In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1850
From History of Coshocton County, Ohio: its past and present, 1740-1881. Containing a comprehensive history of Ohio; a complete history of Coshocton County ... a history of its soldiers in the late war ... (1881)
COMPTON J. A., Coshocton, dealer in musical instruments and sewing machines; was born January 10, 1850, in Jackson township; son of Elisha Compton, born in Virginia, of English ancestry. Young Compton was raised on the farm, and left it when about twenty-one years of age and entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, and remained three years, with the exception of teaching school one term. In the year 1873, Mr.
Oompton established his present business, in which he is doing well, having handled during the past year from 300 to 400 sewing machines, about fifty organs and a number of pianos.
As printed in History of Coshocton County, Ohio: its past and present, 1740-1881. Containing a comprehensive history of Ohio; a complete history of Coshocton County ... a history of its soldiers in the late war ... (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.