Edward Ditmars, a farmer of Pleasant Township, was born in Union Township, this county, March 5, 1839, and was the son of Garrett and Sarah (Verbryck) Ditmars, both of whom were natives of the State of New Jersey. His father was born in 1792. When he was twelve years of age his father died, and about one year later, his widowed mother removed to a farm near Hopewell, this county, where she spent the rest of her life. She died August 5, 1855. Our subject remained on the farm with his mother until after her death. The greater part of his early education was received in Hopewell Academy. After his mother’s death, he remained in the vicinity of Hopewell until the year 1861. He attended school in winter and worked on a farm in summer. July 29, 1861, he became a soldier in the Union Army, being mustered into Company I, Eighteenth Indiana Regiment. He served in the same company and regiment until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, Ark., Port Gibson, Jackson, Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, the siege of Vicksburg, and the second battle of Winchester, Va. On the 19th day of September, 1864, while in the battle of Winchester, Va., he was wounded. This necessitated him to spend three months in a hospital. He was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, September 22, 1865. During the winter of 1865–6, he attended school at Hopewell, and during the following summer he was engaged in the manufacture of brick. In the fall of 1866, he went to Decatur County, this state, where he made his home with a widowed sister four years, during which time he conducted a farm. He was married in Decatur County, March 9, 1871, to Spicy D. Thomson. She was born in Decatur County, February 5, 1839, and was the daughter of William H. and Jane B. (Blair) Thomson. Her father was born in Nicholas County, Ky., in June, 1791, and her mother was born near Knoxville, Tenn., in June, 1802. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ditmars came to Johnson County and located on a farm which Mr. Ditmars had purchased during the preceding winter, one-half mile east of Whiteland. They have resided upon the same farm continuously ever since. It now contains 120 acres, and is in a good state of improvement. Mr. and Mrs. Ditmars are the parents of three children, as follows: John W., born May 30, 1872; Garrett O., December 14, 1873, and Rolla T., December 15, 1878. Our subject and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. The former is a member of the G. A. R. lodge, and in politics, he is a republican.