In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1908) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1831, Lancaster county
From History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908 : also biographical sketches of prominent citizens of the county (1908), A centennial biographical history of Richland county, Ohio (1901)
JAMES M. FIRST.
One of the veterans of the Civil war. who upon the field of battle manifested his loyalty to the Union cause, is Captain James M. First, now an esteemed resident of Lucas. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1831, his parents being Jeremiah and Ruth M. (Critchfield) First. Their children were James M.; Amos, who served for three years as a private of the Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry during the war of the Rebellion; Caroline, the widow of William Switzer; and Elizabeth, the wife of William A. Hulit, a veteran of the Civil war.
Captain First, of this review, was only four weeks old when his father brought his family to Ohio, making the journey by team from Pennsylvania. He located in Holmes county, and some time afterward removed to Knox county, and in 1846 came to Richland county, settling on a farm in Madison township, where he lived for three years. He then removed to Lucas, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1878, when he had attained the age of sixty-five years.
Captain First was a youth of fifteen years at the time of the arrival of the family in Richland county, and at the age of eighteen he began an apprenticeship to John Marshall, of Lucas, to learn the shoemaker's trade. He served two years, during which time he thoroughly mastered the business and then opened a shop of his own in Lucas, securing a good trade, which constantly increased. In 1862, however, he put aside all business considerations, for he felt that his duty was to his country, and on the 4th of August, of that year, he enlisted as a private in Company B, One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio Infantry, being mustered in at Mansfield for three years' service. He was sent to the Covington barracks in Kentucky, and thence to Tennessee, where the regiment was assigned to the Thirteenth Army Corps in Sherman's division. Later Captain First took part in the engagement in the rear of Vicksburg, thence went with Grant into Arkansas, participating in the battle of Arkansas Post, and still later went to Young's Point, Louisiana, where he remained until March, 1863, when he was discharged on account of disability and returned to his home in Lucas. He again enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Sixty-third Ohio Infantry, on the 2d of May, 1864, thus again offering his service, was elected second lieutenant, and went to the front for one hundred days' service. On the expiration of that period he received an honorable discharge.
For some years following his return to Lucas Captain First devoted his time to the study of law. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, called him to public office, and for seven years he served as the mayor of the town, discharging his duties most capable. His administration was progressive, business-like and practical, and resulted to the good of the town along many lines. He was also a notary public for several years. In politics he is a Democrat, with a firm faith in the principles of1 his party. Socially he holds membership in P. A. Swigart Post, G. A. R., of Lucas, in which he has served as the commander.
In 1852 Captain First was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Van Scoyoc, and unto them were born nine children, but three — Elizabeth, Lincoln and Van Scoyoc — are now deceased. Those still living are Alice, the wife of Franklin Gard, of Washington; John C, an electrician; Hattie, the wife of Dr. John F. Culler, of Lucas; Ellsworth E.; Clara, the wife of Harry Gates, of Shelby, Ohio; and James A. The family is one of prominence in the community, the members of the household occupying an enviable position in social circles. The Captain is a man of genial and kindly disposition, courteous and obliging, and is very popular in Lucas, where he is regarded as one of the leading and influential men of the town.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Richland county, Ohio (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JAAIES M. FIRST.
James M. First, wffio is now living retired in Lucas, is noted among the veterans of the Civil war and is a citizen wffio in all life’s relations has been found worthy of the trust and confidence entertained for him by his fellowmen. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1831. His father, Jerry First, was born in the Keystone state and was a farmer by occupation. He came to Knox county, Ohio, at an early date and after residing there for a time returned to Pennsylvania, wJiere he remained until 1832. In that year he again located in Knox county, Ohio, and there were still many evidences of frontier life, for civilization had not penetrated to any great extent into the western wilderness. Much of the land was still unclaimed and uncultivated, the streams were unbridged and there was still comparatively little indication that the state was soon to be transformed into a most populous and progressive district.
Jerry First removed from Knox county to Richland county in 1846, settling near Mansfield, and after a few years he took up his above in Lucas where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1878, his remains being interred in the Williams cemetery. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Ruth Critchfield, was born, reared and married in Pennsylvania, and wien carried to her final rest, in 1856, her grave was made in Mount Zion cemetery. This worthy couple were the parents of four children: James M., of this review; Caroline, who is living at Garrettsville, Ohio; Amos, deceased; and Elizabeth, whose home is in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jamas M. First w'as less than a year old wJien his parents returned to Ohio and was a youth of fifteen wien they came to Richland county. He acquired a common-school education wliich he completed in the schools of Lucas, and then learned the shoemaker’s trade, wliich he followed in Lucas until the outbreak of the rebellion. Prompted by a spirit of patriotism he joined the army in 1862, becoming a member of Company B, One Hundred and INventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He paidicipated in the battles of Vicksburg, Chickasaw Bluffs, Arkansas Post, and afterward returned to Young’s Point, Mississippi, for the winter. While in winter quarters he aided in the construction of what was known as the Dutch Canal. It w'as never completed, and in fact w'as started more to keep a multitude of restless men busy than for practical piirposas. After serving for eighteen months of his three years’ term of enlistment Mr. First was honorably discharged on account of physical disability and returned home to recuperate, but not being satisfied to remain quietly at home while the Union was in danger he returned to service in the spring of 1864, and was commissioned second lieutenant of company H of the One Hundred and Sixty-Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged with that rank in December, 1864. It was not wise that he return to the army, for four years elapsed before he was able to do any manual labor on account of disability brought on by the exposure and hardships of war.
After recuperating sufficiently to enable him to work in any way Mr. First y)passed the civil service examination and became railway mail clerk, remaining in the government employ for eight years on the run from Sandusky to Newark and from Sandusky to Wheeling, West Virginia. Finally his health became so impaired that he was forced to give up strenuous labor altogether. He now owns a comfortable and well furnished home in Lucas and has accumulated a sum sufficient to enable him to live well upon his pension of thirty dollars per month and the income which he derives from other sources.
Mr. First was married in 1852 to Miss Sarah Vanscoy, of Richland county. They traveled life’s journey together for more than a half century and were then separated by the death of the wife in 1904. Of their children, Elizabeth, the eldest, is deceased. The others are John, a mechanic living at Elkhart, Indiana; Alice, the wife of Frank Gard, a farmer near San Juan island, Washington; Harriet, the wife of Dr. Culler, a general medical practitioner of Lucas; Ellsworth, living in Lucas; Clara Barton, the wife of Harry Gates, a machinist of Dayton, Ohio; and Joseph H., who is in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
.Mr. First is a member of the Grand Army Post at Lucas and thus maintains ])pleasant relations with his old army comrades. Hls political support is given to democracy and he has frequently been called to office. He was mayor of the village of Lucas for seven years; was also notary public for a number of years, and has been a member of the council at different times. No trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed in the slightest degree. On the contrary he is as loyal to his duty as when he followed the Stars and Stri])es on southern battlefields. His fellow townsmen know him as one who is ever loyal to a public trust or to a social obligation and he is most highly res[)ected in the village where he now lives.
As printed in History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908 : also biographical sketches of prominent citizens of the county (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1908. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.