Newton Co., IN Biography YOUNG D. DEARDURFF. One of the oldest and most honored family names in Newton County is that of Deardurff. Mr. Young D. Deardurff, who was named in honor of his two grandfathers, has found both a congenial and profitable pursuit in farming enterprise and for the past twenty years has been successfully identified with that industry in Washington Town ship. In that time he and his good wife have surrounded themselves with all the things necessary to make life attractive in the country. They have a fine home, with a good complement of other buildings, and their farm means not only a comfortable living but a wholesome place in which to rear their children and to indulge their taste for hospitality and neighborliness. Mr. Deardurff if a son of John S. and Rachel A. (Thompson) Deardurff. His father was born in Indiana and the grandfather Deardurff was born in Pennsylvania and brought his family in 1842 to Newton County. That was one of the earliest years in the settlement of this section of Northwest Indiana. Grandfather Deardurff located on a farm where Morocco lies in Newton County and in 1886 he removed to Kentland, which was his home for twenty years until his death. He had ten children. The father of Young D. Deardurff was eighteen years of age when the war broke out and he volunteered his services for the defense of the Union. His first enlistment was for three months and he afterwards with the troops commanded by the famous General Sherman during the Atlanta campaign on the march to the sea. He was a fine soldier, always on duty, and left the army with an honorable discharge and record which his descendants will always cherish. After he retuned to Newton County he engaged in farming. In 1865 he married, and after his marriage bought land and prosecuted farming in Beaver Township until 1894. In that year he removed to Morocco for two years, then locating on a farm in Washington Township, and that was his home until his death in 1904. His wife passed away in 1912. The father was an active member of the United Brethren Church, belonged to the Grand Arms of the Republic, to the Masonic Order and in politics was a republican. He was a successful farmer and a model and upright citizen. Young D. Deardurff was the second in a family of six sons all of whom are living. His education was acquired in Newton County, and up to the age of twenty-one he worked at home and was thus trained to a career which he has followed so successfully since his marriage. On January 3, 1896, at Morocco, he married Miss Gertrude Martin. Her mother's people were among the pioneers of Newton County. Mrs. Deardurff was educated in the common schools, and for six years prior to her marriage was a successful and popular teacher in Newton County. She was born in Newton County May 10, 1873, the eldest of six children, four sons and two daughters born to William H. and Mary (Ash) Martin. All the children are living at the present time; Mrs. Deardurff: Adell, wife of Joseph Thornton of Chicago and they have four children; Austin is also a resident of Chicago and is married; William is next; Ralph is a resident of North Dakota, is an agriculturist, is married and had three children; and Orpheus is a resident of Newton County. Mr. Martin, the father, was a native of Virginia and an agriculturist, and it was about the year 1838 that he came to Indiana. He was a soldier in the Civil war and after his term of service he came to Newton County. He was a Mason. He died in LaFayette, Indiana in 1905. Mrs. Martin was a native of Indiana and died 1893. Mrs. Deardurff is an active member of the Baptist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Deardurff have two sons; Lloyd, who is now in the third year of the Morocco High School, and Raymond, in the fourth year of the Morocco High School. Mr. and Mrs. Deardurff will give their sons the benefit of good education, fitting them for practical life. After his marriage Mr. Deardurff began farming, and eventually bought 277 acres of land in Washington Township. That land he has made productive and valuable in every sense of the term, and has not only gained a good living from it for his family, but has raised it to the best standards of improvement and productivity among similar farms in this county. At the same time Mr. Deardurff has willingly given his time and energies to the benefit of his fellow citizens. He has twice served as a member of the advisory board of Washington Township and is still on that board. In 1910 he was elected one of the county commissioners, and during his service of three years constantly studied the needs of the county at large and made himself a valuable advisor and an earnest exponent of the welfare of the county. He is in politics a republican. He is affiliated with the Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America of Morocco, Indiana. From A Standard History of Jasper & Newton Counties, 1916. Vol. II, p. 616. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submitted By Gerald Born Email - Wizzofozl0@aol.com