J. EDWARD WILLIAMS.  Of staunch old Welsh lineage is the subject of this sketch, who is a native son of Darke county and now numbered among its successful and influential citizens, being the present efficient clerk of the courts of Darke county.  Public spirited and thoroughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of the community, he is numbered among the most valued citizens of the county.  Mr. Williams was born in Greenville, Ohio, on Jan. 24, 1878, and is a son of Joel and Mary (Kelley) Williams, the father a native of Indiana and the mother of Pennsylvania.  On the Paternal side, Grandfather Williams and his wife, whose maiden anme was Rebecca J. Arthur, and whose parentage was John Arthur and Sallie (Beard) Arthur, all were natives of Darke county, Ohio, but subsequently moved to Salem, near Union City, Ind., where he died.  His widow later returned to Greenville, Ohio, with her children, and here her death occurred when nearly eighty yeas of age.  She was the mother of the following children: John, Joel, Jason, James, Emma J. and William H.  On the maternal side, the grandparents were John and Rebecca (Shade) Kelly, natives of Pennsylvania, and the parentage of Rebecca (Shade) Kelley being Samuel and Elizabeth (Walter) Shade, English descent.  John Kelly, who was of German descent, came to Darke county many years ago and located in Greenville, where he engaged in the tanning business and died when well advanced in years.  Joel Williams was reared in Indiana and in young manhood was employed at farm work,  his education being secured in the common schools.  After returning to Darke county, he entered the employ of the Henry St. Clair Company, with whom he remained for a number of years.  He also served as city marshal and policeman for a long time.  He is now humane office, truant officer and game and fish warden.  To him and his wife were born the following children:  J. Edward whose name appears at the head of this review; Harry S., and J. Lendall, of Greenville, and Isis Juanita, who was graduated from the Greenville High School with the class of 1913.
     J. Edward Williams was reared in Greenville and attended the public schools, being graduated from high school in 1897  He then went to work for the Western Union Telegraph Company as a lineman, but at the end of a year he returned to Greenville and accepted the management of the Bell Telephone Company, being located at Bessemer, Ala., for about ten months.  Then, returning to Greenville, Ohio, he accepted the appointment a deputy clerk of the courts.  In 1908 Mr. Williams was elected clerk of the courts and so satisfactory were his services that in 1910 he was re-elected to that office, receiving the largest majority of any candidate elected to office in this county up to that time.  He is the present incumbent of the office and, by strict attention to his official duties and courteous treatment of all who have business in that office, he has won a host of warm personal friends and gained the commendation of all who are at all familiar with his work.  Mr. Williams is also a member of the Greenville school board and chairman of the St. Clair memorial and library committee, and has the distinction of being the first manager of the beautiful St. Clair Memorial.
     On the 26th day of September, 1900, Mr. Williams married Stella Shollenberger, the daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Clauer) Shollberger, and to their union were born two children, Ceres Caroline and J. E.  Mrs. Williams was born at Springfield, Ohio, and is of German parentage, her father having come to America from Boden, Germany, when young, and her mother, Caroline (Clauer) Shollenberger, was born in Sandusky, Ohio.  They died at Springfield, Ohio, when well advanced in years.  Their children were as follows: George, Jacob, Edgar, Harry, Stella and Amelia.
     Politically Mr. Williams is an ardent supporter of the Democratic party, and takes an active part in campaign work, and is being mentioned by his friends as a prospective candidate for congressional honors of the Fourth district.  Fraternally, he is  member of Greenville Lodge No. 161, Knights of Pythias, and Greenville Castle No. 40, Knights of the Golden Eagle.  Religiously, he is a member of the Episcopal Church, Mrs. Williams having been reared in the faith of the Lutheran Church.  A man of highest integrity and of unvarying courtesy and kindliness, Mr. Williams is honored by all who know him and is regarded as one of the representative citizens of his county.
Source:  History of Darke County, Ohio from its earliest Settlement to the Present Time Vol. II - Milford, Ohio - The Hobart Publ. Co. - 1914 - Page 342

WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS.  The task of providing work for many bread winners naturally assumes a position of prime importance, a fact that is recognized by William H. Williams of the William H. Williams Company of Greenville, Ohio, who realizes his responsibilities as the head of a large importing firm, and in the conduct of his business he demonstrates that he is a capable, energetic, likable and efficient man.  He was born in Randolph county, Indiana, Jan. 27, 1867, a son of James and Rebecca J. (Arthur) Williams.  The paternal grandfather of William H. Williams married a Miss Ross and they had five children, namely: Joseph, James, Ready, who died as a soldier during the Civil war; Hetty, Maria, and a son who died in infancy.  The parents of these children survived to an advanced age.  The maternal grandfather was John Arthur and he married Sarah Baird, both being natives of Darke county, Ohio, and farming people.  She died when about sixty yeas old, while he lived to be over eighty years.  They had a large family, among the children being Rebecca J., Abner, who resides at Union City, Ohio; Millie, William, Joseph and Elizabeth.  The Williams family is of Welsh stock and the Arthurs, Scotch.
     James Williams was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, while his wife was a native of Darke county the same state.  He came to Darke county, Ohio, with his parents in childhood and grew to manhood within its confines, becoming a farmer who operated in Butler township.  Later he moved to Randolph county, Indiana, where he died in 1867, aged forty-seven years.  His widow lived to be seventy-nine years old, dying June 28, 1903.  They were devout members of the Christian church, in which he held numerous offices.  Their children were:  John B., who is deceased; Joel S., who resides at Greenville, Ohio; Jason D., who resides in Randolph county, Indiana; James M., who resides at Greenville, Ohio, where Emma J., who is the wife of L. D. Yeaton of Indianapolis, Ind., and William H., whose name heads this review.  There were three others who died in infancy.
     William H. Williams was fourteen years old when he came from Randolph county, Indiana, to Greenville, Ohio, where he has continued to reside ever since.  His scholastic training was secured in Wayne township, Randolph county, Indiana, during which period he was performing a man's work on his father's farm.  When he located at Greenville, in 1881, he began clerking in a grocery store, and also worked for the first telephone exchange at Greenville in the room he now occupies, thus early learning habits of thrift and industry which have remained with him.  Still later he went into the restaurant business, and conducted it for ten yeas, when in 1901 he was made manager for the long distance telephone in the house of representatives at Columbus, Ohio, holding this position until 1912.  A number of years ago he recognized the demand for novelties suitable for use in the advertising business and traveled at first for the Spottswood Specialty Company of Lexington, Ky., but after a couple of years, founded his present company, now handling a high grade of calendars, fans and similar novelties, importing manufacturing and jobbing specialties used for advertising purposes, being conveniently located at No. 440 South Broadway, Greenville.  His residence is at No. 311 East Main street.
     On Sept. 10, 1895, Mr. Williams married Miss Frances B. Troxell, a daughter of John W. and Nancy M. (Anderson) Troxell.  Two children have been born of this union:  Paul James and Robert Harvey Garber Williams.  Mrs. Williams belongs to the Christian church.  Mr. Williams is a member of the United Commercial Travelers' Association.  Politically, he is a Democrat and has been an enthusiastic admirer of William Jennings Bryan, as well as a stalwart worker in the ranks of his party.
     Mr. Williams had the distinction of not only being a very pronounced progressive Democrat, but the honor of perfecting and managing a winning campaign for the two candidates for delegates to the Democratic national convention at Baltimore, 1912, from the Fourth congressional district, in direct opposition to the wishes of the State administration.  The delegates, Mr. Browne, Sr., and Mr. Fox, having cast their every vote for Woodrow Wilson.
     Mrs. Williams was born in Preble county, Ohio  Both her parents reside at Fitzgeralds, Ga.   They had six children, namely:  Mayme, Frances B.,. Ethel, Daisy, Jesse and Hazel.
Source:  History of Darke County, Ohio from its earliest Settlement to the Present Time Vol. II - Milford, Ohio - The Hobart Publ. Co. - 1914 - Page 122

DAVID J. WISE.  It is always interesting to watch from the beginning the growth and development of a locality, to note the lines along which marked progress has been made and to take cognizance of those whose leadership in the work of advancement and improvement have made possible the present prosperity of the locality under consideration.  David J. Wise, of this review is one of those who have seen almost the entire growth of Union City, for forty years ago he cast his lot with the early settlers here.  He has also been an important factor in its continued progress toward the vanguard of civilization, and his name is therefore indelibly engraved upon its history, and well deserves a place in a record of the representative men of Darke county.
     Judge Wise was born in Greene county, Ohio, April 11, 1843, a son of Henry D. and Mary (Snedecker) Wise, natives of Ohio.  Both parents were left orphan children, and were married in Greene county on the farm where David J. Wise was born.  They had nine children, as follows:  David J., Samuel P., who died during the Civil war; Rachel, deceased, single; James M., deceased; Albert O., deceased; Charles Ellen, deceased; Mary Ellen, deceased, who was the wife of James Thompson, and a pair of twins, Abraham and Isaac, who died in infancy.  The father was reared a farmer, but subsequently learned the trade of cooper, which he followed during the greater portion of his life.  When he was about seventy years of age he retired and his last days were spent in Soldiers' Home at Dayton, where he died in July, 1911, at the age of ninety years, six months.  The mother passed away in Darke county, in 1881, aged sixty years.  They were members of the German Reformed church.  The father served as soldier during the Civil war, being a member of Company D, Forty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, for fourteen months, and from the close of the struggle until his death he continued a resident of Darke county.
     David J. Wise was reared in Greene county, O., where he first learned farm work and later the cooper's trade, the latter of which he has followed during the greater part of his active career.  He attended the district schools, and at the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted, in 1861, in Company D, Forty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, continuing as a soldier until the close of the war in 1865.  He participated in numerous engagements, including the siege of Knoxville, and ever proved himself a brave and valiant soldier.  When the war had closed and he received his honorable discharge, he returned to his home, from whence he went a short time later to Sullivan, Ind.  That city was his home for five years, during which time he worked at his trade, and in 1874 he returned to Darke county and settled in Union City, where he has resided to the present time.  In all business matters Judge Wise is discriminating, sagacious and diligent, and his careful management and industry had unlocked for him the portals of success and brought out some of its rich treasures.
     On May 9, 1867, Mr. Wise was married to Miss Sarah A. Isenbarger, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ditmore) Isenbarger.  Seven children were born to this union:  Laura J., Mary Ellen, Harry Danner, Cora Elizabeth, Telitha Pearl, Earl Waldo and Edith Madge.  Of these, Laura J. is deceased.  She was the wife of Charles Eagy and they had one son, who died in infancy.  Mrs. Eagy was an accomplished musician.  Mary Ellen died at the age of ten months and ten days.  Harry Danner is a substitute mail carrier and resides at home with his parents.  Cora Elizabeth married George Sharp and they had three children - Rhea Maude, Claude and Gaynell.  For her second husband he married Thomas Shumaker, and they live in Dayton, and have two children, Robert Earl and Charles Wayne.  Telitha Pearl married William Briney, and they reside in Union City, Ind.  Earl Waldo, who is in the meat business at Winchester, Ind., married Olive Longenecker, and they have two sons, Lloyd Eugene and David Edwin.  Madge married Cleve Vincent Pitinger and they reside in Jackson township and have one child, Ralph Vincent.
     Judge Wise is independent in his political views.  His first vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and since that time he has affiliated with both Republican and Democratic parties.  He served one term as township clerk, was for two years corporation clerk, was mayor of Union City one term, and for the past eight years has acted in the capacity of justice of the peace.  In his various official capacities he has shown himself conscientious and painstaking and possessed of high ideals of public service.
     Mrs. Wise was born near Georgetown, Miami county, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1844, and was about seventeen years of age when her parents moved to Darke county, settling at Coletown.  Later they moved to Mississinnawa township, where the father passed away in 1886, at the age of sixty-six years and the mother in 1889, when sixty-three years of age.  They were the parents of seven sons and five daughters: Sarah A., Simon P., David, Wesley, Mary Jane, Amanda, William, Perry, Sinora, Oradine, and two who died in infancy.  The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Wise was John Isenbarger, and he and his wife, Mary were the parents of ten children: John, Jacob, Joseph, William, Daniel, Peter, Polly, Esther, Betsy, and Sallie.  The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Wise was Jacob Ditmore, who married Katie Brenner, and had twelve children: George, Henry, Daniel, Jacob, Aaron, Samuel, Polly, Elizabeth, Sallie, Barbara and two who died young.
Source: History of Darke County, Ohio - Vols. I & II - Milford, Ohio - The Hobart Publ. Co. - 1914.~ Page 277

EDWIN C. WRIGHT is well-known as an upright and progressive citizen of Greenville and has for several years been prominent in Darke county's affairs.  He is a practicing attorney at law, with offices on south Broadway, and stands well in his profession.  He was born near Zenia, Greene county, Ohio, Sept. 18, 1866, only son of Edward H. and Allettah V. (Dunn) Wright.  The father was also born in Greene county, Apr. 24, 1841, and the mother in Maryland, January, 1844, and they now reside in Greenville township, Darke county, Ohio.  The father enlisted in the Seventy-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served four years with honor and credit.  Of their six children five survive:  Edwin C., of this sketch; Kate, wife of Harry Lamb, of Darke county; Ida Ellen wife of C. J. Riegel, of Darke county; Jennie, wife of Edward Reck, living near Nashville, Tennessee; Stella, wife of Charles Porter, of Henderson, Kentucky.  The parents are devout members of St. Paul Reformed church, in which the father has held various offices.  They are held in respect and esteem by all who knew them as worthy and estimable members of the community.
     After finishing the course in the rural school, Edwin attended Greenville High School and later read law with the late Judge John C. Clark and with L. E. Chenoweth, with which firm he remained three years and studied to such good advantage that he was admitted to the bar Dec. 4, 1891, and during the next month opened an office at Greenville with J. C. Elliott, former prosecuting attorney of Darke county, as his partner. This arrangement lasted one year and since then Mr. Wright has conducted his practice alone, always in Greenville.  His worth and ability have been recognized form the beginning of his practice and he has been very successful. . His fellow-citizen showed their appreciation of his merit and ability when they elected him mayor of Greenville, which office he filled creditably from 1905 to 1909.  By successive elections he also served as city solicitor during 912 and 1913, but has not cared for office during the last few years on account of his growing practice.  He is a Republican in politics  but has been well supported by all parties in local elections.  He was the Republican candidate for Congress in 1900, but as Darke county is Democratic in sentiment, he was defeated.  He served as a member of the Republican State Central Committee during 1904 and 1905 and has many times served as a member of the county Republican Committee.  For two years he served as clerk of the election board of Darke county.  His first presidential vote was cast for Benjamin Harrison in 1888.
     Mr. Wright is well known in fraternal circles and has held many offices in honor in various organizations to which he belongs.  He has been a trustee of the Champion lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows for the past twenty years; served six years as representative to the Grand Lodge of Ohio and is the only Odd Fellow of Darke county ever elected to any office in the Grand Lodge and is deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of the State at this time.  He also belongs to the Foresters and to the Little Turtle Tribe of  Red Men, as well as the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.  He has served as secretary of Greenville Commercial Club.  He attends the Methodist church.
     On Aug. 28, 1890, Mr. Wright was united in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Schultz, who was born in Greenville township, Darke county, Mar. 1, 1869, daughter of W. H. and Martha A. (Noggle) Schultz.  Mr. Schultz was born in Maryland, Aug. 7, 1843, and came to Darke county as a young man, in the early 60's, becoming a prosperous farmer and spending the rest of his life there.  He died Aug. 22, 1910.  Mrs. Schultz was born in Darke county, Jan. 18, 1846, and now resides at Greenville.  They had five children al born in Darke county, namely: Mrs. Wright; Maggie, wife of Carl H. Craig, of Greenville; Julia Pearl, wife of Jacob Menke, president of city council of Greenville; John William, of Muncie, Indiana; R. R., living with his mother in Greenville.
     Mr. and Mrs. Wright had three children, all born in Greenville: Martha Helen, born ct. 20, 1891, attended Greenville High School, later attended Ohio Wesleyan University and the Conservatory of Music at Cincinnati, became a gifted pianist, and is the wife of Algy R. Murphy, a clothing merchant of Versailles, Ohio; Edwin Henry, born Dec. 1, 1893, also attended Greenville High School, is in the second year of his course at Culver (Indiana) Military Academy; Robert, born in 1899, lived but one day.  Mrs. Wright and the children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Greenville.  In 1897 Mr. Wright built the present comfortable home on Washington avenue, Greenville, and he is also the owner of other city property and several farms in the county.  He did not inherite his start in life but made it himself and is truly a self-made man.  He is a representative American, interested in the welfare and progress of his community and ready and able to serve the best interests of the people as opportunity offers.  He has a number of sincere friends and is one of the most popular men in Greenville.
Source:  History of Darke County, Ohio From its earliest Settlement to the Present Time - Vols. I & II - Milford, Ohio - The Hobart Publ. Co. - 1914 - Page 389