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Below is a family biography included in The History of Switzerland County, Indiana published by Weakley, Harraman & Co. in 1885.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOHN HASTIE, farmer, York Township, born on Plumb Creek, this county, in 1821, is a son of James Hastie, who settled in this county in 1814. His father was a native of Scotland, married there Elizabeth Lothian, and had two children in Scotland. They then came to America. He landed at Boston, went to Portsmouth, N. H., taught school one year and had Franklin Pierce for pupil, then returned to Baltimore, and then came to Brownsville, Penn., and by flat-boat with others to Cincinnati. He spent several years in that vicinity. He landed in 1814 at Plumb Creek, purchased 160 acres of land and lived there, till 1832, then purchased his farm in the bottom—seventy acres — a part of which is owned now by his son. He died in 1859; Mrs. H. in 1858. He was a local minister and a dissenter from the English Church. He was educated for the ministry and was a cultured man. They reared seven children: Alexander, William, James, George, Charles, Jane and John; three living: John, Jane and Alexander. John Hastie grew to maturity on the farm with his parents and has ever since resided here. He has always followed farming, doing some flat-boating in early years. He has never married and is consequently free from the domestic cares which fret the souls of so many mortals. He is a jolly, good-natured bachelor of the contented type, and ranks well among the citizens of his community.

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This family biography is one of 215 biographies included in The History of Switzerland County, Indiana published in 1885 by Weakley, Harraman & Co.  For the complete description, click here: Switzerland County, Indiana History and Genealogy

View additional Switzerland County, Indiana family biographies here: Switzerland County, Indiana Biographies

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