Source: 1885 History of Steuben County, IN p. 563

Wakefield Gleason was born in Jackson Township, Steuben County, Ind., Nov. 18, 1857, the youngest of nine children of Porter and Amy (Sams) Gleason, his father a native of New York and his mother of Fairfield Co., Ohio. IN 1839 his parents moved to Steuben County and settled in Jackson Township, where they entered land and experienced all the hardships and privations of pioneer life. They are members of the Christian Church. In early life, Mrs. Gleason was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church but after her marriage transferred her allegiance to the church of her husband’s choice. Their family were Adam, Amos, Lydia (deceased), Myron, James, Ellen, Philetus, Eoline (deceased), and Wakefield.

Our subject was reared on his father’s farm, receiving his early education in the district schools, and later attending the Angola High School. He was married Oct. 10, 1880 to Ellen Duke, a native of Jackson Township, born Sept. 8, 1860, a daughter of Benjamin and Charlotte (Culf) Duke, natives of Mansfield, Ohio and early settlers of Steuben County.

Mr. Gleason has always been identified with the agriculturists of Steuben County, and is one of the most promising young men of his township. He has a good farm, well improved, which shows the effect of a thrifty and enterprising owner.