Biography of Norman Adolphus Paggeot 1888-1951

Norman Adolphus Paggeot was born the sixth of twelve children in East Lake, Manistee Cty., Michigan on 24 Feb 1888 to John B. Paggeot & Amanda Caroline Norman.  In 1900 Norman was 12 years old and living at home in Maple Grove Twp. with eight brothers and sisters as found in the 1900 Census.  Maple Grove is a rural area about 15 miles North East of Manistee.  The family had lived there for at least 8 years as four of his sisters were born there.  It is likely that his fathers work took them to that area as he worked for the rail road for many years and the line ran through Maple Grove Twp.  That line is still there but it is now listed as abandoned.  The same Census which lists John B.(44) as a Teamster, also lists Norman's older brothers Lawrence E.(18), John R.(16), and Floyd L.(14), as Teamsters.  Little else is known of Normans youth except for an old photograph taken when he was about 19 or 20 years old about 1908.  It shows him in uniform (probably Michigan National Guard which was big in that era) with his unit, holding bayonets around their stacked rifles.  On the back he addressed it to Floyd L. Paggeot, Tacoma Wash. c/o Box 166.  He wrote, " Dear Brother, Am having a good time this is Sunday and we break camp today-Norman".

On 7 Jan 1910 in Manistee, Norman married Mabelle Ann Watros daughter of Clinton Dellray Watros and Hattie Ann Nelson.  It is not known where her parents were from.  The marriage record lists Mabelle as 19 years old residing in Henry, MI as a school teacher.  Her parents are listed as John Watros & Hattie Nelson and her birthplace as Indiana.  Our family records show her parents as Clinton & Hattie and her being born 30 Apr 1890 in Warsaw, Indiana.  She attended Ferris State College and graduated with her teaching certificate.  The record has Norman as 21 years old residing in East Lake, occupation laborer.  His parents are listed correctly, his father had passed away the year before.  Witnesses to the ceremony were Reva Paggeot (Norman's 19 year old sister), and Emil Olsen.

It will be seen that Norman & Mabelle moved around quite a bit beginning shortly after their marriage.   They had eight children, five boys and three girls, over a twenty year period.  Only the eldest was born in Manistee.

Norman Alan(Pat)- Born 30 Dec 1910 Manistee MI, Died 26 Oct 1993 Grand Haven MI, 83 yrs, heart aneurysm.  He first married Olive Clarice Simonson and they had three children, Patricia Louise, Dee Allen, and Monty.  He second married Pauline Florence Beemon 30 Mar 1944 in Detroit, MI.  They had eight children, three boys and five girls, all born in Grand Haven, MI.  The youngest two are twins.  Their names are James Norman(Jim), Gerald Allen(Jerry), Jacqueline Mary(Jackie), Jeanne Anne, Joanne Pauline, Jennifer Lynn, Pauline Jane, and Patrick Wayne.  As a child Norman was called "Norrie" by his Grandmother, Amanda, and his aunts & uncles before they went West.  Norman recalled going to the train station with his parents to see Amanda, the girls, and his Uncle Willard off.  He was 7 years old then.  He led a colorful and eventful life and hopefully his children will do his Biography some day.

About 1913 Norman & Mabelle moved to Ludington, MI. ( about 20 miles South of Manistee).  The 1913 Ludington City Directory has him as Manager Singer Sewing Machine Co. residing at 312 W. Ludington Ave.  By 1914 he was employed on the Car Ferrys which crossed Lake Michigan to Milwaukee, WI.  His occupation was listed as "Marine Fireman" having to do with the ships boilers.  Family stories also have Mabelle working on the ships as a chambermaid for a short time.

Some time in 1914 they actually resided in Milwaukee for a short period, as Mabelle was pregnant with their second son while there.  They moved back to Ludington as he was born in Ludington September 1914.  The 1915 Ludington City Directory has them residing at 430 S. Charles.

Wayne Joseph- Born 20 Sep 1914 Ludington, MI, Died 24 Aug 1990 Okeechobee, FL, 75 yrs, cancer.  He married Wanette Fern Dunlop 12 Oct 1946 in Traverse City, MI.  They had one son, Wayne Jay born in Whitehall, MI.  Wayne was a sign painter, and at various times had businesses in Michigan, California, and lastly Florida.  Some time in the thirties, much to the consternation of Mabelle, Wayne went to Washington on a motorcycle by himself to see his Western aunts & uncles.  Some there still remember that visit.  He was the only member of the Michigan Paggeots to ever make the trip.

Shortly after Norman's mother, sisters, and brother left for Tacoma, he also departed for Dayton, OH,  with his family in 1917.  He went there for work which we think was construction, but are not sure.  Their third son was born there in Sept. 1918.  Their first daughter was born there in 1920.

Laurence Leo(Larry)- Born 1 Sep 1918 Dayton, OH, Died 20 Jun 1969 Whitehall, MI, 50 yrs, massive coronary.  He married Marion Ruth Michels 26 Oct 1939 in Muskegon, MI.  They had four children, three boys and one girl, all born in Muskegon.  Their names are, Lawrence Richard(Rick), John Edward(Jack), Ronald Elliot(Ron), and Susan Louise(Sue).  After their marriage in 1939 they resided in the Muskegon area where Larry was an Auto Mechanic until 1955.  That year the family moved to Golden, CO for a brief period.  Illness brought the family back to Michigan and they took up residence in Whitehall where they have been since.

Amandasue Rita(Sue)- Born 19 May 1920 Dayton, OH.  She married Benjamin Franklin Evans(Ben) 8 Jan 1918 in Muskegon, MI.  They had nine children, four girls and five boys, all born in Muskegon, MI.  Their names are, Margie Muriel, James Franklin(Jim), Trixie Lea, Willard Norman(Bud), Benjamin Joseph(BenJoe), Sally Ann, Conrad Alan, Christina Marie, and Steven Ralph(Steve).  After marriage Ben& Sue stayed in the Muskegon and later Whitehall area until around the Sixties when they moved North to Boyne City, MI.  Ben died there in 1982 and Sue resides there today as do most of her children.

Apparently around 1922 the family moved back to Ludington for some time.  The 1922 Ludington City Directory, has them residing at 424 E. Dowland.  Norman's occupation is again shown to be fireman, so it appears he went back to the ships.  Around 1923 they again returned to Dayton as their fourth son was born there in Nov. 1923.  Their second daughter was also born there in 1925.

Rex Anthony(Rex)- Born 2 Nov 1923 Dayton, OH.  He married Joanne Mary Fielstra 5 Jul 1946 in Whitehall, MI. They had two children, Karen Anne, and Rex Allen, both born in Muskegon, MI.  Rex was Chief of Police in Whitehall until the early 1950's when he and his family moved to St. Petersburg, FL.  There he worked for a pipeline company as a foreman until he retired.  He then moved to Demopolis, AL where his daughter resides, and lives there today.  His wife, Joanne passed away in 1995.

Doris Virginia(Doris)- Born 12 Apr 1925 Dayton, OH.  She married Larry Hansen 4 Jul 1941 in Montague, MI.  They had seven children, three boys and four girls, most of whom were born in Muskegon and Montague, MI.  Their names are, Norma Jean, Jeanne Arlene, Larry Alan, James Charles, Kathleen Marie,Ruth Anne, and Andrew Scott.  Larry and Doris divorced sometime later. She moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where some of her children had gone and resides there today.
 

By 1926 the family had again relocated back to Michigan, this time to Muskegon Hts.  This trip was a little more eventful, as it was during prohibition and Norman was nearly busted for making beer in Dayton.  As both Sue and Norm recalled, their dad piled everyone in the car, leaving most of their possessions, and headed back to Michigan.  They stayed for a time with Nellie & John Cramer.  Nellie was Mabelle's half-sister.  They then moved back to Ludington where the 1926-1927 Ludington City Directory listed them at 712 S. James St.  Norman was listed as working for the Pere Marquette Rail Road, (this company owned the Car Ferrys).  They stayed there until about 1927 and then moved back to Muskegon Hts, MI where their third daughter was born in March and their fifth son was born in 1931.

Retha May(Marge)- Born 28 Mar 1927 Muskegon Hts., MI.  She married Lewis Albert Jancek 26 May 1951 in Muskegon MI.  They had eight children, seven girls and one boy.  Sadly their son died at the age of 3.  Their names are, Diana Lee, Judy Anne, Lynn Marie, Lois Eileen, Cynthia Dawn, Daniel Lewis, Monica Irene, all born in Muskegon, MI and Rae Jean, born in Montague, MI.  From 1951 until the late 1960's the family resided in Muskegon.  They then moved to Montague, MI and reside there today.

Gurden Louis(Gurden)- Born 7 Feb 1931 Muskegon Hts., MI, Died 9 Sep 1979 Ludington, MI, 48 yrs, heart.  He first married Delores Carroll 22 Apr 1953 in Vanceburg, KY.  They had three daughters, Sherry Lynn, Teresa Ann, and Renee Louise.  He second married Mildred Frances Kordecki(Milly) 15 Apr 1960 in Muskegon, MI.  They had eight children, seven boys and one girl.  Their names and birth places are, Gurden Louis, Frances Marie, Muskegon, MI, Michael Thomas, Hart, MI, Brian Jerome, Bruce Mathew, Muskegon, MI, Gregory Scott, Manistee, MI, David Eugene, Douglas Lee, Ludington, MI.  After moving around some they settled in Pentwater, MI where Milly resides today.

After 1931 Norman and Mabelle continued to move about Muskegon, and in about 1935 moved to N. Muskegon, MI.  From that period on illness kept Norman from working much.  Mabelle was a cook at several establishments.  About 1942 they moved to Todd Rd. near Whitehall, MI  which is where Norman died of heart failure, 13 Aug 1951, 63 yrs.  He was interred in Oakhurst Cemetery in Whitehall on 18 Aug 1951.

In 1953 that house burned.  Mabelle moved to Whitehall and eventually remarried.  She passed away 21 May 1976, 86 yrs, and was also interred in Oakhurst Cemetery 24 May 1979.  Mabelle was the Michigan contact that Norman's sister Pearl communicated with from Washington.  They exchanged letters and pictures all the way into the 1960's.

The Paggeot Plot at Oak Hurst Cemetery has Norman and Mabelle side by side and next to their sons Larry and Gurden.