550 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. low : Harry J., born September 19, 1884, who is a farmer and is living at home; Charles, born July 18, 1886, who died July 18, 1888, .and Susie K., born July 16, 1891, who lives at home and is a musician who possesses great talent for both vocal and instrumental music. John C. Stover still assumes active charge of the operation of his farm, which he has developed and expanded until he is now the owner of six hundred and thirty acres of well-improved farm land. He devotes the farm to general farming. and, in addition, breeds and raises high-grade live stock. He shares his home with Mrs. Jacob Stover, his mother. The members of the family are all loyal supporters of the Brethren church and are active in all church work. Mr. Stover is recognized as a man of sterling worth, whose life is closely interwoven with the history of the community which he has taken such an active part in building up, and his efforts have always been put forth in behalf of the advancement of the neighborhood. In this he has been ably seconded by Mrs. Stover and by the other members of his family, all of whom have led well-regulated and industrious lives, which fully entitle them to representation in a history of Preble county. FRANK GAZELL. In past ages the history of a country was confined chiefly to the records of its wars and conquests. Today, history is largely a record of commercial activities and those whose names are foremost in the annals of the nation are tFiose who have become leaders in business circles. The conquests now made are of mind over matter and the victor is he who can most successfully establish, control and operate commercial enterprises. Frank Gazell, of West Alexandria, Preble county, Ohio, is one of the strong and influential citizens whose life is an essential part of the history of Preble county. Tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose, genius for devising and executing the right thing in the right place and time are the chief characteristics of Mr. Gazell. These, combined with every day common sense and guided by strong will power, are concomitants which will insure success in any undertaking. Frank Gazell, a tobacco buyer and dealer in leaf tobacco, at West Alexandria, Preble county, Ohio, was born February 27, 1866, at Gratis, Ohio, the only son of 'William Frederick and Sarah Jane (Focht) Gazell, who were PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 551 the parents of three children, of whom Frank is the eldest. The other two are Mrs. Clara Smith, of Gratis, Ohio, and Mrs. Maggie Bowman, of Richmond, Indiana. William Frederick Gazell was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, October 17, 1843, and left Germany with his parents when seven years old. His parents settled in Darke county, Ohio, and Frederick Gazell worked as a laborer in his younger days. He was a soldier in Company F, Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War, and also took part in the pursuit of Morgan's raiders. In 1873 he went into the tobacco business, in which he is still engaged at Gratis, Ohio. William Frederick Gazell is the son of Michael and Barbara (Kayler) Gazell. Michael Gazell was a son of Jacob and Catherine (Daner) Gazell. Jacob Gazell was born in the Black Forest and was of French descent. He was a forest protector, and was a justice of the peace for fifty years. Michael Gazell was a shoemaker in' Germany, where he worked until coming to Darke county, Ohio. He worked at his trade after coming to this county until his death. Mrs. Frederick Gazell, the mother of Frank Gazell, was born in June, 1847, in Preble county, Ohio, the daughter of Michael and Mary Magdalene (Sweeney) Focht, natives of Pennsylvania. On November 22, 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Gazell celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Just previous to this happy event, Mr. Gazell had spent six weeks on a htinting trip in northern Wisconsin, where he had killed a bear, the carcass of which he brought home and which provided a fine roast for the golden-wedding dinner. Mr. Gazell was then past seventy-one years, of age. His sight still is strong and his aim is just as accurate now as it was then. He has spent thirty-five autumns on hunting trips after big game, having killed a moose on one of his recent trips, and has many fine trophies of the hunt and chase. Frank Gazell attended the schools at Gratis, Ohio, and worked with his father ill. the tobacco business until 1903 when he. moved to West Alexandria and began dealing in leaf tobacco, which has been his business ever since. Mr. Gazell owns property in West Alexandria and is a shareholder in the Twin Valley Bank, of West Alexandria, as well as in the National Bank at Eaton, Ohio. Mr. Gazell was married in 1894 to Minnie Dewitt, who was born in 1867 near lifcGonigle's Station in Butler county, Ohio, the daughter of Jacob and Mahala (Freeman) Dewitt. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gazell. Jacob Dewitt was born in Butler county, Ohio, in the year 1833, the 552 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO son of Willis and Elizabeth (Beard) Dewitt, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Butler county. Jacob Dewitt grew up in Butler county and lived there about fifteen years after his marriage, at the end of which time he :came to Preble county, locating on a farm northwest of Camden, where. he remained for a time and then moved to the town of Gratis, where he lived about thirty years, his death occurring there in 1901. His wife, Mahala Freeman, was born in Oxford township, Butler county, Ohio, a daughter of Warner and Martha (Cross) Freeman, the former of whom was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and the latter in Lexington, Kentucky. Willis Dewitt was of French descent and his wife, Elizabeth Beard, of English ancestry. Martha (Cross) Freeman also was of French descent. Warner Freeman's father, John Freeman, was a soldier in the Continental army during the . Revolutionary War, his service with the Cons necticut- troops beginning when he was seventeen years of age and covering the seven long years of that great struggle for independence. Jacob Dewitt served his country as a Union soldier during the Civil War, serving three years and seven months as a member of Company C, Sixty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Politically, Mr. Gazell is a Republican. In 1887 he was elected township clerk of Gratis township and held this office for four years. Later he was township treasurer for two years. In 1893 and 1897 Mr. Gazell was postmaster at Gratis, Ohio, and also corporation treasurer of Gratis. In all of his official positions, Mr. Gazell has acquitted himself as one who recognizes fully the true meaning of public service and has a commendable record in every political position which he has been called upon by the people of his community to fill. ALBERT R. GRAHAM. Prominent in the affairs of Preble county, Ohio, and distinguished as a citizen of Twin township, whose influence extends beyond the limits of the community honored by his residence, is Albert R. Graham, a man whose work is conspicuous among the successful farmers and stock breeders of Twin township. Mis undertakings have been actuated by noble motives and high purposes, characterized by breadth of wisdom and strong individuality. His. success and achievements but represent the results of utilizing native talent and directing his efforts along those lines where mature judgment and rare discrimination lead the way. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 553 Albert , R. Graham, a prominent farmer of Twin township., was born February 26, 1872, in Johnson county, Missouri, a son of Robert and Nancy (King) Graham, to whom eleven children were born. Robert Graham was born October 5, 1843, in Johnson county, Missouri, and farmed in that state until 1897, when he retired from active farm life and moved to Centerview, Missouri, where he remained until 1909, in which year he moved back to the farm, where he died on February 2, 1914. Robert Graham was county commissioner of Johnson county for two years. His wife, Nancy King, was born in 1847, in Tennessee, and now is living with her• daughter, Mrs. Laura Towers, at Albany, Oregon. After attending the district schools of Johnson county, Albert R. Graham took a course at the State Normal School, at Warrensburg, Missouri, after which he attended the Gem City Business College, at Quincy, Illinois, where he was graduated in 1894. Following his graduation from the business college he engaged in the general merchandise business with his brother, Charles, at Centerview, Missouri. After remaining in this business one year, he sold his interest, and took up farming in Johnson county, Missouri. Iii 190o he bought one hundred acres of land in that county, but his wife being a native of Preble county, Ohio, Mr. Graham sold out his interests in Johnson county, Missouri, in 1905, and came to Ohio. He rented land here until 1911, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land from his father-in-law in section 12 of Twin township. Albert R. Graham was married, June 3, 1896, to Susan Markey, who was born March 3o, 1877, on the present farm, a daughter of Joseph and Barbara (Hart) Markey, natives of Preble county. Mr. and Mrs. Graham are the parents of nine children, Barbara, Caroline, Robert, Amy, Stella, Russell, Joe, Jane and Saxon. The paternal grandparents of Albert R. Graham were Guy and Nancy (Hobson) Graham, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter a native of Missour'i, in which latter state they died. Robert Graham, the father of Albert R., was a soldier in the Civil War, enlisting in 1862, at Sedalia, Missouri, in a company of Missouri cavalry, and saw most of his service in the state of Missouri. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war. As has been stated, Albert R. Graham was one of eleven children, the others being Ella, Mattie, Charles, George, Oscar, Guy, Jesse, Stella, Paul and Lora. Ella, now deceased, was the wife of Frank IAToolridg-e; who was warden of the state penitentiary at Jefferson City, Missouri: Charles is a resident of Centerview, Missouri. George was a soldier in the Spanish-American War, and is now living at Magnolia, Missouri. Oscar is deceased. 554 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. Guy is a resident of Idaho. Jesse lives at Walla Walla, Washington. Stella is deceased. Paul lives on the home place in Missouri and Lora is living in Oregon. Albert R. Graham, in his career as a farmer, has made a specialty of raising corn, and his profits from this crop have enabled him to make many splendid improvements upon the farm where he lives. He is rated as one of the enterprising and successful farmers of Preble county, and is well known and highly esteemed in Twin township. Politically, Mr. Graham is a Democrat, although he has never been active in the councils of his party. Religiously, he is a member of the Presbyterian church, while his wife holds to the faith of the Progressive Brethren. WILLIAM L. BURTNER. The science of agriculture finds an able devotee as well as a successful practitioner in the person of William L. Burtner, who is widely known in Twin township, Preble county, Ohio. His father was a well-known farmer of Twin township and played a prominent part in the general development of Preble county. William L. Burtner believes in following twentieth-century methods and his success as a farmer is due largely to the improved methods he has always used. William L. Burtner, a well-known farmer and stockman of Twin township, was born May 26, 1867, in Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Campbell) Burtner to whom three children Were born, Alice, who lives at Rhode Island, New York; Charles, of Tiffin, Ohio, and William L., who was the eldest child. Joseph Burtner was born in 1842 in Ohio. He farmed first in Lanier township, this county, also five years in Montgomery county and continued so after coming back to Preble county, Ohio, and settling in Twin township, early in 1874. Here he purchased one hundred and six acres of land in section 15 and made extensive improvements upon this farm. Joseph Burtner came to Lanier township first about 1866, and rented land for two years. After returning from Montgomery county he farmed in Twin township until his retirement. He has been living at West Alexandria, Ohio, for the past eighteen years. His wife, who was Elizabeth Campbell before her marriage, and the mother of William L., was born in Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio, in 1843. Both of William L.'s parents are still living, and in this respect he is fortunate beyond the average man of his years. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 555 William L. Burtner came to his present farm with his parents when six years of age and excepting a residence of two years in Lanier township, has lived on this farm continuously since that time. He was at one time an extensive breeder of Poland China hogs. Mr. Burtner is now renting one hundred and ten acres from his father. He has always taken an active interest in the welfare of Preble county, and is one of its most respected citizens. In 1892 Mr. Burtner was married to Emma Fouts, the daughter of John and Esther (Potter) Fouts, natives of Preble county. To Mr. and Mrs. Burtner, five children have been born, Robert and Albert, twins, the latter deceased; Dorothy, Frank and Esther, all of whom live at home. Mr. Burtner is a Republican and is a member of the advisory board for his party in Twin township and also a member of the county executive board. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is active in the affairs of this lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Burtner are members of the Reformed church. EDWIN OZIAS. Among the earnest men whose enterprise and depth of character have gained a prominent place for them in the community, as well as the respect and confidence of their fellow citizens is Edwin Ozias, of Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, a leading farmer and stockman of that community, and a Man of decided views and laudable ambitions. His influence ever has been exerted for the advancement of his community, and in the vocation to which his energies are devoted, he ranks among the representative farmers of Preble county. Edwin Ozias was born, January 7, 1871, in Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, a son of Wesley and Elizabeth Jane (Markey) Ozias, who were the parents of six children, two daughters and four sons. Wesley Ozias was born in 1842 in Twin township, and was reared on a farm there. He is now the owner of two hundred acres of land in Twin township, and has been a very successful farmer and stockman. During his active career he made many improvements upon his agricultural holdings. He retired from active farm life in 1912, and is now living in his magnificent home located on the West Alexandria and Euphemia road. His wife, who was Elizabeth Jane Markey, was born in 1840, in Jackson township, Preble county, Ohio. Edwin Ozias attended the public schools of New Lexington, Ohio, and 556 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. remained with his parents on the farm until 1893, when he moved to Monroe county, Missouri, where he rented land, farming there until 1896. At the end of this period he removed to New Hope, Ohio, where he engaged in the grain and live-stock business for five years. In 1901 Mr. Ozias again engaged in farming, removing to his father's farm in Twin township. He now rents this farm of two hundred acres, and is himself the owner of seventy acres of land in Pike county, Ohio. Edwin Ozias was married in 1893 to Leona Royer, who was born December 6, 1874, in Johnson county, Missouri, a daughter of Jesse and Catherine (Elliott) Royer, the former of whom was a native of Maryland, and the latter a native of Preble county, Ohio. To this union four children have been born, Lillian, who was graduated from the high school at West Alexandria and is now a student at the normal school at that place; Jennie K., Wesley and Agnes E., all living at home. Mr. Ozias is a Democrat, but he has never been active in political affairs, preferring to devote his attention to the vocation which he chose for a life work, leaving the management 'of political matters largely in the hands of others. Mr. and Mrs. Ozias are faithful attendants of church, Mrs. Ozias being a member of the Church of the Brethren. They are highly respected in the community in which they live, and, because of their well-ordered lives, thoroughly merit the esteem and confidence of their neighbors. WILLIAM S. CLOYD. Among the citizens of Preble county, Ohio, who have built up comfortable homes and surrounded themselves with large real and personal property, none has attained a higher degree of success than William S. Cloyd. 'With few opportunities except those his own efforts were capable of mastering and with many discouragements to overcome, he made an exceptional success of life and until his recent invalidism, has had the gratification of knowing that the community in which he has resided has been benefited by his presence and his counsels. William S. Cloyd, a retired farmer of Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio, was born, May 27, 1836, in the northeast part of Lanier township, not far from his present farm in the same township. He is the son of Stephen and Eliza (Swihart) Cloyd,, the mother born in Montgomery county, Ohio, December 4, 1809, and the father a native of Virginia, born in 1799, PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 557 who came to Preble county, Ohio, With his parents, in 1809, driving through in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. They entered land from the government and the farm which Mr. Cloyd owns has been handed down to the .present generation. The children of Stephen and Eliza Cloyd were Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, Mrs. Catherine Lopman, Mrs. Minerva Baker (deceased), Gordon, Mrs. Nancy Baker (deceased), William S., Mrs. Hannah Brubaker (deceased), Mrs. Maria Lohman, Henry Cloyd and three who died in infancy.. Stephen Cloyd was the son of James and Catherine (Eckels) Cloyd, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ireland. In 1885 Stephen Cloyd, father of William S. Cloyd, wrote the following: "A short history of my great grandfather from Ireland : Lived on the frontier of Virginia in 1700, and was robbed by a party of Indians (spared to be led by a white scamp) while the father and his son were gone to Richmond. They robbed the house and killed one son, then took all they wanted, and took grandmother and the negroes and put off in a hurry, going not far till they tomahawked and left grandmother for dead. She came to her senses, lived a few days and died. They went a piece farther and tomahawked all the negroes. Some of them got well. I saw one of them. She was about eighty years old. Her head was lopsided and full of dents. I believe there were but two boys left, Michael, who was with his father, and Joseph, who escaped in the woods. Michael, my grandfather, settled at Amsterdam, in Botetourt county, Virginia, and Joseph settled on New river, Montgomery county, Virginia, and was a colonel in the Revolution." Stephen Cloyd lived in Preble county till his death, November 3, 1894, past ninety-four years of age. Throughout his active life, William S. Cloyd was a hardworking farmer and a successful breeder of Shorthorn and Hereford cattle. He made many exhibits of Hereford cattle at the fairs held at Eaton, Hamilton, Franklin and Greenville, Ohio. Mr. Cloyd also was an extensive breeder of thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey hogs as well as Poland Chinas, making a specialty of the latter breed. Mr. Cloyd now owns two hundred and six acres of well-improved land in section 12 of Lanier township. In 1907 he became affected with blood pressure on his brain and is now under the care of a physician at his home. William S. Cloyd was married February 23, 1865, to Rebecca Campbell, who was born, August 2, 1842, in Lanier township, the daughter of William and Christina (Brower) Campbell, both natives of Preble county, Ohio. To this union two children have been born, Maria C. and Flaura E., 558 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO the latter of whom is the wife of C. O. Daily. Maria C. was born, November 23, 1865, on the farm where her parents now live and where she also lives. Mrs. Flaura E. Daily also lives on the home place. William Campbell was born in Preble county, March 7, 1819, a son of Captain William and Catherine (Van Ausdol) Campbell. William Campbell's wife, Christina Brower, was born, Noyeitiber 26, 1820. William and Christina Campbell were the parents of fourteen children, as follows : Harvey (deceased), Rebecca, wife of William S. Cloyd; Elizabeth Catherine, wife of Joseph P. Burtner ; Maria (deceased), was the wife of William Coffman; Isaac, John Sevire (deceased), Nancy Alice, died at the age of sixteen years; Francis William (deceased), George Washington, Mary Ellen (deceased), was the wife of George R. Smith; Henry Milton, Carrie Elmina, the wife of Washington Marker ; Elona May, wife of Sebastian Deem, and Louelly, who died at the age of nine years. Miss Maria Cloyd has never married and has always remained at home with her parents. She attended the same schools which her mother and father before her had attended and her sister's daughter attends the same school. The Cloyd family are well known arid influential members of the Dunkard church and no family is more highly respected or better known in Lanier township. JOHN WINKELMAN The history of the Buckeye state dates officially from 1802, in which year it was admitted to the Union. It is a record of the steady growth of a state which in the beginning was a wilderness. Each county has its share in the story of Ohio's growth and progress and every county can lay claim to some incident or transaction which goes to make up the history of the commonwealth. After all, the history, of a state is but a record of the doings of its people, among whom the pioneers and their sturdy descendants occupy places of no secondary importance. The story of the plain, common people who constitute the moral bone and sinew of the state should ever attract the attention and prove of interest to all lovers of their kind. In the life story of John Winkelman, there are no striking chapters nor startling incidents, it being merely the record of a life true to its highest ideals and fraught with much that would stimulate the youth starting in the world to an industrious and prudent career. John Winkelman was born, October 1, 1845, in Brunswick, Germany, PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 559 the son of Cord and Rebecca (Wendt) Winkelman, who were the parents of seven children, all of whom are deceased except the subject of this sketch: Cord Winkelman was born in 1812 in Germany and remained in his native land as a farmer until his death in 1892. His wife, the mother of John Winkelman, was born in Germany and died when John was about eight years old. She was about forty years old at the time of her death. John Winkelman left Germany, March 12, 1865, and was seventeen days making the voyage across the Atlantic. He came at once to Preble county, Ohio, and engaged in saw-mill work in Lanier township. He worked at this for seven years for one man and then rented land and started farming. In 1878 he purchased a steam saw-mill located in Twin township a mile and a half north of West Alexandria and operated it until 1914. He has handled vast quantities of lumber in Preble county. He furnished lots of lumber for bridges, and it was said that what he furnished was the best furnished in the county. He now owns sixty-two acres of land in Twin township. and, in connection with his son-in-law, E. A. Loxley, is farming twenty-four acres of land, upon which they raise tobacco. It may be said that Mr. Winkelman and his son-in-law produced the largest crop per acre of tobacco that was raised in Preble county in 1914. They attribute their success to rotating crops and fertilizing both with barn-yard manure and commercial fertilizer, keeping the soil built up. John Winkelman is a prominent stockholder and director in the Farmers and Citizens Bank of West Alexandria. What education Mr. Winkelman received, he received in the schools of his native land. John Winkelman was married in 1872 to Sarah J. Hoops, who was born, October 20, 1853, in Kentucky, the daughter of William and Anna (Tabelman) Hoops, natives of Germany, who came to Preble county from Kentucky ivhen she was only three or four years old. To Mr. and Mrs. John Winkelman, six children have been born, William C. and Caroline, deceased; Leonard, a farmer of Twin township; Esther, the wife of Elmer Loxley, who lives with her parents ; John, who is a school teacher of West Alexandria, and George E., a farmer of Twin 'township. Leonard married Ida Coleman and has one daughter, Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Loxley have one little son, John Paul. John married Hazel Ozias, and has a son and a daughter, Mildred and Richard. George married Mary McGregor and has two sons, Charles and Wilbert. Mr. Winkelman for years has been prominent in the affairs of Twin township and served as township trustee for a period of twelve years and served nearly as long on the school board. Politically, he is identified with the Democratic party. Religiously, Mr. Winkelman is a member of the 560 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. Lutheran church and is an elder of that denomination and, therefore, active in the affairs of this faith. Throughout his life, John Winkelman has been a hard working, industrious citizen and is honored by the people of his community for his industrious habits. HON. WILL E. MURPHY. Preble county has been the birthplace of a brilliant galaxy of noted law Makers, Physicians, ministers—in fact, it is hard to mention a profession in which one or more of Preble county's sons has not won distinction. A legislator and now a progressive tiller of the soil, Hon. Will E. Murphy is one of Preble county's best known sons. He served as a member of the eightieth General Assembly of Ohio from 1913 to 1915, having been the fourth Democrat ever elected to the Legislature from Preble county. The Hon. Will E. Murphy, who is now the proprietor of "Meadow Lawn Farm," Was born in Butler county, Ohio, February 9, 1857, the son of Peter and Cerena (Van Gordon) Murphy, who were the parents of six children : Sallie M., the wife of J. E. Anderson; Lewis D., deceased, who served as sheriff of Butler county, Ohio; Cora E., Will E., Harry and Clarence. The paternal great-grandfather of Mr. Murphy was born in Ireland, his son, Cornelius Murphy being the father of Peter Murphy, father of the subject of this sketch. Peter Murphy was elected sheriff of Butler county, Ohio, and served two terms; he also served one term in the state Senate, having been elected on the Democratic ticket. He was well known and popular and was a member in high standing of the Free and Accepted Masons and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Cerena Van Gordon was born in Butler county, Ohio. Her father, Benjamin Van Gordon, served two terms in the lower house of the Ohio Legislature, from Butler county, as a Whig, in the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth General Assemblies of Ohio. The last days of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Murphy were spent in Hamilton, Ohio. Reared as a farm boy, Will E. Murphy was .educated in the common and high schools and attending the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. After.his marriage he.moved to Dixon. township, Preble county, in 1881, and there lived two years, after which he moved to Somers township, where he lived until 1896, in which year he sold his farm and moved to Camden, Ohio, where he remained until 1909, in which year he located on his present farm PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 561 of one hundred and sixty-three acres, situated eight and one-half miles southwest of Eaton, Ohio. On January 28, 188o, Mr. Murphy married Nannie I. Vinnedge, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, the daughter of M. P. Vinnedge, to which union ors child has been born, Peter V., who was graduated from the Camden high school and -attended the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, and who married Ethel Flora, a daughter of Josiah Flora. The Murphy family always has been found in the country's councils, serving wisely and well. Mr. Murphy's brother, Clarence, is one of the judges of the common pleas court of Butler county, and is the youngest man ever elected probate judge in Butler county. Fraternally, Mr. Murphy is a member of Camden Lodge No. 259, Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Murphy is a member of the Presbyterian church of Camden, Ohio. Mr: Murphy is Well liked throughout the county and is well known in Ohio. As a legislator he served his constituency ably and without prejudice. As an agriculturist, he applies that keen intelligence which has at all times distinguished him, in consequence of which he has met with deserved success. PERRY A. MARKER. A great English poet has said that the proper study of mankind is man. No truer statement ever was made. To be able to trace one's ancestry back through past generations and find that they have occupied high and honorable positions in their country is a source of genuine satisfaction and deep gratification. The Marker family of Preble county, Ohio, has a family tree of four generations which dates back to Germany, from which country the family came. Throughout these several generations the Marker family has been one of high ideals and patriotic devotion, whether to their native land or to the country of their adoption. Perry A. Marker is one of the well-known farmers and stockmen of Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, and one who is thoroughly conversant with all of the latest scientific methods of agriculture. Perry A. Marker was born, March 22, 1860, in Montgomery county, Ohio, a son of Paul and Margaret (Myers) Marker, who were the parents of seven children. Frank lives in Laporte, Indiana. Mrs. Ellen Hoffman lives'in Topeka, Kansas. Mrs. Martha Marker is a resident of Washington (36) 562 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. township in this county. Mrs. Laura Schnabel lives in Ohio. Perry A., the fifth child, is the immediate subject of this sketch. Mrs. Julia King, formerly of Camden, this county, is deceased, and Mrs. Dora Long lives in Los Angeles, California. Paul Marker was born in 1826, in Montgomery county, Ohio, and came to Lanier township, Preble county, in 1876, where he purchased eighty acres of land, which he farmed until his death in 1880. His wife, who was Margaret Myers before her marriage, was born in Cincinnati, in 1832, and is now living with her son, Perry A. Marker. Her parents came from Germany. Perry A. Marker attended the district schools of Montgomery and Preble counties, and after his father's death, took charge of his farm until he was twenty-one years old. The mother then sold the farm, after which Perry A. bought and sold several different farms. In 1906 he purchased his present farm, which is located in section 3o, of Twin township. Mr. Marker is a scientific farmer and an active member of the agricultural society of Preble county, and as such he has exerted a wide influence in the matter of securing better agricultural methods in Preble county, and is a man extremely popular in this society. Mr. Marker is the correspondent for several farm journals and has devoted his attention to answering questions of inquiry directed to the agricultural departments of the same. He is an extensive breeder of Percheron horses and Shorthorn cattle and has made exhibits at the county fair at Eaton, and at several fairs in Indiana. Mr. Marker was married, December 5, 1880, to Margaret Hubbler, who was born, October 16, 1857, in Twin township, this county, a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Dunn) Hubbler. The Hubbler family were of Pennsylvania German stock, while the Dunns were of Irish descent. Thomas Hubbler was a flour miller by trade, and came to Preble county in an early day. Perry A. Marker and wife are the parents of six children, Thurman and Roy, who live in Montgomery county, Ohio, and Mary, Walter, Margaret and Raymond, who are at home. Mr. Marker is a Democrat and for years has taken an active interest in local public matters, serving on the school board of his township, as well as having filled the responsible office of township trustee. Thus it appears his influence has not been confined alone to agriculture, but extends to educational circles as well. Mr. Marker and family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and he is an active member of the Improved Order of Red Men. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 563 HERMAN KRAMER. Peculiar honor attaches to that individual, who, beginning the great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually overcomes unfavorable conditions and removes one by one the obstacleS in the pathway of success. Great credit is due the man, who, by master strokes of his own force and vitality, succeeds in forging his way to the front, and winning for himself a competency and a position of esteem and influence among his fellow men. Such is the record, in brief, of Herman Kramer, a well-known farmer of Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, who has labored not alone for his individual advancement, but also for that of his family and the entire community whose interests he has ever had at heart. Herman Kramer was born October 10, 1859, in Twin township, a son of John and Wilhelmina (Kreuge) Kramer, to whom eleven children were born, seven of whom are living, three sons and four daughters. John Kramer was born in Germany, April 4, 1822, and left there when a young man, settling in Cincinnati, Ohio. A few years later he came to Preble county, where he engaged in farming. He was the owner at the time of his death, in 1896, of three hundred and sixty acres of land, all in Twin township except forty acres in Harrison township. His wife, who was Wilhelmina Kreuge before her marriage, was born in Germany, October 15, 1826, and died in 1900. Both John Kramer and his wife were German Lutherans. Herman Kramer attended school at New Lexington, Ohio, and remained at home until twenty-three years old. When a young man he made a specialty of raising tobacco and was very successful in this line. In 1900 he purchased his father's farm of one hundred and sixty-three acres, now known as "Fairview Farm," lying in section 21 on the Twin township road. Mr. Kramer has made many substantial improvements on this farm, and throughout his life has been a hardworking, industrious, as well as prosperous farmer. Herman Kramer was married in 1883 to Rebecca Miller, who was born in 1859 in Germany, and to this union four children have been born, John D., William H.; Edith W. and Edgar C. John D. and his brother, William H., are engaged in the mercantile business in Alexandria, this county. Edith is the wife of Stephen J. Field, a farmer of Twin township. Edgar C. is unmarried and lives at home, being engaged in farming with his father. Politically, Mr. Kramer is identified with the Republican party in national issues, and independent in local affairs. He has served his town- 564 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. ship efficiently as school director and throughout his life has been interested in educational matters. His influence in the community has exerted no small part in raising the standard of the schools of the township to their present state of efficiency. Religiously, Herman Kramer is a member of the Lutheran church, and is known as one of the pillars of this denomination. No history of Preble county, Ohio, would be complete that did not recount the careers of the enterprising farmers who live in that county, and one of these, most certainly, is Herman Kramer. JOHN H. UNGER. It is not easy to describe adequately the works of a man who has led an eminently active and busy life and who has gained a position of relative distinction in the community with which his interests are allied, but biography finds its most perfect justification, nevertheless, in the tracing and recording of such a life story. It is with a full appreciation of all that is demanded and of the painstaking scrutiny that must be accorded each statement, yet with a feeling of satisfaction, that the writer essays the task of touching briefly upon the details of such a record as has been that of John H. Unger, a farmer and stockman of Twin township Preble county, Ohio. John H. Unger was born, April i o, 1866, in Lanier township, the son of Herman and Sophia (Punt) Unger, and a brother of Jacob Unger, referred to elsewhere in this volume, wherein is given a history of the parents. John H. Unger attended the public schools at New Lexington, Ohio, and remained on the farm with his father until he was twenty-five years old, when he went to Jackson township in Montgomery county, and rented land from his father-in-law, H. S. Glander, for fourteen years. Mr. Unger purchased eighty-seven acres of land there and, after farming it one year, sold it and purchased the old home place, just west of New Lexington, this county. He now owns one hundred and twenty-two acres of land. His farm is well improved and is located in section 28, in Twin township. Mr. Unger's -chief products are tobacco, wheat and corn, and he has seven acres of natural timber. Mr. Unger takes a fancy to good driving stock and made exhibits of coach colts at the Eaton fair of 1905 and 1911. During late years, Mr. Unger has been very successful as a farmer. John H. Unger was married twice, the first time in 1889, to Laura Glander, who was born in 1868 in Lanier township, and who died in 1894. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 565 Six children were born to this marriage, Herman H., of Twin township; Ruth, of West Alexandria; Hazel, Lucy, Harley and Nellie, at home. Mr. Unger was married a second time in 1894 to Ruth Stiver, who was born in 1877 in Lanier township and who is the daughter of John and Amanda (Ho1p) Stiver. To this &efond union three children have been born, Roy, Iva and Owen. John H. Unger is a man of more than ordinary prominence in Twin township, where he lives. He is now a member of the agricultural board of Twin township and prominent in the proceedings of this board. Politically, Mr. Unger is a member of the Democratic party, but he has never held a party office and has never cared to do so. He and his family are members of the Lutheran church and active in this church. Mr. Unger is not only a well-known farmer, but he is favorably known in the community where he lives and merits the confidence which is reposed in him by his neighbors and felllow citizens. DANIEL WYSONG. It is both pleasing and profitable to contemplate the career of a man who has won definite objects in life, and whose career has been such as to command the honor and respect of his fellow citizens. Such, in brief, is the career of Daniel Wysong, a well-known farmer and stockman of Twin township, Preble county, Ohio. A more popular man it would be difficult to find within the bounds of Twin township, where he was born and where he has always maintained his home. Here he has labored not only for individual advancement, but also for the improvement of the entire community, whose interests he ever has had at heart. Daniel Wysong was born, November 17, 1857, in Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, the son of Perry and Katherine (Wantz) Wysong, to whom three children were born, the others being John, who lives at West Alexandria, and Mrs. Sarah Magill, of Washington township, this county. Perry Wysong was born, December 1o, 1828, in Twin township. He was a farmer during most of the active years of his life and died in 1907. His wife, who was Katherine Wantz, was born March To, 1828, and is now making her home with Mr. Wysong. Daniel Wysong attended the district schools at Brennersville, in Twin township, remaining 'at home on the farm with his parents until he was twenty-nine years old, at which time he moved to Eaton, Ohio, where he 566 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. worked as a laborer for one year. He then moved to his present farm, which he owns. This farm consists of one hundred and sixteen acres of good land in section 19, twelve acres of which is in natural timber. Mr. Wysong makes a specialty of high-grade live stock, and has made many extensive improvements upon his farm in the way of buildings, fences and drainage. In 1903 he built a new and thoroughly modern home at a cost of two thousand dollars. In the spring of 1913 he erected a new barn, eighty by fifty feet, which is well equipped with electric lights. All of Mr. Wysong's buildings and the grounds adjacent are lighted with electricity from a plant that is installed on the farm. Daniel Wysong has been a very industrious man, and is more than satisfied with farm life. He is one of those men who have something substantial to show for his labor and his long toil, and he is now enjoying the well-earned fruits of his well-directed energies. Daniel Wysong was married in 1892 to Lucinda Isenhower, who was born in October, 1868, in Union county, Indiana, a daughter of Paswell and Mary (Dial) Isenhower. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and her mother of Indiana, and both are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Wysong are the parents of two children, Harry and Edna. Harry is a resident of this county, living near his father's home, and Edna is the wife of Chris Bush, a farmer of Twin township. Politically, Mr. Wysong is an independent voter. He is more impressed by measures than he is by party platforms and selects the ticket he votes with discrimination. At one time he served efficiently as road supervisor of Twin township. Fraternally, Mr. Wysong is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Eaton. He is an enterprising and public-spirited man and a fine neighbor, well informed, aggressive and broadminded. CHRISTIAN N. EBY. What a wonderful heritage a man gives his children when, upon passing from this life, he leaves them a knowledge of an active life well spent and evidences of the good he had accomplished for his community. To be considered the foremost man of a community and a leader in all things pertaining to the welfare of that community does not fall to the lot of many men and only those who are truly great in heart and mind, and of indomitable energy and unfailing optimism, are capable of keeping the trust and confidence which place them in positions of prominence, especially in a new PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 567 section. This cheering knowledge is possessed by the children of Wilson Eby, among them being the subject of this sketch. Christian N. Eby, the son of Wilson and Elizabeth (Stover) Eby, was born, February 15, 1862, in Lanier township; Preble county, Ohio. Wilson Eby and wife were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are still living. Wilson Eby was born in 1816 in Maryland and left that state with his parents when eighteen years old, settling in Montgomery county, Ohio. In 1840 he came to Preble county and purchased one hundred and seventy-two acres of land in sections I and 12 of Lanier township. He built a large brick house and made other improvements. He was an extensive farmer until his death in 1884, and was highly respected and honored by the citizens of his community. Wilson Eby was married in 1840 to Elizabeth Stover, who was born in 1824, in Maryland, and who died in September, 1914. She was the daughter of Daniel and Susan (Funk) Stover, both natives of Maryland and early settlers in Montgomery and Preble counties, Ohio. Christian N. Eby, a prominent farmer and stockman of Lanier township, attended the district schools of that township as a lad and a young man. He remained at home with his parents on the farm until he was twenty-four years of age, at which time he purchased one hundred and sixty-five acres of land, upon which he made improvements costing in the neighborhood of six thousand dollars. In 1908 Mr. Eby purchased twenty-five acres more and erected a thoroughly modern home, which he moved into in 1909. This splendid country home, located on the Germantown road, is much admired by all the people of Lanier township, who regard it as a model country home in every respect. Mr. Eby has not been able to do these things by chance, his material success and the comforts which he now enjoys being the direct results of patient, unremitting industry, frugal habits and good business management. In 1886 Christian N. Eby was married to Emma Carrier, who was born, November 11, 1866, in Clark county, Ohio, the daughter of Joseph and Jane (Fulk) Carrier, both natives of Rockingham county, Virginia, where Joseph Carrier was a well-known blacksmith. Somewhat early in life, he removed to New Hampton, Ohio, and there he died in 1914 at the age of seventy-one.. His wife died in 1866, at the age of twenty-two, shortly after her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Christian N. Eby, three children have been born, Mrs. Virgie Brubaker, whose husband is deceased, while she lives with Mr. and Mrs. Eby ; Mrs. Maud Brubaker, of Lanier township, and Joseph, who is at home. 568 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. Mr. Elby is a prominent member of the German Baptist church and for many years has been a deacon in that congregation. He is well known in his community as a man of splendid attainments and excellent moral and. religious worth, a man who enjoys the entire confidence of his community. FREDERICK BRINKHOFF. In examining the life records of self-made men, it will invariably be found that indefatigable industry has constituted the basis of their success.. Also there are other elements which enter into and conserve the advancement of personal interest, perseverance, discrimination, and the mastering of expedients, but the foundation of all achievements is earnest, persistent labor.. At the outset of his career, Frederick Brinkhoff recognized this fact and he has never sought a royal road to prosperity and independence. He began. to work earnestly and diligently in order to advance himself and the result is that he is. now numbered among the progressive, successful and influential business men of New Lexington, Preble county, Ohio. Frederick Brinkhoff was born, December 15, 1861, in Germany, the son of Frederick and Becke (Furman) Brinkhoff, to whom four children were born, Frederick, who was the eldest; Herman, who lives in Twin township; Mrs. Maggie Casson, who lives in Kansas, and Mrs. Becke Roselius, who lives in Twin township, this county. Frederick Brinkhoff, Jr., left Germany two years before his parents.. He came to the United States in 1879 and they came in 1881. He settled. in Preble county and worked seven years as a farm hand, later purchasing a. small farm near New Lexington in Twin township. He raised tobacco for a few years and in 1902 started in the general merchandise business in New Lexington, where he now operates a store. Mr. Brinkhoff owns fifteen. acres of land and several lots, all in New Lexington. Frederick Brinkhoff, Jr., was married April 26, 1885, to Emma Kurfiss, who was born in 1861, at New Lexington, Ohio, the daughter of John. K. and Christina (Leffler) Kurfiss, both natives of Germany. Her father was born, June 24, 1827, and died August 3, 1878. He was a blacksmith by trade and in 1832 came to Twin township, Preble county, where he worked at his trade at New Lexington for many years, but later" engaged in. farming. Mrs. Brinkhoff's mother, who was Christina Leffler before her marriage, was born November 12, 1829, and died in 1898. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 569 To Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Brinkhoff one child, Lawrence, was barn, October 9, 1898. He died July 28, 1899, aged nine months and nineteen days. Politically, Mr. Brinkhoff is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical church and take an active interest in the affairs of this church: Frederick Brinkhoff is a man known in- Twin township for the sturdy, honorable methods which he has always pursued and, no doubt,. which he has inherited from his vigorous, Teutonic ancestors. He is a man known for his habits of square dealing and in his mercantile business enjoys his full share of the patronage of the people of Twin township. JESSE L. HASTON. Jesse L. Haston is one of those strong, self-reliant and determined. characters who are occasionally met with and who .are of such distinct type as to be leaderS among their fellowmen. Mr. Haston does not court this distinction,, for he is an unassuming, modest gentleman, but his zeal and energy in .whatever he undertakes naturally place him in the foremost ranks. of those who are potent factors in the development of their community.. Born in Virginia, Mr. Haston has maintained his residence in Preble county for many years and here he is well known, especially in Lanier township, for his honorable and industrious life. Jesse L. Haston was born, May 25, 1868, in Botetourt county, Virginia, the son of. John and Frances (Lyles) Haston, to whom ten children were born, six sons and four daughters. One son is now deceased. John Haston, the father of Jesse L., was born about 1819, in Virginia, and remained there. his entire life. He was a farmer by occupation and died in 1871. His wife,. the mother of Jesse L., who was born in 1837, left Virginia with her family about 1875 and settled in Preble county, Ohio. After coming to Preble: county, the elder sons rented land and Mrs. Haston remained with them. until, in 1886, she married James Neal, a minister of Preble cOunty. Na children were born to this second marriage and the mother died in 1910. Jesse L. Haston attended the schools of Gasper township and at the age: Of sixteen began working as a farm hand, still attending school in the winter He rented ninety-one acres of land in Lanier township and continued as a. renter until 1909, when he purchased the land he had been renting, the farm on which he now lives, one and one-half miles south of West Alexandria, in 570 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. section 10, on the old Winchester and Alexandria road. Mr. Haston has added twenty-two acres. more to his farm and now has a farm. of one hundred and eleven acres. He has made some substantial improvements upon this farm and has been very successful as an agricultural proprietor. Mr. Haston is an extensive breeder of Percheron horses and since 1900 has made exhibits of these horses at Eaton and Dayton fairs. Mr. Haston takes great pride in his horses and few men in Preble county are better judges of the Percheron breed than he. Mr. Haston also raises a great many cattle and hogs and has only the very best breeds upon his farm. In 1888 Jesse L. Haston was married to Laura Glander, who was born July 30, 1870, in Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio, the daughter of John and Margaret (Unger) Glander. No children have been born to this union. Politically, Jesse L. Haston is a Democrat. He and his wife attend the Evangelical Lutheran church regularly and are more or less active in the affairs of this church. Mr. Haston has served upon the agricultural board for the past six years and is a man whose knowledge of the science of agriculture has made his influence particularly valuable in Preble county. He is a man highly esteemed by his neighbors and respected for his honesty and genial disposition. WILLIAM A. PARDONNER. William A. Pardonner has not been favored by inherited wealth or by the assistance of influential friends, but in spite of these facts, by perseverance, industry and wise economy, he has attained a comfortable station in life and is well and favorably known in Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio, as a successful merchant who enjoys a large patronage in Ingomar, a pleasant village in that township. Mr. Pardonner is regarded by all who know him as a man of the best type of American citizenship, straightforward, unassuming, genial and obliging, who, while advancing his individual interests, has not neglected his general duties as a citizen. William A. Pardonner, a general merchant at Ingomar, this county, was born June 22, 1882, in Middletown, Butler county, Ohio, the son of William S. and Jennie F. (West) Pardonner, to whom two children were born, William A. and Nathan L., the latter of whom lives with his father at Middletown, Ohio. William S. Pardonner, the father of William A., was born in Dayton, PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 571 Ohio, in 1858, the son of John and Jane (Van Zant) Pardonner. John Pardonner was of German descent and a cobbler by trade. He worked at this trade along the river Rhine in Germany before coming to America. He arrived in Montgomery county, Ohio, near Dayton, in 1830, and soon engaged in farming. Later he removed to Clermont county, Ohio, where he farmed until his death, which occurred in 1889, he being at that time eighty-nine years old. William S. Pardonner, the father of William A., was reared on a farm and remained there until sixteen years of age, when he moved to Middletown, Ohio, and began working in a grocery store, later purchasing an interest in the same. This was more than forty years ago and William S. Pardonner is still connected with this store and is active in its management. He has one of the best-equipped stores in Butler county. His wife, who was the mother of William A., was born in 186o, at Middletown, Ohio, and died in 1898. She was the daughter of John and Mary (Sweeney) West, the former a native of Pennsylvania, who enlisted as a Union soldier at the outbreak of the Civil War is 1861 at Middletown, Ohio. He served throughout the war and was honorably discharged at the end. At the close of the war, John West returned to Middletown, taking employment in the paper mills, in which he presently became foreman. He died in Middletown in 1902, at the age of seventy. His wife, who was Mary Sweeney, was a native of Kentucky. William A. Pardonner attended the public schools of Middletown and when nineteen years old went to Denver, Colorado, where he worked in a grocery store. One year later he was employed by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company as a pipe-fitter helper and worked as such for six years, at the end of which time he came to Preble county, Ohio. In 1908 he went into partnership with Jacob F. Ulrich in a general merchandise store at Ingomar, Ohio. They now carry about a three thousand-dollar stock of goods and enjoy a large and growing patronage throughout that section of the county. Mr. Pardonner is a poultry fancier of more than local reputation and is an extensive breeder of Sealcomb Rhode Island chickens. He has made exhibits of this breed at Eaton, Hamilton, Dayton, Lima, Greenville and Xenia, Ohio, .as well as at Richmond, Indiana, and has nine silver cups which he has won at these exhibits. William A. Pardonner is a stanch Republican and has been more or less active in local politics. At present he is serving as assistant postmaster at Ingomar. In 1905 William A. Pardonner was married to Edna Ulrich, who was 572 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. born, March 13, 1885, the daughter of Daniel and Laura (Fudge) Ulrich, natives of Preble county. To this happy union, three children have been born, William, George and Paul, all of whom live at home. Mr. Pardonner is an active member of the Masonic fraternity and prominent in the affairs of this lodge. By reason of his prominent business connection in that part of the county he is much interested in. all matters having to do with the development of the various resources of the county and is counted as among the leaders of the various local movements designed to promote the community's best interests. SALMON FLORY. The following is the biographical sketch of a plain, honest man of affairs who, by his correct methods and strict regard for the welfare of his community, has made his influence felt in Lanier township and won for himself prestige in the agricultural. circles of his township. His life presents much that is interesting and .valuable and which may be studied with profit by young men whose careers are yet to be made. He is a man of integrity and strength of character and although he is modest and unassuming, he, nevertheless, commands the respect of his neighbors and has left the impress of his individuality upon the community where he has lived practically all of his life. Salmon Flory, a successful farmer and stockman of Lanier township,. was born September 26, 1855, in Montgomery county, Ohio, the son of John and Sarah (Stoner) Flory, to whom two children were born, Jennie, the second child, being deceased. John Flory was born April 9, 1829, in Rockingham county, Virginia, and first settled in Montgomery county, Ohio. In 1867 he moved to Gratis,. Preble county; Ohio, and engaged in the mercantile business. He continued in this business from 1867 to 1886, in which year he retired. He lived with his son, Salmon, on the farm, until his death, June 18, 1904. His wife, the mother of Salmon Flory, was born October To, 1833, in Rockingham county, Virginia, and is now living with her son, Salmon. At the time of John Flory's death he was the oldest member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Gratis, Ohio. Salmon Flory attended the public schools of Gratis, Ohio, and worked in the store which his father owned while he was attending school and during PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 573 a short period after he had finished his education. Subsequently, he worked as a farm laborer for about four years and then purchased eighty acres of land a mile north of the southwest corner of Lanier township and farmed there about thriteen years. He then bought a farm two miles south of the first farm, and lived there nineteen years. He was very successful as a farmer during this period of his life and was able, in 1914, after selling this farm, to purchase one hundred and seventy acres of well-improved land in the northeast part of Lanier township, which he now owns. Salmon Flory's success has not been won by slipshod methods. He has been painstakingly careful as a farmer and has always raised good crops because his soil was well prepared and the crops well cultivated. His stock always has been well cared for and he has been able to make handsome profits in this department of farm activity. In 1881 SalMon Flory was married to Susan Eikenberry, who was born March 22, 1862, in Preble county, Ohio, a daughter of Henry and Sallie (Teal) Eikenberry. To this happy union, four children have been born, Harry, who has been in the ice business for several years and is also a motion-picture operator at Eaton, and Iva, Oakley and Jennie, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Flory are devout members of the German Baptist church in which they have always been prominent. MINFORD D. JOHNSON. Specific mention is made in this volume of many worthy citizens of Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio. Many of its present living citizens have figured in the growth and development of this favored locality, men whose interests are identified with its every phase of progress, each contributing in his sphere of action to the well being of the community, and to the advancement of its normal and legitimate growth. Among this number of men is Minford D. Johnson, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Lanier township. Minford D. Johnson was born, March 4, 1870, on the farm where he now lives. He is the son of Alfred and Mary J. (Trout) Johnson, who were the parents of three children, William, deceased; Mrs. Nora Flory, of Lanier township, and Minford D. Alfred Johnson was born in 1837 in Gratis township, and was a farmer throughoutlais life. He came to Lanier township in 1858 where he engaged 574 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. in farming on two hundred and twenty acres of land in section 28. He directed the operations of this farm until 1892. In the fall of 1892 he moved to Gratis, where he remained until his death, May 16, 1912. His wife, the mother of Minford D. Johnson, was born in 1838 on the same farm where Minford D. Johnson now lives. She is now living with her daughter, Nora. She is the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bowman) Trout, natives of Rockingham county, Virginia. Minford D. Johnson was reared on the farm and attended school in district No. 3 in Lanier township. He has always remained on this farm and is now renting it from his mother. Mr. Johnson is a rather large shareholder in the telephone company of Preble county and a director and shareholder in the Farmers and Citizens Bank of West Alexandria. He also has property in Gratis and has an interest there in an undertaking establishment. Mr. Johnson will become the sole heir at his mother's death of two hundred and forty acres, the farm on which he now lives. He has made extensive improvements on this farm and at this time is engaged in extensive drainage projects. Minford D. Johnson is a scientific farmer in the practical sense of the word and has made his knowledge of the science of agriculture pay him handsomely. He believes in modern methods of agriculture and he believes in them, not so much because they are the methods which are being promoted in the colleges and universities, but because, by his own practical experience, he has demonstrated that farming is a real business which, if carried on successfully, must have the same attention as any other vocation. Minford D. Johnson was married in 1892 to Clara B. Glander, an accomplished young woman, who was born in 1874, in Preble county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of two children, Melva and Emerson W., both of whom are at home. In all of his enterprises, Mr. Johnson has had the hearty co-operation of his good wife and to her counsel, he owes part of his success as a twentieth-century farmer. CHARLES D. FADLER. Prominent in the affairs of Lanier township, Preble county, Ohio, and .distinguished as a citizen whose influence has been felt in the community where he lives, the name of Charles D. Fadler stands out. For several years he has been a successful farmer and stock breeder. All of his undertakings have been actuated by noble motives and high resolves, characterized