J. Warren Safford, manager of the Troy Telephone Company is one of the best-informed men in this line of business in the State. His experience has been broad and practical and has included personal contact with every phase of the industry. Born at Somerset, Perry County, Ohio, June 23, 1883, Mr. Safford is a son of George H. and Mary J. (Chilcote) Safford, and belongs to an old and honored Bay state family, which had its origin in England. His father came from Worcester, Mass., as a lad and made his home with an aunt, Mrs. Mary Manners, at Coshocton. While living at that place he met and married Mary J. Chilcote, following which they moved to Somerset, Ohio, where Mr. Safford engaged in the mercantile business. He was a practical tinsmith and followed that vocation in connection with the sale of hardware, and was known as one of the substantial business men of his city. He and Mrs. Safford were the parents of five children: J. Warren; George, deceased, and Mrs. Otus Helser, of Somerset, who grew to maturity, and two children who died in childhood. J. Warren received his education in the public schools of Somerset, and as a youth obtained his introduction to business affairs as a clerk in a general store. An opening offering in the Somerset Telephone Company, he secured a position with that new concern, which he assisted in establishing and of which he was later manager. From that point he went to Columbus, Ohio, and then entered the office of the company, in the traveling foreman's estimate and payroll department, for the division line foreman. Transferred to Nelsonville for a time, he later had charge of the Buchtel, Ohio, office, and was then given supervision over the toll line including part of Perry, Hocking and Athens counties. In 1908, when he came to Troy as manager of the plant, there were 1,000 subscribers in the territory served by the Troy exchange. At the present time there are 2,300 telephones in use, which will give a fair estimate of how the business has grown here during the period of Mr. Safford's administration of affairs. He is likewise prominent in civic affairs and can be depended upon to enter heartily into any movement which promises civic growth or betterment. In addition to being secretary of the tele phone company, he is president of the Troy Rotary Club, and past secretary of the Troy Chamber of Commerce. Few men were more active during the war period, when he was secretary of the Miami County Food Administration, local fuel administrator for the southern one-half of Perry county, chairman of the Red Cross Society for Miami county and active in the work of accomplishing a full war chest. Mr. Safford married Bertha H., daughter of Charles Guerin, of New Lexington, Ohio, and to this union there has been born one daughter, Helen Marie.