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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen & Van Wert
Counties, Ohio
Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.
1896
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JAMES H.
NEELY, one of the most prominent citizens of German
township, Allen county, is a farmer and the son of a farmer.
He was born in Bath township, Mar. 4, 1844, and is a son of
William and Martha (Snodgrass) Neely, both of whom are now
dead. WILLIAM F. NEELY was born in Kentucky in
1806, and died Feb. 5, 1880. His parents moved to Greene
county, Ohio, when he was quite young and there he was reared to
farm life and labor, and he followed that calling all his life.
He removed from Greene and Allen county about 1830, when the
site and vicinity of the present fine city of Lima was nothing
but a wilderness. He purchased 120 acres of land in Bath
township, just opposite the present county farm, the land he
purchased being then entirely covered with wood and underbrush,
so that the term wilderness was no misnomer as applied thereto.
He immediately erected a log cabin, in which to live for a time,
and began to clear his land, and was employed in cutting down
trees and rolling and burning logs, preparatory to the
cultivation of the soil, for several years, plowing and
cultivating piece by piece as it was "brought under the harrow."
So scare were milling facilities in Ohio at that early day that
Mr. Neely was compelled to go to Greene county, to the
east of and a little further south than Montgomery county, to
get corn ground into meal or wheat into flower. For one
entire week he lived on cracked corn, an experience which would
now be called starving. But those old pioneers were made
of the material that did not run away from hardship, but,
in many instances, took pride in their ability to stand them.
Eighty acres of this farm he cleared, and in 1871 traded it for
a tract of 120 acres in sections Nos. 15 and 22, in German
township, eighty acres of this latter tract being improved.
Upon this farm he lived until his death. William F.
Neely was twice married; first to Miss Ruth Paulin,
who after thirteen years of happy married life, died, leaving
five children, viz: Bizaliel, who died in the army
of the Union during the war; William P., deceased;
Rebecca J., deceased wife of Lorin Smith, of Lima,
Ohio; Elizabeth, wife of J. McLain of California,
and Malinda A., wife of Stephen Greer, of Bath
township. Mr. Neely married, for his second wife,
Miss Matilda Snodgrass, who was born in Virginia in 1817,
and died in 1877, leaving seen children, three of whom are still
living, viz: Henry C., of Lima; James H., and
Arthur A., of Columbus, Ohio. The others died in early
life.
James H. Neely was reared in Bath township on
the farm, and was educated in the common schools. Farming
has been continually his occupation, and he assisted his father
to improve the old farm, which now has on it some of the best
buildings in his part of the county. The residence is
unusually large for a country home, being 30x40 feet in size.
He always strives to keep the best of stock and to make not only
the best possible showing, but also the most profit out of what
he keeps. Politically Mr. Neely is a republican,
and though in no sense an office seeker, yet he has been chosen
a member of the school board. During the late war he
served in the 100-day service, enlisting in the spring of 1864.
Mr. Neely was married Oct. 29, 1864, to Miss Helen
Mason, daughter of Jarvis and Elizabeth (Hall) Mason.
She was born in Bath township, Allen county, Oct. 29, 1846.
She and her husband are the parents of seven children, viz:
Charles E., who married Miss Viola Cotner, and who
resides in Lima and is in the employ of the P., Ft. W. & C.
railroad company; Junia L., wife of Sermon SHOOK,
of Lima; Jesse, who married Miss Nettie Clapper,
is employed by the L. E. & W. Railroad Company and resides at
Lima; Clifton L., a telegraph operator, resides at home;
Rufus M., lives at home, and Olive L., now Mrs.
Ozro Copus, lives at home. Charles E. Neely,
the eldest son, has taught school four terms. Mrs.
Neely is a member of the United Brethren church, and the
entire family stand among the most respected people of Allen
county.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen &
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896
- Page 414 |
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JOHN S. NICOLET
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 416 |
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JACOB A. NONNAMAKER
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 417 |
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