Hugh Elliott Hodges

Notes:

From the SSDI:

HUGH HODGES 29 Nov 1929 06 Apr 2000 (V) 49307 (Big Rapids, Mecosta, MI) (none specified) 373-24-3333 Michigan SS-5 Letter

Notes:

At the time of the 1930 census, Elliott and Elizabeth were living next to his parents.

Per the SS-5 completed by Elliott on October 19, 1940, his street address was 257 E. Washington Street in Ionia, and he was employed by the Lyons Manufacturing Company in Lyons, Michigan.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1930 Federal Census
Michigan, Ionia County, Ionia Township
ED 16 #257
1/2-241-271
Hodges, Elliott Head Rent $30 M W 33 M@20 Mich Mich Ohio D??Waiter? Public Hodges, Elizabeth Wife F W 25 M@19 Illinois Poland Poland
Hodges, Betty Jane Dtr F W 6 10/12 Mich Mich Ill
Hodges, Hugh Son M W 4/12 Mich Mich Ill

Elliott married Elizabeth Ann Beecher. Elizabeth was born on 20 Oct 1905 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; died in Sep 1985 in Ionia Twp, Ionia County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

On her application for a social security number, filed in 1939, she listed her parents as Stanley BEECHER and Pauline CHEHOTSKA. The 1930 census indicates that both of her parents were born in Poland. At the time of her application, she was employed by Mrs. Grace Elliott, of 216 N. Jackson, Ionia.

Per the SSDI:

ELIZABETH HODGES 18 Nov 1904 (sic) Sep 1985 48846 (Ionia, Ionia, MI) (none specified) 373-18-7142 Michigan, Note that the Date of Birth does not match the date of October 20, 1905 shown on her completed Form SS-5, and it is assumed the date on her actual application was the correct one.

Notes:

1900 Federal Census, Ionia County, Ionia Township ED #13 East Main 720-272-297
Hodges, Albert Hd W M April 1863 37 M14 MI NY NY
Hodges, Flora Wf W F Feb 1865 35 M14 1/1 OH Va Pa
Hodges, Elliott Sn W M Dec 1896 3 MI MI OH

1910 Federal Census Ionia County Ionia Township ED #17 251-173-176
Hodges, Albert 47 M1 23 Farmer MI NY NY
Hodges, Flora 46 M1 23 OH Vermont (sic) Pennsylvania
Hodges, Elliott 13 S MI MI OH
252-173-176 Popple, Marion Hd ? NY NY NY

1920 Federal Census Ionia County Ionia Township ED #78
Albert A. Hodges Head 54 Michigan New York New York Painter Car Shop
Flora Hodges Wife 54 Ohio Virginia Pennsylvania
Elliott Hodges Son 23 Michigan Michigan Ohio Electrician Theatre?
Popple Maria Boarder Lodger 76 New York New York New York

1930 Federal Census Ionia County Ionia Township ED #16 #257-241-270
Hodges, Albert A Head Own 2500 M W 69 M@25 Painter Railroad Shop Mich NY N
Hodges, Flora Wife F W 64 M@22 Ohio VA PA
Roberts, Forrest Roomer M W 21 Attendant Oil Station Mich US US

Albert married Flora J. Elliott on 20 Oct 1886 in Ionia County, Michigan. Flora (daughter of Augustus E. Elliott and Sarah Ann Cramer) was born on 7 Feb 1865 in Ohio; died on 16 Feb 1962 in Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Avis Augusta Smith had the following to say about her grandfather, for whom she was named: "My grandfathers name was Augustus Eliott. He was a redhead and wore a Van Dyke beard. He was part Dutch and was from Culpepper, Virginia. During the Civil War he fought in the Union Army. He had five brothers who fought in the Confederate Army. He was wounded at Gettysburg, and was at a hospital with one of his brothers, who was also wounded. His family was Baptist. They had owned a Tobacco plantation, which was destroyed by the war. After the war, he moved to Michigan. The rest of his family stayed in Virginia. He had a sister who was still well to do after the war. He had been trained as a tobacco auctioneer, but obviously there was little need for that in Michigan. He became a general auctioneer instead." Augustus and his wife Sarah lived with Avis while she was growing up.

Though the essence of Avis's recollections about her grandfather appear to be correct, some of the details seem to have gotten garbled. Although Augustus may have lived at some time in Culpepper, it appears that he actually was born in Washington, Virginia (per his Pension Application). His occupation is also shown as "Farmer" and not auctioneer, though he easily could have been both. He had also moved to Ohio prior to the onset of the war. From the 1850 census, it appears Augustus had only four brothers, not five, although is is possible an another brother might have left home prior to the census. Although I did find the name of a William Elliot in an index of Confederate Pensioners from Rappahannock County, I did not see the name of any of the other brothers. Additionally, since older brother David Elliot had also settled in Ohio prior to the Civil War, it is possible that he might also have enlisted in the Union Army, or stayed neutral.

Although Augustus was wounded at war, it was in December 1862 in Petersburgh, West Virginia. He was hospitilized, first at Church Hospital and then at the Canal Invalid Hospital, both in Cumberland, Maryland. He was given a medical discharge in April, 1863. This was several months before the Battle of Gettysburg in July of that same year.

Augustus Elliott was enrolled in the Union Army on the 22nd day of August, 1862 at Fostoria, Ohio in Captain R.A. Kirkwoood's Co I, 123rd Regiment of Ohio Volunteers, to serve for 3 years or during the war. He mustered into service as a private on the 24th day of September 1862 at Thomasville. According to a letter from the War Department, Surgeon General's Office, Record and Pension Division, Washington D.C., dated April 18, 1872 "It appears from the records in this Office, that Augustus E. Elliott, Private, Co I, 123 Regiment, Ohio Volunteers was admitted to General Hospital, Cumberland, MD, January 7, 1863 for treatment for Neuralgia of head, and was discharged the service April 10, 1863, because of Neuraligia of head. No records of Perryville, Md. on file. The Reg't Register commences on June 13, 1863. JJ Woodward Asst Surgeon US Army Vol 29, No 1578"

What exactly happened to cause his hospitilization and discharge is unclear. And although Augustus applied for a disability pension in 1870, it appears that he did not begin receiving any payments until around 1921. The original Surgeon's Certificate of Disability stated he was unfit to perform the duties of a soldier because of "Neuralgia of head resulting from a severe wound received upon the top of his head about a year ago--previous to enlistment. There is much nervous prostration and deafness." A fellow soldier, Jacob Bowman, thought Augustus was hospitalized after a case of Typhoid fever. It was also noted that his "Heart is very irritable after slight exertion and standing the pulse is 120. Heart(beats?) are clear and regular and apex beat is heard in normal position on 5th ??? space"

However, on his original Declaration for an Invalid Pension, filed on August 13, 1869, Augustus explained that he was disabled "by having his right hip dislocated in the following manner: on the night of that day Imbodens' Rebel Cavalry having surprised and captured the outposts made a sudden attack on the Camp before it could be alarmed & things were real lively for a time. In trying to get out of the way of flying bullets, cavalry soldiers...being himself unarmed he did it the darkness of night...fall over a precipice some 15 or 20 feet high thusly dislocating his hip. For this he was treated in the General Hospital of Cumberland to the 11th of April 1863 when discharged."

In another affidavit filed June 20, 1870, Augustus stated that while in the line of duty at Petersburgh, West Virginia, about December 19, 1862, he sustained a dislocation of his right hip from which a permanent disability has resulted. That the injury was received by falling over a precipice some ten or twenty feet high in an attempt to avoid capture by the enemy. He elaborated (and perhaps exaggerated) his story in an affidavit filed August 27, 1870, in which he stated that about December 20, 1862, while on duty guarding commissary store at Petersburgh, W. Va., he, with others, was captured by the rebels, and the following night he escaped; in so doing "he fell down an embankment, about thirty five feet high, spraining and bruising--to such an extent to render him unfit for duty from that time until his discharge. From the effects of said fall he received a rupture in the right side from which he is still suffering. He also alleged heart disease caused by hardships which he endured while escaping." Jacob Dillon of Fostoria, Ohio signed an affidavit stating that he was a member of the same company and regiment and that he was present at the time while Augustus was escaping from the Confederate forces, and actually saw him fall "from a ledge of rocks about twenty feet in Height." Whatever happened to Augustus, it appears he was in very poor physical condition at the time of his discharge. John W. Green testified that he was in the Canal Hospital with Augustus, who had "came to the said hospital going with a cane, and he was very pale and poor, he had a bad ankle and complained of his hip. His privates were badly swollen...I do not know if he was ruptured or not. He complained of soreness in the left side and also complained of heart trouble. It seemed difficult for the Claimant to breathe when he was in a reclining position...I heard Dr. C. C. Perry the hospital doctor say that the claimant was unfit for duty caused by heart disease and as soon as he was able was going to send him home." Alexander McDonel, a friend from Ohio stated that "I have known Augustus Elliott for 30 years and have always known him to be a man of good character and steady habits. I have done work for him. I knew him well in Ohio before he enlisted and I believe he was perfectly sound at the date of his enlistment. I enlisted in 1861 Co H 21 OVI. I saw him again some time early in 1863 when he arrived at the depot on his way home. He was then a living skelton going on a cane."

According to Family Tree Maker CD 450 County and Family Histories: OH 1780-1970, Disk 5, Seneca County, Liberty Township (C) Broderbund, "August Elliot" was a trustee of the Ebenezer Chapel Society, Bettsville, (which) was incorporated May 19, 1865, along with William Cramer and Henry Cramer (his brother's in law).

On June 20, 1870 when he filed for the invalid pension (Application #157769, Certificate #886142). He was described as 6 feet tall, light complexion, with blue eyes and light hair.

Augustus E. Elliott - died Nov. 2, 1921, male, white, married. Age 82y, 7m, 3 d. Died of Myocaridial Deg. Born: Virginia. Retired farmer. Parents: Wm. Elliott , Born VA. and mother, unknown.Volume 6, page 468

On January 23, 1922, his wife Sarah filed for a Widow's pension from Michigan (Application #1184108, Certificate #913733).

(Research):

Census Listings:

1870 Census
Ohio, Seneca County, Loudon Twp, PO Fostoria
Enumerated 16 Jun 1870
Page 11 Stamped 168
71-70
Elliott, Augustus 27 M W Farmer 1600 645 Virg
Elliott, Sarah A 32 F W Keeping House Pa
Elliott, Flora J 6 F W Ohio
Elliott, Ida A 5 F W Ohio
Elliott, Charles W 2 M W Ohio
72-71
Henry and Mary J Cramer

1880 Census
Michigan, Ionia County, Odessa Twp
Enumerated 10 Jun 1880
Page 25 SD 2 ED 103 Sheet 323 A
231-236
Elliott, A E W M 35 Head Farmer Oh Ireland Va
Elliott, Sarah W F 41 Wf Keeping House Pa Pa Pa
Elliott, Flora W F 17 Dtr At School Oh Va Pa
Elliott, Ida W F 15 Dtr At School Oh Va Pa
Elliott, Charles W M 13 Son At School Oh Va Pa
Elliott, Ella/Ellen F F 10 Dtr At School Oh Va Pa
Elliott, Clinton M W 7 Son At School Oh Va Pa

1900
Not located

1910 Michigan Census, Eaton County, Oneida Township
Taylor Street
#154-160
Elliott, Agustus Head M W 70 M1 49 years Born VA Parents born GB/Irish Occupation Real Estate
Elliott, Sarah Wife F W 74 M1 49 years Mother of 7 children, 4 living Born PA, both parents PA
Elliott, Charles M W 41 single Does not read or write
-161 Smith, William Head M W 42 M1 12 years Born Mi, both parents MI Occupation: Merchant
Smith, Ida Alice wife F W 43 M1 12 years, Mother of 2 children
Smith, Avis A D F W 9 years born MI
Smith, Ilo D F W 3 years born MI

1920 Census Michigan, Eaton County, Oneida Township 15 Jan 1920
501 Taylor Street
#357-366 Elliott, Augustus E Head M W 81 M Born VA Parents born Ireland (Irish)
Elliott, Sarah A Wife F W 86 M Born PA, both parents PA
#358-367 Smith, William B Son in law M W M Born MI, Father born NY, Mother Canada/English Occupation: Merchant, General Store
Smith, Ida Alice Dtr F W 53 M
Smith, Avis A G/D F W 18 years born MI
Smith, Ilo G/D F W 13 years born MI

QUESTION TO RESOLVE

--Who is Burt Elliot? Among the effects of Avis Smith Benkelman, daughter of Ida Alice Elliott, was a picture taken in Ionia County, MI titled, "Uncle Burt Elliott and wife." Could the Bert Ellliot below be another relative? If so, how?Rebecca Asif of Burnsville, Minnesota is also a great-great-great granddaughter of Augustus Elliott. She received an identical picture from her aunt, and assumes the picture is of Augustus and Sarah, and that my copy must be mislabeled

There is no record of Augustus having a brother named Burt, nor of Flora, Ida and Ellen having a brother Burt. In the 1891 Ionia City Directory that was on Ancestory.com, I did find a listing for "Eliot, Bert Occ Farm Lab N.E. Smith Bds. Same page 212" There was a 3-8-1947 death record (G-468) for a Bert Elliott but his parents were John R. and Martha Jane (Lamie) Elliott who was born in Sugarin Falls, OH. Bert was b 3-30-1881, and lived at route 2 in Charlotte.

Another possibility is that, Avis's husband, Ben, had a second cousin named Burton Elliott, born in May 1883 in Cass City. He was the son of David Elliott of Brockford, New York and Matilda Krapf, and a grandson of Frederick Krapf and Dorothea Benkelman. Could this be the "Uncle Bert Elliott" of the picture? It does not seem likely as the picture was taken in an Ionia County photography studio, and not in Tuscola County where his family lived.

Augustus married Sarah Ann Cramer on 18 Aug 1861 in Seneca County, Ohio. Sarah (daughter of Johannes "John" Cramer, Sr. and Catharina Schlott) was born on 29 Apr 1834 in York County, Pennsylvania; died on 2 Feb 1924 in Grand Ledge, Eaton County, Michigan; was buried in Lakeside Cemetery, Lake Odessa, Ionia County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Avis Smith had the following comments about her grandmother: "Sara Cramer was from a Pennsylvania Dutch family. She was a widow and had two sons that had died. Her parents were farmers and congregationalists. They had lived in Finley, Ohio before the family moved to Lake Odessa, Michigan. She was a descendant of a Revolutionary War soldier. When married to Augustus Eliot, they had three daughters: Ida, Flora, and Ellen."

Augustus Elliott's pension application, as well as her widow's application, state that she had never been married before. Avis's other grandmother, Mary Ann Smith, was twice widowed. Perhaps this is who she was thinking of. Sarah and Augustus did have two sons who died young, and another son who appears to have been stillborn. This might also account for the discrepency in Avis's recollections.

At the time of the 1860 census, she was living in the home of her elder brother, Henry Cramer. She was listed as a "domestic" apparently helping her sister-in-law care for the home and children.


Death Index listing
Volume 7, page 427

Sarah Ann Eliott - died Feb. 2, 1924, Female, white, widow. Age 88y, 9m, 3d. Died of Arterial Sclerosis. Born: PA Housewife. Parents: J. Cramer & ------ Sloat.

Notes:

Married:
"Augustavus Elliott and Sarah Klemur licensed to marry August 16, 1861 O.C. Zeller, Clk"

"The State of Ohio, Seneca County, I certify that I this day soleminized the marriage of Augustus Elliott with Sarah A. Cramer. Witness my hand this 18 day of August A.D. 1861 A.B. Roe VDM. Certified and Recorded September 16, 1861 O.C. Zeller, Clk." Recorded in Vol. 5, page 419.

On his pension application, Augustus states that he and Sarah were married by Rev. Poe of the M.E. Church, Seneca County, Ohio on 18 August 1861. Dean Cramer shows they married in Fostoria.