Sylvester’s daughter, Nellie Wakenight Sigler, divorced her husband because of “extreme and repeated cruelty”. Sylvester’s granddaughter, Evelyn, also experienced this breakdown of her marriage.
Sylvester McCosh Wakenight (1884 to 1979) married Vernie Mae Barnhart (1879 to 1954) in 1917 in Mt Morris, Ogle County, Illinois. Two daughters were born to this marriage:
Nellie was born on 12 MAY 1920 in Pine Creek, Ogle County, Illinois. She died on 4 FEB 2010 in Mt Morris, Ogle County, Illinois.
Nellie married Harold S Sigler on 13 FEB 1937 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois. She was 16 years old and he was 22 years old. Two known children were born to this marriage, both born in Ogle County, Illinois:
Nancy Mae Sigler (1937)
Evelyn Marie Sigler (1938)
Harold S Sigler was born on 8 AUG 1914 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois He died on 15 MAY 1992 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois.
His father was George Andrew Sigler. He was born on 20 NOV 1885 in Rockvale, Ogle County, Illinois. He died on 13 AUG 1969 in Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois.
His mother was Mary Marie Buse. She was born in 1891 in Adeline, Ogle County, Illinois. She died on 30 NOV 1959 in Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois.
Harold came from a big family. He had nine brothers and sisters, all born in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois:
Ruth M Sigler (1909)
Leo A Sigler (1911)
George E Sigler (1913)
Gerald L Sigler (1915)
Charles A Sigler (1919)
Helen Sigler (1922)
Mary Sigler (1925)
Arthur Sigler (1926)
Robert Sigler (1929)
Divorce:
Nellie and Harold divorced after nine years of marriage. The announcement was published on 11 FEB 1946 in the Dixon Evening Telegraph.
I must assume that Harold had an affair with a married, or newly divorced, woman. I make this statement because Harold married Mary Rozella (Wragg) Wakenight twelve days after the divorce was announced in the newspaper.
Mary Rozella Wragg (1919 to 2007), in turn, divorced her first husband, Lloyd William Wakenight (1918 to 1968). The amazing part is that Lloyd is Nellie’s brother. Could it be that these siblings and their spouses were too close? Maybe constant contact is what caused Harold and Mary to fall in love.
Second Marriage:
On 4 SEP 1948, Nellie married John Martin Karr. The wedding was held in Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio. And, as John’s parents had moved to Illinois in the 1920s, I believe they returned to Ohio so that John’s other relatives could witness the wedding.
No known children were born to this marriage.
John Martin Karr was born on 8 MAR 1918 in Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio. He died on 25 APR 1990 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois.
John’s father was Fred J Karr. He was born on 29 NOV 1895 in Meigs County, Ohio. He died on 2 MARCH 1980 in Dixon, Lee County, Illinois.
John’s mother was Mildred Black. She was born on 27 MAY 1898 in Meigs County, Ohio. She died on 28 FEB 1994 in Ashton, Lee County, Illinois.
John had one sister, Edith Karr, who was born in 1921 in Pomeroy, Meigs County, Illinois.
Nellie’s Obituary:
Mt. Morris, IL – Nellie Mae Karr, age 89, died February 4, 2010, in Pinecrest Manor Nursing Home, Mt. Morris, IL. Nellie was born May 12, 1920, in Pine Creek Township, Ogle County, IL; the daughter of Sylvester M. and Vernie (Barnhart) Wakenight. Mrs. Karr married John M. Karr, September 4, 1948, in Pomeroy, Ohio. He preceded her in death in 1990.
She was a homemaker and she was a member of First Baptist Church, Oregon, IL. She was also a member of the Mt. Morris Women of the Moose.
She is survived by 2 daughters: Nancy (Michael) Plemmons, Lightsville, IL., and Evelyn & Vern Lovelett Plasters, Loves Park, IL. 3 Grandchildren: Debra (Roger) Pulver, Janesville, WI; Kandy (Doug) Jones, Loves Park, IL; and Terry Plemmons, Mt. Morris, IL. 8 Great-Grandchildren and 5 Great Great Grandchildren.
Nellie is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Lloyd; sister June; 2 half-brothers Glen and Clarence; Grandson Tim and 1 infant Grandson Allen.
Funeral services will be Monday, February 8, 2010, at 11:00 A.M. in Finch Funeral Home, 405 E. Hitt St., Mt. Morris, IL. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Mt. Morris, IL. Visitation will be Monday, February 8, 2010, from 10:00 A.M. until service time. Memorials to the Baptist Church, Oregon, IL.
Nellie’s obituary supplied a wealth of information that helped grow her family tree. One example is that the obituary lists the names of her children and grandchildren.
Please remember that when an obituary is published, it becomes open to the public. That means the names and locations of relatives are accessible to everyone. Should you add a living person to your family tree, please make sure to shield any vital information. On Ancestry.com, if a person is marked “living”, their name and vital information are hidden from view.
June was born on 6 FEB 1922 in Pine Creek, Ogle County, Illinois. She died on 28 NOV 1997 in Mt Morris, Ogle County, Illinois.
June married Elmer Vincent Cullen on 6 Apr 1941 in Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa. Two known children were born to this marriage, the youngest dying in infancy and not christened. The surviving daughter was born in Ogle County, Illinois:
Patricia M Cullen (1942)
Elmer Vincent Cullen was born in 16 MAR 1919 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois. He died on 25 FEB 2001 in Cape Cod, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
Elmer’s father was LeRay Cullen. He was born on 5 SEP 1891 in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. He died on 6 AUG 1927 in Dixon, Lee County, Illinois.
Elmer’s mother was Elsie Ida Krause. She was born in 1892 in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. She died in 1952 in Dekalb, Dekalb County, Illinois.
Elmer had one sister, Loretta Cullen, born in 1916 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois.
June’s Obituary:
Almanac Sauk Valley Sunday 11-30-1997 p A-5
Oregon– June Marie Cullen, 75, of 709 Monroe Street, Oregon, died Nov. 28, 1997, at Pinecrest Manor Nursing Home, Mount Morris.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Church Of God, Oregon, with the Rev. Michael Hoffman, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Mount Morris. Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at Finch Funeral Home, 405 E. Hitt, Mount Morris.Mrs. Cullen was born Feb. 6, 1922 in Pine Creek Township, Ogle County, the daughter of Sylvester M. and Vernie (Barnhart) Wakenight. She married Elmer V. Cullen on April 6, 1941, in Clinton, Iowa.
She was a jogger in the Roto Press Room at Kable Printing Company, Mount Morris, and was a salesperson with Avon products. She was also a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 8739 in Oregon.
Survivors include her husband, Elmer; one daughter, Patricia (William) Lundholm, Cape Cod, Mass.; two grandchildren; three great-grandsons; and one sister Mrs. Nellie Karr, Oregon.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Lloyd Wakenight; two half brothers Clarence and Glenn Barnhart.
Elmer’s Obituary:
Telegraph 2-27-2001
Oregon- Elmer V. Cullen, 81, of Oregon died Sunday, Feb. 25, in Cape Cod, Mass. He was employed by Carnation Milk Factory in the maintenance department retiring in 1981.
Mr. Cullen was born March 16, 1919, in Oregon the son of Ray and Elsie (Krauss) Cullen. He married June Wakenight on April 6, 1941, in Clinton, Iowa. She died on November 28, 1997.
He served in the Navy during WWII in the Pacific Theatre of Operations, He was a member of the Oregon Church Of God, Oregon VFW 8739 and Mount Morris American Legion 143.
Survivors include a daughter, Patricia (William) Lundholm of Cape Cod Mass; two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a sister and three brothers.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, at The Oregon Church Of God, with the Rev. Michael Hoffman officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Mount Morris. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Finch Funeral Home, Mount Morris. A memorial has been established to Ogle County Hospice.
Nellie’s Daughters:
Nancy Mae Sigler:
Nancy was born on 23 MAR 1937 in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois. She died on 8 MAY 2018 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
She married Michael Bennett Plemmons on 11 Sep 1953 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
Michael Bennett Plemmons was born on 2 SEP 1931 in Mills River, Henderson County, North Carolina. He died on 7 MAY 2012 in Sycamore, De Kalb County, Illinois.
Nancy’s obituary also supplied vital information:
Nancy Mae Plemmons, 81, passed away Tuesday, May 8, 2018, while she was on her way to work. Nancy was born March 23, 1937, in Oregon, IL; the daughter of Harold and Nellie (Wakenight) Sigler. Nancy married Michael Plemmons on September 11, 1953, in Rockford, IL; he preceded her in death on May 7, 2012.
Nancy worked at Pinecrest Manor Nursing Home in housekeeping. She was a member of North Grove Christian Church, Den mother and a Girl Scout leader, and the Mt. Morris Lodge.
Nancy is survived by her daughter; son; 8 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren. Nancy is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Michael; sister, Evelyn Plasters; a great-granddaughter; nephew; son-in-law, Roger Pulver.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 15, 2018, in Finch Funeral Home, 405 East Hitt, Mt. Morris, IL. Burial will be in Lightsville Cemetery, Lightsville, IL. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, May 14, 2018, in Finch Funeral Home.
Evelyn Marie Sigler:
Evelyn was born on 20 APR 1938 in Mt Morris, Ogle County, Illinois. She died on 22 APR 2010 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
Evelyn married Paul Everett Plasters around 1937 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. Three known children were born to this marriage, all in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois:
Allen Everett Plasters (1958 to 1958)
Timothy Allen Plasters (1960 to 1997)
Kandy Plasters (1961)
Paul Everett Plasters was born on 31 JAN 1938 in Mt Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois. He died on 3 AUG 2020 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
Evelyn’s Obituary:
Evelyn Plasters, 72, of Loves Park, died on April 22, 2010, in OSF St. Anthony Medical Center. Born April 20, 1938, in Mt. Morris, IL the daughter of Harold and Nellie (Wakenight) Sigler.
Retired from Clinton Electronics after 25+ years of employment. Evelyn enjoyed her annual retreats to the Wisconsin Dell Casinos and she loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Survived by her daughter, Kandy (Doug) Jones; grandchildren Tanner (Jenny), Kyle (Veronica) and Cody Jones and Zachery Plasters; great-grandchildren, Luke, Toby, and Evan Jones; sisters, Nancy (Michael) Plemons and Connie (Dan) Farley; niece, Deb (Roger) Pulver; nephew, Terry Plemons; step-son, Paul (Stephanie) Lovelett and their children.
Predeceased by her parents; sons, Allen and Timothy Plasters; boyfriend, Vernon Lovelett.
Funeral Services at 2 pm on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, in Sunset Funeral Home, 8800 N. Alpine Rd. Burial in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Visitation 1 hour prior to the service.
You will notice that Evelyn’s obituary does not mention a husband. That made me wonder if she had been divorced.
I decided to search the 1940 US census. I was looking for a male, born between 1928 and 1948, who lived in the Rockford area. As you can see Paul Everett Plasters came in as the number one search result.
I then found two more items of interest:
The U.S. Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002 shows that in 1996 Paul A Plasters was living at 3408 Ed Vera Drive in Rockford.
The U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 2 shows that Timothy A Plasters lived at 3408 Ed Vera Drive in Rockford, although no date is given.
Yet, it was Paul’s obituary that really tied these individuals together. I found it on dignitymemorial.com. The obituary is a bit lengthy, but it does include the names of his three children.
“Paul is loved and missed by . . . Kandy (Douglas) Jones of Machesney Park”
“He was preceded in death by . . . sons Allen and Timothy Plasters.”
Paul’s Obituary:
Here is a portion of the obituary. If you have trouble accessing the full publication, contact me at dlwakenight@yahoo.com.
Paul E. Plasters, 82, of Rockford, IL was promoted to Glory on August 3, 2020, at 10:45 a.m. He passed away from a valiant fight of pancreatic cancer. Born on January 31, 1938, in Mount Vernon, IL, to Newell and Opal (Brown) Plasters. Married Marsha Meinert on August 17, 1979 in Pecatonica, IL.
Paul is loved and missed by his wife, Marsha “Lovie” of Rockford; daughter, Kandy (Douglas) Jones of Machesney Park; sisters, De Etta (William) Barton of Machesney Park, Carla Ballew of Rockford, Jill Patton of Molalla, OR; brother, Jack (Susan) Plasters of Rockford; sister and brother-in-law, Susan (Gerry) Siemens of Pecatonica, brother and sister-in-law, Robert (Teresa) Meinert of Winnebago, and brother and sister-in-law, Richard (Liz) Meinert of Mesa, AZ; grandchildren, Tanner (Jenny), Kyle (Veronica), Cody (Mandy) Jones, and Zachary Plasters; great-grandchildren, Luke, Toby, Evan, Kayla, and Jonathon Paul. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and other family members around the world. He will also be missed by his coffee buddy and friend of 60 years, Jack O’Hara.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sons Allen and Timothy Plasters, sister Carol Henderson, and mother and father-in-law, Donald and Beverly Meinert.
That would mean that Evelyn and Paul divorced prior to his 1979 marriage to Marsha Meinert. And, Evelyn did find love with her boyfriend, Vernon H Lovelett. Even though they did not marry, I thought I would include his information:
Vernon H Lovelett:
Vern was born on 31 MAY 1944 in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois. He died on 26 MAR 2010 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
I do not have his obituary, but the United States Obituary Collection database lists the following relatives:
Mother, Helen
Son, Paul
Siblings, Dan and Judy
Notes on Divorce:
For a quick history of divorce in the United States, please check out the article entitled “History of Divorce in America“. It is interesting to learn that the first divorce in America was recorded in 1639 by a Puritan woman in Massachusetts.
Notes:
For more information on this part of the Wakenight family, please visit Sharon Strow’s website, “Descendants of Daniel Wakenight.”
Creating Your Family Tree
Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:
Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also an excellent source for births, marriages, and deaths.
Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory that is passed down from generation to generation.
Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.
When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. The records can include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestor.
If you have a unique surname, like Wakenight, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are many others on the internet for other countries like Ireland, Italy, and Germany.
Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would typically start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty, and move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline to that famous person.
There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!
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