John Hale, farmer; P. O. Troy; was born in Jefferson Co., Ohio, May 3, 1819; he is of English extraction, his ancestry emigrating from England at an early day; he is the son of John Hale, Sr., a native of Maryland, who was born about 1775, and was married to Miss Martha Mays; he emigrated to Ohio in 1812, and settled in Jefferson Co.; just previous to emigrating, and when he had everything ready for the journey, he was conscripted for the war of 1812; he was placed on duty at Baltimore for a short time, when he was released; he immediately came to this State; his occupation was farming; in the spring of 1837, he came to this county, locating on the farm where our subject now resides; eight acres constituted the cleared land on his farm, and almost an unbroken wilderness surrounded him; the whole was in a swampy condition, and much hard labor was demanded to fit it for agriculture; here Mr. Hale toiled till 1852, when death released him from the bonds of this life; his devoted wife survived him about seven years; he reared a family of seven children - five daughters and two sons. Our subject is the youngest of this family, and was reared on the farm; to his lot fell the filial duty of caring for his parents in their decline of life; this duty he discharged faithfully till their death, when he fell heir to the homestead, then consisting of 80 acres; he has since added 100 acres more. His nuptials were celebrated with Miss Susan Needham Dec.7, 1862; she was born April 19, 1839, in Preble Co., Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Hale are the parents of six children, three of whom are deceased the living are Blanche, Louis and Delia; Mr. and Mrs. H. are faithful members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of Concord Township, and are living exemplary lives.