Chester Keith Hormell

Family/Spouse: Dorothy Irene Hackney. Dorothy was born on 24 Mar 1905 in Kinsley, Edwards County, Kansas, United States; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Chester married Ruth B. Gurnsey on 27 Jul 1944. Ruth was born on 16 Jul 1899; died on 25 Jan 1954. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Occupation: Breeder of fancy stock
• Census: 1860, Clear Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as W. Spencer Hormel, in the household of Joel Hormel
• Census: 1870, Clear Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as Wilbert S. Hormel, in the household of Joel Hormel
• Census: 1880, Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States; as Wm. S. Hormel, son, in the household of Joel Hormel

Wilbert married Jennie Laurinda Willhelmy on 17 Aug 1884 in Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. Jennie was born on 25 Dec 1866 in Manchester, Delaware County, Iowa, United States; died on 5 Feb 1936 in Caldwell, Sumner County, Kansas, United States; was buried in Feb 1936 in Caldwell, Sumner County, Kansas, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Occupation: carpenter, cabinet maker
• Census: 1850, Turtlecreek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as Joel Hormel, farmer, in the household of Nancy Hormel
• Census: 1860, Clear Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as Joel Hormel, carpenter, head of household
• Census: 1870, Clear Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as Joel Hormel, journeyman carpenter, head of household
• Beneficiary: 5 Aug 1879; in the will of his mother Nancy Coleman Hormel
• Census: 1880, Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States; as Joel Hormel, farmer, head of household

Notes:

Joel Hormell lived at Springboro, O. until after Wilbert's death; he then moved to Iowa where Benjamin was born and his wife died. He returned to Ohio and his mother took care of the two children until he was married again in 1862. He worked mostly at the carpenters trade and cabinet making, but could turn his hand to anything.

Joel married Louisa Jane Hoffman on 15 May 1856 in Warren County, Ohio, United States. Louisa was born in 1839 in Springboro, Warren County, Ohio, United States; died in 1859 in Iowa, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Born in February of 1800, shortly after his parents settled themselves on the farm north of Lebanon, Ohio , he grew up learning what it took to survive successfully in the new Ohio lands. In 1822 he married Nancy Coleman and they built their lives together farming on the Hormel land. Unfortunately, Joseph was never allowed to see his family grow up for on May 19, 1838, he died.

Since Nancy had her small children to care for, and since the rest of the Hormel family had their farms to take care of, there was no way she could carry on the farming chores. Therefore, the farm animals and much of the means for farming had to be sold. On June 8, 15, and 22 of 1838 the following sale notice appeared in the "Western Star":

"PUBLIC SALE
On Tuesday the 26th of June there will be offered at public sale on the premises of the late Joseph Hormel, Dec., two and a half miles north of Lebanon, the following described chattel property to wit; - 2 head of horses, 5 milch cows, 3 steers and several head of young cattle, 70 head of hogs, 20 head of sheep, 7 acres of wheat in the ground, 30 acres of corn in the ground, 12 acres of grass, one two horse wagon & harness, one windmill, 2 plows, household & kitchen furniture and a variety of articles not here mentioned. Sale to commence at 10 O'clock. A liberal credit will be given but terms more particularly made known on the day of the sale."

Joseph had become a part of one of the most famous farm enterprises for its day in Warren County,..... Hog raising. During the first part of the 19th century, Warren County, was known as one of the hog breeding centers of the nation. It was south of Lebanon that the Poland-China hog was developed and later distributed throughout the USA. [Source: Stanley Wright Aultz, "Chronicles of a Griffis Family". Miamisburg, Ohio: S. W. Aultz 1981]

Joseph married Nancy Coleman on 20 Jul 1822 in Warren County, Ohio, United States. Nancy was born about 20 Feb 1802 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 8 Aug 1879 in Clear Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; was buried in Aug 1879 in Warren County, Ohio, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Census: 1840, Turtlecreek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States
• Census: 1850, Turtlecreek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as Nancy Hormel, head of household
• Census: 1860, Clear Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States; as Nancy Hormel, in the household of Joel Hormel
• Will: 5 Aug 1879, Warren County, Ohio, United States
• Probate: 30 Aug 1879, Warren County, Ohio, United States

Notes:

1838 was doubly a sad year on Nancy because she not only lost her husband, but also her youngest son, two year old Joseph on August 20th.

After Joseph Hormel's death, his wife and six children were left to live from his estate. Since Nancy could neither read nor write well enough to take care of things, the children were put under the guardianship of Mr. Joel A. Stokes who took care of the financial affairs until each child became of age. It seems that at least some of the children were boarded out to help pay for their rearing. However, Nancy evidently continued to live on the farm that the children were to receive as their inheritance from their grandfather John Hormell, Jr.. Nancy had to sign for all money released which she did with her "X". Also in 1842, she authorized payment in June for $145.00 for boarding, washing, lodging and clothing for the preceding year, part of which time the children were in school, and part of which they were at home sick.

Thus Nancy lived out the rest of her life, raising her children as best she could by boarding them out where they worked for part of their keep and by share cropping the farm lands. In 1852, she sold 53 acres of her land along the Dayton-Lebanon Pike for $1,300.00 and by these various means, she made ends meet until her children were old enough to care for themselves and for her. By the 1850's, her children were grown, had received their inheritance, were getting married, and could fend for themselves.

Actually, Nancy Coleman had not had a very easy life down through the years. Her father, John Coleman, was descended from a German family, and her mother, Margaret Savage, was the daughter of a family from Wales. In 1821, the family left Pennsylvania and came down the Ohio River on a raft to Cincinnati, 497 miles from Pittsburgh. The Coleman's moved first to Lebanon where they lived for one year before settling north of town with their five children, Joseph, Nancy, John, Aza, and Josiah. We know from the type of materials and animals leased to John and Margaret Coleman in the Hormel estate inventory that they worked for John, Sr.. Perhaps they were a type of tenant farmer for the Hormell's. Nancy's parents were buried in the Kirby Cemetery. John died on July 12, 1830 at the age of 59 years, 9 months, and 20 days. Margaret died on July 18, 1855 at the age of 79 years, 10 months, and 24 days. [Source: Stanley Wright Aultz, "Chronicles of a Griffis Family". Miamisburg, Ohio: S. W. Aultz 1981]