LaTourette - John - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

It is interesting to note that the old original LaTourette log home was later used as a loom house for many years.  When they built their lovely brick house, they moved the log one up near their new home and the weaving business along with it.  Also, one of the most interesting items to me was that the weaver would imprint the date (1849 for instance) into the woven fabrice, or perhaps their name and date or initials.  It was quite an art.  

The LaTourettes came to Fountain County quite early – 1826 (depending on the source 1828 or 1829) and settled in Wabash Township on Graham Creek.  When they began their weaving business isn’t 100% clear but before 1840 perhaps even as they arrived.  Although they became quite famous for their coverlets, they made jeans, table linens, carpets and even diapers – just about anything fabric-wise.  

Occasionally, a LaTourette coverlet will become available for purchase yet today but it is a rare happening as they are such intricately and precisely (and beautifully) made that they bring quite a high price.  Happy to report that some are found in museums and can be seen by descendants and interested parties.

John’s wife, Sarah Schenck (married on my birthday in 1816 – 15 Dec in Somerset, New Jersey) had a real knack finding bark, plants, and other such items to establish the coloring for the fabric.  At least three looms were constantly going.  When John passed away in 1849 (possibly Feb 22nd – said to be buried on their property), he and Sarah’s daughter, Sarah who had become quite the expert weaver and their son, Henry continued the business until 1871, Henry weaving the last known LaTourette coverlet.   The industrial age with power looms put the family out of business.  No way to compete with that!

Family trees on Ancestry.com tally John’s birth 30 Jan 1793 in Somerset, New Jersey, although some say New York.  Seems more likely New Jersey.  Sarah was born 19 July 1799 in Freehold, (Monmouth County) NJ to Garret Schenck and Nellie Conover (according to the trees, I saw no real proof to that other than Sarah and John did name one of their sons, Garrett) and the place and time is right, she being their oldest child.   John was the son of John G. and Elizabeth (Bond) LaTourette according to the information online.  John and Sarah’s children were: Garrett; John; William; Henry; Schuyler; Oliver and Court (who would have been less than 10 at his father’s death); Ellen; Mary; Sarah; Joseph, Susan and Ann (not in that particular order).  Sarah Schenck LaTourette passed away two days after our nation’s birthday in 1873 and has a very nice stone in Mount Hope, Covington.  

Education was important to the LaTourette family, John establishing one of the first schools in the township. Proof to that can be seen in the census records where they can all read and write, impressive when these children were born in the early 1800s.  

Son John looks to me like what his father would look (photo from findagrave) like so including his photo here.  He was born while John and Sarah lived in Montgomery County, Ohio for awhile and passed away (buried there) in Muscatine County, Iowa where he went on to live and farm.  Note: he may not look a thing like his father but is how I pictured old John the weaver!

Daughter Elizabeth married Levi Crane (lived to age 90) and moved to Saint Joseph, Illinois.  

Garrett married Margaret Sherry and owned a fairly large farm in Wayne Township, Tippecanoe County but died quite young and is buried in the Sherry Cemetery there.

Sadly, William passed away in 1837 at about age 15.

Ellen married Alfred Gooden 20 March 1846 in Fountain County.  They lived near the Fountain – Parke line near Harveysburg, Alfred farming. Little hard to believe but certainly possible, she died on her 70th birthday 10 Feb 1898 and is buried in the Miller Cemetery at Lodi.  

Sarah mentioned above was born in Montgomery County, Ohio 18 June 1824 and would have been quite young when they moved to Fountain County but here she stayed, passing away at almost 90 (4 June 1914). She is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, married to John H. VanSickle late in life.  He, too was a farmer and they had no children.

Ann LaTourette married John Bright 19 Sept 1850 but sadly he passed away 12 years later, leaving her with three sons and two daughters.  She was likely the last child of Sarah and John born in Ohio (Clarke County 1 March 1826 died in Parke County 4 Jan 1911), dying in Cayuga at age 85.  

Oliver LaTourette also married late in life (to Mary E. Dowdell) 23 March 1871 in Parke County.  He was the post master in the little town of Waterman and is also buried in the Miller Cemetery at Lodi. His stone kind of reminds one of a coverlet.  He fought in the Civil War. His wife Mary was born in Ireland and they had no children.

Mary was born in Fountain County the last day of April in 1830 and passed away at Terre Haute May 20, 1903 and is also buried in Miller Cemetery. Her tombstone picture says Hibbs on findagrave but she married William Sheldon Hansford October 22, 1849, he being 11 years older.  

Schuyler could probably have his own Who’s Who.  Born August 24, 1834 he too was in the Civil War and made the rank of Captain.  He, too, lived to a ripe old age dying 23 March 1926 age 91.  He is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery with his wife, Catherine Cooper (there is also a picture of him on findagrave who looks a bit like his brother). They married in the middle of the Civil War.  He farmed 240 acres, of which 160 of that was the original homestead.  He was said to have been one of “Fountain’s most staunch Republicans.” (Beckwith).  There may have been more children, but I just have Fred Cooper LaTourette.  No spouse is listed – anyone know?  

Joseph shows-up in Ancestry trees but I can not confirm such – he is listed as born 20 July 1839 in Covington and passing away in “Indiana” 21 Nov 1893.   

Henry died as one of the younger LaTourettes, being only 59 years old.  He was extremely active in local and somewhat in the state political scene, being one of the leading Republicans.  He was treasurer of Fountain County twice and county clerk once.  A long-time member of the State Board of Agriculture as well as active in Odd Fellows, Masons and Knights of Pythias, his funeral in late January 1892 was a huge one.  He had been defeated in a campaign in 1890 (along with all the Republican ticket) and went to Tin Cup, Colorado, joining his brother and seeing to some mining ventures he had.  He was doing well when he took pneumonia and died before his relatives in Fountain County could even be notified.  He is buried in Mt. Hope.   

Court (Courtenis and various other spellings) was the youngest I believe of all the LaTourette children born December 12th in 1840 and passed away 23 Nov 1912.  He too was in the Civil War Co C 154th Ind Inf and served as a Lt.  according to his tombstone but the records tally him as enlisting as a pvt. 13 Aug 1863 and mustered out in Indianapolis 25 Feb 1864 as a Sgt. Another notation found was he was discharged 13 March 1865 so he may have reenlisted and advanced to the higher rank.  He and his wife, Emma  (Emily Curtis) moved to Tin Cup, Colorado where he owned a saloon.   They had one child (Emma was 51) Victoria.  

Susan was born in Fountain County Aug 28, 1842 and passed away at age 71 years 10 months and 17 days, having taken strychnine with suicidal intent because of being sick.  On December 22, 1859 she married John L. Clickner.  She mothered at least four children, possibly more (George, Charles, Ann and Kate).  John was a carpenter and served in the Civil War.  They were likely cousins as his mother was a LaTourette and he was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.  

Thus you have John and Sarah Schenck LaTourette’s life in brief. They were intelligent, hard-working and well-respected in the community.

by ... Karen Bazzani Zach