John W. Hayden, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of John W. Hayden
JOHN W. HAYDEN was born in Madison County, N. Y., May 29, 1815, and is one of nine children (only two of whom, our subject and a brother, Caleb Hayden of Morgan Prairie, yet survive), born to Caleb and Sarah ( Wolcott ) Hayden, who were natives of Willliamsburg, Mass. The year after their marriage, they moved to New York State and lived there farming until 1817, then they removed to Franklin County, Mass., and in 1835 emigrated overland to Indiana, locating in La Porte County, Mr. Hayden died in about 1838. Mrs. Hayden lived on the old place until 1855, when she moved to Morgan Township, Porter County, where she died the following year. John W. Hayden was reared in New York State and Massachusetts until nineteen years old. The spring of 1834, he went to Chicago and was there a short time, afterward going to Ottawa, Ill., where he bought a claim of land in La Salle County. He then returned to Massachusetts, and through his persuasions the parents sold what little property they possessed and emigrated westward. They were unable to reach La Salle County before the land sales there, consequently his land was sold and he was out of a farm. On account of the sickness of his sister they were obliged to stop in La Porte County, Ind., on their way out, where they remained until her death. On the return of our subject from looking after his claim in Illinois they concluded to remain in La Porte County and make it their home, which they did, till their removal to Porter County in 1855. John W. Hayden returned to Vermont in 1845 and April 17, of that year, married Abigail L. Barber . Returning with his wife to Indiana, he engaged in clearing and farming and taking such part in pioneer pursuits as are described in the township history. This lady bore him one daughter, Mary A., now the wife of Henry Stoner , of Morgan Prairie, and died February 27, 1847, and lies buried in La Porte County. Mr. Hayden married his present wife, Almira Worster , February 7, 1849, in La Porte County, and to his last marriage there were five children, viz.: One that died in infancy without name, Abigail L. (wife of Allen W. Reynolds ), Anna L. (deceased), Hittie (deceased), and Louisa (the wife of Herbert Fish ). Mr. Hayden is one of the old pioneers of Northwestern Indiana, and one of its self-made men. His life has been passed in hard work at farming and pioneer work until within the past three years, since when he has been living in Valparaiso retired. Mr. Hayden is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and a Democrat; has held positions of trust in the county and is one of the present Jury Commissioners.
Source: Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Illustrated. Chicago, Illinois: F. A. Battey & Company. 771 p.
Page(s) in Source: 247-248
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook