The SONSMITH - MOLL Family In America

The SONSMITH - MOLL Family In America
Chiefly related by Mrs. Lina SONSMITH DEMUN
Written by her daughter, Mrs. Eleanor DEMUN HASTINGS

Louis, the eldest living son of Henry I and Minnie, lived on a farm in Spaulding Township until 1926, then moved to a farm near Freeland, Michigan. He and Marie were the parents of four girls. Louis, who had hoped for a son, sometimes remarked in a jovial mood: "Never mind! The boys will come when the girls grow up!" He was right. The daughters are: Elsie (July 7, 1894 - January 13, 1983, widow of Joseph FOY), Edna (August 17, 1898 - January 31, 1988, widow of George EASTMAN), Meta (April 17, 1904 - January 9, 1998, widow of Claude ROYAL and then Wayne ROYAL), and Marion (December 23, 1907 - January 20, 1985, widow of Josephe BRASSEUR).

Early in 1952, Louis and Marie moved into Saginaw where they lived until his death in 1952 at the age of 84 years. The cause of death was a stroke. Marie survived him until January 4, 1966 when she passed away at the age of 91. Both are buried in Saginaw, Michigan at Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

Henry SONSMITH II moved to Johnsfield on farmland near his parents. Shortly after this move, he married Olga BAUER, born June 20, 1881. Olga had moved with her family from Austria as noted in First Families of Standish Township, published in 1976. Henry and Olga had two sons; Edward and Henry, Jr.

Henry II had been raised a Protestant, but sometime after his marriage to Olga who was a Roman Catholic, he expressed a desire to convert to Catholicism. He joined the Catholic Church where his family attended and was very happy in the conversion. This explains why there are now Catholic and Protestant branches in the SONSMITH family.

Edward SONSMITH, the first child of Henry II and Olga, was born April 15, 1901 in Standish, Michigan. When his family finally settled in Midland, Michigan, Edward completed the eighth grade, obtained a job, and married Miss Mary COUPIE. They had one child, now Mrs. Berniece SONSMITH MOHR. Edward was employed at Dow Chemical Company, Midland, and also engaged in mink farming. He also helped his son-in-law, Harry MOHR, establish MOHR Carpet Company, located near Midland. Edward died of cancer on April 6, 1969. A firm Catholic all his life, a priest once remarked to his wife and daughter during his last, painful illness, that he had "never seen such wonderful faith." He is buried in Midland.

Henry II and Olga's younger son, Henry III (Henry Arthur), was born November 8, 1902. After completing high school, he went on to college in Kalamazoo, Michigan. On July 30, 1928, he married Miss Audrey Grace BROWNE, born Janiary 22, 1908, also a college graduate. For a time, both taught school, until Audrey retired to raise a fine family while Henry continued in the teaching of Industrial Arts and as a critic teacher for many years until retirement.

It is interesting to note the degree of education obtained in each generation of the family. Henry I and Minnie spoke and wrote in German and had very limited use of English. Their children were lucky if they obtained as much as a sixth grade education. In their day, children, especially boys, were needed to help in the work on the farm. They missed much schooling during the planting and harvesting seasons, and were often out of school for weeks at a time. The girls dropped out "to help their mothers", especially in the canning season, helped with weeding and hoeing the garden, and sometimes even worked alongside the men in the fields. The common attitude was: Girls don't need much education...they'll only get married anyway!

Louis and Marie (HOETZEL) SONSMITH Family in 1909
The woman to the left front in the white apron is Marie (HOETZEL) SONSMITH.
The 4 girls in the middle are hers: oldest to youngest are Elsie, Edna, Meta, and Marion.
Louis SONSMITH is on the far right. The rest of the people are unknown

Louis could read and write. Will was almose illiterate. Lina could read and write and probably had the equivalent of a sixth grade education. The third generation did somewhat better in education. Three of Louis's daughters passed the state-wide eighth grade examination; and Marion, the youngest, graduated from Saginaw High School. As previously noted, Edward had an eighth grade diploma, and Henry III had bachelor's and master's degrees. Lina's daughter, Eleanor, obtained a bachelor's degree in education and a life-certificate to teach. She also earned a master's degree in English and literature. Lina's other daughter, Vera, obtained a tenth grade education and a practical nurse's certificate.

Henry II and his wife, Olga, lived in Midland for many years until his death on September 19, 1950 at th eage of 79 years. Olga survived him until June 4, 1963. Both suffered many years from arthritis and in later years from hardening of the arteries. Both are buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Standish, Michigan.

William "Bill" SONSMITH, the youngest surviving son of Henry I and Minnie, lived with his wife, Rose, in Saginaw for many years. In later years, they moved to Paw Paw, Michigan where he passed away of pneumonia on November 9, 1940, nearly 65 years old. They had no children. He is buried in Paw Paw. Rose died a few years later.

"Lina" (baptized Rosie Paulina Sophia) was the only daughter and youngest child of Henry I and Minnie SONSMITH. She was married on September 19, 1906 to William Franklin "Frank" DEMUN. Two children were born of this marriage. Eleanor Honoré (the author of this book) was born January 23, 1909 and died in about 1992. Vera Myrtle, was born July 17, 1911 and died June 15, 1971.