400 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. Knight Templar. He and his wife are both members of the Order of the Eastern Star. In addition to these fraternal organizations, Doctor Howell is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Knights of the Maccabees. The Doctor and his' wife are loyal and consistent members of the Presbyterian church, in whose welfare they are greatly interested, and to whose support they are generous contributors. Mr. Howell has been a member of the choir of his church for many years. HON. CHARLES A. REID. In placing the name of Hon. Charles A. Reid before the reader as one standing in the front rank of the enterprising men of affairs and a leader of the bar at Washington C. H., Ohio, whose influence has tended to the upbuilding of the city of his residence and the advancement of the affairs of his native county of Fayette, simple justice is done a biographical fact recognized throughout the community by those at all familiar with his history and cognizant of the important part he has acted in the circles with which he has been identified. His career presents a notable example of those qualities of mind and character which overcome obstacles and win success, and, because of his eminent ability and his strength of character he has won and retains the confidence and esteem of the community. Charles A. Reid is descended from good old pioneer stock, which has been identified with Fayette county since the early days. His paternal grandparents, Nelson H. and Barbara (Harley) Reid, were natives of the state of Maryland, but in an early day came to Fayette county, Ohio, and here settled on a farm, to the operation of which Nelson Reid devoted himself during his active years. Later he relinquished the labors of the farm and moved to Washington C. H., where his death occurred about ten years afterwards. To him and his wife were born the following children: Lawson, Martha (Crone), Mary (Thomas), Julia (Mayo), William S. (father the subject of this sketch), Ellen (Stokesberry), Nancy (Saunders) and Adaline R. (Stuckey). Mr. Reid's maternal grandparents were David and Elizabeth (Smith) Creamer, who were born in Virginia and who also were numbered among the early settlers in Fayette county. He died when about sixty years of age, and his wife at the age of eighty years. Their children were as follows : Wallace, who is now ninety-four years of age; Catharine FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 401 (Worthington), now ninety-two years of age; Cynthia (Wentz), deceased; Nancy (Stimpson), deceased ; Oliver, who died in young manhood, and Caroline, mother of the subject. William S. Reid, the subject's father, was born and reared in Union township, Fayette county, and spent practically his entire life on a farm, from which he retired about twelve years ago. He owned a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, which he improved into one of the best farms in his locality, and there he reared his family. He married Caroline Creamer, also a native of Fayette county, and to them were born five sons, namely : W. Orlando, of Jeffersonville, Ohio ; Charles A., the immediate subject of this review; Howard C., of Paint township ; Arthur H., of Greenville, Ohio, and William E., of Jeffersonville. During the Civil War William S. Reid enlisted for service and rendered 'faithful support to the Union cause in the ranks. Charles A. Reid was born on November 25, 1864, on the paternal farmstead in Jefferson township, this county, and there grew to manhood. He received his elementary education in the district school and the high school at Washington C. H., after which for a period of five years he taught school. Having determined to devote himself to the practice of law, he entered the National Normal University, at Lebanon, this state, where he pursued the law course, and in 1891 was duly admitted to the bar. He located at once in Washington C. H., where he has remained and during the subsequent years he has been numbered among the busy, able and successful members of local bar. As a lawyer he evinces a familiarity with legal principles and a ready perception of facts which has won him the reputation of a safe and sound practitioner. Years of conscientious work have brought with there not only increase of practice and reputation, but also that growth in legal knowledge and that wide and accurate judgment the possession of which constitutes marked excellence in the profession. By a straightforward, honorable course he has built up a large and lucrative legal business and has been connected with most of the important cases tried in the local courts. He is attorney for the Midland National Bank and the Fayette County Bank. Politically, Mr. Reid has been a life-long supporter of the Republican party, which manifested its confidence in him by electing him, in 1896, to the office of prosecuting attorney, in which responsible position he rendered efficient service to his county for six years. In 1910 Mr. Reid was elected representative from Fayette county to the General Assembly, and was reelected, thus serving in the seventy-ninth and eightieth Assemblies. In that (26) 402 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. body his support was always given to such measures as promised to benefit the people and he served with ability on a number of important committees. Fraternally, Mr. Reid belongs to Jeffersonville Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to Confidence Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at Washington, C. H. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Reid are active members of the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Reid is an elder, and to the support of which society he. is a liberal contributor. On June 9,.1896, Mr. Reid was united in marriage with Ollie Patton, who  was born on a farm in Green township, this county, the daughter of George W. and Mary (Rowe) Patton, and to their union has been born a daughter, Ruth. George W. Patton was for many years a successful farmer in Green township, but in 1888 he was elected to the office of sheriff, in consequence of which he moved to Washington C. H. He served two terms as sheriff and afterwards was elected and served two terms as county treasurer. He died on March 4, 1901, his widow surviving him. They were the parents of five children, Elmer E., Minnie (Marchant), Metha J., Zella V. and Ollie (Mrs. Reid). In every walk of life Mr. Reid has been recognized as a high-minded gentleman, of integrity and moral worth. While primarily interested in his own affairs, he has not been unmindful of the interests of others, contributing to the extent of his ability to the advancement of the public good and the welfare of his fellow men.. Personally, he is a man of pleasing address, sociably inclined, and enjoys a large circle of warm and loyal friends. HOWARD LEIGH STITT, M. D. The physician of today is a far more efficient servant of the people to whom he ministers than ever before in the history of medicine. He must be broader and more intelligent, have keener insight into the psychology of his patients, and with a technical skill which the old practitioners never had The young physicians who are beginning to practice today, if they have had the training of our best medical schools, are usually more reliable than the old-school physicians who had nothing but their experience to fall back on. Among the younger physicians of Fayette county, who are forging to the front in their profession is Dr. Howard Leigh Stitt, of Washington C. H. Although he has been out of school hut a short four years, yet he has already FAYETTE COUNTY, .OHIO - 493 demonstrated his ability to handle his large and, increasing practice in a satisfactory manner. Dr. Howard Leigh Stitt, the son of Joseph Young. and Mattie F. (Morris) Stitt, was born in Bloomingburg, Ohio, February 3, 1885. His parents were natives of this county and his father is still living in Bloomingburg where he is the manager of a drug store. In his younger days. Joseph Y Stitt was a school teacher and later became a druggist in Bloomingburg and now has the oldest established business in that town. His wife died in May 1906, at the age of forty-one.. Joseph Y. Stitt and wife were the parents of two children, Howard L. and Ercell Gertrude. The father and mother were both members of the Presbyterian church. The paternal grandparents of Doctor Stitt were William and Ellen (Holland) Stitt, both natives of this county. William Stitt was a farmer living northeast of Bloomingburg, in Paint township, and later moved to Bloomingburg, where he died. William Stitt and wife reared a family of six children, James, John, Charles, Joseph Y., Hugh and Ella. The maternal grandparents of Dr. Howard Stitt were Robert and Ellen (Miller) Morris, natives of Ohio and early settlers in Paint township, Fayette county. Robert Morris died in Washington C. H. at the age of seventy-one, and his wife is still living at the age of seventy-two. They reared a family of eight children, John, Mattie F., Charles, Gertrude, Frank, Corda, Maude and Earl. Dr. Howard Leigh Stitt was reared in Bloomingburg, and after graduating from the high school in that place entered Miami University in order to take the course necessary to enter a medical college. After doing the required amount of work in Miami University he entered the Medical College of Cincinnati, an institution which was later merged with the Ohio Miami Medical College and is now a part of the University of Cincinnati. From this institution he graduated with honors in 1910, and served for a years as interne house physician and surgeon in the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati. In 1911 he came to Washington C. H. and opened an office for the active practice of his profession, at No. 114 East Market street. While he has been engaged in the practice only a short time, yet he has won the confidence of the people to a marked degree, and is rapidly securing his share of the patronage of the city and the surrounding territory. Doctor Stitt was married October 21, 1912, to Margaret McClure, the daughter and only child of Robert D. and Henrietta (Eyler) McClure. Mrs. Stitt was horn at Rarden, Scioto county, this state, both her parents being also natives of Ohio. Her mother is deceased and her father is now 404 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. living at Peebles. Ohio, although for many years he was a resident of Washington C. H. Doctor Stitt and his wife are loyal and consistent members of the Presbyterian church. Fraternally, he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias. While at Miami University he was initiated as a member of Alpha Chapter, Sigma Chi, and has always retained an active interest in his college fraternity. He is also a member of the Nu Sigma Nu a Greek-letter medical fraternity, which had a chapter at the Medical College of Cincinnati. He also holds his membership in Fayette County, Ohio State and the American medical associations. CHARLES B. PARKER. There are individuals in every community who by pronounced ability and force of character rise above the heads of the masses and command a coffin place among the leaders of their locality. Characterized by perseverance and a directing spirit, two virtues that never fail, such men always make their presence felt and the vigor of their strong personality serves as a stimulant and incentive to the young .and rising generation. To this energetic and enterprising class Charles B. Parker, of the firm of Parker & Wood, very properly belongs. A native of this county, he has traveled far and wide over the western part of the United States and been engaged in business as a railroad contractor in many states. For the past ten years he has been a resident of this city of his birth and a member of the manufacturing company of Parker & Wood, manufacturers of all kinds of wood. His life has been characterized by indomitable energy and perseverance, and the success to which he has attained has been the result of the utilization of these qualities. Charles B. Parker, the son and only child of Joseph and Eliza (McElwain) Parker, was born in Washington C. H. October 25, 1875. His father was born in Warren county, this state, and reared to manhood in that county. As a young man he learned the carpenter trade and followed the building, and contracting business all of his life. He then came to Fayette county shortly before the Civil War and married Eliza McElwain, a native of the county and located in Good Hope, where he lived for a number of years. He then moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he followed his business as a builder and contractor for a short time. In 1878 he returned to Good Hope, in Fay- FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 405 rttey county, Ohio, where his death occurred in the same year, his wife still surviving.. He was reared as a Baptist, while his wife has been a life-long member of the Methodist church. Joseph Parker was the son of Joseph and Julia (Holcomb) Parker, natives of Ohio. Joseph Parker, Sr., was a Hardshell Baptist preacher, although the meager compensation of the preachers of the early days compelled to follow some other occupation for a means of livelihood. He farmed for many years in Warren county, and later in life moved to Good Hope, Fayette county, where he died at an advanced age. His wife afterwards died in Washington C. H. Rev. Joseph Parker and wife reared a family of four children: Capt. John B. Parker, of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Catherine Yeoman, of the state of Washington; Joseph B., the father of the emmediate subject of this sketch, and Charles F., deceased. The parents of Eliza McElwain, the wife of Joseph Parker, Jr., were William and Maria (Nye) McElwain, early settlers of Fayette county, Ohio, where they died at and old age. Maria was an aunt of the renowned poet and wit, "Bill Nye," and the daughter of Major Ichabod Nye, who made a gallant name for himself in the War of 1812. The original McElwain stock came from Scotland and the first members of the family settled in Virginia. William McElwain and wife reared a family of nine children, Capt. John McElwain, Mrs. Nancy Burner, Mrs. Mollie Nitterhouse, Judge Thomas D., Mrs. Eliza C. Parker, Mrs. Asenath Blanchard, Robert T., Mrs. Eva McLean and Mrs. Willie Carmean. Charles B. Parker was reared in Washington C. H. and received the best education which was afforded by the city schools. Upon reaching his majority he went to Arizona and located in Kingman, where he engaged in the mercantile business and mining for three years. In 1896 he returned to Washington C. H., and a year later returned to the West, where he was engaged in railroad construction work. His father had been a builder and contractor and in this way he had acquired a fair knowledge of the business. He remained in the West and Southwest until 1904, when he returned to Washington C. H. and, in company with J. M. Wood and C. F. Parker, organized the Parker & Wood Manufacturing Company. They manufacture all kinds of wood work and have in their employ from twenty to thirty people all the time. Owing to the excellence of their work and their honest methods of dealing, they have built up a large trade in their line and are classed among the most prosperous and substantial firms of the city. Mr. Parker was married June 21, 1910, to Harriett E. Swope, the daughter of George B. and Mary (Pringle) Swope, and to this union have 406 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. been born two children, Charlotte S. and Harriett Ann. The mother of Mrs. Parker is deceased, while her father is still living in Washington C. H. Mrs. Parker is one of three children born to her parents, the others being John and Opal. Politically, Mr. Parker has always been allied with the Republican party, but owing to the fact that he has been away from the county so much and since returning been so busy with his manufacturing interests, he has not had the time to take an active part in political affairs. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. TOLEN E. BROWN. To attain a worthy citizenship by a life that is honored and respected from childhood deserves more than passing mention. One may take his place in public life through some vigorous stroke of public policy and remains in the hearts of his friends and neighbors, but to gradually rise to the same position, winning through sterling worth and faithfulness to trust, rather than by a craving for popularity, is worthy of the highest praise and commendation. Such has been the life of Tolen E. Brown, a prosperous farmer of Madison township and the present recorder of Fayette county, Ohio, The people are demanding better officials today and when a man proves satisfactory in office, it is becoming the custom to re-elect him, an honor which has come to Mr. Brown in the office of county recorder. Tolen E. Brown, the only child of Isaac and Belle ( Vance) Brown was born in Madison county, Ohio, September 25, 1880. His father was reared in Madison county, and lived the life of a farmer there until his death, in 1881 ; his wife lives in this county. The parents of Isaac Brown were early settlers in Ross and Madison counties, Ohio, where they reared a family of four children, John, Isaac, Prudence and Anna. Isaac Brown’s wife's parents were Thomas and Mary (Harrison) Vance, both natives of Ohio. Thomas Vance was a farmer and died in Fayette county in middle life, his wife still surviving him, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Ten children were horn to Thomas Vance and wife, Robert, Batteal, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Benjamin, Martha, Fannie, Josephine, John and Belle, the wife of Isaac Brown. Tolen E. Brown was reared in Madison, Ross and Fayette counties, Ohio, coming Fayette county with his parents when he was eleven years FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 407 of age. He received a good common school education in the district schools of these three counties. His father died when he was one year old and he lived with his mother and grandmother until reaching maturity. He married at the age of twenty-one and then began farming in Madison township, this county, where he has met with success commensurate with his efforts. He was farming in that township when was elected to the office of county recorder in the fall of 1910, and since that time has lived in Washington C. H. He is a Democrat in politics, and has served as township trustee of Madison township for one term before his election as county recorder, and so satisfactory was his first term that he was re-elected in the fall of 1912, and is still performing the duties of that responsible position in a manner which indicates that he is a man of ability and efficiency. Mr. Brown was married December 24, Igor, to Rosa F. Uhrig, the daughter of Philip and Laura (Hammond) Uhrig, and to this union were born two children, Selden E. and Beulah May, both of whom died in childhood. Mrs. Brown was born in Ross county, Ohio, her mother being a native of this state, while her father was born in Germany. Both of her parents are now living at Madison Mills, Ohio, where they moved after retiring from the farm. Philip Uhrig and wife are the parents of four children, Anna, Rosa, Carrie and Laura. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, Mr. Brown belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Washington C. H. and the Knights of Pythias at Madison mills, this county. AMOS THORNTON. From the pioneer period through many decades, Amos Thornton has been identified with the business and material interests of Fayette county and Washington C. H. and he has won for himself an honorable position in the circles in which he has moved. Not a pretentious or exalted life has been his, but one that has been true to itself and to which the biographer may revert with feelings of respect and satisfaction. He is recognized as a man of strong and alert mentality, deeply interested in everything pertaining to the advancement of the community along material, civic and moral lines, and for years he has been recognized as one of the representative men of his city and county. Amos Thornton was born in Union township, Fayette county, Ohio, 408 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. within three miles of the court house, on November 27, 1833. His parents were Thomas B. and Mahala (Harper) Thornton, who were born and reeared in Virginia. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Amos, the subject of this sketch ; James, of Oklahoma; John Anderson, deceased; William H., of Washington C. H.; Elon, living in Washington C. H.; Thomas of near Gallatin, Tennessee ; Austin, deceased, and Noah, of Union township. Thomas B. Thornton was a farmer and acquired the ownership of about six hundred acres of land in Union township, which he improved and developed into a valuable estate, and there he died in the ninetieth year of his age. His widow, who died at the age of eighty-six years, was born in Pendleton county, Virginia, and was a Baptist in her religious faith. Thomas B. Thornton was a man of good business judgment and unquestioned integrity and served his county efficiently as county commissioner. The subject's paternal grandfather came from Norfolk, Virginia, with his wife, and they settled near Columbus, Franklin county, Ohio, where he died. Eventually his widow came to Fayette county and married again, her second husband being Mr. Coyle. She died near Van Wert. To the first union were born two children, James and Thomas. The former possessed a roving disposition and he drifted away, his subsequent history being unknown. The subject's maternal grandparents were Jacob and Phoebe (Harmon) Harper, natives of Pendleton county, Virginia. They came to Fayette county in 1829, but subsequently moved to Missouri, where the wife died, Mr. Harper returned to Fayette county and his death occurred in Union township. To him and his wife were born the following children: Sabina, Mahala, Tana, Phoebe, Delilah, Simeon, Enos, Elon, Isaac, Jacob, Noah and John. Amos Thornton was reared in Fayette county and this has been his home for more than eighty years. He lived on his father's farm until seventeen years old, and secured his education in the district schools. When seventeen years old he came to Washington C. H. and learned the trade of saddler and harness-maker, which vocation he followed for a few years. When nineteen years old he made the long, tiresome and dangerous trip across the western plains to California, lured by the wonderful tales of sodden wealth to be found there, the trip requiring five months after crossing the Missouri river, and ox teams being used for motive power. Mr. Thornton engaged in mining gold and passed through many strange and memorable experiences. In December, 1856, he returned to his Eastern home and resumed work at his trade, which he followed until the outbreak of the Civil FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 409 War, when he enlisted in Company A, First Regiment Ohio Cavalry. He served faithfully and courageously with this command until the close of the war, receiving an honorable discharge on May 31, 1865. Being in the cavalry branch of the army, he took part in many of the most important movements of the southern armies and had some severe engagements with the enemy. He served in Virginia until 1864, when he went to Nashville, Tennessee, and was assigned to the quartermaster's department and given charge of about seventy-five men who were detailed to make saddles for the army. Ater his return home Mr. Thornton engaged in farming in Fayette county, applying himself closely to this vocation for fifteen years and meeting with pronounced success. He then moved to Washington C. H., and in 1881 he engaged in the coal business, with which he is still identified, being numbered among the enterprising and successful business men of his city. On the 5th day of January, 1857, Mr. Thornton married Artie Allen, who was born in Union township, the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Van Gorder) Allen. To this union were born two sons, James Allen and Charles Lawson. James A. is a partner with his father in the coal business. He married Louisa Reichart, and they have two children, Robert A. and Frank. Charles L., who also is associated with his father and brother in the coal business, married Annie Bell and they are the parents of four children, Eva, Amos and James. Mrs. Thornton's parents were natives of Pennsylvania, who became early settlers of Fayette county, Ohio. They came here with one child, and at that time were very poor, the trip being made on horseback. However, Mr. Allen was industrious and ambitious and eventually became quite well-to-do, accumulating about three thousand acres of land. He died here when about seventy-six years of age, being survived several years by his widow. Their children were as follows : Ellen. Allen, Benjamin, Joseph, Eber, Ann, Madison, Elmira, Rebecca, Mariby, Esther and Artie. Mrs. Thornton's paternal grandfather, Jeremiah Allen, was a native of Pennsylvania. Politically, Mr. Thornton has been a life-long supporter of the Republican party, while, fraternally, he is a member of. Fayette Lodge No. 107, Free and Accepted Masons, and to Hayes Post, Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. Thornton is a member of the Presbyterian church and is a lady of charming personality, who has long been numbered among the good old ladies of Fayette county. Mr. Thornton's long and useful life as one of the world's workers has been one of devotion to whatever labor he has addressed himself, and well 410 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. does he merit a place of honor in every history touching upon the deeds of those who have given the best of their powers for the betterment of their kind. WILLIAM H. DIAL. Few citizens of Fayette county are as widely and favorably known as William H. Dial, one of the oldest real estate and insurance men in Washington C. H. and one of the community's most useful and highly esteemed men. His life has become a part of the history of the locality in which he has made his home for many years, and his long and honorable business career has brought him before the public in such a way as to gain the esteem and confidence of his fellow men. Keen perception, tireless energy and honesty of purpose, combined with mature judgment and every-day common sense, have ever been among his most prominent characteristics, and, while laboring for individual success and for the material interests of the community, he has also been largely instrumental in promoting the moral welfare of those with whom he has mingled. William H. Dial is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having first seen the light of day in Clermont county on the 26th day of September, 1847. He is the son of Joseph S. and Lucinda (Weaver) Dial, who also were natives of Ohio. They were the parents of six children, four of whom lived to years of maturity, namely : Mary E., unmarried and living in Washington C. H.; William H., the immediate subject of this review; Anna Belle, the wife of Barton Fairfield, of near San Francisco, California: David Franklin, of New Richmond, Ohio, and two who, died early in life. Joseph S. Dial was born and reared in Clermont county, and there followed the vocation of farming, being the owner of one hundred and ten acres of splendid land, which he greatly improved and where he reared his children. He spent the greater portion of his own life there, his death occurring in 1896, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife died in 1904. They were both Methodists in their religious faith and exemplified their faith in their daily lives. The subject's paternal grandparents, David and Elizabeth (Robinson) Dial, were born, respectively, in North Carolina and Ohio, and were farming folk. Their deaths occurred in Clermont county, he at the age of fifty-five years, and she eight years later, at about the same age. They were the parents of nine children, six sons and three daughters, namely: John, Shadreck, William, Joseph, Stephen, Mahla, Mary, Anna and Caro- FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 411 line. On the maternal side the subject is descended from William and Mary (Robinson) Weaver, natives of Virginia, where they followed farming. Eventually, William Weaver brought his family to Ohio, and they were lumbered among the early settlers of Clermont county. There their deaths occurred, he when fifty-five years old and she at seventy-two years. To them were born two sons, twins, and four daughters, Wesley, Henry, Mary Ann, Cena. Catherine and Lucinda. William H. Dial spent his boyhood years on his father's Clermont county farm, and secured his education in the district schools and the high school at Amelia, where he graduated. Later, to adequately prepare himself for a business career, he took a course in a commercial school in Cincinnati, following which, for three years, he was employed as collector for a business house. In 1875 Mr. Dial came to Washington C. H. and engaged in the insurance, real estate and loan business, in which he has been successfully engaged continuously to the present time, a period of almost forty years. That he has prospered and today enjoys one of the largest clienteles his line in Fayette county is a matter of general knowledge and is due entirely to his zeal in going after business and the honorable way in which he has handled it, his relations with his customers ever being of the most pleasant and satisfactory character. He possesses a very accurate knowledge of real estate values and is considered an authority in the appraisal of values. Mr. Dial is a stockholder and director of the Washington Savings Bank and Trust Company, and is a man of far-sighted judgment and keen sagacity. Politically, Mr. Dial has been a life-long supporter of the Democratic party and has filled several city offices with great satisfaction to his fellow citizens, being at the present time a member of the board of public safety for Washington C. H. Religiously, he is, with his wife, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a trustee for many years, taking an active and effective interest in the various phases of church work. Fraternally, Mr. Dial has long been an active and enthusiastic member of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding membership in Lodge No. 107; Fayette Chapter No. 103, Royal Arch Masons ; Fayette Council No. roc), Royal and Select Masters; Garfield Commandery No. 28, Knights -Templar ; Scioto Consistory, Scottish Rite Masons, at Columbus, and Aladdin Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He has filled practically all the chairs in these various bodies, excepting the Scottish Rite and the Shrine. William H. Dial has been married twice. On the 13th day of November, 1870, he married Susanna Foster, who was born at Georgetown, Brown county, Ohio, the daughter of Capt. John S. and Margaret (Thompson) 412 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. Foster. These parents were both natives of Ohio, and both died in Clark county, being buried in Fayette county. Mr. Foster was a soldier in the Civil War and organized an independent company in Georgetown, of which he became captain and with which he served nearly all through the war. To him and his wife were born two sons and four daughters, Edwin T., Susanna, Belle, Catherine, Mollie and John K. John S. Foster's father was Thomas Foster. To William H. and Susanna Dial were born three children, namely : Sarah Frances, who remains at home; Georgia May, who died April 18, 1898, at the age of twenty years; John Franklin, who is his father’s business assistant, married Ruth Stuckey, and they have a son, William Richard, born August 30, 1914. The mother of these children passed away on July 14, 1904, at the age of fifty-three years, and on October 12. 1905, Mr. Dial married Georgia Holcomb, who was born in Morgan county, Ohio, the daughter of B. M. Holcomb, who was the son of Elijah Holcomb. Her parents, who were natives of Ohio, lived at various times in Columbus, Washington C. H., and Circleville. They were the parents of five children. namely : Jennie, the wife of J. N. Riley; Luella Holcomb Arnold, deceased; Georgia, the wife of William H. Dial; William E. and Wildia Holcomb Morrow. Mrs. Dial is a woman of gracious qualities of character and is well liked by all who know her. Mr. Dial is a man of genial nature, unassuming in his relations with others, and because of his genuine worth and high qualities of character he. has deserved the high regard in which he is held by all who know him. JOHN WESLEY ANDERSON. The history of any city, county or state is the record of the lives and deeds of those who have in various ways performed the duties of citizenship. In the complex system of society as it is today there is need for men in a great variety of occupations. It is fortunate that all men do not want to be preachers or teachers or lawyers; that all men do not want to be farme or blacksmiths or railroad men. There are hundreds of occupations in the United States today, and a town the size of Washington C. H. will have at least a hundred different occupations. An important industry which is found represented in every town of any size in the country is the retail meat market business and this city boasts of one of the best equipped retail meat markets in the state. FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 413 John Wesley Anderson, the proprietor of the White Tile Meat Market, was born near Leesburg, Ohio, September 9, 1870. He is a son of James C. and Hannah Ellen ( Swift) Anderson, natives of Ohio and the parents of seven children : William S., deceased; John Wesley, with whom this narrative deals; Chloe E., the wife of Stephen Rogers, of Seymour, Indiana ; Allie. the widow of Edward Teeters; Auber D., now in the Mt. Vernon hospital; Dollie, the wife of Addie Coler, of Denver, Colorado, and James H., of Washington C. H. James C. Anderson was reared near Centerfield, Ohio, and spent his boyhood days on the farm. At the opening of the Civil War he enlisted in Company I, Eighty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served for three and one-half years. He participated in some of the hardest fought battles of that great struggle and was wounded three times while in the service. He was killed in a railroad accident at Leesburg, Ohio, in 1887, at the age of forty-four years. His wife lost her eyesight at the age of thirty-five and died at the age of sixty. James C. Anderson and his wife were both devout members of the Friends church, and were always greatly interested in the work of the church. He was a son of Rev: Benjamin and Rebecca (Dimmick) Anderson, natives of Ohio and Scotland, respectively. Benjamin Anderson was a Methodist minister and one of the pioneer circuit riders of Ohio. The parents of the wife of James C. Anderson were William and Nancy (Amos) Swift, natives of Ireland and Ohio, respectively. She died at the age of seventy-six, while he lived until he was ninety-two years old. William Swift and wife were the parents of eight children, Hannah E., William E., John W., Mattie, Elizabeth, Stafford, Harrison and Ida. John W. Anderson was reared on a farm in Highland county, Ohio, near Leesburg, and spent part of his boyhood days in town. He attended the public schools of East Monroe, and immediately after he left the school room began to learn the butcher's trade. He has been engaged in this business for the past twenty-seven years, twenty years of which has been spent in Washington C. H. He came to this city in 1894, and for six years worked in the shop of William H. Snider, and in 1900 he opened a shop of his own, and his place, known as the White Tile Meat Market, is a model of cleanliness and neatness. He understands every angle of the retail meat business and by his courteous treatment of his customers and his honest, reliable methods, he has built up a trade which is second to none in the city. Mr. Anderson was married June 14, 1892, to Jennie M. Browder, the daughter of Harmon and Lydia Jane (Coweman) Browder, and to this union have been born three children, Harold B., William H. and Chloe. 414 - FAYETTE COUNTY OHIO. Mrs. Anderson was born near Greenfield, Ohio, both of her parents, being natives of this state. Harmon Browder and wife were the parents of four children, Mrs. Sallie Limes, Edward, Mrs. Cora Brown and Jennie, the wife of Mr. Anderson. Mr. Anderson and his family, are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Arcanum. In politics he has always adhered to the Republican party, but has never been active in political matters. JOHN CRAIG The life history of John Craig, ex-county auditor of Fayette county and a farmer living on his fine tract of eighty-five acres on the Jeffersonville pike about one mile from Washington C. H., shows what good habits, industry and stanch citizenship will accomplish in the battle for success in life. His record is one replete with duty well and conscientiously performed in every relation of life and special honor is attached to his career owing to the fact that he was one of those loyal sons of the Union who offered his services and his life if need be for the preservation of the nation during the dark days of the sixties. Throughout his life, Mr. Craig has been an advocate of wholesome living and cleanness in politics as well and has always stood for the highest and best interests of the community in which so many of his active years have been passed and which has been honored by his citizenship. John Craig was born on December 25, 1839, in Cincinnati, Ohio, a son of William and Sarah (Van Pelt) Craig, who were the parents of ten children, the immediate subject being the second child in order of birth. The others are Mary Anna (deceased), Charles W. (deceased), Thomas M. Asbury J., Amanda E., Russell, Arabella, Susan Jane and Elizabeth. William Craig, the subject's father, was born in the state of New Jersey and was brought to Cincinnati by his parents when a young boy. In that city he acquired his trade of a carpenter, at which vocation he worked almost the balance of his life. He was married upon first coming to this county. were he remained for a comparatively short time, when he returned to Cincinnati where the immediate subject of this sketch was born. While the subject was still a baby his father returned to this county, locating at Staunton, where he engaged in the general merchandise business and where he remained for about fourteen years, when he removed to Marion county, Iowa. It was at FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 415 Staunton, therefore, that the subject received, his earliest schooling, later attending-the schools of Marion county when the parents took up their abode there. There he passed several years of his younger manhood and he later returned to this county with a sister. It was from this point, in answer to President Lincoln's call to arms, that he enlisted as a private in Company C, fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Col. Thomas Kilby Smith. For three years he remained in the service and, was in many of the most important engagements of the, war, among them being the battles of Shiloh. Haines Bluff and important skirmishes enroute to Vicksburg. He spent a tedious period of three months in the hospital at Milliken's Bend. After receiving his honorable discharge from service, he returned to this county and for some time he traveled all over the state operating a notion wagon, from which he sold goods and took orders from rural merchants. Tiring of this lite after a time, he secured a farm in this county, which he rented for some time and later purchased the farm,. which he now owns and where he has since made his home. Since obtaining possession of this land he has made many important improvements in it so that today it is considered one of the excellent farms of the community. Mr. Craig is a man skilled in many lines, as witnessed by the fact that he was in the restaurant and bakery business for a time and the additional fact that by his father he was initiated into the secrets of carpentry and he has followed this trade more or less ever since. Mr. Craig's fraternal affiliation is with the Knights of Pythias and he is also a member of John M. Bell Post No. 119, Grand Army of the Repubic. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party, in the affairs of which he has been active in many ways. Mr. Craig is a man who is popular, with all classes and when his name appeared on the ticket as a candidate for the office of county auditor, his friends rallied to his support and twice he was elected by a good majority. With the greatest enfficincy he discharged the duties of that office to the satisfaction of all. Shortly after his return from the army, on November 16, 1866, Mr. Craig was united in marriage to Matilda A. Sollars, a daughter of Isaac and Hannah (Jones) Sollers, the former of whom was a native of Fayette county. He was a son of Samuel Sollars, a native of England who emgrated to this country when a young man and secured government land in this state tinder the administration of President Jackson. Isaac Sollars was the father of eleven children, four of whom are deceased. These are Jonathan, Isaac M., Jacob T. and Eliza J. Those living are Mary E., Matilda 416 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. (wife of the subject), Wells B., Barton, Ella H., Samuel and Alsina. Mrs. Craig has been a resident of this county all her life. Mr. and Mrs. Craig are the parents of two sons, Isaac F., who married Anna Artz and resides in Dayton, this state, is the father of three children, Lucile, Ellen and Family. William, the younger son, married Barbara Young and has one son, Malcolb W. Personally, Mr. Craig is a man of clean character who has ever exerted a healthful influence in the community, giving his support to any movement which promised the advancement of the interests of those about him in any legitimate way. He has long been regarded as among those men who are interested in the advancement of township and county affairs and through his manner of living and his varied interests here he has won a host of friends who regard him as one of the leading men of the county. HUMPHREY JONES. It can not be other than interesting to note in the series of personal sketches appearing in this history the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to throw well focused light onto the individuality and to bring into prope r perspective the scheme of each respective character. Each man who strives to fulfill his part in connection with human life and human activities is deserving of recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor, and it is the function the tion of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record concerning those represented in its pages, and the value of such publications is certain to be cumulative for all time to come. The beginning of the career of him whose name heads these paragraphs was characterized by hard work and conscientious endeavor, and he owes his rise to no train of fortunate incidents or fortuitous circumstances. It is the reward of the application of mental qualifications of a high order to the affairs of business, the combining of keen perceptions and mental activity that enabled him to grasp the opportunities that presented themselves. This he did with success and, what is more important, with honor. His integrity is unassailable,. his honor unimpeachable, and he stands deservedly high with all who know him. Humphrey Jones, well known lawyer, farmer and banker, of Washington C. H., is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born on afarm near Jeffersonville, Fayette county, on the 31st day of January, 1857. FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. - 417 He is the son of William H. and Olivia (Hidy) Jones, who ere born, he in Wales about twenty miles south of Liverpool, and she in Fayette county, Ohio, near Jeffersonville. To these parents were born six children, namely : Mary J. wife of Luther M. Irwin, of Jeffersonville, Ohio ; Emma 0., the wife of Richard McCormack, of Columbus, Ohio ; William H., of Sullivan county, Indiana: Humphrey, the immediate subject of this sketch; Cary, of London, Ohio; Minnie J., the wife of Dallas Reading, of Jeffersonville, Ohio. The subject's father, William H. Jones, was in early life by trade a cabinetmaker and stair-builder. He remained at his home in northern Wales until nineteen years of age, when he went to Manchester. England, where he followed his olvocations, all of the work in those days being done by hand. When twenty-six years of age he came to America and located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was engaged in stair building and also did considerable general contracting in the building line. During this period, ambitious to better his condition and following a natural inclination, he applied himself to the study of medicine in the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati. Upon completing his professional studies, he located at Oak Hill, Jackson county, this state, where for two years he practiced medicine, and then came to Jeffersonville, where he applied himself to the practice of his profession up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1894, when eighty years of age. He was survived several years by his widow, who passed away in 1898, aged sixty-seven years. Religiously, Doctor Jones was, in early life, identified with the Calvinistic and Presbyterian churches, but later he and his wife identified themselves with the Universalist church. Doctor Jones was greatly interested in educational matters, was public spirited to an eminent degree and during the early sixties he served as a member of the board of county commissioners. He was also successful business man, having become the owner of several valuable farms in the county. The paternal grandparents of the subject of this sketch were William and Jane Jones, natives of Wales, where the father followed farming and milling, and there spent his entire life and died. His widow, with three of her children where then started for the United States, following her son William, who was already established here. However, the mother died at sea, and the orphan children were compelled to complete their journey alone. They reaching Cininnati, where their brother William tenderly cared for them until they mature years. These children were David and Jane, later Mrs. Burnham.. Two other children remained in England. On the maternal side Humphrey Jones is descended from Joseph and Mary (Carr) Hidy, the (27) 418 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. former: a ,native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Virginia. He was of German descent and she sprang from Irish antecedents. They located in Fayette county, Ohio, where he became an extensive land owner and successful farmer in the early days. They both died here at advanced ages, he being ninety-seven and she eighty-seven at the time of their deaths. They became the parents of ten children, Joseph, Humphrey, Urban, Isaac, William, Olivia (Jones), Margaret (Beatty), Louisa (Tway), Sidney (Brock) and Clarissa (Wendle). Humphrey Jones was reared on the paternal farmstead near Jeffersonville and received his educational training in the district and village school. He remained at home until attaining manhood and then successfully engaged in teaching school—that vocation which for thousands has been but a stepping stone to higher things. In the meantime, Mr. Jones was applyinghimself diligently to the study of the law and in 1883, after two years study in the law office of Hon. Mills Gardner, at Washington C. H. was admitted to the bar. He at once opened an office in Washington C. H., and has been closely identified with much of the important. litigation in the local courts as well as in the courts of other counties in the state and in the federal courts during the subsequent years. He has not only won a wide reputation as a successful and able lawyer, but he has also been successful in his private business affairs, so that today he is counted among the wealthy men of Fayette county. He is the owner of much valuable farming land, which demands considerable of his attention. His farms lie in Wayne, Union, Madison Marion and Paint townships, this county, and in Sullivan county, Indiana. Mr. Jones has always taken a special interest in upbuilding and developing his farm lands and in improving the methods of farming and stock feeding. Some fourteen years ago he conceived the idea of building silos on his steer feeding operations and erected several very large concrete silo for use in lands. These silos are believed to be the first in the United States built on any considerable scale for steer feeding purposes. Since then this methodi of steer feeding has been very greatly extended and is now rapidly coming into general use throughout the corn belt of the country. Mr. Jones has also been a strong advocate of thorough tile ditching and soil upbuilding by the rotation of crops and handling of live stock, and much of his lands have been doubled and trebled in their. productiveness by his systematic handling and their value greatly increased. In 1895 Mr. Jones was one of the reorganizers of the People's and Drovers' Bank,, at Washington C. H one of the solid and influential financial institutions of Fayette county, and has since FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. - 419 several efficiently as president of that bank, the other officers being William H. Thornton, vice-president, and Roy T. McClure, cashier. The capital bank is one hundred thousand dollars, with a surplus of thirty five thousand dollars. On June 19, 1888, Humphrey Jones was united in marriage with Laura B. Willis, the daughter of James M. and Emily (Southward) Willis, of Bloomingburg, this county, where Mrs. Jones was born and reared. Her parents were both natives of Ohio, and both are deceased, her father dying in 1888, aged eighty years, and her mother passing away at about the same age. They were the parents of three children, William R., James W. and Laura B. Mrs. Jones' paternal grandparents were Nathaniel and Mary (Parker) Willis, who, in an early day, came to Ross county, Ohio, from Boston, Massachusetts. Nathaniel Willis is deserving of specific mention as the founder of the Youth's Companion, and after his location in Ohio he founded Scioto Gazette, said to be the first newspaper established in Ohio and which is still being published. This worthy couple passed away in Ross county, this state, and were buried near Bainbridge. By a former marriage Nathanial Willis was the father of two children, "Fannie Fern," the noted novelist, and Nathaniel Parker Willis, well known as a poet. Politically, Humphrey Jones has been a supporter of the Republican party has taken a keen and intelligent interest in public affairs. His ability and integrity received substantial recognition when, in 1912, he was chosen a member of the constitutional convention, in which he rendered effective service to his state. Mr. Jones having in his professional life always been much connected with and interested in real estate law and land titles, was the author of and secured the adoption by the constitutional convention of an amendment to the state constitution clearing the way for the adoption of a in the state of a system of land title registration. The amendment was ratified by the people, receiving the second largest vote of any of the forty-one amendments submitted. By reason of his special knowledge of the subject Mr. Jones was selected to draft the law, which was, in May, 1913, enacted by the Legislature pursuant to this constitutional amendment providing for the system, and he also drafted the forms of record and procedure under this law which were approved and prescribed by the attorney-general for the guidance of officers and attorneys having duties to perform thereunder. Fraternally, Mr. Jones is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding membership in the lodge at Bloomingburg, as well as the lodge of Knights of Pythias at the same place, and Washington Lodge No. 129, 420 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His religious sympathies are eith the Methodist Episcopal church, of which society Mrs. Jones is a member. Personally, Mr. Jones is genial and easily approached, possessing to a marked degree those qualities which win friends. He has always stood ready to identify himself with his fellow citizens in any good work and extend a co-operative hand to advance any measure that is calculated to better the condition of things in the community. He is a great lover of music possesses several fine old violins and obtains his greatest recreation in playing upon them. DELBERT C. HAYS. The photographic art has made great strides in the past few years and the development of this art from the time the first daguerreotype was put on the market down to the present time has kept pace with the advance of other arts and sciences. The development of the camera and kodak has been so rapid that the dealers have hardly been able to keep up with many changes. At the present time hardly a town or city of any size but what handles kodaks of some kind and thousands of amateur photographers are found scattered throughout the United States. With all of this development it is not to be wondered at that the professional photographer has seen his business increased by leaps and bounds. The desires to have the pictures of our relatives and friends was never as strong as it is today, and with the increased production of photographic supplies, the product has fallen to such a price that good pictures are within the reach of all. One of the photographers of Washington C. H. who is attaining an enviable reputation in his particular line is Delbert C. Hays, who has maintained a studio in this city for the past seven years. Delbert C. Hays, the son of George D. and Lucy M. (Willians) Hays, was born in Paint township, this county, March 23, 1883. His parents were both natives of this county, and his father is still operating a farm, Paint township, although he is now living in Washington C. H., where he has resided for the past thirty years. For several years he engaged in the coal and ice business in this city, but is now in active charge of his farm, although not living on it. George D. Hays is the son of Hackney Hays, an early settler in Fayette county. Hackney Hays and his wife were the parents of a large family of children, Lynn, Morgan, George D.. James S., Mrs. Ellen Mallow, Mrs. Almira Thompson and Mrs. Martha McCoy. All of FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 421 these children, except Lynn and Morgan, are still living. The parents of Mrs. George D. Hays were H. B. Williams and wife, also early settlers in this county. H. B. Williams was twice married, his first wife having died many years ago, after which he married again, and to the second union three children were born, Burton, Alice and Fanny. There were two children by the first marriage, Tay G. and Lucy M. Delbert C. Hays was reared in Washington C. H. and, after finishing the course in the public schools of this city, began the study of photography, and has made this his life work.. In 1967 he opened a studio Of his own, and for passt seven years has been located at the corner of Court and Main streets. His studio is equipped with all of the latest and most approved cameras and accessories, enabling him to. give his patrons all of the latest design in the photographic art. Being .a man of artistic tastes and genial disposition, he has built up a large patronage in the city and county, and has the satisfaction of seeing his business increase from year to year. Politically, Mr. Hays is identified with the Progressive party, having cast his fortunes with that party upon its organization in the fall of 1912. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and has attained to the chapter and commandery degree§. Mr. Hays is still a young man and has so conducted himself thus far as to merit the hearty approval of his many friends and neighbors. ANDA E. HENKLE. The Henkle family traces its ancestry hack to Jacob Anthony Henkle, who came to this country in 1717, locating in Pennsylvania, near Germantown, One of his descendants was Moab Henkle, the grandfather of Anda E. Henkle, the present county auditor of Fayette county. Moab Henkle and his wife, Amy Bush, were both natives of Fayette county. He was a farmer and merchant and died in Washington C. H. in 1872, being about sixty-six years old at the time of his death. His wife died a few years later, being past seventy years of age at the time of her decease. Moab Henkle and wife were the parents of a large family of children, Samantha, Melinda, Ella, Catherine. Hulda, Simeon, Polly, and Curran W., the father of Anda E. Henkle. Curran W.. Henkle and his wife, Caroline Bryan, were both natives of this county and reared a family of eleven children, ten of whom are still 422 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. living: Asa C., of Washington C. H.; Ilai S., of Chicago; Simeon L, of Holland, Michigan; Anda E., with whom this narrative deals; Nona, the wife of James T. Perrin, of Union township, this county; Orvis T., of Chicago; Lida E., the wife of Robert S. Schriver, of Mt. Sterling; Guy C. of Chicago; Rosa, the wife of James Lilly, of Columbus, Ohio; John, who died in 1896, and Lillie C., who is still at home. Curran W. Henkle was reared on the farm and at the opening of the Civil War enlisted in the one Hundred and Sixty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His compang was captured in Kentucky by the Confederates, but was later paroled and rejoined his regiment. After the close of the war he returned to this county, where he engaged in farming, contracting, brick manufacturing and trading. He died in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, in 1894, at the age of fifty-eight. his wife still surviving him. They were members of the Methodist Protestant church. The parents of Caroline Bryan, the wife of Curran W. Henkle were John and (Reed) Bryan, early settlers in Fayette county. John Bryan was a blacksmith, miller and farmer and died in this county at an advanced age. His wife died in Kansas several years previously. J John Bryan and wife were the parents of four children : Hermanus: Rosa: Caroline, the wife of Mr. Henkle, and one other. Anda E. Henkle, the son of Curran W. and Caroline (Bryan) Henkle. was horn in Illinois, March 4, 1866: He was reared on his father's farm in Fayette county and attended the district schools until he completed a good education. Being a young man of keen intellect and wide reading, he had no difficulty in passing the teachers' examination as provided by the state of Ohio, after which he started in to teach and for a period of twenty-five years taught in the various schools of this county. During the summer vacations he followed the brick-laying trade, which he had learned with his father. As a teacher he ranked as one of the most successful the county hasever had, and it is probably true that no man in the county has a wider acquaintance than Mr. Henkle. A glowing tribute to his integrity as a man and worth as public-spirited citizen is shown in the fact that he has been elected three times to the office of county auditor. His first election occurred in 1908, and he was re-elected in 1910 and 1912. In the administration of the duties of this office he has given the most conscientious and careful service and has earned the reputation of being one of the most efficient county officials. Mr. Henkle was married October 31, 1894, to Louisa Short, a daughter of Reuben B. and Ellen (Gibson) Short. Mrs. Henkle, as well as her paremts, are natives of this county. Her father died in 1912, and her mother in FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 423 1872, Mrs. Henkle being the only child horn to her parents. The grandparents of Mrs. Henkle, Thomas Short and wife, were also natives of this county. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Henkle was William D. Gibson, and his wife was a member of the Sheets family. Mrs. Henkle is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Henkle belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, including the blue lodge, the Royal Arch and the commandery degrees. Politically, he is a Republican and has always been interested in politics. As a Republican he was elected auditor of his county and his party has honored him in elevating him to this position on three different occasions. He has a most genial disposition and pleasing manner. His long career in the school room has made him a great rodent of human nature and a man who can always look on the bright side of life. It is safe to say that in any list of representative men of his county jos name would always find an honored place. ROBERT HOWAT. The United States is the most cosmopolitan nation of the earth. Its citizens are drawn from every country and clime, and for this reason this country is frequently known as the "melting pot" of the world. No nation has furnished better or more substantial citizens for this country than Scotland, and those who have come from that country have become highly respected citizens of the various communities where they have settled. The :United States census of 1910 credits Fayette county with four native-born Scotchmen, and of these Robert Howat, the cashier of the Fayette County Bank, is one. Coming to this country as a young man and with no resources, he has achieved success by close application to his business and the utilization of his innate ability. Robert Howat, the son of Robert and Janet (Howat) Howat, was born in Ayrshire district, Scotland, in October, 1851. He was one of nine children and the only one of the family who ever came to America. His father was a dry goods merchant in Scotland and died there at the age of sixty-six. Robert Howat, Jr., received a good common school education in his native land and when a young man came to America and settled in Detroit, were he entered the employ of C. R. Mabley, a clothing merchant of that city. He remained with him two years, and in 1879 came to Washington C. H.. where he has since resided. He followed the merchant tailoring busi- 424 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. ness for several years after locating in this city and then entered the banking business as the cashier of the People's and Drovers' Bank. He remained with this bank from 1895 to 1908, when lie became connected with the Fayette County Bank as cashier. This bank was organized December 2, 1899, with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, which has since been increased to one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Howat is thoroughly acquainted with every detail of the banking business and is regarded as one of the most efficient and conservative bankers of the city. Politically, Mr. Howat is a member of the Republican party and takes an intelligent interest in his party's welfare. At the present time he is a member of the board of education of his home city, and is active in promoting every measure which will increase the efficiency of the public schools of the city. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and has attained to the degree of Knight Templar. He is a man who is recognized as one of the city's ablest business men, and has always been active in every public-spirited measure which was proposed for benefit of the city. WILLIAM JOHN PATTERSON. One of the best known men of the past generation in Fayette county, Ohio, and one whose record is well deserving of a place in this history of his county, is William John Patterson, a resident of this county for more than half a century. He was one of its most prominent and enterprising agriculturists and a man whose heart always beat in sympathy with his fellowmen. Perhaps his dominant and most notable characteristic was his fidelity to truth and honor and invariably he sought the things that were honest and of good repute. In the training of his children no precepts were so constantly or so urgently insisted upon as those which concerned sound and worthy character.. He taught them that honor and truthfulness were of such commanding worth that self interest should never under any circumstances set them aside, and these principles were the standard by which he estimated men and which he himself religiously held. His life was an inspiration to all who knew him and his memory remains to his friends and children as a blessed benediction of a noble and upright life. The late William John Patterson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1852, and died in his country home in Fayette county, Ohio, October 8, 1913, passing away on his sixty-first birthday. He was the