STAGGS, Herman
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Staggs were residents of Parke County their entire lives; they lived on farms in or near Ferndale, Bridgeton, Catlin and Tangier. He was born August 3, 1879 and died October 14, 1962. He married Dolly May Adams on October 17, 1907. She was born May 31, 1888 and died January 21, 1971. They had been married 55 years at the time of his death. Mr. and Mrs. Staggs had seven children: Alva Earl "Buss", born 1909 at Bridgeton; Frances Irene (Davis), born August 20, 1913, Bridgeton; Florence Olive (Thomas), born May 30, 1916, Rockville; Blanche Pauline (Thomas), born January 11, 1921, Rockville; Opal Norine (Vargo), born June 30, 1923, Rockville; William Homer born February 26, 1927, Rockville; and Helen Marie (Gillis), born July 29, 1930, Rockville. The Parke County antecedents of Mr. Staggs are as follows, James Franklin Staggs, his grandfather, married Amanda Manes/Hanes (see note). They had four children: Nancy, born 1857, Henry Franklin, August 22, 1859; Mary Elizabeth, 1861 and Emeline 1863. Henry Franklin was the father of Herman. He married Mary Francline or Frances Spencer and had six children by her: William Herman, Edgar, Joe, yrtle, Maude, and Wanda Earl. After her death July 30, 1895, he married Effie Carlin and had six children by her: Clarence, James Franklin, Lillie, Ola and Olem (twins) and Hasel. The Parke County antecedents of Mrs. Staggs are: William Clark Adams, her grandfather, born Feb. 16, 1808 in Mercer Co., KY. He married Mary Sale Apr. 8, 1830 in Parke County. She was born Nov. 29, 1812 in Mercer Co., KY. They had 11 children, all born in Parke County: Malona, Feb 14, 1831; John Quincy, 1834; Harry, 1836; Harriett, 1838; Harvey "Tipp", Sept. 29, 1840; George, 1843; Reuben Perry, June 28, 1846; Pleasant, 1848; Albert Thomas, June 21, 1850; Sarah Jane, May 25, 1853; and William D., Nov. 23, 1855. Albert Thomas Adams, Mrs. Staggs' father, was born in Jessup, June 21, 1850 and married Mary Catherine Lewis on Dec. 21, 1873 (daughter of William F. and Sarah E. Lewis). They had nine children, all born in Parke County: Lawrence Victor, born Apr. 2, 1875; Della Florence (Thorpe), Jan. 28, 1877; Harry Egbert, Nov. 3, 1879; Essie Grace, Aug. 22, 1881; Bessie Beatrice (Mooter), July 6, 1883; Jessie Cleveland "Kebe", June 13, 1885; Dolly May (Staggs), May 31, 1888; Mary Magdalene (Webster), Apr. 14, 1891; and Charles William, Apr. 26, 1895. Charles is the only one still living as of July 1988. He resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. * Note: Amanda's name is believed to be "Almeda Mains" the daughter of Henry Franklin Mains. Henry Franklin Mains had a brother, Peter Mains, who moved to Iowa. Since Amanda named her son Henry Franklin Staggs, it would suggest that Henry Franklin Mains was her father. Also in the 1830 Parke County census, Almeda Mains was shown as the daughter of Henry Franklin Mains and she was born in the same year Amanda was. – shared by Jimmy Gillis