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JAMES S. WEBSTER, merchant, Ansonia, resides in Dallas. The subject of this memoir, a native of Fayette Co., Ohio, was born Jan. 1, 1820; he was a son of Dr. James Webster, who was born in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Ohio and Fayette County in 1804, two years after its admission into the Union as a State; he was consequently one of the early pioneers of the State; he followed the practice of medicine a short time in Fayette County, and in 1815 he was elected Sheriff of the county, and about the year 1829, was Associate Judge, which office he held several years, after which he was Treasurer of the county for four years. The latter part of his life he devoted to the carding and fulling of wool at his factory at Washington; his death occurred January, 1837; he was married in Kentucky, to Amelia Dauson; she died previous to her husband. J. S. Webster worked in the woolen-mill of his father, until the decease of the latter, after which he followed farming some two years, when he engaged in the trade of harnessmaker at Mt. Sterling until 1866, when he came to Darke County, and, after following his trade one year in Greenville, purchased a farm of 114 acres in Greenville Township, three miles south of Dallas, and followed farming until the spring of 1879, when he rented his farm and purchased a residence in Dallas, and engaged in the general merchandise with T. B. White. His marriage with Pamelia Loofbourrow was celebrated June 18, 1845; she was born in Fayette Co., Ohio, in 1827; eight children were born to them; five are now living-Nathan A., produce merchant, of Greenville; William, living at home; Hannah, now Mrs. T. B. White; Linden, clerk in his father's store; Laura, living at home. Mr. Webster has been a member of the Baptist Church for a period of fifteen years; Mrs. W. also a member of the same church.

THOMAS B. WHITE, firm of T. B. White & Co., general merchant, Ansonia ; another of the old settlers of Darke Co.; born in Brown Township, Darke Co., upon the 23d of July, 1842; he was a son of William White, of the State of New York, who came to Darke Co. in 1822; the maiden name of his wife was Esther Stahl; she came to Richland Township with her parents about the year 1820, and is now living upon the old homestead, a little north of Ansonia; Mr. White died in 1864; Thomas B. White was raised to agricultural pursuits until 19 years of age, when, upon the 6th of August 1862, he enlisted in the 94th O. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union; in his first severe engagement, he, with a large part of his regiment. were captured, but he, with many others, escaped and again joined the Union army: he was then engaged in the battle of Perryville, and at the fight of Stone River Dec. 31, 1862; he was severely wounded, and lay in hospital until May, 1863, when he received his discharge on account of disability; he then returned home. and, on account of his wounds, lay idle until the fall of 1864, when he engaged in school-teaching for three years, and in the fall of 1868, he engaged in the general merchandise trade at Ansonia, which he has since successfully followed; in 1878, he associated with J. S. Webster, under the above firm name, carrying a large and complete stock; a card of their business will be found in the business directory of Ansonia, in this work. His marriage nuptials with Hannah Webster were cele brated in 1875; she was born in Madison Co., Ohio, and is a daughter of J.S Webster, whose sketch also appears in this work; they have one child, Lucy F., born Dec. 15, 1876.

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.

LAWSON ALLEN, farmer; P. O. Arcanum; was born in Centerville, Montgomery Co., Ohio, in 1842; his parents were John and Susannah Allen; John was born in the same place as his son, and his wife, Susannah, was born in Scioto Co., Ohio, in 1822; they were the parents of twelve children, and only four are living, viz., Lawson, Jeremiah, Joseph M. and Mary. Lawson Allen, the oldest and the subject of this sketch, was united in marriage on April 22, 1868, to Mariah Montgomery, daughter of Robert and Harriet Montgomery; Robert was born in Pennsylvania and his wife in Virginia, came to Ohio and settled in a very early day; Mr. Allen lived and followed farming in Montgomery Co. until October, 1873, when he moved upon his farm where he now lives; they have only one child born them, a girl, now 11 years of age, named Florence; Mr. Allen owns 89 acres of fine land, about 60 acres of which are in good cultivation. He was one of the patriots of the war of the rebellion, and enlisted in the 131st O. V. I., Co. I., under Col. John G. Lowe, and served till honorably discharged. Mr. Allen is not one of the earliest settlers, but has been here about six years, and is one of the representative men of Van Buren Township, and will, we are satisfied, be an accession and credit to the neighborhood in which he lives; he is an active member of the M. E. Church, to which he has belonged since 1867; thus, while living and toiling for this world, he is also preparing for that better one beyond.

S. W. ALLREAD, farmer and merchant; P. O. Delisle; the son of Isaac and Lucy Allread; Isaac was born in Maryland, and moved with his parents to North Carolina, where he remained till he came to Butler Co. when he was 18 years of age; he was in the war of 1812, and served all through it, and then returned safely home. Lucy, his wife, was born in the State of Vermont, and came with her parents to Butler Co., Ohio, when 9 years of age; they were united in marriage in 1816, and raised seven children, four boys and three girls. Mr. Allread, the subject of this sketch, was the eldest of his father's family; he left home when 11 years of age, and worked at various places until 16 years of age, when his father bound him out to Capt. Samuel Dick, till 21 years of age, in Butler Co., Ohio, where he lived till he became of age, then worked for him two years longer for wages; he then worked here and there and rented farms till he was 27 years of age, which was in 1843, when he was united in marriage with Martha Ann Van Lieu, who was born and raised in Butler Co.; they followed farming in that county for twelve years, or till 1855, when they moved to Darke Co., Van Buren Township, where he still followed the life of a farmer for four years, when he entered into the mercantile trade, which, together with farming, he has followed to the present time; he has bought and sold several farms, and by these transactions made considerable money; he is now the owner of 87 acres of good land in Delisle, where he now lives; he is associated in the mercantile trade in Delisle with W. Reed, and is also carrying on an extensive trade in buying and shipping grain. Mr. Allread started in life a poor man, and with but little education, and has worked his way up to the possessions and prominence he now has-all accomplished by his good management and industry; he is now 63 years of age, with good health, and will doubless still climb upward and onward, and enjoy the society of his family; he is the father of nine children, seven now living, viz., Isaac F., Elvira, Oliver M., George D., Amanda, John E. and Tabitha J.; five are married and two single at home. Mr. Allread has taken quite an active part in political matters, being a stanch Democrat, and having held several offices of trust, as Township Trustee, Assessor and Treasurer, and in the county has been Infirmary Director for six years, thus showing that he has the confidence of the community.

CHRISTOPHER BRINEY, farmer and Justice of the Peace; P. O. Delisle ; was born Jan. 2, 1811, in Warren Co., Ohio; his parents were Adam and Euphemy Briney, who came from Pennsylvania at an early day, and located in Ohio; Squire Briney came to Darke Co. in 1835, being among the earliest settlers of the county. He was married in 1835, to Mary Mills, daughter of John V. and Elizabeth Mills; she was born in Pennsylvania in 1816, and emigrated to this county with her parents when quite an infant; to them have been born fourteen children. eight of them are now living, viz., Ellen, Emeline, Adam, Silas P., Herod M. and Israel (twins), Mary E. and Joseph M. Squire Briney lost his wife by death Sept. 15, 1874. In about three years after Squire Briney's marriage, being in 1837, they moved on the farm on which he now lives and commenced to open out a farm and make a home, with no capital but a few dollars; he has now 260 acres of land, and, his sons and daughters all being grown up and married, he has divided up and deeded a portion of land to each child, simply reserving a life estate and control of the same during his lifetime, thus giving each child a better start in life than he had when he commenced; this has all been accomplished by his energy and industry, and made from the wilderness, which then, in his early commencement, existed through this section, for which he deserves great credit. as one of the pioneers. Squire Briney has always been an active politician, and always held office since he lived in the township, such as Township Trustee, Clerk, Supervisor, School Director, etc.; has been Justice of the Peace for twenty-one years, thus showing the prominence and confidence he holds in the community in which he lives. He is now 69 years of age, and of course the most active part of his life is spent, but he has left a record and history of success and confidence for his children and future generations worthy of their imitation.

JACOB M. BROWN, farmer; P. O. Delisle; was born the 1st of April, 1833. in Darke Co., on an adjoining farm in Neave Township; he is the son of Caleb Brown, who was born in Tennessee, and with his father came to Indiana, near Liberty, in about 1812, where they remained about one year, and then came and located in Darke Co., where they remained till the death of his father; at that time it was a perfect wilderness, there being but two or three settlers in the neighborhood, and of course had to pass through all the hardships incident to such a life. Mr. Brown, the subject of this sketch, was united in marriage with Elizabeth Eddington, in 1854, daughter of Charles Eddington, who with his father, were among the first settlers of the county; since which three children have been born to them, and all are now living. Mr. Brown has been a very prominent man in business, having, in connection with his labors on the farm, carried on quite an extensive trade in grain, buying and shipping very largely, last year shipping over 400 car loads; also buying and shipping much stock, and was at one time quite extensively engaged in merchandising, all of which has given him an acquaintance and prominence in the community second, perhaps, to no other man in the township; he is also one of those who has amassed a fair and comfortable competency by his own industry, hard labor and careful management of business, and who as an example of a devoted and industrious worker and careful manager, stands forth as a bright and shining light, worthy of the admiration of all young men.

JOHN H. CORWIN, farmer; P. O. Arcanum; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1819; he was the son of Mathias and Margaret Corwin; Mathias was born in Kentucky; his father's name was Joseph Corwin, who was a native of Pennsylvania Margaret's father's name was Shnorf, and he was a native of Germany. Mr. Corwin, the subject of this sketch, was united in marriage in 1842, with Maria Weaver. daughter of Larken and Susan Weaver, who are further spoken of in the sketch of William Weaver; they first settled in Preble Co., Ohio, but moved from there to this county in 1855, and located upon the place on which he now lives; they have had born to them six children, five of whom are now living, viz.: Mary Jane, born Jan. 30, 1843; Mathias, born April 24, 1847; Abigail, born April 13, 1849; Susan M., born Nov. 10, 1853, and William O., born June 28, 1860; and all are married

and settled in life except the youngest, who is still single and living at home. When Mr. Corwin located in 1855 upon his present farm, there was but very little cleared up; he had to commence and clear up and improve, and in doing so, of course went through all the hardships incident to the opening of a farm in a new country, and particularly so, as he started with the small capital of 80 acres of unimproved land; but by hard labor and diligently attending to business, he has increased in property and wealth, until now he is the owner of 535 acres of land, with good buildings, and everything for the convenience and comfort of life; and, in connection with this, he has paid $2,100 for free pikes, and $1,600 for ditching and draining; this has all been accomplished since 1855, which has certainly been sufficient to declare Mr. Corwin a model farmer and business man; Mr. Corwin has always taken an active part in political matters, being a stanch Republican, but has never desired or held office; we feel justified, in summing up this brief sketch of Mr. Corwin, to say that he is most truly a representative man of Van Buren Township, and one worthy of imitation by all young men, for all generations in future, and desire thus to place his record upon the pages of this history, there to remain for all time to come.

WILLIAM DAVIS, carpenter, Arcanum; was born in Butler Co., Ohio, in 1821; he is the son of Hugh and Christi Ann Davis; Hugh was born in South Carolina, and his wife in Virginia; they came to Ohio, with their parents, in a very early day, so early that at that time they could enter Government land, near Cincinnati, at $1.25 per acre. Mr. Davis, the subject of this sketch, came to Darke Co. in 1856; he was married in 1849, to Mary Ann Shaffer, daughter of David and Susannah Shaffer, who were born in Pennsylvania; Mary Ann came with her parents to Ohio in an early day; they are the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living, viz., John W., David, Susanna, William H., Pharan, Mary Jane and Thomas. When Mr. Davis first came to this county, he located in Butler Township, where he remained one year, and then moved to Van Buren Township; he located at his present place of residence in 1861; when he came here, he opened out in the woods, and built a small house, and, in order to move into it, had to cut a road through the woods to get to his house; he has 1 acre of land, and since he came there has cleared it up and built a comfortable house and barn, so that he has a pleasant little home. He has always followed the trade of a carpenter, and has had the pleasure of seeing the country improve around him, and the old log buildings of the early settlers disappear, and fine frame and brick buildings take their place; and he, as a good mechanic, has had a goodly share of the work to do.

WILLIAM DREW, farmer; P. O. Delisle; was born in Van Buren Township in 1834, and is the son of Robert Drew, who was born in New Jersey, March 29, 1807, and moved to Darke Co. about 1825, and located here when there were but few settlers in the township. Mr. Drew, the subject of our sketch, was the third of twelve children, five sons and seven daughters, nine of whom are now living. Mr. Drew was united in marriage to Mary Bitner, daughter of John Bitner; she was born in Darke Co. March 9, 1837; they first settled at Delisle, on the place now owned by S. W. Allread, where they remained two years; then moved to a farm in the neighborhood for a short time, then back again, and engaged in merchandising about six months; then sold out and moved to present place of residence, where they have since resided and followed farming, except two years, in which he was in mercantile trade in Delisle. They are parents of nine children, six of whom are now living, viz., Rosetta, Abraham, Franklin, Elmer, Nora and Edward. Mr. Drew has gained a good competency, being owner of 280 acres of excellent land, all except 80 acres of which were made by his own energy and industry. Mr. Drew is at present Township Treasurer, thus showing not only that with his industry and perseverance he has accumulated quite a property, but also has the confidence of the community in which he lives, by the trust they have placed in his hands; this being another example to the rising generation of what indefatigable industry, together with honorable dealings with his fellow-men, may accomplish.

Mr. Drew is a member of the United Brethren Church, with which he has been identified since 1867.

POLLY FORD; P. O. Jaysville; Polly Ford was the wife of Mordecai S. Ford, who was born in Kentucky in 1807, and came to this county with his mother when quite young, his father having died while in the Indian war Mr. Ford remained with his mother until the year 1829, when he was united in marriage with Polly Tillman, daughter of John Tillman, and located near her father's, just over the line in Preble Co., where they lived about two years, then bought the land upon which she now resides; they moved here into a little log house, and just a few trees cleared away, so as to give a foot-hold for future labor in clearing up a farm; Mr. Ford took hold with an indomitable will to make a home and to try to gain some of the comforts of life; and coupled with this, and during the most of his life, while struggling for the temporal interests of his family. he was not unmindful of his spiritual interests, and those of his family and the community in which he mingled, having given his life early to Christ, and taking upon himself as his disciple to preach the Gospel to his dying fellow-men, in which work he remained until his death; he also realized the importance of education. and was engaged more or less as a teacher in the public schools; he educated and qualified each and every one of his children, who all became teachers. During al these labors, Mr. Ford brought his farm of 160 acres most of it into good cultivation, erected a good brick house, barn and other buildings convenient and comfortable; all this was done by indefatigable toil and industry; and finally, his labors being done, at the call of his Divine Master, whom he had served so long and faithfully, he departed this life Nov. 23, 1867, to reap the reward of his labors in that better land 'from whose bourn no traveler returns," and where no toils or cares ever come. They were the parents of fourteen children, nine of whom are now living, viz.; John, Henry, Delilah, Nancy, Worley, Martha, Royston. Mary and Lydia A. M.; all married and settled in life except John, Mary and Lydia, the two latter remaining at home with their mother; four of the sons became practicing physicians. Mrs. Ford is now 70 years of age, enjoying very good health, and may live many years yet to enjoy the fruits of their united labors, and the society of her kind and loving children.

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LEVI FOURMÄN, farmer; P. O. Arcanum; was born in Darke Co., in 1852; is a son of John and Sarah Fourman; John was born in Pennsylvania and Sarah in Montgomery Co., Ohio; they came to this county in an early day, as given in sketch of John Fourman in this book. Levi Fourman was married in 1876 to Sarah Reichard, daughter of William and Nancy C. Reichard, who were from Preble Co., Ohio; they have one child, viz., Lily Florence; Levi is the fifth child of John Fourman, who when married, located where he now lives, upon acres of fine land given him by his father, and upon which he has built a good twostory frame house, and a large barn and other buildings for convenience and comfort, and is now as well fixed to live comfortable and happy as many who have toiled for years to make their home; and, if he follows the footsteps of his father in industry and good management, he will in all probability become a wealthy and prominent citizen of his township.

JOHN FOURMAN, farmer; P. O. Arcanum ; was born in Pennsylvania in 1820; his parents were John and Catharine Fourman, both natives of Pennsyl vania. Mr. Fourman came to this county with his parents, where they lived and died; he was the second in a family of eight children, all of whom are living. He was married in 1845 to Sarah, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Baker, both born in Pennsylvania. John and Sarah Fourman have had born to them fifteen children twelve of whom are now living, viz., Susannah, Jacob, Henry, Levi, Sarah, Samuel, Ananias, David, John, Allen, Emanuel and Elizabeth. They located on the farm, where they now live, in 1846; they cut the first stick of timber, made an opening, and built a small frame house with lumber sawed from a mill of their own "put up" when they first entered the county; from this beginning they toiled

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