The Furman Case Family

   Some of Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana’s earliest settlers were the Furman Case Family.  Furman was born 12 Jan 1808 in New York and his name first appeared on the census in Yates Township, Orleans Co., NY in 1830.  He married about 1834 to Permelia Marlatt, the daughter of John and Clerzinia (Vantifeny) Marlatt, born 15 Aug 1815 in New York.  Furman and Permelia left New York with family members and made their first land purchase here in 1837.
    Like all pioneers the struggle to tame a wild new land was a hard one.  Furman Case became sick and died 15 Jun 1849 after suffering for three weeks with lung fever. He left not only a wife, but 8 children under the age of 14 and a farm to run and manage.  In those days family and neighbors were far away and the burden was left on his wife.  She was able to coax one of her brothers, Peter Marlatt, from Lenawee County, Michigan to come and help out.  She endured a number of hardships in her life, outliving three of her children.  Her faith and membership in the Baptist Church for almost 40 years helped to see her through the tough times.  She passed away on 3 May 1883 and both she and Furman are buried in Lake Gage Cemetery, Jackson Township, Steuben County, IN.   They had the following eight children:
   1. Emily Case was born 14 Jan 1835 in Orleans Co., NY and married on 17 Feb 1861 to Joseph A. Gilbert, a widower with three small children.  He was born 2 August 1825 in Adams County, PA, the son of John and Mary (Bachman) Gilbert, and was a farmer in Otsego Township.  He was a Mason and had served in the 152nd Indiana Infantry during the Civil War.  His name is on the East side of the Monument in Angola.  Emily died suddenly on 12 April 1884 in Otsego Township, and Joseph on 4 May 1904.  Both are buried in North Otsego Cemetery, Otsego Township, Steuben Co., IN.  They had three children:
       1. Alton J. Gilbert was born in 1865 and married 14 Apr 1888, Ada M. Healey, who was born in 1866.   He died in 1935 and she in 1938.  Both are buried in South Scott Cemetery, Scott Township, Steuben Co., IN.  They had 4 children including Paul A. Gilbert born 9 Sep 1896 and Mary born 1902-1904.
       2. Victor Lafayette Gilbert was born 1 Nov 1867 and married 15 Jan 1887 Sarah H. Slaybaugh, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Thresher) Slaybaugh.  They had a son Roy Victor born in 1887.  Victor L. died 7 May 1945 in Pittsford, Michigan and is buried in Leonardson Memorial Cemetery.        
       3. Verna I. Gilbert was born in 1869 and married Edgar O. Slack, born in 1864, on 14 Jan 1888 in Steuben County, IN.  She died in 1940 and he in 1941.  Both are buried in South Scott Cemetery.  They had two children.
   2. George W. Case was born 19 Jan 1837 in Steuben County and died 2 Nov 1854 at age 17 years. He is buried in Lake Gage Cemetery.
   3. Rosannah Case was born in Nov 1839 and married Arthur Webb, 5 Aug 1863 in Branch County, MI.  Arthur  was born 30 Dec 1829 in Shropshire, England, the son of John and Grace (Harrison) Webb.  He was a farmer and widower with two small daughters.  Rosanna died 17 Apr 1874, just one week after the birth of her daughter Rosa.  Arthur Webb remarried and died on 12 Nov 1913.  Both are buried in the Lake Gage Cemetery.  They had four children:
       1. Delmar Webb was born 16 Aug 1864 in Jackson Township and married 9 Jun 1888 Harriett G. Legg, the daughter of  Thomas E. and Josephine (Merry) Legg, who was born 1868.  He died 8 Nov 1943 in Orland and she in 1935.  They are buried in Circle Hill Cemetery in Angola, IN.  They had four children: Lewis, Arlene, Josie and Weir.
       2. Jessie Irene Webb was born 11 Mar 1867 in Jackson Township and married 30 Nov 1884 in Steuben County, Charles Cordial Crandall, a farmer born in 1863.  She died in Coldwater, Michigan on 5 Apr 1926 and he in 1939.  Both are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Branch County, Michigan.  They had six children: Gladys, Vera, Arthur, Winnie, Glema, and Wava.
       3. Zella Webb was born 24 Jun 1869 in Jackson Township and married 5 Nov 1887 in Steuben County to Edgar J. Wilson.  He was the son of Edwin and Christina (Klink) Wilson, born 4 May 1866.  She died 11 Dec 1938 in Elkhart, IN at the age of 69 years and he 7 May 1949.  Both are buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Orland.  They had two daughters, Iva and Mable.
       4. Rosa Webb was born on 10 Apr 1874 in Jackson Township and shortly after the death of her Mother,  was taken into the home of Walter and Maria (Way) Vaughn and grew to womanhood.  She married 17 Oct 1901 Harvey C. Knight, a farmer.  He was born 8 Mar 1867, the son of Austin and Mary Ann (Dahuff) Knight.  She died 27 Jul 1947 in Millgrove Township at the age of 73 years and Harvey died 8 Apr 1927 at the age of 60 years.  Both are buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Orland.  They had five children: Bernice, Walter, Vira, Myrlen, and Ira Albert.
   4. Harriet Case was born 19 Oct 1842 in Steuben County and became a teacher.  She married 27 Feb 1862 to William Sylvester Gilbert in Steuben County.  He was the son of John and Mary (Bachman) Gilbert, born 22 Sep 1836 in Portage Co., Ohio and a member of the Knights Templar.  At the time of her death, Harriet had been a member of the Church of Christ in Metz for 56 years.   She died 20 Feb 1922 and he on 3 Aug 1906.  Both are buried in Metz Cemetery, Richland Township, Steuben County, IN.  They had three children:
       1. Clarence Gilbert born 2 Feb 1863 and married Mattie Alman on 14 Mar 1891 in Steuben County.  He was a teacher for many years before developing symptoms of consumption.  He spent all of his life here in Steuben County except for a few months in New Mexico and Colorado in hopes of improving his health.  He was a member of the Waterloo Presbyterian Church and died 1 May 1896 at the home of his father.  He is buried in the Metz Cemetery.
       2. Dora D. Gilbert was born 12 May 1867 and she became a teacher.  She married in Steuben County 1 Aug 1885 George Chisholm, born 1862.  They lived in Edon, OH for 20 years before moving to Metz.   George and Dora  had one daughter, Vera who married Mason L. Haughton.   George died in 1945 and she on 27 May 1949 in Fort Wayne. Both are buried in Metz Cemetery. 
       3. Hugh L. Gilbert born 6 May 1873 in York Township and married Myra Warner on 13 Sep 1894.  She was the daughter of T.  J. and Matilda (Letcher) Warner.  They had seven children: Hilda, Loentine, Thomas Sylvester, Donald, Mattie Lorene, Carly, and Dorothy.   He died 26 May 1953 and she in 1954.  Both are buried in Metz Cemetery.
   5. Gilbert Case was born 1 Sep 1844 in Steuben County, IN and died 6 Sep 1862, age 18 years. 
   6. Lafayette Case was born 1 Feb 1846 in Pleasant Township and married 25 Dec 1869 in Steuben County, Zella E. Snyder, daughter of John Snyder.  He died 18 Feb 1888 and is buried in Pleasant Lake Cemetery.  Zella remarried to a Mr.   McEnterfer and lived in Auburn in 1925.  Lafayette and Zella had three children.
       1. Dellie E. Case was born in 1872 married Albert L. Cogswell on 1 May 1889 in Steuben County and moved to Auburn.        2. Ora F. Case was born 3 Dec 1874 near Lake Gage and married Nannie M. VanAuken on 27 Oct 1897.   He was a barber for many years in Pleasant Lake, worked in the Chadwick and Ransburg Department store for years and was a mail carrier at the time of his death on 16 Apr 1925.  He is buried in Pleasant Lake Cemetery.  They had three children: Maurice L., Aileen, and a child that died in infancy.
       3. Garr W. Case was living in Wabash, IN in 1925.
   7. Denman Case was born 31 Jan 1847 in Pleasant Township and married 28 Nov 1869 in Steuben County to Mary Etta McNett who was born 22 Apr 1854, the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Rock) McNett.  He died 23 Feb 1918, age of 71 years and she on 29 Jul 1915.  They are buried in Lake Gage Cemetery, Jackson Township. They had four children:
       1. Ada Case born 30 Oct 1873 in Pleasant Twp. and  married in Nov 1892 Bert Collins, son of George W. and Avis (Walter) Collins, who was born on 7 Jun 1870.  She suffered two years with consumption and died 21 Jun 1904, leaving her husband and two small daughters, Mildred and Birdine.   Bert remarried and died in 1940, they are buried in Jamestown Cemetery.         
       2. Arlie Case (dau.) born 10 Jun 1875 and died 28 Aug 1887, age 12, is buried in Lake Gage Cem. 
       3. Grover Case
       4. Golda Case was born about 1889 and married  Clayton L. Shank born about 1885, who was a painter.   They had one daughter Wilma who married a Mr. Stammen and lived in Fort Wayne in 1969.  In 1915, they were living in Kendallville, IN.  Clayton died 16 Sep 1969 and  Golda in Dec 1969.  They are buried in Lake Gage Cemetery.
   8. Permelia Case was born 2 Feb 1849 and became a school teacher.  She married 5 Sep 1874 in Steuben County to Arthur Webb who was born 30 Dec 1829, the widower of her sister Rosanna.  She died 1 Nov 1898 and he on 12 Nov 1913. Both are buried in Lake Gage Cemetery.  They had one son.
       1. Harley H. Webb born 3 Apr 1876 in Millgrove Township and married Alida May McGrew on 27 May 1897.  She was the daughter of Melvin and Rachel (Fast) McGrew.  Harley lived on the same farm in which he was born, he was a farmer, stock raiser and beekeeper.  He was also one of the first owners of a car in Steuben County, purchasing a Reo in 1907.  During the Winter months the car was put into the barn and placed on jacks, the tires removed, wrapped in newspapers and stored in the basement.   Harley and Alida had three daughters, an infant that died at birth, Hilda, and Joyce. They are buried in Jamestown Cemetery.                                                                   


Sources:  Land Warrenty Deed Steuben County, IN dated 1837 for Furman Case.
History of Steuben County, Indiana  (1885)  p. 610 (William S. Gilbert), p. 789 (Lafayette Case),p. 825 (Joseph A. Gilbert),  p.532 (George W. Collins), p. 843 (Issac Slaybaugh), p. 792 (John Snyder), p. 685 (Thomas E. Legg)
Audree Lewis, Steuben County, Indiana Marriages  (1967) ;  Cemeteries of Steuben County, Indiana  (1990): 
History of Northeast Indiana (1920) V.2 p.10 (Harley Webb); p.14 (Edgar Wilson); p.91 (Harvey Knight);
History of Steuben County, Indiana (1955)  p.566 (Hugh L. Gilbert);  History of  Branch County, MI  (1979) p. 135 (Arthur Crandall);   Obituaries from the Steuben Republican Newspaper:  Denman Case 20 Mar 1918 p.3; Lafayette Case 22 Feb 1888 p.4 c.5;  Ora F. Case 29 Apr 1925; Emily Gilbert 23 Apr 1884 p.5;  Harriet Gilbert 1 Mar 1922 p.3;  Joseph Gilbert 16 Mar 1904 p.1, picture;  William S. Gilbert 8 Aug 1906 p.4 c.3;  Rosa Knight 6 Aug 1947 p.5; Harley Webb 7 Sep 1955; Permelia Webb 16 Nov 1898 p.3 c.7 ; Clarence Gilbert 6 May 1896 p.4 c.3; Clayton Shank 24 Sep 1969 p.2 c.1; Goldie Shank 17 Dec 1969 p.2 c.3; Dora Chisholm 8 Jun 1949 p.2 c.3;
Census -1840  Steuben Co., IN, Pleasant T., p. 105,198  (Furman Case); 1850 Mortality Census Steuben Co., IN (Furman Case); 1850 Steuben Co., IN, Pleasant T. p. 299B, 150B  (Permelia Case);  1860  Steuben Co., IN, Pleasant T. p.126,566 (Permelia Case);  1870  Steuben Co., IN, Pleasant T. p. 48,157 (Denman Case); Jackson T., p.28 (Arthur Webb)
1880  Steuben Co., IN Pleasant T. p.18, 321B (Lafayette Case)
Information from Jean Powers descendant of Emily Case Gilbert and Thomas Gilbert descendant of Harriet Case Gilbert.

Compiled by Jean Ann Childers