Category Archives: Putnam County

Allen Eldon Maxwell

Allen Eldon Maxwell
b. 10 February 1830, Putnam County, Indiana, to John and Dorothy Maxwell
d. 25 September 1887, Union Grove, Gentry County, Missouri

m. 27 October 1853, Boone County, Iowa
Talitha Cagle
b. 1837, Clay County, Indiana
d. 8 July 1889, Gentry County, Missouri

Children with Talitha Cagle:
• Martha M. (1854-bef. 1862)
• Mary Ann (1862-1911)
• Andrew Johnson (1866-1940)
• Peter Sherman (1868-1910)
• Carrie Isabelle (1869-1948)
• Byrd Alonzo (1873-1941)
• Dora Etta (1875-1955)

The family left the state about 1851.

Submitted by:
Marilyn L. Elliott
Des Moines IA
E-mail: megeniehunt@aol.com

James Hartup

James Hartup
b. 11 August 1824, near Economy, Wayne County, Indiana, to James and Mary (Whitinger) Hartup
d. 5 March 1916, Bloomfield, Davis County, Iowa

m. 1 April 1852, Putnam County, Indiana
Mary Margaret Denny
b. 25 March 1827, Indiana, to William R. and Mary (Steers) Denny
d. 12 October 1919, Bloomfield, Davis County, Iowa

James and Mary Margaret had no children. James moved to Davis County, Iowa, in 1851 and settled down to farming in 1854. He resided on his Iowa farm until his death. It comprised 100 acres of improved land and an orchard of 100 trees. He was a member of the M.E. Church and in politics, he was a Greenbacker.

Submitted by:
Harold L. Dawe
Arvada CO
E-mail: hdawe@mho.com

Samuel H. Elrod

Samuel H. Elrod
b. 1 May 1856, Coatesville, Hendricks County, Indiana, to Jesse F. and Lydia (Pursell) Elrod
d. 13 July 1935, Clark, Clark County, South Dakota

m. 10 November 1884, Hendricks County, Indiana
Mary Ellen Masten
b. March 1863, Indiana, to Mathias and Eliza Jane (Fitts) Masten
d. after 1930

Children with Mary Ellen Masten:
• Barbara (1892-aft. 1920)
• Arthur Mellette (1896-1966) married Viola [–?–]

Samuel’s father’s family was from Stokes County, North Carolina. They settled in Clay Township, Hendricks County, Indiana.

Samuel left Indiana for the Dakota Territory in 1882, shortly after graduating from DePauw University in Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana. He came back in 1884 to marry a fellow Clay Township resident and to receive another degree, after which they returned to the Dakotas. He was a lawyer; a delegate at South Dakota’s first constitutional convention; state’s attorney for Clark County, South Dakota, for ten years; county postmaster; county probate judge; and the fifth governor of South Dakota (1905-1907).

Submitted by:
Meredith Thompson
Avon IN
E-mail: mere@augustmoondesign.com

Enoch Canada Morris

Enoch Canada Morris
b. 15 May 1830, Browns Valley, Montgomery Co., IN, to Hezekiah Morris and Nancy Anna (Penney) Morris
d. 11 Oct. 1920, Windsor, Shelby Co., IL

m. 27 Oct. 1885, Greencastle, Putnam Co., IN
Lydia Etter
b. 5 Sept. 1833, Putnam Co., IN
d. 1 Oct. 1916, Windsor, Shelby Co., IL
bur. Enoch and Lydia are in the Old Bethany Church Cemetery, NW of Windsor, Shelby Co., IL

Children with Lydia Etter:

  • Anna Rebecca (1856-1938) m. John M. Sparks
  • David Henry (1859-1939) m. Minnie Richardson
  • Hezikiah Dolphus (b. 1861) m. [–?–]
  • John Will (1864-1956) m. Elsada Isabel Shuck
  • Joseph Simpson (1867-1901)
  • Melissa Catherine (1869-1893)
  • Frederic Nelson (1871-1899)
  • Violet Elizabeth (1874-1965) m. William Forest Cain
  • Milford Manford (1878-1901)

Born in Browns Valley, Montgomery Co., IN, Enoch and his family moved to central Illinois by covered wagon in October 1874. They stayed in Cumberland Co., IL until the following October 1875 when they moved north-northwest into Shelby Co., stopping at Middlesworth, Shelby Co., IL. In October 1877, the family moved to their new home northwest of Windsor, Shelby Co., IL. Enoch found a wooded area near the banks of the Kaskaskia River. He cleared the area for the house, and he built their home from the logs of the trees he had felled. From 1877 to 1885, Enoch was engaged in timber work, mostly in getting out railroad ties, chopping woods, etc.

Enoch and Lydia were both very devout in their religious beliefs. He was a member of the Old Predestinarian Church on Walnut Creek in Putnam Co., IN. Lydia was formerly a member of the Church of the Brethren near Clinton Falls, IN. In February 1906, Enoch and Lydia moved into Windsor, IL, to live the remainder of their days with their son, John Will Morris, and his family. Both Enoch and Lydia are buried in the Old Bethany Church Cemetery, NW of Windsor, Shelby Co., IL.

Submitted by:
J. Fred Schouten
Bourbonnais, IL
E-mail: FredSchouten@netscape.net

Carmie Ethel Nicholson and William C Wysong

Carmie Ethel Nicholson
b. 27 Jun 1881 at Moline, Kansas to James D. Nicholson and Susannah Rexrode
d. 1 Mar 1961 at Clinton Twp., Putnam Co., IN
bur. Seceder Cemetery (also called Portland Mills), Greene Twp., Parke Co., IN

William Wysong and Carmie Nicholson gravestone

William Wysong and Carmie Nicholson gravestone

m1. 16 Aug 1902 Albuquerque, NM
William C. Wysong 
b. 12 Jan 1881 Missouri, to William Henry Wysong and Harriet Perkins
d. 30 Jun 1906 Greene Twp., Parke Co., IN
bur. Seceder Cemetery (also called Portland Mills), Greene Twp., Parke Co., IN

m2. Sept 1921
James A. Tabor 
b. 29 Sept 1870
d. 3 Feb 1954

Children of Carmie Ethel Nicholson and William C. Wysong:

  • Harold James Wysong (23 Nov 1903-28 Dec 1981) m. France Evelyn Akers
  • Delia Pearl Wysong (29 Jul 1905-14 Jan 1998) m. Frederick W. Oberst
  • Marjorie Alice Wysong (23 Aug 1906-24 Sept 1997) m. Robert Lloyd Neelley

Carmie Nicholson lived in Indiana most of her life. Although born in Kansas, her family returned to Indiana in 1882. She went to Albuquerque, NM in 1902 with her brother, who had lost his wife to tuberculosis. William Clarence Wysong followed her there and they married in Albuquerque. They remained there until 1903 and returned to Indiana in 1905. After William died, Carmie and their children lived in Oklahoma for the years 1907-1922. She married James Tabor in 1921 and soon after returned to Indiana, where she remained for the rest of her life.

William Clarence Wysong lived in Indiana for most of his life. He was born in Missouri but his parents moved back to Indiana when he was about 2 years old. He married in Albuquerque, NM while living there from 1902-1903 and was again in New Mexico between 1905 and 1906. William died from typhoid fever and pneumonia on 30 June 1906 in Parke Co., Indiana.

Submitted by:
Roberta Wysong
Bloomington, IN
E-mail: rlwysong@aol.com

Rebecca Ann James

Rebecca Ann James
b. 13 December 1832, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana, to William and Nancy (Doyel) James
d. 19 February 1909, Bushnell, McDonough County, Illinois

m. 4 October 1849, Putnam County, Indiana
James Hughs Wilson

Children with James Hughs Wilson:

  • William
  • Mary
  • Joseph
  • Levi Scott
  • Panetta
  • Miriam
  • Judge L.
  • Delaney E.
  • Lewis

In 1840, Rebecca, her brother Farmer and mother Nancy are found living with Grandfather Farmer Doyel. Rebecca’s father had moved to Texas. In 1848 her parents were granted a divorce in Montgomery County, Indiana. She was raised by her mother Nancy.

By autumn of 1850, Rebecca had moved with her husband and son William to Table Grove Township, McDonough County, Illinois. From 1860 until her death at age 76, Rebecca lived in Mound Township, McDonough County, Illinois. She is buried in Upper Mound Cemetery between New Philadelphia and Bushnell, McDonough County, Illinois.

Rebecca traveled in January 1876 to Van Zandt County, Texas for the division of the land she inherited from her father. Both she and her brother Farmer sold their portion to the other heirs.

Submitted by:
Yvonne James
Mineola TX
E-mail: yajames@cox.net

James Hugh Wilson

James Hugh Wilson
b. 11 June 1826, Fleming County, Kentucky, to Samuel and Ann (Boyle) Wilson
d. 21 July 1912, McDonough County, Illinois

m. 4 October 1849, Putnam County, Indiana
Rebecca Ann James

Children with Rebecca Ann James:

  • William
  • Mary Jane
  • Joseph A.
  • Lewis
  • Paneta
  • Mariam
  • Judge
  • Delana
  • Louis

This family immigrated to Putnam County, Indiana in the fall of 1827.

James and a cousin, P.M. Harris, left in May of 1849 for a “little tour west.” They crossed the Wabash River near Terre Haute, then to Paris, Decatur, and Sugar Grove. They crossed the Illinois River at Havana, thence to Table Grove, Macomb, and Blandinsville. The Mississippi River was crossed at Ft. Madison, Iowa, then to Ottumba, Iowa. The trip was made by buggy. The two adventurers returned home to Putnam County, Indiana, on the first of June in 1849 according to pages 982 and 931 of History of McDonough County, IL.

In October of 1850, James, Rebecca, and their son, William, moved to Table Grove, Illinois, an area James was familiar with since the trip with his cousin. James died in McDonough County, Illinois, and is buried beside his wife, Rebecca, at the Upper Mound Cemetery, New Philadelphia, Illinois.

Submitted by:
Yvonne James
Mineola TX
E-mail: yajames@cox.net

William Wick

William Wick
b. 1 January 1796, Fayette County, Kentucky
d. 30 January 1859, Genesee Grove, Whiteside County, Illinois

m. about 1817, Ross County, Ohio
Margaret Redman
b. 1794 or 1796, Greenbriar County, Virginia
d. 7 November 1878, Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri

Children with Margaret Redman:

  • Emeline
  • Charlotte
  • Eli
  • William
  • Louisa
  • Nancy married William Hiddleson

William immigrated to Indiana from Ross County, Ohio, about 1820. He emigrated from Henry County, Indiana, to Putnam County, Illinois, about 1832 with his brother John Wick and brother-in-law Eli Redman. His daughter Nancy and her husband, William, moved to Kansas.

Submitted by:
Barbara Mellendore Calvert
Caldwell NJ

James Newson Sellers

James Newson Sellers
b. 3 December 1817, Garrard County, Kentucky, to James and Mary “Polly” (Crawford) Sellers
d. 19 December 1882, Cumberland, Cass County, Iowa

m. about 1837, Putnam County, Indiana
Matilda Ann McCoy
b. 14 January 1822, Kentucky
d. 25 February 1885, Cumberland, Cass County, Iowa

Children with Matilda Ann McCoy:

  • William Harvey (b. 1838) married Marian Johnson
  • Sarah Frances (b. 1841) married [–?–] Sayles
  • Mary Abigail (b. 1843) married Merritt Higley
  • James David (b. 1847)
  • John Albert (b. 1849)
  • Nathaniel Crawford (b. 1852) married Mary Maria Keith
  • Granville Boone (b. 1854)
  • Lizzie Caroline (b. 1856) married [–?–] Jenison
  • Lucy Lucynthia (b. 1859) married Jake A. Smith
  • Hugh Thompson (b. 1864) married Cora Bell

James emigrated from Indiana in 1839 to Maries County, Missouri.

Submitted by:
Gladys Sellers Hedstrom
Wheaton MD

Abediance Scott

Abediance Scott
b. about 1788, Kentucky, to Moses and [–?–] Scott
d. 5 September 1869, Madison Township, Polk County, Iowa

m. 23 February 1808, Shelby County, Kentucky
John Straughan
b. 16 March 1785, Orange County, Virginia
d. 3 September 1838, Putnam County, Indiana

Children with John Straughan:

  • Nathaniel Sanford
  • Sarah
  • Elizabeth Frances
  • Moses
  • El Aley
  • Duranda
  • Mary
  • Martha
  • John Calvin

Abediance immigrated to Indiana from Kentucky about 1830. When most of her children decided to settle in the “new” Iowa, Abediance moved with them to Boone County, Iowa, about 1848.

Submitted by:
Bethel L. Marshall
Boise ID