Category Archives: Monroe County

Overton Southern

Overton Southern
birth: 1803 in Guilford, North Carolina to Preston Ford Southern
death: 8 Nov 1855 in Lawrence County, IN
burial: Kinser Cemetery, Monroe County, IN

marriage: 21 March 1822 in Guilford, NC
Nancy Heath
birth: 1805 in Guilford, NC to John Heath and Charlotte Rangan
death: 12 Sep 1887 in Monroe County, IN
burial: Kinser Cemetery, Monroe County, IN

Children of Nancy Heath and Overton Southern:

  • Charlotte Southern, 1825
  • Elizabeth Southern (Watson, Holder), 1826-1914
  • Sarah Jane Southern, 1827-1908
  • John P. Southern, 1832-1909
  • Mary Southern, 1834-1908
  • William Southern, Sr, 1835-1900
  • Matilda Southern, 1838-1894
  • James H Southern, 1840-1901
  • Joseph Southern, 1840-1934
  • Henry Southern, 1844-1863
  • Marion O. Southern, 1847-1922
  • Norval Southern 1849-1928

Ancestor here lived in:

Monroe County, IN

Other Information:

Overton, Nancy, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Sarah Jane lived in North Carolina.
Overton and Nancy moved to Kentucky where John was born in 1837.
Overton, Nancy and all of the other children lived in Indiana.

Submitted by:
Gordon Southern
Email: gordonsouthern48@gmail.com

Absalom Peter Helton

Absalom Peter Helton
birth: 20 OCT 1836 in Bloomington, Monroe, Indiana to Andrew Helton and Hannah Jane Woolery
death: 04 DEC 1906 in Bloomington, Monroe, Indiana, USA
burial: Rose Hill Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

marriage: 03 Apr 1860 in Edgar County, Illinois
Elizabeth V. Clark
birth: 24 Feb 1838 in Harrison Township, Vigo, Indiana to James S. Clark and Elizabeth Ann Barbour
death: 04 MAR 1876 (location unknown)
burial: Edgar Cemetery, Paris, Illinois

Children of Elizabeth V. Clark and Absalom Peter Helton:

  • James Harris Helton 1861-1894
  • Carrie E. Helton 1862-1863
  • Luta Lee Helton 1868 – 1954

2nd marriage: 
Nannie B. Sanders
birth: 05 May 1858 in Spencer, Owen, Indiana, USA
death: 05 Sept 1899 in Atwood, Piatt, Illinois

Ancestor here lived in: Bloomington, Indiana on and off until death.

Locations where person lived outside of Indiana: Tuscola, Illinois, 1863

Other Information:

Real Estate and Insurance agent. His father, Andrew Helton a native of Tennessee, was a pork packer and merchant. His mother, Hannah Woolery, was a native of Indiana. They had eleven children. Absalom clerked in his father’s store and attended the State University of Bloomington. In 1863 he went to Douglas County, Illinois and opened the first hardware store in town and went on to real estate and Insurance agent. He was a Mason.

Submitted by:
Jenny Hawran
Email: JHawran@comcast.net

Mark Shrum

Mark Shrum
birth: 26 January1869 in Shoals, Martin County, Indiana to Frederick Orlando Shrum and Martha R. Horsey
death: 30 June 1945 in 18 Clifton Ave, Marblehead, Massachusetts
burial: Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill Massachusetts

marriage: 14 Jun 1893 • Indiana
Luta Lee Helton
birth: 15 April 1868 in Tuscola, Illinois to Absalom Peter Helton and Elizabeth V. Clark
death: 12 October 1954 in Marblehead Massachusetts
burial: Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill, Massachusetts

Children of Luta Lee Helton and Mark Shrum:

  • Merah Durham Shrum 1895-1972 husband Oliver Goodell Pratt
  • Jeanette Mathews Shrum 1897-1988 husband Harold Potter Willett
  • Frederick Orlando Shrum 1902-1975 wife Helen Mary Newhall

Ancestor here lived in:

  • 1869 Shoals, Martin, Indiana
  • 1870 Halbert, Martin, Indiana
  • 1880 Washington, Indiana
  • 1887-1891 Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
  • 1900 Patoka, Gibson, Indiana

Other Locations:

  • Lynn Massachusetts 1902-1940
  • Marblehead Massachusetts 1940 – 1945

Other Information:

This is from the diary of Mark’s daughter, Jeanette Matthews Shrum. “My father was born on a farm in Shoals, Ind. His mother was Martha Horsey and his father Frederick O. Shrum. There is a letter in the family bible telling of his birth and their decision to name him Mark – mainly because it was short & they did not give him a middle name. They both died in their 20’s of malaria – also a baby boy – and my father was taken to an uncle who had 10 children of his own and he was brought up by them. He had to work at an early age on his uncles brick yard. In high school his best friend was Fred Prow (later a dentist in Bloomington). One day they were talking and Fred said he was going to try for the county scholarship to I.U. My father who was quite cocky said, “It’s a good thing I’m not going after it because I would probably get it. Fred laughed at him as tho he didn’t have a chance – so my father went after it and won. He decided previously that he wanted to become a doctor. Once on a visit to a larger city he saw a doctor making his calls in a tall silk hat and he thought that would be great.

The summer before college he and Fred were sitting on a fence outside a dance hall & a very pretty, stylish girl danced by & my father said, “There’s the girl I would like to marry.”

Soon after he arrived in Bloomington, he was in a store when the same girl went by and he was determined to meet her. He discovered she was Luta Helton, living with her aunt and was one of the most popular girls around college. He joined Delta Tau fraternity and soon he was taking Luta to the college affairs. Then for some reason he left and went to Montana but before he left he told his roommate, Charles Hartloff, “Take care of Luta while I’m away.” Charlie did that so well that it was not long before Dad heard that they were engaged. Charlie was a weathly boy studying to be a doctor, too. Finally my father had a letter from my mother telling him all the news and at the end a P.S. “By the way Charlie & I have broken up.” It was miles to the nearest R.R. station and it was snowing but my father put barrel stoves on his feet and started walking to the train. When he arrived in Bloomington, Mother was a dance with another boy. He went to the dance, got a dance with her and asked her to marry him that night. He said he would go to her aunt’s & make arrangements. When she returned from the dance he had a minister there, who by the way said the marriage would never last, doing it in such a hurried manner. It did, however for over 50 years. Dad graduated in 1891 then go his MD from Louisville KY where they went the night they were married. He started practice in Ellesttville, Ind. where Merah was born. By that time doctors no longer wore silk hats.”

Submitted by:
Jenny Hawran
Email: JHawran@comcast.net

Jeanette Mathews Shrum

Jeanette Mathews Shrum
birth: August 4, 1897 in Bloomington, Indiana to Mark Shrum and Luta Lee Helton
death: March 3, 1988 in Salem Massachusetts
burial: Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill Massachusetts

marriage: June 19, 1920, Lynn, Massachusetts
Harold Potter Willett
birth: August 26, 1894 in Boston, Massachusetts to John Howard Willett and Fannie Estelle Potter
death: July 2, 1973 in Swampscott, Massachusetts
burial: Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill, Massachusetts

Children of Jeanette Mathews Shrum and Harold Potter Willett:

  • Jean Shrum Willett (1922-2016) husband Charles Burleigh Wellington
  • Martha Lee Willett (1928-2017) husband Robert Loehwing Horner

Ancestor here lived in: Bloomington, Indiana and Patooka, Gibson, Indiana 1897-1902, Indiana University 1916-1920

Other Information: Lived in Swampscott, Massachusetts

Submitted by:
Jenny Hawran
Email: JHawran@comcast.net

Benjamin Preston “B. P.” Crowe

Benjamin Preston “B. P.” Crowe
birth: 6 Aug 1872, Owen Co., IN, to Jefferson and Amanda Ozena (Motsinger) Crowe
death: 9 Jun 1941, Bloomington, Monroe Co., IN
burial: Valhalla Memory Gardens, Monroe Co., IN

marriage: 24 Oct 1896
Henrietta A. “Etta” Carter
birth: Jan 1874, Indiana
death: 30 Jul 1962
burial: Valhalla Memory Gardens, Monroe Co., IN

Children of Benjamin Preston “B. P.” Crowe and Henrietta A. “Etta” Carter:

  • Ferrell Carter Crowe (1897-2016), m. Margaret Anita Torphy
  • William Stanley Crowe (1900-1970), m. Amy Louise Carter

Benjamin Preston “B. P.” Crowe lived in:

Benjamin Preston Crowe was born in Gosport, Owen Co., IN. He continued to live in Owen County until about 1900 when he located in Bedford, Lawrence County, Indiana. He lived in Lawrence County until about 1930 when he was noted in Monroe County, Indiana, where he remained until his death in 1941.

Other Information:

This is not contributor’s ancestor. Benjamin worked much of his life as superintendent of a stone quarry in Lawrence County.

Submitted by:
Randi Richardson
Email: GFTL@bluemarble.net

Walter M. Crowe

Walter M. Crowe
birth: 11 Mar 1862, Indiana (probably Owen Co.) to Jefferson and Amanda Ozena (Motsinger) Crowe
death: 24 Apr 1930, Bloomington, Monroe Co., IN
burial: Cuba Cemetery, Owen Co., IN

(1) marriage: c1888-1890
Gertrude Haines/Haynes
birth: unknown
death: unknown

(2) marriage: 30 Jun 1904 in Gibson Co., IN
Martha A. (Thorn) Cosby Loumiller
birth: unknown, parents were William H. and Jemima (Cain) Thorn
death: 15 May 1944, in Gibson Co., IN

There are no known children of Walter M. Crowe and Gertrude Haines/Haynes

Walter M. Crowe lived in:

Walter Crowe was probably born in either Washington County, where his parents lived in 1860, or in Owen County, where his parents lived in 1870. He was a traveling musician who worked in Indiana and adjacent states. It’s possible he lived in the Chicago area about 1900, although he is not found there in census records. In 1910, he was in Gibson County, Indiana. Efforts to locate him in the 1920 census were not successful. In 1930 he was living in Monroe County with his brother, Benjamin.

Other Information:

This is not contributor’s ancestor. Efforts to locate the date and place of Walter’s first marriage to Gertrude Haines/Haynes, also a musician, were not successful. According to newspapers from Huntington, Indiana, Gertrude sued Walter for divorce in May 1894, and that divorce was granted in June 1894. On June 30, 1904, in Gibson County, Walter married his second wife, Martha A. (Thorn) Cosby Loumiller.

Submitted by:
Randi Richardson
Email: GFTL@bluemarble.net

Morris M. Crowe

Morris M. Crowe
birth: 29 Oct 1857, Pekin, Washington Co., IN to Jefferson and Amanda Ozena (Motsinger) Crowe
death: 4 Nov 1947, at Carp, Owen Co., IN
burial: Hudson Hill Cemetery, Owen Co., IN

marriage: 20 Mar 1881 at Owen Co., IN
Lula “Lulie” E. Montgomery
birth: 21 Jun 1860, at Owen Co., IN to William B. and Nancy A. Montgomery
death: 13 Aug 1951, Bloomington, Monroe Co., IN
burial: Hudson Hill Cemetery, Owen Co., IN

Children of Morris M. Crowe and Lula “Lulie” E. Montgomery:

  • Mont E. Crowe (1882-1970), m. Dovey Steele
  • Frank M. Crowe (1887-1900)

Morris M. Crowe lived in:

Morris lived in Washington County, Indiana, until sometime between 1860 and 1870 when his family settled in Owen County. He continued to live in Owen County until the time of his death. After the death of her husband, Lulie share a home with their son, Mont, in Spencer, Owen County. She died in Monroe County, after being taken there to a hospital after a fall.

Submitted by:
Randi Richardson
Email: GFTL@bluemarble.net

Homer Egbert Hyden

Homer Egbert Hyden
birth: 12 Oct 1879, Owen Co., IN, to James E. and Nancy J. (Alverson) Hyden
death: 1 Nov 1910, Washington Twp, Owen Co., IN
burial: Riverside Cemetery, Spencer, Owen Co., IN

marriage: 31 Dec 1907, Owen Co., IN
Harriet “Hattie” May Crow/Crowe
birth: 15 may 1882, Owen Co., In to Jefferson and Amanda O. (Motsinger) Crowe
death: 25 Aug 1969, Greene Co., IN
burial: Riverside Cemetery, Spencer, Owen Co., IN

Children of Homer Egbert Hyden and Harriet “Hattie” May Crow/Crowe:

  • No known children born to Homer and Hattie

Homer Egbert Hyden lived in:

After living most of their lives in Owen County, the couple moved sometime between 1940 – 1948 to Ellettsville, Monroe County. After Homer died and sometime between 1953 – 1969, Hattie moved to Greene County.

Other Information:

The contributor is not related to this Indiana ancestor.

Submitted by:
Randi Richardson
Email: GFTL@bluemarble.net

William F. Axtell

William F. Axtell
birth: 28 Dec 1855 in Solsberry, Greene County, Indiana to Andrew Jackson Axtell and Susan (Gilkerson) Axtell
death: 10 Oct 1935 in Washington, Daviess Co., IN
burial: Oak Grove Cemetery, Washington, Daviess Co., IN

marriage: 17 Oct 1883 at Bloomington, Monroe Co., IN
Clara “Kate” Bollenbacher
birth: 5 Feb 1854 at Bloomington, Monroe Co., IN to George Bollenbacher and Margaret (Shawver) Bollenbacher
death: 8 Apr 1953 in Yolo, California
burial: Oak Grove Cemetery, Washington, Daviess Co., IN

Children of William F. Axtell and Clara “Kate” Bollenbacher:

  • Norrine Axtell, stillborn 1884
  • Josephine Lindley Axtell, b. 19 Dec 1885, d. 7 Dec 1984, m. Charles Taylor Williams, 5 Apr 1910
  • Susan Axtell, b. 7 Nov 1888, d. 13 Dec 1955, m. Carlton Anderson Smith, 28 Dec 1911
  • William Jackson Axtell, b. 17 Jan 1892, d. 29 May 1971, m. Emma Georgia Frank, 24 Nov 1917

William F. Axtell lived In:

William F. Axtell lived in Solsberry until 1873, when his father, Andrew Jackson Axtell, moved his family and his medical practice from Solsberry to Bloomington. William lived in Bloomington until about 1885, when he moved to Washington. He resided in Washington, Indiana for the remainder of his life. The Axtell home was at Seventh and East Main Streets in Washington.

Other Information:

William F. Axtell graduated from Indiana University in 1880. He was a mathematics teacher in the Washington High School. From approximately 1894 to 1913, he was superintendent of schools in Washington. He is often called “Professor Frank” Axtell in news accounts of the time.

Submitted by:
James Axtell
Email: james.axtell@att.net

Flora Louise DeMoss

Flora Louise DeMoss
birth: 2 Aug 1883 at Knox County, Indiana to Samuel T. and Sarah Frances (Winkler) DeMoss
death: 15 Oct 1861, Gosport, Owen Co., IN
burial: Edwardsport Cemetery, Knox Co., IN

marriage: 4 Sep 1901, at Knox Co., IN
Robert E. Barr
birth: 26 Jun 1882 in Knox Co., IN to James and Susan (Welch) Barr
death: 18 Jun 1951 at Knox Co., IN

Children of Flora Louise DeMoss and Robert E. Barr:

  • Gilbert Barr, b. 3 Nov 1903, d. 11 Dec 1985
  • Leona E. Barr, b. 24 Apr 1907, d. 10 Jan 1992, m. (1) James A. Holt, (2) Unk Moreland
  • Blanche E. Barr, b. 17 Oct 1911, d. 26 Jul 1985, m. William N. Decker

Flora Louise DeMoss Barr Lived In:

  • Born at Knox County, Indiana
  • Monroe County, Indiana
  • Died at Owen County, Indiana (from c.1923)

Other Information: Flora Louise DeMoss was divorced from Robert Barr in 1920 at Monroe County, Indiana.

Submitter is not related to this Hoosier ancestor.

Submitted by:
Randi Richardson
Email: GFTL@bluemarble.net