The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, May 10, 1900
Page 7, column 5
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DEATH
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Friday Evening of John Maholm in This City
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John Maholm died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Michael Posz, No. 77 Colescott Street, at
8:40 p.m., Friday, May 4th, of paralysis, aged eighty-five years and five months. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 3rd, 1815. He passed his boyhood days on the farm of his
parents. He came with his parents to this county when quite young, settling in Moral township. At the
age of eighteen he became an apprentice to a carpenter, which occupation he followed a great many
years; he also followed farming to some extent since he settled in this county. He was married to
Margaret Carvein, Feburary 3, 1839. Mrs. Maholm died March 20, 1871. In 1880 he was again
married to Susan Goodrich Clayton, who died July 17, 1899, since which time he has made his
home with his daughter. Deceased served two terms as Coroner of Shelby county back in the seven-
ties. He leaves six children, one daughter, Mrs. M. Posz, of this city, the five sons are William W. Maholm, of this city, and Thomas A., Michael, Daniel and John S. Maholm, of Indianapolis. His funeral service was held at the home of his daughter, 77 Colescott street, at 3 o'clock p.m. Sunday, May 6. Rev. Tressler, of the Presbyterian church officiating. Interment will be made in the City Cemetery.
Submitted by Barb Huff
The Shelby Republican
Tuesday, July 18, 1899
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AUNT SUSAN MAHOLM.
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One of the Very Early Settlers of Shelby County Dead.
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Susan Maholm, wife of John Maholm, died at her home No. 71 Colescott street, at five o'clock a.m., Monday, July 17, of senility, aged eighty-eight years. She was the daughter of Nathan and Susan Goodrich. She was born in Belmont county, Ohio, and came to Shelby county, Indiana, when a child. Her father served in the war of the Revolution. Funeral services will be held at the house at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18th, Elder H. H. Nesslage officiating. Interment in the City cemetery. Funeral in charge of Edwards & Hageman.
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The above is a brief outline of one of the noted characters of Shelby county. Mrs. Maholm for years has been called "Aunt Susan" many persons not knowing her by any other name. She was the last survivor of the noted Indian scouts of the war of 1776, her mother, Susan Whetzel, having been a sister of Cyrus, Lewis and Jacob Whetzel, men who fought their way to fame in the war of the Revolution, two of them afterward blazing the track that led the early settlers into what is now Shelby county, a story familiar to most of our readers.
Nathan Goodrich, her father, was a Connecticut Yankee and was a member of the Second Connecticut Volunteers in the war of 1776. In that war he met the Whetzels and they became firm friends and allies, messing together and carrying on their work in behalf of the struggling colonists. When peace was finally declared Mr. Goodrich, who was still a young man, went home with the Whetzels where he met their sister Susan and married her. While a girl the father of Susan Whet- [there is at least one line of type missing here-PMF]
these events causing Cyrus Whetzel to pursue every Indian he found until his death. The other brothers blazed a track through the wilderness from Virgina[sic] to the bluffs of White river where they settled. When this portion of Indiana was secured from the Delaware Indians the Whetzel trail was followed by William Goodrich and his family and with him came his parents, Nathan and Susan Goodrich. William Goodrich had purchased the land that now includes Forest Hill cemetery and his cabin was built a little to the left and east of the Vine street bridge. His parents lived for a number of years and both are buried in the old part of the City cemetery.
Aunt Susan grew to woman hood in Shelby county, which has been her home since the winter of 1820. She was one of the three remaining pioneers who were present when the county was organized and when this place was named. Much of her life is more strange than fiction and columns could be written concerning her. During the war she lived in West Shelby township where she did much to encourage men to enlist in the service. She regarded slavery as a crime and would have been perfectly willing to have enlisted to help put it down. Her character was such a positive quantity that when she said any thing during those stirring times every man understood what she meant and she was not deterred in any way in carrying forward her wishes. She was masculine in disposition as well as physical make up but possessed a heart as tender as that of a child when mercy and kindness were demanded. She was plain and blunt spoken and she never had occasion to tell any person more than one time what she meant. She will be buried beside her parents.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming
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