Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 edition. Excerpt: ... Representative Citizens HON. THOMAS J. GODFREY Among the mass of good citizens, who have made Mercer County a leading county of the Buckeye State, there have arisen individuals, who, through their superior ability, their greater enterprise and their more pronounced public spirit, have added luster in their fields of work and have distinguished themselves for posterity. Such a one was the late Hon. Thomas J. Godfrey, who for more than 30 years served faithfully in public life and for 50 years was prominently identified with the business, educational and social affairs of the village of Celina. Thomas J. Godfrey, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was born June 6, 1831, in Darke County, Ohio, and died at Celina, November 30, 1906. He was a son of Elias B. and Sarah (Elliott) Godfrey, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in North Carolina. Mr. Godfrey's parents reared a family of seven children, two of whom now survive. The father died in 1888, and the mother in 1891, at Dowagiac, Michigan, to which place they had removed in 1859. Mr. Godfrey enjoyed more extended educational opportunities than were afforded many youths of his time and after he had completed his academic and university training, receiving the latter in Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana, he began to teach school and met with such success that the two succeeding years were passed as an educator, both in Ohio and Indiana. His ambition, however, was to attain eminence as a lawyer and he began reading law in the office of Allen & Meeker, at Greenville, Ohio. In 1857 he was graduated at the Cincinnati Law School. Shortly after being admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Ohio at Columbus, he located at Celina, which village continued his home the...
