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CEDARVILLE HISTORY

(BIOGRAPHICAL CONTINUED)

John F. Frazier, merchant, Cedarville, was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1813, and is a son of Andrew and Ann (Adair) Frazier. His father was born in County Downs, and his mother in County Antrum, Ireland. In County Downs they were married, and about 1805 immigrated to America, landing in Philadelphia during the great plague. The morning following their arrival, they hurriedly left the city, leaving their baggage aboard ship, which they never got. They located in Fayette County, and lived there till 1817, when they moved to Adams County, Ohio, and three years later removed to Brown County, where they died; he in 1823, aged forty-five, and his wife in 1844, aged sixty-six or sixty-seven years. Nine children were born to them, five of whom are living; Jane, Eliza, Lavinia, Rebecca, and John F. The deceased were Hugh, William, James A., and Esther. James A. was a missionary in the United Presbyterian Church, and was stationed in Damascus, Syria, where he labored from 1851 till his death, in 1863, with the exception of two or three years he passed at home. His daughter Mary is a teacher in the mission schools of the United Presbyterian Church in Egypt. Mr. Frazier was reared on the farm till fifteen years old, when he was apprenticed to learn the tanning and shoe-making business in Russellville, Brown County Ohio, where he labored for two years and a half, then worked at various points at journeyman's work, and finally purchased a tanyard in Decatur, Ohio, to which he gave his attention eleven years, after which he sold out, and in 1847 located in Cedarville, and embarked in the mercantile business, in which he is yet engaged. He has been married four times; first, to Sarah Kelley, in November, 1833, by whom he had three children, Andrew S., Margaret J., and James. K. Mrs. Frazier died in 1847, aged thirty-two years. Secondly, to Ann E. McCullough, in February 1849. She departed this life, August 1, 1849, aged twenty-seven years. Thirdly, to Eliza V. Dille in March 1851, by whom he had four children, Flora, William S., Mary A., and Johanna. Mrs. Frazier died in the fall of 1861, aged thirty-eight years. His fourth and last marriage was celebrated in 1866, with Nancy of Pennsylvania, by whom he had one child, John H. Mrs. Frazier died in 1869, aged forty-two years. In politics be is strongly Republican, always voting with that party upon all questions at issue. Has been treasurer of the township eleven years, and has been a member of the United Presbyterian Church since twenty-one years of age. His firstvote, for W. H. Harrison, was not deposited, yet he held a contrary ballot on the opposite side. In 1844 he voted for Birney.

Robert Gray, grocer, Cedarville, was born in Covington, Kentucky, in the year 1844. The early part of his business life was spent in traveling for Kimball, Aikman & Co., of Indianapolis, and Henry Hammond & Co., of Cincinnati. He has been a commercial traveler for seventeen years. Came to this place August 11, 1879, and commenced his present business, which he has carried on successfully until the present time, keeping in stock almost everything that can be found in a first-class grocery store. He is the son of John and Jane Gray, who were natives of the North of Ireland. His father was born December 25, 1798, and his mother October 5, 1802. Robert, the subject of this sketch, was married, in 1870, to Miss Belle Dempsey. They have one daughter, Daisy E. They are members of the Presbyterian Church, and we recognize in Mr. Gray one of the leading business men of the town in which he lives.

George W. Harper, farmer and stock raiser, Cedarville, was born in this county, May 30, 1825. Is a son of Thomas and Mary (Sirlotte) Harper, who was born at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, the name of which place originated from the same family of Harpers. They came to this county about the year 1812, and are numbered among the earliest settlers of the period. Mr. Harper grew to be one of the wealthiest farmers, and departed this life, January 8, 1878, aged eighty-two years. His wife Mary S. Harper, died April 6, 1873. George, the subject of this sketch, spent the early part of his life at home, with his parents. At the age of eighteen he commenced business for himself, dealing in cattle in Illinois, and has remained in that business until the present time. He was educated in the common schools, except one year, when he attended Thomas Steele's select school. He was married, in the year 1860 to Vinnie Murray, daughter of George and Vinnie (Morris) Murray. We are pleased to record George as one of, if not the.largest land owners now in the county, owning eleven hundred acres at the present time, and has about completed the handsomest dwelling now in Cedarville.

James Jeffreys, furniture .manufacturer, Cedarville, was born in Greenville County, Virginia; January 30, 1821. Is the son of Silas and Susan (Fruit) Jeffreys. Silas was a descendant of the Catawba tribe of Indians. James was married September 7, 1852, to Miss Nancy Wooten, who bore him six children, three of whom are now living,Salathiel A., Elmer, and Emma. His first wife dying he again, January 24,1865, married Elizabeth Crone, daughter of Levi and Margaret Crone, natives of Virginia. Three children were born by the last marriage, U. H., W. O., and Ernest. James is the senior member of the Jeffreys Furniture Manufacturing Company, salesroom, No. 9 Greene Street, Xenia, where can be found the latest patterns in furniture.

Mason Jeffreys, furniture manufacturer, Cedarville, was born in Cedarville, September 8, 1835, and is the son of Uriah and Caroline Jeffreys, who were born in North Carolina, and came to this county about the year 1830. Uriah was a descendant of the tribe of Catawba Indians. Mason, the subject of this sketch, remained at home with his parents until he reached his majority, receiving his education, in the common district schools. In 1860, he married Miss Johanna A. Heithcook, daughter of Decatur and Emeline Heithcook. Three children have been born to them, two of which are now living, John R. and Freddie.

William Kyle, farmer, Cedarville, was born on the farm now known as the Mardock Place, August 27, 1821, and is the son of Samuel and Rachel (Jackson) Kyle, of whom mention is made in another part of this work. Received the rudiments of his education in a log school house, that stood not far from where the Oak Grove House now stands. At the age of twenty-four, he married Rachel Cherry, daughter of James and Elizabeth Cherry, natives of Virginia. He is the father of nine children, all living. Are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

James Kyle, retired farmer, Cedarville, was born in this township, November 8, 1819. Is the son of Samuel and Rachel (Jackson) Kyle. Samuel was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and emigrated, with his parents to near Cynthiana, Kentucky, and was married at about the age of twenty-three, to Miss Mitchell. Six children were born to then. She departed this life about the year 1813. Again, in 1815, Samuel married Miss Rachel Jackson. Fifteen children were borne by this marriage, ten of whom are now living. James, the subject of this sketch, was the tenth child, and remained in the family until the age of twenty-five, when he married Jane Parks. She died one year after, and in nine years from her death he married Miss Maria Tarbox. They have but two children, John M. and Charles H. Mr. and Mrs. Kyle are both members of the United Presbyterian Church, and are living on a farm of one hundred and four acres, pleasantly located.J. W. McFarland, farmer, Cedarville, was born on the farm where he now lives, January 15, 1846. Is the son of G. C. and Evaline (Hicks) McFarland. Received an early education in the district schools, and remained at home with his parents until July 1, 1863, when he enlisted in the naval service, and was a seaman on the gunboats Victory and Benton, plying the Ohio, Mississippi, Cumberland, Red Rivers, and was engaged in a number of skirmishes. He was mustered out of the service, August 28, 1865. On December 20, 1877, was married to Mattie Marshall, daughter of Hugh and Mary Meeny Marshall, natives of Ireland. Arthur H. McFarland, deceased, and brother of our subject, was born in this township September 10, 1843, and was much beloved by all who knew him, as a model young man. He enlisted in the Seventieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was in the service but three months, when he returned home on furlough, and died shortly after, January 26, 1862, of typhoid fever.

Samuel K. Mitchell, lumber dealer, Cedarville, was born in Xenia Township, June 20, 1822, and is the thirteenth son of James and Martha (Espy) Mitchell, who were born in Pennsylvania, and when yet young, went with their parents to Kentucky in a very early day. Grandfather David Mitchell erected the first cabin on the present site of Lexington, Kentucky. They remained here some: years, when, on account of slavery, he sold out about the year 1800, came to this county, and settled near Bellbrook, where they resided some years, being one of the first settlers in that locality. From here he removed to Clark's Run, north of Xenia, where he made a permanent home, and died in 1848, his wife dying in Xenia, September 1, 1865, aged eighty-eight years. Mr. Mitchell, sen., was a soldier in the war of 1812, in which he contracted sciatic pains, which made him a great sufferer, and incapacitated him from doing manual labor. They were parents of thirteen children, four of whom are living: Margaret, Thomas, Robert, and our subject. The deceased were David, James E., Eliza, Ann, Josiah, Martha, Sarah, Francis P., and Maria. They all grew to manhood and womanhood. Francis P. was a physician, and died of yellow fever, in New Orleans. Mr. Mitchell and his wife were members of the United Presbyterian Church, in which he was an active and zealous worker. Politically, he was an Abolitionist, and in the exciting times of 1844, was one of the three or four men in Xenia Township who voted for James G. Birney, anti slavery candidate for the presidency.

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