STEUBEN REPUBLICAN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1877, pg.3, col.6, 
ITEM #1,

SAMUEL PIERSON, 1794 - 13 Mar 1877

   Old Mr. Samuel Pierson, one of the pioneers of this 
county, died yesterday, on the old homestead where he settled 
in the spring of 1836, about 3« miles south-west of Angola.  
He was about 84 years of age and had been quite infirm and 
feeble for the past few years.  He was a soldier in the war 
of 1812, and had many a reminiscence of that period to relate 
to his friends.  His funeral takes place to-morrow at 10« 
o'clock.

STEUBEN REPUBLICAN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1877, pg. 3, col. 1,
ITEM #2,   

   Old uncle Samuel Pierson, whose death was noticed in last 
week's REPUBLICAN, was one of the first settlers in this part 
of the country.  He was born in the state of Connecticut, 
where he emigrated to Ohio in 1818, where he lived some nine 
years.  He there married, for his first wife a sister of Mr. 
Ezekiel Crain.  He removed from Ohio, to near Ypsilanti, 
Mich., where he lived about nine years, and in 1836, came to 
this State, settling upon the farm where he died.  His first 
wife died twenty-seven years ago, and a few years thereafter 
he married the widow Ward, mother of Mr. Ansel Ward, well 
known to all our citizens.  His second wife survives him.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

   Samuel Pierson, 1794 - 13 Mar 1877, married 1st a ______ (Crain) 
Pierson.  The obituary states she died 27 years prior to Samuel's 
death which would be 1850.  The obituary also states that he 
married the widow Ward, Rebecca (Gray) Ward, 1807 - 02 May 1881, a 
few years after his 1st wife's death.  www.familysearch.org gives 
the marriage date as 10 Nov 1850.  Rebecca was born in 
Pennsylvania, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Gray.  Place of 
burial unknown for any of the above.

CHILDREN OF REBECCA'S MARRIAGE TO Alexander Ward, born about 1809, 
and married 17 Jan 1827 to Rebecca in Windsor, Ashtabula County, 
Ohio:
   Ancil M. Ward, 22 May 1829 - 20 Jul 1891, on 16 May 1855, 
married Susan E. (Yockey) Ward, 15 Mar 1837 - 10 Dec 1933.  They 
are buried at Mt.Zion Cemetery, Steuben County, Indiana.  Susan was 
the daughter of Frederick Yockey, 25 Sep 1808 - 05 Feb 1899, and 
his 1st wife, Mary Ann (Eckert) Yockey, who died in March 1849 and 
is not buried in Steuben County.  Ancil's mother, Rebecca, was 
residing in his household in the 1880 United States Census, 
Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana.
   Mary (Ward) Keeslar, 12 Feb 1831 - 08 Apr 1914, on 28 Feb 1849, 
married Joseph Keeslar, 1824 - 09 Sep 1901.  Mary is buried at 
Branch County, Michigan, possibly Joseph is buried there, also.  
They resided in Gilead, Branch County, Michigan, at the time of 
the3 1880 United States Census.
   Nancy (Ward) Stearns, was born Apr 1833, married on 13 Jul 1856, 
to John Stearns who was born 03 Dec 1829.  No other information.
   Loyal Ward, born 1837, on 30 Nov 1856, married Lucy Ann (Hawes) 
Ward.  No other information.

"History of Steuben County, Indiana, 1885," page 651, biography of 
brother-in-law, Ezekiel Crane; page 694, biography of Stepson, 
Ancil Ward.
"Marriage Records, Steuben County, Indiana, 1837 - 1899"
"History of Northeast Indiana, 1920," page 71, biography of Francis 
Leason.
"Cemeteries of Steuben County, Indiana, 1990," by Audree Seibel 
Lewis, Vol. 2, pages 1892, 1893, 2011.
Original Land Owners, Steuben County, Indiana, 1998 - page 35, 
Quentin Watkins.
www.familysearch.org - 1880 United States Census; Family Group 
Records for Alexander Ward, Samuel Pierson; IGI Individual Records 
for Rebecca Gray, Joseph Keeslar, Loyal Ward.
Submitted by Mona Hilden-Beckwith
e-mail:  hilbeck123@att.net