Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pemberton Obituary Project: Joseph Putnam Phelps

Joseph Putnam Phelps was the husband of Agnes Emma Pemberton, the fourth child of Jeremiah Pemberton and Susanna Jermyn. His obituary is below:

From The Port Huron (Michigan) Times Herald, "Algonac," 18 Mar 1919, p. 7:

Joseph Phelps passed away at his home west of town on Saturday evening after a lingering illness. He was 80 years of age and has lived here for many years. The following relatives survive him, his aged wife, two sons Joseph and Norman, and four daughters, Mrs. Henry Aspenleiter, Mrs. Wm. Taft, Mrs. Albert Avers, of Algonac, and Mrs. Bert Basney of Detroit. Mr. Phelps was an old civil war veteran.

Again, Henry and Nellie (Phelps) Aspenleiter are listed as residents of Algonac, although I've found them in Detroit for the 1910-1930 censuses. Makes me wonder if they frequented back and forth between Algonac and Detroit. Perhaps Algonac was their summer home.

According to his pension index card, Joseph was a lieutenant with Co. E's 9th Regiment of the Michigan Infantry. His brother-in-law, John Pemberton, fought with Co. C's 1st Regiment of the Michigan Cavalry. I have always wondered if they knew each other from the Civil War or not. Agnes married Joseph after he returned from the war in 1867. I will have to do more research on their regiment's battle histories.

It is interesting that this obit does not mention the funeral services or the burial. I'm assuming they had already happened by the time this obit was published. I should also check to see if there are more details in an Algonac newspaper, if one survives.

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