Biography of John R. Doll,  page 460 / 461.  History of Northeast Indiana; 
LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, and DeKalb Counties, Vol. II, under the editorial 
supervision of Ira Ford, Orville, Stevens, William H. McEwen, and William H. 
McIntosh.  The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1920. 

   John R. Doll has spent his career chiefly as an agriculturist, has had 
experience as a farmer in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, and for a number of 
years has had a pleasant home and fine farm of 128 acres in Spencer Township 
of DeKalb County.
   Mr. Doll was born at East Greenville in Stark County, Ohio, June 18, 
1864, a son of Ignatius and Catherine (Rudy) Doll.  His father was born in 
Stark County and his mother in Pennsylvania.  The grandfather, Joseph Doll, 
was for many years a justice of the peace in Stark County.  Joseph Doll 
married Polly Kitt, who has the distinction of being the first white child 
born in Stark County, Ohio.  Her father, Jacob Kitt, settled in that part 
of Eastern Ohio in 1805.  Mr. Doll’s mother, Catherine Rudy, was reared 
from early girlhood in Stark County, and after she and her husband married 
they settled on a farm and in 1867 moved to Canton, the county seat, where 
she is still living.  Ignatius Doll died at Canton.  Both parents were 
active members of the Lutheran Church, and Ignatius was a republican.  
There were five children, four still living: George W., of Massillon, 
Ohio; Charles W., of Gibson Colorado; John R.; and Jennie M., wife of 
Charles Hammer, of Canton, Ohio.
   John R. Doll from the age of three years lived at Canton, Ohio, until 
1882, and acquired his education in public schools there. On leaving Ohio 
he followed farming in Kent County, Michigan, until 1894, and in that 
years located at Spencerville, Indiana.
   December 24, 1895, Mr. Doll married Vienna Shilling, daughter of 
Solomon and Esther (Bliler) Shilling. This is one of the old and prominent 
names in DeKalb County. Mrs. Doll was born on the old Shilling homestead 
in Spencer Township and educated in the common schools.  Mr. and Mrs. Doll 
have three children: Esther K., George R. and Alice J.  These children 
have received good school advantages, Alice being still a student in high 
school. The family are members of the Lutheran Church and Mr. Doll has 
been a liberal supporter of the church and its allied causes.  He is a 
democrat in politics and is a stockholder in the Farmers and Merchants 
Bank at Spencerville.

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