Biographical Sketch of The Rev. Alexander Hastings

Rev. Alexander Hastings was born in Belfast, Ireland. He emigrated from there to Scotland, where he was married, and from thence to the United States, and settled in New Jersey.

He left New Jersey and came to Ohio, and engaged in farming. He was, also, a preacher of the Baptist persuasion, and frequently improved his gifts before his marriage in the old country.

In January, 1837, he moved his family to Laporte County, and settled on Rolling Prairie, in what is now Mills Township. He became pastor of Rolling Prairie Baptist Church, and still carried on farming. He was a pioneer minister in this country, and well deserves the name that has been so cordially granted him. He was a man of more that ordinary talent, and his preaching was characterized by sound argumentation, and logical acumen, that carried conviction to thinking minds. He was a close Bible reader, having made it a life study; and his illustrations drawn from this inexhaustible fountain made him an attractive and forcible speaker.

He was a graduate of Dublin University. During the great revival in 1838, he was one of the most active men in the field. His labors with the Rolling Prairie Church continued for many years, and at one time it was one of the largest and most influential in the country.

Subquently, he moved to Coolspring Township, near Waterford, and endeavored to establish an interest there. He also preached at the Door Village Church, and to the church at Sumption's Prairie.

He married (as we have stated) in Scotland, Margaret I. Slone, and by her had seven children, viz.:

The first, George, was drowned at the age of five; George H., Mary A., Eliza, John A., Margaret I., and William S.

George Hamilton was a physician, unmarried; died at Harrison, Indiana, aged about forty-five.

Mary A., married Wm. H.H. Whitehead, whose parents moved from North Carolina to Indiana about 1806 or '7, and settled about six miles south of Richmond, in Wayne County in 1836, and settled on Rolling Prairie. Mr. W. came to Laporte in 1854, served as sheriff five years, was elected mayor and served four years, and is now a police magistrate, and deacon of the Baptist Church in Laporte.

Eliza married Isaac D. Martin, of Ohio, and has Slone D., Alexander A., William S., Margaret A., Josephine, and two others, who are dead.

Slone D. was in the Union army, an was killed at Chickamauga.

John A. married Jane Whitehead, of Laporte Co., and has Eliza, Alexander A., William, Mary, Livonia, Jesse, Ella, John and Alice. He is a deacon in the Baptist Church of Rolling Prairie.

Margaret I. married Hampton B. Whitehead, and had Geo. P. Mr. W. Died in 1843, and she married, secondly, Anthony W. Smith; has Alexander, Chauncey B., Alva, and Alberta, who died young.

William S. married Hannah, daughter of Elder Samuel W. Miller, and has George, Lennie, and another.

Rev. Alexander Hastings died December, 1865 (?) greatly lamented by all who knew him.

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The original information is transcribed from an old Indiana Atlas of 1874.