Person:George Salyer (4)

G. Z. Salyer, deceased was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., April 16, 1809. He went to White Pigeon, Mich., in about 1831, and there May 9, 1833, married Xenia Read, who was born in Susquelianna County, Penn., November 14, 1814, and was a daughter of Beldon Read, who moved to White Pigeon in 1830. Succeeding their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Salyer moved to La Porte, Ind., when Mr. Salyer worked at his trade (carpenter and joiner) until the land sales in Porter County in 1835, when they removed to Center Township, when Mr. Salyer purchased eight acres and bought out a grocery store, which he carried on in connection with his trade. He assisted in the erection of some of the first buildings of Valparaiso, and made this his home until his death, September 20, 1865. He was one of the prominent and influential men of his time, and for many years acted as Justice of the Peace. He was a Republican, formerly a Whig, and was a member of long standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He and wife began married life with but very little means, and they worked hard and economized, until at the time of Mr. S’s death they had considerable property. Mrs. Salyer owns valuable city property adjoining the public square, and it yet a resident of Valparaiso. To her marriage with Mr. Salyer there were born seven children - Don A., Mary E. (now Mrs. David Hamilton), Charlotte (now Mrs. Elijah Wood), Leon G. (deceased), Orvin (deceased), Robert E., married to Orpha Dennison and residing in Steuben County, Ind., and Winfield S., who married Edith Patrick, and resides in Valparaiso. G. Z. Salyer was for many years a merchant of the place, and his name is familiar to all old settlers of Porter County. He was one of the charter members of the Masonic order of Valparaiso, and was buried with Masonic rites. (from: "Counties of Porter and Lake - Historical and Biographical", Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882, page 269, 270 City of Valparaiso)

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Gravestone photo, George Z. Salyer, found at FindAGrave.com.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Census, 1850, Center Twp., Porter County Indiana.
3.   Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biogra.
4.   The Read Family of Salem, Massachusetts, Robert H. Benson, Newbury St. Press, Boston, 2005.
5. ↑ 1850 U.S. Census, Porter County, Indiana.
6. ↑ 1850 U.S. Census, Porter County, Indiana
   Center Twp., p. 99A.