Jonathan M. McPheron
Jonathan M. McPheron, who resides on his well-improved farm of 80 acres in section 16, Perry township, engaged in general farming and stock-raising, belongs to one of the pioneer families of the county. He was born on the old family homestead, a tract of 80 acres situated a half mile east of his present home and which he now owns, on April 17, 1848. He is a son of John and Hulda (Crossley) McPheron.
James McPheron, Great-grandfather of Jonathan M., was born in the North of Ireland and was of Scotch descent. He came to the United States prior to the Revolutionary War, accompanied by his wife and three children, James, John and Robert and settled in Green County, Tennessee. Two more children were born after the parents came to this country William and Betsey, the latter of whom became the wife of David Logan.
William McPheron, son of James and grandfather of Jonathan M., was born in Tennessee in 1781. He learned the trade of blacksmith and followed the same, in addition to manufacturing gun-barrels for a number of years, and was an expert in the latter business. While living in Tennessee he also followed farming and had a distillery, a custom very common in the early days. In 1835 he moved to Champaign County, Ohio, and located near the town of Liberty which, through later surveys, has been located in Montgomery County. He followed his trade there until 1837, when he came to Allen County. He purchased 80 acres of wild land in section 10 Perry township, and erected a blacksmith shop. The rest of his active life was spent in clearing his land and in pursuing the making of gun-barrels and in working at his forge. He was a well-known and respected citizen, a leader in Democratic political affairs. He was at one time elected township trustee. He was a zealous member of the New School Baptist Church. After a long and useful life he died on his farm in 1844.
William McPheron married Jane McCamish, and they had the following children: James, who died in Illinois; Elizabeth, who married David Logan and died in Indiana; William, who died in Indiana; Margaret, who married William Goetz and died in Indiana; John, who died at Dayton, Ohio; Thomas, who died in Indiana; Samuel, who died in Miami County, Ohio; Susan, who married Samuel Crossley and died in Perry township; Andrew, who died in Indiana; George, who died in Perry township; David, who died in Perry township; Alexander, deceased; Martha (Wilson) who resides at Terre Haute, Indiana; and Mary A., deceased, who was the wife of Henry Lippincott.
John McPheron, father of our subject, was born in Tennessee, and was a boy in years when he accompanied the family to Allen County, Ohio. According to the law his time was his father's until the age of 21; but when 16 years old he bought his time by the payment of $80 and started out for himself. Out of his wages of $8 per month, he managed to save the sum of $100. This hard-earned money he used in payment for 80 acres of land the same being the homestead on which our subject was born. The latter has in his possession the original deed for this property, secured from the government. Mr. McPheron resided on this farm during the remainder of his active life, dying aged 66 years. He was a life-long Democrat. His religious connection was with the Christian Church.
John McPheron married Hulda Crossley, a member of the well-known Crossley family of Perry township, and their children were: William C., who lives in Perry township; Hester Ann, deceased in 1898, who was the wife of Enos Osborne; Jonathan M., of Perry township; Sarah Margaret, who married James Bailey and resides near Westminster; Jacob, who resides in the northeastern part of Lima, and three children who died in infancy.
Jonathan M. McPheron was reared on the home farm and was educated in the district schools of Perry township. He remained at home until 1892 when he came to his present farm in the northeastern part of section 16. As noted above, he owns the old farm which is one of considerable value on account of oil having been discovered there, seven wells being in operation. The Ohio Oil Company, of which he bought his present farm, reserved the oil rights on it. It is well adapted to both farming and pasturage and Mr. Mc Pheron has made a success of his agricultural labors.
When 32 years of age, Mr. McPheron married Sally Franklin, who was born in Perry township. She was a sister of Clifford Franklin, a merchant at Yoder, and of James Ike Franklin, who lives in the southern part of Perry township. The children born to this marriage were: Elvin Otto, who resides on the home farm; Walter Ray, of Perry township, who married Edna Hardesty, a daughter of Joshua Hardesty, and has one child; Myrlen Ross, who resides at home; Charles Dean, also at Home; and a babe that died in infancy. On April 10, 1898, Mr. McPheron was married to Alice Ditzler, of Perry township.
In politics Mr. McPheron has always been a Democrat, but is no seeker for office. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and belongs to the congregation which holds services not far from his home.