Notes for Ellen Harriet THURTELL

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Notes for Ellen Harriet THURTELL

The 1963 Thurtell Family History and the History of the Thurtell Family done by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968 show Ellen Thurtell was killed by a falling tree in 1876 at age 9.

There is no record of her death in the Grand Traverse County Clerk's Office, Traverse City, Michigan, or in the Leelanau County Clerk's Office, Leland, Michigan. There was no article about her in the Traverse City newspaper index.

Her birth certificate from the Leelanau County Clerk's Office, Leland, Michigan (Liber 1, page 10, birth 149) shows her as Ellen Harriett Thurstle, born July 16, 1868, in Kasson, Leelanau County, Michigan. Her parents are shown as Francis Thurstle, a farmer, born in England, and Amelia Thurstle, born in Canada. The birth was recorded June 1, 1869. This county first began recording births in 1867.

She is listed as age 2, born in Michigan, living with her parents and siblings in the 1870 U.S. Census on page 8 in Kasson Township, Leelanau County, Michigan, which was enumerated August 2, 1870. The post office for the address was Traverse City, Michigan. The 1880 U.S. Census for the family of Francis Thurtell does not include Ellen.

She is buried at Greenbriar Cemetery, Almira Township, Benzie County, Michigan. Her gravestone was located in April 1999 right behind a tree at the front of the cemetery in the middle. It read "ELLEN HARRIET, daughter of Francis & A---ia Thurtell, Born July 16, 1868, Died Sept 13, 1875, 11 Mark 10 11 Jesus said Suffer the little Children to come unto me, forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." It was impossible to be sure if her grave was actually at the tree or was the plot immediately to the north where a stone was missing.

An article found in the "Grand Traverse Herald Weekly" newspaper on Thursday, September 16, 1875, showed, "We learn from Dr. Kneeland that one day last week a little daughter of Francis Thertle, of Kasson, was severely and probably fatally injured. She with other children were 'tetering' on a long maple pole, the but end of which rested on the ground and the middle on a stump. Somehow the pole fell from the stump striking the little girl on the head. The Dr. thinks the injuries are probably fatal."

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