Biography of Mahlon Rakestraw, page 694.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Mahlon Rakestraw, farmer, section 6, Keyser Township, was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, Dec. 26, 1830, a son of Joseph and Priscilla (Bates) 
Rakestraw.  He was reared on a farm, assisting his father, and attending 
school the earlier part of his life.  After reaching manhood he engaged in 
the  mercantile business, which he followed successfully six years. In 
September, 1865, he came to De Kalb County, Ind., and bought eighty acres of 
land in Keyser Township, where he has since resided.  He is an enterprising 
and thrifty agriculturist, and has made a success of this as of other 
vocations in which he has engaged.  Politically Mr. Rakestraw is a 
Republican,, but has no aspiration for official honors.  He was married Dec. 
26, 1869, to Elizabeth Barber, a native of De Kalb County, a daughter of 
Akalis and Rebecca Barber, who came from Dayton, Ohio, to De Kalb County in 
an early day.  Mrs. Rakestraw died Dec. 27, 1874, leaving one daughter---
Melissa Estella.

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