Here is a picture of Abram and Sarah Bodine's gravestone in Lindsley Cemetery, Cheshire, Allegan Co., MI.
A historian from Owasco, Cayuga County, New York told me that there was a pattern of migration from the Livingston County and Cayuga County areas of New York. Many people migrated to either the Livingston County, Michigan or Huron County, Ohio areas. This happened the most between 1821 and 1831. The Erie Canal caused this tremendous exodus. Travel by water was much easier and faster. The Canal was completed in 1825.
Abraham could be the son or a relative of Jacob and Christina (Merlatt) Bordine / Bodine, but that is just a guess right now. That Abraham was living in Orleans County, New York at the time of the 1850 and 1855 Censuses. One of his children is listed as having been born in Michigan and Christina is buried in Michigan. Seems as though they may have gone back and forth between New York and Michigan. Again, that is just a guess.
The 1817 date from his tombstone is questionable. According to the book "Pioneer Families of SE Michigan" (by Helen Lewis, Kinship, 1994), Abraham W. Bodine was born about 1810 in Pennsylvania, and his wife, Sarah, was born about 1828 in England. The source for this was the 1850 Census of Cambridge Towship, Lenawee County, Michigan. Mary was one year old and had been born in Michigan. Jan Alpert said to note that there was an Abraham and William listed in the 1840 Census index of Genesee County, Michigan. The author of the book above has a series of these books of families who left New York for various counties of Michigan.
Jan Alpert sent me information saying that an Abraham W. Bodine, b. ca 1810 (age 40), in PA, and wife, Sarah, b. ca 1828 (age 22), in England, were on the 1850 Census of Cambridge Township, Lenawee County, Michigan with Mary age 1, b. MI. Also listed in Cambridge Township was a John Bodine (age 64, NJ) with wife Jane (age 56, Penn). They had a son named Hirum (age 18, NJ) livng with them. Here is that census data:
Cambridge Twp:
Abraham U Bodine, 40, Penn.
Sarah, 22, England
Mary, 1, Mich.
Canbridge Twp:
John Bodine, 64, Laborer, NJ
Jane, 56, Penn.
Hirum, 18, Laborer, NJ
Franklin Twp:
John Bodine, 30, Laborer, NJ
Sally Ann, 25, NJ
Estella, 3, Mich.
Note: This John and Sally Ann Bodine appear to be John Bodine and Sarah A. Stout, but that is a guess.
Note: There was an Abraham & William listed in the 1840 census index of Genesee Co., MI.
Posted by Susan Gale on August 21, 1998 at www.genforum.com/bodine/:
In Reply to: Re: BODINE, Isaac b. abt 1834 Illinois (?) posted by Donna Brown on July 28, 1998:
Hi Donna,
Was reading the post earlier tonight, looking to see if anyone knew of a Abraham Bodine b. 03 May 1817 (census varies bet. PA & NJ) & d. 03 November 1871 in Allegan, Mich. He m. Sarah ??. b. 14 Aug 1828 in England; (d) 13 Feb 1902 in Allegan. They lived in Lenawee Cty, MI, and later moved to Allegan. His death record gives his parents as Abraham & Sarah Bodine (?? seems weird his parents names same as theirs). Children of Abraham & Sarah: (1) Mary Jane b. 25 Mar 1849 in MI; (d) 04 Aug 1851 (2) Ellen F. b. 23 Mar 1853, MI (d) 03 Jun 1875 in Cheshire, Allegan Cty, MI (gg-grandmother) m. Robert Eugene Smith (she died giving birth to their 2nd child) (3) Alice b. 21 Mar 1855; (d) 17 Dec 1883 (4) Andrew J. b. 17 Sep 1856 (d) 24 Feb 1944; m. Mary Ann Hayes (5) George Henry b. 17 Feb 1861; (d) 03 Apr 1895 (6) William I. b. 18 Jan 1864 (d) May 1947 in Montana (before his death, no one had heard from him in 35 yrs) (6) John Bodine b. 25 Aug 1865.
Thanks!!! Hope this is a lead for you.
Susan Gale - Rgale10657 at aol.com
Posted by Susan Gale on June 19, 1999:
Looking for parents, siblings of Abraham Bodine, b. 03 May 1817 and died 03 Nov 1871 in Cheshire Twp, Allegan, MI. He m. Sarah Ayres/Ayers b. 14 Aug 1828 in England and d. 13 Feb 1902 in Cheshire twp. From census, & death record, says b. NY, NJ & PA, so not sure of birthplace. Also looking for more info on their children:
(1) Mary Jane Bodine - (b) 25 Mar 1849 MI and (d) 04 Aug 1851.
(2) Ellen Frances Bodine (b) 23 Mar 1853 & (d) 03 June 1875. She m. Robert Eugene Smith in Lenawee Co, MI (Ellen & baby daughter died in childbirth).
(3) Alice E. Bodine (b) 21 Mar 1855 and (d) 17 Dec 1883.
(4) Andrew Jackson Bodine (b) 17 Sept 1856 and (d) 24 Feb 1944 Plainwell, Allegan, MI. M. Mary Ann Hayes
(5) George Henry Bodine (b) 17 Feb 1861 and (d) 03 Apr 1895 Cheshire. M. Ellen Dean Morey.
(6) William I. Bodine (b) 18 Jan 1864 and (d) May 1947 Montana
(7) John Bodine (b) 25 Aug 1865 and (d) 15 Mar 1947. m. Maud Belle Gates.
Wishing to correspond with anyone connected with this family. Thanks!
Sue Gale
MajiqMom at aol.com
This is the death record for Abraham Bodine. It is available on-line from the Michigan Genweb site.
BODINE, ABRAHAM S
Date of death: 3-Nov-1871
Ledger Page: 11
Record Number: 955
Place of death: Cheshire
County of Death: Allegan
Sex: Male
Race: WHITE
Marital Status: Married
Age: 54 years 7 days
Cause of Death: CONSUMPTION
Birthplace: NEW YORK
Occupation: MECHANIC
Father's Name: Bodine, ABRAHAM
Father's Residence: CHESHIRE
Mother's Name: BODINE, SARAH
Mother's Residence: CHESHIRE
Date of record: 10-Jun-1872
Dates for birth and death are also on the tombstone in Lindsley Cemetery.
There appears to be some information on the August 12, 1850 Census of Cambridge Township, Allegan, Michigan about this Abraham: Abraham Bodine, age 30, farmer, born PA.
The following information comes from Joan Lince. It seems to show that John Bodine's parents (Abraham and Sarah) were born in Michigan. This is undoubtedly incorrect information. Maybe it was given by Maud, John's wife, to the census-taker or maybe John himself did not know where Abraham was born. Abraham died when John was young.
1900 Census, Hopkins Twp., Allegan, MI, p 13, dwelling 213, family 213 Maud Bodine, wife, b May 1870, age 30, married 8 years, has had no children, she and her parents b MI, in household of John Bodine, b Aug 1865, age 34, married 8 years, he and his parents b MI, farmer, rents farm, farm schedule 171.
1910 Census, Monterey Twp., Allegan, MI, Enumeration District 22, p 9B/133B, dwelling 185, family 188 Maud Bodine, 37, married for 17 years, has had one child, now living, b MI, her parents b OH, in household of John Bodine, age 44, married for 17 years, he and his parents b MI, farmer, general farm, own account, with son J. Milford, 2. Also in the household are Adison Gates, John Bodine's father-in-law, 77, married for 55 years, he and his parents b OH, no occupation, and his mother-in-law Marilla, age 75, married 55 years, has had 6 children, 3 now living, b OH, her parents' birthplaces not known.
From: JOAN LINCE [joanklince at earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012
Subject: New Jersey Bodine question
Hi Dave Bodine,
Going through some old correspondence, I am reminded that I was in touch with you in 2003 about my great great aunt, Maud Belle (Gates) Bodine of Allegan County, MI.
I have recently learned that a gggg grandmother in a completely different part of my family was possibly a Bodine. Sources show her as Sarah S. Van Meter, who married Abraham Nieukirk in 1762, probably in Salem County, NJ. Information from another genealogist suggests that she was widow of John Van Meter. Abraham Nieukirk died in 1765 and Sarah married William Robinson in 1767. I recently learned that the record of Sarah's third marriage shows her as Sarah Bodine Nieukirk. So far I haven't discovered how she fits in the Bodine family (if that marriage record is telling us that Bodine was her maiden name). Do you have any Bodine information that might help me? I estimate my Sarah's birth year as about 1735, based on the estimated year of her marriage to John Van Meter. She had a child by him in 1756. I've heard of a Sarah Bodine who was born in 1687 in Staten Island and married a Jan Van Meteren who was born in 1683, but those are people of an earlier generation.
Any clues you can provide will be very much appreciated.
Joan Lince
From Ronny Bodine:
It is unfortunate that census records are inconsistent as to where Abraham Bodine was born, whether in Pennsylvania (1850) or New Jersey (1860-1870). To add to the confusion, his 1871 Michigan death record reports he was born in New York, but that information would have been reported by his survivors. Abraham was located in Lenawee County, Michigan by June 1850 although he was in Michigan in 1849 when his eldest child was born. Lenawee County is located in the extreme southern portion of the state sharing a boundary with the Ohio counties of Lucas and Fulton. The family name of Abraham's wife Sarah is known from the 1891 marriage record of their son John and the 1944 death record of their son Andrew Jackson wherein both name their mother as Sarah Ayers.
Although Abraham's 1871 Michigan death record gives the names of his parents as Abraham and Sarah, the same as he and his wife, it is believed this was written in error. It appears more likely that his parents were actually John and Mary (Mapes) Bodine. On 6 Oct 1835, John Bodine obtained two land patents in Lenawee County at the Monroe Land Office. One was for 80 acres and the other for 40 acres, both located in Section 20, Township 5S, Range 5E. In consequence of that and insofar as he appears in in the 1840 census of Lenawee County with a male in his household aged 20-29 (=1811-1817), the same age group as would befit Abraham, there can hardly be any doubt. There was no other Bodine in the county. Further, baptismal records for one Abraham Van Campen Bodine of the Minisink Valley Reformed Dutch Church, which coverage included Orange County, New York, Suffolk, New Jersey and portions of Pennsylvania, may explain the confusion in his place of birth, and these records show his birth on 6 May 1816 and baptism on 28 Dec 1816 as the son of John Bodine and Jane Mapes. The closeness of the two birth dates 6 May 1816 and 3 May 1817 cannot be ignored. Finally, The 1863 Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1863-4 (Detroit, 1863), p. 220, lists Abraham V. Bodine, carpenter, living in Cheshire Township. There was only one Abraham Bodine in Cheshire Township and that was the husband of Sarah Pearl Ayers.
It is worth mentioning that the Minisink Valley RDC records also show one Abraham Van Campen and his wife Sarah as the parents of a daughter, Sarah, born 8 Nov 1797.
From Michigan Federal Census Records:
1850 (12 Aug) Cambridge, Lenawee Co.: Abraham A.(?) BODINE 40 PA Farmer, Sarah 22 England, Mary 1 MI.
1860 (19 June) Cheshire Twp., Allegan Co.: Abram BODINE 43 NJ Farmer, Sarah 31 England, Ellen 7 MI, Alice 5 MI, Andrew J. 2 MI, George 3/12 MI.
1870 (3 June) Cheshire Twp., Allegan Co.: Abraham BODINE 54 NJ Farmer, Sarah 42 England, Ellen 17 MI, Alice 15 MI, Andrew 12 MI, George 10 MI, William 7 MI, John 4 MI.
1880 (17 June) Cheshire Twp., Allegan Co.: Sarah BODINE 48 England widow, George H. 19 MI son Farm Laborer, William L. 18 MI son Farm Laborer, John 14 MI son Farm Laborer.
1900 (8 June) Cheshire Twp., Allegan Co.: Wm. BODINE Jan 1864 MI single Farmer, Sarah Aug 1828 England widowed mother 4 children born/4 living, Wilford July 1887 MI nephew.
On 7 June 1881 in Allegan County, Sarah Bodine married 2ndly, Peter Sharpe, who also predeceased her.
The death of Abraham Bodine was recorded in the county death record ledger, p. 11, no. 955, with the following information:
BODINE, ABRAHAM S.; Date of death: 3-Nov-1871; Place of death: Cheshire; County of Death: Allegan; Sex: Male; Race: WHITE; Marital Status: Married; Age: 54 years 7 days; Cause of Death: CONSUMPTION; Birthplace: NEW YORK; Occupation: MECHANIC; Father's Name: Bodine, ABRAHAM; Father's Residence: CHESHIRE; Mother's Name: BODINE, SARAH; Mother's Residence: CHESHIRE; Date of record: 10-Jun-1872.
Michigan Death Records: Sarah P. Sharp, widow, born in England, died 13 Feb 1902 in Cheshire, Allegan County, aged 73. Her parents were Benj. Ayers and Mary Woodham.
Burials in Lindsley Cemetery, Cheshire Township, Allegan County, Michigan.
(Find A Grave Memorial # 83653760)
Abram Bodine Born May 3, 1817 Died 3 Nov. 1871
Sarah, His Wife Born Aug. 14, 1828 Died Feb. 13, 1902
***End of info from Ronny.