John Van Buren, farmer, Secs. 9, 16 and 6; P. O. Vernon; born January 14, 1836, in Otsego Co., N. Y., his parents, Peter and Isabella (Sharp) Van Buren, settled in Vernon in 1844; here he attended school, living with his parents until the spring of 1866, when he settled on his present farm of 152 1/2 acres; he farmed this two years in partnership with Abram Scharp; the farm was then covered with stumps of the forest trees, which were its first crop, and with countless boulders and stones; the buildings were small and poor; today a 36 x 60 and an 18 x 38 barn, with a large, well appointed farmhouse, and the smooth, handsome fields tell the story of fourteen well-spent years, which have made John Van Buren one of Vernon's most respected farmers. He married Miss Sarah A. Carmichael, who died in 1873, leaving two sons, Edgar and John; by the present wife, formerly Anna Platz, he has a son, Peter W. Van Buren.

Mr. Van Buren is a Democrat and is now serving his second term as Supervisor; he has seventy crossed merino and Cotswold sheep.