FREDERICK E. AND ISABELL SMART GOTTS

Fredrick E. Gotts was born January 23, 1862 in Washtenaw County, Michigan. His parents were George and Anna Woolsey Gotts. Fredrick married Isabelle “Belle” Smart on October 1, 1890 in Lafayette Township, Gratiot County, Michigan. Isabelle was born July 29, 1865 in Ontario, Canada; her parents were George and May White Smar

Fred and Isabell's children were:

1. George H. Gotts was born October 9, 1892 in Lafayette Township, Gratiot County, Michigan. George died young with a lung condition in 1919.

2. Frank W. Gotts was December 5, 1896 in Lakefield Township.

3. Fredrick E. Gotts Jr. was born July 26, 1898 in Lakefield Township and died 18 August 1901 at the age of 3 years old.

4. Earl Robert Gotts was born September 16, 1900 in Lakefield Township and died May 22, 1983. He married Bertha Most.

5. Blanch E. Gotts was born August 2, 1903 in Lakefield Township. Blanch married Joseph W. Clark on October 5, 1921. Blanch and Joseph Clark died on March 10, 1973 in Fort Myers, Florida. They are both buried in the Lakefield Township Cemetery.

6. Carl Gotts was born February 13, 1904 in Lakefield Township. He married Bertha Horner. Carl died February 7, 1927 in Leoni, Jackson County, Michigan.

Fred owned and operated a 38 acre farm. The farm was in Section 9 of Lakefield Township on the eastside of Meridian Road between Swan Creek and Roosevelt Roads. Fred and Isabelle's children went to the Byrnes Schools which was located on the NE corner of Swan Creek and Fenmore Roads.

Fred registered to vote in Lakefield Township on November 1, 1890. He was elected in Lakefield Township to the Overseer of Highways – Road District #2 on April 6, 1896 and April 4, 1898; he served on the Board of Health in 1921 and 1924; he was elected as Justice of the Peace on April 5, 1926, April 7, 1930 and April 2, 1935. Fred was also a member of the Merrill Masonic Lodge No. 411, F.&A.M. In 1916 Fred and Isabell's neighbors were Fred Soloten, George Trudgeon, Jacob Lauer, William Sandhoff, and Gustav Klugas.

Isabell died on August 19, 1943 and Fredrick died on February 23, 1954. They are both buried in the Lakefield Township Cemetery.

SOURCES: 1916 Lakefield Township Platmap; Lakefield Township Records; 1894 Gratiot County Census; 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940 census; Fred & Isabell Gott's and Blanch & Joseph Clark's marriage record; George H., Frank W, Fred E. Jr., Earl, Blanch, & Carl's birth record; Find A Grave Website; Blanch & Joseph Clark's obituaries, Fred Gott's obituaries; Carl, Frank & Isabell Gott's death records; and Byron Rigg's photos.