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- Nathaniel Sturgeon was married three times and had a total of 23 children. He came to Crawford Co. IN from KY in about 1809 with his father John II and three brothers. Most of them settled on the banks of the Blue River. Nathaniel built himself a log cabin the first year he was there on the Bogard Creek. The Cabin consisted of a one room with a stone fireplace and loft. One door and no windows, just gun holes so that he could protect himself by shooting at bears, mountain lions and hostile Indians in the area. He tapped Mable trees for Sugar cure and syrup that he sold in Louisville Ky.
Nathaniel married his first wife Messa Combs 21 March 1817 they made their home on Bogard Creek where they raised 9 children.
After Messa died Nathaniel married Nancy Underhill from Perry Co., IN. June 23, 1832. Together had 4 children and raised them with the first marriage children. This marriage only lasted till 1843 when Nancy died in child birth. Most of the older children were married and gone from home by now.
Sept 27, 1846 He married for the third time to Christina Mills. They married in Crawford Co., IN, which was once part of Harrison Co., IN. This union brought forth the last set of 11 children. Christina would out live Nathaniel; she lived to be 100 they say.
When Nathaniel's father John died, he land was divided among his living children. Nathaniel brought several of his sibling's parcels of land that they inherited from their father John. At one time Nathaniel was well to do for that period of time. He would loan money to family members and friends with of course a good percentage return.
Nathaniel died in 1878. He had never registered the deed to the land that he brought from his brothers and sisters so his probate was the largest in Crawford Co. IN containing 80 pages.
Nathaniel was buried in the Sturgeon Cemetery on Bogard Creek just about a mile from the log cabin that he built and raised his 23 children. Although there are no grave marks for all the children or wives, I believe that they are buried there in the family cemetery.
(Source: Lou Sturgeon bhwitch@aol.com; Sturgeon Genealogy Web Page http://sturgeon.com-2011)
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