James Stafford

James Stafford and Family

54. James⁴ Stafford (William¹, Robert²Benjamin²) Born 25 April 1857 in Morgan County, Indiana;^1,2 died on 27³ or 28 January 1928 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana.³ [See Death Certificate] In 1860, he is enumerated in his parents' household as a 3-year-old boy, born in Indiana⁴ and as expected 10 years later, he is the 13 year old James, living with Benjamin Stafford in Clay Township, Morgan County.⁴ No details of James Stafford's childhood are known, however, after he became an adult, there are several records documenting his life. On 04 November 1877 he married Emma Gerritta Rowan in Morgan County, Indiana.⁵ Further evidence of his marriage to Ritta is found in the 1880 enumeration of their household in Clay Township.⁶Misfortune struck this couple at least five time. James and Ritta Stafford lost five children in infancy raising only four children of their nine children to adulthood.

One infant died prior to the enumeration of the 1880 census on 14 August 1879.²Misfortune would strike the couple again for the last time, when Emma Gerritta Stafford nee Rowan died at the age of 36 on 05 January 1895 and was buried in Centerton Cemetery.²

It was not long after losing his wife to death that James Stafford would marry a second time. This time he married a woman named Mrs. Indiana Wilhite nee Seaton. They were married on 14 April 1898 in Morgan County.⁷ This marriage was apparently not a happy marriage as they divorced before 1900 as is shown in the 1900 census record listing James in Indianapolis with his children and a designation that he was divorced.⁸Indiana and James had one son named Yale Edward Stafford, who was born December 1898 in Morgan County, Indiana.⁹ After their divorce, Indiana Stafford married Enoch Rushton on 02 September 1914 in Morgan County.¹⁰ She and Yale lived with him in Hendricks County, Indiana.¹¹

After their divorce James went to Indianapolis where he became a motorman for the streetcar company. He married a third time on 20 March 1909 in Marion County, Indiana.¹⁰ This lady's name was Mrs. Mary F. Laroche.¹² They were enumerated in Indianapolis in 1910.¹³ James and Mary lived in Indianapolis in a rented house located at 615 Ogden Street. James still worked as a motorman for a streetcar company and Mary was not working outside the home. Their household consisted of James and Mary and his children from his first marriage: Leo, Arlie, and Benjamin H. In addition there is a 9-year-old girl named, Helen H. Stafford, who is described as James' daughter.¹³Since this girl is living with James and not with Indiana Rushton, it would seem that he may have married another woman after his divorce from Indiana Wilhite nee Seaton and before his marriage to Mary Laroche. At this time no other information is available about this girl. Further research is needed.

On 20 May 1914, he married his fourth, possibly fifth wife, Mrs. Catherine Winkler, in Marion County, Indiana.^14,15 James had two more children with Catherine. They were James Jr.¹⁵ and Viola Fern Stafford. James and Catherine lived in Indianapolis at 2934 Cornell Avenue where James died on 27³ or 28 January 1928.²

Information from Catherine's grandson, Argil Mahan, indicates that she was the daughter of Heinrich and Catherine Loring nee Erb and that her first marriage was to John Winkler.¹⁷ They probably married in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.¹⁷ After James Stafford's death Catherine Stafford married James Edward Henry in about 1929 in Marion County, Indiana.¹⁷James and Catherine Henry lived in Indianapolis in April 1930¹⁷ when the census was enumerated and had the following people living with them:

Alma F. Henry, 15-year-old daughter of James E. Henry
James Jr. Stafford, 13-year-old son of Catherine and James Stafford
Viola Fern Stafford, 8-year-old daughter of Catherine and James Stafford

According to Argil Mahan, James and Catherine Henry decided to leave Indiana in 1930 and return to James' home in Reedsville, Pennsylvania.¹⁷ While he was in Indiana he owned a restaurant at 10th and Tuxedo just two blocks away from their home at 817 N. Oxford in Indianapolis. Catherine worked for James, which is probably how the met and decided to marry.¹⁷ James sold or lost the restaurant and decided to go back to Pennsylvania with Catherine, James Stafford Jr. and Viola Fern, he headed back to Pennsylvania in their "new" 1929 Ford in May of 1930. James Henry died very shortly after at his daughter's house in Pennsylvania.¹⁷ The date and place of his death was 5 May 1930 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. [See Obituary of James Edward Henry.] The family tradition is that Catherine gave her sewing machine to the undertaker to pay for the funeral. James was buried in Church Hill Cemetery in Reedsville, Pennsylvania. Afterwards James' son Bert drove Catherine and children back to Indianapolis.

At this time there is no documentation for when Catherine Henry married again. Her last known marriage was to Charles Peter Kopp.¹⁸ The date of this marriage is not documented, but probably occurred in Indiana between 1930¹⁹ and 1940.¹⁸Catherine and Charles Peter Kopp did not live together too long as he died in 1941.¹⁸ Catherine lived for another 30 years after his death. The month and year of her death was June of 1971. She is buried in the Union Chapel Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.¹⁸

Suggestions for additional research:

Look for probate records for James Stafford.
Look for divorce record for James and Indiana Stafford nee Seaton; probably in Morgan County, Indiana.
Obtain marriage record for James Stafford and Indiana Wilhite; 14 Apr 1898, Morgan County.
Look for marriage record for James Stafford aroud 1898 to 1901 in Morgan or Marion County, Indiana.
Obtain marriage record for James Stafford and Mary F. Laroche; 20 March 1909, Marion County.
Obtain marriage record for James Stafford and Catherine "Kitty" Kopp Winkler nee Loring; 20 May 1914.

i.	Infant Child	b. [?]; d. 14 August 1879²
ii.	Elsie Viola Stafford	b. January 1881;⁸ d. 1905;²¹ buried at Centerton Cemetery, Morgan County, Indiana;²¹ married Bertie O. Stewart on 14 September 1904 in Marion County, Indiana.²²
iii.	Infant 2 Stafford	b. [?]; d. 15 Jul 1883²
iv.	Leonidas "Lee" Stafford	b. 18 October 1884; d. Jan 1977 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; married Lillian Garrison on 09 March 1916 in Clark County, Indiana.¹⁹Leonidas worked for the Street Car Company in Indianapolis.
v.	Infant 3 Stafford	b. [?]; d. 23 December 1886²
vi.	Infant 4 Stafford	b. [?]; d. 20 February 1888²
vii.	Benjamin Harrison Stafford	b. 02 May 1889; d. 06 May 1970; married Mabel Julien on 10 October 1918
viii.	Arlie Odell Stafford	b. 27 December 1891 in Centerton, Morgan County, Indiana; d. April 1984; married Clara Isabel Durbin on 28 March 1925 in Marion County, Indiana.
ix.	Verle M. Stafford	b. 04 December 1893; d. 23 December 1894²

¹	Benjamin Stafford household, 1860 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, Clay Township, page 105, dwelling 806, family 800; National Archives microfilm publication M653, roll 284.
²	James and Ritta Stafford tombstone, Centerton Cemetery, Centerton, Morgan County, Indiana; photographed by Argil Mahan, 2004.
3	James Stafford death certificate no. 32613 (29 January 1928), Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis, Indiana; received from Argil Mahan on 03 May 2007.
⁴	Benjamin Stafford household, 1870 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, page 24, dwelling 178, family 178; National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 346.
⁵	Stafford – Rowan marriage record (04 November 1877), Morgan County Marriage Record Book 1:455, Morgan County Clerk’s Office; document copied at Morgan County Public Library, Martinsville, Indiana.
⁶	James Stafford household, 1880 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, page 19, ED 266, SD 4, dwelling 171, family 184; National Archives microfilm publication T9, roll 301.
⁷	Stafford – Wilhite marriage record (14 April 1898), Morgan County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1850 to 1920 Inclusive V., W. P. A.; citing Morgan County Marriage Book 5:133; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 20 March 2007.
⁸	James Stafford household, 1900 U.S. Census, Marion County, Indiana, population schedule, Center Township, Indianapolis, page 4A, ED 80, SD 7, dwelling 70, family 71; National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 394.
⁹	Yale Edward Stafford birth record (01 December 1898), Morgan County, Indiana Birth Records 1880 to 1920, Works Progress Administration, Index to Birth Records. Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940; citing Book 1:51; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 20 March 2007.
¹⁰	Rushton – Stafford marriage record (02 September 1914), Morgan County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1850 to 1920 Inclusive V., W. P. A.; citing Morgan County, Indiana marriage record book, 11:431; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 20 March 2007.
¹¹	Enoch Rushton household, 1920 U.S. Census, Hendricks County, Indiana, population schedule, South Liberty Township, sheet 5A, ED 40, SD 5, dwelling 103, family 104; National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 436.
¹²	Stafford – Laroche marriage record (20 March 1909), Morgan County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1850 to 1920 Inclusive V., W. P. A.; citing Morgan County, Indiana marriage record book, 52:217; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 20 March 2007.
¹³	James Stafford household, 1910 U.S. Census, Marion County, Indiana, population schedule, Center Township, Indianapolis, page 8B, ED 125, SD 7, dwelling 162, family 212; National Archives microfilm publication T624, roll 368.
¹⁴	Stafford – Winkler marriage record (20 May 1914), Morgan County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1850 to 1920 Inclusive V., W. P. A.; citing Morgan County, Indiana marriage record book, 79:99; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 20 March 2007.
¹⁵	James Stafford household, 1920 U.S. Census, Marion County, Indiana, population schedule, Center Township, Indianapolis page 10B, ED 48, SD 7, dwelling 239, family 243; National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 450.
¹⁶	Henry – Stafford marriage record (02 February 1929), Marion County, Indiana Marriage Records
¹⁷	E-mail received from Argil Mahan in March 2007; Argil Mahan, 3434 Harmon Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227, Argil Mahan is the grandson of Catherine Kopp.
18	Charles P. and Catherine Kopp tombstone, Union Chapel Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; photographed by Argil Mahan.
¹⁹	James E. Henry household, 1930 U.S. Census, Marion County, Indiana, population schedule, Center Township, Indianapolis page 3A, ED 49, SD 8, dwelling 54, family 54; National Archives microfilm publication T626, roll 612.
²⁰	Stafford – Garrison marriage (09 March 1916), Clark County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1905 to 1920 Inclusive V., W. P. A.; citing Clark County, Indiana marriage record volume 3:29; downloaded from Ancestry.com on 31 March 2007.
²¹	Elsie Viola S. Stewart tombstone, Centerton Cemetery, Centerton, Morgan County, Indiana; photographed by Argil Mahan.
²²	Stewart - Stafford marriage record (14 September 1904), Indiana Marriage Collection 1800 - 1941, Ancestry.com downloaded March 2007; citing original record Marion County, Indiana Index to Marriage Records 1901-1905 inclusive, Volume 3, Book 37:5, County Clerk's Office, Indianapolis, Indiana.
²²

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Direct Line:	Pedigree chart	William	Robert	Andrew	Daniel	Clayton
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Sarah A. Stafford ] [ Nancy Jane Stafford ] [ John R. Stafford ] [ Frances M. Stafford ] [ William H. Stafford ] [ Benjamin B. Stafford ] [ Grant S. Stafford ] [ Mary Stafford ] [ James Stafford ] [ Priscilla Stafford ] [ Martha Stafford ] [ Emma Stafford ] [ Oliver P. Stafford ]

James Stafford and family
Census	1860 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana; in father's household 1870 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana 1880 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana 1900 - Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana 1910 - Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, page 2 1920 - Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Marriage Records	James Stafford married Emma J. Rowan, 04 November 1877, Morgan County, Indiana. James Stafford and Indiana Wilhite; 14 Apr 1898, Morgan County. James Stafford may have married another woman between these two marriages. James Stafford and Mary F. Laroche; 20 March 1909, Marion County. James Stafford and Catherine "Kitty" Winkler nee Loring; 20 May 1914, Marion County
Land Patents	Have not researched in land patents
Deed Records	Have not researched in deed records Photograph of James and Catherine Stafford nee Loring house at 2913 McPherson Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. They lived in this house when the 1920 census taker visited them.
Death and Burial	Place of burial for James Stafford - his date of death not inscribed on his tombstone. Catherine Kopp, wife of James Stafford, died June 1971 in Indianapolis; cemetery marker at Union Chapel Cemetery, Indianapolis.
Probate files	Need these records

Suggestions for additional research:

James and Ritta Stafford nee Rowan had the following children:

James and Unknown spouse had the following child:

James and Catherine Stafford nee Loring had the following children:

Documentation for events in James Stafford life

Others researching these families:

	i.	James Stafford	b. 1916; d. 24 April 1944 in World War II in Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea; buried at Fort Bonafacio, The Philippines; married Alberta Grass. [Army Photo courtesy of Argil Mahan.]
	ii.	Viola Fern Stafford	b. 24 August 1921; d. 18 February 2000; married 1) Eural Lewis Lunsford on 27 September 1937 in Marion County, Indiana; 2) Argil Kiefer Mahan 11 March 1947 in Marion County, Indiana.¹⁵