Obituary of Philip LeMaster, Muncie Star Press, May 15, 1915

Located the obituary of my paternal great-great granduncle, Phillip LeMaster, in the Muncie Star Press.  Philip was the son of the Rev. Luman Walker and Nancy (Young) LeMasters, and the older brother of my ancestor, Luman Walker LeMaster Jr.

Muncie Star Press
Muncie, Indiana
May 15, 1915, page 3

PIONEER DEAD

Philip LeMaster, a former resident of Madison township died at midnight Thursday after a lingering illness of kidney trouble.  Mr. LeMaster was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Newton LeMaster and was born in Madison township eighty years ago.  He is survived by his wife and an adopted daughter, Mrs. Bessie Henry.  The funeral services will be held Monday.  His nephew, Sheriff J.W.M. Cunningham, his brother, Walker LeMaster and two sisters, Mrs. John Petry and Mrs. William Wilson all of Greene township, will attend the funeral service.  Mr. Walker LeMaster had been at the beside of his brother and came home Thursday afternoon.

A couple of interesting things stand out in the obituary.  Besides the typographical error of his parents names - he was not the son of Newton LeMaster but the son of Luman Walker LeMaster - there is also the fact that the obituary mentions that his daughter, Mrs. Bessie Henry, was adopted.  Prior to this obituary, I knew that he had a daughter, but was not aware that she was adopted and had assumed that she was a biological daughter.  This gives me some other records to try and research to find out more about this adoption.

Phillip died in Spencerville, Allen County, Ohio though the obituary doesn't mention that.  It does allude to the fact that my ancestor, his brother Luman Walker, was at his bedside during the final days.

I also located a follow-up article in another Muncie area newspaper regarding his funeral:

Muncie Evening Press
Muncie, Indiana
May 19, 1915, page 2

John W.M. Cunningham, Mr. and Mrs. Walker LeMaster, Mr. and Mrs. John Petry and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Myron, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur LeMaster, Mrs. William Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Jordan, all of this county, have returned home from Spencerville, Ohio, where they attended the funeral services of the late Philip LeMaster.

Philip was a Methodist minister and had pastored churches in Logan and Allen counties, Ohio.  He was married to Elizabeth C. Hoover in 1870 in Allen County, Ohio.  He is buried in the Lima cemetery.

Fred Axe household, 1940, Jay County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Fred Axe household in Jay County, Indiana.  Fred's wife, Amanda, was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed.  Our common ancestors are John Metzner and Catharine Young.  She is also my 2nd cousin 3 times removed through George Haley and wife Barbara.  Amanda's parents were William F. Metzner and Mary Ann Haley.

1940 U.S. Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Bearcreek Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-2, SD 5, sheet 10B, household 215, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 January 2017); National Archives, Washington D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Fred and his wife were living in Bearcreek Township.  The census states that Fred owns his home and that it was valued at $1200.  Fred was 58 years old and born in Indiana.  Amanda (listed as Mandy), was also 58 years old and born in Indiana.  In 1935, their residence was the same place.

The record shows that Fred had completed the 8th grade and that Amanda had also completed the 8th grade.  Fred's occupation was listed as farmer on his own farm, and Amanda had no occupation listed.

My database shows that they were the parents of three children : Ruth, Mary and William - they were all out on their own by the time of the 1940 census.

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

Exploratory Data Analysis : John Metzner (1805-1888)

John Metzner (1805-1888) was my paternal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.


1. Vital Records

     John was born October 2, 1805 in Saxony¹, or October 21, according to one source².  His obituary cites the October 21st date, while tombstone calculation of his birth date would support the October 2nd date.

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          I have not yet located a birth record for John.  Will continue to search sources such as FamilySearch in hopes of locating.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               If John's birth was mentioned in a newspaper, I'm not aware of it.  Once I have the location, will continue to search to see if it was mentioned.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I'm not aware of any surviving Metzner family Bible that mentions John.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one can be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I'm not aware of any baptismal record for John.  Later in life, he was associated with the Evangelical Association.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that John was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          John married Catharine Young on November 16, 1839 in Newark, Licking County, Ohio³.  John's obituary mentioned the date as  November 4, 1839.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               I have not yet searched available newspapers of the time period to see if mention was made of John and Catharine's nuptials.  Will add that to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

                I have not yet searched available newspapers of the time period for mention of any anniversary celebrations.  Their 25th wedding anniversary would have been November 16, 1864.  John passed away before their 50th.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               Although there is no indication they were ever divorced, a complete search of local court records will need to be made to be sure.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          John died January 10, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana^1,2,4.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               John's obituary appeared in the January 24, 1888 edition of the Evangelical Messenger².  His obituary stated that he came to America in 1837 and lived in Licking County, Ohio until 1850 when he moved to Jay County, Indiana.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               I will need to search local historical society records to see if they have any mention of the funeral home that handled John's arrangements.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               John's tombstone in the Mt. Zion cemetery in Jay County, Indiana has been photographed
5.   A link to his memorial page at FindAGrave site is located here.
2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 7, 1880, John was enumerated as head of household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁶, as John Metzner, white, male, age 73, born in Saxony.  His occupation was listed as a farmer.  His father was listed as being born in Bavaria and his mother born in Saxony.

          2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census

               On June 15, 1870, John was enumerated as head of household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁷, as John Metzner, age 62, Farmer, born in Saxony.  The value of his real estate was $3000 and his personal estate valued at $600.  He was a U.S. citizen, both of his parents were listed as foreign born.

          2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 22, 1860, John was enumerated as head of household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁸, as John Metzner, age 53, Farmer, born in Saxony.  The value of his real estate was $1500 and the value of his personal estate was $400.

          2.1.4. 1850 Federal Census

               On September 21, 1850, John was enumerated as head of household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁹, as John Metzner, age 42, Farming, born in Germany. The value of his real estate was $300.

     2.2. State Census Records

          The State of Indiana conducted census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931.  These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.

          No state census records of Ohio are known to exist.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          I have not yet examined these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Metzner farm.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not located any military draft records for John.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military service by John that would have made him eligible to receive pension benefits.

     3.3. Service Records

          I am not aware of any military service by John.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Licking County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana to see what records might mention John.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps of Licking County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana need to be searched to see what information can be gleaned that will be relevant to my search.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records to search for John include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

Sources:

1. Metzner, Paula L., [address withheld], Kalamazoo, MI 49001, Family Group Sheet.
2. Evangelical Messenger, New Berlin, Pennsylvania, 24 January 1888, page 59.
3. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZHL-F6J : 8 December 2014), John Metzner and Catherine Young, 16 Nov 1839; citing Licking, Ohio, United States, reference v.1,p.331,L.271; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 384,300.
4. Jay Co., IN Death Records, Book H-1, p. 67.
5. FindAGrave, Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 December 2016), John Metzner memorial.
6. 1880 U.S. Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Noble Township, enumeration district (ED) 154, SD 6, page 10B, dwelling 90, family 92, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 December 2016); National Archives, Washington, D.C..
7. John Metzner household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Twp., Jay Co., IN, Hector P.O., page 30, dwelling 220, family 215; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 327., Page 104.
8. John Metzner household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Twp., Jay Co., IN, Hector P.O., dwelling 346, family 349; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 269., Page 188.
9. John Metzner household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, USA, page 314, dwelling 113, family 113; National Archives micropubliction M432, roll 153.

This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Catharine (Young) Metzner (1819-1910)

Catharine (Young) Metzner (1819-1910) was my paternal 3rd-great grandmother.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.

1. Vital Records

      Catharine was born July 18, 1819 in France^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7}, likely in the Elsass region.

     1.1. Birth Certificate

           I have not yet located a birth record for Catharine.  Will continue to search sources such as FamilySearch in hopes of locating.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

                If Catharine's birth was mentioned in a newspaper, I'm not aware of it.  Once I have the location, will continue to search to see if it was mentioned.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving Young family Bible that mentions Catharine.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one can be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

                I am not aware of any baptismal record for Catharine.  Later in life, she was affiliated with the Evangelical Association.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

                There is no indication that Catharine was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

           Catharine married John Metzner on November 16, 1839⁸ in Newark, Licking County, Ohio.  Her husband's obituary mentions this date as November 4, 1839⁹.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               I have not yet searched available newspapers of the time period to see if mention was made of Catharine and John's nuptials.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               I have not yet searched available newspapers of the time period for mention of any anniversary celebrations.  Their 25th anniversary would have been November 16, 1864.  John passed away before their 50th.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               Although there is no indication they ever divorced, a complete search of local court records will need to be made to be sure.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Catharine died June 22, 1910 in Rome City, Noble County, Indiana^1,2.  The cause of death was listed as an ulcer of the stomach.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Catharine's obituary appeared in the July 6, 1910 edition of the Evangelical Messenger¹. Her obituary stated that she immigrated to America in 1834 and she was the mother of 11 children, 4 still living at her death.  In addition, there were 21 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

              Catharine's funeral was handled by the Baird Funeral Home of Portland, Jay County, Indiana.  I've written a previous post about her funeral which includes the records from the funeral home.  At the time of her death, she was living with her daughter, Mary (Metzner) Huey.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

                Catharine's tombstone in the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Jay County, Indiana has been photographed¹⁰.  A link to her memorial page at FindAGrave is located here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1910 Federal Census

               On May 3, 1910, Catharine was enumerated in the Harvey A. Huey household in Orange Township, Noble County, Indiana⁴, as Catherine Metzner, mother in law, female, age 90.  She was born in France, as were here mother and father.  She was the mother of 11 children, 4 of whom were living.  She could read and write.

          2.1.2. 1900 Federal Census

               I have not located Catharine in the 1900 census yet.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items.  She should likely be still living in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.

          2.1.3. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 7, 1880, Catharine was enumerated in the John Metzner household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana¹¹, as Katherine Metzner, wife, age 60, keeping house.  She was born in Elsace, as were her mother and father.

          2.1.4. 1870 Federal Census

               On June 15, 1870, Catharine was enumerated in the John Metzner household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁶, as Catherine Metzner, age 50, keeping house.  She was born in France, and both of her parents were listed as foreign born.

          2.1.5. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 22, 1860, Catharine was enumerated in the John Metzner household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁵, as Catharine Metzner, age 40, female, housekeeper, born in France.

          2.1.6  1850 Federal Census

                On September 21, 1850, Catharine was enumerated in the John Metzner household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana⁷, as Catharine Metzner, age 30, female, born in France.

     2.2. State Census Records

          No state census records for Ohio are known to exist.

          The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931.  These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          I have not yet examined these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Metzner family.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          Not applicable, as Catharine was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military service by her father or husband that would have made Catharine eligible for pension benefits.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicalbe, as Catharine was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

               Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Licking County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana to see what records might mention Catharine.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps of Licking County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information can be gleaned that might be relevant to my search.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records to research for Catharine include city/county directories, court records, and will and probate records.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

Source :

1. Catharine Young Metzner obituary, Evangelical Messenger, New Berlin, Pennsylvania, USA, July 6, 1910, page 27.
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.
3. "Biographical and Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana", Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1887, page 347.
4. Harvey A. Huey household, 1910 U.S. census, Noble County, Indiana, population schedule, Orange Twp., ED 114, SD 12, sheet 10, dwelling 168, family 168, National Archives micropublication T624, roll 372.
5. John Metzner household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Twp., Jay Co., IN, Hector P.O., dwelling 346, family 349; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 269., page 188.
6. John Metzner household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Twp., Jay Co., IN, Hector P.O., page 30, dwelling 220, family 215; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 327., page 104.
7. John Metzner household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, USA, page 314, dwelling 113, family 113; National Archives micropubliction M432, roll 153.
8. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZHL-F6J : 8 December 2014), John Metzner and Catherine Young, 16 Nov 1839; citing Licking, Ohio, United States, reference v.1,p.331,L.271; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 384,300.
9. Evangelical Messenger, New Berlin, Pennsylvania, 24 January 1888, page 59.
10. FindAGrave, Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com: accessed 24 December 2016), Catharine Young Metzner memorial.
11. 1880 U.S. Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Noble Township, enumeration district (ED) 154, SD 6, page 10B, dwelling 90, familyl 92, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 December 2016); National Archives, Washington, D.C..


This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.

Sidney Dewitt Ailes household, 1940, Shelby County Ohio

Located the 1940 census record of the Sidney Dewitt Ailes household in Shelby County, Ohio.  The enumerator listed him as "S.D. Ailes".  Sidney was my paternal 2nd cousin 3 times removed - our common ancestor was Phillip Young (1787-1850).

1940 U.S. Census, Shelby County, Ohio, population schedule, Pemberton, enumeration district (ED) 75-24, SD 4, sheet 10A, household 217, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 December 2016); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Sidney and his wife were living in Pemberton, Shelby County, Ohio.  He owned his home and it was valued at $1600.  Sidney was 52 years old and born in Ohio.  His wife, Lina, was 54 years old and also born in Ohio.  In 1935, they were living at the same residence.

The record shows that Sidney had completed 4 years of college and the Lina had completed the 8th grade.  Sidney's occupation was that of a teacher at a public school.

Also living in the household were son Wayne, age 26, born in Ohio who had completed 4 years of high school and was working as an inspector in a cast aluminum plant; son Ned, age 20, born in Ohio and had completed 4 years of high school and was working as a plater in a nickel plating plant; and son John, age 15, born in Ohio and had completed 2 years of high school.

Additional boarders were living in the household as well : Ray Pepper, age 25, born in Ohio, working as a plater in a nickel plating plant; Frances Newhouse, age 21, born in Ohio, a teacher in a public school; and Nettie Mendel, age 21, born in Ohio, a teacher in a public school.

I do not know of any family connections between these lodgers and the family - likely they were living there to help out the financial situation.

Sidney's two daughters, Clara and May are not in this census, likely they have married - will need further research.

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

He Drowned in the Potomac

Sometimes an ancestor or relative seems to call out to you, wanting their story to be told.  Before yesterday, all I knew of William H. Cunningham was his year of birth (1905) and date and place of death (1929, Washington D.C.).  While working on updates on his father, John W., I was drawn to search old newspapers to see what I might find.  It turns out this led me on an interesting search.

John W. Cunningham (1868-1947) was my paternal first cousin 3 times removed, the son of William E. Cunningham and Rachel Lemasters.  Our common ancestors were the Rev. Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young.  While updating his death certificate information from Ancestry.com, I found out that at one time he was the Sheriff of Jay County, Indiana.  Curious to see what stories might mention his service as Sheriff was what led me to the unknown story of his son, William H. Cunningham.

The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, Indiana), May 13, 1929, page 1

The story that grabbed my attention was a news report that appeared in several newspapers across the state, telling the tale of William's death by drowning:

Young Man Drowned.

Portland. - This city city was shocked today to learn that William Cunningham, 24-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cunningham here, a student at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. was drowned in the Potomac River while canoeing Sunday.  According to reports from Washington the body has not yet been recovered.

What a sad fate.  I immediately began searching for more information, and found a little more detail in a similar news report:

Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana), May 13, 1929, page 14

Hoosier Student Drowns.

Potomac River Has Not Yielded Body of Portland Young Man.

Portland, Ind., May 13 (A.P.) - Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cunningham, of this city, have received a message telling of the death of their son, William Cunningham, age twenty-four, by drowning in the Potomac river at Washington.  The body has not been recovered.

The young man, a student at Georgetown University, was riding in a canoe with two other students when the craft was upset by a whirlpool.  He told his companions to swim to shore and he would bring the canoe in.  They swam to safety, but Cunningham was carried under the surface by another whirlpool.

The parents, one brother and one sister survive.  His father is a former sheriff of Jay county.

 Looking for a death record, I searched FamilySearch and located a record of his death, which gives the date as May 18, 1929.  This may be the date when his body was recovered.  I was unable to obtain an image of the record, only the following:

 

This record gives me William's middle name as Harvey.  He was named for his grandparents - William Cunningham being his paternal grandfather and Harvey Drake being his maternal grandfather.

Knowing that he was a student at Georgetown University, I went online to see what they had in the way of digital archives.  They have their old yearbooks and newspapers available for viewing.  In the May 16, 1929 edition of the student newspaper, the Hoya, I found the following article:

Hoya, Vol. 10, no. 28 (May 16, 1929), page 1

 F.S. STUDENT DROWNED SAT.

W.H. Cunningham loses Life in Potomac as Canoe Capsizes Below Chain Bridge

W.H. Cunningham, 24-year-old junior at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, was drowned in the Potomac River last Saturday afternoon when a canoe in which he was riding with two companions turned over in the swift water about half a mile below Chain Bridge.

Cunningham, with Willard Burkett and W.W. Stevens, his roommates and fellow students, started up the river for an outing early in the afternoon.  At Dempsey's boat house they were joined by a friend, George Davlin.

In two canoes they stared to paddle up the river.  About half a mile from the bridge they came to a swift stretch of water and Cunningham and Burkett tried to make their way through in their canoe.  Unable to force their way through the rapids, they paddled to an island where they were joined by Stevens and the three of them resumed the attempt.

They had progressed about 100 yards into the swift water when the canoe was caught broadside in the rapids, the water spinning the frail craft around and tipping it over.  Burkett, who had been kneeling in the bottom of the canoe, was nearly drowned when his leg was caught in a seat.  All three of the boys came to the surface and seized the canoe.

Unable to right it, they began drifting downstream.  Stevens swam to shore.  Burkett and Cunningham continued to drift with the canoe, calmly discussing the best means of reaching shore without damage to themselves or the craft.  Burkett, at Cunningham's suggestion, removed the pillows from the canoe and seized one of the paddles which was floating alongside.  With this burden he released his hold and started for the Virginia short [sic], calling to Cunningham to steer the canoe into shallow water if possible.  Cunningham answered that he thought he would be able to bring it ashore.

Burkett, on reaching the shore, looked around for his companion.  He saw the canoe bobbing in the current, but Cunningham had disappeared.

Burkett ran back up stream to the point where Davlin was in the other canoe.  They paddled down the river in a futile search for their friend.

The drowned youth, said to have been a strong swimmer, lived in Portland, Ind.  With Burkett and Stevens, he attended Western Reserve University before coming to Washington.  The three boys lived together here at 2410 Twentieth Street.

This article not only gave me the important details of how William died, but also gave me avenues of additional research - the fact that he had attended Western Reserve University as well.  I will need to research local newspapers in Jay County on my next trip to the library.

There is much more to research on this young man and his life, but at least now the story of his untimely death will be known.

William is buried in Green Park Cemetery in Portland, Jay County, Indiana.  A memorial page for him exists at the FindAGrave site.

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.

Young Family Reunion, 1911

Steuben Republican
Angola, Indiana
August 16, 1911, page 6

Found this mention of the Young family reunion at Newspapers.com from 1911. This was the 10th annual reunion of the family.  I recognize many of the names, but there are quite a few that I need to research to see how they fit into the family.

YOUNG REUNION

The tenth annual meeting of the Young families was held at the pleasant home of George Straw at Clearlake, Indiana, August 10, 1911.  All nature seemed to aid in the pleasure of the visits, bathing, boating and other sports for the young, and the cheerful greetings of the older ones filled up the forenoon, and in the afternoon business, speeches, etc.  There were six deaths and eight births during last year.  The next reunion will be held at Carey, Ohio, about the 15th of August, 1912.

The following persons gave interesting talks: L.I.C. Young, Rev. Phillip Lemasters, Miles Mulholand, Rev. G.W. Staley, Chauncey Young, Mary J. Young, S.D. Young, L.W. Lemasters, Sarah Staley and J.W. Young.  There were fifty-one who came from a distance: Mrs. Jennie Brown, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; Mrs. Blanche Foster and daughter, of Unity, Maine; S.D. Young and wife, Rev. G.W. Staley and wife, J.W. Young, wife and son. Grant Shaley, wife and daughter, Mrs. Dill and daughter and Bessie Murphy of Anna, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Jas. G. Young and daughter, of Belle Center, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Miles Mulholland and daughter, Mrs. E. Brashears and Mrs. Essie Rangers, of Carey, Ohio; W.F. Huber and wife, V.D. Huber, wife and daughter and son, of Green Springs, Ohio; Mrs. Delilah Young, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Cole and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. James Smith and Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Hutchins, of Fremont, Ohio; Rev. Phillip Lemasters of Spencerville, Ohio; Mrs. Edith Meinholtz and daughter, of Oklahoma; L.W. Lemasters of Jay county, Indiana; Geo. Ralston and family, (by auto) from Sherwood, Michigan.  There were 103 enjoyed a very satisfying dinner of all good things to tickle the pallet, also ice cream and cake at time of dispersing.

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Of those listed in this announcement, the L.W. Lemasters listed is my paternal 2nd-great grandfather, Luman Walker Lemasters Jr. (1842-1931), son of Rev. Luman Walker and Nancy (Young) Lemasters.  The Rev. Phillip Lemasters (1836-1915)  listed is his brother.  The Edith Meinholtz of Oklahoma is Edith Mabel (LeMasters) Meinholtz (1879-1949), daughter of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters.  The daughter mentioned would be Mary Wilhelmina Meinholtz (1911-1935), who had just been born in February of 1911, one of the births mentioned during the year.

The L.I.C. Young who gave a talk was Lewis I. Charles Young (1837-   ) who later wrote a genealogy of the Young family.  He was the son of Charles and Nancy (Scothorn) Young.

The Miles Mulholland who gave a talk was the son of Hugh and Mary (Young) Mulholland.  This Mary Young was the daughter of Phillip and Nancy Ann (McLane) Young.

The members of the Staley family are not yet in my database, but may be descendants of Catherine Young and John Staley.  Catherine (1813-1898) was the daughter of Phillip and Nancy Ann (McLane) Young.

I have a lot more research to do on this rather extensive family, but it was nice to find mention of the attendees at this family reunion.

John Metzner seriously sick, 1887

Portland, Indiana Commercial
December 22, 1887, page 1

Mr. John Metzner, who lives northeast from this place is seriously sick.

This newspaper notice from 1887 captures the mention of my paternal 2nd-great grandfather, John Metzner (1805-1888), being on the sick list at the end of 1887.  Unfortunately, he didn't survive too long into 1888, passing away on January 10th in Jay County, Indiana.

John was a farmer in Noble Township and a native of Saxony.  He emigrated to Licking County, Ohio where he married Catharine Young in 1839.  By the time of the 1850 census, he was living in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.

Census Sunday : Nancy J. LeMasters household, 1940, Merrick County, Nebraska

My paternal first cousin three times removed, Nancy J. LeMasters, was enumerated in the 1940 census in Palmer, Merrick County, Nebraska.  She was renting a room at the Coolidge Hospital where she worked.

1940 US census, Merrick County, Nebraska, population schedule, Coolidge Hospital, Palmer, enumeration district (ED) 61-8, SD 3, sheet 7B, [no household number], ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

The household consisted of Nancy, aged 55, her mother, Sarah, aged 80, and a hired girl, Ruby Wagner, aged 21.  Nancy was single and born in Nebraska, Sarah was widowed and born in Indiana, and Ruby was single and born in Nebraska.  In 1935, the residence for Nancy and Sarah was St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska, and for Ruby, her residence was Greeley County, Nebraska.

Nancy's occupation was listed as supervisor of nurses at the hospital.  Nancy had no occupation listed and Ruby's occupation was a housekeeper.  Nancy's previous occupation in the 1910 census was that of a school teacher.

Sarah was the widow of my paternal second great granduncle, John Stevens Lemasters, son of Rev. Luman Walker and Nancy (Young) Lemasters.  John was the youngest of the family.  He married Sarah I. Wilson in 1881 in Jay County, Indiana and moved to Nebraska by at least 1900, where they were living in St. Paul.

Prior to this find, I didn't have any information past the 1910 census on Nancy, nor did I know where Sarah was after her husband's death in 1932.  All are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery, St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska.  A quick search on the internet shows that Coolidge Hospital was both a hospital and sanitarium, and today may be part of a mental health facility.

Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

State & Federal census sheets are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & non-population schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering? Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Colleen Pasquale of Leaves and Branches.

Birthday Party With An Unnamed Guest Of Honor

"Orestes News Notes," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 22 August 1913; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 14 March 2015).

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Young entertained at their home in honor of the birthday of their son.  Games were played and refreshments served.  Among those present were : Maude Youngs, Iva White, Clara Snethen, Mary Judd, Mary Youngs, Ruth Etchison, Josie Steward, Hazel King, Pearl Little, Mary Moore, Isabel Pyle, Helen Etchison, Nettie Athan, Mary Carver, Bertha Allen, Mary Whitten, Allean Etchison, Pearl Cummins, Bessie Laycock, Messrs. Emmet Moyer, Everett Judd, Chas. Cummins, Chas. Bicknell, Chester King, Virgil Wright, Arthur Peet, Troy Fox, Lee White, John Cook, Jay Noble, Floyd Miller, Edward Blake, Jim Jarret, Jesse Porter, Virgil King, Mr. and Mrs. George Judd, and Mr. and Mrs. E. Moyer.

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This interesting announcement about a birthday party that was attended by my maternal 2nd-great grandfather, Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972), contains references to several people who were related to him.  The party was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Young for their son, but the name of the son is not given. 

I believe that the birthday party was held in honor of Samuel Roscoe Young (1895-1934), son of Daniel R. and Gertrude (Johnson) Young.  He was born August 27th, and was Virgil Wright's first cousin once removed.  Their common ancestors were Daniel King and Elizabeth Shaw.

I also believe that the newspaper made a few errors : the Chester King mentioned right before Virgil Wright was likely Chester Wright, brother of Virgil. 

The rest of the names are locals and cousins of the family, some of whom I have yet to place.

Census Sunday : John G. Fuchs household, 1940, Montgomery County, Ohio

My paternal first cousin 4 times removed, Ethan Dewitt Ailes, was enumerated in the 1940 U.S. census in Montgomery County, Ohio.  He was living in Ward 7 of the city of Dayton in the household of his son-in-law, John G. Fuchs.

1940 U.S. census, Montgomery County, Ohio, population schedule, Ward 7, Dayton, enumeration district (ED) 94-117, SD 3, sheet 11B, dwelling 236, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 Februay 2015); National Archives, Washington D.C..

The family consisted of John G. Fuchs, aged 56, and his wife, Bertha, aged 52.  John was born in New York and Bertha was born in Ohio.  Living in the household was daughter Mary, aged 16, born in Ohio; son Walter, aged 21, born in Ohio; daughter-in-law, Mare, aged 21, born in Ohio; grandson Carl, aged 6 months, born in Ohio, and father-in-law, Ethan D. Ailes, aged 78, born in Ohio.

John had completed the 8th grade, and Bertha had completed the 6th grade.  John's occupation was hard to read, it was a s___ clerk, in Soil Conservation.  Bertha had no occupation listed.  Son Walter's occupation was listed as drill press operator.

Before finding this record, I didn't have any information on Ethan Dewitt Ailes' family.  Will have to search for records of his marriage and other children.  Ethan was the son of Alfred Ailes and Melissa Jane Young.

Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

State & Federal census sheets are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & non-population schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering? Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Colleen Pasquale of Leaves and Branches.

Funeral Record : Catherine Metzner (1819-1910), Jay County, Indiana

Baird & Hardy Funeral Home Records, Jay County, Indiana, 1909-1911

Located the funeral record of Catherine (Young) Metzner (1819-1910), my paternal 3rd-great grandmother, while at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne recently.  Catherine was the daughter of Nicholas and Salome Young and the wife of John Metzner (1805-1888).

According to the record, her death occurred at Rome City, Indiana on June 22nd. This matches the facts I'd already discovered through her obituary.  She was living at the home of her daughter, Mary A. (Metzner) Huey, at the time of her death.

According to the record, she was 91 years old.  The funeral was held at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion church and interment at Mt. Zion cemetery on June 24th. 

No other pertinent details found, nor did it name the informant.

This book is shelved at the library at Gc 977.201 J33scb 1909-11.

Funeral Record : John P. Wehrly (1838-1909) Jay County, Indiana

Baird & Hardy Funeral Home Records,  Jay County, Indiana 1909-1911

Located the funeral record of John P. Wehrly (1838-1909) while at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne recently.  John was my paternal 2nd-great granduncle, the son of Johannes "John S." and Barbara (Petry) Wehrly.   John was married to Catherine E. Lemasters (1840-1911), the daughter of Rev. Luman Walker and Nancy (Young) Lemasters.

According to this funeral record, John P. Wehrly was born in Pennsylvania on August 28, 1838.  While his father was born in Pennsylvania, census and other records indicate that he was born in Preble County, Ohio.  His date of death December 13, 1909 in South Portland.  I did not have the exact date of death, so know I can look for an obituary and his death certificate.

The record lists his age as 71 years, 3 months and 16 days.  The attending physician was Dr. Paddock and his funeral services were held at Salamonia on December 15th.

The name of the informant was not given, but was likely his wife Catherine.

This book was located on the shelves at Gc 977.201 J33scb 1909-11.

Newman Smith and Martha Lemaster, Shelby County, Ohio, 1861

Received an exciting email this week from a potential cousin on my LeMaster side who wrote:

my 2xggfather's brother Newman Smith wife was Martha J. Lemaster, they married in Shelby county Ohio on August 25, 1861. He was also known as Rev Smith a minister of the Methodist church of Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. I think she is the daughter of Luman Walker Lemasters (1808 - 1888) (also a minister of the Methodist church )and   Nancy Young Lemasters (1812 - 1904).  Can you please confirm this?

It is always exciting to make possible new connections, and I don't usually find them on my surname that are close.  Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young Lemasters are my paternal 3rd great grandparents.  As they were married in Shelby County, Ohio and lived there until the mid-1850s, any other Lemaster in that vicinity has a good chance of being a close relative.

I was not aware of the marriage record of Newman Smith and Martha J. Lemaster in Shelby County, Ohio.  A quick search of Familysearch located the record:

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XDPP-FQJ : accessed 06 Nov 2014), Newman H Smith and Martha Lamaster, 25 Aug 1861; citing Shelby, Ohio, United States, reference volume 4 page 184; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 562859.

I quickly wrote him back and let him know that I did not think that the connection came through Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young, as their daughter Martha was born too late to be the one who married in 1861.  Their Martha J. was born circa 1851 and married in 1872 in Jay County, Indiana to William Loofborrow.

That Newman was a Methodist minister is interesting, as that was the occupation of Luman Walker Lemasters and other members of the extended family.  They were closely associated with the Methodist church.

However, where I think there might be a connection is through Luman's brother, Lemuel Quin Lemasters (1811/2-1843) and Hannah Albright.  Lemuel died young, but he did have one son and three daughters.  One of those daughters was named Martha, who was born circa 1837.  She would be the right age to be the one who married Newman Smith in 1861.

I checked out Newman Smith's FindAGrave memorial and noticed that he had a son named Perry Quin Smith and that Perry named his son Lemuel.  Circumstantial evidence, I know, but the use of the uncommon names may indicate a connection.

I need to dig into the records in Shelby County, Ohio and see what I can find on Lemuel's family after his early death.  I believe at one time I requested his estate records, but I haven't sourced them into my database.

I'm waiting with fingers crossed to see if this potential cousin responds with more information and whether or not I'll be able to add more cousins to the tree.  I wonder if he has done any DNA testing?