From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 711-712

Hiram S. Jones (deceased) settled in Jackson Township on the farm now owned by his heirs, in May, 1864. It contains 160 acres, 120 on the southwest quarter of section 10 and forty acres on the northwest quarter of section 15. This farm has long been noted for its fine fruit. It was formerly owned by Dr. Madison Marsh, who set out thirty acres of apple-trees, 300 peach-trees, and a variety of pear and cherry trees. It was the first fruit farm on so extensive a scale in Northern Indiana. The apples alone have yielded a revenue of $1,300 in a single year. Hiram S. Jones was born in Vermont in January, 1834, and when nine years old removed with his parents, Samuel and Jerusha Jones, to DeKalb County, Ind. When a young man he went to California, remaining there six years. He was married Oct. 21, 1860, to Nancy J. Clark, a native of Lockport, N. Y., born in 1836, daughter of Isaac and Jane M. Clark, natives of New York, who moved to Spring Hill, near Wauseon, Fulton Co., Ohio, in 1857, and in 1860 to Waterloo, DeKalb Co., Ind., and two years later to Kalamazoo County, Mich., where they still live. Mr. Jones lived on his farm in Steuben County a number of years, and then exchanged it for his father-in-law's farm in Michigan, but bought it again April 15, 1872. He died at Waterloo, Ind., while there attending the county fair, Oct. 18, 1877. To Mr. and Mrs. Jones were born five children, four of whom are living -- Charles O., Frank B., Fred A. and Lilly A. Rose L., a twin sister of Lilly, died at the age of nine years. May 6, 1884, Mrs. Jones married Almon W. Thorpe, who was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1836. When twenty-seven years of age he went to Vineland, N. J., where he worked at his trade (painter) and engaged in fruit-growing. He subsequently moved to Algansee, Mich., where he was Postmaster ten years. He was first married in 1857 to Mrs. Elvira M. (King) Allen, and has four children -- Morris N., Minnie M., Eli and Lavern. Mr. Thorpe has a fine collection fo prehistoric relics, which he has accumulated by extended research and at great expense, many of them curiosities as examples of the skill and ingenuity of the early ages. He also has a number of Indian relics and a fine collection of geological specimens.

Submitted by Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com