MORTIMER JEFFRIES was born in Greensville County, Virginia, August 22, 1820, and was the son of Herbert and Ridley Jeffries. In 1842 or 1843, Herbert Jeffries moved to Greene County, Ohio, and the following year came to this township, where he bought 160 acres of wild land and cleared up a farm, cutting the lumber for his cabin with a cross-cut handsaw. Our subject was altogether deprived of school privileges, but acquired a fair education by his own exertions at study. December 6, 1850, he married Elizabeth Keen, who was born in Hertford County, North Carolina, February 25, 1835, being the daughter of Miles H. and Mary (Holmes) Keen, natives of the said state. To their union have been born the following-named children: Levi; Priscilla, now Mrs. Crone; Herbert; Lizzie and Mary. After his marriage, Mr. Jeffries settled on forty acres of land in this township, which he had bought and partially cleared some years before. In 1864, he sold out, and bought 320 acres in the same township, which he occupied till his death, September 17, 1879. Levi Jeffries was born in this township, June 10, 1855, and lives on the home farm. He married, June 9, 1881, Adella S. Vaughn, who was born in Cass County, Michigan, July 23, 1873, the daughter of Henry and May Vaughn. In politics he is a Republican, and is looked upon as an enterprising farmer. [The birth date of Adella Vaughn is perhaps incorrect - she would have been married at eight years old if accurate.]

MARCUS JEFFRIES was born in Greensville County, Virginia, May 15, 1825, one of the seven children born to Herbert and Ridley (Pruitt) Jeffries, natives of Greensville County, Virginia, and Halifax County, North Carolina. Herbert Jeffries was married in North Carolina, but owned a farm and lived in Greensville County, Virginia, until about 1832 when he moved with his family to Greene County, Ohio, remained until the spring of 1843, removed to this township, bought a farm of 160 acres, and resided thereon until his death, November 16, 1849, Mrs. Ridley Jeffries following him April 10, 1855, and dying in the Methodist faith. Marcus L. Jeffries, our subject, assisted on his father's farm till he reached thirty years of age, going to school only three days during that period. He was married February 14, 1855, to Martha A. Keen, a native of Hertford County, North Carolina. This lady, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, died at her home in Smith Township, October 2, 1878. Mr. Jeffries bought his land at different times, and now owns a well-cultivated farm of 160 acres, and is an enterprising farmer. In politics, he is a Republican.

AUGUSTUS W. JEFFRIES was born in this township October 10, 1843, and is one of the four living children born to Wyatt and Eliza J. (Jones) Jeffries, natives of Greensville County, Virginia. While still young, Wyatt Jeffries went to Greene Co, Ohio, was married there, and until 1835 farmed on shares, and then moved with his family to this township, where he entered eighty acres of land, to which he added until he became the owner of 340 acres of well-improved land. Here he died February 14, 1869, his widow following October 20 of the same year. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and among the earlier settlers of the township, they and Benjamin Jones having located on adjoining farms before the township was organized, with their nearest neighbor three miles away. Augustus W. Jeffries, our subject, received the ordinary common-school education of his day, and worked on the home farm till twenty-one years old. November 19, 1862, he married Mary J. Akers, who was born in Wilson County, Tennessee, October 29, 1842, the daughter of Richard and Ann E. (Scott) Akers. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffries are the parents of six children, viz.: Milton J., Walker W., Albert A., Georgia L., Fredie R. and Anna M. Mr. Jeffries now owns 800 acres of first-class land, including the old homestead, on which he has lived all his life, two years excepted, and for the past twelve years has been extensively engaged in the live stock trade. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is a Republican.

AUGUSTUS W. JEFFRIES was born in Smith township, October 20, 1843, and is the son of Wyatt W. and Eliza Jane (Jones) Jeffries, both natives of Greensville County, Virginia. In 1835, they came to Smith township, Whitley County, and entered eighty acres of land of the government. They were the parents of sixteen children, but only four of them lived to maturity, and Nancy Ann is the only one surviving. Industry and economy was their motto and they soon became very successful, owning three hundred and forty acres of land. They were pioneers in the county and necessarily endured many privations and hardships, but withal enjoyed themselves and contributed much to the establishment and development of the county schools and churches and all that pertains to a civil and religious community. Both were identified with the Methodist church and gave it a liberal support and faithful service. Mr. Jeffries died February 14, 1869, and his wife October 20, of the same year.

BRINTON JONES was born in Greenville County, Virginia, December 27, 1813, one of nine children of Benjamin and Winifred (Shehorn) Jones, natives of said county. Benjamin Jones moved with his family to Greene County, Ohio, in 1825, where he farmed on shares till February, 1835, when he removed to this township, then unorganized, where he entered eighty acres of land, cleared a farm, and resided until his death, February 17, 1854, his widow surviving till December 16, 1873. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were among the first pioneers of the county. Our subject, Brinton Jones, received a very fair education, and remained on the home farm till thirty years of age, and for a time taught a subscription school. April 20, 1843, he married Susan Thomas, born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, in September 1825, the daughter of Stephen and Lucy (King) Thompson. To their union were born Harriet M., now Mrs. William Pampy; Ceney A., now Mrs. John Smith; Johanna, now Mrs. Fielding Pampy; and Sarah A. D., now Mrs. Marshall Winburn. Mr. Jones still owns and lives on the land he entered when a young man--forty acres in 1837 and forty in 1840. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is a Republican. The grandfather of Mr. Jones, Brinton Jones, Sr., was a soldier in the Revolution.

JAMES M. CRONE, a highly respected and well-to-do farmer of Whitley County, was born in West Virginia September 19, 1853, and is the son of Levi and Margaret (Orebaugh) Crone. Levi Crone came to Whitley County and located in Columbia City, where he labored by the day. His death occurred in 1890. He was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Orebaugh in Rockingham County, Virginia, and they were the parents of six children: George William, a farmer in Smith Township; Sarah Margaret, a resident of Chicago, and the widow of William Reed; Elizabeth, wife of James Jeffries, lives in Xenia, Ohio; Mary, a resident of Cincinnati; James M.; Nancy Jane of near Leesburg, Indiana, wife of Leander Jeffries. Levi and his son George were compelled to leave West Virginia in 1863 in order to avoid conscription into the Confederate Army and for a time lived in Xenia, Ohio. The mother and the remainder of the family came north with the Union Army some time later.

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