LeMaster Deaths: Jay County, Indiana

Source: Deaths, Jay County, Indiana: Jay County Historical Society, Portland, Indiana

This copy of a page from a compiled notebook of Jay County, Indiana deaths was obtained on my last trip to the Jay County Historical Society in Portland, Indiana.  


The pages list the name of the deceased, place of death, date of death, sex, age, book and page of death record, and what cemetery they are buried in.  These records are more modern than the W.P.A. indices of the county which only cover up to 1920.  This appears to be a computerized index.


LeMaster, Arthur R., Portland, IN, Dec. 16, 1971, M, 85, CH-3, 335, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, Chesley F., Portland, Aug. 9, 1960, M, May 25, 1890, CH-2, 98, Salamonia, Jay Co., IN
LeMaster, Dortha, Salamonia, IN, May 24, 1976, F, 73, H-12, 90, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, John L., Jr., Portland, IN, Mar. 27, 1973, M, 50, CH-4, 47, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, John L., Sr., Portland, IN, Jan. 13, 1980, M, 77, CH-4, 233, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, Larry D., Jay County, IN, Feb. 28, 1974, M, 24, H-12, 70, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, Maude G., Portland, IN, Jan. 31, 1967, F, 78, H-12, 2, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, Roger A., Salamonia, IN, Mar. 5, 1972, M, 45, H-12, 46, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN
LeMaster, William A., Portland, IN, Oct. 15, 1978, M, 54, CH-4, 201, Salamonia, Salamonia, IN


Definitely good information to have, especially the exact book and page numbers to request copies of death certificates.

Postcard: Sheridan's Ride

Mrs. Sue Alderman

Pimento, Indiana

RR # 2

Receivd cards  Many thanks.  How I would love to see you.  Come out again.  Am fine.  Going home Xmas.  Do come out again.  Wish I could eat my Xmas with you.  Your girlie Mary.

---

This postcard, postmarked December 21, 1910 from Hansford, Texas, was sent to Mrs. Sue ALDERMAN of R.R. 2 Pimento, Indiana.  The card is part of my parents' collection, and is believed to have a family connection.


Checking Ancestry.com, I searched for Sue ALDERMAN in Vigo County, Indiana during this time period.  Three quick hits showed up:  the 1900 and 1910 census records, and the Indiana Death Index.  


In 1900, living in Prairie Creek Township, Vigo County, she is listed as Sue ALDERMAN, wife of John W. ALDERMAN, age 55, born February 1845.  She had been married 25 years and had no children.  She was born in Indiana, her father was born in Virginia, and mother was born in Ohio.  Husband John was a farmer, age 53, born October 1846 in Illinois, with both parents born in Indiana.


In 1910, living in Prairie Creek Township, Vigo County, she is listed as Susannah ALDERMAN, wife of John W. ALDERMAN, age 65.  This is listed as her second marriage, and she was the mother of 2 children, only 1 living.  She was born in Indiana, father born in Ohio and mother born in Indiana.  Husband John was a farmer, age 65, his first marriage, born in Illinois, with both parents born in Indiana.


The Indiana Death Index on Ancestry compiles information from the W.P.A. indices of Vigo County.  That reference shows Susie A. ALDERMAN died June 18, 1913 in Prairie Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana.  The death record is located in Book H-42, page 136.


The question remains, how is this person related to my ALDERMAN line?  There was a John W. ALDERMAN, son of Richard and Eliza (________) ALDERMAN, born circa 1845 in my history.  He would have been a brother to my 3rd-great grandmother, Jane Ann ALDERMAN.  My database is silent on this John W. ALDERMAN after the 1860 census of Anderson, Madison County, Indiana, when he would have been 15 years old.  Those records have his birth as Indiana, but the ALDERMAN clan was known to have bounced back and forth between Indiana and Illinois.  


While I don't know for sure that this card was to a relative, for some reason it ended up in my family's "stuff", so I have circumstantial evidence to warrant further research.

Black Sheep Sunday: Kokomo Bandit In Prison Break

Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, December 29, 1930, page 1.

KOKOMO BANDIT IN PRISON BREAK

HARRY PIERPONT AND ELEVEN OTHERS FAIL IN BOLT FOR FREEDOM

Desperate Criminals Gain Control of Their Cell Block at Michigan City Prison, but Surrender Without Bloodshed When City Police and Firemen Reinforce Guards -- Overpowered Guard Shouts Alarm -- Sawed Bars and Rope Ladder Tell of Well Plotted Scheme -- Prisoners Without Arms -- Leaders Placed in Solitary Confinement

Michigan City, Ind., Dec. 29. - (AP) - An elaborately planned jail break attempt failed at the Indiana state prison today.  A combined force of guards, city police and firemen forced 12 desperate criminals who had gained control of their cell block to surrender without bloodshed.

The 12 men, most of them bank robbers or murderers, had overpowered their guard, Guy Burklow, but not before he shouted an alarm to outside guards.

The convicts barricaded the doors and prevented prison guards from entering, but when city police and armed firemen augmented the watch on the walls, the men surrendered.

The 12 men were released from their cells by a key which prison officials said had been fashioned from a spoon by the leader of the plot, Joseph Burns, serving a term for participating in the Culver, Ind., bank robbery of 1925.

Warden Walter H. Daly said the attempted break occurred at 12:30 o'clock this morning, at a time when a limited force of guards was on duty.  The only weapon found among the twelve men was a knife, the warden said.

GUARD FORCE LIMITED

"The men were in cell house D, to the north of the administration building." Warden Daly said. "The attempted break occurred at a time when our guard force was limited.  We did not set up machine guns as reported, before the men surrendered peacefully.

"Burns, a murderer, was only one of the leaders in the plot.  All have been placed in solitary confinement."

OTHERS IN PLOT

Other prisoners besides Burns who were said to have attempted to escape were:

Harry Pierpont, Kokomo, serving 10-21 years for bank robbery; Albert Rosenberg, St. Joseph County, 25 years, robbery; James Jenkins, Greene county, serving life for murder; Dick Day, Terre Haute, 10-21 years, bank robbery; Howard Ware, Vigo county, 25 years, auto banditry; Maurice Delature, Marion county, life, habitual criminal; Frank Badgley, Miami county, life, habitual criminal; Louis West, Marion county, 16-21 years, bank robbery; Wayne Williams, Allen county, life, murder; Willard Tex, St. Joseph county, 10-21 years, robbery, and Russell Clark, Marion county, 20 years, bank robbery.

WELL PLANNED SCHEME

Prison authorities found several other indications that the attempt was well planned.  One man had sawed away two iron bars when police gained control of the cell block and another had a rope ladder ready for use.

The D cell house, in which the attempt was made, was designed to hold 340 men but was occupied by more than 500 and the attacking forces had no idea how many of these men were free.

No shots were fired on either side.  The prisoners apparently had no hidden firearms and guards inside the cell blocks do not carry weapons.

PIERPONT'S RECORD HERE

Harry Pierpont, one of the dozen who attempted to escape from the Michigan City prison, was convicted in the Howard circuit court May 6, 1925 on a charge of robbery and is serving a sentence of ten to twenty-one years.  In addition to the sentence, he was fined $1,000 and costs and disfranchised for a period of ten years.

Pierpont was one of five men convicted here of robbing the South Kokomo Bank.  Others who were convicted at the same time and on similar charges were Earl Northern, Roscoe Hayes, Everett Bridgewater, and Thaddeus Skeer.  All received penalties similar to that imposed on Pierpont.

Records of the Howard circuit court show that Pierpont's age at time of his conviction was twenty-three.  His place of residence prior to embarking in a criminal career was never clearly established.  It is said he had lived in Ft. Wayne, Toledo and Indianapolis, though not long in any of those places.  He had hung around Kokomo for some time before the bank robbery was framed.

---
Cousin Harry PIERPONT (1902-1934), just didn't want to stay behind bars. From county jails to state prisons, he was always trying to escape, right up until the end.


Black Sheep Sunday – create a post with the main focus being an ancestor with a “shaded past.” Bring out your ne’er-do-wells, your cads, your black widows, your horse thieves and tell their stories. And don’t forget to check out the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists (IBSSG). This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Sunday's Obituary: Clarence Harrison LeMaster (1888-1963)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, November 29, 1963, page 1.

LeMaster Rites Here On Sunday

Clarence H. LeMaster, 75, a resident of Salamonia, died Thursday afternoon at the Union City Memorial Hospital.  He had recently undergone major surgery and had been in failing health one year and critical for one year.  He was born in Nebraska, June 14, 1888, the son of Cooper and Isabelle (Wehrly) LeMaster and was married to Mae Bickel, Feb. 28, 1911.  She survives, along with two sons and two daughters, Kenneth LeMaster, Ridgeville, Garth LeMaster, Portland, Mrs. Glenn Hummell, Union City, R.R. 3, and Mrs. Leland Addington, Union City; 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; six brothers, Gerald LeMaster and John LeMaster, Salamonia, Floyd LeMaster, Union City, Stanley LeMaster, Akron, Ohio, Ord LeMaster, Portland, and Elvin LeMaster, Columbus, Ohio; three sisters, Mrs. Glen Lock, Middleboro, Mrs. Orville Lafollette and Mrs. Thornton Taylor, both of Akron, Ohio.

The deceased was a retired employee of the New Idea Factory at Coldwater, Ohio, and was custodian of the Salamonia United Church of Christ.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Williamson & Spencer Funeral Home in Portland.  Rev. Earl Lantz of Union City will officiate.  Burial will be in the Salamonia Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home after 6 p.m. Friday.

Sunday’s Obituary – if you have obituaries of family members and ancestors, consider posting them along with other information about that person as part of Sunday’s Obituary. This is an ongoing series developed by Leslie Ann at Ancestors Live Here.

Surname Saturday : LAMBERTSON

The LAMBERTSON surname is in my maternal line.  The origins of the surname are unknown, though speculated to be either Dutch or German.


Stories and history:


Ahnentafel # 14: Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994).  Clemon was born October 27, 1898 in Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana.  He married June 28, 1917 in Monroe County, Indiana to June Kirk Davis a.k.a. Gilliland (1898-1951).  June was born June 11, 1898 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana.  They raised 4 children in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  June died March 20, 1951 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Clemon married secondly October 11, 1952 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana to Helen B. Duncan (1911-1996).  Helen was born January 11, 1911 in Linwood, Madison County, Indiana.  They resided in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  Helen died August 30, 1996 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  Clemon died March 18, 1994 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  All are buried in the Elwood City Cemetery, Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 28: Charles Wilson Lambertson (1872-1958).  Charles was born January 25, 1872 in Preble County, Ohio.  He married April 18, 1897 in Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana to Pearl May Beals (1878-1970).  Pearl was born May 11, 1878 in Westfield, Hamilton County, Indiana.  They had 8 children and lived in Hamilton, Tipton and Madison Counties, Indiana, where Charles was a painter, carpenter and farmer. Pearl died August 3, 1970 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Charles died May 24, 1958 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Cicero Cemetery, Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 56: Carey W. Lambertson (1847-1918).  Carey was born April 29, 1847 in Butler County, Ohio.  He married October 1, 1869 in Butler County, Ohio to Clara E. Cook (1848-1943).  Clara was born November 16, 1848 in Ohio.  They raised 5 children in Hamilton and Madison Counties, Indiana, where Carey was a farmer.  Clara died January 23, 1943 in Atlanta, Hamilton County, Indiana.  Carey died March 18, 1918 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Elwood City Cemetery, Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 112: John Lambertson (c1800-1875).  John was born circa 1800 in New Jersey.  He married July 6, 1822 in Belvidere, Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey to Sarah A. Willson (c1804-1881).  Sarah was born circa 1804 in New Jersey.  They raised 10 children, moving from New Jersey to Butler  County, Ohio around the Panic of 1837.  Sarah died December 21, 1881 in Ohio.  John died October 1875 in Farmersville, Montgomery County, Ohio.  Both are buried in the Farmersville Cemetery, Farmersville, Montgomery County, Ohio.


Related blog posts:

• Photo: Lambertson and Beals

• Fearless Females: Family Document

• Charles Wilson Lambertson (1872-1958)

• A Lot Can Happen Between The Census

• Grandpa Lambertson's Accident: September 10, 1917

• Sentimental Sunday: Clemon Beals Lambertson

• Found Them In The City Directory

• Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994)

• Tombstone Tuesday: Charles Wilson and Pearl May (Beals) Lambertson

• Tombstone Tuesday: Clemon Beals and June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson

• Obituary : Carey W. Lambertson (1846-1918)

• Charles Wilson Lambertson (b. January 25, 1872)

• Clemon and June Lambertson

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.

Family Recipe Friday : Banana Salad

I was able to get mom to share another recipe & story :

Silver Lake, Indiana : September 1, 1969

Banana Salad

When I was about  9 years old,  my parents purchased a trailer and parked it at Silverlake, Ind.   We would go every weekend and take our weeks vacation there.   After I was married, my husband and I purchased a trailer and spent our weekends there also with our kids.   Every August, the trailer park would have a picnic.   One incident always comes to mind when I think of these fun picnics.  There would always be a row of tables filled with food and everyone would play jarts afterwards or sit around a campfire and play ukes.  The men always brought meat platter to use instead of paper plates.   My mother, Bonnie, took her delicious banana salad one year.  She was so proud of it and was furious when she discovered that one of the Thomas boys had eaten the entire bowl.  I can't blame him as I probably would have done the same thing.

    2 cups brown sugar                                             
    4 tablespoons flour                                            
    2 cups milk                                                    
    2 eggs                                                         
    1 stick butter                                                 
    1-2 bananas, sliced                                            
    1-2 cups crushed peanuts               
                        
Cook brown sugar, flour, milk, eggs, and butter over low heat until thick.   When cool, layer with crushed peanuts and banans alternately.

Mom, Dad & Sweet Baby Travis

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.

LeMaster Families, 1941 Portland, Indiana Directory

Source: Portland, Indiana Con-Survey Directory, 1941 (Parsons, Kansas: Baldwin and Sun), page 147

This is a scan of a page from the 1941 directory of Portland, Jay County, Indiana that contained listings of the LeMaster family.  I retrieved this on my last visit to the Jay County Public Library.

Le Master Arth (Maude) h 624 N Meridian 

Le Master John L Co Aud res Ft Recovery Ohio RD 3

Le Master Nadine mach opr Jay Garment Co h 3 Bryson Apts

Le Master Ord W (Ruth) 3 prs mn Sheller Mfg Corp r 507 E Walnut

My grandfather, Ord, was working for Sheller Manufacturing Corporation, or Sheller-Globe.  The household had 3 children at the time.



View Larger Map

Grandpa's brother, John, was County Auditor, and I thought it was odd that his mailing address was listed as Ohio.  Then my dad told me that folks who lived out in the Salamonia area had a rural delivery mailing address of nearby Fort Recovery, Ohio. Interesting.  

Black Sheep Sunday: South Side Bank Robbery, Kokomo, Indiana (1925)

Warsaw Daily Times, May 6, 1925, page 1.

HARRY PIERPONT TURNS STATE EVIDENCE IN HIS TRIAL FOR BANK ROBBERY


(Special by United Press)


Kokomo, Ind., May 6. - The defense sprang a surprise in the trial Wednesday of Harry Pierpont, Indianapolis, charged with robbing the South Side Bank here.  Pierpont took the stand and admitted practically all of the evidence contained in a confession made by Thaddeus Skeer, of Fort Wayne, who was arrested with him after the robbery.  Pierpont told of entering and holding up the bank and fleeing to Fort Wayne, where he said the loot was divided between himself and three others.  He said that the robbery was planned by Skeer.


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Cousin Harry PIERPONT (1902-1934) was sentenced to 10 to 21 years for the robbery of the South Side State Bank in Kokomo, Indiana.


Black Sheep Sunday – create a post with the main focus being an ancestor with a “shaded past.” Bring out your ne’er-do-wells, your cads, your black widows, your horse thieves and tell their stories. And don’t forget to check out the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists (IBSSG). This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Sunday's Obituary: Elvin Cooper LeMaster (1912-2000)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, May 17, 2000, page 12

Elvin C. LeMaster, 87, Columbus, Ohio, a native of Jay County, died Tuesday at Kobacker House in Columbus.

He was retired from Commercial Motor Freight of Indiana.

LeMaster was a member of the Maynard Avenue United Methodist Church, Ralplh Rickey Lodge No. 670 F&AM, Scottish Rite Valley of Columbus, and Aladdin Temple Shrine.

Surviving are his wife, Cleo; four daughters, Mrs. Max (Phyllis) Stewart, New Albany, Nancy Cooper, Columbus, Mr. Bill (Linda) Nelson, Antioch, Calif., and Mrs. Calvin (Sharol) Kelly, Columbus; one sister, Mary O. Taylor, Edgewater, Fla.; 21 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

Services are set for 11 a.m. (Ohio time) Friday at the Southwick-Good Funeral Chapel, Columbus, with Rev. Glenn Schwerdtfeger and Rev. Bruce Beavers officiating.  Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and one hour prior to services Friday.

Sunday’s Obituary – if you have obituaries of family members and ancestors, consider posting them along with other information about that person as part of Sunday’s Obituary. This is an ongoing series developed by Leslie Ann at Ancestors Live Here.

Surname Saturday : ALDERMAN

The ALDERMAN surname is in my maternal line.  The origins of the surname are not yet known.


Stories and history:


Ahnentafel # 55: Jane Ann Alderman (1843-1919). Jane was born in 1843 in Indiana or Illinois, the 1850 and 1860 census disagree.  She married circa 1868, probably Madison County, Indiana to John Penisten (c1839-1908).  John was born circa 1839 in Indiana.  They had at least 2 children and lived in Fall Creek and Richland Townships, Madison County, Indiana.  John died March 10, 1908 in Madison County, Indiana.  Jane died April 8, 1919 in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 110: Richard Alderman (1810-aft1870).  Richard was born in 1810 in Kentucky.  He married circa 1840 in Indiana to Eliza ________ (c1825-     ).  Eliza was born circa 1825 in Virginia, last living in 1850 census in Madison County, Indiana.  They raised 7 children in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana where Richard was a dairyman and farmer.  Richard last appears in the 1870 census of Madison County, Indiana, living in Richland Township.


Ahnentafel # 220: James Alderman (bef1775-bet1850/4).  James was born before 1775 in Virginia.  He married June 8, 1795 in Augusta County, Virginia to Catherine Warner (1777-1859).  Catherine was born January 1777 in Virginia.  They had 3 children.  They divorced, and Catherine remarried to John Luark/Lewark.  Catherine died September 17, 1859 in Madison County, Indiana.  James married secondly after 1800 to Martha Cantell (bef1775-    ).  Martha is my line.  Martha and James had 8 children.  James died between 1850 and 1854 in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois.


Ahnentafel # 440: Richard Alderman.  Nothing further known at this time.


Related blog posts:

• Richard Alderman Land Entry: Madison County, Indiana

• Alderman: Madison County, Indiana Civil War Vets

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.

Photo: Geneva Ruth (Aldridge) Pierce

This photo of Geneva Ruth (ALDRIDGE) PIERCE comes from the 1985 directory of the First United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.


Geneva was the widow of my maternal great granduncle, William McClellan PIERCE (1913-1978).  She was born February 18, 1914 in Goldsmith, Indiana and died April 23, 1996 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  Geneva was the daughter of Fred Curtis and Minerva (JARRETT) ALDRIDGE.

Ten Years Ago

Happy Anniversary, Eileen

Keeping Up With The Joneses

I really did have good intentions of keeping up-to-date with the Fearless Female meme from Lisa Alzo’s The Accidental Genealogist blog.  I thought the prompts were thought-provoking and like many family historians, the females tend to receive a short shift in my family.  I started out well, but it didn’t take long to fall off the pace.

I understand that these prompts are just suggestions, and there is no requirement to do them all, but I feel overwhelmed because I didn’t keep up. It’s not that I didn’t have ancestor stories to go with the prompts, I just had so much else going on that I wasn’t able to complete them.

In fact, other than a few post-dated blog posts that have appeared or are scheduled to soon post, I haven’t written much in the way of posts.  My goal has been to have something posted everyday, whether it’s only a photo or a day-of-the-week meme such as Tombstone Tuesday.  Right now, I’ve fallen down on the job, in my estimation.

Everyone who blogs on their family history does it a little bit differently and sets their own pace.  That’s one of the benefits of blogging – it’s your blog.  Yet why do I feel that I’m not keeping up with everyone else?

What is it about my personality that makes me feel lazy if I’m not busy?  I’ve a full plate at work, just jumped into local politics, and am trying to start a business on the side and I’m feeling as if I’m underperforming because I haven’t written my daily blog posts.

I have plenty of material on hand for some posts, including recently acquired articles on my blacksheep relative Harry Pierpont, estate records on Eileen’s family, military records of my grandfather, etc.  It’s just finding the time to write them down right now has me feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I’ll probably just rant a bit and then go back to my old ways – posting as much as possible with post-dated blog posts and hopefully will have something nearly every day.

Tombstone Tuesday: William Clifford LeMaster (1871-1922)

Source: Evergreen Cemetery (Colorado Springs, Colorado), W.C. LeMaster marker, photographed by Nick Hardy, 23 January 2011.

William Clifford LeMASTER, son of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (CHEW) LEMASTERS, is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Random Act of Genealogical Kindness volunteer, Nick Hardy, provided these photos for me.

Though the marker states his birth was 1870, all other indications show his birth as September 1, 1871 in Darke County, Ohio.  He married Lella Edith LEWIS on August 20, 1892 Jay County, Indiana and they had 4 children.  William died July 26, 1922 in Sedalia, Douglas County, Colorado.

Tombstone Tuesday – To participate in Tombstone Tuesday simply create a post which includes an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors and it may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Sunday's Obituary : Garth L. LeMaster (1921-1998)

Source: Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, February 6, 1998, page 10.

Garth L. LeMaster, Sr., 76, 229 W. McNeil St., Portland, died Thursday at Jay County Hospital.


He retired in 1983 from Teledyne Portland Forge and was active in the Boy Scouts for many years.


An Army veteran of World War II, he attended the Portland Friends Church.


Born April 6, 1921, in Jay County, he was the son of Clarence and Mae (Bickel) LeMaster.  He was married May 9, 1942, to Ora Lee Brady, who survives.


Surviving besides his wife are three sons, Garth L. "Mike" LeMaster, James "David" LeMaster, both of Portland, and Pat LeMaster, Pennville; one daughter, Martha "LeeAnn" Morrical, Indianapolis; one brother, Kenneth LeMaster, Portland; two sisters, Mary Hummel and Jean Coby, both of Union City; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.


Services are set for 1 p.m. Monday in the Baird-Freeman Funeral Home, Portland, with the Rev. Jerry Vincent officating.  Burial will be in the Salamonia Cemetery.  Calling will be at the funeral home from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.


Memorials may be made to Boy Scouts, Gideons, or the charity of the donor's choice.


Sunday’s Obituary – if you have obituaries of family members and ancestors, consider posting them along with other information about that person as part of Sunday’s Obituary. This is an ongoing series developed by Leslie Ann at Ancestors Live Here.

Black Sheep Sunday: A Family Business?

Logansport Pharos Tribune, April 21, 1925, page 1

LINK PRISONER WITH KOKOMO SUSPECT

Brazil, Ind., April 21 - Fred Pierpont, 22, was held in the Clay county jail today in connection with a bank robbery near Wabash, Ind., several weeks ago.  Detectives plan to grill Pierpont today in an effort to learn if he is a brother of Harry Pierpont, held for the robbery of the South Kokomo bank.  Fred was arrested at his home last night.

---

Cousin Harry PIERPONT's younger brother, Fred, was also picked up by the police.  In reading on the activities of Harry and other Dillinger associates, Fred was often arrested in an attempt to get him to talk.  How involved he was in the criminal acts, I do not yet know, but I'm having fun trying to find out.  I'm looking forward to reading more old newspaper articles - and eventually will have to visit the local libraries and courthouses to see what other records I can dig out.

Logansport Pharos Tribune, May 2, 1925, page 1.

KOKOMO BANDIT SUSPECT RELEASED


Kokomo, Ind., May 2 - Fred Pierpont, 18, of Brazil, Ind., was free today following his acquital by a jury in circuit court here on charges of aiding his brother, Harry Pierpont, alleged bank bandit, to esapce from the Howard county jail.


Harry Pierpont was arrested in Detroit in early April for alleged participation in the robbery of the South Kokomo bank last March.



Black Sheep Sunday – create a post with the main focus being an ancestor with a “shaded past.” Bring out your ne’er-do-wells, your cads, your black widows, your horse thieves and tell their stories. And don’t forget to check out the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists (IBSSG). This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Surname Saturday : PENISTEN

The PENISTEN surname is in my maternal line.  Variations include PENNISTEN, PENISTON, etc.  The origins of the surname are unknown.


Ahnentafel # 27: Clara Penisten (1869-1906).  Clara was born March 1869 in Madison County, Indiana.  She married January 14, 1892 in Madison County, Indiana to William Francis Pierce (1865-1950).  William was born July 10, 1865 in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana.  They were the parents of 7 children, only 3 of whom survived.  William died September 21, 1950 in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.  Clara died September 26, 1906 in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Maplewood Cemetery, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 54: John Penisten (c1839-1908). John was born circa 1839 in Indiana, probably in Madison County.  He married circa 1868 to Jane Ann Alderman (1843-1919).  Jane was born 1843 in Indiana.  They had 2 children.  Jane died April 8, 1919 in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.  John died March 10, 1908 in Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 108: George Washington Penisten (1813-     ).  George was born 1813 in Pike County, Ohio. He married Sarah Mustard (c1816-     ).  They came to Madison County, Indiana in the late 1830s and were the parents of 5 children in Richland Township, Madison County, Indiana.  The last census record I have for George is in 1850, the last for Sarah is in 1870.  I do not yet know when and where they died.


Ahnentafel # 216: Isaac Penisten (c1762-     ).  Isaac was born circa 1762 in New Jersey.  He married Sarah Elizabeth ________ (c1773-     ).  Sarah was born circa 1773 in Pennsylvania.  They were the parents of 5 children.  Nothing further is known at this time.  


Ahnentafel # 432: George Penisten (c1740-     ). George married Mary McCully (c1740-     ).  Mary was born circa 1740 in New Jersey.  They were the parents of at least 2 children.  Nothing further is known at this time.


Related blog posts:

• Penisten sketches of Pike County, Ohio

• Clara (Penisten) Pierce (1869-1906)

• Marriage: William Pierce to Clara Pennisten

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.

Photo: Orville, Lola and Nancy Wright

This undated photo of Orville Charles and Lola Wilson (MILLER) WRIGHT, and youngest daughter Nancy, comes from an undated directory of the First United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.


Orville was the son of Fred Albert and Cleo Marie (DORTON) WRIGHT, born November 30, 1918 in Alexandria.  He died July 3, 1986 in Alexandria.  Lola was the daughter of George Menees and Linne Ethel (WILSON) MILLER.

Photo: Fred & Cleo Wright

This photo of Fred Albert and Cleo Marie (DORTON) WRIGHT comes from an undated directory of the First United Methodist Church, Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana.  

Fred was the first cousin of my maternal great-grandfather.  He was the son of Charles and Bertha (LEONARD) WRIGHT.  Born February 3, 1893 in Alexandria, he died September 14, 1985 in Alexandria.  Cleo was the daughter of John and Rosetta (DUNN) DORTON.  She was born February 13, 1895 in Matthews, Grant County, Indiana and died April 6, 1994 in Alexandria.

Research Trip : Howard and Wabash Counties, Indiana

Spent yesterday doing a bit of research and ended up having an enjoyable day and some success.  It was a beautiful day, almost a shame to be inside at the library and courthouse.


My first stop was Kokomo to see what I could find out about Harry Pierpont and the 1925 bank robbery there.  I wanted to see what records the circuit court might have.  I could not find a parking spot at the courthouse, so ended up parking at the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, just a few blocks away.  It was a good thing that I did.


My research wasn't totally focused on PIERPONT, I did manage to find my maternal 2nd-great grandfather, Charles LAMBERTSON, listed in the 1939 Farmer's Directory of Howard County as well - a source that I'd not previously located.


The library has a very extensive local history and genealogy section, including a large amount of vertical files.  Included in these vertical files was one for Harry Pierpont, as well as one for Pearl Elliott.  I quickly made photocopies of the articles and letters that had been included in the files.  It was interesting to note other researchers had written to the library in the past, including author Ellen Poulsen, author of Don't Call Us Molls:Women of the John Dillinger Gang.


The articles I copied from the vertical files were from the Kokomo Dispatch, a  local paper not found on Ancestry.com.  Armed with this information, I headed over to the courthouse, where I assumed that I would find much more information.


Every courthouse is different, but I've been used to being able to walk into the clerk's office, ask a where certain 'big books' are located, and be left alone to wander through them.  Maybe that has spoiled me.  Not so in Howard County.  However, the clerk there was very helpful, and we struck up a conversation about the wild nature of the city in the 1920s and 1930s, once she found out what I was looking for.  She found the criminal books and came back to tell me that she couldn't find anything on Harry, which seemed strange.


Then, looking at the article in the Dispatch, it noted that he was in city court.  Now why he would have been in city court, which is normally for misdemeanors instead of a circuit court, neither of us could figure out. She told me that Harry's name was familiar, as if she had been looking for him before for someone else.  When I mentioned John Dillinger her eyes lit up. The strange thing was, the criminal book she had included records from multiple judges during that time period, almost as if there might be a missing book.  Intrigued, she offered to do some more searching for me, and I left the details of the case along with my business card.  So glad that I carry them from work - they make a good contact point.


The county clerk suggested that if records from the city court existed, they may be located with the city building.  After a false start at the Kokomo Police Department, I was directed over to the Kokomo city clerk, who was able to find where the records were located.  Problem was, they were microfilmed on 8mm, and they didn't have a reader in that office.  After checking with the city attorney - to see if it was o.k. if I could see the records, she also took down information about the case and my contact information and offered to do some checking.


So, even though I know the disposition of the case, I remain curious to the particulars.  Not sure what records, if any, might be turned up by the court.  Had I not stopped by the library first, I would have probably gone away disappointed at the county clerk's office, thinking that the records were destroyed.  Hopefully, the clerk's will be able to find something.


My next stop was Greentown, where I hoped that their Historical Society was open.  Unfortunately, it was closed, so I headed to their small public library.  I had wanted to visit it for years, thinking that it might have some information on the LAMBERTSON and BEALS families who lived in the area.  Finally able to visit, I was disappointed to find out it was a bust.  The library is so small it is attached to Eastern Howard High School.  Their "local history" section was in a back room, which was being used for storage and I had to fight stacks of shipping boxes to get into the file cabinet that had some vertical files.  Finding nothing there of interest, I did manage to look through the yearbooks from the time period, but didn't find any mention of my grandmother's family.  


After a quick lunch, I headed up to Wabash, Indiana to do some research on Eileen's family, particularly the PEFLEY line.  Their research room allowed me to roam around, and I found several records of interest, including some estate and guardianship records.  Locating them on microfiche for me, I was able to print off an extensive file on Sarah May (PEEPLES) PEFLEY, as well as Albert Duffey PEFLEY. The files offered a fascinating glimpse into the family dynamics, as the husband was seeking guardianship over his wife, who had been declared to have been of "unsound mind".  My only disappointment was that at $1.00/page, I didn't have enough funds to copy all of the files I located for other family members.  Sometimes it's hard to pick and choose what records to focus on.  So, I will have to make a return trip to Wabash County in the future.


All in all, not a bad research trip, and now I have more fodder for future posts...