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.


---
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]


----
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.

Only Shop In Point Isabel Is A Draw

undated, Marion Chronicle-Tribune, Marion, Indiana

ONLY SHOP IN POINT ISABEL IS A DRAW


Crossroads town also can boast new fire station


Point Isabel - Billie Conaway, 65, runs the only shop in town.  


And it's not a typical, run-of-the-mill place, either.  The building, nestled on the corner of Ind. 26 and Ind. 13, is home to a giant garage sale.


Guests can find hubcaps, Christmas ornaments, a sink, clothes and much more as they weave around piles of unusual artifacts scattered inside and outside the building.


"People love going through old boxes," Conaway said as she warmed herself Sunday in front of a wooden stove that heats the building.  "They think they are going to find some treasure or some antiques.  Who knows?  Maybe they will."


The unnamed business attracts a good number of customers because of its location, according to Conaway.


But the same can't be said for the town.


What many people do when they approach the busy highway intersection in town is just keep driving.


"There's not much to do here," said LP Cummings, 72.  "It's pretty quiet out here other than the traffic and those semis that are awfully noisy."


Cummings and his wife, Edith, own two acres in town.  The land is used for gardening and a small pond that Cummings stocks with bass, bluegill and crappies.


"I don't know how many people live around here," the 12-year resident said as he counted the number of neighbors on his fingers.  "Maybe 15.  Maybe a few more.  There's only a few houses, no big businesses.  It's just a quiet place."


Other than traffic, nothing much ever happens around Point Isabel.  It's been a quiet little place ever since it was first established in 1859.


The post office closed shortly after it opened and residents now receive their mail through Fairmount.


Point Isabel was named for an Ohio town of the same name.


Across the street from Conaway's rummage sale business is the town's new volunteer fire department firehouse.  It was dedicated earlier this year and houses four fire trucks.  The volunteer fire department first opened its doors July 18, 1948.


"But I like it here," Cummings said.  "I wouldn't live anyplace else if I had a choice.  I like the rural area.  It feels good to be out in the open."


---
This undated article, likely from the Marion Chronicle-Tribune, quotes my father-in-law, Luther Patrick Cummings (1926-2004).

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.


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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.

Surname Saturday : Paternal Lines Recap

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

• LEMASTERS Jay County, IN>Shelby County, OH>Mason County, VA>Charles County, MD>St. Mary's County, MD
• YOUNG Pickaway County, OH>Shelby County, OH>Berkeley County, VA>Germany
• CHEW Burlington County, NJ>Gloucester County, NJ>Flushing, NY>ENG
• WOOLSTON Burlington County, NJ>ENG
• WEHRLY Jay County, IN>Preble County, OH>York County, PA
• PETRY York County, PA>GER
• SMITH Cass County, MI>Clark County, OH>New Jersey
• MAXSON Green County, OH>Monmouth County, NJ>Westerly, RI>ENG
• HALEY Jay County, IN>Erie County, OH>Fairfield County, OH>SWITZ
• GARY Fairfield County, OH
• SHERRICK Ashland County, OH>York County, PA>Lancaster County, PA>SWITZ
• JACOBS York County, PA>Lancaster County, PA
• METZNER Jay County, IN>Licking County, OH>GER
• YOUNG Jay County, IN>FRANCE
• MOULTON Licking County, OH>Rutland County, VT>Hartford County, CT
• PHILBRICK Licking County, OH>Massachusetts>Hillsborough County, NH

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.