CHARLES CHAFFEE, one of Elizabeth Township's most respected citizens, who resides on his well improved farm of twelve acres, situated in Section 35, one mile soutli of Casstown, was born in Middlesex County, New Jersey, February 10, 1833. His parents were Charles and.Mary Ann (MCullough) Chaffee. The Chaffee ancestors came originally from France and settled in New Jersey, and there the grandfather, Thomas Chaffee, spent his whole life. All his ten children settled in the same State.

Charles Chaffee, father of Charles Chaffee of Miami County, was married in early manhood to Mary Ann McCullough, who was also born in New Jersey, and they had the following children: Thomas, who served as a soldier in the Civil War, later moved to Sandusky, Ohio, and subsequently met death at the hands of an unknown robber; Samuel, who resides at Nickerson, Reno County, Kansas, married (first) to Katherine Blue, of New Jersey, who left three children Melvina, Calvin and Charles - and (second) to a lady from Illinois, who left no issue, and (third) to a lady from Kansas who left one child, Wannetto; Charles, subject of this sketch; and William, who married Maria Wallace, both now deceased, survived by Ocia Belle and Frank.

Charles Chaffee spent his earlier life near Princeton, New Jersey, and then came to Ohio with his brother, locating on the A.R. Barnes farm in Elizabeth Township. He made his home there and secured work by the month on neighboring farms, later worked for John Dye, of Elizabeth Township, after which he went to White County, Indiana, for a season. He later returned to Elizabeth Township and continued to work by the day or month, on different faris up to the time of his marriage, in 1858, after which he settled on a rented farm, the same on which the Knoop home now stands. From there he moved to Shelby County and operated a farm for his wife's uncle for four years, after which he returned to Elizabeth Township and bought his present farm of twelve acres. There were some buildings on the place at that time, but Mr. Chaffee later remodeled the house and erected other buildings and made the improvements which have added much to the value of the place. Here Mr. Chaffee lived for three years and then moved to the Cecil farm and rented it for three years, after which he went back to his own farm for the same length of time, and then moved to a farm near Troy, which is now owned by Frank Knick. Mr. Chaffee then rented his wife's uncle's farm of 200 acres, which he managed for seven years, and moved back then to his own place, which he had increased to forty seven acres, where he has lived ever since. Mr. Chaffee carries on general farming and raises stock for his own use.

Mr. Chaffee was married July 28, 1858, to Miss Sarah Hale, a daughter of Samuel and Frances (Kissinger) Hale, of West Virginia, and they have had the following children: Roverda Belle, who married S. R. Cashner, of West Milton, and has one daughter; Mayme, who married Lester Miller and has one son, Marvin Hewitt, and a son (of Roverda Belle), Herbert Eugene; Andrew, who married Mattie Johnson, daughter of John an Belle (Long) Johnson, and has had five children - Wilbur, Harold, Sadie Belle, deceased , Bernice and Robert E.; Alice Lovelia, deceased, who was the wife of Harry Knoop; Charles Ellis, now deceased; and Carl C, who lives at Troy, Ohio. Mr. Chaffee is a member of the Baptist Church at Casstown. He is a Democrat in politics but he has never been willing to accept office. At one time he was a member of the Grange, at Casstown, and took an active part in its proceedings.