Biography of John James Oberlin, page 29 / 30.  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 Co., Chicago and New York, 1920,

John James Oberlin, who for many years was a business man at Hamilton and 
is till living in a comfortable home in that village, while looking after 
his property interests, is a member of a family of early settler in DeKalb 
County, where the mane is represented by several distinct branches.
   John James Oberlin was born in Franklin Township of that county June 4, 
1860, a son of Frederick D. and Sarah (Dirrim) Oberlin, and a grandson of 
the pioneer John Oberlin, who in 1845 came to DeKalb County and settled on 
the northwest quarter of section 28 in Franklin Township.  He conducted a 
tannery in that locality for a number of years.
   Frederick D. Oberlin was born in Stark County, Ohio, February 5, 1830, 
and was fifteen years old when his father came to DeKalb County.  He had 
many pioneer experiences and from an early age chose to be dependent 
largely upon his own efforts for self-support.  In 1850 he bought forty 
acres of land for the sum of $300, and at the same time began work at the 
carpenter's trade, his employer paying him $10 a month for five years.  In 
the course of time he had a large and well-appointed farm of 160 acres, and 
improved it with good house and buildings.  He also lived in the Village 
of Hamilton for some years, and died there in 1912, at the age of eighty-
two years, six months and sixteen days.  In politics he was a republican, 
and he served as township trustee two years and three years as county 
commissioner.  During the Civil war he was a member of Company G. of the 
Fifty-Third Indiana Infantry, and participated in the battle of Kinston, 
North Carolina.  He and his wife were Methodist and later became affiliated 
with the Christian Church. February 12, 1854, Frederick D. Oberlin married 
Sarah Dirrim, daughter of James Dirrim another prominent early family in 
Northeastern Indiana.  She was born in Carroll County, Ohio, January 25, 
1836, and died at the home of her son John James, November 11, 1915, aged 
seventy-nine years, nine months and sixteen days.  They were the parents 
of six children, and three are still living: Cyrus C., and John James and 
Isaac Charles.
   John James Oberlin grew up on the homestead farm, had the benefit of 
the common schools, and through his industry as a farmer acquired a place 
of eighty acres in Franklin Township a half mile south of the Village of 
Hamilton.  In 1892 he moved into Hamilton and for twenty years was in the 
livery business.  Since then he has been looking after his farm and other 
interests, and enjoys the comforts of one of the best homes in Hamilton.  
Mr. Oberlin is a republican in politics and his family, attend the 
Christian Church.  In 1885 he married Miss Lenora Margaret Fifer. She was 
born in Steuben County, in 1867, a daughter of Lewis and Martha (Harpham) 
Fifer, early settlers of Steuben County.  Mr. and Mrs. Oberlin have three 
children. Lula, who is the wife of Glen Gnagy, of the well-known Gnagy 
family of Steuben County.  Glen Gnagy was in the war, serving at the Great 
Lakes Naval Training Station.  Roscoe Conkling Oberlin, the second child, 
lives at  Hamilton and married Pearl Cecil Grear.  Basil Jesse, the 
youngest, is managing his father's farm.  He married Mertie Lemon, of 
Steuben County.

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