James B. Meech
James B. Meech has long been an important factor in professional circles of Wayne county, Ohio, and his popularity as an attorney is well deserved, as in him are embraced the characteristics of an unbending integrity, unabated energy and industry. He is public-spirited and takes a deep interest in whatever tends to promote the intellectual, civic and material welfare of the community in which he has so long resided,--in fact, where his life has been spent, for he was born in Chippewa township, October 7, 1853, the son of George and Martha (Housel) Meech, the latter a native of Summit county, this state, first seeing the light of day in the city of Akron. James B. Meech's paternal grandparents, Abel and Katherine Meech, were sturdy New Englanders, coming Ohio in a very early day and locating in Chippewa township; they took up government land which they developed into a good farm and spent the remaining years of their lives here. Thus the name Meech has been a familiar one in this section of Wayne county since the days of the forest primeval. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Meech were Hiram and Sarah Housel, residents of Summit county back in the times of the first settlers.
George Meech, father of James B., was probably born in New England in 1827, and Martha Housel, his wife was born in Summit county, Ohio, in 1832. They met and married in the last-named county and there became prosperous farmers and stock dealers. Both died in 1858, leaving four daughters and one son, James B., of this review. George Meech was a stanch Whig, later a Republican.
James B. Meech was a studious lad and he made a good record in the common schools of his native community. Later he took a course in Dennison University, leaving that institution in his sophomore year, 1875. He then gave way to a desire of long standing to begin the study of law in the office of R. B. Young at Doylestown, and later with Judge Joseph Downing of Wooster. He made rapid progress and was admitted to the bar in 1877 and immediately took up practice in Doylestown and has been here ever since. He was successful from the first and now he has a clientele second to none, enjoying a lucrative practice in the local courts, all his time being taken with his legal affairs. He is a convincing speaker before a jury and his knowledge of jurisprudence and all phases of the law is profound.
Mr. Meech was married December 20, 1882, to Etta Franks, daughter of Lyman and Elizabeth Franks, mentioned at length in another part of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Meech two children have been born, Bessie B., a teacher in the public schools at Akron, Ohio, and Mildred, deceased.
Politically, Mr. Meech is a loyal Republican and he has taken considerable interest in local party affairs, having held many local offices, and in 1891 made the race for prosecuting attorney of Wayne county. Fraternally, he is a member of the knights of Pythias.
Mr. Meech does an extensive business as the representative of the Home Insurance Company of New York, also the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company and the Insurance Company of North America. He is well known throughout the county and is popular with all classes and he and his wife mingle with the best society of the county and township.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910