INDIANA TRAILS
LAPORTE COUNTY OBITS
A Useful Life Ended.
Sketch of the Late Capt. John H. SMITH. He held Various Offices of Honor and Trust, Led a Useful, active Life.
The Columbus, (Kans.) Advocate of March 7, has the following to say of the late Capt. J. H. SMITH, brother of our worthy citizen, Mr. William SMITH of the firm Smith & Crane; whose death occurred very suddenly at Topeka, March 4, 1895, of Apoplexy, aged 45 years.
“The telegram announcing the death of Capt. John SMITH, at Topeka, March 4th, was the most startling news that has reached this city in a long time, and it not only conveyed sorrow to the stricken family, but all Columbus mourns the loss of a good citizen, a warm friend, and a devoted worker in every cause which he conscientiously thought was right, and no one could have been taken from our midst that would be more missed in the business of the town, in the church, the Masonic and G. A. R. fraternities than Capt. John H. SMITH.
John H. SMITH was born in LaPorte county, Indiana, January 10th, 1841. He was baptized in his infancy, by Dr. John L. SMITH then, until quite recently a presiding elder in the North-west conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
At the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, he was a student at a Methodist institute in Valparaiso, Indiana, which has since merged into one of the most noted Normal Colleges in the country. His school books were at once laid aside in response to the call of the president for soldiers to put down the rebellion. He enlisted as a private in Company G, Fifteenth Indiana infantry, one of the first three year regiments mustered into the service from that state.
He was in all the campaigns, marches and battles of his regiment, from the time of his enlistment in April 1861 to his final muster out in June 1864. He was twice wounded. First in the foot at the battle of Stone River and in the hand at one of the battles preceding the down fall of Atlanta. He rose by the usual grade, from a private, to the captaincy of the company, and was honorably discharged after three years and two months services.
He was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. MARTIN, at Westville, LaPorte county, Indiana, November 9th, 1864. Four children, three sons, and one daughter blessed their union, three of who are living, the eldest and first born dying at Paola, soon after coming to Kansas.
Capt. SMITH came to Kansas some time in the late fifties and while in the west made a journey over land to Pikes Peak, Colorado.
He located first, permanently, in Kansas, at Paola, in the fall of 1866 and was a resident of that city for about seven years and during that time was twice elected mayor and was postmaster for a term.
His first introduction to this country was in 1873 in superintending the erection of the Zinc Works at Weir City, of which he was superintendent and manager, for a time, after the works were in operation.
While a resident of Weir City, he was elected a representative district being, at that time, the north two thirds of the county.
He removed to this city in 1876, which has since continued to be his home, though at times away a great deal in the public service of the state.
From 1878 to 1885 he was chief deputy U. S. Marshal for the District of Kansas.
In the spring of 1885, he was by Gov. John A. Martin, appointed to the responsible position of Warden of the Kansas penitentiary, a position he filled with singular credit to himself and the state.
In the spring of 1891, the legislature having created a new board, known as the State Board of Public Works, on whom devolved the responsibility of the construction of public buildings for the state.
He took an active part in political affairs and was zealous for the principals of his party and the success of its candidates. He was probably the best known to the citizens throughout the state of any man in the county. He had friends in every locality of the state who will be pained to learn of his death.”
Deceased leaves a wife, two sons, and one daughter to mourn; the eldest son, Dr. Harry, and the daughter, Miss Mona, will be pleasantly remembered in Batavia, from their visits at their uncle's in this city.
[Batavia Herald, Kane County, IL, 28 March 1895]
[Contributed by Kim Torp]
L. C. Crane and family returned Saturday evening from LaPorte, Ind., where they were called by the serious illness of Mr. C’s father, who passed away soon after their arrival. He was a gentleman of over 70 years of age and died of paralysis.
[Batavia Herald, Kane County, IL, 19 Oct. 1893]
[Contributed by Kim Torp]
Obituary from the La Porte Herald-Argus published 10 Jan 1927, page 2

The funeral for Leonard Burden, age 82, who died at the home of his daughter, Mrs Lillie Robbins, Andrew Avenue at 13th Street, at 4:20 Saturday afternoon, will be held at the Oak Grove Church tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock.  The Rev. M. G. Long will officiate,  Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in charge of E. E. Ebbert.  The remains may be viewed at the Ebbert Chapel this evening.

Mr Burden was born in Marshall County, Ind., March 19, 1844.  He had lived in La Porte County since 18 years of age.  Mr Burden was a retired farmer.  He married Rachel Coleman of LaPorte County in 1869.

The deceased man was a member of the Methodist Church as well as the La Porte Patton post of the Grand Army of the Republic.

He is survived by two daughters, Mrs George Haverstock and Mrs Melvin Robbins, both of La Porte; one sister, Martha Cummings of Plymouth; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  His wife passed away 21 years ago.
From an untitled newspaper dated 25 August 1930
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Mrs Lillian Robbins, age 45, rural route No. 3, passed away Saturday at the Holy Family hospital after a five day illness of complications.  The daughter of Mr and Mrs Leonard Burden, Mrs Robbins was born in La Porte County Dec. 16, 1884, living in this county all her life.  She was married 24 years ago to Melvin Robbins, who survives.  Mrs Robbins was a member of the Oak Grove Methodist Church.

Others surviving are seven daughters, Mrs Lester Lee Stevens of Gridley, Ill., Mrs Gladys [N.B. should be Hazel, not Gladys] Kaiser of Three Oaks, Mich., and Ruth, Alice and Gladys, all at home; three sons, Charles, Eugene and Robert Robbins, at home, and a sister, Mrs Alice Haverstock, of La Porte.

Buriel is in Oak Grove Cemetery, Wills Twp, LaPorte Co, Indiana.

[Contrary to what the obit claims, Lillian lived outside of LaPorte Co, Indiana at least long enough to give birth to her last two children (abt 1920) in Woodford Co, Illinois and to be counted in the Woodford Co, Illinois census for 1920.]



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