Look at this beautiful child!  Another of my great finds – in Lexington, Kentucky.  Fortunately this photo has a name – and birth date! – written on the back.  The photo was taken by James McKeown, in Anderson, Indiana.  May I introduce Lena May Stipp, born March 22, 1893.  She was born the same year as my grandmother!  Now we have a name, we have a birth date.  What can we find?

We’ll start with ancestry.com.  Put in the information we know and what do we find?  There is nothing listed under this particular name.  I click on the family trees.  Now, before we go any further, let’s remember the old saying, “Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.”  Benjamin Franklin said that, a very wise man.  This is my philosophy when dealing with ancestry.com’s family trees.  Please, I mean no offense to any one, but you cannot accept information that is not documented.  Back to the family trees.  First on the page was Helena Mae Stipp, born March 22, 1893, daughter of Edward Albert Stipp and Sadie Cleo Ikerd, died January 26, 1985, Bedford, Lawrence County, Indiana, spouse, Leman Bernard Lundy.  The birth date is exactly the same as on the back of the picture.  And Lena is usually a nickname, no surprise that the given name would be Helena.  Now let us research!

I often find it helpful when using ancestry.com, especially when I’ve found more information, to edit my search.  In doing that the box that pops up allows you to put in the full birth and death dates, which I added, and put in the name of spouse.  This still returned just the two original family trees.  I clicked on ‘all collections’.  The first listed was an Indiana Marriage Collection for Lina Stipp and Bernard Lundy.  This looks promising.  A marriage date of March, 1911, Clark County, Indiana.  No more information.

I’ve found if this brings no leads I do another search, using the spouse’s name and whatever information I’ve already found.  In searching for Leman Bernard Lundy the first item listed is the 1940 census record for Bernard Lundy and Helena M. Lundy.  Looking at the original record gives us Bernard Lundy, 48, Helena M. Lundy, 47, and daughter, Phyllis M. Lundy, 16.  The family is living on 7th Street in Bedford, Indiana.  Bernard is a stone cutter at a stone mill.

Now let’s look at the World War I Draft Registration Card for Leman Bernard Lundy.  His is living in Bedford, Indiana, born July 8, 1891.  He is a grocery delivery man for E. A. Stipp – this is a great clue for Helena’s father!  Leman is married, has a wife and child to support.  He is short and slender, brown hair and eyes.  This information was given on June 5, 1917.  This certainly looks like the information in the family tree was correct.  But let’s check a bit further.

Clicking on the 1920 census record for Bernard Lundy shows him as head of household, age 28, with wife, Lena Lundy (note the nickname!), age 25, and daughter, Gertrude Lundy, age 7.  Bernard is listed as a laborer in a stone mill.  If you will notice, when you first click on the census record it lists the information, and on the right side gives suggested records.  Using their suggestions I clicked on the 1910 census and it shows Bernard Lundy, at age 18, living with his parents, Alix Lundy, 53, and Kathren Lundy, 48, in Lawrence County, Indiana.

Finally there is a link to Find A Grave.  There is the stone for Bernard, born July 8, 1891, died, April 6, 1954, and Lena, born March 22, 1893, died January 26, 1985 – Beech Grove Cemetery, Bedford, Indiana.

Let’s do one more search, on Lena’s father, Edward Albert Stipp.  There are several city directories listed.  The first was for 1912:  Stipp, Edward A. (Sadie) grocer, residence 2010 H.  1915:  Stipp, Edward A. (Sadie) Stipp and Cornwell, 2010 H, phone 519.  1927:  Stipp, E. A. (Sadie), grocery 2008 H, residence 2010 H.  There is also a link to Find A Grave for the couple – Leatherwood Cemetery, Edward A. Stipp, born September 20, 1862, died March 6, 1940; and Sadie C. Stipp, born April 1, 1869, died, February 20, 1940.

I think we can conclusively say that we have found the family for little Lena Mae Stipp.  During your research please go to the original records.  If they cannot be found online visit the county courthouse, the library, the cemetery.  Your family tree will be founded on good, solid evidence!