I believe the "M.A." who exchanges letters with Grace, is Martha Angel of Detroit. I have some postcards that Martha sent to Grace so I have some proof that they did write each other.
Martha is about the same age as Grace. I am not sure how they met. When I read in Grace's diary of something "confidential" relating to Martha, I immediately checked census records to see if Martha suddenly had a baby "sister". But she didn't. So I don't have a clue as to why Grace and Walter Hatch would have been talking about Martha. It doesn't seem to have been anything too scandalous, because later when Grace marries Earl Derham on 9 August 1910, Martha Angel has traveled to Corunna from Detroit and acts as Grace's witness. Two months later, Martha marries August Ostrowski in Detroit on 18 October 1910. Her witness is a girl from Detroit - not Grace.
The Stoddards
Grace mentions the Stoddards several times. They come to visit her family, and she often visits them as well, sometimes spending the night.
There is more than one Stoddard residence in the area, but one Stoddard family that she definitely spends time with is Chester Harlow Stoddard and his wife and Ella E. Stoddard (nee Alger), who live in Corunna Ward 2 in 1910. In 1908, Chester is 39 years old and Ella is 30. The 1910 census shows they have a son Harlow, who would have been 6 years old in 1908. In 1910, Ella reports that she had 2 other children who have died. One of those is her daughter Helen Stoddard, who was age 1 in 1900. Helen was Ella's first child, so another child was born and passed away between 1900 and 1910.
Chester died in 1937. Ella is still living in Corunna at the time the 1940 census was taken.
There is more than one Stoddard residence in the area, but one Stoddard family that she definitely spends time with is Chester Harlow Stoddard and his wife and Ella E. Stoddard (nee Alger), who live in Corunna Ward 2 in 1910. In 1908, Chester is 39 years old and Ella is 30. The 1910 census shows they have a son Harlow, who would have been 6 years old in 1908. In 1910, Ella reports that she had 2 other children who have died. One of those is her daughter Helen Stoddard, who was age 1 in 1900. Helen was Ella's first child, so another child was born and passed away between 1900 and 1910.
Chester died in 1937. Ella is still living in Corunna at the time the 1940 census was taken.
Crane family
The Crane family lives nearby in Caledonia, in between the Lantz and Dudeck families, and 2 doors down from the Buckle family.
John Crane is the head of the household, with his wife Katherine Crane. Leah Crane is the eldest daughter, followed by Bessie Crane, born 3 May 1888. Grace spends a lot of time with Bessie and at the Crane household. Bessie's younger brother is Harold Crane, also mentioned in Grace's diary.
Bessie is listed in the 1910 census as "Lizzie", which could be a transcriber error. Her given name is reported to the State of Michigan as "Bessie" in their birth records, viewable at Family History Library. In the 1940 census, Bessie is still unmarried and is living in Ann Arbor.
John Crane is the head of the household, with his wife Katherine Crane. Leah Crane is the eldest daughter, followed by Bessie Crane, born 3 May 1888. Grace spends a lot of time with Bessie and at the Crane household. Bessie's younger brother is Harold Crane, also mentioned in Grace's diary.
Bessie is listed in the 1910 census as "Lizzie", which could be a transcriber error. Her given name is reported to the State of Michigan as "Bessie" in their birth records, viewable at Family History Library. In the 1940 census, Bessie is still unmarried and is living in Ann Arbor.
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