The Basford Family blog, a place to share anything and everything related to being a Basford.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Heirloom Ring and the Farm Foreclosure
Dad related a story told to him by Herschel about a family ring that belonged to Keziah. The ring had been passed down to James W and his wife. The ring should have then passed to Fernando and Addie, but some how ended up in the possession of one Harold Prince. The story that Herschel told Dad was that Stanley Sr. went to confront Harold about it, taking Herschel along. Herschel remembered Stanley getting very angry, the angriest that Herschel had ever seen him. This was also one of Herschel's earliest memories, he being only 4 or 5.
So who is Harold Prince and how did he come to possess the ring?
He was born on 14 Sept. 1877 in Detroit, the first Detroit census he appears in is 1900. He is single and his occupation is listed as "farmer". He married Caro Dell Springer in 1908, his occupation listed as "Telephone B(unreadable)". By 1920 he and his wife had 2 children, Mabel and Anita. His WWI Draft Registration card (1917) lists his occupation as "Electrician" and his employer as "F.R. Blake". The 1920 Census has them living in the village on the River Road with his wife, two kids and his brother Herbert. His occupation in 1920 was listed as "Electrician" and his employer is listed as "Light and Power Co". In the 1930 census his occupation is listed as "Sales Man" and his industry is "Electrical".
The 1930 Census has him married to Pearle P. with his two daughters, afore mentioned, and a son, Elbert M. who was 8 at the time of the census taking. I found a marriage record that has a Pearl Basford marrying a Harold Prince in 1928, both from Detroit. The 1930 census also states she was born in 1885. I then found a marriage record from 1924 where Lamont Basford married a Pearle Porter who was born in 1885. Lamont died in 1927. I think that Pearle married Lamont and when he passed away, married Harold Prince. Since this is the only apparent connection, I think that Pearle had the ring and that's how Harold came to possess it. Lamont's brother Willie who was running the farm, died sometime between 1920 and 1930. His wife Maggie is listed as a widow in 1930. However I can't find any record of his death, so the timing is unknown. If he died before Lamont, then Lamont and Pearle would have lived in the farm. At this point Pearle could have taken possession of the ring, with Maggie forced to move.
In 1910 Willie was living with James W (his father) on the farm in Detroit. Willie is listed as single, he gets married in 1915 to Maggie M. Fulton and has two daughters, Flora and Vera. So in 1910 Willie is helping his father on the farm, but Lamont isn't in the area, at least according to the census reports. I've looked at the Detroit, Pittsfield, Burnham, Troy and Plymouth reports with no luck.
In 1920 Willie and Mag M. are listed as living on Basford Road and owning a farm. I assume this is the family farm. Lamont is listed as living at the farm as well and is divorced. Willie is listed as head of house and thus still controlling the farm. Lamont's occupation is listed as carpenter.
The 1930 Census has Maggie M. Basford widowed, but living in the village on the River Road. It's at this point where we lose who has control of the farm. All of James W. Basford's kids are deceased except Livilla Amy Basford. She is listed as living in the village on Main Street. So she isn't living at the farm. Furthermore on the 1920 census there is a Basford Road entry, but in 1930 no such road is listed. We know that in the early 1930's Stanley Gerry, my Great Grandfather (Geneva's Father) tried to buy the farm because it was being foreclosed on. That was when Stanley James Basford Sr. returned home from Massachusetts and bought the farm out of foreclosure. We know that the Gerry's lived at the farm, but they rented. It's unclear at this point who officially owned the farm. The real curiosity here is that Maggie didn't appear to inherit the farm, it would have been her right by law. Unless as stated above Willie died before Lamont and left the farm to Lamont in order to keep it in the Basford family. If that is the case then Pearle would have inherited the farm when Lamont passed, and thus Harold Prince would have influence over the property when he married Pearle in 1928. Neither he nor Pearle were farmers so they would have had to rent it out.
Wow, that is quite the story. Makes me want to say "and the one ring to bind them." LOL Do you recall that Basford Road used to be called the Maloon Flat Road? I don't know if that helps. I'll let the family elders perhaps help. It would be great to know what happened to the ring. I really appreciate you sharing that story. I'd never heard tell of it.
Dad had told me about it before, but it came up again on Thanksgiving dinner this weekend. The added detail as the name Harold Prince. I remember the road being called Maloon Flat road, but that isn't listed in the Census either. I do find a "Lower Detroit Road", but not sure if Basford Road was ever called that or not. One piece is Willie's death date, I've been digging for that for awhile. Might be time for a visit to the State Library and hours sitting in front of a microfiche machine.
Wow, you've really done some research. There is one thing about Herschel's story though. He would have been about 11 when they moved to Maine. It's possible that they visited some before that. I can check at the Detroit Town Office to see what births and deaths are there. Doug Fernald is also a wealth of information. I think the Lower Road would have been what is now the River Road. I remember Pearl Prince quite well but didn't know she was a Basford. I also remember Harold somewhat. Elbert Prince made a sizable donation to the Meeting House a few years ago and stated that he used to get the fire started for church services.
You know that does make more sense, he'd have had to have been older. I most likely got some other story confused. If you can look at the town records that would be great. I need to go the state library anyway for other stuff, but the more information we have the better.
4 comments:
Wow, that is quite the story. Makes me want to say "and the one ring to bind them." LOL Do you recall that Basford Road used to be called the Maloon Flat Road? I don't know if that helps. I'll let the family elders perhaps help. It would be great to know what happened to the ring. I really appreciate you sharing that story. I'd never heard tell of it.
Dad had told me about it before, but it came up again on Thanksgiving dinner this weekend. The added detail as the name Harold Prince. I remember the road being called Maloon Flat road, but that isn't listed in the Census either. I do find a "Lower Detroit Road", but not sure if Basford Road was ever called that or not. One piece is Willie's death date, I've been digging for that for awhile. Might be time for a visit to the State Library and hours sitting in front of a microfiche machine.
Wow, you've really done some research. There is one thing about Herschel's story though. He would have been about 11 when they moved to Maine. It's possible that they visited some before that. I can check at the Detroit Town Office to see what births and deaths are there. Doug Fernald is also a wealth of information. I think the Lower Road would have been what is now the River Road. I remember Pearl Prince quite well but didn't know she was a Basford. I also remember Harold somewhat. Elbert Prince made a sizable donation to the Meeting House a few years ago and stated that he used to get the fire started for church services.
You know that does make more sense, he'd have had to have been older. I most likely got some other story confused. If you can look at the town records that would be great. I need to go the state library anyway for other stuff, but the more information we have the better.
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