In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1906) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1852
From History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens (1906), A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio; (1896)
FORGE JOSEPH EBLEN, M. D.. if one of the most talented physicians.
J? of Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Vevay, Switzerland county, Ind., September 22, 1852. His father, David Eblen, was born in Virginia in 1806, and was quite a child when taken to Switzerland county, Ind., where he was educated in the pioneer schools and reared to manhood — his first business for himself being brick-laying and farming. For some years later he was engaged in merchandising at, Vevay, where he resided until 1882, and died while on a visit to Christiansburg, Ky., in the fall of 1SS2. His marriage had taken place in Switzerland county, Ind., in 1830, to Miss Sarah Buchanan, and to this union were born eight children, viz: Sarah, deceased; James, Elizabeth, John Lawson, Nettie, Fletcher, deceased; George J.. and Charles, deceased. The mother, Mrs.
Sarah Eblen, died in 1S5S; she was a member of the Christian church, and was known as a lady of many admirable traits of mind and heart. For his second wife, Mr. Eblen those Mrs. Mary Sachwell, of Ghent, Ky., who bore him one child — Laura. Mr. Elben was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a republican in politics, and a man of considerable prominence in the community where he resided.
George Joseph Eblen, at the age of ten years, abandoned the parental domicile, and sought a home with John B. Gordon, a farmer of Switzerland county, Ind., with whom he lived until nineteen years of age. attending in the meantime the district school
As printed in A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio; (1896). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
EORGE JOSEPH EBLEN, M. D., for many years one of the leading medical practitioners of Van Wert County, retired from active practice of his profession some years ago to give his whole time and attention to the Home Guards of America, a fraternal insurance society of which he was one of the founders and of which he is now Supreme Counselor. He was born September 22, 1852, at Vevay, Switzerland County, Indiana, and is a son of David and Sarah (Buchanan) Eblen.
David Eblen, father of Dr. Eblen, was born in 1806 in Virginia, but was reared in Indiana, where he resided all his life, being variously engaged in brick-laying, farming and merchandising in Vevay. His death occurred in 1882 while on a visit in Kentucky. In 1830 David Eblen was married in Indiana to Sarah Buchanan, who died in 1858. His second marriage was to Mrs. Mary Sachwell, of Ghent, Kentucky. The children of the first marriage were: Sarah, deceased; James; Elizabeth;
John Lawson; Nettie; Fletcher, deceased; George Joseph; and Charles, deceased. One daughter was born to the second union. David Eblen was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was identified with the Republican party.
George Joseph Eblen, after the death of his mother, lost interest in what had been his happy home and, a child of 10 years, accepted a home with a neighboring farmer, finding in him a just and generous protector. He was given school advantages which in his case were thoroughly appreciated. At the age of 19 years he passed a teacher’s examination and secured a license to teach. In 1873 he wa9 graduated at Bryant & Stratton’s Business College, at Louisville, Kentucky, and then accepted a position on that institution’s faculty for a year, going from there to another commercial college in the same city, where he taught a year. Returning to Indiana, he continued to teach school until 1875. in the meantime reading as many medical works as his leisure time afforded, and then attended a course of lectures in the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville. His next five years he spent with Dr. J. M. Sweezv, at Cross Plains,
Indiana, and subsequently he was a student in the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, where he was graduated in 1880.
When Dr. Eblen took up the practice of his profession, he located at Shasta, Wert
County, Ohio, where he continued for six years. In 1886 he removed to Van Wert and for one year was associated with Dr. W. H. Christopher. He then practiced alone until 1899, when he relinquished his practice to devote his talents and energies to the Home Guards of America, then a young organization. When engaged actively in his profession, he kept abreast of the progress made in the medical world and enjoyed post-graduate work in the New York Polyclinic College. He is a valued and useful member of the Ohio State Eclectic Medical Association.
On December 7, 1881, Dr. Eblen was married to Carrie Niles, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. January 19, 1854, and is a daughter of the late venerable Barnabas Niles, whose sketch follows this.
In addition to valuable property in Cincinnati, Dr. Eblen owns a considerable amount in Van Wert, including one of the handsome residences on South Washington street, which is frequently the scene of pleasant social functions. Both Dr. and Mrs. Eblen are member r of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Van Wert. The family stands as one of the leading ones in social life in this city.
Dr. Eblen is fraternally connected with a number of the leading organizations of the country, being a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and is prominent also in the beneficiary orders of the National Union and the Home Guards of America.
That the large fraternal insurance society known as the Home Guards of America has met with unqualified success in its life of a little more than six years, has been chiefly due to the efforts of Dr. Eblen. The organization of the society was perfected in Van Wert in the year 1899 and has shown a remarkable growth in the succeeding years. On December 31, 1905, the number of benefit certificates was 8,- 908 and up to that time $237,174.30 had been paid out in settlement of death claims. There are 125 Homes in the following States: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Michigan and Kentucky. On another page of this work will appear a view of the Home Guards Temple, erected in Van Wert in 1906, which was planned by Dr. Eblen, at a cost of $75,000, which is acknowledged to be the most pretentious and substantial structure in the city. It is four stories high and has ground dimensions of 66 by 132 feet. At the time that the Home Guards of America was organized, Dr. Eblen gave up his medical practice and has ever since labored most earnestly in behalf of the Order, giving it his entire time and attention. Whenever there have been responsibilities to be assumed, he has accepted them, furnishing funds during the early years of the order to keep it going until it was well established. At the present time Dr. Eblen is at the head of the order, serving in the office of supreme counselor. He is also managing editor of the Home Guards Monitor, published at Van Wert every month, which is the official organ of the fraternity.
As printed in History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Barnabas Niles W. Evans (b. 1852) William Henry Harrison
The printed record stops around 1906. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.