Thomas H. Haverfield

    Thomas H. Haverfield was born in Harrison County, Ohio, November 24, 1825, a son of Nathan and Harriet (Barnet) Haverfield. His father was also a native of Ohio, and his mother was born in Scotland, but came to America when a child. His father died in 1875, aged eighty years, and his mother March 14, 1884, aged eighty-seven years.

    Thomas H. Haverfield was reared in his native county, remaining at home until two years after his marriage, when in the fall of 1850 he moved to Indiana and located in Penn Township, Jay County. The following spring he bought eighty acres of land on Section 6, Harrison Township, Blackford County, to which he moved. His land was covered with a dense growth of timber, the only improvement being a little log cabin and a small patch cleared and an orchard set out. A few of these fruit trees still remain, although the entire place has undergone a change. His tract of woodland is now a good farm with over sixty acres cleared, and the improvements that have been made are indicative of the owner's thrift and enterprise. Now for over a third of a century he has lived in Blackford County, and has witnessed its wonderful development.

    He was married March 22, 1849, to Mary Ann Bell, a native of Harrison County, Ohio, a daughter of George W. and Jane (Heavilin) Bell, her father a native of Maryland and her mother of Ohio. In 1845 Mrs. Haverfield's parents moved to Pike County, Illinois, where her father died in 1846, her mother surviving many years and dying in July, 1876.

    Mr. and Mrs. Haverfield have had two children -Harriet, deceased, and Mary Laucea Augusta. Harriet T. B. was twice married, first to Daniel G. Pierce, by whom she had two children -Thomas T. and Maggie May. Her second husband was Alexander McClish, and to this marriage were born three children -Charles S. J., Leonard Patterson and Della Agatha. Their daughter Mary is the wife of Daniel H. Marker, of Jay County, Indiana.

    Mr. Haverfield has always taken an active interest in public affairs, and although not an aspirant for official positions has served as director of school district No. 3, and in 1881 was township supervisor. He was in politics originally an old-line Whig, but since its organization has affiliated with the Republican Party.

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