The Varner Family 1 Perry Lincoln Varner Born: 1818 in Kentucky Died: 2/12/1893 Perry's first wife, Sarah Allen, died in 1858. His daughter Martha was only three years old and was sent to Indiana to live with Sarah's sister, Louisa Allen Evans. Perry married Rachael and began another family. Only Theodore from his first family continued to live with him by 1886, according to the Taylor County, Iowa census records. In a letter written by Perry's daughter Martha, we found the statement that Perry and two of his sons were in the Civil War. We have record of his son Jerome's involvement in the war, but no documentation on Perry or another son. Having found Theodore in the census records in 1886, we know that he was still alive after the war.
.. +Sarah Ann Allen Born: 7/5/1829 in Clarks County, Ky. Married: 3/12/1849 in Clarks County, Ky. Died: 7/25/1858 Father: James Allen Mother: Margaret (Peggy) Bratten
.. 2 Jerome B. Varner Born: 10/1847 in Middleton, Jefferson Co, Ky. Died: 12/15/1902 Jerome enrolled on the 25th day of March, 1864 in company K of the 4th regiment of Iowa Infantry commanded by Captain P. R. Crisp. He was honorably discharged the 24th day of July, 1865, when his term was over. He was injured while in the Civil War, and received a pension. He was only 17 years old when he enrolled and suffered the rest of his life from ailments resulting from the war. Jerome died at the age of 55.
...... +Luca Jane Akers Born: 8/25/1845 in Iowa Married: 7/22/1869 in Taylor County, Iowa Died: 3/5/1893 in Eddyville, Monroe Co, Iowa Father: George Washington Akers Mother: Jane Webster
....... 3 Sarah Varner Born: 1/27/1870 Died: 1886 of Typhoid Fever
....... 3 Elnora Mae Varner Born: 7/3/1872 in Eddyville, Ia. Died: 1/10/1957 in Maryville, Nodaway Co., Missouri She had 12 children.
........... +Jacob B Smith Born: 2/1862 in Indiana Married: 12/1/1887 in Jewell City, Kansas Died: 9/4/1911 in S, Mc, Missouri Father: Michael Smith Mother: Elizabeth Yetter
........... 4 Amanda Jane Smith Born: 10/26/1889 in Jewel City, Ks. Died: 3/7/1945 in Quitman, Nodaway Co., Mo.
................ +Henry Samuel Totten Born: 8/12/1885 in S, Nc, Missouri Married: 11/8/1911 in Maryville, Nodaway Co., Missouri Died: 3/5/1947 in Quitman, Nodaway Co., Missouri
................ 5 Howard Dale Totten Born: 8/19/1912 in Holt County, Missouri Died: 7/13/1986 in Ch, O, Nebraska ................ ........... 4 Fred Smith ........... 4 Lena Smith ................ +Loren Pfieffe ........... 4 Edna Smith ........... 4 Clarence Smith ........... 4 Vincent Smith ........... 4 Hazel Smith ........... 4 Bertha Smith ........... 4 Harold Smith
....... 3 Perry Varner Born: 5/6/1874 Died: 1/15/1924 of pneumonia. ........... +Florence Duff ........... 4 Clara Matilda Varner Born: 11/26/1907
....... 3 Charles Harvey Varner Born: 1876 ........... +Ellen _____Varner
....... 3 Estella Alice Varner Born: 8/20/1881 Died: 1/31/1963 in Panora, Guthrie County, Ia. ........... +Dee Davis ........... 4 Robert Edward Davis ....... *2nd spouse of Estella Alice Varner: ........... +Harry Eugene Culver Born: 7/21/1875 in Panora, Guthrie County, Ia. Married: 8/11/1922 in Panora, Ia. Died: 4/9/1949 in Panora, Guthrie County, Ia. Father: Leamon Culver Mother: Martha Ann Hill
....... 3 Samuel Akers Varner Born: 9/20/1882 in Cawker City, Mitchell Co, Kansas Died: 9/19/1962 in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co, Mn. of a massive heart attack while watching a baseball game on television. In 1898 Samuel went to work cutting logging roads for Wayerhauser. In 1899 he went to western Minnesota to harvest wheat, working for $1.50 per day. He later bought 40 acres of land on which he lived until he died. Down through the years Samuel worked as a carpenter and in the shipyards in Duluth. He was Clerk of the town of Garrison for 18 years and Assessor for nine years. From 1921 through 1923 he worked for the Minnesota Highway Department.
........... +Emma Augusta Wilhelmina Wunderlich Born: 10/14/1881 in Stephensville, Outagamie Co, Wi. Died: 10/27/1967 in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co, Mn. of heart trouble/strokes. Father: John Wolfgang Wunderlich Mother: Emma Otelia Graetz Emma was an accomplished artist. She had a natural tallent for drawing and painting. At one time, she worked as a forest fire lookout at a nearby Forest Ranger Station. ........... 4 Elfreda Estella Varner Born: 3/20/1906 in Neutral, Mn. Freda has always been what you might call a 'naturalist'. She is very knowledgeable about any living thing in the forest or garden, and any animal or insect - with ability to identify them all. She is artistic in the area of crossstitch, crocheting and rug hooking, working with complicated patterns and colors, producing many heirlooms throughout the years. She loves to read and enjoys words - often challenging her siblings (and later her children) to word-play contests.
................ +Chester Arthur Hively Born: 6/3/1908 in Annandale, Wright Co, Mn. Married: 6/3/1930 in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co, Mn. Died: 6/22/1997 in Rhinelander, Wi. of congestive heart failure and pneumonia. Father: Miles Benjamin Jr. Hively Mother: Emma Dorothea Gille Chester was raised in Brainerd, Minnesota and worked there until 1943 when he went into the U.S. Navy to serve until the end of World War II. After the war, he returned to Brainerd with his family. In 1950, the family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he worked for the A.O. Smith Company until retirement in 1970. Chet and his wife, Freda, resided at their home on Borden Lake near Garrison, Minnesota, until 1986 when they moved to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Chet was a life member of the VFW in both Garrison and Rhinelander, and a member of Smith Steel Workers Local 19806 AFL-CIO. Chet was an avid hunter and fisherman.
................ 5 Jeffrey Allen Hively Born: 2/24/1940 in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co, Mn. Died: 1/6/1964 in Springfield, Greene Co, Mo. of injuries sustained in an auto accident. Jeff was an energetic child and grew to become an intelligent and industrious young man. He spent a few years in the Air Force National Guard, training as a medic. At the time of his death he had finished Nursing School and became engaged to a girl named Sandra Erickson from Sayner, WI. He was killed instantly when his car driven by a friend hit a bridge abutment, in Springfield Mo.
........... 4 Allen Wunderlich Varner Born: 3/17/1908 in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co, Mn. Died: 7/12/1984 in Muskegon Co, Mi. of a heart attack. Allen held many jobs - when still a teenager he traveled far to thrash wheat. He moved to Colorado to work a gold mine his father-in-law owned, then moved on to dynamite blasting - working on the highway construction through the Continental Divide. During the war he and his family moved to Muskegon, Michigan where he worked building airplane engines for the war effort. He was in the Civil Air Patrol during the war, taking his flying instructions from Mr. Sinclare, a reknown pilot. Allen had artistic abilities, painting in oils and acrylics, drawing in charcoals and pastels. He was very knowledgeable about plants, always involved in gardening, both vegetables and flowers. At one time he had almost one hundred rose bushes. Allen was involved in volunteer work at the Muskegon Regional Mental Retardation Center, teaching residents cooking skills. He was active in his church, teaching Bible classes, singing in the choir and serving on the Elder and Deacon Boards. He was a devout Christian.
................ +Amert Bee Culver Born: 6/15/1911 in Gowrie, Webster Co, Ia. Married: 9/11/1930 in Indianola, Warren Co, Ia. Father: Harry Eugene Culver Mother: Bertha Vay Walker The fourth of six children born to Harry Culver, Amert was educated in the local school system in Panora and then attended college in Des Moines. After her marriage to Allen Varner they moved to Minnesota, Colorado, back to Minnesota and then, in about 1942, they moved to Michigan. Amert has been active in civic and church affairs since 1942. She has been involved in the Red Cross, Child Evangelism, and active in local school activities. Amert worked in a drapery shop after her children married. She became active in the Muskegon Genealogical Society and attended Muskegon Community College and took courses in English and writing. At the time of this writing, 1995, Amert lives in an apartment in Muskegon, Michigan, and is active in church and Bible Study groups. She has nine grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren, and keeps in touch with all of them. ........... 4 Bessie LaVerne Varner Born: 9/30/1910 in Neutral, Mn. Died: 2/15/1996 in Sidney, Richland Co, Mt. of heart failure. Bessie went to Neutral School to the eighth grade, Washington High School in Brainerd and then teacher's college in Duluth. During high school years Bessie worked at a resort and during college a fishing camp. Her first teaching job was at Oak Lawn School District, where she taught grades 1 - 8. In the Fall of 1929 she began teaching in Loretto at a country school. Bessie met Francis Mc Williams at a dance in Long Lake, Mn. in 1929 and married him in November of that year. Bessie taught school for a short time after marriage and then kept books for a hardware store. In 1932, just before the birth of her first child, Bessie's work days for Naab Brothers came to a close. In 1934 they moved to Montana to find work due to the Great Depression. Bessie had five children in all, when she and her husband became the owners of a grocery store in Sidney, Montana. They sold that store in 1947 and moved to Trenton, ND where they farmed.
................ +Francis Wade McWilliams Born: 3/7/1925 in Williston, Williams Co, ND Married: 11/30/1929 in Minneapolis, Hennepin Co, Mn. Died: 3/26/1993 in Sidney, Richland Co, Mt. Father: Robert McWilliams Mother: Emma Mae MacDonald Fran was very interested in nature, especially precious and semi-precious stones. He owned a store where he sold the lamps and other things made from Minesota agates, etc.
................ 5 Patricia Mae McWilliams Born: 8/6/1932 in Long Lake, Hennepin Co, Mn. Died: 6/8/1993 in San Diego, Ca. ........... 4 Gailhart Waldemar Varner Born: 4/16/1915 in Neutral, Mn. Died: 10/9/1937 in Boulder County, Co. as the result of an automobile accident. .. 2 Margaret (Betty) Varner Born: 1850 Died: 1934 Betty and her family moved to the Ozarks. They lived in Howell Co., Missouri. As of 1932 her children still lived in that area. ...... +Mr. Easton Born: BEF 1850 ....... 3 Allen Easton ....... 3 Herbert Easton ....... 3 Agnes Easton
.. 2 Theodore Varner Born: 1854 in Indiana
.. 2 Martha (Mattie) Allen Varner Born: 12/9/1855 Died: 4/19/1938 ...... +Samuel Stephen Akers Born: 12/12/1851 Married: 1881 Died: 10/7/1941 Father: George Washington Akers Mother: Jane Webster
....... 3 Lois Evans Akers Born: 12/24/1882 ........... +Frank Johnston
........... 4 Floyd Johnston Born: 7/30/1913 ................ +Ms. ______ ................ 5 Judy Johnston .................... +Herbert Johnson : ................ 5 Michael Johnston
........... 4 Lenore Johnston Born: 1/16/1915 ................ +Kenneth O'Neil ................ 5 Bruce O'Neil
....... 3 Joseph Merle Akers Born: 1/8/1884 ........... +Adella Josephine Carman Born: 2/19/1885 Married: 10/24/1906 Died: 7/9/1962 ........... 4 Joseph Keith Akers Born: 7/23/1909 ................ +Mary Christine Akers ........... 4 Fred Carman Akers Born: 10/25/1910
........... 4 Ralph Merland Akers Born: 2/5/1916 ................ +Betty Clair Cling Born: 4/7/1919 Married: 10/12/1941
................ 5 Joseph Victor Akers Born: 1/7/1943 .................... +Jo Anne Evans
....... 3 Elmer Webster Akers Born: 9/13/1886 Died: 4/28/1964
....... 3 Leland Ross Akers Born: 11/11/1888 ........... +Bonnie Timmons
........... 4 Allice Allen Akers Born: 8/30/1915 Died: 1/5/1969 ................ +Harry E. Anderson Born: 11/7/1909 ................ ........... 4 Bonnie Jean (Jane Bonnie) Akers ................ +Herbert Harding ....... 3 Lawrence Harold Akers Born: 9/3/1898 ........... +Martha Bobbrecht
........... 4 Raymond Lawrence Akers ................ +Helen Johnson ................ 5 Janice Rae Akers .................... +Bernard Johnson
*2nd spouse of Perry Lincoln Varner: .. +Rachael Draper Born: 1827 in Indiana Married: 1858 .. 2 Mary Varner Born: 1858 in Iowa .. 2 Perry Varner Born: 1860 in Iowa .. 2 Charles Varner Born: 1862 in Iowa .. 2 William Varner Born: 1864 in Iowa .. 2 Joseph Varner Born: 1867 in Iowa
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