Source: North Manchester Journal, August 24, 1893

An Old Citizen Gone.

Adam Oldfather, one of the early pioneers of this county and a highly esteemed citizen, died at his home in Silver Lake on last Thursday, the 17 instant, at the ripe old age of 74 years, 11 months and 3 days. He was the youngest and last of a family of ten children, all of whom, singular as it may seem, died in the exact order of their birth. His birthplace was Montgomery county, Ohio, and the time September 14, 1818. On January 13, 1842 he married Caroline Borger of the same neighborhood and two years later they came to Wabash county and began life among the trials and privations of an early pioneer's life. By the hard work incident to those times they cleared up a large farm which he left a few years ago for his late home. At the age of fifteen years Mr. Oldfather joined the Lutheran church, of which he remained a faithful and consistent member until his death. One of his earliest acts after coming to this country was to further the cause of religion, and in 1846, with Samuel Bussard, Jacob Bussard, David Bashore and Dr. Henry Eichholtz and their wives, organized the first Lutheran church in this country at North Pleasant, near where Rose Hill now is. After nearly half a century five of them are still living and attended his funeral. Mr. Oldfather was a man of high christian character and broad and liberal views, generous in his benefactions and highly respected by all. He was the father of eight children all of whom, with the exception of a daughter who is dead, were at his bedside when he died. They are: Mrs. Andrew Knoop, of Claypool; Mrs. George Leffel and S.T. Oldfather of this place; H.L. Oldfather, John Oldfather and Mrs. A. Jontz, of Silver Lake; and Mrs. Ed. Beyer of Rochester. His aged wife, still a hale and hearty woman of over seventy years, survives him. His last illness was of long and painful duration, and was pronounced dropsy of the limbs, which necessitated his sitting up in a chair all the time. The funeral, held Friday afternoon at Silver Lake, was very largely attended.