Frank McINtosh lived in Lincoln Twp, Berrien Co, MICH from 1892 to sometime between 1900 and 1907. He is on the 1900 census. By 1907 his wife, Lucy Collins McINtosh, is listed in ST Joseph city directory as "widow of Frank." However, Berrien Co cannot find a death record for Frank. Attempts to find an obituary have been unsuccessful. His wife and most of his children are buried at Riverview Cemetery, St Joe. An older son, Moses McINtosh is buried at Lincoln Twp Cemetery but they have no record of Frank. WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS MAN? EXACTLY WHEN DID HE DIE AND WHERE DID THEY PUT HIM? Supposedly he is CW veteran but again no records can be found except 1894 MICH census of Veterans, he is listed in Lincoln Twp. Supposedly he was a railroad engineer during his life, had 3 farms but lost them due to ill health. In 1900 census he was renting home. His parents were from Scotland but to date, I have not found their names. I am up against a Scottish brickwall! Any help, ideas, suggestions, are gladly welcomed.....Blessings, Chris in Ohio
"Looking4McINtoshes"

UPDATE: I think I may have found what happened to our ancestor, Frank McIntosh from Berrien Co, Michigan. After countless hours of searching I've found a Frank McIntosh who died June 19, 1901 in the Kalamazoo Asylum. This Frank is the right age to be our Frank and his info fits with our Frank. He apparently was indigent and paralyzed and died in the Asylum. He is buried in Potters Field, Riverside Cem Kalamazoo. This is the ONLY death record of a Frank McIntosh in MI who is right age to be our guy. I am told by Kalamazoo Co that the Univ of Western Mich now owns the records for the Kalamazoo Asylum and they may be hard to locate. Has anyone out there had any experience researching Kalamazoo Asylum?? Thanks for any advice.

Did you post a query on the Kalamazoo board for a death record for Frank McIntosh?? He should be in the records if he died in Kalamazoo Co.. The death record might have some family info in it. The volunteer's there will look for it. Cemetery records say he was buried June 23, 1901.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikccem/recognition.htm

Jeff

Jeff, thanks for writing. Since I posted my message, I did find the death record in Kalamazoo. The clerk found it, read it to me over the phone. It didn't have any info about his parents and it sounds like it's our Frank but no information in it to really completely confirm that it is. However, this Frank who died in Kalamazoo was the exact age ours would have been, was married and had been ill from complications from paralysis, sounds like he had a stroke. It did not list ANY of his family even though it said he was married, no parents names listed or no other city where he was from. I was so disappointed, every time I find a tidbit of info there's not enough to open up another avenue to search. I have not been able to find an obituary on him. If this was the right Frank, he was indigent and perhaps they didn't even put one in the paper. This Frank in Kalamazoo was a patient at the Kalamazoo INsane Asylum which also took in indigent, sick people. I am told Western Univ in Michigan holds all the old records from the asylum. I have sent a request to them for a records search but it's been a couple months, no reply. After holidays, I will jump back on this again, perhaps call in person. If you think of anything that might help me please let me know. I kind of feel this IS our Frank but would love to PROVE it is. Thanks, Chris in Ohio

I will check to see if there is any other info at the Cemetery office. Being buried in Potters Field doesn't give much hope finding a grave or much info but we'll see. I looked for an obit but came up empty. There are only two other McIntosh's in Riverside, Charles O. & Minnie L.. Lots of poor people died at the Asylum & people who didn't have anyone to care for them.
Not all there were insane so the Archives at WMU might not have any records. Medical records are not public information though so you are probably at a brick wall there, if we can find the funeral home that buried him that could lead to something but don't get your hopes up.

Jeff, that's what the lady at the Co clerk's office told me, that West. Mich Univ. may not have any records or if they do, may not release medical but MIGHT release enough info on him to confirm or deny it's our Frank. But I'm not holding my breath. If this is our Frank, he had a family in St Joseph, MI, his wife was very much alive and he had 10 kids. They all worked, so I wondered why he'd be stuck off in the Asylum. But a family descendant told me old Frank lost everything when he got sick, lost 3 farms supposedly in Berrien Co. His wife was working as a chamber maid in hotel there. I figure if Frank had a stroke, maybe he was helpless and the family couldn't care for him. Or maybe he did go out of his mind when he had the stroke. The death record said he was paralyzed. I'd love to clear up why he was put there just for the heck of it but probably won't ever find out.
Also the other 2 McIntosh buried in Riverside. The one, Charles O. McIntosh is Frank's grandson. Charles was my husband's grandfather. We have been to his grave. Charles lived in Kalamazoo from 1950 to 1951. He was killed in an accident on Red Arrow Hwy along with his mother in 1951. (She is buried in Berrien Co. The Minnie L McIntosh, I have NO clue who she was. She could have been related to our Frank but so far I haven't located any connnection. I have the names of all of Frank's children but however, I have NO names of any of his siblings since I haven't been able to determine who his parents were. Thanks for looking for the obit. I truly appreciate your effort. I keep hoping somewhere someone will read one of my posts and be a family member or related to one of Frank's siblings and have info on the parents. I did find Frank's grandson, the son of Frank's youngest boy George, but he didn't know a lot about his Grandpa as he was long dead before he came along. Some of Frank's sons (his uncles) told him scraps of info about him, that he worked for the railroad, had 3 farms, went blind and got real sick, lost everything. He was only 54 when he died. It must have been a very hard time back then. I will keep digging though and I very much appreciate your interest in helping. Please keep my email address or save my post in case you happen to stumble upon something.
Blessings, Chris in Ohio

Do you know anything more on Lucy Collins

Our Lucy Collins (Loucile) was b 1850 in Missouri,probably Macon Co. the daughter of Alexander Collins and Sarah Taylor. Alexander was from KY and Sarah was from VA according to Lucy's death record. Before Lucy was born they lived in Knox Co, Illinois. I've always suspected Alexander may have been related to an Irishman Michael Collins in Knox Co, ILL but could never confirm/deny it. I've only been able to determine 3 siblings to Lucy so far:
Moses Collins b 1849, Maxey C Collins b 1852, Thomas Collins b 1859. There may have been more children as gap btwn 1852 and 1859 but I haven't found any other record of them yet. Moses Collins married Mary Snooks and ended up in Broken Arrow, OK; Maxey C Collins married Elizabeth Snooks (sister to Mary)lived in Macon Co, MO. Thomas Collins married Claracy Davis and they lived in Frankfort, IND. Lucy married Frank McIntosh in Macon Co, MO 1868. By 1892 they had moved to Berrien Co, MI. Lucy died in city of St Joe, Mich Feb 1923. I recently found where Frank died in the Asylum in Kalamazoo 1901.
Are you part of the Collins line?? Thanks for any additional info on this family if you have any.
Blessings, Chris in Ohio

Chris:

Still not sure why back in 2007 I asked about Lucy Collins but probably due to having relatives from Berrien Co, Michigan. My Greatgrandmother was Emma Collins...born 1866 in Allegan County. Her parents were Daniel Collins - born about 1831 in Stuebin, NY...he married Sarah E Palmer - born about 1829 Orleans County, NY..in Michigan about 1853. Daniel's parents were - Elijah (May 13, 1799 Tompkins, NY) and a Mary A ? (born about June, 1803 Dutchess, NY) They had at least 11 children that I know of. Eleazer, John, Daniel, William, Harriet, Henrietta, Elijah, Susan A, Lyman, Sarah and Charles H.

I might have been wondering if your Lucy was a cousin of my Collins...since she also ended up in Berrien. But probably not if your Collins came from VA and mine from NY....

Emma Collins married a James B Murdock.

Karen