GILBERT AND CAROLINE WRIGHTMAN (RYCKMAN/RIGHTMAN) BASTEDO

Gilbert Bastedo was born December 8, 1833 in Canada to John and Mary (Flewelling) Bastedo. Gilbert married Caroline Wrightman in 1863. Gilbert, Caroline and their son William C. Bastedo came to the United States in 1869. Caroline's father was Harmon (Ryckman/Rightman) Wrightman who was born February 8, 1809 in Canada and died March 14, 1905 and is buried in the Lakefield Township Cemetery.

On November 10, 1879, with the authority of the 1862 Homestead Act of the United States, Homestead Certificate #1169 application 2848, Gilbert was issued 120 acres of land in Lakefield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. According to the 1880 Federal Census of Agriculture, 100 acres of it was woodland or forest and 20 acres of it was pasture or meadow. The 120 acres were located in Section 14 on the NE corner of South Merrill Road and Lakefield Road. Eventually a school was built on his Lakefield Road property and was called “The Bastedo School”.

Gilbert and Caroline had the following children:

1. William C. was born 1867 in Canada and died February 11, 1911; he was married to Lena Hendricks. William was chairman to the Board of Election in 1897.

2. Mary was born August 21/22, 1870 in S. Saginaw, Michigan and was married to an Frank Enos on December 18, 1886.

3. Irene Florence was born December 12, 1876 and was married to Thomas Morden on April 7, 1894

4. Gilbert Tice was born March 17, 1879 in Lakefield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan and was married to Margaret Vondette on December 31, 1903.

5. Blanche was born May 1887 in Lakefield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan and married Clarence Federspeil on January 21, 1907.

Gilbert served Lakefield Township as:  

1.  Overseer of Highways in Road District #5 in 1876, 1895, 1896, 1897 and 1898

2.  Justice of the Peace for 4 year terms in 1876, 1880 and 1886

3.  Board of Review member in 1897.

Gilbert had a brother, John C. Bastedo, that lived in James or Thomas Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. John C. and his wife Emily (Tester) are buried in the Lakefield Township Cemetery.

Gilbert passed away on July 14, 1906 in Lakefield Township and Caroline passed away on March 16, 1921 and they are both buried in the Lakefield Township Cemetery.

Sources: James Bastedo; 1880 and 1900 United States Census; Saginaw County marriage licenses; Mary, Irene and Gilbert Bastedo birth records; Mary Enos, Irene Morden, William C. Bastedo and Gilbert Tice death records, Gilbert Bastedo death certificate, 1896 Lakefield Township Platmap, 1880 Federal Census of Agriculture; and U.S. General Land Records; John C. Bastedo death record and Harmon Ryckman/Wrightman death certificate.

SAGINAW NEWS – Thursday, March 16, 1905, page 7 – “Harmon Rightman of Lakefield passed away at the family home Tuesday morning at the advanced age of 96 years. He was a pioneer in that part of the country coming there from Canada 30 years ago. To him is largely due the fine condition today of that section of the country. He is survived by five children, two of his daughters being Mrs. G. Bastedo of Lakefield and Mrs. C. B. Johnson of Merrill. The funeral was held from the Bastedo residence, Thursday morning at 9:30 o'clock and interment followed in Lakefield Cemetery.”