Alvan, who generally went by his initials A. B., was the eldest son of his parents. He was named for his father's brother, who was lost in their youth to an epidemic, and his middle name was for his mother's family.
Although his family moved to the finger lakes region, they kept up ties back home, where his father Tyler had many relatives, and A. B. married Fidelia Shaver of Belleville in 1851. They set up home on new lands in Green township, Mecosta county, Michigan. A.B. was a harness maker by trade, but also farmed the new place.
Fidelia's health was delicate, and after the birth of their fourth child, they moved to the relative comforts of an established town, settling in Delaware, Ohio, where Fidelia's sister Elvira and brother-in-law John Platt lived, in 1861. Fidelia's health did not much improve, despite plans to move to Kansas, and after losing her fourth and fifth children, Byron Walter and Fidelia at 2 and 1 years, respectively, Fidelia died of complications giving birth to her last child, another Byron, on October 30, 1864.
A.B. was distraught, and determined to do the best he could for his three remaining children, and moved to Iowa with his eldest son. His sister Prudence in Michigan raised the younger son during his shool years, and daughter Ida he left in the care of the Platts so she could go to high school and University.
Eventually A.B. made his way to Atchison, Kansas, where he married the widowed Margaret (Earl) Saqui in 1872. They had a daughter, Eva, in 1874, and Margaret died in 1881. A.B. died at the age of 79 on a visit to his son George, and was laid to rest in Kilbourne, Ohio, in the Walker lot, the family of his daughter-in-law.
Although his family moved to the finger lakes region, they kept up ties back home, where his father Tyler had many relatives, and A. B. married Fidelia Shaver of Belleville in 1851. They set up home on new lands in Green township, Mecosta county, Michigan. A.B. was a harness maker by trade, but also farmed the new place.
Fidelia's health was delicate, and after the birth of their fourth child, they moved to the relative comforts of an established town, settling in Delaware, Ohio, where Fidelia's sister Elvira and brother-in-law John Platt lived, in 1861. Fidelia's health did not much improve, despite plans to move to Kansas, and after losing her fourth and fifth children, Byron Walter and Fidelia at 2 and 1 years, respectively, Fidelia died of complications giving birth to her last child, another Byron, on October 30, 1864.
A.B. was distraught, and determined to do the best he could for his three remaining children, and moved to Iowa with his eldest son. His sister Prudence in Michigan raised the younger son during his shool years, and daughter Ida he left in the care of the Platts so she could go to high school and University.
Eventually A.B. made his way to Atchison, Kansas, where he married the widowed Margaret (Earl) Saqui in 1872. They had a daughter, Eva, in 1874, and Margaret died in 1881. A.B. died at the age of 79 on a visit to his son George, and was laid to rest in Kilbourne, Ohio, in the Walker lot, the family of his daughter-in-law.
Alvan, who generally went by his initials A. B., was the eldest son of his parents. He was named for his father's brother, who was lost in their youth to an epidemic, and his middle name was for his mother's family.
Although his family moved to the finger lakes region, they kept up ties back home, where his father Tyler had many relatives, and A. B. married Fidelia Shaver of Belleville in 1851. They set up home on new lands in Green township, Mecosta county, Michigan. A.B. was a harness maker by trade, but also farmed the new place.
Fidelia's health was delicate, and after the birth of their fourth child, they moved to the relative comforts of an established town, settling in Delaware, Ohio, where Fidelia's sister Elvira and brother-in-law John Platt lived, in 1861. Fidelia's health did not much improve, despite plans to move to Kansas, and after losing her fourth and fifth children, Byron Walter and Fidelia at 2 and 1 years, respectively, Fidelia died of complications giving birth to her last child, another Byron, on October 30, 1864.
A.B. was distraught, and determined to do the best he could for his three remaining children, and moved to Iowa with his eldest son. His sister Prudence in Michigan raised the younger son during his shool years, and daughter Ida he left in the care of the Platts so she could go to high school and University.
Eventually A.B. made his way to Atchison, Kansas, where he married the widowed Margaret (Earl) Saqui in 1872. They had a daughter, Eva, in 1874, and Margaret died in 1881. A.B. died at the age of 79 on a visit to his son George, and was laid to rest in Kilbourne, Ohio, in the Walker lot, the family of his daughter-in-law.
Although his family moved to the finger lakes region, they kept up ties back home, where his father Tyler had many relatives, and A. B. married Fidelia Shaver of Belleville in 1851. They set up home on new lands in Green township, Mecosta county, Michigan. A.B. was a harness maker by trade, but also farmed the new place.
Fidelia's health was delicate, and after the birth of their fourth child, they moved to the relative comforts of an established town, settling in Delaware, Ohio, where Fidelia's sister Elvira and brother-in-law John Platt lived, in 1861. Fidelia's health did not much improve, despite plans to move to Kansas, and after losing her fourth and fifth children, Byron Walter and Fidelia at 2 and 1 years, respectively, Fidelia died of complications giving birth to her last child, another Byron, on October 30, 1864.
A.B. was distraught, and determined to do the best he could for his three remaining children, and moved to Iowa with his eldest son. His sister Prudence in Michigan raised the younger son during his shool years, and daughter Ida he left in the care of the Platts so she could go to high school and University.
Eventually A.B. made his way to Atchison, Kansas, where he married the widowed Margaret (Earl) Saqui in 1872. They had a daughter, Eva, in 1874, and Margaret died in 1881. A.B. died at the age of 79 on a visit to his son George, and was laid to rest in Kilbourne, Ohio, in the Walker lot, the family of his daughter-in-law.
