Biography of William Lessig, pages 894 / 895.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

William Lessig was born near Hancock, Md., Feb 12, 1818, a son of John and 
Elizabeth (Keifer) Lessig.  His maternal grandfather was a hero of the 
Revolutionary war, and his father was a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant of 
Colonial fame.  His parent located soon after in Franklin County, Pa., where 
they resided until his father’s death, which occurred when he was seven 
years of age.   Sept. 10, 1840, he married Miss Frances Barclay, a native of 
Franklin County, and located in Bedford County, Pa., where he engaged in the 
hatting business, then a lucrative occupation.  In 1842 they moved to Wayne 
County, Ohio, and in 1850 Mr. Lessig went to California by the overland 
route, through Salt Lake City.  In the spring of 1851 he returned home via 
Mexico.  In Sept., 1853, they moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled in 
the woods two miles east of Auburn, clearing and opening up a fine farm on 
which they lived till the fall of 1878, when they moved to Auburn where they 
have since lived retired, renting their farm.  They have endured many 
hardships and privations, and are now reaping the benefits of their many 
years of toil.  In all the struggles which fate heaps upon the pioneer his 
noble wife has stood by his side, and has done her share toward making a 
home and a competency for their old age.  They have had four children, of 
whom all died in infancy, save one, a daughter---Ella E., wife of B.F. 
Culbertson, of Auburn, Ind.  Mr. and Mrs. Lessig have been for many years 
members of the Presbyterian church. 

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