BIOGRAPHY: At a young age his parents moved him from Cottage Grove, Indiana to Iowa to settle on a cattle farm. He spent most of his childhood in the saddle herding cattle. He was self educated and only went to school threw 3rd grade. The family returned east to Eaton, Ohio, and Dec 29,1869 he started work in a brickyard. He moved to Connersville in 1871 at age 17 and began work in the Old Eagles Mills in East Connersville. He worked there until the day before Christmas of that same year. The day after Christmas he started work in a machine shop at Connersville. Because of his unusual mechanical ability he was made foreman and then superintendent. He was married in 1876 to Wilhelmina Baker, just after receiving his promotion to superintendent.
In 1903, with 32 years of machine shop experience he opened Wainwright Engineering. Was regarded as one on of the leading machinists in the state. He was very successful employing at one time 200 people.
He always read the National Geographic magazine and had them made into bound books and left them to the Connersville Public Library.
SHe was a large woman called aunt Mina.
William Ross Howard was working at a factory in Pembrook KY. For fun
he worked on old automobiles at his friend’s, the Butler boys’ house. There he met Netty Edna Butler Basham. She was divorced with a young child. They were married in 1916. He was very young at the time, probably in his late teens. His parents were not happy about the marriage since she was older and had a child. Their only child, Wilbert Boles Howard, was born about a year later.William Ross Howard died in the Flu epidemic in 1918 at the young age of about 19, WBH was about a year old
Nettie Edna Butler Basham Howard Stevens, the mother of WBH was born in southern KY or northern TN maybe Clarksville on February 2, 1892 (?). She was quite musically inclined .She played the guitar and sang many of the nostalgic songs of her day
Her first marriage was to Boone Basham they had a child about 1912 Boone Edward Basham, later called Benjamin Earl Basham. He later moved to Elizabethtown KY with his father. Later he moved to Los Angeles CA, Seattle WA about 1928. Last know he lived in Alaska. He may have decedents in California. Nettie married William Ross Howard in 1916 in Hopkinsville KY or Pembroke KY. A year later he died in the influenza epidemic. Since she was widowed with two young boys she moved in with her parents and then with relatives when they were growing up. In 1920 she may or may not have married Jack Short, a sewing machine salesman. They met in Kentucky, moved to Saint Louis MO with WBH who was about 3 years old. It was a short marriage. He had another wife. In 1921 Nettie married Thaddeous Stevens in Evansville IN. They moved with WBH to New Albany IN about 1927. She died in 1945 in New Albany and is buried in Tunnel Hill Cemetery.
Born in New Albany IN Sept 21, 1884, carpenter my trade. He ran away from home when he was young to become a cabin boy on a clipper ship. It was here he learned the carpenter trade. He sailed all over the world. He often talked about beautiful Hawaii.
Mr. J.C. MCGUIRE was living in New Albany in 1936 according to the Diary of Sarah Viola (his sister)
May Boyd boought the house that belonged to Maybelles Grandfather and its across the road from where Ann was born. ANd down the hill from the Mt Tabor Cematary.