STEPHEN D. CRITES, eldest son of Jacob and Mary Jane (Cremean) Crites, was born in German township, Allen county, Ohio, Nov. 28, 1847, and has always been a resident of his native township.  He was brought up on the farm and experienced many of the hardships incident to pioneer life, and was educated in the famous old No. 2 sub-district school of German township and in the National Normal university at Lebanon, Ohio.  He began teaching when eighteen years old - teaching during the winter months and working on the farm during the summer months.  The year 1867 was spent among entire strangers in Livingston county, Ill., during which time he taught three terms of school; the years of 1869 and 1870 were spent in the National Normal university at Lebanon, Ohio; in September, 1870, he was elected superintendent of the Elida public schools, which position he successfully held for twelve years, when he was compelled to resign on account of ill health.  As a teacher he was a fine disciplinarian and a good instructor, and can therefore point with pride to his record as an educator.  In 1876, he was appointed a member of the Allen county board of school examiners, which responsible position he filled with ability and credit for eleven successive years.  Since giving up teaching Mr. Crites has been engaged in the live stock trade.  In April, 1895 , he succeeded M. H. Long in the grain elevator business at Elida, Ohio, and now deals largely in grain, seeds, hay, wool and also coal.
     In November, 1872, Mr. Crites was married to Miss Sarah Jane Reichelderfer, who was born in Salt Creek township, Pickaway county, Ohio, Nov. 21, 1854.  July 19, 1873, his young wife died at the age of eighteen years seven months and twenty-eight days, and now sleeps in the Allentown cemetery with her twin infant babes at her side.  Oct. 12, 1876, Mr. Crites was married to Miss Emma Ditto, who was born in Marion township, Allen county, Ohio, Sept. 18, 1855.  This union has been blessed with four daughters, viz: Jessie K., born Jan. 10, 1878; Mabel, born July 1, 1883; Zoretta, born Aug. 3, 1885, and Grace L. born Sept. 2, 1893.
     Mr. Crites has been a citizen of Elida since 1876 and is well known throughout the county.  He is generous to a fault and enjoys the respect and confidence of all who knew him.  He and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Elida, for which society he has for the past thirteen years been leader and director of the choir, and during the same time has continuously taught a Sunday-school class composed of twenty-five married ladies whose ages now range from thirty to eighty-five years.  The social standing of Mr. Crites and his family is with the best in Elida and German township, and as a business man his record is pre-eminently clear.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical History of Allen and Putnam Counties, Ohio, Publ. 1896 - Part I - Page 314