DARIUS WILLIAM WEDDLE, whose splendid farm of 240 acres is situated in Section 17, Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is known as the Plain View Farm, was born in Floyd County, Virginia, November 13, l848. His parents were Rev. John B. and Louanna (Simmons) Weddle.

Andrew Weddle, the grandfather, was born in Germany and came to America with two brothers and settled in Floyd County, Virginia. He acquired some 1,500 acres and engaged extensively in farming and stock-raising. As was the German custom, his estate was so divided that his sons received the land and his daughters were given money. He married Nancy Boone, who was a daughter of the Indian fighter and Kentucky pioneer, Daniel Boone, and to this union were born eleven children, as follows: Samuel, Benjamin, Levi, John B., Sarah, Isaac, Joseph, Eliza, Josiah, and two of whom there is no record.

John B. Weddle received 179 acres of his father's homestead and was an independent farmer in Floyd County but left the management of his property to others as his duties as a minister of the German Baptist or Brethren Church kept him away from home for long seasons. He visited the sparsely settled parts of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, making his pastoral visits on horseback. He married Louanna Simmons, a daughter of Kara and Elizabeth Simmons, the former, Kara Simmons, lived to the age of seventy-six years and the latter completing all but four years of a century. Their burial took place on their own land in Floyd County. The children born to John B. Weddle and wife were: Lorenzo D., Darius William, Callahill M., Lafayette, Jabez and Ellen Catherine.

Darius William Weddle remembers the first school he attended, one of the subscription class, and the sessions were held in an old log building, in Floyd County, not far from his home. He was more ambitious than many of his schoolmates and prevailed upon his father to permit him to attend the graded school at Jacksonville for a year, after which he entered the Ashland Agricultural College, at Ashland, the old home of that great statesman, Henry Clay, and here he was instructed along the lines of scientific farming. Mr. Weddle completed his education in the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. Then followed his marriage and settlement on his father-in-law's farm for one year, when he located on his present farm in the northwestern corner of Elizabeth Township. Mr. Weddle contracted at first to rent the place, which he did for two years, furnishing all his own tools, machinery, stock and seed, and receiving one-third of the crop as his share. He soon discovered that with his superior knowledge of agriculture he could make a fine showing on this land and first bought 160 acres of his father-in-law, then bought the additional eighty acres, from Mr. Studebaker's heirs, and thus came into possession of the whole property. All the excellent buildings now standing have been erected by Mr. Weddle, including his handsome two-story pressed brick house, which contains fourteen large well lighted and thoroughly ventilated rooms, with the exception of an old house and barn. He has set out two orchards, one of apple and one of plum and has small fruits in abundance. During 1907 and 1908 he engaged in tobacco growing,. in the last year devoting fifteen acres to the leaf, at the same time building a fine tobacco house. Had Mr. Weddle followed the methods of some of his neighbors, his farm would probably never have been more productive than theirs, for the land is naturally not very fertile. He recognized that he would have to build it up and also to drain a part of it, putting in 2,000 rods of tile. On his place he has proven the value of scientific farming and the benefits that accrue from systematic training.

On January 24, 1878, Mr. Weddle was married to Miss Anna W. Studebaker, a daughter of Rev. Isaac S. and Anna (Warner) Studebaker, of Elizabeth Township, and they have had eight children, namely, Harvey William, Albert S., James Arthur, Carrie Estella, Dora Lee; Louanna; Isaac and Bessie Millicent. The following are deceased: Harvey William, James Arthur, Louanna.

Mr. and Mrs. Weddle are members of the Brethren Church, in which he is a deacon and trustee. In his political views he is a Republican but has never consented to accept any public office. He is a shrewd, capable man of business, broad minded on almost every question and a citizen of whom his township has reason to be proud.