DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW CO UNTIES, OHIO - 175 one mile east of Cardington, on the 3d of October, 1854, receiving his education in the public schools of Cardington, and graduating at the high school. He had early manifested a desire to take up the study of law, and even before leaving his school-room he had made many incursions into the pages of Kent and Blackstone, being afforded this privilege in the office of Judge  Thomas E. Duncan, of Cardington, who acted as our subject's preceptor when the latter took up the reading of law in good earnest,—soon after his graduation from the high school. Mr. White was admitted to the bar, at Mt. Gilead, in 1876, being at the time somewhat past his twenty-first birthday anniversary. He then entered upon a professional partnership with his former preceptor, Judge Duncan, and this association maintained for a number of years. Since its dissolution our subject has practiced alone. Politically, Mr. White has been a stanch and uncompromising Republican, and has been a most active worker in the party ranks, having served as delegate to divers conventions of the organization. He was Prosecuting Attorney of Morrow county from 1880 until 1885, and has also been the incumbent as City Solicitor. Fraternally our subject is prominently identified with the Masonic Order, retaining a membership in Cardington Lodge, No. 384, F. & A. M., of which he has served as Secretary; in Mt. Gilead Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M. ; and in the Royal Arcanum, in which he has held the office of Regent. May 1, 1892, Mr. White was united in marriage to Miss Florence R. Smith, M. D., a native of Marion county, Ohio, and a daughter of Senaca A. and Dorothy (West) Smith, who are now residents of Lincoln township, Morrow county. Mrs. White received her literary education in the public schools of Cardington, and in 1884 graduated at the Homeopathic Medical College, of Cleveland. She is a most able physician, and retains a representative patronage in Cardington and vicinity. She is a member of the Homeopathic State Medical Society. Reverting, in conclusion, to the ancestral history of our subject, we learn that his great-grandfather, on the maternal side, was George E. Lloyd, Sr., who was a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, and who was an active participant in the war of the Revolution, having been a member of Captain Barry's company, Eighth Virginia Line, commanded by Colonel Peter Muhlenburg. Colonel Muhlenburg was pastor of a church at Woodstock, Shenandoah county, Virginia, and after hiving delivered an impassioned sermon before his flock he threw aside his clerical vestments, revealing his regimentals, and thereupon ordered the drums to call for recruits at the church door. George E. Lloyd was one of those who responded to this call. An uncle of our subject, Theodoric L. Schenck, was a soldier in Company B, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served through the late war of the Rebellion, having been made steward of a hospital. Another uncle, Sardis H. White, was a soldier in Company C, Twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served from June 1 3, 1861, until October 21, 1865, having participated in many of the principal battles of the war. Still another uncle, Horace B. White, was fifty years of age when he enlisted as a member of Company M, Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and was promoted to the office of battalion hospital steward, dying while in the service. His son, Adelbert B., was a member of the same 176 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF company, and served from September 8, 1861, until he was mustered out, November 23, 1864. ENOS HATCH, a prominent farmer of Harlem township, Delaware county, was born on the place where he now lives, October 21, 1830, a son of Alfred and Martha (Hill) Hatch, natives of the State of New York. The mother died on the old home farm in this county. The father, who came to Ohio in 1812, departed this life in Fairfield county, this State, at the age of seventy-four years. He was a life-long farmer, a Democrat in his political views, and a devoted attendant of the Baptist church. Mr. and Mrs. Hatch had five children, viz.: Huldah Henry, of Franklin county, Ohio; Lucy Allspaugh, of Franklin county; Fairchilds, a resident of Putnam county, this State; Roswell, also of that place, and Enos, the subject of this sketch. Enos Hatch was reared on the old homestead, and received his education in the log school house. He now owns 1 o6 acres of the best land in Delaware county, has made all the improvements necessary for a well regulated farm, and is engaged in the raising of fine stock. He affiliates with the Democratic party, and is an attendant of the Baptist church. August 31, 1852, Mr. Hatch was united in marriage to Rebecca Gorsuch, and they had four children, namely: Margaret, born July 25, 1855, died December 22, 1875; David, born March 7, 1858, died December 21, 1860; Angeline, born February 6, 1862, died February 25, 1865; and Homer, born September 18, 1869, died August 28, 1871. Rebecca (Gorsuch) Hatch, wife of our subject, passed to the life eternal on the 12th of June, 1874, and on March I I, 1875, Mr. Hatch consummated a second marriage, being then united to Mrs. Catharine Gorsuch, Kirby, and to them one child was born, April 24, 1877, namely, Bertha. Mrs. Catharine Hatch died April 18, 1886, and the marriage of our subject to Rachel R. Hashbarger was solemnized October 31, 1886. A. R. BIGELOW traces his ancestral history back to the battle of Hastings, 1063, the Norman Knight DeBaguley being one of the followers of William the Conqueror. John Bigelo, the ancestor of all the Bigelows in this country, landed in Boston in 1640. Our subject, A. R. Bigelow, is one of the successful and representative farmers of Union county, which is the place of his nativity, as it was also of his honored father. The old homestead farm on which our subject was born and which is his place of abode at the present time is located in Union township, comprising 250 acres of as fine agricultural land as can be found in this section of the State, the place being effectively watered by Little Darby creek, which wends its way across field and meadow. The family residence is a large and substantial frame structure and is symmetrical in its appointments as an attractive rural home. Other permanent improvements include two large barns, sheds and other outbuildings, while in every quarter of the place there is evidence of the discriminating care given to the cultivation of the broad acres and to the breeding of stock, to which latter line of enterprise our subject devotes no little attention. DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 177 Alpheus Russell Bigelow was born October 29, 1851, the son of Alpheus, Sr., who was also born on the old Bigelow homestead, the son of Eliphas Bigelow, who was one of the earliest settlers in what is now Union township, where he settled in the midst of the virgin forest and began the arduous task of reclaiming his possessions from the hand of nature. He was a native of the state of Maine. Our subject's father was reared on the old pioneer farmstead and received his educational discipline in the primative schools of the district. Attaining maturity he joined heart and hand with Miss Malinda Converse, who was of stanch old Puritan stock, a native of Madison county, this State. The original .American ancestor of the Converse line became a resident of Massachusetts as early as 1620. Alpheus and Malinda Bigelow became the parents of two children: Delilah, who died at the age of four years, and Alpheus R., the immediate subject of this sketch. The honored father died in 1851, lamented by all who appreciated his upright character and sterling worth. His widow subsequent-married James McCloud, the issue of this union being three children: Jerry, a resident of Paris, Union county, Ohio; Rosa, wife of G. F. Morse, of Garnett, Kansas; and Mariam, wife of L. H. Elliott, of Union county, Ohio. The mother is now living at Milford Center, this county. Our subject was reared to man's estate on and near the old homestead, receiving his education in the district schools and in the Ohio 'Wesleyan University, at Delaware. In 1870 he assumed charge of the home farm and continued to operate the same for ten years, when, in 188o, he went to San Francisco, California. where he passed two years, after which he returned to the home of his childhood, where he has since continued to reside, devoting his attention to the cultivation of the fine farm which has been in the possession of the family for so many years, At the age of twenty years he became convinced that a life companionship with Miss Hattie Parthemor was essential to his happiness and soon the wedding bells announced their union. Mrs. Bigelow was born and reared in Union township, the daughter of Frederick and Permelia Parthemor. Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow have six children: Maurice Alpheus, who is a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, class of [894; Amy R.; Walter R. ; William F.; Dessie H., and Merle E. Politically, Mr. Bigelow casts his franchise with the Republican party, being one of the wheel-horses in the local organization. He is a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as are also his wife and three of his children. The family stands foremost as one of intelligence and true refinement, and their influence in the community is recognized as ever directed along the line where good and right obtain. MICHAEL DAVIS is one of the prominent and honored pioneer residents of Union township, Union county, and there is a signal consistency in giving space to a resume of his life history in this connection. Mr. Davis is a native of the Buckeye State, with whose history that of his family has been identified from the early pioneer days, when were taken the inceptive steps in its reclamation from the sylvan wilds. He was born in Clinton township, Knox county, 178 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF September 26, 1821, the son of Joseph Davis, who was one cf the representative men and pioneer residents of this county. He was born in the Old Dominion State, the son of George Davis, who was the son of Michael. Joseph passed his childhood days in Pennsylvania, and was only fifteen years of age when his father came to Ohio and established his pioneer home in the forests of Knox county. At that time the present thriving city which is the county seat, Mount Vernon, was an unpretentious hamlet, represented by three primitive log cabins. The Davis family is of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction, and the paternal grandmother of our subject was of Scotch descent, her place of nativity having been the city of Philadelphia. One of the sons of George Davis was an active participant in the war of 1812. Joseph Davis was married, in Knox county, to Miss Lydia Shenaberry, who was born in Pennsylvania. They became the parents of thirteen children, namely: Polly, Michael, Margaret, Joseph, George, Nancy, Elizabeth, W. Shannon. Catherine, William (deceased), George ;the second, (deceased), and two who died in infancy. The father of our subject came to Union county in 1854 and purchased 196 acres of the rich bottom lands along the Big Darby creek, the place having a substantial brick house, which was a somewhat extraordinary improvement in this section at that period. Here he lived to attain a remarkably green old age, dying at the age of ninety-seven years and eleven months, having been, at the time of his demise, the oldest man in the county and one of the oldest in the State,—a veritable patriarch. He was a farmer all his life, and was a noble specimen of the sturdy husbandman, possessing a vigorous and alert mentality, and standing six feet and two inches in height, with strong and robust physique. Politically he was a strong Democrat of the old-line type, and religiously he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. His wife died at the age of eighty-six years, having been a member of the Christian Church. Michael Davis, the immediate subject of this review, was reared to farm work in Knox county, and became notable for his prowess in the accomplishment of the various duties of the farm. He was able, as a young man, to chop a cord of wood in an hour, and made a record by cutting, with a cradle, eight and one-half acres of grain in a day. In these lines he was the acknowledged champion of the county. and his feats of endurance and strength would cause the average young man of this period to gaze in perfect wonder. He came to Union county with his parents in 1854, and for a number of years assisted in the cultivation of the paternal homestead. In 1856 he purchased his present place and located thereon, the farm comprising I 33F, acres, and being conceded to be one of the finest in the township. The soil is particularly fertile and yields bountiful harvests in the various lines of production to which it is devoted. The permanent improvements include a good frame house and large barns, with ail essential equipments in the way of minor outbuildings. The farm is thoroughly well cultivated, and is kept in perfect order in all portions. At the age of twenty-two years,—more than an half century ago,—he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Crottinger, who was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1822, the daughter of Henry and Sarah (Beckenbaugh) Crottinger, na- DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 179 tives respectively of Maryland and Pennsylvania. They came to Licking county, Ohio, in 1827, and there passed the remainder of their lives, the father dying at the age of seventy-seven, and the mother at eighty-eight. Mrs. Davis was but five years of age when her parents came to Ohio. They had ten children: Mary. Christina, Susan, Jacob, Abraham, Jackson. Sarah, Catherine, James, and George. The last two named died in early childhood. The father was a Democrat, and religiously was a zealous member of the Christian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have had no children. but have reared two, whom they adopted informally: H. C. Ferguson is now deceased. and the other child, Sada. is now the wife of .Alfred Paver, residing on the Davis farm. They are the parents of five children, namely: Blanche. May, Ira, Howard, and Edna Zion. In his political faith our subject advocates the same principles as did his honored father, being an uncompromising Democrat. Both he and his wife are devoted members of the Christian Church. Mr. Davis inherits the physical strength of a sturdy ancestry, and is vigorous and erect. In manners he is genial and affable, and in character is above reproach. He is held in the highest esteem in the community, and is one of the most popular pioneer residents of the section. GEORGE W. BELL.-- We now direct attention to al̊ more salient points in the life history of one who stands as one of the prominent business men of Cardington, Morrow county, and as one of the old and honored residents of said county. Mr. Bell is a native of that beautiful suburb of the national capital, Georgetown, District of Columbia, where he was ushered into the world on the 17th of July, 1827. His father, Elijah Bell, was a native of Scotland, where he was born in the year 1793. He came to America when a mere boy, a large number of the Bell family having emigrated to the New World and haying settled in and effected the organization of the county of Montgomery, Maryland,—Rockville being the official center of the county. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Mary Hart, and she was born in England in 1789. The name of this family of Bells was formerly spelled Beall, but our subject changed it to Bell, and the latter has been adopted by many members of this branch of the family. George W. has in his possession a copy of his grandfather's will. Samuel Beall was the possessor of a large landed estate lying between Rockville and Baltimore, Maryland. That part of the estate lying on the west side of the road, called Batchalder's Forest, was bequeathed to the father of our subject, Elijah Beall, who was also made executor of the will; one tract of land called James' Gift, was bequeathed to his son, Enoch Beall; the balance of his real estate was converted into money, and, with his personal property, divided among his heirs in a wise and discreet manner. This will was executed October to, 1825. The marriage of Elijah Bell and Mary Hart was consummated in Georgetown, Maryland, and there they remained until 1838. In 1825, however, Mr. Bell had come westward to Ohio, and had located a land warrant in Tuscarawas county, after which he returned home, and in 1838 came to this State with his family, and took up 180 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF his abode on the claim entered more than a decade previous. His initial trip to the Buckeye State was made on horseback, across the mountains and through the densely wooded vales. His land was wild and heavily timbered, and he gave his attention to its reclamation and improvement until 1861, when he removed to Columbus, this State, and made settlement on a farm east of the city, remaining there until the hour of his death, which occurred in that year which marked the centennial anniversary of our national independence,--1876. His wife had been summoned to eternal rest in 1862. They were the parents of four children; and of this number only one has passed away. The following is a brief record touching the lives of the children: Salina became the wife of Edward Ricketts, and is now deceased, having left three children: Howard, a resident of Zanesville, this State, married Melissa Dermuth, and they have six children; George W. is the immediate subject of this review; and Sarah is the wife of Jared Ricketts, of Fairfield county, Ohio, having no children. The parents were devoted members of the Presbyterian Church, and the father was an old-line Democrat, having held preferment as Justice of the Peace. He was an active participant in the war of 1812. George W. Bell remained at the paternal home until he had attained the age of sixteen years, when he went to Fairfield county, Ohio, and there devoted his attention to acquiring the tanner's trade,—a vocation which he followed until he came to Cardington in 1851, when he engaged in merchandising on a small scale, and in dealing in stock. He was ambitious, industrious and enterprising, and had an intellectual acumen which enabled him to direct his efforts according to those careful and honorable methods which ever conserve the attaining of success. His business showed a healthful and steady growth and he has not abated his labors until there has come to him the success for which he strove. He commenced with nothing in the way of financial resources or influence, and stands as the architect of his own fortune, a distinctive type of the self-made man. His business enterprise at the present time includes the dealing in wool, seeds, real estate, etc., and in the line takes a distinct precedence in the character and scope of operations. Religiously, Mr. Bell is a prominent and zealous member of the Presbyterian Church, holding preferment as one of the trustees of the local organization. Politically, he is a stalwart Democrat. and has been a prominent figure in local politics. He is one of the supervisors of elections, has been a member of the Board of Education for the past sixteen years, and has also served as a member of the Common Council. His financial interests are of considerable note, and he is a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of Cardington. In his fraternal relations Mr. Bell has advanced to a position of marked prominence in the noble order of Free Masonry. He was made a Master Mason at Mount Gilead in 1859, being a member of Carding-ton Lodge, No. 384, F. & A. M., of which he has served as Treasurer. In 1873 he took the Royal Arch degree and chapter at Mount Gilead. and is a member of Mount Gilead Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M. In 1876 he was made a Sir Knight at the Marion Commandery at Marion, Ohio; in 1884 he took the Scottish Rite degrees up to the eighteenth, at Dayton, Ohio, and in 1885 up to the thirty-second degree at Cincinnati, Ohio. DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 181 The marriage of Mr. Bell occurred in 1858, when he was united to Miss Mary E. McMahan, a native of Kentucky, and a daughter of Asa McMahan, who was one of the earliest pioneers of Morrow county, Ohio. Mrs. Bell was born in 1832, and February 13, 1891, she rendered into the hands of death a life which had been given to cheer, to bless and render beautiful all associations therewith. Mr. and Mrs. Bell became the parents of two children: Addie and Margaret. GEORGE W. REAM, who holds distinctive official preferment as Trustee of Allen township, Union county, is one of the representative farmers of this section and is one whose record of military service stands in evidence of his patriotism and unswerving loyalty. He is a native of the Buckeye State, having been born in Ross county, March 10, 1542, the son of Samuel Ream, a prominent resident of this township. Samuel Ream was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Samuel, Sr., who was the son of John Ream, one of the pioneers of the old Keystone State. The father of our subject was reared and educated in his native State and finally came to Ross county, Ohio, where he married Elizabeth Featherling, a native of the Old Dominion State. In 1849 he removed with his family to Union county and settled on Darby plains, where he remained for six years, and then, in 1858, came to Allen township, where he has since maintained his home on the farm which he now occupies. Samuel and Elizabeth Ream have had seven children, of whom we make record as follows : George W. ; Matthias; Elizabeth; Delia; Sarah, deceased; Samuel; and Frank deceased. The devoted wife and mother died February 27, 1894, at the age of seventy-four years and six days. George W. Ream was reared to the life of a farmer and received his education in the district schools, the same having been effectively supplemented by the practical experiences of life. May 2, 1864, he enlisted as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio National Guard, and was honorably discharged from service on the 2d of September in the same year. He took up his residence on his present farm in 1881, soon after his marriage. He owns 124 acres, of which the home place,—the Robinson farm,—comprises 106 acres, being improved with a good residence and barn, a modern wind-mill and all necessary accessories. The place is cultivated according to approved and progressive methods and gives evidence of thrift and enterprise. Mr. Ream's marriage was consummated September 1, 1881, when he was united to Mrs. Ortensie V. (Eaton) Robinson, relict of the late William Robinson, son of William L. Robinson. of this township. Mrs. Ream's parents were Joshua and Elizabeth Eaton, the former of whom was a native of Massachusetts, and the latter, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Poling, was born in Virginia. Both died in Allen township, this county. Joshua Eaton was married three times. His first wife's name was Black more. By this union one child was born, Lydia, aged eighty years, still living. His second wife was Mary Brooks. She was the mother of eight children : Mary, Sarah, Jane, Eliza, Orrange, Anise, Marcena and Edward. Edward died on board a Mississippi boat while 182 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF in the service of the Union, a member of Company K, Ninety-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was buried in his blanket on the banks near Vicksburg. Joshua Eaton married for his third wife Elizabeth (Poling! Hoff, widow of Anthony Hoff, and they had three children : Ortensie V., Calvesta A., and Orlando B. By her former marriage she had five children : Sarah, Rachel, Ann, Jane and Samuel. Ortensie V. Eaton was united in marriage to William Robinson March 13, 1873, and became the mother of two children : Adolphus B., born April 16, 1874; and Mary A., born March 22, 1877. William Robinson participated in the late war of the Rebellion as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His death occurred February 28, 1879. By her marriage to Mr. Ream she is the mother of one son, George C., born January 1, 1885. Before her marriage she was a popular and successful school teacher. Mr. Ream is an ardent supporter of the Democratic party and its principles, and he has held political preferment in a local way, having served as Trustee of the township for the past decade. Fraternally, he is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic, having been a charter member and one of the first officers of Millington Post No. 506, of Pottersburg, Ohio. He is a man of marked intellectual and business ability, is well informed upon the current affairs of the day and is held in highest estimation in the community. Mrs. Ream is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is also her daughter, Mary, who is a popular teacher in the Sunday-school. The son, Adolphus B. Robinson, is attending school at Ada, Ohio.J JAMES LEWIS, one of the leading citizens of Harlem township, was born on the old Lewis homestead, November 9, 1841. His father, Steven Lewis, was a prominent and well known early settler of Licking county, Ohio. He was married to Sarah Milligan, who was born, reared and educated in that county, a daughter of James Milligan. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lewis located on thirty acres of land in the dense woods. built a log cabin, and added to their original purchase until they owned o acres of well improved land. They were the parents of eight children. namely: Clarissa Rarity, Dennis, James, Harriet Needles. Martha, Alfred, Anna and Norman. The last four are deceased. The mother departed this life at the age of seventy-one years, and the father died in 1892, at the age of eighty-one years. He was a life-long farmer, and was a Democrat in his political relations. James Lewis, the subject of this sketch, has resided on his present farm for twenty-five years. It consists of 140 acres of well improved land, and contains many valuable improvements. In addition to general farming, Mr. Lewis is extensively engaged in stock raising, and has the reputation of being the leading horse dealer in this locality. He votes with the Democratic party. Mr. Lewis was married at the age of twenty-three years, to Elizabeth Mayfield, a native of Trenton township, Delaware county, and a daughter of Abram Mayfield.. Mrs. Lewis died one year after her marriage. In 1867 our subject was united in marriage with Adaline Trippier, a native of Licking county, Ohio, and a daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth Trippier, both now deceased. To this union has been born one daughter, Cora, wife of Virga Buel, of Hartford, Lick- 183 - DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO. ing county. Mr. Lewis is frank and jovial in his manner, honest in his dealings, and is honored and respected by all who know him. CHRISTOPHER H. CHAMBERLIN, a venerable and honored citizen of Mount Gilead, Morrow county, and one who was for many years one of the leading business men of the place, must call forth in this connection such consideration as is manifestly due him as, in the repose and retirement of his beautiful home, he views the hurrying throng with kindly and indulgent gaze, reflecting on what has been wrought within the long span of his days and resting from the ceaseless toil and endeavor which brought to him success and the regard of men. The father of our subject was Gideon Chamberlin, who is supposed to have been a native of New Jersey, and to have been born about the year 1779, the son of John Chamberlin. Gideon Chamberlin was a farmer during his entire life. Circumstances prevented him from bearing arms in the War of 1812, but he provided a substitute. He married Catherine Hulsizer, who was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, the daughter of Christopher Hulsizer. Gideon and Catherine Chamberlin removed from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, about 1817, and there the latter died, in 1837. They were the parents of nine children, of whom all but one lived to attain mature years. At the present time there are but three surviving and all of these are men of venerable years. Their names, with age (in 1894), are here given: William, aged eighty-five; Christopher H., our subject, aged eighty-three; and John aged seventy-nine. The father came to Ohio in 182$ and settled in Franklin township, Knox county (now Morrow county), where he was one of the pioneer residents and where he made his permanent home. Somewhat later our subject went to Wooster, Wayne county, and entered a tract of land for his father, and here they took up their abode in the virgin forest, ultimately reclaiming the place and bringing it into effective cultivation. On this farm, which was located on Owl creek, the father died, about 1837. He had been a member of the Baptist Church in Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Chamberlin, the immediate subject of this review, was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, April 19, 1811, receiving limited education advantages in Pennsylvania, whither his parents removed when he was but a child. He was seventeen years of age when his father removed to Ohio. His educational advantages were extremely meagre in character, but he was ambitious to learn and had a receptive mind, being thus enabled to secure a good practical education as the result of personal application and study. This line of reading and study has led him along to a position of much intellectual strength and wide information. As a boy he was compelled to work in the employ of others, but he continued to make his home at the paternal domicile until the time of his marriage. In 1833, he wedded Miss Sarah D. Lyon, who was born in Ohio, her place of nativity having been a block-house, near Fredrick-town, which building was being used for the protection of the women and children during the war of 1812, her birth having occurred in that .rear. After his marriage our subject constructed a log cabin on the farm of his father-in-law, and there continued to 181 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF abide for three years, assisting in the work of the farm, which was located in Franklin township, this county (then Knox county). After three years had thus elapsed, his little log house was destroyed by fire and he then went to Bloomfield township and settled on a place which is the location of the present town of Sparta. Here he remained five years, after which, in 1840, he returned to his father's old place. The father had died and our subject purchased the interests of most of the other heirs to the estate. He built a house on the old homestead and occupied the same for a time, after which he disposed of his interest in the farm, taking in exchange a tract of sixty acres, in Delaware county. This place was located in the dense woods of Harmony township, Delaware county (now Morrow), and he remained upon the same for a period of thirteen years, clearing up the land and improving it. In 1853 he resigned his connection with agriculturism and came to Mount Gilead, where he engaged in the mercantile business and continued the enterprise for three years, after which he removed to Butler Center, Iowa, where he was engaged in merchandising somewhat over two years, after which he removed to a point ten miles distant in the same county (Butler), and there conducted a store for two and one-half years. In 1859 he returned to Mount Gilead and resumed merchandising in the same building which he had previously utilized for the same purpose. After a short time he removed to the town of Williamsport, six miles east of Mount Gilead, and there continued in the mercantile trade for several years, after which he once more returned to Mount Gilead and took up his residence, where he has lived for the past thirteen years. The devoted and cherished wife of our subject entered into eternal rest in 1861. They were the parents of six children, of whom only two are living, namely: Phoebe Ann, wife of Asa A. Gardner, of Mount Gilead, and the mother of two children by a previous marriage to Enoc Gerge: and Lucretia J., wife of Robert P. Halliday, of this city: they are the parents of two children. Mr. Chamberlin consummated a second marriage April 19, 1863, when he espoused Miss Mary Truex, who is a native of Monroe county, this State, where she was born April 20, 1811. Our subject and his estimable wife are zealous members of the Baptist Church of Mount Gilead, and Mr. Chamberlin has been particularly active in temperance work, having identified himself with the Murphy movement many years ago. Politically, he is an ardent Democrat of the Andrew Jackson type, his first vote having been cast for that sturdy President, in 1832. He has been consistent in the upholding of his political faith, both in defending and supporting the same. He held preferment as Justice of the Peace in this county for a term of nine years, and in Bloomfield and Congress townships served as Constable, and in Congress township as Township Treasurer and Justice of the Peace. During the war our subject contributed liberally of his means to the support of the Union cause, with which he was thoroughly and uncompromisingly in sympathy. Mr. Chamberlin's life has not been one of supine ease and of futile dreams. He has worked diligently and consecutively, and the high measure of success which is his has come as the direct result of his own efforts. When he started out in married DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 185 life his earthly possessions were summed up in an axe and a good splint broom, which latter he had made with his own hands. Who would deny to such a man the reward which is so justly due,—the respect of his fellowmen ? One of the patriarchs of the county, and one known far and wide for the integrity of his character, our subject abides, in his declining days, safe in the honor and esteem of the community. MAJOR JAMES OLDS.—It is now our privilege to take briefly under review the life history of one who has attained a marked prestige in the line of his profession, that of law; who has rendered to the nation the valiant service of a patriotic and loyal son of the republic, and whose history in an ancestral way touches the early pioneer days when the courageous settlers took up their abode in rude cabins in the midst of the sylvan wilds of the Buckeye State and lent themselves to its reclamation. What better subject for biographic honors could be asked for in this connection? James Olds was born in that portion of Delaware county, Ohio, which was subsequently incorporated in the present county of Morrow, on the 4th of October, 1823, and to-day he is an honored and venerable resident of the county of his nativity, having for many years maintained his home and fields of operation in the official center of the county, Mt. Gilead. His father was Rev. Benjamin Olds, a native of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he was born May 1, 1795. By occupation he was a farmer and a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. His parents, who were Eastern people, located in the Old Keystone State and thence came to Delaware county, Ohio, settling in Oxford township in 1807 or 1808, and being among the very first settlers in the county. The father of our subject was only fourteen years of age when his parents removed to this State. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Abigail Washburn, was born in the State of New York, in July, 1805, and came with her parents to Delaware county, Ohio, when but three years of age,—her parents also having been among the very early settlers in Delaware county. The marriage of Benjamin Olds and Abigail Washburn was solemnized in Delaware county, in October, 1822, and shortly after this event they settled in the woods of Westfield township, where they built a hewed log house, and there remained, devoting themselves to the reclamation and improvement of the place, until 1862, when the father of our subject was called to enter the life eternal, being sixty-eight years of age at the time of his death. In politics he was originally a Whig, but united with the Republican party at the time of its organization. He was Justice of the Peace for many years, and was County Commissioner at the time the organization of Morrow county was effected. He was a man of broad intelligence and one of much prominence in this section of the State, having been known throughout the length and breadth of the extended circuit which he covered as a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The mother of our subject died, at his home in Mt. Gilead, August 31, 1889, having attained the venerable age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of eleven children,—nine sons and two daughters,—all of whom lived to attain maturity, a brief record of their 186 - MEMORIAL BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF lives being here incorporated: James, the eldest of the family, is the subject of this review; Henry, who married and reared a family, died in Illinois, November 18, 1856; Luther married, reared a family and died in 1893, at Cleveland, Ohio: Dr. Abner died August 10, 1856, soon after he had begun the practice of his profession; Sanford was a soldier in the late war of the Rebellion, was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, and died from the effects of his injuries, January 28, 1864; Jane died September 13, 1872; Miles died May 10, 1870, leaving a widow and two children; Lester married and is now a resident of Labette county, Kansas; Chauncey was a soldier in the late civil war, and died November 9, 1862, as a result of wounds received in the battle of Murfreesboro; Mary is the wife of Wilbert Granger, of Delaware county, Ohio; Hon. Walter Olds, who is the youngest of the family, studied law with his brother, our subject, and was duly admitted to the bar, eventually taking up his residence in Whitley county, Indiana, from which he was elected to the Senate of that State: he held preferment as Circuit Judge for four years, and was later elected Judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana, an office which he resigned, and is now engaged in the practice of his profession in Chicago, Illinois, being one of the leading lawyers of the Garden City, and having office headquarters in rooms 1113-14, Tacoma Building. Major James Olds, the immediate subject of this review, was born in one of the first log houses erected in Delaware county, this State, and the old farm where he first ope'd wondering eyes is still in his possession. His first scholastic discipline was received in one of the primitive log school houses, with slab benches, wide fire-places and meagre accessories. He remained on the old homestead, assisting in its improvement and cultivation, until he had attained the age of eighteen years, when he made his initial effort on his own responsibility by engaging to teach a district school. Just when budding ambition gave itself a definite aim is difficult to say, but certain it is that our subject looked out and beyond the narrowed mental horizon of the farm home, which was one in which culture and refinement were not absent and one in which aspirations for a wider sphere of usefulness were readily enkindled. Accordingly we find that in 1843 James matriculated as a student at Delaware College, in the village of Delaware, Ohio, being one of the first students in that institution, and having as a fellow-student the young man who eventually became the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Ohio, John C. Lee, deceased. He remained in the college until the fall of 1844, when he went to Indiana and there engaged in school teaching for a time, returning to Delaware within the succeeding year and there entering the office of Judge Sherman Finch, under whose preceptorship he continued the study of law until his admission to the bar in 1848,— the year which marked the organization of Morrow county. 'While pursuing his professional studies he had taught school at intervals, and had thus been enabled to defray his incidental expenses. After his admission to the bar, Major Olds located in Mount Gilead and entered upon the active practice of his profession, in which he has since continued consecutively in this place during all the long intervening years, with but one year's interruption,—that which called him forth in defense of his country's honor. DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 187 In 1861 he was commissioned a recruiting officer and organized the first full company (Company D, Sixty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry), known as a part of the Sherman Brigade. He was commissioned Major of the regiment named, but resigned in 1862, by reason of disability. Since that time he has been engaged in practice in Mount Gilead, being recognized as one of the representative and most able lawyers of the county, and as one whose honor is above reproach. He is a stanch Republican, but has never sought or accepted official preferment in the gift of his party,—a record which is most exceptional when office-seeking has been an almost unvarying concomitant of the legal profession. Reverting, in conclusion, to the domestic pages of our honored subject's life, we find that, on the last day of the year 1863, was consummated his marriage to Miss Anistasie Talmage, who was born in Gilead township, this county, in July, 1842, the daughter of James M. and Louisa (Newson) Talmage, the former of whom was a native of the State of New York, and one of the early settlers in this county; and the latter of whom was born in Maryland. Mrs. Olds is the oldest of the four living children, and in her early years she was a successful and popular school teacher in this county. Major and Mrs. Olds are the parents of three children, namely: Mame, born October 26, 1864, is the wife of W. R. Baxter, a leading lawyer of Canton, this State; Benjamin, born September 27, 1868, has been associated with his father in law practice for the past four years, having completed his literary education at the Ohio Wesleyan University, in Delaware; and W. Floyd, born April 6. 1884. In the line of fraternal affiliations our subject is identified with but one organization, the Grand Army of the Republic, retaining a membership in Hurd Post. SIMEON D. KILGORE .—The work of tilling the soil soon resolves itself into a somewhat monotonous routine and the honest husbandman, upon whose success depends to so large an extent that of all the lines of industry and enterprise, must needs be wide awake else he will lapse into distinctive ruts and thus bar the way to progress and to the mazimum of success possible. One of the farmers of this favored section who has kept himself emancipated from these set methods which become habits and are followed because they represent the custom of years, is he whose name initiates this review,—a man who has attained to a high order of success and who finds no reason to enter the all too common complaint that "farming does not pay." The date of Mr. Kilgore's nativity was May 10, 1836, and the place was Camden township, at a point about three miles distant from Plain City, Madison county, this State. His parents were Thomas and Jane (Patterson) Kilgore, both of whom are now deceased, the mother dying at the age of seventy-one and the father at eighty-one, in Madison county, where they were honored and prominent residents for many years. Thomas Kilgore was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and was of stanch old Irish stock, his paternal grandfather having been born in the Emerald Isle. The Patterson family were from Bottetourt county, Virginia, where representatives have been located from early Colonial days. The marriage of our subject's par- 188 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF ents occurred after they had taken up their residence in this State. The father first settled in Ross county, almost on the very ground where the city of Chillicothe now stands, buying land at $1.25 per acre. There he remained until he removed his family to Madison county, where he developed a fine farm and passed the remainder of his days. Thomas and Jane Kilgore became the parents of ten children, of whom four are now living. Concerning the family we offer the following record: John, born October 30, 1815, lives in Franklin county, and became the father of three children, one of whom is deceased: one of his sons, Thomas. was for three years in active service in the late war, having been a member of the First Ohio Cavalry; Sarah, born September 18, 1817, died July 13, 1842, having been the wife of Jeremiah Sherwood, by whom she had two children, one of whom is living, a resident of Franklin county; Elizabeth, born April 24, 1819, married Chauncey Beech, and lives in West Jefferson, Madison county; William, born January 26, 1823, was a prominent farmer of Madison county, where he died, in 1889, leaving four children; Harvey, born December 23, 1824, lives on the old homestead in Madison county and has two children; Rebecca, born February 6, 1827, married Jacob Taylor, by whom she had four children, her death occurring in 1890; Lucinda, born December 21, 1829, died in 1859; Eliza, born March 24, 1833, died January 5, 1836; and two other children died in infancy. Our subject was reared to farm work on the old homestead in Madison county, receiving his preliminary educational training in the district schools, the knowledge thus acquired serving as a most effectual groundwork for the comprehensive practical education which he has gained by his labor in and contact with the world and its affairs. July 3, 1864, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Cary, a native of Madison county, where her parents were honored pioneer residents. Soon after his marriage our subject settled in Mill Creek township, Union county', and here he has ever since retained a residence. His first purchase was a tract of 200 acres, lying about four miles distant from his present place of abode. He has resided in his present quarters since 1893, the place, familiarly known as the Luther Liggett farm, having been purchased by him at that time. He now has a landed estate in this county of 637 acres, with three dwelling houses and seven barns. With so extended a domain, all of which is under a most perfect system of cultivation, it is needless to say that our subject stands forth as one whose success has come as the direct result of his own well-ordered and consecutive endeavor. In politics Mr. Kilgore is firmly arrayed in the support of the Republican party and its principles, and religiously he lends his influence and support to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife and daughter, Cora, are devoted adherents. Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore have had three children, namely: Etta J., born, March 12, 1869, completed her education at Lebanon, Warren county, was possessed of a high order of musical ability and was for some time engaged in teaching in this line of art, being a young woman of pure and gracious refinement: her untimely death occurred July 12, 1891, and though those who knew and ap- DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 189 preciated her beautiful character can but mourn their loss, yet there comes to them the consolation of the thought that such a life was most eminently fit to merge into the glories of the life eternal; Cora E., attended the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, for three years, stopping her work there in her junior year; Thomas H., born March 6, 1877, is attending the high school at Watkins. EDGAR J. VAUGHAN, a well-known business man, holds distinctive preferment as cashier of the First National Bank of Cardington, Morrow county, and of this county he is a native son, having been born, August 9, 1857, on the old homestead, in Lincoln township, where his father still lives, the family being one whose history has been identified with that of the Buckeye State from the early pioneer days. Our subject was the eldest son of James W. and Rachel A. (Wood) Vaughan, to whom individual reference is made in detail elsewhere in this volume. Edgar J. Vaughan was reared on the old homestead farm, his rudimentary educational discipline having been received in the district schools of Lincoln township, after which he attended the public schools of Cardington and Mount Gilead. In 1879 he was appointed Deputy County Surveyor, under J. T. Buck, having been engaged in surveying for some time prior to securing this official preferment, which came as a practical testimony to his ability in that professional line. In 1880 he came to Cardington, and for two years acted as assistant cashier of the First National Bank, being elected cashier of the institution in 1882, and having ever since acted in that important and exacting capacity. In December, 1882, Mr. Vaughan was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. Mooney, who was born in this county, her father, the late M. L. Mooney, having been an early settler in Cardington and the pioneer druggist of the place. Mrs. Vaughan received her education in the Cardington schools. To our subject arid his wife two children have been born, namely: Henry W. and Edgar W. In politics Mr. Vaughan casts his franchise in support of the Republican party and its principles. He has maintained a lively interest in educational work, and has served as a member of the Board of Education in Cardington. Fraternally he is prominently identified with the Masonic Order, retaining a membership in Cardington Lodge, No. 384, F. & A. M. , and having held the office as Master of the same for four years; he is also a member of Mount Gilead Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M. , and of the Royal Arcanum. Mr. Vaughan is one of the progressive and public-spirited business men of Carding-ton, and has ever stood ready to lend influence and support to all measures and enterprises tending to conserve the growth and development of the village and the welfare of the community. W. P. VAUGHAN, who is one of the prominent attorneys of Morrow county, and who is a resident of the thriving village of Cardington, was born in Lincoln township, this county, April 17, 1862, the second child of James W. and Rachel A. (Wood) Vaughan, who are still abiding on the old homestead as old and honored citizens of the commun- 190 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF ity. It is hardly demanded at this juncture that we recapitulate the pertinent points in their life history, since the the same is given in full in an individual sketch appearing elsewhere in this volume. Our subject was reared on the old homestead. where he remained until he had attained the age of eighteen years, his rudimentary educational discipline having been secured in the district schools of Lincoln township. In 1880 he entered the public schools of Cardington, graduating at the high school in 1882. After this he was engaged in teaching school for four winters, meeting with much success in his pedagogic efforts. He then matriculated at the Ohio Wesleyan University, in Delaware, this State, and there continued his literary studies for one year. Having determined to make the profession of law his life work, in the fall of 1885 Mr. Vaughan entered the office of Judge A. K. Dunn, of Mount Gilead, pursuing his professional studies under such preceptorage until the fall of 1896, when he entered the law department of the Cincinnati College, where he completed the prescribed course, being admitted to the bar in 1887. In June of the same year he returned to Mount Gilead and remained with his old preceptor, Judge Dunn, until April 1, 1888, when he located in Cardington, where he has since been engaged in the active practice of his profession, retaining a representative and constantly increasing clientage, and standing as one of the most capable and most thoroughly informed of the younger lawyers of the county. Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, and he has risen to a position of prominence in the work and the local councils of his party, being at the pres ent time the chairman of the Morrow County Republican Central Committee. Fraternally he affiliates with the Masonic Order, retaining a membership in Cardington Lodge, No. 384, F. & A. M., and in Mount Gilead Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M. The marriage of Mr. Vaughan was consumated in 1890, when he wedded Miss Stella Willits, who was born in Cardington township, this county. the daughter of William and Lucinda (Grandy) Willits. Prior to her marriage Mrs. Vaughan had been a teacher in the schools of the county, and had occupied in the line a position of no little prominence, having been particularly successful in her work. She entered into eternal rest June 22, 1893, leaving one son, James G. A. B. COMINS, who is one of the substantial and representative men of Mount Gilead, Morrow county, and who has shown a marked executive ability and keen discernment in the conduct of business enterprises, must assuredly be accorded attention in this connection. He was born in Jefferson county, New York, November 8, 1840, the son of Lyman B. Comins, who likewise was a native of the Empire State, and of English extraction. He was a carpenter by trade, but in later years devoted his attention principally to the buying of live-stock and to general fanning. He married Mary G. Harris, who was born August 19, 1817. in Schuyler county, New York, at a point about four miles distant from the city of Utica. Her father, Joseph Harris, was born and reared in Connecticut, being a comb-maker by trade. DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 191 Lyman B. and Mary G. Comins became the parents of six children, of whom only two lived to attain mature years, namely: A. B., our subject; and Harriet, the wife of Wade Armentrout, of Hayesville, Ashland county, this State. A. B. Comins was the second born of the children, and when he had attained the age of nine years his parents left their Eastern home (1849) and removed to Ohio, locating at Mount Gilead, this county; where they remained for two years, after which they took up their abode in the capital city, Columbus, where the father died, in 1854. Within the same year the widowed mother of our subject disposed of her interests in Columbus and returned to Mount Gilead. Here our subject began his individual effort in the world by engaging as a clerk in the mercantile establishment of George House, with whom he remained one year. He then went to Hayesville, Ashland county, where he secured a clerkship with the mercantile firm of Armentrout & Son, remaining thus employed for a full decade, after which he was admitted to partnership,—an association which continued until 1872, when he closed out his interests in the business and returned to Mount Gilead. He had, in earlier years, learned the painter's trade, and to this line of occupation he devoted his attention after his return to Mount Gilead, having also clerked in local establishments for a time. In 1866 was consummated his marriage to Miss Dora Moneysmith, who was born in Auburn, Indiana, April 28, 1848, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (McCreary) Moneysmith, the former of whom was of German lineage and a blacksmith by trade, and the latter of whom was a native of the Buckeye State, and of Irish extraction. Mrs. Comins was the second in order of the four children born to her parents. Our subject and his wife are the parents of one daughter, Mary E. Mr. Comins is an ardent admirer and genuine lover of good horses, and is considered one of the best judges of horseflesh in this section. At the present time he owns twelve fine individuals of standard breeding, among them being Dandy Wilkes, a black stallion, who has made a record of 2:23 3/4, and Ambassador, Jr., a bay stallion, a remarkably fine individual in the pacing class, with a record of 2:20. Our subject has also in line a number of most promising colts, and is an enthusiastic turfman. In politics he supports the Democratic party and its principles, in the broader general sense, but reserves to himself an independence which leads him to cast his ballot for men and measures, rather than to cling in a servile way to party or ring dictates. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. JOHN S. PECK. who figures as one of the progressive and representative business men of the attractive city of Cardington, Morrow county, and who stands at the head of one of the important industrial enterprises of the place, first saw the light of day in Clarksburg, Virginia, where he was born on the last day of January, 1832. His father was John Peck, who was born in Connecticut and there reared. He learned the trade of shoemaking and followed the same for a great many years. He married Amy Maxwell, a native of Virginia, and in 1832 the parents emigrated to Ohio and settled in the woods of Morgan township, Marion county (now Cardington town- 192 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD ship, Morrow county), and upon his forest farm the father erected a log cabin. The earliest event in his life which our subject can recall is that he went half a mile through the woods to witness the raising of that log house. The father cleared and improved the place, and after a number of years had passed, removed to Cardington and here engaged in the harness business. He later on retired from active business, and his death occurred November 19, 1873, his wife having been summoned into eternal life May 23, 1847. They were zealous members of the Protestant Methodist Church, and politically the father was a stanch Republican. He was a strong and uncompromising Union man during the late war of the Rebellion, and did much to mould public sentiment in favor of the cause which he so warmly and so ably advocated. John and Amy (Maxwell) Peck became the parents of the following named children: Leman and a twin brother, the latter of whom died in infancy, the former's death occurring June 6, 1853; Clinton, died April 27, 1876: David B. is a resident of Cardington, and is engaged in the furniture business; John S. is the subject of this sketch; Tarleton is living a retired live in this village; Minerva J., born April 20, 1837, became the wife of G. R. Cunningham, of Cardington, July 3o, 1856, and died August 12, 1864. John S. Peck was an infant when his parents removed to Ohio, and he remained on the old homestead until he was about fourteen years of age, when he went to Delaware, this State, and there served an apprenticeship at the cabinet-maker's trade. After his term of apprenticeship he went to Mount Gilead, where he was in the employ of C. O. Van Horn for several months, working at his trade. He then betook him self to Westfield, Morrow county, and for one year was an artisan in a fanning-mill factory conducted by Adam Wolf. He next went to Newville, DeKalb county, Indiana, and there conducted a furniture business for a period of five years. His health had become seriously impaired and he accordingly disposed of his business and returned home, where he remained for one year and then removed to La Rue, Marion county, and engaged in the ashery and furniture business, continuing the same about five years, and then, in 1863, coining to Cardington, where he bought out a little furniture store and conducted a cabinet shop in a back room, continuing the enterprise on this modest scale for some two years, when he purchased an old building which was located at a point across the railroad track, nearly opposite his present factory. Into this building he put his machinery and operated the same by horse power, utilizing a docile and venerable gray mare for the propelling of the machinery. While manufacturing furniture in these quarters he made use of the little store building on Main street as a wareroom. In 1872 he erected a substantial brick building on the site of the little frame structure, the former being the first brick business block erected on Main street. About 1873 he relegated the old gray mare to obscurity and supplied her place with a small upright engine, and in 1876 he built the south part of his present factory, later on adding to it. In the meanwhile the little engine had proved inadequate and it was replaced by one of greater power, while in the mechanical equipment many improvements and additions have been made from time to time. The business at the factory increased to such an extent as to demand the entire attention of our subject, and for DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 193 this reason he sold the business on Main street to his nephew, J. F. Peck, who is now deceased. Later he added a lumber yard to his business enterprise here, and continued both until 1891, when he sold the lumber yard to his nephew, afore mentioned, and one year later sold to him the balance of the business, thereupon retiring from active business. He went to Colorado and there remained for a time, but in the fall of 1892 J. F. Peck contracted a serious illness and our subject was induced to take charge of the former's business interests until his recovery. The proprietor's illness reached a fatal termination, however, in the December following, and thereupon our subject was appointed administrator of the estate, continuing in that capacity one year, when the factory and other interests were sold to the widow of J. F. Peck, and later on our subject purchased of her a half interest in the manufactory and the lumber business. The factory manufactures furniture for the wholesale trade, and in the lumber yards are kept on hand all kinds of material for building purposes, the enterprise being one of the most important in the city. Politically, Mr. Peck has been an active worker in the Republican party, and has held several offices of public trust. While in Indiana he held preferment as Justice of the Peace, and was Secretary and Treasurer of the School Board. He has been a member of the Republican Executive Committee of Morrow county, and has served as a member of the Cardington Common Council and the local Board of Education. He was one of the trustees of the committee which had in hand the erection, at Cardington, of the fine memorial monument to the soldiers who forfeited their lives in the service of the late war. In 1852 Mr. Peck was united in marriage to Miss Lorinda Bartlett, a native of Westfield township, and the daughter of Esquire Lester Bartlett. The date of her birth was August 18, 1835, and her education was received in the schools of Westfield township. Mr. and Mrs. Peck have had no children, but they have an adopted son, Virgil W., a son of D. B. Peck, and a young man of great promise. For the past two years he has been a student in the Colorado University, at Denver. Mrs. Peck is a most devoted member and zealous worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally, our subject is identified with the Masonic order, retaining a membership in the Chapter at Mount Gilead. WILLIAM WILTON BALES.— In the present connection we shall revert to the lives of two brothers who are themselves prominent and honored residents of Allen township, Union county, and who are conspicuous, in a further sense, as representatives of one of the leading pioneer families of this section of the favored Buckeye commonwealth. The history engendered in a personal way by the family identification with the annals of the section is one which is prolific in interest and instruction, and is one which the publishers consider well worthy of particular attention in this volume. “Crab Orchards," as the Bales homestead has been most consistently known for a long period of years, figures as the birthplace of William Wilton Bales, who still maintains his home thereon, having been born June 26, 1840: His father, the late William Bales, was one of the most prominent of the pioneer settlers of Union county, MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF - 194 and was a man who enjoyed a distinctive prestige during the term of his life by reason of his ability, enterprising spirit and unswerving integrity. He was a native son of New England, having been born in Hillsborough county, New Hampshire, January 9, 1809, the son of William L. Bales, who was born in Vermont, and who in turn was the son of an illustrious sire, also 'William by name, who was an active participant in the war of the Revolution, serving under General Washington. The father of the last named William Bales was pressed into the British army and compelled to serve therein for a time, but he ultimately escaped and gave himself to the bearing of arms against his whilom but distasteful comrades of the English forces. The Bales family came to Ohio from New England in 1838, making the long and weary journey with team and wagon. William Bales, father of our subject, was reared on a farm in his native State and received his scholastic discipline in the public schools. February 1, 1838, he wedded Sarah Cavender, who was born in New Hampshire, and who came from an old and honored family, being the daughter of James and Rachel Cavender, who were of Irish extraction, the former having been a valiant soldier in the war of the Revolution. In the year of their marriage they accompanied other members of the Bales family on their journey to the Western wilds of the Buckeye State, and they passed the autumn succeeding their arrival, at Sunbury, Delaware county, and then located in Newton, Union county, where they remained one year, at the expiration of which time they settled in the woods of Allen township, where they built a sawmill and a log cabin, and where they eventually developed one of the finest farms in this section of the State, giving to the same the name of Crab Orchards, which has ever since been retained, as has also the place in the possession of the family, the old homestead being the present place of residence of our subject. The farm reclaimed and developed by the original members of family comprised 400 acres, located on the line of the old stage road between Columbus and Fort Wayne, and the Bales home was a wayside inn or a tavern of the old familiar and attractive type, and from its hospitable doors no wayworn traveler was ever turned away,—rich and poor, saint and sinner, Jew and Gentile, were alike made welcome and permitted to share in the hospitality of the genial hosts of the primitive caravansary. William Bales, father of our subject, was for two decades the incumbent as Postmaster at the little hamlet of Coberly, and was a man of distinctive influence in the community, where his advice and counsel were held in the highest regard. He was one of the first in this section to engage in the breeding and sale of Morgan horses, and brought the original individuals in this well-known and popular line from Vermont. He was successful in his business ventures and accumulated a fine property, owning land in Illinois, in addition to his extensive realty interests in this county. During the late Mexican war he served as Captain of militia, having raised a company, which, however, was not called into action by reason of the closing of the war before they reached the front. William and Sarah (Cavender) Bales became the parents of ten children, of whom we make record as follows: William 'Wilton is the subject of this review; Walter Warren is associated with his brother in busi- DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 195 ness, and to him individual reference is made farther on in this sketch; Charles Clifford resides in Illinois; Mary M. is the wife of O. N. Carter, of Linn county, Kansas; Rosa is the wife of O. W. Inskeep, of Linn county, Kansas; Frank is a resident of Champaign county, Ohio; Burnham C. is a resident of Marysville, Ohio; Sarah is the wife of C. W. Brodrick, of Champaign county, Ohio; George died at the age of twenty-three years; and Rachel R. passed away at the age of eighteen months. The honored father of our subject was summoned into eternal rest, September 1, 1878, at the age of sixty-nine years and eight months, and his widow died November 11, 1885, at the age of sixty-seven. In their religious adherence they were Adventists. The father of William Bales, William L., lived to attain a remarkable longevity, dying at the old homestead in this county, at the venerable age of ninety-seven years, and his widow lived to be ninety-five. Their wedded life extended over the notable span of seventy-three years, and during all this long period they were never absent from one another for two weeks. They were the parents of nine children. William Wilton Bales, the immediate subject of this review, was reared on the beautiful old homestead and received his education in the district. schools, and in a commercial college at Columbus. He passed three seasons in De Witt county, Illinois, taking horses to that locality to be sold, in the years 1860, '61 and '63. At the present time there is retained in “Crab Orchards," the old homestead, 200 acres of rich and productive land, thoroughly well improved. The attractive old family home, erected in 1844, is a substantial and commodious structure, and is pervaded in its very environments with the atmosphere of a true home, hallowed with association. Among other excellent permanent improvements in evidence is a fine barn, 36x50 feet, with a basement for the accommodation of stock, of which a general line of standard breeds is kept on the place. Natural springs about the farm furnish an adequate supply of pure, limpid water for stock. The magnificent orchard is renowned as one of the best and largest in the State, there being 1,400 apple and 600 peach trees. The soil has proved to be particularly well adapted to the cultivation of all fruits native to this latitude. Among other varieties, there are 1,000 trees of the Whitney or No. 20 crab, one of the best known and most popular apples grown in the United States. December 24, 1879, William Winter Bales was united in marriage to Miss Virginia Dunn, a woman of culture and innate refinement. She was born in Rush township, Champaign county, this State, the daughter of Nelson and Mary (Garwood) Dunn, the former of whom was a native of Champaign county, and the latter, who was the daughter of Joseph and Adaline Garwood, was born in Logan county. They had two children: Hiram G. and Virginia, wife of our subject. Mr. Bales is one of the leading men of the township, and has ever been a prime factor in lending impetus to such enterprises and fostering such institutions as tend to conserve the higher welfare of the community. He has been the incumbent as President of the Board of Education for a term of many years. Politically, he lends influence and practical support to the Populist party. Personally, he is a man of quick intelligence and broad mental grasp, is frank and cordial in bearing, and enjoys that respect 196 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF and esteem that are ever awarded to the one deserving of such recognition. As exemplifying the public spirit of William W., it may be stated that he built some of the first pike road ever constructed in this county, which now has the distinctive honor of having the best system of turnpikes of any county in the State. WALTER WARREN BALES, who is associated with his brother in the conduct of the old homestead farm, was born thereon, October 11, 1842, and here grew to maturity, receiving his educational discipline in the public schools of the locality. He married Miss Victoria Inskeep, daughter of William and Mary Inskeep, and of this union seven children were born, namely: Forest, Minnie (deceased), Frank, Walter, May, Jenny and Emma Maude. Walter W. and family resided in De Witt county, Illinois, from 1870 until 1881, and Mrs. Bales entered into eternal rest on the 2d of May, 1882. To the children thus bereft Mrs. William W. Bales has proved a devoted foster-mother, and to her they have granted a true filial affection. Walter W. Bales is identified with the Masonic order, retaining a membership in Blazing Star Lodge, of North Lewisburg, which village is the postoffice address of the occupants of "Crab Orchards.- WILLIAM TABER, who has contributed a due quota toward the agricultural development of Morrow county, Ohio, and who is now living in retirement at Edison, is one of the old pioneer residents of the county and one honored and esteemed in the community. His father, Thomas Taber, was a native of Montpelier, Vermont, and was a farmer by occupation. He was a son of one whose full patronymic he bore, Thomas Taber, who was born March 26, 1747, was a blacksmith by trade and married Hannah Davis. The family had been one of prominence in New England from the time that the original American ancestor, Philip Taber, came here and settled near Boston, Massachusetts, —this being prior to 1634. He was one of the first settlers at Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and was a member of the first Legislative Assembly of Plymouth Colony, 1639-'40. In 1661 he was a member of the Government Council of Providence. He married Lydia Masters. The father of our subject was born October 17, 1796, and August 10, 1818, he married Miriam Worth, who was born February 7, 1799. They remained in Vermont until the fall of 1836, when they emigrated to Ohio and settled on a tract of land in Gilead township, this county (then Marion county), at a point somewhat northwest of the present city of Mount Gilead, where they remained ever one year. He then bought a piece of densely wooded land adjoining Canaan township, building there a log cabin, in which the family took up their abode. He died May 12, 1843, and his widow passed away in 1860. They were the parents of seven boys and two girls, of whom five are living at the present time, namely: William, Nathan, Freeman, Thomas Elwood, and Lewis. The parents were members of that noble organization, the Society of Friends. William Taber, the subject of this review, was born July 2, 1819, at Cobin Hill, Addison county, Vermont, and the house in which he was born bore an un- DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 197 canny repute, being said to be haunted. He was seventeen years of age when the family came to Ohio, his education having been received in the subscription schools of his native State. His father, whose educational advantages had been very meagre, appreciated their value, and he did not deny his children such opportunities as were in his power to grant. Our subject went to Mount Gilead after his arrival here and there worked for Dr. Roberts during the summer, attending school during the winter months. After this he went to the paternal home and lent his aid to clearing and improving the same. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age, and then began to work out for others by the month, continuing to be thus employed for two years. He then cleared a piece of land on his father's farm and sowed the same to wheat. He had been in the employ of Daniel and David Osborn, and through the advice of those gentleman he returned home and gave his attention to caring for his father until the time of the latter's death. He assumed the management of the farm and brought it into effective cultivation, purchasing the interests of the other heirs after the death of his father, He subsequently added eighty acres to his landed estate. Mr. Taber gave his attention to the operation of the farm until 1881, when he was incapacitated for active labor as the result of injuries received in being thrown from a mowing machine, and he thereupon came to Edison and purchased an attractive residence, where he has since continued to abide in the devoted companionship of his wife, who has been his faithful helpmeet during all the long years of their married life. June 28, 1845, Mr. Taber joined hand and heart with Miss Sarah Hickok, daughter of Harry and Hannah (Macomber) Hickok, both natives of Saratoga county, New York, where they were married. In 1825 they settled south of Fitchville, Huron county, Ohio, and there remained until their death. The father came on foot all the way from Saratoga Springs, New York, to this State, where he located his claim before bringing his family. The mother died in the spring of 1826 and the father survived many years, and died in Illinois at an advanced age. They were the parents of three boys and four girls, and five of the number are now living. Mrs. Taber was born September 27, 1825, in Huron county, Ohio, and was there reared and educated. Our subject and wife became the parents of four children, of whom only one survives, William Lloyd Garrison Taber, who was born July 10, 1849, married Olive Silverthorn, has two children, and lives on the paternal homestead. One daughter of our subject Oria, born February 10, 1853, became the wife of John Ashbaugh, and she died June 28, 1890, leaving three children. Mr. and Mrs. Taber are consistent members of the Society of Friends, and politically our subject was originally a radical Abolitionist, but for the past twenty years he has been an ardent Prohibitionist, his being one of the first three ballots cast for that cause in this township. His first presidential vote was cast for William Henry Harrison. During the war he was an active worker in the service of the "under-ground railway" and his home was one of the "stations" of that effective system. He has taken an active interest in educational work and has served as School Director,—the only office he has consented to accept. He 198 - MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF is a man of unwavering manor and integrity, and in his advanced years retains the respect and veneration of the community. JAMES W. VAUGHAN, one of the prosperous and representative agriculturists of Lincoln township, Morrow county, Ohio, and one whose ancestral history touches not only the period which marked the initial stages in the settlement and development of the Buckeye State, but also traces in direct line to those who were prominent in the Colonial history of our country, must of a surety be accorded a position of prominence in this work. His father was Matthew Vaughan, who was born November 20, 1784, in Isle of Wight county, Virginia, son of Matthew Vaughan, who came from Wales, his native land, in company with two brothers. The family at the present day have no records by which the subsequent history of these two brothers may be traced. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a farmer or planter in the Old Dominion State, and his death occurred prior to the war of 1812. He had four sons, all of whom are now deceased. The father of our subject was reared on the old homestead in Virginia, and remained there until after he had attained his majority. In 1808 he came to Stark county, Ohio, establishing his home in the forest wilds, and remaining there until he had cleared and improved a fine farm. In 1812 he was united in marriage to Phoebe Pennock, who was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, February 11, 1785, a daughter of William Pennock, who was a Friend, or Quaker, and a native of Pennsylvania. He removed from that State to Bedford county, Virginia, when the mother of our subject was yet a child of six years, where she grew to maturity, and later he took up his abode in Stark county, Ohio. In 1851 Matthew and Phoebe Vaughan removed from the farm which they had developed in Stark county, and took up their abode in Morrow county, settling on the farm which is now the home of their son, our subject. Here the mother died, November 15, 1869, and the father on the 29th of August, 1878. Reverting to the history of the Pennock family, we find that the original American ancestor was one Christopher Pennock, who was a farmer, and who was married prior to 1675. He was an officer in the military service of William of Orange. He emigrated to the north of England, where he remained for a time and then set sail for the New World, taking up his residence in Pennsylvania prior to 1685. He was in the service of King William at the battle of the Boyne. He died in Philadelphia, in the year 1701. His son Joseph, who is the direct ancestor of this family, was born in 1677, and was taken a prisoner by a French vessel of war while on his way to America, but was eventually set free. As early as 1702 he was engaged in mercantile business at Philadelphia, and in 1714 he removed to West Marlborough, Pennsylvania, and settled upon a large tract of land of which he had secured possession by virtue of a grant which had been made to his grandfather, George Collet, by William Penn. Here, in 1738, he erected a large mansion, “Primitive Hall,” and here maintained his residence until his death, in 1771. His son William was the father of a son who bore the same Christian name, and who was the father of our subject's mother. Matthew and Phoebe Vaughan became the parents of ten children, concerning DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO - 199 whom we are enabled to offer the following brief record : Rebecca, born October 2, 1813, died October 7, 1840; Mary, born January 2, 1815, is the widow of John Ellison, has three children and is a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; William, born November 1, 1816, died March 17, 1817; Hannah, born December 21, 1817, became the wife of William Ellison, had three children, and died in June, 1849; Dr. John, born May 22, 1819, was twice married and had one child by each wife, meeting his death in 1851, at Salt Lake City, where he was murdered by Mormons: Jane. born February 3, 182 is the wife of Francis Carr, of Stark coun- ty, this State, and has two children; Phoebe, born January 3, 1823. died January 17, 1845; Esther, born November. 17, 1824, died April 14, 1847; Lydia, born January 9, 1827, became the wife of Henry Peet, now deceased, and was the mother of five children, her demise occurring August 11, 1869; and James W., the youngest in the family, is the immediate subject of this re view. Both parents were devoted members of the Friends' Church and society; in politics the father was originally a Whig, but espoused the Republican cause on the organization of that party, having taken an active interest in political matters. He was drafted for service in the war of 1812, but was never called out. James W. Vaughan was born March 5, 1832, in the town of Marlborough, Stark county, Ohio, said village having been laid out by his grandfather. His educational training was received in the public schools and the academy in his native town, and he made his home beneath the parental roof until the time of his marriage, this important event in his life occurring August 31, 1853, when he wedded Rachel Ann Wood, who was born on the old Wood homestead, in Gilead township, Morrow county, the daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Ashton) Wood, whose. history is more definitely traced in connection with the sketch of their son, Thomas A. Wood, as appearing on another page of this volume. The date of her nativity was July 25, 1833, and her education was received in select schools and in Mt. Hesper Academy. Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan became the parents of four children, as follows : Edgar J., born August 9, 1857, married Mary L. Mooney, and has two children, Henry and Edgar: he is cashier of the First National Bank of Cardington, this county, and to him individual reference is made on another page; William P., born April 17, 1862, is a prominent attorney at Cardington, and is the subject of an individual sketch in this volume: he married Stella Willitts, who is now deceased, having been the mother of one child, James G.; Mary N., born January 13, 1864, is the wife of C. F. Osborn, of Lincoln township, and is the mother of two children, Walter V. and Jeanne R.; Walter W., born February 7, 1866, married Mina Chase, and retains a residence on the paternal homestead. The children of our subject all received exceptional educational advantages, and the sons all put their acquirements to a practical test by teaching school for greater or less intervals. Mr. Vaughan has a finely improved farm of 140 acres, and has devoted his attention to general farming, having also been successful in stock raising. He has at the present time a fine herd of Red Polled cattle. Politically he is a stalwart and uncompromising Republican and has frequently been a delegate to conventions of his party. He has served as Trustee of Lincoln township,