John Hackett
Source:  History of Steuben County, IN  (1885) p.507-8

John Hackett is a native of Cayuga County, N. Y., born in 1821, a son of
Miner and Electra (Chase) Hackett, natives of Vermont, who moved to Albany
and thence to Cato, where the father died.  When a mere lad John left home
and came West to Oakland, Mich., where he worked three years, thence to
Teconsha, and two years later to eight miles south of Adrian.  At that time
the country south of Adrian was a dense forest.  Subsequently he went to
Burr Oak, and in 1844 to California, making the journey by water.  In
addition to a lack of provisions and water the yellow fever broke out on
shipboard and the suffering was intense.  He remained in the West thirteen
months, and on his return to Burr Oak had $1,300.  He began in earnest to
develop his farm, and had just got fairly started when the small-pox swept
over the land, and he was again reduced to a lack of means sufficient to
enable him to live in comfort.  He remained there three years when his wife
died.  She was Ellen Richardson, daughter of Eleazar and Elizabeth
Richardson, of Oswego, N. Y.  They had four children - George and Elizabeth
deceased; John, of Sand Lake, Mich.; and Josephine, widow of David McCord.
He afterward married Anna Hause, daughter of George and Elizabeth Hause,
early settlers of Bronson, Mich.  They had two children - one who died in
infancy, and Frank.  Mrs. Hackett died, and in 1856 Mr. Hackett married
Caroline Hoyt, of Canada.  They have had six children - Edwin; Gertrude, now
Mrs. Rome Rogers;  Lillie, deceased, married Andrew Lull; Carrie, deceased;
Maud and Fred.  Mr. Hackett is purely a self made man.  Thrown on his own
resources at an early age, he had no chance to obtain an education.  Of an
ambitious disposition that would take no denial he struggled on, and by
observation acquired a knowledge of the world that has stood him instead of
an attendance at the schools and academies of the country.  He spent several
years in Kansas; returning in 1875 to Steuben County, he located on his
present farm, buying 200 acres of land.  He has been successful and has
surrounded his family with all needed comforts, and as each child left the
paternal roof gave them ninety acres of land.  Mr. Hackett is gifted with
remarkable perceptive faculties, quickly discerning character, courteous and
affable in his manners, and is a popular and influential man in his
township.