The Orphan Boy - Abraham Frank Howard III

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Abraham Frank Howard III (1859-1925) The Orphan Boy
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by Carolyn Ann Howard

This blog post was updated 29 Apr 2022.

I used to feel sorry for Frank Howard, the orphan boy. You see, Frank's mother died shortly after he was born in Iowa. Frank's father, Abraham II, and Frank's uncle, who lived with them, along with the baby, made their way back to their parent's home outside of Loogootee in Martin County, Indiana. Surely both sons were devastated.

It wasn't even a year later that Abraham II enrolled as a Union soldier in the United States Civil War, leaving his infant son in the care of his parents, Abraham I and Mary Ann Toles Howard. Abraham II was killed in the Battle of Antietam 17 Sep 1862. Therefore, the orphaned boy never knew either one of his parents.

A short time later, in 1864, Grandfather Abraham I died, leaving Grandmother Mary Ann a widow at the age of 50. After this, Mary Ann petitioned the court to adopt Abraham Frank Howard. She also applied for Frank to have his father's Civil War pension. It was $8.00/month.

Frank's grandmother, Mary Ann, had another set of grandchildren, too, Ella and Emory Howard. These children belonged to Henry Howard and his first wife, Elizabeth Smith. After the birth of these two children, Henry took a different wife and had other children with her. When Henry died in 1872, Ella and Emory were outta there. I haven't for sure tracked Emory down, but Ella went to Vincennes, Indiana, where her great aunt, Mary Jane, lived. Ella's grandmother, Mary Ann, and Abraham Frank III went with her.

My late father's research looses the trail after Mary Ann left Loogootee with her grandchildren. I don't understand this when it comes to Ella, as she is easily tracked. Unfortunately, by the time I had become interested in my family's genealogy and could talk with my father about Ella, he had already forgotten most of what he had previously known.

In the 1880 census, Mary Ann was in Mount Morris, Michigan, living with Frank and, down the road from her, was her other granddaughter, Ella Howard, now Ella Ellis! But where were Mary Ann and Frank in 1870? Ancestry couldn't tell me.

We knew that Mary Ann had remarried a man by the name of McAlpine, due to Frank's court records that listed her as Mary McAlpine. She was also listed on the 1880 census as Mary McAlpine. Because of that, using FamilySearch.org, I did a search of the 1870 Michigan federal census for Mary Ann McAlpine along with the person of Frank Howard. Bingo. There she was as the wife of Peter McAlpine living in Watertown, Tuscola, Michigan. Frank Howard is listed at the bottom of the family, age 11, the correct age. Ancestry's perimeters doesn't list Frank Howard as living in the same household, due to his last name being different from the rest, so he got lost on Ancestry. Family Search many times is the superior tool for researching.

Knowing that Mary Ann married Peter McAlpine, her marriage certificate was easily found on Ancestry. This document notes Mary Ann as being Mrs. Mary Ann Howard from Loogootee, Indiana.

As previously noted, in 1880, Mary Ann and Frank are back in Mount Morris Michigan, living down the street from Ella. But where did they go after that? And what happened to the poor orphan boy, Frank Howard?

We have no 1890 census records, so using Family Search, I searched for Frank Howard in 1900. And one came up! YAY! Not in Mount Morris but in nearby Clio, Michigan. Even better, it correctly shows his father as being born in New York. And, he has a son named Rainie. Frank's mother's maiden name was Raney. It shows his name as Abraham Frank Howard, the same name as his father. It also shows his being born in Iowa, and his birth date was correct. It all adds up.

On other censuses, it doesn't add up quite so well, but census records can sometimes be a little sketchy; you can't always trust them. Mostly, though, it makes perfect sense that Abraham Frank Howard is our Frank Howard, especially that his father and grandfather were both Abrahams.

Frank's death certificate states he was born in Vincennes and his mother's name was Martha Raney. Frank was definitely born in Iowa and his mother definitely was Eliza Jane Raney. Wonder where the name of Martha came up in the memories of his children? Mary Ann and Frank sojourned in Vincennes, Indiana, a few years before heading off to Michigan, so Frank's children may have thought he was born in Vincennes.

When doing genealogy, it's so easy to project feelings onto your ancestors. Ahhh.... poor Frank. But Frank wasn't poor at all. Growing up, he had his grandmother and his Aunt Ella. Not sure what happened those few years his grandmother was with Peter McAlpine, though. How was that time for him living with another family?

Other than that, it appears he lived a good, normal life. He took a wife, had children and apparently several occupations: On the 1880 census, he is listed as a barber; 1900, merchant; 1910, funeral director; and 1920 real estate agent! We know that he actually was all of these things. To read more, go here. (Opens in a new window)

In memory of my late father and mother, Rev. William "Lester" Howard and Mary McLean Howard.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Indiana's Historic Pathway Is Scenic, Especially through Martin County, IN

The Travel Blog

Indiana's Historic Pathway is Scenic, Especially through Martin County, Indiana

Note: You can see larger images by clicking on the image you want to view.

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

Martin County's treasures are abundant, including its breathtaking scenery at every turn. Consider a road trip on U.S. 150 that runs from Loogootee to Shoals, Indiana, and then onward to twin towns of West Baden/French Lick. Click on photos to enlarge

U.S. 150 enters hilly Loogootee as flat farmland.

U.S. 150 enters Loogootee, IN, running concurrently with U.S. 231 and another historic route, U.S. 50.

The routes run together until the main intersection of Loogootee at JFK Avenue where U.S. 231 runs north and U.S. 150 and 50 run east.

The road running from Loogootee to Shoals, which is the county seat of Martin County, is fabulous.

It is a spectacular drive, especially when you go down that hill and it opens up into a valley. It's magical.

Keep driving and taking in all the beauty of the hills, valleys and plains.

Before crossing the bride into Shoals, you might want to veer right onto Capital Avenue. This street comes up as soon as you pass the Pilgrim Holiness Church that my great-uncle John Carroll founded. The Martin County Museum is housed in the old courthouse on Capital Avenue. This beautiful building was built in 1876 to replace the old one that had burned down. It now houses the Martin County Historical Society and Museum.

Upon arriving in the charming town of Shoals, you will cross the East Fork of White River. Its so breathtaking.

Shoals was platted in 1844 under the name of Memphis. I've heard different theories as to how the name Shoals came about, but I don't know which stories are true.

On you're right, before you to turn right on U.S. 150, you might want to pull into the iconic Bo-Macs for burgers and fries. You might then want to stop at the Marathon next door for gas and a restroom break. Be sure to turn right at the intersection, though. If you go straight, it'll take you to Bedford. We want to end up in the twin towns of West Baden and French Lick, so turn right, staying on US 150.

As you begin down this road, you'll notice heavily wooded areas. One of my best friends here in Evansville, Indiana, worked at a lumber yard for many, many years. He supplied many of the merchants in Martin, Daviess, and Spencer Counties in Indiana with lumber products.

Bob Tedrow is one of those buyers: "I purchased many loads of lumber from your friend. I would often spend an hour a week talking to him on the phone, we got to be very good friends." He continued, "As you travel Hwy. 150 there are many curves and hills, some of the “old timers” say the highway was built this way on purpose to make you slow down and take in all the scenery."

Beautiful scenery, indeed!

The next landmark is called Singing Hill. My great-uncle John Carroll, the great Pilgrim Holiness pastor, helped to build this Holiness Campground. I don't know much about it's history, but I'll bet it's interesting!

Look at that old gas station! I love old buildings. Always try to envision what they looked like in their heyday.

The road continues to be beautiful as we cross over from Martin County, Indiana to Orange County.

We'll soon be at the junction of US 150 and Indiana 56. Turn left to continue on US 150 onward to Paoli. Or turn right onto Indiana 56 to enter the beautiful twin towns of West Baden and French Lick. Get a room at either of the two grand hotels in the area and enjoy your stay!

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

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Google Photos are used with permission by giving the proper attribution

Our Mysterious Howard: Elizabeth Nancy Smith Woody

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Elizabeth Nancy Smith Woody Howard (abt 1832 - aft 1858)

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

This post was updated August 30, 2021.

Elizabeth Nancy Smith Woody Howard has been such a puzzle for Howard family researchers. One of the reasons is that her last name was Smith. What a difficult name to research as it is one of the most common last name in the Unites States. Another reason is my immediate family's unusual history in Pilgrim Holiness, taking it a notch further. It sometimes feels that the criteria for being a part of this line is that the entire family must be holy, including our ancestors.

I don't believe our Howard line was particularly holy, including Abraham Howard I, Abraham Howard II, nor his son Henry, who was Elizabeth's husband. And by saying this, I'm not saying that these Howards were BAD people. Not at all! I just don't think they went to church, that's all. But perhaps that has nothing to do with our story, because Elizabeth is mysterious. We know very little about her, and it doesn't appear anyone else knows much about her, either. Again, Elizabeth Smith isn't a unique name.

Abraham Howard I was born in Grafton, New York. As a young man, he moved with his family from Grafton to then Genesee County, New York, now Wyoming County. Not his entire family but his father and mother, and his brothers Jacob and Elias. Jacob and Elias both became involved in The Free Will Baptist Church of Dale, New York and are listed next to each other in the 1850 census. Not so Abraham. Abraham settled in nearby Attica while the rest of his family stayed in Middlebury. It was said in a letter from the Middlebury Historical Society that Jacob and Elias were much more involved in church "than the other ones."

Abraham I broke with his family in his move to Martin County, Indiana, firstly settling in Shoals and then shortly later in Loogootee. Abraham and his wife, Mary Ann, along with their children, except for Joanna, arrived in Martin County in or around 1854.

When Ancestry came along, with their advanced tools, I linked Elizabeth Nancy Smith with Morris Woody, a potential first husband. It didn't feel like it could be true, but if so, she had 3 children with him, Samuel, John and Henry. Is it telling that her youngest son has the same name as her potential second husband? Unfortunately, I have Elizabeth's son Henry born the same year as Henry Howard and Elizabeth Smith's oldest, Ella, so, of course, that can't be correct, yet still, something doesn't quite add up.

When I started my public Ancestry tree, I once again linked Elizabeth Nancy Smith with Morris Woody, because, in essence, it fits. Even so, I almost deleted all the Woody's. But something stopped me and now more than ever, it feels that this union really happened.

Elizabeth Smith and Morris Woody married in 1850. In the 1850 census, they lived with Elizabeth's father, Samuel and mother Temperance Roberts Smith, in Spice Valley, Lawrence, Indiana. Living with parents after first getting married was common place at this time. Their first son, Samuel, was born about 1850, John in 1853 and Henry in 1856. However, the tree overlaps as Elizabeth married Henry Howard in 1854.

According to the 1870 census, Elizabeth and Henry's daughter, Ella, was born in New York in 1856. Their son, Emory was born in 1858 in New York.

I doubled my efforts to locate Henry Howard in the 1860 census. I looked through all the relatives and all their 1860 census records and did not find him. I couldn't find Elizabeth, either. I then decided to look at the Perry County, Martin, Indiana 1860 census. The rest of the Howard family is there as is Samuel Smith, Elizabeth's father. But here we see that Elizabeth's father is no longer married to Elizabeth's mother, Temperance. He is instead married to a different Elizabeth. I realized then I have Temperance's death date as prior to 1860 and the ages and names of the children all add up. Abraham Howard is family number 60, Samuel Smith 61 and there at family number 64 is the Crays family. Henry married Nancy Crays in 1861.

One last conundrum about our mysterious Elizabeth. On her Martin County marriage certificate to Henry Howard, her name is listed as Elizabeth Smith, not Elizabeth Woody. Although in that time, you could tell people any name you wanted. No background checks! No secure IDs!

When younger, I'd listen to my father banter about our genealogy and many times he would ask, "Did Elizabeth Smith die?" And I would think, "Let's not jump to conclusions!" But... maybe she did. Perhaps she died in childbirth with Emory. Childbirth was one of the number one causes of death in women at that time. And, after her death, Henry would've been forced to reunite with his Martin County family in order to have childcare. Click on photos to enlarge

Shoals Overlook
Courtesy of Marie Hawkins

I don't know why Samuel Smith brought his family from Lawrence County to Martin County. Abraham and Samuel go all the way back to when the Howard family first landed in Martin County, as he sold Abraham land along the gorgeous Overlook at Shoals, overlooking the East Fork of White River. But in the 1860 census, Abraham Howard and family are no longer in Shoals and Samuel Smith and family are no longer in Spice Valley. Instead, the two families are together just outside Loogootee. Henry and Elizabeth are nowhere to be found, and my family has been searching through census records for years without success.

Was this a scandalous love affair between Henry and Elizabeth? I think yes. Was Henry in on it? I think yes. He may have even been the instigator. Or she. What did his father Abraham and her father Samuel think? What did her husband Morris think? We may never know the answer, but if we had the answers, it would make a great story!

One reason it feels this was a scandal is that the couple went to New York. We know this, because their two children were born in New York. Were they banished there by their family? Were they banished there by the community? Did Henry's second wife, Nancy Crays, know about this? Well, Henry came back to Martin County with two children, so she knew at least that he likely had been married once.

In the 1860 census, Elizabeth's first husband Morris is living with the Dickerson Family in Spice Valley, Lawrence, Indiana. The three children are living with the William Woody family in Halbert Township, Martin County, Indiana. In the 1870 census, Morris Woody had married Nancy Chastain, had a little girl, Ellen, and the three boys are back together with their father and stepmother.

Henry married Nancy Crays in 1861. He did not fight in the Civil War and most likely never left Martin County again. He died in 1872 of tuberculosis. Upon his death, his daughter with Elizabeth, Ella, moved to Vincennes with her grandmother. We do not know Emory's fate. The last we hear from him is on the 1870 census with his step-family.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Do Not Believe Your Family's Twisted Story

Benjamin W. Carroll Family Line

Do Not Believe Your Family's Twisted Story

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

This post was updated 30 Aug 2021

My family tree has more twisted stories and lies. This is the one thing that saddens me about genealogy, but undoubtedly, every tree is filled with lies and varying degrees of twistedness simply because we're human beings each with our own filters.

Blood of My Ancestor was written to set the story straight about Joel Lyon's role in the murder of his wife and to clear his good name. He had previously been falsely accused of murder by my family and other families as well. Joel was the husband of my 2x grandaunt Adaline Cannon.

The story of Joel Lyon that my family likes to spin starts with "Joel was Catholic and Adaline was Protestant." This was happy news for the author in me, because it meant I'd get to write about the differences between Catholic and Protestant and to do so in a positive light. Because Adaline most likely would not have been taught about Catholicism in her girlhood, this became a great part of their story. Imagine her curiosity with Joel to begin with and then to learn his faith was so much different than hers.

About a month ago, I learned that even this, this small piece of the story another grandaunt had written down on paper was false! Author Beth Willis, who has chronicled so much of the history of Stockholm, New Jersey, from whence Joel came, told me that Joel was most likely Methodist. I posted this on Facebook -- like, can you believe it? And Joel's granddaughter replied:

I know that my grandfather was Methodist, because as a kid I would ride with him to church sometimes. And I was baptized Methodist when I was a kid.

Seriously, though? The whole damn story written about Joel Lyon in my family's records was false to its very core. "Joel was Catholic and Adaline was Protestant" needs to be changed to "Joel was Methodist and so was Adaline." Then again, that one sentence would blow up the whole story that begins with Joel baptizing their new infant son as a Catholic behind Adaline's back.

I recently learned more about a different story that had only been heard in passing. The story was so crazy, it didn't even sink in. My father started the story by saying, "I understand that John Cannon was an atheist." John Cannon was my 2x great-grandfather. The story was so preposterous to me, I didn't even want to hear it, which made my father realize that it wasn't true. Thankfully, he stopped telling that story. Years later, my dear cousin said he had heard his father preach about how my great-grandmother, John Cannon's daughter, who birthed and reared my grandfather, was an infidel. An infidel!

I grew up in a legalistic household with lots of rules that must be kept in order to find favor with God. That upbringing made this word infidel conjure up feelings of vilification and shame. My great-grandmother, Hester Cannon Howard, however, was not an infidel. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and brought her children up the same. This was confirmed in her obituary that stated "from girlhood, she was a consistent adherent to the faith." We know that after she moved from Mount Calvary to within the city limits of Loogootee, Indiana, she attended the Methodist Church there in Loogootee. Prior to that, she attended Mount Calvary Methodist Episcopal.

I admit, sometimes I put my great-grandmother on a pedestal. Mostly, though, I just hold her in high esteem. Why not? She owned her own business and ran it successfully. She was a single mother, and she had spunk. Another uncle, one who had known her in real life, told me she had spunk. He said it with the most beautiful smile on his face. He was proud of her, for sure. Click on photo to enlarge.

Hester Howard on the left at her home in Loogootee, IN
Carolyn Ann Howard family collection

I have a theory how this story about Hester got started. You see, Hester had two boys with her husband, Billy, who died of tuberculosis shortly after their births. She was protective of them, and they of her. Her eldest son fought in World War I and, after that, he moved to Binghamton, New York, escaping her protection. Earl was 31 when he married, and he stayed in Binghamton the rest of his life.

Once Earl had moved, Hester only had her youngest son, Rodolphus, who went by Dolph, to help her on the truck farm, with their boarding rooms, and whatever needed to be done around the home. Hester's parents were gone, and her sister and best friend was gone - murdered brutally in cold blood. I'm sure Hester really relied on Dolph.

When Dolph turned 30, he married my grandmother, Grace Carroll. As was the custom in those days, the couple lived with my great-grandmother for about a year before setting up their own household. The two women did not get along. Not even a little.

I knew my grandmother well. She was excessively religious and felt rules needed to be followed in order to achieve holiness. Her father also was an extremely religious man. Her half-brother, John Carroll, was the founder of four Pilgrim Holiness churches in Martin County - Burns City, Mount Zion, Poplar Grove and Shoals, as well as the Pilgrim Holiness campground called "Singing Hill."

Singing Hill in Shoals, Indiana
Carolyn Ann Howard Family Collection

Rules were the order of the day. No pants for the girls. No dice. No playing cards. No board games. No laughter. Children do not talk. No make-up. No cutting hair. The rules were crushing. To make things worse, my grandmother attended the Methodist Church in Loogootee, and I knew these weren't Methodist beliefs, so it made absolutely no sense! The fact that her heritage as Pilgrim Holiness was never discussed led me to realize that she was a Pilgrim Holiness cleverly disguised as a Methodist.

In my grandmother's eyes, surely I'd be an infidel. I drink wine. I wear pants. I wear make-up. I use dice in my piano classroom to play music games with my students. It is doubtful that Hester drank or wore pants or make-up or even played with dice, but she had spunk and could stand up for herself, that is for sure. My uncle told me a man was harassing her, so she threw a tomato right in his face. He told me that with the same proud smile.

It's so easy to make up stories about the dead, whether those stories are true or false, good or bad. Your job as a genealogist is to sort through the data you have and make informed observations, backing that up as much as possible with eyewitness statements, newspaper clipping, and other documentation. It's also good to make sure everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Coming to Middlebury, Pulling Up Roots

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Coming to Middlebury, Pulling Up Roots

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

This post was updated 21 May 2022 with new information

When doing genealogy in the early years of the United States, one has to be mindful of county histories. On this posting, I'll be talking about two different places in New York, so let's sort that out first. Admittedly, I'm easily confused and bored when it comes to lots of words on a page that don't seem to be coming quickly to a point. That might be why it's my goal to explain things thoroughly and hopefully not in a boring way! But, as one of my cousins recently pointed out, it's so important to get it ferreted out, so let's look at it.

1. Grafton, Rensselaer County, New York. According to Wikipedia, Rensselaer County was carved out from Albany County in 1791. [1] The town of Grafton was formed March 20, 1807. [2] This means if you're documenting an ancestor prior to 1807, that ancestor didn't live in Grafton. And if before 1791, he/she didn't live in Rensselaer County but in Albany County. Hope this isn't confusing, because it certainly makes my head spin.

2. Dale, Wyoming County, New York. Wyoming County was carved out from 3 different counties: Genesee, Allegany, and Cattaraugus Counties in 1841. [3] What that means is that my forebear who died in 1834 in what is now Wyoming County actually died in Genesee County.

Does this sound too painstaking? Too picky? Genealogists have a sacred trust to make sure all their facts are absolutely correct to the best of their ability. Genealogists are the holders of their family's trees, and as such, it is our job and duty to be accurate.

Several members of the Howard family made their was from Grafton, New York to Middlebury, New York in or around 1833. Middlebury would have been a bountiful area in which to settle.

Firstly, let me correct a misunderstanding. My dad always said Dale/Middlbury when he spoke of Godfrey Howard. Godfrey lived in Middlebury. Godfrey's son, Elias, and his family went to church in Dale and was quite involved in that church. The towns are only eight miles apart. Godfrey and his son, Elias, are both buried in Dale. Abraham settled in nearby Attica, New York, later making his way to Indiana.

Let's look at the patriarch and matriarch, Godfrey and Susannah's children. This is what I have so far:

1. David - no known information at this time.
2. Katrina - crickets.

3. Catherine - she married Peter Vader of Genesee County, so she made the trek with the family.

4. John - his death place is Grafton.

5. Jacob - 1860 census shows Jacob in Middlebury.

6. Peter - his death place is Brunswick, 11 miles from Grafton.

7. Betsie - Her son was born in Genesee County, so she went to Middlebury.

8. Elias - He died in Middlebury

9. Abraham - definitely came with the fam to Middlebury, although continued on to nearby Attica, later taking his family to Indiana.

So, here it is one more time, those who came from Grafton to Middlebury:
Godfrey Howard and his wife, Susannah; sons Jacob, Elias, and Abraham, along with their children, and daughters Catherine and Betsie. Click on photos to enlarge

Why did they travel to Middlebury?  I have been in the dark on this since the beginning of time. Something that amazes me about genealogy is how questions that have gone unanswered for years and then finally are answered SIMPLY. I was recently reminded of how Grafton residents, at that time, were under the rule of Stephen Van Rensselaer, renting their land from him. Simply put, this so-called manor arrangement was starting to cause unrest among the tenants. By leaving when they did, the Howard family missed the Anti-Rent War. This same person also told me that Middlebury is charming. I bet it is. Hopefully one day, I'll get to visit.

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[1] “Rensselaer County, New York.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rensselaer_County,_New_York.
[2] Anderson, George Baker. “CHAPTER XXXIII. TOWN OF GRAFTON.” History of Grafton, New York, history.rays-place.com/ny/ren-grafton-ny.htm.
[3] “Wyoming County, New York.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming_County,_New_York#History.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Persimmon Pudding? Yes, Please!

Beautiful Martin County, Indiana

Persimmon Pudding? Yes, Please!

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

One of the first things I learned in my one year of living in Martin County, Indiana, specifically Lost River Township, is how important the persimmon tree is to the citizens of this fair county. Not just important but valued. Firstly, the trees are beautiful. Secondly, they're pretty good at predicting winter weather, and thirdly, their fruit makes a fine concoction known as persimmon pudding. The fruit can also be used to make cookies, cakes and pies. They can be dried or eaten fresh. They can even be used to make wine and beer. Native Americans used persimmons in gruel, cornbread and pudding. [1] Click on photos to enlarge

Persimmon Tree in Winter
Credit: James Heilman, MD
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

 

The persimmon trees of Martin County are called American Persimmons and may have been brought to the area by those who came from the south, although I have read conflicting accounts of this. According to the Purdue Extension web site, the tree is indigenous to Southern Indiana. [2] Even so, I personally had never heard of a persimmon tree and the amazing gifts it gives until moving to Martin County in 2013.

Firstly, their beauty. Without too much text, just look at the pictures. Aren't they gorgeous? These pictures were taken after the leaves had fallen in autumn so you can clearly see the delicious fruit.

Persimmons in Nakagawa, Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Credit: Geomr
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

The actual fruit doesn't mature until the fall, sometimes staying on the tree until winter. You have to be careful to make sure the fruit is ripe before picking it, or the taste will be bitter, and that's no good. If you're patient and wait until the fruit is ripe, it will be very sweet. Also, eating persimmons that aren't ripe can lead to phytobezoars, which require surgical intervention. So avoid those unripe persimmons! To make sure they're ripe, just shake the tree! If they fall out, you can be sure that they're ripe.

Persimmon Fruit
The ones in the back are not ripe. The ones in front are.
Credit: Jon Richfield
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Secondly, it seems they're good predictors of the winter weather. If you'd like to know what kind of winter that's coming, just look to the seed of the persimmon. Cut the persimmon open to get to the seed. Is it spoon (shovel)-shaped, knife-shaped or fork-shaped? If it is spoon-shaped, you'll have lots of snow, so get that shovel out. Knife-shaped, it will be cold... cold that cuts like a knife. If it is fork-shaped, it will be a mild winter with plenty to eat!

Persimmon pudding is an Indiana favorite. In my book Pioneer Stories, Maggie and her mother make persimmon pudding for Maggie's fiancé, John Ritter.

     Maggie put her baskets off to one side and went to one of the persimmon trees. Carefully she gave it a shake, and a shower of persimmon fruit fell from the tree. She squealed at the abundance. By the time the ladies were done gathering, their baskets were brimming over.

     Back inside the house, they began their work to process the persimmon into pulp. Mother gently cleaned the fruit in a bucket of water. Maggie took the cleaned fruit and put it into a colander. Using a pestle, she gently pressed the pulp out of the fruit and into a bowl. When she had finished her first batch, she had a bowl full of vibrant orange-red pulp and a colander full of skin and seeds. [3]

After that, the pulp is mixed with sugar, sweet milk and cinnamon and then placed in the oven. It's a very sweet treat!

Persimmon Pudding
Credit to Spablab via Wikimedia Commons

Persimmons are not readily available in most stores, though, because of their fragility. If you're wanting persimmon pudding but don't have a persimmon tree, you can plant one or you can buy persimmons on-line and make the pudding yourself. It's easy!

Directions

1. Combine persimmon pulp with sugar.
2. Beat in eggs. Mix in milk, then butter.
3. Sift or stir flour with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg.
4. Mix with persimmon mixture.
5. Pour batter into a well greased 9-inch square cake pan.
6. Bake in a 315-325°F oven for approx 60 minutes or until knife comes out clean. [4]

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[1] “American Persimmon.” Uncommon Fruit, uncommonfruit.cias.wisc.edu/american-persimmon/. Accessed November 20, 2018.

[2]  “Forestry & Natural Resources.” Indiana's Land Grant University, www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/blog/2018/09/05/the-fruit-of-the-gods-from-an-indiana-tree/. Accessed November 20, 2019.

[3] Howard, Carolyn Ann. Pioneer Stories. December Moonlight, 2016.

[4] O, Rhonda. “Persimmon Pudding Recipe - Genius Kitchen.” Ammonium Bicarbonate - Kitchen Dictionary - Genius Kitchen, Genius Kitchen, 17 Dec. 2001, www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/persimmon-pudding-15963.


© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

A Tour Through Scenic Martin County - Part Two

The Travel Blog

Beautiful Martin County, Indiana

A Tour Through Scenic Martin County - Part Two

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

Going through Loogootee, Indiana, the traveler goes down US 50. In the city limits, this street is Broadway. This stretch of road is also one of Indiana's Historic Pathways. And what a gorgeous drive it is. For our tour today, we start in Loogootee, Indiana. We're going to go past McDonald's on one side and Marathon on the other. So if you need gas or food, you might want to fill up here before continuing on US 150. Go slowly, we're getting ready to turn right.

The historic St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is just a few blocks down, on the left. We're going to turn right, which is S. Kentucky Avenue. It is also where Indiana 550 parts ways with the United States Highways. We're going to travel about 9 miles down Indiana 550. Beautiful homes on this stretch of road. Beautiful farmland. If you pass a car on your way, be sure to wave. Martin County is one of the friendliest places in the world, and it's the habit of many to wave when they pass you on a rural roadway.

Indiana 550 has many twists and turns in it, so don't drive too fast. Besides, you don't want to miss any of the gorgeous countryside. When you pass over the East Fork of White River, you're almost there! But where? Hindostan Falls! Click on photos to enlarge

Hindostan Falls, low water
Photo credit: David Kurvach

Hindostan Falls
Courtesy of Marie Hawkins

Hindostan was a town first settled somewhere around 1818 with a population of around 1,200. When Martin County was carved out from Daviess County in 1820, Hindostan became the county seat. That same year, an epidemic ran through the community, killing many of the town's inhabitants, as well as a financial crises occurring after The Panic of 1819. Those not devastated with illness were devastated financially. By 1828, most of the town had been abandoned, and the county seat was moved to Mt. Pleasant.

The signs will point the way, for you'll need to turn off Indiana 550 onto County Road 55. A historical marker telling the story of Hindostan is on the corner of that junction. Just a few more minutes, and you're at Hindostan Falls! You might want to put your rubber boots on in order to explore, but be careful! The rocks there can be slippery.

Some people think the area is haunted. As someone sensitive to spirits, I have not felt any of the eeriness some people feel when they visit the ghost town. All I see is the beauty of Martin County!

Hindostan Falls is breathtaking. It is worthy of your visit while sightseeing through Martin County. 
A Tour Through Historic Martin County - Part One
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Some of the information for this article came from Wikipedia as well as the web page "Visit Martin County, Indiana."

Photo credit: By David Kurvach [CC BY-SA 3.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

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