ROBERT HEATH, deceased, in his lifetime a resident and prominent businessman of Lafayette, was born near the town of Belmont, Belmont County, Ohio, June 16, 1805. The next year the family moved to St. Clairsville, same State, and in 1814 to a farm west of Barnesville, Belmont County, where the father changed his occupation from watch-making and repairing to farming. April 1, 1828, he with his family and goods, started for the wilds of Indiana, but on reaching Richmond the bad state of the roads stopped his further progress. After resting there about two months he resumed his journey, and, after fording bridgeless streams and working his way tediously along, he finally, June 30, reached Lafayette, his chosen destination. He he opened business again as a watchmaker and repairer, but in the fall of the next year he died.

His sons, ROBERT and WILLIAM, engaged in the dry goods trade, the first mentioned going to Baltimore in the spring of 1829 for a full stock of goods. These men continued as partners in this business for twenty-five years, when their brother RALPH took the place of WILLIAM. During this period ROBERT acquired a large amount of property in this and other counties, which demanded his attention; hence, at the end of two years he withdrew from the mercantile business. In August, 1830, MR. HEATH married MISS MARY EMERSON, sister of JOHN EMERSON, of this county. She died a number of years ago. After, August 27, 1882, MR. HEATH died, when four of his seven children were living, namely--WILLIAM, who has sinced died; HANNAH, who married J.W.T. McMULLEN; MARY E., now the wife of HON. DAVID P. VINTON, and GEORGE P., all residents of Lafayette. MR. HEATH was an active participant in the building up of the "Star City," and also in the cause of religion, as he was for many years a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, pp. 804,809
Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois; 1888

DAVID PERRINE VINTON, son of BOSWELL MERRICK and HANNAH (DAVIS) VINTON, was born in Miamisburg, Ohio, November 18, 1828.  His father died in 1833, and his mother afterward married JOSEPH HUBLER, and with them he came to Lafayette, Indiana, in 1841.  For many years after the family came to Lafayette, his stepfather and older brother ALMUS E. VINTON, carried on a foundry and machinist's business, and, with the exception of several winters when he was attending school, DAVID P. worked in the different departments of the shop until 1848.  He then entered South Hanover College, at Hanover, Indiana, where he remained until December 1851.  In the spring of 1852 he became a law student in the office of Messrs. BEHM & WOOD, of Lafayette, an din 1854 was admitted to the bar, and soon after opened an office in Lafayette.  He was city attorney in 1855, and again in 1861, and in the latter year was appointed by Governor Morton Judge of the Common Pleas Court, and at the expiration of the term of appointment was elected to the same office.  The circuit then included the counties of Tippecanoe, Benton, White and Carroll.  He held the office six years, and in 1867 was appointed, by Governor Baker, Judge of the Tippecanoe Criminal Court, and the following fall was elected to the same office, which he held until 1870.  At the general election of 1870 he was chosen for the position of Circuit Judge, and resigned that of Criminal Judge.  In 1876, and again in 1882, he was elected to the circuit judgship, in which capacity he still serves.  In March, 1865, he received a commission from PRESIDENT LINCOLN, appointing him an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of New Mexico, but declined its acceptance.

JUDGE VINTON is recognized as on of the ablest and most profound jurists on the bench in Indiana.  He is thoroughly conversant with the law; deliberate and careful in his decisions; examines and discusses thoroughly every legal question, and rarely errs in his opinions.  Nature has endowed him with a superior mind, which culture and experience has developed, and his is now one of the brightest lights in the legal profession.

Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, pg. 730
Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1888

NOTE: David P. Vinton married Elizabeth C. Heath on Nov. 2, 1853 in Tippecanoe County.
In the 1860 census their children are listed as: Robert, 5; Lucy, 3; and David, 1.
In the 1870 census their children are listed as: Lucy, 16; Robert, 14; Blange (Blanche), 7; twins Charles and Henry, 5; George, 8 mos.