In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1902) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1821
From The History of Champaign County, Ohio (1881), A centennial biographical history of Champaign county, Ohio .. (1902)
ORVILLE NOBLE, retired, Urbana; was born Jan. 2, 1821, in Hampden Co., Mass., where he was raised and educated. On Nov. 25, 1848, he married Miss Caroline A. Bates, remaining in his native county, where he continued the profession of teaching a few years. In 1856, they located where we now write (Urbana). In this city they have since resided, and his first engagement was the cultivation of garden seeds of all descriptions, which he circulated from the “ great northern lakes,” south to Alabama. This business he conducted successfully for a period of thirteen years, then engaged in the brokerage business, conducting the same more or less since. Having become favorably known by the citizens of Champaign Co., he was elected to his present office, Director of County Infirmary, in 1877; one year later he was elected Director of the Citizens’ National Bank of Urbana, of which he is a stockholder. He is located on South Main street, possessing everything that constitutes a neat and comfortable home, which is kept in good style. He has one daughter, Mary B., who is an accomplished young lady. Mrs. Noble was born in Hampshire Co., Mass., in 1821; was mostly raised in Hampden County, where she was educated.
BARTON O’NEAL, of the firm of Colwell & O’Neal, dealers in lumber, shingles, lath, etc., Urbana. He was born Jan. 5, 1827, in Ross Co., Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and Martha (Cowgill) O’Neal, both natives of Ross Co., Ohio, where they grew up to maturity and married. In 1851, they moved to Hardin Co., Ohio, and three years later they became residents of McLean Co., Ill., where Martha died, in 1860, and Samuel in 1864. Our subject is the second of a family of eight children; he was raised to farm life, and in 1846, married Miss Elizabeth Moots. In 1852, they located in West Liberty, Logan Co., Ohio, and December, 1861, in Urbana, where Mrs. O’Neal died, in 1863. She was a native of Ross Co., Ohio, and left five children and a husband; the latter married Emma E. Strayer, a native of Logan Co., Ohio. After settling in Urbana, he was engaged in saw-milling and lumber dealing until 1867, when he purchased a mill, and since has had a pecuniary interest in the business. In March, 1877, he sold his mill and formed the partnership of Sayman, Colwell & O’Neal, which association conducted business until the death of Mr. Sayman, Sept. 23, 1879, since which the firm has been as already indicated. Mention is made of this firm in the sketch of C. F. Colwell, in this history.
As printed in The History of Champaign County, Ohio (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
ORVILLE NOBLE.
The old Bay state of Massachusetts, where was cradle so much of our national history, figures as the native place of this venerable and honored citizen of Urbana, where he has maintained his home for nearly half a century, having been actively identified with its business activities for many years, and finally retiring to that dignified repose and surcease of active labor which constitute the just reward of earnest and honest endeavor. As the shadows of his life lengthen he can look back with satisfaction upon the exertions of past years and rejoice in the prosperity which has attended his efforts and enabled him to crown his days with peace and restful calm, “far from the adding crowd’s ignoble strife.”
Orville Noble was born in the village of Russell, Hampden county, Massachusetts, on the 2d of January, 1821, being, in both the paternal and material lines, a representative of old and honored families of this colonial commonwealth. In the. agnatic line the family is cf English derivation, and the original American ancestor came from the “tight little isle ’ and settled in Massachusetts in the early colonial epoch. The parents of our subject were Reuben and Cynthia (Gowdy) Noble, and both were born in Massachusetts, where they passed their entire lives, becoming the parents of two sons and three daughters, all of whom are deceased with the exception of the subject of this review. Silas Noble, grandfather of our subject, was a man of prominence in his day and was one of the influential citizens of Hampden county, Massachusetts. He had five sons and two daughters and his descendants are to be found in diverse sections of the Union. Our subject was reared to the age of six years in his native town and then the family removed to Granville, in the same county, and that place continued to be his home until his removal to Urbana, Ohio, in 1856. Having availed himself of such advantages as were afforded by the common schools of Granville, he supplemented this discipline by a course of study in an excellently conducted select school in Springfield, Massachusetts. That he duly profited by his scholastic advantages is evident from the fact that he qualified himself for pedagogic work, becoming a teacher at the age of twenty-one years and following this vocation with gratifying success for a period of eight years thereafter.
In the town of Granville, Massachusetts, in the year 1846, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Noble to Muss Caroline A. Bates, a member of a prominent family of that state. She accompanied him on his removal to Urbana and here passed the residue of her life, proving a devoted companion and helpmeet to her husband, sharing in his joys and sorrows, aiding and encouraging him in his efforts and walking by his side down the checkered pathway of life for more than half a century, when the veil was lifted to gain the new glory of a gentle and noble life, death setting its seal upon her mortal lips on the lath of November, 1899. They became the parents of one child, Mary A., who is now the wife of William M. Rock, of Urbana, and who accords to her father the utmost filial solicitude. Upon his arrival in Urbana Mr. Noble engaged in the garden-seed business, in which he successfully continued for a period of thirteen years, while he also became interested in agricultural enterprises and other ventures which rendered him good returns, enabling him to secure a competency for the declining years of his life. He is the owner of a good farm in Salem township and has an attractive residence property in the city of Urbana, where he continues to make his home, honored as one of the venerable and sterling citizens of the county and having the solace conferred by many and warm friendships.
In politics Mr. Noble originally gave his support to the Whig party, but upon the organization of the Republican party transferred his support to the same, though he has never been active in political maneuvers and has never sought public office. He has long been a devoted member of the Presbyterian church, as was also his wife, whose life was in harmony with the faith which she professed. Fraternally our subject has long held membership in the Masonic order, being a member of Harmony Lodge, F. & A. M.; R. A. M.; and Raper Commandery, No. 19, Knights Templar, of which he was recorder for nine years.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Champaign county, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: William M. Rock (b. 1857)
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.