John Henry Deboard

1878 - 1944  (65 years)

• Name	John Henry Deboard  [1]
  	Got interested in him when I saw the article about his 1906 murder of his wife. All DeBoards essentially come from the same group, so decided to figure him out. Found several newspaper articles, then a death certificate (died in prison), and gradually was able to piece together his parents and grandparents.
  Born	27 Dec 1878	Indiana, USA   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Census	19 Jun 1880	Harrison township, La Porte County, Indiana, USA   [3]
  	1. DeBoard, David, white, male, 23, married, works on farm, Indiana, Indiana, Indiana 2. _____, Mary, white, female, 23, wife, keeping house, Indiana, Indiana, Indiana 3. _____, Lou E., white, female, 8, daughter, Indiana, Indiana, Indiana 4. _____, John, white, male, 1, son, Indiana
  Directory	1904	409 S. 5th, Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, USA   [4]
  	Listed next to him: Dora DeBord, dom[estic], 302 Broadway Rebecca DeBord, dom[estic], 302 Broadway
  Occupation	1904	Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, USA   [4]
  	Painter
  NOTE_RESEARCH	1906	Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, USA   [1]
  	Murdered his wife.
  Court	21 Jan 1907	Daviess County, Indiana, USA   [1]
  	Sentenced to life for the murder of his wife. [Change of venue.]
  NEWS	9 Jun 1916	Washington, Daviess County, Indiana, USA   [1]
  	Description from The Daviess County Democrat, 9 June 1916: "Another man sentenced to the state prison for life from this county will also attempt to secure a pardon or a parole. He is John DeBoard, sentenced from Daviess county January 21, 1907 for life, for murder. DeBoard is a Knox county man who was tried and convicted here after a change of venue was taken from Knox county. While in a drunken rage he went home and shot his wife, killing her and her unborn child. DeBoard was confined in the local jail for several months. Relatives have been working for more than a year to secure his release and a brother made a trip to this county some months ago to interview the jurors who sentenced DeBoard and the prosecutor and sheriff, who were acquainted with DeBoard. Several of these men signed the petition for clemency for DeBoard while others refused to sign the paper."
  Parents	Marriage record names his parents as "David Deboard" and "Switzer." (partial name for mother) Death cert doesn't list parents. Soc Sec app lists parents as "David Deboard" and "Mary Thixton"
  World War I Draft Registration	12 Sep 1918	Michigan City, La Porte County, Indiana, USA   [2]
  	Nearest relative Mrs. Mary Johnson, Vincennes, Indiana.
  Died	17 Aug 1944	Indiana State Prison, Michigan City, La Porte County, Indiana, USA   [5]
  	Died of heart disease. Body given to the Indiana University of Medicine, Bloomington.
  Person ID	I7906	Full
  Last Modified	31 Aug 2019

  
  

  Father	David DeBoard,   b. Abt 1857, Indiana, USA ,   d. Between 1880-1900  (Age ~ 43 years)
  Mother	Mary Thixton,   b. 2 Oct 1847, Indiana, USA ,   d. 4 Jun 1921, Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, USA  (Age 73 years)
  Married	31 Aug 1878	Knox County, Indiana, USA   [6]
  Family ID	F2900	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	[wife of John Henry DeBoard] [DeBoard]
  Last Modified	31 Aug 2019
  Family ID	F2899	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S5755] "Wolfe Asks for Pardon . . . : John DeBoard, Sentenced From Here For Life For Murder, Also Seeking a Pardon," (Washington, Ind.), 9 June 1916, p. 1, col. 4, NewspaperArchive (https://newspaperarchive.com : accessed 30 August 2019). [S5756] "World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 August 2019), John DeBord, serial no. 3620, order no. [not stated], La Porte County, Indiana; citing World War I Selective Service system Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918), NARA microfilm publication M1509 (4,582 rolls), roll no. not stated; FHL roll no. 2022388. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6482/005152322_00466. [S5759] 1880 U.S. census, Knox County, Indiana, population schedule, Harrison township, enumeration district (ED) 121, page 32 (penned), p. 308b (stamped), dwelling 291, family 305, David DeBoard household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 August 2019); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 289. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6742/4240600-00401. [S5758] R.L. Polk & Co's Vincennes Directory: 1904-05 (Indianapolis, Ind. : R. L. Polk & Co., 1905), p. 101, for John H. Debord, painter (409 S. 5th), wife Maggie; "U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989," index and digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.co : accessed 31 August 2019). [S5757] Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 24742 (1944), John DeBoard, La Porte County; "Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 August 2019); Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis. [S5762] "Indiana, Marriage Index, 1800-1941," index, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 August 2019, for David H. Deboard-Mary Thickson, Knox County (1878); citing Knox County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1854-1920 Inclusive Vol, W.P.A.; original records, Marriage Book C: 9, County Clerk, Vincennes.