Joseph Dildine

    Joseph Dildine, farmer, Seciton 8, Jackson Township, was born near Hartford City April 8, 1838. He is a son of Sampson and Sarah (Highland) Dildine, natives of Pennsylvania, his father born October 19, 1799, and his mother February 28, 1799, and both moved to Ohio with their parents in 1812, the former settling in Dayton, and the latter in Lancaster County. They were married in Hancock County August 27, 1827, and in 1837 came to Blackford County and settled near the present site of Hartford City, and in 1853 moved to a farm on Section 8, Jackson Township, where the mother died January 21, 1871, and the father March 29, 1879. They were the parents of five children as follows -Ralph, born March 23, 1828, died December 30, 1880, leaving a wife and ten children; Jesse, born April 7, 1830, lives on a part of the old homestead; Maria, born February 11, 1832, died April 10, 1876, leaving six children; Effie, born January 27, 1835, died January 2, 1880, leaving five children, and Joseph, who was the youngest.

    His paternal grandfather died in 1855, aged eighty years. His grandmother died in 1812. They had six children -Sampson, Martha, Sarah, Allen, Richard and Abigail. His grandfather was married a second time, and to the second marriage were born five children -John, William, Rebecca, Volentine and Effie. His great-grandparents were natives of Germany and came to America in an early day, settling in New Jersey. His maternal grandparents, Joseph and Massey (McDonald) Highland, were of Scotch-Irish ancestry.

    Joseph Dildine was fifteen years old when his parents moved to Jackson Township, and he has since lived on the farm, then bought by his father, and is now the owner of eighty acres, which is well improved and under cultivation. He was married March 19, 1868, to Elizabeth Williams, who was born in England January 1, 1843, a daughter of James and Mary (Richards) Williams.

    Her father was born December 26, 1804, and her mother March 7, 1816. In 1852 her father came to America and located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he worked at the tailor's trade, and in 1853 the mother and children followed him. In 1855 they moved to Clinton, Ohio, and from there in 1861 to Blackford County, Indiana, where the father died December 2, 1872. They mother still lives on the homestead. They had a family of nine children, seven of whom lived till maturity -Anna, born April 7, 1841, died August 7, 1881, leaving five children; Elizabeth, born January 1, 1843; James R., born January 26, 1845; Hannah G., born October 28, 1846, is the wife of Dennis Garrity; Amelia, born April 27, 1850; Henry, born April 10, 1852;William J., born September 30, 1856.

    Mr. and Mrs. Dildine have two children -Sarah J., born November 18, 1870, and Stella A., born January 15, 1876. Mr. Dildine was appointed assessor in 1884 to fill an unexpired term, and in the spring of 1886 was elected to the same position for a term of four years.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887.