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 1855
From 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908), A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902)
WILLIAM J. GRAM.
William J. Gram, who is connected with the farming interests of Clark county, is a son of Jacob and Isabella M. (Dory) Gram, and was born in 1855. His father was a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and became one of the pioneer settlers of Clark county, whither he came with his father, Cornelius Gram, about 1837. The grandfather purchased a farm about a mile and one-half north of the present home of our subject, securing there a section of land which he entered from the government and with the work of pioneer development and improvetite SBLOGRAREICAD RECORD.
ment he was actively associated. Jacob Gram also bore his part in the task of transforming the wild tract into productive fields. After arriving at years of maturity he carried on farming on his own account and in 1858 he purchased the farm which is now the home of his son, William J. Gram. Our subject was only three years of age when his parents removed to this place and here he was reared to manhood. He obtained his education in the district schools near by and through the months of summer he worked in the field, gaining practical knowledge of the best methods of carrying on a farm. He now has fifty acres of rich and arable land and in addition to the raising of cereals best adapted to the soil and climate he is also engaged in dairy farming, keeping a number of good milch cows for this purpose. Neatness and thrift are the salient features of his place and his work is carried on with energy and determination. Mr. Gram was united in marriage to Mattie P. Otstot, a daughter of A. H. and Sarah (Parsons) Otstot, residents of Springfield, who removed from that city to California. Since that time the father has died, but the mother is still living in the Golden state. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Gram has been blessed with seven children: Robert R., who is residing on the home farm and runs the dairy wagon; Dola, George W., Louis J., Burt, Isabella and Marion, all at home, and the family circle is yet unbroken by the hand of death. The family attend the services of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Gram is a member, and in his.
political affiliations he is a Democrat and keeps well informed on the issues and questions of the day, as every true American citizen should do. He has never sought or desired public office, preferring that his time and energies should be devoted to his business affairs.
As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
WILLIAM J. GRAM, a well known general farmer and dairyman of Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, residing on a farm of fifty acres, situated about three miles south of the city, on the Possum road, was born November 13, 1855, on the old Gram farm just south of Leffel Lane, and is a son of Jacob and Isabella (Dory) Gram.
Jacob Gram was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Cornelius Gram. When about seventeen years old, Jacob Gram came to Clark County with his father, who bought a farm of three hundred and twenty acres running a mile north and south, and a half a mile east and west. Cornelius operated a distillery for some time. The family lived first in a log house, but later a brick house was erected, which has been torn down. Jacob Gram married Isabella Dory, who was born in Cincinnati, a daughter of James Dory, who was a native of England, and a gardener by occupation. When a babe her parents moved to Springfield, where her father ran a garden on Grand Avenue, that section now being known as the Dory Addition. Jacob and Isabella Gram had four children: William J.; Hari'iet Elizabeth, who married S. C. Rebert of Springfield; Martha C., who married Oliver H. Leffel of Green Township, Clark County; and Charles J., who is a resident of Springfield, Ohio. Jacob Gram and wife first went to housekeeping on the old Gram farm, moving in 1857 to the farm on which William J. now resides, which then contained eighty acres. They subsequently removed to Springfield and built a home on Grand Avenue, where the mother died in January, 1890. Jacob then came to live with his son William J. He died April 3, 1894, while on a visit at the home of his son Charles, who then resided in Green Township.
William Gram was reared on his present farm and received his schooling at the Possum school. He has always followed farming and for twelve years also operated a dairy, recently having sold his I'oute to his son George. He usually keeps about fifteen head of cattle.
Mr. Gram was married October 28, 1880, to Mattie Otstot, who was reared in Springfield, Ohio, and is a daughter of Adam Hunter and Sarah (Parsons) Otstot. Adam Hunter Otstot, who is now deceased, was born in March, 1827, in Pennsylvania, and was a carpenter by trade. His widow and one son, L. Burt Otstot, reside in Santa Ana, California.
Mr. and Mrs. Gram have had eight children, seven of whom are still living, namely: Robert C, resides in Santa Ana, California, where he is employed in a drug store; Dola, married Walter Minnich of Springfield Township, and has two children, Ralph, and Robert; George W., married Emma Deeter of Pleasant Hill, Ohio, and has one child, William; Lewis Jacob, married Mabel E. Patten and resides in Springfield; Burt, mai'ried Ethel Celeste Woosley, on November 20, 1907; Isabella, who attends High School at Springfield; and Marian, who attends the Possom school of this Township.
Mr. Gram and family are members of the Third Lutheran Church.
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.
Named in this biography: Jacob Gram (b. 1817)
The printed record stops around 1908. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.