John Ortman, of Harrison township, was born on the farm he now owns in that township in Ross county, March 27, 1822.  His parents were John and Catharine (Baker) Ortman, the former of Pennsylvania and the latter of Maryland.  John was a son of Jacob Ortman, a native of Germany who came to Ohio in the early days of its settlement and there spent the balance of his days.  John Ortman, the father, came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1810, and settled on the farm in Ross county now owned by his son and where he died July 17, 1879, at the age of ninety-eight.  His wife long preceded him to the grave, her death occurring in 1867, when she was eighty-eight years old.  They had a family of nine children, of whom only three are now living, and of these John Ortman is the youngest.  He was reared on the old home place and received his education in the common district schools.  Mr. Ortman has always been a farmer and now owns 157 acres of land which he cultivates in the general way.  In 1864, Mr. Ortman enlisted in Company D, of the One Hundred Forth-ninth Ohio regiment, mustered in as National Guards in the one hundred days' service.  He served seven months; three he spent as a prisoner in Danville, Va.  He was in the battle at Monocacy Junction, fought in July, 1864, between Early's army and the Federal forces commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace.  For some time Mr. Ortman has been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.  Though not an office seeker, he has held the position of trustee of his township.  August 9, 1846, he was married to Margaret Bower, and the result of the union was a family of seven children, five of whom are living:  Mary E., at home; Caroline, the wife of S. W. Clyde, of Franklin county, Kan.; Margaret A., at Hallsville, Ohio; Jacob W., at Chillicothe; and Charles E.  Those dead are J. W. and Lyman.  Mrs. Ortman, the mother, died May 5, 1899.  Mr. Ortman is one of the substantial men of Ross county and in all the duties of life, both in war and peace, has proved him self a good citizen.

A. Frank Parrett, of South Salem, was born, bred and educated in Buckskin township, Ross county.  He is the eldest son of Strawder J. Parrett, whose father, George Parrett, came from the Shenandoah valley of Virginia in 1814 and settled on the second tract of land surveyed in Buckskin township.  Frederick Parrett, father of George and grandfather of Strawder Parrett, served in the Continental army and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.  The founder of the Virginia family of Parretts came from Switzerland to America as early as 1730; settled in the colony of Virginia and raised a family of seven sons, every one of whom served as a soldier in the war for American independence.  Along with this emigrant from Switzerland in 1730 came a man named Wilkins, whose son Henry went from Virginia to Ohio in 1802, just prior to the admission of the state into the Union.  This Henry Wilkins had a daughter named Milly, who married George Parrett, and became the mother of Strawder J. Parrett.  They had seven other children whose biographies are thus briefly condensed:  Rachel married Anderson Wilson, of Buckskin township, went with him to Indiana and settled on a farm near Logansport, where she died in 1843; Maria became the wife of Daniel Kline and they are living in Buckskin township; Henry A. lived in Buckskin township until 1851 when he removed to Illinois and died there in September, 1895; Eliza Ann married Isaac James and died March 18, 1883; Margaret May, now the widow of Thomas Murray, is living in Buckskin township; Alfred A. died in 1854, and F. F. Perrett is a prosperous farmer now living in Buckskin township.  Strawder J. Parrett was educated in the district schools and at the South Salem academy.  After leaving school he embarked in agricultural pursuits and soon established himself as one of the successful farmers and stock-raisers of Ross county.  He has long been prominent in the business and political affairs of his community and strongly interested in the public welfare.  He belonged to the sturdy band who took a stand for freedom away back in the trying days and cast his first vote for John C. Fremont, anti-slavery candidate for president; became a charter member of the rising young Republican party, and has always been a stanch advocate of its principles.  As a member of the state militia during the civil war, he took part in the pursuit of John Morgan during that officer's daring raid into Ohio.  Mr. Parrett has several times held the responsible position of trustee of his township.  The family are members of the Presbyterian church and he has been a trustee of the Salem academy for over thirty years.  In 1860, Strawder Parrett was married to Sarah A., daughter of William Latta, a native of Pennsylvania of Irish descent who settled in Ohio about the year 1800.  Mr. and Mrs. Parrett have three living children:  Albina A., married to Thomas A. Rogers; William Latta, living on the home farm, and A. Frank.  A Frank Parrett received his education at the Salem academy, after which he embarked in farming and stock-raising.  He soon obtained recognition as one of the most successful of the younger generation of Buckskin township agriculturists.  He makes a specialty of stock feeding and understands every feature necessary to make that business successful.  In 1898, he was elected trustee of Buckskin township and was re-elected to the same position in 1901, being now in his second term.  He has made a good officer and conservatively safeguards the interests of the people.  In 1884, he was married to Dora A., daughter of William A. Kerr, member of one of the oldest of the Buckskin township families.  Mr. Parrett and family are members of the Presbyterian church, and he is one of the members of the township school board.