Robert E. Culver1,2,3,4

Family Chart
ID# 19151, (1860 - 1937)
FatherLyman Culver5,4,3 (abt 1822 - )
MotherMary Zimmerman5,4,3 (abt 1828 - )

Key Events:

Birth: 18 Jan 1860, Ross Twp., Pennsylvania6,7,8,9
Marriage: 19 Sep 1893, Kooneville, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, Sarah Hines (18 Jun 1869 - )10
Divorce: 5 Jun 1914, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, Sarah Hines (18 Jun 1869 - )11
Marriage: 8 Oct 1918, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, Sarah E. Reigle (18 Oct 1868 - 13 Apr 1939)12,13
Death: 30 Aug 1937, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania3,14
Burial: 2 Sep 1937, Marvin Cemetery, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania3
ChartsDescendants of Jacob K. and Christiana Ohl Riegel

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Robert E. Culver was born on 18 Jan 1860 in Ross Twp., Pennsylvania.6,7,8,9 While he is shown by the name Ephraim as a child, he seems to have used the name Robert as an adult, and that name appears on his death certificate. The only exception found is on the application for his marriage in 1918, which shows his name as Ephraim E. Culver. Ephraim may have been his middle name, as the divorce record believed to be his shows the name as Robert E. Culver.4,15,16,1
     He appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Ross Twp., Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, in the household of his parents, Lyman Culver and Mary Zimmerman.17 He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Ross Twp., Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, in the household of his parents.18
     Robert married first Sarah Hines on 19 Sep 1893 in Kooneville, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.10
     Sarah filed for divorce from Robert on 30 Apr 1913, charging that he had knocked her down and then scalded her with hot coffee, that he was married when he married her, and that he had deserted and neglected her. She was then living in Avoca, and said he was living near Lehman.19
     Robert and Sarah were divorced on 5 Jun 1914 in Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.11 The divorce was granted on 5 Jun 1914, after testimony showed him "to be an indolent man, who spent his time hunting and fishing," and had scalded her with a cup of hot coffee and thrown a bucket of cold spring water on her when she was sick in bed. They had lived in Shickshinny, but his current residence was unknown.11
     Robert married second Sarah E. Reigle, daughter of John Jacob Reigle and Olive Rogers, on 8 Oct 1918 in Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, with L. F. Seward officiating.12,13
     Robert and Sarah appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Shickshinny, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, at Chestnut St., enumerated 9 Jan 1920, reporting that they were renting their home. Her daughter by her first marriage, Thelma, were listed as living with them.2
     RobertNeither Robert nor Sarah have been found in the 1930 census despite an exhaustive search.
     He was a laborer, in 1920 working for a coal company.20,21
     On 27 Mar 1937 Robert got into an altercation over a five-dollar loan with his long-time friend Joseph Benscoter. The incident occurred at the Albert Rule farm in Kooneville, where Benscoter worked as a farmhand. The situation simmered while Benscoter was cutting fire wood, until Robert shot him from five feet away. The victim suffered wounds to the face, right side of his chest, and hip. Robert was arrested.22
     Benscoter recovered and was able to return to work by mid-summer. At his arraignment Robert was offered the opportunity to end the feud and go free, but refused. He claimed that "Benscoter was after him, but he but he got him first" according to press accounts. The court then remanded Luzerne County Prison to await sentence, where he remained at the time of his death.23,24
     Robert died on 30 Aug 1937 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, at age 77.3,14 He was buried on 2 Sep 1937 in Marvin Cemetery, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.3
     
Research Note, 31 Dec 2014:

It seems clear that the son of Lyman and Mary (Zimmerman) Culver, known as Ephraim as a child and when he married Sarah Reigle in 1918, was the same man known as Robert Culver when he was with her in the 1920 census, and when he died in 1937. It seems very likely, but remains unproven, that he was the same Robert Culver who married Sarah Hines in 1893, and the Robert E. Culver divorced by Sarah Culver in 1914. He is the only Robert Culver known to have lived in Shickshinny during his lifetime. He is shown as the same person here.
     It seems probable, but unproven, that he was the Robert Culver who was the father of Benton Culver, who was adopted by the Killians before 1900, even though the boy was born nine months before Robert and Sarah were married. He is shown as the boy's father here. But if so, it is less clear whether the boy's mother, known as Sarah Thomas, was Robert's wife, Sarah Hines, so they are not shown here as the same person.
     There is no other known candidate for the Robert Culver who the father of Elmer Culver, who was born in 1888, well before Robert's marriage to Sarah Hines. But it seems unlikely she was the boy's mother, who was known as Sarah Hemlock. Accordingly, Robert is shown here as the boy's father, though that has certainly not been proven, but Sarah Hines is not shown as his mother.

Children:
     Child with Sarah Hemlock:

Children:
     Child with Sarah Thomas:

Children:
     There were no children with Sarah Hines

Children:
     There were no children with Sarah E. Reigle

Citations

  1. [S5224] "Woman Seeks Divorce; Alleges Cruel Treatment," Pittston Gazette, 30 Apr 1913, shows name as Robert E. Culver.
  2. [S5030] Robert Culver household, 1920 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.
  3. [S5119] Robert Culver, Certificate of Death.
  4. [S5029] Ephraim E. Culver and Sarah E. Sander, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County.
  5. [S5152] Liman Culver household, 1860 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  6. [S5197] Robert Culver and Sarah Hines, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County, shows date, as 18 Jan, and township.
  7. [S5119] Robert Culver, Certificate of Death, shows date, as 3 Mar, and state.
  8. [S5152] Liman Culver household, 1860 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows age 6/12 and state.
  9. [S5029] Ephraim E. Culver and Sarah E. Sander, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County, shows age 53 at marriage 2 Oct 1918, and township.
  10. [S5197] Robert Culver and Sarah Hines, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County.
  11. [S5225] "Divorce Granted to Avoca Woman," Pittston Gazette, 5 Jul 1914.
  12. [S5029] Ephraim E. Culver and Sarah E. Sander, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County, shows date, county, and officiant.
  13. [S5030] Robert Culver household, 1920 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows married.
  14. [S5118] Sarah Culver, Certificate of Death, shows her as widowed.
  15. [S5152] Liman Culver household, 1860 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows name as Ephraim Culver.
  16. [S5154] Lymon Culver household, 1870 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows name as Ephraim Culver.
  17. [S5152] Liman Culver household, 1860 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.
  18. [S5154] Lymon Culver household, 1870 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.
  19. [S5224] "Woman Seeks Divorce; Alleges Cruel Treatment," Pittston Gazette, 30 Apr 1913.
  20. [S5029] Ephraim E. Culver and Sarah E. Sander, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County, shows occupation as "lab."
  21. [S5030] Robert Culver household, 1920 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows occupation as laborer, industry as coal company.
  22. [S5198] "Farm Hand Shot in Load Dispute," Pittston Gazette, 29 Mar 1937.
  23. [S5199] "County," Pittston Gazette, 1 Sep 1937.
  24. [S5119] Robert Culver, Certificate of Death, shows his residence as the county prison.
  25. [S5139] Elmer Culver, Certificate of Death.
  26. [S5200] Benton K. Culver and Gladys Souder, Marriage License Docket, Luzerne County, shows father's name as Robert, and that he was related by marriage to his bride.