George W. Alkire

As printed in 1906

EORGE W. ALKIRE, one of the prominent agriculturists of Madison and Pickaway counties, belongs to one of the old pioneer families of this section of Ohio, and is the only surviving son of Isaac and Mary (Graham) Alkire.

The Alkire family is of Scotch extraction and many members of it still reside in old Scotland, where the name is spelled Alkirk. The founder of the Alkire family in America was a member of the colonizing expedition of Lord Baltimore, which crossed the Atlantic Ocean and made the first settlement in Maryland in 1634. Evidently this early settler was a man of virile strength as his descendants have increased and multiplied, their lives and histories being more or less interwoven with the annals of a number of the States of the Union. From Maryland the name is traced to Virginia, thence to Kentucky and about 1800 it became known in Ohio.

Almonas Alkire, of Virginia, in 1720 married Mary Crayman, the daughter of a neighbor, and from this union came a family, the four preserved names being: William, torn in 1724: Deborah, born in 1728; Almonas, Jr., born in 1730: and Sarah,, born in 1732.

William Alkire, the eldest son of the above family, was born and probably reared in Virginia and there married Elizabeth Moore, for his first wife. Subsequently he removed to Kentucky but no records are at hand to show whether the following children were born in Virginia or Kentucky. They were: Marv Ann, born October 5, 1781, who married Courtney-Tanner: Robert, born October 3, 1783. who married Elizabeth Douglass: John, born December 17, 1785, who died in infancy; Margaret, born in 1786. who married James Denison; Jacob, born April 1, 1787. who married Mary Phebus, who died March 20. 1842, his death following on June 5, 1847; Isaac, the father of our subject; Abraham, torn August 6, 1790; Lydia, born January 3. 1792, who married John Graham; Harmon, born February 10, 1794, who never married; John (2), born October 15, 1795. who married Susan Mantle; Delilah, born in 1796, who married John Metz: and William, born 1797, who married Hannah Osborn. After the death of his first wife, William Alkire married Temperance Clay, who was a sister of the distinguished statesman, Henry Clay. Two children were born to this marriage, viz.: Henry Green Clay and Joseph. The former was torn May 25, 1807, in Ohio, and died July 23. 1863. His wife was Elizabeth Neff, of a well-known Ohio pioneer family.

Isaac Alkire, son of William and Elizabeth (Moore) Alkire. and father of George W. Alkire, was born October 12. 1788, probably in Kentucky. His death occurred May 10, 1877, nn h's farm in Darby township, Pickaway County, Ohio, where he owned 500 acres of land. He inherited 100 acres of land from his father, who came to Ohio about 1800. His whole life was devoted to agricultural pursuits. He married Mary Graham, who became the mother of eight children and died November 14. 1862. The two living children of Isaac Alkire are: George W., of this sketch: and Cynthia, the wife of F. O. Bostic, of Mount Sterling.

George W. Alkire was born in Darby town-

' ship, Pickaway County. Ohio, on January 4, 1836. He was educated in the district schools and was reared a practical farmer on the old homestead, where he remained until he was 38 years of age. He owns 807 acres of excellent land in Pickaway County, as mentioned above, and also 75 acres in Madison County, on which he lives. Formerly the family owned the present site of Mount Sterling, which town was originally laid out by Mr. Alkire’s uncle, a Mr. Smith.

George W. Alkire was united in marriage with Katherine Smith, who was a ward of Dr. Whitford, of Circleville. They have had four children, viz.: Martha, who died aged 18 years; Nella, who lives at home; Katherine, who also resides at home; and William, who married Bessie Snyder.

Mr. Alkire is a charter member of the Mount Sterling lodge of Odd Fellows and is one of the oldest members of the fraternity in his section. Fie has been identified with the improvement and growth of Darby township since his earliest days and no citizen is held in higher esteem.

As printed in History of Pickaway 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.