From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

page 779

William Crampton resides on section 27, Steuben Township, where he settled Jan. 1, 1851. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1817, and was there reared and married Mary Oldfield. In 1849 he came to the United States without his family, and the following fall located land in Steuben County, Ind. In 1850 he sent for his family and they lived near Angola till the first of January, 1851, when they moved to their new home. He bought forty acres of wild land of Judge Thomas Gale, of Angola. He was a poor man and had not money enough to pay for his first forty acres. He has been a good manager, and industrious, and has added to his first purchase till he now owns one of the finest farms in the township, and is one of the representative and influential citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Crampton have six children-- Henry, John, William, Herbert, Jesse and Mattie. The sons are all married and have farms near the old homestead. John Crampton, the second son, was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1841. He has lived in Steuben County since 1850, with the exception of two years in DeKalb County and one year's absence in the army. He enlisted Oct. 1, 1864, in Company A, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, and served till the close of the war. He married Amelia Shaver, daughter of Franklin Shaver, who settled in Steuben Township April 17, 1851. He resides on section 33 where he has 120 acres, 100 acres of which are improved. In the summer of 1883 he built a fine brick residence and a good commodious barn. He is one of the representative farmers of the township.

Submitted by Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com