September 15

Emma Adelia Parker VanMeter died 15 September 1892 in Pike County, Ohio.

THE SAD TALE OF THE VANMETER FAMILY

Emma Adelia Parker was born 17 August 1863 and died 15 September 1892 in Pike County, Ohio. 

Emma Adelia Parker VanMeter was a first cousin to Massie Parker Treat (my great-grandmother).

Emma married John I. VanMeter 21 December 1883 in Pike County, Ohio. He was born 1853 in Pike County, Ohio, and died 15 September 1892 in Sunfish Creek, Pike County, Ohio.

Emma and John had three children - James Noble, Sanford Stanton, and a baby boy whose name is unknown.

* * *

From my dad's family history notes --

On September 15, 1892, John I. VanMeter murdered his wife and infant. The two boys found their mother and baby brother in the yard.  Seven-year-old James stayed with the bodies while  Sanford Stanton, age 5, walked to the nearest house, about five miles away.  The coroner, Dr. Wilson was called.  The search began for John VanMeter. The neighbors found him in Sunfish Creek drowned. 

No one seems to know the name of the infant.  The birth had not been recorded and a blank has been drawn in the death records for the first name.  Supposedly all three were buried in Gardner Cemetery. If so, the graves are unmarked.  There is an area in Gardner Cemetery for the graves in the VanMeter area that could hold several unmarked graves.  

The tale that has come down through the VanMeter family is that John had an eye for other women.  In his other liaisons he contracted syphilis.  He was being treated for it.  There was an article in the newspaper stating that the doctor had warned Emma Parker VanMeter that her husband could become dangerous. John VanMeter got to thinking that it was his wife cheating on him. He even thought the baby was not his child. After the murders, John VanMeter committed suicide by drowning.

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JAMES NOBLE VANMETER

James Noble VanMeter was committed to the Ohio Home for Epilepsy on May 23, 1895. He died there on 11 September 1905. 

 SANFORD STANTON VANMETER

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.  Stanton was the child who, after finding his mother and infant sister murdered outside of the VanMeter home, walked five miles to family/ neighbors, the Cruzes, to get help.  Stanton never spoke of the incident except once.  He was extremely drunk at the time and said it was "like a bad dream."  

Stanford Stanton VanMeter lived with his VanMeter grandparents for a time. Eventually, he lived with his Parker grandmother and his Aunt Martha J Parker Krebs. 

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

Stanton VanMeter married Edna Mae Morehead in 1911. They had eight children.

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 13 Apr 1962.  

After the death of his wife, Stanton grieved heavily and mourned for her.  He died a mere five months later on 13 September 1962.  A nephew, Lee Morehead and some of Lee's friends had asked permission to squirrel hunt on his property.  Permission was given.  Later, Stanton walked out to see how the hunting was going.  He sat under a large, knotty maple tree and talked with the young men.  As Stanton got up to leave, he fell back down dead from a massive coronary.  Lee Morehead's friends became frightened and left.  Lee went to report the death of his uncle.  As Lee Morehead had worked in a nursing home, he knew dead when he saw dead.    

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I don't have pictures of any of the other people in this story.

September 14

I don't have pictures of the birthday people today, so I think I'll post some more "unknown" pictures from the Thomas family photo archives.

These three photos were in frames. They are from the Thomas family photo archives.

Left is Ethel Kime, center is Christie Thomas, but I'm not sure about the woman on the right.

The little girl is me, but I don't know who the woman is. Don't know if this was in Michigan or Ohio.

This was with the Thomas family pictures. No idea who they are.

?????

?????????????

This says it's Erwin and Renue. But I don't know who the boy and girl are.

And I don't know who the man on the left is.

September 13

 Brandy Sue Thomas was born 13 September 1975 in Michigan.

Brandy is my niece, the daughter of Rick (my brother) and Bella Wisdom Thomas.

PHOTO: Rick and Brandy.

These pictures were taken at Grandma and Grandpa Thomas' house in Bangor MI.

PHOTO: Bella and Brandy.

PHOTO: Grandma and Grandpa Thomas with Brandy (left) and Pam (her sister), 1977.

PHOTO: Four generations - Brandy, Rick, Wathada, Cleffie, 1980.

1986

Sometime between then and now...

Brandy married Shane Murray...

and they had two children - Jeffrey Dean ("J.D.") and Jason

Happy birthday, Brandy!

September 12

Wathada Jewell Burford married Richard Melvin Thomas 12 September 1953

This picture was taken at a 'wedding supper' at Lester and Cleffie's house (I think) the day after their wedding.

This is another picture taken at the wedding supper. L-R: Jay Bridges, Annie and Ulys Hicks, Bernice holding Cindy Bridges, Cleffie Burford, Bill Thomas, Eileen Thomas.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of them

September 11

 Elgan Etho Betts was born 11 September 1890 in Missouri

His mother, Sarah, was a sister of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold (mother of Annie Arnold Hicks)

* * *

Eulene Estel Carter Daugherty died 11 September 2005, age 86

Eulene was the daughter of John and Amy Tamsett Carter.

John was a brother of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold.

* * *

Ted Charles Jones married Beth Marie Kubistal 11 September 1981

Ted is the son of Charles 'Buck'  and Judy Jones

Buck is the son of Charles and Evalee Hicks Jones

Evalee was a sister of my grandmother Cleffie Hicks Burford.

* * *

George Theodore Thomas was born 11 September 1856 in Ohio

From his FindAGrave memorial --

George T. Thomas Probate Judge of Huron county, son of Uri B. Thomas and Ellen (McOmber). Thomas, was born in Greenwich township, Huron county, Ohio, September 11, 1856. He attended school for some time at Oberlin College and Buchtel College at Akron; then studied law and admitted to practice February 2 1886. He was the mayor of the village of Greenwich, 1883 to 1885, and about the same time held the office of township clerk, member of the board of education, and secretary of the Greenwich Land and Building Association. In November 1886, he began the practice of law at Norwalk. In 1890 he was elected Probate Judge, and was re-elected in 1893. He is a fluent speaker and is often called upon to make public addresses. Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Emma J. Miller, of Fairfield township, this county, April 10, 1880, and they have one child, Alton Orr Thomas.

-- "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," George T Thomas, 1920

George was the son of Uriah Baker Thomas.

Uriah was the brother of my great-great-grandfather Washington Lafayette Thomas

PHOTO: Washington and Harriet Thomas

September 10

Charles Hanriford Byrnne Jr. died 10 September 1918

This picture is posted in the FindAGrave memorials of both Charles Hanriford Byrne Sr. and Charles Hanriford Byrne Jr., so I don't know for sure which one it is. The memorial for Junior mentions military service (Civil War, presumably), so maybe this is him. His mother Temperance Gibson Byrne also has the same photo on her FindAGrave memorial as the one on her mother's (Lydia Sink Gibson).

From the FindAGrave memorial for Charles Hanriford Byrne, Jr. --

Charles Hanriford Byrne was born on 15 Dec 1845 in Braxton County,West Virgina. He died on 15 Aug 1915 in Sailor Springs,Clay County,Illinois. Enlisted 1 Dec 1861 at Olney, Illinois in Co. A, 63 regt, Illinois. Vol. To serve 3 yrs, mustered out as Corporal at Louisville, Ky13 July 1865. Charles married Editha Adeline Lambert daughter of Theopholius Lambert and Charlotte Reynolds on 27 Jul 1865. Editha was born on 15 Feb 1842 in Wabash County, Illinois. She died on 10 Oct 1918 in Hoosier Township, Clay County, Illinois.

* * *

Isadora Matilda Miller was born 10 September 1881.

 She was the daughter of Dale and Alice Ford Miller

Alice was a sister of my great-grandmother Nancy Ford Thomas.

I don't have a picture of Dora Miller.

I have a picture of her husband Andrew John Cushman.

I also have a picture of her daughter Audrey Cushman. 

PHOTO: Alice Ford Miller and her granddaughter Audrey Cushman

Dora Cushman died during the birth of her 2nd child when Audrey was 2 years old.

 * * *

Joyce Ann Thomas married Andrew L Thomas 10 September 1949

(I got this picture from Joyce's Facebook page.

PHOTO: Joyce and Andy on their 50th wedding anniversary, with their sons John and Jeff and grandchildren.

Joyce is the daughter of Ralph Thomas. (I don't have a picture of Ralph.)

Ralph was the son of William George & Nettie Durren Thomas.

William was a brother of my great-grandfather Charles Thomas

* * *

Mary Elsie Kinney was born 10 September 1901 in Illinois

This is cropped from a larger group photo of the Gibson clan. Mary Kinney is standing next to Asa Gibson, my great-great-grandfather (father of Lora Gibson Burford).

Mary was the daughter of Anna Gertrude Gibson, sister of my great-grandmother Lora Gibson Burford.

September 9

 I don't have pictures of the birthday people today, so I'm going to do something different. I'm going to post some of the "unknown" photos that I have and see if anyone can tell me who they are. These are from the Thomas/Ford branches of the family tree. Maybe some Treats. (So... Aunt Eileen... Jerry... ???)