The  Shelbyville  News
 February 26, 1979
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          Mrs. Rebecca Armstrong, 54, Westport, died Friday, Columbus.
          Born Oct 17, 1924, Shelby Co, d/o  Edward  and  Mae (Harker) Crafton.
          Tax consultant.
          Married  Alfred Armstrong  Sept 17, 1944.  He survives.
          Member Burnsville Christian Church and American Business Assoc.
          Survivors:  children,  Harold E. Armsrong, Columbus,  Mrs. Anna Ownbey, North Vernon,  Marvin D. Armstrong, Elizabethtown;  brother,  Melvin Crafton, Bristol; sister,  Mrs. Carl Hardwick, Fountaintown; 11 grandchildren.
          Son, Ray Lee Armstrong, preceded in death, 1948,  and brother,  Clyde Crafton,  died 1949.
          Norman Funeral Home, Hope.  Tim Wallingford and David Harker, officiates.
          Burial in Mt. Aerie Cemetery.
Contributed and summarized by Phyllis Miller Fleming


Shelbyville  Newspaper
 Feb. 5, 1939
HUSBAND  OF  FORMER  RESIDENT  MURDERED
Ex-Morristown Woman's Husband is Asphyxiated by Robbers At Cincinnati
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          The body of  Willard H. Armstrong, 38, railroad accountant and husband of a former resident of Morristown, was found in his home, at Cincinnati, Sunday and officers said they believed the man was asphyxiated by robbers who ransacked his home.
          He was the husband of the former  Miss Jessie Arnold, daughter of  Mr. and Mrs. Scott Arnold.  The family lived at Morristown a number of years and the parents now live in Indianapolis.
          Police said Armstrong's hand and feet were tied and a heavy paper bag, connected to a rubber tube to a gas range, was fitted over his head.  Coroner Frank M. Coppock, Jr.  said Armstrong was suffocated by the gas fumes after he was struck on the head.  Armstrong's body was found by his wife upon her return from Indianapolis.  Approximately $275 in money and stocks and bonds were taken from a bureau.
          Mrs. Armstrong has several relatives in the county, including  Mrs. Harry Talbert, an aunt, and  Frank Arnold, an uncle, of Morristown, and  George Unger  and  William Arnold, uncles, of Gwynneville.  Will Unger, of Greenfield, is also her uncle.  She was graduated from Morristown high school with the class of 1919 and left that community about twelve years ago.
Submitted by Anne Ruby


THE  SHELBYVILLE  DEMOCRAT
Monday, April 1, 1907
page 1, column 3
ORIGINAL  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  REVOLUTION
Was Mrs. Martha Armstrong Who Died Yesterday
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          At The Age Of Ninety Years in the glory of the sunlight of the Easter afternoon, on the day when the Christian world was touched with the impressive teachings of the Resurrection, the spirit of  Mrs. Martha Armstrong  dropped its earthly habiliments and joined the great congregation of the redeemed in the Better Land.  Hers had been a long pilgrimage.  Full ninety years had she battled with the world, one of our oldest pioneers, her life is worthy of note.  Her father, Phillip Young, his wife and two young children, crossed the Alleghenies late in the eighteenth or just at the dawn of the nineteenth century, locating in the Miami Valley, near Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, where Martha and her surviving sister, Mrs. Mary Montgomery, were born.  Life in the new country was primitive, many wandering tribes of the Miami Indians, altho then peaceful, encamped near the home of  Phillip Young.  Early in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, her father removed his family to Rush county, Indiana, taking up from the government or purchasing it among the first lands put on sale, a farm near the present site of Rushville. He helped build the first house erected in Rushville.  Here he and his family cleared their farm, fought wild animals and diseases incident to the new country with its rank and decaying vegetation. Here Martha became the wife of  Jesse Oldham, and mother of his children, she planted flax, wove and spun their clothing, baked and churned, and filled all requirements of the pioneer wife and mother.  Here death snatched from the home the husband and father, and he was laid to rest in a lonley grave around which pickets were driven to protect it from wild animals.  After this affliction she joined her father's family in the Blue river settlement, nea Marion, Shelby county, Indiana, where he had removed.  It was in this locality she was wedded to her second husband, William Armstrong, and reared a second family, cheerfully doing whatever her hand found to do.  Not only did she care for her own children, but her motherly heart took within its shelter an orphan, William Israel, a step-grandson of her husband.  Her children numbered seven.  Only two are now living, David Armstrong, of No. 15 First street, her son with whom, since her second husband's death some fifteen or sixteen years ago, has been her home, and a daughter, Mrs. Mary Lasker, now residing in Iowa.  Mrs. Armstrong was one of Phillip Young's eleven children, all of  whom excepting a brother accidentally drowned in childhood, lived to a ripe old age, several having reached ninety years.  Old settlers recall her brother, Jesse Young, who lived and died, when far past ninety, on his farm near Morristown, which he had taken up as government land.  Two other brothers of advanced years reside in Illinois.  Her sister who survives is Mrs. Mary Montgomery, eighty-eight years of age, residing on west Mechanic street.  Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. Montgomery spent the day together recently at the former's home, commemorating her birthday when she had completed her ninetieth year.  Mrs. Armstrong was of a cheery, joyous disposition, loving to recall the many happy incidents in her long life, especially lingering over the pleasures of pioneer life.  Her death marks the passing of the pioneer women-heroines in the Northwest Territory.  Recently, thru descent from  Phillip Young  of the revolutionary period, both Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. Montgomery were made "Daughters of the American Revolution" of the Anne Crooker St. Clair Chapter, Effingham, Illinois, and received each a handsome gold spoon, as a souvenir from the National Society, at Washington, D.C.  They became by admission what is known as "Original Daughters of the D. A. R."  Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Blue River church, known as the Old Church of United Brethern, the oldest church organization in Shelby county.  She will be laid to rest in the same lot in the churchyard with, Phillip Young, her father, and William Amrstrong, her husband.  Those desiring to view the remains may do so from four o'clock to eight o'clock this evening and from seven until nine tomorrow morning.
Submitted by Barb Huff


The  Shelby  Democrat
 Thursday July 20, 1905
Page 6 column 1
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MRS. ARMSTRONG  DEAD
Aged Lady Passed Away at the Home of Her Daughter Friday Evening
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          Mrs. Lydia Armstrong  passed away Friday evening at five o'clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Albert Wray, after an illness of several months.
          Mrs. Armstrong was in the seventy-ninth year of her age and was a devout Christian lady.  She leaves surviving her one daughter, Mrs. Albert Wray, and two grandsons, Howard Dorsey, of Indianapolis, and  Fred Dorsey, of St. Louis, and a number of other relatives residing at Edinburg and Franklin.
          Mrs. Armstrong resided during her illness with her daughter in this city.  Prior to her illness she resided at Edinburg.  Funeral services, which were private, were held at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Wray on Monday and the remains were then taken to Greensburg for burial.
Contributed by Barb Huff  for Richard Felts


THE  SHELBY  REPUBLICAN
Shelbyville, Indiana
Tuesday, September 19, 1899
page 2   column 1
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          Fernando W. Armstrong died at the residence of J. E. Nail on East Franklin street at 10:30 p.m. September 15, of lung trouble, aged 38 years.  The deceased was born in Hendricks county, Indiana and was married to Miss Lizzie Chambers, of Lewis Creek, on March 13, 1896.  Their home was in Indianapolis but they had been traveling for the health of deceased. The widow only survives.  He was a member in good standing in the order of Brotherhood of railroad trainmen, and was a kind and affectionate husband.  Services at the residence of Mr. Nail at 168 East Franklin street, at 1 p.m. Sunday 17.  Interment in the Patterson cemetery by Edwards & Hageman.
Submitted by Barb Huff


The  Shelby  Republican
Thurs. Jan. 12, 1893
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          Brison B. Armstrong an aged and respected farmer living in Washington Twp. died Tuesday morning at 1:15 A.M. of paralysis.  He died on his 83rd birthday being one of earliest settlers of the county, well known and well liked by all who knew him.  Funeral Wednesday 11:00 at Norristown Cemetery.  Burial by Marshall G. Tindall.
Submitted by Judy Wright

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