Biography of Samuel Widney, page 551.  History of De Kalb County, Indiana.  
Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

SAMUEL WIDNEY, deceased, was one of the most esteemed citizens
of DeKalb County. He was born in Franklin County, PA, July 21, 1796,
the second son of Charles and Mary Henderson Widney, the former
a native of Ireland, born in 1763, and the latter a native of Cumberland
County, PA, of Irish descent, born in 1775. He was reared on a farm in
his native county, but was given a good education, and subsequently
taught school a number of terms in connection with farming. He was
married May 2, 1822, to Johannah Brearley, a daughter of Joseph
and Jane (Mitchel) Brearley, the former a native of England, and the latter
of Ireland. In May, 1836, Mr. Widney moved to Dekalb County, Ind., and
settled on 200 acres of Government land, entered the year before. A part
of this was on section 10, and the rest on section 11, Concord Township.
Here Mr. Widney cleared and improved a farm, making it his home the
remainder of his life. He was one of the most influential men of the 
township, taking an interest in anything that tended toward the 
advancement of its material and social welfare. He held various
offices of trust and responsibility, among others was Commissioner,
Township Trustee, and Associate Judge. He and his wife were in early
life members of the Methodist Protestant church, but in later life he
united with the Lutheran church. He died Feb. 1, 1878 and his wife 
Sept. 3, 1875.


Jane Hunter Hodgson
Tucson, Arizona
hodgson@azstarnet.com
http://208.199.40.215/genealogy/index.html