Frederick Croft

As printed in 1881

FREDERICK CROFT, retired farmer; P. O. Donnelsville. This gentleman is a member of one of Clark County's representative pioneer families, and is the son of George and Mary (Critz) Croft, he a native of Pennsylvania, and she of Virginia Frederick was born in Bethel Township, Nov. 25, 1815, and grew to manhood in the pioneer days, when schools and such evidences of civilization were scarce; therefore his. education was limited to what he could obtain in a few terms in the rough log schoolhouse of those early days. He assisted his father on the farm and at the mill, faithfully doing his share toward the accumulation of the family estate. On the 24th of February, 1841, he was married to Sophia Kindsmore Smith, who was born in Adams Co., Penn., Feb. 16, 1824, and when a child, came with her parents to Clark County. Here she matured, and has had born to her five children, two married—George (deceased); Clara, now Mrs. Thomas Minnich, of Montgomery Co., Ohio.; Abraham, cultivating the old farm; William, still at home; and one died in infancy. Soon after the marriage of our subject, he embarked in farming for himself, on his father's farm, of which he afterward became part owner; there he judiciously labored until 1870, when he purchased his present lot of ten acres, on the “ Dayton and Mad River Valley Pike," where a fine dwelling decorated the same, in which he lives comfortable and happy, with a wife who is the light of the family, and a kind mother to her children. She is à daughter of Abraham C. and Elizabeth (Dill) Smith, who were natives of Pennsylvania; he was born in Adams County, Dec. 25, 1795; there grew to majority, and was educated in the Pennsylvania College, after which he took a course of medicine, but never entered upon the profession as practitioner. He was an active and valuable counselor at law, to which much of his time was given. He was married in Pennsyl-

vania, and in 1834 he and family located in Clark County; but in 1837 removed to near Camden, Jay Co., Ind. In 1835, he united with the Presbyterian Church, at Carlisle, Ohio, and by his Christian walk in after years gave good evidence that he was a humble followed of Christ. He was a man of integrity of character, upright and honest in all his dealings; and one who possessed the confidence, to the fullest extent, of his fellow-citizens. The people of Jay County elected him two successive terms to the office of Associate Judge of the county, the duties of which he filled with faithfulness and ability. On the morning of his death, when asked by a near member of the family “ What his prospects were in view of death?” and he cheerfully replied: “ I am willing to go wherever the Lord calls me.” His death occurred Nov. 18, 1863, having attained to nearly his threescore and ten years. He left an aged widow and many warm friends. His wife was born in York Co., Penn., in 1792; she was a faithful companion and worker in the church of her husband; she was the mother of twelve children, of whom nine are now living; Mrs. Croft being the sixth in number, and of Swiss descent on the father's side, and of English on the material side.

As printed in The History of Clark County Ohio, (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.