Marriage Application : Archibald E. Chew (1909)

APPLICATION FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE - MALE

1. Full christian and surname of the man is Archibald E. Chew

2. Color white

3. Where born Salamonia, Ind.

4. When born 1883 - May 6

5. Present residence Boyne City, Mich.

6. Present occupation Lumberman

8. Is the male contracting party of nearer blood kin to the female contracting party than second cousin?  No

9. Full christian and surname of father C.A.W. Chew

10. His color white

11. His birthplace Marshall Co. Ind.

12. His occupation Farming

13. His residence New Corydon, Ind.

14. Full christian and maiden name of mother Rebecca F. Shoemaker

15. Her color white

16. Her occupation housework

17. Her birthplace Salamonia, Ind. Ohio

18. Her residence New Corydon, Ind.

19. Has the male contracting party been an inmate of any county asylum or home for indigent persons within the last five years? No

21. Is this his first marriage? Yes

26. Is the male contracting party afflicted with epilepsy, tuberculosis, venereal or any other contagious or transmissible disease? No

27. Is he an imbecile, feeble minded, idiotic or insane, or is he under guardianship as a person of unsound mind? No

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This application was signed by Archibald E. CHEW on October 27, 1909.  He was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed.  He married Clara I. MARTIN on October 27, 1909 in Jay County, Indiana.

Ancestry.com has record of the marriage license in their database as well.

This application for a marriage license was part of the collection found at the Jay County Historical Society.  The society has made copies of many of the marriage application books, making research easier on days when the courthouse is closed.

FindAGrave Success: Nathan C. Beals

 

So glad to report a success from a FindAGrave volunteer, Richard M.C.P. Mann, who was able to capture the image of the tombstone of my maternal 5th-great grandfather, Nathan C. BEALS (1789-1867) from the Lynchburg Cemetery in Humboldt, Richardson County, Nebraska.

Nathan was born within the confines of Lost Creek Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends in Jefferson County, Tennessee, the son of John and Mary (CARTER) BEALS, on 9th month, 3rd day of 1789.  His middle initial "C." may stand for "Carter", though unconfirmed.  A birthright Quaker, he was said to have been disowned circa 1810-1811 by an Ohio meeting.  This story was reported in the "Chronology of the Beals Family", written by his son John T. BEALS, but has yet to be confirmed through original records.

Nathan later became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, no doubt influenced by his wife, Elizabeth CHEW (1802-1881).  They were married in November 25, 1820 in Clinton County, Ohio and were the parents of ten children: Daniel, Mary Ann Maria, Andrew, John T., Sarah, Amy, Nathan H., Thomas J., Elizabeth, and Seth W.  My ancestor is their third son, John T.

Nathan was elected as County Assessor of Hamilton County, Indiana in the 1840s and lived in both Hamilton and Howard County, Indiana before moving west to Richardson County, Nebraska after the Civil War.  It was there that he died September 5, 1867 and was buried.  His widow, Elizabeth, moved back to Indiana were she died January 26, 1881 in Converse, Miami County, Indiana.

Genealogy Takes You In Some Interesting Directions

Genealogy research can take you in some interesting directions.  Whether it is tromping through neglected cemeteries or researching in musty courthouses, research can quickly take you from facts and names to a study of any number of sidebars that help flesh out the "family history", no matter how inconsequential.


Yesterday, we needed to head to nearby Kokomo to pick up some items at Menard's from their sale ad in preparation for an upcoming graduation party.  Seizing an opportunity, I mentioned to Eileen that I wanted to see if I could locate the exact location of the South Kokomo Bank that my distant cousin Harry PIERPONT robbed in 1925.  Like the trooper she is, she agreed to indulge me in my quest.


To say I've become fascinated with the stories of Harry's early bank robberies and later association with the Dillinger gang would be an understatement.  I've enjoyed transcribing the newspaper articles and hope to share more of them with you over the next few weeks.  Though he was not a nice man, he's definitely a character in terms of family history.  I think that is what draws me to him.  That and the desire to see if it is possible to determine what exactly makes someone cross that line over to the criminal life.  A question that will probably never be answered.


Anyway, after completing our shopping we stopped at the location in Kokomo at the corner of Main and Markland where I believe the bank was located.  Today this area is a bit run down, and the building is empty.  I felt a little nervous leaving Eileen in the van while I stepped outside to investigate.  The building has been split into two businesses. The shop in the front is no longer in use, nor is the strip club in the back.   Though the photo does not show it, at the top of the building were the words "1916 - Plate Block" inscribed in the building.  I was hoping to find the words "bank" or something similar to confirm my suspicions.

Corner of Main & Markland, Kokomo, Indiana, 15 May 2011

The view of the building from the satellite shows the train tracks that dissect the northwest corner of the building.



View Larger Map


Alas, the library was closed on Sunday or I would have dragged Eileen over there to look in the city directories to confirm the location of the bank. The sad thing is that I did locate this information previously, but for some reason must not have photocopied the entry from the city directory.  Fortunately, Kokomo is not that far out of the way for me, and I'll be able to confirm later whether or not this was the sight of the South Kokomo Bank robber.


Until next time...