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Biographies
Source:
History of Miami County, Indiana
Publ.
Chicago - Brant & Fuller
1887
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ABRAHAM GRAFT, son of David
and Anna (Grove) Graft, was born in Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania, November 24, 1813. He came with his parents to
Preble County, Ohio, where he was married March 3, 1839, to
Anna, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Swisher) Morningstar.
She was born in Preble County, Ohio, May 15, 1818. Her father
was born in Virginia, October 23, 1779, and her mother in
Maryland in August, 1782. They were married in Maryland, April
16, 1805, and shortly afterward moved to Preble County, Ohio,
where they afterward resided until death, which occurred as
follows: The mother, October 16, 1851, and the father, May 16,
1861. They were the parents of nine children, viz: Elizabeth,
Mary, Susanna, Catherine, Solomon, Jones, Anna, Julia A. and
Lydia. In 1841 Mr. Graft, our subject, moved to Randolph County,
Indiana, where he purchased land and resided until the spring of
1850, at which time he moved to Preble County, Ohio, and in the
following fall he moved to Miami County, Indiana, where he has
since resided. In May, 1882, he settled on the farm on which he
now resides, in Jefferson Township. He has had born to him seven
children, viz: George, born November 24, 1839, and died October
13, 1882; David, born April 7, 1841; John, born May 14, 1843;
Elizabeth, born February 5, 1848, Lydia, born November 22, 1852;
Mary C., born October 20, 1856, and one son who died in infancy
not named.
Transcribed from: History of Miami County, Indiana.
Source 3: History of Miami County, Indiana - Publ. Chicago -
Brant & Fuller - 1887 - Page 691
Contributed by Nancy Hannah |
BENJAMIN GRAFT (retired
farmer and grain merchant, and one of the old and highly
esteemed pioneers of Miami County, Indiana), is a native of
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, born August 3, 1815. His
parents, David and Anna (Grove) Graft, were natives of
Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. They were married in
Augusta County, Virginia, and from thence, subsequently, moved
to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, after which they removed to
Augusta County, Virginia, and from there to Preble County, Ohio,
where the mother died November 5th, 1851, at fifty-seven years
of age. The father afterward retired and made his home with his
children until death, which occurred in this county, July 29,
1854. He was the father of twelve children, viz: Abraham,
Benjamin, David, Eliza, Nancy, John,
Samuel, Daniel, Margaret,
Henry, and two which died in infancy not named. Benjamin, our
subject, was married in Preble County, Ohio, April 14, 1839, to
Hannah, daughter of Henry and Hannah (Dillman) Brower. She was
born in Preble County, Ohio, March 22, 1818. In 1841, Mr.
Graft,
our subject, moved to Miami County, Indiana, landing here in
September of that year. He purchased and settled upon land in
Jefferson Township, Section 19, where he resided until the
spring of 1864, at which time he settled upon a farm in Section
6, Jefferson Township, which he had purchased previously. Here
he resided until the spring of 1880, at which time he moved to
Mexico, Indiana, where he now resides. He has had born to him
eleven children, viz: Isaac H., born February 29, 1840;
Nancy,
born May 31, 1841, died April 23, 1868; Sarah A., born May
12,1843; John, born November 2,1844; Harriet, born August 14,
1846; David, born March 2, 1848; Isabelle, born January 24,
1850, died August 10, 1870; Margaret, born November, 9, 1851;
Catharine, born April 22, 1853, and died September 1, 1854;
Mariah E., born May 25, 1855; Alonzo D., born June 27, 1859.
Mr.
Graft is an enterprising and highly esteemed citizen. He was one
of the three early Trustees of Jefferson Township, and in 1870,
was elected to the office of County Commissioner, and re-elected
in 1873.
Transcribed from: History of Miami County, Indiana
Source 3: History of Miami County, Indiana - Publ. Chicago -
Brant & Fuller - 1887 - Page 692
Contributed by Nancy Hannah |
HARRISON GRIMES, one of
Miami County's pioneers and one among the early settlers of
Union Township, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, February
14, 1823. He was the oldest child born to Jeremiah and Barbara (Hashbarger)
Grimes, natives of Maryland and Virginia respectively, the
former of Irish and the latter of Dutch descent. Harrison left
home at the early age of ten years and went to Preble County,
Ohio, where he worked upon a farm for his board and clothes
until he reached the age of sixteen, when he was given his
choice of keeping his place or learning the blacksmith's trade.
After due consideration he chose the latter, but owing to an
inaccurate understanding with the man who was to give him the
instruction, he abandoned the notion of learning the trade and
concluded to remain upon the farm, which he did until he was
twenty-one of age. He had been bound to his employer, who, when
Harrison became of age, was to give him one hundred and fifty
dollars. He took a horse worth fifty dollars and one hundred
dollars in money, which represented his entire capital at that
time. Upon leaving the farm he came on foot, with a thirty-seven
and one-half pound budget upon his back, to this county. This
was in March, 1844. Here he worked upon a farm until the
following June, when he walked the entire distance back to
Preble County, Ohio, but in the following August he again came
to this county— this time on horseback. During the first year of
his residence here he worked by the month and job at any and all
kinds of work which he could find to do. In 1846 he purchased a
farm of ninety-three acres in Section 16, Union Township. There
he located, and immediately set about clearing up a farm. To do
this without any assistance necessarily devolved upon him a
great deal of hard work. He chopped, grubbed, burned brush,
rolled logs, plowed, and in fact did all kinds of hard work
which the development of a new country necessitates. Since then
he has purchased other lands, until at one time he owned about
1,000 acres. His attention during his entire life has been given
to agricultural pursuits, though he has in more recent years
given some attention to the grain business, the buying and
selling of hogs, and to the raising of fine stock. He was
married on the 4th of May-, 1845, to Elizabeth Brower, a native
of Montgomery County, Ohio, born of Dutch descent, February 8,
1826. She was the daughter of George and Sarah (Swihart)
Brower,
both natives of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Grimes have had nine
children. Their names are: Josiah, born July 31, 1846; Hiram,
born January 5, 1848, died September 12, 1880; John H., born
March 1, 1849, died February 11, 1853; Sarah D., born August 22,
1851; George T., born October 24, 1854; Albert, born September
5, 1856; Martha J., born December 24, 1857; William, born June
29, 1859, and Charles, born October 13, 1868. Politically, Mr.
Grimes is a Republican. He has held the office of Assessor in
Union Township two terms. He has, where he resides, a fine farm
of 187 acres, nearly all of which is in a high state of
cultivation. His farm is fitted up with good buildings and
fences, and is one of the most desirable locations in the
county. Mr. Grimes is an honest, upright, square-dealing man, a
pushing and enterprising farmer, and a good citizen. He began
life without a dollar, but through industry, perseverance and
economy, he is now in good circumstances.
Transcribed from:
History of Miami County, Indiana.
Source 3: History of Miami County, Indiana - Publ. Chicago -
Brant & Fuller - 1887 - Page 695
Contributed by Nancy Hannah |
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