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NOBLE COUNTY,
OHIO
History & Genealogy |
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Noble
County, Ohio
with portraits and biographical sketches of some of
its pioneers and prominent men.
Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co.,
1887
For Reference: Noble County was formed in 1851
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STEPHEN M. ARCHER,
son of James and Cynthia Archer, was born June
28, 1838, on the land entered and owned by his grandfather,
near the site now occupied by the town of East Union, Noble
County, Ohio.
His father, eldest son of James, Sr., was
born in 1805, and came to Ohio from Greene County, Pa., when
four years of age. He married Cynthia Morris, who
was born in 1809, a grand-niece of Robert Morris, one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and
daughter of Isaac Morris. He was a member of
the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he zealously
labored as exhorter and preacher for many years, doing much
good for the church in those early times. He died Aug.
14, 1856. His wife survived him several years.
She also was an earnest Christian, and on the 5th of March,
1884, fell asleep in the hopes of a happy resurrection.
A local newspaper says:
"Died, March 5, 1884, Mrs. Cynthia Archer, wife
of Rev. James Archer. She raised a
family of thirteen children - seven boys and six girls.
The loved and loving sister, wife, mother and friend died
where womanhood's morning sun touches the evening star,
while the shadows were falling toward the west. She
had passed on life's highway the stone that marks the
seventy-fourth year, four months and twenty days, but being
weary for a moment, she lay down by the wayside, and using
her burden for a pillow, fell into the dreamless sleep that
kissed down her eyelids still. Yet, after all, it may
be best; the end of each and all, and every life, no matter
of its every hour is rich with love, and every moment
jeweled with a joy, will, at its close, be a sad and deep
and dark mystery. This tender woman in every storm of
life was brave, but in the sunshine she was vine and
flowers. She was the friend of the poor. She
left all spite and malice far below, while on her forehead
fell the golden dawning of a grander day. She sided
with the weak, and with a willing hand gave alms with a kind
heart, and with the purest hands she faithfully discharged
all her duties. She added to the sum of human joy, and
were every one for whom she did some kind and loving service
to bring flowers to her grave, she would sleep beneath a
wilderness of flowers. She leaves a family of six
children, and two brothers and many friends to mourn her
loss."
They had thirteen children - seven boys and six girls.
The boys were George W., John W., Stephen M., Isaac b.,
James, Jonas and Robert, of whom Stephen M.
and Isaac B. are living. The girls were
Amelia, Sophia, Celia, Elizabeth, Catharine and
Cynthia are still living. Stephen M.
married Rachel, daughter of Cyrus and Lucinda
Matheny, May 7, 1857. She was born July 29, 1840.
Their children are Lucinda L., born Feb. 18, 1858,
died June 26, 1858; Mary E., born Mar. 2, 1859, died
Aug. 19, 1859; Martin B., born Aug. 26, 1860, married
Arabelle A., daughter of Joseph and Caroline
Rutherford, Oct. 29, 1881, by whom he has two children (Bertie
May, born Sept. 11, 1883, and Jessie Rosa, born
May 16, 1885). He is a Marion Township farmer.
Milton W. was born Mar. 19, 1862. He has taught
several terms of school but is now engaged in the mercantile
business in East Union, where he has a good store-room
filled with a fine selection of merchandise. Odell was
born April 11, 1864, died Sept. 21, 1864; Martha,
born Dec. 15, 1865, died Mar. 13, 1867; Neal, born
Dec. 5, 1867, died May 20, 1868; Rosa, born July 6,
1869, is a teacher; Cicero M., born Aug. 12, 1871,
and Esther L. and Eastman w., twins, born
Sept. 9, 1873; Stephen M. born Oct. 17, 1880.
Mr. Archer received one hundred acres of land from
his father's estate, but his father afterward becoming
somewhat involved, he paid $1,000 for him, which was near
one-half the value of the land inherited. To the tract
mentioned he has added from time to time, until he now has
four hundred acres of as fid agricultural and pasture lands
as can be found on the East Fork of Duck Creek, a stream
noted for the fertility of the soil in the country bordering
on its banks. As an example of thrifty farming we will
give one instance told us by Mr. Archer. In
1871 he bought one hundred acres of land, and borrowed the
money of William J. Young to pay for it, going in
debt $6,000, and paying ten per cent interest. In four
years he had his land paid for, and was out of debt.
When we remember the panic of 1873 this is a remarkable
example of successful financiering under adverse conditions,
which requires sound judgment and keen penetration. He
has been somewhat extensively engaged in dealing in stock,
horses, cattle and hogs, for many years, and is one of the
few who have made money at it. He tells a good story
of one of his early deals: "When I was about fifteen
years old," says he, "my father sent me out one day to look
up some fat hogs four or five miles from home. I
chanced upon a man who said he had three for sale.
Dismounting and going to his lot, I found three very fine
hogs, which would weigh, as I judged, 250 pounds, or upward.
I inquired the price. After much hemming and hawing,
he wanted me to make him an offer. I told him I would
give him $12 for them; he said he could not take it; he had
decided that nothing less than $10 would buy them. I
told him I would not give it, but I would split the
difference with him and give him $9, which he finally
consented to take, and I drove the hogs home." In
1862, in partnership with Naaman Harris, he engaged
in the mercantile business in East Union, but went out in
166. He has bought tobacco since 1860, averaging, he
thinks sixty-five hogsheads per year.
Mr. Archer, like most men of his age, had very
few educational advantages in his youth, but judging by the
facility with which he attends to his varied business
interests, he improved them to their utmost. He is not
only a liberal supporter of schools, but an earnest advocate
of advanced thought in all literary and scientific
departments. Upon his center table we found, beside
the Bible, Darwin's complete works, a noted orthodox paper
and the Boston Investigator. In politics he is
a Republican, yet charitable in his strictures upon parties
and policies. Mr. Archer occupies the old
homestead, the home of his father and grandfather, the
buildings of which are in a remarkable state of
preservation, though standing for half a century; by having
good foundations and by a liberal use of paint they seem
little the worse for wear. His has been a busy and a
useful life. Beginning as a poor boy, by industry and
economy he has accumulated considerable wealth, and while
his varied business transactions have brought him in contact
with men of all classes, yet so honorable have been his
dealings with his fellow-men, that he has the esteem and
confidence of all who know him.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 |
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