Vawter, John Thomas (b. 28 OCT 1872, d. 1939)

Note: 1900 Fulton IN. census:
George W Russel.....Nov 1851....48....OH
Marthia Russel.....May 1855....45....IN
John T Vawter....Oct 1872....27....IN........son-in-law
Nellie E Vawter.....Dec 1877.....22...IN

1910 Fulton IN census:
John Vawter....39....IN
Nellie Vawter....30....IN
George Vawter....7....IN

1920 Wayne, IN census:
John T Vawter....47....IN
Nellie E Vawter.....33 ?.....IN
George Vawter....18.....IN
Martha Vawter.....5.....IN

Note: 1900 Cedar Vale, KS
John Vawter.....Feb 1857..43, IL, KY,KY
Clarence Vawter...June 1880, 19, IL,IL,IL

see D Dora Vawter living with parents Wilhelms.
and 3 children, Fred, A Rexford and M Mary

Note: 1880 McLean, ILL census:
John W Vawter....46....KY..KY..KY
Sor-----Vawter....42....OH..OH..OH.... wife - name is not readable.
Samuel D Vawter....21...IL
William D Vawter....18...IL
Mariah F Vawter...16...IL
Eliza J Vawter...13...IL
Gether Vawter...11...IL... Says "Daughter" maybe Jephtha
Fred C Vawter....7....IL
Emma (?) Murry...21...IL...teaching school

Note: 1860 Indiana Census:
J W Vawter 42 Ind
Louisa Vawter 27 "
Sarah E Vawter 8 (Emma ?) "
Charles D Vawter 6 "
John S Vawter 3 "
Louisa E Vawter 1 (Elizabeth ?)
James Vawter 77 father
Sarah Vawter 55 mother
Thomas Vawter 19 probably younger brother
Frances Vawter 35

Note: 1860 US Census Liberty, Lucas Co., IA
John W. Vawter age 38 b. VA
Emily A age 22 b. OH
Alonzo P age 10 b. KY
William T age 2 b. IA
Granville M age 4 mon b. IA

1880 Lucas Co. IA census - see Emily Jane Wheeler

Note: 1870 North Carolina census:
Jane Farnsworth 80 keeping house NC
Robert W Farnsworth 49 Farmer TN
Catherine Clark 45 TN
Sarie (?) Clark 22 TN
Robert Clark 20 TN
Charles Clark 17 TN
Janet (?) Clark 15 TN
William Clark 12 NC
Marcus (?) Clark 10 NC

JOHN W VAWTER 35 R.R Engineer VA
Elizabeth D Vawter 30 VA
Nelson C Vawter 1 VA

John Zimmerman 26 R.R. Engineer VA
Martha Zimmerman 24 VA
John Zimmerman 7/12 NC

1880 Virginia census:
W J Vawter 46 School Teacher VA
Elizabeth D Vawter 41 VA
Nelson C Vawter 11 VA
Clara Mc Vawter 10 VA
William A Vawter 8 VA
Charles K Vawter 6 VA
Andrew E Vawter 4 VA
James S Vawter 2 VA
living next door to several families by the name of Kean(e)

Note: WILL VAWTER
Will Vawter, whose full name was John William Vawter, was born in Boone Co. VA, 13 April 1871. He was the son of Dr. Louis A. Vawter & Emma Mary Damson (385 Bicknell) . Lineage: Edward, William, William, John Henderson, Louis A., & Will Vawter.
From the time his hands were able to hold a pencil, he showed a marked talent for drawing which was encouraged by his mother.
He married May Howey Murray in 1902 ending in divorce 17 years later. In 1923 he married Mrs. Ola Lackey Genolin of Nashville.
From 1908 Will made his home in Brown County, IN until his death 11 Feb. 1941 at age 69. Some of his finest work was of that picturesque corner of the state which were landscapes of hills, trees, streams, and country roads in all seasons of the year. If he had any preference it was for winter scenes.
Although nearly 20 years younger than James Whitcomb Riley, the two men, poet and artist, became close friends. With the exception of a few volumes, all the Riley books were illustrated by Will Vawter.

VAWTER/VAUGHTER (S) NEWSLETTER JUNE 1979 ISSUE NO. 7
Artistic accomplishments of the V/V have come to light recently from various sources. John William (Will) Vawter, son of Dr. Louis A. and Emma Mary (Dameron) Vawter (tribe of Edward, the Builder) was an artist and illustrator for the books of James Whitcomb Riley. LoRee Vawter Dennis reports that her family has a book entitled "Riley Farm Rhymes" by James Whitcomb Riley,. artist pictures by Will Vawter, copyright 1883. Virginia Groseclose wrote that she had owned some of the Riley books, but in her many moves as wife of a Methodist Minister, they had been misplaced.

NEWSLETTER MAY 1980 ISSUE NO. 10
One of the nicest gestures to reach the editor's desk recently came from Donald D. Ritchie, 49 Claremont Ave., N.Y., N.Y. 10027, whose wife, Nancy Vawter Ritchie, died Jan. 19, 1980 (VVVNL No. 9, p. 2, para. 1). Mr. Ritchie offered to the VVV Association a copy of James Whitcomb Riley's Farm Rhymes, illustrated by Will Vawter, 1921 reprint of the 1883 edition; and a metal, enameled sign, Valletort Place, which he had rescued from a rubble of bombed-out Plymouth, England during WW II; stating that he felt they should be in the possession of someone named Vawter. President Jim Vaughters lost no time in contacting Mr. Ritchie and claiming these mementoes for the family association. These items will become the first in the anticipated "Vawter Collection".

WINTER 1983 Vol. 8 #2 page 9
REMINISCING
From PAUL E. VAWTER. SR. - 3801 Mission Hill Road, Northbrook, IL 60062
I shall never forget WILL VAWTER, a large stooped shouldered giant. Back then he and James Whitcomb Riley were not only good friends but close drinking buddies. I visited with Will and his second wife at studio and adjoining house, both very modest.
He had a fine reputation as an illustrator and as a landscape artist. He won many prizes for his work at the annual Hoosier Art Salon sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. Many of his works were reproduced in the Sunday Tribune.
After his death his remaining works were placed in the Hoosier Salon in Indianapolis. We bought one of his landscapes, Spring Scene. Most of his work was done by knife rather than by brush.

Spring 1987 p. 14
"WHO WAS WHO IN AMERICA" Vol. I 1897-1942 - 4th printing
From: Bonita Welch of Scipio, IN
VAWTER, John William (Will), illustrator; b. Boone Co., VA., Apr. 13, 1871; s/o Dr. Louis A. & Emma Mary (Dameron) Vawter; educated in the public schools, Greenfield, IN; m. Mary Howey Murray, Nov. 19, 1902 (divorced 1919); m. 2nd Ola Lackey Genolin, Sept. 2, 1923. First professional work as artist on Indianapolis Sentinel, 1891; in 1897 wrote and illustrated series of comic verses for Cincinnati Commercial Gazette; in 1899, collaborated with sister, Clara Vawter, in producing child's book "Of Such Is the Kingdom" (title later changed to "The Rabbit's Ransom"). Has made occasional illustrations for the Indianapolis News, Judge, Life and Success, New York. Now devoting time to landscape paintings in oil.

Note: Will's mother's maiden name is given as "Damson" and "Dameron", but Georgene spells it "Dawson".

Note: 1860 Ripley, Ind. census:
Johnson S Vawter....36....Ind.
Diana Vawter....34....Ind
Caleb Moncraft....69 (?).....s/b Moncrief
June Moncraft....73

Note: 1850 Kentucky census:
Joseph E Vawter 57 Farmer VA
Nancy Vawter 47 VA
Amanda Vawter 17 KY
Sarah Vawter 15 KY
Mary Vawter 13 KY
John Vawter 8 KY
Josephus Vawter 7 KY
Barbara Vawter 5 KY.....probably should be Beverly
Mary A Ogden 25
Martha Ogden 3

Note: 1900 Ouachita Ark census:
Joseph Vawter......Aug 1866 ......33.....IN.....name written Vanter
Jane Vawter......May 1874......26....MO.....m. 11 years......4 children, 3 living
Agniss Vawter......Feb 1890......10.....AR
Myrtle Vawter.....May 1892......8.....AR
Hazel Vawter.....Apr 1897.....3.....AR
3 boarders, can't read

Note: 1880 Monroe Co. KY census:
Joseph T Vawter....28....KY
Nancy O Vawter....31....KY
James W Vawter....6....KY
Dora B Vawter.....2....KY
Etta M Vawter....1 mo....KY

1900 Monroe Co KY census:
Joseph Vawter....Mar 1852.....48.....KY
Nancy O Vawter....Jan 1850...50...KY
James W Vawter.....Oct 1873....27...KY
Eva Vawter....Aug 1883....16...KY
Judie A Vawter....Apr 1887....KY

1910 Monroe Co. KY census:
Joseph T Vawter....58....KY
Nancy J Vawter....60....KY.....6 children, 4 living
Dora B Vawter....32....KY
Juda Vawter....23....KY

Note: Josephine Vawter Parker (widow) was a member of VVV Association in the 1980's. Address Indianapolis, IN

Note: Some records show her name as Juliann, but in the 1860 (lliving with Andrew Ware/Weir family) she is listed as Julia Vawter, name
indexed as "Vanter"
1870 census record, she is Julia. married to James Crawly.
On her daughter Anna's death certificate, the mother's name is Julia Ann Vawter.

Note: Need more proof that Julia is in the right family.
Some family stories say that John was a bachelor. Some say he married a cousin Elizabeth Vawter.

Note: She is buried in Cushing Cemetery, Nacogdoches, Tx.

Note: 1850 Jackson Co. IN. census:
Julius Vawter... 37.... VA
Phebe Vawter... 31... IN
Sarah Vawter... 12.... IN
Phetney A Vawter...10.... IN
Louisa Vawter..... 4.... IN

Note: In the 1900 Jennings Ind. census, Kate Vawter, 38 and son Ralph 9, are living
with Kate's sister and family - Ida and Willis Mitchell.

Note: 1910 Linn, Iowa census:
Keith Vawter......39.....IA....OH....OH
Cora Vawter.....37....IA....PA,,,,KY

Note: In the 1910 Grayson Co. TX census, Clyde and Leonard are boarding and working for Wm. Shelton.

1920 Kern, Calif. census:
Amanda Vawter.....64...Ark
Leonard Vawter....31..Ark.....son....widowed
Clyde Vawter...28...Ark.....son
Ada Vawter...20...Ark....daughter
Dewey (?) Vawter...5....Cal. ... grandson....(Elwin, Leonard's son, would be about this age ?)

1930 Kern, Ca. census:
Lenord Vawter.....39...Ark
Clyde Vawter.....36...Ark....brother
Elwin Vawter....14...CA...son
Amindy Vawter.....75....Ark

Note: The obituary for Marie V Hawkins, 97, is in the VVV Newsletter, March 2007.