Wyandotte Oakwood Cemetery
John Robert Donaldson
was born in Ohio on October 9, 1836.[i] Before the war, John married Susan Elizabeth Trites, and they started a family. He enlisted in Company B at Detroit for a three-year term on August 11, 1862. Just two days later, he mustered on August 13, 1862. In December 1862, after General Burnside's crushing defeat at Fredericksburg, the army’s morale was almost at its bottom, but the worst was yet to come. Burnside wanted to attack again; the troops started on a march with perfect weather; however, soon, that would change. The rain started, and it did not stop. Eventually, the roads turned into quicksand. A regiment soldier related: “It came down thick and fast and storm and darkness, the regiment filed into the woods and bivouacked for the night. Many, tired and exhausted lay on the ground with nothing but a blanket and rubber to protect them…Here a wagon mired and abandoned, a team of six mules stalled, with the drivers hallooing and cursing; dead mules and horses on either hand, ten, twelve, and even twenty-six horses vainly trying to drag a twelve pounder through the mire.”[ii] According to his military records, on January 20, 1863, he deserted at Belle Plain, Virginia. The military didn’t find out till later that Donaldson was likely captured during the March. He was found in Captain Otis Clark’s 18th Veteran reserve at Camp Cliffburn in Washington, D.C. He was there until 1865. After the war, he returned home to Wyandotte, where he worked in the shipyard. In 1890 he and his family relocated to Bay City, Michigan, where John worked at F.W. Wheeler & Co. On March 13, 1892, he died at his home in Bay City; his cause of death was listed as heart disease. He left behind his wife and six children; the youngest was only eight.
I Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
[ii] The Twenty Fourth Michigan. Donald L. Smith, Stackpole Books 1962,
John George Thon was born April 25, 1817 and died December 8, 1902 at the age of 85. John was born in Beria Germany, he was the son of Anna Gertrude Fleiacher & Johann Heinrich Christian Thon. On June 28, 1854 John and his family entered into the United States through Ellis Island. The Thon family came to live in Wyandotte and John would become one of the local butchers. When John was old enough to retire his son took over the family business. His obituary reads:
“George Thon passed away at his home, corner Oak and Second Streets, at 12:35 Monday noon, after a short illness caused by contracting a cold. Mr. Thon was born in Germany, April 25. 1817, coming to this country in 1854 and settling in Wyandotte two years later. For many years he. Inducted a meat market on the corner where he died. He was twice married. His second wife survives, as do also four children by the first wife-Mrs. Sanbirn of Tennessee, Mrs. Frank Stieler, Mrs. John Hills and Louis Thon-and so. Children by the second wife- Remini Thon, Gus Thon of Toledo, Christian Thon, Albert Thon, Mrs. Louis Shafer and Mrs. Amelia Egger of Toledo. Deceased was an industrious, peace loving citizen and was held in general esteem. The funeral services were held at St. John’s church on Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. A Schmid. (Wyandotte Herald December 12, 1902)
At the time of his death in 1902 John had 13 children total (10 were still living)
John’s first wife passed away in 1851 before he moved to the United States. After her passing john married Maria.
Maria E. Elizabeth’s Gerlach was born on March 27, 1823 & died March 17, 1905 at the age of 81. Maria was born in Marksuhl Germany, she was the daughter of Katharine Nanz & Johann George Gerlach. There isn’t much information on Maria, she was a housewife.
George Cartwright was born on September 29, 1839 in Grand Blanc Michigan. He was the son of Catherine (Thompson) & Thomas Cartwright. At the age of eleven George started working as an office boy. By his 16th birthday George started working as a clerk and salesman for the Honorable Alexander McFarlan. George worked there for almost 11 years and became a very successful lumber shipping agent.
In 1865 George organized the Wisconsin Plaster Company in Milwaukee. He stayed in Wisconsin only a short period of time before moving back to Michigan. In the summer of 1866 he founded the village of Elberta Michigan.
On September 11, 1878 George married Sarah J. Wolcott. Sarah was the daughter of Katherine Baisley Long and John Wolcott.
In the mix of my research I stumbled upon an old photo of the Cartwright stone with the inscription wrote out on the back. For years I thought it was the headstone for George but it all actuality it is the headstone for George’s first wife Sarah Wolcott Cartwright. The inscription on the stone once said “Sarah, wife of George Cartwright, wed 69th day, 103 year of the United States of America as a nation, fell asleep on the 256th day of the 104th year 16 March 1880” just 18 months after their wedding date. The stone also lists an infant born February 28, 1880 and died July 15, 1880.
George moved back to his home town of Grand Blanc after the passing of Sarah. He remarried on March 19, 1889 to Sarah M. David, together they had several children. George passed away on June 28, 1897 and according to his obituary he is buried in Oakwood cemetery next to Sarah and their infant child.
