Union County, Ohio Biographies Project - Daniel Spain
DANIEL SPAIN
<> Daniel Spain, a native of Virginia, born
October 14, 1786, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Champaign County,
three miles west of North Lewisburg. He married Agnes Crowder,
and in the spring of 1832 removed to this county and located on a tract
of land where his son, Sanford W., now lives. Here he commenced
in the green woods, " not a stick amiss." About one year after,
in 1833, he died, and the work of making a home and a farm devolved
upon the mother and her children, who were quite young, the eldest son,
John P., being about twenty years of age. In three years after,
or in 1836, death again visited their family, and took from them this
oldest son. Their other children were Millie, who married Paschal
Spain, and is deceased; Sanford W., married Matilda Wallace. She
died and he married Sarah Ann Shirk, and now resides on the old home
farm. Dollie never married, and died young; Daniel W., married Sarah
Sheneman, and resides east of Sanford W., on a part of the home farm;
Clements, married Mary June Tobey, is now deceased; and Levi E.,
married Lovina Poling, and resides on the north part of the home
place. It will be observed in the history of this family that
after the death of the father, Daniel Spain, three years had scarcely
elapsed when the oldest son died, and the care of the family, the work
of making home and paying for their land devolved mainly upon the
mother and the next eldest son, Sanford, who was then eighteen years of
age. They were in the midst of the wilderness, and the prospect
before them was gloomy in the extreme. But with true pioneer
courage, with willing hands and hearts, they labored on; obstacles gave
way before them, and today' they have a good improved farm, with good
buildings and the comforts of life. Mrs. Spain, the mother, died
about 1840.