Biography of Willard Childs, page 563.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Willard Childs is a native of New York, born in Oneida County, Feb. 15, 
1811, the second son of Phineas and Theodosia (Evans) Childs, the former a 
native of Massachusetts, of English descent, and the latter of Connecticut, 
of Welsh descent.  In 1813 his parents moved to Jefferson County, N.Y., and 
thence in 1826 to Onondaga County.  When he was fifteen years of age he 
began to work by the month for farmers.  In 1837 he came to De Kalb County, 
Ind., and bought 120 acres of land, and after paying for it had 73 cents 
left.  He then went to Ft. Wayne and earned the money with which to return 
to New York.  In 1846 he moved his family to De Kalb County, landing in 
Fairfield Township, Aug. 24.  He moved into a log cabin, belonging to B.A. 
Chaffee, and a short time after bought the land on which it stood.  There 
were but fourteen families in the township when he settled here, and the 
land was mostly heavily timbered.  He has added to his first purchase till 
he has 286 acres of land, which comprises one of the best farms in the 
township.  125 acres of this he has cleared an improved himself.  He has 
seen De Kalb County change from a forest to one of the most prosperous 
counties.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com