James Moby and Lucy Ostie
James Moby, the son of Joe and Susan Mawby, was born June 1861 in 
Martha Ostie,
was born
James is listed on the 1870 census with his parents. He is listed as Nawdazine,
age 9. He is also
listed with his parents in 1880. It
states that he is 19 years old and working on a farm. It shows that he was born in
Lucy is listed on
the 1870 census with her parents in Crystal Township, Oceana County,
Michigan. Her father Aish-ta-ash-say,
was 45 years old, and employed as a farmer.
Her mother Martha was 40 years old.
Aish-ta-ash-say and Martha had four children
living with them: Paul, age 12, Phebe, age 9, Lucy,
age 6, and Mary, age 3. They also had Kig-dig-quay, a 70 year old female Indian living with
them. All members of the family were
born in
Lucy is listed on
the 1880 census with her parents in Crystal Township, Oceana County,
Michigan. Her father Ush-tay-aw-sunk,
was 54 years old, and employed as a farmer.
Her mother Martha was 50 years old.
Ush-tay-aw-sunk and Martha had five children:
Peter, age 23, Pheba, age 20, Lucy, age 17, Meina, age 13, and Mouctno, age
10. Peter’s wife Anna was also living
with the family. She was 20 years
old. Peter like his father was involved
in farming, while the three old girls were all in school.
In the Marriage
Records Book 3, Page 18, Record 233 of Mason County it shows James Moby, age
28, Indian, resident of Eden, Laborer, Father Joseph Moby, Mother unknown, born
in Michigan, and Lizzie Ko qua osta,
age 30, Indian, resident of Eden, Housework, Father Peter Osta,
Mother unknown, born in Michigan were wed on May 14, 1889 in Eden Township,
Mason County, Michigan. The service was
officiated by Justice Fernando Kinney, and witnessed by Joseph Moby and Lydia
A. Kinney. Neither had been married previously.
James and Lucy appeared together on the 1900 census in Branch Township, Mason County, Michigan. In 1900 James and his family were living next door to his brother Joseph and his family. James is listed as 38 years old, being born in June 1862. Lucy, listed as Lizzie, was also 38, being born in March 1862. The census stated that they had been married for 11 years and that Lucy had 7 children, 6 of which were still living. Their six children were: Mitchel, born June 1891, Maryan, born August 1892, Nancy, born August 1893, Anerie, born June 1895, Frank, born August 1897, and Andrew, born February 1899.
James and Lucy
appeared on the 1908 Durant Rolls together with all of their children except
Henry, who would appear on the supplemental rolls. James and Lucy are listed as number 4481 and
4482, respectively, on the Durant Roll.
Their children were listed as numbers 4483 through 4490. The Durant Roll references the 1870 Rolls
which listed James as 2-56B and Lucy as 2-56A.
They were both members of the Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians,
residing in Honor, Michigan. He was
listed as 47 years old. She was 44 years
old. The roll listed her Indian name Ah
She Te Ah Sin. In the remarks column for
Lucy appears “nee Aish-tawawsung”.
James and Lucy
Moby also appeared together on the 1910 United States Census in Homestead
Township, Benzie County, Michigan. The census
was taken on May 12, 1910. They were in
enumeration district 7 appearing on sheet 18 with 6 of their children. Their other three children, Mitchell, Frank,
and Nancy appeared on the next page.
These three were listed as being in school in Mount Pleasant,
Michigan. The census says James was a
48-year-old Ottawa Indian. Lucy was a
46-year-old Ottawa Indian. It also says
they were married for 20 years and she had eleven children, nine of which were
still living. It says they were members
of the Ottawa tribe of Indians and were born in Michigan. Their parents were also members of the Ottawa
tribe born in Michigan. The census
states that he could read, write, and speak English. It says that she could neither read nor
write, but could speak English. He was
working as a laborer/woodcutter and she was working as a basket weaver. They owned their own home free and
clear. They were taxed and living in a
civilized dwelling. They were living
near Lucy’s sister Ella Bailey, her husband James, and her daughter Martha
Fisher.
In 1920 James and
Lucy were residing in Green Lake Township, Grand Traverse County,
Michigan. James was listed as 49 years
old, and Lucy was listed as 50. They had
their son John Moby, age 18, and their grandson, William Moby, age 4 living
with them. Both James and John were
employed as laborers cutting cord wood.
Each member of the family has Michigan listed as their birthplace with
Ottawa their mother tongue. The census
states that James’ father was born in Michigan while his mother was born in
Canada. Both of Lucy’s parents were born
in
James
and Lucy Moby are listed together in the 1930 Census for Homestead Township,
Benzie County, Michigan. James is listed
as 69 years old and Lucy is listed as 66 years old. It states that James was married for 29 years
and Lucy was married for 26. They had their son John Moby, age 30, and
their grandson, William Moby, age 14 living with them. The census shows that all four were born in
Michigan and that both James and Lucy’s parents came from Michigan. James was farmer while John was a laborer
performing odd jobs. James and
Lucy's daughter Emma Koon and 4 of her children are
living next door.
James died on
August 19, 1944, while visiting in Port Huron, Saint Clair County,
Michigan. James death certificate
has his name listed as James Mast. The
informant's name was Walker Sands of Algonac,
The following article appeared in
"The Benzie Banner”,
Titled: James Moby Suffers Fatal Heart Attack, the article reads:
James Moby, 85, a lifelong and well known resident of Honor passed away at Algonac last Saturday, August 19. Mr. and Mrs. Moby left Honor last Friday morning to attend a reunion at Algonac. They travelled by bus and just stepped off the bus at their destination when he suffered a heart attack and was taken immediately to the hospital where he died the following day.
The body was returned to Frankfort and the funeral was held at St. Ann's Church in Frankfort Wednesday morning of this week.
Mr. Moby is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.
Lucy died on
August 30, 1945 in Homestead Township.
On Lucy’s death certificate her father is listed as John Austey. She was 83 when she died. She had cleronic myocarditis and augina pectaris for 4 years, with artrior
scierosis. The
informant was her daughter, Mrs. Mary Carrier of Honor, MI. Both James
and Lucy are buried under the tree in
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