ALVA E. DICK, one of Elizabeth Township's representative business men and active citizens, who is serving in his fourth year as township assessor, was born in March 24, 1871, at Miami City, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of Robert and Susan (Drury) Dick.

John Dick, the grandfather of Alva E., married and lived in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, for a number of years, and then purchased a farm of forty acres in Mercer County, Ohio, on which both he and wife subsequently died. They were worthy members of the Christian Church. They had seven children: John, Douglas Leroy, Marion, Arthur, Ferda, Robert, and an infant.

Robert Dick was born in Miami County Ohio, October 11, 1846, and spent his whole life in his native county, passing a part of it at Miami City, where he died May 21, 1906. His main business was threshing, and this he followed with profit during the whole of his active life. He was a highly respected citizen of Elizabeth Township. He married Susan Drury, who was born October 11, 1846, and died December 16, 1903. She was a daughter of John and Annie (Pinkerton) Drury. The children of Robert Dick and wife were: James, who married Hattie Widener, daughter of William Widener, has two children, Hazel and Harry; Annie, who married George Staley, has had four children-Chalmer, Ava, Nellie and Ray deceased; Alva; and Ethel, who married Adolphus Brown, has one child, Ruby.

Alva E. Dick obtained his education in a school conducted not far from Alcony, and after he left his books he began to give his father assistance and continued until the latter retired, when he assumed all the old threshing contracts and accepted new ones, and during the season is constantly employed in this industry. He learned paper-hanging, and when not engaged in threshing, keeps busy at his other business. He is an active Republican, and he belongs to the Odd Fellows, being connected with the lodge at Casstown.