Jacob See, who carries on general farming in Elizabeth township, was born near Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on the 8th of January, 1838, his parents being Samuel and Sarah (Miller) See, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania and were of German lineage. In 1846 the family emigrated to Ohio, making their journey across the mountains with a team. The father of our subject was one of a large family, the others being John and William, who remained in Pennsylvania; Daniel, who removed from the Keystone state to Peru, Indiana; George, who remained in Pennsylvania; Charles, who also became a resident of Peru, Indiana; Solomon, who made his home in the Hoosier state; and Fiatta C., who wedded a Mr. Moyer and remained in Pennsylvania. The father of our subject became a resident of Tippecanoe City, Ohio, and was the only one of the family who remained in this state. He had three children: Jacob, Catherine and Sarah C. The mother died of cholera in Tippecanoe City in 1849, and the children afterward went to live with strangers. During the civil war, the father responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting in the Seventy-first Ohio Infantry, with which he remained until the close of hostilities. He made for himself an honorable war record and when his services were no longer needed he returned to this locality. Subsequently he lived among his children, but his last days were spent in the Soldiers' Home Hospital, at Dayton, where he died at the age of sixty-six years. His elder daughter, Catherine, spent much of her girlhood in the home of Dr. Hartman and at the age of eighteen was married to James Miller. After his death she became the wife of William Ege, who is also now deceased. She resides in Peru, Indiana, where she has many relatives. Sarah See, the second daughter, was reared in the family of Cyrus Wheeler and married George Yantis, who is now deceased. She makes her home in Elizabeth township, Miami county.

After his mother's death, Jacob See, the subject of this sketch, became a member of the family of Joshua Cottingham, a farmer of Elizabeth township, with whom he remained until eighteen years of age. He pursued his studies through the winter season and during one term was a student under Captain E. S. Williams. Among the other pupils of the same school was the lady who later became his wife. At the age of eighteen he began working as a farm hand in the neighborhood and was thus employed until twenty-two years of age, when he rented land, boarding with the family of J. H. Cottingham until his marriage, which occurred the 20th of February, 1862, Miss Ellen Jackson becoming his wife. The lady is a daughter of William and Mary (Ramsey) Jackson. They took up their abode upon a farm east of Tippecanoe City, Mr. See renting that property for five years, at the end of which time he bought a half interest in the old Jacob Mann farm in Elizabeth township, his father-in-law being associated with him in his operations. He operated that property for eleven years and then became the owner of his present home, which was known as the Hannah French farm. He bought that property in 1878. It was a part of the tract entered by Fielding Lauer; he sold to Mr. French, who improved it. All of the buildings upon the place stand as monuments to the thrift and enterprise of Mr. See, for he erected them all with the exception of the barn, which was built by Mrs. Hannah French, the widow of the former owner, in 1857. She planned and superintended its erection, it being constructed with old-fashioned, heavy timber frames. The farm comprises one hundred and fifty-seven acres and is crossed by a railroad. Mr. See has spent the last twenty-two years of married life upon this place and here he reared his family of two children. He is also the owner of another tract of land, inherited by Mrs. See, known as the Samuel Kyle farm, upon which is located the Kyle cemetery. For eight years his son, William E., has operated the home farm. The property is valuable, as is also the Kyle farm, and Mr. See deserves great credit for his success, as all that he possesses has been acquired entirely through his own efforts.

His living children are William E., who wedded Clara Hoover and has two children, Verna and Lauren; and Amanda Ellen, wife of Charles D. Martin, of Elizabeth township, by whom she has one child, Lena.

Mr. See, of this review, is a Democrat in his political affiliations and in 1888 was elected trustee of his township, in which position he has since served, covering a period of twelve consecutive years. He has been a delegate to the various party conventions and at all times has done what he could to promote the interests of Democracy and to aid in the upbuilding and improvement of his county. He is a strictly temperate man, having indulged in the use of neither intoxicants nor tobacco. During her girlhood Mrs. See had strong objections to the use of those pernicious things and chose for her husband one who never handled them, preferring to begin life with a poor man of high moral character than one who, perhaps, could give her a better home, but whose habits were not as good. Together therefore, Mr. and Mrs. See worked their way upward, the careful management and economy of the wife supplementing the diligence and enterprise of the husband. Their labors have at length been rewarded and they now enjoy a very pleasant home, supplied with many of the comforts that go to make life worth living.