William Baxter

    William Baxter (deceased) was the son of James Baxter, who was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to this country in the last century, first locating in Pennsylvania, afterward removing to Ohio and settling near Dayton, or rather where that city now is; here he remained for a number of years, when he migrated to Jefferson County, Indiana, and settled in what is now Monroe Township, where he died.

    The subject of this sketch was born near the Little Miami, Ohio, in 1804, and came to Jefferson County with his father when quite young, and spent his youth and manhood days, and died August 25, 1881. He was a farmer, and by careful saving of what he made by his industry, he was enabled to own 360 acres of land at the time of his death.

    He married Jane Kerr, August 29, 1828, and they begot the following named children:

• James R., born November 25, 1829

• Josiah K., September 19, 1831

• Daniel T., October 1, 1833, died January 5, 1859

• Oliver H. P., October 31, 1835

• William A., May 27, 1838, died September 15, 1877

• Hiram P., September 22, 1840

• George W., March 16, 1843

• Alonzo H. H., August 31, 1845

• Edward A. Z., October 14, 1847

• Leonidas N., November 17, 1849

• Havanna S., July 25, 1852

• Emlona H., August 28, 1854, died when 16 months old

    His wife died May 27, 1855, and on August 26, 1857, he was married to Margaret Kerr, a sister of his first wife. By this union there was one son Erastus V., who was born February 3, 1859, who died at the age of two years and ten months.

    Mr. Baxter was a man of prominence and never sought office. He was a member and an earnest supporter of the M. E. Church for twenty years before his death. Six of his sons were in the army during the war, and another served an enlistment in the United States Army.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.