I live in Sunfield Michigan and am in my late 40's. I have 3 daughters who keep me very busy. My family and my husbands family are both from the Ionia and Eaton county areas for many many generations back. I have been into tracing my family history since I was in high school.

I am hoping for a little "what goes around comes around" or "paying it forward" or whatever you want to call it :) I have an ancestor that I don't know where he is buried. His whole life he and his family lived in or around Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan and Crystal Township, Montcalm County, Michigan. These towns are only twenty miles apart....and I can't find him! I am hoping that I or someone else stumbles over his name on a grave marker one of these days. Newell Canfield...where are you? For that matter, I also don't know where is parents Isaac and Polly Canfield are buried! Or his wife Frances (VanValkenburg) Canfield Hartley is buried! This family is really good at hiding!

Here is all of the information that I have gathered for these people. There is a lot listed, but it is just my way of trying to narrow down where they might have been laid to rest.

Newell H. Canfield – Where is he buried?*
What we know of Newell, his family and his whereabouts

Born 9/15/1840 Maple Corners, Ionia County, Michigan

Census: 1840 Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan (In the 1840 census individual names are not listed, just the head of the household)

Census: 1850 Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan: Isaac (53), Ann (47), Ethel (16), John (15), Newell (10), Edward (8), Truman (3)

Census: 1860 Portland, Ionia County, Michigan: Annie (57), John (23), Newell (19), Edmund (18), Truman (12)

2/15/1860: Father, Isaac Northrop Canfield death in Portland Township, Ionia County, Michigan – We don't know where he is buried either!

8/2/1862: Enlisted

8/22/1862: Mustered into service as a corporal in Civil War 8th Regiment New York Heavy Artillery, Company F

6/3/1864: Wounded at battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia.

7/3/1865: Mustered out of service in Lockport, New York

1866: April 19 married Frances VanValkenburg in Maple Corners, Ionia County, Michigan

1866: Residence Maple Corners, Ionia County, Michigan

7/28/1867: Daughter Harriet Caroline Canfield was born in Crystal, Montcalm County, Michigan

Census: 1870 Inland Township, Benzie County, Michigan: Newell (28), Frances (23), Harriet (3)

11/5/1870: Son, Edward Deforest Canfield was born in Ionia County, Michigan

1874: Bought land in Traverse City, Michigan

10/24/1874: Son, Lenn Gardner Canfield was born in Carson City, Michigan (Death certificate says born in 1868, Registration card says 1874)

4/19/1878: Death in Crystal, Montcalm County, Michigan – Although I am not sure where this information came from. This is the day that his fathers probate papers were read and signed, listing Newell with his other living children. So I think it is safe to say that Newell died between 4/19/1878 and 1880. Frances is listed as a widow in the 1880 census.
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Census 1880: Newell has passed away, his wife Frances was living in Portland with Mr. C.S. Dorr and family.

Census 1880: Newell's mother Polly Anna Wells Canfield was living with her son Edward in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan

1/11/1884: Mother Polly Anna Wells Canfield death in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan – You guessed it, we don't know where she is buried either!

1888: Frances (Widow of Newell) living in Lowell – source: Grand Rapids City Directory, 1888. Harriet also listed in this directory

11/29/1900 wife Frances VanValkenburg Canfield remarries, Samuel Walker Harley in Ionia, Ionia County, Michigan

8/30/1913, Frances's second husband, Samuel, died. Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Le Roy, Osceola County, Michigan. He is buried there with his first wife and children.

1917 son, Edward death, buried in Orleans Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan

12/28/1919 wife, Frances VanValkenburg Canfield Hartley death – Don't know where she is buried either!

1/8/1930 daughter Harriet death, buried in Tuttle Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan

5/21/1943 son Lenn death, buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Kent County, Michigan

Newell's Siblings
Alfred 1821-1899 buried in North Plains Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan
William 1823-1824
Wilbur H. 1826-1907 buried in Lyons Township Cemetery, Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan
Adeline 1829-1881 buried in North Plains Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan
Charles S. 1831-1852
Ethel Beach 1833-1907 buried in Holton Cemetery, Holton, Jackson County, Kansas
John H. 1835-1910 buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Harrison, Clare County, Michigan
Jared 1837-1839
Newell 1840-1878
Edmund 1843-1903 buried in Riverside Cemetery, Hastings, Barry County, Michigan
Harriet 1845-1846
Truman 1849-1914 buried in Mountainview Cemetery, Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, Washington

Newell and Frances' Children
Harriet Caroline 1867-1930 buried in Tuttle Cemetery, Ionia, Ionia County, Michigan
Edward Deforest 1870-1917 buried in Orleans Cemetery, Orleans, Ionia County, Michigan
Lenn Gardner 1868-1943 buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan

*Maple Corners/Pioneer Cemetery, located at Maple Rd and S Pline Rd in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan. In 1875 and 1891 it is shown on the land of William Toan. It isn't show on the 1906 map. At some point prior to 1955 a county ditch was put through the cemetery. Some stones were copied and others buried. It's believed that at least some of the graves were reinterred in Portland. 50-100 graves were bulldozed. This is where I believe Newell, Frances, Isaac and Polly Anna were buried, but I have no proof of this.

I live in Sunfield Michigan and am in my late 40's. I have 3 daughters who keep me very busy. My family and my husbands family are both from the Ionia and Eaton county areas for many many generations back. I have been into tracing my family history since I was in high school.

I am hoping for a little "what goes around comes around" or "paying it forward" or whatever you want to call it :) I have an ancestor that I don't know where he is buried. His whole life he and his family lived in or around Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan and Crystal Township, Montcalm County, Michigan. These towns are only twenty miles apart....and I can't find him! I am hoping that I or someone else stumbles over his name on a grave marker one of these days. Newell Canfield...where are you? For that matter, I also don't know where is parents Isaac and Polly Canfield are buried! Or his wife Frances (VanValkenburg) Canfield Hartley is buried! This family is really good at hiding!

Here is all of the information that I have gathered for these people. There is a lot listed, but it is just my way of trying to narrow down where they might have been laid to rest.

Newell H. Canfield – Where is he buried?*
What we know of Newell, his family and his whereabouts

Born 9/15/1840 Maple Corners, Ionia County, Michigan

Census: 1840 Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan (In the 1840 census individual names are not listed, just the head of the household)

Census: 1850 Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan: Isaac (53), Ann (47), Ethel (16), John (15), Newell (10), Edward (8), Truman (3)

Census: 1860 Portland, Ionia County, Michigan: Annie (57), John (23), Newell (19), Edmund (18), Truman (12)

2/15/1860: Father, Isaac Northrop Canfield death in Portland Township, Ionia County, Michigan – We don't know where he is buried either!

8/2/1862: Enlisted

8/22/1862: Mustered into service as a corporal in Civil War 8th Regiment New York Heavy Artillery, Company F

6/3/1864: Wounded at battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia.

7/3/1865: Mustered out of service in Lockport, New York

1866: April 19 married Frances VanValkenburg in Maple Corners, Ionia County, Michigan

1866: Residence Maple Corners, Ionia County, Michigan

7/28/1867: Daughter Harriet Caroline Canfield was born in Crystal, Montcalm County, Michigan

Census: 1870 Inland Township, Benzie County, Michigan: Newell (28), Frances (23), Harriet (3)

11/5/1870: Son, Edward Deforest Canfield was born in Ionia County, Michigan

1874: Bought land in Traverse City, Michigan

10/24/1874: Son, Lenn Gardner Canfield was born in Carson City, Michigan (Death certificate says born in 1868, Registration card says 1874)

4/19/1878: Death in Crystal, Montcalm County, Michigan – Although I am not sure where this information came from. This is the day that his fathers probate papers were read and signed, listing Newell with his other living children. So I think it is safe to say that Newell died between 4/19/1878 and 1880. Frances is listed as a widow in the 1880 census.
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Census 1880: Newell has passed away, his wife Frances was living in Portland with Mr. C.S. Dorr and family.

Census 1880: Newell's mother Polly Anna Wells Canfield was living with her son Edward in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan

1/11/1884: Mother Polly Anna Wells Canfield death in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan – You guessed it, we don't know where she is buried either!

1888: Frances (Widow of Newell) living in Lowell – source: Grand Rapids City Directory, 1888. Harriet also listed in this directory

11/29/1900 wife Frances VanValkenburg Canfield remarries, Samuel Walker Harley in Ionia, Ionia County, Michigan

8/30/1913, Frances's second husband, Samuel, died. Buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Le Roy, Osceola County, Michigan. He is buried there with his first wife and children.

1917 son, Edward death, buried in Orleans Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan

12/28/1919 wife, Frances VanValkenburg Canfield Hartley death – Don't know where she is buried either!

1/8/1930 daughter Harriet death, buried in Tuttle Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan

5/21/1943 son Lenn death, buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Kent County, Michigan

Newell's Siblings
Alfred 1821-1899 buried in North Plains Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan
William 1823-1824
Wilbur H. 1826-1907 buried in Lyons Township Cemetery, Lyons, Ionia County, Michigan
Adeline 1829-1881 buried in North Plains Cemetery, Ionia County, Michigan
Charles S. 1831-1852
Ethel Beach 1833-1907 buried in Holton Cemetery, Holton, Jackson County, Kansas
John H. 1835-1910 buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Harrison, Clare County, Michigan
Jared 1837-1839
Newell 1840-1878
Edmund 1843-1903 buried in Riverside Cemetery, Hastings, Barry County, Michigan
Harriet 1845-1846
Truman 1849-1914 buried in Mountainview Cemetery, Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, Washington

Newell and Frances' Children
Harriet Caroline 1867-1930 buried in Tuttle Cemetery, Ionia, Ionia County, Michigan
Edward Deforest 1870-1917 buried in Orleans Cemetery, Orleans, Ionia County, Michigan
Lenn Gardner 1868-1943 buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan

*Maple Corners/Pioneer Cemetery, located at Maple Rd and S Pline Rd in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan. In 1875 and 1891 it is shown on the land of William Toan. It isn't show on the 1906 map. At some point prior to 1955 a county ditch was put through the cemetery. Some stones were copied and others buried. It's believed that at least some of the graves were reinterred in Portland. 50-100 graves were bulldozed. This is where I believe Newell, Frances, Isaac and Polly Anna were buried, but I have no proof of this.