Horatio G. Cress. From the creative ingenuity of a country school-teacher has grown the important toy manufacturing concern of H. G. Cress Company, of Troy, one of the leaders in its lines in the Middle West. The creator of these instructive playthings, and the head of the present large concern, Horatio G. Cress, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1859, a son of George and Ruth (Mann) Cress. Educated primarily in the public schools of his native county, and at West Milton he furthered his preparation by courses in a commercial school and at Valparaiso University, and Ada, Ohio, following which he began teaching school in the country districts of Union and Monroe townships, Miami county. It was while he was thus engaged that Mr. Cress conceived the idea of advanced methods of teaching reading and spelling for the use of children. These met with almost instant popularity and were followed by other toys. The full history of the growth and development of this industry will be found in the Troy section of the General History of Miami County, a part of this work. Mr. Cress has also been identified with financial undertakings which have proven successful having been the organizer of the Citizens Bank of Brookville in 1895, the Farmers Bank of Arcanum in 1902 and the Farmers Bank of Englewood in 1911. He likewise has been interested in civic affairs, and during the period of the World war was a generous contributor, of time and money, to the various enterprises outlined by the administration at Washington. Mr. Cress married Amanda, daughter of Abijah Shearer, of West Milton, and to this union there have been born four daughters: Stella, the wife of H. G. Weisenberger, of Troy; Blanche, the wife of S. K. Yarman, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Helen , the wife of L. N. Graessle, of Troy and Marv E., the wife of A. F. Eidermiller, major, U. S. A., stationed at Panama.