Finding Luman

According to the biographical sketch found in History of Jay County, Indiana:including its World War Record and Incorporating the Montgomery History [author Jay, Milton T., 1922], my ancestor Luman W. LeMASTERS returned to farming in Jay County, Indiana after his discharge from the Civil War in 1864.  The biography also states that :

Three years later he moved over into Darke county, Ohio, and was there engaged in farming for nine years, at the end of which time he returned to Jay county and took charge of the home farm in Madison township. 

Now, by my reckoning, that would place him in Darke County, Ohio from between 1867 through 1876.   So I should be able to find him in the 1870 census in Darke County, Ohio.  

For some reason, he is being elusive and I have not been able to locate him in Darke County, Ohio or anywhere else for that matter.  

Darke County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana are contiguous counties.  Luman was married in Darke County on October 2, 1864 in Versailles to Mary Keziah CHEW, daughter of Dr. Ezekiel Cooper CHEW.  In 1870, Dr. Chew and his family are in New Madison, Twin Township, Darke County, Ohio.  In 1870, Luman's parents (another Luman) are in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  So the parents are right where I expected them to be, but the young family was not found living with or near either set of parents.


The 1880 census of Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana lists the children of Luman and Mary as follows [listed as Walker Lemasters household]:

• Beulah, age 14, born Indiana [est. birth year 1866]
• Luman, age 13, born Indiana [est. birth year 1867]
• William, age 9, born Indiana [est. birth year 1871]
• Elsie, age 8, born Ohio [est. birth year 1872]
• Bertha, age 6, born Ohio [est. birth year 1874]
• Ottie, age 4, born Indiana [est. birth 1876]
• Mabel, age 8mos., born Indiana [est. birth 1879]

These dates and places of birth would make me think the family was still in Jay County until around 1871/72 and then back into Indiana between 1874/76. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that a county history was incorrect.


In other census records, son William is stated to have been born in Ohio circa 1871.  There was also another son, Philip D. LEMASTERS, who my database states was born January 28, 1869 in Darke County, Ohio and died May 1, 1869 in Darke County, Ohio.


Daughter Elsie was said to have been born [1872] in Rose Hill, Darke County, Ohio.  Rose Hill is in Mississinawa Township.  I searched line by line through 1870 census of that township on the hunch that the family may have been there.


Right now, I have a gap in the records for Luman between September 16, 1867 when he recorded his discharge from the U.S. Army at the Jay County Recorder's office [Jay County Indiana Deed Records, Miscellaneous Book 1, page 97] and the 1880 census when he was enumerated on June 5, 1880 in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.


My search continues to find him in the 1870 census....