Louis Genereau, the son of Louis Sr. and Mary Ann (daughter of Black Cloud), was born in the early 1840s. He had two younger brothers, William and Charles. They were part of a band which "in 1836 was at the rapids of the Grand River. This band was associated with the Baptist Mission established there in 1826 by Isaac McCoy and superintended by Leonard Slater. In 1836 the chief of this band was Noah qua ge shik or Noonday. Shortly after the 1836 treaty, this band left the rapids and Leonard Slater purchased lands in Barry County for a new mission called Ottawa Colony. Slater sold individual lots to members of this band. In 1838 the population of this band was 121 individuals. Noonday remained the chief of this band until his death in 1847 when Maish caw took over as chief."
"At the time of the 1855 treaty, there were 113 members of this band. After removed to their reservation, they selected allotments in two distinct locations. Maish caw and about one half of his band took their allotments in Elbridge Township." [Quoted from The Ottawa & Chippewa Bands in MI and the Allotment of their lands under the Treaty of July 31, 1885 by Larry M. Wykoff]
"Ogema Louis Genereau and his family left Maple River Village and sought refuge at Ottawa Colony in Barry County before moving to the Old Wing settlement in Allegan County, and then to the Manistee River area." [Quote from Our People, Our Journey, by James M. McClurken]
His father (Louis Sr.) received 79.63 acres - the N 1/2 or NW 1/4 of section 18, T15N R16W, Elbridge, Oceana county.
"At the time of the 1855 treaty, there were 113 members of this band. After removed to their reservation, they selected allotments in two distinct locations. Maish caw and about one half of his band took their allotments in Elbridge Township." [Quoted from The Ottawa & Chippewa Bands in MI and the Allotment of their lands under the Treaty of July 31, 1885 by Larry M. Wykoff]
"Ogema Louis Genereau and his family left Maple River Village and sought refuge at Ottawa Colony in Barry County before moving to the Old Wing settlement in Allegan County, and then to the Manistee River area." [Quote from Our People, Our Journey, by James M. McClurken]
His father (Louis Sr.) received 79.63 acres - the N 1/2 or NW 1/4 of section 18, T15N R16W, Elbridge, Oceana county.
Louis Jr. was baptized 1 Jan 1856 at the Oceana Indian Mission.
The 1857 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#3 - Lewis Jennero, 1 man, 1 woman, 4 children, received $30.36
#2 - Louis Genereau - 1 man, 1 woman, 3 children, received $21.05
The 1859 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#2 - Louis Genereau - 1 man, 1 woman, 3 children, received $24.85
The 1861 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#3 - Louis Genereau - 1 man, 1 woman, 3 children, received $23.10
#3 - Louis Genereau - 1 man, 1 woman, 3 children, received $23.10
Louis Jr. enlisted in Company K, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters as a sergeant on 4 Jul 1863 at Elbridge, Oceana, MI. He is described as 18 years old, 5 foot 6 inches tall, black hair and eyes.
Muster-in roll
Cover sheet - service records
Louis (and the rest of Company K) was first assigned to Camp Douglas, Chicago, Cook, IL. He was on sick furlough from there August to October 1863.
Below is the bible that Louis had during the civil war.
On 12 May 1864 at the Battle of Spotsylvania, VA, Louis was shot in his lower left leg. He was taken to the first aid station followed by the division hospital. On 25 May Louis left the division hospital and was admitted to Lincoln USA General Hospital in Washington, D.C. on 26 May 1864.
On 22 Jun 1864 Louis received a three month furlough to go home and rest. While there he married Louisa Duvernay. Marriage took place on 14 Aug 1864 in Mason county. Affidavit from pension records.
The following story mentions Louis, and took place in the action before Petersburg, VA 17 Jun 1864. Only problem is Louis is in the hospital at the time and then goes to Michigan on furlough on 22 Jun 1864. "For three days they were confined in an old tobacco warehouse in the city. Then they boarded a train with hundreds of other captives taken at Petersburg, prisoner-of-war camps awaited all of them. Because of the confusion in Petersburg, a few of the Sharpshooters did manage to escape. Some of the Indians set fire to their quarters. Their cries brought out the rebel sentries, who opened the doors and tried to extinguish the blase; in the bedlam the prisoners ran off in all directions. At least one of them - Sgt. Louis Genereau of Company K - reached his own lines the next evening and told of the capture of the men in the salient." [From These Men Have Seen Hard Service by Raymond J. Herek who took the story from The Tree that Never Dies: Oral History of the Michigan Indians, edited by Pamela J. Dobson.
The 1864 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#24 - Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, no children, received $6.84
Louis was readmitted to Lincoln General Hospital on 21 Sep 1864. From there he was sent to and admitted to Satterlee General Hospital in West Philadelphia, PA. Louis was given furlough on 4 Nov and readmitted to Satterlee on 24 Nov 1864. He is finally released from the hospital and returned to his regiment at Petersburg, PA on 17 Dec 1864.
Louis is demoted to private in Mar 1865, reason unknown. He is honorably discharged at Delaney House in D.C. on 28 Jul 1865 and returned to Detroit on the steamer Morning Star.
The 1865 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#20 - Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, no children, received $8.00
Louis worked as best he was able on the family farm in Elbridge. On 20 Feb 1866 an invalid pension application was filed. Link to pension papers.
Daughter Alice, the first child of Louis and Louisa was born 15 May 1866.
The 1866 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#18 Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, 1 children, received $11.22
#8 Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, 1 children, received $10.71
Son Levi was born 10 Jul 1868.
The 1868 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#8 - Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, 2 children, received $63.40
The 1868 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#8 - Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, 2 children, received $63.40
The 1870 Annuity Roll - Maish-caw's band:
#8 - Louis Genereau Jr., 1 man, 1 woman, 2 children, received $61.20
Daughter Valena was born 19 Apr 1870.
1870 Federal Census - Elbridge, Oceana, Michigan lists Lewis Genereau, 26, farmer, real estate valued at $400; Louisa, 24; Alice, 5; Levi, 2, Valena, 4 months.
Alice died 4 Sep 1870, age 4, in Elbridge, of consumption. Line 225.
Baby Valena died 22 Jan 1871 at the age of 9 months and 3 days, cause unknown, born and died in Elbridge, daughter of Louis and Louisa, line 55.
Louis died 25 Jun 1871 at age 30, married. Cause is consumption. He was born in Grand River, died in Elbridge, son of Louis Sr. and Lucy. Line 52.
Johnstone Ojigokey in a statement made 27 Jan 1874 says these are Louis' finally words:
"I am going to died very soon. I hope some of you would be kind enough to look after my bereaved wife and my poor little boy, and I hope that my pension may be transferred to them. I am dying of a disease that I brought home from the army."
Louis is buried at the Genereau Family Burying Ground/ Methodist Episcopal Indian Cemetery in Elbridge.
Louisa and Levi moved to Emmet county where her mother and brother were living.
1880 Federal Census - Bear Creek, Emmet, Michigan: Kedgnal, John, 34; Kedgnal, Eliza, 55, mother; General, Louisa, 33, sister; General, Levi, 12, nephew.
Louisa remarried Benjamin Keway on 17 Nov 1884 in Petoskey. Unfortunately he left her prior to 1900.
1890 Federal Veterans Census - Petoskey, Emmet, MI. Louisa M. Keway, formerly widow of Genereaux, Louis; private, company K, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, served 4 Jul 1863 to 28 Jul 1865 - 2 years, 24 days.
Levi L, age 21, born Pentwater, son of Louis Genereau and Louisa Deverney married Sarah Wasageshic, age 17, born Charlevoix, daughter of James Wasageshic, on 6 Apr 1899 in Charlevoix.
1900 Federal Census - Bear Creek, Emmet, Michigan: Deverynay, Eliza, 80, widow, 5 children born, 2 children living, basket maker; Levy, 25, son, sailor; Evaline, 11, granddaughter, at school; Louisa, 48, daughter, basket maker.
On 2 Sep 1907 in Petoskey, Levi, age 27 married Elizabeth Alexander.
1910 Federal Census - Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan. 707 Lake Street, Genereau, Louisa, head, 64, widow, 3 children born, 1 living, laundress at home; Duvernay, John, brother, 66, married twice, married for 26 years, laborer at odd jobs; Duvernay, Lucy, sister law, 50, married twice, married for 26 years, 6 children born, 2 living; Duvernay, John E., grandson, 24, artist, burnt leather; Duvernay, James, 11, grandson.
1910 Federal Census - Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan: Levi Genro, 47, married twice, married 13 years, laborer at odd jobs; Elizabeth, wife, married twice, married 13 years; Orin, son, 11, born in Ohio.
Louisa applied for a remarried widow pension 11 Feb 1918. [See above for link to entire pension records.]
Louisa died 29 Apr 1918 in Petoskey.
She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Petoskey - Section H, Block 36, Lot 3.
1920 Federal Census - 123 East Franklin, Lansing, Ingham, Michigan: Levi L. Genereaux, 50, laborer at auto factory; Elizabeth, wife, 42; Lilian, daughter, 8.
1930 Federal Census - 523 W. Jefferson, Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan: Levi Genereaux, 52, owns home valued at $1500, first married at 18, janitor at auto garage; Elizabeth, wife, 52, first married at 19; Lillian, daughter, 18, cashier at dept store.
Levi died on 13 Feb 1936 at his home in Petoskey at age 67 years, 7 months, 3 days (making his birth 10 Jul 1868). He is also buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Petoskey.
Copyright (C) 2018 Vicki Wilson
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1870 Federal Census - Elbridge, Oceana, Michigan lists Lewis Genereau, 26, farmer, real estate valued at $400; Louisa, 24; Alice, 5; Levi, 2, Valena, 4 months.
Alice died 4 Sep 1870, age 4, in Elbridge, of consumption. Line 225.
Baby Valena died 22 Jan 1871 at the age of 9 months and 3 days, cause unknown, born and died in Elbridge, daughter of Louis and Louisa, line 55.
Louis died 25 Jun 1871 at age 30, married. Cause is consumption. He was born in Grand River, died in Elbridge, son of Louis Sr. and Lucy. Line 52.
Johnstone Ojigokey in a statement made 27 Jan 1874 says these are Louis' finally words:
"I am going to died very soon. I hope some of you would be kind enough to look after my bereaved wife and my poor little boy, and I hope that my pension may be transferred to them. I am dying of a disease that I brought home from the army."
Louis is buried at the Genereau Family Burying Ground/ Methodist Episcopal Indian Cemetery in Elbridge.
Louisa and Levi moved to Emmet county where her mother and brother were living.
1880 Federal Census - Bear Creek, Emmet, Michigan: Kedgnal, John, 34; Kedgnal, Eliza, 55, mother; General, Louisa, 33, sister; General, Levi, 12, nephew.
Louisa remarried Benjamin Keway on 17 Nov 1884 in Petoskey. Unfortunately he left her prior to 1900.
1890 Federal Veterans Census - Petoskey, Emmet, MI. Louisa M. Keway, formerly widow of Genereaux, Louis; private, company K, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, served 4 Jul 1863 to 28 Jul 1865 - 2 years, 24 days.
Levi L, age 21, born Pentwater, son of Louis Genereau and Louisa Deverney married Sarah Wasageshic, age 17, born Charlevoix, daughter of James Wasageshic, on 6 Apr 1899 in Charlevoix.
1900 Federal Census - Bear Creek, Emmet, Michigan: Deverynay, Eliza, 80, widow, 5 children born, 2 children living, basket maker; Levy, 25, son, sailor; Evaline, 11, granddaughter, at school; Louisa, 48, daughter, basket maker.
On 2 Sep 1907 in Petoskey, Levi, age 27 married Elizabeth Alexander.
1910 Federal Census - Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan. 707 Lake Street, Genereau, Louisa, head, 64, widow, 3 children born, 1 living, laundress at home; Duvernay, John, brother, 66, married twice, married for 26 years, laborer at odd jobs; Duvernay, Lucy, sister law, 50, married twice, married for 26 years, 6 children born, 2 living; Duvernay, John E., grandson, 24, artist, burnt leather; Duvernay, James, 11, grandson.
1910 Federal Census - Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan: Levi Genro, 47, married twice, married 13 years, laborer at odd jobs; Elizabeth, wife, married twice, married 13 years; Orin, son, 11, born in Ohio.
Louisa applied for a remarried widow pension 11 Feb 1918. [See above for link to entire pension records.]
Louisa died 29 Apr 1918 in Petoskey.
She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Petoskey - Section H, Block 36, Lot 3.
1920 Federal Census - 123 East Franklin, Lansing, Ingham, Michigan: Levi L. Genereaux, 50, laborer at auto factory; Elizabeth, wife, 42; Lilian, daughter, 8.
1930 Federal Census - 523 W. Jefferson, Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan: Levi Genereaux, 52, owns home valued at $1500, first married at 18, janitor at auto garage; Elizabeth, wife, 52, first married at 19; Lillian, daughter, 18, cashier at dept store.
Levi died on 13 Feb 1936 at his home in Petoskey at age 67 years, 7 months, 3 days (making his birth 10 Jul 1868). He is also buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Petoskey.
Copyright (C) 2018 Vicki Wilson
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