FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 675 Fayette county, while the rest of them were born in Jefferson township in this county. The log school houses were all that the county had during the school days of Mr. Parrett and in them he learned the three R's, "readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic." He worked on the home farm after leaving school and at the age of twenty-two enlisted in the Civil War. He served about a year as a member of Company H, Sixtieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, enlisting in 1862. Upon the organization of the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry he was elected captain of Company D. This regiment was mustered into the service May 2, 1864, and continued in the field until the close of the war. Captain Parrett made a splendid record as a soldier and has always been very much interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. He is a loyal member of the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to Hays Post at Washington C. H. At the close of the war Mr. Parrett returned to peaceful pursuits, buying a small farm of thirty-three acres near Parrett's Station. In the fifty years which have elapsed since the war closed he has accumulated a fine farm of six hundred acres about six miles from the county seat in Wayne township. He has been an extensive stock raiser and ships several car loads of stock to the markets every year. Mr. Parrett was married first to Mary M. Greenlee and to this union were born three children, Frank L., Fantie B., and Carey G., who married Cora Hays and has two children, Thomas and Mildred. The second marriage was to Mary B. Coffman, the daughter of Nathan and Sarah (Edwards) Coffman. Nathan Coffman was born in Wayne township, this county, and was a prominent farmer and influential citizen. Eight children were born to Mr. Coffman and his wife, William, Lois, Mrs. Charlotte Priddy, Benjamin F., John M., Mary B., Esther and Mrs. Jeanette Coffman. To the second marriage of Mr. Parrett has been born three children, Harry C., T. F., Jr. I deceased), and Louis C. Harry C. married Madge Anderson and has two children, Dorothy M. and Robert C. Louis C. married Mary Hazel Sollars and has two children, Walter L. and Mary B. Mr. Parrett has always given his support to the Republican party and has voted for every President from Lincoln to Taft. He was formerly very active in local politics and served several years ago as county commissioner. The career of Mr. Parrett has been commendable in every respect and such has been his life that he has earned the high regard and esteem of every one who knows him. 676 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. WILLIAM FRAYN. A man who has been actively identified with the progress and growth of his township and county is William Frayn, the present trustee of Jasper township and a man who has been identified with the business life of the township for many years. He had previously served on the school board of this township for eight years, has been the proprietor and general manager of a grain elevator and ticket agent at Glendon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company, and a farmer. In these various positions he has acquitted himself with credit and is justly deserving of being classed among the representative men of his township and county. He is a man of excellent business ability and by honest methods and scrupulous attention to details lie has won the respect of his fellow citizens to a marked degree. William Frayn, the son of Thomas and Catherine (Borden) Frayn, was born March 7, 1857, in Ross county, Ohio, near Slate Mills. His father a native, of Ireland, his birth having occurred near Dublin, and lie lived his native land until he was twenty-six years of age. He then came to this country alone and located at once in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he subsequently married. Later the parents of Thomas Frayn, William and Catherine (Mahoney) Frayn, came to America and both of them died in Chillicothe, Ohio. Thomas Frayn and wife reared a family of four children, Mrs. Mary Sheridan, William, Thomas and Catherine. All of these children are still living with the exception of Mary. William Frayn attended school in Fayette and Clinton counties, Ohio, finishing at Shiloh, in the latter county. He then began farming and teaming and for a few years worked in Cleveland, Ohio, after which he located in Clinton county, where, he followed agricultural pursuits for a short time. He came to Fayette. county more than thirty years ago and located in Jasper township,, where he has since resided. He is the owner of an excellent farm of sixty acres on the Ford pike, about six miles from the county seat. Since coming to this county he has been very actively engaged in the various phases of the township development. As a merchant he operated a general store at Glendon for some years, managing the elevator at the same place during that time. He was also the freight and ticket agent for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company for four years. He has shown marked ability as an official and, has served as ,postmaster at Glendon, Ohio, formerly known as Rattle Snake, in local affairs he has been a member of the school board of Jasper township, filling this office for eight years to the entire satisfaction FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 677 fall concerned. At the present time he is serving the citizens of his township as trustee and giving the office his careful and conscientious attention. Mr. Frayn was married in 1893 to Mary Ann McDonald, the daughter of John and Bridget (Templeton) McDonald, and to this union have been born four children, William, Anna Alice, Marie D. and Mary. William is a graduate of the Washington C. H. high school and Anna and Marie are still in attendance at the high school ; Mary, the oldest daughter, is deceased. The family are devout members of the Catholic church, in whose welfare they are deeply interested and to whose support they are generous contributors at all times. Mr. Frayn is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He is a man of genial and jovial disposition and is one of the best known men in the township and county. He is ever ready to assist those in distress and is known as a man of kindly impulses. deeply interested in everything which pertains to the welfare of his community. JESSE DEWITT. One of the highly respected and honored citizens of the past generation in Fayette county, who has passed to his reward, was Jesse DeWitt, a native of this county and a lifelong resident. He was successful in his life work and at the same time left the impress of his strong personality upon the community where he. lived and worked. He is now sleeping the sleep of the just, vet his influence still pervades the lives of those who were so fortunate as to enjoy his acquaintance and his name is deeply engraved on the pages of Fayette county's history. While his life was a busy one, he never allowed anything to interfere with his Christian obligations or the faithful performance of his everyday duties. Efficiently able to cope with every adversity which thwarted his pathway through life, he left a comfortable competence for his family and a name which is cherished by his family and honored by his friends. The late Jesse DeWitt was horn in Fayette county, on March 4, 1829, and died April 14, 1907. His father, John DeWitt, was born on the same farm and in the same house. John DeWitt served his country in the War of 1812 and was a highly respected and influential citizen of this county for many years. Jesse DeWitt was one of twelve children, John, William, James S., Wesley N., Anderson, Darlington; Decatur, Greenup, Candace, Jesse M.. and two who died in infancy. 678 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. Jesse DeWitt was reared under pioneer conditions and received only very limited education. As a youth he had to clear the land and prepare it for cultivation and early in life decided to devote his career to agricultural pursuits. He remained at home until his marriage and then began farming for himself in Wayne township, where he lived until his death. Mr. DeWitt was married in 1862 to Mary J. Taylor. the daughter of Elisha and Rebecca (Faust) Taylor, and to this union a large family of children were born, Charles, Minnie, Carrie, Dale, Lottie, Adah, Florence, Willard and Albert. Charles married Minnie Kimble, who is now deceased; Carrie is the wife of John Post ; Dale married Ollie Ferman and has five children, Pauline, Ruth, Harry, Mary and Walter; Lottie, deceased, was the wife of Charles Drooley, also deceased; Adah is the wife of Harry Burnett and has one daughter, Helen; Florence is living with her brothers on the old home farm ; Willard and Albert are now managing the home farm of one hundred and forty-two acres. Willard is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In politics, Jesse DeWitt was a stanch Democrat and, while he always was interested in political matters, vet he never aspired to public office, preferring rather to devote all of his attention to his farming interests. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. While Mr. DeWitt \ vas always a busy man, yet he found time and opportunity to take an interest in matters pertaining to the progress and growth of his community. He was devoted to his family and was held in high esteem by everyone who knew him. MILTON S. ELLIOTT. Many of the veterans of the Civil War are still living in Fayette county. Ohio, and practically all are now passed the allotted age of three score and ten. One of these gallant old soldiers is Milton S. Elliott, the owner of three hundred acres of valuable land in Wayne township and the present trustee of his township. He is a self-made man, having started in life with nothing and has accumulated a comfortable estate by the exercise of good management and close application to his business interests. Milton S. Elliott, the son of William W. and Sarah W. (King) Elliott, was born January 7, 1844, near Newark, Ohio. His father was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was reared to manhood in that city. He learned FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 679 the carpenter trade and after his marriage went to Licking county, Ohio, where he followed his trade, later locating in Allen county, Indiana, and settling in Fayette county, Ohio, in 1856. Nine children were born to William W. Elliott and wife, Milton S., John, W. T., George J., James \V., Joseph H., Hugh S., Marion F. and Edgar (deceased). The education of Milton S. Elliott was received in the schools of Licking county, Ohio, Allen county, Indiana, and completed in Fayette county, Ohio. Tie was about twelve years of age when his father permanently located in Fayette county and his subsequent career has been spent in this county. At the age of nineteen he enlisted in Battery A, Ohio Heavy Artillery, at Bloomingburg, and served for a total of twenty-six months before being mustered out of the service. He was in the Army of the Cumberland and saw hard fighting in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. Immediately after the close of the war he returned to Fayette county and began working out by the month, saving his money in order to buy a farm of his own. After his marriage, in 1870, he bought his first farm of thirty-three acres and to this he has gradually added until he now owns three hundred acres of fine land in Wayne township. He has engaged in general farming, dividing his attention between the raising of crops and the breeding of live stock. He has kept his farm in a high state of productivity by scientific crop rotation and has thus secured the maximum results from his efforts. Mr. Elliott was married September 6, 1870, to Ursula Grubb, the daughter of Jacob and Susan (Wentworth) Grubb. To this union there have been born five children, Hugh E., Jacob W., Nettie E., Robert W. and Leigh B. Hugh E. married Mary Moore and has two children, Leverne and Levern. Jacob W. married Helen Paul. Nettie E. is the wife of Frank Carr and has one son, Delbert. Robert W. married Desse Mays and has one son, Paul. Leigh B. married Grace McVicker and has one daughter, Virginia Leigh. Politically, Mr. Elliott is a Republican and has always been active in local political matters. His worth as a citizen is shown by the fact that his party nominated him for the office of township trustee and subsequently elected him to this responsible position. He is filling this office to the entire satisfaction of the citizens of the township irrespective of their political affiliations: Fraternally, Mr. Elliott is a member of the Independent. Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for the past thirty-six years and has always been a liberal supporter of his favorite denomination. 680 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. CYRUS PATTERSON WEST. The best title one can establish to the high and generous esteem of an intelligent community is a protracted and honorable residence therein. Cyrus P. West, one of the largest land owners of the county and one of the best known and highly esteemed men of this section, has resided here many years and the genuine liking and universal respect accorded him by all speak volumes for the exemplary life he has led. Mr. West takes a justifiable pride in the fact that he can trace his family directly back into the early seventeenth century and that in their various days and environments his ancestors have all been good men and true, each seeking to benefit his generation to the best of his ability. Mr. West has won special renown. throughout this section by reason of the excellent strain of Shorthorn cattle which he has produced. Cyrus Patterson West is a native of the old Buckeye state, born in Highland county on November 9, 1845, the family residence at that time being near Hillsboro. He is a son of Allen and Isabelle (Patterson) West, Allen having been born and reared on the same farm where the subject first saw the light of day. Allen West received his education in the schools of the county and followed in his father's footsteps as a farmer and raiser of stock, being highly successful in his business ̊ventures. He was a devout member of the Christian church and was one of the most active and influential Grangers in these parts. He was a broad-minded and sympathetic man, whose kindly disposition won him many friends and whose helping hand was extended to all in need. Both he and his good wife lie buried in the old cemetery at Hillsboro. Allen West was a son of John and Barbara (Platter) West, and John was a son of Joseph and Judith (Ballinger) West. Joseph, the great-grandfather of the immediate subject, was a soldier during the early struggle of the colonies for independence, and from 1777 until 1782 was under Col. William Grayson, enlisting from Virginia. He received his discharge from Gen. George Washington, all of which is duly certified to by Levend Powell, late lieutenant:colonel of the regiment in question. (National Serial No. 73,746). The father of this Joseph West was also named Joseph, his mother being Jane Owens, who came from Delaware. This Joseph West Was a son of John and Sarah (Pearson) West,. natives of England. John was born in that country in 1684, came to America in his earlier life, and later returned to his native land, where he died in r764 at a ripe old age. This is as far back as the present members of the family can trace their lineage and is a record most highly prized. FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 68I Cyrus P. West received his early education at the Beechwood school in Highland county, later attending the higher grades at Lebanon, this state. From the time he was a small boy he assisted the father in. the work about the farm, showing a special aptitude in the care of stock. After his school days ere over, he remained with the father on the homestead until twenty-three ears of age, when he started out in life for himself by purchasing six hundred and eighty acres of land in this county. He has succeeded well in his various undertakings and now owns one thousand acres of excellent land located in Madison and Marion townships. Mr. West devotes considerable time and acreage to the raising of grain, but this is principally for his own feeding. He is known far and wide as a breeder of Shorthorn cattle and has produced many extremely fine animals. On December 25, 1877, Mr. West was united in marriage with Lida Smith, daughter of Frederick and Sarah (Smith) Smith, of Madison county. (While of the same family name, no relationship existed between Mrs. West's parents.) To their reunion have been born five children : Imogene, the oldest, is dead; Stella is a graduate of Bloomingburg high school and attended the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware ; Fred married Elizabeth B., Jenkins; "Allen P. chose Mary Hewitt as his wife and to them have been born three children, Cyrus H., Robert A. and Dorothy ; Sallie, the youngest of the family, is the wife of Elton Marine. The family has always been looked up to as among the leading ones of this section and because of some special advantages have each contributed their share to the general development of the community. Mr. West is an earnest member of the Christian church and gladly gives to the best of his ability to forward the work of the local society. Politically, he is affiliated with the Republican party, but has never given much time to such matters. However, he has served Madison township most efficiently as trustee. He is one of the leading Grangers in this section and has done much to forward the interests of that organization. Mr. West has throughout his lifetime shown himself worthy of the high esteem in which he is held. His life has been filled with activity and usefulness. while his untiring energy and ability have secured for him a conspicuous and honorable place among the citizens of the community. His strict integrity and unpretending bearing have elevated him in the confidence of his fellow citizens, and his influence has always been exerted in the interest of those things which have helped to elevate his fellow men socially, morally and educationally. Because of his successful career and his high personal character, he is eminently entitled to representation among the leading men of the county. 682 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. JOHN E. FREE. Among the men of sterling worth and strength of character who have made an impress upon the life of the locality in which they live, no one has achieved a larger meed of popular respect than John E. Free, a prosperous farmer of Wayne township and the president of the school board of his home township. His whole life of more than a half century has been spent on the farm where he is now living and thus the people have had an opportunity to know him in every phase of his character, and that he has been true to life in its every phase is manifest by the esteem and regard in which he is held by all those who know him. He has gained his success by his honest endeavor and indomitable energy, and has placed himself in the front rank of the farmers of his community by exercising these excellent qualities. He has outstripped the less active plodders on the highway of life and has achieved a marked success in agricultural affairs and won for himself a name which all men who know him delight to honor. John E. Free, the son of John and Mary (Hixon) Free, was burn on the farm where he is now living March 23, 1863. His father, the son of John Free, was born in Ross county, this state, and he and his wife reared a family of six children : Mrs. Louisa DePoy ; Samuel, who married Josie Smith ; Fred, who married Alcina Bainter ; Elizabeth, deceased; Almetta, de, ceased, who was the wife of Charles Burns, and John E., of whom this recor speaks. The grandfather of John E. Free, whose name was also John E., was a native of Virginia, and came to Ohio and settled in Ross county i 800. John E. Free received his education in the common schools of Wayne township,. and at the age of eighteen began farming for himself by renting land from his father. After the death of his father the paternal estate was divided and John E. Free received the home place as his portion of the estate. On this farm he has placed many improvements and keeps it in a high state of productivity by scientific crop rotation and the proper fertilization of the ground. He raises good crops and feeds most of his grain to live stock, which he always keeps on the farm. Mr. Free was married December 24, 1891, to Lula Ware, the daughter of Anaias and Melinda (Eyman) Ware, and to this union have been born three children, Francis M., Walter and Dwight. Francis M. married Everett Rife, and has one son, J. Norborn. Politically, Mr. Free is a Democrat and has always been interested in FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 683 local politics, and at the present time he is a member of the school board of his township, serving as its president. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. The members of his family are adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church, in whose welfare they are deeply interested and to whose support they are liberal contributors. LAWSON A. PARRETT. There is no group of men to whom greater gratitude is due from the world at large than those who fought for their country in the dark days of the sixties. These patriotic, sacrificing citizens who left their firesides and enrolled to fight for their country's flag that this might be a united nation cannot be accorded too much honor. They fought to establish forever on this continent the self-evident truth that "all men are created free and equal," and with the fall of Robert E. Lee in the spring of 1865 there passed from this country the .blackest stain which has ever figured in its history. Fayette county, Ohio, furnished hundreds of brave men for this struggle, and among them is Lawson A. Parrett, a life-long resident of this county, a public-spirited citizen and a man who is greatly beloved by all who know him. Lawson A. Parrett, the son of Isaac F. and Mary Ann (Keplinger) Parrett, was born at Parrett Station in Jefferson township, this county, November JO, 1841. His father was a son of Joseph J. and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett, and was born near Knoxville, Tennessee. Isaac Parrett came to Fayette county, Ohio, when. he was one year old with his parents and lived in this county the remainder of his days. Joseph J. Parrett was in the War of 1812, and his wife's father, Isaac Fansher, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War from the state of Virginia. Joseph J. Parrett, familiarly known to his friends as "Tennessee Joe," was one of the first settlers in Fayette county and a man who took a prominent part in its early history. Isaac Parrett and wife were the parents of five children, Mrs, Rebecca J. Allen, Noah B., Lawson A., Mrs. Caroline Welton and Mrs. Susan Welton. Lawson A. Parrett attended the rude log school house in his home neighborhood and finished his education at a select school at Spring Grove, securing the best education which was possible in his day. As a youth he worked on the farm and at a time when farm labor meant the hardest kind of work. At the early age of twenty he enlisted in the Civil War and served through- 684 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. out that memorable struggle. He enlisted at Washington C. H., December 29, 1861, with the Twelfth Regiment of United. States Infantry, and was assigned to duty in Company A, with Thomas Anderson as captain. He was captured on June 2, 1864, at Cold Harbor, Virginia, and placed in Libby prison, where he remained for fifteen days. He was then transferred with a number of other prisoners to Andersonville, Georgia, where he remained for three months, when he was taken to Charleston, South Carolina, where he stayed two weeks, and later taken to Florence, in that state, where he was incarcerated when paroled. He fought" in a large number of the severest engagements of the war, among them being Cedar Mountain, Bull Run. Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church and several others. His last battle was the battle of Cold Harbor, where he was captured. His record appears remarkable when it is known that he participated in forty-eight different battles and skirmishes before he was finally captured. Immediately after the close of the war Mr. Parrett returned to Fayette county, and upon his marriage. in 1866, began to farm in Wayne township, where he has since lived. He has retired from active farm life after a successful career of over half a century and is now living quietly in his handsome country home in Wayne township. Mr. Parrett was married on Christmas day, 1866, to Jennie Campbell, the daughter of Lenox and Rebecca ( Johnson) Campbell. Mrs. Parrett's father was born in Alexandria, Maryland, and served for two years during the Civil War as a member of the First Ohio Cavalry. Lenox Campbell was a son of James Campbell, a soldier of the Revolutionary War and a native of Scotland, who resided in Matyland. To Lenox Campbell and wife were born eight children, Jennie, Charles, Lanra, William, Emma, Marietta, Jessie and Frank. All of these children are still living except William and Emma. Mr. Parrett and wife have reared a family of seven children to lives of usefulness and honor, Stella, Hallie, Laura, Roy and Ert, Ethel and an infant, deceased. Stella is the wife of C. C. Parrett and has one son, Gale; Hallie is the wife of Charles Durnell and has three children, Sara, Byron and Frank; of these: Sara married S. Giffer and has one daughter, Ruth, the only great-grandchild of Mr. Parrett and wife ; Laura married J. B. York and has two children, Mortimer and Maurine ; Roy married Mabel Rogers and has two children, Roger and Genevieve ; Erk is married to Chloe Free and has three children, Malcolm, Samuel and Donald ; Ethel married Charles Goen and has one son, Dwight. FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 685 Mrs. Parrett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Parrett is a Republican and has been casting his ballot for the candidates of this party for over a half century. He has always been more or less interested in local politics and at the present time is trustee of Wayne township, discharging the duties of this responsible posiion in a manner which reflects credit upon himself. OSCO YEOMAN. The Yeoman family have been residents of Fayette county, Ohio, for nearly one hundred years and Osco Yeoman is the fourth in direct descent from his great-grandfather, James, who came to this county in 1815. The first member of the family to come to America from England was Stephen Yeoman, the great-great-grandfather of Osco Yeoman, with whom this narrative deals. Stephen Yeoman had four sons, Walter, Gilbert, Samuel and James. James Yeoman married Sarah Bates, the daughter of Stephen and Lydia Bates, natives of Vermont and of English descent. Ten children were born to James and Sarah (Bates) Yeoman : Abigail, Stephen, Joseph, Cyrene, Alva, Lydia, Jared, Minerva, Samantha, and Ira, the grandfather of Osco Yeoman. Ira Yeoman was born in 18o8, near Buffalo, New York and his wife, Osea McElwain, was born in 1811 near Good Hope, Ohio. She was the daughter of Robert and Jane McElwain, natives of Pennsylvania and later residents of Maysville, Kentucky, and still later of Fayette county, Ohio, where they settled in 181o. Robert McElwain was born in 1779, and was married to Jane Taylor in 1804, ten children resulting from this union, James, John, William, Osea, Robert, Nancy, Samuel, Thomas, Eliza and. Minerva. Robert McElwain was the first justice of the peace in Wayne township, Fayette county, and people came to him from far and near to settle their difficulties. Ira Yeoman came With his parents to Ohio in 1815, being a lad of seven years at the time. They first located in Columbia, a small village near Cincinnati, and in the fall of 1815 removed to Wayne township, Fayette county, where James. Yeoman, the father of Ira, lived until his death. The first winter the family spent here in 1815 was filled with all kinds of discouragements. The family lived in a house which they built in one day, the house consisting of a mere pen built with poles and had neither floor nor windows. 686 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO Through these primitive conditions Ira Yeoman was reared to manhood and in 1830 married Osea McElwain. Ira Yeoman was one of the substantial and trusted citizens of his township and county. He served as township trustee for fifteen years, clerk for two years and as county commissioner for three years, filling all of these positions in an efficient and very satisfactory manner to his fellow citizens. One of the largest birthday celebrations which ever took place in Fayette county occurred August 1, 1896, when nearly one thousand people assembled in honor of the eighty-fifth anniversary of Mrs. Ira Yeoman. Several hundred invitations had been sent out, and everybody came with well filled baskets and prepared for a big feast and a pleasant time. The crowd was made up of old and young from far and near, and included a large number of pioneer citizens who had come to pay their respects to the aged couple and talk over the days of long ago when Fayette county was a wilderness. At that time Mr. and Mrs. Ira Yeoman were probably the oldest pioneer couple in the county and had been married for sixty-six years. Robert Yeoman was the only child born to Ira and Osea (McElwain) Yeoman, and grew to manhood in Wayne township, this county, and married Elizabeth J. Hill, and to this union were born five children : Osco, the immediate subject of this review ; Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Andrew Clark; Ella, deceased, who was the wife of Charles Doster ; Emma, the wife of Joseph White, and William Ira, deceased. The first wife of Robert Yeoman died and he afterwards married Caroline Parker, and to the second union eight children were born, Mary, Joseph W., Effie, Martha, Robert, Earl, Luella and Nellie. Osco Yeoman attended the Rock Mills school in his home township, and later attended the district schools in Jasper township. At the age of twenty lie began renting land and in 1894 purchased his present farm of eighty-five acres in Wayne township about one mile from Rock Mills. Osco Yeoman was married December 24, 1874, to Susan Baughn, and to this union five children have been born : Jessie, who married Iva Edwards; Orpah E., the wife of Harley King, is the mother of four children, Marcus H., Dorothy M., Susan L. and Elner M. Ida J., the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Yeoman, is deceased, as is Apel. Politically, Mr. Yeoman is a member of the Republican party, but has never had any inclination to make the race for any public office, preferring to devote his time and attention to his agricultural interests. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and, religiously, he and his family are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church. FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 687 SIMON P. VAN PELT. One of the distinguished veterans of the Civil War who has answered the last roll call is Simon P. Van Pelt, who spent his entire life in Concord township, Fayette county, Ohio. As a citizen, as a soldier and as a public-spirited man of affairs he performed his every duty in a way which brought him the hearty commendation of his fellow citizens. For four long years he served his country faithfully and well. In the tented camp, on the battle field, by day and by night, the debt which the American people owe to those gallant boys in blue can never be repaid, but a grateful people honor the living and remember those gone with reverence. Simon P. Van Pelt was born on the 8th day of November, 1836, and died at his home in Concord township, January 2, 1913. He was the son of Peter and Mary (Row) Van Pelt, natives of New York and early settlers in Ross county, Ohio. Subsequently they moved to Fayette county, where they lived the remainder of their clays. Twelve children, all of whom are deceased, were born to Peter Van Pelt and wife : Russell, Andrew, William, Charles, Simon, Oliver. Mrs. Sarah Craig, Mrs. Mary Johnson, Anna, Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe, Mrs. Susan Post and Jane. Simon P. Van Pelt spent his entire life upon the farm with the exception of the four years which he spent in the service of his country. As a youth he attended the short winter terms of school in the rude log school houses of his home neighborhood, and this meager education he supplemented with wide breading in after life, so that he was always regarded as an exceptionally well informed man. At the opening of the Civil War, he enlisted with hundreds of other young men from Fayette county and bore his share of the terrible burdens of that struggle with a fortitude which marked him as a man of bravery and endurance. He enlisted at the opening of the Civil War in the Seventy-third Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was mustered in as a musician in Company I. He served the full four years of the war, and then returned to his farm and resumed the peaceful pursuit of civil life. He remained at home until his marriage in 1871, and then began to farm for himself and for fifty years he led the simple life of a plain and unostentatious farmer, doing his every duty as he saw it and living a life which commended him to his neighbors and friends. Mr. Van Pelt was married in 1871 to Martha Eldrick, the daughter of Bernard and Sarah (McClure) Eldrick. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and first located in Leesburg, Ohio, where he found employment on 688 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. the boats plying up and down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. He was a hatter by trade and subsequently became a merchant. In the latter part of his life he engaged in farming, and at the time of his death was the owner of a well improved farm of one hundred acres. There were seven children born to Bernard Eldrick and wife, Mary, James, John, Mrs. Emma Love, Mrs. Martha Van Pelt,,Etta and Mrs. Anna LeVerton. All of these children are now deceased with the exception of Martha and Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Van Pelt reared a family of two children, Mary and John E. Mary is the wife of Charles Mark, and has one son, Marion, who is now being educated ,at Staunton, Ohio. John E. is managing the home farm. Politically, Mr. Van Pelt was a Republican and, while interested in local politics, yet was never an active party man. He always took an active interest in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belonged to the John Bell Post for many years. He with his family were loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Thus, in brief, is the sketch of the life of the late Simon P. Van Pelt, a man who was admired for the life he lived and a man in whom everyone placed the utmost confidence. HENRY HOPPES. The first member of the Hoppes family came to Fayette county, Ohio, in 1806, four years before the county was even organized. John I loppes, the father of Henry Hoppes, with whom this narrative deals, came from North Carolina with his parents in 1804, and settled with them on the Ohio river in Gallia county. In fact, the Hoppes family have been identified with the history of this county for one hundred and ten years, probably as long as any other family now represented within the limits of the county. Henry Hoppes has spent all of his eighty-three years in this county where he is now living. and during that time has seen the county emerge from a primeval forest to its present condition of prosperity. He served his country gallantly and well in the Civil War and spent two years at the front. His whole life has been a busy one, yet in the midst of his labors he has always found time to assist those who were less fortunate than himself, and therefore well merits t high esteem with which he is held by his friends and acquaintances. Henry Hoppes, the son of John and Nancy (Brown) Hoppes, was born in Wayne township, 'July 2, 1831, and, as stated, his parents were from North Carolina, and located in Ohib in i8o4 on the Ohio river. John FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 689 Hoppes grew to manhood in Ohio and then returned to North Carolina, married and brought his young bride to Fayette county in 18o6. He entered government land and cut out a farm from the dense forests which covered the land at that time. When the War of 1812 came on, he enlisted for service in his country's defense and served during that terrible struggle, returning to his farm in 1814, at the close of the war. He and his wife reared a family of twelve children, Henry, whose history is here related, being the only one living. The other eleven children are as follows : Mary, Jacob, Jane,. Solomon, Betsy, John, Nancy, Henton, Margaret, Austin and Sarah. It is interesting to note that John Hoppes and his young bride, Nancy Brown, moved from North Carolina to Ohio on pack horses and that the fifty acres on which they settled in this county was purchased with money earned by the young bride by weaving. Henry Hoppes attended school in the little log school house near Paint creek in his home township, and finished his educational training in the Locust Grove school. He worked on the home farm until 185o, being at that time nineteen years of age. He then went to California, driving an ox team overland, and remained there for nine years. While living in California he was first married, but after the death of his wife, in 1859, he returned to the county of his birth and bought a farm in Green township near Jamestown. He enlisted in the Seventy-fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1861, and served for two years, after which he returned to his farm, where he has since resided. Mr. Hoppes was first married in California in the fifties to Lucy Raines, and to this union two children were born, Mrs. Sarah F. Sager and Mrs. Alice Davis. The second marriage of Mr. Hoppes was to Sarah J. Smith, and to this union two children were born, Mrs. Minerva Cook and John. The third marriage of Mr. Hoppes was to Amy Kerns, the daughter of William and Rebecca Kerns. William Kerns was a native of Fairfax, 'Virginia, and had a family of seven children, Eliza, Amy, Mrs. Mariah Coe, Prescott, George W., John W. and Joseph S. Three of these children, Amy, Prescott and Joseph S., are living. To the last marriage of Mr. Hoppes was born one son, Valentine, who married Emma Winn and has four children, Hazel, Donald, Leland and Howard H. Of these children, Hazel and Donald are deceased. Mr. Hoppes is a loyal member of the Grand Army of the Republic and always takes an active interest in the affairs of the lOcal post. He has been a member of. the Baptist church for more than forty years and has always (44) 690 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. lived a life consistent with its teachings. He is now living a retired life on his excellent farm of eighty acres in Marion township, where he has been residing for more than half a. century. His life has indeed been a busy one and full of interesting experiences. He is a man who is still hale and hearty and able to recount his famous drive across the country to California in 185o, as well as his Civil-war experiences. His whole life has been such as to win for him the esteem and good will of his fellow citizens, and no man in the county is more beloved and highly respected. SILAS WOLFE. Every nation on the earth has contributed its quota to the population of the United States, but no nation has furnished better citizens for our country than has Germany. Hundreds of thousands of the best blood of Germany have come to this country and become substantial citizens of the various localities in which they settled. Fortunate indeed is the locality which has its German descendants numbered among its citizens, for wherever they are found they are always among the most substantial citizens of the community. There are very few foreign-born citizens in Fayette county, Ohio, and according to the 1910 census there were only eight who were born in Germany. One of the best remembered German citizens of the past generation is Silas Wolfe, who lived in this county for more than half a century. The late Silas Wolfe was born in Germany in 1830, and died at his country home in Wayne township, Fayette county, Ohio, in 1904. He was the son of Joseph and Marie (Kowientz) Wolfe, and one of eight children, Joseph, Anton, Marie, Silas, Caroline, Kowientz, George and Charles. All of these children are now deceased except Caroline, George and Kowientz. Silas Wolfe was educated in Germany and came to America in 1854, the voyage to this country occupying forty-eight days. Upon coming to this country he first settled at Chillicothe, Ohio, but shortly afterwards located in Fayette county, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was a successful farmer and at the time of his death was the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Wayne township. Mr. Wolfe was twice married, his first wife, to whom he was married in 1871, being Rose Gangle, and to this union one child, Amiel, was born. After the death of his first wife. he was again married, on Christmas day, 1876. t Margaret Gerber, the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Weaver) Gerber, FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 691 natives, of Germany, who had been raised in their native land and married in Pennsylvania after coming to America, and Mrs. Wolfe was born in Pennsylvania. Joseph Gerber and wife settled in Pennsylvania on a farm, where they reared a family of nine children, Mary, Charles, John, Frank, Margaret, Henry, Caroline, Antonie and Joseph. Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe were the parents of eight children, Rose, Elizabeth, Emma, Louis, Sada, Frank, Lena and Pauline. Rose is the wife of Gale Evans; Elizabeth is the wife of Mitchell Martin; Emma is the wife of Fred Beals; .Louis married Lucinda Duff and has one daughter, Norma E. ; the other four children are unmarried and living with their mother. Mr. Wolfe was a loyal and devout member of the Catholic church, and held his membership in St. Benignus church at Greenfield, Ohio. He was a man of sterling qualities of character, even-tempered, patient and scrupulously honest in all the relations of life. He was devoted to his family and was of essentially domestic tastes, preferring his fireside to that of the public forum. ROBERT W. SORRELL. One of the pioneer farmers of Fayette county, Ohio, is R. W. Sorrell, who has been a resident of Wayne township for the past seventy-four years. He has seen this county emerge from a primitive forest to its present prosperous condition, with good roads, well-tilled fields, handsome homes and thriving towns and villages. In this transformation Mr. Sorrell has taken an active part and has been no inconsiderable factor in making his township one of the best agricultural sections of the county. While primarily devoted to his own interests, he has not neglected to mingle in the civic life of his community and his support has always been given to measures of general welfare. R. W. Sorrell, the son of Robert Lee and Eliza (Sharp) Sorrell, was born December 20, 1840, in Wayne township. His father was a native of Virginia, as was his mother, and after their marriage they came to Ohio and located in Fayette county. Eliza Sharp was the daughter of Mr. and rs. John Sharp, natives of France. Robert L. Sorrell and wife reared a family of eleven children, Edwin, Belle, R. W., Anna, Jane and six who died in infancy. The limited education of Mr. Sorrell was received in the rude log school use of his immediate neighborhood in Wayne township and in the graded 692 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. schools of the county seat. At an early age he began to work on the farms in his township and after his marriage he worked and rented for about twenty-two years. His present farm comprises forty acres where he now. lives. By a system of careful farming he has made a very comfortable living and reared a family of several children to lives of usefulness and honor. Mr. Sorrell was married in 1865 to Mrs. Martha Sorrell, who was the widow of the subject's brother and had three children. To this union there have been born eight children, Frank, Alvin, Minnie. Robert, Ida, Grace, Jesse and one died in infancy. Three of the children are married, Alvin, Minnie and Ida. Politically, Mr. Sorrell is independent. WILLIAM THOMAS STEERS. Although a resident of Fayette county but a few years, yet so pronounced is the personality of William T. Steers that he has already impressed his individuality upon the community in which he lives. A man with a thorough business training along banking lines, he has taken charge of the Farmers Bank of Good Hope and made it one of the most successful of the smaller banks of the county. He thoroughly understands every phase of the banking business and having had a wide experience as a business man previous to taking charge of this bank, he was well qualified to pilot this new financial institution. Although organized in 1910, the Farmers Bank of Good Hope has already made a reputation as a sound, safe and conservative bank, and well merits the patronage which it receives from this section 0: the county. William Thomas Steers, the son of William H. and Elizabeth (Conrad) Steers, was born in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, November 12, 1873. His father was born in Covington, Kentucky, and was the son of William Steers, a native of Germany. The grandfather and his wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of three children : William. the father of the immediate subject of this review ; Henry and James. William H. Steers was a small boy when his parents moved from Covington to Dry Ridge, Kentucky, and in the latter place was reared to manhood and lived the remainder of his days. He was a prosperous farmer and a large land owner, and at the time of his death, in 1893, was one of the most substantial men of his community. He was accidentally killed by lightning in 1893. Nine children were born to William FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 693 Steers and wife, Jennie, Catherine, Fannie, Margaret, John S., Mrs. Ollie Vance, William T., Nellie and Rowena. All of these children are still living except Fannie. William T. Steers attended the district schools of his home neighborhood in his native state, and then spent one year at the Normal School in Lebanon, Ohio, He then entered Valparaiso University at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he spent three and one-half years, taking the business course. After graduating at Valparaiso he became an instructor in penmanship, bookkeeping and shorthand in the normal school at Crookston, Minnesota. The next thirteen and one-half years were spent in Chicago, seven and one-half years of which were spent as bookkeeper and cashier for W. H. Carringduff & Company, and the remainder of the time as bookkeeper and cashier of the T. H. Flood Company. In 1910 he came to Good Hope, this county, and helped to organize the Farmers Bank in that place. The bank was organized with the following officials : President, E. D. King vice-president, Isaac Cory ; second vice-president, S. B. Hoppe ; secretary, treasurer and cashier, William T. Steers ; second cashier, Tillie B. Steers. The directors of the hank are as follows : Dr. S. E. Boggs, H. C. Smalley, R. J. Holdren and H. D. Johnson. The bank has a paid-up capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, with deposits of more than forty-five thousand dollars, which are increasing all the time. Mr. Steers was married January I o, 1899, to Tillie B. Bracht, the daughter of Alfred and Minnie (Holton) Bracht. Mrs. Steers' father was born in Kentucky and is now living the life of a retired farmer in his native state. Mr. and Mrs. Bracht reared a family of eight children, James, Mary, Tillie, Genia, Alfred, Charles, Holton and Mayme. The mother of these children is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Steers are the parents of one daughter, Eugenia Lucille. Mr. Steers is a Democrat in politics, but owing to the fact that he has been here but a short time and is so immersed in business, has not taken an active part in political matters. However, he takes an intelligent interest in all the political issues of the day, and being a man of wide reading and broad culture, he is thoroughly in sympathy with good government and gives his hearty support to all measures which have for their end the betterment and the welfare of the community in which he has chosen to reside. He and his wife take a prominent part in the life of the community and, because of their whole-souled hospitality and their geniality of manner, have built up a large circle of friends and acquaintances since becoming residents of this county. 694 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. THOMAS R. McCOY. A life of seventy-two years in this county gives Thomas McCoy the. right to be classed among the pioneers of Fayette county. There is such a marked change in the life of the early settlers as compared with the life of the people of the county today that the pioneer of one hundred years ago would not recognize his own farm were it possible for him to see it today. The life of the farmer is now surrounded with more comforts and conveniences than the city dweller enjoyed a few years ago. The mail is left on his door step each day, the interurban car whirls past his door each hour, the telephone puts him into instant communication with his neighbors and the city and he can even buy a machine which will milk his cows. One of the best evidences of the prosperity of the present farmers of Fayette county is to be seen in their bank accounts, which total more than those of all others in the county. Thomas R. McCoy, one of the largest farmers in Wayne township, was born December 10, 1841, on the farm where he is now living. He is the son of Thomas B. and Margaret (Murray) McCoy, natives of Fredricksburg, Maryland, and Virginia, respectively. Thomas B. McCoy was the son of James and Sarah (Brown) McCoy and came to Ross county, Ohio, from Maryland when he was eighteen years of age, locating near Chillicothe on a farm. Shortly afterward he moved into Ross and Fayette counties and bought a farm of one hundred acres in Wayne township, where he and his wife reared a family of twelve children, James, Joseph, Mrs. Elizabeth Fernow, William, Allen, Mrs. Sarah Hegler, Judson, Hugh, Thomas R., Mrs. Mariah Stookey, Mrs. Anna Robinson and John. All of these children are now deceased with the exception of Elizabeth, Mariah, Thomas R.. and Anna. Judson was a member of the Fifty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Thomas R. McCoy attended the schools of Ross and Fayette counties, completing his education in the schools of the latter county. He has always been on the home farm and began farming for himself when twenty-five years of age. He first rented a part of the paternal estate and later bought out the other heirs. He has placed extensive improvements on the farm and by close economy and good management has made his farm one of the best in the county. He gives particular attention to the breeding of horses and has been successful along this line. Mr. McCoy was married in 1874 to Sarah Hackney. the daughter of FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 695 Edward and Mary E. (McKay) Hackney, natives of Virginia and early settlers in Clinton county, Ohio. To this union there have been born four children, Edward (deceased), Mary D., Russell D., T. Glenn and Oscar E., who is-running the home farm. Politically, Mr. McCoy is a stanch Republican and has always been deeply interested in local politics. He has served as township assessor with satisfaction to the citizens of Wayne township. He has also been on the school board of his township. All the family are attendants of the Baptist church and contribute liberally of their means to its support. HUGH E. ELLIOTT. The life of the farmer today is the most independent existence which a man can lead. The farmer is getting better prices for everything than he ever did before and the chances are that the market price of all grains and live stock will never be any lower than they are today. The man with a farm of at leak fifty acres can make a very comfortable living and many are doing it on a less acreage. One of the successful farmers of Fayette county is Hugh E. Elliott, of Wayne township, who rents his father's farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres on the Rock Mill road, one mile from Good Hope. Hugh E. Elliott, the son of Milton S. and Ursula (Grubbs) Elliott, was born March 12, 1874, in Jackson county, Missouri, near Warrensburg. Hugh E. Elliott came with his parents to Fayette county when he was three years of age. He first attended the Rogers school in Paint township and later the Jefferson and Shady Side schools. He remained at home until he was twenty-one when he began farming for himself and is still renting land in Wayne township. As a farmer he keeps fully abreast of the times and is classed among the progressive farmers of his township. He divides his attention between the raising of grains and live stock and has met with success commensurate with his efforts. Mr. Elliott was married February 24, 1898, to Mary Moore; the daughter of George T. and Lydia (Bradshaw) Moore. George T. Moore was born in Pike county, Ohio, the son of James and Christina (Penisten) Moore and has reared a family of four children : Curtis (deceased), Mary, Clarence (of Boston), and Orville (of Cleveland). Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have two children, Laverne and Ursula Anne. 696 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. In politics, Mr. Elliott is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, but has never taken an active part in political affairs. The family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Personally, Mr. Elliott is a man of pleasing address and has a host of friends throughout the county where he has lived so many years. ELIAS PRIDDY. The Bible says that the allotted age of man is three score and ten years, and yet there are many who live beyond this age. Fayette county, Ohio, has many old citizens, among the best known of whom is Elias Priddy, of Concord township, who was born in that township ninety-one years ago. He has lived under every President from James Monroe down to the present time, and has seen more changes in civilization than have taken place during all the preceding ages of history. Although he was not married until he was nearly thirty years of age, yet he and his wife have been married more than sixty-two years, being one of the oldest married couples in this county today. During his long life Mr. Priddy has always been interested in everything which pertained to the development of his county, and the clean and wholesome life he has lived and the kindly disposition which he has always maintained toward his neighbors have endeared him to a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the county. Elias Priddy, the son of George and Jane (McDonald) Priddy, was born in Concord township, in 1823. His parents were natives of Virginia and settled in Ross county, Ohio, in the early twenties, shortly afterward locating in Fayette county. Three children were born to George Priddy and wife, Mrs. Matilda Flannigan, Mrs. Maria Mark and Elias. The boyhood days of Elias Priddy were filled with hard work and yet he had pleasures which the boys of today will never know. He recalls many interesting incidents surrounding his boyhood days—the days of the cornhusking bees, the country dances, the log rollings and the house raisings. His education was confined to the rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic, since the schools of the twenties and thirties were very limited in their instruction. His entire life has been spent on the farm in this township, and he now owns a neat and attractive little farm of thirty acres near the village of Staunton in Concord township. Although he was more than forty years of age when the Civil War broke out, yet he enlisted in the One Hun- FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 697 dred and Sixty-eighth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served for more than a year with distinction. He was then drafted on his return home and Paid nine hundred dollars for a substitute to take his place. Immediately after the close of the war he returned to his farm and has since followed agricultural pursuits. Mr. Priddy was married January i 1, 1852, to Rachel Williams, and to this union has been born one son, George. Politically, Mr. Priddy has long been identified with the Republican party and before its organization voted the Whig ticket, casting his first vote in the fall of 1844. He is a loyal member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has always been deeply interested in the welfare of the old soldiers. He and his wife have been lifelong members of the Methodist Episcopal church and interested in all the good work of that denomination. This grand old couple are greatly beloved in the township where they live and the people delight to honor them in every way. They are people of kindly disposition, genial impulses and always ready to assist anyone in times of trouble or distress. It is not often given to people to live more than ninety years, and for this reason Fayette county takes particular pleasure in honoring this venerable couple. CHARLES LININGER. The Lininger family has been identified with the history of Fayette county, Ohio, for many years, and its members have always taken a prominent part in the life of the communities in which they lived. They are all successful farmers and are men who give stability to their respective localities. One of the three brothers of this family whose careers are presented in this volume is Charles Lininger, whose life has been such as to accord him a place among the representative citizens of his township. His whole life has been devoted to agriculture, with the result that he has attained a pecuniary independence commensurate with his efforts. Charles Lininger, the son of Michael and Adeline (Holloway) Lininger, was born in Ross county, Ohio, December 15, 1876. His father, who was the son of William and Catherine (Hyer) Lininger, was a native of Ross county, this state. Fred and Eva Lininger, the parents of William, came from Virginia and settled in Ross county, Ohio, early in its history. Charles Lininger is one of twelve children born to his parents, the others being John, Mary, Etta, Lida, William. Jennie, Jesse, Russell, Ernest, Kate and. Bertha. Etta 698 - FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO. and William are deceased, while of the other children, John and Jesse are represented by personal biographies elsewhere in this volume. The education of Charles Lininger was received in Fayette county, and he remained with his parents on the farm until he reached his majority. He came to Fayette county when a child with his parents and at the age of twenty-one began farming in Marion township, where he is now residing. He divides his attention between the raising of crops and the breeding and raising of high grade live stock in such a way as to yield him a comfortable livelihood. Mr. Lininger was married January Jo, 1906, to Bessie Ward, the daughter of William and Anna (Myers) Ward, and to this union have been horn five sons, Willard, Walter, Alfred, Martin and Paul. Mr. Lininger is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, but has never felt that he had the time to devote to political matters. HARRIS B. DAHL. One of the largest business firms of. Washington C. H., Ohio, is the Midland Grocery Company, a wholesale company which does a large business throughout the state of Ohio, employing a large force of salesmen on the road all the time. Harris B. Dahl is the treasurer of the company and has been connected with the firm since 1882. His father before him was a merchant in Washington C. H., and consequently his early training was directed along mercantile lines. He has made an unusual success in business and ranks as one of the most substantial and prosperous business men of Washington C. H. Harris B. Dahl, the son of George and Ruth (Bereman) Dahl, was born in Washington C. H. May 3o, 1859. His parents, who were natives of Brown county, Ohio, and Washington C. H., respectively, reared a family of four children : Lizzie, the widow of Col". B. H. Millikan; Harris B.. of Washington C. H. ; Victoria,. the wife of T. W. Marchant, of Washington C. H., and Ethel, deceased, who was the wife of William Campbell. George Dahl came to Fayette county and located in Washington C. I 1., when he was a small lad, coming to this county with his mother. As a young man he manufactured candies and delivered them by wagon, later engaging in the retail grocery business in Washington C. H. He gradually branched out into the wholesale grocery business and continued in this line until his FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO - 699 death, in 1898, at the age of sixty-four. His wife still survives him at the age of seventy-eight. George Dahl and his wife were both members of the Methodist church. The paternal grandparents of Harris B. Dahl were natives of Germany and came to America in an early day, locating in Brown county, Ohio, and were pioneer settlers of that county. Grandfather Dahl died in middle age and his widow came to Fayette county, where her death occurred in Washington C. H. at an advanced age. The grandfather of H. B. Dahl had a large family of children : Henry, Jacob, George, Mrs. Catherine Rapp, Mrs. Ann Siehl, Mrs. Mary Hirt and Mrs. Ziegler. The maternal grandparents of Harris B. Dahl were Joel S. and Sina (Thompson) Bereman, of Scotch-English descent, and pioneer settlers in Fayette county. Mr. Bereman was in the hardware business and was familiarly known as "judge Bereman." He was twice married, and by his first marriage had one son and four daughters : Clayton, Elizabeth, Jennie, Ruth and Victoria. His second wife was a Miss Porter, and to this union were born three children : Eli, Porter and Catherine. Harris B. Dahl was reared in Washington C. 14. and attended the local high school until the age of seventeen, when he entered the State University at Columbus, where he remained three years. He then spent one year in the medical department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and a year in the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, after which he took a course in the laboratory of the State University of Ohio with the intention of becoming a physician. However, Mr. Dahl finally decided to engage in the business which had made his father so successful, and in 1882 he embarked in the retail grocery business in Washington C. H., and two years later he started the wholesale business. This has grown into a business of large proportions and goods from Washington C. H. are shipped all over the state of Ohio, as well as other states.. The company now has four large buildings. The original building burned December 3o, 1911. The firm was incorporated under the name of The Midland Grocery Company, with a capital stock of five hundred and eight thousand dollars common stock and six hundred and thirty-six thousand dollars preferred stock. The company also has a large store in Columbus, Ohio, which is the headquarters of the firm. The Washington C. H. store is called the Dahl-Millikan Branch. The officer's of the Midland Grocery Company are as follows A. S. Hammond, of Columbus, president ; Col. B. H. Millikan, vice-president; C. C. Benbow, secretary ; H. B. Dahl, treasurer, and William M. Campbell,