A search for Barbara Stierheim, the wife of Seth Daily (1839) who was the son of David W. and Mary Shirley-Daily, proved to be quite successful though she was not located with Seth in the records.  Easily located with her parents because there was no other family by the name of Stierheim, it was soon discovered that she was the daughter of Francis J. Stierheim who was born in Strasbourg, France in 1812 and his wife Sarah Neely who was born in Indiana in 1819 and married Francis in Clark County.  Sarah is the daughter of Alexander D. Neely and Sarah Renard who were married in Clark County on 21 Aug 1813; and may have been the sister of Samuel Neely whose marriage to Margaret E. Atkins on 05 Feb 1844, was also listed in Clark County records. 

In 1850 Barbara was located in the household of her parents living in Charlestown.  Francis J. Stierheim was a 41 year-old saddler with real estate valued at $1,370, his birth place listed as France.  His wife Sarah age 29; son Alexander age 9; Barbara age 7; Francis age 6; Sarah E. age 4; and Isaac age three, all of whom were born in Indiana.

The family is listed in Charlestown in 1860 and Francis is also listed in the 1860-1861 directory as a saddler manufacturer.  Listed with him in the census is his wife Sarah age 40; Alexander age 19; Barbara age 15; Jacob age 14; Isaac age 12; Mary age 9; Carletta age 7; and Virginia age three.

Located in the 1870 census living four doors down from the Andrew J. and Mary Ann (Robertson) Boyer, the Stierheim's household consisted of Francis, now listed as a 59 year-old retired merchant born in France (his parents both listed as being of foreign birth); his wife Sarah age 52; Adalise age 12; "Jennie" age 11; and Addie age seven.

In 1880 Francis appears as a 67 year-old saddler who had worked three months of the year.  This census also indicates that both his mother and father were born in France.  Only his daughter Adaline who is listed as 19 years is living with him at this time, and the record contains no new information on her.

FRANCIS JOSEPH STIERHEIM was born, according to the family Bible, in Strasbourg, France on 24 Oct 1812. The nautrualization records list his date of birth as 27th of October. The name of Stierheim comes from the Bavarian authorities under the terms of the Vinenna Congress of 1815, and the name is believed to have been La Brek prior to this time.

Francis came to America with his brother on 18 Feb 1833 landing in South Carolina. According to his naturalization papers which are dated 15 May 1839, he was a native of Weisenburg, Elzas, Baiern on the Rhine. This town is now known as Wissembourg, Alsace, France. The meaning of the name is literally translated as "Home of the Bull" but as stated the French name may have been Labische, LaBreque, or laBrek.

The family Bible records his marriage to Sarah Neely as 14 Oct 1839 in Clark Co., Indiana, but the Indiana marriage records list this as 17 Oct 1839. Sarah was born 22 Aug 1819 in Indiana and was the daughter of Alexander D. Neely and Sarah (Renard) who had married in Clark Co., Indiana on 21 Aug 1813. Sarah Renard, wife of Alexander and mother of Sarah, was born in May of 1791 and died 26 Dec 1879 at the age of 88 and is laid to rest beside her husband in Union Cemetery on Waterline Road in Clark Co., Indiana.

Francis and Sarah joined the Charlestown Methodist Church on 07 Feb 1843. They were counted in the census records of Charlestown, Clark County, Indiana from 1850-1880; and Francis was listed in the 1860-1861 Business Directory for Charlestown as a manufacturer of saddles, harness, collars on the south side of the Public Square.

Francis died on 03 Dec 1881 and Sarah in August of 1878, both presumably in Charlestown. They were laid to rest at the Charlestown Cemetery.

CHILDREN OF
FRANCIS J. STIERHEIM & SARAH (NEELY)

1. William "Alexander" Stierheim - born 30 Sep 1840 in Clark Co., Indiana.

2. Barbara E. "Barbie" Stierheim - born 04 Sep 1842in Clark Co., Indiana; married Seth Daily; died 09 Mar 1875. 

3. Francis Jacob Stierheim - born 04 Oct 1844 in Clark Co., Indiana; married Valeria Prather (b.1847), daughter of Thomas William Wilcox Prather (b.1805) and Elizabeth Lentz (1810-1899).

4. Sarah E. Stierheim - born 24 Mar 1846 in Clark Co., Indiana; died 16 Jul 1859.

5. Isaac N. Stierheim - born 14 Feb 1848 in Clark Co., Indiana.

6. Abraham Stierheim - born 24 Sep 1850 in Clark Co., Indiana; died 25 Sep 1850.

7. Mary B. Stierheim - born 07 Jan 1853 in Clark Co., Indiana.

8. Claretta "Clara" Stierheim - born 01 Dec 1855 in Clark Co., Indiana.

9. Virginia B. Stierheim - born 05 Jan 1859 in Clark Co., Indiana.

10. Adaline - born 09 Nov 1860 in Clark Co., Indiana.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER STIERHEIM (Francis Joseph) was born 30 Sep 1840 in Clark Co., Indiana. He married (1) Edy Margaret Crum on 31 Oct 1865. Edy was born about 1841 and was the daughter of William L. and Mary. She died on 27 Aug 1870 at Charlestown, Indiana.

William "Alex" married (2) Lydia Ann Bridges on 27 Dec 1870 at the home of her parents. Lydia was born 09 Oct 1842 in Jefferson Co., Indiana and was the fifth of seven children born to Dillon Bridges and Mary (Gilbert), widow of Edmund J. Rank. Dillon, who was a lawyer, was born 07 Jan 1834 in Fleming Co., Kentucky and married Mary on 26 Jan 1834 in Wayne Co., Indiana. Mary was born 14 Feb 1807 in Federick Co., Maryland and was the daughter of Jermiah Gilbert and Zippe Powell. She had three children by her first husband, and moved to Madison, Jefferson Co., Indiana by 1850, and then came to Charlestown in about 1861.

Since Alex and Lydia's brother Martin VanBuren Bridges both served in Company D of the 22nd Indiana Regiment commanded by Captain Thomas Daily, it is possible that William may have met Lydia through her brother. His pension papers describe him as five feet seven inches, dark complection, black hair and eyes, and his occupation as a saddler.

Later in life William became Quartermaster of GAR Post 226 (Grand Army of Republic). His wife Lydia was a milliner by trade, and became blinded in one eye by having it pierced with a needle while mending an umbrealla for someone to carry to church. Because of her injury, she would favor showing her right sid to the camera when photographed.

1. William Francis Stierheim - born 06 Oct 1866 in Clark Co., Indiana.
2. Mary Alice Stierheim - born 31 May 1869 in Clark Co., Indiana.

1. Matilda "Tillie" Bridges Stierheim - born 12 Oct 1873 in Clark Co., Indiana. She was married but had no children, and died of a heart attack on her 49th wedding anniversary.
2. Bertha Rank Stierheim - born 11 Mar 1875 in Clark Co., Indiana; married 14 Jul 1904 in Clark Co., IN to Frank Nicholas Henderson who was born 28 Aug 1874 in Brazil, Clay Co., Indiana and was son of Calvin Holden and Martha Adeline (Nicholas). He died on 27 Dec 1957 in Yazoo city, Yazoo Co., Mississippi. Bertha died 16 Nov 1956 in Texarkana, Arkansas and was the mother of five children.
3. Charles Edward Stierheim - born 21 Nov 1876 in Clark Co., Indiana; died 18 Dec 1942 in Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.
4. Arthur Dillon Stierheim - born 20 Jan 1878 in Clark Co., Indiana. He married Adell Lutz on 15 Feb 1913 in Clark Co., Indiana. Adel was born 05 Oct 1873 in Clark Co., Indiana and was the daughter of Henry J. and Rhoda (Gibson). Arthur received a U.S. Patent on 06 Sep 1910 (Pat. No. 969218) for Wagon Standards (the tailgate). He died 12 Aug 1958 in Clark Co., Indiana.
5. Walter Alexander Stierheim - born 14 Jan 1881 in Clark Co., Indiana. He married Margaret Frances Plunkett on 18 Jan 1911 in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was born 30 May 1890 in Little Rock and was the daughter of Joseph Henry & Melissa Lee Plunkett. Walter died 26 Feb 1931 in Little Rock, AR and Margaret on 11 Dec 1968, also in Little Rock.
6. Mae Stierheim - born 22 Aug 1884 in Clark Co., Indiana. She married John Alexander Lowry on 15 Apr 1911. John was born 25 Mar 1879 in Gold Dust, Tennessee and died 08 Jul 1946. Mae and John were divorced in 1929 and she married (2) William V. Bowyer on 27 April 1929. She died of a stroke in November 1955 at the Madison State Hospital.

BARBARA STIERHEIM (Francis Joseph) was born 04 Sep 1842 in Charlestown, Clark Co., Indiana. She married Seth Daily, son of David Wise Daily and Mary A. (Shirley) on 06 Oct 1864 in Clark Co., Indiana. Seth was born on 09 Mar 1839 in Charlestown and served as a captian in the Union Army during the Civil War, enlisting on 10 Jan 1862. The Officer's Casualty Sheet from the State of Indiana indicates that Seth was dishonorably discharged from the service for "resignation in disapproving the policy of arming negroes." He was described as five foot eleven inches, fair complexion, light hair and light eyes and his occupation was that of a farmer.

On 09 Mar 1875 Barbara died of pneumonia and was buried in the Charlestown Cemetery in Clark Co., Indiana. After her death, Seth relinquished his children into the gaurdianship of his father and went to California. In 1880 the boys were residing with their grandparents in Charlestown, and the girls were with their aunt, Indiana Ricketts in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 1880 Seth was living alone in San Diego. He married (2) Catherine I. Bell on 03 Apr 1883 and died on 24 Aug 1888 in Chico, Butte County, California. He was buried on 08 Sep 1888 in Charlestown Cemetery.

1. David Wise Daily - born about 1866; married Margaret who was born about 1870 and died 23 May 1942. (View Photo)
2. Frank S. Daily - born about 1868; died 1909 (Photo)
3. Shirley Daily - born about 1869.
4. Charles Edward Daily - born 11 Feb 1871; married Nellie May Deeds .
5. Jessie F. Daily - born 15 Nov 1871; married George Waters Wood; died 06 Aug 1947 in Stavely, Alberta, Canada. (See Newsclipping)

FRANCIS STIERHEIM (Francis Joseph) was born about 1844/1845 in Charlestown, Clark Co., Indiana. He married Valeria Prather ,daughter of Thomas William Wilcox Prather and Elizabeth (Lentz) on 05 Nov 1867 in Clark County, Indiana but their marriage ended in divorce.

According to census records, Valeria was born about 1847 in Indiana. She was listed as divorced and living with her mother and two children in 1880.

1. Francis Stierheim - born about 1869 in Indiana; married Carrie Conrad on 13 Aug 1891 in Allen County, Indiana
2. Estella Stierheim - born about 1871 in Indiana; married Orion E. Mohler on 10 Jun 1896 in Allen County, Indiana.

1. Delia M. Schlak - born about 1878 in Indiana.
2. Cora L. Schlak - born in 1879/1880 in Charlestown, Clark Co., Indiana and listed as nine months old in the 1880 census.

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