Marriage Record :Leland Harley Addington to Vera Jean LeMaster, 1945 , Jay County, Indiana

Working on filling in some gaps in my database by utilizing the "Indiana Marriages, 1811-1959" database at Familysearch.org to see what updates and corrections I could find.

Vera Jean LeMaster was my paternal 1st cousin once removed, the daughter of Clarence Harrison & Ferry Mae (Bickel) LeMaster.  She married Leland  Harley Addington, son of William Lewis and Mary L. (Smith) Addington on May 11, 1945 in Jay County, Indiana.  The application had "do not publish" written on the top of the application, apparently a notation not to have it published in the newspaper at the time.

"Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V6RR-LVS : accessed 01 Jul 2013), Leland Harley Addington and Vera Jean Le Master, 1945.

MALE

1. The full Christian and surname of the man is Leland Harley Addington

2. Color White

3. Where born Randolph Co., Indiana

4. When born April 25, 1924

5. Present residence Jay Co., Indiana

6. Present occupation Farmer

8. Is the male contracting party of nearer blood kin to the female contracting party than second cousin? No

9. Full Christian and surname of father William Lewis Addington

10. His color white

11. His birthplace Indiana

12. His occupation Farmer

13. His residence Jay Co., Indiana

14. Full Christian and maiden name of the mother Mary L. Smith

15. Her color white

16. Her occupation Housewife

17. Her birthplace Indianapolis, Indiana

18. Her residence Jay Co., Indiana

19. Has the male contracting party been an inmate of any county asylum or home for indigent persons within the last five years? No

21. Is this his first marriage? Yes

29. Is the male contracting party afflicted with epilepsy, tuberculosis, venereal, or any other contagious or transmissible disease?  No

30. Is he an imbecile, feeble-minded, idiotic or insane, or is he under guardianship as a person of unsound mind? No

FEMALE

1. The full Christian and surname of the woman is Vera Jean LeMaster

2. Color White

3. Where born Jay Co., Indiana

4. When born December 16, 1925

5. Present residence Jay Co., Indiana

6. Present occupation Factory worker

7. Full Christian and surname of father Clarence Harrison LeMaster

8. His color white

9. His birthplace Nebraska

10. His occupation Factory worker

11. His residence Jay Co., Indiana

12. Full Christian and maiden name of mother Ferry Mae Bickle

13. Her color white

14. Her occupation Housewife

15. Her birthplace Ohio

16. Her residence Jay Co., Indiana

17. Has the female contracting party been an inmate of any county asylum or home for indigent persons within the last five years? No

18. Is this her first marriage? Yes

22. Is the female contracting party afflicted with epilepsy, tuberculosis, venereal, or any other contagious or transmissible disease? No

23. Is she an imbecile, feeble-minded, idiotic or insane, or is she under guardianship as a person or unsound mind? No

Military Monday : Clarence Harrison LeMaster, World War II Draft Registration, 1942

Working my way through the hints in the Ancestry database for World War II Draft Registrations, 1942 and located this registration in Darke County, Ohio for Clarence Harrison LeMaster, my paternal granduncle.

Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data : United States, Selective Service System. Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration. Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group Number 147. National Archives and Records Administration., Clarence Harrison LeMaster, Darke County, Ohio.

This draft record adds to the information I've collected about Clarence, who was the son of Luman Cooper Lemasters and Barbara Isabel Wehrly.  Clarence's draft registration gives his exact date of birth as June 14, 1888 in Nebraska, the city looks like Millis or Miller.  This is another area to research, as the information previously I had showed the family in Ord, Valley County, Nebraska.

Clarence was 53 years old at the time of the registration, and his nearest living relative was his wife, Ferry Mae (Bickel) LeMaster, of Rural Route 3, Fort Recovery.  Fort Recovery is in Mercer County, Ohio - and this must have been the closest post office.  The LeMaster's were actually living in Mississinawa Township, Darke County, Ohio.

Clarence's employer was listed as Ora Livingstone of Darke County, Ohio, with a postal address of Rural Route Union City.  I'm assuming that Clarence was working as a farm laborer, as the 1940 census lists Ora Livingston as a farmer in Mississinawa Township, Darke County, Ohio.

Physically, Clarence was described as having a dark complexion, white male, 5' 8", with brown eyes and grey hair.  He weighed 175 lbs.

Military Monday – We all have ancestors who have served in the military. Military Monday is a place to post their images, stories and records of their service in various branches of the military. Military Monday is an ongoing series by Cindy at Everything’s Relative – Researching Your Family History.

Marriage License : Charles E. Bickel to Nora F. Chew, 1902

Source: Jay County, Indiana, Original Marriage License, "Charles E. Bickel to Nora F. Chew, 1902"; County Marriage Returns Collection; Jay County Historical Society, Portland, Indiana

MARRIAGE LICENSE

STATE OF INDIANA, JAY COUNTY< SS:

To All Who Shall See These Presents, Greeting:

Know Ye, that any person empowered by law to solemnize Marriages is hereby authorized to join together as Husband and Wife:

Charles E. Bickel

and

Nora F. Chew

and for so doing, this shall be his sufficient authority.

In Testimony Whereof, I, E.W. Fitzpatrick Clerk of the Jay Circuit Court, hereunto subscribe my name and affix the seal of said Court at Portland, Indiana, this 11th day of November 1902

E.W. Fitzpatrick

STATE OF INDIANA, JAY COUNTY, SS:

This Certifies, That I joined in Marriage as Husband and Wife, 

Charles E. Bickel and Nora F. Chew

on the 12" day of November 1902

S.A. Armstrong, Minister

This record of the marriage of Charles E. Bickel and Nora F. Chew was located at the Jay County Historical Society in Portland, Indiana.

I do not yet know for sure how Nora ties into my Chew family.  I believe that she might be the Nora who was the daughter of Charles Alexander West Chew and Rebecca F. Shumaker, but without the return I do not have any other evidence.  My Nora was born August 1882, so would be right around 20 years old if they are the same person.

Sunday's Obituary: Ferry Mae (Bickel) LeMaster (1891-1978)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, July 21, 1978, page 10.

F. Mae LeMaster, 86, 539 W. Pearl St., Union City, a former resident of Salamonia, died Thursday evening at Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, after an extended illness.


Born Aug. 27, 1891 in Jay County, her parents were Simeon and Mary A. (Gillett) Bickel.  She was married Feb. 28, 1911 to Clarence LeMaster, who died Nov. 28, 1963.


Surviving are two sons, Kenneth LeMaster, RR 6, Portland, and Garth L. LeMaster, Portland; two daughters, Mrs. Glenn (Mary) Hummel, RR 6, Union City and Mrs. Glenn (Jean) Coby, Union City; one sister, Mrs. Elmer (Elma) Seightman, Union City, Ohio; 16 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.

Services are set for Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Williamson and Spencer Funeral Home, Portland.  Gene Moser, pastor of the Portland Friends Church, will officiate.  Burial will follow in the Salamonia Cemetery.


Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Saturday.


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.

Sunday's Obituary: John Leland LeMaster Sr. (1902-1980)

Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, January 14, 1980, page 1

John L. LeMaster Sr., 77, Salamonia, a retired educator and former Jay County Auditor, died Saturday afternoon at the Jay County Hospital after an extended illness.


During his career in education, LeMaster served as principal at Gov. I.P. Gray School, Madison Township High School, Poling High School, Bryant High School, and Redkey Schools in Jay County.  He also was a teacher and coach for many years.  He held the position of county auditor from 1940 through 1946.


A graduate of Fort Recovery High School, he earned his bachelor's degree from Ball State Teachers College (now Ball State University), Muncie, and his master's degree from Indiana University, Bloomington.


He was born April 25, 1902 in Madison Township, Jay County, the son of Cooper and Isabelle (Wehrly) LeMaster.  He was married July 2, 1920 to Dortha Delauter, who died May 24, 1976.


LeMaster was a member of the Salamonia Christian Church.


Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Gail (Jerry) Stoner, Troy, Ohio; Mrs. Ralph (Ardis) Bickel, Anderson, and Mrs. Philip (Ann) Monger, Hagerstown; two daughters-in-law, Mrs. John (Helen) LeMaster Jr., and Mrs. William (Wanda) LeMaster, both of Salamonia; four brothers, Gerald LeMaster, Salamonia; Floyd LeMaster, Union City; Stanley LeMaster, Akron, Ohio, and Elvin LeMaster, Columbus, Ohio; two sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Lock, Richmond, and Mrs. Mary O. Taylor, Atwater, Ohio; 21 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren.


Services will be conducted Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home in Portland.  Paul Albertson and Don Boyer will officiate.  Interment will follow in the Salamonia Cemetery.


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



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.

Sunday's Obituary: Clarence Harrison LeMaster (1888-1963)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, November 29, 1963, page 1.

LeMaster Rites Here On Sunday

Clarence H. LeMaster, 75, a resident of Salamonia, died Thursday afternoon at the Union City Memorial Hospital.  He had recently undergone major surgery and had been in failing health one year and critical for one year.  He was born in Nebraska, June 14, 1888, the son of Cooper and Isabelle (Wehrly) LeMaster and was married to Mae Bickel, Feb. 28, 1911.  She survives, along with two sons and two daughters, Kenneth LeMaster, Ridgeville, Garth LeMaster, Portland, Mrs. Glenn Hummell, Union City, R.R. 3, and Mrs. Leland Addington, Union City; 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; six brothers, Gerald LeMaster and John LeMaster, Salamonia, Floyd LeMaster, Union City, Stanley LeMaster, Akron, Ohio, Ord LeMaster, Portland, and Elvin LeMaster, Columbus, Ohio; three sisters, Mrs. Glen Lock, Middleboro, Mrs. Orville Lafollette and Mrs. Thornton Taylor, both of Akron, Ohio.

The deceased was a retired employee of the New Idea Factory at Coldwater, Ohio, and was custodian of the Salamonia United Church of Christ.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home in Portland.  Rev. Earl Lantz of Union City will officiate.  Burial will be in the Salamonia Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home after 6 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.

Sunday's Obituary : John Leland LeMaster Jr. (1922-1973)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, March 28, 1973, page 1.

County official dies

John L. LeMaster Jr., 50, superintendent of the Jay County Home on RR 4, Portland, died unexpectedly early this morning at the Jay County Hospital after a brief illness.

He was appointed as superintendent of the county home in November 1971 by the Jay County Commissioners.  LeMaster and his wife, Helen, assumed their duties as superintendent and matron of the county home on Jan. 1, 1972.

LeMaster had been employed by the Indiana State Highway Department.

He was born May 24, 1922 in Madison Township, Jay County, the son of John L. and Dortha (Delauter) LeMaster.  On Oct. 22, 1941, he was married to Helen Pease, who survives.

LeMaster was graduated from Madison Township High School in 1940.  He was a member of the Salamonia Christian Church where served as a deacon.

Surviving besides his wife are one daughter, Mrs. William (Kay) Addington, RR 6, Portland; five sons, Leland and Terry LeMaster, RR 6, Portland; Douglas and Larry LeMaster, Salamonia, and Gary LeMaster, Redkey; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John L. LeMaster Sr., Salamonia; three sisters, Mrs. Gail (Jerry) Stoner, Troy, Ohio; Mrs. Ralph (Ardis) Bickel, Anderson and Mrs. Phillip (Ann) Monger, Hagerstown; one brother, William A. LeMaster, RR 6, Portland, and 13 grandchildren.

Funeral services are set for Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home with Don Potter, minister of the Salamonia Christian Church, officiating.  Burial will follow in the Salamonia Cemetery.

Callers will be received at the funeral home after 1 p.m. on Wednesday.  Memorials may be made to the Hemophiliac search Inc., 60 E. 42nd St., N.Y., N.Y., 19017.

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.

Sunday's Obituary : Roger Allen LeMaster (1926-1972)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, March 6, 1972, page 8.

Roger LeMaster

Roger A. LeMaster, 45, a veteran of the Korean War, died unexpectedly early Sunday morning at his home in Salamonia.  Death was attributed to a heart attack.

He was born December 5, 1926 in Redkey, the son of John L. and Dorotha L. (Delauter) LeMaster Sr.  He was graduated from Madison High School in 1945 and Ball State University.  He was employed as a high school teacher at Randolph Central School Corporation at Winchester.  Mr. LeMaster was a member of the Salamonia Christian Church.

Surviving besides his parents in Salamonia are three sisters, Mrs. Gale (Jerry) Stoner, Troy, Ohio; Mrs. Ralph (Ardis) Bickel, Anderson and Mrs. Philip (Ann) Monger, Richmond; two brothers, John L. LeMaster Jr., RR 4, Portland and William A. LeMaster, RR 6, Portland.

Funeral services are set for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home with Donald Potter, minister of the Salamonia Christian Church, officiating.  Burial will follow in the Salamonia Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

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.

Amanuensis Monday: Letter from Aunt Helene (October 1972)

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. 

Source: Letter from Helene LeMaster, 206 Bon Air Dr., Sidney, Ohio to Ord Weldon LeMaster, 214 West Monroe, Alexandria, Indiana, postmarked 26 October 1972.

October 25, '72

Dear Gloria and Ord:

It is high time that I am writing to you.  I had filled in what little I knew about the LeMasters, in the material I had ready for you, on the history of the family you wrote about.  I took a Shelby County book, recently published, and your material to the re-union in September, hoping you would be there.  When I showed the history Art had compiled the relatives there wanted to copy it.  I am wondering if they have sent it to you.  Ora LeMaster, Garth's wife has it.  She is to be sure that I have it returned to me.

The county book has some information on part of the LeMaster - Young family, from grand father Luman Walker's side.  Several LeMaster names are mentioned in it.  I'll enclose what little I have found.  I do not know the family history as I should.  Aunt Emma knew so much more than I do.  She was in the family twelve years before I was.  She passed away in Feb. 1956.  I think I mentioned in my letter to you that there was a book printed by another LeMaster with the Luman W. LeMaster family in it but not much detail.  No one seems to who got the book but Art had it.  It had the LeMaster crest in it.

We just had a shock as my brother's son Jack passed away.  He was our 'right hand' in all our affairs.  He was in Bergen Norway touring when he had a heart attack and passed away.  It took three weeks for the casket to reach Sidney.  He was more a son than a nephew to me.

I am sorry not to be of more help.  We just had a call last week from Jessie Whitacre that her brother, I think Clyde, passed away.  He lived in Findlay Ohio.  Whitacres are from Grandma LeMasters family.

The history Art & Maud Phillips compiled has more information & I hope you can get it some time.

Sorry we missed seeing you in September.  We had a nice get together.

We are still at 206 Bon Air Dr so come to see us.

Love,

Aunt Helene 

---

This letter, postmarked 26 October 1972, was written by my father's great grandaunt, Helene (GARMHAUSEN) LeMASTER, widow of Vernon Walker LeMASTER.

1. The Ora LeMaster is Ora Lee (BRADY) LeMASTER, wife of Garth Luman LeMASTER.  Garth was a son of Clarence and Ferry May (BICKEL) LeMASTER.

2. Aunt Emma is Emma (GARMHAUSEN) LeMASTER, wife of Ord Otterbein LeMASTER.  She was Helene's aunt, and married into they LeMaster family in 1907, while Helene married into it in 1917.

3. The Art LeMaster is Arthur Raymond LeMASTER, brother of Vernon and Ord LeMASTER.  He had died December 16, 1971.  He authored a family history circa 1960 along with his sister, Maud (LeMASTER) PHILLIPS.

4. The Jessie WHITACRE is the daughter of Frederic E. and Caroline Bishop (CHEW) WHITACRE.  Caroline was a sister to Mary Keziah (CHEW) LeMASTER, wife of Luman Walker LeMASTER (and mother to Vernon, Ord & Arthur, et al.)

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Amanuensis Monday is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

Family Recipe Friday: Raisin Pie

Raisin Pie

Makes 8 servings

Weldon must have gotten his like for raisin pie from the LeMaster side of the  family as we discovered a recipe from his aunt, Ferry Mae (Bickel) LeMaster. 

It was published in a Jay County Historical Society Early Cooks book in 2004.

    2 cups boiling water                                           
    2 tablespoons cornstarch                                       
    Pinch of  salt                                                 
    1/2 pound raisins                                              
    1 tablespoon butter                                            
    Nutmeg      
                                                   
Cook raisings in the water until tender, add the rest of the ingredients except nutmeg.   Cook until thickened.   Pour into pastry shell.   Sprinkle on nutmeg, add top crust and bake at 450 for 30 minutes.


Family Recipe Friday – is an opportunity to share your family recipes with fellow bloggers and foodies alike. Whether it’s an old-fashioned recipe passed down through generations, a recipe uncovered through your family history research, or a discovered recipe that embraces your ancestral heritage share them on Family Recipe Friday. This series was suggested by Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist.

When You Break The Microfilm Reader, It's Time To Go Home

Microfilm reader at Jay County Public Library

My first research trip of 2011 turned out to be a productive one.  I had planned a visit to the Jay County Public Library in Portland, Indiana in order to obtain copies of obituaries from the local newspaper.  Prior to my trip, I had created a "to-do list" using the features of my RootsMagic database.

Though my focus was going to be strictly on obituaries, I decided to contact the Jay County Historical Society via email to see if by chance someone could come in on Saturday and let us look around.  Normally, the museum is only opened through the week.  On my last research trip, the microfilm reader at the library stopped working, and I wanted to have a back up plan in case it was broken again.

My dad wanted to go with me on this trip, and I was excited to have him come along.  He's been getting interested in family history again, reading my blog daily, doing off site research and preparing mini-history books on our ancestors.  We met at 7 a.m. in the morning and headed out to Portland.

Arriving at the library, my cell phone rang and it was Tom Young from the Historical Society letting me know that he could open the museum for us and let us do some research.  We agreed to meet at 10 a.m., so that still gave dad and I a few hours at the library.

As I quickly began to scour the local newspapers, which stretch back into the 1880s, I was pleased with the rate of success.  At only $0.15 per copy, these obituaries are a bargain.  I only wish that the entire collection of these small town newspapers were online somewhere, such as Ancestry, so that I could do an every name search and locate tidbits of information about the daily lives of the families.  The society notes in the earlier newspapers are great sources of information.

Just before 10 a.m., we headed down the Historical Society, where we met Tom.  My dad and Tom graduated from Portland High School in the same class, and as we talked we also realized that we have a distant connection through the Haley-Easterday families.  Tom mentioned that he has read my blog, always nice to hear that as well.  Will have to see what more information I could share with Tom about the Haley and Easterday families.

I wanted to focus on the records of the township schools at the museum, and right away dad found a school photo from 1931-32 of Mt. Zion school in Noble Township that had included his mother, Ruth Pauline Haley.  Fortunately, someone had taken the time to identify each and every person in the photo.  Very serendipitous to find such a picture right off the bat.

We spent about two hours at the museum, where I obtained copies of anniversary notices from the local newspapers, recipes submitted by family members to locally-published cookbooks, funeral home records and marriage supplemental transcript records.  Someone had taken the time to print these from the courthouse and place them in binders at the Historical Society, giving me access to information that normally would have been locked up at the courthouse on a weekend.

It's easy to get so involved in your research that you forget to eat, but around noon we decided that we'd better not overstay our welcome with Tom. We thanked him for letting us research on Saturday, and headed to lunch for a sandwich.

After lunch, we called my aunt Juanita and uncle Harold, and found out they were home.  We were able to visit with them for a good couple of hours, sharing the information we had just discovered.  Dad gave Juanita a booklet he had put together on the Lemasters family, including records on our ancestors' Civil War service.  Harold and Juanita shared some memories about the members of the families in the obits I had discovered.  My cousin Mark and his wife and daughter showed up right as we were leaving, and it was good to see them again.  Dad told them about this blog, so hopefully they will check it out and see some of the information we've discovered.

Then it was back to the library for a couple more hours of research.  Dad was digging into the plat maps and the city directories while I was burning up the microfilm reader printing obituaries.  As in the morning, was able to make great headway.  Just around 4 p.m., however, the microfilm reader decided it was time to surrender.  The reel just refused to advance forward or backwards. That was my cue that it was time to call it a day.  After notifying the staff of the problems, we decided to pack it in and call it a day.

We called my uncle Paul and aunt Betty, found out they were home, and stopped by for a visit on the way out of town.  We again shared the research and gave them a copy of the family history dad had put together.  Uncle Paul remembered some stories and shared a few tidbits about the family members whose obituaries I had obtained.  Cousin Nancy stopped by and we found out she is getting married in June; also saw cousin Phil briefly.

It was a long day, but a good day from a research standpoint.  Now I just have to source the data, and will post copies of the obituaries on the blog.

Finds from the visit to the Jay County Public Library:

• Information regarding the 1949 polio epidemic in Portland, something I want to document as it affected my family
• Obituary of Patty Lou LeMaster, age 12, from the November 1, 1945 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Maxine Elizabeth LeMaster, age 10, from the April 4, 1931 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• LeMaster, Sr., age 77, from the January 14, 1980 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Clarence Harrison LeMaster, age 75, from the November 29, 1963 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Elvin Cooper LeMaster, age 87, from the May 17, 2000 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Garth Luman LeMaster, Sr., age 76, from the February 6, 1998 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Bertha A. (LeMasters) Hercules, age 69, from the January 2, 1962 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of John Leland LeMaster, Jr., age 50, from the March 28, 1973 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of William A. LeMaster, age 54, from the October 16, 1978 edition of The Commerical-Review.
• Obituary of Roger A. LeMaster, age 45, from the March 6, 1972 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Bertha (LeMasters) Yaeger, age 47, from the March 17, 1922 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Beulah S. (LeMasters) Rockwell, from the July 18, 1940 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Catherine Elizabeth (Lemasters) Wehrly, from the December 26, 1911 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ralph V. LeMaster, age 73, from the February 1, 1996 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Floyd LeMasters, Sr., from the February 12, 1982 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Mary Elsie (LeMasters) Atkinson, age 70, from the June 5, 1942 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ord Otterbein LeMasters, from the September 15, 1937 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Rachel (Lemasters) Cunningham, from the March 12, 1913 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Maude (LeMasters) Phillips, from the September 16, 1968 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Matthias Jefferson Atkinson, age 59, from the August 25, 1923 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ferry Mae (Bickel) LeMaster, age 86, from the July 21, 1978 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ora Lee (Brady) LeMaster, age 87, from the April 16, 2008 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Clara L. (Burkey) LeMaster, age 90, from the October 31, 1985 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Dr. William Anderson Chew, from the January 7, 1914 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Carrie V. (Haley) Thornburg, age 98, from the August 6, 2003 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Larry LeMaster, age 24, from the February 28, 1974 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Wedding announcement of Ora Lee Brady and Garth L. LeMaster from the May 11, 1942 edition of The Commercial-Review.

Finds from the visit to the Jay County Historical Society:

• Photograph of my grandmother, Ruth Pauline Haley, int he Mt. Zion School of Noble Township, 1931-32.
• Funeral record of Frank Haley, August 1, 1937 from the Baird Funeral Home.
• Marriage supplemental record of Pearl M. Metzner to Edward H. Baumgartner from June 2, 1915.
• Marriage supplemental record of Archibald E. Chew from October 27, 1909.
• Marriage supplemental record of Mamie Petry from October 12, 1907.
• 45th Anniversary announcement of Mr. and Mrs. Lisle Wehrly, from April 1, 1969.
• 50th Anniversary announcement of Mr. and Mrs. Vern Haley, from March 3, 1966.
• LeMaster entries in the 1927 Jay County Directory
• LeMaster entries in the 1941 Portland, Indiana City Directory
• LeMaster entries in the 1949 Portland, Indiana City Directory

I'm looking forward to planning out my next research trip.  

LeMaster Photos

My cousin, Wanda (LeMaster) Louck, provided me with copies of some LeMaster family photos from her side of the family.

Clarence LeMaster, May LeMaster & Kenneth (1912)

(L-R) Wanda, Kenneth & Ferry May (Bickel) LeMaster

Sitting in chair: Mary Ann Bickel, mother of Ferry May (Bickel) LeMaster

Clarence & May (Bickel) LeMaster, Wedding photo (1911)

May & Clarence LeMaster

Kenneth & Louise (Dalrymple) LeMaster, 50th Wedding Anniversary

Sunday's Obituary: Ardis E. Bickel (1931-1996)

Source: Ardis E. Bickel obituary, Anderson Herald-Bulletin, Anderson, Indiana, June 22, 1996

Ardis Ellen (LeMaster) Bickel, 65, Anderson, died June 20, 1996, at Community Hospital after an extended illness.

She was born Jan. 20, 1931, in Cowan, and lived in Anderson since 1953.  She was a homemaker.

She was a member of Vermillion Christian Church and Ladies Aid Society of the church.  She was a 1949 graduate of Madison Township High School.

Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Ralph Bickel Jr. of Anderson, two sons, Richard Bickel and Randall (wife, Theresa) Bickel, all of Anderson; two daughters and son-in-law, Barbara and Lonnie Short of Anderson and Carolyn Bickel of Greenwood; two sisters, Mrs. Gail (Gerry) Stoner of Troy, Ohio, and Mrs. Phillip (Ann) Monger of Hagerstown; nine grandchildren, Andrew Bagienski, Joshua R. Bickel, B. Keith Bickel, Autumn Ellen Short, Lonnita Short, Lori Waddey, Tara DeWeese, Nickelette Short and Lonnie L. Short II; three great-grandchildren, Jennifer Waddey, Joni Waddey and Brianna DeWeese; and two sisters-in-law, Helen LeMaster and Mrs. Walter (Wanda) Morhous, both of Portland.

She was preceded in death by three brothers.

Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service with Keith Creamer of Vermillion Christian Church officiating.  Graveside service will be 2 p.m. Monday at Salamonie [sic] Cemetery in Salamonia.

Visitation will be 2 to 4 and 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Vermillion Christian Church.

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.

Amanuensis Monday: Sketch of Luman W. LeMasters

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Today I'm looking at the biographical sketch of my paternal 2nd-great grandfather, Luman Walker LeMASTERS, which appeared in the book "History of Jay County, Indiana: including its World War Record and Incorporating the Montgomery History", by Milton T. Jay, 1922, Historical Publishing Company, page 195.





Luman W. LeMasters, an honored veteran of the Civil War and one of the best known farmers and landowners of Jay county, proprietor of "Lookout Hill Farm" in Madison township, where he makes his home, this farm being on rural mail route No. 6 out of Portland, is a "Buckeye" by birth, but has been a resident of this county practically all the time since he was twelve years of age, a period of about seventy years, and thus has been witness to and a participant in the amazing development that has taken place in this community since what might properly be regarded as pioneer days, for there was still much of the primeval wild here when he first came to this county.  Mr. LeMasters was born on a farm in Shelby county, Ohio, October 19, 1842, and is a son of Luman W. and Nancy (Young) LeMasters, Virginians, who became residents of Ohio in their childhood days and were there married. The elder Luman W. LeMasters was born in that section of the Old Dominion that came to be organized as West Virginia in Civil War times.  He was reared as a farmer and also became a "local" preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church.  After his marriage he made his home on an eighty-acre farm which he owned in Shelby county, Ohio, and there remained until 1854, in which year he moved with his family over into Indiana and located on a quarter section of land he bought in Madison township, this county, the west "eighty" of which is now owned by his son Luman, the subject of the sketch.  On that place the elder Luman W. LeMasters and his wife spent the remainder of their days, their influence for good in that community continuing a pleasant memory in the neighborhood.  He died on April 15, 1888, and his widow survived until August 26, 1904.  They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having three sisters, Phebe J., Mary P., and Martha J., and two brothers, Jacob and John LeMasters.  As noted above, the junior Luman W. LeMasters was twelve years of age when he came to Jay county with his parents in 1854.  He grew to manhood on the home farm in Madison township, completing his schooling in the neighborhood schools and by two years of attendance at the old Farmers Academy at College Corner, and was living on the farm when the Civil war broke out.  On July 21, 1861, he enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company C of the 39th regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which presently was reorganized as the 8th Cavalry, and with that gallant command was serving when on July 3, 1863, while on a charge against the enemy at Deckers Forge, two and one-half miles south of Winchester, Tenn., he was shot through the left breast, receiving a wound which terminated his further usefulness as a soldier, putting him on the invalid list.  In March, 1864, Mr. LeMasters received his discharge and in the following fall was married and began farming for himself as a renter of land in this county.  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.  In 1904 he bought the west "eighty" of that quarter section and is still living there, practically retired since 1907, renting his fields.  Mr. LeMasters is a Republican,  is a member of Henry McLaughlin Post, No. 516, Grand Army of the Republic, at Salamonia, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of that village.  It was on October 2, 1864, that Luman W. LeMasters was united in marriage to Mary K. Chew, who has thus been his helpmate for more than fifty-seven years.  Mrs. LeMasters was born in Camden county, New Jersey, February 13, 1847, and is a daughter of Dr. Ezekiel and Caroline B. (Woolston) Chew, both of whom were born in that same state.  In 1855 Dr. Ezekiel Chew moved with his family from New Jersey to Farmersville, Ohio.  Two years later he moved to Ft. Jefferson, in Darke county (Ohio) and after a sometime residence there came to Indiana.  He made several changes of residence after coming to this state, but finally located in St. Joseph county, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there in August, 1888.  His wife died on February 27, 1879.  They were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are living, Mrs. LeMasters having one sister, Sarah F., and five brothers, Nathaniel D., Cooper, Charles, Virgil and Donald Chew.  To Luman W. and Mary K. (Chew) LeMasters have been born ten children, Beulah S., Luman C., William C., Elsie, Bertha, Ord O., Edith, Maude, Arthur and Vernon, all of whom are still living.  Beulah S. LeMasters married L.L. Rockwell, who is engaged in the garage business at Ft. Recovery, Ohio, and has four children, Claude, a Noble township farmer, who married Opal Loy and has two children, Catherine M. and Duetta; Opal, who married Daniel Grile, who is operating a garage at Geneva, Ind., and has two children, Lester and John Lynn; Edith, wife of Cecil Bickel, a Madison township farmer, who has one child, and Anna.  Luman C. LeMasters, a farmer of Madison township, married Belle Wehrley and has twelve children, Clarence, a Madison township farmer, who married May Bickel and has three children, Kenneth, Mary I. and Luman; Chesley, now living at Richmond, Ind., who married Clara Burkey and has two children, Donald and Doris; Bertha, who married Russell Hercules, of Richmond, Ind., and has two children, Mervil and Isabella; Floyd, a Noble township farmer, who married Opal Gagle and has one child, Remonda; Gerald, who is the garage business in Pennville and married Mabel Kantner and has one child, Maxine; Stanley, who is at home; Dorothy, wife of Charles Hunt, of Richmond, Ind.; John, a teacher in the schools of the county, making his home in Madison township, and who married Dorothy Delauter and has one child, Geraldine, and Freda, Ord, Mary O., and Elvin C., who are at home.  William C. LeMasters, who is now living at Victor, Col., where he is the proprietor of a moving picture theater, married Lella Lewis and has four children, Gladys, who married Lloyd G. Moser, of Mt. Rosa, Col., and has two children, Carrie and Bobby; Lella, who married Earl Slinkard and is living in California, and Ralph and William, at home.  Elsie LeMasters married M.J. Adkinson, a farmer of Madison township.  Bertha LeMasters married John Yaeger, who is now principal of schools at Brazil, Ind., and has six children, Clarence, Mary, Helen, John V., George W., and Luther L.  Dr. Ord O. LeMasters, now a practicing physician at Sidney, Ohio, married Emma Garmenhouser.  He and his wife have an adopted daughter, Isabella.  Edith LeMasters married Henry Mineholtz, who is now engaged in the mercantile business at Alamosa, Col., and has four children, Wilhelmina, Lucile, Helen E. and Marjorie M.  Maude LeMasters married Dr. S.W. Phillips, a veterinary surgeon, now living at David City, Neb., and has two children, Donald and Louise.  Arthur LeMasters married Maude McLaughlin and is now engaged in the garage business at Geneva, Ind.  Dr. Vernon LeMasters, a veteran of the World war and a practicing physician, now living at Sidney, Ohio, married Helen Garmenhouser and has one child, a son, Robert.  Doctor LeMasters was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps of the United States army during the war and served for eighteen months overseas.  Mr. and Mrs. LeMasters were among the most active promoters of the movement which led to the organization of the Methodist Episcopal church at Salamonia in 1876 and thus for more than forty-five years have been prominently identified with that congregation.  Mr. LeMasters served as a member of the board of trustees of this congregation until 1920 and for more than forty years was class leader, while for many years Mrs. LeMasters was one of the leading teachers in the Sunday school.




John Newmark at TransylvanianDutch started this Monday genealogy meme, which has quickly spread throughout the Geneablogger community. I am excited to be a participant and transcribe the records of my family.