ALEX AND NELLIE/HELEN WHITE VONDETTE JR.

Alex Vondette Jr. was born in Clayton, New York on March 26, 1853 to Alexander and Adeline Seymour Vondette. Alex moved to Lakefield Township as a young man. He married Nellie White on November 28, 1876; she was born in Scotland on June 29, 1857, coming to U.S.A. in 1860.

Alex and Nellie had the following child:

1. Alex Vondette III was born March 26, 1877 in Lakefield Township. He married Delia M. Method on January 1, 1897. Delia died of consumption on October 19, 1902. He then married Kathleen Coburn on August 29, 1903.

In 1880, according to the Michigan Census of Agriculture, Alex Jr.'s property consisted of 15 acres of tilled land, and 25 acres of woodland or forest. Alex Jr. owned and operated 40 acres of land in Section 2 on east side of Merrill Road between Ederer and Swan Creek Roads. In 1896, his neighbors were: Edward Vondett, Jesse Baker, Charles Zarbock, Frank Seymour, John Seymour, R. Turner, Martin Price, R. Case, and E. Nevins.

Alex Vondette Jr. was elected to be Lakefield Township Overseer of Roads in District # 6 on April 4, 1892 and April 5, 1897. He was appointed to the Lakefield Township Building Committee for the Township Hall on April 13, 1895.

An excerpt from the book “Looking Backward”, History of Merrill and Jonesfield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan, written by W.G. Shannon, page 35, states the following:

In 1899, “The first game I remember was between Lakefield and Merrill. Bert Levi pitched to Alex Vondette for Lakefield. The catcher stood about thirty feet back of the plate and caught some real burners bare handed. Fred Demers was the catcher for Merrill that day. One pitch of the game caught Fred between his index and middle fingers, splitting them wide open, prompting Fred to leave the game. Brothers Richard and Aubrey Method stepped up along with Tice Bastedo and played quite a game that day. I cannot remember the names of the other Merrill players who gave their all that day, but it was a real moment of civic pride. Merrill was always proud of those boys. They played their hearts out, for free no less! “

When Alexs Jr's mother, Adeline Semour Vondette died on April 23, 1902; she was living with Alex Jr. and his wife Nellie, in Lakefield Township.

In 1910, Alex Jr. and his wife Nellie, are living in Last Mountain, the Province of Lask, Saskatchewan, Canada.

By 1920, Alex Jr. and his wife Nellie, are living in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.

Alex Jr. died on January 3, 1927 in Saginaw, Michigan and Nellie died on March 20, 1946 in Brighton, Michigan. They are both buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Saginaw, Michigan.

SOURCES: Lakefield Township Records; 1880, 1900, 1920 U.S. Census; 1910 and 1916 Canadian Census; 1896 Lakefield Township Plat Map; Alex Vondette Jr's obituary, Nellie White Vondette's obituary; and the Frances Vondette Fritz Book ,“The Vondette History”.