The Iowa Branch of the Callin Family

Hello, cousins!

So, you know how I'm working furiously to get the Callin Family History completed before the holidays? It would seem the last thing I would want to do is add MORE information to it at this late stage.

Then I find this: 

From this Faxon Family History (emphasis mine):

593. George Faxon, (Isaac Davis, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Josiah, Richard, Thomas,) b. Aug. 8, 1819, in Aurora, Portage county, Ohio, son of Isaac Davis and Corinna (Lewis) Faxon, m. Feb. 29, 1844, Pamelia Callen, b. March 9, 1828, in Mansfield, Richland county, Ohio, daughter of Hugh and Lucinda (Montgomery) Callen. She d. Oct. 30, 1855. He moved soon after his marriage to Fredonia, Iowa, and in 1849, went to California, by the overland route, returning in 1871. 

That seems to tell me pretty clearly that I have found the daughter of Hugh Callin. You might remember discussing the clues about where he and his brother, Alec Callin, went after they left Milton Township, Ohio, to settle in Iowa. 

(If you don't remember, you can refresh yourself with Pull of the West, and the update about finding Aunt Mary's grave marker.)

We already had a couple of census records (from 1830 in Milton Township, Ohio and 1840 in Louisa County, Iowa) that placed Hugh in this part of Iowa, along with these obscure mentions from the History of Louisa County:

pg. 86: "Ordered that Iowa and Cedar River Road District No. 10 be bounded as follows...and that Hugh Calin be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in said district."

pg. 87: "The place for holding elections shall be at Hugh Caland's; and that John Blake be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in the same."

pg. 97: "Among the earliest settlers in Oakland township were: Hugh Callan, or Calin..."

pg. 114: (referring to the election returns of 1839 discussed on the preceding page), "...and Calins was Hugh Calins, or Callans, which was on the east side of the Iowa river in the north part of section I, township 75 north, range 5."

pg. 300: "The designation of this district [Cattesse in Oakland Township] was intended both for a road district and a voting precinct, and it was provided that the voting place should be at Hugh Coland's. This name is given at other times as "Calin" or "Callan." Whatever the proper spelling was, it is quite certain he was an early settler in Oakland township, and probably lived near the bank of the Iowa river almost due west from Levi Blake's residence."

pg. 302: (referring to the bill book of shopkeeper Curtis Knight) "Hugh Callin's name is found in one entry under date of December 4, 1840."

But wait - there's more...

Now that we have Pamelia's name, and her mother's name, we can make a couple more educated assertions about this family. Here is a screenshot of George and Pamelia Faxon's household (No. 12) in Fredonia Township, Louisa County, Iowa, in 1850 - I'm willing to bet that her mother and two previously unknown siblings are in household No. 11:

1850 Federal Census; Fredonia Twp, Louisa, Iowa
(click to enlarge)

Take note of all of the Blakes on that page. The Louisa County history said Hugh's residence was due west of Levi Blake's, and while I don't see Levi's name, there are two Blakes in the Faxon household, there is a Peter Blake family above them (household No. 10), Joseph Blake (No. 13) and William Blake (No. 16) below!

 The fact that "Lucindy" Callan is listed as the head of her household in 1850, and in the 1852 and 1847 Iowa State Census records, tells me that Hugh probably died between 1840 and 1847.

Clearly, there is a lot of work to do here. I'll do my best to keep you all posted!