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Daniel Esaias Woodhurst was born at Murston near Sittingbourne in 1873 [Birth Index: Milton 2a 746, 1873 (Sept)] to parents Daniel Woodhurst and Priscilla Hales. Descendants report that his birthdate was August 12th 1873.
In 1884 he emigrated with his mother and siblings to America, sailing from Liverpool on the RMS City of Montreal and arriving at Michigan on July 26th 1884.
On January 19th 1893 he married at Jackson in Jackson Co., Michigan to Louisa C. Altenbern. The register of Marriage Returns describes him as a labourer aged "20" residing in Jackson, and her as a housekeeper aged "21" also residing in Jackson but born in Sharon township in Washtenaw Co., Michigan; her mother's maiden name was Louisa Myers.
The US 1900 Census finds him at age "26" living with Louisa (rendered as "Louise") and their first child at 2315, Ganson Street, Blackman Township in Jackson Co., Michigan. The record (which is extremely indistinct and very hard to find) states that he was occupied as a labourer [on] carriages, that he had immigrated in 1883 (but actually 1884) and was naturalized. It describes Louisa as born in Michigan in November 1872 (but perhaps actually 1871) of parents born in Germany.
The US 1910 Census finds him at age "36" living with Louisa aged "37" and their two children in the household of his parents in Summit township, Jackson Co. He was working in a shop.
The US 1920 Census, compiled in early February, finds Daniel Esaias at age "46" in the household of his parents in Summit township, Jackson Co. and occupied as a clerk in a feed mill. Meanwhile, Louisa aged "47" was in the household of her married daughter Ruth Esther in Gilbert Street, Precinct 2, Jackson City. They had clearly separated; for how long this had been the case is not known.
Louisa divorced Daniel Esaias for "extreme cruelty" on April 12th 1920, after which she raised their children unaided. It is not clear what had gone wrong in the marriage as the phrase "extreme cruelty" was a stock phrase appearing in the majority of entries in the American divorce registers of this period.
On the very next day, April 13th, Daniel Esaias remarried, to Laoma Elizabeth (nee Bliss) Miller, who had had one previous marriage. They were both residing in Canton, Ohio. The register of Marriage Returns describes him as a foreman aged "46" and her as an inspector aged "34" born in Elyria, Ohio whose mother's maiden name was Clara A. Walker [but actually Clarissa Adaline Walker]. Laoma's surname is misrendered as "Fisher".
Laoma, born on November 28th 1885, had first married on February 7th 1903 to Grover Lee Miller by whom she had at least four daughters: Gladys Estella, Vera Irene, Letha Mae and Echo Elnora. It appears that Laoma and Grover subsequently divorced.
The US 1930 Census finds Daniel Esaias and Laoma living in Francis Street, Jackson City. With them were Laoma's daughters Letha and Echo together with her brother Carl Bliss. Daniel Esaias was occupied as a shipping clerk for a fence company.
In 1935 Laoma and her daughter Echo died in an automobile accident. Laoma's death certificate - which misrenders her forename as "Louisa" - states that she died aged "48 years and 4 months" (perhaps inaccurately) on April 21st 1935 at 11.30pm at the Hillsdale Hospital in Hilldale Co., Michigan. She had been residing at 410, Randolph Street in Jackson. The cause is given simply as "death by auto accident". Daniel Esaias was the informant. Echo's death certificate states that she died aged "23" on April 22nd 1935 at 3am at the Hillsdale Hospital, just a few hours after her mother had died. The cause is given here in more detail as "death from auto accident on US112 [the old inter-state highway] near Jesseville, Michigan". The informant was her husband George Richards.
No other details of this accident have yet been found. It is not known whether other family members, possibly injured but non-fatally, had been with them. Mother and daughter were buried at the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson.
The following year Daniel Esaias remarried. The marriage certificate states that he married Anna Marie (nee) Beck in Jackson on September 1st 1936. Anna had been previously married and her parents were named as Carl Beck and Caroline (nee Miller). It has not been possible to determine any more of her origins and previous marriage. Daniel Esaias was described as a shipping clerk aged "60" who had been married twice before and was residing at 410, Randolph Street.
The US 1940 Census finds Daniel (misentered as "Donald") Esaias aged "66" and Anna Marie aged "50" living, with no one else present, in Cooks Landing, Leoni township in Jackson Co. No occupation was given for him. Her birthplace was given as Michigan.
Daniel Esaias died aged "81" in Leoni on May 29th 1954 and was buried at the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson City.
Anna Marie died in Jackson City on March 19th 1978 and was also buried at the Woodland Cemetery.
The American Social Security Death Index cites the death of his first wife Louisa in Jackson in May 1968, but gives her date of birth as November 12th 1871. Her SSN was 385-52-1580. She was buried in the Roseland Memorial Gardens in Jackson City.