NOTES:

Eunice Emeline, the fifth of nine children, was born while her family were living in Eden, NY.   The family moved west to Ohio in 1827 or 28, first to Ashtabula Cty. and then to Lorain Cty.  Records at Oberlin College record that Eunice Emeline entered the Oberlin Collegiate Institute on 09 Nov. 1835.  A letter dated 18 Jan. 1938 from the Secretary to the President of Oberlin to Ella Cross (grand-daughter in-law), reports that “During the year 1834 -35, there were enrolled in Oberlin three young women from Carlisle, Ohio, by the name of Hendry, as follows:  Charlotte C. Hendry, Elmina Hendry, and Eunice (Emeline) Hendry.”  (Oberlin College history notes that classes were opened to women in 1833. However the College did not accept women into a degree program until 1837.)  The letter also mentions that there was a Samuel Hendry who served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Oberlin from 1862 – 1868. This Samuel was also Mayor of Oberlin and died in that town in 1868.  He was not Eunice’s father, but must be related.

On 26 Oct 1836 Eunice Emeline married Elery Cross, whose family was from nearby LaGrange, Lorain Cty, OH. She was known as Emeline at least from this point on, possibly because both her mother and mother-in-law were also named Eunice.   Elery’s parents were Samuel Cross (29 May 1785 – 05 May 1848), who is buried in LaGrange, OH, and Eunice, whose maiden name is unknown (25 Sept. 1793 – 24 or 29 Mar 1871). 

Eunice Emeline and Elery settled in LaGrange, OH and lived there until 1852.  Elery was a farmer. The couple had four children born while they lived in LaGrange:  1)  Lucy in 1839, who lived only two days, 2)  Nelson in 1840, 3)  Margaretta Louisa in  1842, and 4)  Alonzo in 1842.  It is known from family records that in the summer of 1852, the family moved by covered wagon from Angola, IN to a farm three miles from Hastings, Rutland Township, Barry County, MI. They built a log cabin near the Thornapple River.  This territory was surveyed and settled in the late 1830’s.  Their last child, Frank W. was born there 19 Dec. 1852.

Nine years later, in 1861, they bought another farm in Paris Township, which is now part of Grand Rapids, MI.  Then in 1875 Elery and Eunice Emeline bought a farm two miles west of Caledonia, Kent County, MI (also close to Grand Rapids), which was inherited by Frank Cross and owned by him until his death in 1933.

When Eunice Emeline died in 1895, she was survived by one living son, Frank and his wife (Anna Lau Cross); and by three grandchildren:  Frank’s son, Arthur Earl Cross, and Louisa Margaretta’s children, Carrie and Frank Noble.  Eunice Emeline and several following generations are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MI.