Great-Grandpa Escaped With Only a Few Bruises

Muncie Star Press
Muncie, Indiana
August 14, 1914, page 12

My paternal great-grandfather, Luman Cooper LeMaster, was a rural mail carrier in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana area.  I located this newspaper article while searching online that details how he was injured while on his route.

RURAL CARRIER INJURED

Horse Takes Fright at Auto and Wagon is Wrecked

Portlnad, Ind., Aug. 13 - L. C. Lemaster, carrier on rural route No. 1, from the Salamonia postoffice, was slightly injured this morning when his horse took fright at an automobile driven by Bryant parties, near the Murray farm, in Pike Township.  The wagon was overturned into a deep ditch and wrecked.  Lemaster escaped with only a few bruises, and after procuring another rig was able to continue his trip.

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Glenn S. Overholt household, 1940, Wells County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Glenn S. Overholt household in Wells County, Indiana.  Glenn's wife, Sarah,  was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed.  Our common ancestor was Dr. Ezekiel Cooper Chew.  Sarah was the daughter of Edis Playfair Chew and Bertha Caupp.  Glenn was the son of Milward P. Overholt and Mary Rupley.

1940 U.S. census, Wells County, Indiana, population schedule, Union Township, enumeration district (ED) 90-27, SD 4, sheet 3A, household 53, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Glenn and his wife were living in Union Township.  The census states that Glenn owned his home and that it was on a farm. Glenn was 25 years old and was born in Indiana.  His wife, Sarah, was 26 years old and was born in Ohio.  In 1935 their residence was the same place.

The record shows that Glenn had completed 3 years of high school and that Sarah had completed 4 years of high school. Glenn's occupation was listed as a truck driver and Sarah had no occupation listed.

Also listed in the household were son Wilbur E., age 5, born in Indiana; daughter Meba J., age 2, born in Indiana; and daughter Marilyn E., age 2, born in Indiana.

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

Two Fires In Three Years Destroy Home

While searching through the archives of Newspapers.com, I came across this article of the tragedy that struck my grandparents - two house fires within three years.  I cannot imagine losing everything I own to a fire once, let alone twice. 

The Muncie Star Press, Muncie, Indiana
February 9, 1939, page 9

BLAZE DESTROYS FARM RESIDENCE

Jay County Family Away As Fire Starts

Portland, Ind., Feb. 8 - Fire destroyed the farm home of Ord Lemaster, northeast of Bellfountain, last evening while the Lemaster's were visiting at the home of neighbors.  This is the second fire to destroy their home in the last three years.  Mr. and Mrs. Lemaster and their two children had gone to the Metzner home last evening and shortly after 8 o'clock were notified that their house was burning by William Hartzell, a neighbor, who first discovered the fire, which seemed to start from the inside.  Before aid could be summoned the home burned to the ground.  Nothing was saved by the family except the clothing which they wore at that time.  They lost all their belongings in the first fire.  They are making their home at the present with Mrs. Lemaster's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Haley.

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Will have to check at the Portland library to see if local papers give any more details.  The Metzner family mentioned were relatives as well.  My uncle had mentioned this fire to me, I will have to talk to him again about this and my aunt as well to see what they remember.