Descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner

Rolland Charles Fenner


[b 1 June 1885 at Ovid, Branch Co., MI; d 28 Nov. 1961 at Coldwater, MI] Rolland (“Rolla”) Charles Fenner m 1st Flossie Immel, daughter of John Immel, on 9 Feb. 1905 in Coldwater, MI. The marriage was evidently annulled; she m 2nd Melbert Hopkins on 7 Oct. 1907. Rolland m 2nd Lucy Madge Wixson [b 22 Feb. 1886 at Ovid Twp., MI; d 22 Apr. 1968 at Ithaca, NY], daughter of Clarence Wixson on and Marie Sweet, on 19 Apr. 1906 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

They left Michigan after 1910 and moved to Towanda, PA, then to Ithaca, NY, before 1925. He was a carpenter in Ithaca. After the demise of his father, he bought out the other heirs of the old homestead in Branch County, Michigan, and moved back there, although his sons Collins, Jack, and Clarence went back to New York state to live. He resided on Route 8, Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan. After Rolland died, Lucy moved to NY to live with one of her sons. She had been a member of Kinderhook Ivy Leaf chapter of Order of the Eastern Star.

Children by Rolland and Lucy:

  1. (Twin child); died as infant.

  2. (Twin child); died as infant.

  3. Collins [b 25 Mar. 1908; d Oct. 1984 Brooktondale, Tompkins Co., NY] m 1st Marshie VandeMark, daughter of Jay Vandemark and Bessie Spaulding, on 24 May 1930 in Tompkins, NY; had two children, Patricia Ann and Joan; he m 2nd Dorothy — [1915–2003].

  4. Rachel Rolene [b 1 Aug. 1909] married twice. No children.

  5. Clarence E. [b 27 July 1911; d 31 May 1991 in Ithaca, NY] m Eleanor Wilson.

  6. Jack Francis [b 18 Dec. 1914; d Mar. 1972 in NY] m Dorothy Williams [1914–2000]; had David, William, and Edward. According to Dorothy, “Jack’s full name is Jack Francis Fenner; he had a birth certificate with just Francis Fenner on it, and because he was always known as Jack we had it changed while his mother was still in Michigan.”[10]

  7. Elizabeth Esther [b 7 Sept. 1916] m George “Jerry” Freeman, had Penelope “Penny” Diane Freeman.

  8. Rolland Charles Jr. [b 7 Nov. 1918; d 19 Feb. 1989] m Marjorie VanVorst. Divorced.

  9. Emma Jane [b 24 Nov. 1924; d 27 Sept. 2003 in Detroit, MI] unmarried.

Lineage:
Arthur | Thomas | Thomas | Daniel | Thomas | William | Nathaniel | Collins | Corydon | Rolland

Sources:
1. Eva Fenner. Notes, 547–8. Eva Fenner’s notes show Collins’ birthdate as 21 March 1908. 
2. Eva Fenner. Notes, 915. Letter to Eva Fenner from Esther Fenner, 28 Oct. 1962. 
3. Rolland’s memorial at FindaGrave.com, no. 58241566
4. Rolla Fenner and Flossie Immel, Michigan Marriages, 1868–1925 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3J9-WNP)
5. Flossie Immel and Melbert Hopkins, Michigan, County Marriages, 1820–1935 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNLQ-HTP)
6. U.S. Census, 1910, Ovid, Branch Co., MI.
7. U.S. Census, 1920, Towanda, Bradford Co., PA.
8. New York State Census, 1925, Ithaca, NY.
9. U.S. Census, 1940, Ovid, Branch Co., MI.
10. Letter to Eva May Fenner from Dorothy Fenner, 17 Dec. 1971.