Person:Arminta Carpenter (1)

Personal History

“After her divorce from George Ford, Araminta went to Kearney, Nebraska, and entered land from the Government. She lived in a sod shanty and burned buffalo chips for fuel. I do not know how long she stayed, but she came back to the community in Morgan County, Indiana, and built a new house at Wakeland. The place consisted of twelve acres. She made her living with a saw mill. Her ex-husband George had also done that kind of work. Uncle Grant Cooper owned a farm which joined the place in Wakeland. He purchased it for sentimental reasons a few years before he died. It had changed hands several times since Grandma Ford's death.” - From the “Memoirs of Iva Dell Eudaly Craver,” Iva Craver, abt 1966

“When Araminta was a little girl her family crossed the Ohio River into Indiana (from Kentucky). Her father or grandfather was clearing land, probably in Dearborn County, and a large bear attacked her and her sister, Sarah. The father killed the bear and rescued the girls. Another time Araminta was scalped by Indians and left as dead. Someone rescued her and nursed her back to health. Besides having a sister Sarah, Araminta also had a brother, William.” - Iva Dell Eudaly Carver

From unknown source: “According to oral family history, Araminta was captured and scalped by Indians, left for dead by recovered. She and a sister were attacked by a bear shortly after the family crossed the Ohio River. The grandfather killed the bear.”

From unknown source: “Della Cooper was fourteen years old when her grandmother, Araminta July Ann Carpenter Ford died 10 December 1894. Della knew her grandmother quite well and would talk to her children of her grandmother. Araminta was 21 when she eloped with George Ford, a lumber buyer, and they were married 10 January 1838 in Bartholomew County, Indiana. This was George's home. George's father, Frederick, had died around 1835 and he and his brothers and sisters inherited a small amount of land. Araminta and George went west soon after they married. Their eldest child, Philitus May Ford, was born in Illinois. They were back in Bartholomew County by 1850. The Fords left their home in Bartholomew County about 1859 and bought a farm consisting of a whole section of land in then Ray Township, Morgan County, Indiana, excepting three acres which had been given by the previous owner to the Symaria Baptist Church. George and Araminta did not have a happy life together. They were divorced in Morgan County, Indiana, 23 October 1871. They separated, it is stated, over the Civil War and the Mormon Church. George and his younger brother, Elisha, went to Macon County, Missouri, where other Fords and Carpenters lived.”

“Early settlement records for this area show that George Shultz and William Johnson bought land in the area of West Salem in 1824. Hiram Alexander and Levi Meafield settled in 1825, followed by Jacob Bullen in 1826 and Jacob Seachrist in 1829. Postal records show West Salem having the first post office in the area. It was established March 24, 1848 with Jacob Secrest, formerly Seachrist, as the first postmaster. Jacob Bullen was the proprietor when the town was platted, May 30, 1849. It consisted of eight blocks of two lots each on Cross and Main Streets. In 1855, records show the town had a store and a blacksmith. The same year the post office changed to Graysville, which was to become the area of Sheasville-Alaska. By 1874 none of the land owners previously mentioned were listed in the Ashland Township Directory. Araminta July Ann Carpenter Ford bought the land, and what was left of the town, from Jeremiah Davis in 1875. As a child she is reputed to have survived an indian attack in which she was scalped, ever after she wore a cap or bonnet. Her parents were killed in the attack. A bear attacked her and her sister Sarah in Switzerland County, Indiana shortly after moving there from Kentucky. She moved to Morgan County with her husband from Bartholomew County where they had sold their 157 acres. They were reported to be ‘set in their ways.’ George was raised a northern Mormon. Araminta's parents and grandparents were from the south, didn't like Mormon customs, and they differed strongly in their views during the Civil War. They were divorced in 1871. The land was deeded to her daughter, Eliza Jane Cooper, in 1892. She lived in the house until 1935. Eliza's husband, William Cooper, was a wagon maker, together they had seven children. Other town names in the area are Graysville, Sheasville, Lewisville, and Alaska which had a post office until 1909.” - http://www.sweetowen.net/westsale.htm

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Find A Grave Index.

   Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86558059/arminta-july_ann-ford ), memorial page for Arminta July Ann “Minta” Carpenter Ford (9 Oct 1816–10 Dec 1894), Find a Grave Memorial ID 86558059, citing Samaria Cemetery, Paragon, Morgan County, Indiana, USA ; Maintained by L Ford (contributor 47023456) .

2. ↑ Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXB3-CBH), George Ford and Armilda July Ann Carpenter, 11 Jan 1838; citing Bartholomew, Indiana, United States, various county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1,301,788.

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} United States Census, 1850.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHVN-QZC), Annenta Ford in household of George Ford, Clifty, Bartholomew, Indiana, United States; citing family 334, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} United States Census, 1860.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4NL-X5W), Arementa Forde in entry for George Forde, 1860.

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} United States Census, 1870.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX64-Q27), Araminta Ford, Indiana, United States; citing p. 13, family 87, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,845.

6. ↑ .

   http://www.sweetowen.net/1850cm1.htm

7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} United States Census, 1880.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH91-LRH), Armintia J Callahan in household of James Callahan, Ashland, Morgan, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 273, sheet 191D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0301; FHL microfilm 1,254,301.

8. ↑ Nebraska State Census, 1885.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X3XF-WJP), Armenta Ford, 1885; citing NARA microfilm publication M352 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 499,532.

9. ↑ Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007.

   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXJM-F59), Carpenter in entry for William Eads and Sarah Ford Davis, 1887; citing Owen, Indiana, United States, various county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1,312,989.

10. ↑ Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1895.

    Araminta J Ford (widow of George Ford), h 68 S Judge Harding (West Inpls)

    She was deceased by 1895 - she was probably the last person listed as being at the address.

11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007.

    FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV99-WWX6), Armenta Carpenter in entry for John M Voshell and Sallie Eades, 03 Jan 1908; citing Morgan, Indiana, United States, various county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 2,420,000.