The Crites Families of Allen County, Ohio

DANIEL L. CRITES (deceased) was a native of Pickaway County, Ohio, born October 30, 1833; eldest son of Charles and Sophia (Ludwig) Crites, natives of Pennsylvania, and who came to Ohio in 1812, locating first in Pickaway County (where they were married October 4, 1832) and in 1839 moving to this county and settling id German Township. They were parents of twelve children, all living but two. The father and mother are now seventy-six and seventy-one years of age respectively. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and was reared a farmer. He followed teaching in winter and farm \Vork in summer for a few years. He served two years as deputy auditor in Pickaway County, Ohio. Mr. Crites read medicine in 1854-55, from which time he practiced to some extent until 1862. He served over two years in the late war of the Rebellion as lieutenant in Company K, One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In 1865 he accepted the position as deputy auditor of this county, which he held until 1869, when he was appointed to fill the unexpired term in same of William Dowling, wTho died in August of that year. In 1870 he accepted the position as deputy clerk of the county, in which capacity he served five years, and in 1875 was elected to the office of clerk of the County Courts until 1882. Mr. Crites served as assessor and land appraiser in his township; was surveyor of Putnam County, Ohio; was licensed clerk in the House of Representatives at Columbus, Ohio, during the Sixtyfirst General Assembly. He took great interest in improving the schools of his village. Our subject was married March 3, 1855, to Miss Martha John, a native of this county, born September 25, 1833, daughter of Griffith and Rachel (Miller) John, and who is now the oldest person living in the township, who is a native of it. To this union were born two daughters: Bertha and Tirzah Iv. Mrs. Crites’ parents were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia respectively, and were married in Ross County,

Ohio, in 1816. They reared a family of thirteen children, and settled in this county in 1832, where the father died February 20, 1855, aged sixty-one years, and the mother June 23, 1861, also aged sixty-one years. Daniel L. Crites, the subject of above sketch, died March 30, 1885.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JACOB CRITES, farmer, P.O. Allen town, was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, Oct. 19, 1822. He was made a cripple for life by accidentally stepping on the knife of a straw-cutter, nearly severing his left foot from the leg. Early in life he commenced to work at the blacksmith trade, an occupation he followed seventeen years. He came to this county, in 1842, and October 2, 1845, was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Cremean, who died September 12, 1859, leaving to his care seven children. His second marriage occurred February 5, 1860 with Mrs. Emily Sellars. During his lifetime Mr. Crites served the public in Dearly all offices of trust in the township, and to the people of the county he has been very useful as county commissioner, to which office he was twice elected, filling the same with honor to himself and to the full satisfaction of the people. A great many private trusts also have been assigned to him, such as administering on the states of many of his deceased neighbors. It is his intention and desire, however, to retire from public life and devote his entire attention to his farming interests, (which are considerable,) in addition to which he has, for several years, been engaged more or less extensively in raising stock; his specialties being thorough-bred hogs. Mr. Crites was one of the incorporators of Allen Lodge, I. O. O. F., and for four years was master of German Grange, of which he has thrice been State delegate. Since the age of twenty Mr. Crites has been identified with some religious denomination, and for several years with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been very useful, tilling several offices of the same, at present being superintendent of the Sabbathschool.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

S. D. CRITES, whose portrait appears on the opposite page, ably represents the 32d Senatorial District in the Ohio State Senate. He was born in German township, Allen County,

Ohio, November 28, 1847, and is a son of Jacob and Mary J. (Cremean) Crites.

Jacob Crites, father of Senator Crites, was born October 19, 1822, in Pickaway County,

Ohio, came to Allen County as an early pioneer and died in German township, in March, 1904. During a long and useful life he was identified with a large number of the important interests of the county and was a highly respected man and valued citizen.

S. D. Crites was reared on his father’s farm and was instructed in all the practical work incident to the development of a large property. When 18 years of age he began to teach school. earning enough in this way to enable him to attend the National Normal University, at Lebanon Ohio, under the superintendence of that noted educator, President Alfred Hol4 brook. In 1870 Mr. Crites was appointed superintendent of the Elida public schools, a position he filled with efficiency for 12 successive years, resigning at the close of this long period on account of failing health. From 1876 until 1888 he was a member of the Allen County Board of School Examiners and for nine years he served as a justice of the peace in German township.

In 1883 Mr. Crites decided to try the effects of the out-door life necessary in the successful carrying on of large agricultural operations, and devoted himself to extensive farming and to the raising, buying and shipping of stock. A few years of country life restored his normal health. He now has his farms under rental to J. L. Edmiston and Alva Benedum, owning two adjoining farms, consisting of 300 acres.

In 1895 he purchased the grain elevator, at Elida, which he renovated; at present he is operating it in partnership with his brother, D. H. Crites, who is the active manager. In September, 1903, Senator Crites organized one of the leading financial establishments of this part of the State, the Farmers’ Bank of Elida. Aside from his public duties, Senator Crites devotes all his time to the interests of this bank and is ably assisted by his very capable daughter, Zoe Crites, who is cashier.

Senator Crites has not only been a prominent figure in the educational and business circles of Allen County, but for years he has been a dominating factor in its political life. His sympathies have always been in accord with the Democratic party. In 1901 he was nominated by acclamation, an unusual testimonial of party esteem, at the Democratic District Convention, for the position of State Senator, to represent the 32d Senatorial District, which is composed of the rich and populous counties of Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Mercer, Pauling, Van Wert and Williams. He was elected to this high position by a majority of 2,300 votes, and was re-elected at the expiration of his first term, practically without opposition. His work has been especially given, as committeeman, to finance, agriculture, benevolent institutions, common schools and school lands, fees and salaries, public works and public lands, penitentiaries, universities, colleges and banks, and building and loan associations. Upon his retirement from public life, Senator Crites proposes to devote himself exclusively to his banking interests:

In 1872 the subject of this sketch was married to Sarah Jane Reichelderfer, of Pickaway County, Ohio, who died in the same year. In 1876 he was married to Emma M. Ditto, and they have four accomplished daughters, viz: Mrs. S. O. Morris, of Lima; and Mabel, Zoe and Grace.

Fraternally Senator Crites is a Mason and has taken all the degrees up to and including the 32d. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Elida.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CYRUS D. CRITES, cashier of The First National Bank of Lima and a leading citizen of Lima and Allen County, is a member of one of the best known and most highly respected families of the county. He was born in German township, Allen County, Ohio, Mayn, 1855, and is a son of Jacob and Mary J. (Cremean) Crites. He remained on his father’s farm working in summer and attending the district school in winter until 20 years of age, except that the last three winters he taught school in Amanda township.

He then left the farm to accept the principalship of the schools at Cridersville, Auglaize County, in which position he served four

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1894, six weeks before the expiration of his second term. On April 1, 1895, he resigned the bank examinership to assume the management of The First National Bank of Lima as its cashier, which position he still holds.

Mr. Crites has always been active in Democratic politics of the State, district and county. He served as a member of the Democratic State Central Committee from 1889 to 1904 and as its chairman from 1892 to 1894. He directed as chairman the Ohio campaign of 1892, which resulted in a division of the electoral vote. He was a member of the Ohio Democratic Executive Committee of 1901, when Col. James Kilbourn was the candidate for Governor.

On June 17, 1891, Mr. Crites was married to Grace A. Cass, daughter of Dr. D. W. Cass, of Findlay, Ohio. He has two bright sons: Clarence Daniel, born January 23,

1893; and Virgil Cass, born January 15,

1895, both now enrolled at the Cloyne School, Newport, Rhode Island. Mr. and Mrs. Crites are prominent in the social life of Lima.

Mr. Crites is a truly representative citizen of Lima and Allen County, active in all things looking to the good of the city and community. He was one of a committee of three to plan the successful reception for the State commission and the presentation before this body of the claims of Lima for the proposed new State Hospital for the Insane. He is regarded as one of the best financiers in Ohio and has made The First National Bank what it is to-day, one of the soundest institutions in Ohio. A portrait of Mr. Crites accompanies this sketch.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ELIAS CRITES, one of the esteemed citizens and substantial residents of German township, where he owns a finely improved farm of 228 acres located in sections 7 and 8, was born June 21, 1825, in Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a son of John D. and Catherine (Peters) Crites.

John D. Crites was torn in Linn township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and moved from there to Berks County, Pennsylvania, where he married Catherine Peters and later moved to Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, Ohio, where both died in the course of time. They reared a family of 13 children, 10 of these reaching maturity, our venerable subject being the only survivor. John Crites and wife were consistent members of the German

Reformed Church, in which he was a ruling elder.

Elias Crites was reared on his father’s farm and attended the district schools. His mother died when he was 17 years of age and he left home and learned the carpenter and cabinetmaking trade at which he worked for some eight years. He then engaged in farming in Pickaway County, Ohio, until 1871, when he came to Allen County and bought 228 acres of land just north of Elida. This land he has placed under a fine state of cultivation and he has improved it with substantial houses and barns. He served eight years as trustee of Salt Creek township and for eight years was a trustee of German township.

On June 18, 1851, Mr. Crites was married to Catherine Mowery, who was a daughter of John Mowery. She died May 3, 1862, leaving three children: John D. and W. W., who operate the home farm; and Mary Selena, now deceased, who was the wife of Alvin Davis, of Elida. On October 5, 1862, Mr. Crites was married to a sister of his first wife, Mrs. Leannah (Mowery) Reichelderfer. Mrs. Crites by her first marriage had one son — George S. Reichelderfer, a resident of Pickaway County, engaged in the banking business at Laurelville, Ohio; and one daughter, Sarah Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Hon. S. D. Crites, of Elida. Elias Crites i6 a member of the German Reformed Church, while his wife is a Lutheran.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ELIAS CRITES, farmer, P. O. Elida, was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, June 21, 1825, son of John D. and Catharine (Petra) Crites, natives of Pennsylvania, and who were married in Berks County, Penn., and moved to Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1812, where they died. Of their family of thirteen children only five are now living: Charles, Amos, Levi, Jacob and Elias. Our subject was married, in 1851, to Miss Catharine Mowery, a native of Pickaway County, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Rachel (Dunkel) Mowery, who were among the first settlers id Pickaway County, Ohio, where they lived and died. To our subject and wife were born three children: Mary S. (deceased), John D. and Willison W. Mrs. Crites died in 1862, and in the fall of same year Mr. Crites married Mrs. Leannah (Mowery) Reichelderfer, a sister of his first wife, and widow of Venus Reichelderfer, by whom she had two children, of whom George S. is now living. Our subject came to this county in 1871, and settled in German Township, where he still resides. He spent his early years working at the carpenter’s trade, but now follows farming and pays special attention to raising short-horn cattle exclusively. He has served in some of the township offices; in politics he is a Democrat.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.