The biography below is only meant as a study and not legal documentation and/or not to be determined as the "last word" on this family. Many of the family members that remained in this area are laid to rest in Union Mills Cemetery, which unfortunately had burial records accidently burned several decades ago. We are positive that at least the son, George W. Zinn and daughter Retta are buried in the family plot there which is indicated by the huge family stone. When George W. Zinn born about 1834, son of the subject of this biography, enlisted in Civil War, with the Confederacy, he was captured and sent to a Northern Prison Camp where he died. His body was sent home and buried in the family yard. Sentiment about the war ran deep and George was not permitted to bury his son in Union Mills Cemetery. Later, as needed for more family burials, father George Zinn purchased small plot of ground from the Deets family adjoining the cemetery. It is visible on the Zinn family plot on our photo pages with stepping stones surrounding the Zinn plot. His sons remains were also moved to this location. Eventually, probably around 1887, the cemetery purchased property from the Deets family to create what would be later termed as the 1st addition in the cemetery. As fate would have it, this new addition would encompass the old Zinn plot.

George Zinn was born about 1808 in Pennsylvania and married Eliza M ? born about 1813 in New York state.
There is a George Zinn in the 1830 and 1840 census living in Erie Co., PA.
In 1850, George and family are in La Porte County, Indiana. George's occupation is a farmer in that federal census. He appears on page 177A on line 10 household# 102.
George, 42 born PA
Eliza M, 37 born NY
Geo W, 16 born PA
Mary E, 11 born PA
Dilla Jane, 6 born OH - (Adella)
Sarah Ann, 4 born OH
Harriett A, 1/12 born IN

1860 Census, the family remains in Noble Twp, La Porte Co, IN, page 327 household 1074 - They are living next door to Franklin and Mary Peak with their 4 month old daughter Algrette (George will later adopt this child). Census list is as follows.
George W 52 PA
Louisa A 47 NY
George W 25 PA
Lillie 15 PA
Sarah A 13 IN
Harriet A 10 IN
Henry F 8 IN
Ida F 6 IN
Ada F 3 IN

1870 census the name is misspelled as Zeiner , Noble Twp, La Porte Co., IN page 288 family number 24 – George W. Zinn owns land in Noble Township, but should not be confused with the other George Zinn in the same area. Census indicates land value at 5000.

Listed on census as follows:
George 62 PA - farmer
Eliza 57 NY - housekeeping
Mary E 30 PA school teacher
Harriet A 20 IN housekeeping
Ada F 16 IN housekeeping (Probably should read Ida)
Ada L 13 IN at IN home
Franklin, P 18 IN Farm Labor
Adella J, OH 25 school teacher 
Algretta Peck, 10 IN at home

In 1880 George is a widower and some of his children are still living with him. Found in Noble twp, Page 311B household Taken the 7^th day of June 1880.
Census reads as follows:
George 72 PA farmer – now widowed
Retta 30 IN daughter at home never married
Docia 23 IN daughter at home – (Dolcia) she died single in 29 Feb, 1899, Union Mills, IN
Algretta 19 IN daughter at home – never married
Mary 40 PA daughter at home – never married

Living next door to them is the Albert Patrick family with George's daughter Ida. They would later go to Colorado and live out their lives.

Sarah A Zinn married John M Castle and they moved to Lowell twp, Lake Co., IN where she can be found in both the 1920 and 1930 census. In the 1930 census, her sister Alveretta age 80 is living with her.

Dell J. Shown as various spellings, daughter Adella J, born Ohio in July of 1846 (Ref 1900 census) wed John E. Ziegler in about 1870. In 1910 census, they are sharing their home with Dell's sister, Retta Zinn age 60 and Algretta Peck age 50. They had two children that did not live long and all 4 of this family are buried in Union Mills Cemetery, this county.

Henry born circa 1852 may have headed to California. No evidence of him dying here.

Ida married Albert E. Patrick and the went to Colorado.