Isaac W. Cahill, son of John and Jane (Wilson) Cahill, was born in Greenfield, Indiana, May 31, 1856. His father was a native of Ireland and his mother of Ohio. She was a daughter of Isaac Wilson, who came from Ohio to Center township, Hancock county, in the early days and located on eighty acres of land in Center township, on which he built a home, cleared and improved the land and engaged in farming. Here he and his wife both died.

John Cahill was educated in Ireland and came alone to America, in 1848, when he was seventeen years old. Dependent entirely upon his own resources, he started to make his own way in the new country to which he had come. He began this undertaking on a tract of unimproved land in Hancock county, a large part of which was considered untillable because of being wet and swampy. By underdraining, tiling and ditching, this land was made tillable and became highly productive, equal to the best in the county. By industry and enterprise John Cahill accumulated a farm of two hundred and ten acres. He built a good home and other necessary farm buildings and continued to live here until his death. In his early days he worked for a time in county offices, in Greenfield, but practically all his life was spent on the farm. He served for a time as township supervisor, and was always active in township affairs. During the last year of the Civil War he served as a soldier in the Union army. He was the father of six children, four of whom are still living: Mary R., Isaac W., John and Ellen.

Isaac W. Cahill was educated in the common schools of Center township, and worked on the farm when not attending school. He lived on the home place until he grew to manhood when he began farming on his own account. He now has two hundred and ninety-one acres, one hundred and thirty of which are part of his father's old farm. He has been engaged in general farming for many years, but is now retired from active work, his farm being cultivated by renters. The Cahill family are members of the United Brethren church.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Pages 902-903.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI September 24, 2001.

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