William “Bill” Louis Samuelson
birth: 14 October 1919 in Baileytown, Porter, Indiana to Gustaf “Gust” Teodor and Lulu May Cook Samuelson
death: 5 May 1992 in Fremont, Steuben, Indiana
burial: Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter, Indiana
marriage: 11 October 1942 in Gary, Lake, Indiana
Betty Jean Harbaugh
birth: 8 October 1922 in Gary, Lake, Indiana to George Bryant and Elsie Wilhelmina Johnson Harbaugh
death: 30 October 1988 in Angola, Steuben, Indiana
burial: Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, Indiana
Children of Betty Jean Harbaugh and William “Bill” Louis Samuelson:
- William Lewis Samuelson (1944-1944)
- Lynn Patrice Samuelson (1946-2005)
- Living
- Living
Ancestor here lived in:
- Gary, Lake, Indiana
- Steuben, Indiana
Other Information:
William “Bill” Louis Samuelson, born 14 October 1919 in Baileytown, Porter, Indiana was the sixth of seven children born to Gustaf “Gust” Teodor and Lulu May Cook Samuelson. Bill’s mother was a homemaker and his father worked for the railroad as a Steam Shovel Engineer. He was christened at his home on 15 October 1923 by Pastor Fredrick Nordquist. His sponsors were Mrs. Fred. Nordquist and Mrs. Bertha Berg. At the start of the Great Depression, Bill’s father began managing a feed store in Porter County. Bill recalled as an adult that he and his younger brother, Edwin, would be rewarded each Saturday with as much penny candy as they wanted if they had been good all week. Unfortunately, Bill’s dad lost his job and Bill and Edwin were sent to live with their oldest sister, Ruby, and her second husband, Carl Sederberg. Bill later recalled that he did not like farm life. On 11 June 1933 he was confirmed at the Augsburg Evangelical Lutheran Church in Porter, Indiana. By 1940, Bill resided with another older sister, Margaret, in Chicago, Illinois where he worked fulltime as a car washer for a cab company. By October 1940, Bill was unemployed and had moved back to his parent’s home in Chesterton, Porter, Indiana. Bill had completed two years of high school; he earned a General Equivalency Diploma from Chesterton High School on 25 May 1948. At 19 years of age, Bill was 5′ 11″, weighed 160 pounds, had blue eyes, blonde hair and a light complexion. Bill married Betty Jean Harbaugh on 5 October 1942 in Lake County, Indiana. The couple had met on a double date; Betty was dating Bill’s younger brother Edwin that evening. It is not known who Bill was dating. Bill enlisted in the Army Company A on 30 November 1942 and was assigned to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. He was discharged on 12 October 1943 due to a medical issue. The couple resided with Betty’s parents in Miller, Indiana; Bill found work as a clerk with his sister Margaret’s husband’s family until October 1947. The couple’s first child died as an infant; their second child was born mentally handicapped.By 1950 the family had moved to Chesterton, Porter, Indiana. Bill was employed as a chemical clerk for Amoco Oil in Whiting, Lake, Indiana. Bill continued to work for Amoco until he retired. By 1955 the couple had returned to live in Miller; they rented an apartment from Bill’s sister, Margaret. Two more children were born to the couple. The family joined the Bethel Lutheran Church in Miller. In 1959, the family moved to Betty’s childhood home as her mother, a widow, wanted a smaller residence. The family continued to reside their until circa 1979 when Bill and Betty retired to a home on Snow Lake in Fremont, Steuben, Indiana. Betty died in Angola on 30 October 1988. Bill died at his home on Snow Lake in Fremont, Indiana on 5 May 1992. The couple are buried in Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter, Indiana.
Bill’s middle name is shown in records as both Louis and Lewis. He told the submitter that it was a “family” name. There was a Lewis Warren Thompson on his maternal line but it appears his preferred spelling was Louis, as noted on his WW2 draft registration.
Submitted by:
Lori Samuelson
Email: genealogyatheart@gmail.com