Frank Springer is my great great grandfather on my father’s side. He was married to Zerilda Eleanora Rakestraw. Their daughter, my great grandmother, Mildred Gertrude Springer, was my grandpa’s mother. Frank was born in Orange County, Indiana circa 1869 and Zerilda “Ella” was born in Floyd County, Indiana in 1868. Presumably, the two met when Ella went to visit relatives in Orange County. This entire family has been difficult to research, due to various problems such as incorrectly printed information in the newspaper and changing of names without legally changing them. Frank, however, is the biggest mystery.
Family legend says that Frank was a wanderer by nature and also had some mental issues. He left his wife after about a year of marriage, and just after the birth of their daughter. It is said that he went to California and nobody ever heard from him again. There are no known photos of Frank, which adds to the mystique. I think a timeline is the best way to approach this one.
1870
On the Census, Frank is one year old and living in Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana with his parents, John Alexander and Mary (Lindley) Springer. His siblings are Anna L., born 1863; Edward, born 1865; and Mary Elizabeth, born 1867.¹
1880
On the Census, Frank is ten years old and still living in Paoli Township with his parents. Siblings are Anna L.; Edward; Charley, born 1873; Stella, born 1875; and Mattie, born 1877.²
1892
On February 28th, Frank marries Ella N. Rakestraw in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana.³ (My grandfather told me that Ella hated her first name, Zerilda, and broke up her middle name into Ella Nora and started going by that).
By March 9, Frank and Ella had moved to Ed Springer’s farm, which he had recently vacated, near Paoli.4
On November 20th, their daughter, Mildred Gertrude Springer, is born in New Albany.5
1893
On March 23rd, a blurb in the Paoli Republican said that Ella had visited her parents in New Albany and returned home to Paoli.6
On November 22nd, the Paoli News reported that Frank Springer had gone to the World’s Fair in Chicago.7
1894
In May, Francis Marion and Mary Elizabeth Rakestraw petitioned for the adoption of their granddaughter, Mildred, citing that Frank had abandoned her over a year ago and that her mother was an invalid. The petition was granted.8,9
On June 13th, Ella died of consumption.10
1900
On the Census, Mildred is living with her grandparents in New Albany.11 I could not find any record of Frank.
1910
On the Census, Mildred is living with her grandparents in New Albany.12 I could not find any record of Frank.
In July, the Orleans Progress Examiner reported that Miss Mildred Springer had been visiting Edward Springer and his family.13 (Orleans is just outside Paoli).
1911
In March, the Orleans Progress Examiner reported that Mildred had been visiting her grandparents.14
1920
On the Census, Mildred is living with her grandparents in New Albany.16 Frank is living alone in Paoli Township.15
In May, at the time of Mildred’s marriage to Sanford Wesley Wiseheart, Frank is living “near Paoli.”17
1930
On the Census, Mildred is living with her husband and children in Silver Creek Township, Clark County, Indiana. Mildred named her second son Frank.18 (I’m wondering if this an indication that she had some sort of relationship with her father, or if it’s more that she wished she had. My grandpa said that Mildred always had a fear that her family would leave the house and never come back.) I could not find any record of Frank.
1940
On the Census, Mildred is living with her husband and children in New Albany.19 I could not find any record of Frank.
To summarize, I have Frank Springer pinned down from 1870 to 1893 and he randomly pops back up again in 1920. My theory is that he went to the World’s Fair in 1893 and got a taste for travel and saw what wondrous things there were in the world and decided to experience it. By 1920, he would’ve been about fifty and was probably ready to settle down, so he came back home to Paoli. I’m thinking the reason that I can’t find him in the 1930 Census is because he died sometime between 1920 and 1930. I have yet to find any obituaries or a tombstone, so that’s my next course of action.
Sources
1. 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, p.24, Ancestry
2. 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, p.6, Ancestry
3. Floyd County, Indiana Marriages, Vol. 10, p.114, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room
4. Paoli Republican, Wednesday, 9 Mar 1892, p.3, c.5, NewspaperArchive
5. Floyd County, Indiana Deaths, Book H-12, p.10, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room
6. New Albany Evening Tribune, Thursday, 23 Mar 1893, p.4, c.2, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room
7. Paoli News, Wednesday, 22 Nov 1893, p.3, c.2, NewspaperArchive
8. New Albany Evening Tribune, Friday, 25 May 1894, p.3, c.2, NewspaperArchive
9. New Albany Daily Ledger, Saturday, 26 May 1894, p.5, c.3, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room
10. New Albany Evening Tribune, Thursday, 14 Jun 1894, p.4, c.2, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room
11. 1900 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.9B, Ancestry
12. 1910 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.14A, Ancestry
13. Orleans Progress Examiner, Thursday, 28 Jul 1910, p.2, NewspaperArchive
14. Orleans Progress Examiner, Thursday, 23 Mar 1911, p.3, NewspaperArchive
15. 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, p.21A, FamilySearch
16. 1920 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.11A, Ancestry
17. Floyd County, Indiana Marriages, Vol. 20, p.375, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room
18. 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Silver Creek Township, Clark County, Indiana, p.14B, Ancestry
19. 1940 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.10B, FamilySearch
A Wise Heart's Journey 