James Crabill

As printed in 1902

JAMES CRABILL.

Effort long continued when guided by sound business judgment cannot fail to win success, and such has been the case in the history of James Crabill, who is now living retired in Moorefield township after long years of connection with agricultural interests. A comfortable competence is his, won through honest purpose and unflagging labor. He was born January 12, 1841, in the town of-Springfield. His paternal grandparents were David and Barbara (Bear) Crabill. They’ were natives of Loudoun county, Virginia, where both were reared to years of maturity and were married,. re-

“moving from the Old Dominion to Ohio about 1814. Four of their children were born in Virginia and others were added to the family in this state until they were the parents of twelve children. All of these grew to mature years with the exception of one, who died at the age of sixteen, but two of the number are still living, William being a resident of Springfield, while Pearson makes his home on a farm in Moorefieid township. Five of the family never married. Thomas, the fourth child, lived on a farm in Springfield township and reared a large family. John, the eldest, died at the age of sixteen. Sallie became the wife of George Kiser and also reared al large family. Maria was the wife of Adam Yeazell and at her death left several children in Champaign county, Illinois. David married and had one child that died in infancy. James was the next younger. Mary became the wife of Joshua Crawn-and left several children. Joseph never married. Susan became the wife of Rev. Enos Neer and died in Cincinnati. Pearson is a resident farmer of Moorefield township. William is living in Springfield. Eliza became the wife of Daniel A. Jones and died im Springfied, while of her five children three are living. The father of=this family was in limited financial circumstances when he came to Ohio, but here he got a good start, although later he went security for friends and thus lost all that he had made. With strong purpose and undaunted courage, however, he began business life anew and became the owner of almost twelve hundred acres of land, together with a large amount of stock. His farm was wild woods when he ‘settled here, the trees and brush growing so thick that it was impossible to see a mason horseback a hundred yards away. ‘His farm was called

"Fairview because as it was cleared there was obtained a beautiful view of the sut-

‘rounding country for miles to the northeast and an attractive feature of the landscape is the stream of Black creek. Mr. Crabill was an old line Whig. He died at the age of fifty-six years and his wife passed away when about seventy-five years of age. Thomas Voss Crabill, the father of our subject, was born on Fairview farm in Moorefield township and was the third of the family. He acquired a fair common school education and then began farming on his own account, following that pursuit throughout his entire life. He became the owner of seven hundred and seventy-six acres of land of the old homestead, most of which he bought. In Moorefield township he wedded Sydney Yeazell, and unto them were born fourteen children, of whom our subject is the fifth in order of birth. These are: William, a farmer living southeast of Springfield; David, of the same neighborhood; Mary Jane, who died at the age of sixteen years; Ann Eliza, who became the wife of Joseph Winger and lost two children in early youth; James, of this review: Susan, who died in early womanhood: Louisa, who became the wife of A N. Tuttle and died in Clark county, leaving one child, Mrs. Carrie Alt, of Clark county; Lavina, who became the wife of John Marsh and after his death married Michael Wilson; John, who is living on a farm in Springfield township and has three children; Elizabeth, the wife of Alonzo Leffel, of Springfield; Thomas, who is living in Columbus and has three children; Emma J. and Pearson, both of whom died in infancy; Milton, who lives in Springfield and has two children; Joseph F., who resides on the old homestead five miles southeast of Springfield and has two children. The father of this family voted with the Republican party and was a member of the Presbyterian church. He died September 4, 1884, at the age of seventy-four years and his wife is still living at the age of eighty-seven.

James Crabill is indebted to the common schools for the educational privileges he enjoyed. He remained at home until his marriage, which took place October 17, 1876, the lady of his choice being Miss Clara E. Nicklin, of Moorefield township, a daughter of John B. and Catharine (Hoffman) Nicklin. One child graces this marriage, Jessie B., born August 2, 1881. The family home is a farm of one hundred and sixteen acres: in Moorefield township, which Mr. Crabill largely inherited from his father. His possessions now enable him to live practically a retired life. In politics he is a Republican and his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Springfield, to which his wife and daughter also belong. The family is well known in this section of the county, for Mr. and Mrs. Crabill have spent their entire lives here and are well known as worthy. people, who justly merit the esteem and good will of their many friends.

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.