Finding George Faught

George Faught, my 3rd great grandfather, was born on July 12, 1837, in New York, the youngest child of Lawrence Faught and Bridget Fogarty. By June 11, 1860, George was living with his mother Bridgette and two older siblings William and Ann in Lexington, Sanilac, Michigan. George's father Lawrence had passed away sometime before this.

Seven years later, on Mary 17, 1867 George married Elizabeth Miller, the daughter of Philip and Sarah (Barton) Miller in Delaware, Sanilac, Michigan. Just as a side note, four years earlier, George's older brother William had married Elizabeth's older sister Sarah on January 13, 1864.

A few years after they were married, George and Elizabeth became the parents of their first child, of a daughter named, Mary Anna Faught, my 2nd great grandmother. Mary Anna Faught was born on January 18, 1870, in Bridgehampton, Sanilac, Michigan. From all the records I have found thus far, Mary Anna would be their only child.

On July 7, 1870, George, Elizabeth, and Mary Anna are living in Bridgehampton, Sanilac, Michigan. George is working as a farmer.

By June 15, 1880, the family's situation has changed dramatically. George is listed on the 1880 census as a widower living in Forester, Sanilac, Michigan. He seems to be living in a household with a couple of other families. He may have been living in a boarding house of some type. This means that Elizabeth has passed away in the last 10 years. Mary Anna Faught, now 10 years old, is living with her maternal grandparents Philip and Sarah Miller in Long Rapids, Alpena, Michigan.

In June of 1884, George is found still living in Forester, Sanilac, Michigan. He is again living in a household with other families.

This is where the trail goes cold for a while. I have yet to find George in the 1900 Census living in either Sanilac County or Montmorency County, Michigan. I was unable to locate George Faught again until his death in 1905. George passed away on June 24, 1905, in Briley Township, Montmorency, Michigan. His death certificate provides the following information:

• George is a white male born on July 12, 1837, in the state of New York.
• He died while living in Briley Township, Montmorency county at the Poor House
• He is a Widower
• He had one child of which one is living
• He had been living in Montmorency County for 114 days (March 1, 1905)
• Dr. C.A. Rice certifies that he was attending George Faught from March 2, 1905, until June 22, 1905, when he last saw George alive.
• He is to be buried at the Briley Township Cemetery on June 24, 1905

My search for the burial site of George Faught started the weekend of July 4, 2015, during a trip back to Michigan. My family and I searched for his headstone or any sign of his burial at the Briley Township Cemetery with no luck. Last week, I contacted the Briley Township Office, inquiring about his burial record. My assumption was that he had been buried without a headstone, most likely due to the fact that he passed away while living in the Poor House. However, the township office had no records of a George Faught ever being buried in the cemetery. The Clerk suggested that I check with Avery Township and Loud Township in Montmorency County. I have sent correspondence to both offices but have not yet received a response.

My curiosity is piqued, where is George Faught buried, if not in the Briley Township Cemetery where his death certificate states. As a note, George's daughter Mary Anna (Faught) McKenzie and her husband Alexander Orlando McKenzie are buried in the Briley Township Cemetery. So this location would make sense.

Although my goal was to write this blog post and be able to provide a conclusion to this mystery, the case remains open. So in the meantime, I will share what I know.