Greenville, OH newspaper

James Jones Markwith was born October 3rd, 1818 in Hamilton Co., Ohio. His father, John C. Markwith, who was born in Essex Co., New Jersey, was married to Elizabeth Muckridge of the same State. The family came to Ohio in 1810 and located in Hamilton Co., where they lived for a period of ten years. In 1820 they moved to Darke Co. and settled on the farm now owned by Jacob M. Brown, near Sampson, where the father of the deceased died November 30th. 1836. The mother of the deceased died in 1861.

The subject of this sketch was about two years old when the family moved to Darke Co. The deceased received his education in an old log schoolhouse under the tutorship of Dr. John A. Jobes, one of the citizens of our town. At the same school his eldest son, Morrison, attended.

The deceased lived with his father until the death of the latter, after which he remained with his mother until April 1st, 1838, when he was united in marriage with Sarah Ashley, who died November 23rd, 1846. The result of this union was three children, one son and two daughters, with only the son reamining, who is now engaged in the ministry.

He was married the second time to Barbara J. Brown, October 24th, 1847. The result of this marriage was seven sons and three daughters, all of whom are still living.

Upon marriage he commenced business for himself on the old homestead. AFter farming one year he purchased eighty acres of timbered land in Neave Township, for which he was to pay $651. The entire capital he then possessed being $25 and a horse. Having lived on this farm for nineteen years, in 1857 he disposed of same and purchased 176 acres near Jaysville, upon which he lived until 1878, when he finally settled in Greenville.

He began his business career with little or not capital, but by perseverance and hard labor and correct business habits he acquired a large fortune.

He died at home on the evening of December 28th, 1889, in his seventy-second year. It was about ten o'clock at night, just as he was retiring, when Death came upon him as quick as the lightning's flash, and his life went out as suddenly as the blowing out of a lamp. One moment he was turning off the gas from the stove, but the next he fell dead. We have implicit confidence to believe that his spirit went sweeping through the gate into the City of the New Jerusalem, and that he is now safely anchored in the haven of eternal rest, where all is peace and joy and happiness forever.

He was converted soon after his first marriage, at a meeting held in the house of Daniel Tillman, being on the farm known as the John Townsend farm. He joined the Christian Church at that time, having been a constant member of same for nearly fifty years at his death. During the past fifteen or sixteen years he has been a member (line missing) Greenville.

He leaves a wife, eleven children, thirty grandchildren, four great grandchildren, with a host of other relatives and old time friends to mourn his departure.

The funeral ceremonies where conducted by the patrons of Husbandry, and order of which the deceased has been a very prominent and worthy member ever since its first organization in the State.

The funeral sermon was preached at the Christian Church in our town by Rev. Fenner of Sidney, Ohio and Rev. Choate of Franklin, Ohio.

The remains of the deceased were interred in the Abbottsville Cemetery.