Category Archives: Hancock County

Harry Brown Alexander

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Harry Brown Alexander
birth: 1 Sep 1878, Franklin, Johnson Co., IN to Milton Gregg Alexander and Laura Chambers
death: 18 Jul 1953, New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas, OH
burial: Evergreen Burial Park, New Philadelphia, OH

marriage: 4 Apr 1902, Greenfield, Hancock, IN
Anna Maria Witte
birth: 15 Oct 1879, Cumberland, Marion, IN to Friedrich “Fred” Wilhelm Witte and Maria “Christine” Hartmann
death: 24 Feb 1965, Dover Twp., Tuscarawas Co., IN
burial: Evergreen Burial Park, New Philadelphia, OH

Children of Anna Maria Witte and Harry Brown Alexander:

  • George Milton, 1903-1974, m1931 wife Ruth MOOS, 1907-2011
  • Frederick William, 1905-1990, m1935 wife Della Josephine MENAPACE, 1904-1995
  • Helen Vivian, 1910-2003, never married
  • Robert Donald, 1912-2002, m1939 wife Hazel Oneida CRAIG, 1917-2006
  • Harry Brown, Jr., 1916-2003, m 1941 wife 1: Jolan Mary BOTH, 1919-1960; m 1961 wife 2: Jean GOODMAN, 1916-2007

Ancestor here lived in:

Greenfield, Hancock Co. 1880-1899
Indianapolis, Marion Co. 1900-1902
Greenfield, Hancock Co. 1902-1903
Charlottesville, Hancock Co. 1903
Hillsboro, probably Henry Co. 1904-1908

New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas Co., OH, 1908-1953

Other Information: Earlest record for this Alexander family in Indiana is 1820 Franklin Co. Census (great grandfather James ALEXANDER). Mother Laura CHAMBERS arrived Franklin Co. with family from Maryland in 1835. Harry’s early jobs were in a bicycle shop and as a moulder at Home Stove Co. in Indianapolis. Started Witte & Alexander handle mfg. factory with father-in-law Fred Witte in Greenfield in 1902 and moved factory to Charlottesville in 1903. Started Hillsboro Novelty Works in 1906 in Hillsboro. Moved to New Philadelphia, Ohio c1908 and started Columbia Mfg. Co. (wood handles) 1908-1918. Foreman, American Sheet & Tin Co. New Phila. OH 1918-1933. Owned Diamond Handle Co. 1929-1953 and Alexander Insurance Co. 1932-1953. Served on New Philadelphia City Council for several terms and was President @death. Methodist; Knights of Pythias Equity Lodge 73 (Secy); charter member and Secy of DOKK (Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorassan)

Submitted by: Judi Baumgarner

Email: judistree@gmail.com

Ernest Gaston Tidrow Jr

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Ernest Gaston Tidrow Jr.
birth: 11 Sep 1920 at New Castle, Henry Co., IN to Ernest Gaston Tidrow Sr. and Pauline Katherine Fletcher
death: 3 Dec 2014, Greenfield, Hancock Co., IN
burial: South Mound Cemetery, New Castle

marriage: 31 May 1944 at St. Joseph, Indiana
Alice Adeline Spillman
birth: 4 Mar 1922, New Castle, Henry Co., IN to Robert Charles Spillman and Hildred Carrier
death: 22 Nov 1993
burial: South Mound Cemetery, New Castle

Children of Ernest Gaston Tidrow Jr. and Alice Adeline Spillman:

  • Ronald Douglas Tidrow (1948-2016)
  • Living

Ernest Gaston Tidrow Jr. lived in:

  • New Castle, Henry Co., IN
  • Tipton, Tipton Co., IN
  • Greenfield, Hancock Co., IN
  • Greenville, Darke Co., OH

Other Information:

Ernest Gaston Tidrow Jr. attended Indiana University and graduated Butler University with a Masters of Education. He played basketball with Tony Hinkle at Butler.

He was principal of Greenfield Central High School for twenty-five years, worked for Jefferson Township schools for eight years, and was a teacher and coach at Tipton High School before his retirement in 1986.

Ernest Gaston Tidrow Jr. served in the U.S. Navy during WWII as Lt. J.G. Commander on LST 719. He was a member and former elder at Greenfield Christian Church. Ernest was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at Butler University. He was also a member of the Indiana Teachers Association.

Submitted by:
Robb Reed
Email: amhmbs@icloud.com

Elmer Wilkerson

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Elmer Wilkerson
b. 26 September 1906, Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana, to Hall Jackson and Martha (Childress) Wilkerson
d. 13 March 1964, Downey, Los Angeles County, California

m. 1 May 1926, Greenfield, Hancock County, Indiana
Margaret Bell Slack
b. 21 August 1907, Indiana
d. 22 April 1995, Los Angeles County, California

Children with Margaret Bell Slack:
• Charles Richard (1928-1928)
• Phyllis Jean (b. 1930) married Walter E. Carney
• Ronald Jackson (b. 1933) married Kaye [–?–]
• Robert Neal (1936-bef. 2004) married Angie [–?–]
• Judith Ann (b. 1939) married (1) Roland Boyd, (2) Jack Daggett

Elmer moved to California sometime in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s. He was in real estate in California and only returned to Indiana a few times to visit before his death in 1964.

Submitted by:
Shirley Richison Fields
Avon IN
E-mail: richison@indy.rr.com

Daniel Gard Wright

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Daniel Gard Wright
b. 13 April 1838, Greenfield, Hancock County, Indiana, to Lot and Mary (Martin) Wright
d. 19 May 1913, Linden, San Joaquin County, California

m/1. 19 November 1865, Ogden, Weber County, Utah
Emily Lenora Butler
b. 28 June 1846, Venango Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, to John Jackson Munsey and Sarah “Sally” (Donaldson) Butler
d. 19 September 1875, Jenny Lind, Calaveras County, California

m/2. 27 March 1877, Stockton, San Joaquin County, California
Sarah Ann Davis
b. 15 February 1859, Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana, to Truman Stilphin and Barbara Ann (Widener) Davis
d. 16 August 1930, Linden, San Joaquin County, California

Children with Emily Lenora Butler:
• Mary Emily (1866-1922) married (1) James Jefferson Douglas, (2) Rufus Wilbur [–?–]
• William Daniel (1868-1938) married Mrs. Dolly (Wright) [–?–]
• Lot Donaldson (1870-1870)
• Edward Lorenzo (1872-1942) married (1) Mary Ramona “Mamie” Chapman, (2) Florence Julia Dietz
• Robert Lee (1873-1953) married (1) Leah Anne Woolsey, (2) Esther Emma Baker

Children with Sarah Ann Davis:
• Ellen Isophene (1878-1959) married Horace Churchill Lewis
• Pleiad Elizabeth (1887-1969) married Smith Lynn Selvester
• Ethel Leona (1896-1977) married Maurice D. Taylor

Dan’s father, Lot Wright, who was born somewhere in Pennsylvania about 1811, moved to Hancock County, Indiana, around 1832. He left for “the West” when he was about 23 and eventually arrived in Utah where he met and married Emily. He was primarily employed as a blacksmith, but also did some farming. In his midfifties he apparently suffered a stroke and was partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.

Submitted by:
Beth Wright Pany
Livingston TX
E-mail: pany@att.net

Lot Wright

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Lot Wright
b. 1811, Pennsylvania
d. 20 October 1889, Jenny Lind, Calaveras County, California

m. 5 March 1833, Greenfield, Hancock County, Indiana
Mary Martin
b. 10 June 1809, Kentucky, to Micajah and Mary Martin
d. 4 October 1859, Center Township, Hancock County, Indiana

Children with Mary Martin:
• Micajah M. (1834-bef. 1910) married Mary E. [–?–] (1834-bef. 1900)
• Ethan W. “Will” (b. ca. 1836-bef. 1860)
• Daniel Gard (1838-1913) married (1) Emily Lenora Butler (1846-1875), (2) Sarah Ann Davis (1859-1930)
• John Simeon “Sim” (1840-1919) married (1) Susan
Franklin (1840-1897), (2) Lizzie Shaffer (b. 1850)
• Mary J. (1842-1869) married (1) George W. Richardson, (2) William F. Barnard
• Jehu L. (b. 1844)
• Addison F. (1848-bef. 1930) married Mary R. Gant (b. ca. 1851-aft. 1930)

Lot purchased property in Hancock County, Indiana, in 1832 at age 21. The family moved to Preble County, Ohio, in 1840 and came back to Hancock County, Indiana, in 1848 to resume farming. After his wife died, he sold everything and left the state. He was living in Colorado in 1861. After moving to California, he was a blacksmith with his son Dan.

Submitted by:
Beth Wright Pany
Livingston TX
E-mail: pany@att.net

Ila “Benton” Steele

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Ila “Benton” Steele
b. 6 July 1866, Willow Branch, Hancock County, Indiana, to James Scott and Lydia Margaret (Waller) Steele
d. 30 December 1943, Newton, Harvey County, Kansas

m. 11 October 1894, Hancock County, Indiana
Emma C. Oren
b. 14 November 1874, Farmland, Randolph County, Indiana
d. 28 April 1957, Sedgwick, Harvey County, Kansas

Children with Emma C. Oren:
• Margaret M. (1896-1979)
• James Benton (1898-1900)
• John O. (1900-1959)
• Allen T. (1903-1981)
• Elizabeth N. (1906-1981)
• Edward V. (1909-1966)
• Marshall E. (1912-1974)

The family left Indiana in 1907 or 1908. Benton Steele was noted in A Round Indiana: Round Barns in the Hoosier State by John T. Hanou.

Submitted by:
Emily F. Steele
San Diego CA
E-mail: donesteele@compuserve.com

Neil Gilman Duncan

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Neil Gilman Duncan
b. 10 October 1853, Fortville, Hancock County, Indiana, to Hiram Wright and Martha Jane (Reddick) Duncan
d. 3 January 1919, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

m. 14 March 1880, Madison, Yolo County, California
Mabel Ann Stephens
b. 6 December 1860, Coal Bank, Cooper County, Missouri, to James Madison and Mary Jane (Rodgers) Stephens
d. 26 May 1942, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

Children with Mabel Ann Stephens:
• Laura May (1881-1962) married Charles Clarence Hansen
• Charles Ross (1882-1961)
• Robert Neil (1895-1920) married Viola Minnie Hanger

Neil was a miller in northern California. Upon moving to Los Angeles, he was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad. One source refers to Neil’s wife as Elizabeth Ann Maybelle.

Submitted by:
Donald L. West, Sr.
Price UT
E-mail: dlwest@emerytelcom.net

Augusta Alice Dorval

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Augusta Alice Dorval
b. 9 March 1873, Verviers, Belgium, to Charles and Theresa (Hessling) Dorval
d. 12 December 1942, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

m. 2 September 1900, Hancock County, Indiana
Charles Fremont Doran
b. 18 December 1861, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, to Michael William Edward and Mary Jane (Weir) Doran
d. 5 September 1951, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

Augusta’s family moved to Indiana in 1886 after her father’s death. Her mother’s family had already settled in Indiana. She moved to California in 1905 for the classic health remedy, a change of scenery.

Submitted by:
Patricia Doran Jones
Sunland CA
E-mail: ajnpatinla@earthlink.net

Charles Fremont Doran

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Charles Fremont Doran
b. 18 December 1861, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, to Michael William Edward and Mary Jane (Weir) Doran
d. 5 September 1951, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

m/1. 14 October 1883
Lulu Eaton

m/2. 1 January 1895
Emma Hardy

m/3. 2 September 1900, Hancock County, Indiana
Augusta Dorval
b. 9 March 1873, Verviers, Belgium, to Charles and Theresa (Hessling) Dorval
d. 12 December 1942, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

Charles moved to Los Angeles in 1905.

Submitted by:
Patricia Doran Jones
Sunland CA
E-mail: ajnpatinla@earthlink.net

George Franklin Snyder

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George Franklin Snyder
b. 27 July 1897, Lapel, Madison County, Indiana, to Daniel and Sarah (Rider) Snyder
d. 18 November 1961, Santa Ana, Orange County, California

m. 7 April 1919, Madison County, Indiana
Laura Esther Hutton
b. 7 April 1901, Greenfield, Hancock County, Indiana
d. 7 November 1972, Pomona, Los Angeles County, California

Children with Laura Esther Hutton:

  • John Daniel
  • Kathryn Eloise

George resided at Clay City, Terre Haute, and Indianapolis, Indiana, and immigrated in 1945 to Los Angeles, California.

The Reverand Dr. Snyder was an ordained minister in the United Brethren Church, which later became the Evangelical United Brethren. He served Indiana congregations from 1919 to 1945 and then transferred to the California Conference, where he served until his death.

Submitted by:
Kathryn Snyder Forrest
Hemet CA