Montran Monday
By Don Taylor
As part of my ongoing Montran Monday series, I search historical newspapers for any mention of individuals bearing the Montran surname. Each brief reference is another clue in the larger puzzle of my maternal grandmother’s elusive father. This week’s find appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette, dated 31 July 1901, on page 2.
Newspaper Clipping:
VICKSBURG
Vicksburg, July 30.—Mrs. Montran and son and Miss Elsie Penfield are the guests of relatives in Three Rivers and Colon….
What I Learned:
- Vicksburg is a small village in Kalamazoo County, approximately 15 miles south of Kalamazoo.
- Three Rivers is a city in neighboring St. Joseph County, 16 miles south of Vicksburg.
- Colon, also in St. Joseph County, lies about 21 miles southeast of Vicksburg and 17 miles east of Three Rivers.
Curious about this “Mrs. Montran,” I searched the 1900 U.S. Census for Kalamazoo County and surrounding areas but found no Montrans residing there during the 1900–1910 time frame. However, the 1900 Census does list an Elsie P. Penfield, born May 1884 in Michigan, living in Schoolcraft with her parents, John B. and Ceba D. Penfield. At the time, Elsie was 16 years old.
I also explored various family trees on Ancestry that included Elsie, hoping to identify a link to someone with the Montran surname—but without success. Based on those trees and the absence of corroborating records, I suspect that the newspaper may have contained a typographical error, and that the surname “Montran” might actually have been “Montrose.”
A Reminder:
Not every newspaper clipping leads directly to a genealogical breakthrough. However, even missteps can refine our understanding and guide future research paths. If “Mrs. Montran” was indeed someone else entirely, this find still helps narrow the focus of where not to look.
Discover more from Don Taylor Genealogy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
