Madison County Indiana Locality Guide

 As mentioned previously, one of my projects has been to create locality guides for places where my ancestors lived to aid in finding resources.

On my maternal side, Madison County, Indiana is a place my family has been since its early days.

The United States acquired the land that became Madison County from the Native Americans in the 1809 Treaty of Fort Wayne, and by the 1818 Treaty of St. Marys, considerably more territory became the property of the government.  The county was formed 4 January 1823 from lands governed by the Delaware New Purchase.

Madison County was named for James Madison, 4th President of the United States.

• County Seat : Anderson
• Largest City : Anderson
• Record Loss : 1880

A link to the locality guide that I've been working on is here. Any suggestions or additions to additional resources will be appreciated.

Some of the surnames and when they arrived (approximately) in Madison County:

• Wright (1867)
• Lambertson (1918)
• Pierce (1864)
• King (1840)
• Shaw (1847)
• Groenendyke (1842)
  
• Penisten (1840)

An Interesting Cluster of DNA Matches

For years, I've wanted to solve the mystery of who my great-grandmother June's father was - ever since my grandmother first told me the story of how her mother was an orphaned child.  This blog even has a section dedicated to the mystery of Ida Davis and her children's parentage. 

As the above graphic indicates, June's mother was Ida Davis (1874-1900).  By the time Ida passed at age 26, she had two daughters : Pansy and June.  June was my great-grandmother.  Both of these girls were raised by their grandmother, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis Gilliland (1854-193) and her 2nd husband, Robert F. Gilliland.  Both girls used the Gilliland surname.

While I continue to search for paper records to document clues as to June's father, when autosomal DNA testing came on the scene I had renewed hope that a nearly 120 year-old mystery might be able to be solved.  I've tested myself and my mother at all the major DNA databases, hoping to utilize the tools to find a connection.

Utilizing the Shared Matching tools at AncestryDNA, I was able to sort my mother's matches with her male cousin "L" on her mother's side.   Because mom and "L" share grandparents, all of their shared matches have to be on either through the genetic upline of either Clemon Lambertson or June Gilliland.  Because I have a rather robust tree, I was able to look at their shared matches and identify several right away and group them into clusters.

The shared matches that I couldn't identify became the ones that I looked more closely at.  One match in particular (M.W.) shared by my mom and Cousin L shares 168cm across 8 segments with mom.  AncestryDNA predicts her in the 3rd-4th cousin range.  Looking at the matches shared with mom and M.W. were many names that were unidentifable.

I began working on building out Quick & Dirty Trees for each of these matches, hoping to find commonality.  Many of these matches only had one or two names in their tree, others were a bit more detailed.  I have scoured them looking for clues in common places and names, hoping to tie them together.  Eventually I was able to tie a couple of them together with common ancestry.

In addition, mom has tested at 23andMe and I was able to find a couple of matches there who also tie into the family tree of the matches at Ancestry.  These matches are distant cousins to each other, but did not know of their connections.

At AncestryDNA, matches M.W., K.H., P.B, and A.S. appear to tie into common ancestry through James Wesley Harris (1862-1926) and Laura Alice Livingston (1860-1942) of Monroe County, Indiana.  Additionally, at 23andMe, matches T.F., K.S. & K.A. also have common ancestry to this couple.

Additional matches at Ancestry further up the line from Harris-Livingston connection include the Vint and Stine families, all of whom have Monroe County, Indiana connections - right in the hotbed of where June's family was living.  I have identified additional matches of mom from these lines on both the Stine and the Vint families.  In the Q&D tree of James Wesley Harris, his mother, Martha Ellen Vint (1840-1918) was the daughter of Wiliam Henry Vint & Sarah Stine.

Recently I was able to have additional cousins test who descend from Clemon and June at AncestryDNA.  They also share common DNA with this cluster of matches.  Cousin A and Cousin B are both my 2nd cousins.

If my Q&D trees are correct, M.W. and K.H. are sisters and P.B. is their 1st cousin. A.S. is the nephew of P.B.  From 23andMe, T.F. is a 2nd cousin to M.W., K.H. & P.B.  K.S. is the son of T.F, and K.A. would be 1st cousin twice removed.

I have worked this tree out using the WATO tool at DNA Painter, trying to figure out a hypothesis.  I need more data, and will be reaching out to other descendants, including those who descend from June's sister, Pansy, to see if we can make the connections work.

While I don't have access to mom's Cousin L's matches to these individuals, I am encouraged by the amount of DNA shared and continue to work the Q&D Tree for more clues to tie in additional matches.  Eventually I will solve the mystery of June's ancestry.

Descendants of Charles Wilson Lambertson & Pearl May Beals Facebook Group

Trying to gather information on more recent generations and helping to share family memories, photos and stay connected - I created a Facebook group page for descendants of my paternal 2nd-great grandparents, Charles Wilson Lambertson and Pearl May Beals.

Charles Wilson Lambertson (b. 25 Jan 1872 Preble Co., OH; d. 24 May 1958 Elwood, Madison Co., IN) & Pearl May Beals (b. 11 May 1878 Westfield, Hamilton Co., IN; d. 3 Aug 1970 Elwood, Madison Co., IN) were married 18 Apr 1897 at Cicero, Hamilton Co., IN.

They were the parents of the following children:

1. Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994) m. June Gilliland m(2) Helen Fisher 
2. Orville Edward "Jack" Lambertson (1902-1983) m. Mary E. Herter m(2) Martha Stoner m(3) Hassie Hawkins  
3. Leona Dolly Lambertson (1904-1988) m. Clarence Everett Fetz m(2) Joseph P. Carpenter 
4. Gerald Lambertson (1906-1906)
5. Geraldene Lambertson (1906-1906)
6. Pauline Lambertson (1908-1992) m. Forrest VanNess 
7. Paul Lambertson (1908-1994) m. Goldie Laycock 

8. Elizabeth Charline Lambertson (1915-2006) m. Ralph Hershberger  

Descendants of Charles Wilson Lambertson & Pearl May Beals Private group · 12 members Join Group For the descendants of the various Lambertson families who descend from Charles Wilson Lambertson & Pearl May Beals.

 

Research Trip to Monroe County, Indiana

Last August, I headed down to the Bloomington area to do research at the Monroe County History Center. I would highly recommend visiting or utilizing this research facility if you have Monroe County, Indiana roots.

I had previously written to the History Center in the past, and they had been very accomodating in regards to providing documents relating to family history.  In preparation for this trip, I had let them know ahead of time that I wanted to look at the following probate records:

*P 101 5 Davis, James Guardianship 1879

*P 102 2 Davis, James Insane 1880

*P 84 5 Davis, James Heirs 1880

*P 87 7 Davis, James Estate 1880

*P 90 4 Davis, James Estate 1880

*P 92 8 Davis, James Estate 1881

*P 93 4 Davis, James Estate 1879 

 *P 236 6 Gilliland, Robert Estate 1916

I was curious if the James Davis listed in these estate records would tie into my Davis family in Monroe County.  Ida Davis' father was James Austin Davis (1850-1909) who was listed as being an inmate in the Owen County, Indiana asylumn in 1880.  Since the Davis family was back and forth between Owen and Monroe Counties, I hoped that the estate records might somehow be related to his condition and guardianship.  The Robert Gilliland estate I was interested in because Robert was the stepfather of Ida Davis.

When I arrived, the museum staff had the records pulled and they were ready for me to look at.  Unfortunately, the James Davis in these estate records was not related to my Davis family at all.  So that was a bust.  

However, the Robert Gilliland estate record was an interesting find.  He died with an estate worth less than $500 in 1916.  Back in 1989, I had written to the Monroe County Clerk's office regarding whether or not they had a will on file for Robert.  The response was that they did not.  Had I been a little wiser in my genealogy research, I would have thought to check for a probate file - which I'm now glad that I have.  Lesson is to always be thinking of additional sources of information and never giving up.  I expect to do a future blog post on the estate of Robert Gilliland.

At the History Center, I was able to then begin searching for other family records that might be relevant to the family, and I was able to get copies made of several land records that I will explore in future posts.

One item of interest was a copy of the marriage license of my great-grandparents, Clemon Beals Lambertson and June Gilliland, which I didn't previously have a copy of.

There was also a photo album of related families where I located a photograph of Everett Gilliland, who would be June's half-brother.

After spending several hours at the museum making copies of land records for future examination, I decided to head over to Elletsville and visit the cemetery where June's mother, Ida, and her grandparents were buried.  It had been probably twenty years since I had been over that way.

The Methodist Cemetery in Elletsville isn't hard to find, in a pretty nice area and was easy to walk around.  I went around and took pictures of known ancestors and any one who had names that looked familiar for further research.

Above is the stone for Robert Gilliland and his second wife, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Gilliland.  Mary was my 3rd-great grandmother.  Her daughter, Ida Davis, is part of my biggest family mystery.  Ida's death certificate indicates that she is also buried in this cemetery, likely near this marker, though there is no stone for her.  The two infants stones in front of Robert & Mary's stone are for Robert & Mary's grandchildren : William Dorris Gilliland (1912-1914), son of William Everett & Maude (Arthur) Gilliland and William Harrell Gilliland (1928-1928), son of William Everett & Florence (Arthur) Gilliland.

Somewhere in this plot is where I believe that Ida is buried.  Logically, since she was 26 at the time, and this is a family plot, she should be here.  But why no stone?  Likely due to cost.  I have tried to obtain records of burials at the cemetery, but no such luck.

As I left, I couldn't help but wonder if my 3rd-great grandmother's spirit wasn't guiding me in some manner, since it turned out the date of my trip to visit her grave was on her birthday.

June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson (1898-1951), Adoptive Surname, 52 Ancestors # 8

June Gilliland

The eighth ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my maternal great-grandmother, June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson (1898-1951). Previously, I'd written about the details of her life in an Exploratory Data post.

June's origin story has been the subject of the first major mystery in my genealogy research.  Her daughter, my grandmother, told me that June was an orphan, but there was more to that story.  June's father's name remains unknown at this point, and this post will tell how she came to have the Gilliland surname. 

June's birth certificate

June was born in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana on June 11, 1898.   Her birth announcement lists the fact that she was born at the "Door of Hope", which was associated with the Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis.  Her birth certificate lists her as "Infant (female) Davis" and her parents are listed as Atkinson and Ida Davis.  The search for just exactly who June's father was continues, with previous posts on the subject here and here. 

Ida (Davis) Hancock Morris (1874-1900), June's mother, has an entire section devoted to the mysteries of her life on this blog.  She died when June was just two years old, leaving her an orphan.  June also had older sister, Pansy.

Both June and Pansy were taken in and raised by Ida's mother, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis Gilliland (1854-1932).  Mary raised her two granddaughters, Pansy and June alongside the two children she had with her second husband, Robert Farrell Gilliland (1850-1916).

June Gilliland

I've not yet located any formal documentation that states that June was formally adopted by her grandmother and step-grandfather, or when exactly she started going by the Gilliland surname.  These records may either be located in Monroe or Owen Counties, Indiana.

June has not yet been located in the 1900 census, but her sister Pansy was found living with the Gilliland's and listed with the surname Davis in Clay Township, Owen County, Indiana.

At the time of the 1910 census in Richland Township, Monroe County, Indiana, June was listed as the step-granddaughter in the Robert Gilliland household as "June Gilliland".  According to newspaper accounts of her baptism at the Ellettsville Baptist Church in 1911, June was using the Gilliland surname.  When she married my great-grandfather in Monroe County, Indiana on June 28, 1917, she listed her surname as Gilliland.  Pansy was also using the Gilliland surname when she married Peter Decker in 1912.

Clemon and June Lambertson

It's pretty evident that June clearly went by the Gilliland surname from a young age, whether or not she was formally adopted by her grandmother and step-grandfather.  Whether she ever knew who her father was or his surname will never be known.

This explains why we have the Gilliland surname in our family tree though we do not have Gilliland ancestry.

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge was created by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small blog.  The premise is to write once a week about a specific ancestor - whether it be a story, a biography, a photograph or a research problem.

Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994), Memories, 52 Ancestors # 7

Clemon Lambertson, 1916, likely Cicero, Indiana

The seventh ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks project is my maternal great-grandfather, Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994), who married June Gilliland (1898-1951), on June 28, 1917 in Monroe County, Indiana. I had previously written about the events of his life in an Exploratory Data post.
Grandpa Clemon was the oldest ancestor that I have memories of having direct interaction.  Although we didn't interact very much, I do have a few memories of him.

The earliest memory I have of him was being at his house on Silver Street in Anderson, Indiana in the mid-1970s.  I don't remember the circumstances, but I do remember being at the house and seeing family pictures on the wall.  I also remember it not being too far to the Best-Ever Dairy, which was a great place to get ice cream.

Clemon Lambertson with Travis, Jason & Michelle LeMaster, 1979, Anderson, Indiana

I remember my dad borrowing Clemon's copy of the Chronology of the Beals Family and making copies from it for his genealogy research, which might have occurred around the same time as we hauled bricks away from Uncle Floyd's home in Elwood.  This was my first exposure to a compiled family genealogy - as an adult I purchased my own copy for my research.

I remember one time speaking with him on the phone when he called our house and we talked about baseball and the World Series.  The Dodgers were playing at the time, so this must have been around the 1978 series.

I also remember Grandpa Clemon coming to visit at my grandma's house.  As a little kid, I don't remember what we did or said.  Fortunately, I was able to find a copy of this photo of him at a birthday celebration.

Clemon Lambertson birthday, 1978, Bonnie Wright, Lynn Priest, Ruby Walsh, Martha Lambertson, Cissy Priest, Alexandria, Indiana

The last memory I have of him was when his daughter, my grandmother, passed away in 1984. At that time he would have been 86 years old.  I remember his comment that you weren't supposed to bury your child.  I can't imagine how painful that was for him.

I wish I could have talked to him about family history and share some of the things I've discovered over the years about his ancestors.

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge was created by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small blog.  The premise is to write once a week about a specific ancestor - whether it be a story, a biography, a photograph or a research problem.

The Dollmaker

The second ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my maternal grandmother, Bonnie Mae (Lambertson) Wright.

Bonnie was born 18 February 1924 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana at home at 1906 North F Street.  Her parents were Clemon Beals & June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson.  She was the third child of four and the oldest daughter.

Though her birth certificate clearly gives her middle name as "May", Bonnie used the alternative spelling "Mae" during her adult life.  I've found no evidence of a legal change, it was apparently a stylistic choice.

Ruby & Bonnie

Bonnie grew up in the house she was born which was just south of Callaway Park and the pool.  Bonnie and her brothers & sisters all spent a lot of time there working as lifeguards.  City directories show that they were living in that house through 1938.

In the 1939-40 period the family moved from Elwood to near Greentown in Howard County.  Bonnie's grandparents, Charles & Pearl (Beals) Lambertson were living near Greentown and that is likely why the move.  In an interview with Bonnie's sister, Ruby, she mentioned that her dad liked to have space for a garden, as the new place had 3 acres.

1938 freshman photo

The family moved back to Elwood, and Bonnie graduated from Elwood High School in 1941. The story I was told was that during the time she moved to Greentown, she took classes that put her ahead when she returned to Elwood and she was able to graduate in 1941, rather than 1942.

A newspaper story from 1938 mentioned a Halloween party that Bonnie attended with her future husband, Bill Wright.  I do not know if that was the first time that they met, but aunt Ruby told me that she would double date with her future husband, Bob.

Bonnie and Bill were married on 7 June 1941 in Elwood at the First Baptist Church by Rev. Sage.  Shortly afterward, they moved to Alexandria where Bill's family was from. At the time of their marriage, Bill was a factory worker and Bonnie had to have parental consent to get married, as she was only 17.

Her first child, my uncle was born in the spring of 1942 when they were living at 610 West Broadway in Alexandria.  The war was on and my grandpa enlisted together with my great-uncle Bob on 19 January 1944 in the U.S. Army, determined to become pilots.

A heart murmur kept grandpa from becoming a pilot, and instead he became a radio instructor.  One of my first genealogy interviews when I was a teenager was listening to grandma tell me about all of the various Army bases that she travelled to with grandpa with my uncle in tow.  I need to track down the notes, but I seem to remember her saying one time in Biloxi they were scared - must have been a fight between locals and servicemen or something.

Grandpa was always state-side during the war, and after his discharge he returned home and was soon employed at the local post office and Bonnie settled into being a housewife.  By the winter of 1946, they were a family of four when my mother arrived.

Bonnie and Bill were socially active in events in small town Alexandria with groups such as the Elks, the First Christian Church and school parent committees.

By the time I came along, Bonnie was 44 years old, and I was her second grandson.  She lost my grandfather 5 years later, becoming a widow at 49.  I cannot imagine how painful that loss must have been.  One of the ways she dealt with grief was the therapy of doll making.

Bonnie made a Raggedy Ann doll for her niece Vicki for a graduation gift. When Ruby took it to Guide Lamp in Anderson to show it off, people started putting in orders to have Bonnie make one for their kids and for nursing homes.

The dolls were 25 inches and each strand of hair was tied on by hand so that when the dolls were washed they wouldn't come apart.  She  made an estimated 500 of the dolls.

Bonnie enjoyed making dolls and couldn't stand to see a doll without clothes.  She loved to sew and would make matching clothes for my mother and her dolls when she was a girl. My mom still has examples of her handiwork.

As a youngster, I spent more time with Grandma Bonnie than my other grandmother because she lived closer. I can remember going shopping into downtown Alexandria at stores such as Danner's and going to the bakery to get one of their famous caramel rolls.

I remember walking over to her house after playing baseball at the Babe Ruth diamonds and hanging out. One story I remember was that she had a case of Bloody Mary Mix that she didn't want me to tell anyone about because she didn't want them to think she was a drinker.

One time she made me popcorn and I complained that it didn't have any butter on it.  She promptly went to the kitchen and brought back one of those squeeze bottles of butter and coated that popcorn so much so that it wasn't edible.  I learned a lesson that day not to complain.

When I started working on genealogy, I interviewed her about her family history for my Boy Scout merit badge.  She told me what she could about her heritage, and got me started on tracking down the mysteries on her mother's side of the family.

When I was a sophomore in high school, she became really sick with cancer.  I went with my mom & grandma to many of her visits at the Bluffton clinic.  She eventually became so ill that she had to move in with us.

Bonnie died 9 April 1984 at our house at R.R. 4 Box 328, which was rural Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  I remember her passing like it was yesterday, though it was over 30 years ago.

I was glad I was able to spend some time with her asking her about her relatives.  I wish I could show her some of the things I've found that she probably didn't know about her heritage.

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge was created by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small blog.  The premise is to write once a week about a specific ancestor – whether it be a story, a biography, a photograph or a research problem.

The Postman

The first ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my maternal grandfather, William Lee "Johnny Bill" Wright (1919-1973). 

Bill was born 1 December 1919 in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana, just south of Alexandria.  His parents were Virgil Lee & Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright. He was the only son and the middle of three children.

Though his birth certificate clearly states his name was William Lee, he was known as "Johnny Bill" to family and friends.  His first name is shared by his maternal grandfather, and his middle name was shared by his father.  His paternal grandfather was named John William.  In the 1920 census, he was enumerated as "John W.E.".

Bill was raised on the family farm and was active in agricultural pursuits.  Newspaper articles from the Alexandria Times-Tribune indicate he was a member of 4-H and raised gilts.  The family farm was the same one where I was raised, though by then it had ceased to be an active animal-farm.

In 1934, Bill was certified to attend high school after completing schooling in the Monroe Township schools through the eighth grade.  He would attend high school in Alexandria.

While in high school, Bill was a member of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H, continuing to participate in agricultural activities such as corn shows, visiting stockyards and husking bees.  He became a member of the executive committee of FFA and was awarded prizes at the county fair.

Bill graduated from Alexandria High School in 1938 and continued to engage in agricultural pursuits. At the time of the 1940 census, he was still living with his parents, with his occupation listed as farmer.  I imagine he assumed he would continue in the family farm, but other forces were at work that would soon put him on a different path.

A newspaper story from 1938 mentioned at Halloween party that Bill attended with his future wife, Bonnie Lambertson.  I don't know if that was the first time they met but I do know that Bill's mother didn't approve of the match.  I had previously blogged about how my great-grandmother had already picked out the girl for him.

Bill and Bonnie were married on 7 June 1941 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana at the First Baptist Church where Bonnie's family attended.  I believe that for a short time, they set up house in Elwood, but it wasn't long before they were back in Alexandria.

My uncle Terry was born in the spring of 1942, the same week that Bill's parents  purchased the home at 610 West Broadway in Alexandria that would be Bill and Bonnie's home for the rest of their lives.  Though Bill & Bonnie made the payments on the house, this purchase caused some consternation with Bill's older sister, as she thought her parents had a house bought for Bill and Bonnie.

Bill was working as an armature winder at Delco Remy in Anderson before going into the military.

Even with a young baby at home, there was a war on and Bill was determined to sign up.  He and my-great uncle Bob Walsh enlisted in the U.S. Army together  on 19 January 1944.  Supposedly, Bill's mother was so upset at this that she tried to get enlistment rescinded, even writing Congressmen to get him out.

Bill served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a LORAN mechanic & instructor. LORAN is short for long range navigation. He wanted to be a pilot, but a heart murmur kept him from being one.  The story Bonnie told me was that at each post, they would find the murmur and he would be under observation for a period.  I found a newspaper mention of him being sent from a radio school in Racine, Wisconsin to Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois.  Bonnie told me of time in Biloxi, Mississippi as well.  Both Bonnie and my uncle Terry travelled with Bill at each assignment.

Bill was discharged 27 April 1946 from the separation center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  He returned home to Alexandria, Indiana.  According to his separation paperwork, he applied for an Indiana service bonus.  

Shortly after returning, he began working at the Alexandria Post Office, where he worked the rest of his life. Local tidbits mentioned in the Alexandria Times-Tribune mention "Johnny Bill" at the post office and his quips of humor.  He was known for doing crossword puzzles and reading the dictionary.  He was an avid fisherman, who often took the family to Lake Tippecanoe and later Silver Lake.  I didn't pick up the fishing gene, but my brother did, and still has some of Bill's equipment.

During this post-war period, Bill was active in the local Elks and the American Legion.  My mom came along, and Bill was active with the parents of Clarke Elementary and later the high school.  In 1962, he helped host the meeting of the local 3070 of Postal Clerks and was active in community affairs.

By the time I came along, Bill was 49 years old.  I was his second grandson.  However, I don't really have too many memories of him.  One memory I have is of me &  mom walking on the sidewalk in town and grandpa coming down the street in his pickup truck and taking us to his place.  Another memory I have is that he liked to keep Pringle's potato chips at his house hidden in a nail barrel that had been converted into a table.

Bill died of a coronary occlusion on 9 July 1973 at Community Hospital in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  He was 53 years old. According to his death certificate, he died at 12:44 a.m.  I have a vague memory of that happening, mostly feelings of panic, perhaps I heard the phone calls discussing what happened.  At the time of his death, I was four years old.

I wish I would have been able to know him.  I'm left to reading newspaper tidbits and stories passed on from others in order to get a picture of who he was.

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge was created by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small blog.  The premise is to write once a week about a specific ancestor – whether it be a story, a biography, a photograph or a research problem.

Harry N. Whisler household, 1940, Hamilton County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Harry N. Whisler household in Hamilton County, Indiana.  Harry was my maternal first cousin 3 times removed.  Our common ancestors were Carey W. Lambertson and Clara E. Cook.  Harry's parents were Omer Anderson Whisler and Lola May Lambertson.

1940 U.S. census, Hamilton County, Indiana, population schedule, Jackson Township, enumeration district (ED) 29-13, SD 6, sheet 3B, household 59, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Harry and his wife were living in Jackson Township.  The census states that Harry was renting his home for $10 per month and that it was on a farm.  Harry was 33 years old and born in Indiana.  His wife, Edna, was 23 years old and born in Indiana.  In 1935 their residence was the same place.

The record shows that Harry had completed the 8th grade and that Edna had completed 4 years of high school.  Harry's occupation was listed as operator of a farm and Edna had no occupation listed.

Also living in the household was son Russel L., age 3, born in Indiana.

If you have any additional information or are related to this family, I'd love to hear from you.

Plaque Listing Madison County Indiana Recorders

While doing some research last year in the Madison County, Indiana Recorder's Office, I noticed this plaque which listed the names of all of the Recorders who have served through the years.

Plaque in Madison County, Indian Recorder's Office
Anderson, Indiana

My maternal great aunt, Martha (Phillips) Lambertson, served as the Recorder from 1979 to 1986.

I had previously written a blog post about her career in politics, when she was elected to two terms as a Republican.

Looking at the other names on the plaque, I did not see any others that I recognized as being related.

Wordless Wednesday: Bonnie Lambertson & William Wright, 1941

Bonnie Lambertson & William Wright, 1941

Photo of my maternal grandparents, Bonnie Lambertson and William Wright, taken in 1941 before they were married.

Wordless Wednesday: Clemon and Helen (Fisher) Lambertson, 1961

Clemon and Helen (Fisher) Lambertson, 1961

Photo of my maternal great-grandfather, Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994) and his second wife, Helen (Fisher) Lambertson (1911-1996) taken in 1961, likely in Alexandria, Indiana.

Colorful Family Stories

The Monday before last, a gathering was held at my parent's house because my uncle & aunt were up from Tennessee and mom wanted to gather all of the cousins together for a cookout.  It was a gathering of first cousins on both my Lambertson and Wright side.

It was nice to see everyone again, a few of whom I hadn't seen in quite some time.  The best part of the evening for me was the chance to share some stories on the Wright side with my mom's 1st cousins.

Since the house I grew up in used to be the farm house where my great-grandparents, Virgil and Muriel (Pierce) Wright lived, the cousins had memories to share of the farm when it was a working farm as well as tales of my great-grandparents.  I have no direct memory of my great-grandparents, and the stories I've received from my mother were not the same memories that her cousins shared - partly because they grew up next door and were at the farm more.

It was interesting to hear that my great-grandfather Virgil told my great-grandmother that he had quit smoking, yet was hiding cigarette cartons out in the grain so he could smoke in the barn, to the stories of great-grandmother testing the cousins urine for blood sugar levels (diabetes runs in the family), before allowing them an ice cream treat.  Those type of stories make them a bit more colorful than just names and dates.

90th Birthday

Ruby Walsh  90th Birthday

My maternal great-aunt Ruby (Lambertson) Walsh celebrated her 90th birthday today!  It was nice to see her today and several of my Lambertson cousins as we celebrated this milestone birthday!  I hope that I share the longevity gene!

Shaky Leaves : Isolina Simpson Death, 1914, Butler County, Ohio

Ancestry.com, "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007", Ancestry.com Operations, 2010, Provo, UT.

Working through more of the shaky leaves hints at Ancestry.com for my LeMaster & Allied Families and updated the record of the death on September 29, 1914 in Butler County, Ohio for my maternal first cousin 4 times removed, Isolina "Issie" (Lambertson) Simpson.

This record is a death index compiled by the state, and indicates that she died in Butler County and the record is filed in volume 1449 and certificate number 48466.

Issie was the wife of Edward Simpson and the daughter of George G. and Harriett (Jones) Lambertson. Our common ancestors are John and Sarah (Willson) Lambertson.

If you are related to this family or have any additional information, I would love to hear from you.

Shaky Leaves : Charles M. Trainer household, 1940 census Warren County, Ohio

Working through more of the shaky leaves hints at Ancestry.com for my LeMaster & Allied Families and updated the record of the 1940 census in Morrow, Warren County, Ohio for my maternal 3rd cousin twice removed, Charles M. Trainer and his wife.

1940 US Census, Warren County, Ohio, population schedule, Morrow, Salem Township, enumeration district (ED) 83-21, SD 7, sheet 8A, household 175, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 April 2016); National Archives, Washington D.C..

Charles was working as a truck driver for a creamery, and had lived at the same residence in 1935.  He and his wife had both completed 4 years of high school.  They were renting their home.  Charles was 22 years old and his wife Estalena was 24 years old.

My common ancestors with Charles are John & Sarah A. (Willson) Lambertson.  Charles was the son of Charles T. & Bessie N. (Mengle) Trainer.

If you are related to this family or have additional information, I would love to hear from you.

They Went Off To War Together

William Lee Wright (1919-1973)

Robert Earl Walsh (1922-2016)

One of the family stories I had heard for years related to my maternal grandfather, William Lee "Johnny Bill" Wright and my maternal great-uncle, Robert Earl Walsh going off to war together during World War II.  The two had married sisters : my grandfather married Bonnie Mae Lambertson in 1941 and my great-uncle married her sister, Ruby June Lambertson in 1944.

Both men served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and wanted to become pilots.  A heart murmur kept my grandfather grounded, and he became a radioman, while Bob was a pilot, though too late in the war to go overseas.

Thanks to Newspapers.com I was able to verify the story that they did, in fact, join up together.  In the January 6, 1944 edition of the Alexandria Times-Tribune in Alexandria, Indiana, I found the following :

Alexandria Times-Tribune, Alexandria, Indiana, January 6, 1944, page 1.

Twenty-one Men Leave Today to Learn Whether or Not They Will Soon be Wearing Uniforms

Another group of 21 men from the north part of Madison county left Alexandria this morning for Fort Harrison at Indianapolis to take their final physical examinations for entrance into the armed services.  This was the first call of the new year.

All of the men will return this afternoon, and those who are excepted for the Army will have 21 days furlough before starting their training. Some accepted for the other branches will have shorter furloughs before reporting to camps.

The group today included the following men:

Alexandria - Joseph Little, Earl Bramel, William Wilson, James Zetel, Paul Roby, Marvin Willis.

Elwood - Wallace Garret, Miton Hodson, Ralph Hartsock, William Wright, Marvin Call, Clifford Bryan, Clifford Bryan, Robert Walsh, James Murray, Paul McCord, James Beeman, Edgar Barnett.

Frankton - Harold Etchison.

Anderson - Herbert K. Closser, Harold Durham.

Three of the men were volunteer fathers, Ralph Hartsock, William Wright and Harold Durham.....

Noted that the article mentioned my grandfather was a volunteer who was a father.  He had married in 1941 and his son was born in 1942.  I was not aware that he was living in Elwood (where my grandmother's family was from) in 1944, unless the paper made a mistake. 

Another story I had heard was that my great-grandmother was upset when she found out her adult and married son had enlisted in the Army, and that she spent time writing letters to Congressmen to get him out of the Army.  Not sure if that one will ever be verified, but at least the one about Bob Walsh and "Johnny Bill" Wright signing up for the Army together was true and has been verified.

Mom's DAR Process - Francis Smalley - Documenting Generations 1 & 2

It's been a little over a month since mom submitted her application to the National Society for membership through our ancestor, Francis Smalley.  Hopefully the line will be approved.  She was helped by the ladies of the Kikthawenund Chapter and enjoyed going with me to the courthouses and cemeteries.  Thought I would share some of the information we discovered throughout this process.

I had created a Dropbox folder so that mom and the DAR ladies could access the information from any location.  This also helped me to keep my files better organized and pointed out where I needed to obtain more information.  Each generation was placed in a folder working forward from mom to Francis Smalley.  I liked this method so well that I intend to use this for future lines and with applications to other societies.

For the first generation, the birth certificate of mom and dad, as well as their marriage certificate was used.  The marriage certificate she submitted was one that was signed by the witnesses as well as the minister.


The birth certificate for mom was issued by the Madison County, Indiana Health Department as Certificate 46-E562, Book ICH15 Page 13.  No real surprises here.  Her parents were listed, but their places of birth were not given.  Before this process began, I did not have her actual birth certificate listed as a source in my database.

The birth certificate for dad was issued not by the county, which I expected, but by the city of Portland, Indiana.  The record was filed in Book 6 page 90.  It states that dad was the fourth child of his parents.  Before this process began, I did not have his actual birth certificate listed as a source in my database.

For the second generation, that of my grandparents, the birth and death certificate of William Lee Wright, the birth certificate of Bonnie May Lambertson and the death certificate of Bonnie Mae Wright and their marriage license were used as source information.

The birth certificate for William Lee Wright was issued by the Madison County, Indiana Health Department in Book H-11, page 91.  The certificate stated that he was born in Monroe Township [misspelled on certificate] and that both of his parents were born in Indiana.

William Lee Wright, birth certificate no. Book H-11, page 91 (1919), Madison County Health Department, Anderson, Indiana, USA.

The birth certificate for Bonnie May Lambertson was issued by the Madison County, Indiana Health Department in Book ICH9, page 64 # 315.  The certificate stated that she was born in the City of Elwood and that both of her parents were born in Indiana.  Her middle name was given as "May" on her birth certificate, though later in life she used the spelling "Mae" for her middle name.

Bonnie May Lambertson, birth certificate no. Book ICH9, page 64 # 315 (1924), Madison County Indiana Health Department, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana, USA.

The marriage license for William and Bonnie was filed in Madison County, Indiana as license number 66/255.  At this time, Bonnie was using the spelling of her middle name as "Mae".  William was residing at Rural Route 2 Alexandria and working as a factory worker, Bonnie was living at Rural Route 3 Elwood and unemployed.

William Lee Wright - Bonnie Mae Lambertson, marriage license no. 66/255 (1941), Madison County Clerk's Office, Anderson, Indiana, USA.

The death certificate for William Lee Wright was issued by the Madison County, Indiana Health Department in Book CH37 and filed 7/9/1973.  His date of death was July 9, 1973 at 12:44 a.m. at Community Hospital, Anderson, Indiana.  His age was 53.  The immediate cause was coronary occlusion and it was certified by Richard H. Shafer, MD of Alexandria, Indiana.  I have a vague memory of the night that he passed.

William Lee Wright, death certificate no. Book CH37 (1973), Madison County Health Department, Anderson, Indiana, USA.

The death certificate for Bonnie Mae Wright was issued by the Madison County, Indiana Health Department in Book H48, page 45 and filed April 10, 1984.  Her date of death was April 9, 1984 at 4:00 p.m. at R.R. # 4 Box 328.  Her age was 60.  The immediate cause was hypostatic punomia and myocardial weakness and it was certified by Richard H. Shafer, MD of Alexandria, Indiana.  I have many memories of grandma struggling with cancer and living with us before she passed.

Bonnie Mae Wright, death certificate no. Book H48, page 45 (1984), Madison County Board of Health, Anderson, Indiana, USA.

Working through this process has helped me to extract additional facts and information for my research.  Having the official documents to backup the facts was something that I should have done from the beginning of my research.  Working on these lineage society applications will be good for my overall research.

If you have any additional information or are connected to these families in any way, I would love to hear from you.