Gen. James O. Amos
Although not a pioneer of Shelby County, Gen’l Amos is entitled to rank among the foremost men of the county, as well as among the prominent men of the State. His ancestry traces back to the settlement in Maryland under the Lord Baltimore grant by Charles II. in 1629. The descendants of this original stock are now distributed throughout the United States. He was born near Beallesville, Monroe County, Ohio, on the 30th day of March, 1833, a little more than a half century ago. He was reared on a farm, but after attaining his eighteenth year his time was divided between the labors of a teacher and those of a farmer until he was twenty-seven years of age. With the exception of one academic year, his education was acquired in the public schools and by private study at his home. While at his farm home he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1859, when he immediately entered upon the practice of his profession. In 1861 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Monroe County, and was honored by a re-election in 1863. In 1860 he became a member of the board of school examiners of his county, which position be retained until 1870, when he resigned, and refused to further serve. In 1869 he was elected to the State Senate from the 20th senatorial district of Ohio, comprising the counties of Monroe and Geurnsey and a portion of Noble. He was re-elected to the General Assembly at the succeeding election, and thus served two terms in the Senate. In 1874 Governor William Allen honored him by his appointment as adjutant-general of Ohio, an office which he held two years. During his administration the present system of volunteer militia was inaugurated, and he also actively engaged in the settlement of the ordnance accounts between the State of Ohio and the United States. By this action he secured an exchange of the condemned arms, which were charged to the State account in 1863, for the new and improved arms now used by the Ohio National Guards. Since the close of his administration as adjutant-general he has been engaged in the newspaper business. In 1876 he came to Sidney, and purchased the Shelby County Democrat, and has since retained its editorship and proprietorship. Being a man of practical ideas. liberal views, and social qualities he has carried the Democrat to a higher level of ability and success than it ever before attained. The Democrat enjoys the distinction of ranking among the best Democratic weeklies in Western Ohio. General Amos was married September 9, 1856, to Miss Nancy J. Craig, whose ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Westmoreland County, Pa., she, however, being a native of Ohio. They have reared a family of eight children. Of these, M. Emma is married to Monroe C. Pegg, and resides near Columbus, Ohio. The others are all at home, and are named Delia E., who is connected with the local business department of the Democrat, Clara E., Kate J., William T., Ernest A., Howard Allen, and Frank Beeman.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883