Joshua Van Renssalaer PRIEST

Joshua Priest	Herbert "Pete" Priest and Joshua Priest

• BIRTH: 15 Nov 1837, Jefferson Co., New York
• DEATH: 26 Jan 1932, Beaumont, Riverside Co., CA
• BURIAL: 28 Jan 1932, Beaumont, Riverside Co., CA

Father: Lewis PRIEST
Mother: Nancy M. HAIRE

Family 1: Louisa A. E. PLANT

• MARRIAGE: 22 Jan 1859, Orange, Ionia Co., MI

(1) Certified true copy of Marriage Certificate, signed by the Acting Chief Clerk, Ionia Co., MI, on August 3, 1906.

- Certified that the marriage of Joshua V. R. Priest and Loisa A. Plant took place in the Township of Orange, County of Ionia, in the State of Michigan on January 22, 1859.
- Witnesses were listed as Elias Gates and James Musgrove.

(2) Form submitted by Joshua V. R. Priest in response to request for additional information, United States Pension Office, March 29, 1915.

- Married by "Benjamin Shelton a justice of the peace"

1. Frederick Joshua PRIEST
2. Herbert Loren PRIEST
3. Maude A. E. PRIEST

                              __
                   __________|
                  |          |__
 _Lewis PRIEST ___|
|                 |           __
|                 |_Polly //_|
|                            |__
|
|--Joshua Van Renssalaer PRIEST
|                             __
|                  __________|
|                 |          |__
|_Nancy M. HAIRE _|
                  |           __
                  |__________|
                             |__

Notes

(1) 1850 United States Census for Michigan, Ingham Co., Lansing: October 9, 1850.

Joshua B. Priest is the son of Lewis and Marianna Priest. He is 13 years old, born in New York and is attending school.

(2) 1860 United States Census for Michigan, Ionia Co., Orange Twp. (Orange Post Office): Page 361; September 22, 1860.

Joshua Priest is head of household, married to Louisa [Plant] Priest. He is 22 years old, born in Michigan, and is a farmer with personal estate valued at $400. Their son Fairchild is listed as a member of the household. They live next door to Joshua's parents and siblings in one household, and his brother Eliphalet in another.

Lewis Priest is head of household, married to Marianan [maiden surname unknown, 49 years old, born in New York] Priest. He is 49 years old, born in New York, and is a farmer with real estate valued at $1,200 and personal estate valued at $600. Children in the household are Amarett M., Riley H., Margaret M., and Jasper F. Priest. Lewis' mother, Polly [maiden surname unknown, 70 years old, born in Vermont] Priest is also a resident. Lewis' son Joshua and family lives next door.

(3) National Park Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailor System Search by Soldier Name (database).

Listed as 1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Co. F. Rank In = Private, Rank Out = Sergeant. Film Number M545 roll 33. The unit was organized at Marshall, Mich., September 12, 1861. Company F. participated in building roads, storehouses, fortifications and railroads in Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas. It discharged at Jackson, Mich., October 1, 1865.

(4) American Civil War Soldiers via Ancestry.com

- Name: Joshua V. R. Priest
- Residence: Orange, Michigan
- Enlistment Date: 23 December 1863
- Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
- Side Served: Union
- State Served: Michigan
- Unit Numbers: 1080 1080
- Promoted to Full Artificer; Enlisted as a Private on 23 December 1863 at the age of 26; Enlisted in Company F, 1st Engineers Regiment Michigan on 12 January 1864; Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 November 1864; Promoted to Full Sergeant on 01 March 1865; Mustered out Company F, 1st Engineers Regiment Michigan on 22 September 1865 in Nashville, TN

(5) Civil War Pension Index via Ancestry.com

- Name: Priest, Joshua V. R.
- Service: Co. F, 1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics.
- Invalid pension: April 1, 1902; application 1,283,401; certificate 1,047,182; filed in South Dakota.

(6) 1870 United States Census for Michigan, Ionia Co., Orange Twp.: page 24; household 201; June 8, 1870.

Joshua V. R. Priest is head of household, married to Louisa A. [Plant] Priest. He was born in New York, is 32 years old and a farmer with real estate valued at $1,600 and personal estate valued at $200. He is eligible to vote. Children listed are: Frederick J., Herbert L., and Maud A. E.

(7) "History and directory of Ionia County, Michigan: containing a history of each township: the name, occupation, location, and post-office address of every man in the county; a list of post-offices in the county; a schedule of population; and other valuable statistics," compiled and published by J. D. Dillenback, 1872.

- Page 174: Priest Joshua, mason, Orange, Ionia.

(8) History of Ionia and Montcalm counties, Michigan., Schenck, John S.

- Page 298: "TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION... the entire town was given an organization of its own, and called Orange.... JUSTICES.... J. V. R. Priest; 1877."

(9) LDS FamilySearch 1880 United States Census database for Orange, Ionia Co., MI. Family History Library Film 1254584, NA Film Number T9-0584, Page 244A.

Joshua Priest (listed as R. V. Joshua Priest) is 42 years old and born in New York, as were his parents. He is head of household, a farmer, and married to Louisa [Plant] Priest. The children listed in the household are: Herbert and Maude A. E. (listed as A. E Maud).

(10) The calling card for his son reads, "Herbert Priest, Milbank, Dakota. 21st Birthday, January 11, 1883," thus signaling that the family had relocated here by at least that date and reinforced by future census records.

(11) 1890 United States Census Special Schedule for Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, and Widows, etc. "during the war of the rebellion." South Dakota, Grant Co., Vernon & Adams Townships: Page 1; Supervisor's District 1; Enumeration District 185; June 1890.

- Joshua V. R. Priest is listed as serving as a Sergeant in Co. F., 1st Michigan E&M, from December 23, 1863 to September 21, 1865, a period of 1 years, 8 months and 28 days. His post office address is Milbank, South Dakota and He incurred no disability in the war.

(12) 1900 United States Census for South Dakota, Grant Co., Vernon Twp.: Supervisor's District 2; Enumeration District 148; Sheet 7B; June 17, 1900.

Joshua and his wife Louisa [Plant] Priest reside with their son, Herbert Priest, head of household. Joshua is born November 1837 and is 62 years old. He has been married for 44 years. He was born in New York, as were his parents. He is a stone mason.

(13) 1910 United States Census for South Dakota, Grant Co., Milbank City: Supervisor's District 1; Enumeration District 198; Sheet 12B; April 23, 1910.

Joshua V. R. Priest is head of household, married to Louisa A. [Plant] Priest.

- Address: Vida Street.
- Age: 72; married for the past 51 years.
- Birthplace: New York, as were his parents.
- Occupation: Laborer, Garden.

(14) 1920 United States Census for California, Riverside Co., City of Beaumont: Enumeration District 97; Sheet 1A; January 2, 1920.

Joshua is head of household and lives in a multi-unit building, but is the only member of his household and does not have a job (presumably retired). He owns his home free of mortgage. He is 82 years old, a widower, and is able to read, write and speak English. He was born in New York, as were his parents.

(15) 1930 United States Census for California, Riverside Co., Beaumont Twp., Beaumont City: Enumeration District 1; Sheet 2A; April 3, 1930.

Joshua Priest is head of household. His son Herbert L. Priest is also a resident.

- Address: 861 Rail Road Ave.
- Home ownership: yes, valued at $1,000.
- Radio ownership: no.
- Age: 92 years old at time of census; 21 when first married, a widower.
- Birthplace: New York, as were his parents.
- Veteran: Civil War.

(16) Stephan family records.

- Photograph with note: "Over hundred. Dad's (George) uncle Joshua."
- Photograph with note: "Joshua. Uncle. Over hundred old."
- [NOTE: Johnston source lists Joshua as 94 years old when he passed away]

(17) Stephan family records, August 14, 2000.

(18) Smith family records, August 20, 2000.

(19) Johnston family records; "Descendants of Lewis Priest," February 14, 2002.

- List middle names as "Van Rensalaer."
- Provides date/place of birth (Genesee Co., NY); date of passing.

(20) Declaration for Pension submitted by Joshua V. R. Priest to the United States Pension Office, May 2, 1907.

- Pension Certificate #1,047,182.
- Enrolled at Detroit, MI on January 12, 1864, as a private in Co., "F", 1st Michigan Engineers & Mechanics, Volunteers during the Civil War and honorably discharged at Nashville, TN on September 22, 1865.
- At enlistment was 5 feet 7 inches, light complected, blue eyes, dark hair, and by trade a Mason. His birthplace was listed as Jackson [?] Co., NY (which doesn't exist).
- A resident of Vernon Township (Milbank post office), Grant Co., SD in 1907.

(21) Form submitted by Joshua V. R. Priest in response to request for additional information, United States Pension Office, March 29, 1915.

- Born November 15, 1837, Jefferson Co., NY.
- Living in Orange, Ionia Co., MI in 1864 when he enlisted
- Living in Calexico, Imperial Co., CA in 1915... "I am now living with the wife I married over 56 years ago."
- List his children as Frederick J., Herbert Loren, and Maude A. E. Priest and wrote "These are all the children we ever had [and] all are living."

(22) Standard Certificate of Death, State of California Department of Public Health, Vital Statistics, filed February 2, 1932.

- Lists his name as "Joslin V. Priest" which is an error.
- Male, white, widow.
- 94 years, 2 months, 11 days.
- Passed away at 3:15 am., on January 26, 1932 after 10 days of basal pneumonia (bronchial). This took place in Beaumont, Riverside Co., CA where had resided since 1921.
- He was buried in Beaumont, CA on January 28, 1932.
- The information was provided by H. L. Priest.

SPECIAL NOTE ON BIRTHPLACE: Different sources list Jackson (which doesn't exist), Jefferson and Genesee Counties in New York. His son, Herbert Loren Priest filed a Passport application in 1918 that explicitly stated Joshua's birthplace was Jefferson County.