Biography of John J. Oberlin, pages 418/419/420.  History 
of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



An enumeration of those men of the present generation who 
have won honor and public recognition for themselves and at 
the same time have honored the locality to which they 
belong would be incomplete were there failure to make 
mention of the one whose name forms  the caption of this 
sketch. During a period of many years he sustained a very 
enviable reputation in educational circles, and  today is 
giving thoughtful and intelligent direction to the 
financial affairs of DeKalb county, being the present 
county  treasurer. John J. Oberlin is a native of the old 
Buckeye state, having been born in Summit county, Ohio, on 
May 4, 1847, and is the son of Abraham, Jr., and Mary  
(Stewart) Oberlin, both of whom were natives of Lancaster 
county, Pennsylvania. The subject’s paternal grandfather 
also bore the name of Abraham. John J. Oberlin was reared 
on the paternal farmstead in Ohio, and received his 
educational training in the common schools of the 
neighborhood. His vacation periods being spent in assisting 
his father on the home farm. He finished his education in 
the high school at Manchester, Ohio, and at the age of 
eighteen years began teaching school. He was eminently 
successful in this calling, which he followed for twenty-
two terms.  In 1872 Mr. Oberlin came to DeKalb county, 
Indiana, locating near Butler, and during the following 
four years taught school there.  He then moved to Marshall 
county, this state, where he resided for seven years, 
teaching school during six years of that time.  While 
carrying on his educational work he had also engaged in 
farming, at which calling he was equally successful. 
Returning to DeKalb county Mr. Oberlin located on a farm 
south of Butler, to the operation of which he devoted his 
attention until 1893, when he was appointed postmaster of 
Butler, holding this position four years to the entire 
satisfaction of the government and the patrons of the 
office;  then for a year he was on the road as a traveling 
salesman, after which he engaged in the general mercantile 
business at Butler. In 1903 he was nominated for county 
commissioner by the Democratic party and was elected, 
holding the office three years. His services were entirely 
satisfactory and he was re-nominated for the position, but 
owing to the Republican landslide of that year he went down 
to defeat with the rest of the ticket. However, as evidence 
of this popularity it may be noted that while Roosevelt 
carried the county by six hundred and twenty-five 
plurality, Mr. Oberlin was defeated by only ninety-seven 
votes. Many Republican friends of his assured him 
afterwards that had they thought there was any chance for 
his defeat, they would have voted for him.  In the fall of 
1910 Mr. Oberlin was the successful candidate of his party 
for county treasurer, and in 1912 was re-elected by the 
largest majority of any candidate on the ticket, being the 
present incumbent of that office. His sterling integrity, 
sound business judgment and wise discrimination in the 
administration of the county’s finances have commended him 
to the confidence and  respect of all the citizen 
regardless of political lines. Politically, Mr. Oberlin is 
a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and has for a 
number of years taken an active part in the campaigns, his 
counsel and sound judgment being considered invaluable by 
his party colleagues. Religiously, he and his wife are 
members of the United Brethren church, to which they are 
liberal contributors. In 1869 John J. Oberlin was married 
to Catherine Beerer, a native of Summit county, Ohio, and a 
daughter of George and Julia N. Beerer. To  Mr. and Mrs. 
Oberlin have been born eight children, all living, namely: 
Minnie, wife of C. W. Beard, of Butler; Lemuel, who is a 
billiard ball turner in Cincinnati, Ohio, married Blanche 
Jewell, and they have two children, Clark and Gale;  
Charles, a farmer living at Butler; Jesse, who is in his 
father’s store at Butler, married Belle Newton, and they 
have two daughters, Lucile and Catherine; Clyde B., also in 
the store at Butler, married Luella Farley, and they have 
one daughter, Mildred; Lloyd who is employed as a molder in 
the plant of the Butler Company at Butler, married Goldie 
Hartman, and they have two sons, Lindley and Burton; Grace 
Viola is at home with her parents; Earl Leroy is his 
father’s assistant in the county treasurer’s office.  In 
Mr. Oberlin’s record there has been much that is 
commendable and his character forcibly illustrates what a 
life of energy can accomplish when plans are wisely laid 
and actions are governed by right principles and high 
ideals.  In his business career as well as his private life 
no word of suspicion has ever been breathed against him. 
Successful in business, faithful in the performance of 
public duty, respected in social life, and as a neighbor 
discharging his duties as becomes a liberal minded, 
intelligent citizen,  he has won and retains the sincerer 
regard of all who know him.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com