On This Day : January 1

1528: Jane AMYAS married John FIELD in Ardsley, Yorkshire, England.  They were my 12x great-grandparents.

1674: Nicholas FESSENDEN married Margaret CHENEY in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  They were my 9x great-grandparents.


1676: Richard WEBB died in Norwalk, Litchfield County, Connecticut.  He was my 11x great-grandfather.

1688: Peter BUTTON was born.  Peter was the son of Peter BUTTON and Sarah CRANDALL.

1705: Vincentius ANTONIDES immigrated to New York. Vincentius was my 8x great-grandfather.


1707: Henry SEWALL married Elizabeth TITCOMB.  Henry was the son of John SEWALL and Hannah FESSENDEN.


1736: Jonathan MAXSON married Jemima MUMFORD.  Jonathan was the son of Jonathan MAXSON and Content ROGERS.

1738: Benjamin BEESON married Elizabeth HUNTER in Frederick County, Virginia.  Benjamin was the son of Richard BEESON and Charity GRUBB.


1744: Samuel SPOFFORD died in Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts.  Samuel was my 9x great-grandfather.

1753: Richard BEALE married Elizabeth MADISON.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Ambrose MADISON and Frances TAYLOR.

1754: John DAVIS born in New Jersey.  John was the son of Capt. Thomas William DAVIS and Tacy CRANDALL.

1761: Abel MAXSON born.  Abel was the son of Matthew MAXSON and Martha POTTER.


1771: Barbara MAXSON born.  Barbara was the daughter of Samuel MAXSON and Mary DOWNING.

1784: Hannah DAVIS born in Bridgeton, Connecticut.  Hannah was the daughter of Jonathan R. DAVIS and Elizabeth COVEY.

1794: Mary HODGSON married Francis HESTER in Guilford County, North Carolina.  Mary was the daughter of John HODGSON and Mary MILLS.

1795: Rebecca HODGSON married Ezekial LEONARD.  Rebecca was the daughter of Thomas HODGSON and Patience DILLON.


1796: Jonathan MORGAN died.  Jonathan was the son of David MORGAN and Deborah COLTON.  Jonathan was my 6x great-grandfather.


1798: Strother TAYLOR born.  Strother was the son of Col. Richard TAYLOR and Sarah Dabney STROTHER.

1801: Ruth HUNT died.  Ruth was the daughter of William FESSENDEN and Martha WYETH.

1812: Ashael HUNT married Rachel JOHNSON in Guilford County, North Carolina.  Ashael was the son of Eleazer HUNT and Lydia WORLEY.

1824: Hannah MAXSON married Samuel LIPPENCOTT in Clark County, Ohio.  Hannah was the daughter of Jesse MAXSON and Sarah SUTTON.

1829: Sarah CHEW married John C. EASTLACK.  Sarah was the daughter of Rev. Nathaniel CHEW and Mary WEST.

1832: Susannah GROENENDYKE born in Indiana.  Susannah was the daughter of James GROENENDYKE and Barbara BUCK.

1835: George J. HALEY and Rachel H. GARY married in Hardin County, Ohio.  They were my 3x great-grandparents.


1842: Benjamin MILLIKAN died.  Benjamin was the son of William MILLIKAN and Jane WHITE.

1870: Samuel H. IVEY born Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.  Samuel was Eileen's great-grandfather.

1874: Caroline H. METZNER married James W. HUSTON in Jay County, Indiana. Caroline was the daughter of John METZNER and Catherine YOUNG.

1882: Wesley Wilber BECKETT married Iowa ARCHER. Wesley was the son of Lemuel Daughtery BECKETT and Sarah Springer CHEW.

1858: Abraham L. BAILS married Elizabeth HART in McComb County, Ohio.  Abraham was the son of Abraham W. BEALS and Rebecca ALLOWAY.

1862: Clarentine FISHER was born.  Clarentine was the daughter of Lewis W. FISHER and Rebecca MARSHALL.

1886: Lina BAKER born in Jackson Center, Shelby County, Ohio.

1876: Ord Otterbein LEMASTERS born in Jay County, Indiana.  Ord was the son of Luman Walker LEMASTERS and Mary Keziah CHEW.

1879: Isaac Jesse LEMASTERS born in Jasper County, Missouri.  Isaac was the son of Isaac LEMASTERS and Sarah Ann HESTON.

1889: Susannah C. MOORE died.  Susannah was the daughter of Thomas CHEW and Mary ATKINSON.

1902: Alice Madeline BRITTON born in Flemington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.  Alice was the daughter of Joseph H. BRITTON and Minnie Nancy FISHER.

1907: Edna Blanche PEEPLES married Harry Allen DILLON in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana.  Edna was the daughter of George PEEPLES and Katherine McMILLEN.

1911: Margaret E. SWAFFORD married Luther L. BURNETTE in Cumberland County, Tennessee.  Margaret was the daughter of William E. SWAFFORD and Mary Lou SHERRILL.

1911: Evelyn DEMPSEY born.  Evelyn was the daughter of Daniel Andrew DEMPSEY and Nancy CHIVLARE.

1913: Sidney Dewitt AILES married Lina BAKER in Jackson Center, Shelby County, Ohio.  Sidney was the son of John Forsythe AILES and Rebecca Lovina DRUMM.

1914: Martin Nimrod WEHRLY married Cora BURLEY.  Martin was the son of William P. WEHRLY and Olive Jane SMITH.

1952: Paul Waynard LeMASTER married Betty Eileen LANNING in Jay County, Indiana.  Paul was the son of Ord Wehrly LeMASTER and Ruth Pauline HALEY.


1958: Mary Adoline HATFIELD died in Fresno, California.  Mary was the daughter of Landon Marcellus SWAFFORD and Bertie Belle MARSH.

1960: Lester Lawrence BRADLEY died in Richmond, Missouri.  Lester was the son of Aaron Elmer BRADLEY and Dora May DENNING.

1991: Maxine LIZAR died.  Maxine was the daughter of Hoy Hubert KING and Cleo Fern COX.

Surname Saturday : Fisher

The FISHER surname is in Eileen's maternal line.  The origins are unknown at this time.


Stories and history :


Ahnentafel # 53: Patsey Fisher (1813-1850).  Patsey was born June 11, 1813, probably in Brown County, Ohio.  She married Hugh Allen Ballentine Peeples.  They raised 9 children, living in Miami County, Indiana and Marshall County, Indiana.  Patsey died March 19, 1850 in Marshall County, Indiana and is buried in the Washington-Lawson Cemetery in Union Township.


Ahnentafel # 106: Daniel Fisher (1790-1833).  Daniel was born July 7, 1790.  He married Susannah Reeves (1789-1855) on August 6, 1812.  Susannah was born November 8, 1789.  They raised 7 children in Brown County, Ohio.  After Daniel's death, the remainder moved to Indiana.  Susannah died October 26, 1855 in Marshall County, Indiana.  Daniel died December 7, 1833.


Ahnentafel # 212: George Fisher (1753-1833). George was born in 1753.  He married Mary ________ (1764-1852).  They lived in Byrd Township, Brown County, Ohio.  Mary died September 26, 1852 in Byrd Township, Brown County, Ohio.  George died 1833 in Byrd Township, Brown County, Ohio.

Tagline

After a few years with the same old tagline, I believe that it’s time to create a new one for this blog.  Perhaps not many people pay attention to the tagline, but I want to make it the 30-second elevator speech for the TJLGenes blog.

Currently, the tagline reads :

Genealogy & family history research.  Chronicle of my research of my family lines, including lines of my children and step-children.  Maternal lines include a mix of Scots-Irish and English Quakers; paternal line has Swiss, German and French.

However, I feel that with a new year comes a new focus – not only on my lines and those of my wife, but aid to others who may be connected through collateral lines.  In the coming year, there will be more posts containing bits of “cousin bait” that I hope will create connections and spark new research; more personal genealogy for my future descendants, and more posts about my trials and errors in research that may helps someone avoid similar mistakes.

The new tagline will be :

A collection of genealogical nuggets for fellow researchers; cousin bait for our extended families and breadcrumbs for future descendants…

Hopefully the new tagline will be more reflective of what the blog is becoming, or more accurately, what I would like it to be.

The Birth of a New Tradition?

We may have seen the beginning of a new holiday tradition in my family with this year's Christmas gifts.  I cannot remember when I've had more fun getting together and sharing a laugh than this year at my parents.


After eating dinner, my nieces were eager to open their presents from grandma and grandpa, and we all enjoyed watching them tear into the wrapping paper excitedly.  But the biggest surprises were yet to come, when mom and dad gave each of us - myself, my brother and my sister - a special "gift" from our past.


With both parents now retired, they have begun the process of downsizing years of accumulation.  As I've written about before, some of the stuff has been sold at rummages, given away or thrown away if it had no value.  My parents had a tendency to save sentimental items from our childhood, and over the last year or so as they clean out boxes they've given us some real treats from our past.


Last year at Christmas they surprised me with my favorite teddy bear from when I was a baby.  This year they expanded the concept of "blasts from the past" to my brother and sister, and I believe we may have witnessed the birth of a new tradition.


When mom prefaced the giving of the gift with the comment: "If you don't want this, you don't have to keep it.", we knew it would be something interesting.


As the oldest, I went first.  It's almost hard to describe the gift if you aren't there to see it.  When I was around ten years old, I was involved in a youth choir event called the "Rainbow Express", organized by the Gaither's.  It was the story of Noah and other biblical promises of God.  When the program was over, mom took a t-shirt I wore that had the emblem of the program, turned it into a life-size doll that looked a bit like me, and had it mounted on a piece of wood paneling.  I honestly didn't remember this happening, but there was a Polaroid photograph taken of me standing with this doll.  Apparently, mom has kept this doll for the past 30-plus years in her "doll room."  This Christmas it was time to give it to me as a gift.


Needless to say, this gift caused a lot of laughs from my brother, sister, wife and in-laws.  Lots of comments like - "are you going to cry?" and "what in the world?"  Especially when I began to sing one of the songs from the program.  It was the song "Begat", and of course, was about genealogy.  That brought even more laughs.

My brother Jason was next, and he was hesitant to open his gift.  He received two things, one was an old wrestling trophy from 1985, the other was an old toy fire engine he used to play with as a kid. I believe it is die cast - had an extension ladder and everything, and was in great shape.  Jason is now a volunteer fireman, so it seemed appropriate that he played with this firetruck when he was a little boy.

My sister Michelle's gift made her girls howl with laughter, it was a stuffed Big Bird doll from Sesame Street that she used to carry around as a kid.  Boy, was that thing worn out.  I can remember her carrying it, I'm sure there are pictures somewhere of her with it.  Now it sort of looks like a dog's old chew toy.

We all had a great time laughing and speculating what each of us might get next year from our past.  I think that I can only go up from here.

Christmas Greetings

Merry Xmas and Joyous New Year

The Leonhard's

If you can't go to Ind. Xmas, come over here we are cooking for the folks.

This card was part of the collection of cards and postcards saved by paternal great-uncle and aunt, Clarence and Vera (Haley) Stuber.

I'm not sure which Leonhard family sent this, nor the relationship.  The Haley and Leonhard family did intermarry, and both were from Noble Twp., Jay County, Indiana.

Christmas Eve - 1983 edition

The last Christmas Eve we had with my maternal grandmother, Bonnie Mae (LAMBERTSON) WRIGHT, was one of the coldest in my memory.  At the time, grandma was living with us and suffering from cancer.  When Christmas Eve came around, she wanted to visit her sister, Ruby, in nearby Anderson.  The weather was something frightful, I believe the windchill was negative 20-something and we had near white-out blizzard conditions.  Nevertheless, we all piled into the car and made the trip.

Ruby (Lambertson) Walsh, Bonnie (Lambertson) Wright, 24 Dec 1983

Grandma was really looking ill in this picture.  It came from the collection that cousin Mike Walsh had.  He also had a few other pictures of my immediate family from this visit on Christmas Eve.

Travis (standing), Michelle & Jason LeMaster, 24 December 1983

Michelle & Jason LeMaster, 24 December 1983

Jason LeMaster (looking bored) 24 December 1983

We always had a good time at Bob & Ruby's, enjoyed the good food and visiting with family.  They always treated us like we were their grandchildren.

Surname Saturday : Recap of Corinne's Lines

This post is a recap of Surname Saturday posts of Corinne's family lines.  Taking a six-generation view of her pedigree chart, these are the families in her line.

• MILLER Vanderburgh County, IN>Posey County, IN>Hesse-Darmstadt

• SCHAFER Vanderburgh County, IN>Hesse-Darmstadt

• SCHAEFFER Vanderburgh County, IN>Louisiana>Bavaria

• RIEBER Vanderburgh County, IN>Louisiana>Germany

• CHIVLARE Warrick County, IN>France

• BOYER/BORROR Warrick County, IN>Franklin County, OH>Hardy County, VA>Germany

• FOLLOWAY Warrick County, IN>Kentucky

• WILLIAMS Warrick County, IN

• WILD/WILDT Vanderburgh County, IN>Jefferson County, KY>Hesse-Darmstadt

• DEUTSCH Vanderburgh County, IN>Saxony

• DAMM Vanderburgh County, IN>Wabash County, IL>Bavaria

• SCHNIEDER Vanderburgh County, IN

• MIGUET Vanderburgh County, IN>Buchanan County, IA>France

• JARRETT Buchanan County, IA>Koscuisko County, IN>Virginia

• SAUER Vanderburgh County, IN>Pennsylvania

• RITT Vanderburgh County, IN>Baden

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

A Happy Christmas

Best wishes of your teacher


Sarah Watkins


Vera Haley


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This postcard was part of the collection of my paternal great-aunt, Vera Haley. Apparently it was given to her by her teacher at Christmas.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Miss Vera Haley
Portland Ind.
R.R. 9


Hello.


Will be over Thursday eve to go up to the school at Noble.


Harry


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This postcard, postmarked December 23, 1908 at Portland, Indiana, was sent to my paternal great-aunt, Vera Haley.

A Cordial Wish

Mrs. Clarence Stuber
Spencerville, Ohio


Wishing you & hubby a Merry Xmas.  Am in Midland now so write to me here.  Why don't you send me a line, Have written you cards several times.


Beck


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This postcard, postmarked Midland, Michigan, December 22, 1922, was part of the collection of cards of my paternal great-uncle and aunt, Clarence and Vera (Haley) Stuber.


I have not yet identified "Beck" yet, but Vera's aunt and uncle, Arthur and Carrie Mae (Haley) Graves, did live in Midland during this time.

A Merry Christmas

Dec. 24, 1918 -

Dear Sis. & Bro. -

Tues. Morn. Rec'd your letter yesterday don't get your letters now untill 2nd day.  We are all well.  We sent your X'mas box yesterday.  Geo. Metzner hasn't arrived yet.  May hear from him today.  Fred Young is improving can sit up in bed some.  Flu is not much better.  There was four broke out with it at Metzner  school.  Gay Bergman & Elizabeth Sherman were two of them.  The girls don't have to go to school this week.  Have vacation.  Ruth is anxious for Santa to come.

From Sis.  CEH

Mrs. Clarence Stuber

Spencerville, Ohio

R.F.D # 5

---

This postcard, postmarked December 24, 1918 in Portland, Indiana, was sent to my paternal great-aunt, Vera (Haley) Stuber, by her sister, Clara Elnora Haley.

The Ruth mentioned is my grandmother, Ruth Haley.  The George Metzner mentioned is an unidentified Metzner relative.  Gay Bergman was a distant relative of the family through the Metzner side, and was a contemporary of Vera.

Christmas Wish

Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Stuber
Spencerville, Ohio


Dec. 22, 1929


A Merry Christmas to you all


Mr. & Mrs. Geo Metzner


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This postcard, postmarked Belmore, Ohio, December 22, 1929, was part of the collection of my paternal great-uncle and aunt, Clarence and Vera (Haley) Stuber.


Which George Metzner family is this from? Vera's great-uncle and aunt, George W. and Elizabeth Metzner, lived in the Belmore area, but he died in 1875.  Belmore is in Putnam County, Ohio.  Another mystery to sort out.

Black Sheep Sunday : Officers on Trail of Bank Robbers

Source: Evansville Journal, Evansville, Indiana, March 11, 1925, page 1


OFFICERS ON TRAIL OF BANK ROBBERS


NEW HARMONY, March 11 - Charles Chamberlain, farmer living near Griffin, reported late today that he had been held up last night by four men in a grey Hudson coach at the Wabash river, six miles south of Griffin, and was commanded to tell them where they could obtain a boat to cross the river.  He claimed that the robbers gave him $80 and told him to keep quiet.


NEW HARMONY, March 11 - Scattering of guards along every road in southern Indiana with orders to "shoot to kill" marked Wednesday's developments in the state-wide search for four bank robbers who looted the New Harmony Bank and Trust company here Tuesday afternoon and escaped with $9,000 in cash and bonds in a grey Hudson coach, after locking customers and employees in the bank safe.


The trail of the bandits was picked up by authorities late Tuesday at Wadesville, through which the robbers passed on their way north from New Harmony.  The Hudson coach in which they escaped was later seen at Poseyville going toward Wilson switch late Tuesday afternoon.


Authorities temporarily lost the trail here, being uncertain whether the robbers went west into Illinois or continued along the Indiana road.


No further word of the movements of the bandit car was obtained until Wednesday morning when it was again seen with the four men at King's station, in Gibson county.  Police officers and deputy sheriffs were immediately rushed to the vicinity but no trace of the robbers could be found when they arrived.


Peace officers throughout the middle west have been wired descriptions of the men and the car with orders to "take no chances," placing them under arrest.


It is believed that the bandits are headed toward Chicago.  Officials in nearby counties are of the opinion that the coach is stolen and that it will be abandoned before the thieves are captured.


The robbery was perpetrated shortly before 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.  Four persons, Frank Steelman, secretary and treasurer; Mrs. Grace Schluz, assistant cashier; Rev. J.A. Sumwalt and John Watson, were in the bank when the robbers appeared.


According to Steelman, all four of the men, who were apparently all under 30 and unusually rough in appearance, entered the building at once.  When Steelman went to inquire what the first member, who entered his private office wanted, he was covered with two automatic pistols.  The second robber then covered the assistant cashier, the third Watson and the minister.  The fourth bandit stood guard at the doorway.


When Steelman failed to comply with their orders to open the safe door, one of them struck him with the butt of his gun, rendering him partially unconscious.  The rest then gathered all the available currency and bonds from various drawers.  When ordered to open the safe, the assistant cashier complied and all four of the occupants of the bank were imprisoned in it while the robbers made their escape in the auto, the motor of which had been left running.


Before making their escape, the robbers encountered Frank Steelman, son of the secretary, who was imprisoned at the point of a gun in a rear room in the bank.


He managed to escape shortly after the robbers had left and quickly released the prisoners in the bank.  Telephone and telegraph messages were sent to authorities throughout the vicinity.


William Wade, town marshal, was standing in front of the bank, along with Sheriff John Hollen, of Gibson county, less than 10 minutes before the robbery.  They had just left the vicinity when the bandits appeared.  Sheriff Hollen was visiting in the city at the time, and according to his statement, could not have been more than a block away when the robbery was effected.


A check of the bank's stock Wednesday showed that the bandits had escaped with $4,800 in cash, $300 in gold and $4,000 in negotiable bonds.  The loss was entirely covered by insurance, officials said Wednesday.


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This article is another in a series of stories of Indiana bank robberies by a group of robbers, led by my paternal cousin, Harry PIERPONT (1902-1934).  Harry later became famous as a member of the "Terror Gang" with John Dillinger.  These earlier robberies terrorized Indiana during 1924-25.

Postcard: Best Christmas Wishes

Huron, Ohio, December 18, 1911

Miss Vera Haley, Portland, Ind. R.F.D. 9

Dear Cousin: At this Christmas time, the gladdest and merriest of all the year. I hope it may be joyous and my health and good cheer attend you always.  How is Baby? I hope she is better, and all the rest?  We are all well.  Love to all.  Your cousin, Evalyn

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This postcard was sent to my paternal great aunt, Vera (HALEY) STUBER (1890-1987) by her cousin, Evalyn R. HALEY (1885-    ), daughter of Benjamin & Louise (HUTTENBOCKER) HALEY.


The baby referred to in the postcard is Vera's younger sister, Ruth, my paternal grandmother, born in April of 1911.

Surname Saturday : Recap of Eileen's Family Lines

This post is a recap of Surname Saturday posts of Eileen's family lines.  Taking a six-generation view of her pedigree chart, these are the families in her line, with a few lines unknown at this point:

• CUMMINGS Lawrence County, AR>Winston County, AL>North Carolina

• HENSON Winston County, AL

• IVEY Butler County, MO>McCracken County, KY>Marshall County, KY>Virginia

• HARROLD Kentucky

• CARTER Marshall County, KY

• DUNAWAY Clark County, KY

• PRINCE Kentucky

• PEFLEY Wabash County, IN>Preble County, OH>Botetourt County, VA>Lancaster County, PA>Switzerland

• ROOF Botetourt County, VA

• DUFFEY Wabash County, IN>Hocking County, OH>Champaign County, OH>Pennsylvania

• FREEZE Champaign County, OH>Shennandoah County, VA

• PEEPLES Marshall County, IN>Miami County, IN>North Carolina

• FISHER Miami County, IN>Brown County, OH

• McMILLEN Marshall County, IN>New York

• LEWIS Wabash County, IN>Huntington County, IN>Henry County, IN>Montgomery County, OH>Canada

• RINEHART Henry County, IN>Preble County, OH>Chester County, PA>Switzerland

• COOK Wabash County, IN>South Carolina

• SILLS Wabash County, IN>Champaign County, OH>Bedford County, Pennsylvania>Hesse-Darmstadt

• GRIMES Champaign County, OH>Clearfield County, PA

• SHELLY Wabash County, IN

• RICKERT Wabash County, IN>Ohio

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

At Taylor U. Cage Meeting

Anderson Herald, Anderson, Indiana, July 30, 1961, page  10

At Taylor U. Cage Meeting


ALEXANDRIA - Charles and Phillip High, sons of Mr. and Mrs. John High, have been attending a basketball camp at Taylor University.


Among the well-known Indiana personalities at the camp are Max Bell, a former local coach now at Elkhart, Joe Platt of Kokomo and Dick and Tom Van Arsdale from Indianapolis.

Harry Pierpont's Grave

Tuesday morning I drove to Indianapolis and visited the gravesite of Harry Pierpont and other members of the family.  The cemetery was easy to find, not too far off from I-70 as you come through downtown Indianapolis.


I stopped at the cemetery offices, located at 435 West Troy Ave, and obtained a copy of the plot map to show me exactly where the members of the family were buried.  The offices are actually located at nearby Calvary Cemetery, approximately a mile or so from Holy Cross and St. Joseph cemeteries.

The red marks show the location of the Pierpont plot.  There are actually two plots, side by side.  The grave markers are rather plain, not elevated.  If you didn't know who you were looking for, it would be easy to overlook.


Earlier correspondence with the cemetery revealed the following information about the burials of Harry, Lena, Fred and Gilbert:

Hi Travis,  here is the information that you have requested.

Lena died on 10/21/1958, at the age of 75, she lived in Lakeville, Indiana, she belong to Sacred Heart parish, her next of kin was Joseph Pierpont and he apparently paid for the funeral expenses, her funeral was held through Kirby Mortuary. There are other family members buried at this same location. Here is a list of their names:

Fern Pierpont, age 19, died Aug. 7, 1919

Harry Pierpont, age 32, died Oct. 17, 1934

Lena Pierpont, age 75, died Oct. 25, 1958

Joseph Pierpont, age 80, died Oct. 6, 1961

All these family members are buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Section 3-G, Lot 252, Lena is in grave 2.

Hopefully I have helped you, if you need anything else, please feel free to contact me.

By the way FYI, we have just opened a new area in Holy Cross in which can be purchased for family burial until sold out.

If you are interested in knowing more about this new area,  just let me know. We haven’t had any burial for sale for 25 years, now we do until it’s sold out.

Sincerely,

Denise Ruell

317-519-5506

Denise Ruell
Family Service Advisor

435 W. Troy Avenue
Indianapolis, In 46225
Tel: 317-784-4439
Fax: 317-789-0360

Five Things I Learned On My Last Research Trip

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I took a couple of mental health days from work to do some much needed genealogy research. Monday, I was in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Allen County Public Library.  Tuesday, I was able to visit the Indiana State Archives in Indianapolis.


Not only was I able to make some good finds, I learned a few things about planning my future trips:


1. The stomach matters: Packing a lunch or finding a place to eat nearby to where you are researching is important.  Sometimes I can get so engrossed in the genealogy "zone" that food doesn't seem important, until it is.  By that time, either I'm ready to pass out from hunger or have to cut my research short.  On Monday, I violated this rule and didn't pack a lunch, or leave the building to eat.  I started researching at 9 a.m., and by about 2:30 p.m., the hunger pains were beginning to overtake me.  On Tuesday, I had learned my lesson and packed a couple of sandwiches so I could go out to my car for lunch.


2. You cannot plan for every contingency: Copiers will jam, microfilm readers will be broken, roads will be under construction.  Dealing with these issues has more to do with handling my temper and frustration issues than anything else.


3. Staying focused is harder than it seems: Too often, I can easily get sidetracked from my plan of attack, especially when I'm at a new research location or it has been awhile since I've been there.  Walking past a stack of books, I catch myself reading the bindings, wondering "didn't I have some family in that locale?"  If I'm not careful, I'm soon down a rabbit hole, researching some collateral line that wasn't part of my main goal for the trip.


4. Eating an elephant takes many small bites: Trying to do marathon research sessions and gathering information on multiple lines in one trip isn't practical. Better to plan out what lines and what sources you are going to research before taking the trip.  Using my "to-do" list in my Rootsmagic software and online library catalogs really helped me handle this on my latest trip.


5. Sometimes the last second shot brings victory: Just when you're about to wrap it up for the day seems like the time when you check that one last source and make a great find!  On Monday, right as I was about to leave - I spotted a source on the stacks, played a hunch, and found information that I wouldn't have suspected to have been in the Fort Wayne library.


I'll be sharing some of my finds in upcoming posts, but here is a synopsis of what I found:


Monday, Allen County Public Library: Researched obituaries from microfilmed copies of the Evangelical Messenger and located over a dozen obituaries of paternal ancestors; located death notice of Fern Pierpont in Indiananapolis News; researched arrest of Harry Pierpont and Thaddeus Skeer in Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette issues of 1925; copied information from published genealogies on Eileen's Rinehart line and my Alderman/Luark connection


Tuesday, St. Joseph Cemetery, Indianapolis: Visited cemetery office and located plot map; photographed tombstones of Pierpont family


Tuesday, Indiana State Archives: Researched Dillinger gang files relating to Harry Pierpont and obtained copies; including correspondence from his mother to the warden, governor, etc. asking for his release.

John High In Hospital

Anderson Herald, Anderson, Indiana, April 5, 1961, page 3

IN HOSPITAL


John High, who was injured in an auto accident last week in Grant County, is a patient at St. John's Hospital, Anderson.


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John High, my maternal great-uncle, was apparently injured in an auto accident in the spring of 1961.

Deed Transfer: Wright to High

Anderson Herald, Anderson, Indiana, June 21, 1969, page  16

Deed Transfers

As Shown in Madison County Recorder's Office

Virgil L. Wright to John M. High and wife, South Side, Alexandria.

Black Sheep Sunday: Posey Bank Bandits Get $10,000

Source: Evansville Courier, Evansville, Indiana March 11, 1925 page 1.


POSEY BANK BANDITS GET $10,000


NEW HARMONY IS SHOCKED BY BOLD DAYLIGHT ROBBERY


Four Unmasked Men Loot Trust Company of Cash and Bonds


BANK OFFICIAL IS BEATEN


Four Occupants of Building Locked In Vault; Robbers Flee in Auto


New Harmony March 10 - Four unmasked men held up the New Harmony Bank and Trust company shortly before four o'clock this afternoon, beat one of the officials of the company with the butt end of an automatic pistol, locked the four occupants of the bank in the vault, and escaped with $10,000 in cash and bonds.  The men fled in a large grey sedan, going in the general direction of Evansville on the Wadesville road.


So quietly did the bandits work that the quiet little town was unaware a bank holdup had occurred until an hour after the happening.


Four persons, Frank Steelman, secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Greg Schultz, assistant cashier, the Rev. J.A. Sumwalt, and John Watson were in the bank at the time.


Driving quietly up to the building, the four men left the motor of their car running and walked into the bank.  Three of them entered the cashier's room while one stood guard at the door.  With guns drawn, the bandits commanded the occupants of the bank to hold up their hands, then forced them to lie on the floor, face downward, while they scooped up all available cash in the cash drawer and on the counter.


Locked in Safe


Steelman was then ordered to open the steel safe in the vault, and when he refused was struck over the head with the butt of a revolver in the hands of one of the bandits.  He sustained a severe scalp wound.


Mrs. Schultz, assistant cashier, opened the door of the safe, which contained $4,000 in bonds.  The robbers emptied the safe.


All four were then ordered into the vault and the doors closed behind them.  Mrs. Schultz, overcome by the excitement, fainted and has been in a serious condition since, being under the care of a physician.


On leaving the bank, the bandits encountered Leslie Steelman, son of the secretary-treasurer, at the door.  The youth was forced at the point of a gun to enter a room at the rear of the building.  The bandits then fled in the awaiting machine, going in the direction of Evansville.


Young Steelman, within a minute after the bandits departed, opened the vault and released those imprisoned and telephones and telegraphs flashed the news to police authorities in adjoining cities and towns.


Frank Steelman, secretary and treasurer of the bank, said: "There were only four of us in the bank when the bandits entered.  Mrs. Schultz and I, and two patrons.  I was at the window of one of the cages and Mrs. Schultz was at the window of another.  The Rev. Mr. Sumwalt was at a counter.  The other patron in the bank was John Watson, ferryman.


Tells Story of Robbery


"I noticed a young man walk into the bank and enter my private office.  I walked to the door to see what he wanted and found myself covered with two automatics.  Another young man was behind him.  He immediately covered Mrs. Schultz.  The third covered the two customers while the fourth stood guard at the entrance.


"We were all forced to lie down on the floor, face downward, while the men rifled the cash drawer and took all the money on the counter.  There was about $6,000 in cash there at the time.


"They then told me to open the steel safe in the vault.  I replied that I couldn't do it and one of them struck me with the butt of an automatic causing a severe scalp wound.  Mrs. Schultz then opened the safe and then dropped to the floor in a faint.


"In the safe was about $4,000 in bonds.


"The four of us were then commanded to enter the vault.  They took the keys from us and locked the gates.  On leaving, they met my son, Leslie, at the door.  One of them covered him and took him to the rear of the building where they locked him in a room.  They then left the building, entered their car, and sped away.


"We called to Leslie and he opened the gates behind which we were locked.  I don't believe the bandits car could have been out of town by the time we got busy on the telephones calling the authorities of neighboring towns.


Escape In Grey Sedan


The car they were driving was a large grey sedan and was seen near Wadesville a few minutes after the robbery.


The story of the robbery, told by the Rev. Mr. Sumwalt coincides with that of Steelman.  The pastor said he was a customer in the bank when the robbers entered.  He said he did not see them enter the building.


"The first thing I knew of the affair was when I felt a gun punched into my ribs.  I looked up and the man holding the gun on me commanded me to hold up my hands.  I then saw the others in the bank covered.  I was forced to lie down on the floor with my face downward as were the others.  After the cash had been scooped up we were all locked up in the vault.  We were released by Leslie Steelman, son of Frank Steelman.


The loss is fully covered by insurance, Steelman said last night.


"We carried ____ insurance", Steelman said.  "I always provided for to cover _____ [last sentences illegible copy]


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This article is another in a series of stories of Indiana bank robberies by a group of robbers, led by my paternal cousin, Harry PIERPONT (1902-1934).  Harry later became famous as a member of the "Terror Gang" with John Dillinger.  These earlier robberies terrorized Indiana during 1924-25.