WHEELER RICH was born in Rush County, Ind. [Indiana], October 17, 1830, and is the eldest
of eleven children born to Davis and Margaret (KOLB) RICH; his father was a native of
Ohio, born in 1811, and came to Indiana at an early day; his mother was born in Georgia,
in 1807, and also came to Indiana at an early day; they were married in 1829; his father
followed farming until his death, January 9, 1865, and his mother died in October, 1878.
Wheeler RICH enjoyed a home with his parents until he reached manhood, and received in the
meantime a fair education. On January 9, 1857, he was married to Rebecca PETRO, a
daughter of John and Mary (SUTTON) PETRO, born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1825. In 1851,
Mr. RICH came to Porter County, and settled on the farm he now owns, at that time a
woodland. By hard labor he has improved 130 of the 171 acres, besides erecting good
buildings; he has as fine a stock farm as can be found in the township. Mr. and Mrs. RICH
are members of the Ch!
ristian Church. In politics, Mr. RICH is a liberal Democrat.
Transcribed by Jan Meyers from the (Histories) "Counties of Porter and Lake Indiana -
Historical and Biographical," Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882