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.