1.NelliePearlKunkel, born December 31, 1884 in Wells Co., IN; died September 13, 1929 in Paris, Lamar Co., TX. She was the daughter of 2. CalvinKunkel and 3. SarahA.Plummer. She married (1) JohnHenrySmith July 16, 1903 in Wells Co., IN. He was born February 05, 1885 in Magley, Adams Co., IN, and died May 26, 1964 in Fort Wayne, Allen Co., IN. He was the son of James Wesley Smith and Mary Ann Barnhart.
Notes for Nellie Pearl Kunkel:
Although there are various spellings of the name, "KUNKEL" is the
spelling engraved on the inside of the cover of her watch, now in the
possession of David G. Smith. The records in the Wells County
Courthouse contain the original platting of Jefferson Township. The
March 24, 1883, recording shows the spelling "Samuel KUNKLE" in his
own handwriting.
In 1928, in order to gain a better income for the family, Nellie
Pearl took the five youngest children (Ardola, Donald, Bernice, Jack,
and Lester) and joined the Dodsons Worlds Fair Shows. They traveled
with the circus to San Antonio, Texas, for the winter and then
continued with the show during the following year. Nellie Pearl died
that next year while the circus was in Paris, Texas. Donald
accompanied the coffin on the train trip back to Indiana while the
four other children traveled by car. Nellie Pearl was buried in the
same grave with her son Robert Wells.
More About Nellie Pearl Kunkel:
Burial: Abt. September 15, 1929, Bluffton, Wells Co., IN
Notes for John Henry Smith:
When JOHN HENRY (Jack) SMITH was born, in 1885, the town of Tocsin
was being formed in Wells County. Samuel Kunkle, son of Michael Jr.
and brother of Calvin, had his land surveyed into lots in 1882 as the
beginning of the village. By 1918 the town of Tocsin was described as
"a modest rural settlement of some 200 residents about five miles east
of Kingsland and nine miles northeast of Bluffton on the Chicago &
Erie line." It had "a few stores, but nothing in the way of
industries."
In 1903, at the age of 18, John Henry married Nellie Pearl KUNKEL.
They made their home on a farm near Tocsin where their first son Floyd
Chalmer was born on July 5, 1904. Unfortunately he died three months
later. He is buried beside his uncle Edward Kunkle in Fairview
cemetery in Bluffton. GERALD ROSS was born the following year. Then
followed Calvin in 1910. Some time thereafter, the family moved just
south of Bluffton to the small town of Petroleum where Ardola Mae was
born in April of 1912. When their grandmother, Sarah Plummer KUNKLE,
died in November 1914, the Smith family moved in with their
grandfather Calvin KUNKLE. Donald J. was born on the Kunkle farm in
1915. They then moved to a home just to the West and across the road
from the Kunkel homestead, where Bernice E. was born in 1916. They
later moved to West Wiley Street in Bluffton where Jack Morris was
born in 1919 and Robert in 1921. The family then moved to 519 South
Oak Street where Lester was born in January of 1924. They later moved
to West Market Street.
John Henry worked for the Red Cross Manfacturing Company, a small
company in Bluffton that made pumps and windmill derricks. He also
worked for the Settergren Piano Factory in Bluffton and also was a
house painter. Later he became a driver for the Indiana Service
Corporation, driving the new electric service trucks manufactured by
Baker Electric.
Shortly after the death of his wife, John Henry left the family
without any indication as to his intentions. He remained absent until
near his death in 1964. The three youngest children, Lester, Bea and
Jack, were placed in an orphanage and Donald, the oldest at age 14,
was placed on a farm in Spencerville to live with and work for the
owner, Mr. John Doll.
John Henry had moved to Colorado where he resided in Westminister, a
suburb of Denver, for about 30 years, using the name of Jack Homer
Smith. While living in Colorado he lived with a Helen E. XXXX. He
retired from the Hugh M. Woods Company in 1951. He moved to Flordia in
about 1960, after the death of Helen, and resided with his daughter
Bea and her husband Al Tomaini. After residing there for about three
years, he returned to Fort Wayne in late 1963 and died there at the
age of 79. He is buried next to Nellie Pearl and Robert in the Elm
Grove Cemetery just east of Bluffton.
More About John Henry Smith:
Burial: Abt. May 29, 1964, Bluffton, Wells Co., IN
Marriage Notes for Nellie Kunkel and John Smith:
Married by the Rev. W.R. Mohler.
