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"Biographical and Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana,"
 Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. Reprinted by Mayhill Publications
 of Knightstown,Indiana, 1974.  This is the reprinted section out of the
 original combined 1887 History of Jay and Blackford counties.


P 353: "Samuel BLAZER, one of the old and honored pioneers of Greene
Township, has been identified with the interests of Jay County since 1838.
He was born in Gallia County, Ohio, August 2, 1813, a son of Philip and
Elizabeth BLAZER, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and of Dutch descent.
They were married in their native State, and of the nine children born to
them only two are living -- Samuel B., who was the fourth son and sixth
child, and Henry, who lives on the old homestead of his parents.  Of the
remaining children, George came to Jay County a year or so before our
subject, and settled in Pike Township, where he lived until his death, which
occurred the first year of the late war; John, another son, settled in
Madison County, Indiana, and died a few years since; one daughter, Mrs.
Elizabeth GILMORE, died a few years ago in Madison County, Indiana; Jacob,
Adam, Philip and Margaret are the names of the other children who are
deceased.  Jacob, the eldest child, was never married, and died at the age
of seventy-five years.  The other children were married and had families.
The parents after their marriage settled on wild land in Ohio, where they
made a home, and lived in that State until their death.  Samuel BLAZER, the
subject of this sketch, grew to manhood on the home farm in Ohio, remaining
with his parents until attaining the age of twenty-one years.  On coming to
Jay County in the fall of 1838 he commenced chopping and clearing his land,
a tract of 160 acres that he had entered from the Government prior to his
coming, and by persevering industry he soon had enough cleared to make a
home.  He was married April 9, 1840, to Miss Prudence COLLINS, who was born
in Warren County, Ohio, August 4, 1820, where she lived until coming to Jay
County, Indiana, with her parents, John and Elizabeth COLLINS, about the
year 1836.  Both of her parents died of fever soon after coming to the
county.  Mr. and Mrs. BLAZER have had born to them twelve children --
Elizabeth, widow of John KERNS, is living in Jefferson Township; Mary died
aged five years; Henry died aged three years; the next two children died in
infancy; Nancy married John SPAHR, of Greene Township; Mrs. Catharine WESTON
lives in Jefferson Township; Elvira and Elvina (twins), the former married
James McFADDEN and is now deceased, and the latter is living with her
parents; Jacob resides in Greene Township, and Emma is the wife of Ozro
SANDERS, of Jefferson Township.  Mr. BLAZER has lived on his farm on section
36, Greene Township, since his marriage, his [p 354] first residence being a
small cabin, located near the site of his present more commodious residence.
He has a good home property of eighty-three acres, he having given the rest
of his land to his children.  He has been prosperous in his farming
pursuits, and has owned and improved much over 300 acres of land, and by his
honorable and upright dealings he has won the confidence and esteem of all
who know him.  In politics he was formerly a Whig, but has voted the
Republican ticket since the organization of that party."


P 428: "Robert STEED, a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families
of Jay County, is a native of Virginia, born May 29, 1820, a son of John and
Frances STEED.  His parents removed from the State of Virginia to Warren
County, and thence to Jay County, Indiana, in April, 1837, settling on a
heavily timbered farm on section 18, Jefferson Township, with their family
which then consisted of three sons and one [p 429] daughter.  The father was
a strong, rugged man, and built a good home out of the forest, living on the
old homestead until his death at the advanced age of eighty-two years.  The
mother survived him a few years, dying at the age of eighty years.  Both
were earnest members of the Christian church.  They were the parents of the
following children -- Robert, our subject; William W., one of the leading
men of Jefferson Township; Matilda Ann, wife of Cheyne PYLE, a prominent
farmer of the same township; John T., was one of the best farmers of
Jefferson Township where he died many years ago, leaving a family.  Robert
STEED was almost seventeen years of age when he accompanied his parents to
Jay County, and being the eldest son, he helped his father with the work of
the farm, assisting in clearing eighty acres, remaining with his parents
until reaching manhood.  He was married February 20, 1844, to Miss Leah
KUNCE, who was born in the State of Ohio, November 5, 1825.  Her parents,
Jacob and Mary KUNCE were natives of Pennsylvania, and were married in Perry
County, Ohio, where they remained until coming to Jay County, Indiana, in
1840.  They made their pioneer home on section 19, Pike Township, where they
cleared and improved a farm of 120 acres, on which they lived until called
to their final home.  They with their three daughters -- Sarah, Mary Ann and
Catherine, are buried in the family burying place upon the farm, where they
lived so many years.  Their son, Noah, gave his life to the nation in the
late war.  Mrs. STEED is now the only living representative of the family.
Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. STEED -- William W., living
near the home of his parents; Lucy Ann, wife of Thomas BARR, living near
Harper City, Kansas; Mary Ellen, died aged three years; Frances, wife of
Jacob MILLER; Jane, deceased wife of Benjamin SUTTON; Rebecca, wife of
Calvin FINCH living near Ottawa, Kansas; John Newton, living near his
parents in Pike Township; James F.; Sarah E., wife of Edward AYERS; Ruth A.
and Robert Elmer, living at home.  Mr. STEED has lived on his present farm
since his marriage, his first land purchase being forty acres of dense
timber.  He began life here without capital but possessed of strong hands
and a stout heart.  By years of toil and strict economy on the part of
himself and wife he has succeeded well in his agricultural pursuits, being
now the owner of a fine farm of 337 acres, two-thirds of it being cleared
and under good cultivation."


P 412: "Martin L WILLIAMS resides on section 34, Jefferson Township, where
he has one of the best farms in this part of the township.  His residence
and fine buildings are noticeably good and his farm shows the thrift of its
owner and the care and skill of his management.  He is a native of Jay
County, born in Jefferson Township June 30, 1850, a son of Absalom and
Leanna (WISE) WILLIAMS, his father a native of North Carolina, and his
mother of Wayne County, Indiana, where they were married.  Decembe 3, 1847,
his parents moved to Jay County and settled on eighty acres of land which
the father had previously purchased.  He was quite a successful hunter, and
game being plentiful, his family was always supplied with an abundance of
meat.  He died January 7, 1852, and is buried at Fairview, Randolph County.
The mother survived un- [p 413] til May 21, 1874, and is also buried at
Fairview.  After the death of his father Martin L. accompanied his mother to
Wayne County, where they remained until he was sixteen years of age, when
they returned to Jay County, where he has since lived.  September 28, 1973,
he was married to Miss Louvernia G. STEED, daughter of William W. and Eliza
J. (HESTON) STEED, a native of Jefferson Township, born January 14, 1857. To
Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAMS have been born five children, but four of whom are
living -- Bertha May, born July 2, 1877; Grace Lee, born April 6, 1883; Orel
W. W., born July 18, 1885, and Chester Claton, born September 16, 1887.  Mr.
WILLIAMS is one of the prominent men in the Republican party, and his name
has been frequently mentioned by his friends for official positions, he at
one time being the candidate of the party for auditor.  He is a member of
the Odd Fellows order."



P 350: "Jesse J. M. LaFOLLETTE, mayor of Portland, and member of the firm of
HEADINGTON & LaFOLLETTE, attorneys at law, is a native of Jay County. A
sketch of his parents appears elsewhere in this work.  He was born in Pike
Township, in September 1845, and reared on the farm.  At the age of
seventeen years he began attending Liber College during the spring and fall
terms, and teaching school during the winter, which he continued, with some
interruptions, until the spring of 1871.  He taught school in Ward Township,
Randolph County, Niles Township, Delaware County, and in different townships
in this county, a number of terms.  During the summer of 1864 he was in the
army, doing guard duty along the lines of railroad that supplied the army
under General SHERMAN.  In the spring of 1870 he tried his hand at selling
fruit trees in southwestern Missouri.  In the fall of 1871, Mr. LaFOLLETTE
began the study of law in the office of WATSON & MONKS, at Winchester, and,
being apt for his studies and assiduous in his habits, he completed his
course in about a year, and was admitted to the bar, in that county.  The
ensuing winters, 1872-1873, he again taught school.  During all those years
he participated in teachers' institutes and other educational meetings,
becoming indeed a prominent leader in the pedagogical profession in this and
adjoining counties.  In the spring of 1873, he came to Portland to commence
the practice of law, in partnership with Joshua BISHOP, a shrewd attorney.
During his first year in Portland he was appointed deputy prosecuting
attorney by Hon. Joseph S. DAILEY, of Bluffton, and resigned the office in
1875.  In November 1874, his partnership with Mr. BISHOP had ceased, and he
had formed the professional relation with J. W. HEADINGTON, which has
continued to the present.  In the spring of 1875 he was elected town clerk,
and served one term, and since the incorporation of Portland as a city, he
has been councilman one term, and mayor one term, 1885-1887.  He has always
taken an active interest in the welfare of the community, commercially,
politically, morally and socially.  It is very seldom, indeed, that one can
do that for any length of time and retain so great popularity as Mr.
LaFOLLETTE enjoys.  He has ever been a zealous and able advocate of the
principles of the Republican party, being often a delegate to nomination
conventions, city, county, district and State.  His political speeches are
so dispassionate and carefully worded as to elicit the praise of all
parties.  He is well known as a campaign worker in all this portion of
Indiana, and in a considerble portion of Ohio adjoining.  Was chairman of
the Jay Coutny Central Committee for the campaign of 1876.  Is a member of
Stephen J. BAILEY Post, G.A.R., No. 154, at Portland, in which he has served
as Commander and in other official relations. He has 'passed all the chairs'
in the order of Odd Fellows, becoming a member of the Grand Lodge of the
State in 1875.  He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since
January 1887.  September 18, 1875, Mr. LaFOLLETTE was married to Miss Annie
WELLS, daughter of Jonathan R. and Sarah (MENDENHALL) WELLs, and a native of
Jefferson Township, this county. In February, 1864, she came with her
parents to Liber, where she obtained an excellent education.  She also
attended the State Normal school at Terre Haute.  Her mental discipline,
based upon native capacity, is superior, and she has accordingly excelled as
a teacher for a number of years at Winchester and in this county; has taught
in Portland since marriage.  Her parents died at Liber, her father in March,
1880, aged seventy-five years, and her mother in the spring of 1874, at the
age of sixty-six years.  More recently she has been an active member of the
Chantauqua Literary and Scientific Circle since its organization at
Portland, and of the Methodist Episcopal church since January 1887. The
children of Mr. and Mrs. LaFOLLETTE are -- Millie Estelline, born July 8,
1878, and Byron Evarts, born June 28, 1884.  A model family."


Betty Creath   rcreath@azstarnet.com