Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 442-444.
WILLIAM HAIFLICH.
The gentleman whose name opens this biographical notice is a member of one of the oldest settled families of Rock Creek township, Wells county, Indiana, being a son of Isaac and Catherine (Pletcher) Haiflich, but was born in Richland county, Ohio, April 12, 1837. The paternal grandfather as well as the parents of William Haiflich were natives of the Buckeye state. The Pletcher family came from Pennsylvania and early settled in Richland county, Ohio, also, and were agriculturists of the better class.
Isaac Haiflich, after marriage, rented a farm in Ohio, on which he resided until about 1848 or '49, when he came to Wells county, Indiana, and settled in Rock Creek township, there being at that time but two houses in Murray and one house in Markle, the intervening distance between the two villages containing a solitary farm, that owned by Jacob Miller, but now occupied by William Coover. Isaac Haiflich here entered one hundred and sixty acres of wild woodland, which he lived upon and cleared up and developed it into one of the best farms in the township. In politics Mr. Haiflich was one of the leading Democrats of Rock Creek township, and his religious faith was that of the German Baptist church. He had led a pure and industrious life and through his personal labors acquired a fortune of eight thousand dollars. To Isaac Haiflich and Catherine (Pletcher) Haiflich there was born the large family of twelve children, of whom there are five still living.
William Haiflich was reared in the woods of Rock Creek township, and was early inured to hard work, which has redounded eventually to his pecuniary benefit, as well as to his physical and mental development. Whatever may be said of the malarial conditions of the atmosphere in certain portions of the state of Indiana, it may safely be said that Rock Creek township is blessed with an invigorating circumambient belt of ozone, or oxygen, very conducive to health and longevity, and under these favorable circumstances Mr. Haiflich developed into the prominent and influential gentleman he now is.
As the early services of Mr. Haiflich were called into requisition in clearing up the home farm, he had but few opportunities of attending school, yet the time he was permitted to devote to this purpose was not abused and he succeeded in acquiring an education adequate for all practical purposes. He has done as much work, in all probability, in making Rock Creek township the paradise it now is as any man of his age within its boundaries. He managed the home place after leaving school until he had attained his majority and at the age of twenty-two found himself with a wife and forty dollars in cash, with which to start in business as a renter of his father-in-law's farm.
Mr. Haiflich was married, March 3, 1859, to Miss Sarah E. Sparks, daughter of Aaron and Huldah Sparks. She was born in Wells county, Indiana, February 14, 1843. To Mr. and Mrs. Haiflich have been born eight children, of whom six still survive and are named as follows: Eli C., Almeda Ann, William A., Samuel H., Charles E. and Rosetta.
After Mr. Haiflich's marriage he settled on the Sparks homestead, which he subsequently purchased, and on which he resided until moving to his present farm in November, 1897. Mr. Haiflich owns at present three hundred and twenty acres of good, well improved land and is considered one of the well-to-do and substantial farmers of Wells county. In 1864 he responded to his country's call to arms and enlisted in Company E, Twelfth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He took part in several battles, served nine months, and was then honorably discharged, being now the recipient of a pension of twelve dollars per month.
The Haiflich family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sparks Chapel, of which Mr. Haiflich has been a trustee for several years. He has served as class leader and also as Sunday school superintendent. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat, but although he is a faithful worker in his party's interests he has never sought an office. Mr. and Mrs. Haiflich, as may well be inferred, are among the most highly respected residents of Rock Creek township, and it may be a gratification to the reader to refer to the biography of Eli Haiflich, to be found on another page of this volume, for further information concerning this old-time family.