On 3 Jul 1862 Olive Jane married
Peter Edward Race (66732) , son of
John W. Race (64706) (22 Feb 1803-6 Jun 1869) &
Margaretha Thompson (64388) (1807-aft 1884), in Potter, Yates County, New York. Marriage Records, Yates County Ny.
Born on 1 Jun 1834 in Copake, Columbia County, New York.696 Peter Edward died in Newaygo, Newaygo County, Michigan, on 8 Feb 1921; he was 86. Buried in Newaygo Cemetery. Occupation: Farmer.
In the 1860 Yates County, New York Census, Peter is listed as not being able to read or write.
Genealogical Gleanings Abstracted from the “Yates County Chronicle” edited by Dianne Stenzel, Bowie MD: Heritage Books, 1992.
Peter Race and Olive Jane Phelps, both of Potter, Yates Co., were married 3 Jul 1862 by Rev. U.S. Hall, in Potter. (17 Jul 1862)
New York Registers of Officers and Enlisted Men Mustered into Federal Service
Potter, Yates County, Peter Race, 31, b. Columbia County, carpenter, 15 Eng. 20 Sep 1864
New York Town Clerks’ Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War
Peter Race, b. 2 Nov 1826 Taghkanic NY, son of John W. Race & Margaret Thompson, farmer, residence Potter Center. Enlisted 29 Aug 1865 at Potter. Regiment 15th Engineers, Company R, Private. Helped build bridges and corduroy roads in front of Petersburg.
(Two entries above is Peter’s Smith’s record.)
Birth record of Edward J. b. 29 June 1869 states that Peter was a carpenter in Paris Township, Kent County, Michigan.
1870 Federal Census. Paris Township, Kent County, Michigan
Roll 682, page 524B
Peter Race, 35, carpenter & joiner, $500 real estate, $400 personal estate, b. NY
Olive Race, 25, keeping house, b. NY
Ada Race, 3, b. MI
Edward Race, 1, b. MI
Olive’s parents live next door.
Atlas of Newaygo County, Michigan, Philadelpha: C.O. Titus, 1880.
Croton Township. N. Race and P. Race had 40-acre farms across East 36th Street from each other. Norton’s farm was bounded on the south by 36th Street and on the west by Chestnut Avenue (including where the Four Seasons Trailer Park is now), while Peter’s was bounded on the north by 36th Street and the west by Chest Avenue. This was before the Hardy Dam was built; part of Norton’s 40 acres is now underwater in the Hardy Dam Pond. The atlas shows a house on N. Race’s property, but not one on P. Race’s property.
Birth Record of Margaret Phelps 19 November 1874 states that Peter was a carpenter in Wyoming Township, Kent County, Michigan.
1880 Federal Census. Croton Township, Newaygo County, Michigan
Roll 598, page 435D
Peter Race, 46, farmer, b. NY, parents b. NY
Olive Race, wife, 35, keeping house, b. NY, parents b. NY
Ada Race, daughter 13, b. NY, parents b. NY
Edward Race, son, 11, b. MI, parents b. NY
Earnest Race, son, 7, b. ditto
Mary E. Race, daughter, 6, b. ditto
Bertha Race, daughter, 2, b. ditto
Peter’s brother Norton lives next door.
1884 Croton Township, Newaygo County Census has six children living with Peter and Olive. He is a farmer. All of the children over six can read and write. Peter cannot. Olive is 39; Ada - 17; Edward - 14; Ernest - 10; Maryette - 8; Bertha - 6; and “No Name” is eight months old.
Civil War Pension - Peter applied as an invalid on 11 July 1890; application number 786.445, certificate number 556.493. On 21 March 1921, Olive applied as his widow for a pension; application number 1171766, certificate number 906785. He faught with Company K 15th NY Engineers. Pension records received from the from the National Archives, 23 December 1998, included forms and affidavits for both Peter’s initial and renewel requests for his pension and Olive’s request following Peter’s death. The following facts or statements are from this information:
Mary Ann Phelps Lafler stated that Peter and Olive were married:
“On this 5th day of April, A.D. 1921, personally appeared before me, a Notary Public in and for the County of Ontario in the matter of the application of Olive Jane Race for pension as the widow of Peter Race, Mary Ann Lafler, aged 74 years, whose Post Office address is Naples, Ontario County, N.Y. , states that she is a sister of the above named applicant, Olive Jane Race, who was married to Peter Race at Potter, NY, on July 3rd, 1862. This this deponent was personally present at said marriage and witnessed the ceremony which was performed by Rev. Hall. That, through her relation and association with her said sister, this deponent knows that the said Olive Jane Race had not been married prior to her marriage to the said Peter Race and that she has not remarried since the death of the said Peter Race and that said applicant was never divorced from the said Peter Race and that, from the time of said marriage to and including the date of the death of the said Peter Race, the said applicant continually resided with her said husband, and as his wife.” Signed by Mary Ann Lafler, herself.
1894 Michigan State Special Census for Surviving Soldiers Sailors and Marines, and Widows, Etc. - Peter was Private in Company K 15th New York Engineers. He enlisted 30 Auguest 1864 and was discharged 13 June 1865. He served seven months and 13 days.
Petition - In 1895 Peter Race and 16 other Civil War veterans from Newaygo County signed a petition asking for passage of Joint Senate Resolution No. 11. This resolution requested, “. . . making an appropriation for the erection of of a statue of ‘Michigan’s War Governor,’ Austin Blair, upon the Capitol grounds adjacent to the Capitol building in the City of Lansing.” In addition to Peter, Samuel H. Harden also signed.
1900 Federal Census. Brooks Township, Newaygo County, Michigan Census
Roll 735, page 8A
Peter Race, head, b. Jun 1834, 65, b. NY, parents b. NY, farm labor
Olivia J. Race, wife, b. Feb 1845, 55, b. NY, father b. NY, mother b. PA
Bertha Fowler, daugher, b. Feb 1879, 21, b. MI, parents b. NY
Earnest Race, son, b. Aug 1872, 27, b. ditto, farm labor
John A Race, son, b. Oct 1883, 16, b. ditto, farm labor
Franklin Race, son, b. Jul 1889, 10, b. ditto, at school
Edwin A. Fowler, son-in-law, b. Apr 1879, 29, b. MI, father b. MI, mother b. PA, brick mason
Dwight A. Fowler, grandson, b. Apr 1900, 1 month, b. MI, parents b. MI
Newaygo Republican, 29 May 1902, “Real Estate Transfers”:
“Peter Race and wife to John Bruce and wife pt sw 1/4 sec 18 Brooks -- $50.”
Newaygo Republican, 25 December 1902, “Local and General News”:
“At the annual election of officers of Samuel Judd Post the following elective and appointed officers were chosen for the ensuing year; Commander, J. H. Edwards; S.V.C., Geo. Morse; J.V. C., L. Meeker; Adjutant, S.V. Gibe; Q. M., S. D. Thompson; Chap., A. G. Phelps; Surgeon, John Pittwood; O. D., J. H. Morey; O. G., Geo. Rockell; Sargeant, W. H. Ostrom; Q. M. Sergt. Peter Race.”
Newaygo Republican, 23 March 1905, “Local News”:
“Mr. and Mrs. Peter Race, went to Grand Rapids Friday, to attend the funeral of Miss Cassie Phelps, a niece of Mrs. Race.”
Newaygo Republican, 14 December 1905, “G.A.R.,” :
“Samuel Judd Post G.A.R. elected the following officers at the annual meeting last Sarurday evening: Commander, J. H. Edwards; Senior Vice Commander, G. W. Morse; Junior Vice Commander, Levi Hall; Chaplain, Asa G. Phelps; Treas., S. D. Thompson; Adjutant, W. H. Ostrom; Surgeon, L. R. Meeker; Delegate to State Encampment, Peter Race; L. R. Meeker, Alternate.”
Newaygo Republican, 10 May 1906, “Boiler Explodes, Ralph Byers Instantly Killed,” :
“On Thursday morning last, Wheeler & Burns’ mill was to start again after a few days idleness on account of the accident to the engine told of in the Republican two weeks age. At 7:30, according to the testimony, the boiler was two-thirds full of water and carrying eighty-five pounds of steam, when sudddenly the boiler exploded, instantly killing Ralph Byers, a young man who recently came from Manton, Wexford County. Six or seven other men were there waiting for the mill to start, but miraculously escaped injury. The explosion was heard a long distance and in a few moments a curious throng had gathered at the ruins.
The boiler had been moved about thirty feet from its foundation and a large hole in the bottom, with the steel al bent and twisted around the edges, showed where it had given away. The body of the deceased lay a few feet beyond it.
A coroner’s jury was impanelled, consisting of George W. Fry, Peter Race, John Bailey, Lyman R. Meeker, David D. Joslin and W. W. Ricket. After hearing the testimony of Messrs. Burns, Wheeler, W.J.W. McCams and Dr. Whitehead, and deliberating on the same, the jury returned a verdict that ‘the said Ralph Byers, being at work in the saw mill of Burns & Wheeler in the village of Newaygo, it happened that accidentally and casually and by misfortune, the boiler of said saw mill exploded, whereby the skull of said Ralph Byers was fractured and then and there instantly died.’
Relatives of the deceased were notified by telephone of the accident and the yong man’s father arrived Thursday evening and took the body to Manton for burial. The cause of the explosion is uncertain, but there are plenty of theories, some tenable, others ridiculous; but the fact remains that it is a very sad affair, no matter how it happened. We understatnd it to be the intention of the Messrs. Burns & Wheeler to employ a traction engine for sawing the logs at present in the yard, but that no attempt will be made to repair the old boiler or replace it with a new one.”
1910 Federal Census. Brooks Twp, Newaygo County, MI
Roll T624_666, page 9A
Township Line
Peter Race, head, 75, m. 49 years, b. NY, parents, b. NY, farmer, general farmer
Olive Race, wife, 65, m. 49 years, 10 children, 5 living, b. NY, father b. NY, mother b. CT
Ernest Race, son, 38, b. MI, parents, b. NY
Frank Race, son, 21, b. ditto, deliveryman, department store
Dwight E. Fowler, grandson, 10, b. MI, parents b. MI
Iva M. Fowler, granddaugher, 8, b. ditto
Newaygo Republican, 17 July 1913, “Local News”:
“Mr. and Mrs. Peter Race of this village celebrated their golden wedding July 3. Six children and seven grandchildren were present, beside other relatives and friends, and a most enjoyable day was spent. Mrs. Race was presented with a gold wedding ring, while Mr. Race received a gold watch chain. An elegant dinner was served.”
1920 Federal Census. Garfield Twp, Newaygo County, MI
Roll 787, page 11A
Cooper Street, Newaygo Village
Peter Race, head, 85, b. NY, parents, b. NY
Olive J. Race, wife, 75, 10 children, 5 living, b. NY, parents b. NY
Ernest Race, son, 40, single, b. MI, parents b. NY, farmer, tenant farmer
Newaygo County Death Certificate - Peter died 8 February 1921 in the village of Newaygo. He was married, a farmer, and 86 years, eight months and seven days old. His father was John Race and his mother unknown.
THE HISTORY OF NEWAYGO COUNTY CIVIL WAR VETERENS, John Braden, Terry Wantz, compilers and editors, Published by the Newaygo County Society of History and Genealogy, July 1984, p. 71
PETER EDWARD RACE
Peter Edward Race was born June 1,1834, in Columbia County, New York, and died at his home in Newaygo, February 8, 1921, aged 86 years, 7 months and 8 days.
When a young man he moved with his parents from Columbia County to Yates County, New York, He was married to Olive J. Phelps, July 3, 1862 and to this union, 10 children were born. In 1865, he answered his country’s call and enlisted at Potter’s Center, N.Y. in Co. K. 15th N.Y. Engineers, and served to the end of the war.
In 1866 he moved to Michigan, living in different place, finally settling in Newaygo, and has lived there about 30 years. Mr. Race has been a member of the G.A.R. about 37 years.
He leaves to mourn his loss, his wife; 3 sons, Ernest, Albert, and Frank, of Newaygo; 3 daughters, Mrs. George Leisgang of Grand Rpaids, Mrs. D. S. Edwards and Mrs. George HIggins of Newaygo; 14 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; 2 brothers, Charles of Holland and Walter of Newport, Washington and a host of friends. Funeral services were held at the residence on a Thursday under the auspices of the G.A.R., Rev. F. G. Wright officiating. Those attending from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. George Leisgang of Grand Rapids, Charles Race of Holland, and James Merrill of Thompsonville. The Civil War veterans attending the funeral were J. H. Edwards, John Thompson, George Rockel, James Merrill, H. D. Woodward, S. B. Gibe, P.L. Pickett and James Eisminger.
MEMORIAM (Newaygo Republican, 1928)
IN MEMORIAM
In loving memory of my dear
father, Peter race, who passed away
seven years ago, February 8, 1921.
Today recalls sad memories
Of our loved one gone to rest,
And the ones who miss him today,
Are the ones who loved him best.
Mrs. Daniel S. Edwards
Newaygo Cemetery
Peter Race. 1834-1921. Section F, Lot 158, Grave 2
Olive Race. 1845-1927. Section F, Lot 158, Grave 4
Medical: Died of Albuminria Uracina Coman.