Thank you so much everyone for your help!!!! Words cannot describe how happy it has made me to learn about my family's history! I feel that we are getting closer to finding out where John Cappell came from and who his parents or siblings were.
MaryK from Bay City sent me an article with some clues regarding Eliza's family!The article is from June 8, 1909 and says the following:
"A pathetic incident was witnessed Monday afternoon at the home of Mr.s Eliza J. Cappell 1514 Woodside avenue, when her pretty little 3-year-old granddaughter was virtually torn away from her care and custody. The grandparent was greatly attached to the child and the parting was one which could not fall to touch the tender spots in the make-up of those who were present at the time.
The child was delivered into the hands of Mrs. Albert G. Smith, of Detroit, who was entitled to the custody from the fact that she was the mother of the little one, and from the further fact that she had with her a decree from the Wayne county circuit court giving her the authority to take possession of her daughter at any time she saw fit.
It appears that last summer Mrs. Smith was granted a divorce from her husband, Wm. Cappell, the latter being a son of Mrs. Eliza Cappell, of this city. At the time the decree was made, Mrs. Wm. Cappell had no place to provide for her daughter, it is said, and permitted her to be brought to Bay City. A month later she married a man named Smith, who is a brother of Mrs. Cappell, of this city, and an uncle of Mrs. Smith's first husband."
So, I did a research of William Cappell (Wm Cappell) for a marriage and found that in 1903 he was married to an Ellen M. Mickles.
https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22Wm%20H.%22%20%2Bsurname%3ACappell%20%2Bmarriage_place%3A%22Detroit%2C%20Michigan%22%20%2Bmarriage_year%3A1903-1903~ Citing this Record:
"Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N36S-85H : 4 December 2014), Wm H Cappell and Ellen M Mickles, 05 Nov 1903; citing Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, v 4 p 700 rn 41127, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,342,666.
In the article stated in this post it says that William and Ellen divorced last summer and a month later she married Albert G. Smith - Eliza's brother. I researched all over Michigan for a 1908 marriage of Ellen Mickles and Albert Smith and found nothing. Then, I decided to try Canada and that's where I found their marriage record!
https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3AAlbert%20%2Bsurname%3ASmith%20%2Bmarriage_place%3ACanada%20%2Bmarriage_year%3A1908-1908~Event: Marriage - October 14, 1908 - Windsor, Essex, Ontario, Canada
Groom: Albert Smith - Occupation: Farmer Age: 34 Birth year estimated: 1874
Usual Residence: Lucknow, Canada Father's name: Thomas Smith (deceased)
Mother's name: Mary J Beason
Bride: Ellen Mickles Age: 24 Birth year estimated: 1884
Usual Residence: Detroit
Citing this Record:
"Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSZX-G28 : 10 April 2015), Albert Smith and Ellen Mickles, 14 Oct 1908; citing registration , Windsor, Essex, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,871,866.
I haven't yet been able to find anything that has Albert and Eliza as siblings.
I did find an article from The Evening Times: Bay City, Mich. 11/9/1905 stating the following:
"Mrs. Jane Smith, of Lucknow, Ont., arrived in the city Monday to visit with her daughter, Mrs. Elvin Cappell of Woodside.
Mrs. Elvin Cappell, of Woodside avenue, who has been very ill the past four weeks, is rapidly recovering."
This must be them! On Albert's marriage record to Ellen, he lists his usual residence as Lucknow, Ontario. In 1900 and 1910 Bay City Census Eliza lives at 1514 Woodside Avenue. In 1880 the Cappells lived at 1114 Woodside avenue. The must have misspelled her name as Elvin.
In the Bay City Times 12/15/1916 it states the following:
"Mrs. Thomas Smith of Lucknow, Ont., is seriously ill at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E. J. Cappell, 1514 Woodside avenue."
Eliza's parents names must be Thomas and Mary Jane Smith! Which means that whoever was the informant for Eliza's death (I think it was her son William) gave an incorrect name for her father. So, the same thing could have happened with John Cappell, his fathers name might not be Elisha. Maybe John named his first born son, William, after his father!?!?
How can I find out who owned 1114 Woodside Ave, Bay City, MI in 1880? The home is no longer there, but maybe John's parents helped him buy it or another relative that might give a clue to other relatives.
