Pauline Hoover Brockman

Pauline Hoover Brockman was born in Richmond, Indiana, to James Hoover and Ethel Manis on March 19, 1917 where she was born and raised with 4 sisters Ruth, Shirley, Millie and Betty and one brother Bob, all of whom preceded her in death. 

She married Floyd Brockman on June 20th, 1936 and he moved her from the city she grew up in to the wilds of the eastern plains of Colorado to be a dry land wheat farmer. They had three children, Linda, Rick Brockman (who preceded her in death) and Marvin. They worked and lived off the land raising cattle, pigs, gardens and three rowdy children (well ok, once sweet, adoring daughter and two wild and crazy sons!) After many years of a hard life they sold the farm and moved to the top of the world (or least to them) they moved to the top of Rist Canyon where they truly became mountain folk. Pauline loved nothing more than tending her garden, trying to keep the deer out of it and feeding her hummingbirds. She loved it when the neighbors kids would ride their horses up to visit them, and raid her candy and cookie jars. She loved getting snowed in and helping the neighbors prepare for the long winters up the mountain, she would cook huge meals and can veggies and stockpile for the winter! The hardest thing Pauline did was to move down off the mountain after Floyd passed, she stayed up by herself until she was well into her 70s, still digging herself out of snowbanks and fending for herself. Her one faithful companion for the majority of her years by herself was her trusty Chihuahua Tattoo. In the early 1990s she developed macular degeneration, which left her legally blind, and after a stroke at the age of 80, she went into assisted living. 

In 2005 she developed Alzheimer's and was moved into the Alzheimer's unit where she stayed until her passing. Pauline loved her grandchildren, and assisted in raising her grandson Rick. She always would have cookies and candy around for the kids, and she had a closet full of costumes that was the kids favorite place to play. She would bake cinnamon rolls both big and small with them, and try to pass on some of her baking knowledge (though we still aren't sure who exactly got all of that). She would make sugar egg houses and blown eggs at Easter, novelty cakes for birthdays and pies and other delectables during the other holidays. She could cook for an army at the drop of a hat and have a full spread on the table for them within a few hours, even if she had to butcher her own chicken! Pauline was the ultimate pioneer woman, mountain woman, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and friend to all. She loved God and all that he had to give to her, her only question sometimes was why he didn't take her earlier. Apparently God wasn't ready for her yet, as she was still an angel on earth all of those years. She is now an angel in heaven with her husband, child and brothers and sisters, and we can only think that God now has greater plans for her.  Pauline died January 9, 2012.

Ruth May Hoover Wilson

My aunt Ruth was born in Richmond, Indiana on 1 Sep 1914. She married Cecil Wilson of Richmond on July 15, 1933.

When her mother and grandmother died in 1935 she felt a lot of responsibility for her younger sisters.

Ruth and Cecil were married for 60 years and died within a few months of each other. They raised two daughters, Barbara and Carolyn. Ruth devoted her life to raising her daughters and taking care of her husband.

Ruth lived her entire life in Richmond, Indiana.

I always enjoyed spending time around Aunt Ruth. She was quiet and reserved, a very kind, loving person.

My mother's brother, Robert James Hoover

I don't know much about my Uncle Bob yet. I am still trying to get to know him. I remember seeing him one time. He stopped by to visit when I was around 10. The only thing I really remember was that he was so tall! I think his wife came with him that day. He must have died within a few years of that time. I have been working trying to find out what I can about him.

Bob was born on 24 Jul 1913. He was the oldest child and only son of Jim and Ethel Hoover. When he was 21 he married Dorothy Knight. They had one son, Robert Jr, born in 1936. If I ever met his son I don't remember it. I understand that mom used to visit with Dorothy when they were older. I know she always liked Dorothy. Bob and Dorothy divorced, I haven't been able to find out when yet. Still searching! Bob married a second time when he was 38 to Helen. I don't know if that was his only other marriage or not. As far as I know Bob only had one son. His son had a few boys, according to my cousin Carolyn. Carolyn said they lived in Cambridge City at the same time she did. There is a Daryl Ray Hoover buried next to Uncle Bob at Chester Cemetery who I believe is a grandson.

In the records that I have found Uncle Bob is listed as a maintenance man and a mechanic. He had quit attending school by the time he was 16 according to the census in 1930. My brother, Kenny recalls that he spent a lot of time traveling around the country. Kenny was in the hospital in Indianapolis at one time and remembers Uncle Bob coming to visit. At the time of his first marriage he is listed as living in Jasonville, Indiana. When he married his second wife they were in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was listed in city directories in Fort Wayne a couple of times.

As I continue my research I hope to find more information and to located some of his surviving grandchildren.