Joseph Wright Vause

As printed in 1906

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James Inskeep Vause was born September - * 27- Since 1858 he has been a resident

0 Harrison township, Pickaway County, havn>g purchased the homestead farm from To-, seph Renick, in 1857. On November 7, 184 he was married to Eliza Wright, who was born April 17, 1827, i„ Madison township,

1 ickaway County, Ohio, and died June 05 l87° agi 5i years, 2 months and 8 davs She was a daughter of Joseph ami Sarah (Platter)

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Joseph Wright Vause was educated in the district schools of Harrison township and has devoted his whole life to farming on the family estate. He has always resided with his father and assisted in the management of the 600 acres of fine land which they have so successfully cultivated. Mr. Vause devotes about 100 acres to corn and wheat and realizes from 3,000 to 3,300 bushels of corn and about 1,500 bushels of wheat. Much attention is given to the raising of good stock and this lias long been a feature here.

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Mr. Vause is one of the enterprising and progressive agriculturists of the northern section of the county and follows modern methods and utilized modern machinery. The modern farmer, more than almost any other business man, must have a working understanding of half a dozen professions, the time having gone by when farming means nothing more than sowing and reaping and the chance additions to the herds in the fields. The prosperity which has been marked on the Vause estate shows very conclusively the value of the methods employed here. In addition to agricultural prominence, the family has always stood high in the social circles of Harrison township and in every way represents its best citizenship.

BETEk B. PONTIOUS, one of Salt Creek township’s representative men and old and honored citizens, has resided on his present farm of 102 acres, situated in section 31, for almost a half century, coming here in 1858. He belongs to a family which came very early to Ohio, bringing his habits of Pennsylvania thrift. He was born in Ross County, January 8, 1832, and is a son of Andrew and Mary (Betzer) Pontious. The grandfather of Peter B. Pontious was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and removed thence to Ross County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming in Green township.

Andrew Pontious was born in Ross County, Ohio, was there engaged in farming all his life, and died there in February, 1880. He married Mary Ann Betzer, who was also Ijorn in Ross County, and they had 12 children, the. six survivors being: Johi R., of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; Frederick B., of Lawrence, Kansas; Peter B., of this sketch; Jane, wife of Reuben May, of Ross County, Ohio; Sarah, wife of Martin Socin, of Chillicothe; and Andrew J., of Salt Creek township.

Peter B. Pontious spent Ijoyhood and youth in Ross County, attending the best schools in his neighborhood, and learning the practical facts about farming and stock-raising on his father’s farm. Agricultural pursuits have continued to he his business and pleasure all his life and his well-cultivated farm testifies to the careful tillage it has received.

On September 1, 1856, Mr. Pontious was

MR. exi> MRS. SAMl'F.I. \V. MILLF.R ash SOX.

married to Mary E. Frederick, who was born in Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, Ohio, March 31, 1835, and is the only surviving member of the family of three children bom to her parents, who were Peter and Catherine (Zimmerman) Frederick. The father of Mrs. Pontious was born in Seneca County, Ohio, and the mother in Ross County; they were early settlers in Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, where they died.

Mr. and Mrs. Pontious had seven children bom to them, the six survivors being: Winfred C., of Salt Creek township; Olive E., of Columbus; Harlan A., of Bridgeport, Connecticut; Kate E., wife of John Spencer, of Pickaway township; Ida B., wife of Samuel Famuliner, of Salt Creek township; and William M., a business man of Kansas City, Missouri.

Mr. Pontious has been a consistent Democrat all his life and still takes a deep interest in the issues facing the country. Both he and his wife are worthy and valued members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, at Whisler, Ohio. He is an elder in the church and one of the charter members and assisted in the erection of the present church edifice. Few residents of their locality are better known or more highly esteemed than are Mr. and Mrs. Pontious.

As printed in History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.