THE SETTLES FAMILY Henry Settles (m. Nancy Lear) Andrew J. Settles (m. Helen M. Doyle) Emmett Settles (m. Odelia Trapp) Helen Carolyn Settles (Stephens) on her Father’s Side (m. Frank Stephens) Mary Margaret Stephens (m. Cyrus S. Eaton, Jr) Catherine Lee Eaton (m. Michael James Murphy) Colin Eaton Murphy and Devon Eaton Murphy
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS OF HELEN CAROLYN SETTLES (M. FRANK STEPHENS) Henry Settles was born in King George Virginia in 1776. Henry moved to Marion County, Missouri, where he married Nancy Lear in 1812. On November 1, 1827, he registered eighty acres of land that he paid for and that was granted to him by the government “according to the provision of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April 1820.” John Quincy Adams was president at the time. Henry Settles passed away on 1845 in Missouri. His will was probated on September 4, 1845 in Marion, Missouri.
Henry’s wife Nancy Lear was born in Kentucky on January 6, 1796 to Thomas More Lear (1769-1830)and Mary Fagan or Feagan (1777 to January 7, 1865.)
Henry Settles (1776-1845) and Nancy Lear (Settles) had seven children: William Settles (1815-1860), Elizabeth Settles (1817-1850), Louisa Settles (1819 to 1850), Abraham Barnett Settles (1820-1891), Edward D. Settles (1823 to March 1, 1894), Frances Ann Settles (1825-1850), Andrew Jackson Settles (March 8, 1827-1902). Nancy Lear died in Marion County, Missouri on January 18, 1874, nearly 30 years after her husband, Henry.
NANCY LEAR’S FATHER & GRANDFATHER: POSSIBLE REV WAR CONNECTION Nancy’s father, Thomas Lear married Mary Nancy Fagan or Feagan (November 14, 1777 to January 7, 1865) and had twelve children: Nancy (1796-1874), Elizabeth Leer (1797-), John More Lear, (1799-1847), James Lear (1801-1852), Clarinda Gemes Sapp (1804-1879), Fanny Lear (1804-1833), Susannah Lear (1806-1884), Lavinia Lear (1809-1877), Zachariah Lear (1812-1886), Thomas T. Lear (1814-1880), Jesse M (1816-1865), Polly (1821-1832), Annie (1823-), Jesee (1828-1921). This is according to Turner Family Tree (cbaughman10 owner). Thomas More Lear’s father may have been John Lear (1734-1780) who served as a private in Captain Richard Taylor’s company, Col. Isaac Reed’s 1st Virginia regiment.
HENRY SETTLES’ SON EDWARD, A CIVIL WAR VETERAN Henry Settles’ second son, Edward D. Settles, served in the Union army. “During the American Civil War, Missouri was a hotly contested border state populated by both Union and Confederate sympathizers. It sent armies, generals, and supplies to both sides, was represented with a star on both flags, maintained dual governments, and endured a bloody neighbor-against-neighbor intrastate war within the larger national war.” Edward was born in 1823 and died on March 1, 1894, almost thirty years after the end of the Civil War. He is buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Little Indian, Illinois. A military headstone was requested but there is no confirmation whether application was approved.” Edward Settles was born in 1823. He married Elizabeth Miller and lived with her family according to the 1850 US Census when she was 20 and he was 27. He entered the service on August 11, 1862 in Limestone, Illinois when he was thirty-nine, and mustered on August 27, 1862. He was discharged for disability on December 31, 1862 at Gallatin, Tennessee according to the Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls. He was described as being five foot eight inches, having dark hair, and blue eyes. His occupation was listed as laborer. The 1880 Census have him and his wife Elizabeth living in Aracadia, Illinois, and his occupation was listed as farmer and coal burner.
The below incident happened when Henry Settles and some of his family still lived in Palmyra, so certainly they would have been painfully aware of it. It captures the tensions between Confederate and Union Soldiers. Missouri was potentially valuable and significant to both the Confederate and Union armies.
“The event referred to as the Palmyra Massacre occurred in 1862, at the height of the Civil War. Guerilla warfare was becoming widespread in the Missouri countryside, as Confederate raiders came north to recruit and organize Southern sympathizers. One such soldier, Col. Joseph E. Porter, came to northeast Missouri, recruited several hundred men and carried out a number of raids on the region. During a raid on Palmyra, Missouri, his outfit captured Andrew Allsman, a Union sympathizer; Allsman was never heard from again. The local Union commanders gave warning that if Allsman wasn't returned within 10 days, 10 local Confederate prisoners would be shot. Allsman didn't reappear, and the order was carried out despite protests from local townspeople.” From the Missouri Digital Heritage.https://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/mdh_splash/default?coll=palmyramassacre
Andrew J. Settles, younger brother to Edward, was born on March 8, 1827, in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri to Henry Settles and Nancy Leer Settles. Their father Henry had died in 1845. In 1850, Their sisters Louisa and Frances Ann died when Andrew was twenty-three, five years after his father’s death. In 1850 census Andrew lived with mother, Nancy who was fifty-four His occupation was listed as clerk. In the 1860 census, Andrew J was listed as clothing merchant who had $4000 worth of real-estate. It is likely he supported his mother in addition to his wife and children.
In 1863 when he was thirty-five, he was listed as a person subject to do military duty in the eighth congressional district in the state of Missouri. However, it appears Andrew J. did not serve in the Civil War. The sympathies of the family might have been torn between the warring armies. His occupation was listed as merchant. That same year, Andrew Jackson Settles married Helen M. Doyle. She was born on November 29, 1843. Andrew and Helen (Doyle) Settles had three children: Richard Henry Settles (1864 or 1866-1908), Emmett Vincent Settles (1871-1924), and Andrew Jackson Settles (1867-1937).
CAREERS OF ANDREW J SETTLES DRY GOODS STORE OWNER, LEGISLATOR, AND JUDGE. In the 1850 census, A. J. Settles’ occupation was listed as clerk. In 1853 A.J. Settles represented the Hannibal dry goods firm, Marienthal & Block. In 1857, Settles & Wolfstein had a dry good store on corner of Main and Hill Streets. Two years late in 1859, A. J. Settles was first ward councilman. In 1860, his occupation was listed as clothing merchant, and his real estate value at $4000 and his personal estate at $5000 in United States Federal Census. In 1886 A. J. Settles and Cyrus T. Helm owned a dry goods store on NW corner of Broadway and Main. In 1870 A. J. Settles was second ward councilman. 1871-1873 he co-owned the Settles & Bowles dry goods store, in NW corner Main and Broadway. From 1875-1884 he co-owned the Settles and (James) Plowman dry goods stores, NW corner of Main and Broadway. 1879 A. J. Settles was elected member of the state legislature. 1885 Drescher store had moved to the Settles location; The A. J. Settles store closed. In 1887 A. J. Settles was a County Court Judge. In 1892 A. J. Settles lived at 221 N. Maple, in Hannibal, Missouri. 1895 Mrs. A. J. In 1899 the Drescher store replaced old Settles store building. In 1892 Humrich & Andrew J. Settles (drug store) was located on 211 Broadway. 1895: Settles Hall, NW corner Main and Broadway (upstairs).
ANDREW J. SETTLES HOME WAS ON 225 N. MAPLE AVE, HANNIBAL MO 63401
Andrew Jackson, Sr. had originally built the house, and sons Emmett and his brother Andrew J. Settles, Jr. kept their father’s house in the family through 1927. Emmett’s widow Odelia was the last listed in the city directory as living in the home.
“This two story, red brick, Second Empire house has a bellcast mansard roof with Victorian segmental archeddormers with incised surrounds. There is heavy molding at the top of the roof and a bracketed cornice. Thesecond floor windows have segmental arches and elaborate label-like lintels centered on semicircular curves.The windows are 4 x 4 wood sashed windows. The north wing of the house is stepped back, both on the frontand back of the house and has a flat roofed, canted bay window on the north side. The hipped roof porchwraps the facade back to both the north and north wings. This porch was added in 1910, replacing a porch thathad not previously extended down the south side of the house (See historic photo in Steve Chou, PrivatePhotograph Collection, Hannibal, Mo.). It has a hipped roof with Doric columns on top of brick pedestals.The iron fence that extends around both street elevations next to the public sidewalk appears to be historicallyassociated with this property. There has been a room added to the north end of the porch with shingle siding.but it is placed under the original porch roof and behind the porch columns.”
DEATH OF HELEN DOYLE SETTLES AND ANDREW JACKSON SETTLES Helen Doyle Settles passed away on May 14, 1895 in Pasadena, California, where she had gone for health reasons. She is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hannibal, Missouri. (Judge) Andrew J. Settles died January 7, 1902 at his home. He is buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery near his wife, son, and granddaughter Helen Settles Stephens. The St. Louis Republic reported on January 8, 1902 that “Andrew J. Settles who was for years one of the leading citizens of Hannibal, who has been confined to his home for the past three years on account of illness, died today. He presentenced this county in the Legislature in the 1870s.”
EMMETT VINCENT SETTLES and ODELIA TRAPP Emmett Vincent Settles was born in Hannibal, Missouri, USA on 20 Feb 1871 to Andrew Jackson Settles and Helen M Doyle. When Emmett was nine, he lived on 278 Bird Street in Hannibal. Emmett Vincent Settles married Odelia Trapp on October 4, 1893 in Adams, Illinois, twenty-five miles outside of Quincy, Illinois.
Odelia Trapp was born on December 3, 1876. Odelia’ Trapp’s parents were Carolyn Buselmeier who was born in Baden, Germany, and Joseph Trapp, also born in Germany. He was a tailor. They had eight children: Josephine Trapp, Marie Josephine Trapp, Veronica Trapp, Antone Trapp, Frances Magdlin Trapp, John Anselon Trapp, Rose Anna Trapp, and Odelia Trapp was their youngest.
CHILDREN OF EMMETT V. SETTES AND ODELIA TRAPP Emmett Vincent Settles and Odelia Trapp (Settles) had five children: Helen Carolyn Settles (1894-1977), Rose Margaret Settles (1898-1956), Frances Odelia Settles (1899 to 1985), Agnes Veronica Settles (1905-1993), and Eleanor Vincent Settles (1910-1947),
EMMETT VINCENT SETTLES’ CAREER AND FAMILY RESIDENCES Emmet had a career in insurance and real-estate. The family moved frequently, perhaps due to Emmett’s work as a realtor. In 1900 Emmett and Odelia lived at 221 Maple Avenue Street, and his occupation was listed as Real Estate Fireman Agt. His brother Andrew J, and their daughters Helen and Rose lived with them, as well as Mary Ross and Mary Cobb. Odelia Trapp Settles was the last family owner of the Maple Street historic house. Her husband Emmett Vincent and brother-in-law Andrew Settles, Jr. had kept the house their father Andrew Jackson Settles, built this house around 1872. Emmett V. Settles'widow Odelia was last listed in the city directory. Emmett and Odelia Settles had lived in the house since 1903 In 1907, his residence is listed as 103 N. Main Street in Hannibal. His residency was listed 211 North Maple in Bell Telephone Directory in 1909. Emmett Settles’ real estate address was 115 Broadway, and his residency was 211 North Maple as listed in Bell Telephone Directory in 1909 and in 1911.I n 1909, his insurance real-estate company was on 115 Broadway. It appears he also worked in the lumber industry. In 1910, he lived at 221 W. Maple Street with his wife Odelia and daughter Helen. He owned his home on 225 Maple Ave and had no mortgage. In 1920, Emmett Settles worked as a secretary in the Building Lumber Industry when he was forty-eight. He owned an insurance company at 286 Broadway in 1925. In 1925, Odelia Settles, widow of Emmett V of the Emmett V Settles Insurance Agency, was listed as Sec Bluff City Mutual Savings and Loan Assn on 208 Broadway. Possibly she worked as a secretary. She is listed as living at 920 N. Hayden in Hannibal in 1929 and as living at 201 East Broadway Street Apt 21 in 1931 in Sedalia , Missouri. She is listed as living in 1935 at 9 North Maple Street in Hannibal, Missouri in the U.S. City Directories.
DEATH OF EMMETT SETTLES AND ODELIA TRAPP SETTLES Granddaughter Helen Stephens Booth remembers visiting her grandfather Emmet Vincent Settles. She said in an interview with her brother, Bob Stephens, “he was a nice-looking black-haired man. I guess he had active TB then, and they went someplace west to try and recover from his tuberculosis, and he was very unhappy and returned to St. Louis and shortly thereafter died.” Emmett died on November 23 or 24, 1924. Odelia survived her husband by sixteen years. She died on February 6, 1940 and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery with her husband and some of her children. Her name is spelled wrong (Adalie) in the archives. Note name is spelled Adelia in cemetery listing.
Her granddaughter Helen Stephens Wood (Booth) said about Odelia, “I have many memories of grandmother, or Moccha as we called her because she often visited us” for rather long periods of time.