Joseph Raper Procter

As printed in 1908

JOSEPH KAPER PROCTER, who resides upon a fine farm of ninety-two acres, situated one and one-half miles west of Dialton, Clark County, Ohio, comes of a prominent old family of this vicinity, the old home place being located across the line in Champaign County. He was born in Jackson Township. Champaign County, Ohio, November 9, 1837, and is a son of William and Mary (Maxwell) Procter, and a grandson of William Procter. The last named was a lifelong resident of Yorkshire, England, where he followed farming; he had a brother, General Procter, who was beheaded for his activity in furthering the American cause in Revolutionary days.

William Procter, father of Joseph Raper Procter, was born in Yorkshire, England, November 5, 1795, and there grew to manhood on his father's farm. He was married February 13, 1816, to Ellen Whitaker and later in the same year came to America, in a sailing vessel. The voyage consumed four months, the vagaries of the wind carrying them to points north, where winter clothing became necessary and so far south they again donned their summer garbs. On arriving in New York, William Procter contracted with a man to escort them to Cincinnati, Ohio. As he would be gone from home for a long period, this man set about preparing wheat for bread for his family during his absence. William thus learned, in assisting him, to "wind wheat," a pioneer process of separating wheat from chaff, by tossing it in the air from a sheet. Mr. Procter's wife and children rode in a wagon drawn by one horse, while he and the escort walked over the rough roads. While on the way, an axle of their wagon broke, but they cut down a sapling and put it in instead and continued their journey to Cincinnati, where they arrived seven weeks later after many hardships and trying experiences. After residing in that city for two years, William Procter walked to the land office at Lima, Ohio, and entered one hundred and sixty-three acres of land in Jackson Township, Champaign County. Ohio, on the last section of land to be settled in that township. He erected a log cabin in which he lived for two years, then rented it to James Benson, and returned to Cincinnati, where he engaged in whip-sawing, a strange occupation for a man unused to the woods. However, he was a man of energy, patience, and enterprise and attained success, working at this industry for ten years, and during his residence there could have made numerous investments, which in the light of subsequent events, would have made him independently wealthy. At that time, ten

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

William Procter was married a second time, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Mrs. Mary (Maxwell) Truer, who had one daughter, Harriet, by her first marriage who died at eighteen years. Mrs. Procter's grandmother, Maggie (Foulton) Maxwell, was a sister of Robert Foulton, inventor of the first steam-boat. Her grandfather Maxwell was killed by Indians, his wife escaping by hiding in a hollow log, but her two sisters, although scalped, managed to crawl to a boat and thus save their lives. William and Mary (Maxwell) Procter were parents of nine children: Nancy Jane, deceased; Martha Elizabeth, deceased; William, deceased; David W.; Joseph; Charles, who was killed in trying to escape from Andersonville Prison, during the Civil "War, after having dug his way out; Mary Ellen, deceased; Ann M., of Indiana; and Elias G., of Michigan, who was also in the Civil War. Mrs. Procter was born in Carrol County, Kentucky, and died in 1888, aged eighty-five years.

Joseph Procter was born in the old log cabin erected by his father and helped clear up the home place His father paid eight and one-third cents per day for his schooling and he attended the old log.-ehoolhouse of that district, which was the first in that vicinity to have a fireplace. Ln his youth Mr. Procter experienced the hardships incident to pioneer days, and during his lifetime has witnessed wonderful changes in life on the farm, in the conveniences and comforts of living, the improved facilities for putting out and harvesting crops, and the value of products. Well does he remember his father hauling oats to Urbana for six cents per bushel: selling chickens for eight cents each, and maple sugar at two and a half and three cents per pound. A medium sized coon skin was worth twenty-five cents in those days. The family wove and spun their own clothing. Twice a year a minister came on horseback from Cincinnati and held meetings in the woods or in a cabin, always being sure of a congregation. Mr. Procter has always followed general farming and also for seven years taught music, and being a careful manager and an industrious worker, has met with success. He lived in Champaign County until 1874, when he bought his present farm of Henry Verity. It is located on the county line.

On January 14, 18<tf, Mr. Procter married Ellen Tomlin, who was born in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a daughter of John and Mary (Carter) Tomlin, who were married in England. Upon coming to this country they located in the woods in Pike Township, Clark County, and cleared up a farm. Mrs. Procter is one of six children born to her parents: William T.. Man- Ann. John. Sarah, Ellen M., and Joseph. She and John are the sole survivors of the family. Mr. Procter and his wife have one child, a daughter, Olive U.. who is wife of Samuel Ray and they live with her parents. Politically Mr. Procter is a Republican.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.