Gazlay Family History
Margaret M. ‘Maggie’ Walker (born Margaret Crippen)
DIRECT DESCENDANT OF JOHN GAZLAY (from England c.1715)
Margaret M. ‘Maggie’ Walker7 (Nelson Crippen,6 Karinda Gazlay,5 Joshua Gazlay,4 Jonathan Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
Margaret M. ‘Maggie’ Walker7 (Nelson Crippen,6 Karinda Gazlay,5 Joshua Gazlay,4 Jonathan Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
Parents
| Father | Nelson W. Crippen (10 February 1840 - 27 February 1900) |
| Mother | Luella Courter (19 April 1866 - 9 May 1925) |
| Adoptive Father | Edward Francis Walker (1 May 1855 - 10 February 1907) |
| Adoptive Mother | Charity E. Brush (12 June 1857 - 20 April 1921) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 29 April 2023; Last Edited: 7 May 2023 |
| Person ID | 13934 |
| Name | Margaret M. ‘Maggie’ Walker |
| Birthname | Margaret Crippen |
| Gender | Female |
| Born | 23 October 1891 in Union Charter Township, Isabella County, Michigan1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Adopted | |
| Married | 27 October 1907 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan to Francis E. ‘Frank’ Melvin (born Francis E. Byron)5 |
| Died | 23 June 1912 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan2 |
| Buried | in Surrey Township Cemetery, Farwell, Clare County, Michigan2 |
Biography
Margaret was apparently raised and probably adopted by Edward F. Walker and his wife Charity E. Walker Waddington (nee Brush). Margaret appears in the 1900 US Census living in New York with the Walkers (and bearing their surname). This was about four months after Margaret’s birth father, Nelson Crippen, died. Margaret’s marriage record shows the Walkers as her parents. However, several census records show that Charity had no children, implying that Margaret was not Margaret’s birth mother. It is not clear why Edward Walker and his wife were chosen to raise Margaret.
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Francis E. ‘Frank’ Melvin (born Francis E. Byron) (son of Theophilus ‘James’ Byron and Emma Dubois) |
| Born | 24 July 1888 in Isabella Township, Isabella County, Michigan |
| Married | 27 October 1907 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan to Margaret M. ‘Maggie’ Walker (born Margaret Crippen) |
| Married | 8 July 1913 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan to Mary Mabelle Patnode |
| Married | 19 April 1935 to Grace F. Egan |
| Died | 1946 |
| Children | of Margaret M. ‘Maggie’ Walker (born Margaret Crippen) and Francis E. ‘Frank’ Melvin (born Francis E. Byron): |
| 1. | Clarence A. Melvin |
| Born | 25 March 1912 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan |
| Married | 2 May 1931 in Porter County, Indiana to Frances S. Harris |
| Died | 1980 |
Sources
- Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917, Isabella County, Margaret M. Crippin, born: 23 October 1891 in Union, Isabella County, Michigan; father: N. H. Crippin, laborer, birthplace unknown; mother: Luella Crippin, born in Ohio.
- Find a Grave (website). Surrey Township Cemetery, Farwell, Clare County, Michigan, Margaret M. Crippen Melvin, born: 23 October 1891 in Mount Pleasant, Isabella County, Michigan; died: 23 June 1912 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan (from record, which includes a note indicating she was the daughter of Nelson and Luella (Courter) Crippen; and provides the name and link for her husband).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1900, New York, Wayne County, Huron, E.D. 111, Sheet No. 18B, Edward Walker, 45, New York, May 1855, farmer; wife of 22 years Charity Walker, 42, New York, June 1857, no children; daughter Margrett M. Walker, 8, Michigan, Oct. 1861; mother Sofronia Johnson, 70, New York, May 1830.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1910, Michigan, Clare County, Farwell, E.D. 38, Sheet No. 3B, Alfred A. Melvin, 62, New York, second marriage, laborer, odd jobs; wife of 31 years Sarah A. Melvin, 50, Pennsylvania, second marriage, one child, one living; son (adopted) Francis E. Melvin, 21, Michigan, laborer, odd jobs; daughter-in-law and wife of 2 years Margaret M. Melvin, 18, Michigan, no children.
- Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925, Francis E. Melvin, age 19, born in Isabella County, Michigan, com[mon] laborer; father: Alfred A. Melvin; mother: Sarah A. Clark; not previously married; Margaret M. Walker, age 16, born in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan; father: Edward F. Walker; mother: Charity E. Brush; not previously married; married on 27 October 1907 in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan.