JOHN HALE, Sec. 28; P. O. Platteville; was born March 4, 1815, in Somersetshire, England; came to America in 1840; landed at New York City; spent some time in the Pennsylvania and Ohio coal mines, and six months in St. Louis. He married at Cannellton, Ind., Isabella McColloch, and, in the spring of 1842, came to Hazel Green, and engaged in mining there until he came to Lima in 1850. Here he bought his present 80-acre homestead farm, then in a state of nature. The first year was spent in a log cabin surrounded by the dense growth of oak, hickory, etc., which originally covered his and all the adjoining land. He has cleared 65 acres of this, and, besides, owns 70 acres of Sec. 29. Mrs. Hale died July 14, 1864, leaving nine children - John P., Margaret C., Robert C., Sarah A., Elizabeth J., Lafayette, Alvin, George T. and Jacob A. The present Mrs. Hale was Sarah M., daughter of Jacob and Sarah Quick; she was born Jan. 9, 1815, in Neversink, Sullivan Co., N. Y. Jan. 7, 1834, she married in Caroline, Tompkins Co., N. Y., G. A. Graham, who was born June 25, 1815. They removed to Illinois, and, in 1835, came to Platteville, camping-out the night of July 4, 1835, near the site of the city. Mr. Graham went to California in 1849, and died there. He was one of the earliest settlers in Lima, and left six children - Robert, Alexander, William, Maria L., Emma M. and Sarah A.; Mary J. died before her father went to California. Mr. and Mrs. Hale have a most pleasant home, and look back to pioneer days as times when hardships and privations were cheerfully borne that such a home might be finally secured.

This biography generously submitted by Roxanne Munns.