Pearl Stanton

1889 - 1976
Indiana

The youngest child of Michael and Mary Polly Deweese Stanton, Agnes Pearl, was born 3 March 1889.  Her mother died when she was only 8 years old; I think her next older sister, Flora, took care of the young ones.

1900 Warrick Ward 2, house 149 taken June 8, 1900 - 137 Division St
Stanton, Michael b. Aug 1841 age 58 widowed b Ire f b Ire m b Ire day laborer
        Flora daughter Apr 1880 20 single Ind Ire Ky
        Clarence Feb 1882 18
        Jonah Feb 1885 15 at school
        Pearl Mar 1889 11

Here is Pearl, with her two sisters:

In 1901, her father went to the Marion Soldiers' Home and was there for about 18 months.  I am not sure what happened to Pearl (or any of them) then.  Older sister Flora married in 1902, so maybe she lived with her. 

Pearl herself married in 1909 (when she was 20):

Gray, Lempha & Stanton, Agnes Pearl mar lic 11-30-1909 1140
Index to records, Clerk's Office, Warrick County, Ind. /Warrick Co. Chapter DAR. Utica, Ky. : McDowell Publications, c1981.

In 1910 she and Lempky were in Evansville. They were boarding with a family called Martin, and Lempky was working in a saw mill. (Our family knew him as Lempky.  His name is sometimes given as Lemphia; in his obit it's William Lempha)

1910 Indiana Vanderburg - 7 Wd, Evansville - Knight Twp - p. 78b - Washington Ave
60-62 Martin, Thomas head mw 43 m2 6
                      Sadie wife fw 27 m1 6 0 0
Gray, Lempha boarder mw 20 m1time for 0years Ind Ind Ind edger, saw mill
          Pearl boarder fw 20 m1 0years Ind Ire Ky
Fred son mw 15 s / Irene dau fw 12 s / Robert s mw 9s (must be Martins!)

Pearl is famous in the family for having 9 sons, but I am a little confused as to who they are. With Lempky, she had

Clerance 1911 Apr 6
William 1913 Dec 7
Geo Edward 1915 Aug 9
These 3 are listed in the Warrick county birth records but are not in the 1920 census (with Pearl anyway), nor in 1930 census
Melvin 1914 He is in 1920 census, but not 1930
Richard 1916 Richard is in 1920 & 1930 census

Lempky died in 1918 . . .

Boonville Standard - 8 Nov 1918 - p 5, col 2
William Lempha Gray, a young man of 28 years, died Tuesday after a short illness of influenza. Mr. Gray was employed at one of the local mines. Funeral services were held at 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon at the home. Interment at Maple Grove cemetery.

Maple Grove Cemetery, Section 2 -
Lenpha Gray 30 Nov 1889 - 4 Nov 1918
- he is right next to (Pearl's father) Michael Stanton

. . . and by 1920 Pearl had married Homer Polk.  He also had been married before, to Olivia Shoulders - any relation to Jonah's wife Clara? - and had two sons of his own (Samuel born 1912 October 11, and Sherman born 1913 September 30).  In the 1920 census, Homer and Pearl were together - but with only 2 of her boys and neither of his.

1920 Indiana Warrick - Elkhart St (no number) census taken 13 Jan
Polk Homer, rents m w 37 m Ind miner coal
       Pearl 27
Melvin Gray stepson 6
Richard Gray stepson 3 3/12
This seems to be the company housing area - all coal miners around

She and Homer Polk had 4 more boys (at least):

Hobert LaVerne born 1920 August 19
Harold born about 1923
Kenneth born about 1926
Floyd born about 1928

This adds up to 9 boys, so where is my confusion? Well, the family memory says that one of her boys was called Charles. The Stantons were pretty free and easy with names, so any of the boys could have been known as Charles, no matter what they told the census takers. ???

Here is Pearl, with two of her boys:

And here is the elusive Charles:

In 1930, some of them were still together:

1930 Indiana, Warrick p. 27a -
Polk, Homer - head R ($10/mo rent) M W 52 married; age at first marriage 28 - all Ind - junk dealer
      Pearl - wife - FW 29 married, 1st time 19 - all Ind
Gray, Richard MW 13 single
Polk, LaVerne 9 M
        Harold 7
        Kenneth 4
        Floyd 2

Homer died in 1957; Pearl in 1976. They are buried in Freedom Cemetery, Boon Twp.

Freedom Cemetery - Boon Twp
Polk, Homer 1882-1957
        Pearl A 1892 - 1976
Polk, H Vern 19 Aug 1920 - 24 Jan 1972 WW2 Hobert L
        Ruth M 1923 - nc
Polk, Louis Donald 1930 - 1984 Korea
I don't know who this one is!

back to Stanton Home
back to Home

to father Michael (1845-1913) | mother Mary Polly Deweese

to siblings: John, Alice Belle, Michael jr , Rufus, Flora, Clarence, Jonah

Questions, comments, additions, corrections?  Contact me at: lee@leesgenes.com

Page last updated 28 August 2005