Notes for Herbert THURTELL

Thurtell and Related Families Thurtell and Related Families

Notes for Herbert THURTELL

The 1963 Thurtell Family History and the History of the Thurtell Family done by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968 show that Herbert Thurtell was a doctor in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Herbert Thurtell is listed among the graduates of Traverse City High School, Class of 1887, Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, on a web page at http://members.aol.com/vwilson577/grad-class.html.

He and his family are listed in the 1900 U.S. Census for Manitowoc County, Wisconsin (SD 213, ED 71, Sheet 9) as living in the First Ward of Manitowoc City, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. He is shown as Herbert Thurtell, age 37, born in January 1863 in Canada, with his father born in New York and his mother in England. The places of birth meant for his parents were obviously reversed by the enumerator of the census. It looks like he had immigrated to the United States in 1866, 34 years before, but this field is very hard to read. No citizenship information is shown. The census record shows he rented the house where he and his family lived at 817 H??scorb?? Street (the street name is extremely hard to read) and that he was a physician. His wife is shown as Carrie M. Thurtell, age 28, born in September 1871 in Michigan, with her father born in Michigan and her mother in Ohio. The census shows that she and her husband have been married eight years, and she is the mother of two children, both living with their parents. Howard C. Thurtell is shown as age 7, born in Michigan in May 1893, and attending school. Helen A. Thurtell is shown as age 4, born in August 1895 in Wisconsin, and not yet attending school. Carrie Thurtell's father is also living with the family. His name looks like Llewellyn Chaper, but the last name should be Chapel according to family records. He is shown as age 58, born in August 1841 in Michigan and a widower, with both his parents born in New York.

He is not listed in the 1901 or 1905 Traverse City, Michigan, directories, but is listed in the 1911 directory as "Thurtell, Herbert, phys rm 2 Hamilton-Milliken blk, res 440 6th."

Herbert H. Thurtell and his family are listed in the 1910 U.S. Census index as living in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan (030 0056 0270). Herbert H. is shown as a white male born in Canada age 47. His wife, Carrie, is shown as age 38 and born in Michigan. His son, Howard, is shown as age 16 born in Michigan. His daughters, Helen and Irene, are shown as born in Wisconsin. Helen is 14, and Irene is 9 according to the census index. The census record on sheet 13A, SD 11, ED 56, shows Herbert and Carrie had been married 18 years and were living at 440 Sixth Street, Traverse City, Michigan, a home they were renting. It shows Herbert was a naturalized U.S. citizen, who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1871. It shows his father was born in England and his mother in Canada. It shows he was employed as a physician and surgeon.

Dr. Herbert Thurtell is listed in a book by Dr. L. Falge, "History of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin," as one of the early doctors of the county. This book shows he came to Manitowoc County as a physician in 1895. This information was obtained in October 1997 from Shari Milks (sharim@@dataplusnet.com), who has been posting her research on that county on the internet (http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/wi/.lmanitowoc/man.htm).

The 1920 U.S. Census Soundex (Vol. 9, E.D. 76, Sheet 7, Line 33) for Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan shows Herbert Thurtell, age 56, born in Canada, living with his wife, Carrie, who is 47 and born in Michigan, and his daughter, Irene, who is 19 and born in Wisconsin.

In a January 1998 email Joel Thurtell recalled his father, Howard Travis Thurtell, telling stories about his grandfather, Dr. Herbert Thurtell. Herbert had his his office in his house, at least when he was in Benton Harbor. Herbert was a big game hunter; and when Joel was a child, his father used to re-tell his grandfather's hunting stories. Later, Joel tended to disbelieve them, but his father insisted they were true. Herbert had a big double-barreld shotgun, a cap and ball or percussion model with a cowhorn full of black powder which he gave Joel's dad when he was about eight. Joel's grandfather, Howard C. Thurtell's reaction was, "He gave you what?" Joel's dad always resented that Joel's grandfather took the powder horn out to the back yard, dug a hole, poured the powder in the hole and ran water over it. "Real spoilsport!" Howard Travis Thurtell also had told Joel that his grandfather had removed his tonsils with the surgery done on his kitchen table, but that his tonsils had to be removed a second time later on.

In a 1998 letter to Susan Miller, Dr. James W. Miller (Evangeline and Edward Miller's son who was born October 14, 1913) recalled that shortly after he and his twin brother, Francis George Miller, were born their mother had a ruptured appendix and was operated on by his uncle, Dr. Herbert Thurtell, on the kitchen table in Suttons Bay. She nearly died and drained for nine months, but she recovered and lived until 1944.

Herbert Thurtell is buried at Oakwood Cemetery, 1225 East Eighth Street, Traverse City, Michigan 49686, telephone 616-922-4907, in Block 5, Lot 2, Second Edition. Oakwood Cemetery records confirm he died November 29, 1931, at age 68 in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

A notice in the November 30, 1931, Traverse City, Michigan, Record Eagle reported the death of Dr. Herbert Thurtell on November 29, 1931, in Benton Harbor, where he had been living for several years. He had previously been a physician practicing in Traverse City, where he had a large circle of friends. The H. L. Weaver funeral home handled the arrangements in Traverse City, where a service was scheduled for December 2, 1931, at Oakwood Cemetery.

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