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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 435 "John LaFOLLETTE, one of Pike Township's prominent citizens, and one
of its early settlers, was born in Harrison County, Virginia, July 19, 1817,
a son of Joseph and Elizabeth LaFOLLETTE.  The family in 1823 left Virginia
for Kentucky, and three years later removed to Warren County, Ohio.  There
our subject grew to manhood, and was married to Miss Amy MILLS November 25,
1837.  She was a native of Warren County, born May 28, 1819, a daughter of
Rev. M. MILLS, a minister of the Free Will Baptist church, who came to Jay
County in the spring of 1838 and followed preaching the gospel until his
death.  He died in Jefferson Township after a life of great usefulness, at
the age of seventy-eight years.  The parents of Mr. LaFOLLETTE came to Jay
County, and settled in Pike Township in the fall of 1838, remaining only a
year when they returned to Ohio.  In the spring of 1842 they again left Ohio
for Jay County where they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying in
1868, and the mother some six years previous.  Mr. and Mrs. John LaFOLLETTE
have had born to them nine children -- Martha E., born in Ohio, now the wife
of Major J. G. CROWELL; Joseph W., a native of Ohio, was a member of Company
H, One Hundredth Indiana Infantry, and died in the service February 27,
1863, being buried at LaGrange, Tennessee; Sarah E., wife of J. J. RATHBUN,
of Pike Township; Jesse J. M., of Portland, is a member of the bar of Jay
County; Rachel J., wife of Henry BROSHER, of Piket Township; [p 436] Lydia
Ann, widow of Richard CRAWFORD, lives with her parents; George W., a
physician, residing at Yorkshire, Darke County, Ohio; Amy Frances, died in
1859, aged five years, and John F., attorney at law, in partnership with his
brother at Portland.  Mr. LaFOLLETTE came from Clinton County, Ohio, to Jay
County in April 1842, bringing with him his wife and two children, the rest
of the family being born on the homestead in Pike Township.  In that year he
established his home on the ground where he yet resides, and May 1, 1842, he
cut the first tree that was felled upon the site of his home.  He came to
the county without capital, but was a man of good education, and had taught
school five years in Ohio.  He became one of the pioneer and most efficient
and popular teachers of Jay County, and followed his profession in the
county successfully for a period of thirty years.  In politics he was in
early life a Whig, but has affiliated with the Republican party since its
organization.  In 1844 he was elected clerk of Pike Township, which position
he filled for eighteen years.  In religious faith he is a Free Will Baptist,
uniting with that church in early manhood."


P 521 "George W. SIMPSON, an active and enterprising agriculturist of Wayne
Township, engaged in farming on section 31, is a native of Ohio, born in
Meigs County in 1849.  His father, Daniel SIMPSON, was a native of the State
of New York, and an early settler of Meigs County.  He came to Jay County,
Indiana, in 1866, and settled in Wayne Township with his family, consisting
of his wife, four sons and three daughters.  He lived on the land on which
he first settled in Wayne Township until the fall of 1879, when he went to
Kansas, and is still a resident of that State.  George W. SIMPSON, our
subject, settled on the farm where he now resides in 1879, and has done much
toward improving the land, and by hard work and persevering energy he has
succeeded in putting seventy acres of his eighty-acre farm under
improvement, bringing his land under a fine state of cultivation.  His
present fine residence was erected in 1886, and is both commodious and
comfortable.  He began life a poor boy, and has acquired his property by his
own industry and good management.  For his wife, he married Miss Adeline
LaFOLLETTE, a daughter of Joseph LaFOLLETTE, and a granddaughter of Joseph
LaFOLLETTE, Sr.  They are the parents of three children, whose names are
Nial, Emmett and Ruth."

P 628: "John HOPPES, who has been identified with the interests of Jay
County for almost half a century, was born in Fayette County, Ohio, December
6, 1815, a son of John and Nancy (BROWN) HOPPES, the father a native of
South Carolina, and the mother born in Ohio.  They were married in Ohio, in
which State the father died.  The mother died some time before in Jay
County, while on a visit to the home of our subject.  John HOPPES, the
subject of this sketch, was reared and married in his native State, and in
August, 1842, with his wife and two children started with his household
goods packed in a wagon, from Fayette County, Ohio, for Jay County, Indiana,
bringing with them three cows and twenty head of sheep.  After a tedious
journey over rough and muddy roads, they arrived at their destination, and
settled on a tract of 160 acres of wild land in Richland Township.  Mr.
HOPPES had come to the county the year before, and erected a hewed log house
22 X 24 feet in dimensions, on his land, this being at the time the largest
house in Jay County.  The stock was then allowed to roam at large, and many
a time our subject has had to go a distance of two or three miles to find
his horse before going to work.  Just after their arrival in the county one
of his horses got away, and he had to follow it through the Sate of Ohio,
almost to Covington, Kentucky, before capturing it, thus leaving his family
for three days, before their goods had been unpacked.  Among his stock was a
pet colt which he found on his way back, in a field of oats near Deerfield.
Many were the hardships and privations they experienced in the pioneer home.
Their trading was done at Fairview, and the nearest water mill was at
Mississinewa, to which place they carried their grist on horseback.  Game of
all kinds was in abundance, and night was made hideous with the howling of
the wolves and other wild animals.  Mr. HOPPES did not spend his time
hunting, but devoted his attention to clearing his land and making a home
for his family.  By persevering industry and excellent management he has
succeeded well in life, and is numbered among the most prosperous farmers in
Richland Township, he having started his sons in life, and still has 132
acres of choice land, where he makes his home.  Eight children have been
born to Mr. and Mrs. HOPPES, six of whom survive, all living within a mile
of the parental homestead.  They are as follows -- Elijah, who married
Elizabeth PHILLIPS; Sylvester, who married Emeline DOUGHTERY; John Henry
married Mitchell HOLLOWELL; James William married Emma ROWE, Peter married
Daisy RACER, and Nancy Jane, wife of [p 629] Albert CLORE.  Mr. HOPPES has
aided materially in the advancement of his county's interests.  When the Pan
Handle road was being built through here, and when he was less able to give
than at any other time, he donated eighty acres of land, and $100 in cash,
and also put in a great deal of the tile along the road for which he never
received any remuneration.  In politics he casts his suffrage with the
Democratic party.  He is a member of the Dunkard church."

P 637: "Sylvester HOPPES, an active and enterprising citizen of Jefferson
Township, where he is engaged in farming on section 19, is a native of Ohio,
born in Fayette County, December 11, 1841.  When less than a year old he was
brought by his parents, John and Sarah (CAYLOR) HOPPES, to Jay County,
Indiana, and was reared on the home farm in Richland Township, where his
father still resides.  He was brought up a farmer, which avocation he has
followed successfully through life.  He remained on his father's homestead
until his marriage, which occurred  December 13, 1866, to Miss Emeline
DAUGHER, who was born in Greene County, Ohio, but reared in Richland
Township, Jay [p 638] County, Indiana, where her parents, James and Jemima
DAUGHER, still reside.  Mr. and Mrs. HOPPES are the parents of five children
-- James Palmer, John Ora, Annie Bell, William Oscar and Jesse Lee.  Mr.
HOPPES settled on his present farm in August, 1867, in a hewed log house
erected by himself.  His farm then consisted of 133 acres of timber land,
with the exception of about eight acres, which had been cleared, this land
being deeded by his father at the nominal price of $500, to be paid later.
By industry, combined with good management, Mr. HOPPES has from this small
beginning acquired his present fine property, and by his fair and honorable
dealings he has gained the confidence and respect of all who know him.  To
the original 133 acres he has added eighty acres more on section 18,
Jefferson Township, which he has improved since purchasing.  In connection
with farming he devotes considerable attention to general stock-raising, in
which he is meeting with good success.  He erected one of the largest and
best arranged barns in his neighborhood, in 1885, and in 1877 his fine brick
residence, one of the best in his township, was built,  In his political
views he affiliates with the Democratic party.  Mr. and Mrs. HOPPES attend
the Methodist Episcopal church, and are active in promoting and upholding
that organization."



      Betty Creath   rcreath@azstarnet.com