Person:Mars Niven (1)

acc to published biography of Mars' son Robert: Mars Niven, father of our subject, was given a rather unusual Christian name, under these circumstances. His oldest brother was at the time of the child's christening signal officer on the British man-of-war Mars. However, he never took to military life. As a means of support he learned the trade of weaver.

In 1841 he came to the United States and worked at cotton spinning for two years at Providence, Rhode Island, and then removed to Canada, where the remainder of his active life was spent in farming. His last three years were spent with our subject and brother and died in Michigan, aged 70 years.

alive 21 June 1880 ...enumerated in census ( as "Morris" NEVIN) w/ dau Susan & son-in-law Martin PORTER. (& family) Hampton twp, Bay co, MI. --------------------------------- His given name was also corrupted into "Marsh" in some records.

Mars was a shoe cobbler by trade. He had a small farm in Canada. He travelled from one community to another to do his work, staying a few days or even a week in each place. Story of Mars' arrival in the States is real interesting.

family legend...via George Albert PORTER (from his grandmother ERWIN?): In Scotland (Blantyre), Mars & David LIVINGSTON's father worked in spinning mill . Wages were so low & they had to work such long hours that they had a strike. Mars was one that couldn't get a job. Mars left for North America. Encountered a bad storm. Lived on hard tack and had no fresh water. Landed in what is now West Indies. Then he went up east coast to Lanark, Ontario. Had no rudder...drifted a month. After working for awhile, he sent for Susan. Son, Robert, was left behind in Scotland.

more family stories from George Albert PORTER: Mars was a cobbler and a very stern old Scotsman. He came over to America in a sailboat which lost its rudder & drifted into the West Indies. From there he got on another ship to the States and worked his way north...finally got to Lindsey, Ontario before his wife, Susan, joined him.

another slightly conflicting bit of "info" from George's manuscript " Porter - Niven Genealogy": after drifting into the West Indies..(1841) .Mars took another ship to New Orleans, LA. He worked his way up the Mississippi River to Chicago, IL and eventually to Providence, RI. He moved from there to Lindsey, Ontario, Canada. Whhile there he sent for his wife Susan who was sill in Scotland.

ref Betty Ruth ERWIN (interviewed 15 May 1984): anyone able to prove descent from Mars NIVEN may use his grave in Oakridge Cemetery (Bay City, MI) as there is no longer anything in it.

acc to published biography of son Robert...Mars died in Michigan age 75...having lived last 3 yrs of life with him (Robert).

1.   Capt. Augustus GANSSER. History of Bay County & Representative Citizens. (1905 Richmond & Arnold)
   p673-4.
2.   Capt. Augustus GANSSER. History of Bay County & Representative Citizens. (1905 Richmond & Arnold).
3.   Susan EULER. (29 & 30 May 1984.).