Alexander Hesser, son of Andrew and Betsey (Edrain) Hesser, was born in Richland County, Ohio, March 1, 1826. His mother died when he was seven years of age, and he went to live with a farmer, and when he was ten years old began work in a tannery, where he continued two years. He then went to Jefferson County and engaged in farming until thirteen years old, when he came to this county, working for seven years. During this period, he saved his money, attended school during the winter, and made good use of time until he was twenty years old, when on July 5, 1846, he was married to Elizabeth Hammond. He then removed to Jefferson County, Ohio, but after four years he returned to this county, and in 1851, purchased eighty acres and began farming for himself. Mr. and Mrs. Hesser have had three children - Joseph A., Sarah J. and Elwood P., all of whom are married. Mr. Hesser is now the owner of 500 acres and as fine a farm as the county affords; some of his land is in Iowa, and he has given to his children land and money. Mr. and Mrs. Hesser are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was formerly a Democrat, but is now a Republican, and was a strong supporter of the late war.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 384, 385 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Anderson Poor is the eldest of ten children of Edward and Sarah (Morris) Poor, of whom the former was born in North Carolina, April 24, 1794, and the latter in Tennessee in about 1801. The father was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was married in Tennessee in 1816; he then engaged in farming in North Carolina, where our subject was born August 13, 1819. In 1824, the father brought his family to this State, locating in Fountain County, moving thence, in 1831, to Illinois. In 1832, when but twelve years of age, our subject enlisted in the Black Hawk war, and was stationed at old Fort Dearborn, in Chicago. Afterward, worked on the farm with his father until nineteen years old, and then began for himself. January 5, 1843, he married Charlotte Dwight, who has borne him seven children - Emily L., born May 18, 1844; Morris, September 10, 1846, deceased; Mary A., January 4, 1848; Frances A., April 8, 1850, deceased; Lafayette B., June 11, 1852; Maryette E., June 26, 1857, and Edward E., February 22, 1865. In 1865, he came to this county and located near Valparaiso, buying a farm of 150 acres; this he sold in 1877; came to this township and bought the farm of 240 acres on Section 23, on which he has ever since resided, sincerely respected by all his neighbors.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 388 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

A. R. House was born in Vermont in 1815, and was the first born of the nine children of Zela and Eunice (Belknap) House, natives of the same State. About 1819, the family started West; went down the Ohio River as far as Evansville, Ind., where they tarried six years, and then returned East, and for about seventeen years lived in the town of Yorkshire, State of New York. Mr. House, during these changes, had but little opportunity for schooling, and in 1837 left his home for the West again, and came to St. Joseph, where he worked in a foundry until 1843, and then made a trip of 800 miles on horseback to New York to see his parents. He returned West the same year, bought some land in Ohio, and married Alvia Smith, who died ten months after. A year and a half later, he married Nancy Hill, sold his Ohio farm and came to Porter, where, four years later, his second wife died, leaving one daughter - Janette, now married to Isaac Eaton. A year and a half later, he married Sophia Dye, who, also, has borne him one daughter - Serena, now the wife of Merritt Cornell. Mr. House now owns a farm of 240 acres, in a good state of cultivation and well improved in every respect; he is a member of the Christian Church, is a Democrat, and occupies a high position in the regard of the community.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 385 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Daniel R. Ludington, the third son of Alvah and Abigail (Welsh) Ludington, was born in Oxford, Upper Canada, September 9, 1827. The father died when Daniel was but seven years of age, and in consequence the latter did not receive a great deal of schooling; he was obliged to work for a livelihood, and began at 12 ½ cents per day and board; but saved his money; then, at sixteen, worked in a confectionery and bakery at $4 per month and board; at nineteen, he hauled lumber at $9 per month, and at twenty married Alvia Strong. In 1848, he came to this county and worked on several farms until 1850, when he bought eighty acres of land, improved with a two-story log house, and is now as comfortably situated as most of his neighbors; he has had born to him nine children, viz.: Alvia F., Henry (deceased), Alice (deceased), Joseph, James, Frances, Mary E., Abbie and Elias. In politics, he is a Democrat, and is active in support of the interest of his party.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 386 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Eban S. Merrifield, son of George C. and Mary (Parks) Merrifield, was born in Yates County, N. Y., July 25, 1836, where he attended the public schools, and at the age of twenty came to Valparaiso, this county, with his father; here he resided till 1861, engaged in the study and practice of law, when he was appointed to the position of clerk to the House Committee on Post Office and Post Roads, at Washington, D.C., which position he held during one session of Congress, and was then appointed to a clerkship in the Treasury Department, in which he faithfully discharged his duties until 1864, when he returned to this county and located in this township on Section 34. He was married, in 1861, to Miriam F. Wolff, daughter of John and Marcia Wolff, and to their union have been born two boys and two girls - Ralph C., Maud (deceased), Lydia and John (deceased); he is a Republican in politics, and was a delegate to the National Convention, held at Cincinnati, in 1876; his farm product chiefly consists of hay, as he gives more attention to stock-rasing than to agriculture. In his specialty he has made a success, and he now probably has the best stock farm in Porter County; he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in good standing, and is universally regarded as a worthy and useful citizen.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 387 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

James H. Kenworthy is a native of Albany County, N. Y., and was born in 1845; his parents, Jared and Mary (Taylor) Kenworthy, were born in Yorkshire, England, in 1819 and 1820, were married in 1840, and came to America in 1843. In 1844, his father opened a village blacksmith shop in Albany County, and there died in 1848; his mother then married Thomas McDonough, who brought the family to La Porte County, this State, where he died in 1880, leaving the mother again a widow. In 1870, our subject came to this township, married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Campbell, and they are now the parents of three boys - Archibald, C., William A. and James Allen. Mr. Kenworthy is now the owner of the old Campbell homestead, and is living in the same house in which he was married, with his mother and the parents of Mrs. Kenworthy; he is a member of the Presbyterian Church in good standing, and attends devine services as often as circumstances will permit.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 386 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

James Miller was born in Allegheny County, Md., in 1831, the third child of Henry and Rachel (Dye) Miller, of German parentage, and born respectively in 1801 and 1809. James Miller attended school at intervals, and worked on his father’s farm until seventeen years old, and until twenty worked out for himself; then he went to Wayne County, Ohio, and in 1856, married Elizabeth Hague, who bore him two children, Elmer H. and Alice (now Mrs. Albert Skinkle). In 1862, he came to Porter, and a year later bought a farm of eighty-one and one-half acres, improved with a log house. Since his residence here, there have been five children born to him - Isaiah, Willie C., Estella, Ida and Jennie. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members in good standing of the Christian Church, and in politics he is a Democrat, as was his father before him; his farm now comprises 302 acres, and is well cultivated and improved with good dwelling and outbuildings; he devotes the greater part of his attention to agriculture, although he raises, in addition, a great many horses and hogs for market.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 387, 388 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John McGinley, son of Robert and Eva (Lindsay) McGinley, natives of Ireland, was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1831; he began attending school at the age of six, and so continued each winter throughout his youth, working on the home farm each summer until twenty-six years old, when, February 26, 1857, he married Miss Lucinda, daughter of Simon and Rachel Armentrout, and in the fall of the same year came to this county and township and bought forty acres of land on Section No. 5, which he farmed four years, then sold, and bought forty acres on Section No.1, to which he has since added until he now owns 154 acres, all under good cultivation, and improved with a first-class frame dwelling and frame outbuildings. In addition to farming, he devotes considerable attention to stock-rasing, and sends out some very fine animals. Mr. McGinley has had born to him five children - Saran E., Mary C., George W. (deceased), Clara B. and Simon P.; he has also reared a son of Mrs. Wilana, of Knox County, Ohio, who was returned to his mother, and is doing well as a scene sketcher and engraver. Mr. and Mrs. McGinley and daughter Clara are members in good standing of the Christian Church, and Miss Clara is being trained for school teaching. Mr. McG. is a Democrat in politics, but rather liberal in his views, and has held the office of Road Supervisor for about twelve years.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 386, 387 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Leander Jones, son of Enoch and Catherine (Kimerer) Jones, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in January 1850. About the year of 1852, his father moved to this county, where Leander attended school and worked on the home farm till nineteen years of age; he then attended high school at Valparaiso for five terms. In April, 1872, he married Elmira Cornell, daughter of Ira and Emily Cornell, and to this union there have been born three boys and one girl - Edgar V., Clayton E., Clarence I., and an infant daughter, yet unnamed; he has a first class farm of 106 acres, a comfortable home and good outbuildings, and a bright prospect before him. In addition to the usual route of agriculture, he takes great interest in live stock and has in his possession some fine blooded animals.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 386 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Shadrach Hiland was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1807, and is the son of Joseph and Massie (Downing) Hiland, natives of Maryland. Mrs. Hiland died in 1813, and at the age of nine Shadrach went to live with an uncle in Fairfield County, Ohio, where he attended school in winter and worked on the farm in summer until sixteen, after which he worked out on his own account until twenty-seven, when he married Miss Mary Fairchild, and moved to Hancock County, Ohio, where he resided for ten years; thence he moved to Fulton County, Ind., bought 165 acres of land, built a cabin and cleared up about seventy acres. At this point, January 1, 1854, Mrs. Hiland died, the mother of three children - James and William (deceased) and Sarah A., now Mrs. Samuel C. Ross. In the latter part of 1854, Mr. Hiland married Sylvania Kizer, widow of Blake Kizer and daughter of Nathan Herendeen, and to this union one child was born - Celida S., in 1861. In 1865, Mr. Hiland came to this township and bought 80 acres on Section No. 13. Where he is now engaged in prosperous farming; he is a member of the United Brethren Church, and in politics was formerly a Democrat, having cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson for President, but since the formation of the Republican party he has given it his affiliation and vote.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 385 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Zela House, fifth child of Zela and Eunice (Belknap) House, natives of Vermont, was born in New York State October 4, 1824. Until sixteen years of age, Zela attended school and worked on the home farm alternately winter and summer, and after that assisted regularly on the farm until about twenty-three years old, when he was induced by his brother, A. R. House, to come West, which he did, accompanied by his father and family. They located in Porter, and for four years longer Zela remained with his father. At the age of twenty-seven, he married Jane Spafford, daughter of Chester Spafford. In 1854, he bought forty acres of land and a log house, but he has now a fine farm of ninety acres, improved with a two-story frame dwelling and all the outbuildings required for general farming purposes; he raises some stock and has some choice imported animals from England and Canada; he has no children, but has reared and educated a daughter of James Price, now married to W. T. Critchfield, and living in Nebraska. In politics, Mr. House is a Democrat.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 385, 386 Porter Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

J. Barnard was born in Surry County, N. C., March 2, 1806, and is a son of Uriah and Elizabeth (Massey) Barnard. Uriah’s parents were born on the Island of Nantucket, and went with their parents to North Carolina when quite young. Our subject’s parents came to Ohio in 1811; thence to Wayne County, Ind., in 1817, where they died, parents of ten children, two now living. J. Barnard lived with his parents until of age, and learned the trade of a carpenter. He was married in January, 1840, to Margaret McGonigle, of Wayne County, Ind., who died April 19, 1851, leaving a family of four - Caroline (now Mrs. S. Williams, of Labette County, Kan.), Sarah E. (now deceased), Allen and Leroy. Mr. Barnard came to Porter County in 1845, and has been mainly engaged in farming; he is how somewhat engrossed by bee culture, having now thirty-seven swarms, after a loss of fifty swarms, during the winter of 1880-81; he is a strong Republican. Allen J. Barnard was born in this county August 27, 1847, and is a carpenter and farmer. On August 12, 1871, he was married in La Porte County to Sarah E. Tatman, a native of Ohio. They have two children - Cassius H. and Ira J.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 355 Jackson Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

N. Barnard was born in Wayne County, Ind., October 6, 1829, and is a son of William and Sallie (Williams) Barnard; his father was born in 1803, in Surry County, N. C., whence in 1811, he removed with his parents to Wayne County, Ind., in 1817, where he married; he came to Porter County in 1835, and bought a claim of 100 acres for $50, on which a cabin was built and some clearing made. In 1836, he moved to Cass County, Mich., returning hither in 1838, and did a great deal toward improving Jackson Township. N. Barnard lived with his parents until manhood. At the age of seventeen, he began to learn carpentering, at which he labored intermittently for twenty years. On February 2, 1851, he was married to Mary J. Lumpkin, of Wayne County, born May 29, 1831; she is a daughter of James and Sarah (Thornburgh) Lumpkin; her parents removed from Tennessee to Wayne County in 1819. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard have had born to them the following named children: Orlando and Mary B., living and Sarah L., John R., Ordelle and William E., deceased. Mr. Barnard is one of the pioneers of Jackson Township, coming hither in 1835; he has been engaged in farming twenty-seven years, and has now 467 ½ acres of good land, 350 of which are improved. Mr. Barnard has been and still is passionately fond of hunting. He is an unwavering Republican.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 355, 356 Jackson Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Joseph D. Barnes was born in Claremont, Sullivan Co., N. H., October 14, 1825; he was next to eldest of a family of five children born to Ira N. and Harriet (Eastman) Barnes. The former was born in Sullivan County, N. H., in the year 1800, and the latter in Vermont in 1802. They were married in the former county and State about the year 1822, and remained until his death in the year 1830, after which Mrs. Barnes was married to a Mr. C. B. Maynard. She died in 1863. Our subject, after his father’s death was taken by his grandfather to rear, and when fourteen years of age, he began learning the tanner’s trade, his uncle being his preceptor; he served an apprenticeship of seven years, when he came to Porter County, Ind., purchasing land in Boone Township. October 3, 1848, was married to Emily M. Price, who was born in Richland County, Ohio, October 24, 1827, and shortly afterward purchased a farm in Porter Township, on which he moved, and remained until 1855, then bought and moved on the farm where he now lives; he owns 330 acres of land. Mr. Barnes is a member of the Masonic order.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 375 Pleasant Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

William Bartholomew was born April 13, 1839, and is a son of Joseph and Mary A. (Spencer) Bartholomew; the former a native of Somerset County, Penn., born April 3, 1801. The grandfather of William came to Licking County, Ohio, in 1806 and in 1834 moved to Porter County, Ind., and died in 1856. Joseph Bartholomew came with his parents to Porter County in 1834, where he remained until his death, April 15, 1881. William Bartholomew was married on the 24th of December, 1879, to Sarah Biggart, who was born November 8, 1849, a daughter of George and Parmelia Biggart. To this union a family of four children were born - Jerome, Gerald, Calvin (deceased) and Mabel. After his marriage, Mr. Bartholomew moved on the farm on which he now lives, and which comprises 200 acres of good land on Section 32.

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

Jesse Baum was born in Richland County, Ohio, and is one of the nine children of James and Rebecca Baum, the former a native of Pennsylvania, born February 4, 1799, and the latter also a native of Pennsylvania, born January 10, 1803. They both came to Ohio at an early day, where they were married August 8, 1822; they first settled in Richland County, but in 1834 removed to Porter County, where they still live. Jess Baum remained with his parents until he reached manhood. In 1850, he went to Calaveras County, Cal., where he engaged in mining, and remained for five years. Returning to Porter County, Ind., he was married, August 23, 1857, to Catherine Bundy, born in Elkhart County, Ind., August 25, 1834, by whom he has nine children - Myron, Noella, Lora, James, Villera, Leroy, Clarence, Nettie and Walter. Mrs. Baum died December 13, 1880. Soon after his marriage, he moved on the farm on which he still lives, in Section 18; he is the owner of 300 acres of excellent land.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 347, 348 Morgan Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John Baum was born in Crawford County, Penn., January 20, 1810; he was brought by his parents to Stark County, Ohio, and thence to St. Joseph County, Mich., where on the 15th of August, 1835, he was married to Myrum Gallgher, a native of Culpepper County, Va., where she was born January 1, 1814. This union was blessed with five children - Christopher C. (deceased), Americus (deceased), Napoleon, Tennessee M. and Niles L. Shortly after his marriage, he moved to Porter County, Ind., and settled in Morgan Township, Section 4, on the farm on which he now lives; he is one of the pioneers of this county, and has made many improvements since coming here, having built the first schoolhouse erected in the township; he came here as a poor boy, but now owns 426 acres of land, all through the exercise of industry and the practice of economy.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 348 Morgan Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Miller Baum, son of James and Rebecca (Miller) Baum, was born in Richland County, Ohio, November 12, 1827. (A sketch of his parents appears in the biographical department of Washington Township.) Owing to the limited advantages for education in that day, he received but a moderate share of learning. In 1835, he came to this county with his parents, who settled on Morgan Prairie, and remained with them until he was past his majority. On June 29, 1852, he was married to Caroline Billings, born in Fayette County, Ind., February 11, 1832, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Hammer) Billings, who came to Fayette County, Ind., at an early day, and to this county in 1834; her father died in 1853, but her mother is living in Carroll County, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Baum have six children - Alice, wife of William Wood; Marion, Laura, Josephine, Melinda and John. Mr. Baum has followed farming from boyhood, and now has 340 acres, with good improvements. In February, 1877, his house was destroyed by fire, which he replaced by a brick - one of the finest in the township. In politics, he is a liberal Republican.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 356 Jackson Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Silas Baum was born in Stark County, Ohio, April 18, 1814. In St. Joseph County, Mich., on July 11, 1839, he was married to Hannah Williamson, who was born in Pennsylvania May 5, 1821. To this union a family of five children succeeded - Mary J., Lucretia E., Laura G. (deceased), Francis M. (deceased) and Genevia M. Shortly after his marriage he moved to Cass County, Mich., where, having purchased property, he remained until 1857. He then sold out and moved to Porter County, Ind., where he purchased and settled on a farm in Morgan Township, Section 33, where he remained two years; this he sold, and purchased the farm on which he now lives, comprising 180 acres of good land.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 348 Morgan Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Thomas N. Bentley, farmer, was born August 25, 1807, in Stephentown, N. Y.; he is the youngest of eight children born to Reuben and Susan (Northup) Bentley, both natives of Rhode Island. Thomas’ father died when he (Thomas) was about three years old, and his mother about a year later. Thomas was now brought up by his brother-in-law, until his fourteenth year; Thomas then went out into the world for himself. He had received but little education. Thomas, with three brothers, received 150 acres from their father’s estate. Thomas worked out and on the 150 acres until twenty-five years of age, when the land was sold, and Thomas went to the western part of New York, where he remained about thirty years; here he bought seventy-five acres, and after his marriage, February 16, 1834, he lived on it about two years. He was married to Martha E. Cook, a native of New York; he worked farms on shares, and owned 100 acres until about 1861, when he traveled some, and then came to Porter County, and, after a short residence, went back to New York and bought his old farm. In a few years, he came back to Porter County and bought his present farm, 160 acres of good land, well-improved with good buildings. With the exception of two visits to New York, he has lived here ever since. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. order for ten years; his wife was one of the “Daughters of Rebecca” also; he voted for Jackson and Van Buren, but of late years he has been a Republican, but votes for the man and principle rather than party. He has four children living - Reuben, Morris, William and Mary.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 364 Liberty Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing