John Willard was the son of Richard Burdge and Mahala Jackson. They are found living together in the 1860 census Decatur, Marion, Ind. John 8 months old. John's father, Richard, died in the Civil War in 1862. In the 1870 census Decatur, Marion, Ind. he is living with his Mother Mahala age 27 and sister Mary age 8, John 10.
-1878, Oct. 6 John married Ida Shelley in Morgan county Ind.
-1879, June 13 Ida died and is buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery.
-1880 census John is back living with his Mother Mahala in Decatur, Marion.
-1884, Dec. 21 John married Mary E. Stokesberry (born 19 Jan. 1866) in Morgan county Ind. -1900 census Madison, Morgan, Ind. living with their children Otto S. age 21, Ida P. age 13, Roscoe J. age 10 and Earnest R. age 3.
-1903, July 2 Mary Stokesberry Burdge died Morgan county.
-1906 Feb. 1 John married Mary E. Rozier [Martin]
-1910 Feb. 3 Mary Rozier Burdge died Morgan county. -1910 census Madison, Morgan, Ind. shows John widowed living with his son Earnest age 13 and his sister Anna Owens age 48 and a Clarence Owens age 2.
-1911 Feb. 15 John married Elizabeth Fisher in Marion county. I believe that marriage ended in divorce because on his marriage record 5 yrs. later on -1916 Oct 26 marriage to Annie Belle Cochran the record lists his marital status as divorced. He later divorced Annie Belle because on March 10, 1919 she married William Brackdall .
-1924 Nov. 5 John married Elizabeth Ennis in Morgan county. She must have died before 1930 because: -1930 census Washington, Henricks, Indiana John is listed as widowed and is living with his son Roscoe and his family.
-1932 May 26, John passed away, cause of death Apoplexy, place of burial: Mooresville, Ind.
According to cemetery records, John had purchased 4 grave sights on the south half of section 5, Lot 28. There are no grave markers. My sincere appreciation to the cemetery for their assistance in locating records.