On This Day in Family History - January 23

 Sanford Stanton VanMeter was born 23 January 1887

I don't have a picture of him. I have a picture of his mother, Emma Adelia Parker VanMeter

Emma was a niece of my great-great grandfather, Moses Parker, Jr.

(So... a distant cousin to my grandmother, Christie Thomas.)

There is a sordid and grisly story about the murder of Emma Adelia Parker VanMeter, but we'll save that for another day. I don't have pictures of any of the other folks mentioned in the family history related to Sanford Stanton VanMeter. (I think he was called 'Stan' or 'Stant'.)

Here is what is written in the Treat Family History about Sanford Stanton VanMeter. (I'm not sure of the original source of this information.)

SANFORD STANTON VANMETER 

was born 23 Jan 1887 in Pike County, Ohio, and died 13 Sep 1962 in Pike County Ohio. He married Edna Mae Morehead 10 Aug 1911 in Pike County, Ohio, daughter of William Morehead and Lilly Henry. She was born 13 Mar 1890 in Beavers Ridge near Idaho, Pike County, Ohio, and died 13 Apr 1962 in Idaho, Pike County, Ohio.

Children of Sanford VanMeter and Edna Morehead are:

i. Ola Bernice VanMeter, b. 21 Mar 1912, Good Hope, Ohio; d. 05 Apr 1912, Good Hope, Ohio.

ii. Kenneth Melvin VanMeter, b. 22 Apr 1913, Pike County, Ohio; d. 12 Jul 1970, Wilmington, Ohio; m. (1) Mary Nellie Moorhead, 07 Nov 1940; m. (2) Flora Lillian Gray, 1964, Clinton County, Ohio.

iii. Stanley Norman VanMeter, b. 15 Jul 1915, Pike County, Ohio; d. 08 Oct 1978, Springfield, Ohio; m. (1) Edna Bennett, common law; m. (2) Joanne Neary Wright, 1965, Clark County, Ohio.

iv. Nellie Margaret VanMeter, b. 26 Oct 1917, Pike County, Ohio; d. 22 Mar 1919, Pike County Ohio.

v. Dallas Neil VanMeter, b. 31 Aug 1919, Pike County Ohio; d. 14 Feb 1990, Chillicothe, Ross county, Ohio; m. Margery Ware, 07 Oct 1947, Kentucky.

vi. Rosa Lyndal VanMeter, b. 10 Nov 1921, Pike County, Ohio; d. 18 Oct 1923, Pike County Ohio.

vii. Donald Lester VanMeter, b. 27 Sep 1923, Beavers Ridge, Sunfish Twp., Pike County, Ohio; d. 07 Jun 1986, Waverly, Pike County, Ohio.

viii. Robert Douglas VanMeter, b. 15 Jul 1926, Pike County Ohio; d. 29 Jul 1974, Waverly, Pike County Ohio; m. Dorothy Williams, Sep 1947, Kentucky.

Sanford Stanton VanMeter was an orphan from the age of five years. He was tossed from family to family until he was old enough to work and earn his keep. Sanford Stanton VanMeter was the child who, after finding his mother and infant brother murdered outside of the VanMeter home, walked five miles to family/neighbors, the Cruzes, to get help. Sanford Stanton VanMeter never spoke of the incident except for once. He was extremely drunk at the time and said it was "like a bad dream."

Sanford Stanton VanMeter owned and operated a sawmill and a farm. It was said that Sanford Stanton VanMeter had quite a sense of humor and always woke up in a cheery mood.

After the death of Edna Mae "Dude" Morehead VanMeter, Sanford Stanton VanMeter grieved heavily and mourned for her.

Sanford Stanton VanMeter died of a massive heart attack. A nephew, Lee Morehead, and some of Lee's friends had asked permission to squirrel hunt. Permission was given. Later, Sanford Stanton VanMeter walked out to see how the hunting was going. He sat under a large, knotty maple tree and talked with the young men. As Sanford Stanton VanMeter got up to leave, he fell back down dead from a massive coronary. Lee Morehead's friends became frightened and left. Lee Morehead went to report the death of his uncle. As Lee Morehead had worked in a nursing home, he knew dead when he saw dead.

Edna Mae Morehead VanMeter was more commonly referred to as "Dude." She was a hard working woman, ever at Stant's side. Dude Morehead VanMeter loved babies and was always trying to make them smile. She was not the greatest of housekeepers but a good cook of plain fare. She had a warm sense of humor and was a loving person. She died of congestive heart failure. None of the daughters of this family lived to two years of age. Rosa VanMeter lived to be the oldest. She was proud of her first pair of shoes.

Kenneth VanMeter married a cousin, Mary Nellie Morehead. They never had any children. Mary Nellie Morehead VanMeter was a diabetic and died of complications. Kenneth VanMeter remarried. He died of congestive heart failure.

Stanley VanMeter and his first wife, Edna Bennett VanMeter, had no children. She died while Stanley was away trucking. Stanley VanMeter remarried to Joan Neary Wright VanMeter. Joan Neary Wright was divorced and had six children from her first marriage. They needed a father, and he needed a family. He loved the children as his own and helped raise them. Stanley VanMeter became diabetic. He was also a heavy smoker and did his share of spirits prior to his second marriage. Stanley VanMeter had lung cancer and was in the hospital for cancer treatments when he died of a massive coronary.