As I have mentioned before, my paternal grandmother, Margaret (Millikan) McKinley (1917-2007) gave me several hundred family pictures. As I got interested in the family history, she would help identify some of the people in the photographs. However, sometimes she just gave a single name that didn’t make sense to me & didn’t explain much about the picture.

Such is the case with this picture:

When I asked my Grandmother about it, she said something about Mayo Estle. Of course my first question was, “Who was Mayo Estle?” I think all I got from that was “a cousin.”

Taking a closer look at the picture, I clearly recognized several ancestors:

In the front of the picture were Alva Boone (1861-1945), my GG Grandfather; Edwin Boone (1906-1980), Alva’s son; Gertrude Boone Parr (1896-1969), Alva’s daughter; and Arza Millikan (1883-1964), my Great Grandfather & Alva’s son-in law. I couldn’t identify Arza’s wife, Mary (1897-1992) in the picture.

But how were these folks connected to Mayo Estle? Who was he? Is he in the front right of the picture? Can’t say I’ll ever know the answer to the last question, but here goes on the first two.

I did an Ancestry.com search for Mayo and found the following: Mayo Estle was born May 18, 1876 in Indiana and died December 4, 1953 in Santa Monica, California. He married Eva Johnson on September 26, 1900 in Marion County, Indiana. Eva died in 1962 in Santa Monica, California.

Mayo’s parents were Esther Ballard (b.1852) and James A. Estle (1846-1925). James’ sister was Nancy Estle (1835-1896) who married Paul Boone (1832-1917). Nancy and Paul were Alva Boone’s parents. So there is the connection to Mayo—Alva and Mayo were cousins!

Then I did a newspaper search for Mayo, just to see if I could find any more information about who he was. On the newspapers.com site I came upon an article in the Indianapolis Star dated October 20, 1918. The article headline was “Attractive Home in North Side District.” Included was a picture of a house that looked pretty familiar.

There were other photos in Grandma’s collection that linked to the first one:

The first photo looks exactly like the house from the news article. In the second picture, the lady sitting on the wall looks like Gertrude Parr.

So what about this house? According to the article, it is the residence of Mayo Estle, address 4025 North Ruckle Street, Indianapolis. “It is a two-story frame and stucco structure with full basement, finished in orange shade, with white trimmings and a green roof.” There is a “dark brown brick porch” and a “twenty-foot lawn” between the porch and the street. The article states that Mayo had the ideas for the design of the house and goes on to describe the inside of the house: The first floor had a “spacious living room…finished in a prettily grained quarter-sawed oak, worked in dark natural shades.” There was an “attractive brick fireplace and mantel, with oak shelf along the south wall.” There was a “massive extended arch sustained at either end by built-in book-cases serving as a division to the dining room.” The dining room had a “beamed ceiling, an ornamental built-in buffet…along the east wall and a built-in box seat window covers the entire south wall.” Oak trim was prevalent in the rooms on the main floor with “subdued tan” colored walls. The kitchen “has everything modern with the profuse use of built-in work.” The second floor had 3 bedrooms and a “complete and nicely furnished bathroom.” The full-size basement had an outside entrance as well. It had space “for the laundry, fruit room, storage room, fuel room and housing for the steam heating plant.” The house had “steam heat, hot and cold city and cistern water, gas and electricity.” The article goes on to state who the builders were as well as who contracted the lumber, paint, plumbing and heating work. It was a great advertisement for the house and builders. The article almost sounded like the description of a “show house.”

So it makes sense that possibly the gathering in the photos was a house-warming party.

A few more points on that…

In one of the above pictures, there is a group on the porch:

The blurred group looks like Alva Boone, his wife, Sarah “Allie” (1869-1955) and two little children…

These two cousins showed up in many pictures together. They were Keith Parr (1917-1996) and Margaret Millikan (my grandmother). Here they are in another picture from that day. Considering the two look to be toddlers in the picture, it helps date the photo to around 1919 or 1920.

So end of story, Mayo Estle built a house, had a party to celebrate & show off his new place. The expectation is that Mayo and Eva lived in this house until they moved to California. But wait…

A little more information about Mayo comes from the Indianapolis City Directory and US Census collections on Ancestry.com. Mayo worked as a retail furniture dealer. He shows up in the 1919 City Directory as living in the home at 4025 Ruckle. In the 1920 US Census and City Directory, he is living on DeQuincy! What? Someone else is listed as living in the house on Ruckle. So Mayo only lived in the house for a year or so. Maybe he really did build the house to sell it. Who knows. He shows up in the 1930 US Census in California. In 1938, he is listed in the Santa Monica City Directory as an interior decorator. Something tells me he got his start with that occupation with the house on Ruckle.

© MJM 2020

My Grandmother, Margaret (Millikan) McKinley wrote this poem July 26, 1934:

That Old Cross-Roads Store

It’s only that old cross-roads store,
The kind that isn’t seen much more.
A faded old sign swings over the door.
And many feet have trod its floor.

It makes no difference what you’ve come to buy,
You’ll find it there, tho’ the price be high.
And as you look around at the things that lie
About on the counter, you give a sigh.

It may be a bolt of print, some lace,
An old pan lid, or a flower vase
A dusty veil for an older face
Or a bit of candy in a worn show case.

It may be something in which to cook,
Or a more recent magazine or book,
It may be a lamp, or a fish hook.
Why there’s even a cat in a cozy nook!

The keeper is smiling, ever fair.
Seems like the whole country side drops in there.
When in want, to the old cross-roads store we tear,
And we know our need will be filled with care.

She indicated in her notebook that she wrote it “in honor of Uncle Lonny’s cross-roads store at Deming, Indiana.”

“Uncle Lonny” was actually her Great-Uncle Cornelius Arlonzo Boone. He was born November 9, 1858 in Indiana, one of the 3 sons of Paul Boone (1832-1917) and Nancy Estle (1835-1896). He married Sarah Ellen Glaze February 19, 1876 in Hamilton County, Indiana. They had 4 children, Bertha E. (1877-1970), Bessie M. (1882-1901), Edgar M. (1886-1960) and Blanche M. (1889-1968).

In 1880, per the US Census, Lon lived in Marion Twp., Boone County on the family farm. Lon shows up in the US Census in Jackson Twp, Hamilton county in 1900. His occupation was grocer. He lived in the Deming community, which is located about 7 miles North of Westfield. Grandma would have been living in Sheridan and to get to Deming she would have to go East about 7 miles.

Through the following census records, he is listed as a “retail merchant” in the “grocery” industry & a “merchant” with a “Country store.” Unfortunately, I do not know the exact location of his store.

I was recently in Indiana. I asked relatives if they remembered what Lon’s store looked like & where it was. They couldn’t remember much. My Great Aunt told me that the store and the family home were connected. I went exploring & followed the road to Deming. Actually, the community is only about the size of a neighborhood block. The church building is still standing, but it is a lodge meeting place now. A couple of houses had just been demolished, with the remnants still visible. There was one house at the cross-roads that could very well have been the store, but I don’t know for sure.

So I kind of wonder if “Uncle Lonnie’s” country store was a gathering place for the community—did men sit around and play checkers & swap stories; did children come in to get penny candy? Right now I guess I can only imagine what it was like. Grandma’s poem gives a little insight, though.

Lon died April 9, 1936 at the age of 77. He was buried in Spencer Cemetery in Hamilton County, IN.

© MJM 2017

“March Madness” is here again. Time to think about all things basketball. Many of my Dad’s ancestors lived in Indiana, where the sport of Basketball is like a religion. So it isn’t unusual to find that some relatives played the game. My Dad played in High School and was on a pretty good team. But I never expected to find that my Great Grandmother played the game over a hundred years ago!

First, I found these pictures in the collection of family photos I received from my Grandmother. Mary Boone (1897-1992) is my Great Grandmother. I was quite surprised to see her in these pictures. Hard to imagine “Mamommy,” as we called her, playing basketball as a teenager! She is listed as playing the position of Guard for Sheridan High School in 1914. (She’s in the bottom right side of the first picture) I don’t have any additional information about this season of basketball.

Then, I have a copy of the Sheridan High School year book, The Syllabus, from 1915. There is an editorial in the front of the book which says that The Syllabus was published for the first time in 1905, then for whatever reason, not continued until 10 years later when the 2^nd issue was published in 1915.

Mary Boone shows up in the year book in a picture of the Junior class. She also is pictured with members of the Girls’ Basket Ball team.

“Basketball is a recent addition to the S.H.S. athletic calendar, but without a doubt it has come to stay.” This was the first sentence describing the Boys’ program.

Then there was an edition of the Sheridan High School Newspaper, The Black and White, Vol. 1, No. 1, dated January 12, 1915. It had an article about Girls Athletics: “The girls are doing splendidly under the direction of Miss Hankemeier. She was captain of the basket ball team at Indiana University for 2 years and was president of the girls athletic association when she was a senior. The girls have been divided into basket ball teams according to their classes, having for their captains, Mary Byrkett, Freshman team; Nellie Burton, Junior & Sophomore team; Verlie Hundley, Senior team. Inter-class games are played but Inter-school games have been voted down. Many exciting games have been played and the girls are starting with greater enthusiasm since vacation; for now every game counts towards winning the banner which will be given to the victorious team.”

The description of the Girls’ Basket Ball program from The Syllabus stated:

“The boys condescended to let the girls use the gym on Tuesday and Thursday evenings after school, and they have had some exciting contests. Heretofore the teams have been divided according to their classes but as there were not enough players in some of the classes to make a full team and as some did not come out for regular practice, Miss Hankemeier organized the strongest players into two teams, the “Black” and the “White.” The line-up for the teams is as follows:

BLACK—Mary Byrkett, F; Leona Butcher, F; Dorthea Applegate, C; Edith McMurtry, S.C; Lula Laughlin, G; Bernice Inman, G.

WHITE—Mary Melson, F; Lois Fristoe, F; Nellie Burton, C; Ivalu Vickery, S.C; Mary Boone, G; Laura Mae Kercheval, G.

All the girls seem to enjoy the game. We are glad to see the girls take an interest in athletics and we hope that they will continue it next year.”

Obviously, the teams changed a little since the January article, but regardless of that, it seems that the girls were enjoying themselves. There is no indication of which team won the banner at the end of the season. Hard to imagine playing basketball in the “gym clothes” of that era. Also, considering the hair styles of the day, one general reference I found indicated that after girls’ basketball games there would be hair pins scattered all over the floor!

Anyway, it is fun to think that “Mamommy” played basketball!

© MJM 2017

Since I just finished a few posts about Paul Boone and his family, I figured this would be a good follow-up to those.

Grandma had a photograph in her collection that I now have in mine. Actually, I have a couple of copies of it. Unfortunately, none of the copies are 100% clear. The picture is of a large group and the caption under the photo is “Paul Boone Family.” There was a key with the photo, but it wasn’t completely filled in. Then I found more copies that had more names. That left only one name left to fill in–#9 in the key.

The photo was probably taken at a Boone family reunion. The time would be before 1912, as the woman in the center of the picture is Sarah Alexander Erp, and she died November 4, 1912.

Paul Boone Family, ca 1911

1. Paul Boone [b.1832, ~79y]
2. Cornelius Arlonzo Boone [b.1857, ~54y]
3. Alva Lorenzo Boone [b.1861, ~50y]
4. Aldes Sanford Boone [b.1864, ~47y]
5. Dorothy Mabel Boone [dau of 4.Aldes, b.1907, ~4y]
6. (Merritt) Henry Benson [husb of 17.Cynthia Estle Benson, b.1849, ~62y ]
7. Ella (Glaze) Boone [wife of 2.Cornelius, b.1856, ~55y]
8. Gertrude Boone [dau of 3.Alva, b.1896, ~15y]
9. ??
10. William Hobart Boone [son of 4.Aldes, b.1896, ~15y]
11. Eliza Candice (Kingslover) Boone [wife of 4.Aldes, b.1876, ~35y]
12. Eva Delores Boone [dau of 4.Aldes, b.1909, ~2y]
13. Sarah Alzada (Erp) Boone [wife of 3.Alva, b.1869, ~42y]
14. Clora (Burris) Boone [wife of 30.Edgar Boone, b.1886, ~25y]
15. Bertha Boone Walls-France [dau of 2.Cornelius b.1877, ~34y]
16. Henry Walls [son of 16.Bertha Boone Walls, b.1908, ~3y]
17. Cynthia (Estle) Ballard-Benson [sis of Nancy Estle, b.1848, ~63y]
18. Grace Pauline Boone [dau of 4.Aldes, b.1898, ~13y]
19. Mary Geneva Boone [dau of 3.Alva, b.1897, ~14y]
20. Hannah (Boone) Copeland [sis of 1.Paul Boone, b.1828, ~83y]
21. Ernest Walls [son of 15.Bertha Boone Walls, b.1904, ~7y]
22. Paul Marvin Boone [son of 4.Aldes, b.1903, ~8y]
23. Richard Edwin Boone [son of 3.Alva, b.1906, ~5y]
24. Sarah (Alexander) Erp [mother-in-law of 3.Alva, b.1829, ~82y ]
25. Audna Boone [dau of 30.Edgar Boone, b.1903, ~8y]
26. Blanche (Boone) Martin [dau of 2.Cornelius, b.1889, ~22y]
27. Mary Edith Boone [dau of 4.Aldes, b.1902, ~9y]
28. Edna Gladys Boone [dau of 4.Aldes, b.1905, ~6y]
29. Ruth Marie Boone [dau of 4.Aldes, b.1900, ~11y]
30. Edgar Boone [son of 2.Cornelius, b.1886, ~25y]
31. Bernie Martin [husb of 15.Blanche Boone, b.1888, ~23y]
32. Chester Emmett Boone [son of 3.Alva, b. 1892, ~19y]
33. Ursula Martin [dau of 26.Blanche Boone Martin, b.1908, ~3y]
34. Nora Martin [dau of 26. Blanche Boone Martin, b. 1910, ~1y]

Two people not listed in the key for the picture are Kenneth Sanford and Geneva Maxine Boone. They were children of Aldes and Eliza. Kenneth was born in Nov 1911 and Geneva in 1913.

I recently found a newspaper article about a Boone Reunion that probably solved the question of when the photo was taken. (I use Newspaperarchive.com for the Indiana Newspaper research.) The Friday, September 22, 1911 edition of the Sheridan News has an article on page 14, titled “Boone Reunion.” The article states:

“Last Sunday Alva Boone and family entertained at dinner the formers father and brothers together with their families. Those present were Paul Boone, C.R. Boone and wife, Edgar Boone and family, Bernie Martin and family and Mrs. S.A. Wall and children of Deming, Merritt Benson and wife of Westfield, Mrs. Nancy Estle of Terre Haute and Aldes Boone and family of near Terhune. If Mr. and Mrs. J. O’rear of Carmel could have attended the fifth generation of the family would have been present, their son being a great-great grandchild of Paul Boone.

The family consists of three sons, fifteen grandchildren, six great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.”

Most names from the article are familiar and match the key. The 1911 date fits with the presumed date of the picture.

I’m not sure who Mrs. Nancy Estle is. She is not listed in the key. However, person #17 is Cynthia (Estle) Ballard-Benson, who was the sister of Paul Boone’s first wife, Nancy Estle (d.1896) . These women had a brother, Jesse, who married Nancy Trimble Pritchard. So perhaps the Nancy Estle mentioned in the article is the Sister-in-law to Paul Boone’s first wife. Some records show her birth date as 1833, so she would have been ~79 years old in 1911. Due to the exposure of the picture, it is very difficult to see the mysterious woman #9, could this be Nancy Estle?

The J. O’Rear family mentioned in the article refers to John O’Rear and his wife Ethel Goodner. Ethel was the daughter of Bertha Boone (#16) and her first husband, William Goodner. Ethel would have been around 17 years old in 1911. Bernard Fletcher O’Rear was the first child of this family and he was born August 31, 1910. (Found his name through the Indiana Birth Certificates collection at Ancestry.com) At first, I thought Ethel would be the elusive woman #9, but that wouldn’t work since, according to the article, she wasn’t there.

So, I’m still not sure of the identity of woman #9 in this picture, but I’m glad we have most of the names & relationships figured out. I wish we could remember to put a key with all group pictures at the time they are taken, so later generations wouldn’t have to scrounge through records to find the connections.

© MJM 2017

Continuing from the last post, following the Census records for Paul Boone’s 3 sons. Here are the records for Alva and Aldes Boone:

Alva Lorenzo Boone

I’ve mentioned Alva Lorenzo (my GG Grandfather) in a previous post. He married Sarah Alzada “Allie” Erp. They had 6 children, with 2 dying as infants. Nora Mabel and Chauncy died young. Their other children were Chester Emmett, Rachel Gertrude, Mary Geneva and Richard Edwin.

1900 US Census, Alva Boone

In 1900, Alva and Allie were living in Sugar Creek Twp, Clinton Co, IN. Sarah Erp, his mother-in-law is also part of the household. The record shows that Allie has had 4 children with only 3 living. Nora Mabel doesn’t show up in the Census records and has already died. “Hester” is actually Chester, but is difficult to decipher.

1910 US Census, Alva Boone

1910 finds them in Adams Twp, Hamilton County, IN, which is where they will reside for the rest of their lives. Edwin is listed as “Edmond.”

1920 US Census, Alva Boone

1930 US Census, Alva Boone

1940 US Census, Alva Boone

The 1920, 1930 and 1940 Census records have Alva and Allie at home on the farm. Edwin stays with them until he gets married—note he is listed as Richard E. and Edwin. Alva’s name also changes in 1930, it looks like it is “Alsa.” So, again other records are needed to even find their other son, Chauncey and to clarify the names.

Aldes Sanford Boone

Aldes Sanford Boone married Eliza Candace Kingsolver. They had 10 children: William Hobart, Grace Pauline, Ruth Marie, Mary Edith, Paul M, Edna Gladys, Dorothy May, Eva Delores, Kenneth Sanford and Geneva Maxine.

1900 US Census, Paul Boone, Aldes Boone

Aldes lived in Marion Twp of Boone County, IN in 1900, showing up just after his father, Paul. He raised his family on this farm.

1910 US Census, Aldes Boone

The 1910 record has more children added to the family.

1920 US Census, Aldes Boone

By 1920, Grace and Ruth have moved on, Edith M. becomes Mary, “Dortha” (Dorothy) disappears and 2 more children have been added to the family. Dorothy may be visiting someone at the time the Census taker made rounds. So she may show up with another family.

1930 US Census, Aldes Boone

The 1930 Census record has some of the children still at home. Note that Dorothy has returned. Aldes died in 1931.

So there we have it, following the US Census records for Paul’s 3 sons. Obviously, these records are a good start for finding the family relationships, but other records are needed to complete the story.

© MJM 2017

As mentioned in the previous post, Paul Boone (1832-1917) was married 3 times. He had 3 sons with his first wife, Nancy Estle (1835-1896). His son’s names were Cornelius Arlonzo, Alva Lorenzo and Aldes Sanford. This picture shows Aldes and Alva in the back with Cornelius and Paul in the front.

Census records from Ancestry.com follow the families through the decades.

1860 US Census, Paul Boon

In 1860, Paul is listed in the US Census with his wife Nancy and son Cornelius, in Washington Twp, Hamilton Co., IN. Cornelius was born in 1858. The next family group on the census belongs to his Mother-in-law, Alice “Elsie” Estle.

1870 US Census, Paul Boone

The 1870 Census shows his family has grown with the addition of Alva and Aldes. He is still in Washington Twp, Hamilton Co., IN. Alva was born in 1861 & Aldes in 1868.

1880 US Census, Paul Boone

By 1880, Paul had moved to Marion Twp of Boone Co, IN.

Cornelius has gotten married to Sarah E. and shows up as the next family on the census with their daughter, Bertha E.

The 1890 Census was destroyed by fire, so there is a 20 year gap until the next US Census records. By 1900, Paul’s sons had all married and started their own families. Some of their children were also married and starting families.

Cornelius Arlonzo Boone

Following Cornelius Arlonzo’s trail: From Census and other records I have the information that he was known as “Lon.” He and his wife, Sara Ellen “Ellie” Glaze had 4 children: Bertha E., Bessie M., Edgar M., and Blanche M.

1900 US Census, Cornelius Boone

Cornelius shows up in the 1900 Census as “R’lonzo.” Searching for him by his first name doesn’t get us anywhere. Bertha is already out of the house. His second daughter, Bessie doesn’t even show up in the Census records for his family. So we had to find information about her from other sources. Lon and his family are now in Jackson Twp, Hamilton County, IN which is where they appear in the remaining Census records.

1910 US Census Cornelius Boone

By 1910, the girls are out of the house, Edgar shows up as the next family in the Census with his wife and daughter. The family name is spelled “Boon.” Note that Sarah E has a “4/3” after her name. This indicates that she had 4 children and only 3 are still living. Other records show that daughter, Bessie, has died.

1920 US Census, Cornelius Boone

1930 US Census, Cornelius Boone

The final 2 Census records from 1920 and 1930 have Cornelius and Sarah living on their own. They own a house and he is a “groceryman.” Note that Cornelius has an R after his name in 1920—I suppose this is for “R’lonzo.” Then 1930, his middle initial looks like an “O.” Lon died in 1936.

I’ll continue with the other 2 sons, Alva and Aldes next time…

© MJM 2017