884, m. 2) Achsah Avaline McCollow, b. 22 Oct 1859, d. 7 Jul 1922. Their children, surname Hicks, were:

 

I           Lena Mable, b. 3 Dec 1884, Cornell, ON; d. 19 May 1973; Lena weighed only 1½ pounds at birth.  So tiny was she that no attempt was made to dress her for weeks; she was placed on a soft pillow and the whole affair was wrapped in blankets.  At six months, when they shortened her dresses, as was the custom then, they made her sleeve 3½ inches long, and it came over her hand.  On 22 Feb 1905, in Cornell, ON, Lena married Arthur Fox, whose death was reported:

 

"A shocking incident occurred on the farm of J. Fletcher, a short distance north of Tillsonburg, on Friday last [26 April 1929], whereby Arthur Fox, a well known and mostly highly respected South Norwich farmer lost his life.  He was assisting Mr. Fletcher in sawing wood, and the day's work had almost been completed, when Mr. Fox, who was assisting in feeding a log to the buzz saw, stumbled and fell headfirst into the saw.  He was immediately taken to the house and Coroner Dr. Weston was summoned and announced that death had taken place instantly...[buried] Springford Cemetery."

 

He was survived by Lena, three brothers (Ira and Charles of Springford, and George of Carman, Manitoba), one sister, Mrs. Thomas Cartwright of Springford, and four children.  Children, surname Fox:

 

  I         Caro Leola, b. 19 Feb 1906; m. Elmer Smith, 28 Apr 1927 at Springford Baptist Parsonage.

 

 II        Verol Irene, b. 21 Oct 1906, S. Norwich Twp., ON; m. John Wallace Fletcher, 12 Nov 1927; liv. Florida 1975

 

III        Baby Girl, b/d. 12 Mar 1909

 

                                     IV       Achsah Victoria, b. 1 Jun 1910, d. 1993

 

  V       Lena Cora, b. 22 Jan 1912; d. 4 Feb 1975, Tillsonburg, Oxford Co., ON; m. 23 Feb 1935, Fred Nelson Lonsbary.  Bur. Springford Cem., Springford, ON

 

 VI       Maybelle Florence (Fox), b. 13 Dec 1915; m. 7 Mar 1936, John “Jack” Kilcourse.  Four children.

 

VII      John Arthur Dennis, b. 10 Mar 1920; d. 14 Mar 1944 (World War II)

 

                             VIII Albert E., b. 18 Apr 1922; d. 22 Apr 1922

 

J           Florence Evaline (Hicks), b. 20 Jan 1887, ON; d. 26 Feb 1983; bur. Oroville, CA; m. Albert E. Chrysler, 14 Jun 1909, Cornell, ON.  In 1929 they were reported living in California.  Two children: Albert Edgerton and Bruce Lloyd Chrysler.

 

K         William Franklin "Hickey", b. 23 Aug 1889, ON; d. 18 Oct 1985, Springford, ON, “in his 97th year.”  On 9 Oct 1918, he m. Laura Leta Lefler, who predeceased him on 2 Dec 1960 (she b. 12 Apr 1901).  Although his obituary does not mention the fact, he apparently later m. the widow of Monte Oatman, Erie Butcher Oatman, as a “stepdaughter Mrs. Joyce Culvert” is listed as a survivor.  Joyce was the daughter of Monte and Erie Oatman.  He is bur. Springford Cem., Springford, ON. 

 

L          Alice Pearl, b. 11 May 1897; d. 4 Nov 1993, Redford, MI; m. 2 Jul 1917, William Young (he b. 20 Mar 1894, Detroit, MI; d. 25 Jan 1987, Inkster, MI). 

 

1339    Sarah, b. 1838, Oxford Co., ON; m. VanRanseler Hilliker (he b. ca 1835/1836, ON), eldest son of Egbert Hilliker and grandson of John Hilliker, on 7 Jan 1859.  He later m. 1868, Mary Cane, and was a hotel keeper in Cornell, ON.  He d. in North Branch, Lapeer Co., MI; Mary was b. 23 Sep 1841 in Simcoe, Haldimand CO., ON, and died in 1894 in North Branch, Lapeer Co., MI.  They had a daughter Evalena Hilliker.  Children, surname Hilliker:

 

A         Frances Lenora, b. 22 Feb 1859; d. 1939; m. Seneca B. Oatman (see #1372).  Frances was living with her grandparents, James and Polly Oatman, in the 1871 and 1881 census of South Norwich, Oxford Co., ON. 

 

1340    Mary, b. 29 May 1846, Oxford Co., ON; d. 25 Oct 1899, Cornell, Oxford Co.,ON; she m. 1) M. Anderson; m. 2) 28 Jun 1886, Springford, ON, Benjamin Bosworth Haight.  Mary and Ben apparently had no children.

 

Benjamin was b. 26 Aug 1841 in Rochester, Monroe Co., NY (another source gives his birth place as Farmington, Ontario Co., NY).  He lived as a boy near Sparta, and also lived in Lobo, Norwich, and Chatham.  He was married first to Eliza Jane Zavitz, 14 Dec 1865 in Lobo Twp.; he d. 21 Apr 1929 in Fruitland Park, FL, at his daughter's home. He was a member of the Baptist Church and a "Liberal in politics".  Benjamin and Mary were married at the Springford Baptist Church by Rev. P. G. Robertson; witnesses were Willis Oatman and D. W. McCollow.  Benny Haight lived on the Hugh D. Webster farm at Cornell, lot 17, conc. 10, South Norwich. 

 

In a common file in the Norwich Archives, Norwich, ON, are photos of Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Haight, parents of "the first Mrs. Byron Addison" (picture), and one of "Grandma Oatman" (Polly (McCollow) Oatman).  Included among the pictures is a newspaper article describing a wedding of Mr. Nelson E. Hicks, "the popular dry goods merchant", and Miss May Addison, daughter of Mr. Byron Addison, apparently the son-in-law of Thos. Haight.  The exact relationship of these are not clear, but "Thos." was possibly a brother to Benjamin.  Children from his first marriage, surname Haight:

 

A         Marian Venilla “Minnie,” b. 11/17 Feb 1867, Coldstream, Middlesex Co., ON; d. 1952, Fruitland Park, FL; m. William John Stover, 9 Nov 1898, Norwich Twp., ON.  He d. 2 Apr 1937, Fruitland Park, FL. After their marriage, Will and Marian moved to Jamaica; Marian came home to Norwich to have her first baby, Lorenzo.  The family left Norwich to go to California about 1902, moving on to Australia, then back to CA ca 1918, and to FL in 1920.  Children, surname Stover:

 

  I         Lorenzo Haight, b. 4 Oct 1899, Norwich, ON; d. 3 Apr 1995, Leesburg, FL (picture)

 

                                     II        Ruth Elizabeth Bertha, b. 18 Aug 1903, Corning, CA; d. 8 Dec 1904, six miles southeast of Imperial, CA; bur. Imperial Cem.

 

                                    III        Ernest Coleman, b. 11 Aug 1907, CA; d. 29 Nov 1911, CA, when he was accidentally knocked off of his bicycle; bur. Imperial Cem., Imperial, CA.

 

B         Ruth, b. 27 Nov 1869, Norwich, or Middlesex Co., ON; d. 1916, Chatham, ON; m. Frank Dell, who was b. 27 Aug 1877 near Strathroy, ON, d. Jun 1913 at Chatham where he operated a store.  Their house on Lansdowne Avenue was called Dellavilla.  Children, surname Dell:

 

                                     I          Harry, who was a musician

 

C         George, b. ca 1872, ON; d. 1910; m. 29 Dec 1897, Norwich, ON, to Nellie Agar.  They lived in Grand Rapids and Benton Harbour, MI; he worked for the railroad.  Children, surname Haight:

 

                                     I          Marjorie Maude Irene, m. Horace Henry Small, 6 Sep 1930, at the home of H. T. Agar, East St. Paul, MN. 

 

1341    George R., b. ca 1850; d. 3 Jul 1852.  The 1851 census of South Norwich, Oxford Co., ON, lists a son for James and Polly by the name of "George R.", age 1.  He is not listed in the 1861 census and we can presume that he died young.  A stone was found in Springford Cemetery which reads: 

 

"In Memory of George B., son of James & Polly Oatman, who died July 3, 1852, age 27      ."

 

1342    Ruben, b. ca 1855.  In 1891 Ruben, 35, was a farmer in South Norwich, Oxford Co., ON, living with his mother "Ollie" (Polly), 73, a widow.

 

1343    Freeman Willis, b. 3 Mar 1859, Oxford Co., ON; d. 16 Jun 1933; m. Minnie  Woodard, 8 Oct 1880

 

 

 

 

Sources:           Family records; Vital records of Oxford Co., ON; Wills of Oxford Co.,ON; 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 census, South Norwich Twp., Oxford Co., ON; Tombstone inscriptions; Hicks Newsletter, Vol. 8, p. 40-43; Records of the First Regular Baptist Church of Christ in the Town of Norwich, County of Oxford, District of London and Province of Upper Canada; Obituaries of [Elston Eugene Hicks; Emmett Franklin Hicks; F. T. Sealey; Rodger Garefield Foster; Albert Hicks; Mrs. Albert "Jennie" Hicks; Mrs. Elston M. Hicks; Elmer "Scotty" Hicks; Cora May Hicks Anstice; Arthur Fox; Benjamin Haight; Wilfred Macklem Hicks; Elston Mona Hicks; Archibald Lloyd Moore; Cora [Hicks] Lonsbary; Zuella Irene Hicks; Achsah [Hicks] Jones; Kenneth Macklem Hicks; Muriel [Hicks] Patterson; William Franklin Hicks]; Doris Oatman, Tillsonburg, ON; David A. Zavitz <dzavitz@yahoo.com>;Amanda Hicks <amanda_hicks@hotmail.com>; Paper entitled “Benjamin Bosworth Haight” from Norwich Archives, 2001;

Hilliker information: “Descendants of Patience Peaslee” from        

                                    http://home.earthlink.net/~melindaroo/patiencepeaslee.html.

“Hicks Family Tree 1728-2001" (Mrs. Doreen Smith, Tillsonburg, ON, 2001)

           

 

 

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