Charles Stine & Nora A. Dean

Charles Stine married Nora A. Dean and as far as we can determine lived their entire lives in the Fountain County, IN area. Charles and Nora had tweleve children. Five of the children had died prior to Nora's death in March of 1902. One of the five children was a daughter named Isabella Stine. Isabella died on January 19, 1901, at the age of 7 years, 4 months, and 23 days. She is burried in Miller Cemetery in the Lodi, IN area. At the time of Nora's death four girls and three sons were still living. From information sent to me by the very kind Sue Vandevender of Cayuga, IN, it has been determined that Nora died on her and Charles' twenty third wdding anniversary. The following article appeared in a colum entitiled "SILVERWOOD" of the March 8, 1902, Silverwood Sun, a newspaper from that particular area that has not been in existence for many years now.

On last Wednesday, when the church bells were announcing the hour of worship, the sad news reached our little town that Nora, the wife of Charley Stines, had been called across the icy river of death. She was taken ill about low twelveon Tuesday night. Dr Keller and Dr. DeVerter were summoned, but all that skill could do would not stay the cold hand of death, which unlocked for her the portals of a eternal life. She was born in 1861. They had been united in marriage 23 years and it was sad to know that on her 23rd anniversary that death should spread her couch and the winding sheet should be her sole venture and her close sealed sepulcher her only home. There had been born to them, 12 children, five having proceeded their mother, four girls and three little boys and the husband are left to mourn her loss. The funeral services were conducted at the home by Revs. Marshall, Kendall and Thorne, after which the remains were laid to rest in the old Miller cemetery.

I think it is interesting to note that the Miller cemetery was refered to as old in 1902. The old Miller cemetery is the resting place for several of the Stine family members. Charles took to drinking after Nora's death and although the girls were old enough to take care of themselves, both of his youngest sons were raised by other families. We think that Charles died around 1925 and is buried in Miller cemetery. I have not as of yet been able to identify all of the 12 Stine children. In addition to Isabella I can identify only five of the other children and have very little information on them.

Ethel S. Stine & Effie Stine

Ethel and Effie were twin daughters who were older than the boys Williams and James. I have little information on either of the twins, other than that Ethel is buried in Gary, IN and Effie is buried in Miller cemetery.

Sarah Stine

Sarah was also older than the boys and she is buried in Gary, IN.

William Ambrose Stine

William was born on January 7, 1890 in Fountain County, IN. My Great Aunt Viola told me that William was a tall skinny man. William went to live with the Rolland Wann family.

James Fredrick Stine

The youngest son was my Great Grandfather, James Fredrick Stine. He was born on March 9, 1896, at RR 2 Kingman, IN. James was only six years old when his mother died. By the time that James was nine years old he was sent to live with a family by the name of McCoy and Emma Whitford. From a letter sent to me by my aunt Barbara, "As for Grandpa Jim, I had told you he was adopted. That was wrong. He was raised by Mac and Emma Whitford. Grandpa's father was Charles Stine. We always just called the Whitford's Grandpa Mac and Grandma Emma, but they were not really our grandparednts. I don't know if the courts took him away from Charles or what the reason was. The Whitfords took in homeless boys and boys in trouble. They lived on a frm and none of the other boys liked the farm, but Grandpa Jim loved it." James stayed with the Whitford's until he married Myrtle Lunger. James was a handsom young man who had always worked hard and treated the Whitfords with love and respect.

Jesse Stien is listed on the Highland Township, Rural Districts, Vemillion Co. IN 1870 census. The link between Jesse Stien and Charles Stine came from compairing the 1870 and 1880 census records for Vemillion Co., IN.

The Highland Township 1880 Vemillion Co., IN census

9

Stines, Charles 20 Laboror IN
Nora 19 IN

199

Stiner, Jesse 50 Farmhand IN
Aphia 47 IL
Charity V. 22 IL
Anna Jane 17 IL
Edmond W 10 IN

Highland Township Rural Districts, Vemillion Co., IN 1870 census

1

4

Jesse Stien 37 Farmer 150 IN
Aphia 37 Keeps House IL
May M. 14 at home IL
Charity V. 12 at home IL
Charles S. 10 at home IL
Anna S. 7 at home IL
Nelson E. 1/12 at home IN

Chenege Grove, Mclean County, IL 1860 census

Jesse Stine 27 M Farmer IN
Apphai 27 F IL
Melvina 5 F IL
Charita V. 2 F IL
Sylvester 1/2 M IL

It would also indicate from these census records and the location of birth of the children, that the Stien or Stine family livied in IL from at least the year of 1856 to 1863.

From Marriage and Land records found in McLean County, IL we know that Jesse Stine married Epphia Cunningham on July 24th, 1853 and He bought land from Robert Cunningham on april 20, 1858Jesse Stien is listed on the Highland Township, Rural Districts, Vemillion Co. IN 1870 census. The link between Jesse Stien and Charles Stine came from compairing the 1870 and 1880 census records for Vemillion Co., IN.