Samuel Cleaver
Samuel Cleaver, who has been more or less identified with the sheep industry since boyhood and is probably one of the best informed men on the subject in the country, is also the able secretary of the American and Delaine-Merino Sheep Association, and resides on a beautiful farm of 128 acres, known as the "Maplewood Stock Farm," which is situated on the Columbus, Delaware and Marion electric line, just south of the city of Delaware. Mr. Cleaver was born at East Bethlehem, Washington County. Pennsylvania, April 18, 1851, and is a son of Amos C. and Amelia (Morris) Cleaver.
The Cleaver family to which he belongs originated in Wales and in religious faith were Quakers. John Cleaver, the grandfather, was born near Philadelphia, and later moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania, where he became a wealthy farmer and stock breeder. He married Annie Vail and they had the following children: Amos G., father of Samuel M.; Eli. now deceased, who was formerly a member of the Ohio State Legislature; Dr. Hiram M., deceased, who was an instructor in a medical college at Keokuk. Iowa; Bentley, also deceased, who resided at Wapello, lowa: and John Ira. who resides at Centervine, Pennsylvania.
Amos G. Cleaver was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1897, aged eighty-four years. As soon as his boyhood days were over, he began to breed sheep, and in 1858 he bought his first fullbred Merino sheep in Vermont, although he had been engaged in the sheep breeding industry for several years previous. He was a man of sterling qualities, and public offices were frequently tendered him. but he cared little for such honors. He belonged to the Society of Friends and lived faithful to their precepts. He married Amelia Morris, who died in 1905, aged eighty-six years. She was a daughter of Samuel Morris. They reared seven children, namely: Lewis M.. Mrs. Annie Jones, Hiram T., William H., Mrs. Elizabeth Linton, Samuel M. and John, all residing at Centerville, except Samuel M. and Lewis M., the last mentioned being a resident of Orlando. Florida.
Samuel M. Cleaver was a small boy when he was first set to the task of tending sheep. When he was four years old his father presented him with a sheep of his own, and he has owned sheep ever since that early date in his life. He attended school at Centerville but liked better to be a shepherd than a student of books. This early and continued interest in the subject resulted in his becoming thoroughly posted on everything concerning the care, breeding, and raising of sheep. He remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age. and until he was of age he assisted his father, after which he had an interest in the home flock. In 1876 he started out for himself on a farm adjoining the homestead, with a thoroughbred flock made up of the best blood to be found in the New England States. He has continued that class of breeding ever since. In 1879 he became a member of the Vermont Sheep Breeders' Association and later he registered a portion of his flock in the United States Sheep Breeders' Association.
In 1889, Mr. Cleaver assisted to organize the Standard Sheep Breeders' Association and for 16 years subsequently served as its able secretary. He then helped to organize the Consolidated Association of Merino Breeders, which was made up of the several associations in the United States, at which time (1905) he was elected secretary to this body. In March of the above named year, he bought his present farm of 126 acres, all of which he devotes to his sheep, keeping an average of 150 head at all times. He buys several times as many as he can raise but deals only in the offspring of sheep which he has raised himself. He owns some of the most noted rams in the country, Gold Standard, Fortune, Improver and Oil King having a great reputation with breeds, in all sections. Formerly he exhibited extensively both in Pennsylvania and Ohio, but no longer goes to that trouble. Then he sold to nearly all the exhibitors, while now his best trade is only with the owners of the finest flocks. He is always looking for unusually finely developed rams and when he heard of the phenomenal American Model, he purchased him and from his mating with equally fine ewes, produced a strain that has helped to make Maplewood Stock Farm still more favorably known than formerly. Delaware County may be congratulated on having so competent a sheep breeder, and so useful a citizen as Mr. Cleaver. For forty years he successfully developed the sheep industry in his native State, and his efforts have already proven of the greatest benefit to sheep farmers in Delaware County.
Mr. Cleaver married Ella Curry, who was a daughter of Thomas Curry, of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and they had one son, Frank W., residing at Centerville. Mrs. Cleaver died in 1895. She was a devoted member of the Christian Church. Mr. Cleaver married for his second wife. Mrs. Mina Farquhar, who is a daughter of William Keenan of Monongahela City, Pennsylvania. Of this union there is one child, Elizabeth. Mrs. Cleaver was the widow of the late Dr. Charles Farquhar, who left two children—William and Blanche. Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver are members of the Presbyterian Church.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle