Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/801

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��JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

��789

��years. The subject of this sketch spent his youth on afarm, attending such schools as were in the community at that time. In 1849, he was taken with the " gold fever," and he, with five others, started, joining a party at Independence, Mo.; they crossed the overland route. He remained there three years, working in the mines, and was successful in accomplishing his pur- pose. He returned home by way of the Isthmus ; he remained about six months in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He again returned to California by way of the same route he came, and engaged in the same business, that of mining ; he remained three years, and was again successful. He returned to Ohio and purchased land ; he bought out the heirs of the " old homestead," where he spent his youth, and where every scene was dear to him. He is a man of public spirit, and fills the posi- tion of one of the directors of the National Bank, of Shelby ; he is also one of the managers of the Buckeye Mutual lire Insurance Company of Shelby ; he super- intends quite extensive farming, and is one of the most successful in the county. He speaks his mind fully, and, while he is strong in his opinions, he is open to convictions. He was married to Miss Caroline Sipe in April, 1856. They had fourteen children, twelve of whom are living.

BRINER, JOHN, farmer; he was born in Perry Co., Penn., May 23, 1813 ; he spent his youth on a farm. His father, John Briner, hearing of Ohio, resolved to settle there, where land was cheap and where he might get each of his children a home ; so, having made all necessary arrangements for the trip, he started in his wagon for his new home ; he settled on the tarm now owned by the widow of Henry Briner, in Jackson Township; this was in 183'2 ; he died at an advanced age, on the farm. The subject of this sketch remained at home until 183-5, when he moved on the farm now occupied by him, and built a log house near where the present homestead is now located ; he cleared most of the farm and built all the present comfortable build- ings ; he has been an active worker, a good manager, and, as his children get married, he is enabled to give each of his sons 80 acres of land and his daughters 40. He was married to Miss Sarah Henry Dec. 25, 1834 ; they had twelve children, nine of whom are living, six of them being in Williams Co., Ohio. Mrs. Briner was born in Perry Co., Penn., Nov. 25, 1811 ; her father emigrated to Harrison Co., Ohio, and, in 1833, moved to Jackson Township ; he remained in Ohio for a number of years, but, being desirous of seeing the land of his birth, the home of his childhood, he resolved to take a trip East, and was on that ill-fated train which collided near the village of Thompsontown, Juniata Co., Penn., and where so many met a quick and certain death ; after the colli- sion, the wreck took fire, and it is supposed that he was wedged in between some timbers where he could not extricate himself, and he, with many others, fell a victim to the flames ; the doors of the cars were also locked, and this may have prevented the escape of some. Mrs. Bi-iner had six sisters and five brothers, all liv- ing but one ; the oldest is 70 years and the youngest 50 years of age.

CAIRNS, JOSEPH, farmer ; P. 0. Spring Mills ; he was born in Mansfield in October, 1837. Some time after,

��his father moved to Jackson, on the farm now occu- pied by his three sons. The subject of this notice has remained on the farm ever since. He moved to where he now resides in 1864; he takes an active interest in the affairs of the county and township ; politically, he is a Democrat, and is an influential member of his party. He has held several offices in the township, and, by advice of his friends, he allowed his name to go before the people for a prominent office, but his father being desirous of receiving the nomination for the same ofiice, he withdrew his name. He was married to Miss Sarah Kuhn, of Plymouth Township, May, 18G2; they have had ten children, seven of whom are living.

CAIRNS, JOHN G., farmer; P. 0. Spring Mills; he was born in Mansfield Jan. 27, 1840. He spent his youth on a farm. He enlisted in Co. E, 32d 0. V. I., July 27, 1861, for three years. The regiment to which he belonged was with the Army of the Tennessee ; he participated in all the battles with his regiment, and, while in the siege of Vicksbui-g, he was with a party of men who were in the trenches in front of the rebel bat- teries, where, by order, they were compelled to keep up a constant firing ; the guns becoming very dirty from constant use during the day, they would rebound at each discharge, and as they wei-e so situated against the side of the ditch, they had no way by which they could protect themselves, but had to stand the rebound against their shoulders. He did the firing of two guns, while the other man did the loading. From this he re- ceived a very serious injury in his shoulder, from which he has never fully recovered. He was discharged at Chattanooga in September, 1864. After his return home, he went to farming. He resided about six years in Madison Township. He is a Democrat, and takes an active interest in the afi'airs of the party. He has held the office of Assessor for two terms. He was mar- ried to Helen M. Livensparger March 14, 1865 ; they have had eight children, five of whom are living.

CLARK, CALVIN, farmer; he was born in AY ashing- ton Co., Penn., Aug. 23, 1802; his parents emigrated 1 from Pennsylvania, with their family of sis children, in the spring of 1815, and settled two miles south of Mansfield, where they took up 160 acres of land ; they remained there about three years, and then sold out and moved three miles north of Mansfield, where they purchased 160 acres; they remained there some seven years, and then went to live with their son, Calvin. When Calvin was about 20 years of age, he left the farm, and he and one of his brothers went to brick- making ; he worked at that for some two years, and then took a lease of 30 acres of land which is now em- braced between First and Fourth streets, in the west- ern part of Mansfield, and is now covered with residences ; he leased this land in 1822 for the term of seven years, getting all he could raise on it during that time for clearing and fencing it ; he built a log house, which is yet standing ; it has since been weather- boarded and somewhat remodeled ; when he first canae to Mansfield, there was not a frame building in the vil- lage ; after leaving the lease, he moved into Sharon Tovvuship, about one mile south of where Shelby now stands, where he cleared considerable land ; he pur- chased where he now lives in 1829, and, two years later, moved on it, where he has since resided. His

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