John N. Bailey
John N. Bailey, one of Spencerville's prominent and esteemed citizens, president of the Farmers' Bank of Spencerville, has been one of the leading members of the Allen County bar for many years. Mr. Bailey was born in Moulton township, Allen County, which section now is included in Auglaize County, September 3, 1839, and is a son of Christopher and Nancy (Noble) Bailey.
Thomas Bailey, the grandfather, was born in Virginia and there married Mary Timberlake, a member of an old family still prominent in the " Old Dominion." In 1808 Thomas Bailey and wife migrated to Ohio as pioneers in Highland County. They brought with them their son Christopher, then a babe less than one year old, who was reared in Highland County under the conditions which made the youth of that period and locality robust of frame and strong of brain. He taught school, studied civil engineering by himself, followed farming and remained in Highland County until 1835. He was 28 years of age when he came to Allen County and entered 160 acres of land, in Moulton township, which he developed into a fine farm. Here he reared a creditable family with comfort, and after a long and useful life, during which he had filled almost all the offices of trust and responsibility in the county, he passed away in 1891. His wife preceded him in 1888. During his earlier years he adhered to the family religious belief, the Baileys being Quakers as far back as the perilous days of their religion in the reign of King Charles II; but later he became identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was an exemplary member.
Christopher Bailey was married, first, to Phoebe Baker, who died after the birth of two sons, Jacob and Walter, both of whom are now deceased. He married, second, Nancy Noble, who was born in Clinton County, Ohio, in 1815. The issue of this marriage was as follows: John N, of Spencerville; Girard, a practicing physician of Mercer County, who served in the Civil War as captain of his company; Joshua, who was a member of Company B, 99th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and lost his life in the battle at Paris, Kentucky, during the Civil War; Greene, a farmer in Auglaize County, Ohio, and Elisha, who died in early manhood.
Until his 17th year our subject lived at home, attending the district schools and assisting in the work on the farm. He then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked during the summer seasons and taught school in the winter, until he was 40 years of age. Although his success was sufficient to insure him a comfortable income, it was not in the line in which his inclinations led, his ambition being to enter the legal profession. When not otherwise engaged, he read by himself and during the winters of 1880 and 1882 attended the Cincinnati Law School, where he was graduated in the latter year. He located at Spencerville where he still resides, and is considered one of the most active as well as capable practitioners in the county. His named has been associated with the successful prosecution of many of the most important cases which have come into the courts in this section of the State. He is the owner of several large stock-farms in Spencer and Amanda township. Since 1891 he has been president of the Farmers' Bank of Spencerville, which he and his son-in-law, Austin Britton, who was cashier, established in that year.
Mr. Bailey was married, first, to Minerva Baber, who died at the age of 36 years survived by thee children: Mary A. (Wilson); Minnie, wife of O. P. Hephart; Alice (Williams) deceased; Emma (Britton); Charles T., Lillian M., wife of Bert Colt, of Spencerville; and Arthur H., who married Bertha Eysenbach. The second marriage of Mr. Bailey was to Mrs. Hannah Caldwell, of Darke County, Ohio. she is a lady much interested in the Sunday-school work of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which the family belong.
Politically Mr. Bailey is affiliated with the Republican party. Fraternally he is a Mason, being a member of Acadia Lodge, No. 306, of Spencerville, and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey have traveled extensively; in 1889 he enjoyed a long sojourn in Europe where he visited many points of historic interest.