Obituaries
John VanHoy, 66, Dies in Daughter's home at Huron
John VanHoy, 66, lifelong resident of the Shoals community, passed away at 8 o'clock Wednesday Morning at the home o his daughter, Mrs. Margaret Terrell in Huron.
Mr. VanHoy has been seriously ill since last December and during the greater part of his illness he had been cared for in the daughter's home. Death resulted from a complication of ill health.
Born in this community October 1, 1877, he was the son of Thomas and Elvira VanHoy. His wife the former Miss Ivy Sponsler, died four years ago.
Survivors are the following children Graydon VanHoy, of Plymouth, Mich.: Mrs. Arline Kerns of Cynthiana, Ind,: Mrs. Alberta Overlin, of Detroit, ; Mrs. Margaret Terrell and Mrs. Helen Mundy of Huron, Samuel Vanhoy of Indianapolis, Charles Vanhoy of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Ruth Troutman of Evansville, and Randall VanHoy of U.S. Navy, one brother George A. VanHoy, of West Shoals and several grandchildren.
The body was prepared for burial at the Baker & Son funeral home and has been removed to the VanHoy Residence on North High Street, where services to be conducted by Rev. Robert Hawkins, of Odon will be held this (Friday) afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment will be made at Spring Hill cemetery.
Source Shoals News 7-2-1943
Courtesy of: Paul VanHoy and Betty & Wade Hicks
Elzira VanHoy, Shoals Woman is Taken by Death.
Funeral services for Mrs. Elzira VanHoy, 80 year of age and widow of Thomas VanHoy, who was a Civil War Veteran, were held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Methodist Church with interment following in Hickory Ridge cemetery, The service was conducted by the pastor, Rev. L. H. Ice, with Rev. Oscar Polhemus of Rivervale assisting.
Death of the aged woman occurred at 6:30 o'clock Friday afternoon at the home of her son George VanHoy, in West Shoals and was due to complications resulting from old age. She was seriously ill only a few days and prior to that she had lived alone at her home on the East part of Shoals.
Surviving are two sons, George and John VanHoy, both of this city, twelve grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Mrs. VanHoy was born at Huron but had spent nearly all her life in Shoals, She was a member of the Methodist church and was well known in this city and vicinity where she leaves numerous friends.
source Shoals News 12-6-1935
Courtesy of: Paul VanHoy and Betty & Wade Hicks
Walter VanHoy, 62 found dead in Home
Funeral services were held Thursday morning at St. John's Church, Loogootee, for J. Walter VanHoy, 62, father of Mrs. Albert Stiles of Shoals, who died suddenly Monday night at his home in Loogootee following a heart attack. Burial was in St. John's cemetery.
A well known contractor in Loogootee, Mr. VanHoy went to the K. of C. Club Monday evening, returning home about 9 o'clock. His wife, who had gone to church, came home and found him slumped against the inside of the front door. A physician was called immediately, but he had been dead several minutes.
Native of Perry Township, he was born Feb. 18, 1879, to William C. and Catherine (Fitzgerald) VanHoy, He married Effa H. Casey May 9, 1908, who survives with three children.
Mr. VanHoy was widely known in Loogootee and adjoining communities as a contractor. He was a member of St. John's Church, the K. of C. and Holy Name society.
Besides the widow, children surviving are: Mrs. Stiles, of Shoals, Mrs. John Salyer Jr., of French Lick, and James W. VanHoy Jr., of Wayne Michigan.
Brothers and sister surviving are: Mrs. Charles Summers, Mrs. Joseph P. Smith, C. C. VanHoy and Homer VanHoy all of Loogootee; William VanHoy of Bloomington, and Sister Agnes Helen of St. Mary's-of-the-Woods. He is also survived by nine grandchildren
source Shoals News 3-28-1941
Courtesy of: Paul VanHoy and Betty & Wade Hicks
Washington, Ind., May 21
Elizabeth Sims, 81, died in her home in Burns City following a decline of health for several months. Mrs. Sims was a lifelong resident of that community and is survived by two brothers, and one sister.
Special to The Tribune (paper dated May 22, 1927)
Courtesy of: Kathryn Snow
MARY F. ALFORD TAKEN BY DEATH AT LOOGOOTEE
Aged Resident Died of Complication Following Hip Fracture.
Loogootee, Ind., Oct. 8, 1938 - Mrs. Mary Frances Alford, 84, died at her home at 509 South Second Street here at 4:55 o'clock Friday afternoon. She had been ill for the last seven months following a fall I which she fractured a hip.
Born near Hindostan March 29, 1854, Mrs. Alford was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Peek. Her mother's maiden name was Veal. Mrs. Alford was married twice, her first husband, Emanuel Pierce Hilbert, preceding her in death 40 years ago and her second husband, George H. Alford, dying 25 years ago.
Living children are William Hilbert, at home, Charles Hilbert, Loogootee, Otis Alford, Detroit, Mich. Five children to the first marriage are dead and two children by the second marriage also are deceased. She leaves two step children, George and John Alford both of Washington.
Mrs. Alford is survived by a brother, Levi Peek, Colo, a half sister, Nora Retterhenry, Bloomington, Ill., tow half-brothers James Peek, Bloomington, Ill., Robert Peek, Mitchell, Ind.; two step - brothers, George Martin, Shoals, and John Martin, of Indianapolis; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Mrs. Alford came to Loogootee 19 years ago. She was a member of the Christian church.
The last line is unreadable.
Courtesy of: MARY ELIZABETH BATEMAN
NANCY R. BATEMAN DIES IN STEELE TP
Coughing Spell Ended Fatally For Aged Woman Last Night .
Mrs. Nancy R. (Peek) Bateman, 72, wife of George W. Bateman of Steele township died suddenly last night at 9:15 o'clock after half an hour's coughing spell.
Mrs. Bateman, native of Martin county but Daviess county citizen most of her long and useful life, had been ill and under care of a physician recently, but had not been bedfast. Shortly before 9 o'clock last night a coughing spell came upon her and after nearly half an hour, while sitting in a chair, she died suddenly.
Coroner C. P. Scudden was holding a preliminary investigation today to determine cause of her sudden passing.
Born on November 23, 1865, the deceased was a daughter of Jesse and Nancy (Veale) Peek, and married Mr. Bateman on March 23, 1883. The husband survived along with the following children:
Mrs. R. B. Lytton of Pairbury, Neb., C. P. Bateman of Los Angeles, John R. Bateman of Wheatland, Mrs. Terry Dunn of Wheatland, Mrs. Hattie Dillon of Washington, Burton and Imogene Bateman at home. Two other children died in infancy.
A sister and brother also survive, Mrs. Frances Alford of Loogootee and Levi Peek of Colorado, as well as 10 grandchildren.
Mrs. Bateman, was educated in Martin County, and was a member of the Antioch Christian church northeast of Washington.
Funeral arrangements have not been completed. Elwood Williams will have charge.
The body will be taken to the residence this afternoon.
Nancy (Peek) Bateman died December 8, 1937
Courtesy of: MARY ELIZABETH BATEMAN
Catharine Horsey Beck born 6th of
December 1827 in Martin or Lawrence County, Indiana,
died at her home on December 1, 1866 in Shoals. She was the daughter of Lemuel Horsey, born 1797 in Virginia, and he and his wife, Rachel, were early settlers of Shoals, Martin County, Indiana.
Catharine's brothers and sisters were Stephen Horsey who married Mrs. Margaret Hamilton; Sarah Horsey who married Isaiah Dougherty; Christina who married John Fossett in 1856; and Clement James Horsey who married Sarah Cooke.
Alexander Devin Beck, born June 19, 1831 in Washington Co., Indiana, married Catharine on August 18, 1856 in Lawrence Co. Indiana. They had four children, Susan, born 1857, Emma, born 1859, Clara who died in infancy, and John Jefferson Beck, born June 26, 1863.
Catharine Beck was mourned by her husband and three children. She is interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery, Shoals.
Courtesy of: Joyce Nell Beck
AGED CELINA MAN DIES:
J. R. Bryant (Joseph Roberts Bryant), aged 84 years, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. T. Bryan at Celina Wednesday morning. The remains were forwarded to Pilot Point where the funeral was held in the First Baptist Church under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge. Deceased has only lived in Celina for a short time. He formerly resided at Pilot Point."
This information was provided to me by Andrea Bryant Ramsay.
Courtesy of: Sherry
MARTIN COUNTY TRIBUNE 1920, February 27.
BENJAMIN J. SUMMERS DEAD: Word has been recieved here of the death of Benjamin J. Summers on 27 February at the soldiers home at Quincy Illinois. Captain Summers was 82 years old and well known to many of the older citzens of this community and the community west of here. He served in the civil war as a Captain in Company I of the 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry and was in active service from 1861 to 1864. He is survived by four children, two daughters of Washington, Mrs. Katherine Yager (Yeager) and Mrs. Julia Yager. Another, Mrs. Addie Menary of Peoria Illinois and a son, Daniel of E. Peoria Ill.
This information was provided by Steve Yeager.
Courtesy of: Steve
From a Shoals newspaper in October 1905:
“Obituary of Two Pioneers: Sept. 15 and Oct. 25 – 1905. Captain Zachariah Sims and Wife and Something of Their Lives in Martin County.
Two of Martin County’s oldest pioneers, in the neighborhood of Dover Hill, have passed away. Zachariah Sims was born near Bedford, Indiana, Sept. 8, 1822, spending his boyhood and young manhood in the counties of Lawrence, Daviess and Martin. In 1843, he married Miss Lucinda Miller, of Daviess County. She died of Malarial Fever a year later and Mr. Sims spent the next three years in the southwest, on the frontier. In this he exhibited the character of his parents, who journeyed from Georgia and South Carolina on pack horses, to Kentucky, through the country infested by savage Indians, who at that time were massacreing immigrants, and in places on their journey were still fresh signs of these bloody deeds. So they were pioneers of Knox County, Kentucky. Here twelve children were born when, becoming dissatisfied on account of slavery, they came to Lawrence County, Indiana, 1819, where two more children were born. Twelve of the fourteen grew to manhood and womanhood.
Coming back to the subject of our sketch. He had just returned from Texas when war was declared with Mexico and he volunteered. At Bloomfield he was elected second Lieutenant of Company E, second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Most of his service was in commanding guards on the Rio Grande. Returning to Indiana he married Miss Joyce Morrow, Sept. 23, 1847, and settled near Dover Hill. He was sheriff of Martin Co. when the Civil War began. At the close of his term of office he raised a company of which he was elected Captain, Francis A. Crooke first lieutenant, and George Shirey second lieutenant, Company C, 146 Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
Mr. Sims united with the Methodist church in early life and was always true to its principles and his house a home for its ministers. One son, John L., is a member of the Indiana Conference; one daughter, Mrs. H.H. Westhafer, a minister’s wife; one son, J.N., a physician; William, a farmer; five daughters, farmers’ wives; Miss Etta, a teacher until she gave the best of her life in caring for her parents.
Captain Sims departed this life September 15, 1905.
At this time his wife Mrs. Joyce Sims was sick. She expressed a desire to depart with him.
She was born in Greene County, Indiana, April 25, 1829, of pioneer parents, descendants of Daniel Boone, and they came on pack horses from Kentucky.
Mrs. Sims was the mother of twelve children, ten of whom were at her bedside during her severe sickness until October 25, last, when in her weakness, but with clear mind her wishes were granted. Raising her hand toward heaven she whispered “Home.” This was her last word and almost her last breath and two pioneers were gone to explore the home beyond.”
This information was provided by Jennifer Taylor.
Courtesy of: Jennifer
Martin County Tribune Friday, May 3, 1907
DEATH OF MR. VANHOY
"Thomas J. VanHoy died at his home on Sixth Street Saturday morning after a very short illness of paralysis of the brain. Mr. VanHoy had been in feeble health for about two years but his death was entirely unexpected. Mr. VanHoy was a soldier in the Civil War and his constitution was shattered by the hardships undergone in the service of his country. While it was not his to lay down his life upon the field of battle fighting for the flag yet he there contracted the ailments which later took him from among the living. He was seventy-four years old and had been for many year a devoted member of the U.B. Church. The Remains were interred at Hickory Ridge Sunday afternoon, the funeral discourse being preached by Rev. Taylor, of Odon. He leaves surviving a widow and two sons who live here two sons in the state of Washington and a daughter in Nebraska. During his lifetime Mr. VanHoy made all arrangements for his funeral, some of them being made a decade ago, and the services were conducted in every particular as he had expressed his wish that they should be."
This information was provided by Paul VanHoy.
Courtesy of: Paul
Shoals News 6-14-1961
George VanHoy Found Dead
George A. Van Hoy age 86 years was found dead at his home in West Shoals., about 9:45 p.m. Saturday night. Miss Alma Earl found the body when she called to bring Mr. Van Hoy to town. He was born in Lawrence County on January 10, 1874, the son of Thomas & Elsie Van Hoy. He was a retire carpenter and grocery store operator and was serving as Justice of the Peace in Center Township, at the time of his death.
Mr. Van Hoy is survived by two sons and a daughter. They are Floyd and Sheldon Van Hoy and Mrs. Deloris Phillips, all of Seymour. He also leaves two grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Funeral services were conducted at the Queen Funeral Home at 3 p.m. Monday, with the Rev. John Sutch,of Vincennes conducting the rites. Burial was made in the Hickory Ridge Cemetery.
Funeral services were conducted by Rev. John Sutch at the Queen Funeral Home at 3:00 p.m. Monday. Pall bearers were Albert Felton, Joseph Harding, Albert Earl, Eddie Earl, Ralph Sherfick and Randall Van Hoy. Burial was made at Hickory Ridge Cemetery.
This information was provided by Paul VanHoy.
Courtesy of: Paul
Shoals News 5-7-1969
Graydon VanHoy Dies in Michigan
John Graydon Vanhoy, 67, of 9460 Sheldon Road, Plymouth, Michigan passed away Monday morning at the Ann Arbor Trails Nursing home in Plymouth.
He was born January 19, 1902 the son of the late John and Iva (Sponsler) VanHoy. He is survived by his wife, Mildred a daughter, Mrs. Marilyn Keeth, grandchildren Randy, Debby and Diane Keeth: Five sisters, Mrs. Margaret Terrell, of Huron, Mrs. Helen Mundy of Bedford, Mrs. Arlene Harding of French Lick, Mrs. Alberta Overlin, of Anderson and Mrs. Ruth Agrusa, of Roseville, Michigan; two brothers, Charles VanHoy of Orange, California, and Randall VanHoy , of Shoals, One sister, Alice and one brother Sam, also preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday in Plymouth.
This information was provided by Paul VanHoy.
Courtesy of: Paul
Shoals News 6-4-1965
Samuel P. VanHoy Buried Saturday
Funeral services for Samuel P. VanHoy, age 58 years were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, at the Shirley Brothers Funeral Home, in Irvington. Burial was made in Washington Park Cemetery.
Mr. VanHoy died in his sleep, Wednesday morning, He had been in failing health for several years. He was born in Shoals on August 8, 1907, the son of John and Iva (Sponsler) VanHoy. He was a graduate of Shoals High School and Indiana University School of Pharmacy. For many years he operated a drug store in Indianapolis.
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Ann (Wedding) VanHoy, of Plymouth, Michigan; Charles VanHoy of Orange, Calif.; and Randall VanHoy of Shoals; five sisters Mrs. Margaret Terrell of Huron; Mrs. Helen Mundy of Bedford; Mrs. Arlene Harding of Indianapolis; Mrs. Alberta Overlin, of Anderson; and Mrs. Ruth Argusa of Detroit,Mich.
Among those from area attending the funeral were Mrs. Mildred Reichman, Mr. and Mrs. Randall VanHoy and daughter, Sandra, and children, Mrs Wiley Poindexter, all of Shoals; Mrs Margaret Terrell and son, Roger, of Huron, Mrs, Helen Mundy and son, Sam, of Bedford; Mrs. Lincoln Crane, Mrs Maude Grays, Mrs Thelma Hewitt and Thomas Crane of Loogootee.
This information was provided by Paul VanHoy.
Courtesy of: Paul
The Shoals News May, 1914
Caleb Shrum, son of Frederick and Lucy Kern Shrum was born at Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah County, Virginia, May 21, 1844 and died September 20, 1914 aged 70 years, 3 months and 29 days.
He was married September 28, 1878 to Miss Ingeby Smith. To this union were born six children, Frederick C. who died in infancy, Clarissa C., Mary E. Clifton, Charles E., Otto D. and Grace L. Shrum.
The mother, five children, thrree grandchildren and one brother Alfred Shrum of Salem, survive.
In youth he united with the U.B. Church and in 1879 he transferred his membership to the M.E. church at Shoals and remained a faithful member to the end of his life. Caleb Shrum was know as a man chaste in habits and conversation. When the Red school house was used as a place of worship he had charge of the young men's class in the Sunday school as long as that point was on the Shoals circuit. The funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the M.E. Church by Rev. John L. Sims after which the remains were lain to rest in the Spring Hill Cemetery.
This information was provided by Mary Ellen Krause.
Courtesy of: Mary Ellen
The Shoals News December 1918
Succumbed to Appoplexy
Mrs. Ingeby Shrum aged sixty-three years, widow of the late Caleb Shrum, died at her home two miles east of Shoals Tuesday night from an attack of appoplexy. Mrs. Shrum became ill suddenly on Sunday night. She was unconscious from the first and remained in that condition until death relieved her from her suffering. Mrs. Shrum was born in Martin County and had spent practically all her life in the vicinity of Shoals. She leaves surviving her, two sons; Charles E. Shrum, of Washington, Indiana and Otto D. Shrum, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and three daughters; Mrs. James T. Clifton, of Shoals, and Misses Clara and Grace, at home. Mrs. Shrum was a member of the ME church and was active in the church work. The funeral was held yesterday afternoon with services conducted at the residence by Rev. N.F. Denny, and interment was made at the Spring Hill Cemetery.
The Shoals News article did not mention any dates, but Ingeby Smith Shrum was born May 12, 1855 and died December 4, 1918. They definitely gave the men more publicity in those days than they did the women.
This information was provided by Mary Ellen Krause.
Courtesy of: Mary Ellen