W. B. Forney, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of W. B. Forney
W. B. FORNEY - the present efficient sheriff of Porter County is native Indianan, having been born in White County on a farm on November 1, 1883. The paternal acenstry was of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry; they were of the virile pioneer stock, the paternal grandmother passing away in 1896 at the age of eighty-three. The parents of W. B. Forney were John W. and Anna (Buchan) Forney. They were married in Benton County, Indiana. William and Catherine Forney, the paternal grandparents, had six children: John W., George, Cyrus, Sarah, Mary, and Elizabeth. John and Anna (Buchan) Forney were the parents of five children: W. B.; Amy, deceased; Jessie, who is now Mrs. Albert Swanson; Edna, a teacher of Valparaiso; and John. The maternal grandparents were William and Catherine Buchan, natives of Scotland, who settled in Canada and later in New York State. They removed from that place to Indiana in the early days; to their marriage were born three children: Anna; Samuel, who removed to Nebraska and died in that state; and Hattie, who died in California. W. B. Forney, our immediate subject, attended the schools of Valparaiso and completed the commercial course in the Northern Indiana Normal School, now known as the Valparaiso University. He followed agriculture for four years, after which he was employed as a clerk in the Lowenstine Store at Valparaiso. He early recognized the value of sports and became a well known baseball player. He played with the Three Eye League as catcher for a number of seasons. From 1913 to 1916 he served as deputy sheriff of Porter County under W. S. Lindell, and in 1916 was elected to the office of sheriff, in which he served four years. He then entered the real estate and insurance business and conducted this for a period, and then again served as deputy sheriff under William Pennington. He was nominated for sheriff and was again elected in 1924, and is the present incumbant in this office, having been renominated in 1926. He has given uniform satisfaction in this office, and has the reputation of enforcing the law without fear or favor. Mr. Forney was united in marriage with Mina, daughter of Christian and Sophia Frohmader of South Bend, Indiana. Christian Frohmader and wife had three other children: Sophia, George, and Frieda. Mr. Forney is past exalted ruler of the Elks of Valparaiso, is a member of the Sons of Veterans, K. of P., Chamber of Commerce, and religiously is a Presbyterian. The Forneys have always been to the forefront of all the movements in this region that demanded service and self-sacrifice. The elder Forney, father of W. B., was an esteemed veteran of the Civil war. He served in Company I, Twelth Infantry, of Illinois, for four years. He was wounded severely in the head at the battle of Shiloh, and was also in the march to the sea with Sherman.
Source: Cannon, Thomas H., H. H. Loring, and Charles J. Robb. 1927. History of the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana Embracing the Counties of Lake, Porter and Laporte. Volume II. Indianapolis, Indiana: Historians' Association. 827 p.
Page(s) in Source: 54-55
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook