Death of John L. Spring, 1871

John L. Spring, my 4xgreat-grandfather, was born in Massachusetts on 12 February 1794.  He has been the subject of several posts:  Nov. 14, 2011 - his will from Vigo Co, Indiana admitted to Probate 3 January 1872; Nov. 15, 2011 - my known info on John; and Nov. 17, 2011 - Family Group Sheet with both his wives.

Today, on Newspaper Archive, I found several items related to John's death, at age 77.  Originally, it was thought he was a victim of murder. 

 

 

Discovered on Christmas morning, died of natural causes.

 

 

Misreported John's last name, included a possible motive for murder -which previously was reported in error.

 

 

FGS - John L Spring and his two wives

Family Group Sheet for John L. Spring and Margaret Williams

Husband – John L. Spring

                                Born:                     12 February 1794 in Massachusetts

                                Spouse:                 Margaret Williams

                                Married 1:            27 August 1818 in Harrison Co, Ohio

                                Spouse 2:            Martha L. Moreland

                                Married:               7 September 1830 in Miami, Ohio

                                Died:                     Before 3  January 1872

                                Buried:                 Old Hill Cemetery, Brazil, Clay Co, Indiana

                                Parents:

Wife 1 – Margaret Williams

                                Born:                     11 March 1792 in Virginia

                                Died:                     19 January 1830 in Ohio

                                Buried:                 Terre Haute Cemetery, Terre Haute, Champaign Co, OH

                                Parents:

Child 1 – John Finley Spring

         M                   Born:                     3 February 1821

                                Spouse:

                                Married:

                                Died:

                                Buried:

Child 2 – Mary Ann Spring

        F                      Born:                     30 August 1824 in Ohio

                                Spouse 1:            John W. Getty

                                Married:               15 April 1850 in Owen Co, Indiana

                                Spouse 2:            ---- Jenkins

                                Married:

                                Died:

                                Buried:

Child 3 – Sarah Williams Spring

         F                     Born:                     1 December 1826 in Piqua, Ohio

                                Spouse:                 Paul Rodenberger

Married:              10 July 1854 in Owen Co, Indiana

Died:                     28 June 1915 in Cherokee Co, Kansas

Buried:                 McKee Cemetery, Hallowell, Cherokee Co, Kansas

Child 4 – William Waitt Spring

        M                    Born:                     16 May 1828 in Ohio

                                Spouse:                 Amy Coffelt

                                Married:               26 October 1854 in Owen Co, Indiana

                                Died:                     14 May 1916 in Ames, Story Co, Iowa

                                Buried:                 Ames Cemetery, Ames, Story Co, Iowa

               

Wife 2 – Martha L. Moreland

                                Born:                     21 February 1803 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania

                                Died:                     12 August 1841 in Putnam Co, Indiana

                                Buried:                 City Cemetery, Greencastle, Putnam Co, Indiana

                                Parent:

Child 1 – Rachel Byers Spring

         F                     Born:                     25 March 1832 in Ohio

                                Spouse:                 William B. Holt

                                Married:               7 September 1851 in Owen Co, Indiana

                                Died:

                                Buried:

Child 2 – Martha Lowry Spring

        F                      Born:                     27 August 1835

                                Died:                     22 August 1836

                                Buried:

Child 3 – Elizabeth Lowry Spring

         F                     Born:                     28 April 1837 in Ohio

                                Spouse:                 John Harland Rodenberger

                                Married:               27 April 1854 in Owen Co, Indiana

                                Died:                     8 September 1895 in Cherokee Co, Kansas

                                Buried:                 McKee Cemetery, Hallowell, Cherokee Co, Kansas

Child 4 – David R. Spring

        M                    Born:                     About 1838 in Putnam Co, Indiana

                                Died:                     24 January 1840 in Greencastle, Putnam Co, Indiana

                                Buried:                 City Cemetery, Greencastle, Putnam Co, Indiana

Child 5 – Alexander Bayley Spring

        M                    Born:                     10 August 1841 in Greencastle, Putnam Co, Indiana

                                Died:                     16 August 1841

                                Buried:

Child 6 – David Baber Spring

        M                    Born:                     10 August 1841 in Greencastle, Putnam Co, Indiana

                                Died:                     August 1841

                                Buried:

Child ? – Margaret Humphrey Spring

       F                       Born:                     Before August 1841 in Putnamville

                                Died:

                                Buried:

Tombstone Tuesday - John L. Spring

I don't have a photograph of John L. Spring's grave marker.  At the  Clay Co., Indiana Genealogy Society, in Center Point, Indiana, there is a Civil War History Binder that listed the Burial Places of Soldiers, surveyed May 1907.  One item was Hill Cemetery – John L Spring [Brazil].

From family records, John L. Spring was born 12 February 1794.  From various census records, John was born in Massachusetts.

1794 - February 12 -  Massachusetts - Birth of John L. Spring
1818 - August 27 -     Ohio, Harrison Co. -  Marriage to Margaret Williams of Virginia

John Spring to Margaret Williams
27 August 1818 in Harrison Co, Ohio
[Source:  Ray Beamer]

1830 - January 18 -    Ohio, Champaign Co - Death of Wife, Margaret Williams Spring
1830 -                         Ohio, Champaign Co, Mad River Twp. - Federal Census
1830 - Sept. 7  -         Ohio, Miami Co. - Marriage to Martha L. Moreland
1835 - Sept. 8 -          Ohio, Zanesville Land Patent Office to John Spring of Harrison Co, Ohio

John Spring of Harrison Co, Ohio
Dated 8 Sept 1835 under President Andrew Jackson
[Source:  Bureau of Land Management]

1838 - June 27            Indiana, Putnam Co, Madison Twp - Land Grant


John Spring
Madison Twp, Putnam Co, Indiana Patent Grants

1840 -                        Indiana, Putnam Co, Greencastle - Federal Census
1840 - Nov. 10 -        Indiana, Crawfordsville Land Patent Office to John Spring of Champaign Co, Ohio

John Spring of Champaign Co, Ohio
Dated Nov. 10, 1940 under President Martin Van Buren
[Source:  Bureau of Land Management]

1841 - August 12 -     Indiana, Putnam Co. - Death of Wife, Martha L. Moreland Spring
1848 - Feb. 29 -         Indiana, Owen Co. - Purchased Land, John Spring of Putnam Co., Indiana

29 Feb 1848 Land Purchase in Owen Co, Indiana
[Owen Co., Indiana Court House Deed Book 9, Page 665]

1850 - October -         Indiana, Owen Co, Jackson Twp. - Federal Census
1860 - July -                Indiana, Owen Co., Jackson Twp. - Federal Census
1860 - August 14 -      Indiana, Owen Co. - Sold land

1860 Land Sale in Owen Co, Indiana
[Owen Co.Court House, Spencer, Indiana ]

1866 - June 4 -           Indiana, Clay Co, Brazil - Last Will and Testament written
1870 -                           Indiana, Clay Co, Brazil - Federal Census, living with daughter
                                      Indiana, Clay Co, Brazil - Burial at Old Hill Cemetery
1872 - January 2 -      Indiana, Vigo Co. - Last Will and Testament entered into Probate
                               

Amanuensis Monday - Will of John L Spring

John L Spring is one of my brick walls.  He was the father of my 3rd-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Lowry (Spring) Rodenberger, with his second wife Martha L. Moreland.  From handwritten notes placed in a Dawson family bible, we have a birth date of 12 February 1794.  From various censuses, we believe his birth location to be Massachusetts.  The earliest we have place him is 27 August 1818 in Harrison Co, Ohio where John L Spring married his first wife, Margaret Williams, of Virginia.  His Last Will & Testament, dated 4 June 1866, was entered into Probate at the Vigo Co, Indiana Court House on 3 January 1872.

Last Will & Testament of John L. Spring of Brazil, Clay, Indiana

[Source:  FHL#1377996, Item 3 – Will Record, v.1, Mar 1853-Mar 1874, Vigo Co, Indiana; page 484-485]

Last Will and Testament of John L. Spring

Last Will and Testament of John L Spring

Know all men by These Presents that I John L Spring of Brazil County of Clay and State of Indiana, bring a sound mind and memory, do make and Publish this my last Will and Testament.

                First,        I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary A Getty         Four hundred dollars

Second.                  I give and bequeath to my son, John.  John F Springs, heirs Olivia Spring and Ellen   Spring.   One hundred dollars each.

Third.    I give and bequeath to my daughter Racheall B Holt’s heirs Albert Holt and Ellen Holt.     One hundred dollars each.

Fourth. I give and bequeath to my son William W Spring               Four hundred dollars

Fifth.     I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah W Rodenburgers heirs             Four hundred dollars to be equally divided among them.

Sixth:     To My daughter Elizabeth L Rodenburgers  heirs, I give and bequeath Four hundred dollars, each to have an equal proportion of same.

                Now it is herein understood by these presents, that at my death, that the Executor of this my last Will and Testament herein after named, cause[?] to be paid to my son William W Spring the Amount I bequeath to him, and also my daughter Mary A Gettys Amount I bequeath to her.  On my death should they or either be living at that time, but in care of their deaths, or either of them, said Amount I bequeath to them, to be equally divided with their heirs at Law.  And it is to be further understood, that no money is to be paid heirs until they arrive at the age of Twenty one years.

                I further ordain and appoint Eli Hendrix of Brazil Ind as Executor of this my last Will and Testament, and it is further understood, that if my moneys should fall short of Amounts as above mentioned then it is to be divided in proportion to Amounts of money and effects.  But in case of an increase of moneys and effects, it is to be equally divided between Sarah W Rodenbergers heirs and William W Springs heirs, and Elizabeth L Rodenbergers heirs.

                In Testimony Thereof, I have on this day, Set my hand and Soul, publish and declare this to be my Last Will & Testament in the presence of the witnesses named below this 4^th day of June 1866.

                                                                                                                John L Spring  {SEAL}

This is signed in our presence and declared to be by John L Spring, his last Will & Testament and by his request and in presence of each other, we subscribe our names as witnesses

                John Hendrix Jr  {Seal}

                Thomas Desort  {Seal}

                Eli Hendrix  {Seal}

Proof of Will

State of Indiana}

Vigo County}

                Thomas Desart personally appeared before the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said county, and being sworn says that John L Spring signed his name to the above writing of date 4^th day of June 1866, as and for his last will and that the same was attested and subscribed by said Thomas Desart, John Hendrix Jr and Eli Hendrix as witnesses thereto, in his presence, and by his request, that said Testator was not at the time of executing said will an infant, or of unsound mind, or under coercion.

                                                                                                                Thomas Desart

Subscribed and Sworn to before me this 3^rd day of January 1872               

                                                                                                                Martin Hollinger Clerk

Attest the signature of said Clerk, and his Seal of Office, the date last aforesaid.                               

                                                                                                                Martin Hollinger, Clerk {Seal}

State of Ind. V.C.

Certificate of Probate

I, Martin Hollinger Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Said County, certify that the within last Will and Testament of John L Spring, late of Vigo County, deceased, has been duly admitted to Probate; that its due execution was this day proved by Thomas Desart, whose proofs, together with such Will have been duly recorded on 484^th page of the Record of Wills Vo. 1, in our office.

                In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of Said Court, this 3^rd day January 1872.

                                                                                                                Martin Hollinger Clerk {Seal}

Tombstone Tuesday - Martha L (Moreland) Spring and her son

                                                                      City Cemetery

Greencastle, Putnam Co, Indiana

located on the campus of DePauw University



David's stone leaning against the building
Martha L Spring's gravestone in foreground

 

 

Martha L

Wife of

John L Spring

died

Aug 12, 1841

Aged

38 Years





Photo and Memorial by Jon Rice on FindAGrave
Memorial Added August 2007
Birth 1838  Death Jan 24, 1840
Son of John and Martha L Spring







In Memory of

David R Son of

John & Martha L Spring

Who Died in ???

My Photo  - May 2010



Martha L Moreland married John L Spring on 7 September 1830 in Miami, Ohio.  Martha was John's second wife.  Martha and John had 7 children:  Rachel Byers, Martha Lowry, Elizabeth Lowry, David R, twins Alexander Bayley and David Baber, and Margaret Humphrey Spring.  Only two, Rachel Byers (Spring) Holt and Elizabeth Lowry (Spring) Rodenberger, survived to adulthood. 

Notes inserted into a Dawson Family Bible, transcribed in 1951:

Martha S Moreland was born in Carisle, Feb. 20, 1803 and was married to John Spring September 7, 1830.

Rachel Byers Spring was born March 25th 1832 near Urbanah.

Martha Lowery Spring was born August 27, 1835.

Elizabeth Lowry Spring was born April 28, 1837.

Alaxander Bayley and David Baber Spring (Twins) born August 10, 1841 Green Castle.

Margaret Humphrey.

Deaths:

Margaret Spring first wife   January 19th, 1830 - age 38 yrs.

Martha S Spring second wife  August 12th, 1841 - age 38 yrs.

Martha L Spring   August 22, 1836

David R Spring infant

Alaxander R Spring  August 16, 1841

Margaret Humphrey Spring born - Putnamville - infant death.