Where is James Loren Triplett?
James Loren Triplett (1860-1953). What information do we have about James Loren Triplett and his early life? We know that he was married in Red Oak, Iowa in 1883. Prior to that date we know very little about him or his family. In his obituary it states that James Loren Triplett was born in Ohio on March 9, 1860, and that his father died when James was very young. It goes on to mention that as as a young man he ran away rather than be "bound out" to another family, and that he later moved to be near his uncle who was living in Mills County, Iowa.
This is largely the extent of information we have about James Loren Triplett's early life. We do know from available census records, 1895 through 1930, James Loren lists his birth state in Illinois, and that in the census he lists his parents' birth in Ohio. Additional research into the every-name census record from 1860, 1870 and 1880, indicate the most likely matches to James Loren Triplett, subject of this article. These include a Lorin Triplet in the 1860 Warren Co., Illinois census, a James Triplett in the 1870 Noble Co., Ohio census, and a Loran Triplett in the 1880 Licking Co. Ohio census. However more details are needed, and a good starting point seems to be the "uncle who was living in Mills County, Iowa."
In the Iowa census records for 1885 through 1895, we find James Loren Triplett and his family farming in the vicinity of Henderson, Mills County, Iowa. When researching who James' uncle may have been, the name Simeon Triplett appears in the census. Simeon and his family were the only other Triplett family found in the general vicinity of Henderson Iowa from 1880 through 1895, the 1885 & 1895 Iowa State censuses being of great help here. Are there family connections to be found between James and Simeon? If so, this would lead to an understanding of who James Loren Triplett's parents may have been. Who was this Simeon Triplett?
From a book by Hortense Abbott, entitled "Tripping Down the Triplett Path," it cites a Simeon Triplett and family who lived in the Henderson Iowa area. This Simeon was a son of James and Mary (Kinnick) Triplett, and based on this genealogy, Simeon had a brother named Lott Triplett. From the family bible of the elder James Triplett, Lot Triplett and his wife Mary are recorded with children named Emmy Virette (born 30 Aug 1857) and James Lewis Triplett (born 16 Mar 1859).
Subsequent work on this genealogy, through work by Bill Smith (The Kinnick Project), has shed more light on the descended families of James and Mary (Kinnick) Triplett. This includes the families of Simeon and Lott Triplett who are both found in the 1860 census for Floyd twp, Warren Co, Illinois. In this census, the family of Lott and Mary Triplett show children named Emma and Lorin (easily construed as Lewis; see census image at left). It is the intent of this author to provide evidence that Lorin Triplett in this 1860 record is the same as James Loren Triplett, the subject of this article.
During the latter 1850s, Lott Triplett and his brother Simeon moved from the Guernsey/Noble County, Ohio area, where their parents had been farming for a number of years, and began farming on their own in Illinois. Lott's son, Lorin, was born about 1859 in Illinois according to the 1860 census record of the young family there. Lorin is listed in the household of his parents along with his older sister, Emma (age 3, born in Ohio), and his grandmother Mary (Kinnick) Triplett (age 50). The Hortense Abbott and Bill Smith “records indicate that Lorin's father, Lott Triplett, died in September 1862 in or near Warren Co., Illinois. Additionally he is said to have been buried in Warren Co., Illinois.
At the time of his death, Lott Triplett was age 28, having been married for 6 years, and having lived in Illinois for less than 5 years. Lott's wife, Mary Triplett, was faced with a decision after the death of her husband. Asking for long term assistance from her brother-in-law, Simeon Triplett, would have been an insufficient solution for Mary and her young family. Simeon had a young farm family of his own. Mary's likely next step was to seek the assistance of her parents. Who were Mary's parents and where did they live? Where did Mary Triplett and her young family go? They certainly seem to disappear from the Illinois record.
Mary Triplett is referred to as Mary Melissa Meighan in the family bible, and her marriage to Lott Triplett is given as February 25, 1856 in Guernsey Co., Ohio in the Ohio record. The Guernsey County, Ohio area is the logical place to search for Mary's parents, and for Mary herself following the 1862 death of her husband.
After reviewing the Ohio census records for 1850 and 1860, the family of John and Nancy Meighen comes closest to matching Mary (Meighen) Triplett's parents. In 1850 the family of John and Nancy Meighen were living in Seneca township, Guernsey Co., Ohio. In their household was a 10/11-year-old Mary Meighen. In addition to young Mary, the 1850 Meighen household also included siblings Perry, Sarah, Susannah, Peter, Nancy, Armelia, John, and Rinehart Meighen. The Mehans/Meehans, or Meighens as they later became known, were Irish in origin. Mary's grandfather, John Meighen, Sr. was born in County Donegal according to the book "The Meighen Sept in America and in Ireland" by Bernard Patrick Meighen. The fact this 1850 Meighen family lived only a few miles from the parents of Lott Triplett, who were listed in neighboring Beaver township, Guernsey Co., Ohio, helps support a connection between the two families. Read more about the extended families descended from John Meighen, Sr..
By the 1860 census John and Nancy Meighen were living in Valley twp, Guernsey Co., Ohio, on the Noble County border. Listed with John and Nancy included their daughter Sarah Meighen (age 25) and a young male named Reuben I Danford (age 4). Two of John and Nancy's sons were farming nearby; Perry in Wayne township; and Peter in Buffalo township. Genealogical research on this family indicates that John Meighen (Jr.), father of Mary, died in 1866 and was buried at Mt. Ephraim Cemetery, Seneca twp., Noble Co., Ohio. [Note: In 1851, Seneca township was detached from Guernsey County to help form Noble County]
An analysis of the ages and names of John and Nancy's children, in contrast to other Meighen families in the surrounding area, also supports a conclusion that John and Nancy were in fact the parents of Mary Melissa Meighen. A John Mehan and a Nancy Rinehart were recorded marrying in Guernsey Co., Ohio on December 30, 1830. The connection between Mary (Meighen) Triplett and the family of John and Nancy Meighen is further substantiated when comparing the 1860 and 1870 census records (see below).
After the death of her husband Lott in 1862, and the death of her father John in 1866, where does Mary (Meighen) Triplett show up in the 1870 cenus? In reviewing the marriage records of Noble and Guernsey counties in Ohio [see footnote] we find two interesting marriage records - one for Mary M Triplett and another for Emma V Triplett. Mary M. Triplett married John Rutherford on October 25, 1868 in Noble Co., Ohio; and Emma V. Triplett married George A. Houston on December 18, 1875 in Noble Co., Ohio. As we will see from the 1870 census below, Mrs. Mary Rutherford appears to be Mary Melissa (Meighen) Triplett, widowed wife of Lott Triplett. This is inferred not simply from the Ohio marriage record, or from the names and ages in the household, but through a "connection" back to the 1860 household of Mary's parents.
In 1870 Center twp, Noble Co., Ohio, the township just south of Seneca (where John & Nancy Meighen lived in 1860), we find John Rutherford (age 40) and his wife Mary (age 28), and in their household are Henry Rutherford (age 12), Emma (age 12) and Melissa C (age 6); as well as a domestic servant named Reuben Danford (age14). Henry was a son of John from a previous marriage, as recorded in his genealogy, and Emma would appear to be Mary (Meighen) Triplett's daughter, Emma Virette. Melissa C., based on her age, could be a child of either John or Mary. It is likely that Reuben Danford was a son of Mary Meighen Triplett's older sister, Sarah A Meighen, as a Danford genealogy indicates. As shown in the 1860 census, Sarah Meighen and Reuben Danford were both living with Mary Meighen Triplett's parents in 1860 Seneca township. Reuben Danford is the "connection" between Mary Rutherford's household in 1870, and her parent's household in 1860.
If Mary, wife of John Rutherford of Center twp, was Mary Melissa (Meighen) Triplett, then where did James Loren go? In 1870 James Loren Tirplett would have been only age 10 or 11. Finding James Loren Triplett living nearby would go far toward validating the connection between Mrs. Mary Rutherford and Mary (Meighen) Triplett.
In a search of neighboring 1870 Ohio townships there is an 11 year-old James Triplet who was born in Illinois living in the household of George (67,WV) and Sarah (60,VA) Gregg. James is listed as "working on their farm", a farm which was located in Summerfield P.O., Beaver township, northeast of Center twp where Mrs. Mary Rutherford was living. Located almost next door to young James was the farm of Dolphin Triplett, Lott Triplett's stepbrother!
Is this the James Triplett we are looking for? Reviewing the Bible record kept by George & Sarah Gregg, we find the following birth entry listed in their family bible (see image at left). It reads: James Loren Triplett. son of Lot and Mary Triplett, born March 9, 1859. March 9th is also the birthday of our subject, James Loren Triplett! A George Gregg married a Sarah Heskett in 1828 Belmont Co., Ohio. Is it possible this Sarah Heskett (born 1803 in Virginia) was related to Dolphin Triplett's mother, who is listed in the genealogy "records" as Ruth Haskett/Heskett/Hiskett?
Given the information from the census, from marriage records, from the Gregg bible, and from the various genealogies, there is a strong argument to be made that Mary Triplett, Emma and Lorin (of the 1860 census) are the same individuals as Mary Rutherford, Emma, and James of the 1870 census. This certainly helps to connect Mary Rutherford to Mary Melissa (Meighen) Triplett. Perhaps there is another connection to be found in the 1880 census. What became of them in 1880?
In 1880 Enoch township, Noble Co., Ohio, just south of Center twp, we again find the family of John (age 51) and Mary (age 39) Rutherford. In the household are Henry Rutherford (age 22), Charles D Rutherford (age 8), and step-daughter Malisa Caroline Tripplett (age 18). From this information it would appear that both Malisa and Charles were children of Mary (Triplett) Rutherford. Since Mary married John Rutherford in 1868, Malisa would have been a child from a previous marriage, likely a daughter of Lott since he died about the time of Malisa's birth. Malisa Caroline Tripplett appears to be the same person as Melissa C. of the 1870 census, as the census records are notorious for variant spelling and ages. Here is another important piece of information helping connect Mary Rutherford to Mary Melissa (Meighen) Triplett. Where did Emma (from the 1870 household) go?
Recall the marriage of Emma V. Triplett and George A. Houston in 1875 Noble Co., Ohio. In 1880 Newark, Licking County, Ohio is the household of George A. Houston (age 31) and Emma V. Houston (age 22) and their 2 year old son Clifford. This is almost certainly the same couple who married in 1875. Where was Emma's brother James Loren Triplett? If he was living nearby, would this be another possible connection?
In a search of the 1880 all-name census soundex, the closest match to our James Loren Triplett was a 21 year old "Loran Triplett" who was living in Madison twp, Licking Co., Ohio, listed as a laborer on the farm of David (38,OH) and Kate (38,OH) Barrick. This Loran gives his birth in Ohio (an error on his part?), with his parents born in Ohio. It seems more than a coincidence that Loran was living in the same county as his sister, Emma (Triplett) Houston, and in the township next to hers!
So what of the mystery of little Melissa Caroline Triplett? A genealogy exists for her which indicates that she married John N Boyd on September 24, 1881 in Noble Co., Ohio. John N (born May 1861 in Ohio) and Malissa C Boyd (born March 1863 in Ohio) are found in the 1900 Enoch twp, Noble County, Ohio census, married 19 years and with 3 children - Minnie, Ida and Francis. Living next to them was her "step-father" John Rutherford and his wife Nancy E., who had been married about 7-8 years. In his genealogy John Rutherford remarried a Nancy E. Garvin on March 18, 1893 in Noble Co., Ohio. Whether Melissa Caroline's mother, Mary (Meighen) Triplett Rutherford, had died is unknown. If so she may be buried somewhere in or near Enoch twp, Noble Co., Ohio, or perhaps where her father was buried, at Mt. Ephraim Cemetery, Seneca twp., Noble Co., Ohio.
It would appear from this information that Melissa Caroline Triplett was born in Ohio in March 1863, or about six months after the death of her likely father, Lott Triplett. Her mother Mary would been pregnant when Lott died, and Mary (Meighen) Triplett would quite naturally move "back home" to the Guernsey/Noble County, Ohio, area to be near her parents and extended family. She had lived in Illinois a few short years. Melissa Caroline Triplett's birth in Ohio seems to validate that is actually what happened.
James Loren Triplett, our subject, moved to Montgomery County, Iowa in the early 1880's, after having reached his age of maturity. It would be natural enough for James Loren Triplett to seek the help of his father's closest brother, Simeon, as he started his adult life. Simeon moved to this area of southwest Iowa in the late 1860s. In the 1885 Iowa State census we find both a Loran Triplett and a Simeon Triplett farming near each other in Lincoln township, Montgomery County, Iowa. No other Triplett families, outside of Simeon and James', are to be found in the county. In the 1895 Iowa State census, where we find some of Simeon's children starting there own families, we also find a Loran Triplett, age 34, born in Illinois, farming in the same township.
Postscript: After completing this research a copy of the 1925 Iowa State census became available to this author. In that record our subject James L Triplett lists the names of his parents as Lot Triplett and Mary Mahon. Another piece of corrobating evidence is the death certificate of Lina Boyd, widow of John N Boyd, who was born March 09, 1863 in Noble Co., Ohio. Lina was Melissa Caroline Triplett mentioned above, whose children included Minnie, Ida and Frank, her death certificate citing her as a daughter of Lot Triplett and Margaret Meighen. Yet another piece of evidence is the death certificate of Emma V Houston Young who was born August 30, 1857 in Ohio, citing her father's name as Triplet, the informant being her son Emmett Houston.
A member of our family (a grand-daughter of our subject, James Loren Triplett) found a photo among the Triplett family memorabilia she has collected over the years. On the reverse of this photo, which was taken in a place called Dexter City, it reads: "A token of love from your Aunt Emma Houston to her niece Miss Ida Boyd." Dexter City is located in Noble County, Ohio, sitting at the crossroads of four townships: Enoch, Jackson, Jefferson and Olive. Ida Boyd's brother Frank is noted there in 1930. This photo certainly helps to tie the children of Lott and Mary Triplett together, that is, James Loren Triplett had sisters named Emma Houston and Melissa Boyd. Melissa Boyd had a daughter named Ida, the original recipient of the photo from her aunt Emma Houston.
What conclusions can be drawn? From the information above James Loren (or Lorin) Triplett was born in or near Warren County, Illinios on March 9th, in either 1859 or 1860. When James Loren's father Lott died in 1862 his mother Mary (Meighen) Triplett, pregnant with Melissa Caroline, moved back home to the Noble County, Ohio area to be near her parents. Melissa Caroline Triplett was born there in March 1863. In 1866, Mary Meighen Triplett's father died in Noble County, Ohio; and in 1868 she remarried in Noble County, Ohio. About 1868 Simeon Triplett, who went to Illinois with James Loren's father, moved on to greener pastures in southwestern Iowa. In 1870 we find Mary M. Triplett living with her new husband in Noble County, Ohio, and in the household are her two daughters, Emma V. and Melissa C. Also in 1870 we find James Triplett (son of Lot and Mary), age 11, born in Illinois, working on the Gregg farm just a few miles away from his mother, and living within a couple of miles of his step-uncle, Dolphin Triplett. The Gregg's recorded his full name, his birth date, and the names of his parents in their family bible. By 1880 we find a Loran Triplett, age 21, living in Licking County, Ohio, just a few miles away from his older sister Emma V Houston. Their mother Mary was living in Noble County, Ohio, with their little sister Melissa Caroline Triplett. Within the next 3 years James Loren moved to western Iowa to be with his uncle Simeon. There he married and began his new life. James Loren Triplett and his uncle Simeon Triplett are cited in the mid 1880's and into the 1890's, both farming near Henderson, Iowa, near the border of Mills and Montgomery County, Iowa.
Simeon and James Triplett
Footnote:
The marriage records for Mary M. and Melissa C. Triplett are extracted from the IGI (International Genealogical Index). Within the same group of IGI marriages, which are specific to locale & timeframe, we also find marriages for other children of John and Nancy Meighen, as well as for the children of Dolphin and Anna M Triplett. Dolphin was an older stepbrother of Lott Triplett according to the Triplett genealogy.
Next Article: Our Line of the Triplett Tree
Article researched and written by Dennis Walsh, July 2003.