Stoner, Julius B

Other Events:

• Residence: 1900, Nob Hill, Yakima, Washington, USA; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Son

Other Events:

• Residence: 1860, Clearspring, LaGrange, Indiana, USA; Residence Post Office: Haw Patch
• Residence: 1880, Mancelona, Antrim, Michigan, USA; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Son
• Residence: 1900, Nob Hill, Yakima, Washington, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Head
• Residence: 1920, Fresno, Fresno, California, USA; Relation to Head: Head; Residence Marital Status: Married
• Residence: 1930, Marshfield, Coos, Oregon, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Head
• Residence: 1930, Marshfield, Coos, Oregon, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Head
• Residence: 1934, Olympia, Washington, USA

Notes:

James Clinton Stoner
1880 census: At Mancelona, 21, son of Caroline A., farmer, born Ind.

Mancelona Herald of 3-12-1885:
Married at the residence of the bride's father in Custer on Tuesday, Mar. 3, 1885, by Rev. J. C. Ambrose, Mr. J. C. Stoner and Miss Sarah Swan, both of Custer.

Antrim County Vital Records:
On 3-3-1885 at Custer, James Clinton Stoner, 25, farmer from Custer, born - married Sarah Swan, 22, of Custer, born -. Rev. J. C. Ambrose with Mr. and Mrs. Z. T. Swan and Thomas Niles of Custer as witnesses.

Buried:
Masonic Memorial Park

James married Swan, Sarah Theressa on 3 Mar 1885 in Custer Twp., Antrim Co., MI. Sarah (daughter of Swan, Zephinich and Swan, Ann) was born about 1863 in Michigan; died on 21 May 1957 in La Center, Clark, Washington. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: 1870, Cohoctah, Livingston, Michigan, USA; Residence Post Office: Howell
• Residence: 1880, Custer, Antrim, Michigan, USA; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Daughter
• Residence: 1900, Nob Hill, Yakima, Washington, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Wife
• Residence: 1920, Fresno, Fresno, California, USA; Relation to Head: Wife; Residence Marital Status: Married
• Residence: 1930, Marshfield, Coos, Oregon, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Wife
• Residence: 1930, Marshfield, Coos, Oregon, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Wife
• Residence: 1934, Olympia, Washington, USA

Other Events:

• Residence: 1860, Clearspring Twp., Lagrange, Indiana, USA

Notes:

John H Stoner, of Co. H, enrolled Oct. 15, 1861 in LaGrange by Capt. Bingham as a Musician; mustered in Nov. 22, 1861 in Ft. Wayne by Lt. Stansbury at age 33. He was 6ft 2 tall, light complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair. Born Nov. 18, 1814 in Johnstown, NY, employed as a blacksmith, married to Mrs. Caroline Ann Gilkinson Putnam, resident of Haw Patch (now Topeka), in LaGrange Co., IN. Discharged Aug. 10, 1863, for chronic diarrhea lasting more than one year in Murfreesboro, TN with rank of Musician. Notes: Fifer. Sent to Evansville Hospital Jan. 1862, for chronic diarrhea and rejoined regiment in Battle Creek, TN, Aug. 20, 1862. Unable to perform even light duty and sent to General Hospital in Louisville, KY, Sep. 29, 1862 for chronic diarrhea and then entered Hospital #1 in Evansville, IN, Oct. 17, 1862, for dysentery. Returned to Regiment Jun. 1863, and again sent to General Hospital Jun. 27, 1863, for chronic diarrhea. Sent home with his wife about Sep. 1, 1863 and died Sep. 28, 1863, in Clearspring in LaGrange Co., IN, of disease leaving wife and 5 children; buried Eden Cemetery Row 36/Lot 9. Caroline A. Stoner filed Widowfs Pension Application to receive Widowfs Pension Certificate #50753 Jan. 27, 1864; Carolina A. Ayres (she married John G. Ayers Sep. 1869 and divorced him Nov. 1885), guardian, filed Minorfs Pension Application to receive Minorfs Pension Certificate #141886 Mar. 14, 1870. Caroline married John Ayres 1869. (/M/Stouer) Taken from The Iron Men of Indianafs 44th Regiment, Part 1: Biographies and Regimental Statistics by Margaret Hobson.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Headstone was replaced at Eden Cemetery July 3, 2014

______________________________________________________________________________________
John H Stoner

Residence: Hawpatch, Indiana Occupation: Enlisted as a Musician on 22 November 1861

Service Record: Enlisted in Company H, 44th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 22 November 1861, Received a disability discharge on 10 August 1863
Source: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana. (INRoster), Published in 1865-66 by Holloway
__________________________________________________________________________ ______

Musician in 44th Indiana Militia, Company H, Union Army. Contacted "chronic diarrhea" during the taking of Ft. Donelson about 18 Feb. 1862, Hospitalized at Evansville, returned to his company at Battle Creek, TN about 20 Aug 1862, and then returned to the hospital at Louisville, KY. Medical discharge 1 Sept 1863, and returned home to pass away about 4 weeks later.

Physician's Affidavit, Civil War Pension Records:

"I hereby certify that John Stover a musician in Company H 44th Reg't Ind Vol whilst in the Service of the United States and in the line of his duty, cotracted an illnes whilst at the taking of Ft. Donelson on or about the 18th of Feb 1862 and which caused his removal to Hospital in Evansville Ind on or about the 1st of Jan (sic ??) 1862. He afterwards rejoind his Reg't at Battle Creek Tenn on or about the 20th of August 1862 and was so feeble from the effects of his disease "Chronic Diarrhea" as to be unable to perform even light duty, and was again sent to Hospital in Louisville Ky on or about the 18th of October 1862, from thence was sent to Gen'l Hospital at Evansville Ind and was at no time after able to rejoin his company, was brought from Murfreesboro Tenn to his home in LaGrange County & State of Indiana on or about the 1st of September 1863 and died from said disease on the 28th of September 1863 the said Stoner was however discharged at Murfreesboro Tenn on or about the 1st of September 1863.

Joseph H. Wamseur (??)
Late Capt., Co H, 44th Reg't Ind Vol"

____________________________________________________
Name: John H Stoner ,
Residence: Hawpatch, Indiana
Enlistment Date: 22 November 1861
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Indiana
Unit Numbers: 595 595
Service Record: Enlisted as a Musician on 22 November 1861
Enlisted in Company H, 44th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 22 November 1861.
Received a disability discharge Company H, 44th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 10 August 1863

Souce: Historical Data Systems, comp. Military Records of Individual Civil War Soldiers. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1999-. Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA from the following list of works.
Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 - Historical Data Systems Inc.P.O. Box 196 Kingston, MA 02364
____________________________________________________

Regimental History
Forty-fourth Infantry INDIANA
(3-YEARS)

Forty-fourth Infantry. Cols., Hugh B. Reed, William C. Williams, Simeon C. Aldrich, James F. Curtis, Lieut.-Cols., Baldwin J. Crosswait Sanford J. Stoughton, Simeon C. Aldrich, Joseph C. Hodges, James F. Curtis, Philip Grund; Majs., Sanford J. Stoughton, William B. Bingham, Charles F. Kinney, William M. Wiles, Joseph C. Hodges, Tames P. Curtis, James W. Burch.

This regiment was organized at Fort Wayne, was mustered in Oct. 24, 1861, and left the state in December for Henderson, Ky. It was assigned to Cruft's brigade and ordered into camp at Calhoun, where it remained until Feb. 1862, when it was sent to Fort Henry, thence to Fort Donelson, participating in the siege and battle at the latter point.

It was engaged both days at Shiloh, losing 33 killed and 177 wounded, was in the siege of Corinth, engaged in several skirmishes, and joined in the pursuit of the enemy as far as Booneville. It was with Buell's army in its movement through Alabama and Tennessee, and in pursuit of Bragg through Kentucky, being engaged at the battle of Perryville.

It was in the battle of Stone's River, losing 8 killed, 52 wounded and 25 missing, and then encamped at Murfreesboro until spring, moving with Rosecrans to Chattanooga via McMinnville, Bridgeport, Shell Mound and Whiteside. It participated at Chickamauga, and fought again at Missionary Ridge, losing in the two battles 3 killed, 59 wounded and 20 missing, after which it was assigned to provost duty at Chattanooga.

It reenlisted in Jan., 1864, and visited home on furlough, resumed provost duty at Chattanooga, was mustered out Sept. 14, 1865, returning home with 30 officers and 670 men, of whom 360 were recruits transferred in July from the 68th and 72nd Ind.

The original strength was 933; gain by recruits, 1,050;
reenlistments, 220; total, 2,203. Loss by death, 249,
desertion, 65; unaccounted for, 102.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 3

___________________________________________________________

From "Genealogy of the Coffinberry Family" by Beatrice Berman Scott, 1927.
The original source of data the book called upon was the Caroline Stoner
family bible, in possession of Elizabeth Stoner Niles of Mancelona,
Michigan.

p. 44

CAROLINE ANN Gilkison was born October 31, 1824. Married John Putman. He lived about a year. Her second marriage was to John Stoner of New York.
Five children were born of this union: William. Lucia Hellen. Florence Estelle. James Clinton. Mary Elizabeth. John Stoner was a musician in the Civil War (Played the fife). He was taken sick, the disease became chronic and he was sent to the hospital at Murfreesboro, Tenn. His wife went there after him and he lived twenty-eight days after reaching home. In 1869 she married John Canousan Ayers.

(1) William Stoner died in infancy.
(2) Lucia Hellen Stoner was born June 23, 1853. Married Henery (sic) Hervey
on June 23 1869. (died in 1888). There were eight children born of this
union:
Aidance Estell
John Willard
James Chester
Joel
Clifford Garfield (!!!)
Zulu (sic) Zon
Sankey
Bertha

Aidance Estelle Hervey married Charles Starr and they have two boys.
Clifford Hervey died young (!!! we didn't know about this one!!!)
Joel Hervey ---------
Sankey Hervey --------. Has a son and daughter. Lives in Washington
John Williard (sic) Hervey ----------.
James Chester -----------.
Bertha Hervey married James L. Napier. They have four children: Virgil,
Alice, Louis, ouise.
Zulu (sic) Zon Hervey married Lawrence Falen. Children: Edna, Amy, Wilma,
Ruth. Edna Falen married J. Kenneth Weaver May 9, 1926. Wilma Falen (School
teacher). Amy Falen married John Young, March, 1926, and they have one
child, born in Novermber 1926. Ruth Falen, age six years.

(3) Florence Estelle Stoner, daughter of Caroline Ann Gilkison, was born
August 22, 1855. Married June 2 1875, Joseph Burkholder. Their two adopted
children are Benjamin and Alice. Benjamin married Lauretta Baer.

(4) James Clinton Stoner was born December 23, 1858. Married in the fall of
18--, Miss Sarah Swan. They adopted four children: Howard, Leon Byrd, Olive
and Harold, who died aged two and one=half years.

(5) Mary Elizabeth Stoner was born December 1, 1860. Married June 13, 1885,
Thomas Ellverton Niles. No children.

Research Note:

John Stoner may possibly be the John Stoner, Sone of Jerimiah Stoner shown in the 1850 Fulton Co., NY Census.

___________
Message Board text from Liz Osborn:

Thank you for responding, Darrah. I wish our family records were so clear regarding the connection. Right now, it is only a theory; I suspect that one way or the other, we're descended from Henry Stoner, father of Nicholas and John. The question is: through which son? Either one would be fine with me, I'm not stuck on a particular one.

Our evidence that points to this particular Stoner family (as opposed to any other) is rather circumstantial, but persuasive: first, John was a fifer, second, he was married in Gloversville, and third, his pension papers and census records corroborate that he was born in New York. The marriage location was a key factor in suggesting the John/Nicholas connection, because from what we can tell, he had to have met his wife Caroline Gilkison in either Michigan or Indiana. Caroline was first married to a Putman, who likewise was from Fulton County; she was widowed very young. She appears on the 1850 census, as a widow, in her parents' home in St. Joseph County, Michigan. But by October 1850, she was wed to John Stoner in Gloversville, New York (information from her Civil War widow's pension file). And by 1853, she and John had returned to the next county south from her parents: Lagrange, Indiana, where John apparently bought a significant quantity of land. It is purely an argument-strengthening bonus that our John is, like the Stoner brothers, a military musician.

I have observed that there is a great deal of confusion over just who is whose son among John and Nicholas (sons of Henry). I have attempted to carefully trace the various descendants through time using the censuses, trying to identify and eliminate "John"s as potential ancestors of mine (why oh why couldn't they have used more unusual names!).

Chances are we've been communicating with the same cousins. Here is what I have for children of Nick & John:

Nick Stoner & Anna Mason:

Mary Stoner (1783- ) (married William MILLS)
John Stoner (1789-1865) (Married Jane CUDDEBACK)
??? Stoner
Jeremiah Stoner (1874-1884) (Married Sarah ???)
Obadiah Stoner (1801- )
Catherine Stoner (1802 - )

John & Susanna Philes

Jacob Stoner (1787-1859) (married Catherine Schoolcraft, Elizabeth Reinhardt)
John Stoner (1790 - ) (married Elizabeth Linkefelter)
Henry Stoner (1796-1846) (married Susan Wainright)
Catherine Ann Stoner (?- ) (married Patrick Archibald)
??? Stoner (? - )

Considering the next generation (and keeping in mind that I'm looking for a John Stoner born between 1815 and 1830), here are all the John Stoners:

John (Nicholas, Henry) Stoner & Jane Cuddeback's son John is born in the right time period, 1825. However he is known to have married Mary Jane Mabbett, and had children Clarence and Florence during the time that my John was in the Union Army.

Jacob (John, Henry) Stoner & Elizabeth Reinhardt's son John is born in 1818; however he is known to have died in 1876.

Two Johns remain yet unproven one way or the other:

John (John, Henry) Stoner & Elizabeth Linkefelter's son John is close to the correct time period, born in 1814. As a matter of fact, this is the connection preferred by my brother, who has included this connection in his Rootsweb.com family tree. However, I have my doubts, because this John would have been about 45 when enlisting in the Army as a musician; further, the 1860 census record which is known to be of our John gives his age as 33.

Jeremiah (Nicholas, Henry) Stoner & Sarah ???'s son John was born approximately 1829. He appears in the 1850 census as a 21 year old in Jeremiah's household. In a previous census, Jeremiah lived in the neighborhood of a Putman family that apparently did move to southeastern Michigan sometime in the 1840's. This is my preferred suspect for our ancestor.

If you can shed any further light on this mess, I'd be quite interested. Thank you.

Buried:
Eden Cemetery

John married Gilkison, Caroline Ann on 30 Oct 1850 in Gloversville, Fulton Co., New York, USA. Caroline (daughter of Gilkison, James M. and Coffinberry, Nancy) was born on 31 Oct 1824 in Mansfield, Richland, Ohio, USA; died on 10 Apr 1911 in Mancelona, Antrim, Michigan, USA; was buried on 13 Apr 1911 in Mancelona, Antrim, Michigan, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: 1842, Centerville, MI
• Residence: 1850, Lockport Twp, St Joseph, Michigan
• Residence: Oct 1850, Centreville, St Joseph, Michigan, USA
• Residence: 1880, Mancelona, Antrim, Michigan, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Self
• Residence: Jun 1890, Chestonia, Antrim, Michigan, USA; EnumerationDistrict: 30
• Residence: 1900, Mancelona, Antrim, Michigan, USA; Marital Status: Widowed; Relation to Head: Head
• Residence: 1910, Mancelona, Antrim, Michigan, USA; Age: 85; MaritalStatus: Widowed; RelationToHead: Mother-in-law

Notes:

Census, 1850, Lockport Twp, St Joseph, Michigan
James K. Gilkisson 62 M Farmer Kentucky
Nancy 57 F Virgina
Mary Jane Duree 29 F Ohio
Caroline Ann Putman 25 F Ohio
Nancy Gilkison 20 F Ohio
_____________________________________________
Census, 1880 Mancelona Twp., Antrim Co., Michigan
Ayers, Caroline A W F 54 Keeping House Ohio Kentucky Virginia
Stoner, James C W M 21 Son Farmer Indiana N.Y. Ohio
Stoner, Mary E. W F 19 Daughter School Teacher Indiana N.Y. Ohio
_____________________________________________
Antrim County Vital Records, Bellaire, Mi.

On April 10, 1911, Caroline A. Stoner died at Mancelona, age 86-5-10, of acute bronchitis. Born Ohio, daughter of James Gilkinson and Nancy Coffinburg.

__________________________________________________________________

Microfile of Mancelona Herald, of 4-13-1911, Mancelona library

Mrs. Caroline Stoner died Monday morning, April 10, at the residence of Joseph Burkholder, 3 miles north of town, and although she had reached the advanced age of 86 years, 5 months and 10 days, death was somewhat of a surprise to her children, her illness being very brief.

Mrs. Stoner's maiden name was Caroline Ann Gilkison and she was born in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1824. When 18 years of age she came with her parents to Centerville, Mich., where she was married to John Putman, who died two years later. She then went to Gloversville, N.Y., where in 1849 she was married to John Stoner.

She went with him to Lagrange County, Ind., where they lived until his death in 1863, which resulted from illness incurred in the civil war. She had one child by her first husband, which died in infancy.

Four children were born to her second marriage, three of whom are living, Mesdames Joseph Burkholder and T. E. Niles of Mancelona, and James C. Stoner, former of this place, but now of Orange,California. Mrs. Lucia Hervey, another daughter, died in California some 23 years ago.

Mrs. Stoner was for several years a resident of Mancelona until she went to make her home with her daughters upon the farm. She was a Christian woman of estimable character and died in the triumphs of the faith. The funeral services will be held today, Thursday, at 2:30 o'clock at the home where she died and will be in charge of the pastor, Rev. W. W. Lamport. Interment will [take] place in the village cemetery.

____________________________________________________________________

Caroline A. Stoner
1880 census: At Mancelona, 54, housekeeper, born Oh.
Mancelona Cemetery:Born 1824, died 1911
_____________________________________________________________________

Florence E. (Stoner) Burkholder
Antrim County Vital Records:
At Chestonia on 6-2-1875, Joseph Burkholder, 24, farmer from Chestonia, born Canada married Florence E. Stoner, l9, of Chestonia, born Indiana. Rev. J. R. Savage with Abba M. and George M. Bender of Mancelona as witnesses.

1880 census: At Chestonia twp., 24, wife of Joseph, born Ind.
Mancelona cemetery: Born 1855, died 1934
Burial permit:Died 6-2-1934 at Mancelona twp., age 78, cardiac failure
_____________________________________________________________________

James Clinton Stoner
1880 census: At Mancelona, 21, son of Caroline A., farmer, born Ind.

Mancelona Herald of 3-12-1885:
Married at the residence of the bride's father in Custer on Tuesday, Mar. 3, 1885, by Rev. J. C. Ambrose, Mr. J. C. Stoner and Miss Sarah Swan, both of Custer.

Antrim County Vital Records:
On 3-3-1885 at Custer, James Clinton Stoner, 25, farmer from Custer, born - married Sarah Swan, 22, of Custer, born -. Rev. J. C. Ambrose with Mr. and Mrs. Z. T. Swan and Thomas Niles of Custer as witnesses.
____________________________________________________________________

Joseph S. Burkholder
1880 census:At Chestonia twp., 28, farmer, born Canada

Standard Atlas of Antrim County:
Farmer and bee culture, section 5, Mancelona twp. Born in Ontario in 1850 and settled in Antrim Co. in 1872. Married Florence Stoner

Mancelona cemetery:Born 1852, died 1943
Burial permit:Died 7-28-1943 at Mancelona twp., age 91, cardiac failure
____________________________________________________________________
Mary E. (Stoner) Niles
1880 census:At Mancelona, 19, dau. Of Caroline A., school teacher, born Ind.

Mancelona cemetery: Born 1860, died 1941
____________________________________________________________________
Thomas E. Niles
1880 census:At Chestonia twp., 47, farmer, born Vt.

Antrim County Vital Records: On 6-13-1885 at Mancelona, Thomas E. Niles, 26*, farmer, born Mi. married Mary E. Stoner, 24, born Ind. Rev. J. C. Ambrose with Mary A. Ambrose and Lavona Weeks of Mancelona as witnesses.

* He was much older; he had been married previously to Abbie and had several children by her.

Mancelona Herald of 6-18-1885:
Thos. E. Niles and Mary E. Stoner of Chestonia were united in matrimony on Saturday last.

Mancelona Herald of 6-25-1885:
Married - At the M. E. parsonage in Mancelona, June 13, 1885 by Rev. J. C. Ambrose, Mr. Thomas E. Niles and Miss Mary E. Stoner.
__________________________________________________________________________ _______

Caroline Gilkison, daughter of James and Nancy, took care of her father and mother in their declining years. Her mother lost her mind in her declining years and at times was quite violent. Neighbors advised the husband to take his wife to an asylum, but he would never consent to do that. He passed out of this world before his wife and he told his daughter, Caroline, that his greatest sorrow was in leaving Nancy behind. Caroline promised that she would always care for her mother and would never let her go to an asylum. James Gilkison had a little straight jacket that he used to put on his wife Nancy when she became violent. She and he were both strict church members and the church was very near their home, but he seldom attended on account of his wife's condition. She was a very beautiful singer.
Personal Records, Maureen (Molly) McGUIRE COLSON:


Buried:
Mancelona Cemetery

Notes:

Married:
(Formally Montgomery Co.)

Other Events:

• Residence: 1870, Cohoctah, Livingston, Michigan, USA; Residence Post Office: Howell
• Residence: 1880, Custer, Antrim, Michigan, USA; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Self

Zephinich married Swan, Ann. Ann was born about 1838 in Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: 1870, Cohoctah, Livingston, Michigan, USA; Residence Post Office: Howell

Other Events:

• Residence: 1820, Mansfield, Richland, Ohio, USA
• Residence: 1830, Mansfield, Richland, Ohio, USA
• Residence: 1840, Mansfield, Richland, Ohio, USA
• Residence: 1850, Lockport Twp., St Joseph, Michigan
• Residence: 1850, Centerville, St. Joseph Co., MI

Notes:

1850 St Joseph County, MI Census

Page 135, Lockport twp.,
Gilkisson, James M., 62, Ky.
,Nancy, 57, Va.
Deyree ,Mary Jane, 29, Ohio
Putman ,Caroline Ann, 25, Ohio
Gilkisson, Nancy, 20, Ohio

__________________________________________________________________________ _____

From: Coffinberry. Genealogy of the Coffinberry family, Descendants of George Lewis Coffinberry, 1760-1851, & His Wife Elizabeth (Little) Coffinberry, with rlated families Coffenberry, Gilkison, Keasy, Platt, comp. by B. B. Scott. 64 p. 1927.

CHAPTZR VI-

NANCY Coffinberry

NANCY Coffinberry was born May 13, 1793. She married Squire James M. Gilkison of Marshfield, Ohio on October 17, 1808.
(Nancy and her. sister, Sarah, married brothers, James
M. to Nancy and John C. to Sarah.)
James M. Gilkison was born June 1, 1788. Died 1856.

In the beginning the Gilkisons migrated from Scotland to the north of Ireland. From there two brothers came to America and landed at North Carolina. One of these brothers afterwards settled in Virginia and one in Greenup County, Kentucky. He had three sons named Jonathon, James, John. He made a living by hunting and trapping. When the settlement grew more populated and game scarce he would move to a new district or region.
It was after one of these moves that the boys, James and John, were lost in the woods. It was solid forest for miles, the time of the year, fall. The boys took a grain sack and went into the edge of the woods to see if they could find some nuts. They were accompanied by their dog. James was eight years of age and John was ten.
Soon after reaching the woods the dog began barking at something and the boys ran to see what he had treed, but he was on the trail of some wild animal and led them far into the woods. Naturally they became bewildered and lost. When night came it began to drizzle and remained that kind of weather all the days that they were lost.
The father looked for them the first light, the next day he got the aid of some hunters. The third day the dog came home in the night. The hunters thought that if they had seen him when he came they might have been able to send him back again, but in the morning he could not understand what they wished him to do. The father then went back to the settlement and got together a hundred men, they killed a beef, divided the meat among them and began hunting. This routine was gone through every morning until the evening of the eighth day, when the men decided it was no use to hunt any longer and so gave up the hunt.
In the meantime the little boys were traveling trying to find a way out of the forest which contained many honey locust trees. It was upon the pods of these trees that the boys lived on as they could find neither berries nor nuts. They suffered most for want of water. Although it drizzled all the time not enough water came down for them to get a taste. Not knowing any better, they tried to quench their thirst from the water on their own bodies. By so doing they thus made their thirst greater.
By this time, little James had become so weak he could not walk much and coaxed his brother to quit traveling and lie down and die, but the brother would not consent to the proposition and he helped the little brother along the best he could.
Their feet were very sore, full of thorns; their clothing damp; their throats sore and swollen.
The morning of the ninth day the sun shone for the first time since they were out. Greatly encouraged, John said: "I thought I heard nuts dropping in the night and I'm going up on the hill to see if I can find some, you stay here." But James did not wish to stay alone and cried, so they went together up the hill.
James was now so weakened that he crawled on his hands and knees, in fact, John went that way some of the time as their feet were so swollen and festered by thorne. All the time they were out they never saw a berry or a nut and the locust pods had become so sickening to them. On the top of the hill they came to a sort of an open space sodded over and a nice log for a resting place. To the right of them there appeared to be an old trail sodded here and there.
On the morning of the ninth day three Hunters (by profession)who had been in the hunt for the boys, decided that they would get some of the deer which seemed to be plentiful. One of these Hunters, John Creighton by name, came up this grassy slope in his hunt for deer and came full upon the boys.
Little James was nibbling on a locust pod. The Hunter blew his horn and then took the boys to a creek where he broke off a small piece of corn bread about the size of a walnut and soaked it in the water, then broke off half and divided it between the two boys. The coarse bread scratched their throats as it went down and the boys cried out in pain. Little James cried for more, but on account of their nearly starved condition the hunter did not dare give the children any more just at that time.
The other hunters hearing the horn came up. The blowing of the horn had been a signal previously agreed on if one of them needed help, so they loaded the boys on the horses already loaded with deer and started homeward. The boys, when found, were about forty miles from home.
The hunters, on arriving home with, the boys, found that the father had gone on foot to a camp of Indiana some twenty miles away, which was a dangerous undertaking, on account of the Indians being partly hostile. He did not find his boys there. They were nowhere about camp, so he turned
towards home.
When Mrs. Gilkison opened the door in response to the hunters' rap on the door with his foot, and he said: "Mrs. Gilkison, how would you like a couple of boys?" That lady promptly threw up her hands and fainted. So he not only had to unload the boys, but had to resuscitate her. As soon as she regained her senses she began to make a comfortable place for the boys. She placed a feather bed on the floor by the stove, but the hunter interfered. saying: "My good woman, you, cannot do that. Put a
blanket on the floor as far away from the stove as possible. Let the boys lie on that, nothing over them. I was lost once and found by Indians and I have done for your boys just as they treated me. He also told her how to feedthem and cautioned her that any diversion from his directions might cause
the death of one or both.
There was no place on the feet of the boys that a pin could not be placed without coming in contact with thorns. They could not get a shoe on all winter, there were yet thorns in their feet when spring came-after picking thorns all winter.
The three Gilkison boys settled in Ohio. After a while Jonathon settled in Illinois at Mt. Carmel and James later at Centreville, Michigan. James was justice of peace in Mansfield for over thirty years and resigned to move to Michigan.
Caroline Gilkison, daughter of James and Nancy, took care of her father and mother in their declining years. Her mother lost her mind in her declining years and at times was quite violent. Neighbors advised the husband to take his wife to an asylum, but he would never consent to do that. He passed out ofthis world before his wife and he told his daughter, Caroline, that his greatest sorrow was in leaving Nancy behind. Caroline promised that she would always care for her mother and would never let her go to an asylum. James Gilkison had a little straight jacket that he used to put on his wife Nancy when she became violent. She and he were both strict church members and the church was very near their home, but he seldom attended on account of his wife's condition. She was a very beautiful singer.

James married Coffinberry, Nancy on 17 Nov 1808 in Fairfield, Ohio, USA. Nancy (daughter of Coffinberry, George Lewis and Little, Elizabeth) was born on 13 May 1793 in Martinsburg, Berkeley Co., Virginia (now WV), Estimate; died on 11 Jul 1861 in Lagrange, Indiana, USA; was buried in Topeka, LaGrange County, Indiana, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Nancy and her. sister, Sarah, married brothers, James M. to Nancy and John C. to Sarah.)