ROSWELL T. DEETER.—In the early days of the history of Clay county
there came to reside within its borders one who proved a valued factor
in its upbuilding and future development, Jacob Deeter, the grandfather
of Roswell T. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and after coming to Clay
county, Indiana, he entered eighty acres of land in Perry township, while
later he bought and entered from the government to the amount of three
quarters of a section, and he also entered one hundred and sixty acres in
Posey township, owning in all about six hundred acres or more in Clay
county at one time. But he in later life gave most of his land to his sons;
giving to each of his five sons eighty acres, and the same amount to his
daughter, Mrs. Knighton. He was known and was very prominent
throughout Clay county, and in addition to his farming he also did much
masonry work for the Vandalia Railroad Company. His politics were
Republican, and he was a member of the Christian church and died in its
faith in Posey township.
    Thomas Deeter, a son of this well remembered Clay county pioneer,
was born in Ohio, but came with his father to Indiana in his boy-
hood, and in 1861 he entered the Civil war and was killed in North Caro-
lina. In his early manhood he had married Katherine Barber, who was
born in Ohio and came with her parents to Clay county when four.teen
years of age, being a daughter of Aaron G. Barber, one of the pioneer
farmers of Perry township. In their family were two children, a son
and a daughter, and the latter, Sarah E., is the wife of John Q. Gummere,
a farmer of Perry township. Mr. Deeter farmed in Posey township until
entering the war, owning a little farm of eighty acres, and he was a life-
long Republican and a member of the Christian church.
    The district schools of Posey township afforded Roswell T. Deeter
his educational training in his youth, and he was born on the same section
of land on which he now resides July 15, 1859. It was in 1892 that he
located on his present homestead place, where he has made many valuable
an(I substantial improvements, and owns eighty acres of land in section
36. He is also a stockholder in the Brazil Wire Factory. He is
independent in his political affiliations hut endorses Republican principles,
and has taken quite an active part in local political work. He is a member
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Prairie Lodge No. 855, of
Posev township.
    In 1885 Mr. Deeter was married to Rosa B. Huffman, who died in
Fehruarv of 1888, leaving one son, Elmer. On the 30th of November,
1892, he wedded Mary Ann Kuefner, who was born in Peoria county, Illi-
nois, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Sipp) Kuefner. The parents
were horn in Germany, and coming to the United States were married in
Hamilton, Ohio, from whence they moved to Hancock county, Illinois, and
later to Peoria county, that state, their present home. Mrs. Deeter is the
youngest of their ten children, three of whom were born in Ohio and seven
in Illinois. and three of the number were sons. Mr. and Mrs. Deeter have
had three children, but the only one now living is Frank Edward, who was
born at their present home April 25, 1907. The other two children died in
infancy. Mr. Deeter is a member of tile Christian church.