Biography of  Philip Fluke, pages 870 / 871.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Philip Fluke, retired currier and tanner, Auburn, was born in Bedford 
County, Pa., June 27, 1816, a son of Philip and Mary (Summers) Fluke, who 
removed to Richland County, Ohio, in the fall of 1816.  He was reared and 
educated in Ohio, remaining there till 1844, when, in November, he moved to 
Auburn, Ind.  His education was received in the public school, and when 
eighteen years of age he was apprenticed to the currier and tanner’s trade, 
serving three years.  He then worked as a journeyman six months at Ashland, 
Ohio, and then returned home and attended school four months, and in 1838, 
began in business for himself.  In 1841 he sold his business, and in 1844 
came to Auburn, and opened a tannery, which he conducted till 1874 when he 
retired from active business life.  When he stated in life his father gave 
him $500 and forty acres of land; this, added to a small amount he received 
from his  father’s estate, has been his only assistance.  Possessed of good 
business management, he made the most of what he had, and has amassed 
a fortune, having a large landed estate adjacent to Auburn,  He was married 
to Ruth, daughter of Thomas Ford, of Auburn, who died March 25, 1853, 
leaving one son---Wakeman C., a druggist of Clayton, Mich.   Jan. 19, 
1857, he married Sarah, daughter of David Thomas, of Richland Township, De 
Kalb County.  She died in Auburn, Jan. 17, 1873.  To them were born three 
children, two of whom are living---Eliza J., wife of S.L. Gibson, and 
Frank E., at home.  Ida May died in April, 1865, aged four months.  In 
politics Mr. Fluke has always been a Democrat.  He has served two terms 
as  Trustee of Auburn.

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