Descendants of Christopher Edward POPEJOY

Notes


9. Susannah POPEJOY

"A tall thin lady who smoked a corncob pipe."


12. Lawson POPEJOY

The Popejoy family of Wells County, pioneers of Union Township, came from Ohio in 1840 — 15 years prior to the adoption of states present constitution. Christian Popejoy, father of Lawson Popejoy, was a native of Virginia whence he moved to Kentucky and later to Ohio. There he married Nancy Bowees, native of Ohio. Their children who reached maturity were Eliza A., Susan (who married Johiel Lanning and became the mother of Julia Lanning Arnold, wife of Adam Arnold), Margaret, Lawson, Joseph, and Edward C.
Lawson Popejoy was born in Fayette County, Ohio. He was 2½ years old when his parents settled in Harrison Township, Wells County on land his father entered (¼ N.E. section) from the government. The land was covered with dense forest but Christian Popejoy cleared a tract from primeval conditions and there made his home until his death. He was licensed local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Lawson Popejoy, until age 22, lived on his father’s farm. During this time he attended subscription school, later a public school, and then became a teacher in the schools of his township. He began this business career by working out by the job at splitting rails, ditching, clearing off timber, and aiding his neighbors in developing the country. Through his labors he accumulated $600, and then married Orpha Davis, daughter of Elias Davis (native of Wells County.) After his marriage he rented the homestead in partnership with his brother, Edward C. To the marriage of Lawson and Orpha (Davis) Popejoy were born Louisa, Alice, Hattie, Sherman and Lawson.
In 1883, Mr. Popejoy erected his brick residence which he has since occupied.
Biographical Memories of Wells County, Indiana 1903, B.F. Bowen, Publisher, Logansport, Indiana