Joseph VanWinkle, one of the oldest residents of Windfall, died suddenly at his home in Windfall, Sunday morning, the discovery being made by his aged wife. Mr. VanWinkle had retired at his usual hour and was in his accustomed health, although that had not been good for some time. His son Everett and wife were there and they were sleeping down stairs, when the storm of Sunday morning raged at its fiercest, the son went up stairs and asked that his parents come below, regarding it dangerous on the upper floor. that was about 3 o'clock in the morning and the father talked with the son at that time and was not complaining. At about five o'clock the wife made the discovery that her husband was dead.
The deceased was a boyhood companion of Abe Lincoln and frequently went swimming with the man who later became the great emancipator. The mother of Mr. VanWinkle and the mother of Mr. Lincoln were intimate friends. Mr. VanWinkle was a native of this state and had resided within its borders all of his life. He was the son of Joseph and Nancy VanWinkle, born on November 16, 1824, near Leavenworth, in Crawford county, Indiana, where he was reared on a farm and grew to manhood. He was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Scott in the vicinity of his birth place on August, 22, 1844. By this union nine children were born all of whom grew to adulthood, except one who died in infancy. Of the children by this marriage, five are living, they being Mrs. Malissa Swoveland, of Tipton; Charles L. VanWinkle of Scottsburg, Ind.; Mrs. Celesta Pulley, of Windfall; Mrs. Alice Riffe of Kokomo; Mrs. Rovilla French of Frankton. The deceased are Mrs. Sarah Rovertson, who died in Crawford county in 1858, Mrs. Della Barrett, who died at Windfall, February 14, 1898. Joseph VanWinkle moved with his family from Crawford county to Windfall in the spring of 1864. He engaged in the cabinet business for many years after moving here. His wife died in Windfall, December 3, 1875. In December 7, 1876, he was married to Miss Emily Legg near Windfall, and these two old people lived together until death. By the latter marriage there were three children, two sons and one daughter, two of these are living, they being; Mrs Leota Johnson, of Greentown, and Ernest VanWinkle of Windfall; Gilbert R. VanWinkle having died at Windfall, November 30, 1895. Father VanWinkle was a soldier of two enlistments in the civil war.
