Talk:Burr Caswell

Another source
There was a series of articles in the Ludington Daily News. The week following this article: Cabot, James (September 7, 1996). "Burr Caswell–first permanent settler". Ludington Daily News. p. 4 there was a scheduled article on Caswell's service as a lighthouse keeper. I have been unable to find this on line, but I know its there. 7&amp;6=thirteen (☎) 12:51, 24 October 2015 (UTC)
 * For what it is worth, I think it is a great little article. If they had complied with WP:Before this hassle could have all been avoided.  If this article is deletable as not notable, then 80% of the encyclopedia would have to go, too. 7&amp;6=thirteen (☎) 19:24, 24 October 2015 (UTC)
 * For what it is worth, I think it is a great little article. If they had complied with WP:Before this hassle could have all been avoided.  If this article is deletable as not notable, then 80% of the encyclopedia would have to go, too. 7&amp;6=thirteen (☎) 19:24, 24 October 2015 (UTC)

Historians
The two main historians used for reference sources in this article are James L. Cabot and David K. Petersen. They both have been columnists for the Ludington Daily News writing history articles. They both are history authors writing books on Michigan history, especially on Mason County. They both have used the same primary sources to obtain the information on Burr Caswell. I have verified at the Ludington Public Library that the historians information matches up with the primary sources. The Caswell biography information from these historians matches precisely that of many other secondary sources as well (see article references).

Example newspaper clippings on Caswell by James L. Cabot -
 * "Burr Caswell, first permanent settler"
 * "Caswell had varried career in county"

Both these historians use the Ludington Public Library extensively. The History Room at the library contains extensive research material they have produced.

This is a list of material in the Ludington Public Library that I used to verify that the information these historians used for the Burr Caswell information is correct. Below are other related articles -
 * 1882 Mason County History
 * 1882 Mason Manistee Oceana History
 * 1890 Mason Manistee Pictorial
 * 1932 Historic No ta pe ka gon by Russell Anderson
 * 1957 Sand Sawdust and Sawlogs by Frances Caswell Hanna
 * 1980 Historical Society History Book
 * 1987 Pictorial History publications by Mason County Historical Society
 * 2011 Lincoln Village by James F Fay
 * Lath Lumber & Shingles by Luuman Goodenough
 * Mason Memories series (quarterly periodical) by the Mason County Historical Society
 * First Land owners of Mason County, Michigan: internal boundary changes and township development by Ethyl Williams
 * Ludington Daily News 'bio' article on Dave Petersen. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 21:39, 27 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Here is a history on Burr Caswell on Petersen's Homepage. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:43, 26 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Here is another article on Burr Caswell that Petersen wrote. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 21:00, 26 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Here is another article on Burr Caswell and his home that Petersen wrote. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 21:02, 26 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Predecessor of Petersen James L. Cabot, has been parish secretary, librarian and historiographer of Grace Episcopal Church of Ludington and came up with the same information on Burr Caswell (see references in article).
 * Cabot wrote a weekly historical column in the Ludington Daily News between March 20, 1980, and October 9, 2004. James L. Cabot bio
 * Ludington Daily News article on Cabot - Ludington: 100 years of history
 * Cabot delves into local history


 * A blurp on David K. Petersen by Arcadia Publishing
 * AbeBook blurp on David K. Petersen

"David K Petersen" and "James L. Cabot" found in Google books -
 * "Spirit of the Lakes"
 * "Ludington Car Ferries"
 * "Ludington: 1830-1930"
 * "Mason County 1850 - 1950"
 * "Justus S. Stearns: Michigan Pine King and Kentucky Coal Baron, 1845-1933"

The historians contact information -
 * Dave Petersen can be reached through his home page email address
 * James L. Cabot can be reached through the Ludington Mural Society

Dave Petersen attributes historical research to the Mason County Historical Society and Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society and White Pine Village (an outdoor historical museum in Mason County), in addition to the Ludington Public Library and Mason County District Library system.

Since I live in Ludington, Michigan, (Mason County) I have read many of these newspaper columns they have written on Mason County history. For years I have used their history books for reference sources for several Wikipedia articles I have created,
 * Manistee Watch Company
 * Star Watch Case Company
 * Justus Smith Stearns
 * Antoine Ephrem Cartier
 * Warren Antoine Cartier
 * Michigan logging wheels
 * Charles Mears
 * James Ludington
 * all of which became Did You Know articles.--Doug Coldwell (talk) 10:39, 31 October 2015 (UTC)
 * I have put the two articles back as external links. In my opinion they are reliable sources.  We just went through this on the ill-advised and ill-fated attempt to delete this article.  I incorporate by reference my earlier comments there, as though set forth in full.  Apparently User: Clarityfiend wants to resurrect the WP:Dead horse, having ridden it into the ground once. By putting them in as external links, rather than reverting and putting them back as sources, I am not conceding to the bogus claim that they are unreliable.  Rather, I think that the bar on External links is lower still, and this is being done in the spirit of cooperative editing and building consensus.  It is an Offer of compromise, not an admission.  See WP:BRD. 7&amp;6=thirteen (☎) 11:15, 31 October 2015 (UTC)

GOCE copyedit request
Hey,, a few questions:
 * [...] being the first white man to occupy any part of Mason County, Michigan, arriving in 1845. Is the year necessary? Sounds like a good detail, but not necessarily for the lede. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * You are correct. The year is not necessary, especially for the lede. Probably if it's placed in the body someplace it would be better (e.g. where I placed it).--Doug Coldwell (talk) 18:58, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Restructured: I've taken the liberty of substantially editing the lede by consolidating all the things he's done first in the county into one paragraph. I notice he is constantly referred to as "the first white man". Reading further down, I assume it's because Aboriginals were already living on the land before him, but I am curious about the first white man to take a farm from the American government in the wilds of Mason County; link removed. The first thing, which is tangentially related to the question I have, is what does "tak[ing] a farm" mean? The actual question I was going to ask is: was he the first man ever to do so, or was there someone before him that had done this, only that they weren't white? With the way it's written I'm more inclined to believe the latter. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  22:06, 19 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Excellent job on your Copyedit 2.1 and reworking the lede. I'm trying to improve that further again, so have removed all references in the lede as I understand they are not needed (or wanted) there. I'm picking up those references in the body of the article and making sure they all get covered one way or another. Yes - there was the Indians before him that had done farming on the land. Caswell was just the first white man to do farming in the area.--Doug Coldwell (talk) 13:32, 20 October 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅. I've gone and made a few tweaks to the lede so that the things he did can be described as "pioneering". — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * [...] and was the first Coroner, Probate Judge and Surveyor there. Are these the official titles? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Not official titles, but rather occupations - so I put them in lower case. I think that is proper then. Revert if you don't think so. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:51, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  22:06, 19 October 2020 (UTC)

not been done before, or developing or using new methods or techniques"? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Caswell's activities were pioneering. I assume this is meant adjectivally, as in "involving accomplishments or activities that have
 * Yes - The next sentences describe activities not done before in Mason County.--Doug Coldwell (talk) 14:45, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * As a young man Caswell learned cabinet trade skills and practiced this business for several years in Glens Falls. This can be simplified. What's the trade specifically called? Is it just carpentry? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly to show woodworking as his first trade.--Doug Coldwell (talk) 14:53, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * Caswell and his family afterwards made several changes in the next few years like many of the early settlers. What's the intent behind the sentence? Why is it important to note that they even went to Mississippi? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:08, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * His nearest neighbor was some 30 miles to the north, Manistee. Is Manistee the name of his neighbour or a location? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * There he spent most of his time fishing at Duck Lake. Why is this worth mentioning? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅. Tweaked it a little. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * His family lived in dense wilderness and rugged terrain. I'm thinking of merging this sentence with the one after it, but the easiest way to do so would be to get rid of either "dense wilderness" or "rugged terrain", as one lives "in dense wilderness" or "on rugged terrain". I prefer keeping "dense wilderness"; how about you? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * It is the first frame structure in Mason County which still stands at White Pine Village very near its original location as the Mason County Historical Society's outdoor museum's centerpiece. Did it get relocated at some point? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * The village which sprang up around the Caswells was then called Pere Marquette, in honor of the missionary who died in the area in 1675. Wasn't the area already called the Pere Marquette Township when the Caswells arrived? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * His new wife's name was Sarah. No maiden name given? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * He was the 4th Big Sable Point Lighthouse keeper from January 9, 1874 to July 17, 1882. Is this the same lighthouse from the sentence right before it? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * Caswell then returned to Ludington and ten years later he died in 1896. Did his family move back with him? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 16:02, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅. Reworded and I think the math is simple enough for any reader, but feel free to bring back the year of death if it seems more important for the GA nominator. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * Hatfield himself was notable. How was he notable? This also appears to be misplaced in the paragraph. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:08, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * Caswell's son, Edgar B. Caswell achieved some fame. What fame did he achieve? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:08, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)


 * Aside from the second floor, Caswell's home was used as the site of the first Pere Marquette Township meeting by an act of the Michigan legislature [...] Slightly edited. Can you explain the relevance of "by an act of the Michigan legislature" in this sentence? I don't understand why this detail is needed. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Reworded accordingly. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:08, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * . — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:16, 24 October 2020 (UTC)

Looking forward to your answers. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  18:37, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
 * I'm beginning to address the issues you brought up. I'm happy to see when you copy edit one of my requests as you do such a thorough job. These issues may take me a few days, but be assured I am working on them to make the improvements you have suggested. Your ideas also inspire me to make additional improvements as I see them now. You will see I will be addressing some each day in between my other projects (GANs).--Doug Coldwell (talk)
 * I appreciate the kind words. I'll keep an eye on this article from time to time and update the status of things as time goes by. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  22:06, 19 October 2020 (UTC)


 * It seems you may restructuring this article more in the future. I'd be happy to give it a look when it's finished, but may I assume that for the time being the request is completed? — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  21:37, 22 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Yes. You can consider the request completed. Thanks for your help on this one. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 10:13, 23 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Cheers! See you around. — Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 )  11:53, 23 October 2020 (UTC)


 * I have addressed the issues you brought up and tried to do what you recommended. When you have time, can you look it over. After that then I plan on GAN. Thanks again for all your great help. --Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:14, 24 October 2020 (UTC)
 * Addressed all of the issues I had before. Made a few tweaks that should hopefully be up to shape for GAN.

Copyright contributor investigation and Good article reassessment
This article is part of Contributor copyright investigations/20210315 and the Good article (GA) drive to reassess and potentially delist over 200 GAs that might contain copyright and other problems. An AN discussion closed with consensus to delist this group of articles en masse, unless a reviewer opens an independent review and can vouch for/verify content of all sources. Please review Good article reassessment/February 2023 for further information about the GA status of this article, the timeline and process for delisting, and suggestions for improvements. Questions or comments can be made at the project talk page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 09:36, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

Circular

 * The first versions of this article were based entirely on family accounts and non-reliable sources; the information from those versions was apparently later published in news accounts, which were then used to cite the text which had already been added here from non-RS; that is, circular. Sandy Georgia  (Talk)  01:59, 11 April 2023 (UTC)
 * The (2008) version of the article was entirely based on family accounts, genealogy sites, and non-reliable sources.
 * Sand, Sawdust March 2008
 * Caskey family (Non-rs) Feb 2008
 * Burr Caswell March 2008
 * Oct 2009.
 * Citations were later retrofitted-- not always verifying the text. This problem was appropriately noted as such at AFD in 2015, but by then, the family-published accounts had spread via Wikipedia to Ludington news sources, and the result was keep at the AFD. There is circular sourcing throughout this topic because Wikipedia published family accounts, which were likely picked up later by news sources. Sandy Georgia  (Talk)  02:21, 11 April 2023 (UTC)

Possible copyright problem
This article has been revised as part of a large-scale clean-up project of multiple article copyright infringement. (See the investigation subpage) Earlier text must not be restored, unless it can be verified to be free of infringement. For legal reasons, Wikipedia cannot accept copyrighted text or images borrowed from other web sites or printed material; such additions must be deleted. Contributors may use sources as a source of information, but not as a source of sentences or phrases. Accordingly, the material may be rewritten, but only if it does not infringe on the copyright of the original or plagiarize from that source. Please see our guideline on non-free text for how to properly implement limited quotations of copyrighted text. Wikipedia takes copyright violations very seriously. Sandy Georgia (Talk)  01:59, 11 April 2023 (UTC)  Sandy Georgia  (Talk)  01:59, 11 April 2023 (UTC)