Book of the Wilders has birthplace as “Vermont or Massachusetts”118

He and Polly settled on a farm in Onondaga Co NY, where their first three children were born, one of whom died in infancy.118

Fought in the War of 1812 as First Sergeant in Capt Richard Godfrey’s Company of the New York Militia, enlisting at Batavia, Genesee Co. the family then moved to Ashtabula Co OH, obtained a tract of government land, and began farming.118

Some years later, the family moved to southern Michigan (Reuben alone is listed at White Pigeon MI in 1830 census), but was driven out by Native Americans. [Mary Relief came with them.79] Before 1839, the family moved from Ohio to Dyer, St John’s Township, Lake Co IN, hauling family possessions by horsedrawn wagon and driving livestock.118

The Wilders settled in Dyer in 1836, receiving the first patent from the area. Because the area was not yet a county, the patent was issued by President Tyler. There is a family cemetery in the area that was first settled.79