52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #13 Sherman Grant Corsett

Sherman Grant Corsett

Sherman Grant Corsett was born to Edward Corsett and Matilda Norton Corsett. His birthdate was either May or 1866 or 1867 in Genesee County, New York. His names may be a nod toward the heroes of the Union Civil War generals although a Sherman Corsett is listed in an earlier Michigan census, the birthplace of his mother. In 1870 Grant was living with his parents and younger sister, Sarah in Alabama, Genesee County, New York. By 1875 the family had moved to Stafford in New York. In the 1880 Federal Census the family was living in Pembroke and Grant was 13-yrs-old and working as a farm laborer. He continued to work as a farmer laborer in Pembroke over the years as listed in the federal and state censuses through 1925. Sometime after this date he moved to Batavia and was living with his sister, Sarah. In late winter 1938 he had been in poor health. He decided to commit suicide in the Tonawanda Creek. The creek flowed just across the street from his residence at 1 Pearl St., Batavia. The Tonawanda was a section of the Erie Canal. Grant jumped into the creek and drowned. The cold weather prevented police from recovering his body for several days. He was buried in the North Pembroke Cemetery alongside his parents.

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