My great grandfather, Albert Wesley Heckler, was born November 27, 1875 to Jacob M. and Elizabeth J. (Richey) Heckler.
Granddad married Maggie Mitchell and had three great sons, my Papaw Lawrence Eleazer, Uncle Leo Pierce, and Uncle John Heckler. My Papaw wooed, courted, and then married Ruth Ellen (Underwood) of West Baden (daughter of Ed & Ethel Underwood). But things didn't work out as well as hoped, they divorced and he married Gladys, a cute little woman with curly dark hair and they moved to Indianapolis. Leo married Edith (Thompson) and they moved to Panama City, FL next door to Granddad and Grandmaw, after their relocation around 1951. Their son, Dick, became the apple of everyone's eye in Panama. Uncle John married yet another Ruth, making it three Ruth Hecklers, then wed Aunt Margie and moved to Louisville, KY. Uncle John looked the most like Granddad.
It's still a mystery to me how he ended up in West Baden, IN. I was always told he was born in Germany and his parents died at the same time and Granny Pierce raised him. A lot of research is yet to be pursued. At any rate, I remember him as a kind, quiet, soft-spoken unassuming man, not very big, unlike his tall lanky sons. He and Grandmaw Maggie were very sweet people, with smiles that would melt butter. Granddad was a carpenter by trade but he and Leo raised scads of chickens in Panama City - very noisy and smelly chickens.
Whatever the reason being, the Sheriff's wife of Orange Co. took in Granddad Heckler to foster. The Sheriff was Eleazer Jacob Pierce and Granny was Mary Josephine (Mathers). She wrote her own obituary which my Grandmaw Ruth saved for me in her Bible. I was also told I was the only girl born on this side of the family for several generations.
Lawrence had one son, Leo had a son, John had no children, my dad had 2 sons and me. Granddad and Grandmaw Maggie got to enjoy all four of us grandchildren born, as did Granny Pierce. I can remember her up on the porch in French Lick in her rocking chair watching the traffic go by.
Albert & Maggie had a big celebration on their 50th wedding anniversary in October of 1952, with all 3 sons in attendance. Granddad died just short of 55 years of marriage.
Granddad married Maggie Mitchell and had three great sons, my Papaw Lawrence Eleazer, Uncle Leo Pierce, and Uncle John Heckler. My Papaw wooed, courted, and then married Ruth Ellen (Underwood) of West Baden (daughter of Ed & Ethel Underwood). But things didn't work out as well as hoped, they divorced and he married Gladys, a cute little woman with curly dark hair and they moved to Indianapolis. Leo married Edith (Thompson) and they moved to Panama City, FL next door to Granddad and Grandmaw, after their relocation around 1951. Their son, Dick, became the apple of everyone's eye in Panama. Uncle John married yet another Ruth, making it three Ruth Hecklers, then wed Aunt Margie and moved to Louisville, KY. Uncle John looked the most like Granddad.
It's still a mystery to me how he ended up in West Baden, IN. I was always told he was born in Germany and his parents died at the same time and Granny Pierce raised him. A lot of research is yet to be pursued. At any rate, I remember him as a kind, quiet, soft-spoken unassuming man, not very big, unlike his tall lanky sons. He and Grandmaw Maggie were very sweet people, with smiles that would melt butter. Granddad was a carpenter by trade but he and Leo raised scads of chickens in Panama City - very noisy and smelly chickens.
Whatever the reason being, the Sheriff's wife of Orange Co. took in Granddad Heckler to foster. The Sheriff was Eleazer Jacob Pierce and Granny was Mary Josephine (Mathers). She wrote her own obituary which my Grandmaw Ruth saved for me in her Bible. I was also told I was the only girl born on this side of the family for several generations.
Lawrence had one son, Leo had a son, John had no children, my dad had 2 sons and me. Granddad and Grandmaw Maggie got to enjoy all four of us grandchildren born, as did Granny Pierce. I can remember her up on the porch in French Lick in her rocking chair watching the traffic go by.
Albert & Maggie had a big celebration on their 50th wedding anniversary in October of 1952, with all 3 sons in attendance. Granddad died just short of 55 years of marriage.
My great grandfather, Albert Wesley Heckler, was born November 27, 1875 to Jacob M. and Elizabeth J. (Richey) Heckler.
Granddad married Maggie Mitchell and had three great sons, my Papaw Lawrence Eleazer, Uncle Leo Pierce, and Uncle John Heckler. My Papaw wooed, courted, and then married Ruth Ellen (Underwood) of West Baden (daughter of Ed & Ethel Underwood). But things didn't work out as well as hoped, they divorced and he married Gladys, a cute little woman with curly dark hair and they moved to Indianapolis. Leo married Edith (Thompson) and they moved to Panama City, FL next door to Granddad and Grandmaw, after their relocation around 1951. Their son, Dick, became the apple of everyone's eye in Panama. Uncle John married yet another Ruth, making it three Ruth Hecklers, then wed Aunt Margie and moved to Louisville, KY. Uncle John looked the most like Granddad.
It's still a mystery to me how he ended up in West Baden, IN. I was always told he was born in Germany and his parents died at the same time and Granny Pierce raised him. A lot of research is yet to be pursued. At any rate, I remember him as a kind, quiet, soft-spoken unassuming man, not very big, unlike his tall lanky sons. He and Grandmaw Maggie were very sweet people, with smiles that would melt butter. Granddad was a carpenter by trade but he and Leo raised scads of chickens in Panama City - very noisy and smelly chickens.
Whatever the reason being, the Sheriff's wife of Orange Co. took in Granddad Heckler to foster. The Sheriff was Eleazer Jacob Pierce and Granny was Mary Josephine (Mathers). She wrote her own obituary which my Grandmaw Ruth saved for me in her Bible. I was also told I was the only girl born on this side of the family for several generations.
Lawrence had one son, Leo had a son, John had no children, my dad had 2 sons and me. Granddad and Grandmaw Maggie got to enjoy all four of us grandchildren born, as did Granny Pierce. I can remember her up on the porch in French Lick in her rocking chair watching the traffic go by.
Albert & Maggie had a big celebration on their 50th wedding anniversary in October of 1952, with all 3 sons in attendance. Granddad died just short of 55 years of marriage.
Granddad married Maggie Mitchell and had three great sons, my Papaw Lawrence Eleazer, Uncle Leo Pierce, and Uncle John Heckler. My Papaw wooed, courted, and then married Ruth Ellen (Underwood) of West Baden (daughter of Ed & Ethel Underwood). But things didn't work out as well as hoped, they divorced and he married Gladys, a cute little woman with curly dark hair and they moved to Indianapolis. Leo married Edith (Thompson) and they moved to Panama City, FL next door to Granddad and Grandmaw, after their relocation around 1951. Their son, Dick, became the apple of everyone's eye in Panama. Uncle John married yet another Ruth, making it three Ruth Hecklers, then wed Aunt Margie and moved to Louisville, KY. Uncle John looked the most like Granddad.
It's still a mystery to me how he ended up in West Baden, IN. I was always told he was born in Germany and his parents died at the same time and Granny Pierce raised him. A lot of research is yet to be pursued. At any rate, I remember him as a kind, quiet, soft-spoken unassuming man, not very big, unlike his tall lanky sons. He and Grandmaw Maggie were very sweet people, with smiles that would melt butter. Granddad was a carpenter by trade but he and Leo raised scads of chickens in Panama City - very noisy and smelly chickens.
Whatever the reason being, the Sheriff's wife of Orange Co. took in Granddad Heckler to foster. The Sheriff was Eleazer Jacob Pierce and Granny was Mary Josephine (Mathers). She wrote her own obituary which my Grandmaw Ruth saved for me in her Bible. I was also told I was the only girl born on this side of the family for several generations.
Lawrence had one son, Leo had a son, John had no children, my dad had 2 sons and me. Granddad and Grandmaw Maggie got to enjoy all four of us grandchildren born, as did Granny Pierce. I can remember her up on the porch in French Lick in her rocking chair watching the traffic go by.
Albert & Maggie had a big celebration on their 50th wedding anniversary in October of 1952, with all 3 sons in attendance. Granddad died just short of 55 years of marriage.
