James Standley Salmon
James Standley Salmon was born on the farm on which he now lives, May 15, 1830, and is a son of John and Anna (Standley) Salmon. His grandfather Salmon came from France to Dutchess County, New York, at an early date.
John Salmon, father of James S., was born in Dutchess County, New York, in 1791. and leaving home, a young man in search of work. he arrived at the Marietta settlement in Ohio. There he entered the employ of a widow, Mrs. Anna Breck, whom he shortly married. Mrs. Salmon, whose maiden name was Anna Standley, came of one of the earliest families of the .Marietta settlement and was herself the second white female born there, the date of her nativity being January 1, 1791. Of her marriage with John Breck there were three children—one son and two daughters— as follows: John, who died at the age of 14 years; Seraph (Alney). who died April 2, 1842, in Brown Township; and Cynthia, who married William Elliott, and died in Cleveland at the advanced age of 84 years. They continued to reside at Marietta until 1824, when they sold their tract of 25 acres there and moved to Genoa Township, Delaware County, Ohio, where they rented for one year. They then spent a year in Kingston Township, subsequently buying 100 acres of land on the State Road in Brown Township, for which they paid the sum of three dollars per acre. This they began to clear and cultivate, and it has since become one of the most valuable farms in the township. Mr. Salmon died on the home place April 14, 1864, and his widow survived him three years, dying July 23. 1867, in Indiana, whither she had gone to live with a son and daughter. Their union was blessed with the following children: Mixenda, who married Solomon Shoemaker and went to live in Whitely, Indiana, where she died in 1899; Benjamin who died in Indiana, January 13. 1904; Jacob, who died in Licking County: Jacob R., who died October 2, 1846; Thomas, who died March 1, 1847; James S., who is still living at the advanced age of 78 years; and Selden, who died at the age of six weeks. John Salmon was originally a Whig and later a Republican in politics. He served in the War of 1812, and tried to enlist during- the Civil War.
James S. Salmon has always lived in Brown Township, and in his youth attended the oId log school house of his district. When he first took hold of the home farm there was but little of it cleared, and most of the other improvements were made by him. He later added fifty acres of partially cleared land, and then from time to time added other tracts until he now possesses 285 acres, all under a high state of cultivation. He has followed general farming and stock-raising.
September 18, 1851, Mr. Salmon was united in marriage with Sarah A. Randolph, who was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and who is a daughter of Marsh Fritz and Sandra (Styles) Randolph. Her father was born and reared at Staten Island, New York, while her mother's people came from Virginia. This union resulted in the birth of one son, John, who was born July 31, 1852, and died January 27, 1878. Mr. Salmon is a Republican in national politics, but in local politics is independent. He served three years as township trustee, but declined to run again for the office.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908