"He giveth his beloved sleep."    On September 2, 1894, George Edwin Wheat Duling sank to sleep, leaving a beautiful and unfading record to attest the truth of his having lived and wrought and now passed on to a higher field of labor. He was born in Fairmount township, Grant county, Indiana, August 15, 1854, here grew to manhood, and here died, his personal traits being such as to draw to himself lasting friendships and strengthen those ties already formed. His life was singularly pure and beautiful, and had glided smoothly along to its meridian, where the golden mists of hope lie warm over the mountain tops, and the clouds of sorrow, asleep in the clear blue of the mid-day sky, gave no hint of the storm about to burst and carry his tempest tossed boat into the harbor of eternal life. Devoted to wife and children, he was happiest when seated with them at his fireside, they being to him what clubs, politics, or fame is to other men, and the petty cares of the day melted under his genial presence as the hoar frost disappears before the noon-day sun. He was a stanch and loyal friend, willing to sacrifice personal comfort and convenience to effect the good of another. The history of his life is briefly told. As a lad he attended the public schools of his native township and there acquired his education. At the age of twenty years he left school and engaged in farming, a calling in which he persevered until his death.

        October 8, 1881, Mr. Duling was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Latham, daughter of Thomas Peter and Sina Margaret (Duling) Latham, the union resulting in the birth of five daughters, namely: Jessie, born January 18, 1882; Blanche, born September 19, 1883; Myrtle, born February 7, 1886; Hazel, born August 18, 1889; and Georgia, born July 27, 1894. These children were the delight of his heart and he took great pleasure in planning for their future, that it might be useful and good. In politics he was a Republican. Public-spirited and generous, he was interested in all that pertained to the general welfare and ever ready with both time and money to help advance any enterprise looking to the improvement of the commonwealth. The hand of aid was ready to be extended to the needy ones of earth, and it was not an empty one, many a grateful recipients of his bounty blessing the kind giver, whose help was so unostentatious and timely. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Protestant church, foremost in every good work, and his death was the cause of widespread sorrow throughout the entire community.

        Thomas Peter Latham, the father of Mrs. Duling, was a son of George L. and Lucinda (Bunnell) Latham, and was born in Virginia on October 20, 1832. He was a harnessmaker by trade and piled his craft in Coshocton county, Ohio, whither he moved at an early day, and which was his home until he came to Fairmount in 1881, and where he lived until his death, October 18, 1898. His wife, Sina Margaret Duling, was born December 1, 1832, and reared a family of five children, namely: George Edmond, born July 2, 1858, a resident of Columbus, Ohio; Caroline, widow of George Edwin Wheat Duling, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, January 26, 1860; Mary, born January 20, 1862, married Dr. William Thomas, of Fairmount, and died December 27, 1888; Joel, born July 24, 1868, married Miss Nettie Maddy; Myrtle, born January 8, 1870; and Iona, born February 24, 1873, now the wife of Dr. Vigus. Mrs. Duling is a lady of many estimable qualities and has a large circle of warm friends in Fairmount and the surrounding country.