From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 815-816

William Bland was born in Licking County, Ohio, Nov. 10, 1819, a son of John and Nancy Bland, natives of Virginia, who moved to Ohio after their marriage. The mother died Feb. 8, 1853, and the father in 1870. He was reared a farmer, remaining with his parents till twenty-eight years of age. He

was married March 30, 1848, to Rhoda Spiller, a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, born June 12, 1828. Four children were born to them-- George McD., of this township; Mary E., wife of Benjamin Naragon, of DeKalb County; Nancy J., deceased, wife of Marion Dally; Rhoda Ann, second wife of Marion Dally. Mrs. Bland died April 16, 1860, in Wyandotte County, Ohio, where they had lived about six years. Sept. 16, 1860, Mr. Bland married Louisa Spiller, a sister of his first wife, born in Fairfield County, Ohio, Dec. 12, 1832. She died Jan. 17, 1862, leaving one child, John Martin. The following spring Mr. Bland returned to Seneca County, where he was married May 28, 1863, to Mary Ann Harmon, born in that county March 10, 1834. To them have been born three children-- Emma, William H. and Thomas H. Mr. Bland began to work at the carpenter's trade when twenty-two years of age and followed it eighteen years, and since that time has engaged in agricultural pursuits. He came to Steuben County, Ind., in the fall of 1864 and settled on section 10, Otsego Township, on land he bought the previous spring, when on a visit to the county. There were but ten acres cleared at that time, but of the eighty acres he owns he has now sixty-five cleared and under cultivation. In politics Mr. Bland has always been a Democrat.

Submitted by: Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com