Winner of Free Storm Door

Aluminum Center, Inc. advertisement, Anderson Herald, Anderson, Indiana, May 23, 1963, page 15

Looks like great-grandpa Virgil WRIGHT was a winner!  At least in 1963 of a free storm door.  This was part of an advertisement in the Anderson Herald by the Aluminum Center, Inc. of Anderson.  Having just replaced my storm door, I can appreciate a free one!


The ad states the Aluminum Center was located at 1419 Main Street in Anderson.

FindAGrave Success: Phillip D. LeMasters (d. 1869)

Thanks to FindAGrave volunteer, Natalie Herdman, I now have a photograph of the tombstone of Phillip D. LeMASTERS (1869-1869), the infant son of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (CHEW) LeMASTERS.  Phillip is buried in the Webster Cemetery in Darke County, Ohio.


My database shows his dates of birth and death are January 28, 1869 and May 1, 1869.  However, the memorial states death date November 5, 1869.  Hard to read, but they may be correct.

Wordless Wednesday: The Wright grandchildren

Mother & Dad Wright, grandchildren

This is a photo of my maternal great-grandparents, Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel "Peach" (PIERCE) WRIGHT, taken with their grandchildren, circa 1946.  The photo came from the collection of cousin Charlie High.

Black Sheep Sunday: To Identify Bank Crooks

Source: Wabash Plain-Dealer, Wabash, Indiana, April 3, 1925

TO IDENTIFY BANK CROOKS

Detroit suspects not same as entered Laketon Bank say cashier and assistant

     The Detroit bandits who have been identified as the robbers of the Kokomo bank and who are being brought to Kokomo, are not the men who robbed the laketon bank, according to a telegram received from Sheriff Summerland, now at Detroit, by the Plain Dealer.

     The message read as follows:  “Am leaving for Kokomo tonight with Pierpoint, Skeer, Louise Brunner, and Hayes.  All identified by Kokomo bankers.  Recovered $5200 Liberty bonds and $850 cash taken from Kokomo.  Bright and Miss Ogden cannot identify these men on Laketon job.  Two Kokomo officers with me.”

Failed to identify Men

E.L. Bright, cashier of the Laketon bank, and Mrs. Violet Ogden assistant cashier, accompanied Sheriff Summerland and the Kokomo men to Detroit yesterday afternoon.  A.E. Gorton, cashier of the South Kokomo bank which was robbed, and Vernon Shaw, a customer in the bank, went to Detroit and easily identified the men as those who did the Kokomo robbing.

     Those taken to Kokomo are:  Harry Pierpoint; alias Frank Mason of Indianapolis; Thadeus “Ted” Skeer, 24, of Fort Wayne; Miss Louise Brunner, 22 years old, Skeer’s sweetheat, also of Fort Wayne.

Loot is Found

     Pierpont was found with $1,000 on his person and bonds and securities totally $5,100 were uncovered in the apartment where the trio was found.  The loot originally amounted to $9,100 in negotiable securities and about $2,000 in Liberty bonds.

     Suspicion was directed toward Skeer, it is said, when it was learned that the machine used by the bandits had been stolen in Ft. Wayne a few days before.

     He was suspected of the automobile theft, and when  the robbery was reported, police began working on the theory that he was implicated.  The machine was tolen from John L. Anguish, Boy Scout executive here.

----

This follow up article to the robbery of the Laketon bank, highlights that the cashier failed to identify Harry PIERPONT (1902-1934) as one of the robbers.

Sunday Supper : Snowball cake

Snowball cake

Makes 12 servings

Bonnie Wright liked coconut and this was a favorite dessert of hers that she liked to take to pitch-ins at church.  This dessert needs to set overnight or freeze until you're ready for it.  

    3 packages Knox gelatin                                        
    4 tablespoons cold water                                       
    1 cup boiling water                                            
    2 tablespoons lemon juice                                      
    1 cup sugar                                                    
    1 16-ounce can crushed pineapple ( drained?)                   
    3 8-ounce cartons cool whip                                    
    1 stale or second-day angel food cake                          
    1 cup coconut                                                  
    1/2 cup chopped nuts                                           
    Maraschino cherry     
                                         
Mix gelatin in cold water until dissolved.   Add boiling water, lemon juice, sugar, and pineapple.   Set until partly jellied in refrigerator.   Tear up in small pieces the angel food cake.   Fold 2 (8oz) cartons of cool whip and cake into gelatin mixture.   Put in a 9x13 pan.  Set overnight or freeze until you are ready for it.   Mix 1 cup coconut and 1 (8oz) carton of Cool Whip.  Frost cake.   Sprinkle coconut on top and decorate with maraschino cherries.


Sunday Supper – a new series dealing with food, family recipes and the American family tradition of sitting down to a special dinner on Sunday. Share your memories, your favorite dishes here. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Family Recipe Friday: Grandma's Sugar Cookies

Grandma LeMaster with Rachael, Ally & Ashley, 2010

Several years ago I started baking  and decorating Christmas cookies with my four granddaughters.   We do it on the Sunday before Christmas so their parents could wrap gifts and do some last minute shopping.   It seems it has become a tradition that the four girls don't want to give up.   They enjoy cutting out and decorating the cookies.   As they have gotten older, I've noticed how creative they can be.   Naturally, I wanted a sugar cookie that tastes good and this seems to be the one they like:

Christmas Sugar Cookies  

    1 1/4 cups sugar                                               
    1 cup Crisco Butter Flavored Shortening                        
    2 eggs                                                         
    1/4 cup light corn syrup or                                    
    Pancake syrup                                                  
    1 tablespoon vanilla extract                                   
    3 cups flour                                                   
    3/4 teaspoon baking powder                                     
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda                                       
    1/2 teaspoon salt               

                               

Combine sugar and Butter Flavored Crisco in large bowl.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs, syrup, and vanilla.  Beat until well blended and fluffy.  Add flour, baking powder, soda, and salt to creamed mixture at low speed.  Mix until well blended.  Divide dough into 4 quarters.  TIP:  If dough is too sticky or too soft to roll: wrap each quarter of dough with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Roll dough on floured pastry cloth or spread 1 tablespoon of flour on large sheet of waxed paper.  Place 1/4 of dough on floured paper.  Flatten slightly with hands.  Turn dough over and cover with another large sheet of waxed paper.  Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.   Cut out with floured cutter.  Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.  Place 2 in. apart.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar or colored sugar crystals, or leave plain to frost when cooled.   Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375 for 5-9 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies,  (bake smaller, thinner cookies closer to 5 minutes; larger cookies closer to 9 minutes.  DO NOT OVERBAKE.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Cool completely, then frost if desires.  Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Family Recipe Friday – is an opportunity to share your family recipes with fellow bloggers and foodies alike. Whether it’s an old-fashioned recipe passed down through generations, a recipe uncovered through your family history research, or a discovered recipe that embraces your ancestral heritage share them on Family Recipe Friday. This series was suggested by Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist.

Wordless Wednesday : The Candidates (1982)

1982 Republican Candidates, Madison County, Indiana

Township List Voting Places

Anderson Herald, Anderson, Indiana, October 31, 1954, p. 12

My maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Virgil (Edna Muriel) WRIGHT, was listed as Precinct Four election judge in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  The location of the voting place was Orestes City Hall.


Her brother, Cloyd PIERCE's residence, was listed as the site of Precinct Five voting.

Metzner Family, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana (1907)

Source: Complete Directory of Jay County, M. & M. Directory Co., Portland, Ind., p. 

These listings of the METZNER family in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana appear to be for close relatives.


I believe that the Elizabeth METZNER was the widow of George W. METZNER, who died May 16, 1875.  George was the son of John and Catherine (YOUNG) METZNER.


The Wesley METZNER, with wife Nora, living in section 6, was Wesley F. METZNER, son of John Adam and Clara (MOULTON) METZNER.  He and Elnora M. AXE were married October 20, 1898 in Jay County, Indiana.

Black Sheep Sunday: Robbery Suspects Arrested

Source: Wabash Plain Dealer, Wabash, Indiana, April 2, 1915

ROBBERY SUSPECTS ARRESTED

Two men and women nabbed in Detroit may solve both Laketon and Kokomo thefts

     There is every reason to believe that the bandits who robbed the Laketon bank have been captured.  A United Press dispatch this afternoon told of the capturing in Detroit of two men and a woman who were identified with the robbery of the Kokomo bank, and Sheriff Summerland with other officials who have been on the job are fairly well convinced that the same men that visited at Kokomo also robbed the Laketon institution.

     A United Press dispatch received by the Plain Dealer this afternoon stated that private detectives today arrested Louise Brummer, 22, Fort Wayne, with Frank Mason, 24, alias Harry Pierpont, and Thadius Skeer, 23, in connection with the robbery last week of a Kokomo bank.

     When taken Mason had $850 on his person.

     These are the names that local officials got at Kokomo on a recent trip there in connection with the Laketon robbery investigation since they were strongly of the opinion that they were after the same group because the robberies were so much alike. 

Same Methods

     “They took exactly the same methods at Laketon as they did at Kokomo,” said Sheriff Summerland.  “They went in unmasked, proceeded the same way in the actual robbing and took pennies, dimes and quarters just as they did at Laketon.”

SHERIFF TO DETROIT

     Sheriff Summerland and E.L. Bright, cashier of the Laketon bank, are to join the Kokomo bankers and officials on the 4:50 train to Detroit this afternoon to try to identify the men.

     Kokomo is of the opinion that the same men are connected with the Laketon job, according to Sheriff Summerland who telephoned this afternoon to Kokomo.

     Bright, the Laketon man, and the Kokomo bank officials are the ones who will identify the bandits since they are the only ones who got a really good look at them.

Story of Capture

     Mr. Summerland was in the police offices at Kokomo when the officials there got on the trail of the woman and two men.  The clue began when Detective Pappert at Fort Wayne telephoned to the Kokomo officials, saying that he had a tip that the woman, Louise Brummer, had left Fort Wayne on a certain train, saying that she was going to meet her friend, Thadius Skeer, who was in trouble.

     A Pinkerton detective was in the Kokomo office when the message came in and he at once telephoned to his headquarters in Indianapolis asking if he might trail her.  Permission was given and the man from Kokomo started.  He got into communication with a Pinkerton man at Detroit and the latter got on the train out of the city.  A note to the conductor was a means of identifying the Brummer woman for the Detroit detective and when she alighted at the Detroit station both men trailed her.

Get All Three of Them

     In the apartment at Detroit, to which she went they found her and the two men.  They were arrested and are held on a charge of robbery.

     The man Pierpoint is said to have been the leader of the gang that robbed the Marion bank and he was the only one that was not captured.  There were seven of them in all and every man said that Pierpoint was their leader.  Sheriff Summerland has a picture of Pierpoint and got information regarding him at Kokomo.

     “Kokomo officials will go to Detroit at once to get the bandits,” said Sheriff Summerland.  “As soon ass they bring them there we will go over at once and see whether we can connect them up with the Laketon robbery.  If so we will get them when Kokomo gets through, but that may be ten years.”

---

This article details capture of Harry PIERPONT (1902-1934) and his gang who robbed banks in Indiana during the 1924-25 period.  Harry later rose to fame as part of the Dillinger "Terror Gang".  He was suspected in the robbery of the Laketon bank.

Surname Saturday : Maternal Line Recap

This post is a recap of Surname Saturday posts of my maternal lines.  Taking a six-generation view of my pedigree chart, these are the families that would be in my maternal line:

• WRIGHT Madison County, IN>Brown County, OH>Pennsylvania>Middlesex Co, MA>SCT
• HEATON Brown County, OH>Loudon County, VA>Massachusetts
• KING Madison County, IN>Ohio>North Carolina
• SHAW Madison County, IN>Pennsylvania
• PIERCE Madison County, IN>Wayne County, IN>Vermont>Worchester County, MA>Middlesex County, MA>ENG
• GROENENDYKE Fayette County, IN>Middlesex County, NJ>New Amsterdam
• PENISTEN Madison County, IN>Pike County, OH>New Jersey
• ALDERMAN Madison County, IN>August County, VA
• LAMBERTSON Madison County, IN>Hamilton County, IN>Preble County, OH>Butler County, OH>Warren County, NJ
• COOK Butler County, OH
• BEALS Hamilton County, IN>Clinton County, OH>Jefferson County, TN>Guilford County, NC>Chester County, PA>ENG
• POE Morgan County, IN>Chatham County, NC
• (unknown)
• (unknown)
• DAVIS Owen County, IN>Monroe County, IN
• SWAFFORD Monroe County, IN>Mississippi>Greenville County, SC>IRE

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 atGeneaBloggers.

Candidate for Township Advisory Board

Anderson Herald, Anderson, Indiana, October 27, 1954, page 13

Virgil WRIGHT, my maternal great-grandfather, was a candidate for the general election in 1954 for the job of Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana Advisory Board.

FindAGrave Success: Elvin Cooper LeMaster (1912-2000)

Thanks to a FindAGrave contributor, I know have a photograph of the tombstone of my paternal great-uncle, Elvin Cooper LeMaster (1912-2000) from the Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Columbus, Ohio.  His obituary from the Portland Commercial-Review was previously posted here.


Elvin was the youngest of the children of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (WEHRLY) LeMASTER, born July 9, 1912 in Jay County, Indiana.  He married Cleo Belle HANKS in 1933 and they had 4 children.

Thanksgiving Day Souvenir

This postcard was sent to my paternal great-aunt Vera Haley, by her future husband, Clarence Stuber.  The postmark is hard to read, but likely from Spencerville, Ohio.  


Nov. 26, 1912


Dear friend how are you?  I am feeling fine.  this has been rather cold.  Carry moved in from the summer kitchen today.  I expect you are expecting to have a roast for Thanksgiving.  The folks are all coming out to the farm Thursday.


I remain as ever.

Clarence


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

Wordless Wednesday: Guess How Many Peanuts

Betty (Lanning) LeMaster & Doug Davies, September 2011

Thanksgiving Joys

Mrs. Clarence Stuber
Spencerville, Ohio
R.R. # 4


Well I expect when this gets to your place you will have the cake baked.  don't bring anything more.  Just yourselfs.  Think Nora will be here.


Ma


---
This postcard, postmarked Portland, Indiana, November 25, 1930, was sent to my paternal great-aunt, Vera (Haley) Stuber, by her mother, Cora (Metzner) Haley.


The Nora mentioned was Vera's sister.

Thanksgiving Greetings

Clarence Stuber

Portland, Ind.

R.F.D.

I wish you a happy Thanksgving

From your friend

Eva Jeter

----

This postcard, postmarked Portland, Indiana, November 25, 1910, was sent to my paternal great-uncle, Clarence Stuber.

Pierpont Family in Indianapolis, 1919

Polk's 1919 City Directory, Indianapolis, Indiana

Continuing my research into the PIERPONT family in Indianapolis, the 1919 Polk's Directory at Archive.org listed the following PIERPONTS [h=house, b=boarder].  I have been hoping to find out more about the early days of Harry Pierpont.

Pierpont Clarence M mach h1150 Spruce

Pierpont Cora F clk CCC&StLRy r1150 Spruce

Pierpont Edw L lab h1462 S Harding

Pierpont Ezra M mach h206 N Chester av

Pierpont Fern M bkpr Fidelity Trust Co r54th and Keystone av

Pierpont Frank (USA) r1742 W Morris

Pierpont Jno E (USA) r1742 W Morris

Pierpont Jno T woodwkr r1742 W Morris

Pierpont Macel lndrs r967 King av

Pierpont Wm E mech h967 King av

Pierpont Wm R finisher h2812 Schofield av

Harry's  sister Fern is working as a bookkeeper for Fidelity Trust Co., same as she was in the 1918 directory.  In that directory, her residence was 1107 Blaine.


The unidentified Clarence PIERPONT appears to have moved between 1918-1919, in the 1918 directory he was living at 1819 Southeastern avenue.  The Cora listed at the same address as Clarence could be his wife.


The Edward L. PIERPONT may be the same as the one found in earlier directories, who I believe was the son of John T. and Hester PIERPONT.   In the 1918 directory, he was living at 1747 Blain avenue.  Edward was a younger brother of Harry's father, Joseph Gilbert.


The Ezra M PIERPONT, the machinst, is I believe the brother of Edward L, also another son of John T. and Hester PIERPONT.  In the 1918 directory, he was living at 1036 Blain avenue.


The Frank and John E PIERPONT, listed as serving in the U.S. Army, are the sons of John T. and Hester PIERPONT.


The John T. PIERPONT, woodworker, is the patriarch of most of the Indianapolis Pierpont families.  He is living at the same household he was living in the 1918 directory.


The remaining Pierponts are unidentified into this family group at this time.


The listing for the 1918 directory can be found here.


Again, where was Harry's father, Joseph Gilbert and the rest of the family living at this time?  Why are they found in the 1920 census in Indianapolis, but not in any directories between 1912-1920 period?

Greeting For Thanksgiving

Miss Vera Haley

Portland Ind.

R.F.D. 9

Dear Friend -

How are you? I am feeling fine.  I had Rosa to phone to Wm. Haley to see how Ruth was and I was pleased to hear she was improved.   I wish you a merry Thanksgiving.

I remain,

Clarence

---

This postcard, postmarked Fort Recovery, Ohio, November 23, 1911, was sent to my paternal great-aunt, Vera Haley, by her future husband, Clarence Stuber.

The Ruth mentioned was Vera's younger sister (and my grandmother), only 6 months old at the time.

Black Sheep Sunday: Saws Are Found In Cells Of Alleged Bandits At Kokomo

Source: Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, April 7, 1925, p. 1.


SAWS ARE FOUND IN CELLS OF ALLEGED BANDITS AT KOKOMO


Kokomo, Ind., April 6. - Escape of Harry Pierpont and Thaddeus Skeer, charged with bank banditry in connection with the South Kokomo bank robbery, is believed to have been frustrated this afternoon when search was made of their cells at the Howard county jail where they are being confined.


Bar Partially Severed.


Ten saws, of which four had been used, were found concealed in the jail, and a bar was found partially severed.  The prisoners had been held but two days before the alleged plot to escape was discovered.


Prosecuting Attorney Homer H. Miller has ordered an investigation of the escape attempt.  Sheriff Joseph M. Lindley asserts that no visitors have been allowed in the cell house.  A heavy guard is being maintained at the jail, day and night, by local authorities, who fear friends may attempt a delivery.


Miss Louise Brunner of Ft. Wayne, who is held as a witness, was released under bond tonight and allowed to return with her mother.  Skeer and Pierpont were taken into city court today ad the date fore their preliminary hearing set for Thursday.  Attorneys have been engaged to fight the charges against the prisoners.


Pierpont's parents arrived in Kokomo yesterday.  Pierpont's attorneys do not yet admit his name is any other than Frank mason, the name he gave in Detroit.


E.L. Bright, cashier of the Laketon State Bank, which was robbed Monday of $1,968, and Violet Odgen, assistant cashier, saw Skeer, Pierpont and Hayes in Detroit, but were unable to identify them as the Laketon bandits.


A hardware dealer from Lebanon, who sought to identify the suspects as bandits who held him up several weeks ago and took a number of pistols and firearms, was unable to identify them yesterday.


Fort Wayne police, investigating the activities of "Ted" Skeer, Pierpont and "Whitey" Hayes, have strong evidence that the trio was involved in the holdup of the A & P store there March 21, according to Associated Press dispatches from that city.


------
This article is another in a series of follow-up stories to the robberies of the South Kokomo State Bank 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.