Source: Portrait & Biographical Records of Marion & Hardin Counties, Ohio - 1895 - Page 317

GEORGE WASHINGTON ARMSTRONG makes his home on his farm situated on section 8, Goshen Township, Hardin County.  The place comprises one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred of which, formerly covered with heavy timber, were cleared by him.  There are several miles of tiling on the homestead, which is also improved with good buildings, fences, etc.  The owner is a practical business man and thoroughly understands agriculture.  He has served as Township Assessor, Land Appraiser and County Recorder.  To the last-named office he was reelected in 1874, on the Democratic ticket, and was re-elected, serving six years altogether.
     The eldest in his father's family, G. W. Armstrong was born in Richland County, Ohio, Oct. 7, 1831.  He has five years of age on coming to this county, and continued to live with his father until reaching his majority.  He obtained what education it was possible to acquire in the district schools of that day, and subsequently he taught in the local schools for eight terms.  He was an expert in mathematics, and was a champion in the spelling-schools of the district.  When a lad of seven or eight years he was chosen first by the captain of one side and then the other, and it was not a rare occurrence that he came out ahead of all participating.
     Apr. 13, 1854, Mr. Armstrong and Rachel Baker were united in marriage.  She is the daughter of Morris and Mary (Campbell) Baker, and sister of James M. Baker, of this township.  The young couple settled on the old homestead of eighty acres, on which they now live, and which was valued at $500, Mr. Armstrong paying down $100, and agreeing to meet the balance of the amount by teaching.  He put up a log cabin, which is still in a good state of preservation, and this was their home for a number of years.  During the winter season he taught school, receiving in payment form $14 to $18 a month and board.  During the summer he worked industriously at clearing his farm and in raising crops.  This farm he continued to operate until 1874, when he moved to Kenton to fill the office of County Recorder, and there he made his home for the next six years.  The following six years he had no special business aside from the supervision of his farm.  In 1886 he returned to the homestead where he is still living, engaged in carrying on his farm.
     The union of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong has been blessed with eight children.  Thomas J., who has been a successful teacher, is now a farmer in Putnam County, Ohio; Morris B. is named in honor of his grandfather, and is a farmer of McDonald Township, on the old Scioto Marsh, in this county; Oscar N., an agriculturist of this township, served for one term as Deputy under Sheriff Neville; Mary M. is the wife of Curtis Emmons, a farmer of this township; William J., a graduate of the Kenton High School and of the Delaware (Ohio) College, is now an employe of the Champion Iron Company at Kenton; Ruth A. married Frank Barrett, owner of a farm and sawmill in this township; Fannie and Frank are twins.  Fannie is the wife of David T. Emmons, a brother of Curtis Emmons; and Frank has followed the teacher's profession for several years.
     About 1872 G. W. Armstrong met with a very severe accident, while stepping from the train at Carey, Ohio, at dusk.  He slipped and his right foot was crushed by the carwheel to such an extent that amputation was necessary.  The Armstrong family are members of the Church of Christ in Kenton, and take great interest in its various departments of usefulness and activity.
     A life-long Democrat, Mr. Armstrong has long been recognized as one of the leading men of his party in Hardin County.  In the fall of 1874 he was a candidate for the office of County Recorder, being elected by a handsome majority, and in 1877 was re-elected, holding the office six years.  This fact alone attests his popularity among his fellow-citizens.
     The father of G. W. Armstrong, who bore the Christian name of Thomas, was one of the pioneers of this township.  He was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., June 14, 1804, to William and Ann (McQuown) Armstrong.  About 1820 Thomas Armstrong settled in Richland County, Ohio, and there married a distant relative of his mother's, Margaret McQuown, in 1830.  To them were born three children: G. W.; Eugenia, Mrs. Elias McPeek, of Van Wert County, Ohio; and Margaret Jane, who died in the fall of 1861.
     Thomas Armstrong was a man of exceptional intelligence, and had been well educated.  He was thoroughly versed in Greek and Latin, and was a good mathematician, besides being well posted on questions of general interest.  He also knew something about surveying, and was once a candidate on the Democratic ticket for the county office.  Though he had never been engaged in active practice, he had studied medicine and was much better qualified to put his knowledge into use than were many of the pioneer physicians of that day.
     After improving a farm in Richland County, Thomas Armstrong started to seek a new home, driving through Wyandot and finally coming to this county.  One mile east of the eastern line of Hardin County, he bought a tract of new land, about eighty acres.  A few of is neighbors had located here two or three years previously, but he was among the first to make a permanent home in that section.  One Thomas Shanks took up land about 1832, and his home was the headquarters for all prospective settlers.  Alexander Pool, Robert Loughrey, Samuel Crawson, William Baker and David McQuown came prior to 1836, and the only representative of these families here at this writing is James B. Pool, who is still living on his father's farm.  At one time during his early residence here Thomas Armstrong  served as Township Treasurer.  He lived on his first farm for twenty-six years, but from 1862 until his death, which occurred Sept. 7, 1888, he made his home on the farm of his son G. W.  Until his last years he was well preserved, and on his eightieth birthday planted corn.  Three years before his demise he was stricken with paralysis, but lived to see his eighty-fourth birthday.  His wife departed this life Feb. 13, 1892, aged eighty-two years.
†Source #4 - Portrait & Biographical Records of Marion & Hardin Counties, Ohio - 1895 - Page 285

EUGENE S. ARNOLD.  Just six years ago this ambitious young man embarked upon the perilous waters of journalism, then to him an untried sea, and nobly has he succeeded.  AT that time he became part owner and editor of the Standard, published at Dunkirk, Hardin County, and in no way does the paper belie its name.  It is kept up to a high standard of excellence, is ably conducted, and strives ever to advance the best interests of this community.
     Our subject was born on a farm in Wayne County, Ohio, Jan. 11, 1855, about six miles from the pretty town of Wooster.  His father, J. P. Arnold, was a native of the same locality, his birth having occurred on a farm a mile away form the one of which our subject was born.  The grandfather was also a native of Wayne County, whither his father had gone at a very early day from Pennsylvania.  Grandfather Arnold, his wife and several children all died of typhoid fever in the same year.  J. P. Arnold was in the Union service during the late war, as was in the Union service during the late war, as was also his brother George, who died at Clarksville, Tenn., his life a sacrifice to his country.  The mother of E. S. Arnold, who bore the maiden name of Melinda Smith, is also a native of Wayne County, and is a daughter of P. P. Smith, one of the early settlers in that section.  His brother, N. W. Smith, who was a wealthy and very philanthropic man, was one of the founders of Wooster University, remaining on the Board of Directors up to the time of his death.  He served as one of the boys who wore the blue in the War of the Rebellion.
     The boyhood of Mr. Arnold was passed on his father's farm in Wayne County, his education being such as might be gleaned in the district schools.  His higher studies were pursued at Vermillion Institute of Hayesville, Ohio, after which he began clerking in a drug store in that town, remaining in that capacity for eight years.  Apr. 1, 1889, he and his brother, H. H., entered into partnership and bought out the former proprietors of the Standard.  Jan. 1, 1891, Mr. Arnold purchased his brother's interest, and has since been sole manager of the paper.  He possesses superior business ability, and rapidly made his journal a power in the community.  The current events of the day are presented in a clear and forcible manner, and on political questions the organ is unbiased and independent. 
     Mr. Arnold has never married, and still makes his home with his parents, who are now living in Dunkirk.  He watches over their welfare with dutiful and affectionate care, trying to smooth the pathway of their declining years.  He is popular with all the foremost citizens of this county, and stands well among the members of his profession.
†Source #4 - Portrait & Biographical Records of Marion & Hardin Counties, Ohio - 1895 - Page 287