Charles William Westbay
Charles William Westbay, mayor of the village of West Cairo and superintendent of schools, was born on a farm about three miles from Lima, February 4, 1860. His parents were Isaiah and Katherine (Crites) Westbay, both of whom were born in Allen County. William Westbay, the paternal grandfather, who was a native of Scotland, Settled in Pennsylvania, and later moved to Allen County, Ohio, where he died. The maternal grandparents were Charles and Sophia Crites, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German ancestry.
Isaiah Westbay was a farmer, but was also a musician of considerable ability, and during the early years held singing-school at various places throughout this section. He enlisted in Company G, 81st Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., as musician, serving under Captain Overmyer as fifer and flute player, and among the engagements in which he took part was that at Corinth. He died March 7, 1864, a few days after returning to his family. He left three children, the two eldest being twins who were named in honor of their grandparents, our subject bearing the names of both grand- fathers, Charles and William, while his sister was called Sophia Jane. This sister married L. W. Allen and resides in Lima. Martha Ozilla, the third Child, married J. M. Osborn and lives in Waverly, Kansas.
Our subject was reared on the farm and attended the common schools during his youth. At the age of 20 years, he took a two years' course in the Ohio Normal University at Ada, Ohio, and since that time has been engaged in teaching, so far as is known, he is the veteran teacher of the county, having taught consecutively here for the longest time. His first charge was a district school which he taught in 1882 and for which he received pay at the rate of $1 per day for the first three months. In 1886 he came to West Cairo and for four years was a successful teacher in the schools in the township. For three years he was superintendent of schools at LaFayette, resigning to accept the position of superintendent of the Monroe township schools. At the expiration of that period he was elected superintendent of schools at West Cairo and has held this place since. He is one of the most advanced educators of the county, and has been remarkably successful with his work, fitting the young men and women under his care to fill places of usefulness and honor in the social and business world. He served on the County Board of School Examiners for six years, and has been actively identified with the growth and upbuilding of the community. He was postmaster at West Cairo during Cleveland's second administration.
Mr. Westbay was married in 1886 to Miss Ritenour, a native of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Mandeville and Elizabeth (Hackney) Ritenour, both natives of that State. Mrs. Westbay has borne her husband four children, viz: Zeno Pearl; Corinne Savonarola; Naomi Ernest; and Henry October. The family are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Westbay is a Democrat and has been honored with a number of offices in the village, serving as justice of the peace for nine years, before being placed in the mayor's chair. Fraternally he is connected with the Sons of Veterans, Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.