Biography of John W. Baxter, pages 440/441/442/443. History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914. John E. Baxter It cannot be other than interesting to note in the series of personal sketches appearing in this work the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to throw well focused light on to the individuality and to bring into proper perspective the scheme of each respective career. Each man who strives to fulfill his part in connection with human life and human activities is deserving of recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor, and it is the function of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generation an authentic record concerning those represented in its pages, and the value of such publications is certain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing for the individual accomplishments of which generic history is ever engendered. The bar of DeKalb county has ever maintained a high standing, and among the able members of the same is he whose name introduces this paragraph. With a natural predilection for the law, and endowed with an analytical mind and ready powers of assimilation, Mr. Baxter has for a number of years been firmly established in his profession here, retaining a representative clientage and holding the esteem of his professional confreres, at the same time leading such a life as to gain the confidence and respect of all classes. John W. Baxter was born in Franklin township, DeKalb county, Indiana, on November 19, 1849, and he is the son of Andrew and Nancy (Brown) Baxter. Andrew Baxter was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, the son of William and Sarah (Rogers) Baxter. He spent his childhood in Pennsylvania, moving with his mother to Wayne county. Ohio, where his marriage to Nancy Brown occurred. The latter was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Andrew and Ellen (Richey) Brown, the former a native of Scotland, and the latter of Ireland. William and Sarah Baxter were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, from the north of Ireland. In the fall of 1840 Andrew Baxter came to DeKalb county, Indiana, and entered a tract of government land in section 5, Franklin township. He built a cabin and then returned to Ohio, and then, as early as possible in the spring of 1841, he brought his family to their new home. The land had not then been cleared and Mr. Baxter’s first crop of corn was planted by striking his axe into the ground, dropping corn into the hole and then tamping by stepping on it. In that primitive way he succeeded in raising sufficient grain for feeding purposes. He spent practically the rest of his life on that farm, moving to the city of Auburn when eighty-nine years old and dying two years later. He had been prominent in the civic and public life of his community for many years, having served several terms each as trustee and assessor of the township. He was twice married. His first wife, who died in January, 1856, left eight children, Elvina, Ellen, William, Andrew, Mary Jane, John W., Nancy Emeline and James B. About two years after the death of his first wife, Mr. Baxter married her sister Elizabeth. To the second union were born six sons, five of whom grew to maturity and survived their mother, namely: Charles O., Miles, Chauncey, Cory and George. Mrs. Elizabeth Baxter died on January 3, 1877, and Andrew Baxter passed away on December 18, 1903. Religiously, Mr. Baxter never identified himself with any church, though his leaning was toward the Presbyterian church, for which he had the greatest respect and veneration, as he did for all religious societies. Politically, he was a staunch Democrat, never voting any other ticket. Between him and his children there existed the warmest affection, though on neither side was there much demonstration. Judged by present-day standards, Mr. Baxter did not receive much school education, but he had been a close student and was well informed in the fundamental sciences, being especially good in mathematics and a splendid penman. He took the keenest pleasure in assisting his children in their studies, and all but two or three of them afterward became teachers. John W. Baxter was reared on the home farm, attending school at Auburn, Angola, and Butler. He then entered the law department of Michigan State University at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated in 1876. He then borrowed one hundred and fifty dollars from a sister and one hundred and fifty dollars from a man, paying fifteen percent interest to the latter, and with these funds be bought a law library and began the practice of law at Butler. He formed a partnership with William T. Bope, who had been a fellow student in the office of McBride & Morlan, at Waterloo, when the two young men read law together, and later they had been classmates at Ann Arbor. They remained together two and a half or three years, when they dissolved partnership, Mr. Bope going to Bad Axe, Michigan, where he has prospered and still lives. In 1880 the clerk of the DeKalb circuit court died and Mr. Baxter was appointed to fill out the unexpired term and in the fall of that year he was elected to a full term of four years. After the expiration of his term as clerk, Mr. Baxter resumed the practice of law in Auburn, where he has since remained. Though quiet and unostentatious in his manner, Mr. Baxter has impressed himself on the citizens of his county and he has been connected with much of the most important litigation tried in the local courts, while he has heavy office practice and has done a vast amount of work that has not brought him prominently to the notice of the public. Personally, he is a genial and companionable man, and interesting conversationalist and one who impresses himself favorably on all who come in contact with him. Politically, Mr. Baxter is a Democrat, though not a very active partisan, while religiously he and his family are identified with the Methodist Episcopal church. On November 29, 1877, Mr. Baxter was united in marriage to Ella Chamberlain, the daughter of Dr. James N. Chamberlain. To this union have been born six children, one of whom died in early infancy, and one, Laura, died of diphtheria at the age of four years; Mary, who is a graduate of DePauw University, is teacher of languages in the Auburn high school; Frank, who graduated from the Indiana Law School in 1905, was for three years engaged in the practice with his father at Auburn; going to Fort Wayne on a business trip, he lost his life in the burning of the New Aveline hotel in that city; George graduated from Purdue University in the department of mechanical engineering, and, after teaching two yeas in that institution, he went to Indianapolis, where he is now employed as a mechanical expert with the Rockwood Manufacturing Company; Ruth is a student in the high school of Auburn. Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com