Parentage Questionable

Over the years I have been given these as the parents of Absolum:

[Jacob Vandeventer Jacob Vandeventer] m. Rebecca Miller

James WIlliam Vandeventer m. Nancy A Ingrum

Josiah Vandeventer m. Emily or Milly hugh or Hughes

Thomas Vandeventer m. Adaline Farris s/o Jacob Vandenveter & Rebecca Miller

I also found this also: Researcher: Dianna Lynn Goodpaster 3115 Bent Creek Drive Valrico, Fl. 33594 Compac Disc #28 Pin #127813 has 2nd m. Mary Ellen Huffman 27 Aug. 1844 Gibson co., In. and father as Abraham Vandeventer (AFN#1S45-TN7) nothing backwards past Abraham and no other children or wife listed for Abraham

Another - summed it up as:

Shelby is now Spencer county Ky.
However! Only "1" of the three possible fathers in Shelby County, KY moved to Indiana; this statement is misleading in that [we know by inforamtion gathered that Jacob, james William, john william and josiah all settled in indiana briedfly in clay, morgan, mornoe, or greene counties. . That was Josiah, who happens to have had a son named Amos. This could be your Absolum if someone was guessing at names. The only child of Josiah that is documented is a daughter is Eleanor so it seems pretty likely that the information on the rest of the kids are supposed names and dates.
Josiah was the son of Wynant Vandeventer, also from NJ which is where all the Vandeventer come from.
There is someone else who thought Absolum was the son of "Jacob" son of Wynant. However, his name really "is" Josiah.
This line is pretty well documented in ancestry.com so I'll let you find it from there. The other 2 guys in Shelby county (Who are also sons of Wynant) went to McLean County, Illinois and their children are pretty well documented.
So I'd say it's Absolum (Amos) VanDeVenter - son of Josiah - son of Wynant - son of Barent (Barnabas).... all the way back to the original New York Dutch.

Wynants family as PRESUMED IS:

1.  	Wynant Vandeventer *-9254 was christened 23 Jan 1757 in Reformed Dutch Church New Brunswick, , New Jersey. He died about 1857 in , Somerset, North Carolina. He had the following children:

* 2 M i. Jacob Vandeventer ?1-9458 was born c. 1792/1796 in Shelby County Kentucky.. Jacob married (MRIN:3967) Rebecca Miller-9465, daughter of George Miller-9452 (MRIN:4671), on 2 Sep 1814 in , Shelby, Kentucky. Rebecca was born about 1794.

• 3 M ii. James William Vandeventer ?2-9459 was born about 1793 in , Shelby, Kentucky. He died about Oct 1882 in Indiana. James married (MRIN:3968) Nancy A. Ingrum-8724, daughter of Arthur Ingrum-9843 and Elizabeth [-?-] Mrs Arthur Ingrum-9844 (MRIN:4359), on 25 Jul 1817 in , Shelby, Kentucky. Nancy was born 30 Mar 1795. She died 20 May 1871 and was buried in McIntoosh/Light Cemetry, Highland Twp., Greene, Indian.
• 4 M iii. John William Vandeventer-9460 was born about 1796 in , Shelby, Kentucky. John married (MRIN:4674) Patsy Crofton-9464, daughter of Anthony Crofton-9451 (MRIN:4670), on 22 Dec 1817 in , Shelby, Kentucky.
• 5 M iv. Josiah Vandeventer ?3-9461 was born about 1786/1795 in , , Kentucky. He died 18 May 1850 in Baker Twp., Monroe Co., In. and was buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery Monroe Co., In.. Josiah married (1-MRIN:4675) Kessiah Littell or Little-9462 on 31 Jul 1805 in , Jefferson, Kentucky. Josiah also married (2-MRIN:3969) Emily or Milly Hugh or Hughes-9463 on 3 Sep 1812 in Nelson, Kentucky

No will, probate or estate records have been found for Wynant to connect these men definitely as his sons - its always been based on that they have been in that same locale at the same time; all moved to Indiana within the same time period and within miles of each other in the counties of Clay, Owen, Greene and Monroe and the naming patterns for each of the families have been the same

If someone has found the solid documentation for these men being his sons - no one has been willing to share it and the sourcing.

Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965

• Name: Absalom Vandeventer
• Gender: Male
• Marriage Date: 4 Dec 1840
• Marriage Place: Spencer, Kentucky, USA
• Spouse: Susan Coghill
• Film Number: 000482501

Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001

• Name: Absolam Vandeventer
• Gender: Male
• Event Type: Marriage Registration (Marriage)
• Marriage Date: 25 Jul 1846
• Marriage Place: Indiana, United States
• Spouse: Mary Ellen Hufman
• Page: 32
• FHL Film Number: 001443635

Indiana, U.S., Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993

• Name: Abraham Vandeventer
• Gender: Male
• Marriage Date: 25 Jul 1846
• Marriage Place: Warrick, Indiana, United States
• Spouse: Mary Ellen Hufman
• FHL Film Number: 549452

1850 United States Federal Census

• Name: Abralem Vandeventre [Absalom Vandeventer] [Absalom Vandeventer] [Vandeventer]
• Gender: Male
• Race: White
• Age: 33
• Birth Year: abt 1817
• Birthplace: Kentucky
• Home in 1850: Cass, Clay, Indiana, USA
• Occupation: Laborer
• Industry: Industry Not Reported
• Cannot Read, Write: Yes
• Line Number: 16
• Dwelling Number: 58
• Family Number: 58
• Household Members Age
• Abralem Vandeventre 33
• Mary Vandeventre 23
• Nancy Vandeventre 10
• John Vandeventre 8
• James Vandeventre 6
• William Vandeventre 2
• Jeph Vandeventre 0

1860 United States Federal Census

• Name: Absalom Vandeventer
• Age: 42
• Birth Year: abt 1818
• Gender: Male
• Race: White
• Birth Place: Kentucky
• Home in 1860: Highland, Greene, Indiana
• Post Office: Highland
• Dwelling Number: 87
• Family Number: 87
• Occupation: Farmer
• Real Estate Value: 800
• Personal Estate Value: 300
• Cannot Read, Write: Y
• Household Members Age
• Absalom Vandeventer 42
• Mary Vandeventer 32
• Nancy A Vandeventer 18
• John W Vandeventer
• James T Vandeventer 14
• William Vandeventer 12
• Josiah Vandeventer 10
• George R Vandeventer 8
• Reed Vandeventer 1

A Horrid tragic Death

It was late March and the March thaw had not yet occurred; this Goose Creek was still ice cold. The steam boiler of the sawmill had nee ran competley dry and was red hot and upon the puring of the ice cold water from the creek into the boiler - it instantly exploded. The sound was heard for miles around and the sawmill was totaly destroyed with pieces of it being scatterd in every direction.

The area today is now been totaly reclaimed by the brush, grass tees and wildlife. A sense of tranquilty, peace and quiet now fill the air around it - if one is to visit the site today on would only see the remains of a saucer-shaped ditch where the mill once stood. Grass, trees, and wildlife have reclaimed the area. A sense of peace and quiet now fill the air

=======================

Harvest of Death

Terrible Boiler Explosion!

Greene County’s Horror!!

Fearful Loss of Life

Particulars, Incidents, & C., & C.

Never before has it been our duty as a newspaper reporter to chronicle a more sudden, brief, and terrible disaster, in which the elements of horror, pain and suffering were more closely interwoven, than in describing the awful death that befell almost a score of our fellow citizens on last Friday morning.

While the storm clouds of Heaven were marshalling their forces for a terrific war of the elements, and a deep unnatural gloom was settling down upon the earth like a funeral pall, the boiler in the mill of HunterBros. Situated about nine miles northeast of this place, exploded, and carrying, in all its terrible force, death and destruction to many of our fellowmen.

During the past week some new grinding machinery had been placed in the mill, which was formerly a saw mill and a number of the neighbors gathered there on Friday morning to see the machinery work.

The day was cold, disagreeable and rainy, and those who were present naturally gathered about the engine and boiler to warm, when without a moments warning the boiler exploded, wrecking the building completely and killing twelve person, and wounding eight. The machinery was thrown in every direction and not a particle of the mill left standing. The cause of the awful accident was beyond question, a dry boiler, and someone one doubt connected with the mill discovering this, commenced pumping water into the empty boiler with the above fatal result.

The following is complete list of those who were killed:

• Abner [Absolum] Vandeventer, aged 60 years cut in two;
• John Speltz, aged 75 years gash in the forehead;
• John Wilkie, aged 30 years crushed with a mill stone;
• James Hunter, aged 34 years cut in abdomen;
• Irwin B. Rea, aged 20, portion of the head severed from the body;
• John Hunter aged 20 years head blown away;
• Wash Bender, aged 13 years, leg blown off,
• John Hamilton, aged 15 years, head blown entirely away;
• Ed Hunter, aged 7 years, and Howard Hunter, aged 5 years, portions of their heads Severed from their bodies;
• Owen Sarver, aged 14 years, head blown off;
• Jacob Brubaker, aged 14 terribly mutilated, died the next day.

The wounded are:

• W alter Hunter, aged 7 years right arm fractured and body badly scalded;
• John Bender, aged 11 years not seriously injured;
• Wm. Bland, aged 20 years, leg injured;
• Henry Bland scalded,
• Ahart Brubaker, leg scalded

Those who are wounded will probably recover, although some are seriously injured and may yet die.

This is beyond question the most horrible and fatal accident that ever occurred in Greene County, and has desolated many homes, and caused mourning in many hearts. Four of those who were killed were heads of families; the rest young men and boys.

No one in or about the mill escaped death or being wounded. A man, who was unloading corn at the time, was killed and his wagon torn to pieces, strange to say, his horses escaped without a scratch.

Three little boys were seated on a bench on top of the boiler warming themselves when it exploded. One was killed instantly, and the other two badly wounded and scalded. One boy was thrown into a tree and fell from there into a branch of water by the mill, and was one of the first to escaped and tell the story of the great horror.

The scene of the disaster was pitiable in the extreme. Pieces of men’s bodies, torn clothing and portions of the machinery were all thrown promiscuously together.

The greater number of those killed were buried Sunday and a gloom sorrowful beyond expression seemed over the entire community.

The wreck was visited by hundreds of people during Saturday and Sunday, and the sympathy of many hearts flowed out to the afflicted and bereft relations of those who had been so suddenly called away from earth.

Death is terrible at any time, even when we watch at the bedside of those who we know are doomed to die. We feel that he is truly the “king of terrors,” but when our loved ones go from us in the morning well, happy, and the promise of long life before them, and before the noon are brought back mangled corpses, then and then only, can we measure the depth and extent of the suffering the stricken relatives of those who were killed in this disaster must experience.

It will long be remembered as a “black Friday” in the history of Greene County, and we indulge the hope that we may never again be called upon to write such a story of suffering and sorrow.

The Bloomfield Weekly Democrat 1877

=============================================

Horrid Calamity

Fearful Boiler Explosion

12 Persons Killed Outright

Several Severly Wounded

Greene County Draped in Mourning

The most shocking accident that ever occurred within the borders of Greene County, happened on Friday last (March 16,) at what is known as the Hunter Mill.

The boiler was formerly owned by Dixon & Dorrough to operate a sawmill. It afterwards was named Hunter Bros. in operating a saw and gristmill combined.

Friday, being their usual grinding day, the people of the neighborhood gathered in-some for the purpose of getting their grinding done, and others for the purpose of loafing-until the number reached about two dozen.

As the storm of that day approached, they very naturally gathered in the mill for shelter and naturally enough gathered around the boiler. While they were gathered there, a terrible explosion of the boiler scattered their mangled forms in every direction, killing twelve outright and wounding several others.

The cause of the accident, so far as can be learned, was that the engineer allowed the water to get low in the boiler, and his effort to fill it with cold water caused an explosion.

The names of those killed outright are as follows:

• John Spelts,
• Irwin Rea,
• James Hunter,
• John Hunter,
• Orin Sarver,
• John Wilkie,
• A. Vandeventer,
• one son of J. Brubaker,
• and two sons of D. Hunter
• and John Hamilton, Jr.
• Absolum Vandeventer was cut entirely in two at the waist. The upper portion of the body was thrown about twenty feet.
• John Wilkie, at the time of the exploxion, was seeing after his grist, and when found was lying upon his back with the mill-stone upon his chest and head.
• Orin Sarver had the top of his head blown entirely off.
• James S. Hunter's head was blown off, and his bowels torn out.
• Irwin Rea had his legs broken, and received internal injuries.
• John Spelts, scalded and back of head torn away.
• John Hamilton, had his leg torn off and his body badly mangled.
• Three boys were among the victims. Two of them were killed outright, and the third one afterwards died of his injuries.

Of the wounded were

• Allen Brubaker,
• John Bender,
• William Bland,
• Henry Bland,
• Alfred Hunter,
• Walter Hunter, and
• Ahart Hash.

The above is an instance of what may be termed reckless carelessness, however sad it may be to the community which looses the victims. Parties who visited the scene report that the boiler shows the water to have been very low at the time of the explosion. It has also been a well known fact that the boiler had been regared as unsafe for a long time.

Experience sometimes teaches dear lessons, and this terrible visitation teaches one which should be heeded by those who operate machinery by steam power.

First, procure nothing but first class machinery, and have the boiler constantly in best repair.

Second, employ none but first class and competent engineers.

Deep sympathy, mingled with indignation, is the expression of every one who mentions this sad calamity.

Bloomfield News Vol. 1, #13 Saturday, Mar. 24, 1877

==========================

Another account to be in the Indianapolis Journal dated on March 29th, 1877

=======================================

HISTORY OF GREENE..., STATE OF INDIANA,CHAPTER XX. Highland township BY CHARLES L. GOODSPEED - 1884 pg. 302

AN APPALLING ACCIDENT.

In March, 1876, an appalling accident occurred on Section 21, which, from its number of deaths, is unparalleled in the history of Greene County. This was the explosion of the boiler of the steam saw mill owned by Hunter Brothers.

The boiler had run dry and was red hot when cold water was pumped into it. No sooner had this occurred, than with a report that was heard miles away, the boiler burst, causing death and destruction on every hand. Nineteen persons were present at the time of the explosion, and of these twelve were killed outright, one was mortally wounded, and six were more or less seriously injured.

The following is a list of the killed: James Hunter, John Hunter, John Spelts, Absalom Vandeventer, John Wilkie, two little sons of David Hunter, a son of John Hamilton, son of George Rea, son of Henry Sarver, son of George Bender and a son of Jacob Brubaker. James Hunter, the first named, had a son present who received injuries that resulted in his death shortly thereafter.

It was not long until hundreds of people were on the scene, drawn thither by the report that the boiler of Hunter's saw mill had burst. Mothers, daughters and sisters were there, bewailing the loss of loved ones with tears and lamentations, while the horrified glances and pale faces of men who were busily at work in search of the remains of the dead added to the sorrow of the scene.

May Highland Township never be visited with another such disaster, but, on the contrary, may it thrive and nourish, its citizens prosper, its abundant resources be developed, and then Highland Township will be second to none in Greene County.

===========================

Biographical of the victims of the shingle Mill explosion

Almost all of the men and boys that died in the Hunter Mill explosion either served in the Civil War or had fathers that served in the Civil War.

The names of the deceased, approximate dates of birth and death, age at the time of the explosion, family relations, Civil War connections, and burial information:

(George)Wash (ington) Bender, b. 30 Sep 1864 d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 13. Son of George W & S Bender. His father George Bender served with Co C 71st Regt Cav Civil War. Buried Tulip Cemetery, Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana.

Jacob Brubaker, b. abt. 1863 d. 17 Mar 1877 at age 14. Son of Jacob Brubaker.(unable to find information)

John Hamilton, b. 1862d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 15. Son of John Hamilton & Mary Melissa Davis. John Hamilton served with the 97TH Regt Ind Vol Civil War. John's sister Elvira Jane Hamilton married Isaac Hunter13 Nov 1878.

(Daniel) Edward Hunter, b. 1869d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 7. Son of David Lindley Hunter & Celestia A. (Roberts) Hunter. Edward's father David Hunter served with Co I 146th Regt Ind Vol Civil War.

Howard Hunter, b. 1870d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 5. Son of David Lindley Hunter & Celestia A. (Roberts) Hunter. Howard's father David Hunter served with Co I 146th Regt Ind Vol Civil War.

James Starks Hunter, b. 25 Mar 1826 d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 34. James served with Co D 59th Regt Ind Inf Civil War. Son of Daniel Hunter & Lurania Starks Hunter. James S. Hunter served with Co D 59th Regt Ind Infin the Civil War. Buried Mt. Calvary/Hunter Cemetery, Highland Township, Greene County, Indiana.

John Elmer Hunter, b.1857 d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 20. Son of William James Hunter & Emily Buckner. His father William James Hunter served with Co. C 59th Reg Ind Vol, Civil War. Buried Buckner Cemetery, Highland Township, Greene County, Indiana.

Walter Hunter,b. 6 Feb 1861 d. 20 Apr 1877 at age 16. Son of James Starks & Mary Ann (Clark) Hunter. Walter's father James S. Hunter served with Co D 59th Regt Ind Infin Civil War. Buried Mt. Calvary/Hunter Cemetery, Highland Township, Greene County, Indiana.

Irwin (Irving) B. Rea, b. 1857 d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 20. Son of George and Sarah Ann (Jewel) Rea.

(Oren)Owen Sarver, b. 1 Sep 1862 d. 16 Mar 1877 at age14. Son of Henry H & Chimera Sarver. Oren's father Henry H Sarver served with Co I 146TH Regt Ind Vol Civil War. Buried Tulip Cemetery, Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana.

John Speltz (Spelts), b. (2 Sep) 1802(1807) d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 75. John was born in Kentucky. Married to Elizabeth Harrison.

Abner (Absalom) Vandeventer, b. 13 Jul 1817, d. 16 Mar 1877 at age 60. Civil War Pension File #232.701326.294. Married to: 1. Susanna Coghill 2. Mary Ellen Elizabeth Huffman. Buried Mc Intosh/Light Cemetery Highland Twp., Greene, Indiana.

John Wilkie, b. 1847 d.16 Mar 1877 at age 30. John Wilkie served with Co E 59th Ind Inf Civil War. Buried Wilkie Cemetery, Greene County, Indiana.

The Wounded included:

John Bender, b. 24 Nov 1864, d. 26 Jul 1946. He was 11 years of age when the explosion occurred. Married Lucy Jane Arthur Nov. 30, 1893 in Greene Co., Indiana. Buried Grandview Cemetery, Greene County, Indiana.

William Bland, b. 12 Nov 1856, d. 2 Jun 1910. He was 20 years of age when the explosion occurred. Son of Simon and Rachel (Mock) Bland. He married Elmira Goodwin, 2 Mar 1879. Buried Stalcup Cemetery, Greene County, Indiana.

Henry Bland (unable to find information)

Ahart Brubaker (unable to find information)