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Person

Augustus “Gus” F. Sendenburgh

Also August Sendenburgh · Augustus Sendenburgh · Augustus F. Sendenburgh · Gus Sendenburgh

Draft — sources verified, prose evolving

TypePerson
Born1898-07-04
Died1968-11-27
WithinBeaver Island
ErasModern era
On this page
Person
Born
1898-07-04
Died
1968-11-27
Work
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee
Eras
Modern era
Concepts
communitydemography
Within
Beaver Island

Summary

Augustus “Gus” F. Sendenburgh (July 4, 1898–November 27, 1968) was a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee who retired from civilian government service after thirty years. He was born on Beaver Island, sold his Main Street home there in 1962, and died in St. Ignace.123

History

Sendenburgh’s November 1961 retirement notice reported that he and his family planned to spend the winter on Beaver Island before moving at the end of the school year to their home in St. Ignace.1 In June 1962 the Beacon reported the sale of the Sendenburghs’ Main Street home in St. James to Mr. and Mrs. Olin Wanty of Ypsilanti, owners of the King Strang Hotel, consistent with the planned relocation.2 In January 1968 his daughter Susan Jane married John R. Rapson in St. Ignace, in a notice naming her parents Mr. and Mrs. Augustus F. Sendenburgh — the full given name that bridges the 1961 “August” retiree to the family’s later records.4 He died November 27, 1968, at Mackinaw State Hospital in St. Ignace after a three-month illness, survived by his wife Marie and daughter Susan Rapson.3

Evidence and limits

The 1961 notice abbreviates his name as “August,” while his daughter’s 1968 wedding notice and his obituary give “Augustus F.” The shared daughter Susan Rapson and St. Ignace residence provide the identity bridge, and the 1962 home-sale notice independently confirms the relocation the 1961 notice announced. The sources do not identify his specific Corps position or preserve a personnel file.

Open questions

  • What was Sendenburgh’s specific role or rank within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over his thirty-year career?
  • Where was he born and raised on Beaver Island, and to which Sendenburgh family branch did he belong relative to Joseph H. Sendenburgh’s family?

See also

Footnotes

  1. Beaver Beacon, November 1961, “Retirement.” ↩ ↩2

  2. Beaver Beacon, June 1962, “Purchase Island Home.” ↩ ↩2

  3. Beaver Beacon, December 1968, “Obituaries: Augustus Sendenburgh.” ↩ ↩2

  4. Beaver Beacon, February 1968, “Rapson–Sendenburgh.” ↩

Sources

  1. Reports August Sendenburgh’s retirement after thirty years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and his family’s planned winter stay on Beaver Island. It does not identify his Corps position or provide a personnel file.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1961-11_Beaver-Beacon
  2. The held five-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1961-11_Beaver-Beacon
  3. Identifies Augustus F. Sendenburgh as the father of Susan Jane Sendenburgh Rapson. The same daughter and St. Ignace setting connect the formal name to the 1961 retiree notice.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1968-02_Beaver-Beacon
  4. The held six-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1968-02_Beaver-Beacon
  5. Reports that Augustus “Gus” Sendenburgh, born on Beaver Island July 4, 1898, died November 27, 1968 at Mackinaw State Hospital in St. Ignace after a three-month illness; names his wife Marie and daughter Susan Rapson.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1968-12_Beaver-Beacon
  6. The held eight-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1968-12_Beaver-Beacon
  7. Reports Mr. and Mrs. Gus Sendenburgh selling their home on Main Street, St. James, to Mr. and Mrs. Olin Wanty of Ypsilanti (owners of the King Strang Hotel), and moving to St. Ignace.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1962-06_Beaver-Beacon

Added 1 August 2026 · revised 5 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “Augustus “Gus” F. Sendenburgh”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/people/augustus-gus-f-sendenburgh/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, November 1961, “Retirement.” (and 6 further sources listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-05. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

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