Damie

I've seen many spellings for her name: Didame, Dedamia, Diadimia, etc.  But, she seems to have been known as 'Damie' to her friends and family.  Though, to my second-great-grandmother, she would have been known simply as 'mother.'

Recently, I was lucky enough to find an obituary for Damie.  I say lucky because I really wasn't expecting to find anything at all.  Damie died in 1895, when obituaries offering any biographical information weren't usually given for a farmer's wife in rural Michigan.

"Mrs. Chas. S. Wood of Rolland, died on Tuesday, May 7, 1895, after a very [s]evere illness from cancer of seven months duration.  Damie Beam was born in Oxford county, Ontario, September 10, 1851, and was married to Mr. Wood March 3, 1870, and with him came to Oakland county fourteen years ago, and four years later they moved to Rolland, this county.  She leaves a devoted husband, two daughters, four sons and three grand-children to mourn her untimely death.  Mr. Wood wishes to return thanks to his neighbors and [f]riends for their many kindnesses dur[i]ng his great trial." From the Isabella County Enterprise, 17 May 1895, page 5.

Damie also had a father, Josiah, who survived her as well as numerous siblings - most all of whom still lived in Canada.  Among those three grandchildren who survived her was my great-grandfather, Joseph J. Allen.

For anyone wondering where I found this, it is thanks to Central Michigan University's CONDOR, which has issues of the Isabella County Enterprise up to 1927 online and freely searchable.