Any ideas on searching for an orphan, possibly a Native American, born in Michigan in 1870's?
I am searching for birth info on my GG grandfather, Edward Joseph Davis LBLH-QZT. He was born in Bay City, Michgan in October 1877. I have not found birth records for Edward or his sister Margarette. In 1880 census, they are listed in the household of Samuel and Mary Dagg. They are listed as orphans. They are listed as Indian, as well as the Daggs and many families living near them. He moved to Rhode Island as a young man, married Mary Ella Marran L1MT-GNB and settled there. He is listed as white for the rest of his life and gives Michigan as his birthplace.
In the marriage register of Rhode Island, he is listed as being born in Canada and his father is Edward, no mother listed. (I think this may be a mistake, her father was born in Canada...)
His story was that he was an Indian living in an orphanage and some Indians, possibly relatives, came and got him and his sister Margarette out. He left Michigan as a teenager, working and hitchhiking to Rhode Island.
My grandmother has done a lot of research and has had my grandfather take a couple DNA tests, which did not show anything significant. (The tests were done many years ago) They were hoping it would show American Indian. (I now know DNA doesn't point out-you are exactly this or that, especially Native American)
I haven't found anything on his sister, Margarette. I thought I might have seen them at an Indian boarding school, where she died of an outbreak of disease. But I'm not sure it was her.
Answers
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Michigan has a closed record policy on children that were adopted, even from over a hundred years ago. I have a great great grandmother (and her sister) that were taken in by another families. I had hoped that when I visted the Michigan State Archives that I would be able to access a record. I was instructed to call another office. I called and was only able to leave a message. The call was never returned.
Have you searched for records at SeekingMichigan.org?
Some of their records are now at: https://michiganology.org/vital-records/
By 1867 birth and death records were recorded by townships and cities and then reported to county clerks to be recorded in ledger books and then records were sent to the Secretary of State. Officials authorized to solemnize marriages were also required to record each marriage.
Have you seen this document about researching American Indian ancestry in Michigan?
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdcr/AmericanIndianancestry2014_459542_7.pdf
You might also try this index of Michigan births: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1459684
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Thank you so much Carolyn, I will look into those resources. I have looked through some of the Michigan birth index today. Edward Davis is a common name in Michigan in 1870-1880's I see!
I do not think he was adopted, I think the family just took him in. When in a census a child is listed as an orphan with a couple, would it mean that they were adopted? What do you think?
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My Michigan relatives are listed as "adopted" on the 1880 census. I have not been able to prove that they were officially adopted. Their parents left them in the care of a neighbor and then failed to pay for their room and board. Times were tough and the children were 'bound out' and probably used for help caring for small children or helping in the local inns. I would like to believe that since they seemed to go to respectable Christian homes that they were expected to help like other family members and were not just cheap labor.
This is the census image:
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6742/4241741-00585/47434234?
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