23-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 1
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Wife: Maine Augusta MOW #256
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Born: 27 JUL 1881 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: Lydick Un.Meth. in: Lydick (St. Joseph) IN
Died: 03 JUN 1969 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Dressmaker/homemaker
Father: David Bruce MOW #116
Mother: Catherine "Kate" BEEHLER #115
Compiler remembers "Aunt Maine" as very proud and dignified in appearance. She was considered a "proper lady" and one for whom compiler's father felt a particular fondness. The few times when she was to visit the GILCHRIST home were anticipated with great preparation and excitement. Her oldest daughter, Alice, and compiler's father grew up as very close friends, as well as first cousins. Maine (MOW) STICHLER was to some extent a "substitue mother" to Virgil, and they maintained close contact over many miles and through many years.
Compiler's sister, Claudia GILCHRIST DEEN, has a letter written to Virgil by his aunt in October, 1956, which compiler has photocopied:
Oct. 31, 1956
Dear Virgil and family-
You may be surprised to hear from me after so long- but this
line is to tell you I do think of you all and wonder how you are.
I didn't feel I could go to Jim's wedding alone, and so I missed
seeing you. I am sure every one were happy on the happy
ocassion. Where will they be at home? Not to far away I hope.
How is your work now? I hope you have work and able to be on
the job. There seem to be plenty building going on every where,
we are getting another school building at Richland Center-
Ernie is back to work again but he had a rugged time after
surgery-for varicose veins.
I will be glad for a line to know how you & family are.
Love aunt Maine
(Compiler's Note) The wedding she mentions was that of Jim GILCHRIST and Katherine WISHARD. "Ernie" was her son-in-law, husband of Alice WRIGHT ODELL. Nineteen-year-old Maine MOW was the oldest of David and "Kate" MOW's children still living at home at the time of the 1900 census. In July of that year, she married John M. WRIGHT. Their daughter, Alice Pauline, was born in October of 1901. Sometime before January 1906, this marriage ended in a divorce. Little is known about John WRIGHT or the marriage; this was a "closed subject" for discussion in the MOW family. The GILCHRIST's apparently respected this for the only thing compiler was ever told was "Aunt Maine was married to
Alice's father, Mr. WRIGHT".
Evidently Maine's second marriage was a much happier one, and Theodore STICHLER seemed to be highly respected throughout the family. The STICHLERs "made history" in Fulton County when Maine gave birth to triplets in November, 1915. "The Rochester Sentinel" carried the following story on Nov. 20:
For the first time in sixteen years, the birth of triplets was recorded in this county, Friday when Mrs. Theodore Stichler, who lives north of the river, became the mother of two daughters and one son. Two children are living and seem to be in perfect health, while one daughter was still born. The living children weigh five and six pounds, and have been named Theodore, Jr. and Theodora. Mrs. Stichler is thirty-four years old and is the mother of two other children. Dr. Meek of Tiosa, the attending physician says that it was the first time he officiated at the arrival of triplets.
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
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Husband: John M. WRIGHT #257
Married: 14 JUL 1900 in: Fulton County, IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: D End Year: Unk
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Born: 04 FEB 1872 in: Rochester (Fulton) IN
Church: in:
Died: in:
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: John B. WRIGHT #984
Mother: Elizabeth E. BALL #983
Little is known about this John WRIGHT except what has been found in his father's C.W. Pension File and in the limited information from family tradition.
John B. WRIGHT reported in pension applications that his son was born 04 FEB 1872 in Fulton Co., IN. In 1900, John M. WRIGHT married Maine Augusta MOW in Fulton Co. This couple apparently resided in St. Joseph Co. for the brief duration of their marriage since they were not found in the 1900 census nor in property records of Fulton Co. There is no record of their divorce in Fulton Co., IN records.
On 22 OCT 1901, Maine gave birth to the couple's only known child, Alice Pauline WRIGHT, in South Bend (St Joseph) IN. By May of 1910, Maine had been married to Theodore STICHLER for three years. Richland Twp., Fulton Co., census shows "Alice WRIGHT, stepdaughter" as 7 years of age. The marriage of John M. WRIGHT and Maine MOW evidently ended in divorce in St. Joseph Co. before 1907, but the MOW family avoided discussion of " Mr. WRIGHT". The only information given to this compiler by her father, Virgil GILCHRIST, was that there had been a divorce and,
"the family never talked about it".
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F Child 1 Alice Pauline WRIGHT #341
Born: 22 OCT 1901 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Church: in:
Died: 20 NOV 1973 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: MEMORIAL PARK in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Homemaker/antique dealer
Spouse: Pleasant Ernest O'DELL #340
Married: 23 DEC 1922 in: Mishawaka (St.Joseph) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
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Husband: Theodore STICHLER #258
Married: 30 JAN 1906 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 17 NOV 1865 in: INDIANA
Church: in:
Died: 18 FEB 1922 in: Fulton County, IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Farmer
Father:
Mother:
Wilma FOLTZ has provided most of the data for Theodore STICHLER and his children. In the information sent to compiler, there was no place of birth given for him, but compiler had extracted the STICHLER's data from the 1910 census. On that enumeration, Theodore's place of birth is given as INDIANA. Both of his parents were reported to have been born in GERMANY.
Theodore's age on that census was given as "45". This would indicate that he was 42 when he and Maine (MOW) WRIGHT married three years earlier. Whether Theodore had a previous marriage is not known. Per the census, he owned his farm "free and clear." Compiler has not made a real effort to find Theodore on earlier census records, but there were two or three families of
STICHLER's found in Marshall County in 1870. The senior members of these families report their birthplace as FRANCE. It should be noted that the name is frequently spelled as "STICKLER."
Theodore died young. He was just 57 at the time of his death. He left his wife, Maine, with a 20-year-old daughter, who would marry a few months later, and four other children under 12. Per Deed Books in Fulton County, Maine sold a parcel of land to Clayton R. ROOKSTOOL in Nov., 1927. Compiler has not examined that deed, but this could have been Theodore's farm in Fulton County. This may have been the time of Maine's move to St. Joseph County, where she would live the remainder of her life.
Per Byron GILCHRIST, Theodore had earned a very comfortable living, and held a great many assets until he was caught up in the scam of a "merchant" who wanted to establish a large business in downtown Rochester. Themerchant" evidently succeeded in collecting a large sum of money from various local residents, then disappeared from the area leaving no trace of his destination.
Quoting from an interview compiler had with Byron GILCHRIST, June, 1996:
"Theodore was a very intelligent person! He earned a great deal of money. He was actually a teamster...had a big team of horses...built streets...He lost his money just before he died...'invested in a bogus grocery store that came to town. The outfit talked several people into investing in their business, then they disappeared from Rochester, taking those folks' money with them. I don't know if Theodore ever knew he lost his fortune; he was so ill when it all happened that Aunt Maine probably never told him...or if she did he probably did not comprehend it.
Our dad had two brothers--Charlie and Fred. Fred became a hermit. When Fred died, Charlie came and told Dad they needed to go take care of the arrangements. Dad went and got his sheep shears. He cut Uncle Fred's hair with the shears, and did a great job! Everyone said what a good haircut Dad gave him. Dad was a real whiz with tools of any kind. Folks said he could do more with a single tool than most people would ever think of trying. He was smart!
Concerning Theodore's ancestors,
...Dad's father came to New York from GERMANY with two brothers. Somehow they got separated in N.Y. Two of them were finally reunited, but they never found the third one... Grandpa went (compiler missed the location) and started farming. He heard of some woman that worked for some other folks--keeping house and caring for their children. Folks said she was a big German lady and was a good worker. Grandpa went one weekend to visit those people. He watched the lady while he was there. The next weekend, he went back, and asked her if she wanted to take care of him and keep his house. She said she would.
The next weekend, Grandpa went and got her and all her belongings and took her home with him. They lived together until they died; they had five children, but there was never any mention of a marriage.
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F Child 1 Charlotte Ruth STICHLER #988
Born: 16 AUG 1910 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: Lydick U.Meth. in: Lydick (St. Joseph) IN
Died: 26 AUG 1973 in: Lydick (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Spouse: Henry Franklin "Frank" CAUFFMAN #989
Married: 14 FEB 1963 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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M Child 2 Theodore STICHLER, Jr. #995
Born: in: Fulton County, IN
Church: in:
Died: in:
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Spouse: Velma E. BERKHEISER #996
Married: 02 MAR 1935 in: Bruce Lake (Fulton) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Y Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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F Child 3 Theodora Isabelle STICHLER #1016
Born: 17 NOV 1915 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: in:
Died: 15 APR 1943 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Spouse: Hubert WOODCOX #1017
Married: 01 APR 1934 in: Rochester (Fulton) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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F Child 4 Dorathea STICHLER #1045
Born: 17 NOV 1915 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: in:
Died: 17 NOV 1915 in: Fulton County, IN
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
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F Child 5 Margarett Augusta STICHLER #1020
Born: 21 MAY 1919 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: in:
Died: in:
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Spouse: Hugh Elbert "Bud" STEININGER #1021
Married: 28 AUG 1937 in: Logansport (Cass) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
23-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 9
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Husband: Floyd Vermillion MOW #259
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Born: 26 APR 1884 in: Fulton County, IN
Church: METHODIST in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Died: 22 FEB 1960 in: Fulton County, IN
Cemetery: RIVERVIEW in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Construction Sup't.
Father: David Bruce MOW #116
Mother: Catherine "Kate" BEEHLER #115
Compiler's most vivid memory of "Uncle Floyd" is of a visit to his farm in the early 1950's. The farm and house were beautifully maintained, simple but very attractive. When compiler and her parents were preparing to leave, Uncle Floyd gave compiler an ear of popcorn grown on his farm. Compiler was astonished that popcorn was grown the same as sweet corn or field corn.
In an interview with his nephew, Byron B. GILCHRIST, in June, 1996, Byron said of his uncle, "Uncle Floy came back thinking to farm at the start of WW I. Chrisman landed the job of building the ship yard for Ford. They coaxed him into taking the job as Supt. of the shipyards. He became quite well-known...had many opportunities for jobs all over the world. He returned
to Fulton County and retired on the farm."
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Wife: Emma Elnora STECH #260
Married: 14 JUN 1905 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 10 APR 1875 in: Billingsville (Union) IN
Church: METHODIST in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Died: 14 APR 1960 in:
Cemetery: RIVERVIEW in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father: Jacob STECH #1040
Mother: Katherine (STECH) #1039
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M Child 1 Archibald MOW #1041
Born: 02 NOV 1907 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Church: in:
Died: 29 NOV 1907 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: RIVERVIEW in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
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M Child 2 Floyd Vermillion "Jack" MOW JR #1042
Born: 28 MAR 1915 in: Toronto (Ontario) Canada
Church: in:
Died: 28 OCT 1987 in: Orlando (Orange) FL
Cemetery: CREMATED in: Lake Placid, FL
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Spouse: Ruby (MOW) #1043
Married: in:
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
Spouse: June (MOW) #1044
Married: in:
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb
23-JAN-1998 Family Group Sheet Page 12
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Husband: Omer Franklin MOW #253
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Born: 18 NOV 1889 in: Mentone (Kosciusko) IN
Church: in:
Died: 12 OCT 1975 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: IOOF in: Richland Center (Fulton) IN
Other: in:
Military: Occupation: Construction worker
Father: David Bruce MOW #116
Mother: Catherine "Kate" BEEHLER #115
Per the family history data furnished by Mrs. FOLTZ Omer's first wife, Elizabeth Boggess, died 24 Apr 1920. Omer married again in 1921 to Dorothy Peterson.
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Wife: Elizabeth Ann BOGGESS #254
Married: 01 MAR 1913 in: Fulton County, IN
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: 25 MAR 1893 in:
Church: in:
Died: 24 APR 1920 in: South Bend (St. Joseph) IN
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father:
Mother:
Children born to this marriage are:
"The funeral of Kathleen, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Omer Mow of South Bend, was held at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. David Mow last Saturday morning. Burial at Richland Center."
"The infant daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. Omar Mow, who died at the home of its parents Thursday was brought to Richland Center for burial Saturday."
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Wife: Dorothy (Arnold) PETERSON #255
Married: 23 SEP 1921 in: Benton Harbor (Berrien) MI
Marr. Ceremony? Y/N: Divorced/Annulled/Separated: End Year:
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Born: in:
Church: in:
Died: in:
Cemetery: in:
Other: in:
Military: Occupation:
Father:
Mother:
Compiled by:Ann & Ernie Grubb