Lake Co IN Biography

[Ball, T.H., Encyclopedia of Genealogy and Biography of Lake County, 
Indiana, Lewis, 1904, pp 516-517]

JACOB HAYDEN

Jacob Hayden, a retired farmer and one of the early settlers of Lake 
county now living in Lowell, was born in Knox county, Ohio, March 11, 
1831.  His parents were Nehemiah and Harriet (Kitchell) Hayden, both 
of whom were natives of New Jersey and became pioneer settlers of 
Know county, Ohio, where they were married.  In March, 1837, they 
removed to Lake county, Indiana, casting in their lot with its 
pioneer residents.  They settled in West Creek township, where 
Nehemiah Hayden developed a new farm, continuing the work of 
improvement and cultivation there until his death, which occurred 
when he was but fifty-eight years of age.  His wife died at the age 
of forty-two years.  In their family were thirteen children, of whom 
Jacob Hayden was the sixth in order of birth, and he was but six 
years of age at the time of the removal to Lake county.

In a log schoolhouse near his father home Jacob Hayden pursued his 
education.  His training at farm labor was not as meager as his 
school privileges, for at an early age he began to assist in the 
cultivation and development of the home farm and continued to follow 
agricultural pursuits for many years.  he was married December 10, 
1854, to Miss Sarah M. Knisely, a daughter of Edwin and Barbar 
(Baughman) Knisely, both of whom were native Of Tuscarawas county, 
Ohio, where they were reared and married.  They came to Lake county 
in 1837, and the father, who was born in 1814, passed away in 1886 
when about seventy-two years of age.  The mother, who was born 
October, 1819, is still living, having reached the very venerable age 
of eighty-five years.  In their family were eleven children, of whom 
Mrs. Hayden is the eldest, and she was a maiden of fourteen summers 
when she dame to Lake  county.  Her birth occurred in Tuscarawas 
county, Ohio,
August 7, 1837.

At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hayden began their 
domestic life in West Creek township, where he was engaged in 
farming, and there they lived for more than forty-four years.  He 
devoted his energies to the improvement and cultivation of his fields 
and annually gathered rich harvests as a reward for his labors.  He 
now owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, but at one time the old 
family homestead comprised more than four hundred acres, but he has 
been very generous with his children, dividing his landed possession 
with them.  He was in very limited circumstances when he started out 
in life on his own account, possessing only two steers.  In the early 
days he hauled wheat to Chicago with an ox team, and sold the grain 
for thirty-five cents per bushel.  He went through all the hardship 
and experience of pioneer life, and carried on farming at a time when 
much of the work was done by hand, before the introduction of the 
modern machinery which is to-day in use and has rendered labor much 
less difficult than it was in former years.  He is now living retired 

in the enjoyment of a well earned rest, his capital having been 
acquired entirely through his own labors.

To Mr. and Mrs. Hayden have been born nine children:  Elmer, Leroy, 
Alice, Fred, Bertha, Martha, George, Jessie and Grace.  George and 
Grace are now deceased, and the others are all married.   One son now 
lives in Bloomington, Indiana, one daughter in Billings, Montana, 
while the others are residents of West Creek township, Lake County, 
and with the exception of the oldest son, who was born in Illinois, 
all are natives of Lake county, Indiana.  Mr. Hayden has given his 
political allegiance to the Republican party since its organization, 
and prior to that time he was a Whig.  He voted for Fremont in 1856 
and for Lincoln in 1860 and 1864, and since that time he has 
supported each presidential candidate of the party.  At one time he 
served as assessor of West Creek township, but has never sought or 
desired political preferment.  On the contrary, he has felt that his 
business affairs claimed hi entire time and attention, and in the 
careful conduct of his agricultural interests he has won the property 
that now enables him to live a retired life.


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Submitted By Philip L. Ritter
Email philr@leland.Stanford.edu