Category Archives: St. Joseph County

Matthias Milton Shidaker

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Matthias Milton Shidaker
birth: 21 Jun 1845, Miami County, Ohio to John Shidaker, Jr. & Mary Burgher
death: 15 Apr 1927, Fulton County, Indiana
burial: Moon Cemetery, Fulton County, Indiana

marriage:
Lottie B. [–?–]
birth: abt 1859
death: bef 1900

Children of Matthias Milton Shidaker and Lottie B. [–?–]:

  • John E. Shidaker (1874 – Dec 1915)
  • Ralph Shidaker (b. 1878)
  • William Shidaker (b. May 1880)

Matthias lived in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio (1850); Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana (1864); Chicago, Illinois (1870); St. Joseph County, Indiana (1880); Aubbeenaubbee Township, Fulton County, Indiana (1900-1920); and Leiters Ford, Fulton County, Indiana (1927).

He served during the Civil War in Company K of the 13th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry.  He suffered a lifetime of pain from having a minie ball lodged in his hip.

Submitted by:
Kathleen A Rausch
chattykathy1954@yahoo.com

Edward G. Steenbergen

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Edward G. Steenbergen
born: 19 Jan 1923, Lancaster, Kentucky to Marcus H. Steenbergen & Lilly M. Croucher
died: 1 Apr 2001
burial: Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado

married 8 Mar 1941
Lois M. Sisk
born: 3 Feb 1922 to Warren O. Sisk & Bessie Blanch Ransbottom
died: 16 Jun 1993
burial: Ft. Logan National Cemetary, Denver, Colorado

Children of Edward G. Steenbergen and Lois M. Sisk:

  • Carole A. Steenbergen
  • Edward G. Steenbergen Jr.
  • Dennis A. Steenbergen
  • Laurinda K. Steenbergen
  • Rodney W. Steenbergen

Ed Steenbergen served in the US Naval Reserve from 1943 to 1945. He served in the Western Pacific aboard the USS LCS (L) 49.  Ed survived the sinking of his ship by Japanese suicide boats.  He received the Combat Action Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation medal and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.  Ed was a master carpenter for most of his life and worked at the Studebacker Corp. in South Bend after the War.

Ed lived in the following locations in Indiana: Delong (1933), Plymouth (1941), Rochester (1945), Hudson Lake (1951), South Bend (1960). He also lived in Lancaster, Kentucky;  Dayton, Ohio; Bellfower, California; Artisia, California; Anahiem, California; LaPuente, California; Rowland Heights, California; Mesa, Arizona; Littleton, Colorado, Alba, Texas and Aurora, Colorado.

Submitted by:
Dennis A. Steenbergen
dsteenbergen1165@gmail.com

Arthur William Bruggeman

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Arthur William Bruggeman
born: 16 Dec 1927, Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio to Urban Bruggeman and Carrie Gropp
died: 27 Jan 2006, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
burial: Ashes scattered at Sabino Canyon, Tucson, Arizona

married: 23 Sep 1950, South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana
Phyllis Jean Spradlin
born: 25 May 1930, South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana to Cletus Spardlin and Vera Fern Wilson
died: 10 Apr 2005
burial: Ashes Scattered at Sabino Canyon, Tucson, Arizona

Arthur William Bruggeman moved to South Bend to attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 1945. He graduated from Notre Dame in 1950 with a degree in architectural engineering. He worked as a civil engineer at H.G. Christman Construction Company, South Bend. Arthur Served in the US Navy (1945-1946) and Navy Reserve (1946-1958). He was a charter member of Ave Maria council 5521 of the Knights of Columbus, South Bend and member of St Matthew’s and then St Jude’s parish, South Bend.

Arthur removed to Tucson, Arizona in July 1972.

Submitted by:
Teresa Kahle
teresa@theintrepidsleuth.com

Hiram Walter Snider

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Hiram Walter Snider
b. 23 October 1846, North Benton, Mahoning County, Ohio, to John and Elizabeth “Betsy” (Russell) Snider
d. 28 July 1918, Chelsea, Rogers County, Oklahoma

m/1. 28 April 1868, Bourbon, Marshall County, Indiana
Christena Gross
b. 1847, Ohio
d. Parsons, Kansas

m/2. 5 June 1890, Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma
Annie B. Henry

Children with Christena Gross:
• Raymond (b. 1876)

Children with Annie B. Henry:
• Thomas Benton (b. 1892)
• Perry Edwin (b. 1893)
• Jerry Russell (1895-1909)
• Walter Isaac (b. abt. 1900)

Hiram came to Syracuse, Kosciusko County, Indiana, in 1853. He lived in Madison Township, St. Joseph County; Bourbon Township, Marshall County; and Scott Township, Kosciusko County, before leaving the state sometime after 1880. The family went to Telluride, Colorado.

After divorcing Christena, Hiram went to Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma, where he met Annie. Annie’s father was one of the Cherokee participants in the “Trail of Tears” in the late 1830’s. In 1910, Hiram, Annie and the boys are in Rogers County, Oklahoma, living on their Cherokee Indian land allotment. By 1917, Hiram and Annie were separated, and he was living in Chelsea, Craig County, Oklahoma.

Hiram served in Company A, 35th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers during the Civil War. He enlisted at La Porte, Indiana. He filed pensions in 1881, 1883, 1898, and 1917. Annie filed as his widow in 1929.

Submitted by:
Shirley Miller Thompson
Etna Green IN
E-mail: shirlthompson@maplenet.net

Frederick E. Slough

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Frederick E. Slough
b. 1830, Wurtenberg, Germany, to Martin and Barbara (Saurer) Slough
d. April 1896, DeWitt, Saline County, Nebraska

m. 23 September 1852, Union Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana
Harriet Clugstone
b. 1835, Indiana
d. 1885, Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska

Children with Harriet Clugstone:
• Margaret J.
• William
• Frederick Elsworth
• Edgar
• Mary

Frederick came to Indiana from Atwater, Portage County, Ohio, in 1850 and left the state in 1877 or 1878. While in St. Joseph County, he lived in Union, Center, and Portage townships. He was a barrel maker while a resident of South Bend. He had nine brothers, all of whom were in the sawmill or lumber business in St. Joseph and Marshall counties.

Submitted by:
Shirley Miller Thompson
Etna Green IN
E-mail: shirlthompson@maplenet.net

Austin Joseph Silsby

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Austin Joseph “Asa” Silsby
b. 1832, New York, to [–?–] and Harriet Silsby
d. February 1897, Clarence, Cedar County, Iowa

m. 22 June 1853, Kosciusko County, Indiana
Sarah Ann Dewell
b. 11 April 1834, Wayne County, Ohio, to Solomon and Carolyn (Miller) Dewell
d. 3 August 1916, Mentone, Kosciusko County, Indiana

Children with Sarah Ann Dewell:
• Harriet (b. 1856) married Milton Fisher
• Richard W. (b. 1857) married Orpha Woolery
• Silas (b. 1860)
• Mary (b. 1863) married George W. Whetstone
• Michael Abraham (b. 1866) married Daisy Graham
• Melissa Jane (b. 1868) married Enoch Scott Cochran
• Alice married Noah A. Pontious

There may have been three more children. Asa came to Indiana before 1850 and lived in St.
Joseph and Kosciusko counties before moving to Cedar County, Iowa, in the 1860’s. He was a private with Company F of the Indiana Volunteers in the Civil War and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Submitted by:
Cynthia Cockran Jones
Marietta GA

Louis David Ludwing, Sr.

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Louis David “Bud” Ludwig, Sr.
b. 19 November 1922, Mishawaka, St. Joseph County, Indiana, to Walter Henry and Lolita Esther Adeline (Koenig) Ludwig
d. 20 January 1984, Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas

m. 12 May 1946, Mishawaka, St. Joseph County, Indiana
Ruth Adah Lanphear

Children with Ruth Adah Lanphear:
• Linda Louise (d. in infancy)
• Jacqueline Ann
• Louis David, Jr.
• LuAnn

Louis was a fireman for the city of Mishawaka, Indiana, from 1948 until 1969 when he retired as a Battalion Chief and moved to Texas that same year. He grew up on a farm along the St. Joseph River, graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1942, and enlisted in the United States Navy. He served on a Destroyer Escort, DE 203, in the Pacific until the end of World War II.

Louis was working for Associates Investment Co. in Texas when he died. He is buried in Chapel Hill Cemetery in Osceola, Indiana.

Submitted by:
Linda Ludwig Irish
South Bend IN
E-mail: linlirish@sbcglogal.net

Thomas Price

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Thomas Price
b. 11 May 1816, Ohio, to Joshua and Polly Price
d. 11 August 1892, Marion County, Iowa

m.
Tabitha Emberling
b. 2 March 1822

Children with Tabitha Emberling:
• Fanny (b. 1840)
• Rosanna (b. 1842)
• Nancy (b. 1847)
• Mary “Polly” (b. 1851)
• Sarah Amelia (b. 1853)
• Elehanna V. (b. 1857)
• Isaac R. (b. 1861)
• Thomas B. (b. 1867)

It is not known when Thomas came to Indiana from his birthplace in Ohio, but he lived in St. Joseph County while in Indiana before leaving in 1853.

Submitted by:
Beverly Przybylski
Battle Ground WA
E-mail: beverlyp9@comcast.net

William Haslett

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William Haslett
b. 22 March 1820, Columbia, Pennsylvania, to John and Lettitia (Dunlap) Haslett
d. 11 June 1889, Bertrand Township, Berrien County, Michigan

m. 21 July 1847, Harris Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana
Mary Ellen Best
b. 8 September 1828, White Deer Township, Union County, Pennsylvania
d. Bertrand Township, Berrien County, Michigan

Children with Mary Ellen Best:
• James Dunlap (1848-1933)
• Andrew Dunlap (1850-1850)
• Robert Nixon (b. 1851)
• John Alexander (1853-1932)
• William Best (b. 1855)
• Charles Lyon (1860-1939)

William came to Indiana with his parents in 1837 from Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He left the state in 1847. For years he served as Supervisor of Bertrand Township and as Secretary of the Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Company.

Submitted by:
Mrs. JoAnne Ross
Granger IN

Mary Florence Condra

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Mary Florence Condra
b. 5 March 1860, Rolling Prairie, Wills Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, to Patrick and Eliza (Jackson) Condra
d. 16 October 1937, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

m. 14 October 1885, St. Peter’s, LaPorte County, Indiana
James Curran
b. 25 July 1852, Mishawaka, St. Joseph County, Indiana, to Patrick and Bridget (Smith) Curran
d. 16 November 1911, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Children with James Curran:

  • Irene (1886-1980) married Martin Reilly
  • Elsie (1888-1951) married Raymond Helfrick
  • Catherine Marie (1893-1940) married William Donahue
  • Helen Anna (1894-1976) married William Dewolf Cook
  • George Edward (1896-1988) married Jeanette Jacobs
  • Mary E. (1898-1968) married Fred Noel

Mary Florence’s family came to the United States in 1856 from Ireland. She moved with her children to Chicago after James died there in 1911. She worked briefly as a housekeeper at St. Felicitas Parish in Chicago.

Submitted by:
Ellen C. Courtney
San Francisco CA
E-mail: elleninsf@sbcglobal.net