Staggs Family History

BIRTH: 29 Dec 1846, McGraw, New York, USA
DEATH: 15 Jan 1880, Valparaiso Indiana, USA
FATHER: Zebulon Keen (1811-1897)
MOTHER: Hannah Jane Webster (1816-1889)
SPOUSE: Wharton Massillon Crowe (1846-1886)

When Elnora Adelaide Keen was born on December 29, 1846, in McGraw, New York, her father, Zebulon, was 35, and her mother, Hannah, was 30. She married Wharton Massillon Crowe on December 6, 1865, in Porter, Indiana. They had five children in 13 years. She died as a young mother on January 15, 1880, in Valparaiso, Indiana, at the age of 33, and was buried there.

His story

The following is an excerpt from Staggs Genealogy – Harold Wareham Staggs – His Book

Grandfather Zebulon and Hanna had twelve children. He was a wagon maker and lived most of his life on a farm near Valpariso, Indiana.

Grandmother Elnora Adelaid Keen (1846) was their seventh child. She married Grandfather Moseland Warton Crowe (called Warton by his friends). Warton was a farmer who became an engineer on the Grand Trunk Railroad. He was born in Montgomery, Mississippi in 1846. These two had five children. When Elnora died, Warton married her sister Emma Wilhelmina Keen. They had one child.

Warton died in a train wreck. His and another train met head on. Warton and his fireman jumped but he was killed in the wreck. Warton and Elenora’s first daughter was Grandmother Alice Geraldine Crowe. She married Grandfather William Hawthorn Wareham. William was an electrician for the Pennsylvania Railroad.

The following is an excerpt from The John Keen(e) (1578-1649) and Associated Families, by Mr. and Mrs. Archie Timothy Keene, 1971

Elnora Adelaide, 7th child of Zebulon and Hannah Keen, born 12-29-1846, McGrawville, N.Y.; died 1-15-1880, Valparaiso, Ind.; married 12-6-1866, Valparaiso, Moseland Wharton Crowe, farmer and R.R, employe, born 10-5-1846, Montgomery, Mass of Massilon and Betsey Crowe. They had five children. He married 2nd 8-24-1880 Emma Wilhelmina Keen, sister to his first wife. They had 1 child. He died 3-18-1886 and his widow Emma married 2nd Sylvester Miller, 9-1-1898 who died 9-29-1904

Legacy of Elnora Adelaide Keen

Parents

Father: Zebulon Keen (1811-1897)

Mother: Hannah Jane Webster

Married

Wharton Massillon Crowe (1846-1886). Married December 6, 1865, in Porter, Indiana.

Children

• Alice Geraldine Crowe (1867-1948) married William Hawthorne (1856-1928)
• Ella Adelaide Crow (1868-1888)
• Anna Crow (1875-1962) married Robert Elmer Denton (1873-1914)
• Melvin Crow (1878-1935) married Katie Claire Jones (1882-1973)
• William Crow (1880-1881)

Documents

• Birth Records
  • The John Keen(e) (1578-1649) and Associated Families, by Mr. and Mrs. Archie Timothy Keene, 1971 > Elnora Adelaide, 7th child of Zebulon and Hannah Keen, born 12-29-1846, McGrawville, N.Y.
  • Find A Grave Birth Date 29 Dec 1846, Birth Place New York, United States of America
• Marriage records
  • Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001 – Marriage Date 2 Dec 1865, Marriage Place Indiana, United States, Spouse Wharton Crow, Page 182, FHL Film Number, 001686156
  • Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012, Marriage License Date 2 Dec 1865, Marriage Date 6 Dec 1865, Marriage Place Porter, Indiana, USA, Spouse Wharton Crow
• Death records
  • The John Keen(e) (1578-1649) and Associated Families, by Mr. and Mrs. Archie Timothy Keene, 1971 > died 1-15-1880, Valparaiso, Ind.
  • Find A Grave > Death Date 15 Jan 1880
  • Burial: Kimball Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, USA
• Census Records
  • 1850 United States Federal Census Page 1  Page 2 > New York > Cortland > Cortlandville > Elnora Keen, age 4 living with parents Zebulon Keen (carpenter, 39) and Hannah Keen (34) and siblings Asher Keen (15), Achsah Keen (13), Lydia Keen (11), Mary Keen (8), and Martha Keen (4/12)
  • 1860 United States Federal Census > Indiana > Porter > Valparaiso > Elnora Keen, age 13 living with parents Zebulon Keen (carpenter, 49) and Hannah Keen (44) and siblings Martha Keen (10), Flora Keen (7), Ellen Keen (5), Emma Keen (4)
  • 1870 United States Federal Census > Indiana > Porter > Center > Elnora Crow (keeping house, 22) living with parents Maraiton Crow (farmer, 60) and Betsey Crow (keeping house, 59), husband Wharton Crow (farmer, 22) and children Alice Crow (4) and Emma Crow (0)

Relation of Elnora Adelaide Keen to Steven Barry Staggs: 2nd great-grandmother

Page last updated November 12, 2025

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