The Augusta Cemetery Family Trees

Nathan B. DeFord, the eldest of the two sons of William and Elizabeth DeFord, was born in Augusta township, Carroll county, Ohio, April 11, 1839. He was reared on his father's farm and after completing the public school course pursued his studiesfor some time in Springfield Academy, later becoming a student of the Western Reserve University. Finishing his education, Mr. DeFord decided to become a farmer and on attaining his majority began his career as such in the county of Carroll,taking possession of one of his father's places for the purpose. Later he purchased a farm of seventy acres in Augusta township on which he lived and prospered until 1879, when he disposed of his real estate in Carroll county and bought hispresent valuable farm of two hundred and eighty acres in the county of Columbiana. This is universally conceded to be one of the finest and best cultivated places in West township and as an agriculturist Mr. DeFord enjoys precedence such as fewattain. During the Civil war he was active in upholding the Union cause and it was largely to his efforts that Augusta and Washington townships were three times saved from the draft towards the latter part of the struggle. To secure sufficientmen to fill the required quota, he went to Cincinnati, where he spared no pains in recruiting, paying five hundred and sixty dollars per man. This experience was attended with much hard work, many trials and disappointments, bit he persevereduntiringly until completing the task, thus earning the highest praise of his fellow citizens.

In the year 1861 Mr. DeFord was united in marriage to Miss Martha Duncan, of Trumbull county, Ohio, daughter of Thomas and Susan (Leach) Duncan, the father at one time a prominent farmer and representative citizen of that part of the state. Mr.Duncan figured actively in the affairs of Trumbull for many years as an influential Democrat and as a justice of the peace of far more than local repute. Mr. and Mrs. DeFord have one child, a son, by the name of Edwin S.

In 1897 Mr. DeFord, in partnership with his son and H. B. Couch, established a private banking establishment at Minerva, under the firm name of the DeFord & Couch Banking Company, with which he has since been officially identified. One year laterthe name was changed to the Farmers and Merchants Banking Company and in 1900 it became the First National Bank of Minerva, by which name the establishments is still known, the subject holding the responsible position of president and his son thatof cashier. This is one of the strong and popular monetary institutions of Stark county and its prestige in financial circles throughout the state has won for the proprietors honorable reputations as safe, practical and eminently successfulbusiness men. Mr. DeFord has capably discharged the duties of the presidency and the continued growth of the bank in public favor is largely due to his practical knowledge of finance. In addition to his farming and banking interests he maintainsa lively concern in all enterprises for the public welfare and has done much in various ways to promote the material good of his township and county. In politics he is a Democrat and as such wields a potent influence for his party withoutentering the arena as an office seeker. As a business man Mr. DeFord is clear, farsighted, shrewd, eminently honorable and his success may be inferred from the commanding position he occupies in the financial world and the large fortune in hispossession.