On This Day : May 24

1758 - William ALLEN married Sarah GREAVE.  William was the son of John ALLEN and Amy COX.


1765 - Amy MAXSON born in Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey.  Amy was the daughter of Ephraim MAXSON and Elisabeth DAVIS.


1807 - Michael KEENEY born.  Michael was the son of John S. KEENEY and Magdalena PETRY.


1824 - Elizabeth STOUT married Jacob FELLERS.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Obediah STOUT and Mary McBRIDE.


1826 - William STANLEY married Susanna MOORE.  William was the son of Samuel STANLEY and Sarah WILLIAMS.


1827 - Rachel FISHER married Lewis E. SILCOTT.  Rachel was the daughter of George FISHER and Hannah WRIGHT.


1832 - Lemuel Quin LEMASTERS married Hannah ALLBRIGHT in Shelby County, Ohio.  Lemuel was the son of Jacob LEMASTERS and Hannah ________.


1840 - Thomas Jefferson PEFLEY born in Eaton, Preble County, Ohio.  Thomas was the son of Solomon PEFLEY and Francis ROOF.  Thomas was Eileen's 2x-great grandfather.


1842 - Rachel WEBSTER died.  Rachel was the daughter of Samuel WILLSON and Deborah COLLINS.


1870 - Lula Belle PETRY born in Jay County, Indiana.  Lula was the daughter of Levi W. PETRY and Susannah COFFMAN.


1875 - Edward Allen PEEPLES died in Marshall County, Indiana.  Edward was the son of George PEEPLES and Katharine McMILLEN.


1875 - Katharine RITT born.  Katharine was the daughter of Karl Ludwig RITT and Anna Maria Louisa Catherine KAHRE.


1866 - Princess Rosetta BOYER born.  Princess was the daughter of Isaac B. BOYER and Elizabeth J. CHEVALIER.


1958 - Charles Wilson LAMBERTSON died in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Charles was the son of Carey W. LAMBERTSON and Clara E. COOK.  Charles was my 2x-great grandfather.


1979 - Kenneth SIGLER died in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Kenneth was the son of John H. SIGLER and Nelia KIMMERLING.

Couple Escapes Flames In Early Morning Fire

Alexandria Times-Tribune, Alexandria, Indiana, April 21, 1999, page 1.

Couple escapes flames in early morning fire


by Linda Ferris


An Alexandria man was pulled to safety early Tuesday morning by his wife and a neighbor as flames raced through a home on CR 900N.


The single-story, block home of Robert and Barbara Webster, 551 W. County Road 900N, was heavily damaged.  Robert Webster, 68, a stroke patient, was later taken to Community Hospital for evaluation.


Barbara Webster, who had been ill all night, heard the popping and cracking that warned her of the fire, according to Alexandria Assistant Fire Chief Dan Ingram.  Believing the sounds were coming from the kitchen, she checked the microwave first.  Then she went to the attached garage, where she saw flames in the southeast corner.


"She tried putting it out but wasn't able to," Ingram said.  "She tried to call 9-1-1 but couldn't because the telephone line was dead."


A knocking at their door woke Ord and Gloria LeMaster, the Webster's neighbors to the west.  Gloria LeMaster said they recognized the pickup in their driveway, but could not see anyone.  Barbara Webster, Gloria LeMaster's aunt, had already ran next door to the home of Robert and Anna McDaniel, who didn't hear the doorbell.


Seeing the fire, Ord LeMaster shouted for his wife to call 9-1-1.  The call rang in at the Alexandria police station at 4:17 a.m., according to dispatcher Steve Gipe.


Ord LeMaster then headed to the burning home.  "He said when he got down there the house was full of smoke," said Gloria LeMaster.


Robert Webster, who was in bed in the living room, was lifted into a wheelchair by his wife and Ord LeMaster.  The family's dog gave LeMaster some resistance until it understood what he was doing, according to Gloria LeMaster.  After her husband took her uncle out, he looked back to find her aunt had gone back into the house.


"He yelled at her to get out," Gloria LeMaster said.  "It was probably shortly after that the fire trucks arrived."


"By the time we got here, we had visible fire through half the attic," Ingram said.


Calls for mutual aid brought a stream of tankers from Frankton, Richland and Pipe Creek townships.  To facilitate their movement, Ingram said Conrail was asked to halt its trains for about two hours.  The tracks run between the Webster's home and the closest water source, a hydrant on Ind. 9 across from the Hi-Way Cafe.


The fire originated in the attached, two-car garage.  It was ignited by electrical wiring, according to the fire department report.  The Websters' loss was estimated at $100,000.


Assisting Alexandria's firefighters on the scene were Emergency Management volunteers, who blocked the road from onlookers, and Orestes firefighters, who refilled air bottles with the Madison County Air Van.

Obituary : William Lee Wright (1919-1973)

Source : Alexandria, Indiana Times Tribune [undated]

William Wright Dies Monday

William L. Wright, 53, 610 W. Broadway St., was dead on arrival at Community Hospital in Anderson Monday at 12:44 a.m.

He was a native of Alexandria and was married to Bonnie Lambertson, formerly of Elwood.

He had been employed as a clerk at the Alexandria Post Office for 28 years. He was a member of the First Christian Church Alexandria Elk Lodge 478 and was a veteran of World War II.


Surviving with the widow is one son, Terry Wright, and one daughter, Mrs. Gloria LeMasters, both of Alexandria; two sisters, Mrs. Clara Ellen High and Mrs. Barbara Webster, both of Alexandria; five grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Karl M. Kyle funeral home. Burial followed in the Park View cemetery.

Obituary Omissions

Sometimes the newspaper makes a mistake, other times perhaps the family is so distraught that incomplete information is given.  


An example is my maternal great-grandmother's obituary in the March 5, 1968 Anderson Herald.

Funeral Services Set For Muriel Wright

ALEXANDRIA - Funeral rites for Mrs. Muriel Wright, 71, wife of Virgil Wright of Rt. 3, have been arranged for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Christian Church.  The Rev. Eugene Lamport will be the minister in charge. Interment will be in the Parkview Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the Karl M. Kyle Funeral Home after 2 p.m. today, and the Eastern Star Chapter will conduct memorial rites there at 8 p.m. today.

Mrs. Wright died Sunday noon at Community Hospital in Anderson after an extended illness.

A lifelong resident here, she was born in Alexandria, Feb. 16, 1897, to William F. and Clara Penniston Pierce.  She was married to Mr. Wright in 1915.  She was a member of the Christian Church, Order of the Eastern Star, Alexandria Chapter 179 and the Rebekah Lodge.

Surviving are the husband; two daughters, Mrs. Clara Ellen High and Mrs. Barbara Webster, both of Alexandria; a sister, Mrs. Nehersta Roberts of Santa Monica, Calif.; five brothers, McClelland, Charles, Eddie, and Bobby Pierce, all of Alexandria, and Jimmy Pierce of Indianapolis; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

For some reason, my grandfather, William Lee WRIGHT, her only son, was not listed at all in the obituary.  Someone who didn't know better might think that he was deceased at the time.

Tombstone Tuesday: Virgil Lee & Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright

My maternal great-grandparents, Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright are buried in the Park View Cemetery in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.



Virgil Lee Wright was born July 6, 1894 in Orestes, Madison County, Indiana, the son of John William and Ellen (King) Wright.



Edna Muriel "Peach" Pierce was born February 7, 1897 in Madison County, Indiana, the daughter of William Francis and Clara (Pennisten) Pierce.



Virgil and Edna were married on June 19, 1915 in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana. Virgil and Edna lived out their lives in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.

Edna died March 3, 1968 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana and Virgil followed on March 25, 1972 in Alexandria, Indiana.

Virgil and Edna were the parents of three children, all of whom were born in Madison County, Indiana:

• Clara Ellen Wright (1916-2005) married John M. High, had 2 children.
• William Lee Wright (1919-1973) married Bonnie Mae Lambertson, had 2 children. These are my grandparents.
• Barbara Lou Wright (1932-2008) married Robert L. Webster, had 2 children.

Obituary : Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972)

Source : Elwood, Indiana Call-Leader, Monday, March 27, 1972


Alexandria - Virgil Lee Wright, 77, route four, Alexandria, died Saturday at the Bradford nursing home following an extended illness.

He was a lifetime resident of Alexandria and had been a farmer in the Alexandria area.

He was married in 1915, his wife, Edna, died in 1968.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Clara High and Mrs. Barbara Webster both of Alexandria; one son William of Alexandria; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Karl M. Kyle funeral home with the Rev. Edwin Clark officiating. Burial will be in the Park View cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m. today.

50th Wedding Anniversary - Virgil & Edna Wright (1965)

This photograph was taken at the 50th wedding anniversary of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright. Pictured here with them are their grandchildren.

Front row : Jeff Webster, Alan Webster. Middle row : Charlie High, Virgil Wright, Edna Wright, Gloria Wright. Back row : Terry Wright, Phil High

50th Wedding Anniversary - Virgil & Edna Wright

This photograph was taken in June 1965 at a celebration honoring the 50th wedding anniversary of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright. They are pictured here with their children.

(L-R) Clara Ellen (Wright) High, Virgil Lee Wright, William Lee Wright, Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright, Barbara Lou (Wright) Webster.

Virgil Lee Wright and Edna Muriel Pierce were married on June 19, 1915 in Alexandria, Madison Co., IN.

Edna Muriel Pierce (b. February 7, 1897)

Today's featured relative is my maternal great-grandmother, Edna Muriel Pierce.

Edna was born February 7, 1897 in Madison Co., IN, the daughter of William Francis and Clara (PENNISTEN) PIERCE. Edna married June 19, 1915 in Madison Co., IN to Virgil Lee WRIGHT, son of John William and Ellen (KING) WRIGHT. Virgil was born July 6, 1894 in Madison Co., IN and died March 25, 1972 in Madison Co., IN. Edna died March 3, 1968 in Madison Co., IN. Both are buried in Parkview Cemetery, Alexandria, IN.

Children of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright are as follows :
i. Clara Ellen Wright m. John M. High
ii. William Lee Wright m. Bonnie Mae Lambertson
iii. Barbara Lou Wright m. Robert L. Webster

Family History Rescued from fire

These photographs were rescued from the house fire of my great-aunt Barbara Webster, and were given to me by my mother for safe-keeping. I tend to be the one whose given the family history gems to hold onto.

I have not identified these photographs, but assume that they are from either the Wright or the Pierce family line.

Fire is a destroyer and no respector of persons - please make copies of your photographs, family documents, etc. and pass them around to other members of the family so that in case of a tragedy, all is not lost.