Adoption of Mary Constance (ELMORE) SALLEE (1919)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Probate Order Book 42 (September 1919 - June 1920), in September 1919 Charles O. Sallee filed a petition (case #3350) to adopt Mary Constance Elmore, who was 2 years old and had no legal father. Her mother (who was not named) was Charles' wife and consented to the adoption. The petition was granted and the child's name was changed to Mary Constance Sallee.

Cora STEWART given custody of neglected ELMORE grandchildren (1930)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 79 (December 1929 - November 1930), in May 1930 Hugh Elmore (age 13), Marcella Elmore (age 10) and Maxine Elmore (age 8) were found to be dependent and neglected children and were made wards of the Board of Children's Guardians of Hendricks County. Custody of them was given to their grandmother, Cora Stewart.

William Earl PARKS granted annulment (1938)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 88 (9 July 1938 - 9 June 1939), in October 1938 William E. Parks was granted an annulment from Elizabeth M. Kenworthy on the grounds that she was 16 when they were married on 12 November 1937 (in the court proceeding, John A. Kendall had been appointed as Elizabeth's guardian ad litem because she was a minor).

According to their 1937 Hendricks County marriage application, William Earl Parks was born 4 July 1919, the son of William Earl Parks and Lula May Dickerson. Elizabeth Madeline Kenworthy was born 2 February 1921, the daughter of Ed P. Kenworthy and Matilda Ellen Elmore.

Adoption of Odessie D. ELMORE (1902)

From Hendricks County court records:

In April 1902, John M. Jackson filed a petition in Hendricks County Circuit Court to adopt Odessie D. Elmore, age 15. Odessie was the daughter of John's wife, Lucy C. Jackson, by a previous marriage.

The petition was granted and Odessie's name was changed to Odessie D. Jackson.

Lulu PECK Sues For Damage To Reputation (1896)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 40 (May 1896 - March 1897), in November 1896 Lulu O. Peck brought a suit against Mary E. Henson (case #6284) for damaging her reputation with her remarks. Lulu was the wife of Wesley Peck and the mother of a girl about age 9, and they resided in Clayton. Her suit alleged that Mary E. Henson had told Mrs. Binda Lookabill and Mrs. Millie Berlin that Lulu had been caught "doing something indecent", which they took to mean adultery. Henson then told them what she had heard from Daisy Elmore - that Daisy, Florence Wooden, Maggie & Mollie Crawley and Maud Johnson had looked underneath the blinds at the Peck's house on Halloween 1894 and witnessed Dr. Thrasher with "his hands in Lulu's bosom feeling her tities [sic]". Dr. Thrasher was said to have told Lulu he admired her Halloween costume - the girls reported it was a deep V-neck dress with short sleeves. Daisy Elmore was upset when she witnessed this, because Lulu had been talking about Daisy & Dr. Dryden and Daisy told Henson that Lulu "ain't nothing but a nasty dirty bitch". Henson was later heard, in the presence of J.O. Winstead, to say that Lulu Peck "is not a virtuous woman."

The jury agreed with Lulu Peck and awarded her $75 in damages.

NOTE: Thomas Wesley Peck (1858-1930) and Lulu O. Peck (1867-1937) are both buried in Clayton West Cemetery.

Clayton Mills business letterhead (1875)

The Indiana Genealogical Society has been working on preserving and digitizing the contents of Hendricks County probate packets as part of its Records Preservation Project. Among the items they've found: letterhead from 1875 (shown below) containing a receipt from the business of Clayton Mills, a grain mill in Clayton run by Elmore & Co. (including Amos Elmore, who signed the receipt).