J. D. Slemmons, a carpenter, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, July 26, 1841, and is the son of James L. and Susannah (Osborn) Slemmons, the former a native of Ohio, and the latter of Pennsylvania, both of English and Irish descent. Our subject was reared on his father's farm and received a common school education. In 1864, he came to Union County and for eight years clerked in the store of John Landon at Richwood. In 1876, he engaged in the insurance business, as agent for the Richwood Mutual Company, in which capacity he continued for some time, with success. He has for many years been engaged more or less as a carpenter, but has never devoted his time exclusively to that trade. He is a Republican, and the owner of a house and four acres of land lying in the corporation of Richwood. His father died in 1865, and since that time his mother has lived with him and attended to the household duties of his home.