WILLIAM J. WOLCOTT, retired farmer and grain dealer; P.O. Allen's; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, Feb. 26, 1816, and is a son of John H. Wolcott, whose name will be seen in the sketch of George L. Wolcott. William J. was raised to agricultural pursuits, and received a limited education; after his majority, he improved his education to a degree sufficient for teaching, which he followed at intervals twenty years; during this time, he attended to the duties of his farm of 80 acres in Brown Township, Sec. 6, Town 2, Range 11, where he located in 1838; from 1860 to 1873, his entire attention was directed to his farm; in March, 1873, he began to handle grain near Conover, on the Cincinnati, Columbus & Indiana Central Railroad, where he did a good business in his line; this he continued until the spring of 1880, when he retired from its duties, and now lives retires on his farm. Aug. 23, 1838, he married Miss Rachel Merritt, who was born in Warren Co., Ohio, and is six years his junior; they have three children, of whom all are living, viz., John, Mary A., now Mrs. S.C. Nixon, and Isaac; Mrs. Wolcott is a daughter of Isaac and Margaret Merritt (both deceased).