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Note: Margaret Ethel Knechtges Sturman was the oldest of four children born to her parents John Knechtges and Christie Anna McLeod. She was born on July 13, 1902, in Laurium, Houghton County, Michigan. She grew up in her parents home in Laurium. According to her rather belated birth record below (apparently from the 1950's), she was born in the family home on Kearsarge Street. I'm not sure that this is accurate. In the 1903 directory, they are listed as living at 429 Hecla Street, and it seems more likely that this is where they were living and where Margaret was born. Some records from 1907 to 1910 show that during that time they were living at 412 Kearsarge Street. A record from 1912 shows that they were then living at 310 Osceola Street. Another record from 1916- 17 shows that they were living at that time at 146 Kearsarge Street. All of these locations are within a few blocks of each other in Laurium. The family home of Margaret's father John Knechtges was nearby at 228 Osceola Street. John's widowed mother Margaret lived there until she died in 1913. I believe that Margaret and her family left Houghton County and moved to Detroit between May and November of 1919, probably during that Summer. I know that by November of 1919 they were living at 1360 Vermont Street in Detroit. In Detroit, Margaret initially lived with her family. Gloria reports that Margaret went to a business school for about a year and then worked for a while in Detroit. On July 19, 1923, she married Raymond Charles Sturman in Detroit. She reportedly met Ray through her mother Christie Anna, who was working at a laundry in Detroit. Ray had a business at the time picking up and delivering people's laundry. Gloria says that she doesn't think that her mother worked much after she got married, other than helping out in the laundries that Ray owned. Mostly she raised her three children. They lived in a number of different homes in Detroit, until they moved to the farmhouse on 10 1/2 mile road in Southfield in 1934. They lived there for almost 20 years, moving in about 1952 to Greenfield Avenue in Detroit. In 1954 they moved to a house on Winthrop Street, where they again lived for almost 20 years. In 1973 they moved to Avon Township, Oakland Hills, Michigan, which is where they spent the rest of their lives. Margaret died on September 10, 1991, at the age of 89. She is buried next to Raymond in the Acacia Park Cemetery, in Beverly Hills, Michigan. Rick Waggener ================== I have a probate court application which documents Margaret's apparently unrecorded birth. It was submitted by her mother in Wayne County, Michigan. It does not seem to be dated, but was apparently submitted in the 1950's. Presumably Margaret needed some record of her birth at the time. She was listed as residing in Detroit, Michigan at the time it was submitted. Place of birth: Laurium, Houghton County, Michigan Street and number: Kearsarge Street Full name of child: Margaret Ethel Knechtges Sex of child: Female Single, twin or triplet: Single Legitimate: Yes Date of birth: July 13, 1902 Full name of father: John Knechtges Residence at time of birth: Kearsarge Color: White Age of father at time of birth: 24 Birthplace of father: Michigan Occupation of father: Electrician Full maiden name of mother: Christie Anna MacLeod Residence at time of birth: Kearsarge Street Color: White Age of mother at time of birth: 25 Birthplace of mother: Canada Occupation of mother: Housewife Number of child of this mother: 1 Number of children of this mother living at time of birth: 1 In the manner of the registration determination of the unrecorded birth of Margaret Ethel Knechtges. Christie Anna Knechtges, being duly sworn, states that I am the mother of Margaret Ethel Knechtges and therefore have personal knowledge that she was born on July 13, 1902, in the Village of Laurium, Michigan. Signed: Christie Anna Knechtges Address: 10 Moss Ave. Apt. 406, Highland Park 3, Michigan =========== From Margaret's Baptismal Certificate, dated November 19, 1919. This was apparently just after the family moved from Houghton County to Detroit. Sacred Heart Church, Calumet, Mich. The Records of the Church Certify, under date of July 27, 1902, to the Baptism of Mary Margaret, born, July 13, 1902 of John Knechtges and Anna McCloud. Said record is signed by Rev. Julius Henze, OTM; with sponsors, Alexander Lauctot and Eva Knechtges. =========== From the 1920 Federal Census of Detroit City, Wayne County, district 260, sheet 2a, taken January 2-3, 1920, household 24, address- 1360 Vermont St.; from ancestry.com, image 3 of 28. Margaret is listed in the household of her parents: ------ Margaret E.; daughter, female, age- 17, r/w's, born- Michigan, father born- Michigan, mother born- Canada, occupation- telephone operator/ M.C.R.A. ========== From the 1930 Federal Census of Detroit City, Ward 16, Precinct 29, taken June 5, 1930, district 52-517, sheet 14b, household 84, address- 5396 Allendale; from ancestry.com, image 28 of 32. Margaret is listed in the household of her husband: ------ Margaret; wife/ head, female, age- 27, married, 20 years old at 1st marriage, r/w's, born- Michigan, father born- Michigan, mother born- Canada/ English, occupation- none ============ From the 1940 Federal Census of Southfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan, district 63-167a, sheet 3b, taken April 26-27, address- 24386 Franklin Rd. Margaret is listed in the household of her husband: ------ Margaret; wife, female, age- 38, married, highest school grade completed- 10th, born- Michigan, residence in 1935- same house, not working last week of March, engaged in housework ============ The following story appeared in a Detroit area newspaper, apparently about August 21, 1954. It concerned the birth of two of Margaret's grandchildren, Pamela Jane Waggener and Kathy Jean Sturman, both born the day before at Women's Hospital in Detroit: Friday was a hectic day for Mrs. Ray Sturman of Detroit, as the stork presented her with two grandchildren within five hours. She came out to the Royal Oak home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. James R. Waggener Jr., 227 East Twelve Mile, to mind the three Waggener children. Mrs. Waggener had left in a hurry for the maternity ward of Woman's hospital, Detroit at about 3 a.m., Friday. Grandmother Sturman was holding the fort at 8:15 as the fourth Waggener child, a five pound nine ounce girl was born at the hospital. Her son-in-law raced home with the good news. Just as Waggener got home, his brother-in-law Richard Sturman, 1705 East Jarvis, Hazel Park, was pulling out of the Waggener's driveway. He was rushing his wife to the same hospital for the same purpose. Sturman had left his two children at Waggener's home in the care of their grandmother. At 3:15 p.m. Friday, the second grandchild, a seven pound, seven ounce girl was delivered at the hospital. "It was quite a day," chuckled Grandmother Sturman. "Now I have seven grandchildren, all under four years old." Mrs. Sturman's daughter and daughter-in-law also gave birth to their first children only two weeks apart. The mothers are doing fine- in a double room at the hospital. ============ From the State of Michigan, Department of Health, Death Certificate, State File Number 0413932: Decedent's name: Margaret E. Sturman Sex: female Date of death: September 10, 1991 Age: 89 Date of birth: July 13, 1902 County of death: Oakland Location of death: William Beaumont Hospital/ inpatient City: Royal Oak Social Security number: 363-68-9302 Occupation: homemaker Kind of business: own home State of residence: Michigan County: Oakland City: Rochester Hills Address: 303 Toucan Drive Zip code: 48309 Birthplace: Laurium, Michigan Marital status: widowed Ever in military: Ancestry: Scottish/ German Race: white Education/ highest grade: 10th Father's name: John Knechtges Mother's name: Anne MacLeod Informant's name: Mrs. Gloria Waggener Address: 251 Randolph; Rochester Hills, Michigan 48309 Method of disposition: burial Place of disposition: Acacia Park Location: Southfield Twp., Michigan Funeral service: A. J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Dirs.; 2600 Crooks Road, Troy, MI 48984 Cause of death: Pulmonary esleme/ small bowel obstructions Date: September 10, 1991 Time of death: 4:29 am ============ Margaret and her husband Raymond are buried in the Acacia Park Cemetery, located at 31300 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, Michigan. This is just north of 13 mile road. I didn't get the section or grave number, but their graves are in the far south east corner of the cemetery. Margaret's headstone reads: WIFE MOTHER MARGARET E. STURMAN 1902 * 1991
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