De Lacy Waldron
De Lacy Waldron, a representative and prominent citizen of Brown Township, formerly county commissioner of Delaware County, for two terms, was born in Kingston Township, Delaware County. Ohio, July 25, 1833. and is a son of William and Mary (Wheeler) Waldron.
William Waldron. the father, was born in New York, 40 miles south of the metropolis, January 25, 1804, and he died in Kingston Township, Delaware County, Ohio, June 29, 1883. He married Mary Wheeler, who was born April 26, 1808, and died October 10, 1871. She was born and reared in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Thomas Wheeler, who settled in Berkshire Township. In 1816, the paternal grandparents of De Lacy Waldron, Cornelius and Nancy Waldron, came with their children to Kingston Township, Delaware County, and the grandfather built the log house that stood so long. It was then surrounded by forest, there being very few other settlers in the township. The children born of the two marriages of Cornelius Waldron have all passed away. The three children born to William and Mary Waldron were: De Lacy; Maria, who died aged six years; and Mary, who married Benjamin F. Elliott and who resided two two miles north of Sunbury, until her death, March 18, 1905.
De Lacy Waldron was reared on the farm on which his grandfather settled in 1816. His father added to the original tract, making it over 300 acres, 190 of which the present Mr. Waldron owns. He was educated in the district schools, at Olive Green, and at Westerville College. When he married he settled on the home farm and there carried on general farming and stock raising until 1896, with the exception of three years, during which he was engaged in a hardware business at Magnetic Springs, and a short period spent at Sunbury. Since 1896 he has been a residence of Kilbourne. He has witnessed many changes during his long residence here and has been identified with much of the progress which has civilized the country and brought prosperity to it.
Mr. Waldron was married January 1, 1863. to Angeline Stark, who is a daughter of Oliver and Elizabeth (Patrick) Stark, and a granddaughter of John Stark, who died in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Oliver Stark came from that locality on horseback, when 21 years of age. He settled in Kingston Township and became a man of wealth and prominence, serving six years as county commissioner and for 25 years as a justice of the peace. He died in 1880, aged 77 years. His wife, Elizabeth, who died aged 85 years, was born in Kingston Township, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Taylor) Patrick, who came to that township from Pennsylvania, being among the very first settlers there. Joseph Patrick was one of the leading men of his day in this section. It is related that the forest was so dense and entirely pathless, when he first settled here, that on one occasion he was lost within a short distance of his home and after much wandering approached it and did not recognize it until his wife called his name. He acquired a large amount of land and each one of his children were given property. Three daughters and two sons were born to Oliver Stark and wife, namely: Septer, Sarah, Mary, Angeline and John Joseph. Septer Stark became the largest land owner in Delaware County, at the time of death, owning 3,000 acres. He was married (first) to Sylvia Benton and (second) to Maria Ross. Sarah Stark married Samuel Wilcox and died in Porter Township. Mary married James Sherman and died in Porter Township. John Joseph, who resides on the old Stark homestead in Kingston Township, married Anna Robinson.
Mr. and Mrs. Waldron have one son, Homer, who was born July 9, 1865. He resides at Lewis Center, where he is manager of a creamery plant. He married Emma Owen, and they have one daughter, Christovel, a beautiful girl of 15 years. In politics, Mr. Waldron is a stanch Republican and he has held many offices of responsibility. In 1894 he was first elected county commissioner and assumed the duties of this office in September, 1895, and was re-elected in 1897, his official life closing in the fall of 1901. In young manhood he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church and he has been very active in forwarding its interests, serving in many official positions. Mrs. Waldron also is active in church work.
20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908