| |
This is a portion of an article I wrote for the Jennings County
History Book to be released early next year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
James & Nancy (Keel) Waughtel
James Waughtel was born April 10, 1810 Abingdon, Washington County,
Virginia to Frederick and Patsy (Knotts) Waughtel. According to the
1820 census he had one brother and two sisters, all under the age of ten
years. One sibling has been found, a sister Jane, who married (1st)
Enoch Stark and (2nd) John Summa. In Jefferson County, Indiana, James
married (1) Elizabeth Bear in 1835; (2) Nancy Keel in February 1837.
Nancy was born March 1, 1816 in Pennsylvania.
James and Nancy had 12 children: Josiah born March 1838 married
Elizabeth Cain; George born November 16, 1839 married Martha Catherine
Petree; Elkana born 1842 died May 2, 1844; Starling born March 18, 1844
died July 7, 1863 serving in the Civil War; James Jr. born May 29, 1846
married (1) Zelphia Jane Marsh (2) Caroline Hammon; Abraham born July
17, 1848 died January 20, 1903; Charles born 1851 married Elnora "Belle"
Clapp; John born April 22, 1852 married (1) Eliza Ann Keith, only
daughter of James Harvey Keith and Susannah Vantreese, (2) Katie Webb;
Helen born/died April 22, 1852 and twin to John; Sarah Jane born May 4,
1854 died December 12, 1858; America "Belle" born July 1859 married
Joseph Patton; and Jennettie (Nettie) born April 16, 1862 married
Benjamin Couchman.
According to The Evening Republican, Columbus, Indiana, Wednesday,
February 21, 1906 edition:
QUOTE: James Waughtel died at his home twelve miles from this city, over
the Jennings County line, Tuesday afternoon, at the age of ninety-six
years, one of the oldest men in this part of the state. His wife, who is
ninety-one years old survives him. One of the most remarkable things
about the aged couple was the fact that they had been married
seventy-one years, probably a longer married life than can be told of
anywhere in the country. Six children survive, and they are all past
middle age. Mr. Waughtel, who was well known to many people in this
city, had the reputation of being one of the most honest and upright men
in this part of Indiana. He was always particular to never take more
than what he considered his own, and his absolute honesty in everything
was remarked on by the people who knew him. UNQUOTE
An old newspaper clipping handed down to me by my grandmother,
Antoinette Waughtel, had the following to say of Nancy.
QUOTE: A recent issue in the News, referring to the Waughtel family in
Geneva Township says:
"An unusual record of long life for herself and her family was possessed
by Mrs. Nancy Waughtel, ninety-five years old, who died a few days ago
at the old family home on the Madison road, twelve miles southeast of
Columbus. Mrs. Waughtel was the widow of James Waughtel, who died in
1906 at the age of ninety-six. At that time the couple had been married
for seventy years.
Mrs. Waughtel was born in 1815 in Pennsylvania, and when an infant was
brought down the Ohio river in a flatboat by her family, which built a
cabin on the Indiana side of the river, opposite Carrollton, Kentucky.
She was married to James Waughtel in 1836 and twelve children were born,
six of whom are now living, Josiah, the oldest child is 73 years old.
The other children are George, James, John, and Charles Waughtel and
Mrs. Helen Patton. There are twenty-four grandchildren and twenty great
grandchildren. In 1852 Mr. and Mrs. Waughtel made their home in
Jennings County where they remained until their death." UNQUOTE
Their son John who married Eliza Ann (Keith) were my great grandparents;
parents of seven children: Rome (my grandfather) who married
Antoinette Ponsler; Clem who married Margaret May; Ora who married Mary
Virginia Ertter, Elroy who married Nora Edith Noell; Janet and
Antoinette. The fifth son has never been identified by name but thought
to be Homer. Eliza died in Marion County, Indiana, January 25, 1889;
John married Kate Webb nee Carson, widow of Pleasant Webb in July 1889
and they had six children.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
BACK