Abia John
Abia John, deceased, for many years one of the most highly respected residents of German township, was born in Ross County, Ohio, October 14, 1831, and was a son of Griffith John, one of the first settlers of Allen County, whose sketch may be found in the general history of German township in Chapter Vll of this work.
Abia John was about one year old when he was brought to Allen County, by his parents who located in German township, where he was reared and educated. He learned the trade of carpenter; but remained at home, assisting his father on the farm until he reached his majority. Preferring to work at his trade rather than on a farm he then went to Illinois and remained in that State for four years, working at various points as a carpenter, and at the end of this period returning to Allen County. The death of his father followed shortly after, and on his mother's behalf the young man then took upon himself the management of the general store, which his father had conducted so successfully.
On October 18, 1857, Mr. John was married to Phoebe Ann Myers, who is a daughter of Silas and Matilda (Bowman) Myers. The Myers family moved from Butler County to Allen County in 1850. Mrs. John was born in Butler County, March 27, 1841, and was nine years of age when the family located in German township, where she was reared and married. One of her brothers, David H. Myers, resides in Marion township, Allen County. He married Mary Ella Mounts, a daughter of Rev. James Mounts, of Van Wert. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. John were: Ulysses Franklin, born October 1, 1858, who died at the age of 28 years; Olive Matilda, born December 7, 1861, also deceased at the age of 28 years; Silas Meeker, born October 9, 1863, who died aged 22 years; Jehu Mounts, born August 19, 1865, who resides with his mother he married Carrie Conrad, of Elida, who died April 2, 1890, and was laid to rest in Greenlawn Cemetery, near Elida; Martha Evelyn, born June 14, 1867, who married George Copus, of Elida, and died in 1900, leaving two children Howard Ray and Guy Edgar; Jesse Roberts, born September 8, 1869, who is single and resides at home; Ella May, born September 28, 1871, who married James Wesley Johns and lives at Findlay, Ohio; Tirza Arvilla, born June 23, 1876, who married Clinton Shock, of Texas, and has one child Chadwick Emerson; Emma Annetta, born March 21, 1879, died aged 16 years; and Pauline Myrtle, born April 11, 1881, who resides with her mother and brothers on the old homestead.
Abia John died November 24, 1903, and his burial was in Greenlawn Cemetery, by the side of his deceased children. The death of the two oldest sons had weighed heavily upon him, both of them being promising young men of sterling character. David Newton John while his brother was educated at Delaware. Both brothers taught school and David Newton John was superintendent of four schools in Texas.
The death of Abia John removed from German township one of its most exemplary citizens. He was a man of character and integrity, honest in his dealings with his fellow- men, kind in his treatment of his family and true in every relation of life. His widow, who resides in Elida, is a lady very highly esteemed and on account of her gentle and kind neighborliness is known to every one as "Aunt Ann." Mr. John was a steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was no politician but served on the School Board.