Darius A. Sprague

As printed in 1902

DARIUS A. SPRAGUE.

Darius A. Sprague is the proprietor of IMaple Leaf fami of South Charleston and is one of the most noted horse raisers and dealers in this portion of the state. He has done much to improve the grade of horses raised in this section of Ohio, and his efforts have been of benefit to his fellow men, for by improving the grade of stock prices are advanced and all of the agricultural community are thereby benefited. ]\Mr. Sprague is a native of Harmony township, Clark county, born January 31, 1849, ''''d 'S a son of Darius and Sarah (Rice) Sprague. His boyhood days were spent upon his father's farm in his native township, and he acquired a good common school education, continuing at home until twenty-twn years of age. After attaining his majority he worked for his father by the month for a year.

On his twentyecond birthday Mr. Sprague was united in marriage to Miss Phebe E. Thorpe, a daughter" of Robert and Mary (Homer) Thorpe. Mr. Sprague's father was a well-to-do farmer and of him our subject rented a tract of land. He had one horse and his wife's uncle gave them another, so that he had a team with which to break his land. He also traded his sad= die and bridle to his father for a new plow and with characteristic energy he began the cultivation of his fields. For three years he rented his father's land, giving him half of all lliat was raised for several y-ears. Afterward he rented at a cash rental and in this way he gained a start, acquiring sufficient capital to enable him to purchase eighty acres of land from his father. When that tract was about paid for he bought another eighty-acre tract, making his home thereon for thirteen years. On the expiration of that period he rented his property and bought where he now lives, near South Charleston, at first becoming the owner of thirty-one acres. As his financial resources increased he extended the boundaries of his farm until it comprised one hundred and twenty acres, but he has since sold forty acres, now retaining possession of eighty acres. 'hen he disposed of his other property in this county he accepted residence property in Springfield, worth ten thousand dollars, as part payment, and this he still owns.

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In his lx3yhood j\lr. Sprague was always very fond of horses and began to trade in them to some extent, although his first venture in fine stock was in pure bred Berkshire swine. For many years he bred and raised fine li'igs and was a prominent exhibitor at the fairs of Clark and adjoining counties with his herd of Berkshires. He then went back to his first love — the horse — and about 1894 he invested in trotting stock. In that year he purchased Bessie Bonehill, a two-year old. for which he ])aid two hundred and twenty-five dollars. This was the first horse he ever trained. He bred her, raising a colt in 1895. In 1896 she made a record of 2:iO;y4 at Chillicothe. She next won a race at Columbus in three straight heats, and the following year he put her in the hands of John Dickerson, of Terre Haute, Indiana. She won several races, and in Terre Haute made the world's record for pacing march in 1897 — 2:05-;4. Mr. Sprague sold this horse in Chicago for fifteen hundred dollars. She was afterward sold to 1-red Deitz, of New York. Mr. Sprague next bought Alatus, a stallion by Alcyone, with a record of 2.2- sired by George Wilkes. Alatus had a record of 2:2554, which was the next year reduced to 2:2414- and the following year to 2:17' This horse is still owned by Mr. Sprague and has proved a wonderful successful sire, already having six performers, one with a record of 2:09)4. In 1895 he became the owner of Banner Belle, which he bought at Lexington. Kentucky, with a lot of brood mares, including a two-year-old. which made a record of 2.o and was sold in iqoo. One of his mares, which cost him one hundred and fifty dollars, developed until she had a record of 2:28. She was sold in Chicago in 1897 for six hundred dollars. He next bought Axius, 28396. by Axtell. the world's champion, with a three-year-old record of 2:12, and is the leading sire of the world of his age. Axius is one of the finest bred horses ever brought to Ohio. His dam, with record of 2:28. was sired by a full brother of:[and S.. 2:o8;M- His second dam has a record of 2:2604. 'was sired by a son of Hambletonian 10. and his third dam was the great Green Mountain Maid, the dam of nine performers, and also the d.am of Flectioneer. Individually Axius is a perfect type of the American trotter, standing sixteen hands and weighing twelve hundred jjounds. While not used for track purposes he has shown 2:o8 speed. Mr. Sprague bred and now has Colonel Coit. 3 41 1, by Alatus. out of the great Arab Girl, dam of Bessie Bonehill. He is now a four-year-old. with a pacing record of 2:241-4. Arab Girl now has twin tillies, foaled April 18. 19C2, by Axius. Mr. Sprague also owns a three-year-old stallion, Tanforan. 32814. a trotter, by Expedition. 2:i5-j4. out of Tanta Buona. 2:2o;4. His draft stallion. Pai)million 10180 (T8296). weighing seventeen hundred ]>pounds. is coal black and has mane four and one-half feet long. Mr. Sprague built his track, training and breeding barn in tSc/i. and in that year called his place the Maple Leaf farm, under which name it has gained a wide reputation and is ahxady credited with ten performers and many promising prospects. He is one of the leading stock breeders of this portion of Ohio.

In his political affiliations INIr. Sprague is a Prohibitionist. He was reared in the Democratic party, but has never affiliated with that organization. In 1900 he cast his ballot for Major McKinley, the Republican candidate. He is a man of most temperate habits and never uses intoxicants or tobacco in any way. He belongs to the Baptist church and his life is in harmony with Christian principles. In business dealings he is always honorable and straightforward and in all life's relations is true toduty, so that he has won the confidence of his fellow men. While not an aspirant for public office he has been deeply interested in educational and local affairs. He served as a member of the board of education of South Charleston for a number of years, holding the office of treasurer and president of the board. He was also a member of the town council for several-ears.

Jonathan Mason is a farmer and stock raiser of Green township. He was born in this township December 10, 1826, and is a;m of James and Electa (Town) Mason. The mother was a native of Vermont and when a child came to Ohio with her parents, but it is not known when the father arrived in this county. He died when his son Jonathan was very young, and at the early age of twelve years the subject of this review began earning his own livelih(yod, working as a farm hand at that time. He has depended entirely upon his own resources for a living and he has come of concpieror in the world of business. His educational privileges were necessarily limited, but reading and experience in later years have continually broadened his knowledge. For a few years he worked for the meager sum of five dollars per month and he had but little saved when he attained his majority. He continued to be employed by the month until a1x)Ut twenty-five years of age, when he was married, the lady of his choice being Miss Malinda Craig. They became the parents of three children: Eiumaranda, now the wife of James Evans, a resident of Morton county Kansas, by whom she has eight children; Oscar, who married Elizabeth Galloway, of Noble county, Indiana, and has two children, Marjorie and Walter Scott; and George, who married Edith Dugan and is the youngest of the family.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Mason located upon rented land and after renting farms for a number of years he finally purchased thirty acres of land, upon which Fred Wilson is now living. He never took up his above upon that property, but selling it at an advance he purchased fifty-six acres where he now lives in Green township. To this he has since added until he has a good farm, here of seventy-three acres, and he also owns forty acres where his son Oscar is now living. Throughout his entire life he has carried on agricultural pursuits and his home farm is under a high state of cultivation and equipped with all accessories to a model country property.

In 1863 Mr. Mason was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife, who died on

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As printed in A Biographical record of Clark county, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.