Jacob Hefner
Jacob Hefner was born in Ross County, April 25, 1832. His wife was born in Delaware County, Sept. 18, 1838. They have seven children--Isaac, Mary, William, Jane, Ames, Walter and Sarah. Mr. H. is a son of Isaac and Mary Hefner, and brother of Harrison, Ames, Clarissa, David, John and Albert Hefner. He married Christina, daughter of William and Sarah Holman, who came from Ross County in 1848, and whose children are Daniel, William, Mary, Annie, Christina, Fannie, Barbara, David and Philip Holman.
From 1875 Historical Atlas of Allen County, Ohio, by H. H. Hardesty & Co. Publishers, Chicago.
Jacob Hefner, who is one of the most extensive agriculturists of this county, owning 365 acres of land in sections 19, 20, 21 and 22, Jackson township, was born in Ross County, this State, April 22, 1832. His parents were Isaac and Mary (May) Hefner, both natives of Pennsylvania, where the former was born in 1809, and the latter in 1807. They were of Pennsylvania-Dutch ancestry.
When a young man, Isaac Hefner accompanied his parents to Ross County, Ohio, making the journey overland by wagon. There he married and lived until 1840, when with his wife and family, he came to Allen County. Here he entered 80 acres of land from the government, and began to buy and feed cattle, which were disposed of at a good price, the proceeds going to buy more cheap land. Thus, in time, he became one of the largest land-owners of this county, owning eventually about 1,800 acres. Large tracts of this land were cleared by him and his sons. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religion a member of the Reformed Church, donating timber and land for the first log church built here and lending substantial aid toward the erection of the present brick edifice. The land used by the church as a cemetery was also given by him. He passed away in 1884, at the age of 75 years. His wife died in 1901, at the advanced age of 94. The children were: Jacob; Harrison, whose sketch may be found in this book; Amos, of Auglaize Township; Clarissa, who married Jacob Mowery; David; John; and Albert.
Jacob Hefner was reared to farm life and lived at home until his marriage, when he moved into the log cabin which stood on his present farm, at that time the property of his father. Here he applied himself to farming and stock raising, and soon had his property cleared and in a high state of cultivation. His residence is of brick and one of the most attractive in the vicinity, while the large barns and other outbuildings bespeak the prosperous farmer.
Mr. Hefner was married December 2, 1855, to Christina Holman, who was born near Delaware, Ohio, September 18, 1838, and died September 10, 1898. She was a daughter of William and Sarah (Frederick) Holman. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hefner are as follows: Isaac, born March 25, 1858, a resident of Lima; Mary, born April 7, 1860, the wife of Marion Watt; William, born February 23, 1862, living in Lima; Jennie, born September 12, 1864, wife of John E. Eversole; Amos, born February 16, 1867; Walter, born July 6, 1869; Olive, born August 14, 1872, and deceased December 8, 1874; Clara, born October 19, 1875, wife of C. C. Arnold; Daisy, born June 17, 1878, who married E. N. Hall, and lives in the Indian Territory; and Marion, born July 5, 1881, who married Bessie Kidd and resides on the farm with his father. Mr. Hefner has always affiliated with the Democratic Party, and at one time served as township trustee. He is a member of the Reformed Church.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 2, Edited & Compiled by Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.; Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906