Category Archives: Ripley County

Joseph Adolphus Whittaker

Joseph Adolphus Whittake
birth: 28 Feb 1876, Pleasant Township, Johnson Co., Indiana to Nimrod and Susan N. (McCord) Whitaker
death: 3 May 1956, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana
burial: Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., Indiana

marriage: 8 Nov 1898
Minnie Pearl Sheek
birth: 12 Aug 1875 at Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN,  to Jacob A. Sheek and Martha E. Church
death: 16 Aug 1953 at Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana
burial: Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., Indiana

Children of Joseph Adolphus Whittaker and Minnie Pearl Sheek:

  • Infant, stillborn 8 Dec 1899, Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., IN
  • Susan Elizabeth Whittaker, b. 17 Jul 1901 at Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, d. 12 Sep 2001, Batesville, Ripley, IN, m. 14 Apr 1933, Marshall Merle Edmonds at Indianapolis, Marion, IN
  • Charlotte Mae Whittaker, b. 19 May 1903 at Pleasant Twp,  Johnson Co., IN, d. 16 Nov 1994 at Greenwood, Johnson Co., Indiana, buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., IN, m. 1 Oct 1921 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, Fred Bunch
  • Mildred Viola Whittaker, b. Jan 1905 at Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, d. 21 Jul 1905, Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., IN
  • Josephine Belle Whittaker, b. 19 Dec 1905 at Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, d. 30 Sep 1989 at Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., IN, m. 4 Sep 1926 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, Paul C. Duke
  • Rosa Leota Whittaker, b. 11 Aug 1908 at Pleasant Twp, Johnson Co., IN, d. 16 Dec 1972, Normal, McLean Co., IL, buried at Eastlawn Cemetery, Bloomington, IL, m. 13 Jul 1930 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, Frederick Joseph McElroy
  • Naomi Pearl Whittaker, b. 4 Sep 1912 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, d. 18 Feb 1999 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., IN, m. 18 Jun 1932 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, Arthur H. Braun
  • Winford Wendell Whittaker, b. 26 May 1916 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, d. 27 Jul 1982 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Greenwood, Johnson Co., IN, m. 29 Jun 1935 at Indianapolis, Marion, IN, Mable L. Hittle

Joseph Aldolphus Whittaker Lived In:

  • From birth – about 1908: Pleasant Township, Johnson County
  • Lived on Pearl Street in Greenwood for a short time
  • Then moved to unknown street in Indianapolis
  • Then lived on National Street in Indianapolis
  • Then built a home on Brill Street
  • Left home on Brill Street due to ill health and lived with oldest daughter Susan Whittaker Edmonds on Edwards Street in Indianapolis
  • Both he and his spouse lived their entire lives in Indiana

Other Information:

Joseph Aldolphus Whittaker’s last name was originally spelled “Whitaker”, but he changed it sometime while living in Johnson County because his mail kept getting mixed up with cousin J. Whitaker’s.

Joseph Aldolphus Whittaker is submitter’s grandfather. All of Joseph and Minnie’s children were born and died in Indiana except Rosa Leota (Whittaker) McElroy. Her family moved from Bloomington IN to Bloomington IL due to Mr. McElroy’s job with S. S. Kresge.

 

Submitted by:
Sonia L. Austin
Email:soniajim1@msn.com

Alvin Porter Cole

Alvin Porter Cole
birth: 4 Feb 1894, Dearborn County, Indiana to Joel DeVane Cole and Lucy Ann Palmer
death: 30 Jul 1962, Osgood, Ripley County, Indiana
burial: Oakdale Cemetery, Lot 243, Dearborn County, Indiana

m: 8 Oct. 1913, Dearborn County, Indiana
Tracie Elizabeth Seymour
birth: 21 Jul 1921, Switzerland County, Indiana to Levi H. Seymour and Alice Dora Turner

Children of Alvin Porter Cole and Tracie Elizabeth Seymour:

  • Vaina Lee Cole (b. 25 Jul 1914, Topeka, Kansas, d. 26 May 1988, Miami, Dade County, Florida) m. 30 Jan 1931, Ripley County, Indiana to Russell Heiderman
  • Meryl Wayne Cole (adopted) d. at 11 years old
  • Sarah Cole (died at 3 days old)

Alvin “Porter” Cole was a farmer, a park ranger at the Versailles State Park in early 50’s, and a mechanic for years at McCoy’s Garage in Osgood, Indiana. His latter work years was with the City of Osgood as a Town Marshall.

He lived on Maple Street, Osgood, Ripley, Indiana from 1930’s to 1970’s. He lived in Lakeland, Florida in mid to late 1940s.

He passed away with a heart attack. He never had any surgeries and didn’t believe in going to a doctor. He smoked a pipe mostly and rolled his own cigarettes when he desired one. He was a slender man of medium height, with almost black hair and dark dark brown eyes. He was always clean shaven. He wore suits of Brown on occasion and always wore a hat whenever outdoors.

Porter was dearly loved by his family, friends and all who he came in touch with in his work & everyday dealings.

Submitted by:
Rita Heiderman Sander
Email: ingengal@gmail.com

Emery Stark

Emery Stark
b. 5 January 1861, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 24 December 1938, Savage, Richland County, Montana

He served in the Army three times: Sergeant, Troop F, 7th Regiment, 1881; Regular Infantry, 1892-1894; and Private, Company D, 22nd Regular Infantry, 1895-1899. He was a prominent figure as an Indian fighter in the Montana Territory.

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

Calvin Stark

Calvin Stark
b. 17 December 1856, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 9 October 1939, Grant City, Worth County, Missouri

m. 5 February 1882, Ripley County, Indiana
Elizabeth Shook
b. 1861, Ripley County, Indiana
d. 11 March 1947, Grant City, Worth County, Missouri

Children with Elizabeth Shook:
• Callie L. (b. 1883) married Samuel A. Cloud
• Charles Edwin (b. 1884) married Zelma [–?–]
• Ross A. (1887-ca. 1960) married Rose Nutt
• Horace/Harvey M. (1892-aft. 1939) married Wildas Decatur
• Percy N. (1900-1971)

Calvin moved with his father’s family to a farm in Worth County, Missouri, in 1885. In the spring of 1887, he moved with his wife and child to Grant City. He was in the poultry and produce business.

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

John Stark

John Stark
b. 24 December 1851, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 17 April 1943, Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa

m. 5 November 1872, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana
Mary Eliza Tyson
b. 18 December 1851, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana
d. 16 December 1932, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas

Children with Mary Eliza Tyson:
• Cornett Tyson Hamilton (1873-1961) married (1) Clara McManus, (2) Ella Mae Fike, (3) Eleanor Salome Barrell
• Curtis (1875-1940) married Lydia Groth
• Mabel (1877-1954) married Louis DeValois Butler
• Ethel (1879-1967) married Benjamin William Longenecker
• Herbert “Bertie” (1881-1969) married Lydia Agnes Stover
• Grace (1886-1961) married (1) Azro Dudley Hardy, (2) Louis C. Bauer, (3) James O. Rosillo
• Grey (1886-1969)
• Ralph “John” (1889-1895)

The family left Ripley County, Indiana, about 1876 for Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas. John Stark was a soldier in the Spanish American War and served in Cuba. He lived a number of years in the Soldier’s Home in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

Wilson Stark

Wilson Stark
b. 7 August 1849, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 17 January 1895, Sullivan, Franklin County, Missouri

Wilson was a Methodist minister. His obituary states: “Wilson Stark joined the M. E. Church at Versailles, Indiana at the age of 15 years, and studied for and entered [–?–] of the Southeast Indiana Conference in May 1871. He served his church on several circuits in Indiana. He then entered the Missouri Conference about 1875 and preached two years, returning again to Indiana, where he labored faithfully, doing good work until 1888, when he again entered the Missouri Conference and was placed on the Maryville circuit, preaching there until 1890. He then went to the Indian Territory, working for the church until 1892. He returned to Missouri in 1892 and entered the St. Louis Conference and was given the Sullivan circuit, where he labored until ‘called home to God.’”

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

Henry Stark

Henry Stark
b. 14 January 1847, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 23 February 1935, Windsor, Henry County, Missouri

m. 31 October 1875, Osgood, Ripley County, Indiana
Minerva Ann Gray
b. about 1847, Osgood, Ripley County, Indiana
d. 24 June 1927, Aurora, Lawrence County, Missouri

Children with Minerva Ann Gray:
• Florence Start (1876-1957)
• Arthur M. (1878-1936)
• Elizabeth (b.1880) married D. W. Glasgow
• Eliot (1883-1884)
• Etha (1884-1952)
• Walter S. (1891-aft. 1935) married Marion Wentworth

The family emigrated in the fall of 1877 to Grant City, Missouri. In 1928, Henry moved to Windsor, Missouri.

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

William Cornett Stark

William Cornett
b. 14 June 1844, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 14 September 1919, Grant City, Worth County, Missouri

m. 10 January 1867, Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas
Mary Molly Dawson
b. 1844, Texas
d. 1910

Children with Mary Molly Dawson:
• Willard (b. 1870)
• Addie (1871-1930)
• Annie (1872-1935)

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

Silas Stark

Silas Stark
b. 15 November 1841, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana, to Elijah and Elizabeth (Johnson) Stark
d. 20 February 1875, Windsor, Henry County, Missouri

m. 3 September 1863, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana
Margaret Eliza Johnson
b. 18 April 1845, Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana
d. 31 August 1914, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio

Children with Margaret Eliza Johnson:
• Luella (1864-1956) married William Franklin Radspinner
• William Elijah (1866-1940) married (1) Sarah Ellen Smith, (2) Birdie Mae Smith
• Lytle Johnson (1869-1888)
• Ambrose Edward (1871-1926) married Louise Kerr
• Raymond Clifford (1873-1875)

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com

Elijah Stark

Elijah Stark
b. 4 July 1811, Bourbon County, Kentucky, to Frances Stark
d. 25 December 1898, Grant City, Worth County, Missouri

m. 16 October 1837, Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi
Elizabeth Johnson
b. 27 February 1818, to William and Margaret (Shook) Johnson
d. 22 September 1902, Grant City, Worth County, Missouri

Children with Elizabeth Johnson:
• Thomas (1838-1838)
• James (1839-1921) married Hester Ann Ludwick
• Silas (1841-1875) married Margaret Eliza Johnson
• William Cornett (1844-1919) married Mary Molly Dawson
• Henry (1847-1935) married Minerva Ann Gray
• Wilson (1849-1895)
• John (1851-1943) married Mary Eliza Tyson
• Anna (1854-1925)
• Calvin (1856-1939) married Elizabeth Shook
• Mary Frances (1859-1860)
• Emery (1861-1938) (twin)
• Martha (1861-1861) (twin)

In the early 1830’s, Frances Stark moved her two sons to a farm east of Versailles in Ripley County, Indiana. Elijah received his education in Lexington, Kentucky. He purchased his own land in Ripley County in 1832. He taught school, played violin, taught singing, and farmed. In 1834, he went down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Natchez, Mississippi with a flatboat load of produce. He remained in Natchez nearly four years. While there, he learned carpentry and married Elizabeth. Their first child was born and died there. In 1838, they moved to Ripley County, Indiana. He was elected Treasurer of Ripley County in 1846, and elected County Clerk in 1860. Elijah moved to Grant City, Missouri in 1885.

Submitted by:
Willis H. Lowrey
Colorado Springs CO
E-mail: wlowrey846@aol.com