Tombstone Tuesday - October 15, 2013 - David Gander Smith

While in the Fort Wayne area this fall , we visited a number of small pioneer cemeteries. While heading back to our Campsite at the KOA in Bluffton,Indiana, we came across a cemetery which located on County Road 5 and Indiana 124. I would later learn that the name of this cemetery is West Union Cemetery in Huntington, Indiana. We stopped to look at it at dusk when we saw a rather lager Smith stone in the front row. The cemetery was looking. Many stones were pushed or had fallen from their bases. Some stones were laying in the grass and the grass was rapidly growing over the stone. Soon these graves will be hard to find. The grass was mowed and so it seems that someone is looking after the cemetery but they are not maintaining the grave makers. We could not miss the large Smith stone in the front row so we had to stop.

David Gander Smith born in February 17, 1810 in Smith Mill, Ohio. His parents were Elizabeth Barbary Gander and Thomas Smith. He married Mary Johnson on August 13, 1836 in Salt Creek, Ohio. He died in Warren Indiana on January 13, 1889.

 
Mary was born on July 12, 1816 in Harrison County, Ohio the daughter of Martha Wheeler Johnson and Isaac Johnson. Mary lived to be 93 years old. She died on September 15, 1909.

 
I am not related to these Smith family members. I post them to help others who may be.


Happy Hunting!


Jan Smith

Tombstone Tuesday - October 8, 2013 - Hause Plot in Loon Cemetery

When we were in the Fort Wayne area a few weeks ago, we visited Loon Creek Cemetery located in Huntington County, Indiana.  It is the burial site of Martha Smith, the youngest daughter of James and Susannah (Overly) Smith.  She married Henry Hause on June 14, 1874.  She died on April 28, 1877, less than three short years later.  She was buried in the Hause plot in Loon Cemetery.  The Hause plot  was easy to find but I was unable to find Martha's exact burial stop.  There is apparently no stone for Martha. I could not help but wonder if her burial was under the Peony bush.

Hause Plot

The tall monument is the burial spot of Adam and Mary Hause, Henry's parents.  Mary died  February 18, 1880 and Adam died just about 3 months later on May 16, 1880.

Adam and Mary's Monument.

Adam died 5-16-1880 - Mary died 2-18-1880

Happy Hunting,

Jan Smith

Tombstone Tuesday - October 1,2013 - Susannah Smith and daughter Susan E.

 Monument City Memorial Cemetery is where I found two interesting tombstones..a few weeks ago. I was expecting to find one for Susanna Smith, wife of James but was surprise to find that there was a daughter buried here as well.  As I have said before I am searching for my GGGGrandmother's burial site.  We cleaned up these stones and then took rubbings from them to get as accurate data from them as possible. This is a Smith plot.

Smith Plot

 This is the stone for Susannah Smith, wife of James.  She died on June 18, 1872.

Susanna Smith, wife of James- died June 18, 1872

 I can't help but think that she died during or soon after the birth of Susan E.  Having said this, it would mean that this likely not my Susanna Smith.  My Susanna, would have been 60 years old at the least and her husband, James had died in March of 1868. She could not have been pregnant at this time with the father being James Smith as stated on Susan E's stone. 

Susan E. Smith died September 8, 1872

The stone states that she was  the daughter of J&S Smith and was 3 months old at the time of her death so her birth was about June 8, 1872.  I would guess that she was likely born on June 18, 1872 the day that her mother died which would make her not quite 3 months old when she died.

James Smith does not appear to be buried here unless there is no grave stone. Findagrave.com also does not list James Smith though there are several other Smith's buried in this cemetery.  None of the Smith's  listed are members of our family tree that can be identified.  So my conclusion is that this is not my GGGGrandmother after all. With popular names like James and Susannah and a surname of Smith, there are many people to investigate.

Happy Hunting