My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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SAMUEL HAINES. In the career of Mr. Haines is illustrated that of the self-made man, who began life at the foot of the ladder, settling on sixty acres of land in the woods of Caesar’s Creek Township, Greene County. By a course of great industry and prudence he gained headway year by year, and was fortunate in his investments, so that he is now one of the foremost farmers of this county. He is a life-long resident in the community where he now resides, and besides his homestead proper, consisting of one hundred and one acres, has two other farms of one hundred and eight, and fifty acres respectively. He has given to his children about five hundred acres in all, in addition to a goodly sum of money. He has resided upon his present farm about fourteen years.

The subject of this notice first opened his eyes to the light October 24, 1818, at the modest home of his parents, a little farm which lay west of Burlington, this county. His father, Zimri Haines, was born in New Jersey, July 11, 1789, and married Elizabeth Compton, a native of South Carolina, and who was born July 25, 1800. Zimri Haines came to Ohio in 1810, when a young man. Prior to this he had learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, in Philadelphia, Pa. The parents were married in 1817, and soon afterward settled upon the place which constitutes the present home of our subject. The father purchased about six hundred acres of land, on a part of which he built a good homestead, where he spent the remainder of his life, passing away August 27, 1868. The mother survived her husband for a period of eighteen years, her death taking place in June, 1886, when she was nearly eighty-six years old. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom Samuel, our subject, was the eldest born; Sarah died in Wabash, Ind.; Elwood is a resident of Iowa; Eber and Eli in Clinton County, Ohio; and Phebe, Mrs. Joseph L. Davis, is a resident of Clayton, Kan.; Rebecca A. died in Caesar’s Creek Township, Greene County, Ohio; Elizabeth lives in Clinton County; and Asaph is a resident of this county; Mary M., Mrs. Brown, lives in Henry County, Ind.

The parents of our subject belonged to the Society of Friends. The elder Haines was a prominent man in his community, liberal and public spirited, and respected by all who knew him. The paternal grandparents were Isaac and Keziah (Woolman) Haines, who emigrated from New York State to Ohio about 1820. They first settled near Lumberton, Clinton County, and later removed to Westboro. that county, where they spent their last days. Their family consisted of three sons and four daughters, viz.: Zimri, Granville, Mordecai, Elizabeth, Mrs. Beatty; Rachel, Mrs. Davis; Susan, Mrs. Mendenhall; and Abigail, Mrs. Johnson. The Haines family originated in France, and were represented in America probably during the Colonial days. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Samuel and Phebe (Edwards) Compton, who emigrated from South Carolina to Ohio during the pioneer days. The first recollections of Samuel Haines are of the little log cabin in the woods where he spent his boyhood, assisting his father in the development of the new farm, and obtaining his education in the primitive schools. He prosecuted his studies in another log cabin with slab seats, puncheon floor, and greased paper for window panes. He attended school mostly during the winter season, and the balance of the year assisted his father in clearing the farm.

One of the most important events in the early life of Mr. Haines was his marriage with Miss Mary Bales, which occurred at the bride’s home in this township, March 17, 1842. This lady was born September 14, 1824, at her father’s homestead in Caesar’s Creek Township, in what is now Jasper Township, and is the daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth (Shook) Bales, who were natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Elisha Bales was born October 17, 1790, and about 1801 was brought by his parents to Ohio, they settling in Caesar’s Creek Township, where Grandfather Bales spent the remainder of his life. His family consisted of two sons and six daughters, viz.: Aaron E., Alexander, Julia A., Matilda, Phebe, Mary, Elizabeth E. and Sarah L. The maternal great-grandfather of our subject, also named Elisha Bales, married Elizabeth Nichols, who came from Pennsylvania. They belonged to the Society of Friends, and spent their last years in Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Haines became the parents of twelve children, the eldest of whom, a daughter, Eunice, married Joseph Adams, and is now a widow making her home in Greene County; Amos died when thirty years old; Sarah E. is the wife of Harvey Falkner; Zimri died at the age of thirty-two; Julia A. is at home; Phebe and Elisha died at the ages of twenty-eight and fourteen; Eli is living in this township; Hannah married Prof. E. H. Colvin, and lives in this county; Alfred also lives in this county; Mary E. died when twenty-two years old: and Aaron died when a child of two. Mr. and Mrs. Haines are likewise Quakers in religious belief. Mr. Haines is held in high repute among the people who have known him all his life, and is a most worthy representative of one of the substantial families of the county.

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This family biography is one of the many biographies included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890. 

View additional Greene County, Ohio family biographies here: Greene County, Ohio Biographies

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