Remembering Susan Howe

Susan Fillmore Howe was born to John and Adre Simmonds Fillmore in the town (township) of Brutus, Cayuga County, New York on 14 March 1806. She died at her home in Springfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan on 5 August 1901.

For years after I became actively interested in family history, my earliest known ancestors were Orison and Susan Howe. They were my great-great-great grandparents. I learned of them from a biographical sketch that appears to have been written for Susan’s obituary.

As noted in her obituary, Susan Fillmore moved with her family about 1813 to the town of Bethany, Genesee County, New York at the age of seven. She married Orison Howe in 1828 at the age of 22. Orison and Susan moved with five children to Oakland County, Michigan in 1837, where two more children were born before Orison’s death on August 4, 1842. A biographical sketch of their son Jerome Howe describes their journey to Michigan. This relocation clearly occurred after 1836 given Jerome’s birth in New York on Christmas Eve of 1836. The sketch of Jerome’s life states that Susan was born on Long Island, New York, rather than in Cayuga County. Jerome reported for Susan’s death certicate that Susan’s mother was born on Long Island and her father in Massachusetts. Both Susan Howe and her daughter Mary Springsteen were widowed in their thirties. Mary lived with her mother after her own children were grown.

Following the census trail

Census records provide periodic snapshots of families, their residence, and a glimpse of their circumstances. Before 1850, the United States federal census enumerations listed only the heads of households by name. Other household members were accounted for by number in age groups by gender.

1830, Bethany, Genesee County, New York, Orison Howe household

• Males under 5: 1
• Females under 5: 1
• Females 5-9: 1
• Males 20-29: 1
• Females 20-29: 2

One of the adult females would have been Susan. The children under 5 might have been Marvin and Maliza. Jerome’s biography suggests that Marvin and Maliza were older than Mary, who was born in 1832. Marvin’s gravestone, however, appears to report his birth in 1833. Some children might have been offspring of the other woman in the 1830 household. Mary named two of her children Maliza and Marvin L. Springsteen to honor her own siblings who apparently died young.

1840, Springfield, Oakland County, Michigan, Orison Howe household

• Males under 5: 2
• Females under 5: 1
• Females 5-9: 1
• Males 10-14: 1
• Females 10-14: 1
• Females 20-29: 1
• Males 40-49: 1

Susan didn’t seem to age in ten years, but Orison certainly did! These ages for the children come close to matching the best information I have of Susan’s and Orison’s first six children’s births.

1850, Springfield, Oakland County, Michigan, Susan Howe household

• Susan Howe, 40, born in New York
• Lyman Howe, 16, farmer, born in New York
• Gerome [sic] Howe, 13, born in Michigan
• Rosette Howe, 11, born in Michigan
• Charles Howe, 8, born in Michigan

Susan’s real estate was valued at $800.

1860, Springfield, Oakland County, Michigan, Susan Howe household

• Susan Howe, 53, born in New York
• Lyman Howe, 26, farmer, born in New York
• Jerome, 23, farmer, born in New York

Susan’s real estate was valued at $1500 and her personal estate was valued at either $200 or $900.

1870, Springfield, Oakland County, Michigan, Susan Howe household

• Susan Howe, 64, keeping house, born in New York
• Jerome Howe, 33, farm laborer, born in New York
• Betsy Rhodes, 59, domestic servant, born in New York
• William Voller, 17, farm laborer, born in England

Susan’s real estate was valued at $4000 and her personal estate at $700.

1880, Springfield, Oakland County, Michigan, Susan Howe household

• Susan Howe, 74, widowed, keeping house, born in New York, father and mother born in New York
• Mary Springsted [sic], 57, daughter, widowed, at home, born in New York, father and mother born in New York

The 1890 census is almost entirely missing.

1900, Springfield, Oakland County, Michigan, Susan Howe household

• Susan Howe, head of household, 94, born March 1806 in New York, widowed, mother of seven children, four still living, father born in Scotland, mother’s birthplace unknown, can read, write, and speak English
• Mary E Springsteen, daughter, 68, born May 1832 in New York, widowed, mother of nine children, three still living, father and mother born in New York, can read, write, and speak English

Susan’s son Jerome lived across the road in Groveland Township. Mary’s son Loyal Davis Springsteen was lived in the tenant house next door to Susan with his wife Agnes and their sons Aden L and Clinton Springsteen. Aden was my grandfather.

A remembrance of Susan

Susan lived on the farm she and Orison had established for nearly seventy years after his death. She might have worn this shawl, passed down through generations, for most of those years. The descriptive note was probably written (with incorrect age and year of death) by Clinton “Joe” Springsteen’s wife Mary.