John Merriam Van Trees

John M. Van Trees was one of ten children of Emanuel and Julia Van Trees. In 1815, the family left their home near Cincinnati, Ohio, for Vincennes, Indiana. They settled on a farm two miles north of what would later become Washington, and in 1816 they moved into the settlement itself. John’s father and David Flora founded the town of Liverpool, which was later renamed Washington. On May 27, 1830, John married Laura Grant Prentiss, the daughter of Thomas Green Prentiss and Laura Grant (Porter) Prentiss. The family owned woolen mills in Lexington, Kentucky. The home located at 600 East Main Street, Washington was built by John M. Van Trees in 1843.

John M. Van Trees held several roles in civic, military, and business life: In 1824, he was appointed Clerk of the Daviess County Circuit Court in Washington, a post he held for 37 years; Governor Noah Noble appointed him Colonel of the 24^th Regiment of the Indiana Militia; and he was in the merchandising business.