Twin Twp. -
SIMPSON ALBRIGHT, retired farmer; P. O. Arcanum.  Another of the old settlers of Darke Co.  He was born in Anderson Co. East Tenn., in 1804, and is a son of Philip and Christena Albright, natives of North Carolina.  He removed with his parents to Preble Co., Ohio, in the year 1814.  In 1820, he returned to Tennessee, and remained till 1826, when he came back and permanently located in Darke Co., in Twin Township, in 1834.  He was united in marriage with Miss Mary daughter of Henry and Mary Snoderly, natives of North Carolina, Nov. 9, 1828.  Twelve children have been given to this union, viz., Johnson K., Henry M., Henderson L., Daniel S., Philip S., William K., Adam C., Catherine S., Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary and Martha M., the latter dying in infancy.  Henry departed this life in August, 1878, aged 48 years, leaving a wife and five children to mourn his loss.  He was a member of the United Brethren Church in Christ, and died as he had lived, relying absolutely on the promises of his Savior.  Mr. and Mrs. Albright had seven sons in the army at one time, and he informs us he offered his services to his country if they would supply him with teeth with which to bite the cartridge; they all returned to their homes uninjured except Philip, who received two flesh wounds; while these patriotic boys were in the front, suffering the dangers and privations of cruel and devastating war, their heroic and patriotic mother took the implements of labor in her own hands and, with a determination and resolution that is the offspring of patriotism, entered the field, and, with her own hands, cultivated 16 acres of corn, and doing other labor of great fatigue. Mr. and Mrs. Albright have been members of the church for fifty years, and are greatly interested in religion, and in their declining hears it affords them great satisfaction that they have not labored in vain, their children being co-workers with them in achieving righteousness.  His son William has been a minister of the Gospel for eight years.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 646

Van Buren Twp. -
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 Apr. 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.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 727

Greenville Twp. -
HENRY ALTER, (Greenville Twp.) farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 12; P. O. Greenville; was born in Washington Co., Md., March 18, 1833; he was a son of Jacob Alter, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1799; emigrated to Maryland, and in 1866 came to Darke County; and after residing in Greenville one year, made his home with his son until his decease, which occurred in May, 1875. He was married, in 1819, in Maryland, to Eliza Tice; she was born in Washington Co. in 1806, and is now in her 73d year, and makes her home with her son. Henry Alter went to Clark Co., Ohio, in 1858, and followed farming there until 1866, when he came to Darke Co. and located upon his present place. His marriage with Elizabeth Ilges was celebrated in 1864; she died in 1870; one child was born to them - Mary L., born Aug. 18, 1866; his marriage with Mary Clew was celebrated Dec. 17, 1874; she was born and raised in Darke Co., and is a daughter of D. B. Clew, one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 472
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

Greenville Twp. -
JOSEPH AMANN, JR., deceased. (Greenville Twp.) The subject of this memoir was born in Dayton, Montgomery Co., Ohio, in 1840, and was a son of Joseph and Francis Amann; in early life he learned the blacksmith trade; in 1853, he came to Darke Co. and followed farming and blacksmithing until the breaking-out of the rebellion, when he enlisted and served four years in the Union army; after being mustered out of service he returned to Greenville, and in 1867 was married to Barbara Caron; six children were the fruits of this union, viz., Nora, Louisa, Joseph, Katie, William and Barbara. He engaged in business in Greenville soon after his return from the army, and in October, 1873, he purchased his brick buildings on Third street, and followed the restaurant and saloon business until his decease, which occurred in October, 1879. The business has since been conducted by his widow.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 689
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

Neave Twp. -
GEORGE ARNOLD, retired farmer; P. O. Jaysville; one of the oldest residents of Neave Township now living; he was born in South Carolina in 1800, and was eighty years of age on the 1st day of March; his father's name was Moses, and he was a native of North Carolina, and a resident of South Carolina from the time of the Revolution until 1807; was married there to Rachel Lynch, and removed to Ohio, settling in Warren Co.; in the fall of 1815 or spring of 1816, he came to Darke Co., prospecting, and selected a quarter-section in Sec. 13, which he entered, and in the fall of 1816, George, then a young lad, in company with his brothers Aaron and David, and in company with their oldest sister Lydia, who afterward became the wife of James Townsend, came to this land and erected three cabins, one for the father and one for each of the two older boys, who were both then married; this tract was divided between the father and two sons; in the following spring, the father and David removed their families into the cabins, and began the work of making a home in this then wilderness, there being no house nearer than two miles, but plenty of Indians, and more wolves and bears and a few panthers; deer were then more plentiful and easier found than the squirrels now; there was no road excepting the Milton road, via which they came, cutting their own road from that their cabins; it was difficult to imagine that such was the condition of this section within the life of one generation, and very few people have lived to see so great improvements as have been made within the lifetime of this venerable resident.  George was married in Warren Co., Feb. 26, 1820, to Mary Dines, daughter of Chambers and Millie (Cole) Dines; she was born in Kentucky Nov. 4, 1800, and her parents removed to Warren Co. when she was quite young.  Mr. and Mrs. George Arnold came to Darke Co. soon after their marriage, and began lie here in pioneer style; they now reside in a brick dwelling which stands in the same yard in which stood the cabin in which they first kept house; they having passed through the hardships, toils and privations of pioneer life, and taken part in the improvements of the past half-century, during the latter half of which there has been a remarkably rapid development and improvement of the county, both public and private.  They have raised a family of five children, one son and four daughters, viz., Amelia (who is now Mrs. Michael Floyd, and resides in Kansas), Lydia (who is now Mrs. Henry Houk, and resides in Missouri), Rachel (now deceased, was Mrs. Jacob Shiverdecker, and resided in Darke Co.), Mary (also deceased, was the wife of Samuel Schlecty), John C. is the only son; was born in 1826, and grew to manhood here, during the days of hard work and little education.  He was married in 1847, to Mary E., daughter of William, and Marie (Health) Shepherd; her mother, now a widow, resides in Twin Township.  Mr. J. C. Arnold, with the exception of about five years, has always resided on the farm where he was born and now resides, and is now an old resident of Darke Co.; Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Arnold have a family of nine children - George W., Mary M., John H., Rachel J., Millie S., Winfield, Amanda E., Martha and Charles M.  His aged parents also reside with them, and having served the world in their day and generation, now quietly await the call to the spirit land.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 707
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

Neave Twp.-
NOAH ARNOLD, farmer; P. O. Jaysville; another of the few remaining early settlers of Darke Co.; is the son of William Arnold, who was a brother of Moses, and was born in South Carolina, and came to Darke Co. in 1816; entered 332 acres in Secs. 11 and 32, of Greenville Township, which he improved and resided on for sixty years, and it is now the property of his children and still undivided.  The subject of this sketch was born in Warren Co., Feb. 6, 1816, about six weeks before his parents came to Darke Co., and he has resided in this county ever since he first entered it, living on the farm continuously until he was 23 years of age; then tried merchandising a short time, but not being pleased with the business, resumed farming, which he has continued ever since; has been an enterprising and useful citizen; was Justice of the Peace nine years, and has been a Notary Public for the past twenty years; is still active in both public and private enterprises; was one of the charter members of the Farmers' National Bank of Greenville, and is one of the present Board of Directors; has charge of his father's old homestead, besides superintending his own homestead, which contains 240 acres in an advanced state of cultivation, with fine improvements; he has acted on the maxim, "If a man would have a good home, let him have a good wife, for it is certain he has both."  He was married in 1839 to Emily Stingley, daughter of George and Barbara Stingley, who were early settlers of German Township; her death occurred in 1848; they had four children - Isaac N., Mary J., Effie A. and George; Isaac was a soldier in the late war, and lost an arm at Atlanta; has been in the employment of the Treasury Department at Washington for several years;  Mary J. is now the wife of H. N. Arnold, of Greenville;  Effie A. is now Mrs. L. E. Chenoweth, of Greenville, and George is married and a resident of Nebraska.  Mr. Arnold was again married, Apr. 11, 1850, to Martha (Larimore-Banfield) Bierly, daughter of Hugh and Nancy (Martin) Larimore who came from Pennsylvania in 1817, and settled in the Arnold neighborhood, and are now both deceased; Martha was twice previously married; her first husband, John Banfield, was killed by a falling tree, while both were passing through the woods by a bridle-path during a storm; she escaped unhurt, although the horse upon which she was mounted was quite severely injured.  Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have one child - Margaret E., now Mrs. William H. H. McCool, railroad against a merchant at Jaysville.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 707
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

Greenville Twp. -
JOHN ATEN, farmer; P. O. Jaysville (Greenville Twp.) . The subject of this memoir was born in Twin Township, Preble Co., Ohio, April 1, 1823, and is a son of Adrian Aten, who was a native of Kentucky but came to Preble Co. in 1822. John Aten was raised to agricultural pursuits upon the home farm, and, upon the 6th of April, 1854, was united in marriage with Lavina Russell, who died Sept. 19, 1875; nine children were the fruits of this union, viz.: Abraham R., born June 30, 1855; Adrian, April 29, 1856; John H., Oct. 3, 1857; James F., Jan. 25, 1859; Theodore C., Oct. 20, 1860 (died Aug. 8, 1863); Emma, July 11, 1862 (died June 29, 1863); William, Jan. 6, 1864; Charles, Oct. 23, 1865, and George W., June 1, 1867; upon the marriage of Mr. Aten, he continued farming upon the old homestead three years, when he purchased a farm in Preble Co., and, in the fall of 1860, purchased property at Arcanum, Darke Co., residing here five years; he then purchased the saw-mill at Jaysville, selling the following year, and, in 1866, purchased his present property where he has since lived; he has 110 acres upon his home farm, a large part of which he has reclaimed from a swamp by means of a ditch and tiling until it is now as productive as any land in the county. He is one of the self made men of Darke Co., and has by his hard labor and correct business habits placed himself among the large landholders and successful farmers of Darke Co. He was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in the King Hiram Lodge, at Alexandria, Sept. 25, 1850, and is now a member of the order of A. F. & A. M. at Greenville.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 472
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

J. B. AVERY, (Greenville Twp.), farmer, Sec. 3; P. O. Woodington; an older settler of Darke Co.; born in New London Co., Conn., Aug. 27, 1826; at 17 years of age, he commenced farming and school teaching until 1847, when he came to Darke Co., and, in the following year, purchased his present place of 80 acres, where since he has since lived for a period of thirty-one years; upon locating here, there were some 7 acres only partially cleared; no building, no fences; he first put up a small frame house in which he lived several years, and to which he has since attached a much larger residence; he has cleared some 55 acres of his place and brought the same to a good state of cultivation by his own hard labor.  His marriage with Macella Earhart occurred Nov. 14, 1848.  She was born in Darke Co., Jan. 10, 1827, and has always lived within one mile of the place where she was born; she was a daughter of Samuel Earhart, one of the early pioneers, who was born in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1802, and came to Darke Co. in 1820, and located on Sec. 10, Greenville Township; he died Jan., 1854; he married Elizabeth Scribner; she was a daughter of Azor Scribner, who was the first permanent settler of this county; he established a trading post in Mina Town in 1806; Mrs. Earhart died March, 1873, at the age of 67 years.  The children of J. B. and Marcella (Earhart) Avery were five in number - Prudence M., born Sept. 20, 1849; Franklin P., born Jan. 21, 1852 (died May, 1859); Emily M., born Oct. 8, 1858; Lizzie M., born Jul. 28, 1862, and Ira J., born Feb. 28, 1869.  Mr. Avery has been a member of the Presbyterian Church for upward of thirty years; his wife, for a period of thirty-eight years, and all the children, save the youngest, also being members of the same church.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880. - Page 473
Transcribed by Sharon Wick