From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana pages 750 -751

John Kirlin was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1816.  His father, John Kirlin, was a native of Virginia.  His mother was a native of Pennsylvania, but was married in Virginia and in 1806 moved with her husband to Fairfield County, Ohio.  John Kirlin, Jr., was reared on a farm when seventeen years of age began to work at the gunsmith trade, serving an apprenticeship of four years.  May 25, 1855, he came to Steuben County, Indiana, and lived seven years on the farm of Edward Hammond.  In January, 1863, he bought the farm where he has since lived.  It contains 110 acres of choice land, 80 acres on the east half of section 16, 20 acres on the west half of the same section, and 10 acres on section 15.  His residence is on section 16.  His improvements are all good and his land is under a high state of cultivation.  Mr. Kirlin has been twice married.  His first wife was Rebecca Teal, who died in Ohio, leaving one son -- Arthur, the adopted son of Edward Hammond.  He afterward married Catherine Suitterlin, a native of Crawford County, Ohio, born in 1840, a daughter of Frederick Suitterlin, who settled in Salem Twp. in 1851, and now lives in Kendallville.  Mr. and Mrs. Kirlin have seven children -- George, born in 1862; Delmar, in 1863; Mary, in 1865; Edmund S., in 1869; Fletcher, in 1871; Aurette, in 1873; and Frederick, in 1878.  Mrs. Kirlin had two brothers who served in the War of the Rebellion, and died while in the service -- Frederick and Abraham.  Frederick was a member of the 21st Indiana Infantry, and died in the hospital at New Orleans from the effects of a wound received at the Battle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

Submitted By: Mindee Gleason
E-mail: bcmgleason@gmail.com