736 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)

WM. ARCHARD. farmer and stock-raiser. Sec. 20 : P.O. Union City. The subject of this memoir was born in County Limerick. Ireland, Nov. 12. 1835 : when 7 years of age. he was left an orphan. and at lo years of age. he came to America with his uncle. Thomas Hoar. who located in Cincinnati, and placed William at school, where he remained two years. At 12 years of age, he obtained employment in the grocery trade, and followed the same for several years ; in 1851, he went to Piqua. and, after clerking there some four years. he associated with his employer as partner. and located in Union City in 1855. This partnership continued some seven years, when Mr. Archard disposed of his interest and engaged in farming, which business he has since followed, owning 325 acres of land adjacent to Union City ; in 1874, he laid out 40 acres of his Berm. now known as Archard's Addition to Union City ; in 1857, he was elected and served one term as Trustee of Jackson Township, and in 1878 was elected County Commissioner. which office he now bolds ; he is one of the self-made men of Darke Co.: he commenced life without capital ; upon arriving in Piqua. in 1851. his capital consisted of 25 cents. but he has since, by his own hard labor and correct business habits, placed himself among the large landholders and successful farmers of Darke Co. His marriage with Mary A. Maury was celebrated in Union City in 1857 : they have one child by this union—Josephine, now Mrs. Webster Brandon.

JACOB BEERY. retired farmer : residence Sec. 15 ; P. O. Union City : one of the oldest settlers of Jackson Township ; born in Fairfield Co. Oct. 16. 1816 at 18 years of age, he commenced in life for himself and learned and worked at the cabinet and carpenter's trade until 1855. when he came to Darke Co., Ohio, and located in Neave Township, and in 1865 came to Jackson Township and purchased 160 acres of land upon Sec. 13. where he has since lived : he has now rented his old homestead and is erecting a residence upon Sec. 15. which he intends making his future home ; he is Democratic in politics. but has never been an aspirant for office, and has held none, save the office of Township Trustee; for three years, be has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion. having. with his wife, been a member of the German Baptist Church for upward of thirty years. His marriage with Esther Voght was celebrated in Fairfield Co. in 18:38 ; she was born in the above county ; ten children were the fruits of this union, of whom six are now living, viz., Aaron, Mary, Simeon. Absalom, Jacob F. and Almeda. The debeased were Jemima, Leah, Sarah C. and Isabella.

AMOS COOK, farmer. Sec 33 : P. O. Union City : one of the early pioneers of Darke Co. ; born in Chester Co., Penn., in 1809 : came to Darke Co., Ohio, in 1849, and purchased his present place of 120 acres, where he has since lived for a period of upward of thirty years : upon locating here, his present well improved place was a wilderness ; he has since, by his own hard labor, cleared 90 acres, which he has placed under a good state of cultivation ; at the above date, deer, wolves, bears, wild turkeys and other game was here in abundance ; he hauled his productions to Pickaway, where he disposed of his wheat at 50 cents per bushel,

JACKSON TOWNSHIP - 737

and loaded back with groceries, salt, etc. he has been twice married. his first wife was Elizabeth Knofsinger : she was born in Preble Co. ; nine children were the fruits of this union. of whom six are now living viz.. Henry. Eli. Daniel. Amos. John and Mary; as second wife was Jane Davidson. also a native of Preble Co. ; they have two children by this union. Harvey and Noah. Mr. Cook was a son of Henry Cook. who was born in Germany. and married Catharine Fouch, also of German descent : they both died in Pennsylvania ; Mr. Cook now owns 200 acres of land in Jackson Township : commencing with a capital of $35. he has since accumulated all of the above by his own exertions ; the energy and perseverance displayed by Mr. Cook are well worthy of example by the young men of the present lay.

JOSEPH EICHELBERGER, farmer and Justice of the Peace. Sec. 15 P. O. Union City. The subject of this memoir was born in Cumberland Co.. Penn.. Feb. 22, 1820: at 13 years of age, he engaged as clerk in the hardware trade it Harrisburg. which position he filled until he attained his majority he then followed farming in Pennsylvania until 1869. at which date he emigrated to Ohio, and located upon Sec. 15. Jackson Township. where he now lives : he owns 160 acres of land with good farm buildings, which he has accumulated by his own hard labor and correct business habits. Of township and school offices, he has had his full share, having held the office of Township Trustee two years, School Director nine years and Justice of the Peace three years, which office he now holds. His marriage with Caroline Brenizer was celebrated in Cumberland Co.. Penn., upon the 12th of November. 1843 ; she was born in the above county ; they were the parents of nine children, of whom seven are now living, viz.. Mary M., Joseph E., Washington L.. Jane A., James B., Laura V and Cora A.

DR. BENJAMIN W. EVANS. farmer and physician. Sec. 3; P. 0. Union City : one of the early pioneers of Darke Co. ; born in Delaware Co., Ohio. Feb. 28. 1815: his father, Montgomery Evans, removed with his family from Delaware to Williams, now Defiance Co.. Ohio. in 1817, and was the first white family that settled in the Maumee Valley. and here he took up land, upon which he lived until his decease. which occurred in 1845 he suffered all the privations and hardships of frontier life : his milling at first was done at Pickaway. a distance of upward of 100 miles his marketing being clone in the same place ; the Doctor lived with his parents until 1843. when he removed to Miami Co., and in 1847 came to Darke Co.. and is consequently one of the old settlers of this county. In 1846. Mr. Evans commenced the study of medicine in Shelby Co.. and was one of the first physicians in the north part of that county. and has always followed his profession. and has not yet given it up : he was one of the organizers of the first Medical Board of Darke Co.. and remained a member for many years. Upon Nov. 14. 1863. he enlisted as a private in the 124th I. V. I.. and went forward to battle for the Union : after serving as private a short time. he was promoted to hospital steward, which position he held until the close of the war ; during his term of service, he was never absent from duty nor received a furlough ; he served in the Atlanta campaign. under Sherman. and was with the above General in North Carolina at the surrender of Johnston : he. with his sons, are strong Republicans. and, to use the Doctor's expression, he always votes as he fought ; his first vote for President, was for William H. Harrison. His marriage, with Rebecca E. Peters was celebrated May 11, 1848: she was born in Hawkins Co.. Ohio, Dec. 26, 1826 they were the parents of six children. of whom five are now living, viz., Zeletta F., Ida Z., Segisamar L.. Aaron L.. Mahlon 0. ; the deceased. Ella E., died at 3 years of age. The Doctor is a very genial gentleman, and manifested toward the writer a very liberal spirit of hospitality, which is characteristic of his nature as well as of frontier life.

DR. JAMES H. FAHNESTOCK, physician and surgeon, Sec. 21 ; R 0. Union City. The subject of this memoir was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Feb. 14, 1842 he was the son of Ephraim. Fahnestock, who was born in Petry Co., Penn., in 1812,

738 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

and came to Ohio with his parents when quite young, and is now retired from active labor, with a residence at Dayton ; he married Elizabeth Billingsby Jan. 6, 1836; she died July 29, 1873. Dr. James H. obtained a common-school education, and, at 13 years of age, commenced the study of medicine, to which he gave his attention for six years ; at 19 years of age, he entered the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, and graduated from the same in 1863, and, in 1865, he graduated from the Southern Medical Institute. at Memphis, Tenn. ; he then gave his attention to farming until 1874, when he located in Darke County, and. in 1877. commenced the practice of medicine, which profession he has since followed, with a rapidly increasing practice ; the Doctor called the attention of the writer to a curiosity in the shape of an old-fashioned clock, manufactured in Germany in 1753, which has been handed down from generation to generation, until it now has become the property of the Doctor, who places great value upon the same as an heirloom. His marriage with Margaret Benson was celebrated in Randolph Co., Ind., in 1868 ; she was a native of Maryland ; they have six children, viz.. Clare E., Dona M., Charles B., Elizabeth A., George W. and Carl.

WILLIAM R. HAND, farmer, Sec. 33 ; P. O. Union City ; one of the early pioneers of Jackson Township ; born in Somerset Co., N. J., Dec. 6, 1820 ; about the year 1840, he, with his father, Gilbert R. Hand, emigrated to Ohio and located upon Sec. 33, Jackson Township, where he has had a continuous residence of nearly forty years, and is consequently one of the oldest settlers ; about the year 1862, 'the decease of his father occurred, since which time the subject of this sketch has lived upon the old farm and devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. He married Mary Bolin, and they have two sons-William, born Sept. 29, 1864, and Joseph, Nov. 30, 1868 ; he now owns upward of 60 acres of land, under a good state of cultivation.

ROBERT S. HARTMAN, farmer, See 3 ; P. O. Union City ; born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Dec. 2, 1824 ; his father, Samuel Hartman, was born in Middlesex Co., N. J., March 19, 1790 ; in 1795, be emigrated with his parents to Kentucky, and in 1801, came to the Territory of Ohio and located in Clermont County ; he died May 13, 1862, upon the ad homestead, where he located sixty-one years previous; his first wife was Sarah Dunham ; she died in Brown Co., Ohio, in 1841, leaving eight children, of whom two now survive. The subject of this sketch was raised to farm labor until 18 years of age ; the following six years he devoted to farming and carpentering ; in February, 1856, he came to Darke County, and is classed among the old settlers, having been a resident for nearly a quarter of a century. He married Abigail Jones in 1849 ; she died in 1860, leaving one child- Franklin D. His marriage with Mary E. Marsh was celebrated in Darke County Jan. 23, 1862 ; she came to Darke County with her father, William Marsh, in 1853, where her father died after a residence of ten months. The children of Robert S. and Mary E. (Marsh) Hartman were eight in number, of whom four are deceased ; the living are William T., Nancy E., Robert M. and George W. The great-grandmother of Robert S. Hartman, Ann Hutchinson, born March 16, 1700 (old style), was the mother of William Hutchinson, whose daughter Mary married Christophes Hartman in April, 1777 ; William Hutchinson was born Dec. 13, 1724 ; Catherine (Vohn) Hutchinson, his wife, was born May 17, 1731 ; their children were Mary, born March 24, 1755 ; William, March 12, 1757 ; Hannah, Aug. 9, 1759 ; Robert, July 26, 1763 ; Sylvester, April 20, 1765; Aaron, May 17, 1767 ; Ezekiel, Oct. 18, 1769; Ann, July 8, 1772 ; Catherine, Jan. 3, 1775. The grandfather of Robert S. Haktman was Christopher Hartman, born May 6, 1750 ; Mary Hutchinson, his wife, was born March 24, 1755 ; they were the parents of eight children-William, born Feb. 17, 1778 ; Isaac, Sept 2, 1779 ; Rebecca, June 3, 1781 ; Elizabeth, May 22, 1783; Katharine, Sept 27, 1785 ; Samuel, March 19, 1790 ; Fanny, March 5, 1793 ; Rachael, Dec. 29, 1796. Samuel Hartman, the father of Robert S. Hartman, was twice married ; his first wife was Sarah Dunham, who was the mother of Robert S. ; she died in Brown Co., Ohio, in 1841 ; of eight children, only two now

JACKSON TOWNSHIP - 739

survive : his second wife was Mrs. Elizabeth (Huntington) Browning, married Oct. 17, 1844 four children were born to them—Sarah F., born Aug. 4, 1845 ; Jane A., May 12. 1845 Emily C., April 10. 1849 ; Nancy E., April 13, 1851.

JACOB HUNCHBERGER, merchant. blacksmith and farmer, Sec. 14; P. 0. Union City : the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was born in Lancaster Co.. Penh.. Feb. S. 1824 ; his father, Jacob Hunchberger, Sr., was born in the same county in 1584, and is now living in Montgomery Co., Ohio, at the advanced age of 95 years ; he married Mary Dravenstadt who was born in the above uounty, and died in Fayette Co.. Ill., at 60 years of age. The subject of this sketch followed finning in Pennsylvania until 19 years of age, when he learned and worked at the blacksmith trade in Wayne Co.. Ohio, three years ; he then followed the blacksmith trade for himself in Ashland Co., until 1858. at which date he came to Darke Co., Ohio : in 1870. he located upon his present place, where he has 66 acres of land, wit ti blacksmith-shop, store and farm buildings ; in 1874, he connected the merchandise trade with his other business, devoting his personal attention largely to this branch of his business, while his son, who is a first-class blacksmith, attends to that branch of his business. He was married in 1851, in Ashland Co., Ohio. to Mary Crouse. They were the parents of nine children, of whom three daughters and one son are now living. viz., Cornelius D., Florence, now Mrs. J. C. Boze ; Loa D. and Hattie.

CHARLES NEGLEY, farmer ; P. O. Union City ; the subject of this memoir is one of the representative men of Darke Co.; he was born in St. Louis, Mo., in 1839 ; he came to Ohio when 6 years of age and located in Jackson Township, Darke Co., and after a residence of two years removed to Preble Co., where he was engaged in the stone-cutting business until he attained his majority ; in 1861, he returned to this county and located in Union City, where he was engaged in various mercantile and real estate speculations until 1855 ; he was then elected by the Senate, Assistant Sergeant at Arms of the State Senate, serving 1874 and 1875 ; he was re-elected to the same office and served through the term of 1857 and 1878 ; in 1877, he was elected Mayor of Union City, Ind., and in.1859 was elected representative to the State Legislature of Ohio, which office he now holds. His marriage with Margaret Gard was celebrated in 1861, in Union City ; they have eight children—Iuka, Frank. Rockey C., Kerby 14. Katie, Charles Webber, Clara, Casshie.

WILLIAM PARENT: farmer, Sec. 32 ; P. O. Union City, Ind : one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.; born in Monmouth Co., N. J., Nov 15. 1804 ; he emigrated to Ohio, with his parents, about the year 1812, and located in German Township, Darke Co.; in 1824: he entered 120 and purchased 160 acres of land at Hill Grove, in Washington Township in April, 1858, he came to Jackson Township and purchased 116 acres of land, where he has since lived. Mr. Parent commenced in life without means ; he purchased his first land from the proceeds of his labor at cutting and splitting rails at 25 cents per hundred ; he now owns upward of 350 acres of laud, with good farm buildings. secured by his own exertions ; he has suffered all the hardships and privations of frontier life, has frequently hauled oats, wheat. and pork to Cincjnnati, selling oats at 10 and wheat at 60 cents per bushel. and pork at $1.25 per one hundred pounds, loading back with groceries, salt, etc. His marriage with Hannah Elsten was celebrated Feb. 18, 1829 ; she was born in Orange Co, N. J. and died Oct. 22, 1875, at the advanced age of 64 years 10 months and 22 days ; they were the parents of eight children, of whom seven now survive, viz., John, George, Sarah, Elizabeth, Samuel, Harrison and Amery ; the deceased, Accha. lived to grow up and become the mother'of three children.

FREDERICK C. SCHNEIDER, car inspector of the C., C., C. &I. R. R. ; Union City. Ohio ; born in Hamburg. Germany, Jan. 30, 1826 ; when 14 years of age, he commenced the carpenter's trade, and followed the same until 1853, when he emigrated to America, landing in Quebec, thence to Buffalo and Cleveland, where he was employed in the car shops of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. for several months, then

740 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

to Galion for two years, manufacturing cars, and in 1855, he came to Union City. Ind., and h“s since been Car Inspector of the C., C.. C. & I: R. R. for upward of a quarter of a century ; he attends to the inspection of all of the ears of the above road with the assistance of eight Inca under his charge. He married Elizabeth Jacoby in October 1855 ; she was born in Prussia Jan. 10.1835 they have two children by this union—Charles, born Dee. 6, 1856, now conductor on the Bee Line, and William, born April 21, 1859, now brakeman on the D. & U. passenger. Mr. Schneider was a son of Frederick H. Schneider, who was horn in Mecklenburg. Germany ; was a baker and grain dealer, died in 1869. in Hamburg; he married Anna Gotshe, born in Altona. near Hamburg ; she died in 1815 in Hamburg they had four Sons and two daughters, of whom the subject of this sketch was the oldest son.

DAVID W. SIGLER, Sec. 21 ; P. 0. Union CiIy ; firm of Sigler. Fahnestoek & Co., proprietors of the Buck Horn Saw-Mill. The subject of this sketch, though a young man, may be considered an old settler ; he was born in Iowa, near Iowa City, upon the 19th of October, 1840 ; when less than 2 years of age, his father died. and he, with his mother, removed to Preble Co.. Ohio, residing Seven years. In 1849, they came to Darke Co., his mother died two years later, and he was left an orphan, to carve out his own way in life ; his first employment was at a hotel at Hill Grove, where he remained three years ; he then obtained employment upon a farm until 1863, at which date he was employed in the above mill, and two years later he purchased an interest, and in 1856, the above firm was formed with Mr. Sigler .as superintendent ; their mill is one of the oldest steam saw-mills in the county, and has a wide reputation. He married Jarusha L. Benson. in 1865. in Jackson Township, she was born in Maryland, and came to Ohio. with her parents, at an early day ; they have four children now living. having lost one by death ; the living are Effie V., Mordecai 0., Jarusha J. and Mary ; the deceased, Mary, died in infancy.

J. H. SNOOK, brick, tile and wagon stock manufacturer ; Union City ; born in Frederick Co., Md., July 2, 1829 ; at 19 years of age, he learned the tanner's trade, which he followed for seventeen years in Washington Co., Md. ; he then followed farming several years, and in the spring of 1875 he emigrated to Ohio and located in Union City, where he engaged in the manufacture of brick, and the first two years made upward of 700,000, for which he found a ready sale ; in 1877, he purchased the tile factory of George Dutro and connected the same with his other business ; the quality of his tile is equal to any manufactured in Darke Co., his sales amounting to $5,000 yearly, of tile alone ; he has also erected a building 30x80, two stories high, for the purpose of manufacturing wagon stock, to which he has added an engine room 30x40, with an engine of fifty-horsepower. Mr. Snook is one of the most enterprising and active business men of Union City and gives employment in his brick and tile factories to thirteen men, which will be largely increased when his factory. for the manufacture of wagon stock is in full operation. In 1853, he married Sylvia Keyser ; she died in 1863 his second wife was Lydia Dutro, a native of Maryland eight children by each Union, of whom nine sons and two daughters are now living, all of whom are living at home, except the second son, who is a blacksmith at Hill Grove.

ELIAS R. STRAIT, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 13 ; P 0. Ansonia ; one of the old settlers ; born in Jackson Township, Darke Co., Ohio, Aug. 1, 1839 ; his father, Richard Strait, was born in Bedford Co., Penn., Sept. 3, 1796, and in 1829 he came to Darke Co. and located upon the very place where Elias now lives and where he entered land, upon which he lived for nearly fifty years, until his decease. which occurred Oct. 15, 1878 ; he married Rachael Jennings ; she was born in Bedford Co., Penn., and died Dec.4,1878 ; they were the parents of ten children. The subject of this sketch continued to live with his parents until he attained his majority, and kindly cared and provided for them until their death ; he now lives upon the same place where he was born, upon which he has just completed a new frame residence ; he also owns 120 acres three-fourths of a mile from his home

JACKSON TOWNSHIP - 741

farm, now rented to a son-in-law. He married Mary Peters in 1859 ; she died in 1865, leaving three daughters—.Ilachael. Martha and Ellen. In 1866, he married Sarah Boerstler they have four sons and one daughter by this union, viz., Ira. (Morey, Amy. Harry and Levi. Mr. S. is a Republican ; has been Township Trustee two years : has been a member of the Christian Church twenty years ; his wife and three elder children are also members of the same church.

JOEL STRAIT, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 13 ; P. O. Hetslerville. Among the early pioneers of Jackson Township we find the names of Richard and Joel Strait who located here in 1829. Richard Strait was the father of the subject of this sketch. and was born in Pennsylvania in September. 1796. He married Rachael Jennings in Pennsylvania. and at the early day above mentioned, located in Darke County, where he took up Congress land upon which he lived until his death. which occurred Oct. 15, 1858, aged upward of 82 years. Joel Strait was born in Perry Co.. Ohio, upon the 6th of October, 1823 ; he lived upon the farm or his father until atter his marriage, when he located upon Sec. 13, Jackson Township. where he has lived for a period of thirty-seven years ; he imw owns 110 acres of well-improved land, with good farm buildings : his fine brick residence was erected in 1854 ; he is probably the oldest continuous resident of Jackson Township, having lived here for upward of half a century. He is a strong Republican ; has never been an aspirant for office, but has held the offices of School Director. Constable and Township Trustee ; has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having, with his wife. been member of the Christian Church for twenty-two years, and has been a Deacon of the same for twenty years. His marriage with Hannah Teeter was celebrated in 1843 in Randolph Co., Ind. : nine children, of whom five are now living, viz., Francis M., Richard W.. Milton 0.. Joel E. and Alfred : of the deceased three died in infancy, and Harvey enlisted in the 94th O. V. I. for three years, and lost his life at Bowling Green while in defense of his country.

MARTIN VANDEN. retired manufacturer. merchant and farmer; P. O. Union City. Ind. ; residence. Union City, Lid.: one of the old settlers of Darke Co.: born in Gallia Co., Ohio, Feb.23, 1809 : at the age of 18, he commenced to learn the trade of wagon and plow maker. and, after working at the same until 1833, he engaged in the above business on his own account, and continued the same for a period of thirteen years in 1846, he engaged in the mercantile trade at Gallipolis, continuing the same until 1858. when he emigrated to Ohio and located at Union City, Darke Co., and has been a continuous resident of Darke Co. for upward of twenty-one years. When Mr. V. located here, there were only two buildings upon Elm street be has witnessed the marvelous change of seeing the same become the business street of the place. and his own residence and store are built upon a part of his purchase of four lots, for which he at that time paid $30, now worth $1.000 at the time of the purchase, however, they were located in a pond of water. Upon the 1st of August, 1833, he was united in marriage with Rebecca Guy she was born in Virginia Aug. 3. 1806 ; six children were the fruits of this ration. of whom three are deceased; the living are Margaret A., Sarah J. and Julia M.

THOMAS B. WENRICK, farmer and minister ; P. O. Union City ; residence Sec. 26. This gentleman was born in Dauphin Co., Penn.. upon the 26th of March, 1818 ; at 2 years of age. he removed with his parents So Cumberland Co., Penn.; in 1836. he came to Montgomery Co.. Ohio, and in 1838 located in Miami Co.; in 1841, he came to Darke Co.. and. after a residence of six years. came to Darke Co. and located in Jackson Township in the year 1847, where he has lived thirty-two years within a distance of three-fourths o2 a mile ; in 1853. he commenced preaching, and has since continued the same in connection with farming ; he now has 220 acres of land. with good farm buildings. Mr. Wenrick was a son of Thomas and Esther (Brant) Wenrick ; his father was born in Pennsylvania, and died in

742 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Miami Co., Ohio, in 1853 ; his mother was also a native of Pennsylvania, and died a few years after the death of her husband.

SOLOMON YOUNG, farmer, grain merchant and ice dealer ; P. 0. Union City, Ind. ; one of the old settlers of Darke Co. : born in Maryland Feb. 12. 1827. his father, Joseph Young, emigrated from Maryland to Pennsylvania in 1829, and in 1834 came to Darke Co., Ohio, and located some three miles east of Gettysburg ; at 16 years of age Solomon Young obtained employment in the woolen- mills in Miami Co., continuing the same seven years ; in 1852. he built a house in Union City, placing the four corners of the same upon stumps : he opened the first butcher shop in Union City, Ohio, which he run for several years. a portion of which time he also conducted the grocery and baker trade : in 1868. he located upon his present place, and for three years engaged in the saw-mill business, in connection with farming ; he has cleared 240 acres of land during the past eleven years ; his home farm consists of 80 acres of well-improved land. with good farm buildings, one-half mile from Union City ; he has held the office of Assessor, and is now Land Appraiser. In 1864, he enlisted in the 152d O. N. G.. under the call for 100-days men ; was elected and served as Second Lieutenant for the full term of service of four months ; in 1877, he connected the ice business, and is now also largely engaged in buying and shipping grain to the Eastern markets. his warehouse being located between the tracks of the C.. C.. C. & I. and the P. C. & St. L. R. R.'s. He was united in marriage with !Julia Reed, at Versailles. Darke Co. ; she was the daughter of Allen Reed, one of the early pioneers ; they were the parentaof nine children, of whom Amanda, William T., Gertrude, Lincoln. Petulia and Solomon F., are now living ; the deceased were John, Mary E. and one who died in infancy.