Joesph Hillis McCorkle, My Great Grandfather: Born: 19th March 1845 in Marion, Grant County, Indiana USA. Died 9th of September 1918 in Los Angeles, California USA. On the 3rd of June 1866 he married Mary Paugh (nee Mary Case) in Iowa as per the following Marriage License.
First Marriage - Application for Marriage License between Joseph McCorkle & Mary Paugh nee Case. As followsAPPLICATION FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE STATE OF IOWA, Washington County Joseph McCorkle to Mary Paugh Present Samual Bigges County Judge of Washinton Co. Iowa. Now on this 1st day of June 1866 comes into Court Joseph McCorkle and makes application for LICENSE authorizing his intermarrying with Mary Paugh. And on the same day comes also John Mickery and makes affidavit that he is personally acquainted with Joseph McCorkle and Mary Paugh; that said parties are to be intermarried in Washington County Iowa; that said Mary Paugh is 21 years of age, and they are in a suitable condition to be joined in marriage and the Court being fully advised in the premises, a License is hereby issued by the Court, authorizing the intermarriage of said parties. Signed Samual Bigges County Judge of Washinton Co. Iowa.
Note - Mary shows her age at marriage as 21, but her birth date was 1840.
The 1880 Census for Rawlins County, Kansas show the following information on himself, his Wife Mary and their Children
NAME Age in 1880 Birth Place
Joseph McCorkle age 35 Indiana Mary wife age 39 Indiana Luise Dau age 13 Iowa Walter Son age 11 Iowa Elnora Dau age 7 Missouri Maggo Dau age 5 Missouri Willy Son age 3 Iowa Pundy Dau age 1 Kansas
Civil War Records, of Joseph H. McCorkle which shows Names of Children and birth, by first wife Mary Case. This was written and signed by Joseph H. McCorkle. Louise Russell Mar 1867 Walter McCorkle 1869 Elnora Clarkson Mar 17 1871 Maggie J. Abbott Mar 18 1873 William B. McCorkle 1876 Prudy A. Fordham 1879
Also shows Name of second wife and date of Marriage. Lillian King married April 05 1911
Joseph served in the Civil War from November 11, 1864 to July 21 1865 a total of 8 Months 11 day's. His Rank - Private, Company B, 13 Iowa Infantry, and was Honorably discharged at Louisville Kentucky.
His personal description at enlistment was as follows 5 ft. 9 Inches; complexion, light, color of eyes Blue, color of hair, light, that his occupation was Farmer, that he was born March 19, 1845 at Marion, Indiana. places of residences Wyoming & California.
Land Records - From the Rawlins County Genealogical Society, I have obtained Land Records which shows that Joseph & Mary McCorkle purchased a homestead of approximately 160 Acres November 28th, 1891 in Rawlins County Kansas near Scio, and they sold same 29th September 1885. I assume that's when they moved to Burlington Wyoming?
Land Records - Received Land Records on Feb 27/97 from the National Archives on the above mentioned homestead of Joseph McCorkle
The Civil War Records also showed the following: In May 1912 he was in a Soldiers Home in Los Angeles California. In these records are several letters from his second wife Lillian King, his Daughter Maggie (Margaret McCorkle) Abbott, re the marriage.
To summarize this marriage as follows. Lillian was married to a Joe A. Bourguin. On April 18, 1904, he left her and went away, Joe's Father seen a obituary in the Great Falls Montana Newspaper, saying that Joe Bourguin had died. Joseph McCorkle & Lillian got married April 05 1911, shortly after they were married it was discovered that Lillian's former husband wasn't dead (Apparently Joe Bourguin put the obituary in the Newspaper himself so he wouldn't have to pay his debts) so Lillian moved out of the McCorkle household, and the marriage was terminated.
Joseph McCorkle in the spring of 1918, felt that he was burdening the Government and decided to move out of the Soldiers home and went to live with his daughter Maggie Abbot, saying that he would be able to pay for his room & board out of his pension , his last pension cheque arrived 4 day's before his death but wasn't signed so it was returned. Maggie wrote many letters to the Commissioner of Pensions, requesting a release of the funds from this last cheque to pay for Joseph's funeral etc. but because of the mix up on the above marriage, it is not clear if she ever did receive the money. In her letter to the commissioner she stated that she had a large family and every dollar is needed to pay our debts to others, at that time she was living at 1307 E. Adams St. Los Angeles California. The Cheque that was returned after the death of Joseph McCorkle was for the amount of $93.40
Loss of right eye - Joseph McCorkle, in the civil war records, there is a General Affidavit concerning the above, which reads as follows --- In the matter of claim for pension of Joseph H. McCorkle late of Co B 13th Iowa Infantry. In the month of August 1891 while out hunting in Bighorn County Wyoming in company with Joseph H McCorkle he, McCorkle incurred an injury to his right eye under the following circumstances. When he discharged his gun the flash of fire from the powder was blown out through the breach of the gun burning him severely in the face and destroying the sight of his right eye. The injury to his face and eyes was caused by accidental means entirely due to an imperfect breach block in his gun. We were present and witnessed the accident and know that the injury to his right eye was not due to vicious habits. Signed Charles B. Moore & T G. Huntington.
Besides their Daughter Prudy Joseph & Mary had 5 other children as follows
1/ Louisa McCorkle born March 1867 Iowa, married William Oscar Russell on November 28, 1883 in Culbertson, Nebraska, She died April 8, 1925 in McCook Nebraska. They had the following children all born in McCook, Redwillow County Nebraska. Jessie Elva born July 27, 1884, Floyd Alta born July 16, 1886, Harrison Morton born December 5, 1888, Ora Oscar born December 19, 1890, William Westley born November 11, 1892, Mary Marie born July 14, 1895, Jim born January 4, 1898, Lottie Mae born October 20, 1899, Lovell Steven born November 1, 1902, and Wray Mack born July 4, 1908
Louisa McCorkle
2/ Walter Scott McCorkle born October 11, 1869 at Bloomsfield, Davis County Iowa, married Jessie Viviana Kilzmiller October 12, 1905 at Burlington Wyoming. He died December 1928 at Cody and was buried December 31, 1928 in Riverside Cemetery Block 54 Grave 10 in Cody, Park County Wyoming. They had the following Children. Leota Viola McCorkle born May 30, 1906 in Cody, Gerald Scott McCorkle born January 19, 1908 in Cody, Wilbur Neal McCorkle born July 16, 1909 in Cody, Rupert Walter McCorkle born July 10, 1911 in Cody, George Willis McCorkle born April 27, 1913 in Meeteetse & Joanna Marie McCorkle born October 9, 1915 in Meeteetse, Park County Wyoming.
Walter McCorkle
3/ Elnora (Ella) McCorkle born March 17, 1871 in Missouri, married Joseph Clarkson in 1891 at Hanna, Carbon County Wyoming. She died March 17, 1928 at Cody, Park County Wyoming. They had the following children all born in Casper, Natrona County Wyoming. John born June 7, 1893, Daniel R. born April 13, 1895, Harold Arthur born December 25, 1896, Jennie born about 1900, Albert born July 9, 1901 and Mary born March 3, 1903.
Elnora McCorkle
4/ Margaret Jane McCorkle born March 13, 1873 in Missouri married Lewis Abbott date unknown. She died October 16, 1953 at Lawndale, Los Angeles County California. No information on their Children.
5/ William Bell McCorkle born July 23, 1876 in Burlington Iowa, married Clara Edna Wallin September 16, 1905 in Granum Alberta, Canada. He died April 11, 1954 at Fort McLeod, Alberta Canada. They had the following children, all born in Granum Alberta. Hazel Mary May born September 14, 1906, Ellen Augusta born January 22, 1908 and Wilbur Hillis born May 28, 1910.
William Bell McCorkle
Joseph McCorkle died September 9th 1918, in Los Angeles and was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery Los Angeles California.