James K. Bernard

As printed in 1915

JAMES K. BERNARD.

vived until May 22, 1847, when she died. At that time, she was a resident of Clinton county. They were the parents of three sons and five daughters, of whom two were living tig late as 1882 — George W. and Nancy, who married Thomas Riley.

George W." Bernard, son of Thomas and Mary (Hicks) Bernard and father of James K. Bernard, the subject of this biographical sketch, was about eight years of age when his parents removed to the Ohio wilderness. Here he grew to manhood and became fully Inured to the hardships of pioneer life. Ou March 28. 1831, he was married to Harriet McCoiinell, who was born In Browu county. Ohio, October 12. 1810, the daughter of James and Salllc (Downing) McConnell. natives of Pennsylvania, who were early settlers in Brown county, this state, and who removed to Cllntou county about 1821. They were the parents of four sons and five daughters, four of whom were living as late as 1882, as follows: Thomas. Betsey, who married Isaac Wilson of Illinois. Harriet and Joseph M.. the last named of whom resided in Oregon.

To George W. and Harriet (McConnell) Bernard eleven children were born, nine of whom lived to full maturity, as follow: Thomas F., James K., Mary E., who married Joshua Wilson; John W.. Matilda Jane, who married Edmund West. George W., Charles B., Martha H., who married Edward McVey, and Elijah M. In 1852. George W. Bernard located on the farm in this county where he spent practically the rest of his life, living to be the oldest man in Greene township, end to see all of his children married and settled in life. Although lie had In his youth little opportunity for an education, he had supplemented his limited opportunities by special study and In later years was known as an unusually well-informed man. By energy, industry and economy, he acquired a large estate, amounting to something over thirteen hundred acres. He died at his home in Greene township In 1804. at the age of ninety-five years.

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Christopher McVey was the son of James and Kezia McVey. both of whom were natives of Ireland ami pioneer settlers in Clinton county, where both died. They were the parents of five sons and four daughters, William. Edmund. Christopher, Hubert, John. Catharine. Josephine, Jane and Kczia. To Christopher and Catharine (West) McVey eight children were Iwrn. Henrietta. James, Kczia, Unbelt. Benson, Edmund. Eliza Jane end Elkena. Christopher McVey was a farmer and owned about one hundred and eighty acres of land in Greene township. He was a Republican and a member of the Christian church. He died In ls0* Ids wife having preceded him to the grave In 1S.V5. C.Jtharine West was the daughter of Robert and Henrietta West, who came from Pennsylvania to Clinton county in pioneer days and here they spent the rest of their lives. They had eight children. Nancy. Mary. Harrison, Benson, Ely, Catharine and Xaltle.

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James K. Bernard located In Wayne township shortly before his marriage, and shortly after his marriage, on March 10, 1802, moved to his farm in Greene township, where he had a flue home and was extensively engaged In farming. He owned at one

Infant.

time about sixteen hundred acres of land, which he divided among his children, leaving his widow one hundred and eighty acres near Now Vienna. Altogether, he had received from his father about twenty-live hundred dollars hut aside from this help, accumulated the money with which the sixteen hundred acres were purchased, by his own effort and his was regarded as one of the most remarkable examples of success from small beginning ever witnessed among the farmers of Clinton county.

In 1903 Mr. and Mrs. Bernard removed to New Vienna, where they lived retired until Mr. Bernard's death in 11)07. The late James K. Bernard was more than a successful farmer. He was a man of extraordinary vision, of ludefallgable industry and possessed a unique ability to concentrate Ids attention on a given focus or a given end. His mind, once settled ou the accomplishment of a definite goal, nothing could divert him from this purpose. Loved by his large family, honored by his neighbors and resieeted by the people of Clinton county, he died as only the man who has lived to good pun. use can die, full of the honors of noble and useful service.

Edgar Crosley Is a prosperous young farmer of Marlon township, this county, who was born in the county where he lives in 1884. He is the son of William and Carrie (Wood) Crosley, the former born in Warren county, Ohio, on November 24, 1841. and the latter in Cincinnati In 1850.

William Crosley was the son of Isaac and Rachel (Cook) Crosley. the former a native of Michigan, and the latter born near I.ebanou. In Warren county, Ohio, of pioneer parentage. The paternal grandparents of William Crosley died in Michigan. Mr. Crosley's father located in Warren county in the time of his young manhood, and. after his marriage there to Rachel Cook, became a well-known and well-to-do farmer. He and his wife were the parents of four children. Samuel (deceased). Andrew (deceased). William and Huston. The latter served as a Union soldier during the Civil War. Mrs. Isaac Crosley died at Hopklnsvllle, in Warren county. After her death, Isaac Crosley was married a second time and had the children, four of whom are living: Kmma; Thomas, who is on the police force at Columbus. Ohio; John and Bell, the latter of whom lives in Cleveland. Isaac Crosley died in Columbus. Ohio.

William Crosley was reared on the farm and was educated in the public schools at Pleasant Plain, in Warren county. He is a farmer by occupation, who came to Clinton county In 1S<54. and owns a farm of fifty and one-half acres in Warren township. For many years he has been engaged In threshing. He Is more or less Independent In politics, but generally votes the Republican ticket. Mrs., William Crosley Is the daughter of Charles and Sarah (Walleii) Wood, of Hamilton county. Ohio, who came to America from England. They were early settlers In Cincinnati, where both died, the father at the age of eighty-four years. To William Crosby and wife nine children have been born. Perry. Lenna.. Charles, Dolly (deceased). Martha, Mary. Ella (deceased). Edgar and Roy.

Edgar Crosley, the eighth horn in the family of his parents, who lives on the home farm of his father, was born in Clinton county in iSM. and was educated in the public schools, for some time attending a school taught by Jerry Fisher, a former auditor of Clinton county. Mr. Crosley is a farmer and thresher.

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Edgar Crosley votes the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows nt Blaiichester. and he and his wife are members of the United Brethren church.

As printed in History of Clinton County, Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.