JOHN HOLFINGER, a prosperous farmer of Concord Township, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of 144-1/2 acres of land, of which 67 1/2 acres are included in his home place on the Pleasant Hill Road, about five miles west of Troy. The other farm is half way between Troy and Covington, and is the site of the old halfway house which was well known in earlier days. Mr. Holfinger was born in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio, October 23, 1853, and is a son of Jolin Bernard and Agnes Barbara (Streib) Holfinger.

John Bernard Holfinger was born at Moessingen, Wurtemberg, Germany, May 9, 1820, and lived there for some years after his marriage. In 1853 they sold out in Germany and came to the United States, locating at once in Miami County, Ohio. He purchased a farm in Washington Township and, with the exception of five years in Darke County, lived upon it the remainder of his life, which closed September 3, 1890. He was married in Germany to Barbarti Streib, who was born at Moessingen, Wurtemberg, January 7, 1823, and by whom he had children as follows: Sebastian, born November 5, 1843, at Moessingen; Lewis, born February 15, 1846, at Moessingen, died April 27, 1870; George, born March 7, 1848, at Moessingen; Barbara, born September 16, 1849, at Moessingen, died October 23, 1849; Christina, born December 27, at Moessingen, died April 10, l855; Agnes , born September 15, 1852, at Moessingen, died August 19, 1855; John, born October 23,1853, in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio; Rosina Reichman, nee Holfinger, born March 8, 1856 in Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio; Peter, born August 14, 1857, in Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio; Mary Barbara, born July 15, 1859, in Franklin Township, Darke County, Ohio; John Martin, born September 29, 1860, in Franklin Township, Darke County, Ohio; Bernard, born June 24, 1863, in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio; Samuel, born August 20,1865, in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio; Hanna Patty, nee Holfinger, born November 28, 1867, in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio, died May, 1901. The mother of these children passed away March 28, 1884.

Mr. Holfinger, after the death of his first wife, formed a second union with Lucy Myers, who survives him. His death occurred September 3, 1899, at the age of eighty years.

John Holfinger was reared on the home farm in Washington Township, and in early boyhood became inured to hard work, having little opportunity for schooling. He helped clear the home farm, which consisted of eighty acres, only six of which were cleared when the Holfingers located upon it. When he became of age he began shifting for himself, his entire possessions at that time being the clothing he had upon his back. After working a few days he earned enough to buy an ax, with which he went into the woods and worked until spring. He then hired out to Samuel Reish for the summer, at $18 per month, and again the following winter worked in the woods. Thus he struggled along, working and saving, until his marriage in 1877 when he related a farm in Newton Township, of Captain Rouser. He remained on that place six years, then lived in Darke County for two years, at the end of which time he traded with John S. Myers for his present home farm. He erected all the buildings on the place, made many desirable improvements and placed it under a high state of cultivation. He purchased the Midway Farm on the Troy and Covington Pike from the Musselman estate. He is a man of great energy and enterprise, and the success which has attended his efforts is due to his own perseverance and industry, and the faithful assistance of his wife. He is a man of wide acquaintance, and has many friends.

January 1, l877, Mr. Holfinger was united in marriage with Eliza Musselman, a daughter of John and Sarah Musselman, and they have two children: Lula, wife of Heiary Schlegel; and Ira J., who lives on the Midway farm. The latter married Effie Wilson and they have one son, John Francis. Religiously the family belongs to the Lutheran Church at Covington. Mr. Holfinger is a Democrat in politics.