Biography of Levi Roland, pages 724/725/726.  History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



The gentleman of whom the biographer now writes is widely 
known as one of the honored pioneers of DeKalb county and 
for over a half century he has been a valued factor in the 
development of the same, prominently identified with the 
varied interests of his community. He is well-directed 
energies in the practical affairs of life his capable 
management of his own business interests and his sound 
judgement have demonstrated what maybe accomplished by the 
man of energy and ambition,  who, persevering often in the 
face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, proves that he 
is the possessor of those innate qualities that never fail 
to being success if properly directed, as they have 
evidently been in the case of Mr. Roland. Levi Roland was 
born on September 22, 1848, in Stark county, Ohio, and is a 
son of Abraham and Susan (Stoner) Roland. These parents 
were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, from whence 
they moved to Ohio in pioneer days, where the father died 
shortly prior to the subject’s birth. The mother then 
married Philip Texter and in 1865 moved to DeKalb county. 
Her husband also was a native of the old Keystone state.  
The subject’s mother was married three times, first, to a 
Mr. Liniger, by which union was born one child. To Mr. 
Roland and herself were born two children, the subject and 
Jacob S., now deceased, while to her union with Mr. Texter 
were born two children, both of whom are deceased, the 
subject of this sketch being the only living representative 
of the family. When the subject’s mother and step-father 
moved to DeKalb county they bought a farm in the northern 
part of Keyser township, where they lived the rest of their 
lives, their home being located in section 27. They were 
members of the Old School Lutheran church, and were 
earnest, industrious and highly respected residents of 
their community. Levi Roland received his education in the 
pioneer schools of the day and remained at home until his 
marriage, his earlier years being spent in farm work. On 
January 1, 1870, Mr. Roland married Eunice Ellen Hathaway, 
who was born on the farm where she now lives, on the north 
side of Keyser township. She is the daughter of Albert and 
Phoebe (Hawk) Hathaway. Her father was born in 1828 in the 
northeast part of Ohio, not far from Lake Erie, and 
probably near Chardon. He was the son of Nathan Hathaway, a 
native of Massachusetts, who came here with his parents in 
February, 1844. They bought the farm where Mr. and Mrs. 
Roland now live, entering the land from the government some 
time prior to their location here, and at that time there 
were only two houses where now stands the beautiful city of 
Auburn, and when Mr. Hathaway came here and asked how far 
it was to Auburn, he was told that he was standing in the 
heart of the city. Here the elder Hathaway cleared and 
improved a farm and spent the remainder of their days.  
Albert Hathaway was one of seven children, four boys and 
three girls, by his father’s second marriage. He married 
Phoebe Hawk, who was born in Adams county, Indiana, her 
parents being of good old Pennsylvania Dutch stock, who 
came from the Keystone state to Ohio, then to Adams county, 
Indiana, where they spent the remainder of their days and 
died.  Albert Hathaway has lived ever since on the farm 
where he and Mr. and Mrs. Roland now live, comprising the 
tract entered by his father from the government and 
referred to above. To Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hathaway were 
born eleven children who grew to maturity and two who died 
in infancy, while seven of the daughters and two of the 
sons are still living.  Mrs. Eunice Ellen Roland, Mrs. 
Hannah Rebecca Wise, Mrs. Mary J. Brown, Nathan, deceased, 
John H., of Tennessee, Mrs. Anna Charlotte Houser, Mrs. 
Lydia Mountz, Silas A., of Garrett, Mrs. Delilah Book, Mr. 
Stella Markins, and Calvin, deceased. The mother of these 
children passed away in 1906, and the father is still 
living on the old home farm.  After his marriage Mr. Roland 
operated the Hathaway farm for about seven years and then 
rented land near by. In1900 Mr. Roland bought a farm east 
of Auburn, but later sold it, and in the fall of 1913 
bought one hundred and sixty acres of land along the south 
line of Union township. In August, 1910, he moved in with 
Mrs. Roland’s father in order to care for the latter during 
his advanced years.  To Mr. and Mrs. Roland have been born 
two children, a son and a daughter, Audrey Pearl and Norman 
Nathan. Audrey Pearl became the wife of Ralph G. Harding, 
and she has a daughter, Eunice Edna Harding. She and her 
husband are on the Hathaway farm with her parents. Norman 
W. lives on the Kruse farm east  of Auburn. He married Lulu 
Olinger and they have four children, Ralph, Letha, Norma 
Madonna and a baby daughter. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. 
Roland are member of the German Baptist or Brethren church, 
in which he has served as a deacon, and their daily lives 
conform to the creed which they profess. Politically, Mr. 
Roland is a Democrat. Kind-hearted, generous  and tolerant, 
they have in the largest sense of the word earned the 
respect of the community, for their lived have been such as 
have commended them to the good opinion of all who know 
them.  Mr. Roland has not only been successful as a farmer, 
but he has also been active in his efforts to advance the 
welfare of the community in every way, and his sympathies 
are always enlisted on the side of the right.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com