Monroe Township (part 2 of 2)

DAVID NISWONGER, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 17 ; P. O. Pottsdam, Miami Co., Ohio. The subject of this memoir was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, May 29, 1834, and is a son of George and Elizabeth Niswonger ; Mr. Niswonger was born in Montgomery Co. March, 1809, and lived and died on the place where he was bora, aged 70 years 4 months and 4 days ; Mrs. Niswonger was born in Pennsylvania January, 1811, and died in Montgomery Co., Ohio, aged 57 years ; they were the parents of six children, of whom all are living but one, who died in infancy - David (the subject of this sketch), Eli (whose sketch also appears in this work), Catharine (now Mrs. Peffly, and resides in Franklin Township), May (now Mrs. W anger, lives in Montgomery County) and Moses who resides in Michigan. Our subject assisted his father on the farm till his 21st year, when he began life for himself, and worked his father's farm on shares for two years, and burned lime for a season ; then removed to Darke County and settled on the farm where he now resides, when it was mostly in the woods ; he immediately set to work to clear off the heavy timber, and, going at it with a will, he soon accomplished a large part of the work, and, at the expiration of six jrears, he purchased a steam saw-mill, which he operated for four years, but was very unfortunate in this undertaking as the mill was twice destroyed by fire, and he was a loser of all the labor and money he had furnished ; he then turned his attention to the farm again, and has followed this occupation ever since; he has 90 acres of good land, all in a good state of cultivation, and the improvements are all first-class ; Mr. Niswonger has been very unfortunate in life ; in 1868, the first year after he resumed work on the farm, he lost upward of $ 1 00 worth of hogs from cholera ; the second year, he lost the best horse he had, which cost him $140 to replace ; the third year, he was terribly afflicted with sickness in his family, and doctor bills, etc., cost him a Large amounl of money ; in 1871, he lost his entire crop, except some barley and wheat,, by a terrible hail-storm that swept over his locality, and was a heavy loss to him ; since then, the sunshine of peace and prosperity has dissolved the lowering clouds of adversit}', and all has gone well ; free from pecuniary loss, he has escaped the ravages of disease, and the elements no longer play sad havoc with his growing grain. He celebrated his marriage with Miss Anna, daughter of Jacob and May Pebbly, March 14, 1857; they were natives of Penns}"lvania, and removed to Montgomery County in 1823 ; Mr. Pebbly was born in August, 1801 ; Mrs. Pebbly was born in 1803 ; they were the parents of ten children, viz., Lydia (now Mrs. Flory, resides in Montgomery County), Sarah (now deceased, formerly Mrs. Prizen resided in Indiana), Fanny (now Mrs. Flory, resides in Montgomery County), John (who lives in Darke County), Mary (now Mrs. Landis, formerly Mrs. Cloppert, who lives in Montgomery County), Anna (wife of the subject of this sketch), Jacob (resides in Darke County), Simon (lives in Montgomeiy County), Samuel (resides in Miami County), Benjamin (started for Kansas the 16th of December, where he intends to make a home) ; Mr. and Mrs. Niswonger are the parents of seven children, viz.: Moses, born June 14, 1858 ; Mary E., March 12, 1861 ; Clement L., Sept. 1. 1863; Charles E., March 26, 1868; Cora, Sept. 27, 1870; Sarah. Nov. 30, 1873: Edwin A., Aug. 21, 1877; Clement departed this life Oct. 15, 1863 ; both Mr. and Mrs. Niswonger are members of the German Baptist Church, and are worthy Christian people ; he was once an inveterate user of tobacco, but, finding it was undermining his health, he resolved to quit, and did ; his receipt for a cure is, <; never put it in your mouth, and don't use it in any way, shape or form." JOHN NISWONGER, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 18 ; P. 0. Arcanum ; to the subject of this memoir we are pleased to accord a place in the front ranks of the early pioneers of Darke Co. ; he was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Ma}T 28, 1815, and is a son of John and Elizabeth Niswonger, who were born in Virginia about 1786, and removed to Ohio in 1807, and settled northwest of Dayton about twelve miles, where they resided till Mr. Niswonger's death, which occurred in 1850 ; some years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Niswonger removed to Darke Co., and resided with her daughter, Mrs. Samuel Baker, till her death, which occurred when upward of 70 years of age ; they were the parents of nine children, of whom five are living, viz.: John, the subject of this sketch ; Eli, a resident of Montgomery Co. ; Frances, now Mrs. Benjamin Baker, and resides in Montgomery ; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Samuel Baker, and lives in the same county ; May, now Mrs. Samuel Baker, and resides in Darke Co. The deceased are George, died aged 71 years ; Rachel (Mrs. Michael), aged 68 years; Nellie (Mrs. Swank). aged 38 years ; Nicholas departed this life at the age of 47 years. Our subject assisted his father on the farm till his 21st year, when he began life for himself, and rented a farm in Montgomery Co. for two years, and then removed to Darke Co. in 1837 ; he purchased 180 acres of land, built a cabin immediately and went to work to clear up his land, which was covered with a dense growth of heavy timber and underbrush, and, by dint of hard labor that required energy and perseverance, he and his good wife, after years of toil and privations, such as the early pioneers of Darke Co. know, have, with their combined efforts, made a home in which to end their declining years, full of every comfort and happiness and refinement, and are dwellers therein. Our subject has been very successful all through life, and added to his original purchase 160 acres in Sec. 18, and removed to this place in 1878, where he still resides. He was united in marriage with Miss Susanna, daughter of David and Esther Warner, Sept. 3, 1835. Mr. Warner was born in Bedford Co., Penn., April 3, 1787, and died Nov. 13, 1862. Mrs. Warner was born in the same county in 1788, and died Sept. 13, 1872 ; they removed to Montgomery Co. in 1811, and settled on a farm ; they were the parents of seven children, of whom five are living, Susanna, now Mrs. Niswonger; Catharine, now Mrs. Leechy, and resides in this county ; John, resident of Miami Co. ; Jacob, resides in this county ; David, a resident of Madison Co., Ind. The deceased are Henry. died Sept. 22, 1841 ; Elizabeth, died in 1867, aged 56 years. Mr. and Mrs. Niswonger are the parents of twelve children, viz. Maiy, born Jan. 9, 1837 ; Catharine, born July 11, 1838; George, born Nov. 3, 1839; Elizabeth, born April 13,

1841 ; David, born Jan. 6, 1843; Esther, born March 4, 1845 ; Lydia, born April 20, 1847 ; Luanda, born Sept. 2, 1851 ; John C born July 22, 1853; Harvey, born Sept. 16, 1855: Nicholas J., born June 1, 1857, and Harriet. Elizabeth departed this life Aug-. 14, 1870. Mr. Niswonger has spared neither pains nor expense to educate his children, John, Harvey. Nicholas and Harriet being successful educators, and are leaders in the profession ; our subject and his wife have been members of the German Baptist Church for twenty-six }*ears, and are zealous Christian people.

JACOB PRESSLER, farmer ; P. 0. Gordon. Born near Sultz Oct. 5, 1835 ; is a son of Martin and Catherine (Roth) Pressler, who were married in Germany in 1834. Mrs. Pressler died soon after the birth of our subject, hence he was the onty child by the union. Martin was again married in 1836, to Susan Bass, and by this union there were eight children, of whom seven are now living. In early life, he served an apprenticeship of carpentering, after which he devoted several 3-ears to traveling over the continent of Europe. Being a man of remarkable ingenuity, a large portion of his time was devoted to the manufacture of public and town clocks, cabinet-organ cases, etc. He also served a length of time in the military service of his country. On the 30th of June, 1848, he and his family emigrated to the United States, landing in Dayton, Ohio, in August following. He soon found employment in a machine-shop in Miamisburg ; continued the same until 1860, when he moved to Darke Co. and followed farming until his death,. which occurred Dec. 5, 1868. His widow survived him until June 9, 1878, when she, too, passed away. Our subject was employed in a machine-shop in Miamisburg from the age of 16 to 19 years. He then engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he has since followed. In 1862, he was united in marriage with Margaret Surber ; nine children are the fruits of this union, of whom eight are now living. Upon his marriage, he purchased 40 acres of land in Sec. 24, Monroe Township, which he has since brought from its wild condition to a good state of cultivation by his own hard labor. He has, since a resident of Darke Co., held the office of Township Clerk three }Tears, Township Trustee six years, and School Director nine years.

GEORGE PUTERBAUGH, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 8 ; P. O. Potsdam. Miami Co., Ohio. The subject of this memoir was born in Pennsylvania Dec. 7, 1811, and is a son of Samuel and Eve (Croner) Puterbaugh, who moved to Montgomery County, near Dayton, in 1814, and were among the early pioneers of that county ; our subject was only 5 years old at the time, and remained at home and assisted his father on the farm, as his help was a grand acquisition to his parents. to assist in clearing the heav}' growth of timber that everywhere met the eye of the settler before the land could be satisfactorily tilled ; our subject has lived tosee the monarchs of the forest succumb to the onward march of civilization and improvement ; the ax has done its work, the forest has been leveled, the wilderness made to blossom as the rose ; at the age of 20. our subject served an apprenticeship under his brother and learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for three years, when he again resumed farming, and labored for his father's benefit till he was 26 }Tears of age, when he went out into the world to battle for an existence, amid the turmoil and strife of the world's doings, with no capital save a horse that was a present from his father; he rented a farm in Montgomery County, which he carried on for three years, and Avas very successful, making about $1,500, which enabled him to purchase 160 acres of land, for which he paid $3,200 ; he now being a real-estate holder, he went to work with renewed energy and a determination to clear himself from debt, which he soon accomplished, and had sufficient ahead to buy 80 acres more land, for which he paid |2,600 ; he resided on the farm for twelve years, when, in 18(10. lie purchased a water paper mill, on the Stillwater, but was not successful in this undertaking, as he suffered a loss of $8,000 ; thus the fruits of labor were swept from him in a short time, that took years of incessant labor to amass ; in 1866, he removed to Darke County, where he purchased 240 acres of land where he now resides. Samuel Puterbaugh was born in Franklin Co., Penn., in February, 1790, and was a son of George and Mary Puterbaugh, natives of Pennsylvania ; their parents were European born on both sides, and died at advanced ages ; his mother was born in Bedford Co., Penn., in 1790 or 1791, and died in 1849, aged 58 years ; his father died, aged 59 years ; they were the parents of eleven children, of whom seven are living. Our subject was united in marriage with Miss Sarah, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Weybright, May 26, 1836. and are the parents of eleven children, viz.: Harriett, born Aug. 13. 1837 ; Samuel, born Jan. 8, 1840 ; Jacob, born Aug. 28, 1842 ; Allen, born March 16, 1845 ; John E., born Jan. 9, 1851 ; Mary, born April 24, 1853 ; Davis, born May 23, 1855 ; Sarah C., born April 26, 1857 ; Sarena, born April 24, 1859 ; George W., born March 3, 1863 ; Emma J., born March 16, 1865 ; John E. died Sept. 27, 1852 ; Samuel died Sept. 28, 1853 ; Sarah C. died April 28, 1857 ; Emma J. died Jan. 11, 1868 ; George W. died March 5, 1863 ; Jacob married Miss Sarah Wagner March 20, 1863 ; Allen married Hannah Spittler April 7, 1868 ; Harriet married John Kessler the latter part of March, 1858 ; Davis married Thurzy H. Porter Feb. 10, 1876 ; Sarena married Ira Landis May 4, 1878 ; Mary E. married John Oaks Oct, 3, 1878 ; Mrs. P.'s father was born in Somerset Co., Penn., in the latter part of the eighteenth century, and removed to Montgomery County in 1800; Mrs. P. was born about the same time as her husband, and emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio on horseback ; they were married in 1812, and were the parents of nine children, of whom seven are living.

JOHN SCHEIPING, farmer ; P. 0. Gordon ; the subject of this memoir was born in Saxon}', Germairy, Aug. 8, 1827, and is a son of Nicholas and Christena Scheiding, natives of Germany : our subject assisted his father on the farm until he was 25 years of age, when he began life for himself, and labored as a farm hand for two years ; in the fall of 1853, he emigrated to America and landed in New York, his ocean trip occupying three weeks ; he came directly to Montgomery Co., Ohio, and worked in a flax-seed mill for three winters ; he afterward followed other pursuits, and in 1868 he removed to Darke Co., and rented a farm for four years, in this township, and then purchased 40 acres of land, where he now resides; it was parti}* cleared, but without any improvement worth}' of note ; but to-day, his small farm is in a high state of cultivation, with a good house, barn and other improvements of a good, substantial character, all the fruits of their own labor, as Mr. Scheiding began life with no capital. He was united in marriage with Miss Margaret, daughter of George Henninger (whose sketch appears in this work), Feb. 7, 1863 ; seven children have been given to this union, viz.: John, born in 1863 Albert H., born Sept. 25, 1864, died Jan. 21, 1867 ; Gustave, born April 28, 1867 George M.. born Feb. 8, 1869 ; Charles A., born March 1, 1870, died Dec. 1, 1871 Frederica L... born Jan. 1, 1872 ; Charles A., born Oct. 24, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Scheiding are lifelong; members of the Lutheran Church.

ANDREW J. SERBER, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 18 ; P. O. Arcanum. To the subject of this sketch we are pleased to accord a place in the front rank of the early settlers of Darke Co.; he was born in Rockingham Co., Va.. Nov. 25, 1837, and is a son of Andrew and Caroline (Hansberger) Serber, natives of Vermont; his father was born in 1799 and died in this township aged 54 years 11 months and 17 days : his mother was born in 1807 and died in this township aged 71 years 10 months and 25 days. Our subject spent his early life on a farm, and assisted his father in agricultural pursuits till the age of 22, when he began life for himself and carried on the old home place in partnership with his brother Robert for about four years ; then selling his interest, he purchased 80 acres of land in Franklin Township, all in the woods ; after clearing 20 acres, he disposed of this land and purchased 92 acres, where he now resides, and by dint of hard labor, he has cleared the balance and has good, comfortable and substantial buildings erected thereon ; he has been very successful in life, and he and his good lady have undergone their full share of toil and privation and now are enjoying the fruits of their toil and are surrounded by all the comforts of life. He celebrated his marriage with Susannah, daughter of Henry and Esther Bowers. April 21, 1864 ; Mr. and Mrs. Bowers were natives of Pennsylvania, afterward residents of Montgomery Co. Mr. Bowers departed this life Oct. 5, 1864 ; he was born May 16, 1815; Mrs. Bowers (now Mrs. Zumbrunn) resides in Montgomery Co.; she was born Aug. 20, 1820 ; they were the parents of four children ; Mr. and Mrs. Serber are the parents of three children, viz.: Esther, born April 6, 1865 ; Mary E., Oct. 26, 1867 ; Elmer E., July 18, 1870 ; Mr. and Mrs. Serber have been members of the German Baptist Church for three years and are good Christian people and take a lively interest in the promulgation and advancement of Christianity. Andrew Serber, Sr., was the father of eleven children, viz.: Charles, born in 1830 ; Joseph and John (twins) in 1833 ; Robert, in 1839 ; Caroline, in 1844 ; Mary E., in 1840 ; Emeline, in 1843 ; Amanda, in 1852 ; George W., in 1855 ; Margaret, in September, 1857 ; Mary E., died in March, 1856 ; Charles in June, 1856; Henr}T Bowers was the father of four children, viz. : Jeremiah, born Oct. 7, 1831 ; Susannah, Aug. 30, 1843 ; Elizabeth, June 24, 1846 ; John, Feb. 9, 1849.

PETER SHANK, farmer, Sec. 33 ; P. O. Center, Montgomery Co., Ohio. To the subject of this sketch we are pleased to accord a place in the advance brigade of early pioneers in Darke Co. He was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., May 28, 1803, and is a son of Christopher and Catherine Shank, natives of the same place - lived, died and are buried in the place of their nativity. His father departed this life in 1825, at the age of 45 years, and his mother at the advanced age of 91 years. Our subject assisted his father in tailoring till his 21st year, and then began life for himself, and followed his trade to gain a livelihood. After his father's death, he resided with his widowed mother for four years, when he was united in the bonds of matrimony with Miss Barbara, daughter of John and Mary Keener, Jan. 12, 1830. They were natives of Dauphin Co., Penn., and their remains are peacefully at rest on the hillsides of their native place. Our subject removed to Montgomery Co., Ohio, with his young wife, the same year of their marriage, and settled seven miles north of Dayton, and resided there for four years and worked at his trade ; in 1834, he came to Darke Co. and settled on the place where he now resides ; he first purchased 160 acres of land, consisting of woods and almost impenetrable swamps ; he erected a small log cabin, and began the great task of making a farm in the heart of a mighty wilderness, with no improved implements of industry such as we possess now to assist and lighten the heavy work of clearing ; ax and muscle then were the essentials, and he who had not plent}' of the latter was certainly an object of pity, for strength, muscle and the power to endure privations were the keys that opened the great wilderness and sustained the pioneer in those trying days. Our subject and his good wife have passed through the different phases of pioneer life, and for fifty years this day, the anniversary of their marriage, have they labored together, shared each other's joys, partaken of each other's sorrows, each has been a helpmeet to the other, and, although their frames are bent with the weight of years and incessant toil they are in the enjoyment of good health aud strength, with faculties unimpaired ; they are the parents of nine children - Nancy, born Oct. 2, 1830 ; Catherine, born Oct. 10, 1831, died aged 15 months ; Lydia, born Sept. 26, 1833 ; Elizabeth, born Aug. 14, 1835 ; Catherine, born Dec. 24, 1837 ; Henry, born Mav 10, 1840; Susanna, born Nov. 13, 1844 ; Margaret, born April 5. 1847 ; John" born Sept. 3, 1850. Mr. Shank was the first Justice of the Peace in Monroe Township after its erection, and has be.en identified in most all of the offices in the Township, and is a man with considerable executive ability ; he is a member of the Brethren in Christ Church, and his wile belongs to the German Baptist ; both are Christian people in every sense of the word, and are universally beloved and respected by all ; they have been very fortunate in rearing their large family, having lived in Darke Co. tor a period of forty-five years without a death in the family ; in May, 1879, the death messenger entered the family of his daughter, Mrs. John Miller, who resides in Washington

Township, and removed three of its members from earth to heaven - Lydia on the 19th of May, and her sister Ara on the 21st following, and all that was mortal of these two innocents was consigned to the same tomb ; but its ravages did not stop here, and little Peter fell a victim to the scourge, and was carried away to angels' home on the 29th following.

RILY SHILT, farmer ; P. O. Gordon ; the subject of this memoir was born in Preble County, March 21, 1835, and removed with his parents to the same Section where he now resides in 1839 ; his father was born in Adams County, Penn., Oct. 7, 1790, and died July 21, 1876 ; his mother was born May 31, 1799, and departed this life Jan. 4, 1872. Our subject was reared on the farm, and assisted in the duties of the same till he was 21 years of age ; in 1862, he volunteered in Company B of the 110th 0. V. I., which was attached to the 8th Corps, and afterward to the 6th Corps ; his regiment was engaged at Winchester for three consecutive days, and Riley informs us it was " mighty hot " in that neighborhood for awhile ; at Wapping Heights, they stood the brunt of the battle, but the mortality of the regiment was not as severe as at Winchester ; after this fight, he was transferred to the Ambulance Corps, and many a poor fellow has Riley lifted from the field and carried to the rear ; at the battle of the Wilderness, he labored for seven days and nights in removing the dead and wounded, and his horses were out of harness only once, day and night being employed to remove the heaps of wounded and slain ; he was honorably discharged from the service of his country, July 2, 1865, having served two years ten months and eleven days. He was united in marriage with Catherine Poach, Pec. 26, 1867 ; one child was given to this union, viz., Sarah A., born Jan. 22, 1869 ; Mrs. Shilt departed this life April 6, 1872. He was again united in marriage with Marian Flory, April 7. 1873, and by this union have one child, viz., William E., born Aug. 22, 1874. Our subject's father died in Darke Count}', aged 52 years ; his mother departed this life in Indiana, aged 62 years. He has 40 acres of land where he resides, all in a good state of cultivation, with good average improvements.

ADAM N. SMITH, farmer and stock-raiser ; Sec. 30. The subject of this sketch was born in Maiyland, in 1828, and is a son of George A. and Nancy Smith ; they were natives of Maryland; his father died in 1875, and his mother is living and resides in Carroll Co., Md.; our subject was raised on a farm and assisted his father in the same till he was 25 yeai*s of age, when he began life for himself and followed farming for seventeen years, when he removed to Montgomery Co., where he resided for seven years ; thence to Baltimore, in Preble Co., where he remained for one year ; thence to the place where he now resides ; he first purchased 40 acres of land, mostly in the woods, and by hard work and good management, he succeeded in clearing oil' his land, and it is now in a good state of cultivation ; he has since purchased 38 acres, and now owns 78 acres in all ; his improvements are good, and he bids fair to be one of our leading farmers ; he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of George Wagner, Feb. 1, 1853 ; they are natives of Frederick Co., Md., afterward reidents of Montgomery ; her father died in 1876 ; her mother is still living and resides in Montgomeiy. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of five children, Ida E., Martha F., William S., Charles G., George J. Mr. Smith has been a member of the M. E. Church for thirty-five years ; Mrs. Smith is a member of the German Baptist Church, of twenty years standing ; both are old soldiers of the Cross, and are leading members of the church they represent - good exemplary Christian people.

ADAM SMITH, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 36 ; P. O. Gordon. The subject of this sketch was born in Wittenburg, Germany, Nov. 7, 1818, and is a son of Frederick and Catherine Smith, natives of the same place. His father died when he was quite young, and his mother when he was 13 years of age ; his father was a shoemaker by trade, but our subject was a weaver, and followed his trade in various places. He came to this country in 1848, and landed in New York, his voyage occupying eight weeks. He went from there to Pennsylvania, where he remained five weeks, and then went to Cincinnati, and was employed on the river steamers, and made runs to New Orleans for about two months, when he abandoned the river and came to Dayton, where he was employed for some time, and then to Miami Co., remaining for six years, working in a tan-yard ; thence to near Miamisburg, for five years, and followed farming. He was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Stover, Oct. 15, 1854. They were natives of Pennsylvania, afterward residents of Montgomery Co. ; both are dead, dying at advanced ages. Mrs. Smith was born in Montgomery, Sept. 24, 1824. Mr. Smith is one of our self-made men, as he began life with no capital, and he has, by good management and industry, made a good property ; in all his trials and labor he has been nobly assisted by his wife, and they now own 80 acres of land, all in a good state of cultivation, and his improvements are No. 1 in every particular, all made by their hard, earnest labor, and the}' have a good home, surrounded by all the comforts of life. They are the parents of only one child, John A., born July 17, 1859. Mr. Smith has been a member of the Lutheran Church all his life, and is a consistent Christian gentleman.

ELI AS SPITLER, farmer : P. 0. Gordon. The subject of this memoir was born in Adams Co., Penn., May 16, 1821, and is a son of Jacob and Mary Spitler, natives of Pennsylvania, afterward residents of Montgomery Co. Our subject was reared as a farmer boy, and assisted in the work of the farm till he was 27 years of age. He was united in marriage with Miss Eliza, daughter of John and Ruth Heater, Feb. 24. 1848; they were natives of Pennsylvania. After his marriage, Mr. Spitler began life in good earnest ; he had no capital, in fact not $5 at the time of his marriage. He engaged in farming in Montgomery Co., till 185G, when he removed to Darke Co., on the place where he now resides. He purchased 80 acres of land, partly in the woods, and, by the united efforts of himself and lady, which combined energy with determination, they overcame all the obstacles of life, and the fruit of their toil is a beautiful home, surrounded by all the comforts of life. Children - Rufus, born April 26, 1849; Anna M., born July 15, 1850; Harriet, born May 30, 1852; Amanda, born Sept. 10, 1861 ; Rufus departed this life in the bloom of young manhood, Nov. 23, 1871, aged 22 years 6 months and 27 days, leaving his young bride to mourn his departure, they only being married four months ; Amanda, departed this life March 5, 1873, aged 19 years 5 months and 20 days ; she was Mrs. Harvey Ludy and left a husband and one child. Mr. Spitler has been Trustee of his township for three years, and has been School Director for many years. He and his good wife have been members of the Lutheran Church for a period of thirty-five years, and are universally beloved and respected by all who know them.

ELIAS F. STAUFFER, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 7 ;*P. O. Arcanum. The subject of this memoir was born in Montgomery Co. April 13, 1835; his father was born in Pennsylvania and his mother in Virginia, and removed to Montgomery Co. in a very early day. and are still living at advanced ages. Our subject assisted his father in the labors of the farm, till his majority, at which time he began life for himself, and followed the occupation of his father ; he worked on a rented farm in Montgomery Co. for a period of seven years, when he removed to Darke Co., in 1866, where he purchased 80 acres of land, where he now lives; he has since bought 45 acres more adjoining his first purchase, and all is in a good state of cultivation and well improved. His property is the fruit of his and his wife's hard labor. He was married to Anna, daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Bollinger, Dec. 28, 1858 ; they were natives of Pennsylvania, and removed to Ohio in a very early day ; her father is dead, her mother is still living, and resides with the subject of our sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Stauffer an; the parents of seven children, viz.: Lucinda, born March 13, L 860; John, born May 17. 1862; Benjamin born Feb. 18, 1865; Harvey born Jan. 15, 1870 ; Hettie, born Nov. 24. 1872 ; Lydia, born March 13, 1874 ; Samuel, born Feb. 18, 1867. and died in infancy. Mr. Stauffer has tilled the office of School Director several terms, having had only the advantages of a common-school education. lmt is considerably interested in educating his children. He and his amiable

A. G. STROBEL, farmer ; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, his father dying when he was but 6 years old : till the age of 14, he lived with a man named Carl Weis, to whom he afterward was apprenticed to learn the trade of wagonmaker, paying therefor $30 in money, and clothing himself. After this term of apprenticeship expired, he traveled several weeks, and at last located in Heilbronn. where he worked one year ; in the spring of 1834, he obtained work in Cannstadt. from a man named Neff ; March 1, 1835. was drafted in the army and served as an artilleryman two years, when he was placed in one of the arm}- wagon-shops, where he remained seven months. In the winter of 1840, he wrote to a brother in America for money to get across the water with, and in the following July landed in New York without a cent in his pocket ; he made his way to Pittsburgh, Penn.. where a brother lived, where he remained a short time, then, after a long and tedious passage on the Ohio, he arrived in Cincinnati ; here he worked three weeks for his board, and afterward on a farm at $1.50 per da}* ; on the 16th of October, he arrived at Da}'ton, via canal, where he passed the winter at his brother's house, having no work ; in 1842, he returned to Cincinnati and began work at his trade, but, as he was only a short time employed, he returned to Dayton ; afterward he worked at farming for Carl Port. Was united in marriage with Phebe Schwerk, by whom he had three children, the youngest (twins) died at birth, the eldest was placed in care of its grandmother ; the summer after the death of his first wife, he was married to Leily Freeman. June 25. Mr. Stroble has been unfortunate in losing, by fire, his wagon-shop, valued at from $300 to $400, also a barn and contents valued at $3,000.

JESSE STUTSMAN, minister, educator and farmer ; the subject of this memoir was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Oct. 29, 1833, and is a son of David and Francis Stutsman, natives of Pennsylvania ; they removed to Montgomery Co. in 1802, when there were but three houses where the beautiful city of Dayton now stands ; he cleared four farms in this county, and endured all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, and in 1860 he disposed of the old home farm and removed to Polk Co., Mo., where he died the following year, from the effects of exertion and the troubles of war ; his mother, after the death of her husband, returned to Ohio, to escape the horrors of guerrilla warfare, and remained about seven years, and then moved to Kansas to spend her declining }-ears with her daughter, and died in September, 1877. Her son-in-law, Mr. Herr, who resided in Missouri, was foully shot down by the rebel bushwhacker, Powell, and. before the close of the war he was captured in Arkansas, handed over to a Missouri regiment, court-martialed, sentenced to death and shot. In the winter of 1857. our subject emigrated to Cedar Co., Mo., and engaged in farming ; here he was very unfortunate, losing all his property, and was thus thrown entirely upon his own resources ; in 1858, he returned to Miami Co. and engaged in teaching, which occupation he followed for two years, when he removed to Montgomery Co. and still continued to follow his profession ; he only received a common-school education, and is one of our self-made men in every respect, and is a successful and proficient educator ; in 1869, he removed to Darke Co.. where he now resides, and purchased 87 acres of land, all in a good state of cultivation, the fruit of his labor. Mr. Stutsman is a representative of the German Baptist Church, and has labored in the ministry for twelve }-ears ; he was united in marriage with Miss Martha, daughter of Martin Hyser, Nov. 7, 1857 ; Mr. Hyser emigrated from Lancaster Co., Penn., in 1850, and located in Montgomery Co., is still living, and is upward of 83 years of age, the oldest man in Butler Township ; Mrs. Hyser departed this life Jan. 2, 1875, aged 75 years and 1 day ; was born Jan. 1. 1800. Mr. and Mrs. Stutsman are the parents of nine children, viz. : Francis E., born July 1, 1861 : Willis H.,born Jan. 11, 1864; Charles A., born Aug. 27. 1866 : Franklin M., born

ROBERT SURBER, farmer; P. 0. Arcanum; born in Montgomery Co Ohio. Dec. 18, 1838; in 1840, he with his parents came to Darke Co.; his father died in 1852, and mother in 1878. Our subject remained at home with his mother until 1865, when he united in marriage with Catherine Rhoads, and, from the date of his marriage until his mother's death, he was her support. Mr. and Mrs. Surber :ire the parents of seven children, of whom six are living, viz.. Sarah J., Amos Mary Etta. Emma. Minnie and Ira. At the time of their marriage, they had but little by which to commence in life, and have since, by hard labor and economy accumulated 126 acres of splendid land in Sec. 13, Range 3 east, valued at about !ro,000.

SAMUEL SWANK, farmer, Sec. 24 ; P. 0. Gordon, Ohio ; was born in Montgomery Co. Oct. 25, 1836, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah Swank. Mr Swank was born in Kentucky, and Mrs. Swank was born in Pennsylvania ; his father died at the age of 79 years, his mother at the age of 52 years. Our subject was reared as a farmer's boy, and assisted his father until he was 21 years of aa-e. when he began life for himself, and engaged in farming in Montgomery Co. for three years on his father's place ; thence to Darke Co. and purchased a steam sawmill, which he managed for thirteen years, and still has the mill in his possession ; he purchased 124 acres of land, where he now resides in 1867 ; it was all in the green woods, which he has cleared up, so it is all in a good state of cultivation . his improvements are second to none in the township ; his fine house, now in the course of erection, is an ornament to the farm and shows the taste and o-ood judgment of the builder ; his property is the fruit of his own hard labor and good management. He was united in marriage with Miss Catherine, daughter of Paul Tobias, Feb. 28, 1861, and resides in Montgomery Co. Four children have been given to this union, viz.. Sarah, born March 20, 1864 ; Ira, April 21, 1866 ; Elmer Aug. 1, 1870 ; Clement L., born in April, 1863, died in Sept. 1864. Mr. Swank has been School Director for a period of three years ; he only had the advantages of a ( ommon-school education, but experience has made him a close calculator^ and he is greatly interested in educational matters, and is giving his children 'o-00d educations.