Two Fires In Three Years Destroy Home

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

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

BLAZE DESTROYS FARM RESIDENCE

Jay County Family Away As Fire Starts

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

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

Harry N. Whisler household, 1940, Hamilton County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the Harry N. Whisler household in Hamilton County, Indiana.  Harry was my maternal first cousin 3 times removed.  Our common ancestors were Carey W. Lambertson and Clara E. Cook.  Harry's parents were Omer Anderson Whisler and Lola May Lambertson.

1940 U.S. census, Hamilton County, Indiana, population schedule, Jackson Township, enumeration district (ED) 29-13, SD 6, sheet 3B, household 59, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, Harry and his wife were living in Jackson Township.  The census states that Harry was renting his home for $10 per month and that it was on a farm.  Harry was 33 years old and born in Indiana.  His wife, Edna, was 23 years old and born in Indiana.  In 1935 their residence was the same place.

The record shows that Harry had completed the 8th grade and that Edna had completed 4 years of high school.  Harry's occupation was listed as operator of a farm and Edna had no occupation listed.

Also living in the household was son Russel L., age 3, born in Indiana.

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

Am I Really Irish?

While celebrating St. Patrick's Day yesterday at work by dressing up all in green, I was asked if I was Irish, as LeMaster didn't strike a co-worker as a particularly Irish name.  I've been working on my genealogy off and on for years, and have identified a few Irish ancestors - though some were actually Scots-Irish.

My DNA results for ethnicity from Ancestry did show 17% Irish.  

Irish Ancestors :

[unknown] Gary : My paternal 4th-great grandfather, an as yet unknown man, was reported as being born in Ireland by my 3rd-great grandmother on the 1880 census.  Rachel Gary was born March 25, 1816 in Fairfield County, Ohio.  This is the only paternal Irish line that I'm aware of at the moment.

Martha McPheeters : Martha was my maternal 7th-great grandmother, the daughter of William McPheeters and Rebecca Thompson.  Martha was born in Ireland. She married Samuel Downey in Pennsylvania and died 1801 in Clark County, Kentucky. She was the mother of at least ten children: Ann, Betsey, Isabella, Margaret, Martha, Rebecca, Samuel, William, Mary and Janet.

Peter Swafford : Peter was my maternal 7th-great grandfather.  According to my database he was born circa 1740 in Dublin, Ireland and died in Greenville, South Carolina.  He married Rennie Howard and was the father of eight children.

Rennie Howard : Rennie was my maternal 7th-great grandmother, the wife of Peter Swafford.  According to my database, she was born circa 1745 in Dublin, Ireland and died in South Carolina.  She was the mother of eight children: Jacob, Isaac, William, Paul, Abraham, Aaron, John and Thomas.

Elizabeth Hedge : Elizabeth was my maternal 7th-great grandmother, the wife of David Crockett.  According to my database, she was born 1730 in Ireland and died August 1777 in Hawkins County, North Carolina.  She was the mother of at least three children: William, John and Alexander.

William Wardlaw : William was my maternal 7th-great grandfather, the son of Robert Wardlaw.  According to my database, he was born circa 1700 in either Scotland or Ireland.  He married Jane Harper and died in 1762 in Augusta County, Virginia.  He was the father of seven children : James, John, Hugh, Joseph, Robert, William and Margaret.

Joshua Hadley : Joshua was my maternal 8th-great grandfather, the son of Simon and Ruth Hadley.  Joshua was born March 6, 1703 in Kings County, Ireland.  He married Patience Brown in 1735 and died after 1760 in Cane Creek, North Carolina.  He was the father of nine children: Mary, Jeremiah, Joshua, Joseph, Deborah, Hannah, Catherine, Lydia and Simon.

William Millikan : William was my maternal 8th-great grandfather.  According to my database, he was born circa 1720 in Ireland.  He married in 1740 Chester County, Pennsylvania to Jane White.  He was the father of ten children: Abigail, Sarah, David, Mary, William, Benjamin, Hannah, Alexander, Martha and Samuel.

William McPheeters : William was my maternal 8th-great grandfather.  According to my database, he was born between 1687 and 1691 in Ireland and died in 1773 in Augusta County, Virginia.  He married Rebecca Thompson and was the father of eight children: Martha, Anne, Mary, John, David, Janett, Samuel and William.

Willam McPheeters : William was my maternal 9th-great grandfather.  He was born circa 1662 in Scotland.  He married Janet McClellan and died circa 1699 in Ireland.  

Simon Hadley : Simon was my maternal 9th-great grandfather, the son of Simon Hadley.  According to my database, Simon was born 1677 in Ireland and died 1756 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  He was married to Ruth [surname unknown] and the father of eight children.

Ruth [surname unknown]: Ruth was my maternal 9th-great grandmother, the wife of Simon Hadley.  According to my database, she was born in 1677 in Ireland and died December 8, 1750 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  She was the mother of eight children : Joseph, Deborah, Joshua, Simon, Hannah, Ruth, Catherine and Ann.

John Allen : John was my maternal 9th-great grandfather, the son of John Allen.  According to my database, John was born August 3, 1694 in Ireland.  He married Amy Cox in March 1719 in Chester County, Pennsylvania and died September 16, 1771 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  He was the father of nine children : John, Rebecca, Amy, Elizabeth, William, Joseph, Mary, Phebe and Benjamin.

Simon Hadley : Simon was my maternal 10th-great grandfather.  According to my database, he was born 1640 in Ireland and died circa 1711.  He married Katherine Talbot and was the father of at least four children : John, Elizabeth, Jane and Simon.

Thomas Dixon : Thomas was my maternal 10th-great grandfather, the husband of Rose.  All I have in my database is that he was born before 1635 in Ireland and died after 1680 in New Castle County, Delaware. 

Rose [unknown surname] : Rose was my maternal 10th-great grandmother, the wife of Thomas Dixon.  All I have in my database is that she was born before 1641 in Ireland and died after 1671 in Delaware.  She was the mother of at least three children: William, Dinah and Rose.

Looking over these names, I realize I have a lot more research to do on these lines to fill in the gaps in the research.