AARON WELLBAUM, one of Newton Township's most respected citizens, now living retired on his farm of forty acres, located in Sections 10 and 15, has resided here for more than forty-three years. He was born October 15, 1830, in Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of David and Catherine (Hittle) Wellbaum.

David Wellbaum was born in 1800, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and accompanied his parents to Ohio. In later years he frequently told of passing through Dayton, which was then a little settlement of three log houses. The Wellbaums secured Government land in Miami County, and the old sheepskin deed is still preserved which entitled them to four quarter sections near the Stillwater River. David Wellbaum assisted his father in the clearing of the land, and came into possession of a part of it. This he sold in 1851, and moved to Illinois, where he died in 1861. He married Catherine Hittle, a daughter of Nicholas and Eva Hittle, and they had eleven children: Susan, Annie, John, Elizabeth, Aaron, Silas, Catherine, Jackson, Richard, Martha and Lavina. The mother of this family died in 1865. Both parents were worthy members of the Christian Church. In politics, the father was a Democrat.

Aaron Wellbaum attended school in Newton Township in his boyhood, and remained with his father until 1851, and then accompanied the family to Illinois. He was not satisfied, however, in the new surroundings, and after sixteen months came back to Newton Township, and has lived in this locality ever since. He worked for different farmers, assisting them in clearing up their lands and in farming until 1869, when he came to his present property. He had all the land to clear and all the improvements to make. Before getting his land into its present fertile condition, he found it advisable to put in some 400 rods of tile, in that way making perfect drainage. For many years Mr. Wellbaum operated his farm with much success, only recently permitting himself to retire from active labor and enter upon the enjoyment of the rest that has been well earned.

On November 14, 1858, Mr. Wellbaum was married to Miss Elizabeth Deeter, a daughter of Daniel H. and Mary Ann Deeter, and they have had a family of thirteen children bearing, respectively, the following names: Daniel, Catherine, Mary Ann, Joseph, Lydia and Jane (twins), Martha, Samuel, Adeline, Elizabeth, Daisy, Amanda and Lovaly. Sickness and death have come into the family circle at different times, and four of the children have passed out of this life, these being Daniel, Mary Ann, Joseph and Lovaly. Mr. Wellbaum and family are members of the German Baptist Church. He has always cast his vote with the Democratic party.