JUDAH & NANCY CUSTER; GOLDEN WEDDING PICTURE
Granddaughter of the Rev. John Bruce, (Presbyterian minister).
                                             Soldier War of 1812

   Judah and Nancy Lavina (Moor) Custer were married 17 March 1857,
Ellsworth, Mahoning Co., OH. This picture probably taken March 1907 at their
50th wedding anniversary, Evart township., Osceola Co., MI. Judah was also
known at Charles J. Custer on the Federal Census, 1880, the first census in
Osceola Co., MI, Evart Township

   Nancy Lavina (Moor) Custer, d/o James Moor and Elizabeth BRUCE, was b. 17
March 1836, Ellsworth, Trumbull Co., OH, She was the granddaughter of the
Rev.
John Bruce, (Presbyterian minister), b. N.Y. or VA, & Eleanor Bruce.

  Eleanor Bruce d. 09 April 1843, Canfield, Mahoning Co. The Rev. John
Bruce, Village of Canfield, d. Age 45 years, 19 November 1816, Village of
Canfield, Canfield Twp., Trumbull Co., OH. Henry R. Baldwin Genealogical
Records, 1867-1919. Indiicate the burial at Canfield Village Cemetery. John
was in the War of 1812.

   When Judah Custer's family left Oh in the fall of 1878, they took their
nine children, Lucy A., Frank L., Laura Hapgood Custer, (twins), Mary &
Ellen, Loretta, James, Charles Judah, II, and Clara Dell, b. 23 December
1875. They bought their 40 acre farm 24 Oct. 1878, in Evart township,
Osceola Co., MI. One child, Addie May, b. 25 June 1882, Evart twp., Osceola
Co., MI. The Custer men were builders in a new wild territory.

They were several weeks on the trail through wilderness. It was a tedious
journey, and the children relieved the monotony of riding by getting out and
walking, and, when they tired of that, climbing on and riding again.
Children along the road just stood and stared or ran away frightened. The
Custer children had a speaking knowledge of German. They also spoke
Pennsylvania Dutch.

   The family hewed a home out of the wilderness, building a two story home
to shelter the family and clearing the land. Native Indians in the area were
Chickasaw and Potowami. The Potamie Chief Tommy had a son.  [Renie
Riccobuana, Yuba City, CA, Indian descendant. Reed City Court House, 3 Oct.
1994.] The sand hill on Judah's farm was at one time covered with pine
trees. Bears were known to be 6 feet, standing on their hind feet and
thought to be the size of a neighbor's two year old heifer. The antler on
deer were large like the horns of elk. [Evart Review, newspaper]. The
Custer's second daughter, Laura Hapgood Custer, was m. 24 May 1879. Their
son, Frank, was a noted barn builder, having  said 186 barns to his credit,
and numerous homes. Charlie, Jr.,  was a builder in Flint, Genessee Co., MI.
Judah's barn was built and finished August 1886.

   Judah d. 27 April 1909.  He was buried the day of a bad snow storm 29
April 1909 in Forest Hill cemetery Section D, Block 41, Lot 3, Grave 3.

Nancy d. 19 February 1910. Nancy and son, Jim, are buried in the same block.
(There was a comet that year that the community was watching).

   The Custer family are buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, Osceola Twp.,
Osceola Co., MI, with the exception of the twin, Mary Custer Riddle/Riddell.
She d. 28 July 1959, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN and was buried in Killarney
cemetery, Manitoba, Canada, age 95 years. Her sister, Addie May, d. 26
February 1964, Reed City, Richmond Twp., Osc. Co., MI.

Norma Rice
12929 16 Mile Road
Rodney, MI 49342
nbrice@netport.com