From "Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana," 1903, pp. 197-198.

PERRY KILANDER.

Perry Kilander was born June 10, 1823, in Brown county, Ohio. He was a son of Jacob Kilander, a native of Pennsylvania, whose ancestors were originally from Holland, and Polly Dillman Kilander, a native of the state of Kentucky. After their marriage they settled in Kentucky, later going to Brown county, Ohio, and from there they removed to Jackson township, Wells county, Indiana, where they remained until death. Jacob was the father of seven children, the subject being the only one now living, at the age of eighty years. David, Dillman, Sarah, Sina and Calvin are all deceased. The subject attended school in Brown county, Ohio, on days which were too bad to work. He began working, for himself when he was about twenty-one years of age, remaining with his father and working out, etc. At the age of twenty-three, on March 17, 1846, he was married to Sarah Jane Martin, born in Brown county, Ohio, in November, 1821, a daughter of George and Mary (Myers) Martin. After his marriage the subject began farming in Brown county, Ohio, remaining there five years, when he removed to Wells county, Indiana, and purchased two hundred and eighty acres of unimproved land which he and a farm hand cleared up and improved. He afterward divided his land among his children, reserving eighty acres for himself. He has devoted his entire life to the interests of farming. His faithful wife and helpmeet died March 14, 1901. He is the father of twelve children, ten of whom are yet living: Polly M., born January 17, 1847, is the wife of Canada Griffith and they have three living children; the second child of the subject, Sarah E., was born August 28, 1848, and died November 14, 1900; the third, Maria E., born March 2, 1850, is the wife of John Verneder; Calvin V., born February 17, 1852, deceased; William D., born November 26, 1853, now residing in Kansas City; Montre C., born December 19, 1857, the wife of John Lee; Charlotte O., born November 19, 1858, the wife of Phanuel McIntyre; Robert A., born March 23, 1861; Rebecca A., born September 18, 1863, wife of Warner Welch; Jacob M., born January 17, 1866; Emma R., born October 8, 1868, wife of Keaver Risinger, and John E., born December 28, 1872.

Mr. Kilander has been a general stock farmer all his life, devoting his time distinctly to his farming affairs and has never taken an active interest in politics. In the person of the venerable subject we have a personage who has attained an age beyond that of the most of his contemporaries. Born in the first quarter of the last century, he has lived to see the wonderful development of the country and the applied inventions used as a means thereto which were undreamed of in his youth. He has been a pioneer of two states, aiding by the labor of his own hands in creating the conditions of prosperity which his environments denote. He has lived to see the fruition of his labors in the days of his strong manhood in the possession by himself and children of the bounteous returns of the farms which he wrested so largely with his own hands from the virgin forests of a new country. Those who have been witnesses to and aided in all the transitory changes which have attended our wonderful development will have soon gone hence, but their deeds will be enshrined in the hearts of coming generations and sons and daughters will arise up on every hand and call them blessed.