The History of Hendricks County (Chicago: Interstate Publishing, 1885)--Eel River Township, page 582
John D. Trotter, deceased, was born Nov. 3, 1815, in Lee County, Va., and was a son of John and Nancy Trotter. He was reared to manhood in his native State, and having received a fair education he engaged in teaching school for a short time. He came to Hendricks County, Ind., in 1839, and settled in Eel River Township. Dec. 16, 1841, he was married to Sarah Jones, who was born Dec. 10, 1821. Of the nine children born to this union seven are living--Richard J., Nancy, Horace A., John P., Catherine A., Charles Y. and Lee B. In 1870 Mr. Trotter moved to the farm where his widow still resides, and which contains eighty acres of land. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at the time of his death, which occurred July 7, 1870. He was a member of the F. & A.M. and the I.O.O.F. societies, and in politics he was a Democrat.