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JAMES R. STAFFORD, a prominent businessman of Albany, was born in Niles Township, Delaware County, January 22, 1846, son of Joseph Stafford and wife Eve Stafford. Our subject's paternal grandfather was a native of Ireland, but early came to the United States, locating in Virginia, where he was employed for some time as a linen weaver. Late in life, he located in Clarke, Ohio, where his death occurred. Joseph Stafford was a native of Clarke County, Ohio. James R. Stafford, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the home farm in Niles Township, attended the common schools during the winters and at the age of twenty, attended school in Muncie, where he made substantial progress in the various branches of learning. He fitted himself for the teacher's profession, and was thus employed for twelve consecutive years, devoting his attention in the meantime, during the summer season, to farming on the home place. On attaining his legal majority, he engaged in the pursuit of agriculture on a forty, acre tract given him by his father, and on the latter's death, in 1877, he purchased a part of the homestead to which he added other land until he because the possessor of a fine farm of t35 acres, which is well improved and highly cultivated. On the 1 0th of October, 1867, when twenty-one years of age, Mr. Stafford was united in marriage with Miss Nancy E. Sharon, who was born in Niles township, this county, January 16, 1846, daughter of Henry Sharon, Esq. Two children resulted from this marriage, Minnie O., wife of James Syphers, and Joseph H., deceased. Mrs. Stafford, a highly respected lady and consistent member of the Methodist church, died in the full hope of a happy future, March 24, 1873, and her body was laid to rest beneath the shades of the beautiful Bethel cemetery of Albany. On 28 May 1876, Mr. Stafford again entered the marriage relation, choosing for his companion, Elizabeth McDaniels, whose death occurred August 16th of the same year. She was born in, Greene County, Ohio, in 1846, and at the time of her departure, had been an earnest member of the Methodist church for a period of sixteen years. Mr. Stafford's third marriage was celebrated December 15, 1881, in Greene County, Ohio, with Miss Sarah C. Anderson, a native of the same county and state, born near Xenia, April 8, 1857. Mrs. Stafford is the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Standfield) Anderson, of Ohio, whose respective parents came from South Carolina and Virginia. The following- are the names of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stafford: Edna May, Ruthie Jane and Roxey Edith.
Mr. Stafford is a republican in politics, and as such was elected trustee of Delaware Township, which position he filled for four and one half years from 1886 to 1890. He was also assessor of Niles Township. He is one of the directors of the Albany Land Company, and is the efficient superintendent of the Albany Natural Gas Company. For twenty years, he has been a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity, belonging to lodge No. 361, of which he is trustee and he is also an active worker in the encampment. He is chaplain of the G. A. R. post of Albany, and is a leader of the Methodist church of his town, to which denomination his family also belongs. In 1864, May xxx, Mr. Stafford enlisted in company G, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry, for the hundred days' service, and his command formed part of the army of the Cumberland and was assigned to guard duty in Alabama. Owing to physical disability, he was furloughed but continued in the service until the expiration of his period of enlistment, leaving the army September 1864, at Indianapolis.
Mr. Stafford is the leading businessman of the town of Albany and one of the representative citizens of Delaware County. He is a very extensive buyer and shipper of grain, handling a large elevator which has a capacity of over 2, 500 bushels per day; he also deals in baled hay, straw, etc., in which line he does a very large and lucrative business in Delaware and other counties. Mr. Stafford is public spirited, progressive, an earnest friend of education, and it was during his incumbency as trustee, that the beautiful graded school building of Albany was erected. He possesses, in an eminent degree, the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens, and his name in these pages is a deserving compliment to an intelligent, enterprising and most worthy man.
Census:
- Listed as James R. Stafford, a farmer, with wife Nancy E. and daughter Minnie
O.
- Listed as R. James Stafford, a widowed teacher, living with stepmother J. Amy Stafford.
- Listed as James R. Stafford, a grain dealer, with wife Sarah C. and children Edna M., Ruth J. and Edith R.
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1846 - Aft 1930 (> 85 years)
