The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 4, Page 6.
T. T. MAULSBY BORN IN 1829, LIVED TO 87
Thomas T. Maulsby, youngest son of John and Elizabeth (Grisam)
Maulsby, and born in Porter county in 1829, in the section known as "the big
timber" where now runs state Road 6 near the LaPorte county line.
Thomas parents moved to Porter county in 1814.
When Thomas grew to manhood he became a tailor and later proprietor of the
Merchants hotel in Valparaiso. On June 15, 1851, he married Ann Eliza Baum.
Their children were Richmond and Rosealtha. Following his wife's death in 1857
Mr. Maulsby married Mary Ann Gillespie, on April 14, 1858. Their children were
William A., who became the father of Marry Maulsby now living in Valparaiso,
Jennie (Mrs. Charles Hendrick), and Elizabeth (Mrs. George Hankinson) whose
children were Maurice and Mary (Mrs. Raymond F. Warner), the latter is a
resident of Valparaiso.
Thomas Maulsby was noted for his good humor and wit and was host to many
important people at the Merchants hotel. He was active in city affairs and was
one of the trustees of the school where the Central school now stands. He died
at the age of 87.
[Transcribers Note: Thomas T. Maulsby was not born
in Porter County. Thomas' date of birth would suggest that he was the first
white child born in Porter County. Numerous Porter County historical records,
however, clearly
indicate that Reason Bell, Junior, was the first white child born in the county
(Washington Township on January 11, 1834). Furthermore, various genealogical
records indicate that Thomas T. Maulsby was born in Dallas County, Iowa, on
August 2, 1829. Maulsby's parents did not move to Porter County in 1814, rather
they were residing in Wayne County, Indiana. A genealogy of the Maulsby family
states that John Maulsby moved so often "that when his chickens saw a covered
wagon, they lay down and crossed their legs to be tied." The Maulsby family later moved to
LaPorte County before moving back to Wayne County. The first permanent white
resident in Porter County was Joseph Bailly in 1822.
Data Source:
Payne, Cora M. (Patty). 1902. Genealogy of the Maulsby Family for Five
Generations, 1699-1902: Compiled by Careful Research Among Quaker, Government
and Family Records. Des Moines, Iowa: George A. Miller Press. 142 p.]
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook