William O. Wilkin, farmer, section 15, Madison Township, was born in Ohio, opposite Wheeling, October 11, 1829, and soon after was taken by his parents to Licking County, where he lived until he was twenty-nine years of age. He left that county April 5, 1857, and settled in Van Wert County, thence to Mercer County in March, 1861, thence to Shelby County in November 1869, thence to Jay County, March 9, 1875, settling in Madison Township. His parents, George and Rebecca (Finch) Wilkin, were born and reared in Hardin County, West Virginia. The father died in Van Wert County in 1863, aged seventy-two years, and is buried near Buena Vista. The mother is still living in Van Wert County, alone, on the farm where the father died. She was born November 15, 1806.
Our subject was married December 28, 1851, to Angeline Fry, born in Licking County, Ohio, June 24, 1830, and was there reared and married. Her parents, John and Artimicia Fry, were born in Shenandoah County, Virginia. The father died in Shelby County, Ohio, January 20, 1870, aged seventy-two years, the mother died in Licking County when thirty years of age, having been born in 1812.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilkin have had six children – Sylvester, Rosella, Emma J., Alice M., Rowena and Ida V. The last two are deceased. Both himself and wife are members of the Baptish church, and Mr. Wilkin was a minister in that church eighteen years. His grandfather, George Wilkin, was born in Switzerland and died in Virginia. His grandmother, Lydia (Wise) Wilkin, was probably born in West Virginia, and she died in Licking County, Ohio. His grandfather Finch died before his recollection, and his grandmother, Sarah Finch, afterward married Minor Glover. Mrs. Wilkin’s grandfather, Peter Fry, and her grandmother, Sarah (Jacobs) Fry, were born in Virginia and died in Licking County, Ohio. Her grandfather, Ambrose Booten, was born in France, and her grandmother, Elizabeth (Grubb) Booten, was born in Virginia. Both died in Shenandoah County. Politically Mr. Wilkin is a Democrat.
Biographical and Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana, Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago, 1887, p. 337-338