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Hello.
Yes it's possible we've talked before.
I have a copy of the history that you've mentioned. While it spells his name, Mial and there are descendants named after him with that spelling, when M.O. Fessenden married my great great grandfather's sister, Polly M. Thompson the document (which I hold a copy of), spells his name, Milo Fessenden. There's no mistaking the handwriting of the officiant who married the couple.
He appears as M.O. Fessenden in the 1860 Cass County census and is living next to his first wife's family, with his second wife, Polly E. Bell Fessenden, who was born in Indiana and is the daughter of Roderick Bell. The Bell family lived on the same road, just across the county line from Cass county, in Van Buren County, so they were neighbors.
I've also seen him referred to as M.A. and Mials Austin Fessenden.
Do note this though, in William G. Cutler's "History of the State of Kansas, Miami County Part 12" biographical sketches, the dates of marriages are wrong by about 10 years. He is said to be married to (my) Polly Thompson in 1840. She was living with her parents in the 1850 Highland County, MI census she married Milo Fessenden, 14 Oct. 1850. Then it has her dying in 1847. Milo's son Willard (also shown as William), was 7 in the 1860 census, living with is father & step mother Polly E. and half brother Edgar. Meal O. Fessenden (as recorded in the Van Buren Co. marriages), married Polly E. Bell, 27 Feb. 1859. Witnesses were Roderick Bell and Esther Bell. Book A. Page 223.
He is documented in my family history as Milo. I do make reference to the other spellings and note the sources, such as census, mention in a history, cemetery record etc. and note the other names he's referred to in these sources.
With the documents I hold, so far I believe his marriage record to Polly Thompson is the earliest mention of his name, anywhere. If I should run across any other earlier documents that show his name as something other than Milo, I'll make the necessary changes. If you wish to contact me on my e-mail, digginroots@yahoo.com and would like a copy of his marriage record, I'll gladly scan and send you a file of it.
I personally place more "weight" in the documents, such as birth, marriage or death documents, than a written "history", as usually these are recollections of someone's memory. Documents are a matter of public record and I do agree, that they're only as accurate as the person giving the information, but hopefully the degree of accuracy is better.
Thank you for your note.
Kathy Barnes
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