John Karber, Gypsum, Saline, Kansas, 1892-1954

I've been fumbling around with the John Karbers in Gypsum, Kansas. Two John Karbers are there born just a year or so apart. However, only one of them was married to Mary Velma Thompson. Needless to say the records are mixed and it has always been hard to tell them apart.

John Karber s/o Nicholas Karber and Elizabeth Berger

John Karber s/o Michael Karber and Anna V. Hoffman

I finally decided last night that I was going to tackle this knot and see what I could find.

The first record that confirmed that Mary Velma Thompson had actually married a John Karber was in the 1915 Kansas State census.

Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; Roll: ks1915_214; Line: 12
Name: John Karber
Census Date: 1915
Residence County: Saline
Residence State: Kansas
Locality: Gypsum
Birth Place: Kansas
Family Number: 79
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Birth Year: abt 1892
Race: White
Household Member(s): Name Age
John Karber 23
Velma Karber 24

With this entry, I had an approximate date range to start searching newspapers. Here are the entries I found that confirm the marriage. And boy did I luck up. One of the articles identified, John's parents.

The Gypsum Advocate, Gypsum, Kansas, 25 Oct 1979, Page 4
Do You Remember?
Taken from the files of The Advocate.
...
October 23, 1914--65 years ago
...
John Karber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Karber, south of Gypsum, and Velma Thompson, of Roxbury, were united in marriage last Thursday in Salina by Probate Judge Wilson.
...

The Democrat-Opinion, McPherson, Kansas, 30 Oct 1914, Page 8
Roxbury Notes.
...
Another wedding occurred last Wednesday. Miss Velma Thompson and John Karber were married at the Catholic Church at Salina. They are at home on the Matt Karber farm four miles southwest of Gypsum.
...

For the first time, I had definitive evidence that I was search for info on the John Karber who was the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Karber. But it turned out there was much more information to find. Here's the information about Velma and John's bitter divorce.

The Salina Evening Journal, Salina, Kansas, 7 Jun 1918, Page 1
KARBER DIVORCE DRAWS CROWD
Charges and Counter Charges Fly Thick in District Court.
The domestic troubles of John Karber and his wife, Velma Karber, both of Gypsum are being thoroughly aired in district court today before Judge Dallas Grover, where Karber is suing his wife for divorce.
Serious charges and counter charges are made against each by the parties, a large number of witnesses are in attendance from the Gypsum neighborhood and the case is expected to take the remainder of the day.


The Salina Evening Journal, Salina, Kansas, 10 Jun 1918, Page 1
BREAKS DOWN ON STAND
Condition of Mrs. Karber Forces Recess in Case.
The divorce case of John Karber, against Velma Karber, which has been on trial in the district court since Friday, bids fair to occupy the attention of the court for several days yet. The introduction of testimony by Mrs. Karker was started this morning, Mrs. Karber herself taking the stand as the first witness in her own behalf. The nervous excitement of the ordeal caused her to break down at ten-thirty this morning and a recess of court was taken to permit her to recover.


Western Kansas Journal, Salina, Kansas, 13 Jun 1918
SEND BOQUET TO MRS. KARBER
Woman in Divorce Case is Remembered by Friends.
Attorneys are arguing the Karber divorce suit before District Judge Dallas Grover today, the taking of testimony having been concluded at adjourning time last night.
The trial of this case, which began last Friday, has attracted a large crowd from Gypsum City, many coming as witnesses in the case. The parties are well known in Gypsum neighborhood. At the conclusion of the argument this afternoon Judge Grover took the case under advisement.
An interesting feature of today's hearing is the flowers given Mrs. Karber by a group of her friends, who surround her at each recess of court as the case proceeds.
To each of the floral offerings given her today was attached a card bearing these words:
"In loving sympathy of Mrs. Velma Karber. From friends."


The Gypsum Advocate, Gypsum, Kansas, 27 Jun 1918, Page 10
A decree of divorce was granted by District Judge Grover late yesterday to Mrs. Velma Karber from her husband, John Karber. The judgment was rendered on Mrs. Karber's cross petition. Mrs. Karber was given the custody of her three year old son.

And just to add a little salt to the wound, we have this tidbit.

The Gypsum Advocate, Gypsum, Kansas, 11 Jul 1918, Page 8
CARD OF THANKS
I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to all my friends and neighbors for their part in helping restore my darling baby boy to my arms again. May the Lord's richest blessings rest upon all of you.--Mrs. Velma Karber.

The baby boy was Paul Thompson Karber, Sr. b. 9 Dec 1915, Gypsum, Saline, Kansas d. 5 Nov 1978 Garden City, Finney, Kansas. You can find his memorial on Find A Grave (14806050).

I've posted this info all over the place for researchers to use and to correct entries on Find A Grave (due diligence since I made one of the original errors on Find A Grave by connecting to the wrong John Karber.)

Newspapers...What a good thing!

William C. McKee family Randolph County, Illinois

William C. McKee family Randolph County, Illinois

Click the graphic to see a larger version.

Press the Esc key to close the graphic. 

Mary Jane (McKee) Thompson, Ireland, Illinois, 1837-1886

I've continued to work on the Murphy wing of the family. I'm gathering obits right now and having lots of luck with The State Historical Society of Missouri.

I got bored and went on to Genlighten and decided to take a stab at finding a McKee document in Ireland. I had tried this once before with no luck. Well the stars must have been with me, because the researcher found a document exactly where I told him to look. Here's what I had him look for...

Mary Jane McKee's death certificate states that she was born 11 May 1837 Port Norris, Ireland. Port Norris is also called Mount Norris and you'll find that it's also written as one word. This place name is very fluid. It's located in County Armagh, Ireland. I asked the researcher to see if he could find a christening record in one of two Presbyterian churches: Tullyallen or Mountnorris. Here's the document I received.

The researcher put red dots beside the entry for Mary Jane McKee. Here's the info for Mary Jane.

Mary Jane McKee d/o William C. McKee + Susanna Gilmore
b. 11 May 1837 Port Norris, County Armagh, Ireland
d. 1 Jan 1886 Six-mile Prairie, Randolph County, Illinois, United States
m. 10 May 1859 Randolph County, Illinois
Joseph Thompson
b. ? Dec 1830 County Down, Ireland
d. 6 Dec 1898 Randolph County, Illinois

Mary Jane and Joseph had eight children: William James (1860-1944), Sarah Jane (1861-1909), George Henry (1864-1896), Salena (1867-1896), Mary Margaret (1869-1897), Agnes Minerva (1872-1896), Ada (1878-????), and Joseph Edward (1881-1905).

With this document I think I've placed at least the family of William C. McKee in County Armagh in 1837 just before the McKee family left Ireland for the United States.

Next Step
The death certificate of William's brother, Robert McKee, states that Robert was born in County Armagh. He was born about 1816 but that doesn't provide much in the way of a real date that a researcher can act on. However, I do have a complete date for William and Robert's youngest brother Alexander McKee (b. 28 Feb 1827) but I don't have a place of birth.

I've asked the researcher to look for a christening for Alexander based on his date of birth and in the church records for Tullyallen and Mountnorris.

In addition to confirming that the family is located in County Armagh in 1827, I'm hoping to finally find out their mother's first name. I'm guessing it's Margaret because a number of the oldest granddaughters are named Margaret. Other contenders are Mary Jane or Mary Agnes.

With their mother's first name, I can pursue a death record at the church. She had to be alive in 1827 to give birth to son Alexander but dead by 1837 when the McKee family comes to the United States. According to notes from a distant relative, she died in 1835. I'm hoping to find out that she's buried in one of the church burial grounds.

Identifying the Church
One problem with the certificate I received for Mary Jane is that I have no way to identify which of the churches is the correct church. Here's what I can read of the signature on the certificate:

Rev. Rob't ___________________

Click here to read a history of the two churches. Based on this history, my best guess as to the Reverend on the certificate is Robert Lyons Porter at Tullyallen Presbyterian Church. He's the Robert who is there at the right time. However, if you look at the certificate, the name doesn't look like his. I'm hoping that if the researcher can find a certificate for Alexander McKee that the signature on that certificate will be clearer.

Further, if I can place the family in Armagh between 1827 and 1837, I should be able to begin to pursue marriage records for the older McKee children (Agnes, Joseph, William, and Robert). Only Jane and Alexander McKee enter the United States in 1837 as unmarried children.

Waiting...waiting...waiting...
The clock started yesterday because it takes the researcher 7-10 days to respond after I paid the fee. So stay tuned. I might have some interesting McKee news soon.

Virgie Evelyn (Hillis) Norman 1916-1944, Missouri, Arkansas

While I've been working on the Murphy line, I've still been sending off for obits at the The State Historical Society of Missouri. I recently received the following obituary, which lead me to the information on Virgie's siblings.

Dexter Messenger, Dexter, Missouri, 6 Jan 1944, Page 1, Column 3

Mrs. Curtis Norman

Evelyn Hillis, was born March 14, 1916 at Williamsville, Mo. and passed away at a Poplar Bluff hospital Thursday at 12:10 A.M. following an operation the preceding day.

On Oct. 18, 1938 she was united in marriage to Curtis Norman in Pocahontas Arkansas. To this union were born two daughters, Judith Ann, 4 and Rebecca Janet aged 2 years, who with her campanion survived her. She also leaves her parents Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hillis, of Dexter, two sisters Mrs. Agnes Thompson and Mrs. Edna Hobgood both of Morehouse, Mo. and one brother Asa Hillis who is a Lieut. in the U. S. Services somewhere in England.

Mrs. Norman was a member of the Pentecost church, a true companion and loving mother.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Rev. Claude E. Maples officiating. Interment in Dexter cemetery.

Here are the details I have for Virgie's family:

William Roy Hillis

b. 3 Nov 1892 Williamsville, Wayne County, Missouri

d. 1964 (FAG 21661032)

m. 30 Jun 1912 Williamsville, Wayne County, Missouri

Julie Ann McKee

b. Jan 1895 Missouri

d. 1972 (FAG 21661015)

Child 1: Agnes M. Hillis (died as Mrs. Conliff Blankenship)

b. 29 May 1913 Williamsville, Wayne County, Missouri

d. 2 May 2002, Cahokia, Saint Clair County, Illinois (FAG 32563482)

m. When? Where?

Joseph E. Thompson

b. 21 Nov 1911 Missouri

d. 13 Jan 1978 Benton, Scott County, Missouri (FAG 44648172)

Child 2: Virgie Evelyn Hillis

b. 14 Mar 1916 Williamsville, Wayne County, Missouri 

d. 6 Jan 1944 Poplar Bluff, Butler County, Missouri (FAG 17689115)

m. 18 Oct 1938 Pocahontas, Randolph County, Arkansas

Curtis Clyde Norman

b. 9 Oct 1899 Liberty, Stoddard County, Missouri

d. 20 Oct 1979 Dexter, Stoddard County, Missouri (FAG 17689139)

Child 3: Willie Edna Hillis (died as Mrs. George H. Troxell)

b. 11 Feb 1919 Missouri

d. 25 Nov 2008 Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida

m. 15 May 1939 Dexter, Stoddard County, Missouri

Charles T. Hobgood

b. 20 Sep 1917 Missouri

d. Aug 1967 Dexter Stoddard County, Missouri

Child 4: Asa Norman Hillis 

b. 8 Nov 1921 Missouri

d. 1 May 1995 Pasadena, Harris County, Texas

m. When? Where?

Mary Ethel Everett

b. 9 Nov 1923 Where?

d. 21 May 1991 Florida

As always, if you're working on this family, I'm happy to hear from you and to trade info. Just post to this blog.

George Henry Thompson, 1864-1896, Illinois

I'm finally getting back to posting to this blog. I've been on an adventure...attended RootsTech in Salt Lake City. I've been trying to integrate an Asus Tranformer tablet into my everyday life...if I'm going to spend this much money on a toy, I need to use the toy. I've been working on the Florida State Genealogy Society newsletter...it's coming together but slowly. Today has been the first day I've had to get back to posting to this blog. So for today's post, I picked George...a random pick.

George Henry Thompson was the son of Joseph Thompson and Mary Jane McKee. He was born in Randolph County, Illinois and lived there for all of his short life. On 26 Oct 1887, George married Janette Gibson Aitken at the Prosperity UP Church, Sadowa, Randolph County, Illinois.

Janette (aka Janet) was the daughter of James B. Aitken and Mary Boyd. Janette's sister, Lydia Ann Aitken had already married into this family. Lydia married John William McKinley on 16 Jul 1885. One can guess that the family relationships played a part in the marriage of George and Janette.

George and Janette had three children: Mary Velma, Wilfred Gilmore, and Nellie Opal.

George died at a young age, 32. His obituary provides the details of his life.

Sparta Plaindealer, Sparta, Illinois, Friday, 15 May 1896, Volume 31, Number 38

Died. -- At his home in this city of consumption, Mr. G. H. Thompson on Wednesday, May 6th 1896.

Henry was one whose personal influence was felt in every phase of life in which he was placed, not words but works weighed his worth in the home, the church and social circles. As was beautifully attributed by his Pastor, the master has taken an Elder, a sweet singer from our choir, and earnest worker of which our mission church of Aurora, Illinois, will feel his loss.

We miss his kindly smile, his earnest voice, but are not robbed of sweetest memories and abiding affection.

Funeral services were held Friday morning, and were attended by a large circle of sympathizing friends. Rev. John A. Henderson and R. E. Wilkin, officiating. Interment in Caledonia cemetery.

With George's death, Janette became responsible for raising her three children on her own. She moves to Kansas and can be found with an uncle James A. Aitken. Presumably this never-married uncle needed someone to take care of his home or perhaps he simply wanted to help his widowed niece and her children. Whatever the case may be, Janette and her children lived with James in Kansas. A relative sent Janette's obituary.

Janetta Gibson Aitken was born in Randolph County, ILL., August 24th 1869, and died at her brothers, near Roxbury, August 26th, 1919, aged 50 years and 2 days, after an illness of four months during which she was a patient sufferer.

She married October 26th, 1887 to George H. Thompson of Sparta, Ill., who preceded her in death 23 years ago. To them was born three children, Velma, Wilfred and Nellie.

At an early age she united with the United Presbyterian church Prosperity, near Tilden, Ill. After her marriage she united with the U.P. chuch, Sparta, Ill, later to the U.P. church in Aurora, Ill., and then to the 1st U.P. church at St. Louis, Mo. On coming to Kansas two years ago last April she brought her letter and placed it in the Roxbury Presbyterian church, of which she was a member at the time of her death, always trusting in Jesus Christ as her savior.

She leaves to mourn her loss, three children, two grandchildren, two brothers, two sisters, one of which lives in Randolph, Ill., and a host of relatives and friends.

Death bears our loved one to the tomb,Our hears are rent with grief,
But Jeasus Christ Our Blessed Lord,
Alone can give relief.
Amens oft are hard to bare,
Life's burdens_______us hear,
They sorely pray ______ friend,
But God will be our truest,
And dry away our tears.
We'll miss our mother and loved one dear
Who from us past away,
But if we're faithful to our God,
We'll meet in endless day.
So let us live while here we stary,
Amidst life's toil and pain,
That shen by death we're called away,
'Twill be eternal gain.

George and Janette's children go on to live their lives in Kansas. Here are the details.

Child 1: Mary Velma Thompson
b. 31 May 1889 Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois
d. Apr 1949
m. 14 Oct 1914
John Karber
b. 1 Oct 1893 Gypsum, Saline County, Kansas
d. Mar 1973 Gypsum, Saline County, Kansas
One child: Paul Thompson Karber

Child 2: Wilfred Gilmore Thompson
b. 19 Apr 1891 Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois
d. 29 May 1923 McPherson, McPherson County, Kansas
m. 28 Feb 1917 McPherson, McPherson County, Kansas
Grace Belle Walker
b. 15 Mar 1897 Durham, marion County, Kansas
d. 15 May 1960 Newton, Harvey County, Kansas
Two children: George Henry Thompson and Janette May Thompson Patton.

Child 3: Nellie Opal Thompson
b. 20 Nov 1893 Aurora, Kane County, Illinois
d. 24 Jul 1979 Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
m. 1916
William Locke (Divorced)
m. 23 Jun 1917 Salina, Saline County, Kansas
Wiliam Irving Boyd
b. 10 Mar 1889 Great Bend, Barton County, Kansas
d. 30 Sep 1949 Salina, Saline County, Kansas

You can find Find A Grave entries for all members of this family with many of them including obituary-based details.

As always, if you're reading this post and you have info you want to trade, I'm happy to trade info with other researchers.


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Scanning...scanning...scanning

I finally managed to get into Garry's office yesterday and scanned a lot of the documents that I've been collecting for years. I've spent this morning getting them into files and backing them up onto an external drive. Of course, I also have them stored in my Hotmail account so that if I lose them, I have another source. Now when someone contacts me, I'll be able to send them docs electronically...a great convenience for everybody concerned. So here's a list of what I have scanned:

Harvey Campbell Will
James E. Campbell Will
George Leemon Will
William Leming Will
Alexander McKee Will
George McKee Will
George McKee Civil War Record
Joseph Alexander McKee Civil War Record
Robert McKee Will (This will lists the entire McKee family in 1882.)
Susana Gilmore McKee Will
William McKee Will
Robert McKinley Will
Joseph Edward Thompson Guardian Bond
Joseph Thompson Will
Joseph Thompson Civil War Record

I've also scanned a flock of birth, marriage, and death certificates. If you find something of interest in this list, email me and I'll send you the scanned copy.