Preble County, Ohio - Biographical sketches, 1915 (part 1 of 13)

Biographical sketches

Of all the living citizens of Preble county, the best known throughout the country is former Governor Andrew Lintner Harris, a distinguished soldier of the Civil War, a widely-known and able member of the Ohio General Assembly, lieutenant-governor several terms, a member of President McKinley's industrial commission and finally head of the Ohio state government. Governor Harris always has been one of the most beloved men, not only in the county of his origin and where he now lives, but throughout the state and nation where he is so well known. His life has been full of public service and he may now enjoy the reflection and self contemplation of a career that has been well spent. Governor Harris's life has been successful in a large degree, but he has never won success that he did not first richly deserve.

Governor Harris was born in Milford township, Butler county, Ohio, November 17, 1835, the son of Benjamin and Nancy (Lintner) Harris, both natives of Ohio, who were the parents of seven children, Andrew Lintner, Margaret Ann, who was the wife of Robert Brasier and who died in 1867; Eliza Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Levin T. Murray, and four who died in infancy, Joseph, Margaret Ann, Marietta and Elizabeth.

Benjamin Harris was born in Cincinnati but moved to Butler county with his parents about 1814 and there grew to manhood and married. In early life he was a school teacher and later a farmer. In 1838 he moved to Preble county and settled in Dixon township, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and reared his family. He died there in 1872 at the age of sixty-nine. His wife died in 1891. Both were reared as Presbyterians. Benjamin Harris held several minor township offices and was a member of the school board. He wrote with a quill pen and was a beautiful penman, often being called upon to do writing for others.

He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and had the faculty of fine composition. He was a rheumatic invalid and suffered with this affliction for many years.

(Kirkpatrick) Harris. Joseph Harris was a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and married Miss Kirkpatrick in Cincinnati in 1802, she also being of Irish descent. They were pioneers in Butler county, Ohio, where they spent their last days. Joseph Harris was a salesman in young manhood and later a farmer. He was married three times, his first wife being Jane Kirkpatrick, to which union were born three sons and one daughter, .Benjamin, Robert, Esther and Thomas. His second wife was Rachel Hornaday and to that union three children were born, John, Joel and Rachel. His third wife was Nancy Logan and by that marriage there were four children, William, Joseph, Harvey and Jane.

The maternal grandparents of Governor Harris were Andrew and Rachel (Lytle) Lintner, the former being of German and the latter of Irish descent. They were married in Butler county, but moved to Preble county in the early thirties. Andrew Lintner was a fanner and lived in Dixon township near a little village called Sugar Valley. To this couple were born eight children, Sarah, Nancy, Robert, Thomas, Margaret, James, William and Loretta. Both Andrew Lintner and his wife died in the year 1845, both then being past middle age.

Andrew L. Harris was about three years old when he came with his parents to Preble county. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, attending the country schools. He later attended Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, from which institution he was graduated in i860 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He read law in i860 and 1861 for self improvement. He then began preparing for spring work on the farm, when the three months' call was made by President Lincoln for soldiers in the Civil War. The call was made on the 15th of April, and Governor Harris enlisted on the 16th. The company was accepted on the 17th, this company being Company C, Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Harris served four months, being mustered out on August 18, by expiration of his term of service. He had entered as a second lieutenant and was promoted to captain in the sendee. As soon as he could adjust his business affairs, Captain Harris took a commission to recruit another company and speedily recruited Company C, Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and but he served until January 15, 1865. On January 12, 1863, Captain Harris was promoted to the rank of major. In the terrible struggle at Chancellorsville, his regiment did gallant service. Col. Robert Riley was killed, and as a consequence of his death Major Harris was promoted to the head of his regiment May 3, 1863. On July 1, 1863, at the battle of Gettysburg, Colonel Harris had command of the Second Brigade of the First Division of the Eleventh Corps and distinguished himself and commanded in a daring charge. His command was under hot fire for three days and was the first to enter Gettysburg after the battle. The Seventy-fifth Regiment lost heavily and its colonel was badly wounded. On August 18, the Ohio Brigade was placed in the trenches of Morris Island and there remained until the fall of Forts Wagner and Gregg on September 7. On the night of September 6, 1863, Colonel Harris, with nine hundred selected men, was detailed to make the assault on the sea front with instructions to march against the works at daybreak, but the enemy observing the operations, abandoned the fort. In February, 1864, Colonel Harris, with his regiment, was sent to Jacksonville, Florida, where the regiment was mounted, thereafter doing gallant cavalry service until mustered out.

In May, 1864, Colonel Harris went to the headwaters of the St. John and Kissimme rivers and destroyed a large amount of cotton, salt and othy Confederate stores. He also captured five thousand head of beef cattle, and all this was accomplished without the loss of a single man. On August 14, 1864, Colonel Harris was sent by General Hatch on an expedition to the rear of the enemy with only two hundred men. It was an imprudent expedition, but Colonel Harris obeyed orders and took a few prisoners. He was met by a large force and was compiled to ride night and day to keep out of the hands of the enemy. On August 17, he halted at Gainsville to rest, supposing himself to be temporarily secure, but was soon attacked by fourteen hundred men. As a retreat was out of the question, he had to either cut his way out or surrender. The odds were seven to one, but desperate as was the chance, Colonel Harris succeeded in getting away with one half of his little band. Colonel Harris was a brave, fearless and gallant officer. He took every precaution to save his men, yet when duty called he never faltered, and again and again he was in the thickest of the fight, where his own valor and daring inspired and encouraged his followers. He was mustered out of service as colonel of the Seventy-fifth Ohio on January 15, 1865, and on March 13. 1865, was breveted brigadiergeneral for gallant conduct on the field of battle. General Harris participated n many battles of the war, and in all the battles of his regiment except the >attle of Cross Keys, Virginia. Among the battles in which he was engaged ^ere McDowell, Virginia, on May 8, 1863, the second battle of Bull Run, ie battle of Chancellorsville, the battle of Gettysburg, the siege of Fort Vagner, South Carolina, and others. He was wounded at the battle of fcDowell and was permanently disabled. He also was wounded at the bat- - of Gettysburg.

After the war had ended, General Harris returned to his farm in Preble county. The wounds he had received disabled him from manual labor and he continued preparing for the bar, having been admitted to practice by the district court of the county in 1865. He was an active member of the legal profession until 1875 and won distinction as a leading member of the Preble county bar. He was connected with much important litigation and displayed marked ability in handling intricate problems in jurisprudence. General Harris was elected to the state Senate in the fall of 1865 to represent Perble and Montgomery counties in the fifty-seventh General Assembly. He served two years in this capacity and later served in the House of Representatives in the sixty-seventh and sixty-eight General Assemblies. During his service in the Legislature he served on some of the most important committees in both branches. His painstaking investigation and mature jydgment made him a valuable member of the Legislature. He labored earnestly in support of every movement and measure which he believed would prove of public benefit and the results have proved the wisdom of his acts.

General Harris continued his law practice in partnership with Robert Miller until 1876 when, having been elected to the office of probate judge of Preble county, the partnership was dissolved in order that he might enter upon his judicial duties. In 1878 he was re-elected and proved a faithful and capable judge. In 1891 General Harris became the choice of the Republican state convention for lieutenant-governor of Ohio and ran on the ticket with William McKinley. He was re-elected in 1893. Governor Harris has always possessed the statesman's grasp of public affairs and his political actions are the result of earnest investigation and careful study. He has given much attention to the labor situation, and there are probably few men in the country better informed on industrial conditions than he. His efficiency was recognized by President McKinley, who appointed him as a member of the industrial commission, in September, 1898. This commission made an extensive and exhaustive investigation of labor and industrial questions, and the report is considered to be one of the most important government documents ever issued. The commission was composed of five senators, five representatives and nine members at large appointed by the President. It was organized after the plan of the British royal commission and ks report was based upon inquiries and investigations made into many subjects, agriculture, transportation, labor, immigration and general business matters. The work of this commission is now being repeated by the new industrial relation commission. The statistics gathered by the industrial commission on conditions of labor, wages and method of payment, crop-sharing, partnership, tenantry, immigration and education have been of inestimable value to the new industrial relation commission in the investigation it is now making. Governor Harris was at the head of the commission on agriculture and agricultural labor. President McKinley well understood his ability when he was appointed a member of the commission, as throughout his life he had been identified with farming interests. Today he is the owner of considerable valuable land in Preble county, which is cultivated under his immediate supervision.

Governor Harris has been a stanch Republican since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in i860. He is particularly able to uphold his political position by intensive intelligence and comprehensive argument. He retains his interest in military affairs through his connection with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Loyal Legion. He is a cultivated, polished gentleman whose position in life is due no less to his marked social qualities and admirable personal characteristics than to his learning and ability. He has long been a leader in thought and action in the political life of his state, and while he has enjoyed honors and triumphs in his public career, he has in private life gained that warm personal regard which arises from true nobility of character, deference to the opinions of others, kindness and congeniality. He has inscribed his name high on the roll of fame, yet is a very approachable, cordial gentleman.

In 1905 Governor Harris was elected lieutenant-governor for the third time. In that year Governor Herrick was defeated and Governor Patterson was elected. Governor Patterson died in June, 1906, and Lieutenant- Governor Harris became the governor, serving out that term. He received the nomination for governor in 1908 by acclamation, having no opposition, but was not elected. He was too strong a temperance advocate that year.

Governor Harris was married October 17, 1865, to Caroline Conger, the daughter of Eli and Lucinda (McWhinney) Conger, and to this union was born one son, Walter C., who was graduated from the academic department of the Miami University and who also took an electrical course in Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio. Walter C. Harris was employed as an electrician at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893, and now has charge of the photographic division of the art department of the New York World. He married Ethel Sherman.

and both died in Eaton, her father in 1902, and her mother in 1887 at the age of 66 years. They had four children, Caroline, James H., Elizabeth and Newton, the latter of whom died in infancy. Eli Conger was a fanner and a man of wide influence in the community in which his whole life was spent.

The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Harris were Josiah Conger and wife, natives of Ohio. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Harris were William McWhinney and wife, natives of Ohio, who were the parents of five children, James, Thomas, Samuel, Lucinda and Newton.

as an eminent lawyer and statesman, as a man of high scholarly attainments, a valiant and patriotic soldier, and his knowledge of the industrial interests is scarcely equaled throughout the length of the land. In every relation of life he has borne himself with such dignity and honor as to gain the respect of all. He has been and is distinctly a man of affairs and one who has wielded a wide influence. A strong mentality, invincible courage and a most determined individuality have so entered into his life as to render him a natural leader of men and a director of opinion. Prominent in the affairs of state and nation, his influence and reputation are by no means limited to the confines of his native state, and yet no history of Preble county would be complete without the record of his career, for it is here that he has spent almost his entire life. While respected and honored throughout Ohio and in Washington, where he is well known, he has in Preble county the warm friendship of those with whom he has had connection, and no man is more widely known in the county than he."

Capt. George H. Kelly

No citizen of Preble county, perhaps, occupies a more prominent position in the community life of the county than Capt. George H. Kelly, nor does Preble county have any more worthy citizen than he. Descended from a long line of illustrious forefathers, from men who fought bravely in the earliest war of this country, Captain Kelly has acquitted himself as becomes one in whose veins flows the blood of Revolutionary heroes. Captain Kelly is the type of the true patriot, and with the help of his good wife, who is descended from equally patriotic stock of Revolutionary days, he has maintained in

Capt. George H. Kelly was born just west of Eaton, Ohio, on a farm in Washington township, on the Eaton and Boston turnpike, July 2, 1849, the son of Matthew B. and Nancy (Stephens) Kelly, the former a native of Butler county, Ohio, and the latter of Campbell county, Kentucky. He was one of nine children bom to his parents: Sarah Hester, who was the wife of

Thomas J. Winters; Jacob Clinton; Jeremiah Dayton; Nancy Margaret, who was the wife of John Dean Campbell, of Dayton, Ohio; .Francis Matthew; George H. ; Mary Amanda, who was the wife of Robert D. White, and two who died in childhood, Malinda D. and James T. George H. is the only one of this family now living. Malinda was the first-bom child.

Matthew B. Kelly, the father of George H., was born February 19, 1810, in Butler county, Ohio, and was always a farmer. He came to Preble county in an early day, and in 1828 entered land in section 3, Dixon township, and partially cleared and improved that farm, which he traded for a farm of two hundred acres in Washington township, near Eaton, where his family was reared, and here his death occurred August 24, 1869, at the age of fiftynine years, five months and twenty-seven days. His wife, who was the mother of George H. Kelly, and who was born in Campbell county, Kentucky, died September 15, 1875, at the age of sixty-three years, six months and eleven days. Matthew B. Kelly and his wife were Old School Baptists. He belonged to the early-day militia of Ohio, and was a lieutenant-colonel. He was a member of the board of education and a member of the commission which constructed the Eaton & Boston turnpike. In the early pioneer days he hauled the produce of Preble county to the nearest market, then many miles away, and returned with dry goods and groceries.

The paternal grandparents of George H. Kelly were Joseph L. and Keziah (Blackford) Kelly. Joseph L. Kelly was born in Scotland and came to America and first settled in Connecticut. Later he moved to Virginia, where he joined the Continental army under General Washington, serving with distinction in the War for Independence. After the close of that war he came west to the present site of Cincinnati, Ohio, there then being only two cabins there. He built the third cabin in Cincinnati, and lived there five years, following various lines of activity. He was married in Cincinnati, and moved from that place to near Posttown, Butler county, Ohio, where he took up three hundred and twenty acres of land and partly cleared the same. He sold this tract and took up a new claim near Jacksonburg, on Killbuck creek, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring at the age of ninety-seven. His widow, who survived him about two years, also passed away at the age of ninety-seven. They were the parents of fifteen children: Ambrose D., Nathan R., Matthew D., George N., Joseph L., Jr., Margaret, Phoebe, Keziah, Rachel, Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary, Naomi and Nancy.

The maternal grandparents of George H. Kelly were James S. and Nancy S. (Shaw) Stephens, natives of Virginia and pioneers in Campbell county, Kentucky. They were tillers of the soil and died, well advanced in years, on the land they entered from the government. They were the parents of seven children: Sallie, James, Jerry, Thomas, George W., Nancy S. and Frank.

George H. Kelly was reared in Washington township and attended the country school located on his father's farm. He lived at home until he reached his majority and then engaged in the grocery business in Eaton with his father-in-law, John Rhea, the firm name being Rhea & Kelly. This partnership continued for ten and one-half years, when Mr. Kelly entered the service of the government, in the internal revenue department, and was United States storekeeper of distilleries and auditor of gaugers' accounts for five and onehalf years, at the end of which time he resigned and came home and engaged in the insurance business, in which line he has since continued.

Captain Kelly was married December 24, 1871, to Emma Rhea, the daughter of John and Mary P. (Day) Rhea, who was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 10, 1852, on the "governor's circle,'' where the soldiers' and sailors' monument now stands. Her parents, John and Mary P. (Day) * Rhea, were natives of Preble county, Ohio. John Rhea was born March 19, 1827, and died December 11, 1901. His wife was born in 183$, and died August 17, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Rhea were married October iit 1849, and to their union two children were born, Mrs. George H. Kejfy and Frank Foster Rhea, the latter of whom was born May 5, 1856. John/ Rhea and wife are buried in Mound Hill cemetery, at Eaton, Ohio.

John Rhea was a son of James and Mary (Gray) Rhea, the former bom in Kentucky in 1800 and the latter in Blount county, Tennessee, in 1801, who were married October 10, 1821. James Rhea died in Preble county, Ohio, in 1862, his widow surviving him until October 15, 1879. They were the parents of ten children: Ann, born June 15, 1822, and a twin, who died; Alexander, born April 27, 1824; John, bom March 19, 1827; Jehu, born October 16, 1827; Elizabeth, bom April 15, 1832; George Washington and Nancy, twins, bom September 17, 1834, and Mary, bom May 29, 1838, also one of twins, the other having died. James Rhea was a son of Robert and Elizabeth

Maj. William Gray was born in Pennsylvania in 1755. He was the grandfather of Mrs. George H. Kelly, and was a captain of a company of cavalry in the army of Gen. Francis Marion, of Revolutionary fame. After several years of service, he held the distinguished post of major on the staff of Gen. George Washington. After the close of the War for Independence he married in Tennessee, and later moved to Ohio and settled in Dixon township, in this county, where his death occurred March 8, 1849, at the advanced age of ninety-four. His wife, Ann Gray, died December, 1854, at the age of ninety-five. Maj. William Gray and his wife are buried on the farm which is now owned by Ohio's famous war colonel and ex-governor, A. L. Harris.

Mrs. Kelly's mother, Mary (Day) Rhea, was the daughter of Nicholas P. and Lucinda (Spacht) Day. Nicholas P. Day, who was a son of John and Providence Day, was born in 1803, and died, on May 24, 1853, at the age of fifty. His wife was the daughter of John and Barbara Spacht, and was bom in Eaton, November 8, 1809. Nicholas P. Day and Lucinda Spacht were married March 29, 1827. Mrs. Day died on May 4, 1870, at the age of sixty-one. They were the parents of ten children, as follows : John Wesley, bom April 28, 1828; Harvey Theodore, bom June 3, 1830 ; Mary Philura, bom August 31, 1831; Robert Daniel Webster, born May 3, 1834; Celia Jane, bom June 29, 1836; Alzina Josephine, born July 4, 1838: Clay Isaac, bom May 4, 1841; Emily Elizabeth, born December 23, 1843; Samuel Marion, bom October 13, 1846, and Marks Kitely, born August 23, 1849. Nicholas Day and wife are both buried in the Mound Hill cemetery at Eaton, Ohio.

Capt. and Mrs. George H. Kelly are faithful and earnest members of the Presbyterian church, and Captain Kelly is president of the official board and one of the deacons of the congregation to which he is attached. Fraternally, Captain Kelly belongs to Bolivar Lodge No. 82, Free and Accepted Masons, and to Eaton Lodge No. 30, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mrs. Kelly has been a member of the Daughters of Rebekah since July 9, 1883, and has held membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution since October 4, 1894.

Captain Kelly is a Republican and served on the board of public affairs for twelve years, and glso served as mayor of Eaton for two years, 1912 and 19I3- He has made a splendid record in every official position he has been called upon to fill. He was a member of the Ohio national guard five and onehalf years, having been elected second lieutenant February 11, 1902. He was promoted to first lieutenant in the field by Governor Nash, July 15, 1902, and was commissioned captain on December 6, 1904. This commission was issued for life. He was one of the members of the board that built the old armory in Eaton. Captain Kelly is a stockholder and director in the Preble County National Bank.

Captain Kelly is now head of the firm of Kelly, Kline & Swihart, which deals in insurance of all kinds. The firm has enjoyed an unusual degree of prosperity, and is ranked among the most substantial and solid firms of the county.

Hon. Felix M. Marsh

What a debt a civic community owes to the honorable profession of the law. When the conscientious practitioner at the bar comes to his profession bearing in his consciousness the best traditions of the bar as a guide to his conduct, a literal lamp to his feet; and particularly when he comes to that practice with the glowing memories of a brilliant inheritance of honorable practice on the part of the generation just preceding him as an inspiration to the performance of better deeds and a more useful service to his community, then we have a combination that rightly enough must redound to the public good, a veritable stay and support to the public weal. With such an honorable ancestry behind him and with the memories of the service of his distinguished father ever an inspiration to public service, it is not difficult to discern the mainsprings in the life of the Hon. Felix M. Marsh, mayor of Camden, Ohio, and one of the most brilliant and successful lawyers in Preble county, which have urged him on ever to higher things until, by natural and logical stages, he has reached his present eminence in the civic, moral and social life of the community in which he so long has performed such distinctive service for the benefit of his fellowmen. The lessons of the past are the guiding rules of the future and it is but proper, in a historical and biographical work of this character, that a brief, though modest, resume of the career of the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this biographical sketch should here be presented, not only for the intrinsic interest of the same, but as a matter of inspiration to the youth of coming generations whose aspirations may prompt them to the performance of equal public service.

town of Eaton, Ohio, May 15, 1843, the son of Felix and Rachael (Bloomfield) Marsh, the former of whom was born on a farm near Camden, New Jersey, and the latter of whom was born in Preble county, Ohio, on a farm three miles west of Eaton.

Felix Marsh, father of the subject of this biographical sketch, came west with his parents in 1818, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his father followed his vocation of tailoring. In 1826 the Marshes moved to Camden, Preble county, Ohio, which ever since has been the family home, and where the father and the grandparents of Mayor Marsh spent the last days of their lives. The elder Felix Marsh received his education at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and was graduated from the law course. He entered upon the practice of his profession at Eaton, Ohio, and quickly took his place among the leaders of the bar in Preble county. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Preble county, . performing the duties of that important office in a manner most satisfactory to the public. He also served his district in both branches of the Ohio General Assembly, his services, both in the House and in the Senate, proving most acceptable to his constituency. For thirtyeight years the senior Marsh practiced law in Preble county, and at his death, in 1872, left a name that not only was a priceless heritage to his family, but one of honor and distinction throughout this entire district. His wife, who was one of the best-loved and most useful women in this community, survived her distinguished husband many years, her death not occurring until the year 1909.

To Felix and Rachael (Bloomfield) Marsh were bom four children, three of whom are still living: Amanda E., the wife of Theodore Hardy, who died in 1910; Frances, the wife of George Tittle, who resides at Eaton; Felix M., mayor of Camden, and William B., who is engaged successfully in the practice of law at Richmond, Indiana.

Felix M. Marsh received his education in the public schools of Eaton, Ohio, which he supplemented by a course in Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, following which he studied law at Washington, D. C., and was admitted to the bar in the national capital in 1868. From that time until the year 1872 he was in the government service, being a valued attache of the legal department of the Postoffice Department. In the year just named Mr. Marsh returned to Eaton and formed a partnership with his father, the declining health of the latter necessitating the assistance of his vigorous son. Unhappily, this promising partnership was destined to be of all too brief duration and was sadly terminated by the death in that year of the elder Marsh. Felix M. and his brother, William B., then formed a partnership for the practice of law, which association was maintained for the extraordinary term of thirty-five years, continuing until the removal of William B. Marsh to Richmond, Ind. Felix M. Marsh continued to maintain his office and to practice his profession, and today enjoys the honorable distinction of being the oldest practitioner, both in years and in point of term of service, in Preble county.

Felix M. Marsh was united in marriage, December i, 1865, with Emma Yost, daughter of Samuel and Maria (Robinson) Yost, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, who, about the year 1840, came to Preble county, smith, a man of much skill in his art and a citizen of the highest repute.

To Felix M. and Emma (Yost) Marsh four children were born, all of whom are living: Frances,- a trained nurse, makes her home with her parents; William A., one of the best-known and most popular newspaper writers in Eaton; Maud, an artist of much ability, resides in Chicago; Edward, a popular tailor, who lives in Camden. The Marsh home is one of the most hospitable homes in this section of the state, and Mayor and Mrs. Marsh are never happier than when contributing to the pleasure and comfort of their guests or adding to the social interest of the large circle of their friends.

Mayor Marsh was reared in the principles of the Republican party, and for many years gave his undivided allegiance to that historic party. Of recent years, however, he has become more independent in his political views and his re-election to the office of mayor in 1914 may be taken as an indication that his views in local political matters are shared by a majority of his fellow citizens. Mr. Marsh was first elected mayor of Camden in 1910, and his administration was so successful and marked by the extension of so many public improvements in the town that his re-election, when he was renominated in 1914, was taken almost as a foregone conclusion. In his fraternal relations Mayor Marsh has given a fair share of his attention to the gregarious habits of mankind and is one of the most influential members of the order of the Knights of Honor in Ohio and for two years served jmost acceptably as grand dictator of the order in this state.

As the dean of the legal profession in Preble county, Mayor Marsh is entitled to and receives a just meed of honor in his own district. Following humbly in the footsteps of his distinguished father, he, too, has created a name in this community which will live long after him, and which future historians of this county can not fail to take account of when they come to make up an impartial verdict on the lives and the deeds of the present generation of those who are doing well their parts in the community life.

Samuel G Richie

To obtain worthy citizenship is no light and unimportant aim in life. It is no easy task to resist the many temptations of youth and early manhood and to establish a character in the minds and hearts of one's associates that will remain unstained for all time. One may take his place in public life through some vigorous stroke of public policy, and even retain the affections of his friends and neighbors, but to obtain this position by honorable and wholesome living, without craving for exultation or selfish objects, is worthy of the highest praise and commendation. A man who has gained the respect of his associates and who will retain, as long as he lives and even after he is gone, the admiration of his fellow citizens, is Samuel C. Richie, the president of the Farmers' Banking Company, of New Paris, Ohio. Mr. Richie is a man who has discharged his public and private duties in the spirit of utmost candor and concern for the common welfare. He always has been willing to assist in public movements and most certainly deserves the esteem which he holds in the hearts of the people of Preble county, whom he has served in other capacities than that of a banker. He is a former commissioner of this county and made a splendid record in that office.

Samuel C. Richie was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 20, 1856, the son of Samuel S. and Anna (Shoemaker) Richie. Samuel S. Richie was born in Belmont county, Ohio, the son of Robert Richie, a native of Philadelphia. Anna Shoemaker was born and reared near Philadelphia. She was married to Samuel S. Richie, near Philadelphia, and in May, 1858, they came to Preble county, Ohio, locating one mile north of New Paris, where they spent the remainder of their lives, she dying in 1886 and he in 1 888. They were quiet, unassuming people and prominent in the community where they lived. Samuel S. Richie was a member of the Masonic fraternity and he and his wife were members of the Friends church. They were the parents of nine children, five of whom are living: John S., of Marion county, Oregon: Sarah, who is unmarried; Grace L., also unmarried; Anna M., the wife of A. H. Coffman, of Denison, Texas, and Samuel C., the subject of this sketch.

Samuel C. Richie was a little more than one year old when he was brought to Preble county with his parents. He was reared on a farm, educated in the public schools of Jefferson township, and, in October, 1880, was married to Marv Hinklev, a native of Zanesville, Ohio, but who was educated in the public schools of New Paris. Mr. and Mrs. Richie have one son, Frank

The Farmers Banking Company, of which Mr. Richie is president, was organized in 1906, Mr. Richie being one of its organizers. The original officers of this bank were Samuel C. Richie, president ; W. R. Hageman, vicepresident; E. C. Meksell, cashier. The board of directors included Ella L. Bloom, W. R. Hageman, E. A. Murray, William Max and Samuel C. Richie. The capital stock is ten thousand dollars. This company maintains a modern bank at New Madison, Ohio, with the same officers, except cashier, John D. King filling that position in the New Madison bank. Its capital is fifteen thousand dollars. Mr. Richie also is a director in the New Paris Building and Loan Association.

Mr. Richie is a Republican and has been throughout his life more or less active in township politics. He has held many minor offices and also served six years as commissioner of Preble county, Ohio, a position which he filled with credit to himself and to the people who elected him. Fraternally, Mr. Richie is a member of the Knights of Pythias and a past chancellor of that lodge. He is also a member of the grand lodge of this fraternity. Mr. and Mrs. Richie are members of the Presbyterian church, and Mr. Richie is the treasurer of the congregation to which he is attached.

The reputation of Samuel C. Richie as a financier and public-spirited citizen extends beyond the boundaries of Jeflferson township, where he lives. Mr. Richie is well known throughout eastern Ohio and has won and held a host of friends during his honorable and busy life.

Edmond S. Dye

Ohio always has been distinguished for the high rank of her bench and bar. Perhaps none of the states in the middle West can boast of more capable jurists or abler attorneys. Many of them have been men of national fame, but there is scarcely a town or city in the state that cannot boast of from one to half a dozen lawyers capable of crossing swords in forensic combat with any of the distinguished legal lights of the country. While the growth and development of the state during the last half century has been marvelous indeed, viewed from any standpoint, yet Ohio has no class of citizens of whom she can be more proud than of her judges and attorneys. In Edmond S. Dye are to be found many of those rare qualities which go to make the successful lawyer. He possesses those solid and substantial qualities which shine with constant luster. Since the beginning of his practice at Eaton, Ohio, Mr. Dye has enjoyed a wonderful law practice, especially in probate work, and it is doubtful if he has a peer in western Ohio who is more thoroughly equipped or more readily conversant with this branch of the law.

Edmond S. Dye is a native of Preble county. He was born at Euphemia, in Harrison township, February 14, 1858, the son of Abraham S. and Susannah (Kumler) Dye. Abraham S. is the son of Seth and Margaret (Simpson) Dye. Both Seth Dye and his wife were natives of Trenton, New Jersey. They grew up in that place and there married. After their marriage, they came to Butler county, Ohio, locating near Middletown, where they lived until after the canal was built. They then moved into the beech in the eastern part of Preble county, and there they lived the remainder of their lives.

Abraham S. Dye was reared in Preble county. He was born in Butler county in 1817 and died March 17, 1896. He was educated in the common schools and was a wagon maker by trade. Later he became a farmer. Throughout his life he was active in church work and his home was the stopping place for preachers of the United Brethren and Methodist churches. His wife, Susannah Kumler, was the daughter of Bishop Henry Kumler, who was one of the heads of the United Brethren church in the United States, a great minister and organizer and opposed to secret societies of all kinds. His voice was heard in all parts of the country on this question. Mrs. Dye died in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Dye were the parents of six sons, William T., who is a retired merchant in Dayton, Ohio; C. B., who is marshal of West Alexandria, Ohio; Charles, who lives in the state of Washington; Edmond S., the subject of this sketch; Carl D. and Joseph E., both of Alberta, Canada.

Edmond S. Dye was reared on a farm in Preble county, Ohio, and received his early education in the district schools. He attended the high school at Lewisburg and attended two years at Otterbein University, and was graduated from the law school of the University of Cincinnati in the class of 1882, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Immediately after his graduation, Mr. Dye associated himself with Judge John V. Campbell, with whom he previously had read law. This partnership continued until the death of Judge Campbell on July 2, 1888. Mr. Dye then practiced alone in the same office until the spring of 1910, when his two sons became associated with him.

On February 9, 1882, Edmond S. Dye was married to Birdie G. Campbell, a daughter of Judge Campbell. She was educated in the public schools of Eaton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Dye have three sons, Robert Campbell, John Van Ausdal and Edmond Kumler. Robert C. was graduated from the Eaton high school and from the law school of the University of Cincinnati. He is now assistant city solicitor of Long Beach, California. John V. was graduated from the high school and the same law school as his brother. He is now associated with his father in the practice of law. Edmond K. was graduated from the Eaton high school with the class of 1915. Robert C. married Vinnie Royer, of Eaton, Ohio. John V. married Myrtle White, of Lewisburg, Ohio.

Mr. Dye is a member of the Presbyterian church at Eaton, and has served as superintendent of the Sunday school for the past twenty-five years. He also has been an elder and deacon of the church. He is a member of Bolivar Lodge No. 82, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Eaton Lodge No. 30, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which order he is a past grand.

Mr. Dye is the present representative of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Eaton. Aside from Mr. Dye's success as a lawyer, he is what might be called a successful citizen, because he has efficiently and capably discharged his duties as a citizen as well as his responsibilities as a father and husband. He is a representative lawyer of western Ohio, it is true, but he also is a representative citizen of Preble county.

Waldo C. Moore

In brief sketch of any living citizen, it is difficult to do him exact and impartial justice. Not so much for a lack of space or words to set forth the familiar and passing events of his history, as for want of the perfect and rounded conception of his whole life which grows, develops and ripens like fruit, disclosing its truest and best flavor only when it is mellowed by time. Daily contact with a man so familiarizes us with his virtues that we ordinarily overlook them and commonly underestimate their progress. It is not ofen that true honor, public and private, which is the tribute of cordial respect and esteem - comes to a man without basis of character and deeds. The world may be deceived by fortune, or by ornamental or showy qualities without substantial merit and may render to the undeserving a.

short-lived admiration, but the honor that wise and good men value and that lives beyond the grave must have its foundation in real worth, for, "work maketh the man." Not a few men live unheralded or unknown on the narrow limits of the community or city wherein their lots are cast. Waldo C. Moore, however, is a man well known not only in the state of Ohio, but because of his peculiar interests throughout the whole country as well. During his life of forty years in Preble county, the people have had an opportunity to know what type of man Mr. Moore is. The testimony is ample that he is a good citizen in the fullest sense of the term and is proven by the public trust which has been bestowed upon him. That he has performed worthily every trust imposed upon him is an honor worthy of being coveted by any man.

Waldo C. Moore was born in the little village of West Baltimore, now Verona, Preble county, Ohio, July 23, 1874, the eldest son of John W. and Mary E. (Snorf) Moore, and has been a resident of Preble county since his birth. His paternal ancestors were of English-Dutch descent and his maternal ancestors were German. Mr. Moore always has appreciated the fact that he is American born and he is proud to claim Ohio as his native state. Both his father and his grandfather, John Moore, were house wreckers and house builders by occupation. His great-grandfather, Hamilton Moore, came from England. His great-grandfather Wetzel was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his grandfather, Isaac N. Snorf, who was a blacksmith by trade, was a Union soldier and died on the field of battle at Missionary Ridge.

John W. Moore, the father of Waldo C. Moore, was born in Maryland in the year 1851 and came to Preble county, Ohio, with his parents when seven years of age. After he learned the carpenter and painter trades he became a contractor and built very extensively throughout Preble county.

At one time he employed seventeen men. He worked at his trade until his death, which occurred in 1897. He was married to Mary E. Snorf in 1872, and to this union six children were born, Waldo C., Mrs. Bertha Conklin, of Chicago, Illinois; Edward, a carpenter and painter of Verona, Ohio; Chester, deceased; Arlie, deceased, and E. Vernon, a music instructor in the Lewisburg schools.

In early life, Mr. Moore labored on the farm in the summer and attended the district schools in the winter. He received a common-school education in the Harrison township schools and had the privilege of attending the Harrison township high school during the winter of 1894 and 1895. While attending the Harrison township high school he had the good fortune

Mrs. Moore was born February 22, 1873, in Lewisburg, this county, the daughter of Allen T. and Frances (Sloan) Horn, natives of Virginia, both of whom are deceased. Henry Horn, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Waldo C. Moore, came from Germany in 1768. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and some years after the close of the war for independence came to this part of the state, and, in the year 1818, laid out the town of Lewisburg, where he followed his trade of blackstnith. Michael Horn, who was Mrs. Moore's grandfather, was a tanner by trade and resided on Horn's Hill. Allen T. Horn, Mrs. Moore's father, was a druggist and during the Civil War was a Union soldier. Henry Horn died in 1839, Michael in 1891 and Allen T. in 1906.

In his school days, Waldo C. Moore passed the Boxwell examination with honors, ranking second in the county class. Before he was eighteen years old he held a certificate to teach in his native county and also certificates from Darke and Montgomery counties. Mr. Moore was graduated from the Dayton Normal School and from the Miami Commercial College at Dayton, Ohio, and spent the summer of 1894 at Lebanon, Ohio, taking a special course in the National Normal University.

At an early age, Mr. Moore began teaching. He was a successful instructor and followed this line of activity for six years. In the summer of 1899 he resigned the principalship of the Ithaca, Ohio, schools and became identified with the Peoples Banking Company of Lewisburg, this county, and is now the cashier and a director of this bank.

In the spring of 1910, a series of United States civil service examinations were held in various cities in Ohio. Mr. Moore took advantage of these examinations and passed the test as an expert bookkeeper, ranking sixth in the state in a large class.

Waldo C. Moore is an ardent numismatist and philatelist, and is a collector of national repute. Noted collectors of rare issues of coins, currency or stamps acknowledge that Mr. Moore's private collection is one of the largest and finest extant. He is especially interested in Ohio Civil War store cards, Ohio Broken-bank bills, Ohio private "shinplasters," Ohio script issues, Ohio ''hard times" tokens, Ohio business coin cards, Ohio Masonic mark pennies, Ohio uncurrent bills, Ohio sutler's checks, stamps and other specimens. It is Mr. Moore's intention to place his entire collection on permanent exhibition at some future date in the museum of the Ohio State Archaelogical and Historical Society, at the Ohio State University at

Columbus. Mr. Moore is considered an authority on numismatics and is an occasional contributor to The Numismatist, a magazine published in New York City in the interest of medallic art. He is the author of brochures on the following subjects : "Numismatic Opinions," "Rare Ohio War Cards/* ''Rochester Numismatic/* "Money Conditions, 1849-1870,** "Vagaries of Collectors,** "Specialization,** "Colonial Numismatic Ships,** "Amateurs in Numismatics,** "Looking Backward - an 1812 Panorama,** "The Making of a Collection,** "The Libertas Americana Medal,** "A. Loomis and His Store Cards,** "Ohio's Private Shinplasters,** "A Missouri County Warrant,** "The Currency of the Red Man,** "The Burnet House,** "A Numismatic Portrait Gallery,** "New Salem, Ohio, in Numismatics,** "The Goddess Minerva in Art Imperial,** "Ohio Blasts in Numismatics,** "The Kirtland Bank Bills/* "The Pony House Checks,** "The National Revulsion,** and "The Rickey Card.**

Mr. Moore owns one of the finest stock farms in Preble county, "Clifmore,** a two-hundred-acre tract about two miles north of Lewisburg. "The Clifmore/* his modern bungalow residence on North Greenville street in Lewisburg, would be a credit to any city.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Lewisburg counts Mr. Moore as one of its trustees. He was honored with the presidency of the young men's class, better known as the "Friendly Class" of the Methodist Sunday school, the first two years after the organization of this class. For several years he has been the teacher of the class known as "The Boys." He is one of the Sunday school superintendents and is assistant chorister. He is also president of the literary department of the Epworth League.

Although a Republican, Mr. Moore has thrice been elected clerk of Harrison township, a Democratic stronghold. He has served a number of terms on the village council of Lewisburg and was chairman of the finance committee for some years. He has been lately chosen president of the council.

Mr. Moore was appointed by President Taft as a member of the 1912 United States assay commission, an honor to which many aspire but few attain.

Mr. Moore was elected to the directorate of the Lewisburg Commercial Club and has held this position for several terms. He is credited with platting that portion of Lewisburg known as the Moore addition.

Mr. Moore is prominent in the local lodges of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias and is a life member of the National Geographic Society, the Indian Rights Association and the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society. He is the general secretary of the American Numismatic Association and a trus- tee of the Ohio State Numismatic Society, and on April 3, 1915, was further honored by receiving from Governor Willis the appointment as trustee of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society.

Isaac A. Tyler

It is maintained superficially that the history of so-called great men only is worthy of preservation and that little merit exists among the masses to call forth the praises of the historian or the appreciation of mankind. A greater mistake never was made, for no man is great in all things. By a lucky stroke many achieve lasting fame, who, before, had no reputation beyond the limits of their immediate neighborhood. It is not a history of the lucky stroke which benefits humanity most, but the long study and efforts that made the lucky stroke possible, t It is the preliminary work, the methods, that serve as a guide for the success of others. Among those of Preble county, Ohio, who have achieved success by steady efforts is Isaac A. Tyler, a fanner and pioneer citizen of Jackson township, and the proprietor of "Fairview Farm," a well-ordered tract of one hundred and thirty acres, situated nine miles northwest of Eaton, Ohio, on a part of the northeast quarter of section 4.

Isaac A. Tyler was born in Geauga county, Ohio, September 9, 1832, the son of Cutler and Sarah (Fischer) Tyler, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. Cutler Tyler came to Ohio, locating near the point where later he married Sarah Fischer. Both were well educated and made good records as teachers in the public schools. They lived and died near Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Tyler served three months in the War of 1812. His wife was a member of the Congregational church. Mr. Tyler was a publicspirited man and both he and his wife were useful people. They were the parents of six children, who grew to manhood and womanhood, and two of whom are now living. These children are Abel, Isaac A., Ruth, Reuben, John and Sarah Sophia. Ruth is the widow of John Waterton, who was born in England. Reuben served his country as a soldier in the Civil War and was an attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio. John also served in the Civil War and was an attorney in Cleveland, Ohio. Sarah died in her twentyseventh year just before she was to have been graduated from a medical college.

education in the public schools, supplementing this with a course in Oberlin College, and from 1852 to 1867 taught in the public schools of Ohio, this service being rendered in the counties of Montgomery, Geauga, Warren and Butler.

Mr. Tyler was married in March, 1859, to Catherine Hetzler, of German township, Montgomery county, Ohio, and in the year i860 came to Preble county, locating in Jefferson township, where he bought a farm of eighty-eight and one-half acres, part of which was under improvement. There he lived until 1883, ln which year he moved to his present farm of one hundred and thirty acres in Jackson township, where he has carried on a modern system of general farming with much success.

To Isaac and Catherine (Hetzler) Tyler were born two sons, Samuel and John W., both of whom now are deceased. Samuel, whose death occurred in 1912, married Maude Riggs and two children were bom to this union, Ruth, who is single, and Lyman, who is a student in the agricultural school at Columbus, Ohio. John W. married Olive Murry, of Jefferson township, and died December 4, 1907. The mother of these children died in 1877, and in 1879 Mr. Tyler married, secondly, Louise J. Downey, of Darke county, Ohio, who died in 1895 without issue.

Mr. Tyler is a member of the Congregational church, is active in religious work and has been strictly temperate all his life. He is a Republican and cast his first vote for John C. Fremont for President and has voted for every Republican candidate for President since Fremont was a candidate in 1856. Few men are better known in the community than Isaac A. Tyler, and no one is more highly esteemed than he. It is only fair to say that he well deserves this high regard in which he is held by his fellow citizens.

Charles B. Unger

Charles B. Unger was born in Eaton , Ohio, November 12, 1868, the son of John and Ollitippa (Larsh) Unger, natives of Preble county, who were the parents of two children, the other child, a daughter, being Jessie, who is the wife of Frank A. Wisehart, of Middletown, Indiana.

and hardware business in Eaton during the Civil War. He was later engaged in the drug business in West Alexandria, Ohio. He then came back to Eaton and for a time operated a tin store and was later in the insurance business. About 1889 he moved to Middletown, Indiafia, and engaged in the lumber business. In 1902 he returned to Eaton and looked after the business manag'ement of the Eaton Herald. He suffered a stroke of paralysis in 1910 and now resides with his daughter in Middletown, Indiana. His wife died March 21, 1910, at the age of sixty-three. She was a devoted member of the Universalist church. Mr. Unger was a member of the Eaton school board for a number of years.

The paternal grandparents of Charles B. Unger were George B. Unger and wife, natives of Pennsylvania and Preble county, respectively. George B. Unger was a tailor, and lived to be eighty-six years old. His wife died while a young woman. John Unger was the only child born to that marriage who grew to maturity. George B. formerly had been married and had a son, Aaron A., by his first marriage.

The maternal grandparents of Charles B. Unger were Thomas Jefferson and Margaret (Manning) Larsh, natives of Ohio. Thomas J. Larsh was a lawyer, and served as county surveyor for nineteen years, also county auditor for two terms and deputy county auditor for several terms. He also was clerk in the state treasurer's office for one term. He lived to be seventy-two years of age while his wife died in middle age. They had three children, Bluejacket, who died in Andersonville prison during the Civil War ; Ollitippa and Margaret.

Charles B. Unger was reared in Preble county, Ohio, attended the public schools of West Alexandria and was graduated from the Eaton high school in 1886. He then took a business course in Nelson's Business College at Cincinnati, and was with the James Wilde Clothing Company for a short time, after which he worked at the printer's trade in Cincinnati. He then moved to Middletown, Indiana, and in 1892 came to Eaton and worked at his trade in the Register office one year. Following this he went back to* Middletown, Indiana, and, in 1894, bought an interest in the Middletown News. In January, 1902, he bought the Eaton Herald , of which he has been editor and publisher since that time. This paper was established in 1888 and is independent in politics. Mr. Unger also does general job printing.

Charles B. Unger was married February 2, 1893, to Adda Nixon, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cephas Nixon. One son, Nixon Larsh, was bom to Mr. and Mrs. Unger, the latter of whom died in 1895, at the age of

Politically, Mr. Unger is a Republican. He is a member of Bolivar Lodge No. 82, Free and Accepted Masons; Eaton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons; Reese Council No. 9, Royal and Select Masters, of Dayton, Ohio, and Reed Commandery No. 6, of Dayton, Ohio. He also is a member of Waverly Lodge No. 143, Knights of Pythias.

Earl H. Irvin

Earl H. Irvin, the well-known editor and publisher of the Eaton Demo - crat , enjoyed a thorough preparation for newspaper work. Mr. Irvin has made an unusual success in journalism and has been honored politically on several occasions.

Earl H. Irvin was born in New Paris, Ohio, May 9, 1877, the son of Harvey and Eleanor (Bowman) Irvin, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. They had three sons: Harry, of Campbellstown, Ohio; Albert, who died in infancy, and Earl H.

Harvey Irvin was born in Highland county, but was reared in Preble county. He was a bookkeeper and came to Preble county about 1844, and lived here the balance of his life. He died in New Paris in 1877, at the age of thirty- five. His wife died at Richmond, Indiana, in 1880, at the age of thirty-six. Both were active and devoted members of the Presbyterian church.

The paternal grandparents of Earl H. Irvin were Thomas and Caroline (Young) Irvin, natives of Highland county, Ohio. Mr. Irvin was a farmer and died in Preble county at an advanced age. He had a small family. Harvey and Emma. The maternal grandparents of Earl H. Irvin were Robert and Margaret Bowman, who came from Indiana to Preble county and settled in New Paris. Robert Bowman was a school teacher, being one of the early teachers in Eaton. He also was a skilled mathematician and quite a noted teacher. Mr. Bowman served as a Union soldier in the Civil War. He had six children : Lydia, Lillian, Robert, Addie, Elizabeth and Eleanor. Later in life he moved to Kansas, near Minneapolis, where he and his wife died at advanced ages.

Earl H. Irvin was reared in New Paris and attended the public schools there. He began learning the printer's trade in the office of the New Paris Mirror, and was with that paper from 1893 to 1896. He then went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and worked in the Chattanooga Times office. In 1897 he came back to Ohio and bought the New Madison Herald, in Darke county, publishing that paper for a year, after which he returned to New Paris and worked with the Mirror until 1902. He then bought the Eaton Democrat , a weekly newspaper which was established in 1840, and which he has published since. Mr. Irvin, in addition to publishing the Eaton Democrat , also does a general job printing business.

On April 27, 1899, while at New Paris, Earl H. Irvin was married to Jennie Boatman, of Seven Mile, Butler county, Ohio, the daughter of Reed B. and Martha (Samuels) Boatman. Seven children have been born to this union : Ruth, Martha, Anna, Marjorie, Lois, Earla and Earl, Jr.

Mrs. Irvin's parents were natives of Butler county and are still living at Seven Mile. Of their children, three are now living, Ollie, Alonzo and Jennie.

Mr. Irvin is an ardent Democrat, and while in New Paris was a member of the council and mayor of the town. He was a member of the seventyseventh and seventy-ninth General Assemblies of Ohio, from 1906 to 1909 and from 1911 to 1913. At present Mr. Irvin is deputy collector of internal revenue for the first Ohio district, with headquarters at Cincinnati, but his residence is in Eaton.

Mr. Irvin belongs to the Universalist church, while his wife is a member of the United Brethren church. He also is a member of Bolivar Lodge No. 82, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Eaton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons.

Mr. Irvin is held in universal esteem throughout Preble county, is a man of great strength of character and genial disposition, and is popular among a large circle of friends.

It is not always easy to discover and define the hidden forces that have made up a life of ceaseless activity and large professional success. Little more can be done than to note their manifestations in such a career as that of Dr. William I. Christian, whose career is a striking example of welldefined purpose, with the disposition to make that purpose subserve not only his own interests, but the good of his fellow men as well. Doctor Christian long has been regarded as a physician of pre-eminent qualities, a man of sound mentality and fine intellectual discipline. He has achieved a notable success, a success which has been fully recognized and appreciated throughout this section of Ohio. In addition to his long and creditable career as a physician and surgeon, he has proved an honorable and helpful member of the body politic in every relation of life. He has never fallen below the dignity of true manhood, or in any way resorted to methods that invite censure.

Dr. William I. Christian was born November 22, 1865, in Clay township, Montgomery county, Ohio, the son of Samuel B. and Talitha (Heckman) Christian, to whom five children were born: Dr. W. I., with whom this narrative deals, is the eldest; David E., a farmer living in Miami county, Ohio; Theodore H., a blacksmith of Miami county; Mrs. Louetta J. Slough, a resident of Montgomery county, Ohio, and Mrs. Mary A. Fisher, of Darke county, Ohio.

Samuel B. Christian was born in Union township, Miami county, Ohio, and died February 7, 1912. He was a son of David and Mary (Brumbaugh) Christian, who were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, who, in an early day, moved to Montgomery county, Ohio, where they farmed the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Samuel B. Christian was born February 11, 1843, in Montgomery county, Ohio, and died February 25, 1912, there being only eighteen days difference between the death of father and mother. The parents of Mrs. Samuel B. Christian were William and Mary (Brandenburg) Heckman, natives of Virginia, and early settlers in Montgomery county.

Dr. William I. Christian attended the district schools of Montgomery county, was reared on a farm and farmed a portion of his father's land until 1889. In that year he entered the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, Ohio, and was graduated March 5, 1891. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Christian went to Pittsburg, Darke county, Ohio, and began the active practice of his profession. He remained at that place until October 12, 1893, when he came to Preble county and took up the practice at Verona.

He enjoys a large practice in Preble, Montgomery and Darke counties. Since locating in Verona, he has built a beautiful all-modern home at a cost of about twenty-five hundred dollars. The design of this house, which is different from most houses in this locality, was conceived by Doctor Christian himself.

Doctor Christian was married on December 31, 1885, to Minetta Taylor, who was bom October 3, 1866, in Montgomery county, Ohio, a daughter of Alfred and Martha (Thomas) Taylor, natives of England and Montgomery county, Ohio, respectively. Her father operated a saw-mill in Indiana for many years, and also was a farmer. Later he became a butcher, then a merchant, and continued in this latter capacity until his death. Mrs.

Christian's mother is now living at Phillipsburg, Montgomery county. Both her father and mother were devoted and earnest members of the Christian church.

To Doctor and Mrs. W. I. Christian two children have been bom: Earl T., born November 12, 1887, and died November 13, 1887; John W., born January 18, 1908.

Doctor Christian is an independent voter, and does not affiliate with any political party. He and his wife attend church, but they are not members of any church. Fraternally, Doctor Christian is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and the Loyal Order of Moose. He is prominent in the affairs of these fraternities and a leader in their various activities. Doctor Christian is not only entitled to rank as one of the leading physicians of Preble county, but he is likewise entitled to rank as one of its leading citizens, a man who is in every way worthy of the confidence which has been placed in him by his fellow citizens, and of the esteem with which they regard him.

Robert A. Hiestand

The gentleman whose name forms the caption of this review belongs to that class of men who win in life's battles by sheer force of personality and determination, coupled with soundness of judgment and keen discrimination, and in whatever he has undertaken he has shown himself to be a man of ability and honor, always ready to lend his aid in defending principles affecting the public good. In every phase of civic life he has so conducted himself as to earn the unqualified indorsement and support of the citizens of the city and county where he lives.

Robert A. Hiestand, of the firm of Hiestand & Company, which operates a saw-mill and planing-mill and deals in building material, was bom April 9, 1870, in Eaton, Ohio, the son of Henry C. and Nancy M. (Acton) Hiestand, natives of Ohio, who were the parents of five children, the others being: Harvey H., an architect of New York City; Andrew J., of Eaton, cashier of that institution until the organization of the old Preble County National Bank; Berthenia, the wife of Lloyd Pennick, of Chariton, Iowa, and Henry C., of Eaton, cashier of the Preble County National Bank.

Preble county branch of the State Bank of Ohio, and organized and was cashier of that institution until the organization of the old Preble County Bank, which he also organized, and of which he was president until his death in July, 1884, at the age of fifty-three years. His widow still survives. Both were members of the Presbyterian church and Mrs. Hiestand is still devoted to this faith, taking an active part in the work of the congregation of which she is a member.

John Hiestand, the paternal grandfather of Robert A., was a native of Pennsylvania and a pioneer in Montgomery county, Ohio, where he was a farmer, and where he and his wife lived to advanced ages. They were the parents of the following children, Jacob, Elizabeth, Mary, Erin, Andrew, Julia and Henry C.

The maternal grandparents of Mr. Hiestand were John P. and Berthenia (Stephens) Acton, natives of Virginia and early settlers of Preble county, Ohio, who were the parents of five children, Nancy M., Joseph W., Mary B., Harvey and Thomas.

Robert A. Hiestand was reared in Eaton, where he attended the public schools. After finishing the high-school course in the city schools, he became a student of Miami University, from which institution he was graduated in 1892, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then went to Chicago and worked in the construction department of the General Electric Company, with which firm he remained for two years, at the end of which time he came to Eaton and took charge of the electric light and ice plant, afterwards engaging in the saw-mill and lumber business, which he continued in partnership with his brother, A. J. Hiestand. He is also a director in the Preble County National Bank, of Eaton, and is president of the board of waterworks trustees.

Mr. Hiestand was married October 25, 1905, to Melissa Gibbons, the daughter of John H. Gibbons, who was one of three children born to her parents, the others being Mary, the wife of C. W. Eidson, and Ada, the wife of L. C. Reynolds.

Mr. and Mrs. Hiestand are members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Hiestand is a trustee of the church in Eaton. Fraternally, Mr. Hiestand belongs to Bolivar Lodge No. 82, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Eaton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons. Politically, Mr. Hiestand is a Republican, but his extensive business interests have prevented him from taking a very active part in political affairs. Mr. and Mrs. Hiestand are deservedly popular in the city where they live and where Mr. Hiestand is regarded as one of the most representative citizens and business men.

Orange V. Fritz

There is no positive rule for achieving success, and yet in the life of the successful man, there are always lessons which might well be followed. The man who gains prosperity is he who sees and utilizes the opportunity which falls in his way. The essential conditions of human life are ever the same, the surroundings of individuals differing but slightly. * When one passes another on the highway of life to reach the goal of prosperity before others, who, perhaps, started out before him, it is because he has the power to utilize advantages which properly are available to all. Today among the prominent citizens of West Alexandria, Ohio, is Orange V. Fritz, postmaster of the village. Keen discrimination, sound judgment and executive ability, as well as a genial disposition, have entered very largely into his make-up, and have been contributing factors to the success, political and otherwise, which has come to him.

Orange V. Fritz, the son of Michael and Amanda (Jordan) Fritz, was born April n, 1874, in Twin township, Preble county, Ohio. Michael Fritz was born July 17, 1850, on the same farm and in the same house as his son, Orange V., and died July 27, 1876. The paternal grandparents of Orange V. Fritz were John and Elizabeth (Siler) Fritz, also natives of Preble county, Ohio. Mrs. Fritz, who was Amanda Jordan before her marriage, was born August 10, 1852, near where her husband was born. She died in 1911. Her parents were John and Rebecca (Stiver) Jordan, natives of Maryland. After her first husband's death she married Simon P. Guting, The remote ancestors of Orange V. Fritz came from Germany.

Orange V. Fritz was reared on his father's farm and attended the district schools in his early boyhood, later becoming a student in the high school at West Alexandria, Ohio. He remained with his mother until he was twenty-two years old, and then rented land from his stepfather, Simon P. Guting, on which he remained until 1911. During this period Mr. Fritz was a breeder of Red-Polled cattle and Poland-China hogs, and made many exhibits at the Eaton fair and had many public sales of this stock. He has shipped hogs to different parts of the United States for breeding purposes. Mr. Fritz also is a breeder of the Nugget strain of Buff Plymouth Rock and Buff Leghorn chickens. He prizes these breeds very highly, and has made exhibits of them in both Indiana and Ohio. Mr. Fritz has been a member of the county fair board of Preble county for the past four years. On February 1, 1912, he moved to West Alexandria, Ohio, and was ap- pointed postmaster of that village in August, 1913, and there he has lived since that time, discharging the duties of his office faithfully and well.

On the morning of January 8, 1915, the postoffice at West Alexandria was gutted by fire. At six o'clock in the morning most of it was down in the basement, flooded with water, but, despite this fact, Mr. Fritz took charge as usual and every mail went out on time, most of the letters having been saved. By eight o'clock on the morning of the fire the postoffice force was receiving and sending mail, and by three in the afternoon a new postoffice had been fitted up and patrons of the office were receiving their mail as usual. It is hardly necessary to add that this exhibition of efficiency and regard for the patrons of the office was much appreciated by the latter and that Postmaster Fritz was heartily complimented upon his prompt re-establishment of the local mail service.

Orange V. Fritz was married in 1897 to Floa Keplinger, who was born November 22, 1876, in Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Martha (Ware) Keplinger, also natives of Preble county, and the only child born to her parents. Her grandparents came from Maryland. One child, Carl W., who is living at home, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fritz.

Politically, Mr. Fritz is a Democrat. Aside from his position as postmaster he served as township assessor for two years, as justice of the peace for four years and was a member of the Preble county fair board for four years. Although Mr. Fritz does not belong to any church, he is a man who has a kindly feeling for all religious endeavor. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Charles Epply Albright

No man occupies a position of greater prominence in a community than the newspaper editor. In almost every case the editor is not only a man of wide learning but his profession brings him into touch with all classes of people. The Eaton Register is a very old newspaper and has been conducted for a long time by the Albright family. The present editor is Charles Epply Albright.

Charles Epply Albright was born August 7, i860, the son of William F. and Virginia (Stroud) Albright, natives of Ohio. There were three children born to this union: Harriet, the wife of Homer L. Larsh, of Topeka, Kansas; Edmond J., deceased, and Charles E., of Eaton.

William F. Albright was reared in Eaton and when a boy learned the printer's trade, which he followed the remainder of his life. He was bom in Eaton, March 20, 1823, and lived in or near the town all of his life. He learned the trade in the Register office and was its proprietor for many years, being connected with that paper for nearly sixty years. He was twice married, first, in 1844, Elizabeth Riner, who died January 14, 1855, and to which union four children were born, Mary Fouts, Emma, Mrs. Ida Holihan and John Riner. Mr. Albright married, secondly, Virginia Stroud, who died in 1862. Mr. Albright belonged to the "squirrel hunters" during the Civil War. In politics he was a Republican and was postmaster for two years, having been appointed by President Harrison. He took an active interest in politics and was prominent in the councils of his party. He died June 18, 1898. at the age of seventy-five. Mr. and Mrs. Albright were active members of the Methodist church.

The paternal grandparents of Charles E. Albright were Jonas and Margaret Albright, pioneers of Preble county, Ohio. Jonas Albright was a plasterer and was the first superintendent of the Preble county infirmary. He moved to Goshen, Indiana, and lived there a number of years, but returned to Eaton and died at the home of his son, William, at the age of eighty. His wife died some years before in Goshen. They had seven children, among whom were Eli, William, Mrs. William Marony and Ezra.

The maternal grandparents of Charles E. Albright were the Rev. Asa B. and Mary Stroud, natives of Virginia, who came to Eaton in pioneer times, he as a pioneer Methodist minister who traveled a circuit for some time. His wife survived him a number of years. They had five children, of whom Virginia and Sarah married, the others dying unmarried.

Charles E. Albright was born and reared in Eaton and attended the public schools of that place. He then took a business course at the Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, New York, after which he returned to Eaton and entered his father's newspaper office. At the tifne of his father's death he and his brother, Edmond J., succeeded to the ownership of the Register. Edmond J. died April 16, 1912, at which time Charles E. took over the business and has conducted it alone since that time. The Register is a Republican paper and was established in 1820.

Mr. Albright's wife was Ossie Orr, the daughter of Rev. William and Rebecca (Tedrick) Orr, of Lebanon, Ohio. Mrs. Albright's father is deceased, but her mother is still living. They had three children, Ossie M., Charles and Frank.

Preble Counts, Ohio

velt and two years under President Taft. He resigned as postmaster at the time of the death of his brother. Mr. Albright is an ardent Republican and has been a leader in his party's councils in Preble county for many years. He is a member of Bolivar Lodge No. 82, Free and Accepted Masons, and Waverly Lodge No. 143, Knights of Pythias. Mr. and Mrs. Albright are active and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church and contribute liberally to its support. It is a source of personal pride to conduct a newspaper with a long and honorable history, and especially one that has been conducted by one's father. That is the position occupied by Charles E. Albright, who is himself a highly honored citizen of Preble county, and well equipped to carry on the splendid work begun by his father.

Ray R. Simpson

What historian ever will be able properly to estimate the influence of "the fourth estate" upon the development of the remarkable era in which we now are living? In the attempts being made by the compilers of this volume to present a fair epitome of the times for the instruction of the present generations all factors of the common life of Preble county are taken into account, each being given due place and weight in making up the balance which shall stand as a proper reflection of the manners and customs of the people, with due attention to the individual performances of certain of the more influential residents of the county, in order that those of the succeeding generations who are to take up the work of their day may know something of the manner of the laying of the substantial cornerstone of the superb structure of civilization which they, finding still incomplete, shall be called upon to carry on to a point more near to completion. In considering these various factors of modern life it were perhaps invidious to single out any one as being the most important in the work of erecting civilization's great superstructure, yet the historian hardly can avoid giving to "the fourth estate," the honorable and distinguished profession of journalism, a distinctive position among those beneficent factors which have gone so far in the labor of bringing mankind to its present exalted position in the cosmos. The press of Preble county ever has been alert to the needs of the people which it so ably serves, and must, in times to come, lie given due credit for much of the present state of advancement which this favored section enjoys. Among the newspapers of the county there are few that have created a more distinct impress upon the several communities they serve than has been created by the Preble County News, now owned and edited by Ray R. Simpson, and a history of the times, such as this volume seeks to present, would not be complete without a brief biographical sketch of the young editor, a sketch which it is a pleasure for the biographer here to present.

Ray R. Simpson was born in Richmond, Indiana, July io, 1881, the son of Edward and Elma (Stambach) Simpson, the former of whom was bom in New York City and the latter in Preble county, Ohio, their marriage taking place in Richmond, Indiana, where their one son and only child, Ray R., the subject of this biographical sketch, was born. Edward H. Simpson was a bookkeeper who worked for the I. R. Howard Grocery Company, a wholesale concern at Richmond, and whose death occurred in 1883. About two years following the death of her husband, Mrs. Simpson moved to Stevens county, Kansas, taking with her her young son, Ray. After a residence of about four years in Kansas they returned to Richmond, where Ray received his education and was graduated from the Richmond high school. His attention then being attracted to the printing trade, he determined to become a printer. He remained in Richmond until he had completed his apprenticeship to the printing trade, when, at the age of twenty^one, he started out as a journeyman printer. His first regular work "at the case" was done in Camden, Ohio, where he worked about a year, after which he followed his trade in several other cities in Ohio, including Dayton and Cincinnati. He then went to Oklahoma, in which state he plied his trade, "the art preservative of all arts," in Lawton, later returning to Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he resided until 1909, when he returned to Camden, Ohio, where he took charge of the Preble County News and edited the paper for five years for Mr. Irvin, from whom, in 1914* he bought the paper outright, since which time he has been sole proprietor and editor. In addition to his editorial duties, Mr. Simpson is also performing another important service for the public, acting as township clerk, in which position he is giving excellent satisfaction.

Mr. Simpson was united in marriage June 15, 1904, with Glenna May, daughter of William S. and Mary A. (Geeting) May, both of whom were natives of Preble county. Ohio, where Mrs. Simpson also was born. William S. May was born February 2, 1843, the son of John L. and Margaret (McGriff) May, who also were natives of Preble county, Mrs. Simpson thus being a representative of the fourth generation of the May family in this county. Mrs. Simpson's mother was born in Preble county March 28,

1850, a daughter of Simon and Margaret (Slyder) Geeting, both of whom were natives of Carroll county, Maryland, who came to Montgomery county, Ohio, first settling on a farm near Germantown, which they later sold, after which they bought property in Preble county, on' which they located and where they spent the remainder of their lives, Mr. Geeting dying in 1876, his wife surviving until 1898.

To William S. and Mary A. (Geeting) May, who were married February 3, 1870, eight children were born, seven of whom still are living, as follows: Lora B., born November 12, 1870, married Murray L. Peters, by whom she had two children, Homer D. and Edna B. Mr. Peters died in June, 1910, and Mrs. Peters later married George Free and lives in Oxford, Ohio; William, born October 13, 1872, lives in Camden, Ohio; Lucretia Ellen, bom March 15, 1874, married Henry G. Boesenburg, to whom seven children were bom, four of whom are still living, May L., George, Paul and Hilda. Mrs. Boesenburg died September 8, 1908; Howard, born April 29, 1876, resides in Camden; Harry W., born November 26, 1877, also resides in Camden; Jessie, born October 24, 1882, married Charles Benson and to them five children were born, all of whom are living, James Robert, Irene, Pauline, Charles R. and Jessie M. ; Glenna M., born November 18, 1886, wife of the subject of this biographical narrative, and Margaret C., bom April 15, 1890, who also resides in Camden.

Phillip May, the paternal great-grandfather of Mrs. Simpson, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and came to Preble county at a very early date in the settlement of this section of the state. He was a skilled blacksmith and followed this vocation with success up to the time of his death.

His son, John L. May, grandfather of.Mrs. Simpson, was a farmer of prominence in this county, whose death occurred December 29, 1906. He was born near Eaton November 1, 1822, and on April 18, 1842, was married to Margaret McGriff, who survived him about one year, her death occurring in 1907.

William S. May, Mrs. Simpson's father, was an honored soldier in the Civil War, who is now living a retired life in Camden, enjoying the fruits of his many years of industrious activity. On November 27, 1863, he enlisted in Company I), Thirty-fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which regiment he did service for the cause of the Union until the fall of 1864, when he was transferred to Company C, Eighteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the close of the war and was discharged from the service on May 16, 1865, at Chattanooga, Tennessee. After the war Mr. May returned to his home in Preble county and resumed farming, which vocation he followed till the year 1870, when he went into the harness business, opening an establishment in Camden. He was in business three years at Camden and then moved to Lewisburg, this county, where he continued four years. He next removed to Fairhaven, where he was in business eleven years. He then moved back to Camden, where he continued in business until 1911, when he retired.

To Ray R. and Glenna (May) Simpson two children have been bom, Miriam Louise, bom March 14, 1906, and Harry Malcolm, bom January 7, 1911, who are a continual source of sunshine in the happy home of the young editor and his wife.

Ray R. Simpson, in addition to his editorial and public duties, finds time for a proper indulgence in the social and fraternal activities of the town in which his paper takes so prominent a part in the molding of public opinion, and is found in the forefront of all movements having to do with the extension of the public welfare. He is prominent in the activities of the Masonic order, being a member of the local lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons, as well as a member of the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the lodge of the Knights of Pythias in Camden, and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Hamilton, Ohio. Mr. Simpson's paper is regarded as a fair reflector of the current life of the community which it so ably serves, and under the present management of the young editor is constantly growing in favor with the people of Preble county.

Charles H. Marshall

Dependent very largely upon his own resources from his early youth, Charles H. Marshall has attained no insignificant success and though he may have, like most men of affairs, encountered obstacles and met with reverses, he has pressed steadily onward and upward, ever willing to work for the end in view. His tenacity and fortitude are due, no doubt in a large measure, to the worthy traits inherited from sterling ancestors, whose high ideals and correct principles he has ever sought to perpetuate in all of his personal and business relations of life.

Charles H. Marshall, the present efficient and genial postmaster of New Paris, Ohio, was born February 10, 1874, in Jefferson township, Preble county, the son of Alexander and Lydia (Bowman) Marshall, the former also a native of Jefferson township, the son of Hugh Marshall, a native of Virginia, who came west early in life, located in Preble county and lived here the remainder of his days. Lydia Bowman, Mr. Marshalls mother, was the daughter of Robert Bowman, a native of Maryland, whomigrated to Ohio and finally to Kansas, where he died.

Alexander and Lydia (Bowman) Marshall were the parents of four children, William H., a farmer of Jefferson township; Charles H., the subject of this sketch; Leonard, deceased; and Edith, who was the wife of Albert R. Cotterell.

The greater part of Charles H. Marshall's early life was spent in New Paris, Ohio, and he was graduated from the New Paris high school with the class of 1891. After his graduation he was employed in a lawn-mower factory at Richmond, Indiana, and served as foreman of the factory for fourteen years. In 1906 Mr. Marshall engaged in the cement burial-vault business at Richmond, Cambridge City and Connersville, Indiana, and is now proprietor of branch plants in all of these towns. At Richmond Mr. Marshall is also engaged in the, general cement business and there he owns a large and profitable gravel pit. Every bit of property which Mr. Marshall owns he has acquired by his own labor and his own management.

Charles H. Marshall was united in marriage with Myrtle M. White, a native of Pennsylvania, who was graduated from the schools at Cora, Pennsylvania. To this union has been born one son, Leonard, born April 30, 1908.

Mr. Marshall is a Democrat and he has been active in county and stato politics. He is the present secretary of the Preble county Democratic central committee and was appointed postmaster of New Paris, August 15, 1913. He still holds this office and is discharging the duties to the entire satisfaction of the people of the community which he serves. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are active members of the Presbyterian church. Fraternally,.

Mr. Marshall is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and of the Druids, his membership in both orders being held in the lodges at Richmond, Indiana. Mr. Marshall is an honorable citizen of the city and county where he lives and his reputation as a successful business man is builded upon worthy principles of justice and fair dealings. Aside from the cares of his heavy business connection, Mr. Marshall is a public-spirited citizen and devotes both his time and his money to worthy public enterprises. He is one of the most popular residents of Preble county and one of the best known.

Joseph Marshall

The fourth generation of the Marshall family is included among the representative citizens of Preble county, that is, the fourth generation in descent from the ancestor from whom descended the family of the subject of this biographical sketch, all of whom, in their day and generation have reflected credit upon the family name and have added no little to the substantial worth of the county in which the first of the family settled one hundred years ago. This is a fact of which any American family might well be proud. A centennial of continuous residence in one community is a matter of which not many families in this comparatively newly settled section of the country can boast and it is a pleasure for the biographer here to set out for the consideration of future generations something of the beginnings of the Marshall family in this part of Ohio, and of the lives and works of the successive descendants of that family in the neighborhood in which they for so many years have played a prominent part, and where they are regarded as among the most substantial and respected residents of the county.

James Marshall, the first of the name to settle in this county, was a native of Ireland, having been born in the Emerald Isle about the year 1785. Like so many of the most aggressive and forceful of his compatriots he came to America upon reaching manhood's estate, bent upon finding in the glorious new country which had just shaken off the galling yoke of the hated oppressor, the freedom which so long had been denied his people in their own loved land. He first tried his fortune in the state of Georgia, where he married Elizabeth Wilson, also a native of Ireland, but finding conditions there not what he had expected them to be, moved to Ohio in the year 1817 and settled in section 5 of Israel township, Preble county, pre-empting from the government a farm which still is in the possession of the Marshall family. On this farm he wrought well, doing with conscientious care those things which his hand found to do and he and his good helpmate effectually "blazed the ways" for their descendants, the fourth generation of whom today find conditions immeasurably better by reason of the labors of this faithful pair, the memory of whom is held in high veneration by those who have followed them in this community.

To the union of James and Elizabeth (Wilson) Marshall were born nine children. John Marshall, one of these nine, who was bom in 1815* was reared on the home farm, where he remained until his marriage in 1839 to Lydia Stephenson, who was born in 1816 and who died in 1879. To John and Lydia (Stephenson) Marshall nine children were born. They first took a farm in Israel township, near the parental home, west of Fair Haven. Later they bought the farm east of Fair Haven, where the subject of this sketch was born, and here they reared their family in habits of industiy and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, all being devout members of the United Presbyterian church at Fair Haven, a religious organization whose influence for good in the community, where it so long has stood faithfully for all things of good report is beyond calculation. John Marshall followed farming all his life. He was regarded as one of the most substantial farmers of his neighborhood, a veritable pillar in the upbuilding of the community life of Israel township, he and his devoted wife ever being active in all local good works, their memories being held in the most grateful remembrance throughout that whole section. Politically, John Marshall was a stanch Republican and though never an office seeker his counsels always were held of value in the deliberations of the party managers in Preble county. He died in the year 1886, his wife having preceded him to the grave several years, her death having occurred in 1879.

Of the nine children born to John and Lydia (Stephenson) Marshall, five are still living, they and their children doing all that in them lies to hand down to succeeding generations the excellent heritage of a good name which descended to them from their sterling forbears. Elizabeth Marshall, now deceased, the first of the nine children above mentioned, was the wife of William R. Hays; James W. lives in Dayton, Ohio; Mary L. lives in Dayton with her brother; Joseph, the immediate subject of this genealogical sketch, is one of the best-known residents of Israel township; Alexander F. lives at Dayton; Margaret, the wife of William Reed, died in 1902; John H. was accidentally killed by the caving in of a well in the year 1888; William S., former treasurer of the township, and one of the most substantial citizens of Preble county, died May 18, 1908. The fourth child of Mr. and Mrs. John Marshall died in infancy.