From HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA (Bowen & Co., 1917), pages 1116-1116:

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WILLIS R. LAKE

Willis R. Lake, one of Fayette county's best-known farmers, the proprietor
of a fine farm in Jackson township, now living in the pleasant village of
Everton, was born in Jackson township and has lived there all his life. He
was born on July 5, 1861, son of Willis and Elizabeth (Ray) Lake, members
of old families in this section of the state, further mention of whom is
made elsewhere in this volume.

The elder Willis Lake was born on a pioneer farm in Dearborn county,
this state, across the river from Harrison, a son of William and Mary
(Rounsavell) Lake, who came from New Jersey to Indiana in territorial days,
settling in Dearborn county and coming thence up the White River valley
to Fayette county and settling in Jackson township, in the settlement then
known as West Union, now known as Everton, about the year 1835. Willis Lake
grew to manhood in that community and farmed in Jackson township the rest
of his life, one of the most substantial and influential citizens of that
community. He and his brother, Phenas Lake, further mention of whom is made
elsewhere in this volume, worked together before their marriage and for some
years afterward, and also operated a saw-mill at Everton in partnership.
Willis Ray's wife, Elizabeth Ray, was born in Lauren township, over the line
in Franklin county, a daughter of Lewis T. and Margaret Jane (Lee) Ray, who
came to this state from Ohio and settled in Franklin county, later moving
up into Fayette county and locating in the Mt. Zion neighborhood in Jackson
township. Later they bought another farm in Franklin county, but late in life
sold out there and moved to Delaware county. Willis Lake died at his home
in Jackson township on November 10, 1903, he then being eighty-three years
of age, and his widow survived him about four years, her death occurring
in 1907. They were members of the United Brethren church and their children
were reared in that faith. They were the parents of nine children, of whom
four are still living, Lewis T., Mrs. Louisa Adams, Zachariah and Willis R.

Willis R. Lake lived with his parents until his marriage, when he began
farming on his own account, establishing his home on a farm southwest of
Everton, and has farmed nearly all the time since in Jackson township,
but since 1907 has been making his home at Everton. He is the father of a
well-improved farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres southwest of Everton
and he hand his son, Claire, have ninety-one acres in another tract nearby,
where they work in partnership, farming and raising and fattening hogs for
the market. Willis R. Lake is a member of the local lodge of the Knights
of Pythias at Everton and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that
organization.

In 1881 Willis R. Lake was united in marriage to Alma Johnston, known to
her friends as "Dine," who was born in the home in which she is now living,
in Everton, daughter of William and Harriet (Spencer) Johnston, for years
prominent residents of Everton. William Johnston was born in Ohio, a son
of Pennsylvania-Dutch parentage, his father a tanner. The family moved to
Cincinnati, where the father died when William was a boy. The latter later
went to Lebanon, Ohio, where for some time he made his home with the Shakers
and where he learned the tailor trade, later coming to Indiana and locating at
Brookville, where he was living at the time of his marriage. He later moved
to Fairfield and thence, about 1855, came up into Fayette county and located
at Everton, becoming there the owner of a general store, in partnership with
Mr. Irwin, and for years was engaged in business on the site now occupied
by the Dawson store. He also engaged in the merchant-tailoring business and
was engaged in business until a few years before his death, which occurred
on August 26, 1895, he then being seventy-five years of age. He was a member
of the Methodist church, a Mason and an Odd Fellow and took an active part
in church and lodge work. In an early day William Johnson was the owner of
a tract of four acres of land, now crossed by Vine street, in the city of
Cincinnati. His wife, Harriet Spencer, was born, it is believed, on a farm
in the near vicinity of Oxford, Ohio, where her parents, John and Alma
Spencer, had located upon coming West from New Haven, Connecticut. John
Spencer was born either in England or Scotland and his wife was an orphan,
who grew up at New Haven, Connecticut.  Harriet Spencer came over into
Indiana with her parents from Ohio, the family settling in Franklin county,
where she was living when she married Mr. Johnston. To that children four
children were born, James and Winifred, who died in childhood, and Charles,
who was in business at Everton with his father and who died on January 13,
1889, at the age of thirty-four years, Mrs. Lake thus being now the only
survivor of the family. Her mother died at Everton on December 27, 1891,
at the age of seventy years and nine months.

Mr. and Mrs. Lake have one child, a son, Claire, who is mentioned above.
Claire Lake was born on the home farm near Everton on August 18, 1882, and
from boyhood has been an able assistant to his father in the labors of the
farm, now being in practical management of the same, farming in partnership
with his father. In October, 1906, Claire Lake was united in marriage to Maude
Lake, who also was born in Jackson township, a daughter of Ellis R. and Flora
(Murphy) Lake, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume,
and is now living on the old home farm, where he was born and where he and
his wife are very pleasantly situated. Claire Lake is a member of the Masonic
lodge at Connersville and of the Everton lodge of the Knights of Pythias.

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