William's second wife,
Adeline B. Baird, called "Addie", was born
in Sheldon, Vermont, on April 14, 1843.
Before coming to Michigan, she, with her
parents, Robert and Jane Milliken Baird,
lived in Highgate, Vermont. Robert and Jane
were both born in County Antrim, Ireland, of Scotch Irish origin. Mr. Baird died while
they lived in Vermont, then Jane and young
Addie moved to Michigan where Jane's other
two daughters already resided. Addie
brought to Michigan several small books,
which I now have in my possession. Her name
and address was beautifully written in
each, although so faint I could hardly make
it out. I also have books which belonged to
Jane. The oldest one was dated 1834. One
Bible had a stamp inside the front cover,
"Ballymena, Antrim County, Ireland".
I have old letters of
the 1890's addressed to William's daughters
from Sarah and Adell Boyce and Jennie
Neeley, signing them "cousin". They were
postmarked Cambridge, Brooklyn, and Jackson,
Michigan. Cambridge was what we now call
Cambridge Junction. Before the turn of the
century, it had a post office.
Addie's life was one of
unselfishness. She was a faithful wife, a
devoted mother and a loyal friend. Her
children looked to her for friendship, and
guidance, as well as love. Whenever they
were away from home, she wrote letters to
them regularly. When the girls were in
college, when Lorena was teaching in another
city, when Frances was traveling with
various orchestras, or when
George and Will, Jr.
were in the Philippines and Cuba in the
Spanish American War, and even when her
grandson, Clarence, was in World War I, she
sent them letters as often as possible.
Addie not
only told them all the latest neighborhood
news, but she offered them encouragement,
hope and cheer. After first being afraid
of the Indians who lived nearby when they
lived in Antrim County, she soon made
friends with them, helping them in times of
need. She would walk to their camps, taking
them choice items from her oven. She was an
ardent lover of flowers and birds, and even
the animals looked to her for sympathy and
protection.
Addie was a true
pioneer, and yet a lady, in every sense of
the word. After William's death,
whether it was from financial necessity, or
just plain neighborliness, Addie's home was
always open to the homeless. Several people
obtained room and board at the Getty home.
C. R. Albaugh was a
printer in Tecumseh, Michigan. In an old
letter to Lorena, he was referred to as
Uncle. It is believed he may have been
married to one of Addie's sisters.
They had at least three
children:
-
William W. Hanley, born August
31, 1876, at Central Lake;
-
Name not known;
-
John Franklin Hanley, born September 17,
1881, at Central Lake.
John Hanley took out
homestead in sections 14 and 23 in T. 31 N., R. 8 W.,
located in Central Lake Township, Antrim
County, Michigan. His homestead was on a
body of water which was later named Hanley
Lake, and some forty acres were within the
corporate boundaries of the Village of
Central Lake. Note at right portion of map
of Antrim County.
A certificate of birth,
delayed registration, for John Franklin
Hanley, was issued in Jackson County, in
1943. Affidavits of his two sisters and a
family Bible were exhibited as evidence of
date of birth.
