Plank and Butts Families

Around 1845, James Plank and Susan M. Butts began their lives together.

This Web site documents everything I know about their lives and their ancestry.

If you have information to add or correct, contact me at [email protected].

James Plank

JAMES PLANK¹ was born February 16, 1821 (or possibly March 26, 1821²) in Johnstown, Montgomery Co., New York³. He was baptized on May 20, 1821 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stone Arabia, New York.² He died June 08, 1906 in Fairplains twp., Montcalm Co. Michigan⁴. JAMES was the son of ADAM J. PLANK and AMY PETERS.

JAMES married MARIA VROOMAN on October 3, 1840 in Schenectady, New York. News of their marriage was reported on page 3 of the Schenectady Register newspaper on Oct 9, 1840. MARIA is mentioned in several Johnstown, Fulton County New York deeds as JAMES' wife.⁵ The 1845 Johnstown Fulton County census (taken between July 1-August 31, 1845) indicates that they had a daughter under 5 years of age.⁶ 

On October 4, 1845, JAMES and MARIA sold their property (50 acres in Johnstown) to SIMON KENNEDY.⁷ This is the last record of them in Fulton County.

On October 28, 1845, he received property in Cannon twp. Kent Co. Michigan.⁸ Although this deed does not give the location of JAMES' residence on October 28, we know that JAMES went to Michigan between October 4, 1845 and August 1846. It is likely also, that around this time, JAMES visited his brother JACOB J. PLANK and sister-in-law, CAROLINE, who were living in Antwerp twp., Van Buren County, Michigan, not far from JAMES' property in Cannon twp.⁹ Also living in Antwerp at this time was GEORGE BUTTS, his wife, and his children, among whom was SUSAN M. BUTTS.¹⁰

It is important to mention at this point that it is unclear whether MARIA went to Michigan with JAMES. In the 1850 Schenectady Co. census, a MARIA PLANK is living with her parents CORNELIUS and DERICA VROOMAN and her daughter CAROLINE PLANK (born around 1842).¹¹ Caroline was the correct age of the girl who was living with JAMES and MARIA in the 1845 census. MARIA VROOMAN'S family lived very near ADAM PLANK, the great-uncle of JAMES PLANK, in Schenectady, New York. An entry in the IGI of the LDS church indicates that the name of this CAROLINE's father was JAMES, although no source was given for the entry.¹² MARIA VROOMAN PLANK died in Schenectady on October 30, 1893.¹³ Her daughter CAROLINE married CHARLES FAIRCHILD around 1859.¹⁴ They lived in Watervliet, Albany Co. New York and later in Schenectady.¹⁵

JAMES married (a common law marriage) (2) SUSAN M. BUTTS bet.1845 and 1846 in Michigan.¹⁶ SUSAN was the daughter of GEORGE BUTTS and MARY WEAVER. She was born September 16, 1824 in New Jersey?¹⁷, and died March 06, 1907 in Rockford, Kent Co. MI¹⁸.

James and Susan had the following children:

i. ^{MARY CELESTA PLANK b. May 09, 1847, Michigan; d. November 02, 1928, Allegan, Kent Co. Michigan; m. HENRY MOORE, July 25, 1869, Rockford, Kent Co. Michigan (*Interestingly, at least two of Susan's siblings used Celesta as middle names for their daughters.)}

^{ii. THERESA F. PLANK, b. December 28, 1848, Kent Co, Michigan; d. May 27, 1868, Kent Co, Michigan.}

^{iii. AMY D. PLANK, b. November 09, 1851, Cannon twp., Kent Co., MI; d. October 31, 1925, Belding, Ionia Co. MI; m. GEORGE BLETT, December 8, 1873, Cannon twp., Kent Co. Michigan.}

^{iv. WILLIAM H. PLANK, b. June 10, 1854, Michigan; d. Bet. 1907 - 1920, Little Rock, Arkansas?; m. FLORENCE POWELL; b. January 29, 1879?. Date of marriage unknown.}

Although no divorce record has been found, JAMES and SUSAN were no longer living together by the 1880 census.¹⁹ Also in that census, JAMES was listed as "widowed or divorced."²⁰ In the 1884 State of Michigan census (taken June 5, 1884), SUSAN was listed as "Single Divorced."²¹ However, in the 1900 census she said she was married (55 years).²²

JAMES PLANK married (3) SARAH TRACY on November 26, 1884 in Pierson, Montcalm Co., Michigan²³. She was born 1833 in Canada, and died Bet. 1884 - 1900 in Michigan. SARAH TRACY had been married to a man with the last name of CARR prior to her marriage to JAMES. TRACY was her maiden name.

Notes and timeline for JAMES PLANK in New York:

Montgomery Co. New York Guardianship v. 1-2 1825-1862;  

Book 1 p. 300 The people of the State of New York by the grace of God free and independent To David Z. Vrooman of the town of Mohawk in the county of Montgomery send greeting. Whereas an application in due form of law, has been made to Tobias A. Stoutenberg our Surrogate of our County of Montgomery, as a court before him held as the village of Johnstown in said county, on the petition of James Plank a minor above the age of fourteen years and resident of the said county of Montgomery, nominating you the said David Z. Vrooman to be appointed Guardian for said minor. Whereupon an order was made by one said Surrogate in the presents that the said David Z. Vrooman be appointed guardian for the said minor on entering a bond to the said minor with sufficient security to be approved of by one said Surrogate in the final? sum of one thousand dollars lawful money of the state of New York, conditioned that you will faithfully in all things discharge the duty of a Guardian to the said minor according to law and under a true and just account of all the monies and property received by you and of the application thereof and of your Guardianship in all respects, to any court having cognizance thereof where thereto require. And whereas the said David Z Vrooman has provided to one said Surrogate the said bond above required, duty executed, with approved security which said bond is filed in this office of one said Surrogate and it having been satisfactorily proven before one said Surrogate that the said minor is above the age of fourteen years and resides in the said [in the said] county of Montgomery. I therefore, the Surrogate, aforesaid pursuant to the power in me vested by the ? statutes of the State of New York do hereby appoint and allow you the said David Z. Vrooman Guardian for the said minor during his minority. In testimony whereof one have ? the seal of the office of one said Surrogate to be ? affixed. Witnessed Tobias A. Stoutenberg Surrogate of the said county of Montgomery at the Village of Johnstown in said county the twentieth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven. (1837)

(Note: James' sister, Caty Catharine Plank, was married to David Z. Vrooman. James' brother William also was assigned David Z. Vrooman as his guardian on Nov. 22, 1837.)

1840 census: Location unknown.

Fulton Co. New York deed:
Grantors: David Z. Vrooman and wife Catharine
Grantee: James Plank
Dated: June 13, 1842 Liber 3, page 476

Fulton Co. New York deed:
Grantor: Peter Davis and wife Amy Plank Davis
Grantee: James Plank
Date: August 10, 1842 Liber 3, page 520

Fulton Co. New York deed:
Grantor: James Plank and wife Maria
Grantee: Abraham Niver
Date: June 7, 1844 Liber 5, page 113

Fulton co. New York deed:
Grantors: James Plank and wife Maria and William Plank and wife Nancy
Grantee: Simon Kennedy
Date July 9, 1844 Liber 5, page 148

Fulton Co. New York deed:
Grantor: Richard Peters
Grantee: James Plank
Date: October 11, 1844 Liber 5, page 247

1845 Fulton Co. New York State census.Page 411 (possibly Johnstown district 3?) Taken between July 1-August 31, 1845. (County was certified as "completed" on October 11, 1845.)
James Plank 1 male in household, eligible to vote (not shown as eligible for military service. Perhaps too young or too old?))
2 females (1 is under 5--listed as under 16 but not between 5-16; 1 is under 45 and married)
All 3 members of household were born in New York
50 acres of improved land occupied by {this} family
4 acres of buckwheat (76 quantity raised)
3 acres of potatoes (80 ? quantity raised)
3 acres of corn sown (66 quantity harvested)
8 acres of rye sown (120 quantity harvested)
1 number of neat cattle owned by family 1 over one year old; milked; 100 pounds of butter made during preceding year
(no horses owned)
4 sheep owned by family; 4 under one year old; 4 fleece; 16 pounds of wool;
1 hog
(Note: This  census indicates that this James had a wife under age 45 and a daughter under the age of 5 in 1845.)

Fulton Co. New York deed:
Grantors: James Plank and wife Maria
Grantee: Simon Kennedy Date: December 31, 1845 Liber 6, page 300
(Note: This is the last deed recorded for James Plank of Fulton Co. or Montgomery Co. New York)

Notes and timeline for JAMES PLANK in Michigan:

1845 Kent Co. Michigan Deed record:
Image:

Location: Section 8 Twp. 8N Range 10W, SW1/4NW1/4, 40 acres
Grantors: State of Michigan
Grantees: James Plank
Liber: 57 Page:640
Date of original purchase by David Vanderhoof: 18 Sept 1845
Date certificate assigned to James Plank: 28 October 1845
Date patent issued: 25 Mar 1846
Date of Receipt (recorded in deed book): 13 Jan 1869
Conveyance: 50 dollars
(Note: The residence of James Plank was not recorded in the deed. It is unclear from the deed as to whether he lived in New York or Michigan at the time the certificate was assigned.)

According to 1945 article by E. B. Blett (as quoted by his daughter Erma Mae Blett Cole in her memoirs):
Planks lived at the Springs (where Hwy 131 and 44 meet [in Cannon twp. Kent Co. Michigan]) for about 2 years (until 1847) and then moved to the north side of Grass Lake that was part of their fruit farm.

1850 Census Cannon twp Kent Co., taken Oct 15, 1850
James 29 NY
Maria* 25 NY
Celesta 3 MI
Theresa 1 MI
*This census is quite curious. Although "Maria" is listed as the name of the wife in this census, family bible records and court records during this time period indicate that Susan was James' wife at this time. In addition, the death records of the children (Celesta and Theresa) indicate their mother was Susan Butts. Again, it would be speculation but it is easy to imagine that when asked for his wife's name by the census taker, James replied "Maria", which as described earlier was the name of his first wife.

1855 Kent Co. Michigan deed:
Liber: 2, Page: 474
Grantor: James Plank of Cannon, Kent Co. MI
Grantee: Matilda Butts of Paw, Paw Van Buren Co. MI
Amount: $950.00
Location: Section 8, Twp. 8, North Range 10; 40 acres
Date: June 18, 1855
Note: The relationship of this Matilda Butts is unknown; however, there has been speculation that "Matilda" is really Susan M.

1855 Cannon twp. Plat Map:
Shows property of J. Plank in section 8

1860 Census Kent Co Cannon twp. p. 666
James Plunk 39 b. NY
Susan 38 b. PA
Celestia 13 b. MI
Theresa 11 b. MI
Amy 9 b. MI
James* H 6 b. MI
(Other records indicate that his name was William H. Plank, not James)

Register of Electors for Cannon twp. Kent Co. (taken from Cannon Township Register of Electors, https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mikent/townships/cannon/electors.html)
PLANK, JAMES
4 JAN 1860
REP

1864 Kent Co. Michigan deeds:
Image:

Grantors: James Plank and Susan his wife
Grantee: Volney Sage
Sum: $120.00
Location: Algoma township; Section 36, Township 9 North,  Range 11 West
Date: 22 Sept 1864

1869 Kent Co. Michigan deeds:
Grantor: Matilda Butts
Grantee: James Plank
Liber: 54 Page: 416
Date: 9 Jun 1869

1870 Kent Co Directory advertisers
Image:

Plank, James, bee-keeper, Section 8, Cannon: 181

1870 Cannon twp. Kent Co. MI, p. 135, taken June 6th 1870:
James 45 b. NY
Susan 44 b. NY
Amy 18 b. MI
William 16 b. MI

1871 Kent Co. Mortgage deed:
James Plank and ?? (possibly Isaac Butterfield?)
dated 12 June 1871, recorded 13 June 1871
Liber 39 of Mortgage deeds, page 9.
(This Mortgage deed is mentioned in the court ordered deed dated 10 Dec 1880.)

1872 Kent Co. Deed:
Grantor: Susan Matilda Butts
Grantee: James Plank
Liber: 1? Page: 373
18 Mar 1872
Notes from index: N.S.P. filed to set aside, Deed 54-416
Note: I have not seen this deed; the information was taken from an index on microfilm at the Grand Rapids Library or the Kent Co. Register of deeds by my mother.

1872 Kent Co. Michigan Court case (as recorded in index of Chancery Court cases located at Western Michigan University Archives)
#4-1965 Susan M. Butts vs James Plank
Note: The original file for this case does not exist. Calendar 4 indicates that an Order Dismissing the Cause was filed & entered November 28, 1872.

1873 Dec 8 Marriage Amy D. Plank and George M. Blett by Rev. D.E. Hills at home of bride's father.
Image:

Note: Amy D. Plank is the daughter of James and Susan Plank. I have this photocopied clipping in my possession. The handwritten date was added by my grandmother. It is a newspaper clipping; however, I don't know the source.

1874 Kent Co. Deeds:
Image:

Grantor: Susan M. Butts
Grantee:Henry Butts
Liber: 91 Page: 27
Date: 6 Jun 1874

1874 Kent Co. Deeds:
Image:

Susan M. Butts vs. James Plank
By Kent Co. Circuit Court
Book 77, Page 256
Date: June 9, 1874
(Notes: This deed made null and void the 1869 deed mentioned above. The property in Section 8, Township 8, Range 10, was deeded back to Susan M. Butts by court order that was issued on June 1, 1874.)

1875 Kent Co. Register of Deeds; Mortgage Liber:
Liber 58 (of mortgages), page 444
Dated: March 9, 1875
(Note: This mortgage was alleged to be fraudulent in a complaint filed by Susan M. Butts against James Plank and George S. Curtis on May 4th, 1880 and June 7th, 1880. See Chancery Court record Case #6-4370.  )

1876 Kent Co. Deeds:
Grantor: Henry Butts
Grantee: Susan Butts
Liber:103 Page: 276
Date of deed: 21 Mar 1876
Date recorded: 29 Sept 1876

1878 Register of Electors for Cannon twp. Kent Co. (taken from Cannon Township Register of Electors, https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mikent/townships/cannon/electors.html)
PLANK, JAMES
30 MAR 1878
REP

1880 Kent Co. Chancery Court:
Case #6-4370 Susan M. Butts vs James Plank, et al, May 5, 1880.
(Note: There are 48 pages in this case. Susan M. Butts accused James Plank and George S. Curtis of fraudulently mortgaging the property in Section 8, Township 8, Range 10. She won and the property was returned to her. It is in this court case, that Susan explains her marriage to James was "upwards of 35 years" and that it was a common law marriage.)

1880 Pierson twp. Montcalm Co. Michigan taken June 1, 1880
James Plank was living with the Allen Buskirk family:
James Plank age 62* laborer divorced or widowed b. NY ; father b. NY ; mother b. NY
(*This census indicates that he was born around b. 1818 or 1817; however, other documents, including a family bible owned by James' daughter, Amy D. Plank, indicate that he was born in 1821.)

1880 Kent Co. Deed records:
Image:

Grantor: James Plank, et al.
Grantee: Roger Butterfield
By Kent Co. Circuit Court
Book 136, page 43
Indenture made: 10 Dec 1880
Recorded: 1 Jun 1881
(See typed transcript. It seems to be related to another lawsuit; perhaps #5-3786. )

1880-1881 (presumed) Kent Co. Chancery Court
#5-3786 Isaac Butterfield, Plaintiff vs Susan M. Butts, et al, Defendants; Isaac Butterfield, Plaintiff vs James Plank, et al, Defendants, Isaac Butterfield, Plaintiff vs Susan M. Plank, et al, Defendants
(Note: According to the archivist at Western Michigan University Archives, this file no longer exists.)

1881 Kent Co. Deed records:
Image:

Grantor: Susan M. Butts
Grantee: Gottlieb Hesler
Book: 135, Page: 158
Date: 11 Aug 1881
SW1/4NW1/4

1881 Kent Co. Deed records:
Image:

Grantor: Isaac Butterfield
Grantee: Gottleib Hesler
Book: 139, Page: 42
11 Aug 1881

1884 Montcalm Co. Michigan marriage records (image):

Book A, page 249
Date: 26 Nov. 1884
Bride: Sarah Carr (maiden name Tracy), age: 51, birthplace Canada, residence Pierson
Groom: James Plank, age 64, birthplace Montgomery Co. New York, laborer, residence Pierson
Married by: D. C. Peck, Justice of the Peace
Witnesses: Edw. C. Welsh, Sibil D. Welsh, of Pierson
Recorded: January 6, 1885

1900 Montcalm Co. Michigan, Pierson twp., page 254
In the household of Joseph Dockeray b. 1845 in NY , wife Eliza, daughter Florence,
James Plank age 83 boarder, widowed b. NY father b. Holland mother b. NY
Note: His age here is older than he should have been; he was really between 79 and 80.

1906 Montcalm Co. Michigan Death Records:
Book B, Page 275

Record number: 1500
Date: June 8, 1906
Name: James Plank
Male, White, Widower
Age: 93 years, 3 months 23 days
Location: Fairplains twp.
Cause: Heart failure
Birthplace: New York
Occupation: Farmer
Parents' names: Unknown
Residence: Deceased
Recorded July 6, 1906

Burial: June 1906, Potter's Field, (County Poor Farm Cemetery) Montcalm Co. Michigan⁸

Copies of most of these Plank deeds are available in: Plank_deeds

Family stories:
The following story comes from a memoir written by Erma M. Blett Cole and typed by my mother Barbara A. Cole Holmes:

Land near Laphamville (Plainfield, Courtland, Algoma and Cannon townships) was where my great-grandparents, James and Susan Plank settled, occupied by the Indians... From the South Kent County News 1 February, 1945 - E.B. Blett editor and my father wrote: 'Planks came in 1845 from New York state and lived in the first log cabin near the spring on the highway known as Wabasis Trail, which almost followed the route now [1945] known as Highway 131. The spring was located at the junction of 131 and 44. The Planks lived in their cabin about 2 years, then took up land where the north side of the Grass Lake was part of their fruit farm. [At this time Grand Rapids was a trading post, becoming a town in 1850.]

James Plank was a beekeeper and very interested in raising fruit, so he transplanted wild apple trees. Then sent back to New York State for seedlings of better apples. Some of the trees of the original orchard were standing in 1945 after nearly 100 years.

He found wild bee trees and brought the bees into crude hives, which he had built. Many times, bears would come and scatter the bees and eat the honey, so that just as he felt his efforts were being rewarded a new start would have to be made. Just before he died in the early 1900s, he accomplished his true goals of having 300 swarms or hives of bees working to produce honey and a good apple orchard.

The photo below is not dated. However, on the back is written "Grandpa Plank" and then in the handwriting of Erma M. Blett Cole is added ""Great-" and "his fruit trees on Grass Lake property Kent County." He had a long white beard in this picture and the paper on which it is printed looks to be from around the 1890s to early 1900s.

Endnotes

23. Montcalm Co. Marriage Record, November 1884 to Sarah Carr (nee Tracy), 249, Montcalm Co. Michigan Marriage Records Date: November 26, 1884 Location: Pierson, Montcalm Co. James Plank, residence Pierson, age 64, birthplace Montgomery Co. New York Sarah Carr (maiden name Tracy), residence Pierson, age 51, birthplace Canada Married by: D.W. Peck, Justice of the Peace Witnesses: Edm. C. Welsh of Pierson, Sibil D. Welsh of Pierson Date of Record: January 6, 1885. See image.