Notes:

Ira and Olive lived in Wakarusa where Ira taught school and Olive was the first telephone operator in Wakarusa. In later years they moved to Elkhart where Ira owned rental properties and was active in the Democratic Party and became State Rertative. Their two sons died at birth.

The above is from a short history of the Smeltzer family found in the library in Wakarusa, Indiana in the fall of 1997.

Notes:

The following is a sketch of Daniel Smeltzer written in A Standard History of Elkhart County, Indiana, Editor: Abraham E. Weaver, published by the American Historical Society, Chicago and New York, 1916:

"DANIEL SMELTZER is one of the honored citizens of Elkhart County, has given many years of his life to the work of the schoolroom, and is held in grateful remembrance by a host of his former pupils. For a number of years he has had his htu

He was born in Olive Township of Elkhart County November 28, 1857. His grandparents, Michael and Susan (Rhodes)Smeltzer were both natives of Pennsylvania and of German origin. John Smeltzer, father of Daniel, was born in Pennsylvania Mar,
w up in his native state, and had little schooling and was prepared for life's duties mainly by practical discipline. When quite young he removed to Richland County, Ohio, and from there in 1848 came to Indiana. After a brief residence on sect ion 31 of Allen township he bought the southwest quarter of section 35, land that is now included in the Town of Wakarusa. Thus he was among the pioneers of that community. His enterprise led to the establishment of a sawmill, and that mill sa wed up great quantifies of the heavy native timber which was found in that region until comparatively recent years. The mill is still owned and operated by Calvin Werner. John Smeltzer was married while living in Ohio to Leah Lechlitner, daught er of Anthony Lechlitner. To their union were born eleven children: Susan, Henry, Anthony, Michael, Catherine, Joseph, Libbie, Daniel, Simon, John and Mary.
Daniel Smeltzer has some idea by recollection and personal experience of what the western part of Elkhart County was like before the passing of pioneer conditions. He was trained to hard work on the farm, and his advantages in the way of so winter terms. As soon as opportunity afforded he began working for his board in order to attend school in Wakarusa. With the enlargement of his horizon of knowledge, he fitted himself for places of responsibility, and eventually wa s made cashier in the Exchange Bank of Wakarusa. In the meantime and afterwards he taught school both in the country and at Wakarusa, and kept up his own education by attending the Normals in Goshen.
For a number of years Mr. Smeltzer has served as a justice of the peace, and is an ardent republican in politics. On January 26, 1879, he married Ida M. Lammond who was born in Ohio May 25, 1862, a daughter of Courtland and Nancy (Grove) Lily came from Ohio and settled at Wakarusa, where they lived until 1887, and then moved to Michigan, settling at Lawton in Van Buren County. Mr. and Mrs. Smeltzer have six children: Olive A., Birch B., Hazel C., Forrest D., W. Don an d Dewey. The daughter Olive is the wife of Ira Eshelman. Hazel married Jacob B. Yarian and her two children are Carlisle and Evelyn. Forrest Dale married Ethel Moore and their two children are Ida Margery and Maxine L.."

Daniel married Ida May Lammond on 26 Jan 1879 in Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana. Ida (daughter of Cortland S. Lammond and Nancy Jane Grove) was born on 25 May 1862 in Putnam Co, OH, Greensburgh Twp; died on 9 Jul 1936 in Wakarusa, Indiana; was buried in Jul 1936 in Buried Olive Mennonite Cemetery On County Rd. 3, Elkhart County Indiana. Grave Location: Section 7- We. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION on CORTLAND S. LAMMOND
written by Georgia Haines

Information on Cortland S Lammond was obtained through family records, obituaries, and census reports.

In the 1850 census for Putnam County, Greensburg Township, Ohio he is listed as age 19, living here with his parents, 3 brothers and 5 sisters. His occupation is farmer and his birthplace is New York. His name is given as Courtland Lemon.

According to the August, 1860 census for Putnam County, Ohio, he was then residing in Greensburg Township with his wife, Nancy and three children, Levi, age 7, Samantha, age 3, and Alvaro, age 3 months. The census taker reported that Cortland w as born in New York and his wife, Nancy, in Pennsylvania. His occupation was reported as that of farmhand.

Family records contend that Samantha was born in St. Marys, Ohio which is currently in Auglaize County. Orange C. Lamond?UAs wife lived at St. Marys part of the time while Orange was in the Civil War. All information seems to point to the thre e Lammond brothers, Henry, Cortland, and Orange as residents in various places in what are now Auglaize, Allen, Putnam and Mercer Counties. Towns near, or in, which they lived were St. Marys (Auglaize), Lima (Allen), Ottawa (Putnam), Kalida (Pu tnam), and Mendon (Mercer). Information on other siblings and their descendants has not yet been researched. The obituary of their son, Stephen, states that he was born in Putnam County in 1864, and in that same year they moved to Wakurasa, In diana. They lived there until the summer of 1885 when they moved to Lawton, Michigan. Cortland and Nancy farmed in Lawton, Michigan and lived there until their deaths in 1913. Theyraised peaches and possibly grapes.

Cortland married Nancy Jane Grove on 30 Sep 1852 in Putnam County Ohio. Nancy (daughter of Levi Grove and Mary Rohrer) was born on 4 Aug 1831 in Piqua, OH; died on 5 May 1913 in Lawton, Michigan; was buried on 7 May 1913 in Oak Grove Cemetery, Lawton, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION on NANCY JANE GROVE
Researched and written by Georgia Haines

Nancy Jane Grove?UAs birth location of Piqua, Ohio is not currently verified by official records, but rather is from information passed down through the family. Some censuses give her birthplace as Pennsylvania. In 1840 her father, Levi Grove, i s living in Putnam County, Greensburg Township, Ohio. In his household are listed the following:

Age less than five: 1 male (Probably Stephen, about age 2)

Ages five to ten: 1 male (Probably Levi, Jr. 2 females (Nancy would be 9 and Mary 5)

Ages ten to fifteen: 1 male and 1 female (Both unknown, however the male may be George Grove who appears in the 1850 census for Putnam County with wife Susannah, both age 23, and a son, John, age 6 months. Putnam county marriage records show Ge orge Grove married to Susan Eger April 5, 1848.)

Ages fifteen to twenty: 1 male (Probably John, about age 18)

Ages thirty to forty: 1 female (Probably Mary, age 37)

Ages forty to fifty: 1 male (Probably Levi, age 43)

This census gives only the name for the head of the household. The connections listed above are based on information in subsequent censuses.

Nancy is listed living with her parents, Levi and Mary Grove(s), two brothers and two sisters in the 1850 census for Putnam County, Greensburg Township, Ohio. This census report states her age as 19 and that she was born in Ohio. It also menti ons that she had been in school during the past year.

The 1860 census for Putnam County, Greensburg Township, Ohio, where she and her husband were then residing, reports that she was born in Pennsylvania. The 1860 census taker also reported that she could not read or write, and reported her age a s 27 which would have put her birth date at 1833 instead of 1831 which is the date in her obituary and on her gravestone.

The following is a quote from a letter written by Clela (One of Nancy Jane?UAs granddaughters) at age 83 to daughter, Georgia, on March 1, 1986 in which she related some recollections of her grandparents. This is unedited and copied as Clela wrot e it, except she used the hand written + symbol in place of the word "and".

"My grandma and grandpa Lammond I do remember they both died when I was 10 years old. My Mother used to take Carl and I and sometimes Arthur and go on a train to see them. They lived in Lawton Mi. My grandma couldn?UAt walk and grandpa used to c arry her from one room to another or out on the porch. One day my grandpa took me and grandma for a ride in a buggy. I was afraid of the horse. They had to get the buggy close to the porch, so as to get grandma into it. I guess I thought th e horse was going to climb onto the porch. Another thing I remember about her was that she sat in a chair by a window and smoked a pipe. It was a little clay pipe. My grandpa didn?UAt smoke. She used tobacco out of a little cloth bag. That?UA s one thing my grand or great grandchildren won?UAt remember me by."

Notes:

Death record, Putnam County Vol.1, p. 26, died of stomach disorder. Listed as Levi Groves. States place of birth as Westmoreland County--neighboring county to Fayette County, PA. Most evidence supports Fayette County as being actual birtl . His father died in 1811, when he would have been about 13, he had several guardians appointed, lived in Baltimore, Md. with older brother John, and (possibly in W. Va.) with Shepherd Grove. Place of marriage unknown. Oldest son, John R. Gro ve gives birth place (in 1822) as Fayette Co. PA. May have lived in Columbiana County, OH (Levi B., Jr. gives his birth in 1829 as being in Columbiana County). Moved to Putnam County PA in 1833 according to Putnam County History book, listing f or 1880 Atlas, Putnam County--early pioneers under 1833 heading. 1840 Census, Putnam County Ohio, Greensburg Twp., aged between 40-50. 1850 Census, Putnam County Ohio, Greensburg Twp. (children's names taken from this census)

1870 United States Federal Census
about Levi Groves
Name: Levi Groves
Birth Year: abt 1798
Age in 1870: 72
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Home in 1870: Greensburg, Putnam, Ohio
Race: White
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: View image
Post Office: Sheridan
Household Members:
Name Age
John Groves 47
Mary Groves 44
David Groves 20
Orlando Groves 13
Luona Groves 9
Leroy Groves 7
Levi Groves 72

View
Original
Record

View original image


1850 United States Federal Census
about Levi Groves
Name: Levi Groves
Age: 21
Estimated birth year: abt 1829
Birth Place: Ohio
Gender: Male
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Greensburg, Putnam, Ohio
Family Number: 59
Household Members:
Name Age
Levi Groves 53
Mary Groves 47
Levi Groves 21
Nancy Groves 19
Mary Groves 15
Stephen Groves 12
Elija Groves 5

1840 United States Federal Census
about Levi Grove
Name: Levi Grove
Township: Greensburg
County: Putnam
State: Ohio

Levi married Mary Rohrer. Mary was born about 1803 in PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mary Rohrer Grove must have died after 1876, because her husbands
death cerificate lists him as being married at the time of his death
on Mar. 11, 1876.

Died:
Y
Y
Y
Y