George L. Kedzie

As printed in 1908

GEORGE L. KEDZIE, one of the early settlers of Mad River Township, an esteemed citizen and prominent agriculturist, residing on a fine farm of 207 acres, was born August 5, 1821, and is a son of James and Margaret (Hume) Kedzie. The grandfather, Adam Kedzie, a native of Scotland, brought his family to America in 1795, and settled on a farm in Delaware County, New York, where he remained until his death, some years later.

James Kedzie was one of his family of eight children: George, James, William, Adam, Elizabeth, Janet, Isabella, and Nancy, all now deceased. James Kedzie was married in New York State in 1804, to Margaret Hume, a native of Scotland. She came to America on the same vessel as Mr. Kedzie, accompanying her parents, Robert and Allison ( Will sou) Hume. In 1837 James Kedzie and family removed to Ohio and settled in JMad River Township, buying a large tract of timbered land from Henry Bechth, who had entered it from the government. The family lived for a time in a log house which was found on the place, but in 1842 a frame house was erected. Three years later this house burned down. In 1852 the large ten-room brick house in which George L. Kedzie now resides was erected, and here both James Kedzie and his wife died, the former on May 28, 1860, and the latter in 1865. They were the parents of nine children: Adam, deceased; Allison, married Robert Hyde, both deceased; Margaret, married Orrin Penfield, both are deceased; Isabella, deceased; Robert, died while attending college in Now York; John H., deceased, went to Chicago in 1847 and became a large real estate owner, and his widow, Mrs. Mary E. (Kent) Kedzie, still resides there; Elizabeth, married John Dewey, both are deceased; George L., and Jane Ann, who died, aged nine months.

George L. Kedzie was born on his father's farm near Delhi, New York, and at the age of sixteen years came with his parents to Clark County, Ohio, and settled on his present farm. The trip from Delhi required about two weeks time, the travelers going first to Utica, New York, in a lumber wagon, thence to Buffalo by canal, from there to Cleveland, Ohio, by steamboat, then down the canal to Columbus, and from there to Clark County in wagons. Mr. Kedzie 's education was received in the common schools previous to coming to Ohio. After reaching Clark County, although only a lad, he began clearing the farm and experienced many of the hardships common to pit)neer life. He subsequently purchased the place from his father and assumed entire charge of the farming and stock-raising, in which he has always been very successful. Mr. Kedzie is a stockholder in the Mad River Bank, the First National Bank and in the Lagonda Bank, of which he was one of the organizers. He is a Republican in politics. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an elder.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.