Sunday's Obituary : Clara Louise (Burkey) LeMaster (1894-1985)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, October 31, 1985, page 12.

Clara LeMaster


Clara L. LeMaster, 90, 316 W. Main St., Portland, died Wednesday evening at the Portland Community Care Center East following a brief illness.


Born Dec. 16, 1894, in Jay County, she was the daughter of John and Leafie (Beebe) Burkey.  She was married in 1913 to Chesley F. LeMaster, who died Aug. 9, 1960.


Surviving are two sons, Ralph LeMaster, Elkhart, and Dale W. LeMaster, Springfield, Mass.; a daughter, Mrs. Doris M. Shaneyfelt, Portland; two sisters, Mrs. Etta Greaf, Portland, and Mrs. Clyde (Mabel) Murray, Goshen; nine grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.


Services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Portland Chapel of the Williamson and Spencer Funeral Home.  Rev. John Bellante will officiate.  Burial will be in the Salamonia Cemetery.


Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Friday.  The family will be present at the funeral home from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.



Sunday’s Obituary – if you have obituaries of family members and ancestors, consider posting them along with other information about that person as part of Sunday’s Obituary. This is an ongoing series developed by Leslie Ann at Ancestors Live Here.

Family Milestones: May 25th

My paternal granduncle, Chesleigh Franklin LeMASTER, was born on this date in 1890 near Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.  Chesleigh was the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (WEHRLY) LeMASTERS, and the older brother of my Ord Wehrly LeMASTER.  Chesleigh married November 8, 1913 in Jay County, Indiana to Clara Louise BURKEY, daughter of John and Teresa (BEEBE) BURKEY.  Clara was born December 16, 1894 in Jay County, Indiana.  They had 6 children and lived in Jay County, Indiana.  Clara died October 30, 1985 in Portland, Jay County, Indiana.  Chesleigh died August 7, 1960 in Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

My maternal 4th-great granduncle, Michael GROENENDYKE, was born on this date in 1815 in Dearborn County, Indiana.  Michael was the son of James and Joannah (ANTONIDES) GROENENDYKE, and the older brother of my Elias GROENENDYKE.  Michael married February 26, 1837 in Fayette County, Indiana to Anna HANKINS, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (________) HANKINS.  Anna was born December 16, 1815 in Pennsylvania.  They had 3 children.  Anna died April 10, 1898.  Michael died February 5, 1899.  Nothing further is known at this time.

Family Milestones: November 8th

My maternal 5th-great grandaunt, Beleytie ANTONIDES, was born on this date in 1758, the daughter of Pieter and Catherine (VANDERVEER) ANTONIDES. Beleytie would be the older sister of my Joannah ANTONIDES. She was baptised at the Reformed Dutch Church at Flatbush, Long Island. Beleytie died young.

My paternal granduncle, Chesleigh Franklin LEMASTER, married Clara Louis BURKEY on this date in 1913 in Jay County, Indiana. Chesleigh was born May 25, 1890 in Jay County, Indiana, the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (WEHRLY) LEMASTER. Clara was born December 16, 1894 in Jay County, Indiana, the daughter of John and Teresa (BEEBE) BURKEY. Chesleigh was a farmer and carpenter in Salamonia, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana. Chesleigh died August 7, 1960 in Jay County, Indiana and Clara died October 30, 1985 in Portland, Jay County, Indiana. Both are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.

My maternal 4th-great granduncle, William Perry ALDERMAN, married Mary Ellen SAPP on this date in 1883 in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois. Mary was his second wife, his first wife, Elizabeth Ann (LEE) ALDERMAN, having died March 4, 1879 in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois. William Perry ALDERMAN was born circa 1815 in Illinois, the son of James and Martha (CANTRELL) ALDERMAN. William died January 31, 1901 in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois.

Today in my database : Bethiah Hubbard (b. December 19, 1646)

Today's featured relative in my database is my paternal 8th-great grandmother, Bethiah Hubbard.

Bethiah was born December 19, 1646 in Springfield, MA, the daughter of Samuel and Tacy (Cooper) Hubbard. Bethiah married November 16, 1664 at Westerley, RI to Joseph Clarke, son of Joseph and Margaret (Turner) Clarke. Joseph was born April 2, 1643 at Westerly, RI and died January 11, 1726/27 at Westerly, RI. Bethiah died April 17, 1707 at Westerly, RI.

Known children of Joseph and Bethiah (Hubbard) Clarke are as follows :
i. Judith Clarke b. October 12, 1667 Newport, RI, d. July 17, 1747 Westerly, RI, m. John Maxson
ii. Joseph Clarke b. April 4, 1670, m. Dorothy Maxson
iii. Samuel Clarke b. September 29, 1672, Westerly, RI, d. July 25, 1769, m. Ann Champlain
iv. John Clarke b. August 25, 1675 Westerly, RI, m. Mary Beebe
v. Bethiah Clarke b. April 11, 1678 Westerly, RI, d. 1756 Rhode Island, m. Thomas Hiscox
vi. Mary Clarke b. December 27, 1680 Westerly, RI, d. after 1760 Rhode Island, m. William Champlain
vii. Susannah Clarke b. August 31, 1683 Westerly, RI, m. Oliver Babcock
viii. Thomas Clarke b. March 17, 1685/86 Westerly, RI, d. November 26, 1767 Rhode Island, m. Elizabeth Babcock
ix. William Clarke b. April 21, 1688 Westerly, RI, d. February 28, 1767 Rhode Island, m. Joan Bliven

I descend from Joseph and Bethiah (Hubbard) Clarke through their daughter, Judith, as follows:
Bethiah Hubband and Joseph Clarke
Judith Clarke and John Maxson
Bethia Maxson and Joseph Maxson
Ephraim Maxson and Elisabeth Davis
Jesse Maxson and Sarah Sutton
Prudence Maxson and William P. Smith
Olive Jane Smith and William P. Wehrly
Barbara Isabelle Wehrly and Luman Cooper LeMasters (my great-grandparents)