Wayne Twp. -
J. T. WARD, grocer, Versailles; son of George and Hannah Ward; was born in Versailes, Darke Co., Sept. 28, 1847.  Was married in Versailles to P. V. Simmons, 1871; children - Marvin, Mary and Louis Oliver.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 619

Greenville Twp. -
NATHAN S. WARVEL, Sec. 1, Greenville Township; one of the old settlers of Darke Co.; born in Richland Township Apr. 18, 1839; he is the oldest son of John H. Warvel, whose biography also appears in this work.  The subject of this sketch was raised upon a farm of his father's until upward of 20 years of age, and in 1859 he commenced business for himself by engaging in thrashing, which he has followed for eighteen years during the fall, being engaged for the balance of the year in farming.  In 1861, he commenced farming in Richland Township and in the fall of 1863, he exchanged farms with his uncle and located upon his present place, where he has since lived.  Upon the 23d of December, 1860, he was united in marriage with Nancy J. Royer, who was born in Logan Co., Ohio, Dec. 8, 1839; she was a daughter of David Royer, who was born in Rockingham Co., Va., Feb. 11, 1807, and came to Ohio at an early day, and died Feb. 15, 1860, aged 53 years.  The children of Nathan S. and Nancy (Royer) Warvel were four in number, of whom one is deceased; the living are Martha S. born Oct. 22, 1863; Eva C., born June 21, 1865; Mary E., born June 9, 1868; the deceased died in infancy, Oct. 10, 1861.  Mr. and Mrs. Warvel are both members of the Christian Church.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 535

Washington Twp. -
JAMES M. WASSON, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Union City, Ind.; was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Jan. 19, 1811; came with his parents to Darke Co. in 1816.  His father, David Wasson, married Flora Graham in Pennsylvania; both were natives of Ireland; when they moved to Darke Co. there were very few whites here, but a great many friendly Indians; the country a wilderness and swamps; their currency, mostly hoop-poles and the skins and pelts of wild animals, which were abundant; and Mr. J. M. Wasson, the subject of this sketch of this sketch, became a great hunter; three large black bears and many a noble buck and doe, and smaller game too numerous to remember, have succumbed to this unerring rifle; his first 40 acres he bought from the Government, and paid for it with the proceeds from furs and pelts of his own killing; this land has never changed title, and he owns altogether 200 acres; at the age of 25, he could neither read nor write, but began then to educate himself, and son obtained sufficient for all ordinary business affairs.  He married Christina Hover, July 14, 1835; she was born in Pendleton Co., Va., Mar. 14, 1816; they have had seven children, viz, Mary Ann, David F., deceased; Luther N., deceased; Peter C., Flora J. and Elizabeth A.  Mr. and Mrs. Wasson are and have been members of the Presbyterian Church for forty years.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 758

Van Buren Twp. -
ELIHU WEAVER, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Gettysburg; a son of Henry and Susan Weaver; was born in Adams Township, Darke Co., 1867; they have two children - Edward and Henry.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 736

Greenville Twp. -
HERMAN WEILLS, carriage manufactory, Greenville.  The subject of this sketch was born in Washington Co., Penn., May 23, 1851; he is a son of Solomon and Lydia (Shaffer) Weills; he left his place of nativity in 1856, and went to Liberty, Union Co., Ind., where he remained until 1861; he then went to Tippecanoe, Miami Co., Ohio, where he learned his trade, remaining there four years.  He came to Darke Co., and settled in Greenville in the fall of 1878.  He was united in marriage with Catherine Porter Feb. 23, 1874; she was born Sept. 23, 1851, and is a daughter of James Porter, a resident of Hancock Co., and is now living in Darke Co., at the age of 62 years; his wife was born in 1828, and died in 1865.  Mr. Weills' business is located at the corner of Walnut and Third streets, where he gives employment to several men, and manufactures some of the finest work in Greenville.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 537

Mississinawa Twp. -
EDWARD LAWRENCE WELBOURN, physician, Union City; son of George Welbourn and Jane Lawrence; was born in Marion County, Ohio, Jan. 11, 1843.  Mr. Welbourn graduated at the Eclectic Medical College of Pennsylvania, Jan. 25, 1866, and began the practice of medicine at Union City, Ind., Mar. 31, of the same year; from the first, his practice was a grand success, and he made money rapidly, but owing to failing health he purchased a farm on Sec. 20 the next year, and turned his attention to farming and experiments in organic chemistry; in the spring of 1870, he began the manufacture of a chemical antidote for rheumatism, and has been so successful in its introduction that it is known from Maine on the east to the Pacific Coast on the west; at the same time the Doctor has an office practice one day each week at Union City, which he intends to continue in the future.  The Doctor was married to Martha Levina Jones, of Harrison Township, Jan. 1, 1866.  Two children were born to them, namely, Ulysses Edward Alaska and Oclasco Carlos; Mrs. Welbourn departed this life Oct. 28, 1879.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 763

Greenville Twp. -
GEORGE WESTFALL, farmer; P. O. Greenville; one of the old settlers of Darke County, was born in Greenville Township, Jan. 19, 1841; he is the oldest son of John E. Westfall, one of our early pioneers, whose biography appears among the sketches of Greenville Township.  The subject of our sketch received a liberal education, and assisted his father in agricultural pursuits until upward of 24 years of age, when upon Mar. 30, 1865, he was united in marriage with Martha Phillips; she was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Dec. 17, 1843; they have five children by this union, viz., Leora B., John W., Maggie M., Bertha O. and Arthur R.  Upon the marriage of Mr. Westfall, he located upon his present place, where he has since devoted his attention to farming.  In 1870, he was elected as Township Trustee of Greenville Township, which office he filled with credit to himself, and satisfaction to his townsmen, for a period of eight years.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 538

Greenville Twp. -
ISAAC NEWTON WESTFALL, farmer; P. O. Greenville; the subject of this memoir was born in Greenville Township, Darke Co., Ohio, upon the 21st of February, 1843; he is a son of one of the early pioneers, John E. Westfall, and a brother of George Westfall, both of whom are mentioned in the biographical part of this work in this township; in early life he applied himself closely to his studies, and by so doing succeeded in obtaining a good common-school education; he has always followed the occupation of farming, and about he year 1869, rented a part of the farm of his father, which he has since operated.  Upon the 4th of August, 1864, he was united in marriage with Mary E. Bell, who was born in Gettysburg, Adams Township, Nov. 29, 1846; they are the parents of five sons, viz., Oscar W., William E., Charles E., Alonzo R., and an infant unnamed.  Mrs. Westfall was a daughter of Jacob Bell; her mother's maiden name was Mary Zimmerman, both natives of Pennsylvania, and early pioneers of Darke County.  Mrs. Bell died in 1850; Mrs. B. now makes her home with her daughter, and, at the age of 61 years, is in possession of all her faculties, and able to perform some household duties.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 538

Greenville Twp. -
JOHN E. WESTFALL, retired farmer; P. O. Greenville.  Among the early pioneers of Darke Co., the gentleman whose name heads this sketch is accorded a place in the front ranks; he was born near where the city of Cincinnati now stands Sept. 19, 1810; when 5 years of age, he came to Darke Co., with his parents and located in Adams Township; when 12 years of age, the death of his father occurred, and at 15 years of age, he commenced the management of the home farm, continuing the same until 22 yeas of age.  In 1832, he was united in marriage with Priscellia Williams, who was born in Ohio Sept. 21, 1805; they were the parents of seven children, of whom George and Isaac Newton, only survive, and are both mentioned in the biographical part of this work.  In 1832, he removed to Greenville Township and purchased 30 acres upon the same section where he has since lived for a period of forty-seven years; he has been a continuous resident of the county for sixty-five years; he now has 145 acres in his home farm, located three miles from Greenville; about the year 1869, he rented his farm to his sons, since which time he has retired from active labor.  He has a vivid recollection of the Indians, the wolf and deer, and other game which in the early day of his coming here was to be found in abundance.  He is one of the very oldest of our earlier settlers, nearly all of the pioneers of 1815 having either died or removed away.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 537

Greenville Twp. -
MARTIN C. WESTFALL, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 32; P. O. Greenville; one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.; born in Montgomery Co. in 18214; he was a son of Jacob Westfall, who was born in Virginia and came to Montgomery Co., Ohio, at an early day, and to Darke Co., about 1827, and was consequently one of the early settlers of Darke Co.; he died in the same county, about the year 1839 or 1840.  He was married in Montgomery Co. to Barbara Crawn; she was also born in Virginia, and died at the residence of Martin C. in 1878, at the advanced age of 88 years.  Martin C. came to Darke Co. in the year 1827, being then three years of age, and has always lived on the same place for a period of upward of half a century; he is one of the oldest continuous residents of Greenville Township; he has now upward of 106 acres under a good state of cultivation, which he has brought from a howling wilderness to its present state of cultivation by his own labor.  His marriage with Mary Pannel was celebrated in 1858; she was born in Virginia; they were the parents of three children, of whom one is deceased; the living are William L., born August, 1859, now living upon the home farm; Ida E., born in 1868; the deceased, Charles M., died in infancy.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 537

Washington Twp. -
CAPT. JAMES M. WHITE, farmer and school teacher; P. O. Mt. Heron; born in Paterson, N. J., Mar. 11, 1828; when quite young, he emigrated with his parents to Kentucky, and in 1840 came to Ohio and located in Ross Co. and completed his educated in the high school at Chillicothe, and the Academies at Lebanon and Delaware; at 20 yeas of age, he engaged in school-teaching, which profession he followed until July, 1862, when he enlisted in the 91st O. V. I. and went forward to battle for the Union; he served through the campaign of West Virginia; after which he served under Gen. Sheridan during the campaign of the Shenandoah Valley, and was mustered out of service as Captain of Co. F of the above regiment, at Cumberland, Md., in July, 1865, having served in the Union army three years; he then returned to Ross Co. and followed farming and school-teaching two years, and after a residence of five years in Clinton Co. came to Darke Co. in1872, purchased a farm in Washington Township, and has since devoted his attention to farming and school-teaching.  In 1874, he organized the Mt. Heron National Guards, which formed a part of the 3d Regiment; was elected Captain, which office he held until 1879, when, on account of physical disability, he received an honorable discharge.  In 1854, he was united in marriage with Rachel A., daughter of John Chenoweth, one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.; they have five children now living, having lost three by death; the living are Mary, Jane, Annie, Elizabeth, and Thomas; the deceased were Alice, Sarah and Lucina.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 756

Harrison Twp. -
JAMES M. WILLIAMS, M. D., physician, Hollandsburg, Ohio.  Among the successful physicians of Harrison Township is Dr. Williams.  He was born in Virginia Dec. 11, 1842; was brought to Montgomery Co., Ohio, by his parents in the year 1847, and grew to manhood there, receiving a good common-school education; when 18 years of age, he began teaching, and soon after to read medicine; afterward attended lectures and graduated at the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati May 21, 1869, and immediately began practice; he first practiced in Palestine, German Township; in January, 1871, he removed  to Hollandsburg, where he has since continued the practice of his profession.  Dr. Williams is entitled to the appellation of a self made man, having earned by teaching the means to secure his medical education; he started in practice with nothing but his knowledge, skill and industry to rely upon, and has persevered under difficulties until he now has a very satisfactory and constantly growing practice.  His marriage with Harriet E. Renner, of Preble Co., was solemnized Mar. 3, 1864; she was born in Preble Co. Sept. 3, 1846.  They are the parents of five children, four of whom are now living, viz.:  Gladus A., Samuel R., Wm. C. and Liston V.; the name of the deceased was Lucilla G.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 705

Franklin Twp. -
JOHN N. WILLIAMS, farmer; P. O. Pleasant Hill; the subject of this memoir was born in Miami Co., Ohio, in 1839, and is a son of Isaac and Sarah Williams; his father was born in Miami Co.; lived, died and is buried in the county of his nativity; his grandfather, John Williams, was born in Virginia, and settled on the farm where our subject's father spent a lifetime, where his eyes first beheld the light of day, and where he met the summons of death; on the land where his grandfather located was a place held sacred by the Indians, was a place of general rendezvous for all neighboring tribes, and on the same spot the early pioneers erected four block-houses, forming a square, which gave the settlers a place of protection and security from the many attacks of the Indians in those troublesome times.  Isaac Williams was born in 1810; his wife, Sarah, was born in Montgomery Co., in 1820, and is still living; the land entered by his grandfather remained in the family name for nearly three-quarters of a century.  Our subject was reared on the farm, and assisted in the labor of the same till his 21st year, when he united his destiny at the marriage altar with that of Sarah, a daughter of S. C. Miles, in 1861.  In 1864, he volunteered in the 147th O. V. I., one hundred-day men; served his time and was honorably discharged; he afterward emigrated to "Kansas, where he remained one year to a day, and then returned and settled on 117 acres of land in Darke Co., where he resided for six years, and then disposed of this land and removed to where he now resides; his brother Daniel was Adjutant of the 61st O. V. I., and was among the  slain at the battle of Gettysburg, Penn.  Mr. and Mrs. Williams are members of the Christian Church, and are exemplary Christian people; they are the parents of four children, viz., Floy, Perry L., Daniel W. and Allen.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 688

Greenville Twp. -
A. WINKLEBLECK, contractor in supplies for P., C. & St. L. R. R. and dealer in timber, wood, bituminous and anthracite coal; office, Main street, Greenville.  The subject of this sketch was born in Montgomery Co., on the 2d of January, 1846.  He has been a resident of Darke Co. for several years, and, on Dec. 25, 1865, he was united in marriage with Susan Gorsuch.  They are the parents of six children, of whom three are deceased.  The living are Homer C., Maud and Carrie C.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 539

Greenville Twp. -
JOHN LEOPOLD WINNER.  Merchant, banker and legislator of Greenville, Ohio, J. P. Winner was born in Franklin, Warren county, Ohio, November 19, 1816. His parents were Isaac and Mary (Powell) Winner, natives of New Jersey. They were married in Philadelphia and in 1816 came to Ohio, where they passed their lives. Mrs. Winner died in April, 1832, and her husband in October, following. For about four years subsequent to his father's death our subject worked at the cooper's trade. In April, 1836, he came to Darke county and located in Greenville, where he extensively identified himself with the business of the community and also held prominent places in the political councils of the county and state. In November, 1837, he married Miss Charlotte Clark, daughter of John Clark, Esq., of Warren county, Ohio. For some five years Mr. Winner was in the grocery business. Eight years he kept a hotel. Four years he kept a drug store. In 1853 he engaged in banking in company with the late Colonel J. W. Frizell; and thus continued till May, 1865, when he became a stockholder in the Farmers National Bank of Greenville, and in January, 1866, he was made cashier of that institution, which position he held until January, 1872. In April, 1873, he opened the Exchange Bank of Greenville and conducted the business of that flourishing institution. His wife died August 12, 1863. She possessed in a high degree those noble qualities of mind and heart so essential to a true wife, and was revered in the community for her sweetness of disposition and sympathizing charity for the poor and unfortunate. She left an only daughter, Hattie, who inherited the sterling qualities of her mother, but the loss of her mother so affected her that she survived her but a few weeks, dying at the age of fifteen years. On April 1, 1867, Mr. Winner married Mrs. Jane Crider, of Greenville, daughter of John W. Porter, of the same place. In 1863 Mr. Winner became a member of the firm of Moore & Winner, which for a long time was one of the leading. dry-goods firms of the county. In 1846 he was appointed auditor of Darke county, and from 1857 to 1861 he represented Darke county in the legislature of the state, and from 1867 to 1871 he served in the state senate. In 1874 he was elected mayor of Greenville and served two years. In politics he was a Democrat. Although his school advantages were very meager, his active mind grasped a knowledge of men and things that fully compensated the loss. During the years' 1861-63 he was treasurer of the .committee to secure a county fund to encourage enlistments in the Union army and gave the subject much attention. He died several years ago.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Illustrated - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880 - Page 539