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A selection of rememberances by Grandma Steiner.

Grandma, Edith Jenevieve Steiner

(The following is from notes taken from a tablet in the possession of James R. Steiner)

The Nelson and Hanson family as know to me.

Edith Jenevieve Nelson daughter of Burchard Allison Nelson and JoAnnah Hanson who were married July. They were the parents of 5 children, Charlotte Ann who died at five week's and Margarette who died at six weeks and one son Claud James and Effie Leona and Edith J. Steiner, All grew to man and women-hood.

Grandma & Margaret, Claud, Verna, Ray & Susy, June 1910

Lawrence Packer, Effie and Harry Steiner

Claud died Jan 1, 1969 and the two sisters still survive him Clauds wife and three daughters are still living, Effie was married to Lawrence Packer raised two sons, Lawrence died in 1930, and after several years of widow-hood she married Clarence Emrick, who died Nov 1963. Edith Nelson married Harry Burgess Steiner in 1916 and raised five sons and six daughters, Fred, Ervin, Tom, John, Anna, Selma, Hazel, Katherine, Virginia, Irene and Joe. Harry died in 1936 after nearly a year illness. Eldest son Fred died Oct 25th 1966 after three weeks illness.

Grandmas Maternal Great Grandparents, Joseph Hanson and Mary Jane Steed

Burchard Allison was the son of Andrew Jackson Nelson and Katherine Archibald who were the parents of twelve living children, one died at birth, the time of his marriage to JoAnnah Hanson daughter of Mr and Mrs Joseph Hanson he was a Civil war veteran she had a twin sister deceased and two brothers and two sisters all deceased now Allie died Nov 8th 1948 and now has one living sister Katherine and two brothers Charles Custer and John, they are all in their 85, 87, 93. Allie died at near 89 Anna died Nov 8th 1929, 19 years to the day before my father.

They were known just as Annie and Allie by their friends. I Edith Nelson Steiner 80 year's Dec 1, 1972 just attended the Nelson reunion July 15, 1973 at the Monon Park where John Nelson 94 was reelected President of the Nelson Reunion. My son who has been sec for 9 or 10 yr retired in favor of John Nelson grandson who is to be sec for next year. Charles Custer Nelson age 96 died in the spring after just having a sale and went to a nursing home of his own choice where he was his daughter said was perfectly contented until he slipped and fell hit his head and Dr's said the shock killed him. He was granted his long time wish of dying with out ever being completely helpless and dependent which is a wish we all have. Ira Berns was at the reunion he made the trip by plane from California he I think is 86 or 87. He thinks it will be the last trip for him "who knows" Aunt Katherine Camean is still living in California is 92 she has not been at the reunion's for several year's so there is just one boy and one girl the two youngest of the thirteen children living. Our great grandmother was 98 when she died. Tough Nelson's we were and are.

Grandma and a friend

Extraordinary Find
For the past forty years doing research on the Steiner family, there was one thing more than anything else that I wanted to discover; that was some pictures of the Steiners. Although I felt that I knew them from newspaper accounts, obituaries, birth certificates, marriage licenses, national archives, etc, I didn't want to tell their stories without pictures of who these people were. After all our grandfather's mother, Agnes Wallace, was the daughter of the governor of Indiana. She was considered the most beautiful young woman in all the highest social circles. John H. Steiner was a wealthy railroad man who was known throughout the USA because he was the secretary for many years of the National Trotter Association. It wasn't until this week that I was able to complete my long search documenting the Steiners. Over the years periodically I have contacted the Lew Wallace Museum in Crawfordsville for help. I always asked if the museum had pictures of John H. Steiner and/or his wife Agnes Wallace Steiner. I always received the same answer, No. It has been hard for me to believe for such a prominent family to have no family pictures. After all, photography was a very common and popular activity in the second half of the nineteenth century. I decided to try one more time with the Lew Wallace Museum. As providence would have it, I spoke the the director of the museum. He stated that he was unaware of any family pictures of the Steiners from Cataract Falls except of a single portrait of Agnes Wallace Steiner. Then he said that recently he received some pictures that was entitled, Race Track Pictures from Cataract Falls. He went on to say the pictures had the race track, the house, and several groups of people. He emailed me the pictures ( he made copies with his phone so the quality is not the best. I hope to go to Crawfordsville and make my own copies soon). To my astonishment there is a group picture of the Steiners and family members taken on the steps of the home. Now, there is no date on the picture and non of the people are identified. But the picture of the woman holding the baby is an exact match of Agnes Wallace Steiner. It would make sense that a picture would be taken celebrating the adoption of a baby girl and a young boy. The boy setting in front of John H. Steiner looks to be five years old. That was the age that Harry Burgess was given to the Steiners. Harry was born in 1890. I am sure that this picture was taken in 1895. Another person in the picture is Zerelda Wallace, Agnes Steiner's mother. She is the woman directly behind John H. Steiner in the black dress. Zerelda lived with the Steiners after her husband, David Wallace ( sixth governor of Indiana) passed away. She was a very prominent woman in the woman suffrage movement. Her picture matches up perfectly with other pictures that I have seen of her. I have been looking for a picture like this for years.
Jon F. Steiner June 2019

Family on Front Porch

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