Archibald C. Grieve
Among the numerous stockmen who have done much to give to Greene county the fine reputation it enjoys all over the country as a live stock region there are few who have done more to help establish that enviable reputation than has Archibald C. Grieve, holder of the Ohio state grand champion Poland China boar stake. Mr. Grieve has a fine farm on the west edge of New Jasper township, about four and one-half miles from Xenia, and has there for years given his most thoughtful attention to the breeding of fine horses, fine sheep and fine hogs, a vocation to which his elder sons, Raymond D. and Carlin C. Grieve, also have for some years applied themselves quite successfully, the products of the Grieve stock farm having been exhibited with gratifying results at fairs and stock shows from coast to coast, while a demand for these products has been created that has opened a market for them not only among discriminating breeders in the United States but in Canada and in South America and Europe. Formerly and for years Mr. Grieve gave his attention to the breeding of road horses and the products of his stables were exhibited with success at state fairs throughout the Central states, but with the gradual decline of the demand for road horses he has of late devoted his attention in the way of equine products to Percherons. Twenty years or more ago he began to give more attention to the raising of pure-bred Poland China hogs and has since then made that line his specialty, his success in that line making him possessor of prize ribbons representing successful exhibits of the products of his stock farm at state fairs from New York state to Iowa. For the past three years Mr. Grieve has held the grand champion Poland China boar record and in 1917 won the grand championship Poland China boar and sow stake at the Ohio state fair. He is a member of the National Swine Breeders Association and of the American Poland China Record Company of Chicago. With the constantly growing demand being made upon the products of his farm Mr. Grieve is preparing to extend his operations and in this enterprise is aided by his sons, Raymond and Carlin, the former of whom is making a specialty of pure-bred Cheviot sheep, an exhibitor at stock shows from the New England states to the Pacific, and the latter of whom gives his chief attention to the Poland China hogs. During the time he was giving his chief attention to road and race horses Mr. Grieve also became widely known as a breeder of Cottswold sheep and back in the '80s won numerous prizes by his exhibits of that line of stock.
Archibald C. Grieve was born on the farm on which he now lives on December 25, 1854, son of Robert and Elizabeth (Crawford) Grieve, the former of whom was born on that same farm, July 27, 1829, son of Archibald and Agnes (Stephenson) Grieve, natives of Scotland, the former born in Selkirk and the latter in Roxboroughshire. Archibald Grieve was born in 1775 and grew to manhood in his native Scotland, becoming a farmer. On March 11, 1811, he married Agnes Stephenson, daughter of John and Isabella Stephenson, and in the following year, 1812, came with his wife to the United States and proceeded on out to Ohio, settling on the farm about four and one-half miles from Xenia now owned and occupied by his grandson, Archibald C. Grieve. The elder Archibald Grieve developed that place from its primitive wilderness state and became one of the substantial pioneers of that section. He and his wife were members of the Associated Reformed church and their children were reared in the rigid tenets of that faith. They were the parents of nine children, two sons and seven daughters. The eldest son, John Grieve, died of cholera at Xenia in 1847. Robert Grieve, the other son, grew up on the home farm and after his marriage bought the interests of the other heirs in the home place and there established his home, remaining there until in September, 1887, when he bought a farm in Xenia township and moved to the latter place. His wife died a year later and he then retired from the farm and moved to Xenia, where he presently married again and established his home in that city, spending the rest of his life there, his deatli occurring in September, 1903.
As just noted, Robert Grieve was twice married. His first wife and the mother of his children was Elizabeth Crawford, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, of Scottish ancestry, and who grew to young womanhood in that country and then came to the United States with some acquaintances who were coming over and proceeded on out to Ohio to rejoin her brothers and sisters who previously had come over and settled in Greene county. The widowed mother of these children later came from Ireland and her last days were spent with her children in this county. To Robert and Elizabeth (Crawford) Grieve were born three sons, the subject of this sketch, the first-born, having two brothers, Rankin R. Grieve, of Xenia, former sheriff of Greene county and a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and John Grieve, also a resident of Xenia. The mother of these sons died in March, 1888, and in 1892 Robert Grieve married Joanna Kyle, who died in 1895. Robert Grieve was a Republican and by religious persuasion was a member of the United Presbyterian church, affiliated with the Second church at Xenia.
Archibald C. Grieve grew up on the farm on which he was born and on which his father had been born and by the latter was trained in the ways of practical farming and stock raising, with particular reference to the latter phase of farming, for the elder Grieve ever gave close attention to the raising of fine live stock. As the eldest son, young Archibald early developed responsibilities about the farm and the management of the same which stood him in good stead when he later assumed control of the place. His early schooling was received in the nearby Hazlip district school and he supplemented the course there by a course in the Xenia high school and in the old Xenia Seminary, in the latter institution being under the instructions of Professor Smith. In 1881 he rented the home farm from his father and took charge of the same, establishing his home there after his marriage in the fall of 1887, his parents moving to their other farm in Xenia township about that time. After his father's death Mr. Grieve bought from his brothers their interests in the home place and has since been the owner of the same. Mr. Grieve has a farm of ninety-eight acres and is ably assisted in the management of the same and in his extensive live-stock operations by his four sons, all of whom continue to remain at home and who take a lively interest in the affairs of the stock farm. The house in which the Grieves live was erected by Mr. Grieve's father in 1856. Mr. Grieve is a Democrat, but has not been an office seeker.
On September 28, 1887, Archibald C. Grieve was united in marriage to Anna Jane Dean, who also was born in New Jasper township, this county, daughter of J. C. and Emily Louisa (Hagler) Dean, and to this union four sons have been born. Raymond Dean and Carlin Crawford, twins, mention of whose activities as breeders of live stock is made above, and Edmond and Robert. Mrs. Grieve also is a member of one of the pioneer families of Greene county, the Deans having been prominently represented here for more than a hundred years, as is set out in a comprehensive history of the Dean family in this county presented elsewhere in this volume.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918