JOHN UNGER, who is known as one of the heavy farmers of Sullivan county, carrying on as he does both grain and stock farming in an upto-date manner, as well as being an extensive grower of watermelons, naturally finds a place in the family history of the representative men of Sullivan county. Mr. Unger comes from a family well and favorably known in the south of Europe. He was born, October 6, 1843, in France, a son of Michael and Malissa (Gregor) Unger. (For a sketch of Michael Unger, the reader is referred to his personal sketch in this work.) In 1875, John Unger came to America and located in Ohio, within Ashland county, where he worked on a farm by the month. In 1876, he went to Haddon township, Sullivan county, Indiana, where he rented a farm to the south of Bethlehem church, where his brother Michael now lives. After a two-year stay there he moved up to within about one mile of Carlisle, where he also remained two years. Thinking to better his condition, he removed to a place east of Bethlehem church, remaining one year, and then located in Widner township, Knox county, where he lived two years, going back then to Haddon township, near Ermin Station. Upon leaving that farm, Mr. Unger went to the John A. Hoke place and continued there five years, purchasing then the one hundred and two acres of land upon which he now resides, the same being situated four miles west of Carlisle, bordering on the Gill and Haddon township lines. Here, in addition to his general grain and stock farming operations, he raises about thirty-five acres of watermelons annually of late years. His present farm consists of about three hundred acres. He moved to this place in March 1889.


Mr. Unger was united in marriage, January 20, 1876, to Catherine Lake, born in Jefferson township, Sullivan county, April 5, 1844, a daughter of Abraham and Ursula (Roberts) Lake. The father was born September 3, 1802, in Tennessee, and the mother in old Virginia. This worthy couple were married in Sullivan county, Indiana, in 1830. Abraham Lake came to Indiana before it had been admitted into the union. He came along with the Minichs and followed farming and stock raising. His children were as follows: Elizabeth, Morris, Mary Ann, John, Martha, Jane, Thomas, Catherine, Eliza, all of whom are now dead, excepting Mrs. Unger. She was educated in Jefferson township.


Mr. and Mrs. Unger are the parents of the following children: George W., born November 23, 1876; Morris, born July 31, 1878, educated in the district schools and a civil engineering school, and is now a car framer at the American Car Shops, Terre Haute; Thomas, born March 8, 1880, died in 1893; William, born August 16, 1882, educated in the district schools, is unmarried and on the farm with his father; Frank, born December 6, 1884, also educated in the district schools, unmarried, and assists on the home farm; Charles, born December 16, 1887, educated in the common schools, being graduated from the Carlisle high school with the class of 1906, and now attending law college at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and will graduate with the class of 1909. Politically, John Unger believes in the general principles laid down by the Republican party. Both he and his wife are exemplary members of the Methodist Episcopal church.