Benjamin F. Price ^{2 3}

  General Notes:

BENJAMIN F. PRICE has wisely followed in the footsteps of his honored father in his continuous and successful association with the great basic industries of agriculture and stock- growing, of which he has long been a substantial exponent in his native township. He was born in Franklin Township, Harrison County, on tbe 20th of October, 1847, and is a son of the late Joel and Sophia (Leas) Price, the former of whom was born in Jefferson County, this state, January 9, 1805, and the latter was likewise a native of that county, where their marriage was solemnized on the 24th of May, 1836. Mrs. Sophia Price was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Zimmerman) Leas, who were born and reared in Adams County, Pennsylvania, where their marriage occurred and whence they came in an early day to Jefferson County, Ohio, where they passed the remainder of tbeir lives as sterling pioneer citizens, their children having been seven in number\emdash Leonard, Maria (Mrs. Miser), Sophia (Mrs. Joel Price), Jacob, Margaret (Mrs. Finnicum), Eliza (Mrs. Reukenbrod), and William. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Joel Price was a native of Germany and became an early settler in Adams County, Pennsylvania, where he reared a family of six sons and six ,daughters. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Joel Price continued their residence in Jefferson County until 1846, when they came to Harrison County and settled on a tract of land which had been secured from the Government, by the father of Mr. Price. There the passing years marked the development of one of the fine farms of Franklin Township, and there Mr. and Mrs. Price continued to reside until their deaths, when venerable in years. Both were earnest and influential members of the Presbyterian Church at Feed Springs, in which Mr. Price served as a trustee and also as treasurer. The dates and respective dates of birth of their children are here .made a matter of record: Jacob L., September 13, 1837; Catherine. September 30, 1839; William H. H., October 14, 1841; Elizabeth, November 4, 1843: Sarah J., October 29, 1845: Benjamin F.. October 20, 1847; George W., December 3. 1849 (died October 28, 1864), Leonard, August 23. 1852: John La December 30. 1854: and Mary M.. December 28, 1859.

Joel Price was a grandson of Josiah and Mary (Frazier) Price. the former of whom was ;1 native of Wales. whence he set forth for America when a young man. in company with his two brothers. one of whom was drowned at sea while on the voyage, he having fallen overboard and having swam for half a day before he succumbed, his pleadings and those of his brothers having not availed in causing the captain of the vessel to attempt a rescue. Benjamin Price. father of Joel, was born in New Jersey, December 12. 1768, and his wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Beebout. was born September 5, 1766. The parents became pioneer settlers in Jefferson County, Ohio. where they passed the remainder of their lives, the death of the father occurring September 15. 1853.

Benjamin F. Price gained his youthful education in the pioneer schools of Franklin Township and in a well ordered school then maintained at Feed Springs. He thereafter continued his association with the activities of the old home farm until his marriage, in 1876, wheu he established his home on the farm which has continued to be the stage of his effective enterprise as an agriculturist and stock-grower during the long intervening years. The excelleut buildings on the place were erected by him, and the farm comprises 166 acres. On the place Mr. Price has a number of pure-bred Shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses. but he has not specialized in the raising of these types of live stock. He is a republican in his political proclivities and he and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian Church at Feed Springs.

On the 7th of February. 1876, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Price to Miss Mary R. Barkley, who was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, a daughter of the late Andrew and Rebecca (Welch) Barkley. Mr. and Mrs. Price have two children\emdash Edgar K. and Lura M.. the latter being the wife of S. Garfield Hitchcock. of Franklin Township. Edgar K. Price. who has for the past twenty years maintained partnership association with his father in the operations of the home farm and who individually owns eighty acres in Franklin Township, was born in this township on the 7th of December. 1878, and his early education was obtained in the public schools at Feed Springs. He has always remained with his parents on the old homestead, and for twelve or more years he also did effective contract work in the drilling of oil wells. besides which he has leased lands for oil prospecting and is still actively identified with oil production enterprise. He pins his political faith to the republican party and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Feed Springs.

October 3, 1900, recorded the marriage of Edgar K. Price to Miss Jessie E. Melaney, daughter of John and Ella Melaney, and she died May 1, 1906, leaving no children. On the 19th of August, 1907, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Price to Miss Elizabeth Wenger, who was born in Switzerland, daughter of Rudolph and Miriam (Crepps) Wenger, and the one child of this union is Benjamin R., who was born June 13, 1909.

Benjamin married Mary Rebecca Barkley, daughter of Andrew Barkley and Rebecca Welsh, on 7 Feb 1877.¹ (Mary Rebecca Barkley was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, USA and died in 1924.)