Bio:
Simon Kenton
Simon Kenton, one of the famous pioneers and scouts whose names fill the pages of the early history of our country, was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, April 3, 1755. In consequence of an affray, at the age of eighteen, young Kenton went to Kentucky, then the "Dark and Bloody Ground," and became associated with Daniel Boone and other pioneers of that region.
For a short time he acted as a scout and spy for Lord Dunmore, the British governor of Virginia, but afterward taking the side of the struggling colonists, participated in the war for independence west of the Alleghanies. In 1784 he returned to Virginia, but did not remain there long, going back with his family to Kentucky. From that time until 1793 he participated in all the combats and battles of that time, and until "Mad Anthony" Wayne swept the Valley of the Ohio; and settled the supremacy of the whites in that region. Kenton laid claim to large tracts of land in the new country he had helped to open up, but through ignorance of law. and the growing value of the land, lust it all and was reduced to poverty. During the war with England in 1812-15, Kenton took part in the invasion of Canada with the Kentucky troops and participated in the battle of the Thames. He finally had land granted him by the legislature of Kentucky, and received a pension from the United States government. He died in Logan county, Ohio, April 29, 1836. (A Biographical Record of Boone County, Iowa, 1902, Page 189 - Submitted to Genealogy Trails by our host Peggy Thompson
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Obit:

 George L. Castle was born in the town of Florence, Huron county, Ohio, February 18, 1839, and died at his home in Lowell, Indiana, October 12, 1902, at the age of 63 years, 7 months and 24 days. His sickness dates back nearly two years, in which time he has been attended by the best medical skill, but all to no purpose. In hopes of regaining his health he went to Florida last winter, but was forced to return without obtaining the desired benefit. Since his return from the south his disease has been of a dropsical nature and that was probably the immediate cause of his death.
When a lad of ten or twelve he moved with his parents to Michigan, remaining there about two years, when they again moved, coming to Lake county, Indiana, arriving here February 18, 1852, since which time Mr. Castle has resided in or near Lowell, with the exception of a few years in Chicago. He was among our best citizens: a man possessed of many noble traits of character, chief among which was his open-heartedness; no one ever applying to him for assistance was turned away empty handed, if within his power to prevent. He was a man very highly respected by all who knew him for his honorable, upright ways. When his country was in distress and needed his services he offered himself as a soldier, enlisting in Company B, 20th I. V. V. I., July 22, 1861, and from which he was discharged as corporal, July 29, 1864, after a faithful service of a little over three years.

December 18, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Laura P. Hull. To this union was born one daughter, Jessie, who became the wife of Howard E. Riggs. She died February 13, 1893, leaving a little daughter, Laura M.

The funeral, which was largely attended, occurred from his late home at 2 p. m., October 15. Elder John Bruce assisted by Rev. D. D. Hoagland, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, officiated. Funeral Director Clifford Stowell had charge of the burial service. Interment was made in the Lowell cemetery.

He leaves his wife, three brothers: John M. and Mortimer, of Lowell, and Charles E. of DeBorgia, Montana, one grand-daughter, Laura M. Riggs, together with a large number of relatives to mourn his death, to whom the Tribune extends sincere sympathy in their darkest hour of sorrow.
[Obit reprinted from the Lake County, Indiana Post Tribune in the "Encyclopedia of Genealogy and Biography of Lake County, Indiana from 1834-1904" - Submitted to Genealogy Trails by our host Kim Torp]

 

REUBEN FANCHER.
For a half century Reuben Fancher has made his home in Lake county and is now living a retired life at Crown Point. He was for many years actively identified with agricultural interests, but now is enjoying a well earned rest. His birth occurred in Huron county, Ohio, on the 28th of April, 1834, and he comes of English ancestry. His grandfather and his father both bore the name of Thaddeus Fancher, and his mother bore the maiden name of Amy Chapman. She was born in Connecticut and was a daughter of Cyrus Chapman, who was also of English lineage. To these parents were born twelve children, of whom seven are yet living.

Reuben Fancher, the eldest of the family, was reared in Huron county, Ohio, until twenty years of age, when he started out in life on his own account and, believing that he might have better business opportunities in a less thickly settled district, he went to Michigan, where he attended the public school during the winter months. March 20, 1855, he came to Crown Point, and at that time his capital consisted of only forty dollars in gold, but he possessed a resolute and determined spirit, renting a tract of land on which he began farming. He also bought stock, and when his financial re-sources had increased to a sufficient extent he purchased eighty acres of land, to which he added until his farm comprised one hundred and sixty acres. Subsequently he traded that for property in Crown Point and took up his abode in the city. For three years he served as deputy sheriff. He has, however, been largely engaged in dealing in farm machinery and live stock, but is now living a retired life, for through his perseverance and energy he accumulated a handsome competence that now supplies him with all of the necessities and many of the comforts and luxuries of life.

In August, 1857, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Fancher and Miss Mary Hawkins, who was born in New York and died in Lake county, Indiana, in 1895. They were the parents of four children, the eldest of whom died in infancy. The others are William; Mary, the wife of E. H. Crowell; and Grace, at home.

Mr. Fancher is a Republican, and cast his first presidential vote for Fremont and afterward supported Lincoln in 1860 and again in 1864. He has never wavered in his allegiance to the party, but has always voted for its presidential candidates and has put forth every effort in his power to promote its growth and secure its success. For thirty-five years he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for about the same length of time. For half a century he has lived in Lake county, spending much of the time in Crown Point, and his life record is thus closely identified with the history of this portion of the state. He has watched the development of the county as it has emerged from pioneer conditions and has advanced toward its present progress and prosperity. His mind bears the impress of the early historic annals of northwestern Indiana, and what to many others are matters of record are to him affairs of intimate knowledge if not of personal experience.
Many years ago he established the important business, with its adjuncts, of putting down wells; an occupation still carried on by his son; and although nominally retired from business life, being now seventy years of age, he may be found quite regularly in their office on Main street, looking after the interests of their business. The wells which they put down are known as tubular walls. They go down to various depths. Furnishing windmills and pumps is one of the adjuncts of this business.

Mr. Fancher is a believer in Christianity, a friend to Sunday schools and churches, and became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church many years ago.

The fuller genealogic record, which in such a work as this it is desirable to preserve, is the following:
1. Thaddeus Fancher was born in England in 1777. He was by trade a harness-maker. When a young man he came to the United States and settled in Connecticut. He there married Sally Mead, "a daughter of General Mead of Revolutionary fame." There were of this family twelve children.

2. Thaddeus S. Fancher was born in Ulster county, New York (to which state his father had removed in 1808), April 8, 1809. His father was a soldier in the American army in the war of 1812, and in 1815 visited the then new and truly wild region of Huron county, Ohio, to which state he removed with his family in November and December of 1820, when Thaddeus S. was eleven years of age. The Fancher family therefore were true pioneers of Huron county, Ohio, knowing well the experiences of a frontier life. Thaddeus S. Fancher was married to Annie M. Chapman, September 8, 1833. In 1894 they were "the oldest married couple in Huron county."

3. Reuben Fancher, the oldest of twelve children, of whom the foregoing sketch has been written, it thus appears, is a descendant of soldiers of the war of the Revolution and the war of 1812, and of resolute and successful pioneers of the state of Ohio.

[Obit reprinted from the Lake County, Indiana Post Tribune in the "Encyclopedia of Genealogy and Biography of Lake County, Indiana from 1834-1904" - Submitted to Genealogy Trails by our host Kim Torp]