Artillus Valerius Bartholomew, merchant, was born in Licking County, Ohio, November 26, 1818; one of six children of Jeremiah and Rebecca (Skinner) Bartholomew, natives of Pennsylvania and of English descent.
Jeremiah Bartholomew was reared a farmer, and came with his parents of Licking County in time to enlist in the War of 1812. He participated in a number of engagements, notably those of Fort Meigs and of the campaign along the lake shore. On his return (Jeremiah) married, in 1817, and in August, 1828 came to LaFayette, Ind., entered into mercantile pursuits, kept hotel, and laid off the northern and better part of the city. In September, 1833, he moved to Michigan City, then a hamlet of seven families, and kept public house until December, 1834, when he purchased 400 or 500 acres in Washington Township, and there settled and began farming. About a year after, he moved to Centre Township, which was his home till his death in 1841, his widow following in 1863.
A. V. Bartholomew, who was reared to the stern realities of farm life, was married April 7, 1844, to Elizabeth Stephens, and continued a farmer's life. Mrs. Bartholomew died in 1862, leaving a family of eight children - William M. (deceased), Mary A., Finette A., Rebecca R., Martha E., George F., Walter S. (deceased) and Elizabeth (deceased). In 1862, (Artillus) moved to Valparaiso and engaged in merchandising in the building he yet occupies (A. V. was the founding force behind the Specht-Finney-Skinner concern) being to-day one of the leading merchants, carrying a stock of dry goods, hats, caps, ready-made clothing, etc., valued at $22,000, manufacturing clothing to order, and doing an annual trade of $60,000 to $70,000. Mr. B. married Mrs. Emma (Benny) Marshall in April, 1864, both being members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. B. helped to organize the Republican party of Porter (County) in 1854, was elected to the Legislature, and served in the session of 1855; in 1857, he was elected (Porter) County Commissioner to fill an unexpired term; subsequently, he filled the office for twelve consecutive years. Besides valuable town property, he owns 640 acres in the county, the greater part of which he has earned by his industry.
Source: Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Illustrated. Chicago, Illinois: F. A. Battey & Company. 771 p.
Page(s) in Source: 234
Thank you to Steven Shook for transcribing and sharing this history on his site at inportercounty.org.