Descendants of Luman Walker Lemasters & Mary Keziah Chew 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, Luman Walker Lemasters and Mary Keziah Chew.

Luman Walker Lemasters Jr. (b.19 Oct 1842 Shelby Co., OH; d. 18 Nov 1931 Salamonia, Jay Co., IN) & Mary Keziah Chew (b. 13 Feb 1847 Mt. Holly, Burlington Co., NJ; d. 22 Feb 1927 Madison Twp., Jay Co., IN) were married 2 Oct 1864 at Versailles, Darke Co., OH.  

They were the parents of the following children:

Beulah Sarah (1865-1940) m. Lynn Lumas Rockwell 
Luman Cooper (1867-1933) m. Barbara Isabel Wehrly 
Phillip D. (1869-1869)
William Clifford (1870-1922) m(1). Lella Edith Lewis m(2). Willie Pannill Brown 
Mary Elsie (1873-19420 m. Matthias Jefferson Atkinson 
Bertha Fidelia (1874-1922) m. John Henry Yaeger 
Ord Otterbein (1876-1937) m. Emma W.G. Garmhausen
Edith Mabel (1879-1949) m. Henry Christian Meinholtz 
Una Maude (1884-1968) m. Senator Winfield Phillips 
Arthur Raymond (1885-1971) m. Maude Gertrude McLaughlin 
Vernon Walker (1888-1955) m. Helen Louise Garmhausen 


Spelling variations of the surname sometimes included a final 's' and capital 'M'.  Most common spelling of the surname today is LeMaster.

Descendants of Luman Walker Lemasters Jr. & Mary Keziah Chew Private group · 49 members Join Group For descendants of the various LeMaster families who descend from Luman Walker Lemasters Jr. (1842-1931) & Mary Keziah Chew (1847-1922).

 

Michigander Girl, Olive Jane (Smith) Wehrly (1846-1913), 52 Ancestors # 16

Olive Jane (Smith) Wehrly tombstone,

Salamonia Cemetery, Salamonia, Indiana

The 16th Ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my paternal great-great grandmother, Olive Jane (Smith) Wehrly (1846-1913).  Olive is number 19 on my Ahnentafel list, and previously I've written about the details of her life in an Exploratory Analysis post.

I am descended through:

* her daughter, # 9 Barbara Isabel Wehrly (1869-1930), married # 8 Luman Cooper LeMasters (1867-1933), in 1886.

* their son, #4 Ord Wehrly LeMaster (1906-1971), married # 5 Ruth Pauline Haley (1911-1990) in 1932 - my grandparents.

Olive was born June 23, 1846 in Cass County, Michigan^1,2,3, the only daughter of William and Prudence (Maxson) Smith.  The Smith family had relocated to Cass County, Michigan from Jay County, Indiana and resided there from 1844 to 1851⁴.  Olive is the only one of my direct ancestors born in Michigan.

In 1851, the family had returned to Jay County, and settled in Madison Township. At the time of the 1860 census, Olive was listed as being 13 years old and having attended school within the year⁵.

Wehrly-Smith marriage record, Jay County, Indiana

While we don't know of all of the connections between the Smith and Wehrly families before Olive married William P. Wehrly on August 5, 1866⁶, both families were living in the Salamonia area before the Civil War.  Her husband had served in the same unit as Olive's father, William P. Smith, the 139th Indiana Infantry.

After their marriage, Olive and William began raising their family in Salamonia and Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  They had a large family of 13 children, 8 boys and 5 girls.  Only one child didn't survive until adulthood.

Their children were Minerva Prudence, who married Lawrence Jackson; Barbara Isabel (my ancestor), who married Luman Cooper LeMasters; John William, who married Esther White; Orilla Catherine, who married Arthur Andrews; Benjamin Franklin, who died at 22 years old, unmarried; Henry Leonard, who married Mamie Salisbury; Harvey Allen, who married Nettie Shreeve; Alma Monroe, who married Emma Yaeger; LeRoy Garfield, who died at age 3; Ida Laura, who married Edward Scholer; Blaine Pearl, who married Gladys Ashcraft; Ethel May, who married William Shreeve; and Martin Nimrod, who married Cora Burley.

In the 1870, 1880 and 1900 census, Olive was listed as keeping house in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana^6,7,8.  Olive's husband, William, died June 14, 1909 in Salamonia.  I've yet to locate Olive in the 1910 census.

Olive died January 6, 1913 in Portland, Jay County, Indiana², of pneumonia, and was buried beside her husband in the Salamonia Cemetery.  According to her obituary, she was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Jackson, on Shanks Street in Portland at the time of her death.

Like many of my female ancestors, Olive is one that I have very little information about, even a picture of what she looked like is unknown at this point.  I only hope that as I continue to search, I will come across additional clues that will bring to light the details of her life.

Sources:

1. William Smith household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Cass County, Michigan, page 298, dwelling 759, family 767; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 349.
2. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database on-line], Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Indiana State Board of Health, Death Certificates, 1900-2011.  Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana. Olive Wehrly, 1-6-1913, Jay County, Indiana
3. Wehrly, Blaine & Gladys, "Wehrly & Smith Family History." Report to Wehrly Reunion, New Castle, Indiana, 16 August 1970. Photocopy held by author.
4. "Biographical and Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana", Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1887, page 647.
5. William Smith household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, Salamonia P.O., dwelling 60, family 60; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 269, page 9. 
6. William P. Wehlry household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, page 27, Salamonia P.O., dwelling 197, family 200; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 327, page 87.
7. William Wherly household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Salamonia, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 169, SD 6, page 28, dwelling 6, family 6; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 287.
8. William P. Wehrly household, 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 62, SD 67, sheet 2B, dwelling 44, family 45; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 380, page 77.





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 Sawmiller, William P. Wehrly (1845-1909), 52 Ancestors # 15

The 15th Ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my paternal great-great grandfather, William P. Wehrly (1845-1909).  William is number 18 on my Ahnentafel list, and previously I've written about the details of his life in an Exploratory Analysis post.

I am descended through:

* his daughter, # 9 Barbara Isabel Wehrly (1869-1930), married # 8 Luman Cooper LeMasters (1867-1933), in 1886.

* their son, # 4 Ord Wehrly LeMaster (1906-1971), married # 5 Ruth Pauline Haley (1911-1990) in 1932 - my grandparents

William was born November 2, 1845 in Preble County, Ohio^1,2. William was the youngest of a family of 9 children born to John S. and Barbara (Petry) Wehrly.  The Petrys & Wehrlys had migrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in the early 1820s, settling first in Stark County and then in Monroe Township, Preble County, Ohio.

William was enumerated with his family in the 1850 census in Monroe Township, Preble County, Ohio³.  In 1854, his family moved to Jay County, Indiana, settling in Madison Township near Salamonia.  By the 1860 census, he was enumerated in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁴, where it was noted he had attended school within the year.

In October 1863, William enlisted as a Private in Company I in the 130th Indiana Regiment.  During his service, he was part of Sherman's march to the Sea and the battles at Nashville, Franklin and Atlanta.   I have his military and pension records and will make the subjects of future blog posts.  After the war, he returned to Salamonia where he married Olive Jane Smith on August 5, 1866^1,2.

Marriage record William P. Wehrly to Olive Jane Smith, Jay County, Indiana

There is a nice biographical write up of William's life in Biographical Memoirs of Jay County, Indiana, published in 1901.



Salamonia's sawmill was bought by William in 1876 and he operated it for a number of years, employing over a dozen men in the town.  I've often wondered how many of the houses in that tiny village were built with the lumber he milled.

1887 atlas of Jay County, map of Lancaster/Salamonia

If you enlarge the map, you can see that the saw mill was located just south of town near the river.  I would love to find a picture of what the mill looked like.

According to the biography, William was a well-respected man in Salamonia, and served as town treasurer for a number of years⁵.

William and Olive lived out their lives in the town and when William died on June 14, 1909⁶ he was buried in the Salamonia Cemetery.

Sources:

1. Brown, Walter L., "The Maxson Family, Descendants of John Maxson and Wife, Mary Mosher of Westerly, Rhode Island", 1954, page 123.
2. Wehrly, Blaine & Gladys, "Wehrly & Smith Family History." Report to Wehrly Reunion New Castle, Indiana, 16 August 1970. Photocopy held by Travis LeMaster.
3. 1850 U.S. census, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Monroe Township, dwelling 71, family 71; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com:accessed 30 August 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
4. John S. Whorley household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, page 9, Salamonia P.O., dwelling 59, family 59, National Archives micropublication M653, roll 269.
5. Biographical Memoirs of Jay County, Indiana, B.F. Bowen Company, Chicago, 1901.
6. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900–2011. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
, Wm. P. Wherly, 6-14-1909, Jay County, Indiana.

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.

Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMaster (1869-1930), Dies From Operation, 52 Ancestors # 10

Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMaster

The tenth ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my paternal great-grandmother, Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMaster (1869-1930).  Previously, I'd written about the details of her life in an Exploratory Data post.

Barbara is one ancestor that I don't have a lot of insight into - the only photo I have is the one above, which is cropped from a larger family group photo.  She died well before my father was born, so there are really no stories passed down about her.  Her obituary however, gave me the story for this post.

Grandma Barbara went into the hospital for an operation, and didn't come back home.

I do not know how long she was ill, but she was apparently ill enough to undergo surgery at a hospital.  The hospital was in Union City, Indiana, which according to Google maps, is a distance of 15.9 miles.  Union City is intersected by the Indiana-Ohio line, and has a city in Indiana as well as Ohio.  In 1930, the hospital was in the Indiana side.

According to her obituary¹, Barbara had gone into the hospital for an operation to treat gallstones:

Mrs. Barbara I. Lemaster, wife of L.C. Lemaster, of east of Salamonia, died at 4:25 o'clock Thursday evening at the hospital in Union City.  She underwent an operation for gall stones on January 29, and it was thought that she was recovering until she suffered a sudden relapse.....

Portland, Indiana Commercial Review, February 7, 1930

Barbara's death certificate lists her cause of death as cholaemia, with a contributing factor being gall stones².  

Barbara I. Lemaster death certificate, Randolph County, Indiana, 2-7-1930.

The death certificate gives a few clues to how long she had been suffering.  The physician that certified, H.H. Jones of Salamonia, Indiana, stated that he had attended Barbara from October 20, 1929 until her death.

Cholemia was not something that I was familiar with, but the Wikipedia entry for the disease states it is a condition caused by the presence of excess bile in the blood.  Its symptoms can include drowsiness and in extreme cases, coma.  It is often an early sign of liver disease.  Currently untreatable, it is caused by a blood disorder caused by genetic factors.

To my knowledge, I'm not aware of any others in the family suffering from this condition.  She left 12 surviving children and today has numerous descendants.

Barbara was buried at the Salamonia Cemetery in Salamonia, Indiana where she was joined a few years later by her husband, Luman.

Tombstone in Salamonia Cemetery, Salamonia, Indiana

Sources :

1. Mrs. Lemaster Dies Thursday From Operation, Portland Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, February 7, 1930, page 1.
2. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA : Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data : Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900-2011. Microfilm.  Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana., Barbara I. Lemaster, 2-7-1930, Randolph County, Indiana.

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.

Luman Cooper LeMasters (1867-1933), Nebraska Years, 52 Ancestors # 9

Luman Cooper LeMasters

The ninth ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my paternal great-grandfather, Luman Cooper LeMasters (1867-1933).  Previously, I'd written about the details of his life in an Exploratory Data post.

Shortly after his marriage in November 1886 to Barbara Isabel Wehrly in Jay County, Indiana, my great-grandparents moved to Valley County, Nebraska.

Valley County is situated right in the center of Nebraska, and the county seat is Ord.  The city was named after Civil War general Edward O.C. Ord, who commanded the Department of the Platte.  The name Ord in my family has it origins from this man and time period.

Though I don't know the exact reason for the move to Nebraska, I can speculate that it was likely due to cheap land and the fact that Luman already had family in the area.  Luman's uncle, Jacob Lemasters (1845-1922) had moved to Valley County, Nebraska in March of 1883.  As a young couple starting out on their own, the lure of "going west" may have held a strong appeal.

I've only managed to find a few records of Luman and Barbara's time in Valley County, Nebraska.  Unfortunately, I didn't get the book or page for these records and need to get that information recorded.

Receipt for land purchase in Valley County, Nebraska

Final Receipt United States to Luman C. Lemasters, No. 4993, Receivers Office at Grand Island April 10, 1888

Received from Luman C. Lemaster of Valley County Nebraska the sum of Two Hundred Dollars and --- cents being in full for the North East quarter of Section No 20 in Township No 20 North of Range No. 13 West containing 160 acres and --- hundreth at $ 1.35 per acre.

A.H. Baker Reciever

 $200 Filed for Record April 19 1888 S.A. Patton

It would appear from the record above that they were already residents of Valley County by the year 1888 when they purchased the land.  When they first moved to Nebraska they were likely renters.

Family tradition, and at least one published genealogy¹ related that Luman and Barbara's first child, an unnamed infant, was born and died in Ord, Valley County, Nebraska in 1887.

The name of this child has been lost to history.  Even whether it was a boy or a girl is not known.  I've been unsuccessful in locating any information about the child.

The second child of Luman and Barbara, Clarence Harrison LeMaster, was born June 14, 1888 in Nebraska.  His middle name was likely chosen in honor of 1888 Presidential candidate Benjamin Harrison, an Indiana native, due to the fact that the LeMaster family were staunch Republicans.

Whether it was the economy, the struggles of losing one of their children, or a longing for home, Luman and Barbara decided to move back to Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  They were back by May 25, 1890, when their son Chesley Franklin LeMaster was born.

A quit claim deed was filed in Valley County from Luman C. Lemaster & wife to A.M. Robbins dated August 10, 1891.

Know all men by these presents that we Luman C. Lemaster and Isabelle B. Lemaster, husband and wife, of the county of Jay and State of Indiana, for the consideration of six hundred Dollars, hereby quit claim to A.M. Robbins of the county of Valley, and State of Nebraska the following described real-estate, situated in the county of Valley and State of Nebraska, to wit : North East Qt Section twenty (20), township twenty (20) Range thirteen (13) west.  In witness whereof we have set our hands this tenth day of February 1890.  Luman C. Lemasters Isabelle B. Lemasters

In presence of Geo. Theurer

State of Indiana, Jay County, SS : Be it remembered, that on the tenth day of February 1890 before the undersigned, a Notary Public in and for said county, personally came Luman C. Lemasters and his wife Isabell B. Lemasters to __ known to be the identical person described in and who executed the foregoing Deed as grantor, and acknowledged said instrument to be their voluntary act and deed.  Witness my hand and official seal the day and year last above written.  D. Skinner, Notary Public 

The time spent by the family in Valley County, Nebraska was less than three years, likely from mid-1887 to early 1890.  They bought 160 acres and were able to sell it for three times what they paid for it.  While there are many LeMaster relatives who stayed in Nebraska, for my direct line, the Nebraska years were a small blip in their lives.

Sources : 

1. Rummel, Merle & Madeline Olt, comp., "Three Sons of Steffan Petry, 1729-1977", Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD, 1977, p. 385.

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 Laborer

Ord W. LeMaster, Madison Twp. High School photo

The third ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my paternal grandfather, Ord Wehrly LeMaster (1906-1971).

Ord was born 30 September 1906 in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana. His parents were Luman Cooper & Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMaster(s).  He was the seventh son of thirteen children in the family.  

Ord's birth was judicially determined by affidavit in January 1942 because he was born before birth certificates were required in the State of Indiana.  This was likely done for the purposes of World War II draft registration or Social Security.

Ord was raised on the family farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. In both the 1910 and 1920 census, he was enumerated in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana outside of Salamonia on the family farm.

Hunting was also likely one of Ord's early pursuits. The only early surviving photo I have seen of him shows him after killing a bobcat.

Ord LeMaster shots bobcat

Ord graduated from the eighth grade from Madison Township schools in 1921.  He is believed to have attended high school for some time at Fort Recovery, Ohio before joining the Army National Guard on 30 March 1923.  Ord served with the 151st Infantry Howitzer unit and the 139th Field Artillery.  He re-enlisted on October 25, 1926 and again on April 2, 1928. He was made Private First Class in July 1924 and Corporal in August 1925. For unknown reasons, he was reduced in rank to Private in January 1926 and made a Private First Class again in July 1928.  

The military units he served with saw active duty along the Mexican border. Ord returned home and graduated from Madison Township High School in 1928.  He was discharged March 15, 1930.  

He was living on the family farm on 8 April 1928 when he was shot near the heart by an unidentified chicken thief.  Newspaper accounts of the incident recounted how he returned home late one night and noticed the door of the chicken house standing open.  When he stepped towards the coop, a shot rang out.  A sack containing one chicken, evidently dropped by the thief was found near the scene.

At the time of the 1930 census, Ord was still living and working on his parents farm as a laborer. On 21 February 1932, Ord married Ruth Pauline Haley at the Mt. Zion Evangelical Church in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.

Ord and Ruth began raising a family in rural Jay County and times were hard.  In February 1939, a newspaper article recounted how fire had destroyed the families' home for the second time in three years.  Everything they owned in the world was lost, and they had to move in with grandma Ruth's parents.  My aunt Idola and uncle Paul still have memories of the fire and the house that was destroyed.

By the 1940 census, the family was renting a home in Portland, Jay County, Indiana, at 507 E. Main Street Apartment Two. Ord was listed as a laborer at the Sheller Manufacturing Company, yet at the time of the census, he had been unemployed for a period of 32 weeks. The 1941 city directory for Portland also shows the family living at 507 E. Walnut Street.

Ord & Ruth LeMaster family circa 1944. 
L-R : Ord, Paul, Juanita, Ruth (holding Ord W.), Idola

By the time my dad came along in 1944, the family of six were living at 1107 W. Water Street in Portland, which is where they lived the rest of their lives. 

Ord worked as a factory laborer for Delco Battery in Muncie, Indiana for several years.  City directories indicate he was in the case department, and his obituary mentions he was an inspector.  Dad has told me how when he was attending Ball State University, that he would sometimes get a ride to class with grandpa on his way to work.

Not a lot of stories have been shared by my dad or my aunts and uncles regarding their dad.  The impression I have is that he was a man of strong opinions and was a no-nonsense individual.

Ord died on 30 October 1971 in Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana while at Bluffton Clinic.  The cause of death was listed as myocardial infarction.  Burial was at the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.

I have no personal memories of grandpa Ord to share, as I was just two when he passed.  The family stories are few, but he must have been a hard worker and stern disciplinarian.  I'm hoping I can collect more about him and understand him a little better.

Ord & Ruth LeMaster with grandson Travis, Alexandria, Indiana

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.

Wehrly Reunion, 1920, Greenville, Ohio

Located this mention of the Wehrly family reunion at Newspapers.com in the Muncie newspaper from 1920:

Muncie Evening Press
Muncie, Indiana
July 16, 1920, page 17

 PORTLAND.

Among the relatives from this county, who will attend the Wehrly reunion to be held Saturday, August 1 at the fair grounds in Greenville, Ohio, are the following: Mr. and Mrs. Blaine Wehrly and son, William Lewis of West High street, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Wehrly of East Main street and son, Robert, Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Jackson of South Shank street, the Arthur Jackson family of South Meridian street, the Chesley LeMaster family of West High street, the Alva Wehrly family the L.C. LeMaster family and Mr. and Mrs. Levi Petry of Salamonia.

 ----
Those named were all descendants of William P. Wehrly (1845-1909) of Salamonia, Indiana.  Blaine, John W. and Alva were his sons; daughter Minerva married L.D. Jackson, daughter Barbara married L.C. LeMaster.  Levi Petry was a son of Charles Petry and Susannah Wehrly, William P.'s sister.  I would love to know who all the other members of the extended family who attended the reunion in Greenville, as my William was the youngest of the family, with many relatives in Ohio.

Carl Pease household, 1940, Jay County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Carl Pease household in Jay County, Indiana. Carl's wife, Ruth, was my paternal 3rd cousin once removed.  Our common ancestors were Johannes Wehrly and Barbara Petry.  We are also 5th cousins once removed, through common ancestor Steffan Petry.  Ruth's parents were Daniel Corle and Lula Belle Petry.

1940 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Salamonia, enumeration district (ED) 38-7, SD 5, sheet 1B, household 17, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 February 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Carl and his wife were living in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana. The census states that Carl owned his home and that the value was $700.  Carl was 44 years old and born in Indiana.  His wife, Ruth N., was 44 years old and also born in Indiana.   Their residence in 1935 was in rural Jay County, Indiana. 

The record shows that Carl had completed 1 year of college and that Ruth had completed the 8th grade.  Carl's occupation was listed as Collector of Gross Income, State of Indiana, and Ruth had no occupation listed.

Also living in the household were son Carl Jr., age 20, born Indiana, a finisher at Sheller Corp.; Arden, age 18, born in Indiana, a laborer at a saw mill; Carol, age 17, born in Indiana who had completed 4 years of high school; Helen, age 16, born in Indiana who had completed 1 year of high school; Joan, age 14, born in Indiana, who had completed the 8th grade; Ronald J., age 11, born in Indiana, who had completed the 6th grade, and Geneveve J., age 11, born in Indiana, who had completed the 6th grade.

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

Earl O. Burdg household, 1940, Jay County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Earl O. Burdg household in Jay County, Indiana.  Earl's wife, Lois, was my paternal second cousin twice removed.  Our common ancestors were Johannes "John S." Wehrly and Barbara Petry.  Earl's parents were Joseph Franklin Burdg and Mattie Merchant.

1940 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Wayne Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-25, SD 5, sheet 6B, household 133, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Earl and his wife were living in Wayne Township.  The census states Earl owned his home, that it was a farm, and that the value was $6000.  Earl was 57 years old and born in Indiana.  His wife, Lois [listed as Louise B.], was 50 years old and born in Indiana.  Their residence in 1935 was the same place.

The record shows that Earl had completed 4 years of high school and that Lois had completed 2 years of college.  Earl's occupation was listed as a farmer, and Lois had no occupation listed.

Also living in the household was Earl's mother, Martha Manuel, widow, aged 78 and born in Indiana.  Her residence in 1935 was Linn, Randolph County, Indiana.

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

Obituary : Gerald Walker LeMaster, Portland Commercial-Review, March 20, 1987

Obituary of Gerald W. LeMaster
Portland, Indiana Commercial-Review
March 20, 1987

FORMER COMMISSIONER GERALD LeMASTER DIES

Gerald W. LeMaster, 91, RR 6, Portland, died Thursday afternoon in Hometown Nursing Home, Celina, following an extended illness.

Born Jan. 15, 1896 in Madison Township, Jay County, he was the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara (Wehrly) LeMaster.  He first married Mabel Kantner. She died on Jan. 3, 1927.  He then married Pearl Smith on Nov. 24, 1929 and she died on March 9, 1984.

LeMaster was a retired farmer and served as a Jay County Commissioner for one term in the 1960s.  He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Salamonia.  He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War I, where he served in the Calvary {sic}.

LeMaster was a member of the American Legion Post 211 and the Disabled American Veterans, Portland.

Surviving are one son, Robert J. LeMaster, Lorain, Ohio; three daughters, Mary M. Matthews, Emporia, Va., Mrs. Hugh (Roberta) Lenox, Alanson, Mich., and Mrs. Nadine Perry, Portland; one sister, Mary Olive Taylor, Akron, Ohio; one brother, Elvin C. LeMaster, Columbus, Ohio; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren.

Services are set for 10:30 a.m. Monday in the Portland Chapel of the Williamson and Spencer Funeral Home. Rev. Francis Bock will officiate and burial will follow in the Salamonia Cemetery.  American Legion Post 211 will be in charge of military rites at the cemetery. 

Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sunday and prior to services on Monday.

----
Gerald was my paternal granduncle, the older brother of my grandfather, Ord Wehrly LeMaster.

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

Clarence LeMaster household, 1940, Jay County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Clarence LeMaster household in Jay County, Indiana.  Clarence is my paternal great uncle, the son of Luman Cooper LeMasters and Barbara Isabel Wehrly.  His family's enumeration was split over two pages.

1940 U.S. Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-8, SD 5, sheet 9B, household 202, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C.

1940 U.S. Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-8, SD 5, sheet 10A, household 202, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C.

At the time of the enumeration, Clarence and his wife were living in Madison Township.  The census states that Clarence was renting his home for $6 per month and that it was on a farm.  Clarence was 52 years old and born in Nebraska.  His wife, Mae, was 48 years old and born in Indiana.  In 1935 their residence was the same place.

The record shows that Clarence had completed the 7th grade and that Mae had completed the 8th grade. Clarence's occupation was listed as farmer, while Mae had no occupation listed.

Also living in the household were son Garth, age 18, born in Indiana who had completed 3 years of high school, and daughter Vera, age 14, born in Indiana who had completed the 7th grade. 

According to my database, two older children, Kenneth and Mary, were out on their own by the 1940 census, and one had died as an infant.

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

Baby Steps : LeMaster and Wehrly DNA

Made contact with Jeffrey, an AncestryDNA match who was predicted to be a 3rd cousin to see if we could compare information and chart our common DNA.  Jeff and I are actually 2nd cousins once removed - our common ancestors were Luman Cooper LeMasters and Barbara Isabel Wehrly.

According to AncestryDNA, we shared 189 cM over 10 DNA segments.  Unfortunately, AncestryDNA doesn't give you a chromosome browser to show you exactly which chromosomes we match on.  It's knowing where we match that can help segregate which DNA comes from the LeMaster side.  

I was able to have Jeffrey to upload his AncestryDNA results to the 3rd party site GEDMatch.  Here are the results of the comparison of our DNA:

GEDMatch shows us matching on 8 segments and 192.4 cM.  The differences between AncestryDNA and GEDMatch are due to the cutoff minimum in GEDMatch to be counted as a matching segment.

As you can see, Jeffrey and I match on chromosomes 4,5,6,8,15,18 & 21.  We have a break in chromosome 6 with two long stretches of shared DNA.  

Next, I compared Jeffrey's results with that of my first cousin Debbie to see where they matched each other.

They only match on 4 segments for 62.5 cM.  The matching chromosomes are on 2,8,15 & 16.

I also compared Jeffrey to my dad, to see what DNA they share together.

Jeffrey and my dad share 11 matching segments and 344.5 cM of DNA, much more than he shares with Debbie or myself.  The chromosomes they match on are 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,15,18 & 21 - including two sections on chromosome 6, just like he shared with me.

The common ancestry of all of us testing above are the LeMaster and Wehrly lines, so the DNA we share has to come from these branches or upline from them.  Right now chromosome 6 seems to be behaving very interestingly.

I'm beginning to collect data on matches that I share from the three testing sites to chart out an mark which DNA is coming from which side of the family. This will come in handy for helping those distant matches that triangulate with us in finding the common ancestors.

FindAGrave Correction : John P. Wehrly (1838-1909)

Received an email recently with a correction to my entry for John P. Wehrly (1838-1909) at the FindAGrave site.  I had his death year listed as 1910, which is clearly what is on his tombstone.

However, the records from the Baird & Hardy Funeral clearly state that he died in 1909.

Baird & Hardy Funeral Home Record

Name of Deceased        John P. Wehrly
Record Number   Number 89
Place of Birth  Pa.
Date    August 28, 1838
Place of Death  South Portland
Date    December 13, 1909
Age at Death    71 years, 3 months, 16 days
Cause of Death
Sex
Color
Social Status
Occupation
Name of Father
Name of Mother
Nativity
Physician       Dr. Paddock
Time of Funeral
Services        Salamonia
Interment at    Salamonia
Burial Date     December 15, 1909
Minister in Charge

Checking my RootsMagic database, I had cited his death date as December 13, 1910 from Baird & Hardy Funeral Home Records: Jay County, Indiana 1909-1911 (N.p.: n.p., n.d.), .  Somehow I must have mistyped the date.

John was the husband of my paternal 2nd-great grandaunt, Catherine E. Lemasters (1840-1911), daughter of Luman Walker and Nancy (Young) Lemasters.  John was a farmer in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.

I need to search out an obituary for him and see what additional information I can find on my next trip to Jay County.

Shaky Leaves : Chesley Franklin LeMaster (1890-1960)

Chesley Franklin LeMaster (1890-1960) was my paternal granduncle, the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMaster.  Ancestry.com is currently showing 8 hints from historical records for him in my LeMaster and Allied Families Member Tree.

I have ignored the Ancestry Member Tree hints for now and will concentrate on the records.

One of the databases is U.S., FindAGrave Index, which leads to his memorial page.  

Name:	Chesley F. LeMaster
Birth Date:	1890
Death Date:	1960
Cemetery:	Salamonia Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana, USA
Has Bio?:	N
Spouse:	Clara L. LeMaster
Children:	Dale W. LeMaster
URL:	http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...

Looks like his memorial page needs some updating and biographical information submitted.

In the 1940 census of Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, Chesley, age 47, was renting a farm for $8 per month.  The household consisted of his wife Clara, age 45 born Indiana; son Ralph, age 17 born Indiana; son Dale, age 12 born Indiana; and daughter Patty Lou age 7 born Indiana.  Two older children were not in the household, daughter Doris was married in 1935 and son Donald was married in 1932.

1940 US census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-8, SD 5, sheet 5B, dwelling 179, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 August 2015); National Archives, Washington D.C..

In the 1930 census of Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, he was enumerated as "Chessley Leamaster", age 39, renting a farm.  The household consisted of Clara, age 35 born Indiana; son Donald, age 16 born Indiana; daughter Dora, age 15 born Indiana; son Ralph, age 7 born Indiana; and son Dale, age 2 born in Indiana.

1930 US Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-8, SD 5, sheet 9A, dwelling 204, family 204, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 August 2015); National Archives, Washington D.C..

I was surprised that I didn't already have these census records in my RootsMagic database.  I've since updated his file.

Another hint that was provided listed the exact date of his birth (which I already had), and provided the location of his birth record with the Jay County Health Department.

Ancestry.com. Indiana Births, 1880-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Original data: Works Progress Administration. Index to Birth Records. Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.

One new record that I didn't have sourced in my database was the record of his draft registration during World War I.  He registered on June 5, 1917 in Midland, Midland County, Michigan.  He was a laborer with the Dow Chemical Company in Midland, was married with two children.

Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

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