The Ingram-Rupertus family began away from the city of Paducah and county of McCracken.  According to the birth records for Caldwell County, George O. Ingram was born there July 15, 1858, the son of Morris Ingram and Elizabeth Hanks.  The 1850 census records for Caldwell County show that Morris Ingram, 29, was a house carpenter; his wife Elizabeth C. was 23.  Three infants had been born – Milton H., 2; Charles F., 1; and Cornelia, 5/12.  By 1860 two other infants were listed in addition to the three above who were 10, 10 and 9 – George O., 1 and Walter, 9/12.  With such a difference between the ages of the sets of children it leads us to believe that there were children born in those ensuing nine years that died at an early age.

Morris Ingram died before the 1870 census.  Elizabeth had moved the family to Paducah and is listed as head of household, 42, a seamstress.  Son Milton is a carpenter, son Frederick is a plow molder in a factory.  Three other children were born in 1860’s – Lionel, Blanche and Owen.

Mary A. Rupertus was the daughter of immigrant parents – Gottfried Rupertus and Barbara Schwaer, who are listed on her death certificate.  In 1870 and 1880 the Rupertus family is living in McCracken County.  In the 1870 census Gottfried (Godfrey) is 41, a soap maker, born in Prussia.  Sophia Barbara, 34, was from Wurttemberg, Germany, arriving in the United States in 1840 as a small girl.  Their children were Rosanna, 12; Bertha, 10; Godfrey, 8; Mary A., 4; Ida E, 2; Minnie E., 5/12.  Son John was born in 1873.

From the 1900 census records, we find that George O. Ingram and Mary A. Rupertus were married about 1884, since they had been married 16 years.  George, following in his father’s footsteps, was a carpenter, later becoming a contractor.  Blanche, 12, Earl, 8, Augusta, 8 and Marie, 4, are the children living at this time.  In 1910 Blanche was a schoolteacher at the McKinley School (she taught school for 50 years).  Earl was a bookkeeper.  Augusta (who later became a teacher), Marie, Rupert and Edna were too young at this time to be employed.

This must have been a very happy family since the local newspaper is sprinkled with notices of parties given, Miss Augusta Ingram’s second grade class winning a prize and their father, George, was involved with many civic groups and organizations.

But as with any family, there are sad times to go along with the good.  1914 was a tragic year.  Son Earl Ingram died of tuberculosis at the young age of 23, on March 21, 1914.  He was married to Miss Mildred Levy, but they had no children.

The Paducah Sun Democrat, McCracken County, Kentucky

Saturday, June 6, 1914

Three months later daughter Marie Agnes Ingram died, also of tuberculosis.

Marie Agnes Ingram, December 16, 1895 – June 7, 1914.  ‘With Jesus.’

In December of 1917 a newspaper notice read, ‘Mrs. Harry Arnold, of Crestone, Col., is visiting her father, Mr. George O. Ingram and family, of Farley Street.  Mrs. Arnold was Miss Augusta Ingram before her marriage.  She will spend the holidays here.’

In April of 1918 Blanche Ingram married Dr. W. W. Wilkinson, a dentist.

The Paducah News Democrat, McCracken County, Kentucky

Friday, August 22, 1919

August 21, 1919, Mary A. Rupertus Ingram died of an ulcer of the stomach.  Her family must have been devastated; she was only 53.  Other than her husband, son Rupert and three daughters, she was survived by a brother, George Rupertus, and one sister, Mrs. Augusta B. Rogers.

Mary A., wife of George O. Ingram, June 2, 1866 – August 21, 1919.  ‘Asleep in Jesus.’

The Paducah Sun Democrat, McCracken County, Kentucky

Wednesday, 13, 1924

George O. Ingram continued on until August 13, 1924, when he died of asthma.  Going from carpenter to contractor, George was well known as such in Paducah.  He was active in many fraternal orders including Knights Templar, Masons, Kosair Shriner, the order of Red men, Ben Hur and Jersey Camp of Woodmen.  He was survived by one son, Rupert, and three daughters – Blanche, Augusta and Edna; a brother, Owen Ingram and sister Cornelia Hoyer.

George O. Ingram, July 15, 1857 – August 13, 1924.  ‘My trust was in God.’

The four remaining children lived another 35 years or more.