Biography of John Baptiste Paggeot 1856-1909

John B. Paggeot was born the eldest of six children in Stronach, Manistee Cty, Michigan to Peter Joseph Paggeot and Marguerite Norman.  His birth date is somewhat elusive as most sources have it as 26 Oct 1856 which is six months prior to his parents recorded marriage date, and only two months before his sister Sarah Adeline's reported birth, 7 Jan 1857.  His death certificate in 1909 states his birth as 27 Oct 1855 which makes sense with Sarah's date, but further confuses the issue of having two children living at the time of marriage.  If that was the case it was certainly unusual in that era.

There is not much recorded about John B. during his childhood which was spent with his parents in Stronach other than the 1870 Federal Census which has him living at home when he was 14 years old.  During this period Stronach was a booming lumber town, at the mouth of the Little Manistee River.  His Uncle Charles was a wealthy mill owner and prominent politician. Stronach for a period was called Paggeot Town.

On 3 July 1879 John B. married Amanda Caroline Norman, daughter of Lewis Norman and Caroline Macher.  Lewis was the brother of Marguerite Norman, John B.'s mother.  The wedding took place in Stronach, he was 23 years old , she was 19 years old,  and both had been born in Stronach.  At that time he was employed as a lumber man.  Charles C. Magnan  and Maggi Pagret? (Probably Marguerite,his mother) witnessed the ceremony.

Unlike his father Peter, John B. was not found in Manistee newspapers during his lifetime.  He apparently moved farther out into the country shortly after his first child was born.  Eventually he went to work on the railroad as his children's birth records show him as railroad man, teamster, and later on as railroad section boss.

John's real legacy resided with his children.  Amanda gave birth to twelve children over a period of twenty three years.  Two children died at less than one year and she raised the remaining ten.  Details on each child are as follows:

John- Born 23 Dec 1879 Stronach, Died 25 Sep 1880 Stronach, 9 mos, Cholera

Eugene- Born 22 Dec 1880, Manistee Cty., Died 10 Oct 1881 Manistee Cty, no cause

Lawrence E.- Born 29 Jul 1882, Manistee Cty, Died 2 Jan 1955 Seattle WA, 73 yrs.
He married Lucy E. who had two children from a previous marriage named, Peter Frank and Florence, their descendants carry the Paggeot name today.  Lawrence moved to Tacoma, WA about 1907 (probably with his brother Floyd) and then to Seattle, WA between 1925-1928 also with Floyd.

John R.- Born 7 Nov 1884 Manistee Cty, Died 10 Feb 1912 Manistee City, 28 yrs.
John was single and employed at the Gas Plant in Manistee as a Gas maker.  He was overcome by gas.

Floyd Leonard- Born 4 Jan 1886 Manistee Cty, Died 21 Oct 1942 Seattle WA, 56 yrs.  He first married Ethel Rose Lovell 30 Oct 1906 and they had two sons, Lovell Floyd and Lawrence Stanley.  He second married Theresa Adaline Keune 5 Sep 1918 in Tacoma, WA.  They had two children, Bonnie Patricia born in Tacoma, and, Donald Floyd born in Seattle.  As did Lawrence, Floyd moved to Tacoma about 1907 and then to Seattle between 1925-1928.  His first wife took their two sons to Glendale, CA about 1923 and they had descendants in that area.  The majority of Floyds career centered around shipping.

Norman Adolphus- Born 24 Feb 1888 East Lake, Manistee Cty, Died 13 Aug 1951 Whitehall, MI, 63 yrs.  He married Mabelle Ann Watros 7 Jan 1910 in Manistee.
They had eight children, five boys and three girls; Norman Alan born Manistee, Wayne Joseph born Ludington, MI, Laurence Leo, Amandasue Rita, Rex Anthony, Doris Virginia, all born in Dayton, OH, Retha May, Gurden Louis, born in Muskegon.  A separate Biography will cover this family.

Reva A.- Born 2 Mar 1890 Manistee Cty, Died 4 Aug 1964, Tacoma, WA, 74 yrs.  Reva was never married and spent her life as a Registered Nurse.  She moved to Tacoma about 1917, probably with her mother.

Myrtle Caroline- Born 5 Apr 1892 Maple Grove, Manistee Cty, Died 3 Mar 1948 Tacoma, WA, 56 yrs.  She married George Leifson about 1916 at Tacoma, WA.  They had three children, Dorothey Robert, and Barbara, all born in Tacoma.  Myrtle looks to have moved to Tacoma prior to her other sisters.

Edith Alvina- Born 12 Jan 1894 Maple Grove, Manistee Cty, Died 1 Aug 1967, Tacoma, WA, 73 yrs.  She married David Charles Turner 10 Feb 1918 in Manistee,MI.  They had five children, Elizabeth Joan, Marshall, Norma J. David A., Janet K., all Born in Tacoma.  Edith moved to Tacoma about 1918 when her husband went to the Army Engineering Corp in World War I.  She was living with Floyd in 1918.

Pearl Marie- Born 26 May 1896 Maple Grove, Manistee Cty, Died Nov 1984, 88 yrs.  She Married James Jerry Hansen 18 Jan 1915 in Manistee.  She had four children, Verle, Reva, Beatrice, and Jerry.  Two children were born in Manistee and two in Tacoma.  She moved to Tacoma about 1918.

Blanche Marie- Born 6 Feb 1900 Maple Grove, Manistee Cty, Died 18 Jan 1969 Tacoma, WA, 69 yrs.  She married Lawrence Healy 31 Oct 1931 in Tacoma.  They had two sons, Robert and Richard both born in Tacoma.  Blanche moved to Tacoma about 1917 with her mother and stayed with Floyd.

Willard Joseph- Born 7 May 1902 Filer City, Manistee Cty, Died 11 Nov 1943 Tacoma WA, 41 yrs.  He married Beatrice Beach Vaughn 19 Jun 1934 in Tacoma, WA.  They had one child, Carol Ann born in Tacoma.  Willard moved to Tacoma about 1917 with his mother when he was 15 yrs old.  He initially stayed with Floyd also.

The 1900 Federal Census for Maple Grove Twp., Manistee Cty has John B.(44) listed as head of household and employed as a Teamster.  The whole family was there except Willard (born in 1902), Amanda(40), Lawrence E.(18), John R.(16), Floyd L. (14), Norman A.(12), Reva A.(10), Myrtle C.(8), Edith A.(6), Pearl M.(4), Blanch M.(4mos).  In addition they have a boarder listed, Earl Eagen(18).

John B. died of Stomach Cancer 31 May 1909 in East Lake, Manistee Cty at the age of 53.  He was buried 2 Jun 1909 at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Manistee.  His son John R., also living in East Lake, was the informant on the death certificate as the older brothers were already out West.

Sometime after his death Amanda moved to Manistee City as her address was 30 Jones St. in 1912 when John R. was killed.  About 1917 it looks like her, Reva , Blanche, Willard, and possibly Myrtle went to Tacoma together.  By 1918 everyone of the family were out West except Norman who had moved to Dayton Ohio in 1917 for a few years.  It is not known why Norman was the only one of John B.'s children to stay in the Mid West.