Asaph Haines
Asaph Haines was born on the farm on which he is still living in Caesarscreek township and which he owns and has lived there all his life. He was born on August 3, 1841, son of Zimri and Elizabeth (Compton) Haines, the former a native of the state of New Jersey and the latter of South Carolina, who had come to Ohio with their respective parents in the days of their youth and who married in the neighborhood of New Burlington, later locating on the farm in Caesarscreek township on which their son Asaph now lives. This is the old Faulkner place and the brick house which is still standing there was erected in 1821, the bricks for the same being burned on the place and the timber which entered into its construction being cut and milled on the place. After taking possession of that place Zimri Haines made extensive improvements on the same. He had been trained in youth as a cabinet-maker and even after he settled on the farm maintained there a work shop and was called on to make the coffins necessary for use in the community and also to make much of the furniture for his pioneer neighbors. He lived to be seventy-five years of age and his widow survived him for some years, she being eighty-six years of age at the time of her death. They were Quakers and their children were reared in the simple faith of the Society of Friends. There were twelve of these children, of whom but three are now living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Clayton Haines, a farmer of Caesarscreek township and a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and a sister, Phœbe, who married Joseph Davis and is now living in Kansas; the others of these children having been the following: Samuel, who was a farmer in Caesarscreek township; Elwood, who went to Iowa and there engaged in farming; Eli and Edward, who made their homes on farms in the neighboring county of Clinton; Zimri, who died in the days of his youth; Sarah, who was the wife of Milton Fawcett; Rebecca Ann, who married Masco Bales; Mary Maria, who married Samuel Brown and spent her last days in Indiana, and Elizabeth, who was the wife of George Carter.
Reared on the home farm, Asaph Haines has always remained there, having long ago bought the interests held by the other heirs in the place. He received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and after his marriage in the summer of 1876 established his home on the home place and has continued to make that his place of residence, having since then made numerous improvements on the place, a farm of one hundred and eighty-six acres. In addition to his general farming he has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock. He is a Republican, as was his father, and has served his district as director of schools. He and his family are members of New Hope Friends church.
On June 11, 1876, Asaph Haines was united in marriage to Sarah C. Keiter, who was born on the old Keiter homestead farm in this county, a member of one of the old families in this part of the state, as is set out elsewhere in this volume, and to this union six children have been born, namely: Elizabeth, wife of Joseph B. Conklin, a farmer living south of Xenia; Lenna Marie, deceased, who was educated at Wilmington; Laura, wife of O. P. Middleton. a farmer of Caesarscreek township, this county; Ada, wife of William Hoffman, of the neighboring county of Clinton; Ralph K., who married Mary Walton and is farming the home place, and Alvin Z.. who died at the age of eight years.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918