Category Archives: Wabash County

Johannes John Keller

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Johannes John Keller
birth: 11 May 1755 in York Co., PA to Johan Peter Keller and Barbara Felger
death: 6 Oct 1830 in Noble Township, Wabash, Co., IN
burial: McClure Cemetery, Noble Township, Wabash, Co, IN

marriage: 4 Mar 1779 in North Carolina
Jerusha Elizabeth Beroth
birth: 4 Mar 1761 in North Carolina to Jonathan Beroth & Elizabeth “Betsy” Henderson
death: 14 Dec 1849 in Rich Valley, Wabash Co., IN
burial: McClure Cemetery, Noble Township, Wabash Co., IN

Children of Jerusha Elizabeth Beroth and Johannes John Keller:

  • Elizabeth Ann “Betsy” Keller 1780-1838; m. James Otis Barnett
  • Peter Keller 1782-1818
  • Barbary “Barbara” Keller 1784-1847; m. William Daniel Deal
  • Mary Ann “Polly” Keller 1786-1853; m. John Calvin Cotner I
  • Sarah Ann “Sally” Keller 1788-1879; m. Jesse Melton
  • Judge Jonathan Keller 1790-1848; m. Maria Mary “Polly” Fleishman
  • John B Keller 1793-1829; m. Sally “Sarah” Lane (possibly m. 1st to Isaac then 2nd to John)
  • Anthony Henderson Keller 1795-1882; m. Dorothy Theodocia “Docea” Payton
  • Isaac Keller 1797-1823; m. Sally “Sarah” Lane (possibly m. 1st to Isaac then 2nd to John)
  • Jerusha Keller 1799-1856; m. Andrew J Wiseman
  • Mary Jane Keller 1801-1894; m. Daniel Oscar King, Sr
  • Christian R Keller 1803-1834; m. Mary J Berroth
  • James H Keller 1806-1854; m. 1st Sophia Elizabeth Beroth; m. 2nd Phebe Ann Sayre Kenedy Keller Carter

Ancestor here lived in:

1805 arrived in Harrison Co., IN Territory; 3 Mar 1809 Harrison Co organizational orders: that an election for Representatives of Harrison Co to serve in general assembly of IN Territory to be held at house of Mr. John Kellar in Exeter Township; 1815 applied for land in Clark Co., IN Territory: 1828 moved to Wabash Co., IN;

Ancestor also lived in:

Johannes John Keller lived in York Co., PA, moved to Lincoln Co., NC around 1772 and patented land there; 1779 married in NC; by 1799 in Washington Co., KY

Submitted by:
Cheryl L Wooten
Email: cherylwooten10s@gmail.com

Elihu Burton Bagwell

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Elihu Burton Bagwell
birth: 26 Feb 1861, Independence, VA Hiram Burton Bagwell, Mary Emaline (Calloway)
death: 6 Jul 1940, North Manchester, Wabash Co, IN
burial: Pleasant Hill Cemetery, North Manchester, IN

marriage: 24 Feb 1884, Darke County, OH
Mary Elizabeth (Niswonger)
birth: 12 Mar 1861, Darke County, OH David and Anna (Peffley) Niswonger
death: 28 Dec 1928, North Manchester, IN
burial: Pleasant Hill Cemetery, North Manchester, IN

Submitted by:
Mike Davis
Email: triotenor@gmail.com

Alva C. “Bud” Spillman

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Alva C. “Bud” Spillman
birth: 2 Aug 1920 at Seymour, Jackson Co., IN to Chester Spillman Sr and Ella Crane
death: 19 July 2000 at Washington, Daviess Co., IN
burial: Sugarland Memory Gardens, Washington, Daviess Co., IN

marriage: 24 Mar 1945, North Vernon, Jennings Co., IN
Agnes Janet (pronounced “Jeanette”)
birth: 27 Jan 1927 at Urbana, Wabash Co., IN to Melvin Horton and Iva Claytor, adopted by Robert and Agnes (Claytor) Moore

Children of Alva C. “Bud” Spillman and Agnes Janet:

  • Donald Spillman, b. 21 Nov 1948
  • Richard Spillman, b. 29 Sep 1952

Alva C. “Bud” Spillman Lived In:

  • 1920-27: Seymour, Jackson County, Indiana
  • 1927-1945: North Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana
  • 1945-2000: Washington, Daviess County, Indiana

Other Information:

Alva C. “Bud” Spillman was Chief Train Dispatcher for B & O Railroad, which later became CSX. He served eight years on the Washington School Board and was Republican Precinct Committeeman for over twenty years. Alva C. “Bud” Spillman also served on the Washington Board of Zoning Appeals for twelve years and was active in both the Christ United Methodist Church and the Washington community.

Submitted by:
Donald Spillman
Email: donspillman1@gmail.com

Catherine Frantz Crill

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Catherine Frantz Crill
birth: 19 May 1794 in Botetourt Co., Virginia to Peter and Catherine Garst Frantz
death: 3 Dec 1856 in Pleasant Township, Wabash Co., Indiana
burial: Cripe Cemetery, North Manchester, Wabash Co., IN

marriage:
William Crill
birth:
death:
burial: Cripe Cemetery

Children of Catherine Frantz Crill and William Crill:

  • John Crill b.1817, d. 1899
  • Sarah Crill Tridle b. 1820, d. 1905, m. Jacob Tridle
  • Barbara Crill Howett b.1822, d. 1885
  • Peter Crill b. 1823, d. 1886
  • Joseph Crill b. 1825, d. 1902
  • Catherine Crill Cowgill b.1826, d.1863
  • Mary Crill Hetler b.1828, d.1886

Catherine Frantz Crill lived in: Wabash County, Indiana

Other Information: She also lived in Botetourt County, Virginia. Catherine is contributor’s fifth great-grandmother.

Submitted by:
Vanessa Shafer
Email: vashafer@gmail.com

Mervin Aldean Cripe

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Mervin Aldean Cripe
birth: 3 May 1919, Clinton Township, Elkhart County, Indiana to Clarence Ray Cripe and Edith Mae Swartz
death: 5 September 2002, North Manchester, Wabash County, Indiana
burial: Ulrey Cemetery, Kosciusko County, Indiana (beside Eel River Church of the Brethren on S.R. 14)

Constance and Mervin Cripe gravestone

Constance and Mervin Cripe gravestone

marriage: 20 August 1947, Gauley Bridge, Fayette County, West Virginia
Constance Maria Dewese
birth: 20 August 1927, Selma, Alleghany County, Virginia to Walter Osborne Dewese and Ada Kathryn Carter
death: 27 November 2009, North Manchester, Wabash County, Indiana
burial: Ulrey Cemetery, Kosciusko County, Indiana (next to Eel River Church of the Brethren on S.R. 14)

Children of Mervin Aldean Cripe and Constance Maria Dewese:

  • living child b. 1950
  • Peggy Jo Cripe b. 1951, d. 1959, buried Ulrey Cemetery, Kosciusko County, Indiana

Mervin Aldean Cripe lived on a farm in rural Clinton Township, Elkhart County, Indiana until he left home to go to college about 1938. He later lived in Kosciusko County, Indiana from 1954-1961 when he was pastor of the Eel River Church of the Brethren. He retired to the Timbercrest Retirement Home in North Manchester, Indiana in August 1993 and lived there until his death in 2002.

Mervin lived in Chicago, Illinois, while attending seminary at Bethany Theological Seminary (Church of the Brethren). He was pastor at the Swan Creek Church of the Brethren, near Wauseon, Fulton County, Ohio from 1949-1954. He was pastor for many years at the Brook Park Community Church in Brook Park, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland in Cuyahoga County. He lived there from 1961-1993.

Mervin attended Purdue University for three years from 1938-1941. He then participated in Civilian Public Service work for the duration of the war. He worked at the University of Maryland in the Dairy Department, spending time at College Park and at Bowie during his CPS days. By this time, he knew he wanted to be a minister, so he finished his college work at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia in 1947. Here is where he met his wife. They had been introduced before, but got better acquainted while working together on a college play “The Corn is Green.” Mervin played Morgan Evans and Constance played Miss Moffat.

Submitted by:
Marian (Cripe) Corya
Email: marian.corya@gmail.com

John Emery Wixsom

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John Emery Wixsom
b. 16 March 1864, Fayette County, Indiana, to Smith and Rebecca (Carver) Wixsom
d. 16 May 1945, Holland, Lucas County, Ohio

m. 22 October 1890
Doretta “Dora” Damschroder
b. 27 January 1871, Elmore, Ottawa County, Ohio, to Christopher H. and Mary Ann (Freese) Damschroder, Jr.
d. 20 January 1960, Holland, Lucas County, Ohio

Children with Doretta Damschroder:
• Ralph Louis (1893-1964) married (1) Edith Simmons, (2) Clara Leonhardt
• Clarence Emery (1896-1978) married Dorothy Marie Downs
• John Edgar (1898-1948) married Catherine Neiling
• Nellie Lee (1902-1974) married (2) Orrin Downs
• William Allen (1906-1945) married Ethel Ruth

John lived in Antioch (now Andrews), Huntington County; Peru, Miami County; and Ft. Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, before emigrating about 1905/6. His family had lived in Blackford, Wabash, and Madison counties before buying land in Huntington County. He went to Wood County, Ohio, and ran a quarry above North Baltimore. He then went to Kentucky to work in the oil fields and later came back to Lucas County, Ohio. He had also worked on the Wabash Railroad.

Submitted by:
Elizabeth Wixsom Pero May
Toledo OH

Maria Elizabeth Sutherland

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Maria Elizabeth Sutherland
b. 21 October 1857, Logansport, Cass County, Indiana, to Zera and Maria Elizabeth (Dodds) Sutherland
d. 13 November 1915, Alma, Gratiot County, Michigan

m. 1 July 1873, North Manchester, Wabash County, Indiana
James Herschel White
b. 25 December 1846, Chatham, Medina County, Ohio
d. 11 September 1923, Alma, Gratiot County, Michigan

Children with James Herschel White:
• Fannie Sevilla
• Hiram Levi “Jake”
• James Gloyd
• Jessie M.
• Paul Sutherland

The last two named children died young.

Maria lived in Logansport, Cass County, and Larwill, Whitley County, Indiana, before emigrating in 1887. She was also known as Mariah.

Submitted by:
F. Norman Pottle
Berrien Springs MI
E-mail: beverlypottle@msn.com

John Franklin Smyers

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John Franklin Smyers
b. 7 October 1868, Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana, to John and Elizabeth (Conrad) Smyers
d. 4 June 1941, Benton Township, Hocking County, Ohio

m. 2 February 1893, Hocking County, Ohio
Anna Ebert
b. 20 December 1872, Hocking County, Ohio, to Isaac Newton and Orpha (Friend) Ebert
d. 11 January 1960, Hocking County, Ohio

Children with Anna Ebert:
• Clara (1895-1916) married Tracy Denton
• Mina (1897-1930) married Peter Schopp
• Judson Owen (1899-1973) married Effie Blacksten
• Mary (1904-1935) married Francis Tubbs
• Fredrick Marshall (1909-1964)
• Franklin Jacob (1912-1968) married Virgie Burgoon

The family originally came from Germany to Pennsylvania in the early 1800’s, then to Wabash County, Indiana. They moved to Hocking County, Ohio; back to Wabash County, Indiana, before 1868; and then back to Hocking County, Ohio. They were farmers.

Submitted by:
Ruby Bush
Lancaster OH
E-mail: bush-r@sbcglobal.net

Lewis Riley Niccum

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Lewis Riley Niccum
b. 20 September 1885, Wabash County, Indiana, to John and Mariah (Mallott) Niccum
d. 3 March 1960

m. 3 December 1907, Wabash County, Indiana
Marie Garst
b. Somerset, Wabash County, Indiana
d. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Lewis and Marie had no children. He was the 11th child of John and Mariah and died while on vacation in the west. He is buried in Ogan Cemetery in Wabash County, Indiana.

Lewis lived in Indiana until about 1927 when he transferred to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the Honeywell Corp.

Submitted by:
Mary Jane Shackelford Kaiser
Ft. Wayne IN

Abigail Niccum

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Abigail “Abby” Niccum
b. 28 February 1879, Wabash County, Indiana, to John and Mariah (Mallott) Niccum
d. 1 January 1961, Rumford, Maine

m. 20 July 1898, Wabash County, Indiana
Arthur Brewer
d. Maine

Children with Arthur Brewer:
• Elma Marie married Linwood Jordan
• Vernon (b. 1914) married Dorothy Tyler

Abby was the eighth child of John and Mariah. She lived in Wabash County and Elkhart County, Indiana until about 1910 when her husband was transferred to Portland, Maine, by the Indiana Paper Mill for which he worked.

Submitted by:
Mary Jane Shackelford Kaiser
Ft. Wayne IN