Seventh Generation

6180. Rosa Ethel May was born in 1870 in Monroe Co., IN. She lived with her parents in Bean Blossom Twp., Monroe Co., IN on 13 June 1900. Rosa died in 1945 at the age of 75 in Indiana and was buried at Chambersville Cemetery in Spencer, Owen Co., IN.²⁰⁶²⁸

Rosa Ethel May and John C. Grubbs were married on 4 September 1887 in Indiana.²⁰⁶²⁹ John C. Grubbs was born on 8 August 1866 in Indiana. John died in an apparently accidental dynamite explosion on 2 September 1898 at the age of 32 in Stinesville, Monroe Co., IN and was buried at Chambersville Cemetery in Spencer, Owen Co., IN.^{20630,20631,20632}

Extract, The Farm, Ellettsville, IN, Sep. 10, 1898

"Last Saturday was a day that our citizens will never forget. At day break the streets were lined with excited people from far and near. The mutilated bodies of Edward Watts, J. W. Williams, Jno. Grubb and Jno. Wampler were embalmed and placed in caskets the night before and taken to their different homes. Sadness and gloom had settled over our usuallay [sic] happy little city; the horrible accident had completely stunned and mystified the citizens. Preparations were made for the burial of John Grubb at Chambersville at 11 a.m. John Wampler at Maple Grove at 1 p.m. Edward Watts and John W. Williams at Mt. Carmel at 4 p.m. and to add the number of teams at the different cemeteries together would have made over two miles in the procession. The largest crowds [illegible] assembled at either cemetery ... had assembled on this never to be forgotten day."

From the same article:

"As the excitement subsides and the dread reality impresses itself in our minds we learn more facts as to how it occurred. Those four men together with Milton Hite were standing in a circle around the hole prepared for a blast. The cause of the explosion is unknown but an eye witness claims it could not have happened from an explosion of a percusion [sic] cap as there were none to explode, while some were crumbling the dynamite and tamping it in the hole Watts was handling a whole stick and is supposed to have dropped it and caused this, together with 11 others to explode. Willie Liford who was standing directly behind Williams and was blown about 10 or 15 feet, is now suffering considerable from its effects."

Rosa Ethel May and John C. Grubbs had the following children: