W. C. Wells, County Recorder, was born in Fulton County, Ohio, March 22, 1848. His father, David Wells, was born in Maryland in 1800, married Rebecca Jones in Ohio, and by her had twelve children. He had come to Ohio when a boy, and there Mrs. Wells died. About 1845, Mr. Wells married Mrs. Catherine J. (Crane) Maxwell, a widow with two daughters. In March, 1854, this couple came to Porter County, where they had relatives living, and where Mr. Wells had, the previous year, purchased 160 acres of land on Section 33, Centre Township. Into a log cabin on the place, Mr. Wells moved his family and household goods and began clearing. That fall - 1854 - the father and two sons died of typhoid fever. The mother, with her remaining children, shortly after moved to Union Township, where she married J. G. Curry, and died in October, 1864. Mr. W. C. Wells was reared chiefly in Porter County, and when but little over fifteen years of age enlisted, December 5, 1863, in Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was chosen Third Sergeant, and the spring of 1864 went to the front and joined Sherman’s army at Resaca, Ga. He participated in all the movements of that army until the capture of Atlanta, when his corps - Twenty-third - came back to Nashville with Gen. Thomas, engaging on the way in a running fight with Gen. Hood’s command. After the battle of Nashville, they were went via Washington to North Carolina, where they remained in active service until the close of the war. Mr. W. receiving his discharge October 20, 1865. On his return to Porter County, he engaged in farming, and has remained here ever since, except one year, when he resided in Minnesota. He was married in 1868, to Victoria Morrison, of Porter county, and to this union have been born five children - Maud, Mabel, Guy, Paul and Ray. Mr. Wells is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Republican, and in 1878 was elected County Recorder, with a majority over three competitors of about five hundred. In July, 1882, he was re-elected. He was also elected Justice of the Peace and Township Assessor in Pleasant Township, from which he moved to Valparaiso, when elected County Recorder.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 275 City of Valparaiso
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Willard Beach is the son of Lyman and Leva (Judd) Beach, and was born in Canada December 5, 1836. His parents were natives of Connecticut, moving from that State to Canada at an early day, thence moving hither and settling on Morgan Prairie in 1838, where they resided until 1867, at that period moving to Jackson Township, their present residence. Mr. Willard Beach has obtained a reasonably fair education, and has followed the primitive life of a farmer since his boyhood. He came to this place on which he lives, and which he owns, in 1867; it comprises ninety acres, and is well improved. On January 1, 1861, he was married to Hannah Peoples, who died June 8, 1874, leaving a family of six children - Leva, Lyman, Ella, Wilden, Walter and Ralph. On December 23, 1874, he was married to Rosanna Adams, a native of this county, and born in 1835; she is a member of the Christian Church. By this second marriage he has had two children born to him - Mattie and Stella; both of whom, however, are dead. Mr. Beach is a Democrat, but one of the most liberal of that shade of political opinion.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 329, 330 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

William C. Talcott, son of Joseph and Rebecca Talcott, was born in Dalton, Berkshire County, Mass., December 25, 1815, and during the first year of his age his parents moved their family to Madison, Lake Co., Ohio, where he resided with them till the age of ten, and then with others until nearly twenty, when he came to La Porte County, Ind., in August, 1835; in the spring of 1837, he came to Porter County, where he has resided ever since, except perhaps the years of 1843 and 1844, which were passed at Waterford, La Porte County, and 1845 and 1846, near South Bend. He was married, May 1, 1838, to Miss Maria Luther, who has borne him six children, of whom two sons and one daughter died young. Of the three surviving, Harry is a District Judge in Kansas; Joseph, is a postal clerk between Crestline and Chicago; the youngest, Charles, is his father’s partner in the publication of the Porter County Vidette at Valparaiso, and is also Treasurer of the School Board. William C. Talcott became religious at the age of fifteen, and began studying for the Presbyterian ministry, but during his studies his faith in endless punishment became so shaken that he abandoned the intention. Becoming pretty well established in the belief of Universalism, he acted as a pioneer preacher of that creed for about ten years, when he lost his faith in spiritual worlds and beings, and since 1845 his creed has consisted of “doing as you would be done by”; and in that year he founded a community on this basis near South Bend, which failed only through a disagreement among the investors in the land, whereby the better part of the promised site was lost. In 1840, Mr. Talcott was elected Justice; was appointed Probate Judge in 1849, and was elected to the same office in 1850; he resigned in 1852, to accept the Democratic nomination for Assemblyman, but being an earnest temperance and anti-slavery advocate, was defeated. In 1856, he was elected Common Pleas Judge, and was twice re-elected, serving twelve years, after which he for six years practiced law. His experience as a publisher began in 1846, at South Bend, where he started the Spirit of Reform, hoping to advance a reform in spelling, of which he is still a devoted advocate. In 1847, he bought a half-interest in the Western Ranger, published at Valparaiso, and was partner in it nearly two years; then bought the other half, entitled it the Practical Observer, made it a temperance, anti-slavery and otherwise reformatory Democratic paper until 1854, and after that Republican till 1857, when by reason of employment on the bench he sold out. But in 1874, he purchased the Vidette, as the successor, by another name, of what he sold, and after a few months his son, Charles, R., became a partner with him, and since then the firm has made that paper what it is. Mr. Talcott has had some experience in Porter County in surveying, teaching, preaching, farming, publishing and practicing and administering law, and his experience in these things, with his economic tendency of mind, have made him a devoted advocate of the economical reforms as advocated for years past in the Vidette. His life has been a peaceful one, a plain and tolerably temperate and healthy one, and since relieved of apprehension of hell-fire for himself or others, whom he cared for measurably as himself, a happy one, he having been growing happy with increasing years despite the lack of hope of anything beyond this life but sleep, believing that he is habitually the happiest person in the world.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 274, 275 City of Valparaiso
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

A. L. Brown, son of Joseph and Susan (Carter) Brown, was born in Spencer County, Ind., February 4, 1830; the youngest of thirteen children, five of whom are living. Our subject and a brother in Valparaiso represent the family in this county; his father was a native of Virginia, his mother of North Carolina; his grandparents came from Kentucky to Spencer County, Ind., in company with Abraham Lincoln’s parents, in 1816, living as neighbors many years. Mr. Brown’s father came to this county about 1835, where he lived until his death, August 3, 1850; he was a farmer, a Democrat and an admirer of fine horses. Our subject, at the age of thirteen, left Spencer County with an older brother and went to Missouri, where he remained seven years, returning to Porter County in 1849, and here he has since resided. In his youth, he learned the tobacco and cigar making trade, but has, by preference, followed farming; he has now two farms, comprising 360 acres, about 250 of which are cultivated; he has also good buildings and various improvements. On October 4, 1853, he was married to Catharine Malone, daughter of Wilson Malone; they have a family of six children - Ella (wife of Benjamin Flood, of La Porte County), Cassius (married and living in this township), Frederick, William, Walter and Aaron. In politics, Mr. Brown is a Democrat, but an extremely liberal one.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 331 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Isaac V. Bond, born in Wayne County, Ind., is one of seven born to Jesse and Mary (Vore) Bond, three of whom live in this State and one in California. His father was a native of North Carolina, his mother of Pennsylvania; they came to Indiana before its admission as a State, remaining until 1831, when they removed to Kalamazoo County, Mich.; thence to La Porte County, Ind., where they resided until their decease, his mother dying in 1878, and his father in 1882. Our subject received a fair education, and has taught several terms. When about twenty-five years old, he visited the Southern States, and in 1850, the “land of gold” - California. In this adventure, he was three times shipwrecked and three times paid passage; he engaged in mining, and after in saw-milling remaining two years, and returning by way of Central America, and reaching La Porte in 1853. Here he was married, on September 10, of the same year, to Mary E. Rogers, of La Porte County, when he settled to farming, but after eleven years made an overland trip to Idaho in 1864. He has visited nineteen States, nine Territories and Central and South America, having traveled over 33,000 miles gaining much information and many curiosities. He came to Porter County, Ind., in December, 1864, settling on the land he now has - ninety-one acres. His wife died October 16, 1875, leaving two children - William A. and Frank A., both farmers. His second marriage was to Martha H. Underwood (O’Hara), and took place February 15, 1882; she is a daughter of John and Mary Underwood, old settlers of La Porte County. Mr. Bond is a stanch Republican, and has been Assessor of Washington Township; he is a Quaker in religion, and a Freemason. Mrs. Bond belongs to the M. E. Church.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 330, 331 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

James Bundy was born in Fayette County, Ind., May 5, 1926, and is a son of James and Maria (Koffman) Bundy; his parents were born and married in Northumberland County, Penn. , and came to Fayette County, Ind., about the year 1820, among the first settlers. In 1832, they took up eight acres in Elkhart County, hewing a place in the wood for a cabin of logs, using greased paper for window panes. They came to Porter County in 1841, settling on what is now the “Wilson farm”; his father died in 1858, his mother in 1855. James Bundy lived at home until of age, receiving a common school education; he is a farmer, and has worked at carpentering, but never learned the trade. On December 7, 1851, he was married to Adaline Philips, daughter of John and Esther (Bachelor) Philips, born June 27, 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Bundy have had seven children, five of whom are living - John K., William, George W., (the last two are carpenters, and have built some fine buildings in this county), Frank and Mary. Mr. Bundy has a snug farm of forty acres, on which he now resides. In politics, he, together with his sons, is a Republican.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 331,332 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Nathan Cooper, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Joseph) Cooper, was born in Putnam County, Ohio, January 10, 1841. Regarding his parents, Mr. Cooper knows but very little, inasmuch as they died when he was extremely young; he lived with his grandparents until he was about nine years of age, afterward with a man named William Beard until his fifteenth year, when he began the battle of existence for himself; he came here in the autumn of 1855, in company with his uncle, M. Joseph. Mr. Cooper, despite his lack of opportunity for education, has informed himself sufficiently for the requirements of business; he moved upon the place he now holds on the day of President Lincoln’s inauguration, March 4, 1861. He was married, January 11, 1866, to Lydia A. Stoner, of Porter County, born July 7, 1844, and a daughter of Abraham Stoner, one of the earliest settlers, coming hither in 1833. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have had two children - Frankie, born July 13, 1870 and Lulu B., November 6, 1880. Mr. Cooper has followed farming from boyhood, and has 425 acres of land, as fine a stock farm as the county contains. In politics, he is independent or neutral, supporting, as he believes, the best man among all.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 333 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Russell Cohoon is a native of Yates County, N. Y.; he was born August 2, 1808, and is a son of Stuart and Charity (Culver) Cohoon; he is the eldest of his family; his father was a native of Connecticut, his mother of New Jersey; his father was a Captain in the war of 1812; he lived in the State of New York until 1820, when he moved to Erie County, Penn., and there died in 1836; his grandfather served in the Revolution. Our subject lived at home until of age, and received a fair education for the time, having taught two terms of school; he learned the trade of a joiner, at which he worked in connection with wagon-making for many years, and nine years at saw-milling; he came to Porter County in February, 1851, settling on the farm which he now owns - a splendid one of eighty-five acres besides good buildings. He was married October 1, 1829, to Anna Colver, of Yates County, N. Y.; by this union he had five children - Llewellyn J., Avery R., Elliott, Ceylon and Melross; his wife died August 18, 1855; his second marriage was to Mrs. Nancy C. Hayner, who was born April 6, 1822; by this union Mr. Cohoon had born to him four children - Charles, Carrie C. (now wife of N. Dawson, of this county), Ellsworth and Grant; the boys are farmers; by a former marriage Mrs. Cohoon had two children. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Cohoon is a Republican and a member of the Unitarian Church; he has been Justice of the Peace twenty-one years.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 332, 333 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

S. A. Campbell, one of the pioneers of Porter County, was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., February 8, 1821, and is the eldest of three sons born to Adam S. and Polly (Adams) Campbell, and the only one now living. His parents were born, brought up and married in the State of New York. They came Westward when our subject was twelve years of age, and settled in Morgan Prairie, in Porter County. Mr. Campbell was Justice of the Peace, School Commissioner, and served one term in the State Legislature as a Democrat; he died in August, 1850, but Mrs. Campbell is still living with her son, and eighty-four years old. Our subject came to this county with his parents in 1833, and remained with them until of age; he attended the first school taught in this county, on Section 8 of this township, in 1834 and 1835. On March 13, 1847, he was married to Harriet Cornell of Wayne County, Ohio, but then residing here; she died in June, 1864, leaving a family of four children - Myron and Marvin (twins), Otto and Helen, wife of D. Eastburn, of Benton County, Ohio; his second marriage, to Elizabeth (Bartholomew) Finney, took place September 21, 1875; she is a daughter of Jeremiah Bartholomew, and was born March 11, 1822, her parents coming to the county in 1834. In politics, Mr. Campbell is a Democrat, and has been Township Trustee for many years; he is a member of the Blue and Chapter Lodges, also of the Commandery of Masons. Mrs. C. is a member of the Presbyterian Church. The Campbells are perhaps the second oldest family in Porter County, the oldest being the Morgans, of Westchester Township.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 332 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Theophilus Crumpacker, son of Owen and Hannah (Woodford) Crumpacker, was born in Montgomery County, Va., January 18, 1822; he is one of a family of nine children, six of whom are living; his parents were also Virginians; his ancestry on his father’s side were from Germany, and on his mother’s from England. The subject of our sketch came with his parents from Virginia to Union County, Ind., in 1828, and in 1834 came to Porter County; his father settled upon land purchased from the Government, afterward moving to La Porte County, where he died July 23, 1848. Mr. Crumpacker lived with his parents until he became of age, receiving a fair education, and remained until 1863, when he removed to Kankakee County, Ill., but returned to Porter County in 1865, and settled upon the farm he now owns, a fine one of 245 acres. Mr. Crumpacker has been a stanch Republican since the party was formed, having represented his county in the State Legislature three terms, from 1872 to 1878, and being the only man of his county who has served that number of terms. While in La Porte County, he was four years Township Trustee; he has now retired. On February 27, 1847, he was married to Harriet Emmons, a daughter of William and Elsie (Kirk) Emmons, and born November 17, 1823. Eight children, seven of whom are living, were born to them - John W., Edgar, Daniel, Eliza A. (deceased), Peter, Nettie, Charlie and Grant. The eldest, John W., was born in La Porte County, March 19, 1849, where he received a good education and taught public school four terms. He was married, January 3, 1877, to Anna J. Smith, daughter of Martin Smith; she was born March 31, 1849, in Huron County, Ohio. In 1872, John W. Crumpacker entered the County Treasurer’s office as Deputy, and in 1878, was elected Treasurer by the Republicans; he is now serving his second term; he belongs to the I. O. O. F., also the O. F. Encampment; his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 333, 334 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

William T. Brown was born in Mississippi County, Mo., September 11, 1848, and is the sone of Prester and Mahala (Beckwith) Brown, who were natives of this State, and settled in this county in 1849, on Morgan Prairie. His occupation since boyhood has been mainly farming, although he has worked at the carpenter’s trade. He has at the present time a very excellent farm of 190 acres, the greater part of which has been cleared and improved by himself. Not having the best opportunities for acquiring knowledge in his youth, his education is somewhat limited. For several years he has done considerable threshing, being the owner of a good steam threshing machine. On July 2, 1873, he was married to Indiana Shinabarger, a native of this county. To this union a family of two children have resulted - Nattie and Myron. Mr. Brown is a Democrat, but one of the liberal stamp. He is a fair business man, and in the affairs of life has been reasonably successful.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 331 Washington Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John Anderson was born in Ireland November 5, 1834. He was the eldest of two sons born to Robert and Margaret Anderson. The former was born October 16, 1807; was married to Margaret Adams, and after her death, in 1837, moved to Trumbull County, Ohio, and was again married, September, 1842, to Elizabeth Biggart, and about three years afterward moved to Porter County, Ind., purchased and moved on the farm on which he now lives in Pleasant Township. Our subject was also married, in Ireland, February 12, 1856, to Eliza Anderson, born September 21, 1838, and daughter of Robert and Mary Anderson, but no relation of our subject. He moved to Porter County, Ind., in 1868. He purchased the farm of 200 acres on which he now lives. There was born to him a family of nine children - Robert (deceased), William J., George B., Mary E., Margaret A., Anna, Robert (deceased), Newton (deceased) and Lillian.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 374 Pleasant Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Dr. George W. Arnold was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., August 6, 1837, and is a son of Elisha and Phebe (Sayles) Arnold, both natives of New York. When George W. Arnold was eight years of age, he came with his parents to Porter County, Ind., where he has since resided. During his youth, he worked on the farm and acquired a fair common-school education. At the age of twenty-two, he began to study medicine at home, and in 1871 he graduated at the Bennett Medical College of Chicago, and the same year located at Wheeler, where he has been practicing, with the exception of one year spent in South Chicago. In 1864, he entered Company H, Fifty-third Regiment Indiana Volunteers, and served until the war was closed. Dr. Arnold is a member of Lodge No. 403, A., F. & A. M., and also of Valparaiso Commandery. In politics he is a Republican.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 339 Union Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Enness Arnold was born in Franklin County, Ind., June 10, 1816, and was the eldest of the eight children of John and Coney Arnold. In October, 1844, Mr. Arnold came to Porter County, Ind., and purchased the farm on which he is now located. On June 10, 1852, he was married, in this county, to Nancy Spencer, a native of Porter County, having been born there August 14, 1834. The marriage was blessed with six children - John, William, Robert, Irena, Abraham L. and Emma E. Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Arnold moved on his farm, which he has continued to improve from year to year. It is now a desirable property, and numbers 350 acres. Mr. Arnold is an estimable citizen and has held several offices of trust in his county. He is now in comfortable circumstances, though he began life poor and was unaided.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 347 Morgan Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Benjamin Asher was born in Harrison County, Ohio, June 1, 1816. He was the youngest of a family of eight children born to Luke and Nancy Asher. He was married, in Guernsey County, Ohio, July, 1836, to Miss Sarah M. Hinline, and shortly afterward moved on a farm in that county, remaining until 1845. He then moved to Porter County, Ind., and has remained here since. His wife died October 28, 1866. He was next married, November 15, 1868, to Mahalah Griffith, born in Porter County, Ind., June 2, 1846. He had a family of eleven children - Reading, Abraham (deceased), Edward, John, Paulina, Benjamin, Nancy, Caroline, by his first wife and Lyman G., Carrie, Katie, by his present wife. He owns 200 acres of land, and is a member of the Masonic Order.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 374 Pleasant Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing