George Kirby
George Kirby, one of the successful agriculturists of Delaware Township, Delaware County, Ohio, who is cultivating his fine farm of more than 100 acres, was born April 10. 1860, at Batesville, Albemarle County, Virginia, and is a son of William O. and Mary A. (Mayfield) Kirby.
William O. Kirby. who was also a native of Albemarle County. Virginia, received a common school education, and being a natural mechanic followed carpentering until the outbreak of the Civil War. He served four years in the Confederate army and after the close of the great struggle engaged in farming, as the freedom of the slaves had opened opportunities for the individual farmer. Mr. Kirby was married to Mary A. Mayfield, who was born in 1827, and died in 1891, and they had a family of children as follows: James Henry, a resident of North Garden, Virginia; John, who died in infancy; Nancy Jane, who married Joseph Mover: William J., of Massey*s Mills. Nelson County. Virginia; Mary, who died at the age of twenty two years; George, subject of this sketch: Hamilton, who lives at Scottsville, Virginia: Catherine, the wife of Robert Freeman, of Alberene, Virginia ; and Calvin O.
George Kirby received a common school education in his native locality. On May 8. 1884, he removed to Ostrander, Delaware County. Ohio, where he worked as a farmer, and he continued thus employed until his marriage, at which time he went to Watkins, Union County. There he farmed on his own account until 1904, in the spring of which year he purchased what is known as the James K. Brittain farm in Delaware Township, a tract of more than 100 acres, eighty-five acres of which are under cultivation. Mr. Kirby raises oats, corn, wheat and hay, has a seventy-ton silo, operates a small dairy and keeps from fifty to sixty hogs, and is considered one of the township's good, practical farmers. In political matters he is a Democrat, but he has never cared for public office.
In 1802 Mr. Kirby was married to Mary Easton, who is the daughter of Joseph and Margaret Easton, and three children have been born to this union—Mary Ruth, Forrest Easton. and Paul Mayfield. Mrs. Kirby was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, to which place her father had emigrated at the age of sixteen years with an elder brother, from Essex, England. He subsequently followed agriculture near Lafayette. Mrs. Kirby is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle