John E. Stufflebeam was born 31 December 1795, likely in New York, the son of Michael Stufflebeam (1763-c1830). I hesitate to say that Abigail (MNU) was John’s mother because there is a gap of 11 years between the births of Michael’s known children. That indicates eh might have had a second, unknown wife.

Also, in spite of the fact that John left a son and other relatives named John “E.”, I’ve never found so much as a hint of what the middle initial might stand for. It’s possible that John just added a middle initial to differentiate himself from other John Stufflebeam/ns. My own grandfather called himself George R. Sabo, even though he had no middle name. Nana said he liked the sound of it!

New York vital records are sorely lacking and no birth or baptismal record has been found for John E. It’s possible that he was born in or around Claverack, Columbia, New York or even a bit to the south in Orange County, New York, where other relatives had settled. Orange County is near the New Jersey state line. If they lived in new Jersey,

It’s even possible that he might have been born in Ontario County, New York, where Michael, Valentine and Jacob Stufflebeam were taxed in 1804. However, that scenario is less likely because none of these men appear on the 1800 New York census.

Back to John! John first appears in Pickaway County, Ohio records when he married Eleanor (Ellen) Roland there on 17 February 1817. It’s likely that he was barely 21 years old when he married.

Normally, at this point, I would say that exactly who John’s children were is speculative, but John, unfortunately, died as quite a young man in his 40s and left six minor children, in addition to several of legal age, and those minors needed a guardian.

I have to wonder if Abigail was a Fleming by birth. Jeremiah Fleming, born c1800, became the legal guardian of Ebenezer Stufflebeam’s two young daughters in 1831, but I can find no connection between the Flemings and the Stufflebeams before that time. However, John’s son, Elza, married Laurene (Laura) Fleming in 1839 (and there are several proven instances of first cousins marrying in this branch of the family tree.)

If Abigail wasn’t a Fleming by birth, then there might be some other early connection between the families that hasn’t yet been uncovered.

Probate records eventually identify all his legal heirs. John’s first wife, Eleanor, or Ellen, predeceased him on 23 October 1836. Her gravestone in Warren County, Indiana is still standing and very legible. Eleanor had seven children surviving her.

John married (2) Harriet Ostrander a few months later on 24 February 1837 in Warren County, Indiana. John and Harriet were the parents of three children. Sadly, they were so young that they probably had no memories of John and only perhaps a few of Harriet as she died on 18 January 1846 in Warren County. According to the gravestone inscription, she was only 29 years, 6 months and 25 days old.

Michael Stufflebeam, John’s father, was a tavern keeper. John’s occupation hasn’t been identified, but he might have followed in his father’s footsteps. Whatever trade he followed, he was doing well as the initial inventory of his estate listed assets of over $800, worth over $25,000 today.

John E. Stufflebeam died on 17 May 1844, Warren County, Indiana.

Children of John and Eleanor:

1. Elza, born 15 December 1815, Pickaway County, Ohio; died 29 April 1884, Harrison County, Missouri; married Laurene (Laura) Fleming, 20 February 1839, Warren County, Indiana. They were the parents of four children.
2. Mary Ann, born 4 September 1821, Probably Lawrence County, Illinois; died 13 September 1907, Mason County, Illinois; married Henry Rakestraw, 3 June 1838, Warren County, Indiana. They were the parents of nine children.
3. Jane, c1823, probably Lawrence County, Illinois; died 1885; Crawford County, Kansas; married John S. Stufflebeam, 12 February 1839, Warren County, Indiana. I’m not sure of the parents of John S. Stufflebeam. Might he be a son of Jacob Stufflebeam (who I think was Michael’s nephew) of Pickaway County, Ohio? They had ten children.
4. Michael, born 27 October 1827, probably Lawrence County, Illinois; died 5 March 1907, probably Vermilion County, Illinois; married (1) Marilla Butler, 1 August 1850, Warren County, Indiana (2) Lenora Anna Jones, 19 March 1894, Vermilion County, Illinois. They had six children.
5. John, born c1830, Warren County, Indiana; perhaps is the man who died 1 September 1911, buried in Vermilion County, Illinois. He married Martha Gallimore, 2 July 1853, Warren County, Indiana IF he is the correct man. John has been the most difficult man to trace.
6. Hiram, born 12 December 1833, Warren County, Indiana; died 21 July 1918, Tazewell County, Illinois; married Mary Jane White, 16 January 1856, Fulton County, Illinois. They had nine children, but, sadly, only one was living in 1900.
7. Oliver Perry, born 18 February 1836, Warren County, Indiana; died 13 April 1914, Vermilion County, Illinois; married Anna Johnson, 6 March 1862, Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Oliver is likely the youngest child of Eleanor, but if his age is off by 2 years, then he was born to Harriet. They were the parents of nine children with eight living in 1900.

Children of John and Harriet:

1. Morgan, born 30 November 1840, Warren County, Indiana; died 30 June 1927, Newton County, Indiana; married Sarah Catherine Van Reed, 25 September 1873, Warren County, Indiana. They had two children, one living in 1900.
2. Miller, born 13 November 1841, Warren County, Indiana; died 23 October 1916, Tippecanoe County, Indiana; married Lucetta Nancy Webster, 21 September 1871, Vermilion County, Illinois. They had ten children, nine living in 1900.
3. Margaret, born 24 October 1843, Warren County, Indiana; died 18 October 1912, Creek County, Oklahoma; married Anton Wenlin Berberich, c1882. They had one child.

Birth and death dates for John’s children are taken from gravestone inscriptions, so it’s possible that some might be off slightly.

John has many descendants as his children all married and had families.

Before we leave John, it’s important to note a few items in John’s lengthy estate inventory – a writing desk, a plain catechism and Watts on the Mind (described by AI as Isaac Watts’s book, “The Improvement of the Mind,” which was published in 1741 and remained relevant throughout the 1840s and beyond. It was a popular self-help guide, specifically a supplement to his earlier work on logic, offering advice on how to improve intellectual abilities and knowledge acquisition in various fields, including religion, science, and everyday life), a book on the History of the U.S., 2-volume set on the Life of Washington, Walker’s Dictionary, a looking glass, 4 pairs of window curtains, 2 smoothing irons, 2 coffee pots plus pages of other items.

John clearly had some education and wished to better himself and provide for his large family.

Still to come – descendants of John E. Stufflebeam into the 20th century.