GEORGE M. COON. For two terms prosecuting attorney of Grant county Mr. Coon is a capable young lawyer of Marion, has been identified with the local bar for fourteen years, and since beginning his active career has been very prominent both in politics and social circles in this county which is his native home.

The Coon family has been identified with Grant county for three generations, and has always occupied a prominent place in the citizenship. The origin of the Coon family is traced hack to the German fatherland, and was established in Virginia, where men of the name were prominent as business men and citizens.

In the early industrial history of Marion, special distinction attaches to the members of the Coon family in this county, Jacob Coon being the grandfather of George M. Born in Botecourt county. Virginia, he came over the Alleganies and first located in Bellefontaine, Ohio, and then in 1842 came to Grant county, where he bought a tract of land now included in the city of Marion. He was a brick-maker by trade, and he has the credit of having put up the first kiln and manufactured the first kiln for brick in Grant county. It is said that he burned the brick used in nearly all the stores and residences of that material in Marion. For some years he was a successful manufacturer of brick, and was succeeded in the business by his son Michael. Jacob Coon married Melinda Wall, who was also a native of Botetourt county, Virginia. They became the parents of ten children, the oldest dying in infancy, and the others named as follows: Michael , now deceased; now deceased, a former resident of Brooklyn, Iowa; Benjamin, who died as a soldier of the Union at Sandy Hook, Maryland, at the age of twenty-six; Thomas, who died at the age of twenty; Elizabeth, Martha, Mary, Susellen, all now deceased; George Williams, mentioned below, who lives on a farm in Washington township. Jacob Coon, father of this large family, died in his seventy-second year, and his wife passed away in 1851.

George W. Coon, father of the county's prosecuting attorney, was born in Washington township of this county, January 8, 1844. When he was seven years of age his mother died, and three years later he went to make his home with William Middleton, in Center township, where he remained until he joined the Union forces. When he was about eighteen years old he enlisted and was assigned to Company I of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Indiana Infantry. His enlistment was for six months, but after being honorably discharged from that service he re-enlisted in August, 1864, in Company K of the Fortieth Indiana Infantry. He was with his company in the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, among the greatest and most important engagements of the war, and the Fortieth Indiana Regiment won many laurels in these battles. At Franklin he was struck with a piece of shell and captured. His captors then ordered him to the rear, but instead of obeying he went in the direction of the Federal forces and regained the ranks of his regiment, in time to take a gun and assist in the capture of seven hundred and fifty rebels. For some years after the close of the war George W. Coon was engaged in the livery business in Marion, and built a barn which occupied the present site of the Leader-Tribune Building. He was successfully identified with this enterprise for twenty-five years. In January, 1883, he moved out to his farm in Washington township, where he still resides.

Mr. George W. Coon was married August 30, 1868, to Amanda J. Marshall, daughter of John D. and Mary A. (Roberts) Marshall. The late John D. Marshall was for more than half a century intimately associated with the business and civic interests of Grant county. He was a member of the Indiana State Senate in 1862-63, and his vote was the deciding factor in the election of Thomas A. Hendricks to the United States Senate. The five children of George W. Coon and wife are named as follows: Stella and Mannie, who died in infancy; John W., a resident of Marion; Lillian E., wife of John W. Hayes, whose farm is five miles from Marion; and George M.

Born in the city of Marion, April 20, 1874, when quite young George M. Coon accompanied the family to the country and received his early education altogether in the country schools. He subsequently was a student in the Marion high school for three years and took a general and business course at the Marion Normal College. For some time he was engaged in teaching school, and then in 1897 began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1899. On September 15, 1899, he received appointment as deputy prosecuting attorney, and filled the office for three years. After an interval of private practice he was again made deputy prosecutor in January, 1906, and gave two years service. For eight years Mr. Coon served as Republican Precinct Committeeman. In November, 1908, he was elected as Republican candidate to the office of prosecuting attorney and was reelected in 1910.

On November 26, 1902, he married Samantha A. Leach, daughter of James Leech of Ohio. In fraternal affairs, Mr. Coon is very prominent. He is past chancellor of Grant Lodge No. 103 of the Knights of Pythias, and is a member of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. He was presiding chancellor commander of Grant Lodge when this organization acquired its beautiful new home in South Adams Street. Mr. Coon became a Knight of Pythias March 11, 1901, and has never missed a session of the Grand Lodge since leaving the office of chancellor commander. He has assisted in conferring rank in every lodge in Grant county, and in many lodges over the state. His other fraternal connections are with the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Aerie No. 227, and in 1908 represented his organization of Eagles at Seattle, Washington, which is the home of Aerie No. 1 of the Eagles. He is also affiliated with the Elks Lodge No. 195 at Marion, with the Benevolent Crew of Neptune No. 1, being a charter member of this lodge. He has membership in the Dramatic Order of Khorassan at Marion, and belongs to the Sons of Veterans, and the Marion Country Club.

Blackford and Grant Counties, Indiana A Chronicle of their People Past and Present with Family Lineage and Personal Memoirs Compiled Under the Editorial Supervision of Benjamin G. Shinn
Volume I Illustrated
The Lewis Publishing Company Chicago and New York 1914
Submitted by Peggy Karol


B. G. Shinn, attorney at law, Hartford City, Indiana, was born in Dublin, Wayne County, Indiana, October 20, 1838, a son of Hyman and Ann (Van Buskirk) Shinn. His father was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, and when thirteen years of age accompanied his parents to Dublin, Indiana, where he was reared, and married Ann Van Buskirk, who was a native of Hampshire County, West Virginia. In 1841 the family moved to Blackford County, and located in Harrison Township, where the parents lived until December, 1886, when they moved to Hartford City, where they now live. B. G. Shinn has lived in Blackford County since he was three years of age, living on a farm until twenty-six years old. His early education was received at the district schools, and in the winter of 1857-58 he attended Liber College, in Jay County. He then attended Asbury University, at Greencastle, two years, and while there enlisted in April, 1861, in a company of college students for the three months' service in the war of the Rebellion. They went to Indianapolis and were in camp eight days, when the quota being full without their company they were sent back. He returned home and the following August again enlisted, and on the organization of Company B, Thirty-fourth Indiana Infantry, was elected its Second Lieutenant. The regiment went into camp at Anderson, and while there he was taken sick, and not recovering was compelled to resign before he left the State. The following spring he returned to college. In the spring of 1864 he again enlisted and was assigned to Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Infantry and was appointed Orderly Sergeant.

His regiment was principally engaged in doing guard duty on the line of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad. In the spring of 1865 he went to Bluffton and began reading law in the office of Judge E. R. Wilson, and was admitted to the bar before Judge Borden, in April, 1865. He immediately began the practice of his profession, and for a year was associated with Dwight Klink, in Bluffton. He was then in partnership with J. J. Todd until April, 1871, when he returned to Blackford County, and located in Hartford City, and for two years was associated with Michael Frash, when Mr. Frash temporarily retired from practice and Mr. Shinn was alone until the spring of 1882. He then formed a partnership with John Noonan, which continued until the fall of 1883, when Mr. Noonan went to Leadville, Colorado. Mr. Shinn then practiced alone until July,, 1885, when the present firm of Shinn & Pierce was formed. In politics Mr. Shinn is a Republican, and has been chairman of the Central Committee through three campaigns, being the present incumbent. He has served Hartford City as clerk, treasurer and school trustee. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in 1868 was licensed to preach, and in 1874 was ordained a local deacon. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, Hartford City Lodge, No. 262, and has passed all the chairs and represented his lodge in the grand lodge of the State. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Jacob Stahl Post, No. 227. Mr. Shinn was married in the fall of 1862 to Emily J. Harris, a native of Wells County, Indiana, daughter of Jonathan and Mary Ann (Dawson) Harris, early settlers of Wells County. She was left an orphan when five years of age and was reared by her grandparents, John and Prudence Dawson. Mr. and Mrs. Shinn have three sons--Orlando M. , Elmer Ellsworth and Eugene M.
See chart below

Submitted by: Alma Ellsworth Hatfield
"History of Blackford County 1887"


Hyman, eighth child of Daniel and Mary (Whiteman) Shinn, born 3/10/1817 in Harrison County, Virginia; was taken to Tyler County, West Virginia, by his father, and lived there until the family migrated to Indiana; in his twenty-first year he became acquainted with Ann, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Welch) Van Buskirk, who was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, 11/11/1810, and married her at Dublin, Wayne County, Indiana, 12/24/1837; he removed to Blackford County in 1841; Hyman passed the rest of a long life in Indiana, encountering the same difficulties and having the same experience as come to all pioneers; he died at Hartford City, Ind., 11/12/1890, and his wife passed away 9/14/1891 at the same place.
See chart below

Submitted by: Alma Ellsworth Hatfield
"Shinn Family in Europe and America",1903 [pg. 347] by Josiah H. Shinn, A.M."


Darius Shinn was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, November 16, 1815, a son of Daniel and Mary (Whiteman) Shinn. Daniel Shinn was born in old Virginia, and when a young man went to West Virginia, where he married Mary Whiteman. They lived in Harrison County until 1823, when they moved to Tyler County, where they lived until 1829, when the started for the West, taking a flat-boat to Cincinnati, and thence going by canal to Hamilton where they hired a team to take them to Indiana. They located in Henry County, which was then in a wild State. There Mrs. Shinn died in November, 1833. Mr. Shinn subsequently removed to Fayette, and thence to Blackford County, and from here went to Dubuque County, Iowa, and from there to Illinois where he died. His family consisted of thirteen children, nine sons and four daughters. Darius Shinn was reared in his native State and in Henry County, Indiana. After the death of his mother he began to work for himself and was employed on farms in Wayne, Henry and Fayette counties. He was married in Fayette County in October, 1840, to Rachel Turner, a native of Ohio. In November, 1841, they moved to Blackford County, and located on ninety-two and three-fourth acres which he had entered five years before, and on which he had made a deadening. This land was in the wilderness and with the exception of the deadening and the round-log house he had built was unimproved. The only roads were those he hewed out through the woods. Game was plentiful and Mr. Shinn being a good marksman killed more than enough to keep the family in meat. As an evidence of his skill with the rifle we cite a few of his adventures: One day when returning to his home from Montpelier he saw five deer and taking aim he killed a doe. Reloading he waited a few minutes when a buck returned and he killed him, and again waiting he killed the third one, all falling within five rods of each other. He killed four wild turkeys one morning before breakfast by calling them up, while standing under a tree. One morning when calling turkeys he heard something heavy step on the leaves behind him, and on looking around, saw a wild-cat creeping up on him, having probably been drawn to the spot by the smell of the turkeys. Mr. Shinn drew his gun on him and he immediately left the field to his superior hunter. Wild hogs were numerous and one cold winter a number were frozen to death. Wolf tracks were often seen about the house in the morning, and a wild eagle and ravens were often see. Mr. Shinn has been identified with the county nearly a half century, and is located on the same place where he built his log cabin in 1840. He is an honorable, upright man, and has been one of the foremost in advancing the interests of the county, which he has seen develop from a wilderness to one of the best in the State. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Shinn's Chapel, which he helped to organize, and has been a trustee over a third of a century. In politics he is a Republican. He has held the office of supervisor several years. Mrs. Shinn died in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Shinn had ten children, seven of whom are living--Sarah Jane, wife of Jep McDaniel, of Jay County; Martha, Philip A., Mary Amanda, wife of Stephen Smith; Cornelius, of Jay County; Mahala, wife of James Dawley, of Jay County, and Charlotte Abigail. Martha and Abigail are at home with their father. Daniel Henry was a member of the Thirty-fourth Indiana Infantry, serving through the war and died after his return home, from the effects of his army life. Silas Newton was a member of the Seventy-fifth Indiana Infantry, and died at Gallatin, Tennessee, from the effects of taking cold while sick with the measles. Arabel died at the age of sixteen years.
See chart below

Submitted by: Alma Ellsworth Hatfield
"History of Blackford County 1887"


Philip A. Shinn, section 1, Harrison Township, was born in Blackford County, July 15, 1849, a son of Darius Shinn, one of Blackford County's honored pioneers. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, and was reared to agricultural pursuits, attending the district schools when his services were not required at home. He was married October 3, 1872, to Miss Mary M. Shields, a native of Randolph County, Indiana, born in 1851, but at the time of her marriage living in Wells County. Mr. and Mrs. Shinn have two children--Branson Llewellyn, born July 15, 1874, and Leota Bell, born March 17, 1883. After his marriage Mr. Shinn located on the farm where he now lives, which contains 126 acres of Blackford County's best land. It is well improved, drained by 1,500 rods of tiling, and his residence and farm buildings are commodious and comfortable, the whole showing the thrift and good management of the owner. In politics Mr. Shinn is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Christian church. He is an enterprising, public-spirited citizen, taking an especial interest in everything that promotes the advancement of religion and education.
See chart below

Submitted by: Alma Ellsworth Hatfield
"History of Blackford County 1887"


Daniel Shinn b. 1/10/1781 in Harrison Co. Virginia,  married Mary Whiteman b.? on 8/5/1801 
     in Virginia.  The following children were born of this marriage:
1.  Noah Shinn b. 1/14/1802; m. 1826 in Virginia to Ann Fort (d. Henry Co., Ind. 2/25/1847) 
2.  Elias Shinn b. 3/11/1804; m. 1823 in Harrison Co., Vir. to Harriet Ummensetter 
     (b. Baltimore, Md. 11/11/1804 d. Dubuque, IA 10/1/1865.)  
3.  Charity Shinn b. ?/?/1806
4.  Unity Shinn b. 1/31/1808 died in infancy.
5.  Henry Shinn b. 1/31/1810; m. 11/17/1837 in Henry Co., Ind. to Harriet Walker of Knightstown. 
    (1) Mary Jane Shinn b. 9/2/1838; m. Robert Davis Maxwell 
    (2) Margaret Shinn b. 1/6/1840 ob. infans.
6.  Israel Shinn b. 6/26/1812; m. 5/26/1835 in Henry Co. Ind. to Mary Ann Hood; 
      nine children were born of this marriage:
    (1) Mary Elizabeth Shinn b. 11/26/1836; m. 3/1853 James Goldsbury (son of John B. and 
          Parmelia Goldsbury) [Enlisted 10/8/1864 in Co. D, 29th Indian Vol. Inf.] o
          b. 3/22/1865, and was buried in the National Cemetery, Gec. G. Chattenooga, Tenn. 
    (2) Edward Landon Shinn b. 10/18/1840; m. 1862 Jane Hall, two children were born 
          of this marriage.  Again m. 1871 Mrs. Sarah Hilton 
    (3) Maria Jane Shinn b. 8/25/1842;  
    (4) William Harrison Shinn b. 10/19/1845 ; ob. sine proli.
    (5) Asbury Newton Shinn b. 11/7/1847; [a soldier in the 47th Ind. Vo. Inf.]; m. Nancy Earles.  
    (6) Charles Omar Shinn b. 1/24/1849; m. Sophronia Ann Dowell.  Five children were 
          born of this marriage.  In 1903 resided in Raysville, Ind.
    (7) Alpheus Lafayette Shinn b. 6/24/1852; m. 3/19/1877, Nancy Jane Bryan. 
    (8) Henry Lankford Shinn b. 3/311855 m. Mollie M. Bryan.  
    (9) Martha Melinda Shinn b. 8/19/1859. 
7.  Darius Shinn b. 11/16/1815 m. in Fayette Co., Ind. on 10/6/1839, Rachel L. Turner
      (b. 10/5/1820, dau. of Silas and Sarah Jane Turner) Ten children were born of this
       marriage:
    (1) Sarah Jane Shinn b. 10/24/1840
    (2) Daniel Henry Shinn b. 2/8/1840; [enlisted in Co. B, 34th Ind. Vol. Inf. wounded at
         Champion Hill, Miss., 5/16/1863]; m. 6/22/1867, Jemima  McDaniel; Two children 
         were born of this marriage:  Marion Shinn b. 1896 & Olive Shinn b. 1869
    (3) Silas Newton Shinn b. 9/13/1843; [enlisted in Co. K, 75th Ind. Vol. died in the 
          hospital at Gallatin, Tenn., 12/30/1862]
    (4) Martha Ann Shinn b. 6/7/1845
    (5) Mary Amanda Shinn b. 2/3/1847; married 12/15/1866, Stephen A. Smith
    (6) Philip Andrew Shinn b. 7/15/1849; married 10/29/1872 Mary M. Shields.
    (7) Cornelius Elmore Shinn b. 7/21/1851; married 11/23/1875, Sarah E. Irey.
    (8) Florence Emma Shinn b. 8/24/1853; ob. 1/2/1868
    (9) Mahala Arbella Shinn b. 9/3/1855; m. 12/25/1875 James A. Dawley.
    (10) Charlotte Abigail Shinn b. 8/23/1857; married Francis M. Marker 3/6/1895. 
8.  Hyman Shinn b. 3/10/1817 m. 12/14/1837 in Dublin, Wayne Co., Ind. to Ann Van Buskirk, 
      dau. of John and Elizabeth (Welch) Van Buskirk.  Six children were born of
      this marriage:
    (1) Benjamin Granville Shinn b. 10/20/1838 [Enlisted 5/27/1864 into "I" Co. IND  
         138th Infantry] m. 10/30/1862, Emily Jane Harris, (b. 3/28/1844, dau. of 
         Jonathan and Mary Ann (Dawson) Harris.)  Three children were born of this
         marriage:  Orlando Milton Shinn b. 1864; Elmer Ellsworth Shinn b. 1866; Eugene 
         Melville Shinn b. 8/15/1868
    (2) William Henry Shinn b. 1840 d. 2/13/1842
    (3) James Lafayette Shinn b. 5/13/1843; [enlisted in Co. K., 75th Ind. Vol. Inf.]; 
          m. 5/13/1869 Elizabeth McCleery (b. 12/25/1844 dau. of Samuel and Mary 
         (Forbes) McCleery)  He died 1/29/1878, being then Postmaster at Montpelier. 
          Three children were born of this marriage:  Charles Wilburn Shinn b. 5/3/1870; 
          Frederick Linden Shinn b. 4/17/1876; Marian Pearl Shinn b. 7/20/1877.
    (4) John Marion Shinn b. 6/22/1845; [enlisted in Co. K 75th Ind. Vols. and was 
          discharged for disability, which terminated fatally; ob. in Blackford Co. 
          4/24/1863.] 
    (5) Oliver Whitefield Shinn b. 2/29/1848; m. 6/25/1870, Martha Dawley (b. 2/20/1851, 
          d. 10/26/1885 dau. of Horace and Mary (Martin) Dawley) Seven children 
          (daughters) were born of this marriage. 2nd. m. 1/1/1889, Jennie Jenkins; 
          Six children were born of this marriage.
    (6) Thomas Sylvester Shinn b. 12/11/1853; m. 4/28/1875, Esther Jane Wells 
           (b. 2/16/1887; dau. of James McF. Wells?
9.  Newman Shinn b. 9/22/1819; m. 3/1/1846 Christina Marts
10.Harrison Shinn b. 1821 m. 11/28/1850 in Fayette Co. Ind. to Mary Jane Spencer
11.Mary Ann Shinn b. 4/10/1824 d. 4/10/1891 m. William Buchard (b.10/31/1822 son of 
        William and Elizabeth Ann (Johnson) Burchard) on 1/25/1846 in Blackford Co., Ind.
        Five children were born of this marriage.
12.Silas Shinn b. ?/?/1826 (No other info.)
13.Sabra Shinn b. 7/2/1828 Tyler Co., Virginia. (My g-great grandmother was the
     thirteenth and youngest child of Daniel and Mary Whiteman Shinn)  In 1/1/1846 in
     Blackford Co., Ind. she married Nathan Ellsworth (b. aprox. 1822, New Paltz, Ulster 
     Co., N.Y. Son of Samuel and Betsy (Sperry) Ellsworth/Elsworth, and brother to  
     William Ellsworth.) [In 2/9/1865 he enlisted  "G" Company. IND 153rd Infantry]. There
     were eight children from this marriage:
    1. Daniel Perry Ellsworth b. 1/7/1848 at Cassopolis, MI [Enlisted on 2/20/1864 into
        "I" Co. IND 34th Infantry] (married Alvira V. Brown 11/24/1866, Montpelier, 
         Ind.)There were five children from this marriage:
            (1) Viola Jossephine Ellsworth b. 8/3/1867 (m., 12/19/900, Randolph S.
                 Middleton)
            (2)  Walter Elmer Ellsworth b. 3/12/1869; (m., 1/25/1893, Minnie Agnes Bennett)
            (3)  Samuel Nathan Ellsworth b. 12/17/1870; (m., 11/13/1892 Blanche Odell 
                   Moore)
            (4)  Florence Emma Ellsworth b. 10/15/1872; (ob. infans.)
            (5)  Maude May Ellsworth b. 11/12/1875; (m. 4/29/1896, William H. Sievert)   
        2. Mary Elizabeth Ellsworth b 12/17/1849 at Blackford Co., Ind.(m. Sylvester 
              Drummond 4/4/1869, Matamoras, Ind.  They resided in Fort Wayne, Indiana) 
              There were eight children from this marriage:
            (1)  Calvin Perry Drummond b. 2/10/1870; (ob. idem anno.)
            (2)  Arthur Ellsworth Drummond b. 1/16/1872
            (3)  Charles Augustus Drummond b. 8/28/1875; (m., 1/10/1899, Emma Myers)
            (4)  Hiram Sylvester Drummond b. 7/16/1878; (m. 1/30/1901, Inez Laveck)
            (5)  Estelle Beryl Drummond b. 3/18/1880; (m., 6/26/1902, Prof. A. G.
                   Harshman)
            (6)  Clara Belle Drummond b. 1/5/1882; (m., 9/25/1902 Frederick L.
                   Jenkins)
            (7)  Orlo Rose Drummond b. 11/13/1885
            (8)  Franklin Monroe Drummond b. 8/7/1888 
    3. Electa Ann Ellsworth b. 5/6/1852 (married Edward Lucian Shull 1/7/1872 at 
         Montpelier, Ind.)  There were two children from this marriage:
            (1)  Jesse Luetta Shull b. 1/16/1876; (m., 6/18/1898, Edney K. Martin
            (2)  Guy Earl Shull b. 9/6/1881; (m., 6/5/1902, Carrie Boone)
    4.  William Henry Ellsworth b. 1/31/1855; ob 1861
    5.  Hannah Roseltha Ellsworth b. 5/28/1857 (unmarried)
    6.  Icedora Ellsworth b. 10/16/1859; (m. Warren R. Gibford)
    7.  Sabrina Jane Ellsworth b. 11/20/1862; ob. 1864
    8.  Laura Luetta Ellsworth b. 12/21/1864; ob. 1874  

Submitted by: Alma Ellsworth Hatfield


William Ellsworth, one of the old and honored pioneers of Blackford County, was born in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York, March 16, 1813, his parents being Samuel and Betsy (Sperry) Ellsworth. The father was born, reared and married in the State of New York. In 1829 he removed to Ohio, and in 1839 or 1840, he came to Indiana, and a year or two later settled in Michigan, where he lived until his death, his wife also dying in that State. William Ellsworth was reared until his sixteenth year in New York State, and in 1829 accompanied his parents to Ohio. He was married in Ohio, February 12, 1836, to Miss Betsy Platt, native of Connecticut, and a daughter of Samuel and Anna (Parrott) Platt. Her mother died in Ohio. Her father subsequently came to Blackford County, Indiana where he lived until a short time previous to his death. He left Blackford County for Michigan, and died in that State. The year of their marriage Mr. and Mrs.Ellsworth removed to Blackford County, where he entered 120 acres of land in Harrison Township. He also bought a lot in Montpelier on which he erected a house, this being about the fourth house erected in the place. On coming to the county he was variously employed, part of the time working at the carpenter's trade, and worked on the first mill built on the Salamonie River in the neighborhood of Montpelier. He resided at Montpelier about three years, then bought eighty-six acres of his present farm, which was then right in the woods. After making a small clearing he put up a little round log cabin. Game of all kinds was abundant, but he was not much of a hunter, preferring to devote his time to his farm, clearing and improving his land. Wild animals were also quite numerous, and the howling of the wolves was frequently heard. One night our subject met two wolves in the path near his house which he mistook for dogs. At that early day Hartford City contained but one log cabin, in which court was held, and the jury held their sessions in a hazel thicket near by. By hard work and persevering energy Mr. Ellsworth has cleared and put under cultivation all his land with the exception of fifteen acres. He never hired a day's work on his land, and most of the improvements on the place were done by himself before his sons were old enough to help him. He has been identified with Blackford County for over half a century, and has always taken an active interest in its welfare. Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth have been members of the Baptist church forty-seven years, and for several years he has been a deacon in his church. He has affiliated with the Republican party since its organization. They are parents of three children--Matilda J., Samuel and William D. Their only daughter is a member of the Baptist church. She married Amos Hunter, who is now deceased, his death occurring November 26, 1879, and to this union were born four children -- Rosa Lee, wife of John Poulson; George C., Calvin F. and Charles. The eldest son, Samuel is a minister of the Christian church at Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. William D. is member of the Methodist church. He is a graduate of the Commercial College at Madison, Wisconsin. After his graduation he taught in the Commercial College at Des Moines two or three years, becoming one of the proprietors. He then sold out his interest, and went to St. Louis, where he taught in Bryant & Stratton's Business College. He subsequently returned to Des Moines, and for eight years held the position of head bookkeeper in Seebergen's wholesale establishment, since which time he has been in the employ of the Baker Barbed Wire Company.

Submitted by: Alma Ellsworth Hatfield
"Biographical and Historical Record of Blackford County, Indiana" Lewis Publishing Company, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, 1887


Deb Murray