Ira Brinkerhoff

As printed in 1910

IRA BRINKERHOFF.

For many years Ira Brinkerhoff has occupied a conspicuous place among the agriculturalists of Wayne county, Ohio. His career has been that of an honorable, enterprising and progressive business man, whose well-rounded character has enabled him to take an active interest in everything pertaining to the advancement of the community and to keep well informed concerning the momentous questions affecting the nation.. In all life's relations he has commanded the respect and confidence of those with whom he has come in contact and his upright life is an inspiration to all who know him well and arc familiar with his character.

Ira Brinkerhoff was born on the old Brinkerhoff homestead in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio, on the 29th of June, 1858. and is the son of James and Elizabeth (Ewing) Brinkerhoff, the former a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, born October 11, 1817, and the latter born March 30, 1825. in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio. The subject’s paternal grandfather, Daniel Brinkerhoff, was born March 14, 1780, in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and he married Rebecca Frazier, who was born June 15, 1783. They were married in 1809 and his death occurred in 1848; she died in 1892. Daniel Brinkerhoff came to Wayne county, Ohio, settling first in Wayne township, but a short time afterwards he bought the place of one hundred and sixty acres in Congress township on which the subject of this sketch now lives. The place was densely covered with the primeval forest growth and Mr. Brinkerhoff entered at once upon the herculean task of clearing this and putting it under cultivation. A log cabin was erected where the present residence stands and a happy and comfortable home was established, albert lacked many of the comforts and luxuries which characterize the homes of the present day. Here the subject's father, James Brinkerhoff, labored in the arduous toil of the first few years and he spent the remainder of his life here. James and Elizabeth Brinkerhoff became the parents of the following children: Amos, born February 11. 1846: Rebecca, born January 14, 1848, the wife of Jonathan Fetzer, of Chester township: Elizabeth Jane, born March 30, 1850. died December 15, 1854: William, born September 7. 1854. living in Canaan township: Martha, born January 3, 1855. married John Winters, of Wooster; Ira, born June 29, 1858. lives on the home place, and is the immediate subject of this sketch: Anna, born May 22, 1860, died March 9, 1892. was the wife of William Barnard, of Congress township: James, born July 30, 1864, lives in Canaan township: Jane, born August 7, 1867. died in infancy. James Brinkerhoff. Sr., was a stanch Democrat in politics and in religion he gave his support to the Presbyterian church. The subject’s paternal grandfather, William Ewing, was one of the very earliest residents of Canaan township and his brother Simon was the first white male child born in the township, 1817.

Ira Brinkerhoff was reared by his parents and secured his education in the district school at Golden Comers, supplementing this by attendance at the high school at Burbank. He has, with the exception of one year spent in Michigan, spent his entire life with his parents on the old home farm. He was reared to the life of a farmer and in his early years he saw much arduous toil, assisting in bringing the farm to that splendid condition which has since characterized it. After completing his education, he was for a time employed as a collector and in various other capacities, but eventually he went to farming and stock-raising on shares with his father, in both of which lines he was eminently successful. At his father’s death, he assumed charge of the home farm, and has since continued its operation. He has proven himself a man of progressive ideas, keeping in close touch with the latest advances in the science of agriculture and he is not slow to adopt those methods which appear to him as sound and practical. He has thus acquired a well-merited reputation in his community as a thoroughgoing and up-to-date agriculturalist. The home and other farm buildings are kept in the best of repair and the general appearance of the place reflects great credit on Mr. Brinkerhoff.

In politics Mr. Brinkerhoff is a Democrat and takes a commendable interest in public affairs, but he has never consented to run for public office of any character. While not a member of any church, he is a firm believe in their efficiency as a moral agency and their influence for good in any community, and he gives a liberal support to the various churches in this con\- munity.

On the 25th of July, 1898, Mr. Brinkerhoff wedded Nettie Wagner, the daughter of Michael and Mary (Hawk) Wagner, the former a native of Alsace, Germany, and the latter of Wayne county, Ohio. They have become the parents of the following children: Charles Ira. born November

19. 1899; Harry Clement, bom November 29, 1900; Erma June, bom Jun (\ 1903, died October 15th of the same year; Fay. born September 6, 1904; George, born September 2c, 1906; Fern, born May 14. 1908. Socially Mr. Brinkerhoff is an appreciative member of Rising Star Lodge No. 22, Knights of Pythias. He is a man of splendid personal qualifications and has lent his influence to the support of every movement calculated to benefit the community, morally, educationally or materially. A man of genial disposition and kindly manner, he enjoys the friendship of all who know him.

As printed in History of Wayne County Ohio (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.