Simeon D Lillie, brother to my Great-grandmother, Melissa Jane Lillie Raeburn.

Simeon D Lillie was born in Lyndon Township, Washtenaw County in 1859 shortly after his parents Thomas and Anna Lillie settled there from Potter County, Pennsylvania. While growing up the family moved to Springport, Jackson county then on to Grand Traverse County.

Simeon continued to live in Grand Traverse County as an adult and farmed on 40 acres of land in section 8 of Blair Township, Grand Traverse County around his Youker relatives and mother Anna. By the time he was about 50 years in age and after his siblings had all moved on and his mother died, he moved on to Montana, first settling in Miles City c 1912. He was employed in carpentry work at that time. His brother John G Lillie was closest to him at that time geographically being in Alberta, Canada. While living in Miles City Simeon was engaged in the community socially. He engaged in various social engagements on committees etc. The locals all apparently knew him as he made the local about town breveties often. 

 Simeon applied for a Homestead in Powderville, Montana on May 16, 1916 and made his claim final after 3 years and finalized by 1920. He was witness to his neighbors claims when finalized. This is where he made his home from 1916 to the date of his death in 1941. He was the last of his siblings, and he had no wife or children. 

 Several years ago I obtained his death record. While it was tragic how he died and that he died all alone, I did not think much more of it because I thought Miles City was where he lived and died. 

Until recently….when I found out he lived in Powderville, Montana some 61+ miles southeast of Miles City.

What was he doing in Miles City on Friday January 17th 1941, 61+ miles away from his home at 82 years old? The recorded high temperature for the day was 17 degrees and the low was 8 degrees. How did he get there? Did he drive? He couldn’t have walked it could he? 

 I proceeded to do a name search in Newspapers . com. Nothing much turned up but that he died in a fire in a shack off Main Street in Miles City. I got so many hits with his name but nothing more and then…...... I searched the local paper, page.... by page for January 18th. And there it was -the answer to that question…why was he there. If you suspect something and are doing a name search and nothing comes up….you might want to go a bit further. I am not sure why this story did not turn up with a name search. He still owned his homestead in Powderville, Montana and it was auctioned off after he died. His burial location is unknown. 

Simeon D Lillie, I hope you found your family in the great beyond. To all of us….lets try to not abandon the elderly completely, ok.

Surname Saturday- LILLIE

Surname Saturday today is about my 3rd great-grandparents, my father’s father’s mother’s line. Had to do that. Not much is know about this family, they have managed to remain a little bit of a mystery to me. I do have some information on the families descending from them, today I am really focusing on Joseph and Esther.

Holly-

Dean E. Raeburn (1918-1988)
Robinette (1922-2003)

Ernest F. Raeburn (1883-1965)
Ethel A. Wheeler (1889-1979)

William Raeburn (1853-1935)
Melissa Jane Lillie (1855-1927)

Thomas D. Lillie (1826- ? )
Anna Youker (1824-1899)

LILLIE: Origin-German
JOSEPH LILLIE b abt 1774 New York
wife: ESTHER b abt 1785 Pennsylvania

Children of Joseph and Esther:
1) Leonard LILLIE b c1792 NY d bet 1860-1875 possibly Steuben NY
wife- Polly Warner. There is no concrete document confirming this relationship, so at this time it is pending, they are very ‘entertwined’.
2) William D LILLIE b 1808 Cortland Co NY d 1890?
Wife: Thankful Ann (nee Rice?)
3) Elizabeth H. LILLIE b 1805/1819 NY conflicting reports d 1896
husband: Rhodes Wilkinson
4) James LILLIE b 1821 NY
wife: Maria Herrick
5) Thomas Darwin LILLIE b 1826 NY~~my great great grandfather
wife: Anna Youker
6) Charles LILLIE b 1828 NY
7) Emily LILLIE b 1834 NY

I first found Joseph in Cortland County, New York via the 1810 census. He remains here for some time and is also found on the 1820 and 1830 censuses. In 1820 Leonard is also listed here and by 1830 Leonard is listed right next to Joseph. Coincidently there are other ‘Lillies’ in the County at this time, I have not researched them to great detail.

By 1840 Joseph is now in Potter County, Pennsylvania and is found on the 1840 and 1850 censuses, where I found the names of two other children, Charles and Emily, never to be ‘seen’ again. Also in Potter County via 1850 census are children Thomas and family right next door to Joseph, Elizabeth and her family, and William D. and family. James and family are in McKean County, Pennsylvania via 1850 census. Leonard was in Steuben County NY in 1850-1860.

The LILLIE family was scattered around the ‘Whites Corner’ Area of Harrison Township, Potter County and into West Union, Steuben County NY mainly. I have searched all around this area with help from local historians for various records including local cemeteries, and just haven’t found Joseph and Esther after 1850. I have followed the migration trail of their other children; Thomas, James and William to no avail. This family has been interesting to follow as the migration trail into Ohio and Michigan includes several other Potter County people most of who are somehow related to the Lillies. Still Joseph and Esther remain in hiding (as well as children Charles and Emily), probably right under my nose.

Smile for the Camera, 12th Edition- A Noble Life: Melissa Jane Lillie Raeburn

A Noble Life, Melissa Jane Lillie Raeburn, 25 Jan 1855 - 2 July 1927

Noble (Adjective) having high moral qualities; a solid citizen; an upstanding person.....

Can you love someone you have never met? Silly girl! Perhaps just simple admiration.

I may not know all about my great grandmothers life but from what I have learned so far she will be the subject of this story. When I read my *aunt Barbara’s memories of her, I can see her in her home, around town and in church, with her husband and children, grandchildren, family and friends. I am there, and I have gotten to know her....I love my great grandmother.


Melissa Jane Lillie is the daughter of Thomas Lillie and Anna Youker. She was born in Harrison Twp., Potter County, Pennsylvania in 1855. Her siblings were John G., Frank, Esther, Nelson and Simeon. Her parents took the family to Michigan when she was just a wee little one. Many of the Potter County families and friends joined them in each of the Michigan counties and eventually made Grand Traverse County their home.

Melissa Jane was married at age 25 in Blair Township, Grand Traverse County to William Raeburn of Ontario. Melissa Jane's uncle George W. Youker, local Justice of the Peace and a minister, performed the marriage ceremony. Jane and William lived on the Raeburn family farm in Glen Huron, Simcoe County Ontario. Her brother Frank and his wife were their neighbors in Glen Huron. Jane and William had four children, Ernest, William, Margaret and Anna. By 1899 Melissa Jane and William moved to Sault Saint Marie, Michigan with their children.

Aunt Barbara’s Memoirs-

Grandma Raeburn was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on January 21, 1855. Her mothers name was Anna Youker and her fathers name was John Lillie. They moved from Harrisburg to Traverse City, Michigan. She had four brothers (John O Lillie, Frank, Simeon and Nelson)and one sister, Esther Sackett who lived in Battle Creek, Michigan. Frank had a daughter, Anna, born 1879 and died 1897. Esther had a son, William. Anna Youker Lillie had three brothers in Traverse City- G.W., J.P. and John G. Youker.

My Grandmother was a very quiet woman. I never heard her raise her voice. She was rather stern looking. When my Grandfather would get riled up about something, I can still hear her say, “Now Will, it’s all right.” She was very kind and never gossiped or said unkind things about others. She was a small, slim woman. She wore her hair on top of her head in a flat bun. Her dresses were long. She baked her own bread in the old wood range. I used to love the hot heels of bread with butter. For breakfast, I always had shredded wheat with hot milk. We always had baked potatoes for dinner. They always had goose for Christmas.

She was a faithful churchgoer- Methodist Church. I remember her washing Grandpa’s white hair when he would come home from firing the furnaces. We always ate in the dining room at night. She used to knit socks and mittens. I never could learn because I was left-handed.

Grandma had cancer of the breast. By the time she went to the doctor it was too late to operate. Grandpa heard of some “quack” in Ontario who claimed he could remove it. Grandma and aunt Ann went to Canada and they were being tortured, I am sure. This “quack” used something to draw out the cancer. She died there in June. I was twelve. She is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery.

I remember Mrs Mac rocking me in the entry off the kitchen when they brought my grandma’s body home. I was twelve years old and could not understand why God had taken my wonderful Grandma! Grandpa was broken-hearted. After she died, he always said “your Grandma” or your ‘mother” never calling her by name. But when he was dying, he kept calling for Jane (Grandma’s real name).

Grandma and I took a trip to several places in Ontario the summer I was five years old. We went by train- I remember the same seats that reversed. We traveled all night and I slept on the opposite seat from Grandma. We visited one farm where two sisters lived. I burned my hand on an oil lamp. It was something I had never seen before. I remember visiting the Millers in Collingwood, I believe. My Grandmother was going to Niagara Falls with some relatives and I was to stay at home, but I made such a fuss they had to take me. On the way I was stung by a bee and they all said it was because I didn’t stay home and I was being punished. They stopped the car and made a mud poultice to put on the sting. Mama made Grandma a beautiful taupe dress and me a white linen dress with scalloped edges on the jacket. I had my pictures taken on a cannon wearing it.

While in Canada we stayed on a farm owned by Pearl Lillie Bradley and her husband. It was a large farm and had a lovely white house. They had two adopted children- a boy and a girl. The boy had been seriously ill and he had a huge cabinet full of trucks and other toys, all given to him when he was ill. He wold not let his sister or me touch them. He kept them locked in a cabinet. The girl did not even have a doll. My Grandma went shopping and bought both of us a doll and some sugar wafers for a tea party. I was so disgusted with the boy that I wouldn’t let him come to the tea party. My Grandma took me down this hilly front lawn and made me sit down and told me how bad I was behaving. It didn’t change my mind about this little beast!

Another thing I remember about Grandma was that she never spoke ill of anyone. One day a woman and a girl moved in with a man across the street. I did not know it but the woman had been a member of the red light district. The girl was my age and we played together. One day we were playing-making a house out of blankets in Grandpa’s yard. He came home for lunch. Grandpa was so upset that Grandma would let me play with her. I remember him saying “Heaven knows what diseases she can get!” Grandma said, “Now Will, the Bible says not to visit the sins of the Fathers on the children”. I piped up and said, “But Grandfather, you always talk to her father!”.

Grandma Raeburn’s brother, Nelson Lillie, never married. HE lived in New Orleans and was a house painter. He used to come to the Soo for several weeks in the summer. One summer he painted Grandpa’s house. I always looked forward to his visits. We used to visit Beatrice Dean and her mother and Emma Ladd and her mother when he was in the Soo.
Esther Lillie Sackett, Grandma’s sister, visited too. I remember when Grandma died (I was 12 years old). When I walked in, it was a shock to see her sitting in Grandma’s chair-she looked so much like Grandma!
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I would love to see the photograph of my aunt Barbara in her white dress sitting on the cannon at age five circa 1920!

Aunt Barbara also added that aunt Anna played the piano for friends and the family in the Raeburn's home and everyone sang songs like, I Want a Girl, Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad, and The old Grey Mare, Old Black Joe and alot of hymns.

Monday Madness, Just Another Roadblock- Thomas Darwin Lillie

This is an old post that I am bringing to the front for MONDAY MADNESS. Thomas Darwin Lillie has truly driven ME to madness! I have searched high and low, all over the place and just can not figure out what happened to him, here is his story as I know it;

Thomas Lillie is the father of my great-grandmother, Melissa Jane Lillie Raeburn.

Thomas disappeared sometime after the 1870 Michigan census recording. Here’s a little history:

Thomas b abt 1826 in New York, possibly in Cortland County his father is found on census[s] there during this time frame. The first census I found Thomas on was the 1850 census next door to his parents Joseph & Esther Lillie in Harrison Twp, Potter County Pennsylvania. Thomas was listed with his wife Anna [Youker] and son John G. Lillie.

Thomas has 5 known siblings William, Elizabeth, James, Charles and Emily.
Elizabeth married Rhodes Wilkinson and stayed in the area.
William married Thankful [nee Rice I believe] and later moved to Wetzel County West Virginia and is found [only] on the 1880 census.
Charles and Emily “disappear” after the 1850 census as do parents Joseph & Esther, and are not found in area cemeteries.

Thomas and his brother James take their families to Lynden twp, Washtenaw County, Michigan and are listed on the 1860 census there as one household. Thomas now has 6 children John, Esther, Frank, Melissa, Nelson and Simeon. By 1870 both families are listed in the Springport Twp, Jackson County Michigan census as neighbors. Both men are farmers. After this census Thomas disappears. Death records have been searched at the Library of Michigan for Thomas.

James Lille [Thomas's brother] along with Thomas’s son John are found in the 1872 Gazetteer & Directory of Nottawasaga Twp, Simcoe County ONTARIO as joint owners of Cons 9 Lot 13, land adjoining the Raeburn’s. No death record or other record for Thomas was found in Ontario. He is still MIA....

Thomas’s wife Anna is found with her children on the 1880 census in Blair Twp, Grand Traverse County, Michigan near her brother[s] families. Anna is listed as MARRIED, and son John is the head of the household-apparently back from Ontario. Thomas is not found in the Grand Traverse County death records, cemetery lists or census.

James is found on the 1880 census in Fontanelle, Adair, Iowa with his family. No sign of Thomas. Perhaps there may be another mad story on Thomas..providing I ever find him.

There is no family folklore on him...we didn't even have his name correct-it was written as John [which is really his son's name]

WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED TO THOMAS????