FSurname

LEVI V. FORD is a native of Randolph county, Ind.,having been born here December 17, 1857. He is the only son of Mordecai and Sophia (Hoffman) Ford. His father came from Darke county, Ohio; his grandfather from Virginia; the great-grandfather from Scotland,and the great-grandfather from Scotland, and the great-grandmother from Germany. The great-grandparents were married in the old Dominion and then emigrated to Darke county, Ohio, where they they engaged in farming, the great-grandfather dying while there. The grandparents were born and reared in Ohio, and were also farmers, and a successful people.
Levi V. Ford's father was born in Darke county, January 5, 1830, and grew to manhood there, and his mother also grew to womanhood in the same place. The young people were united in marriage March 17, 1853, and then moved to Farmland, where he engaged in the saw-mill business for a period of five years. He purchased eighty acres of land, and then, after a time, returned to his first vocation, saw-milling, which he engaged in for three years more. He then returned to the farm, which was an unbroken tract of timber. He was a good financier, and at the time of his death owned 240 acres of well improved land. Two children were the fruit of this union -Ida Alice, wife of Saul O. Sumwalt, and Levi V. The father left his children the legacy of a good education, both having been prepared for teachers. He died January 15, 1879, and the mother passed away December 4, 1886, and were both buried in the Hopewell cemetery. The father was a member of the Masonic order, in which fraternity he took great pride, and was a good and efficient worker. In politics he was a democrat, and was a stanch adherent to this time-honored party. The mother was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a good woman in every sense of the word. A beautiful monument, erected in loving memory of them, marks the silent resting place of these two estimable people.
Levi V. Ford passed his early life on the farm, but after his father's death he was obliged to put up his books and assume the management of the homestead place. He was married at the age of twenty-five years to Miss Ella Bartmess, the accomplished daughter of Warren and Eliza (McCarty) Bartmess. She was of Irish-German descent and one of five children, Ella being the eldest. The others are named as follows: John, engaged in the railroad service; William, in the same employment; Edgar, also the same; Harry, deceased. After the marriage of our subject, he located on a farm of 10 acres, which had been given him by his father, on which he has made many handsome improvements. Mr. Ford is a scientific farmer and a man fully abreast of the times in his own peculiar employment, as well as otherwise. He is a great reader, a close observer, and a good practical thinker. He is a democrat, and in 1893 ran for sheriff on that ticket. No family in the country stands higher in the estimation of the people than the Ford family, which is a model for any household. Mr. Ford is business all the way through, and in connection with his farming, handles farm implements and machinery. His marriage has been blessed with two children, Lester and Edith.
A PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF DELAWARE AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES, INDIANA
A.W. Bowen & Co., 1894
Page 1105
Submitted by Dusti

W.W. FOWLER , a popular attorney at law of Union City, Randolph county, Ind., and now in his mental and physical prime, was born in Darke county, Ohio, November 5, 1851. His grandfather, Hezekiah Fowler, a native of Frederick county, Md., and of English descent, located in Holmes county, Ohio, prior to, and took part in, the war of 1812; moved to Darke county in 1818, settled on what is now the Winchester and Greenville pike, made an improvement, and lived there until 1830. In November, 1831, he moved to the state line of Indiana, entered 150 acres, forty of which are now within the corporation of Union City, Ohio, but there was no village there at that time, and Hanson T. Fowler (father of W. W.) then eight years of age, after he had grown, killed a three-spike buck on the site of Hon. N. Cadwallader's present residence. Piqua, Ohio, was the nearest grain point, and Greenville was a small trading post. Hezekiah traveled on horseback to do his trading, never having owned a wagon until he was a man grown. Hezekiah Fowler married Isabel Duval, of Darke county, Ohio, and to the union were born nine children. Hanson T., the eldest son, received eleven month's schooling, and with that exception was self-taught; yet he taught in the common schools, both of Ohio and Indiana, for many terms. He served in several township offices, and was a shrewd business man withal. He and a brother made an addition of thirty-two lots to Union City, which is now well built up with residences and factories, and is known as Fowler Bros.' addition. Hanson T. first married, in 1830, Sarah Livengood, daughter of John Livengood. She was then a resident of Randolph county, Ind., but had been reared in Darke county, Ohio, and was of Pennsylvania German parentage. Four children resulted from this union,of whom three are living, viz: William W., Hezekiah and Jacob L. William W. Fowler was educated in the common schools of country and city. In 1871 he began teaching, and taught in Randolph and Jay counties, Ind., and in Darke county, Ohio, and at one time was principal of Castine, Hillgrove and Dawn. He continued to teach until February, 1889, and since 1890 has been engaged in the practice of the law, having been admitted to the bar, in that year, at Columbus, Ohio. He had been prepared for the profession by study at Greenville, Ohio, since 1885, in the office of Allready & Bickel. In politics Mr. Fowler is a republican, has been a delegate of his party to its state convention, and for two years has served as corporation clerk of Union City. He was married, in 1879, to Miss Ella Brambaugh, and is now the happy father of one son.
A PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF DELAWARE AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES, INDIANA
A.W. Bowen & Co., 1894
Page 1366
Submitted by Dusti

SAMUEL ELSWORTH FRAZE has been in the undertaking business and a funeral director in Eastern Indiana for over forty years. With members of his own family as partners and associates he has developed a service recognized as the foremost in equipment and appointment throughout Randolph County, with establishments at Union City and Winchester.

Fraze was born in Randolph County, March 12, 1865, son of John H. and Nancy (Lasley) Fraze. His father was a native of Preble County, Ohio, a son of John and Abigail (Blanchard) Fraze, who came from New Jersey to Ohio. Mr. Fraze's maternal grand- parents were David and Nancy Lasley, natives of Indiana, where their respective families were pioneers. John H. Fraze spent his life as a farmer and lived to a good old age, passing away at Saratoga in Randolph County when eighty seven years of age. His wife died at the age of eighty-six. Samuel Elsworth Fraze had the advantages of the grade and high schools during his youth. He trained for his profession with the Egyptian Embalming School, at Boston, Massachusetts, and when twenty-one years of age began his business as an undertaker at Ridgeville, Indiana. After ten years he moved to Winchester, where his branch of the business is carried on under the firm style of The Fraze Funeral Home, Composed of S. E. Fraze; C. C. Fraze, his son; O. O. Fraze, a nephew of S. E. Fraze; and E. W. Diggs, Mr. S. E. Fraze's grandson. Mr. Fraze, in 1904 bought an undertaking business at Union City, at which time his nephew, 0. 0. Fraze became his partner. Mr. Fraze's son, C C. Fraze, is also in the business. Mr. Fraze has had his home in Union City since 1912. At both cities where the funeral homes are established the Fraze establishments have completely motorized equipment, including funeral cars, coaches, ambulances. At Union City Mr. Fraze bought the old home of Judge Theodore Shockney, one of the finest homes in that city, surrounded with beautiful grounds, with shade and ornamental trees. This is located at 432 West Pearl Street, and the office of the business is at 316 West Oak Street. Mr. Fraze has been a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Republican, a Knight Templar Mason, a member of the Lodge and Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, B. P. 0. Elks, Modern Woodmen of America and Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is a member of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association. Mr. Fraze still owns the farm on which he was born. This comprises 100 acres, and his father secured thin land by trading for it two cows and a horse. By a former marriage there were four children: Opal, deceased; Olive, Mrs. Frank Barnd, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Mrs. Lucile Barelow, of Fort Wayne; and Canton C., associated with his father's business. Mr. Fraze in 1911 married Myra Hopkins, of Ohio.
I typed this for the people that are researching these surnames. I do not know any more about this biography, or the people in it. Lora Radiches.

The Fraziers are from one of the earliest pioneer families in Randolph County, Indiana. James Frazier and his wife, Susanna (Stanley), moved to the neighborhood just east of Lynn in 1817. They came from Clinton County, Ohio, together with seven of their ten children. Francis Frazier, Sr., (their fifth child) was apparently one of the Committee appointed by the New Garden Meeting in 1818 to visit the first Jericho meetings, held in the homes, and make a report on the request for permission to hold meetings. This despite the fact that he would have been only sixteen years old at the time. Francis Frazier, Sr., married Letitia Clearwater about 1823. They had eleven children. At least seven of these were in the Jericho neighborhood at one time or another. In addition, it is possible that there was a cousin or two. Of the family of Francis Frazier, Sr., the following are buried at Jericho: Francis, Sr., and Letitia his wife; Francis, Jr., and Sarah and Jane, his wives; Samuel Frazier and Jane his wife; Lucinda (Frazier) Lasher; James Frazier and many others of their descendants.

The Fraziers did not take up residence at Jericho until comparatively late in the period under discussion. Samuel Frazier was the first to come, July 13, 1850, from the Cherry Grove MM. Elijah, His brother and family came in 1856. Francis, Sr., and Letitia with granddaughters came in July 1862; Cyrus and family came in October, 1862, and Francis, Jr., was received in August, 1863, from Dover MM. Of these folks most of the descendants have now disappeared from the neighborhood except those of Francas, Jr. The Fraziers were blacksmiths. James and Francis, Sr.,were also noted bell makers. They had more work than they could handle in supplying bells for the necks of stock which were turned loose in the woods of those early days. Francis, Sr., leaves the statement that he spent so much time hunting, when a young man, that the Friends appointed a committee to remonstrate with him in the matter. He states that they were kindly and that he did desist for a time but was soon lured back to the chase. Francis, Jr., operated a black smith shop for many years at his home one mile east and one mile north of the present Jericho Meeting-house. The writer has often taken horses there to be shod.
Jericho Friends Meeting P10
And Its Community
1864
Submitted by Lora Addison Radiches

JAMES A. FRAZIER , township trustee and businessman at Union City, is descended from the son of one of the very earliest settlers of Randolph County. His grandparents, Francis and Leutricia (Clearwater) Frazier, were North Carolina Quakers. They left North Carolina, where they had lived in Guilford County, and went to Clinton County, Ohio, in 1811 and from they're in 1817 moved to Randolph County, Indiana, acquiring land and developing a farm from the wilderness. The father of James A. Frazier was Francis Frazier, who was born in Randolph County, March 7, 1842. Like his father before him he was a blacksmith and expert worker in metals, and besides black smithing and repair work he manufactured bells used for livestock and also made knives and razors. He lived to a good old age, passing away November 9, 1925. Francis Frazier married Jane Shockney, who was born June 18, 1846, in Wayne Township, Randolph County, being a daughter of John and Jerusha Shockney and a granddaughter of Patrick Shockney, a soldier of the American Revolution. Mrs. Jane Frazier died April 20, 1914. Of her nine children seven are living, James A. being the youngest. He was born in Wayne Township, Randolph County, April 17, 1886. Mr. Frazier acquired a liberal education, in the public schools, in the Muncie Normal, and took a commercial course in Valparaiso University. During his early manhood he taught school in Wayne Township for nine years. He was engaged in farming for five years, served one year as deputy assessor and since 1915 has conducted a tire and automobile accessory business at Union City, specializing in the Fisk tires. Mr. Frazier has been township trustee since 1922. He moved his home to Union City in December, 1924. He is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Jerico Friends Church, while his wife is a Methodist. He married, March 15, 1915, Miss Lura Thompson, who was born at Battle Ground, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, daughter of Miles K. and Adeline M. (Anderson) Thompson. She was educated in grade and high schools and in Earlham College at Richmond and taught in the public schools of Wayne Township for four years. They have one son, James Robert, born May 13, 1917.
This book has no cover, and no index, and no author. I bought it on Ebay; it just has the insides, but it is full of Indiana biographies. I am not researching this family, just thought I would share. I do not know anymore about these families or these surnames. NOTE: I don't know if there is any additional mention of this family in the book, it has no index. I do not want to sell this book. I am typing the biographies from it.
Typed by Lora Radiches