John Frey, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of John Frey
THE FRY FAMILY
The Fry family has lived in Porter County, Indiana for 129 years.
John Frey, now spelled Fry, was born in September 30, 1792, and his wife, Hannah Meeker Fry, left their home in Linesville, Pennsylvania, with their nine children to journey farther west. They traveled the old Joliet Road through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, reaching McHenry County, Ill. In September, 1846. All became ill with malaria, so they turned back to the prairie lands of Indiana.
At Valparaiso, John was so ill they had to discontinue their journey. The kindly western frontiersman lent a helping hand, but in spite of their aid, John died November 17, 1846. His widow and children, through the influence of James Williams, were helped to secure land grants and soon became independent.
Descendants, Kenneth Fry and his nephew, Lester Fry still reside on and farm a part of the original grant 3 1/2 miles east of Hebron.
Of the nine children of John and Hannah Fry, descendants of four of them still live in Porter County. To the best of our knowledge, this is a list of them:
1. Descendants of Barbara Fry Lawson
Ray Alyea and Family, Hebron
Paul Alyea and family, Hebron
Janet Sheetz and family, Hebron
Wilma Antrim Leach and family, Valpo.
Edna Antrim Poisel and family, Hebron
2. Descendants of Hannah Jane Fry Sweeney
Clara Lawrence, Hebron
John Sweeney and family, Hebron
Marlene Morrow and family, Hebron
3. Descendants of William Fry
Carl Dilley, Hebron
Lois Hoagland and family, Hebron
Gerald Fry, Hebron
Wayne Fry and family, Hebron
William Sweney and family, Hebron
Elizabeth Cletcher and family, Valparaiso
4. Descendants of Nathan Fry
Kathryn Wiltfong and family, Hebron
Donald Fry and family, Hebron
Kenneth Fry, Hebron
Lester Fry, Hebron
Elizabeth Regan and family, Hebron
DeWitt Fry, Valparaiso
Sincerely yours,
Kathryn Wiltfong
Hebron, IN
Elizabeth Regan
Hebron, IN
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 109
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