Category Archives: LaPorte County

Lorinda Ellen Bunting

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Lorinda Ellen Bunting
b. 5 May 1858, Liberty, Union County, Indiana, to William Gilbert and Louisa Maria (Fosdick) Bunting
d. 30 March 1951, San Jose, California

m/1. 1839, Union County, Indiana
Gillett Banks Webb
b. 2 April 1856, Blooming Grove, Franklin County, Indiana, to Benjamin Franklin and Margaret (Hayward) Webb
d. 14 March 1911, Ashtabula, Ohio

m/2.
Elias Taylor
b. 10 September 1846
d. 13 January 1935

Children with Gillett Banks Webb:
• Clyde Earle (b. 1883) married Creola Clinger
• Forrest A. (1886-1888)
• Fern Webb (1888-1983) married Frank Pace
• Orris Knight (1892-1936) married Elsie Webb

Lorinda’s great uncle, Aaron Stanton, pioneered in LaPorte County, Indiana, in the early 1800’s. She
moved from Warren, Huntington County, Indiana, to Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1910, but returned to Warren in 1911 after the death of her husband, Gillett. She later moved to San Joseph, Calfornia, in 1929.

Lorinda was a homemaker who also worked as a practical nurse. Her spouse was a blacksmith for 20 years in Warren, Indiana. Her second spouse was the widower of her sister Jeanett and a Jehovah’s Witness pioneer member since its inception as the Russelites.

Submitted by:
Jack Rinear Webb
Mountain View CA

John McElroy, II

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John McElroy, II
b. to Robert and Matilda (Trout) McElroy
d. 6 April 1887, Kankakee County, Illinois

m. 11 February 1840, Jefferson County, Indiana
Margaret Crozier
b. to James and Mary (Woods) Crozier
d. November 1871, Kankakee County, Illinois

Children with Margaret Crozier:
• Sarah (1849-1920) married Ben Roberts
• George McKee (1852-1939) married Lydia Cooper
• Julia E. (b. 1854) married James Smiley
• James (1857-1948) married Melissa Ann Hoyt Cooper
• Mary Frances “Mace” (1858-1939) married John Blackstone Cooper
• John, Jr. (1861-1938) married Cora Jane Cooper
• Edwin McLellan (1864-1938) (twin) married (1) Belle Sullinder, (2) Magda T. Kopstad
• Elvina “Allie” (b. 1864) (twin) married Harry Watkins
• Wilbur (1868-1899) (twin)
• Willis (1868-1929) (twin) married Katie Mann

John came Indiana in 1830 as a boy. He moved to LaPorte County about 1854 and to Kankakee County, Illinois, in 1860. He was a farmer, a stock breeder, and a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Submitted by:
Tammy Wilson
Newton NC
E-mail: tym50@bellsouth.net

Zachary Taylor

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Zachary Taylor
b. 19 November 1848, New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, to William C. and Phebe (Clark) Taylor
d. 14 December 1924, Washington, D.C.

m. 26 October 1876, Kankakee Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
Kezia Preston
b. 1 February 1855, Kankakee Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, to Calita T. and Cynthia (Terwilliger) Preston
d. 27 February 1936, Washington, D.C.

Children with Kezia Preston:
• Mable C. (b. 1881) married Monroe L. Friedheim

Zachary farmed in New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, until 1899 when he moved to the town of LaPorte and went into the well driving business. Mable was a school teacher, but secured a job with the War Risk Bureau in Washington, D.C., in 1918. In the spring of 1920, her parents moved to Washington, D.C., to be with her.

Submitted by:
Barbara Taylor Szabo
Osceola IN

Frances Miller

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Frances Miller
b. 24 December 1830, Pomfret, Chautauqua County, New York, to Marcus and Lucy (Bills) Miller
d. 25 March 1917, Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas

m. 7 September 1858, Laporte, LaPorte County, Indiana
Marshall McIntyre
b. 21 March 1820, Girard, Erie County, Pennsylvania
d. 3 September 1899, Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas

Children with Marshall McIntyre:
• Edwin
• Sarah Ellen
• Marcellus
• Oscar

Frances came to Indiana from Fredonia, Chautauqua County, New York, two years before she married. She lived in Laporte until 1865, when she moved further west.

Submitted by:
Fern Eddy Schultz
LaPorte IN

Robert McElroy

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Robert McElroy
b. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to John and Margaret (Campbell) McElroy
d. 19 August 1874, Kankakee County, Illinois

m. about 1825, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Matilda “Amanda” Trout
d. 1891, Kankakee, Illinois

Children with Matilda Trout:
• John (1826-1887) married Margaret Crozier
• Amanda (b. 1827)
• Paul (b. 1829)
• Hannah (b. 1833)
• Isaac (b. 1835)
• Margaret (b. 1837)
• Hester “Hettie” (b. 1841)
• William (b. 1843)
• James (b. 1849)
• Sarah (b. 1851)

In 1830, the family came from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Jefferson County, Indiana. They moved to LaPorte County, Indiana, about 1854. They then moved to Kankakee County, Illinois, in 1860. Robert was a farmer. His parents came from Ireland to Pennsylvania about 1802; all their children were born in Pennsylvania.

Submitted by:
Tammy Wilson
Newton NC
E-mail: tym50@bellsouth.net

John Martin

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John Martin
b. 9 August 1872, Rolling Prairie, LaPorte County, Indiana, to Jacob Stewart and Susan Jane (Martin) Martin
d. 9 August 1935, Fremont, Dodge County, Nebraska

m. 24 December 1892, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Caroline Hoeppner
b. 6 March 1873, Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa
d. 11 December 1951, Red Oak, Montgomery County, Iowa

Children with Caroline Hoeppner:
• Walter J.
• Leta married [–?–] Kavan

It is unknown when John left Indiana for Nebraska.

Submitted by:
Mary Jane Martin Richardson
Phoenix AZ

Evline Lillian Layton

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Evline Lillian Layton
b. 18 September 1878, Union Mills, LaPorte County, Indiana, to Seymour Charlie and Estella M. (Bement) Layton
d. 5 February 1929, Sedro Woolley, Skagit County, Washington

m/1. 12 September 1897, Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington
Jacob Martin “Jake” Shetler
b. 11 November 1858, Kentland, Jasper County, Indiana, to Hezekiah and Nancy Ann (Sutton) Shetler
d. 19 August 1925, Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington

m/2. 13 November 1922, Everette, Snohomish County, Washington
Gust Hill

Children with Jacob Martin Shetler:
• Minnie “Blanch” (1898-1957) married (1) Gus Anderson, (2) M. B. Webb, (3) Fred Smith, (4) Cliff Cook, (5) Floyd Challender
• Harry Layton (1899-1974) married (1) Violett Gorrie, (2) Nancy Isabell Johnson Graves
• William Cecil “Wooley” (1901-1928) married Estelle “Dollie” Belle
• Lester Earl (1903-1963) married (1) Vera Viola Heay, (2) Grace Minney (Hoffman) Williams
• Charles Semore (1905-1993) married Stella E. Duree
• Genevieve Estella “Neva” (1907-1990) married (1) Ross Best, (2) Jack Taylor, (3) Bernard Neustead, (4) Johnny Krieger
• Jacob LeRoy “Roy” (1909-1987) married Mary A. Knight
• Emma Garnetta (1911-1918)
• Pearl Ione (1915-1989) married (1) Earl Joseph DePew, (2) Karl Johan Algat “Al” Hemmingson, (3) Milton Storrs

Evline’s stepmother, Lois C. Layton, put her in an orphanage when her father died in 1889. At age 15, she was adopted by the George A. Monroe, Sr. family, originally from Michigan City, who now made their home in Ferndale, Washington. After her marriage, she began to wonder about her family. Her mother, Estella, had married John F. Neu, and was living in Omaha Nebraska. They were reunited in 1907. After her divorce in 1920 from Jacob Shelter, Evline became a camp cook for logging camp #9 above Hamilton, Washington.

Submitted by:
Hilda Hemmingson Meryhew
Auburn WA

Mary Elizabeth Ladd

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Mary Elizabeth Ladd
b. 29 November 1849, LaPorte County, Indiana, to Charles and Charlotte (Way) Ladd
d. 9 October 1921, Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa

m. 29 November 1866, Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa
Abraham Umbenhower
b. 6 July 1843, Champaign County, Illinois
d. 12 December 1907, Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa

Children with Abraham Umbenhower:
• Sarepta
• Adella Melinda
• Susa
• Charles
• William Joseph
• James
• John
• Edgar
• Edna

Mary left LaPorte County, Indiana, sometime after 1853.

Submitted by:
Doris V. Bond
Indianapolis IN

Charles Ladd

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Charles Ladd
b. 8 October 1813, Stokes County, North Carolina, to Joseph Ladd and Mary Angel
d. 29 May 1887, Osborne, Kansas

m. 7 May 1835, Wayne County, Indiana
Charlotte Way
b. 21 January 1820, Williamsburg, Wayne County, Indiana
d. 23 August 1851, LaPorte County, Indiana

Children with Charlotte Way:
• Rodolphus (1837-1838)
• William
• Samuel (1842-1843)
• Charles
• Calvin (1846-1849)
• Allen
• Mary Elizabeth

Charles came to Indiana in 1815 and lived in Wayne and LaPorte counties. He left the state after 1853.

Submitted by:
Doris V. Bond
Indianapolis IN

Caleb B Davis

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Caleb B Davis
b. 24 February 1809, Monongalia County, Virginia, to John and Elizabeth (Cole) Davis
d. 13 May 1891, Mears, Oceana County, Michigan

m. 15 December 1831, Monongalia County, Virginia
Sarah Wagner/Wagoner
b. 15 April 1812, Monongalia County, Virginia
d. 18 May 1888, Mears, Oceana County, Michigan

Children with Sarah Wagner/Wagoner:

  • Eugenius Wilson
  • Josephus
  • Alpheus W.
  • Bejamin F.
  • Caleb B., Jr.
  • Jacob J.
  • Sarah E. married Thomas Evans
  • Hattie E. married William Beals

Caleb brought his family to Indiana from Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1833. He resided in LaPorte County, Indiana, before leaving the state in 1879 from Galena, Indiana. His move to Indiana was made with a team and covered wagon, and he reached Kankakee Township on 10 September 1833.

From 1842 until his death in 1891, he was a preacher of the Christian or New Light church. He was a lifelong Democrat and took an active part in political affairs, serving as trustee and as justice of the peace.

Submitted by:
Vivianne L. Crowley
Michigan City IN