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 1845
From Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908), A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio (1898)
ILLIAM A. WARNER, a highly respectable farmer of Coventry township, is a native of Green township, Summit county, Ohio, was born October 5, 1845, and is of English descent.
John Warner, great-grandfather of subject, while still a young man, came from his native England and located in Maryland, where he was married and shortly afterward came to
Ohio, lived for a short time in Stark county, and then permanently settled on a tract of land in Coventry township, Summit county, among the Indians of the primeval forest, being one of the county's earliest pioneers. His son, Henry Warner, grandfather of subject, was born in Maryland, married Catherine Kepler, and had a family of eight children, viz: John, Adam (deceased), Jacob, William, Ann, Abraham, Solomon, and Daniel — the last named also deceased. Henry Warner was also a pioneer of Coventry township. Summit county, Ohio, where he cleared up from the forest a farm of 105 acres, and became thoroughly identified with the development of the township, becoming a charter member of the East Liberty church, and a leader in local politics, being, himself, a Jackson democrat. John Warner, son of Henry and father of subject, was born in Coventry township in March, 1821, on the farm on which subject still resides, and in 1844 married Elizabeth Weaver, who was born in 1824, a daughter of James P. Weaver. To Mr. and Mrs. Warner have been born six children, in the following order: William A., Henry, Samuel. John J., Adam, and Mary (the last named deceased). For many years the parents continued to reside in Coventry township, but finally removed to Norton township, generously presenting to each of the children a good farm and otherwise aiding them, and retaining for themselves only sufficient to sustain themselves in their old age. Mr. Warner has of late espoused the cause of the prohibition party, but was formerly a democrat and held many of the township offices of Coventry, as well as several offices in the Methodist Episcopal church of New Portage. He has been generous in his aid to this as well as to all the other churches of the neighborhood. He is still hale and hearty and is highly respected as an old settler, and for his charitable disposition, which has for years been made manifest in the county for miles around.
William A. Warner received a good common-school education and was reared to manhood on his father's farm. He married, February 1 8, 1866, Miss Sarah Spittler, who was born in Springfield township, Summit county, April 14, 1843, a daughter of Christian and Barbara (Weyricky Spittler. Her parents were natives of Union township, Union county. Pa., were there married, and there had born to them four of their ten children, the others having been born in Ohio. They were named, in order of birth, as follows: Jacob, John, Elizabeth (Mrs. Jacob Sprigler), Catherine (Mrs. Fred Easier" Mary (Mrs. J. A. Van Vermer), Sarah (Mrs. Warner), George (deceased from effects of army life), Jacob (deceased) and Henry ist, and Henry 2nd (both deceased). Mr. Spittler was a carpenter by trade and died in Plymouth, Ind., in 1877; his widow died in Munroe Falls, Ohio, December 31, 1891 — both members of the English Reformed church. To Mr. and Mrs. William A. Warner have been born two children: William J., born July 22, 1868 — died in December, 1868, and Mary E., born December II, 1869. The latter was married, December 12, 1889, to William J. Farriss, a native of New York, and has had three children, viz: Lottie M., who died in 1890, in infancy, Sarah E. and Willie A.
Mr. Warner's farm consists of 100 acres, twenty-five of which were originally part of his father's homestead, and seventy-five of which have been the result of his own industry and frugality. He has improved his place with a modern house and barn, at a cost of $3,000, and has one of the most pleasant homesteads in the township. He and wife are members of the Pleasant "Valley Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Warner is a trustee. In politics Mr. Warner has chiefly voted with the democratic party, and by this party was elected township treasurer in 1880, which office he still continues to fill. He is respected wherever known, both as a liberal and public-spirited citizen and as a gentleman of strictly moral character.
As printed in A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio (1898). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
WILLIAM A. WARNER, one of Coventry Township's most highly esteemed citizens, who filled the offices of township treasurer and treasurer of the Board of Education
1(11- liver a, quarter of a century, was born on a farm at East Liberty, Summit County, Ohio, October 5, 1845, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Weaver) Warner.
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Mr. Warner is a Democrat. He was first elected treasurer of Coventry Township, in 1880, and has filled that office continuously for the past twenty-five years. His last term expired in December, 1907, when he definitely declined to accept the office again. His long period of official life has been one to which he can look with honest pride through the remainder of his life. With his family, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church at South Akron.
John Farriss, the grandfather of William J. Farriss, was a native of England who emigrated to America and settled in Seneca County, New York, where he died at the age of eighty-five years. Of his family of six children, William Farriss was next to the eldest. He was born in England, and was three years of age when the family came to America. He grew up on his father's farm.
and when a young man learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for a number of yeai-s, for a time at Cleveland, Ohio, where he helped to finish the Chadwick home, which has been frequently mentioned in the past few years, in the newspapers, in connection with the late Mrs. Chadwick. Later he went back to New York, where he spent several years. On his return to Cleveland he worked at his trade for a short time, and then settled on a farm in New Portage, Summit County, Ohio. In 1899 he sold this property and retired from active business, and now resides at Barberton. William Farriss was married in Cleveland, Ohio, to Susan Brooker, who was born February 15, 1840, and is a native of Settingborn, England. Mr. and Mrs. Farriss had six children: Carrie, who married Timothy Hunsberger; William James; Nora Jane, who married M. High; John Lewis; Lewis Brooker, who married Blanche Allen; and Susie A., who married H. Werntz.
William James Farriss was born in New York, July 12, 1862, and was about six years old when his parents removed from New York to New Portage, Ohio, and there he grew to manhood on his father's farm.
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Mr. Farriss and wife belong to the South Main Methodist Episcopal Church and have always taken an active interest in church matters.
As printed in Centennial history of Summit 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.
Named in this biography: John Warner (b. 1855)
Their biographies name William Warner: Andrew Harper Allen (b. 1882) Milton H. Warner (b. 1859)
The printed record stops around 1908. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.