A Brief Family History

Aaron WARNER, born circa 1791 in Massachusetts, is the starting point of our family tree. His parentage is unknown at this time, and our quest is to find the missing link to his ancestral family line. He married Harriet GRIDLEY, born circa 1792 in Connecticut. Her parentage also is unknown; however, there is a likelihood that her parents are Abel GRIDLEY and Rhoda HILL.

It is likely that Aaron removed to Van Buren Township, Onondaga County, New York (with his parents and siblings?). All of Aaron and Harriet’s children were born in New York state: David–1814, James W.–1816, Caroline M.–1818, Emily J.–1819, Mercy–18xx, Corodon–1823, Willard–1829, Elijah–circa 1832, and Cyprian G.–circa 1836. There may have been a tenth child, C. Orlin, but no conclusive information has been found for this person.

There is evidence that Aaron, Harriet, and their single and married children removed from New York to La Porte County, Indiana, in 1836. In 1839, several Warner marriages occurred in the Michiana area:

The 1840 Federal Census for La Porte County includes an Aaron Warner head-of-household with a male/female age profile that matches the known information about his family.

By 1850, the Warner family members are identified by name in the Federal Census for La Porte County.

Willard served in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. Corodon, Elijah, and Cyprian all served in the Civil War. Their nephew, James Harvey Warner (eldest son of James W. Warner) also served in the Civil War. Elijah was captured in the battle of Shiloh and died in 1862 in Atlanta, Georgia, as a prisoner of the Civil War.

Exact death and burial information is not known for Aaron and Harriet Warner. Harriet probably died between 1850 and 1860, as she did not appear on the 1860 Federal Census. Aaron probably died between 1864 and 1870. There is evidence that he is still alive in 1864, but he did not appear on the 1870 Federal Census. They probably are buried in Foster Cemetery, Galena Township, La Porte County, Indiana, in Section 1, Lots 3-4 that were purchased by Aaron Warner.

The editors of this Web site descend from James W. Warner. His family history continues as follows.

On a warranty deed dated 18 April 1863, James W. Warner bought for $600 from Daniel Harrington and his wife Frances, 160 acres of farmland in Sections 28 and 33 of Blue Earth Township, Faribault County, Minnesota. By June of 1864, James W.’s oldest son James Harvey ("Harve") was living in a log cabin on the Minnesota farm. In the summer of 1864, James W. sold his farm in Galena Township, La Porte County, Indiana, and moved his family to Minnesota in August. James and Cordelia Warner’s children included:

More details about all of these individuals and their descendants can be found at the link to the family tree.