Liberty Township (part 1 of 2)

Liberty Township

The class of 1883 will have thirty-five members. Present Proprietors: H. S. Lehr, A. M., President; J. G. Park, A. M., Vice President; Fred Maglott, A. M., H. E. Neff, B. S., Mrs. Rachel Stringfellow.

Present Corps Of Instructors

The Lecturers will be the best in the field. The following able instructors have been employed to teach during the summer months: Hon. J. J. Burns, Chillicothe, Ohio; Superintendent G. W. Walker, Lima, Ohio; Superintendent J. W. Zeller, Findlay, Ohio; Superintendent C. W. Butler, Plymouth, Ohio; Superintendent D. E. Niver, Nevada, Ohio.

Presbyterian Church of Ada. - This is the oldest church organization in this part of the county, and is, in one sense, a mother to many of the other churches, they being formed and organized within the walls of her church edifice. This society was organized August 21, 1841, in Huntersville, by Bev. Thomas B. Clark, with the following constituent members: Isaac Mathews, Nancy Mathews, James M. Nelson, Susanna Nelson and James Hamilton, who were received upon certificates from the Kenton Church, and Thomas Irwin, John McClure, Bobert Hyndman and Jackson Mathews by examination, with Isaac Mathews and James M. Nelson chosen Elders. The society continued to hold its services at Huntersville for about fourteen years, when it was removed to the town of Ada - then called Johntown - where its services were held in the schoolhouse, but was still known as the Huntersville Church. On April 11, 18G0, at a meeting of the Findlay Presbytery, held at Mount Blanchard, it was changed to the Johnstown Church, and was thus known and recognized until, on April 22, 1868, its name was changed to the Ada Church, by which name it has since been known. On January 7, 1801, the following persons were chosen as a Building Committee, to take charge of the work of erecting a church edifice, viz., James M. Nelson, Bobert Hyndman, Thomas Irwin, John H. Mustard and

S. M. Johnson, and the contract of building the house was let to John H. Mustard. The work was immediately commenced, the frame erected and the house inclosed; but on account of the war of the rebellion, then in progress, and from other causes, the house was not entirely completed till 1 1 1864, when it was finished and ready for use. The dedication of the house, ' it is believed, took place in the spring of 1867, Rev. T. P. Johnson, of Lima, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The following ministers have served the church as its pastors since its organization; Revs. Thomas B. Clark, John Ustick, James E. Marquis, R. M. Badeau, William M. Reed,

J. A. Meeks, Mr. Edgar, John Kelly, C. K. Lehman and Z. B. Campbell, who is the present pastor, and is serving in his third year as such. The | Elders have been Isaac Mathews, James M. Nelson, Robert Hyndman, | Elihu Mathews, John W. Nelson, John Dobbins, Alexander Sanderson, | Alvin S. Nelson, Dr. I. C. McGinnis and D. G. Kemp. In February, 1883, the church was duly made an incc>rporate body, according to the laws of I Ohio. The present membership is 150. Present Trustees, D. G. Kemp, j I. C. McGinnis, A. C. Dobbins, George Epley and P. W. Ream. A union Sabbath school was early established in the schoolhouse, and was carried on for some time by non-church members. After the building of the abovementioned church, its meetings were removed frdm the schoolhouse to the church, and became a large and interesting Sabbath school. After the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ada, they established a Sabbath school, after which the union school continued for a short time and was disbanded. Then this church organized a Sabbath school of their own, which has since continued, and is now a very flourishing and interesting school, with an average attendance of about a hundred and fifty, with D. G. Kemp as Superintendent.

The Christian Church of Ada. - This society was organized in the fall of 1866. Elder Dana Call held a meeting in the old schoolhouse and organized a society of seventeen persons, viz., H. S. Lehr, George Sutton, William Kingsburry, Samuel Dickinson, Elizabeth Sutton, Harry Sutton, Charles Sutton, Queen Sutton, Robert Morrison, Rosetta Morrison, Marshall Carman, Deborah Carman, Lydia Scott, Lucinda Cochran, Malinda Dickens, Evan Jackson and Delilah Jackson, with H, S. Lehr and George Sutton chosen Elders, and William Kingsbury and Samuel Dickinson as Deacons. About one year after the organization, the old schoolhouse was sold to the Methodist Episcopal Church and the society was left without a place for holding meetings; but subsequently the Presbyterian society kindly offered the use of their church, which was duly accepted, but after a short time, everything not working harmoniously, the society was again withi)ut a place of meeting. The use of the town hall was then obtained at a nominal rent, where the society worshiped until, in the fall of 1877, the chm'ch had erected their present frame house, into which they moved and have since worshiped. The lot upon which the church is built was purchased by A. Ream in the fail of 1868. The house was not built till 1877, and cost about $1,800. To Elder Orrin Gates belongs the honor of forming the present organization and of working up an interest by which the present j house of worship was erected. Elder O. A. Burgess dedicated the house in ; the fall of 1877. The ministers who have served the church as its pastors are as follows: Elders O. Gates, Maxwell Thurman and Z. O. Shepherd, various ; other ministers having been employed to hold revival meetings. The pres- i; ent membership is about one hundred. Present officers are: Elders, H. S.

Methodist Episcopal Church of Ada. - At quite an early day a class was organized at the Sleichter Schoolhouse, where they held meetings for several years, but about 1853, the town of Ada having been laid out and a little village started. Rev. Jacjob Fechtley held a meeting at the old schoolhouse of said village, and organized a class embracing some of the members of the former class, and others, as follows: Eli Pugh, Eli Newman and wife, daughter and son, Judge Simon's wife, George McElroy and wife, Jane Lynch and probably a few others. Services were then held in the schoolhouse until the erection of the Presbyterian Church, when they kindly shared the house with them, and services were held there until the erection of their church edifice in 1867-68. At the fourth quarterly conference of the church, held May 18, 1867, the following persons were elected as -Trustees; S. S. Smick, N. Ahlefeld, Horace Gilbert, Dr. R. Davenport. John Davenport, J. O. Phillippi, T. J. Carson, Samuel Arbuthnot and Samuel Stringfellow, who were to purchase a lot and take charge of the erection of said house. The building, a large frame, was erected and so far completed as to be used for holding services, and the same was duly dedicated by a sermon by Rev. Granville Moody, of Cincinnati. The following ministers have been pastors from time to time of this charge; Joseph Wykes, 1862; Joseph Wykes and Silas Maltby in 1863; William J. Peck and Hamilton J. Bigley in 1864; William J. Peck and Thomas J. Mather in 1865; James S. DeLisle, 1866-67; Benjamin L. Rowand, 1868-69; John W. Hill, 1870-72: Isaac N. Smith, 1873-75; Philip A. Drown, 1876; Dwight R. Cook, 1878; William Fitzgerald, 1879; Dwight R. Cook, 1880- 81, and A. C. Cook,' 1882-83. Class Leaders as follows; Hammond Gilbert, Samuel Arbuthnot, Joseph Myers, C. E. Livenspire, E. W. Gilbert, W. L. Reece, J. T. Cunningham, R. R. Bryan, Rufus S. StockwelJ, John M. Gilbert, John Davenport, R. G. Hubble, William N. Bryan, Thomas Boyd, Thomas J. Cary, Daniel Helms, A. A. Thomas, T. S. Russell and B. Mowan. Present membership, 218. Present Stewards; James T. Cunningham, William L. Reece, John Davenport, Joseph Myers, Thomas Boyd, Daniel Helms and Samuel (Jary. Trustees; John Davenport, W. L. Reece, P. K. Sale, W. N. Bryan, E. W. Gilbert, J. L. Dally, C. B. Hickernell, L. Richeson and J. T. Cunningham.

First Regular Baptist Church of Ada - This society was organized in the Presbyterian Church October 2, 1866, by Rev. Chapman, of Lima, Ohio, consisting of the following eleven constituent members, viz.; Mary A. Gilbert, E. L. Sanford, Cyrena Judd, William League, N. B. Holder, D. S. Judd, Rachel Sanford, Clara C. McClenalian, Elizabeth Perry, Ann Glass and John Gilbert, with John Gilbert chosen as Deacon. Prior to the above organization, by the request of several persons of the Baptist faith in Ada and vicinity. Rev. E. D. Thomas was sent here by the Home Missionary Society to hold a series of meetings, witn the view of organizing a church if the interest in the cause should manifest itself so as to justify such au^ organization. The result of said meetings was the above-mentioned organization. In 1867, they erected their present frame church edifice at a cost of about $2,500. The house was duly dedicated to service May 10, 1868, by a sermon by Rev. Chapman, of Lima. Rev. E. D. Thomas remained as pastor until his death. He was succeeded by Rev. J. D. Albert; then Rev. R. R. Williams accepted the call of the church, and proved a very earnest and faithful minisW of the Gospel, and under his earnest labors the church increased in members and -usefulness, and through his faithful labors much good was done in this community. He was succeded by Rev. Crandall; then Rev. Spencer came to the charge, who was succeeded by Rev. William Leet, and he by Rev. ,1. D. Allerton; then Rev. M. L. Bowers served the church for a time, after whom Rev. J. D. Allerton returned, who was the last minister in charge. The society is at present without a pastor; . but it i^ to be hoped that they will not long remain without a shepherd, but that the Spirit of Grace may arouse their zeal to activity and their faith be shown by their good works. The present Deacons are John Gilbert, S.

Catholic Church, Ada.^ - After Kenton, Ada was generally considered the most prominent station for the priest of Hardin County. This village being situated in the extreme northwestern corner of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, just three miles east and south of the- boundaries of the diocese of Cleveland, priests from the latter diocese frequently attended the same. * Thus, twenty-five years ago, Father Sullivan, from Tiffin, afterward Father Murphy, from Lima, both priests from the Diocese of Cleveland, visited the Catholics of Ada. When in June, 1866, Rev. Nicholas Raymond Young, the first Catholic priest resident in this county, had arrived in Kenton, this station fell to his charge. Father Young frequently visited the people of Ada on Sundays and conducted divine service in the second story of a frame building situated on the northwest corner of Buckeye and Johnson streets, owned by Bartholomew Bastable, afterward destroyed by fire. Rev. Augustine M. Quatman succeeded Father Young toward the close of 1869, but not remaining in Kenton very long, he attended Ada only on two or three occasions. The next Catholic pastor of the Hardin County stations was Rev. Nicholas J. V. Fas, who arrived in Kenton in June, 1870. Fathei; Fas, finding the increasing work throughout the county rather difficult for one priest, negotiated with the Bishops of both dioceses, and the charge of Ada was again given to the priest of Lima, who at that time was Rev. Alexander R. Sidley. This priest attended Ada for about three years, celebrating mass - in different private houses, but finally in a small room above E. E. Bauman's grocery, on the southeast corner of Buckeye and Main streets. By order of His Grace, the Most Rev. John Baptist Purcell, Archbishop of Cincinnati, we took charge of Ada in the beginning of 1874. We found io the little room a board for an altar, a small confessional, a table and several benches. On June 24 of the same year, we gave first holy communion to ten young persons. The congregation of Ada has remained in our charge ever since, with but one short interruption, which was in the year 1881, when from May 12 until December 31, Rev. HonoratuB Bourion, A. M., of Bellfontaine, had charge of the Hardin County stations outside of the Kenton congregation. Our assistants, the Revs. Joseph M. Quatman, Alfred D. Dexter, Andrew Ebert, William B. Miggeel and F. X. Lasance, in their turn, aided us, in attending to the spiritual wants of the people. The first Catholic land owner in this vicinity iwas F. C. Baker, who entered a large farm, at present adjoining the corporation of Ada, as far back as 1837, but owing to the great distance from j a Catholic Church, he soon returned to Columbus. His son, Anthony C. Baker, is at present living on this farm. The oldest actual settlers belonging to the Catholic faith, as far as we are able to ascertain, were Messrs. Michael Flynn and James Morrow, who arrived in 1856. Both own beauti- i ful farms at present, the former four miles west of Ada, in Allen County, i the latter close to A.da. Daniel Breen came about 1858. Thomas Bastable, who died in 1874, and his brother Bartholomew, arrived in 1861; Daniel Hanley in 1863; Bartholomew O'Leary one year later. Jacob Forbing, at present one of the committeemen of the Kenton Church, formerly a resident of Ada, had donated a lot on the southeast corner of Ballard and Johnson streets, for the purpose of erecting thereon a Catholic house of worship. With Mr. Forbing's consent, however, we sold that lot in 1874, and bought two lots on the corner of Simun and Hoosier streets, which were considered better located for the purpose. The foundation of the Ada Church was begun on the 10th of September, 1874, and on the 8th of December of the same year the church, a frame structure, 30x50, was completed, with altar, pews, organ and bell, just as we see it at present. By permission of the Archbishop, Kev. A. M. Quatman, from the cathedral, dedicated the church on that day the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. For the special patron of the church was chosen "Mary Immaculate," under the 'title of our "Lady of Lourdes." Quite a number of non- Catholics contributed freely toward the new church ; we collected from them about $600, toward which Nathan Ahlefeld alone gave $200, and Heury Zugschwert 1100. More than 1600 were collected by Father Joseph Quatman and our- 1 selves outside of Ada, mostly in Cincinnati. At present the church is free from debt. The total cost of lots, church building, furniture, etc., came to $3,227.50. The only time the Archbishop visited Ada was July 10, 1871. Fathers James A. Burns, Henry J. IVfoeller, D. D., A. M. Quatman,

: J. W. Quatman, A. H. Dexter and ourselves, also Messrs. Bernard Matthews and John McGuigin accompanied the aged prelate from Kenton. On that occasion seventeen persons received the sacrament of confirmation,

I and Rev. Dr. Moeller, then pastor at Bellefontaine, at present Secretary to Right Rev. William Henry Elder, D. D., Coadjutor Bishop. of this archdiocese, delivered a very interesting lecture on the sacrament of the Eucharist. From the 15th to the 19th of May, 1878, Father Augustine, of the Passionist Order, preached the first, and indeed, a most fruitful mission to the people of Ada. His rare eloquence will long be remembered. June 28, 1880, Bishop Elder visited Ada and confirmed twelve persons, being , assisted by Rev. A. D. Dexter and A. S. Siebenfoercher. From April 8 to 11, Father Robert C. P. gave the second mission at Ada, the success being in every particular similar o that of the mission five years previous. In early times, the priests who visited Ada would stop with different families, but later on, generally at Mr. Forbings or at Mr. Hanley's, until after the building of the church, the kindl}^ tendered hosplitality of Mr. O'Leary, who lived nearest to the church, was accepted.

The number of Catholic families belonging to the Ada congregation at present is about thirty. The first election of a regular church committee ! took place January 19, 1878, and resulted in the choice of xinthon/ C. Baker and Francis Owens for two years, and Thomas Fielding and Peter Sweeny for one year. Services are held at Ada twice each month on Sun- days and frequently on week days. Recitation of catechism takes place every Sunday afternoon, under the direction of Mr. D. Hanley. The Catholics ' of Ada have long been known for their singular attachment tu the attendf ing priests, nor has this true Catholic spirit in the least diminished. During the building of the church and on all occasions the greatest possible har- 1^1 mony existed between the priest and people. The thought about the past \ history of the church at Ada is that of great pleasure and satisfaction, but I the crowning work of all is that much has been accomplished for the good I of the people and the glory of God.

St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church. - This society was organized August 23, 1876, at the house of Samuel Anspach, Esq., in Ada, by Eev. J. L. Smith, Missionary President of the District Synod of Ohio, who gave them a constitution, and the organization was then completed by Kev. J. G. Neiffer, of Lima, Ohio, consisting of the following constituent members, viz. : Samuel Anspach, Mrs. Samuel Anspach, J. H. XJmbaugh, Mrs. J. H.

Umbaugh, S. M. Anspach, Mrs. S. M. Anspach, J. W. XJmbaugh, Mrs. J. W. Umbaugh, L. M. McCreery, A, Cronebaugh, Mrs. A. Cronebaugh and Mrs. E. Oberlin. The erection of a church edifice was immediately commenced, the corner stone of which was laid in the summer of 1877, and the house was completed and dedicated to service August 25, 1878, by Rev. J. Weber, of Adamsville, Ohio, assisted by Revs. T. W. Corbet, of La Fayette, Ohio, and J. G. Neiffer, of Lima, Ohio. The church is a fine brick structure, 32x48 feet, with tower and vestibule, costing about $3,500. Rev. J. G. Neiffer preached for the society every two weeks during the greater part of the year of 1877. Rev. F. P. Cook, of Mount Pleasant, N. C. , having received a call from the congregation, which he accepted, became its pastor in January, 1878, and was formally installed at the dedicatory services of the church the following August, Rev. T. W. Corbet, of La Fayette, preaching the installation sermon. Rev. Cook has since remained the pastor in charge. The first Deacons of the church were J. W. Umbaugh, Samuel Anspach, S. M. Anspach and J. H, Smith; present officers, Deacons, John Tressel, J. W. Umbaugh, Augustus Cronebaugh and D. M. Anspach; Trustees, Samuel Anspach, J. W. Umbaugh, John Tressel, S. M. Anspach and Samuel Kuhn; present membership, fifty. A Sabbath school was organized soon after the church was dedicated, and now has an average attendance of about fifty to sixty, with J. W. Umbaugh as Superintendent.

Wesleyan Methodist Church at Ada. - This religious body was organized in August, 1878, with the following members, h) wit; Rev. S. Rice, Miss Mary G. Rice, Rev. C. E. Rowley, Mrs. Rebecca Mathews, W. R. Mathews, Mrs. Mary Mathews, Eliza Jan^ Hodge, Richard Williams, Mrs. R. Williams and Mrs. Rebecca Hively, with Mrs. Rebecca Mathews as Class Leader. They held services in the public hall on Main street until the erection of their church edifice, which was dedicated to service on Sunday, November 23, 1879, the dedicatory sermon being delivered by Rev. T. K. Doty, of Cleveland, Ohio. The church building, completed and furnished, cost $2,700. William Lenty, of Ligonier, Ind., donated to the building of this house of worship $2,150. The first ministers appointed as pastors of this society were Revs. S. Rice and C. E. Rowley. A Sabbath school was organized September 19, 1880, with special reference to the students. Attendance, seventy -two, and arranged in seven classes. The present membership of the church is thirty, with Rev. C. E. Rowley as pastor, L. J. Geesaman, Leader; and H. Livingston and L. J. Geesaman as the Board of Trustees.

Summit Ch^Hstian Church. - This society was organized, it is believed, in 1859, in the Summit Schoolhouse, by Rev. H. P. Darst, consisting of the following persons; Andrew Kridler, Mary Kridler, Christina Garlinger, Susanna McElroy, William Summerville, Cassander Summerville, Cassander Thorne, William Hodge, Catharine Hodge, Andrew Gross and wife and Mrs. Starritt. They have continued to hold services in the schoolhouse up to the present time. They, however, anticipate building a house for worship this summer. The following ministers have served this society as its pastors; Rev. H. P. Darst, until his death, who was succeeded by

Kev. John Bnshong; then Eev. Shaw; next Rev. Edmunds, followed by Rev. James Wilson; then Rev. Enoch Harvey, succeeded by Rev. Marshall Candler, then came Rev. Elijah Grubb, followed by Rev. Nelson Hurd; then Rhoda Franks, followed by Dr. J. T. Robinson, and he succeeded by Rev. Marshall Candler, who is the present pastor in charge. This society was quite large and prosperous for several years, but many have died and I others moved away, until it is now reduced to about nine members, with i Henry McElroy as Deacon. A Sabbath school has been held for many i years during the summer season, and has been well attended. Last sum- ! mer the attendance averaged forty, with Mr. Atkins as its Superintendent, j Ames Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church. - This society was organized d at the house of William Vincent, in the east part of Allen County, about i 1846 or 1848, consisting of the following persons; William Vincent and I wife, Eli Newman and wife, Hammond Gilbert, William Bell and wife, j and probably a few others, whose names have passed from recollection, j They continued to hold services at the above-mentioned house until the I erection of the Wood Schoolhouse in 1851, when the society was moved to i it, where services were held more or less regularly until about 1871, when, j from various causes, the organization was abandoned, and for about four ^ years no meetings were held. But about 1875, Rev. Samuel Hagerman held I a meeting in the schoolhouse, when a re-organizatiun was effected, with the I following members: John Peltier and wife, Jeremiah Nixon, Jane E.

j Nixon, Jonathan Shaw, Nancy Shaw, Nancy Derry, Franklin Turner, Mill nerva J. Shaw, with John Peltier as leader. They continued to hold servi ices in the schoolhouse until the erection of the present frame church in I the summer of 1877, at a cost of about |1,200. The house was dedicated j in January, 1878, by Rev. William S. Paul, the Presiding Elder. The I following ministers have served as pastors since its organization; Revs. l Alexander Harmount, Harrison Maltby, Mr. Krebbs, N. B. C. Love, James I S. DeLisle, John Brice, John K. Ford, Lorenzo D. Rodgers, Mr. Peoples,

I Benjamin B. Powell, Mr. Crozier, Isaac N. Kalb, Richard Biggs, Charles I Ashton, Mr. Plant, Benjamin L. Rowan and John W. Hill, all of whom I served prior to the abandonment of the society. Since the re-organization, in 1875, the following have served, viz., Revs. Taylor, I. J agger, A. J.

3 Frisbee, Dwight R. Cook, Jesse Carr, and J. W. Hill, the present pastor in charge, who has served three years. Present membership, thirty-three; Class Leader, Jeremiah Nixon; Stewards, Jonathan Shaw and Levi L, Larne; Trustees, Jonathan Shaw, Jeremiah Nixon and Thomas Jones. A I Sabbath school was early organized and conducted through the summer sea- I sons for many years, but during the past two years it has been held through j the entire year, with an average attendance of about thirty, with Levi L. i Larne as Superintendent. The building of the church was superintended J by the following Board of Trustees: Jeremiah Nixon, Jonathan Shaw,

I St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church and St. Paid's Reformed \ Church. - On March 1, 1851, the following persons met at the house of j George Rusher as representatives of the faitb and doctrines of the two I above denominations, respectively, for the purpose of organizing a church, j viz, : Of the first-mentioned church, George Rasher, Samael Anspach and

! Solomon Anspach; of the last-mentioned church, David A. Klingler, Charles I Asire and Christian King. At said meeting, the following were elected as a Building Committee and Board of Trustees, viz., George Rusher, Samuel I Anspach and Charles Asire, with George Rasher as Clerk. They soon commenced the work of getting out the material for the erection of a log j house for church purposes, which was completed in the fall of 1852. The ; ice November 14, 1852, by a sermon by Eev. A. Doner, Lutheran minister, from the text, eighth chapter, 36th and 37th verses, of the Gospel of i St. Mark. This was the first church edifice ever erected in Liberty Township.

Anspach, Esther Anspach, Jonathan Anspach, Elizabeth Anspach, Solomon j Anspach, Hannah King and Esther Long; of the Reformed - David A. | Klingler, Sarah Klingler, Charles A sire, Susanna Asire, Christian King, ! John Long and Margaret Anspach. They continued to worship together under the ministerial efforts of Rev. A. Doner for about eighteen months until his death. From this time on to 1874, they held services together, preaching being had every two weeks during most of the time, alternately by the Lutheran and Reformed ministers. At the above date - 1874 - it became necessary to erect a new house of worship, as the old one had be- ' come dilapidated and unfit for use, and as the matter came up before the congregation, some differences of opinion arose, and it was finally decided t that each denomination should build a house of their own, which they did, two houses being erected, after which each denomination worshiped in t their own house. The Lutherans elected the following as a building com- [' mittee and Board of Trustees, viz. : George Rusher, Gottlieb Adam and

Solomon Anspach. with George Rusher as Treasurer, who also acted as j Clerk. They decided to locate the house at the cross-roads, about one-half *, mile south of the old church. During 1874-75, a good, substantial frame [ house was erected and the same dedicated June 6, 1875, by Rev. T. W. Corbet, assisted by Brother Prof. D. Worley. The house cost, all completed, about $1,700, and soon after the dedication the indebtedness was all paid and the house made clear of incumbrance. The present membership is sixty-one, with the following officers: Deacons, George H. Rusher and

William Lones; Elders, George Rusher and Gottlieb Adam; Trustees, ' George Rusher, Gottlieb Adam and Solomon Anspach; pastor in charge, ( Rev. F. P. Cook. They have held a Sabbath school during the summer seasons for several years, and now have an average attendance of about forty, with George Rusher as Superintendent and Gottlieb Adam, Assistant.

St. PauVs Reformed Church. - At the above date, 1874, when the two denominations ceased to worship together, this congregation elected the following persons as Trustees and a building committee, and at once commenced to erect a house for church purposes, viz. : S. Hertick, S. G.

Fought, David Klingler and John Klingler. A good brick house, 36x50 feet, was erected, and the same dedicated in January, 1875, by the Rev. Prof. Good, of Tiffin, Ohio, assisted by the pastor in charge. Rev. James P. Hale. The church has been quite prosperous, and now has a membership of about seventy, with Rev. J. J. M. Gruber as pastor, and S. Hetrick,

S. G. Fought and J. A. Klingler as Elders, and R. C. Klingler, David Klingler and Amos Klingler as Deacons. A Sabbath school was organized soon after the new house was built, and has been very flourishing, having now an average attendance of about eighty, with Noah Hetrick as Superintendent and David Klingler as Assistant.

The Candler Cemetery was probably the earliest established burial place in the township. It is located on the old Candler farm, in the south- west corner of Section 7, and was dedicated as a burial place by the reception of the body of Mr. Candler, the father of James Marshall Candler, who died September 3, 1835, 'since which it has received a large number of the dead of this neighborhood. The McElroy Cemetery, located near the southwest corner of Section 1, was very early donated for a burial place by Hugh W. McElroy, and received the body of Heziah McBride, wife of John McBride, who died August 13, 1839, since which there have been interred here many of the pioneers and others of this neighborhood. Several of the early settlers were buried upon their own farms, and some have been interred in adjoining townships. But the principal cemetery of the town-- ship, and which is in the care of the Trustees, is located about two miles south of Ada on the northeast corner of Section 33. This is pleasantly situated, and will now become the principal place of interment for Liberty Township. The St. Paul Cemetery is located on the northeast quarter of Section 30. It was donated to the St. Paul Lutheran and the St. Paul Reformed Churches by David A. Klingler, and contained two acres. Subsequently one-half acre was sold to the Reformed Church, upon which they erected their house of worship, so that it now contains one acre and a half. It is well fenced and is in the care of six Trustees, three of whom are appointed by the St, Paul Lutheran Church, and the other three by the St. Paul Reformed Church. They are as follows; Of the first-named church, Oeorge Rusher, George H. Rusher and William Lones; of the second-named church, John W. Klingler, Samuel Fought and Jonas Long, with John W. Klingler as Treasurer and George H. Rusher as Secretary. The first person interred here was Adam Anspach, a son of Solomon and Margaret Anspach.

The first settlers for several years had to go through the almost unbroken forests into Logan County to obtain their grinding. This was very tedious and laborious, and often took from four to five days to make the round trip. The first relief from this was when Jacob Sapp came and settled where the south part of Ada now stands, who brought with him a small pair of buhrs, and then, with his ax, drawing-knife and auger, erected a small horsemill, which cracked the first corn in this region. This was in 1838-39. In 1840, George Hacket erected a grist mill about two miles north of Ada, on Hog Creek, run by water-power. This he ran but a short time, when he was compelled, through a complaint of his neighbor that water was backed on to his land, to tear away his dam and relinquish all further business with his mill. In 1843, John Tressel, Esq., erected a water grist mill on Hog Creek. This did a good business until the project of draining the marsh was commenced, when his dam had to be torn out and his mill was useless. The next to be erected was a steam grist mill at Ada, which was built in 1858 by David Sleichter and Calvin Gilbert, which, in 1859, was purchased by Christian Young, who ran it seven years, when he took in his two brothers, Henry and William, and under the firm name of Young & Brothers carried on a prosperous business till about 1872, when W^illiam Edwards purchased the property. In 1873, he was succeeded by Rinehart & Lowry, and then by John Carey, who continued to run it till about 1879, when it went out of use. About 1874, Joseph Ream & Son erected the present steam mill in the west part of the town. They soon after made an assignment to C. W. Gilbert, who made sale of the property to Smith & Richards; then Smith became sole proprietor and conducted the business till his death, after which the property was sold at administrator's sale to Park Bros., who were succeeded in the ownership of the property by Lyle & Hall, who are now running the mill and are doing a good business. Several saw mills have from time to time been temporarily located in various parts of the township. j There are two in the country at the present time which are doing quite a business - one in the north part of the township on Section 10, and one in the southern part on Section 28; the latter is the property of Nicholas High, who has been doing quite an extensive business there for several years. Other mills have existed in Ada, which will be written of in the history of that town.

Towns And Villages

There is but one town - Ada - formerly known as Johnstown. This town was laid out into lots, streets and alleys by AVilliam Mitchell as proprietor, July 30, 1853. The original plat consisted of seventy-live lots, all on the north side of the railroad, and was named Johnstown. On May 24, 1861, upon petition of thirty-eight residents of the town, it was, by the act of the Commisioners, Samuel VTood, E. C. McLane and Peter Marsh, made and constituted an incorporated village, and subsequently its name was changed to Ada in correspondence with the name of the post office, which was established soon after the building of the railroad by the name ||

19, 1872; James M. Diefenderfer, October 28, 1872. By an act of the County Conmissioners, on November 9, 1872, the corporate limits of the village were extended, after which were made the following additions; A. i

It will be seen by the extensions and many additions of Ada, that it has had a very rapid growth. At the time the railroad was being built, the company needed large amounts of timber and lumber, and S. M. Johnson was prevailed upon to locate at this place and erect a saw mill. This was the first business and the beginning and foundation of the town. Very soon after, a company store was started here, of which the head and principal was William Mitchell. He was succeeded by Horace Gilbert, William f Wilson, Mr. Greene and William League, who constituted the first and | families, made a demand for houses. These were the nucleus from which f has sprung the present large and flourishing town. The next most impor- f barrels, and employed many men. Joseph Crawford is said to have been the first blacksmith, and Mr. Morgan (colored) the second. The first phy- sicians were Dr. Ward and Dr. Kyle. The town had only a moderate growth up to about 1860, but in the meantime the country around was becoming thickly settled and improved, which gave a support and impetus to a more rapid growth. In the spring of 1862, N. B. Holder located here and opened the first drug store of the place. Business of all kinds rapidly increased and stores were multiplied and a steady growth of the town was maintained until 1870, the Normal School building was erected, and from this time forward to say the town grew rapidly does not express the true condition - it really " jumped " from a thriving village to a prosperous town of almost 2,000 inhabitants. We have thus briefly traced the history of the town, which has now been in existence scarcely thirty years, and will now sum up the present business interests numerically, which will show to generations in the future its volume of business in 1883; they are as follows: Four dry goods and general stores, seven groceries, one produce

! dealer, two hardware stores, three stove and tin stores, three drug stores, three boot and shoe stores, one book store, three clothing houses, two furniture stores, four millinery and fancy goods stores, one saddle and harness shop, three restaurants, three saloons, two billiard parlors, two banks, two livery stables, one grist mill, five blacksmiths, one scroll saw and planing mill, one saw mill, two carriage and wagon manufactories, three hotels, three barber shops, one artist and photographer, two bakeries, two jewelers, one gents' furnishing goods, two warehouses and grain elevators, four meat markets, one bed spring factory, one tile factory, one architect, eight physicians, three dentists, two attorneys at law, and one newspaper (weekly) established in 1872 by B. L. Thompson as a neutral paper, and known as the Ada Record. In 1877, J. E. Fisher became business editor, and its name was changed to The Commercial. In September, J 878, Mr. Fisher re tired. In November, 1877, the Literary Casket was established by Miller & Kutledge. In September, 1878, Mr. Rutledge sold his interest to B. L. Thompson, and the firm - now Miller & Thompson - purchased the Com- '- mercial of Mr. Fisher and consolidated the two into one paper, under the name of the Ada Record. In December, 1879, Mr. Miller purchased the I interest of Mr. Thompson, and, in August, 1881, Mr. Welsh became sole proprietor of the paper, and has since conducted its publication, and has i now a circulation of about 1,000.

Dobbins, V. D.; William Eifert, A. E. ; G. G. Westhoven, R.; A B. Charles, F. R. ; S. Watt, Treasurer; C. H. Thomas, Guide; W. N. Brvaii, Chaplain; Winfield Houser, G.; D Lehman, Sentinel; S. Watt, Jr., G. Sent, of O.; and L. W. Campbell, M. D. ; Trustees, M. V. Gilbert,, F. H. Moses and A. Welsh.

William L. Reece, Calvin E. Stumm, Hollis J. Gilbert, John C. Stumm, Samuel Arbuthuot, E. B. Heistand, Baltzer Mowan, J, W. Walters and John Scott, with the elective officers: Orrin Curtis, W. M. ; Nathan [

Alexander Comrey, S. D.; W. H. Barker, J. D. ; C. Young, Treasurer; n Benjamin Guyton, Secretary; and J. L. Smith, T. Meetings, first and jt third W ednesdays of each month. I

A. Barlow, G. M. 2d Y.; J. L. Smith, G. M. 1st V.; Peter Ahlefeld, Secre- tary; William Guyton, Treasurer; and W. H. Mustard, G. ; Trustees, M. [ Preston, George Seib and C. W. Gilbert. Meetings are held at Masonic | Hall the first and fourth Wednesdays of each month. j

Sinister, R. Secretary; E. E. Williams, P. Secretary; Daniel Butler, Treas- | urer. Present membership, seventy-four, with the following officers: J. ;

GOTTLIEB ADAM, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in Medina County, Ohio, j January 28, 1837, and is a son of Charles and Christina (Roecker) Adam, both ; natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. His father emigrated to America in 1833, and settled at first in New York, but finally, in 1836, moved to Medina Count}", Ohio, where he had a family of eight children, of whom six grew to adult i age. His father preached in the Lutheran Church. Our subject had a brother who also preached in a Lutheran Church, in Barry County, Mich., but Gott- 1 lieb learned the occupation of a farmer, and has followed it through life. In : 1862, he enlisted in the Tenth Ohio Cavalr}^, Company L. He served under I Gen. Sherman, on the march of the latter to the sea, and for eleven months was Gen. Crooks' body guard. He served until the close of the war, after fighting , in a number of battles and skirmishes. In 1867, he married Mary Knoedler, who was born in Ohio, in 1848, and is a daughter of John F. and Rosa Schorrenberger, both natives of the kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany. Her parents emigrated in 1845. Eight children have blessed this union, viz. : Frederick S., I John G., Rosa B., Charles F., Mary Ellen, Jacob William, Henry N. and Mabel I C. Mr. Adam generally votes on the side of the Democrats in politics, i PETER AHLEFELD, banker, Ada, was born in Richland County, Ohio, ^ and is a son of Rhinehart and Phoeba (Young) Ahlefeld. Rhinehart emit grated from Germany to America in 1802, settling in Baltimore, Md., where j he resided for three years, and then went to Ohio, at the time the latter was ad-

I mitted into the Union as a State. Rhinehart Ahlefeld was a first-class miller, ? which trade formed the chief occupation of his life. In 1863, he came to Har- » din County, and settled in Liberty Township, where he spent the remaining years of his life, and died in 1874, a well honored and respected citizen. Peter received a common school education at the log school house of Libert}". Upon the attain- ) j ment of his majority, in 1863, he formed a partnership with his brother Nathan,

I I and opened a general store in the mercantile trade in Ada. This partnership lasted a year, when he formed a new one with E. W. Gilbert, which continued

1 for eighteen months, at the end of which time, seeing the necessity of a more thorough education, he sold out his business and went to a commercial college in Pittsburgh, where he graduated in 1865. For two years after he was on the I road as a commercial traveler for a New York firm. In 1867, he returned to Ada and formed a partnership with E. E. Williams in the dry goods business, j which lasted for two years, and he then remained by himself in the business i until 1870. For the two succeeding years, he was out of business; but, in 1872, on the organization of the Citizens' Bank, he was appointed cashier, and remained in that capacity until 1874, when he and his brother bought the bank. In 1876, he bought out the interest of his brother in the bank, and has since continued it alone. In 1868, he was married to Rebecca Trumbo, of English descent. They have two children - Eugene R. and George I. Mr. Ahlefeld is I a prominent business man. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and in politics is a Democrat.

I February 9, 1811, and is a son of William and Polly Ansley. His mother, j whose maiden name was Kerzey, was born in Maryland, and is of French origin, j' His father, also a native of Maryland, is of English descent, and by occupation I -a farmer and shoe-maker. In 1836, he settled in Ohio, six miles north of Belle- fontaine. Oar subject was on the farm, and attended the log school- i house. In 1840, our subject settled in Section 85, Liberty Township, thiscounty, and is now the owner of a farm of 180 acres, all secured by great ( labor. He well remembers those earl}^ days, when he could shoot deer, wolves i and bears. He was familiar with the Wyandot Indians, among them the noted i Bob and Bill McCloud ; and cast votes with only sixteen others. He was mar- i ried, in 1840, to Mary Catharine McAdams, a daughter of James McAdams, a , wealthy and influential farmer. Mrs. Ansley was the onl}^ daughter, and was born in Tennessee ; she is an amiable, pleasant woman, and has brought up her children to be sensible men and women. Her children, six in number, are as follows : Leah, wife of J. F. Mongier, farmer ; Katherine, wife of Scott McCoy;, Carrie, wife of G-eorge Craig ; Emma, Jim and Ella. Mr. and Mrs. Ansley are members of the Disciple Church. In politics, Mr. Ansley votes on the Republican side.

SAMUEL ARBUTHNOT, timber dealer, Ada, was born November 24,. 1818, in Wheeling, Va., and is a son of Robert and Patience (Johnson) , Arbuthnot. His mother was born in Pennsylvania, and is of German and Scotch descent, and his father was a native of Ireland. His parents were married in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio in 1831, settling in Guernsey County, where his father became a wealthy farmer. Samuel was brought up on his father's farm, [ receiving a limited education, and, in 1842, at the age of twenty-four years, he ? came to Hardin Count}^, and settled in Marion Township, where he followed j farming for twelve years. He has resided in Ada since 1858. There are, at ^ present, only two families in Ada that were in the place when Mr. Arbuthnot j arrived in it. Mr. Arbuthnot has been in various kinds of business in Ada,. ; and at present is a lumber dealer. In 1839, he married Miss M. Lantz, a j daughter of George Lantz, who came to Ohio at an early date, and served in {[ the Indian war. They have seven children living, viz. : Robert, Elizabeth,. f|

Lovina, Samuel, Minerva, John and Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Arbuthnot are mem- ||' bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Arbuthnot has been Trustee and if; Class Leader ; has been an Assessor and a member of the Ada Council ; and. |f is a Master Mason. In politics, he is a Republican.

W. H. BARKER, mason, Ada, was born May 20, 1843, in Delaware County,. Ohio, and is a son of Joseph and Nancy J. (Benedict) Barker. His mother was Ic a native of Connecticut, and his father of Pennsylvania, both of English de- scent. His father was an enterprising man. He was a miner in California for ^|| a time, and, in 1832, came to Ohio and settled in Knox County, where he still jf resides. He was proprietor of a saw mill, but in later years has pursued farm- ' ing. Our subject was brought up on his father's farm and in his 3^outh learned | the trade of mason. For two years, he was working down South at his trade., j In 1861, he enlisted in the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company B, and j served three years. After the war, he traveled through the West, working at | his trade. In 1870, he returned to Ohio, and settled in Ada, where he is work- | ing successfully as a mason, and is classed among the best in the county. He [ owns the house and lot in Ada, where he resided. He married, January" 28,. j 1869, Olive Durbin, of Knox Count}^, Ohio. She is a daughter of John Dur- I bin, and is of English descent. Five children have blessed this union, viz. : i

GemimaG., Odo E., Elizabeth Ellen, Margaret and Ada Pearl. Mrs. Barker is a j member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Barker is a member of the Odd Fellows i societ^^, and is a Royal Arch Mason. In politics, he is a Republican. |

1835. His father, Denison Barnes, was born in Hampden Co., Mass., September ; 6, 1801, and with his parents emigrated to Ohio in the spring of 1815, stopping, i one year in Trumbull Count}^, and the 1st day of April, the following year,, found them putting up their log-cabin on the ground in Summit County, Newton Township, which has now been the home of father and son for sixty-seven years. The parentage still further back on the paternal side were born of the sturdiest New England stock, and can be traced, in earlier times, to a descent from a united English, Welsh, and Irish origin. .His grandfather, on the maternal side, Samuel Bodine, was born in Bockingham County, Va., and his ancestry on both sides is traced from New Jersey and Maryland to Holland and G-ermany. Samuel Bodine, having settled with his little family on the State line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, in 1817, moved to Wayne Count}-, Ohio, in which count}^ he lived until he died at the age of eighty-four years. G-randfather Barnes died at the age of eighty seven years. Nearly all of the ancestry on both sides raised large families and were, almost without exception, possessed of great tenacity of life. Many of them reaching eighty, ninety, and the maternal greatgrandmother one hundred and one years. The childhood of our sketch was passed on the farm, going to the district school in winter, with hard work on the farm all the rest of the year. Commenced his college course at Baldwin University, Berea Ohio, at the age of sixteen, and often teaching alternate years, and working at home during the intervals, graduated in the classical course at the age of twenty -three. All his ancestry, so far as we have knowledge, embraced the Arminian form of theology, and were stanch members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The subject of this sketch was happily converted to Grod while at the University, at seventeen years of age, under the labors of Rev. Liberty Prentice. From a child, his thoughts had been turned toward the Christian ministry ; but as he grew to manhood he conceived a great aversion to being led out in that direction. After his graduation, to escape the call to the ministry, he spent two years in the South and West, teaching and circulating books, in which, financially, he was very successful, but all the while harassed by the conviction that he ought to preach. At last, yielding to what he felt to be the order of Providence, he entered the traveling of Methodist Episcopal Church at the session of the Central Ohio Annual Conference, held in Kenton September, 1861. He was married, March 16, 1861, to Miss Harriet P. Gee, of G-eauga County, Ohio, with whom he had studied side by side in the University, both graduating in the same class. On February 2, 1866, while stationed at Wapakoneta, she joyfully passed to the land of eternal light and song, leaving her husband with two babies, one three years, and the other three weeks old. About one year after, he was married to Miss Jane E. Thrift, of Kalida, Ohio. During his pastorate, he has served four charges one year each, four charges two years each, and three charges three years each, coming to Ada and entering upon the pastorate here last September. The conference year thus far has been quite prosperous, sixty having been already received into the church, twenty-seven being heads of families.

BASTABLE & VAN LIEW, established in 1873. The largest hardware room in Hardin County ; a full and complete stock of hardware always on hand, in the old Ream Block, west side Main street.

CYRUS BOLEY, deceased, was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, October 24, 1829. He was a son of Jacob and Jane (Hampson) Boley, both natives of New Jersey and of German descent. Our subject was reared on the I farm, receiving a common school education, and learned farming for his occu- I pation. In 1852, at the age of twenty-three years, he came to Hardin County I and took a farm of the Grovernment land in Liberty Township. He owned 122 acres at the time of his decease. In 1859, he was married to Margaret Mc- Ginnis, by whom he had two children - Sarah T., wife of Edward Mann, a farmer in Liberty Township ; and Austin S., at home. Mrs. Boley is a member of the Baptist Church. In politics, Mr. Boley was a Democrat. He died j August 1, 1879, and is deeply mourned by his family.

Biographical Sketches

THOMAS BOYD, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born March 4, 1821. He is a | son of William and Susannah (Walling) Boyd, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. William Boyd was of Irish and his wife of I German descent. William Bo^^d was a wheelwright by trade, and at an early \ date made spinning wheels. The account which he kept shows that he has | made 3,500. In the later years of his life he was a farmer, and brought up | his son on the farm, allowing him an education from the common schools in | Delaware County. Thomas staid with his parents .until he was twenty-seven t y^ears of age. He had chosen farming for his occupation and was very success- j ful with it. Having started with $800, given by his parents, he now, by his | own exertions, owns a farm of 172 acres and a good property in Ada. In 1863, | our subject settled in Hardin County and came to Ada in 1879, and then re- [ tired from farming and is now living on Main street. In 1848, he married i Susannah Davenport, a sister of Dr. Davenport. The}^ have one child, Albert J J., who is married and does farming on his father's farm. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; the latter was Trustee and Steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Delaware County ; he was also delegate of the annual conference, and Class Leader and Superintendent of the Sabbath school. He ranks among the best citizen of Ada.

HENBY BROSEUS, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born March 25, 1848, in || Allen County, Ohio. He is a son of Peter and Sarah (Meckline) Broseus, both ij natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. His father, a farmer, settled [I in Allen County at an early date. Our subject was reared on the farm and for J his occupation selected farming. He is now settled on a farm on Section 26, J Liberty Township, where he is employed in stock-raising, making a specialty J of sheep, and has been very successful. In 1871, he married Miss Eliza M. fj Walser, a daughter of Peter and Sarah Walser, both of German descent. Four children have blessed this union - Sarah F., Peter F., John H. and Pemelia 0.

Mr. and Mrs. Broseus are members of the Lutheran Church. Although not an old resident of Liberty Township, Mr. Broseus is a very popular farmer. j!

WILLIAM N. BRYAN, of Ada, was born March 25, 1848, in Caroline l'|. Md. He is a son of William and Sarah (Adams) Bryan, the latter a na- U tive of Maryland. His father, of Irish descent, came to Ohio in 1855, and set- if tied in Marion County, where he followed his trade of blacksmith, and also pur- ! sued farming. Our subject was reared on the farm, receiving an ordinary edu- i cation from the common schools. For his occupation, he chose the trade of a carriage-maker. In 1872, he came to Hardin County, Ohio, and has been | working ever since at his trade. He is now employed in Conner's carriage | shop, having charge of the body and wood work department. The Bryan 1 Wind-Mill was invented by our subject ; it is coming into general use, and { proves to be a source of revenue to him. The patent was secured in 1882.

Mr. Bryan was united in marriage with Matilda IJncapher in 1868. She is a daughter of Solomon Uncapher, of Ohio, and is of German descent. Four children have blessed this union, of whom three are living, viz.: Presly F., Olive ? and Merritt. Mr. and Mrs. Br3mn are members of the Methodist Episcopal j Church. Mr. Bryan is a class leader and a member of the Knights of Honor. |

J. M. CANDLER, minister, Ada, was born May 18, 1819, in Lynchburg, i Campbell Co., Ya. He is a son of John and Phoebe (Boaz) Candler, both from | Virginia. His father, a farmer came to Ohio in 1823, and settled at first in | Clinton, and finally after several removals,, came, in 1832, to Hardin County, | and settled on Section 7, in Liberty Township. He died in 1835, and his i| widow several }'ears after. Our subject, the fifth of a family of eleven, three |j of whom are living, was reared on the farm, and attended the log schoolhouse. 'I This schoolhouse was only 12x14 feet, and the only text book used was

Webster's spelling book. He followed farming until about 1853, when he went into the ministr}", although not ordained until February 5, 1862. He has been a minister in Allen County, has organized Sabbath schools and three churches - the Plumb Creek Church, in Putnam County, one in Paulding County and one in Allen Count}^ He is now in charge of two churches. On November 18, 1845, he married Susannah Ea}'!, a daughter of George and Prudence Rayl, the former of Irish and the latter of German descent. They had eight children, six of whom are living, viz., Alvira S., wife of John Hyndman, a plasterer in Ada ; Amanda, wife of Mr. Freeman Kimmel, a farmer in Allen County ; Nancy, wife of Andrew Devore, a brick mason in Forest, Hardin County; Marshall, a farmer ; John W., at home; and William. In politics, Mr. Candler is a Democrat. He was an Assessor at one time, assessing the township in two days and a half He is the owner of forty-six acres of land in Section 16, where he now resides, and has lived in Liberty Township two years longer than any other resident of the township.

THOMAS CAREY, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in Perry County, Ohio, July 22, 1835. He is a son of John B. and Jane (Work) Carey, whose sketch will be found in connection with that of R. L. Carey, a brother of our subject. Thomas is the eldest of a family of thirteen, seven of whom are still living. He received a limited education at the common schools, and selected farming for his occupation. In 1861, he bought a farm in Liberty Township, which he cultivated, and is now the owner of 120 acres of valuable land. In 1867, he married Elizabeth Clapphan, by whom he had two children, Lenna Leota and John William. Mrs. Carey is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Carey is a Democrat in politics, and has been a successful farmer.

R. L. CAREY, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in Perry County, Ohio, November 27, 1840. He is a son of John B. and Jane (Work) Carey, the former from Delaware, the latter from Pennsylvania. His grandfather emigrated from Ireland, and settled in Delaware, and afterward moved to Perry County, Ohio, where he carried on farming ; he died in 1845. The father of our subject was reared on the farm, receiving a limited education, and, in 1859, settled in Liberty Township, on Section 23, where he is still living with his wife, and owns 439 acres of land. Our subject was one of a family of thirteen, seven of whom grew up and are married. He has followed farming for his occupation since a youth, and is the owner of a farm in Liberty Township where he resides. On November 24, 1868, he married Elizabeth Bowland, a native of Ohio, which union has not been blessed with children. Mr. and Mrs. Carey are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, he and his father are Democrats.

NELSON CAREY, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in Perry County, Ohio, May 14, 1855. He is a son of John B. and Jane (Work) Carey (see sketch of R. L. Carey), being the youngest of a family of thirteen. Nelson was educated at the Ada Normal School, and since a youth has followed the occupation of a farmer. He is the owner of a farm in Liberty Township, where he is also employed in raising stock. He was married in 1879 to Lydia McGlumphy, who was born in Pennsylvania, of English descent. One child, Lora Blanche, has blessed this union. Mr. Carey is a Democrat in politics, and is a useful citizen of Liberty Township.

P. CARSON, retired, Ada, was born November 8, 1818, in Manslield, Ohio. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Wilson) Carson, the former a native of New Jerse}', and the latter of Pennsylvania. John Carson came to Ohio in 1814, and settled in Richland County, at a time when there were about ten Indians to one white man. He was a firmer and brought up our subject, who was the fourth child, on his farm, allowing him the ordinary education from the common schools. Our subject wisely followed his lather's occupa- tion of farming, and has pursued it for twenty-five years, with success. Irr | 1844, Mr. Carson married Nancy Shanks, of German descent, and from Kich- i land Count}^ Ohio. Her father, William Shanks, was a farmer for several ' years in Crawford Count}^ Then bought a farm of 200 acres, where he lived 1 until 1881, and then came to Ada. Mrs. Carson has three children - C. M., | who is married and has a farm near Forest ; W. B., a practicing ph^^sician in i Bucyrus, Crawford Co., Ohio, and Alice, who attends school. Mr. and Mrs. ! Carson are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Carson is a Democrat in politics, and is a well-known citizen in Ada. ,

A. B. CHARLES, Justice of the Peace, Ada, was born February 19, 1848, j in Richland, Ohio. He is a son of Elijah and Hannah (Bostock) Charles, the former of whom is a native of Ohio, and the latter of England. The latter came to America at the age of nine 3^ears. Elijah Charles was a farmer, and brought up his son on the farm, giving him a common school education, and [ sending him for two years to the Baldwin University. For two or three -years j after, he taught school and also farmed. In 1871, he came to Ada, and opened i in the grain and seed business, which he followed six years, at the end of i which time he was elected Justice of the Peace, and still serves in that capac- [ it}". In 1872, Mr. Charles married Antha Morehead, a native of Richland I Count}", and a daughter of Alexander Morehead. They have two children - j Orville Eugene and Arthur. Mrs. Charles is a member of the Methodist Epis- l copal Church. Mr. Charles is a member of the Knights of Honor, and in the j years 1878 and 1879 was the Mayor of Ada. f

S. S. CLAYTON, merchant, Ada, was born April 4, 1855, in Montgomery ( County of this State. He is a son of William and Margaret Clayton, the » former a native of Ohio, and the latter of Virginia, both of English descent, f William Clayton was a tailor by trade, and worked at it for a number of years, | but in his later years has been a commercial traveler. Our subject received | his education from common schools, and the Normal School of Valparaiso, [ Ind. ; also from the Normal School in Ada. At the age of seventeen years, he | began teaching school ; he taught for seven consecutive years, most of the | time in towns. He was in the lumber trade, in company with Mr. Clemmer, 1 with whom he continued for one year, and then started in his present business, i a dealer in ready-made clothing, hats, caps, gents' furnishing goods, and mer- ! chant tailoring. In this business, he has secured a good class of customers, i and is quite successful. In 1879, Mr. Clayton married Miss L. A. Reece, a | daughter of W. L. Reece, a banker and prominent citizen of Ada. They have \ one child, Charles W. Mr. Clayton is a Democrat in politics ; was elected City |'i Clerk at the spring election, he being the only Democrat elected on the j ! ticket. By his friends, he is considered to be an honorable gentleman. h

MARTIN CLINE, farmer. P. 0. Ada, was born, in 1827, in France. He is N a son of Paul and Catherine Cline, both natives of France. His father was a ! ; farmer. Our subject was educated at the common schools in France, where he ! - learnt farming. On coming to America, he made his first dollar by grubbing, | , working by the job. He worked out by the day and month to get started, and j finally, after working out several years, was enabled to rent land, which he t ' would work, and he is now the owner of 260 acres of good land in Liberty j Township. In 1848, he married Mary A. Starner, who was born in Germany, i and is a daughter of Silfary Starner. They have four children - Philip, a [ farmer in Mercer, married to Julia King ; Mike, a farmer, married to Anna | Quinn, and living at his father's farm ; John, farmer, and Married to Celia | ^ Quinn, and Mary, wife of Jasper Price, a farmer in Liberty Township. In ijl 'politics, our subject is a Democrat. !i

M. M. CONNER, manufacturer, Ada, was born in Ohio, July 31, 1852. | ' He is a son of Kyrne and Mary (Corby) Conner. His parents were natives of i i Ireland, and soon after their marriage came to America and settled in New ' York. His father was a railroad man in his earl3" life, bat he did farming in his 1 -later years. Our subject was brought up on the farm, but chose the occupation of carriage painter, which he pursued for twelve years. He is now a manufacturer of carriages, in partnership with his brother, on Johnson street,

I south of the railroad depot. The business was originally conducted by William Conner and J. Johnson, in 1874, but, on the death of the latter, it has been carried on by the present firm. The latter, have by their energy and ; faithfulness, extended the business and it is still on the increase. In 1881,

1 Mr. Conner married Belle McCormick, of English descent. They have one child, Joseph J. Mr. Conner is a Bepublican in politics. He is a member of i the Freemasons, a Knight of Honor, and of the Bed Men. Mr. Conner also pays some attention to the breeding of imported chickens, of which Buff Cochins forms his specialty".

! WILLIAM CONNEB, manufacturer, Ada, was born in Amsterdam, New York State. The names of his parents and their nationality may be found in the sketch previous to this of his brother, M. M. Conner. The subject of this sketch received an ordinar}^ education at the common schools and was brought up on the farm. He learned the trade of carriage blacksmith, at which he j worked for six years. In 1874, he went into business in Ada, and has continued at it ever since. The extent of the business, in which he has one-half

I interest, has been mentioned in the previous sketch of his brother, who is his partner. In 1877, Mr. Cbnner was united in marriage with Mary Devore. The latter is of German descent, and a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Conner is a Democrat in politics ; is the owner of a very neat and substantial residence in Ada, and ranks among the well-known citizens of that place.

J. E. COX, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in Highland County, Ohio, January 26, 1822. He is a son of William and Margary (Bruce) Cox, both natives of Yirginia, and of Scotch and English descent. His father followed farming, t Our subject spent his ^^outh on the farm, attending the common schools, and I chose farming for his occupation. On November 1, 1849, at the age of twentyeight 3"ears, he married Miss Hannah Stout, a daughter of Peter and Ann ^ , (Eyre) Stout, the former a native of Tennessee, of German descent, the latter a native of Virginia, of Welsh descent. To this union there were born five chil- * dren - Peter B. (deceased), Maggie (deceased), James W., Elmer D. and Hattie E. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are members of the M. E. Church. In 1855, he ! came with his family to this county and settled in Liberty Township, where he ' is now the owner of a well-improved farm. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Eightieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Compan}^ D, and was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness. Since the war, he has been carrying on I farming. In politics, he is a Bepublican, and is greatly^ respected by all his J friends.

I W. W. CBOOKS, freight and ticket agent, Ada, was born in Tuscarawas j County, Ohio, June 4, 1856. He is a son of Bev. J. F. and Catherine Crooks,

I both of Tuscarawas County, and of Irish and English lineage. His grandj father, Bobert L. Crooks, was born January 1, 1800, and is still living, residing I in Van Wert County where he is a retired farmer. The latter is remarkable for j never having used tobacco in any form, or used liquors. The father of our subject was a teacher by' vocation, until 1861, when he enlisted in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and, for eight months, served as private, and then was appointed to the office of a Chaplain, which he retained to the close of the war. Our subject received his education from the graded schools, and from Oberlin j College. For his occupation, he chose to be on the railroad, and, in 1870, learned telegraphy\ The following year he was put in charge of the night to the charge of the day office. In 1880, he was promoted to the position I of operator in train -dispatcher's office at Fort Wayne, Ind., but resigned the ! same year and returned to Van Wert. He finally proceeded, in 1881, to Ada, where he has since remained. Mr. Crooks was united in marriage, in 1879, j with Miss Kosa J. Ross, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Kepper) Ross, both j of English descent. One child has resulted from this union, named Josiah j Ross Crooks. Mr. and Mrs. Crooks are members of the Methodist Episcopal \ Church. Mr. Crooks is a Royal Arch Mason of the Ada Chapter, No. 138, and Knight Templar of Shawnee Commandery, No. 1 4, of Lima, and in politics is a ! Republican. j

J. T. CUNNINGrHAM, merchant, Ada, was born in Fleming County, | Ky., March 26, 1837. He is son of Reuben and Sarah McClelland, both of [ Irish descent and natives of Kentucky. His father, who was a farmer,/ reared j his son on the farm, giving him a common school education. When, in his \ youth, J. T. Cunningham left the farm, he clerked in a grocery store, receiving i for two years his board and clothing, and after that his highest salary was $15 !

monthly. He then took one-fourth interest, in the store, giving his time and | experience against the capital of W. H. Truesdall. In this he was successful, j but three years after, in 1869, sold out and purchased a farm three miles north | of Lima ; this farm he retained for two years, then sold it and in 1872 came | to Ada and opened in the dry goods business. He has a very large custom, j and his polite and gentlemanly demeanor has rendered him very popular. His stock is extensive, the last invoice being $16,000. He has met with but few j reverses in business, and all he possesses has been secured b}' his own exer- i tions. In 1860, he married Anna E. Clippenger, who bore him four children, ! viz.: Mason E., Franklin C., Zua F. and Charles W. Mrs. Cunningham died ! June 8, 1877. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Cun- | ningham was married a second time, to Lorena Holland, daughter of Col. B. i A. Holland, of Ada. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham are both members of the ;*! Methodist Episcopal Church, and are much thought of in Ada.

RALPH DAVENPORT, physician and surgeon, Ada, Ohio, was born in ji; Delaware, Ohio, September 6, 1834. His parents emigrated from Ireland to k America about the beginning of the present century, and first settled in what is is now the State of West Virginia, then however, part of the Old Diminion. 1 1 After remaining there a short time, they removed to Belmont County, Ohio, ill where they resided until the year 1830, when they finally removed to Dela- j ; ware County, settling there as pioneers and living there until his father's death, which occurred during the prevalence of the Asiatic cholera in the year 1850. About this time, the subject of our sketch entered the Ohio Wesleyan Univer- j : sity at Delaware, Ohio ; after a three-year course at this university, he entered | - the office of Dr. John White, of Delaware, Ohio, he having chosen medicine | and surgery as his profession. He here read the prescribed time, and also at- | : tended two full courses of lectures at the Cincinnati College of Medicine and | Surgery, graduating in that institution in the term of 1857-58, then prac- j ticing his profession until the outbreak of the late war, when he enlisted in the army. Commencing with the lowest step in the ladder, he steadily ad- i vanced in medical positions, from hospital cadet to brigade Surgeon, until the last year of the war, when becoming somewhat tired of field service, he entered As}4iun United States Army General Hospital, Knoxville, Tenn., as a w^ard Surgeon, serving in this capacity until appointed to the superintendency i of Holstein General Hospital, after which he was appointed Surgeon in charge | of Brownlow United States Army General Hospital, Knoxville, Tenn., in | t which position the close of the war found him ; he then resigned his position || there and retired to private practice in the village of Ada, Ohio, where he i ' has ever since resided and still resides, practicing the profession of his | choice. :

N. M. DAVIDSON, engineer, Ada, was born December 28, 1833, in Trumbull Count}^, Ohio. He is a son of John and Polly (Mason) Davidson ; the latter was a native of New York and of English descent ; the former of Scotch descent, and a native of Vermont. He died in 1881 at the a-e of eighty-four years. Our subject was educated at the common schools and learned farming in his youth, which occupation he has followed most of his life. For man}" years, he was on the road selling farming implements. He is of a mechanical turn of mind, and has invented a machine that has proved to be a source of great revenue to him. This is the Davidson Traction Engine, a that does work on both the farm and the road, and is the most complete and practicable traction engine in the market ; it was patented March 27, 1877. ^ In 1858, Mr. Davidson was united in marri'age with Lucinda Wick, a daughter of David Wick, who is of German lineage. Mrs. Davidson is a member of the ta Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Davidson is a Republican in politics, and is R a noted citizen of Ada.

^ The former of English descent, is a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Irish descent, is a native of Maryland. James was one of a family of eight ; his education was derived from the common schools in Washington Count}^, Penn. He learned the saddler's trade from his father, and followed it up to i I his twenty-fourth year, after which he engaged in farming, and continued it ' i for thirty-eight years, being unusually successful in it. In 1852, he settled in .. Marion Township, Hardin County, where he farmed until 1880, and then rei tired from business and settled in Ada a wealth}" man. In 1862, he enlisted in ! the Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was discharged at Lexington, Ky., in 1863. Six of his sons were in the army, four of his own, and two of his step-sons ; one of the latter, John T. Norris, was killed in battle. In 1837, he married Jane Honey, who died without issue the same year. In 1839, he married a second ' time, Elizabeth Davis, who was the widow Norris at the time. Seven children were the result of this union - Samuel, who keeps a furniture store on Main street; James M., a partner with the former; Thomas and Isaac, twins; William (deceased) ; Lorenzo D. and Cephas. Mrs. Davis died October 21, 1876. Both she and her husband were members of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Davis, in politics, was a Bepublican, but lately voted on the : Prohibition ticket.

I DAVID DAVISSON, a retired farmer in Ada, was born in Virginia April 13, 1825. He is a son of John and Charity (Chrichfield) Davisson, natives of Virginia and of Scotch and English descent. John Davisson died when David was fourteen years old ; the latter was thus obliged to look out for himself at an early age. He had received a limited education from the district schools,

He now, after hard work and great economy, can be said to be well off, all I owing to his own exertions. In 1860, Mr. Davisson married Pamelia E. Suder,

I a native of Ohio and of Dutch descent. She was born in 1837. They have j two children - Addie May and John F., both attending the Normal School, j Mrs. Davisson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Davisson I is a Republican ; he was Justice of the Peace in Auglaize County and is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being Master Mason of Lodge No. 205. ELI BEAGLE, minister, Ada, was born in IMuskingum County, Ohio, Jj December 10, 1827. He is a son of John and Mathilda (Selsam) Beagle, both L natives of Maryland and of Gorman descent. His father, in his early years, f i was a shoe-maker, but he finally carried on farming. Our subject was brought

Sup on the farm, and in his youth learned the trade of shoe-maker. He was, in company with his two brothers, carrying on a shop for several years, in

Hancock County. In 1860, he moved to Dunkirk, Ohio, where he pursued ! his trade and remained eleven years. In 1874, he came to Liberty Township ; and bought a farm of eighty acres, and has since been living there. In 1850, I he married Elizabeth J. Sears, a daughter of Presley W. Sears. She was born " in Virginia and is of English lineage. They have six children living - Eliza A., wife of D. P. Shall, a farmer ; John P., a harness-maker of the firm of Patterson & Beagle in Ada ; Howard, a farmer in Marion Township ; Hattie M. ; Lydia M. and Bessie R. Mr. and Mrs. Beagle are both members of the Baptist Church, where the former has been for several years a Deacon. In 1856, he had acted as a minister, and five years after was regularlj' installed i and has been minister in the Dunkirk Church ever since. For one year he j has been preaching in the Liberty Chapel. [

A. E. DEGrLER, penman, Ada, was born March 28, 1853, in Berks Count}', Penn., and is a son of Daniel and Lydia (Hiester) Degler, both of whom are natives of Pennsylvania, and of German lineage. His father was a farmer, and brought up his son on the farm, allowing him an ordinary education from the common schools. In 1874, at the age of twenty-one years, our subject took writing lessons of A. A. Southworth, with whom he continued about four months ; and then, being discouraged, he worked on the farm. After a short time he resumed his lessons, taking them of G. W. Michael, of Lebanon. He j remained there five months, and then went to a business college of B. M. Worth- 1 ington's, at Toledo, Ohio, where he took a full course of book-keeping and pen- | manship. For one winter, in 1877, Mr. Degler was a teacher of penmanship at j the Western Reserve Seminary. In 1879, he was at Oberlin College, where he i remained three months, taking lessons in plain and ornamental writing. In ^

1881, he accepted the position as teacher of penmanship in the Northwestern | Ohio Normal School, at Ada, Ohio, resigning said position in 1882, to engage | in mercantile business. Disposing of his stock of merchandise in the fall of !

He is considered to be the most accomplished penman in the county. Mr. Deg- |j ler married at West Farmington, Ohio, Miss Ella H. Lewis, of Iowa. She is a j member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Degler owns two residences | in Ada, and also the building where he has his school. i

EDWARD DICKENS, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in England May 4, ; 1831. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Dickens, both natives of England, j His father, who was a farmer, emigrated to America in 1851, and settled in i New York City, where he followed teaming, remaining there two years and a ' half. He then farmed for one summer, and after that went to Logan County, ' Ohio, where he was for two years working at a saw mill. He finally came to j Hardin County, twenty-four years ago, and settled in Liberty Township. In \ 1856, he married Hannah Caster, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John Caster. She had one child, now deceased. Mrs. Dickens died in 1857. !

He was again married, this time to Mrs. Smith, widow, whose maiden name was < Grace Miller. They have four children - Sarah E., wife of C. W. Preston ; i John, at home, Ida J. and Della L. Mr. and Mrs. Dickens are members of the t \ Evangelical Association. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty- | ' fifth Ohio National Guards Company ; he received a wound in battle, which j : crippled him for life. In politics, he is a Republican. i

HUGH DOBBINS, farmer, P. 0. Ada, was born in Mahoning County No- f vember 10, 1820. He is son of Matthew and Elizabeth (McKibben) Dol3bins, | i the former of whom was a native of Washington County, Penn., and the latter I < of Harrison County, Ohio. His parents were of Scotch u,nd Irish descent, they |j j having fied from the Highlands of Scotland, during the persecution there, to M County Down, North of Ireland. Matthew Dobbins lived to the advanced age ! of eighty years, and died at Lima, Ohio. He was in the war of 1812, when 1.

-eighteen years of age. Of the seven children he had, four are still living - Hugh, John, Nancy and Joseph. Martha Dobbins (Anderson, b}^ marriage) died in San Jose, Cal., five years since, and Elizabeth and Mary Jane died in infancy. Hugh received an education from the common schools, and also attended Miami University one term. He spent four years in teaching school, one year at Lima, one in the village of Clifton, and two years in the country. He was Recorder of Allen County, one year by appointment, and three by election. In 1847, he married Mary A. Elwell, by whom he had five children - Arthur Chalmers, Mary Elizabeth, Charlie Dill, James Anderson, and Calvin Middleton, who died in infancy. Mrs. Dobbins died December 12, 1856. In April, 1858, Mr. Dobbins married a second time, to Mary Jane, a daughter of John Funstons, of Clark County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins, and all the -children living, are members of the Presbyterian Church. In 1869, when Mr. Dobbins came to Ada, he bought a tract of land, now inside the corporation of Ada, and laid it out in what is known as Dobbins' First and Second Additions to Ada. His residence is very pleasantly situated on the corner of Normal and South Hilbert streets.

I whom a sketch has been given in connection with that of Hugh Dobbins, a brother of our subject. John Dobbins received a limited education from the common schools and was brought up on his father's farm near Lima, Allen County, where he remained until 1869. At the time of the war, he was buying horses for the Hovernment. In 1850, Mr. Dobbins was married to Mary A. Skilling, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Skilling. Mrs. Dobbins was a teacher in early life, and is a lady of cultivation and refinement. They have five children - Ella E., Lewis L., Olive 0., Mary M. and William W. One of the daughters, Olive, is a graduate of the Ada Normal School, Mary is a music teacher, and William is a telegraph operator. Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Dobbins is a Republican in politics, j For twent}^ years he has been a Ruling Elder in the church. He was a Justice I of the Peace in Allen County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins are very well j known in Ada, and are very popular.

j S. S. ELBERSON, restaurant keeper, Ada, was born August 14, 1842, in j Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Nogle) Elberson, the former a native of New Jersey, and of Herman descent, and the i latter a native of Pennsylvania and of Dutch descent. In 1829, Benjamin El- - berson came to Ohio and settled in Hancock County, where he pursued farm-

Township ; he died in 1877. Our subject was the oldest of a family of nine ; he received an education from the common schools of Hardin County and worked w

T. D. McELROY, carpenter, Ada, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, March 2, 1837. He is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Morrison) McElroy. His parents were among the pioneers of Hardin County. Our subject is reared on his father's farm, receiving a common school education in Lib- . erty Township. In 1868, he learned the trade of carpenter, and has worked at it ever since. He came to Hardin County in 1860, and in 1862 enlisted in the Ninety-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company D, and was discharged in 1865. In 1859, he was married to Rachel Hodge, a daughter' of William Hodge, of Irish descent. Six children blessed this union, viz., B. D., Belle, Carrie, Cartis D., Bertie and Anna T. (deceased). Mrs. McElroy is a member* of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. McElroy is a Democrat in politics, and a Master Mason.

FREDERIC MAGLOTT, professor, Ada, was born December 12, 1851, in Richland County, Ohio. His father, Jacob Maglott, was born in Germany, coming to this country when a young man. His mother, Catharine Detwiler, was born in Pennsylvania, and came with her father to this State J| when she was but a little girl, and when heavy forests covered the greater part of the surface of the country. Frederic Maglott was reared on his I father's farm and enjoyed all the benefits of hard farm work, as well as 1 those of the country school. He was very fond of music, and early devoted fl himself to its study, and for several years taught the rudiments of music, I giving evening lessons at the schoolhouses of his neighborhood and those I adjoining. At the age of nineteen years, he entered the high school of j Belleville, Ohio, attending for two years, and continued his student life I for nearly five years longer at the Northwestern Ohio Normal School, at i Ada, Ohio, and the Otterbein University at Westerville, Ohio. During this time, he taught three terms of school. In the year 1876, he became associated as a partner of the Northwestern Ohio Normal School, having purchased one-fourth interest, and here he has since labored faithfully. During the first two years, he taught mathematics mainly, but since, geography, German and the ancient languages have been his specialties. He is the author of several works on geography, viz., "Hand book of Geography" and a "Manual of Geography," besides several smaller works. On July 26, 1880, he was married to Eva Sisson, of McArthur, Ohio, who has since been laboring with him as a teacher. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and at present Superintendent of the Sunday school at Ada, as well as leader in the choir. He is President of the Young Men's Christian Association of the Normal School.

MICHAEL MANKEY, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Ada, was born in Greene County, Penn., January 24, 1823. He is a son of Peter and Barbara (Easier) Mankey,both of German descent, the former born in Maryland, the latter in Washington Comity, Penn. His father followed farming. Our subject was the youngest of a family of ten children, and was reared on the farm, attending the log schoolhouse. He learned farming in his youth, and has followed it for his occupation. In 1866. he came to this county and settled on Section 23, Liberty Township, where he is now the -owner of a farm of fifty-one acres. In 1852, he was united in marriage with Margaret McGlumphy, of Pennsylvania. Eight children have blessed this union, five of whom are living - Barbara, a school teacher; Ann Eliza, wife of L. Street, a farmer; Maggie, wife of N. High, a teamster in Ada; I. T., a farmer; and Olive. Mr. and Mrs. Mankey are members of the

WILLIAM EOLAND MATHEWS, minister, Ada, was born September 29, 1836, in Mount Blanchard, Hancock Co., Ohio. His father, Jonathan Mathews, was born December 4, 1808; his mother, whose name was Eebecca Donaldson, was born July 9, 1816. They were of Irish descent,

, and were married April 30, 1833. They moved to Cessna Township in August, 1834, on 160 acres that he had previously entered at $1.25 per acre in Section 6. Finding it to be altogether a wilderness, they moved to Mount Blanchard, where they lived until about 1837. While there, J. Mathews sold dry goods, etc. They then moved back and cleared up his farm and raised seven children - Elizabeth J., William Eoland, PhebeE., Joseph D., Melvin J., Lavina E. and Mary Genevera. Our subject received his education from the common schools of this county, with an additional term of one year's schooling in Story County, Iowa, in 1857. He selected farming for his occupation, and has followed it through life up to within the last few years. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company I;, was a non-commissioned officer, and served his full term. On March 20, 1860, he was married to Mrs. Mary Markley, a daughter of Frederic Markiey. She was born September 12, 1840, in Washington Township, where her father is a farmer. They have five children living - Clara M., Lora G., Granville W., Joseph Walter and Forest Foster. Mr. Mathews has been a traveling minister in full connection in the Miami Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist connection for the last four years. The field assigned to him for his conference during these years is Beech Grove, in Cessna Township. Mr Mathews is a holiness preacher; he believes in preaching Bible holiness, and also all the doctrines that are to be found between the lids of the Hoi} Bible. In politics, Mr. Mathews is a Eepublican, and was five years a Township Clerk. He owns a farm of 160 acres in Cessna Township, and also valuable property in Ada, where he now lives.

MICPIAEL MELHOEN, farmer, P. O. Ada, was born in Lancaster County, Penn., October 10, 1823. At the age of uineteen, he came to Ohio, locating in Eichland County, where he remained until the 9th of June, 1846. He then entered the Mexican war, enlisting as a volunteer in the Third Ohio Eegiment under the command of Col. Samuel Curtis, and serving as a private in Company C, under Capt. Thomas Ford. His command, participating in several engagements, marched through to Buena Vista, leaving that place for New Orleans in June, 1847, where they were mustered out. Eeturning to Eichland County in 1848, he was married to Miss Martha Ahlefeld, a sister of Nathan and Peter Ahlefeld, well known business men of Hardin County. He began working at his trade of wagon-making, and in 1851 moved to Putnam County, which at that time ' was all a wilderness. Here he remained a number of years, removing to Hardin County in 1861, where he purchased the land upon which he now resides. From wffiat was then an unbroken forest, he has now one of the best farms in Plardin County. His farm adjoins the enterprising viJlage of Ada. The war for the Union once more called him to the military field in May of 1864. This time he was made Captain of the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Eegiment, Company I, Ohio Volunteers. He was compelled to experience some of the tortures of the Southern " prison pens," being captured by the rebel forces under Early, July 7, 1864, in an engagement near Harper's Ferry. He was confined successively in the renowned.

prisons of Charleston, Columbia, Macon, Ealeigh and Goldsboro, and was finally exchanged at A¥ilmington, entering the Union lines on March 1, 1865. Starvation and exposure during prison life brought on a malignant fever, and for some time after his return home his life was despaired of. Since the war, Mr. Melhorn has devoted himself to farming. His family consists of three sons and three daughters, four of his children being married. He is now in his sixtieth year and enjoys the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

W. H. MOOEE, farmer, P. O. Ada, was born April 6, 1848, in Fairfield County, Ohio. His father, B. F. Moore, is of Scotch and his mother of German lineage. His father followed farming. Our subject was reared on the farm and attended the common schools; he selected the occupation of a farmer, and has followed it through life. In 1865, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company A, and served until the close of the war. He married, in 1867, Sarah Powell, a daughter of William and Nancy (Lyons) Powell. Five children have blessed this union, viz., W. W., Ella, Joseph H., David C. and Emma E. Mr. and Mrs. Moore are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Moore is a Eepublican in politics, and is the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres.