-----Original Message-----
From: Meloonm(a)aol.com [mailto:Meloonm@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 8:17 PM
To: INPOSEY-L(a)rootsweb.com; INSPENCE-L(a)rootsweb.com; INVANDER-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: {not a subscriber} Seek Info - Meloon/Maloon Family
To all mailing lists: I am not a subscriber but seek any information
available on my "brick wall" concerning your counties. Replies may be
directed to
Mike Meloon at meloonm(a)aol.com. Thanks in advance for anything anyone is
able
to provide.
Francis M. Meloon, (also spelled Maloon, Malone, Melone, Mulloon and
just
about any other variable possible) joined the Union Army at Rockport, IN on
30 August 1862. He signed his induction papers "Meloon" and stated he was
"29
years 8 months" and born in Spencer County, Missouri. Based on this he was
apparently born about January 1833. I cannot find a Spencer County in
Missouri
and do not know if there was one in 1833 but obviously there is a Spencer
County in Indiana. We might not be dealing with the sharpest knife in the
drawer
here. He was most likely born in the Meigs/Gallia County area of Ohio
(where
there is a Maloon family in residence) since a deed has surfaced in which he
sold his 1/5 interest in a 20 acre parcel received through inheritance
(unknown
from whom) at that location.
His military career was relatively short and undistinguished. He was a
private in Company "A" of the 42nd Regiment Inidana Infantry Volunteers. He
was taken sick in November 1862 at Tyree Springs, TN where he was left by
his
unit. He was then captured by Confederate forces; paroled at Evansville,
IN;
sent to Indianapolis, IN (still ill); and died at the hospital there on 25
March
1863.
He was married in Posey County on 8 February 1856 to Elizabeth Hall by
James Campbell, JP. The couple had two children: Samuel C. Meloon, born 1
November 1858 and Mary Ann Meloon, born 11 December 1861. Following Francis
Meloon's death, Elizabeth remarried in Vanderburgh County on 9 July 1865 to
Joseph
M. Colwell (or Coldwell) by James T. Walker, JP. No further record has been
found for Elizabeth and Joseph Colwell.
In September 1869, Joseph Cupples (relationship to family unknown) filed
an application as guardian to receive the army pensions for the two minor
children who were apparently residing with his family in/around Evansville,
IN.
The request was apparently treated as an application for a widow's pension
which was rejected since their mother had remarried. Apparently if the
widow
didn't get a pension, the children were not entitled to one and there is no
evidence that Cupples had obtained legal guardianship. Cupples is listed in
the
1880 Indiana census for Vanderburgh County, Inglefield with a wife and
daughter
but the Meloon children are not present.
I seek: Any mention of parents or siblings for Francis Meloon; any
reference to marriage, etc for the children Samuel C. Meloon and Mary Ann
Meloon;
whereabouts of Elizabeth following her second marriage. Am particularly
interested in information as to why the children were not living with her in
1869
(when the guardian's request was filed) and the relationship of Joseph
Cupples
to the family and why he had custody of the children. I have found no
mention
in any census for any of the parties (except the 1880 listed above). I hope
someone can find a small crack in my brick wall. Please let me hear from
you.
Thanks again. Mike Meloon