The Casteel Family had also lived in Clermont County, Ohio where it is likely that James and Cynthia had met. James and Cynthia remained in Indiana for about 10 years before moving to Dodge County, Missouri where they were recorded on the 1850 U. S. Census. Family tradition has it that their son, James Polk Corbin, was born at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri in 1850. An oral history taken from their daughter Mary Elizabeth Corbin says that they moved from Lake County, Indiana to their farm at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri via a short stop in Dodge County, Missouri. She also states that the family then moved to northern Texas where they investigated land but decided to return to their farm near West Liberty, Missouri.
By the time Martha Jane Corbin was born, May 27, 1856 at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri. the Corbin Family was living at West Liberty, where James and several members of the family were both farming and operating a small country store. James and Cynthia Corbin and several members of their family decided to go West and seek their fortunes in 1872. We think we are "mobile" today, but think about how far James and Cynthia had moved in their lifetimes. Born near Cincinnati, Ohio they had moved to the shores of Lake Michigan in LaPorte County, Indiana, then to northeast Missouri, moving again to north central Missiouri, a fourth move to northern Texas, then back to Putnam County, Missouri and finally to Adams County, Nebraska. Pioneer families, motivated by new opportunity and the potential of personal gain, were not hesitant to move long distances. Most of James and Cynthia (Casteel) Corbin's family went to Adams County, Nebraska and took homesteads. Most settled in or near the new town of Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska. Martha Jane Corbin was 16 years old when this move occurred.
Finding the Family of Levi Lonzo, or Alonzo Levi Plummer Difficult at Best!!!
Martha Jane Corbin lived on her parent's farmstead in Adams County, Nebraska until August 19, 1876 when she married Levi Lonzo or Alonzo Levi Plummer. Family and friends called him, "Lawn" Plummer. Like so many others, L. L. Plumber had come to Nebraska seeking a better life.
I will stop at this point to discuss Mr. Plummer's name. Many of the family believe that his name was Alonzo Levi Plummer. Others believe that it was Levi Lonzo Plummer. His tombstone in the Blue Valley Cemetery at Leroy, Adams County, Nebraska says simply: "L. L. Plummer" and provides no help. This stone was erected when his wife, Martha Jane (Corbin) Plummer died in 1916, so L. L. Plummer was alive at that time and most likely chose the wording on the tombstone.
Apparrantly, there is no surviving information about his parents within the members of the Plummer Family that I have visited or corresponded with, including his grandchildren.
The exact day of his birth is not known, but he provided "March 1856" as the month and year of his birth for the 1900 U. S. Census, which found him living with Martha Jane (Corbin) in Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska.
Some of the family members have listed him as the first or second child of Abraham P. Plummer and Elizabeth "Betsy" (Wright) Plummer of Cherry Hill, Winchester County, Ohio. If all other genealogical information I have found for Abraham and Elizabeth (Wright) Plummer is correct, it is not possible for our L. L. Plummer to be their child.
With absolute certainty, Abraham P. and Betsy (Wright) Plummer already have a first or second son named Levi Moore Plummer, who was born to them on December 6, 1855. There is no questioning this birth date or parentage because Levi Moore Plummer married Rachel Hiatt and they had at least five children. They lived near family in Ohio all of their lives and their children have documented the family history many times over.
If Levi Moore Plummer was born on December 6, 1855, it is physically impossible for Abraham and Betsy (Wright) Plummer to have had another child in March 1856. Therefore, it seems difficult to assign our Levi Plummer to Abraham and Betsy (Wright) Plummer. On future U. S. Census reports in 1860 and 1870, only one child named Levi is assigned to Abraham and Betsy (Wright) Plummer, and that is the Levi born in 1855, and often is shown "Levi M. Plummer" indicating that it was "the other" Levi Moore Plummer and not our own L. L. Plummer.
This photograph was used with the obituary of Levi Plummer in 1933.
Levi Plummer seems to have arrived in Adams County, Nebraska about the same time as members of the Corbin family. Unfortunately, Adams County, Nebraska did not take a state census in 1875, but Mr. Plummer was there by that time. He married Martha Jane Corbin on November 19, 1876.
By the time the 1880 U.S. Census was taken, Levi and Martha (Corbin) Plummer were living in the town of Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska. The census lists Levi's occupation as Rail Road Section Hand. Martha is housekeeping and they have a two-year old daughter, Anna L. Plummer.
There was an 1885 Nebraska State Census taken and at that time, Levi and Martha (Corbin) Plummer were living in the town of Hastings, Nebraska and they have three children: Anna L., Maude, and Orey L. Plummer.
By the time the 1890 U. S. Census is taken, Levi and Martha (Corbin) Plummer have moved from Hastings, a short distance to Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska where several other members of the Corbin family have taken up residence. On the 1890 Census, there are five children listed, but they are not the same as had been listed on the 1885 Census. It appears that Maude Plummer has died during that period of time. The five children listed are: Orey L., Leroy E., Charles W., Ada Evelyn, and Ara Louise. Levi's occupation as listed as plumber.
The 1910 U.S. Census finds the family continuing to live in Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska. The census lists Levi, Martha Jane (Corbin) Plummer and youngest daughters Ada Evelyn and Ara Louise Plummer still remaining at home.
Martha Jane (Corbin) Plummer died on March 3, 1916 at the family home in Ayr, Nebraska. The following is a copy of her obituary from the Hastings, Nebraska newspaper:
Martha J. Corbin was born in Putnam county, Missouri, May 27, 1856. Died March 7, 1916, of heart failure at her home in Ayr, Nebraska aged fifty-nine years, nine months and ten days. She was converted when sixteen years old, united with the Methodist church. With her parents she came to Nebraska in 1874, and November 17, 1876, was united in marriage with L.L. Plummer. To this union were born eight children, two of them preceding their mother to the better land. She leaves to mourn her loss a husband and six children, namely,--Mrs. Anna West, Orey E. Plummer and Leroy E. Plummer, all of Roundup, Montana; Charles H. of California, and Mrs. A.H. and Mrs. F. Livingston, both of Hastings, Nebraska, and four grand-children. She also leaves behind two brothers and three sisters;--George W. Corbin, of Kansas; James P. Corbin of Missouri; Mrs. Mary Wilder and Mrs. Sarah Marshall, of Ayr, and Mrs. Anna Bell, of Hastings. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Daniel Lapp at the Methodist church Sunday at 2 p.m., March 12, with interment at the Leroy cemetery where the Rebekah ladies gave their beautiful ritualistic service.
Martha Jane (Corbin) Plummer was buried in Blue Valley Cemetery, Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska. Martha's parents, James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin and many of her brothers and sisters and other family members are also buried in the Blue Valley Cemetery.
I'm going to talk about each one of Levi and Martha (Corbin) Plummer's children in separate posts on this blog. I am hopeful that information about the ancestors of Levi L. Plummer will someday be found, but for me, all remains speculation.
Happy trails!
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