General Notes

Note:
!History of Parke County, Indiana. by J. H. Beadle 540238 pg 333-334
Ebenezer Challis, farmer and undertaker, and a large-hearted, hospitable, enterprising gentleman of Roseville, was born September 3, 1808, on the tract of land where Utica, New York, is situated, but in a
few months Mr. Challis' father moved his family to western New York, near a place now called Aurora, being the thrid citizen to settle in what is now Holland township, where he engaged in farming. His father, Enos Challis, was a Vermont volunteer, having served seven years in the revolutionary war, and died in June 1817. His mother, Joannah (Chase) Challis, died in 1813. Mr Challis now has in his possession a well preserved powder-horn which his father carried through the seven years bloody war which gave us liberty. After the burning of Buffalo by the British, Mr. Challis moved his family to Cayuga county, New York, in Mense township, where they lived until two years after the war, when his father moved to his old farm near Buffalo, where he died. Here Mr. Challis lived until he came west and settled in Roseville, where his brother had settled in 1830. In 1846 Mr. Challis purchased his farm, on Secs. 16 and 17, which is nicely improved and under a fine state of cultivation. Mr Challis is a carpenter and joiner by trade, at which business he employed himself until he purchased his farm, and has since been engaged in the undertaking business in connection with the farm, having to this date manufactured 1,097 coffins by hand. January 12, 1843, he married Polly Evans. They had one child, John Marvin, who was a member of County G, 71st Ind., and finally of the 6th Cav. He received a severe wound in the shoulder at Lexington, and was captured at Muldros Hill and confined in Andersonville prison, where he was starved to death
April 1, 1864. September 5, 1849, he married Charlotte Gookins, daughter of Elisha F. Gookins, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, and a brother of Judge S. B. Gookins. They became the parents of four
children, two of whom are living: Gelena, Enos, Lovilla, and Samuel. He is an unfinching member of the republican party, having cast his first presidential vote for John Q. Adams. He was formerly a whig, and
continued as such until its days were numbered, in 1852. Mr. Challis is among the oldest citizens of the township. Boynton 232
Note:
!Parke County, Indiana Old Land Entree Book US?CAN 977.2465 R2w page
113 Ebenezer Challis Sec.16 160 NW 1/4
William Gookins Sec.16 40 NW 1/4 SE 1/4
Samuel B. Gookins Sec 16 40 SW 1/4 SE 1/4
William Gookins Sec 16 40 DR 1/4 SW 1/4 Boynton 309
Note:
!Parke County Indiana marriages 1831-1843 US/CAN 977.2465 V22r pg 7
Challis, Ebenezer Polly Ann Evans January 12, 1843 Boynton 337
Note:
!Abstracts of Parke County, Indiana guardian bond, book I / abstracted by
Lilian Hargrove Weller US/CAN 977.2465 P2a pg 27
Ebenezer Challis, Guardian for
Lucy Evans, and William D. Evans, heirs of William Evans, deceased Date
of Appointment August 14, 1845
Securities: William J. Newcome Bond $1000.
pg 33
William Allen, Guardian for
Martha Hendery, child of William Hendery, deceased
Date of Appointment: September 13, 1847
Securities: Ebenezer Challis Bond $100. Boynton 362
Note:
!Marriage-Parke County, Indiana Rockville, Indiana 1831-1860 Compiled
by Swope US/CAN 977.2465 V2s pg 70 Challis, Ebenezer & Charlotte
Gookins Sept 5, 1848. Boynton 342
Note:
!US Census 1850 442942 District No 85 Parke Indiana 7th day of Sept
Ebenezer Challis 42 M Carpenter 3000 New York
Charlotte " 24 F Ohio
John M " 6 M Ind attending school
Mary J " 1 F Ind
Lucy A Evans 12 F Ind attending school
William D Evans 10 M Ind attending school
Lydia Nealy 24 F Ind
John M Wheat 47 M 400 DC Boynton 352
Note:
!US census Schedule 1.--free inhabitants in Florida Township in the
County of Parke State of Indiana enumerated by me on the seventeenth
day of August 1860....Post Office Roseville. 803287 pg 204
Ebenezer Challis 52 m farmer 8100 700 N. York
Charlotte 35 F (N. York has been dittoed as birth location for everyone)
John 16 M Farm labor
Juliana 11 F
Enos 8 M
Lovilla 6 F
William Evans 20 m farm labor
Susan Cobb 20 f
Next is listed Elizabeth Challis 52 F 100 N. York
Ebenezer Challis 23 m Farm hand Ind.
Walter 17 m " " "
Wallace 14 m " " " Boynton 348
Note:
!Cemetery Records Parke County, Indiana Copied from Records in the Rockville Library. Fort Wayne & Allen County Library 1965 US/CAN 977.2465 V22c Mount Pleasant Cemetery Racoon incorrect [Florida is
correct] Township Parke County, Indiana Platted by Letha and Margaret Griffin 1961 Mount Pleasent Cemetery records Parke County Indiana 849937 Mount Pleasent Cemetery is located in Florida Township Parke County Indiana. This record was taken in October 1961
Challis, Ebenezer 1808 1881
" Enis E. 1852-1865
" Samuel- infant Boynton 340, 363