James Stockdale, Sr., was for thirty years Justice of the Peace, and was looked upon as the legal light of this section by his fellow-citizens. Many of his neighbors, to whom be gave counsel, cherish kind remembrances of him and greatly regretted his early demise. His decisions on all questions of equity were regarded as just, and but few, if any, cases can be called to mind where his decisions were reversed by a higher tribunal. When a young man he entered his first farm, and the circumstances connected therewith illustrate his shrewdness, as well as his perseverance. A neighbor came to him to borrow money to be used in a certain enterprise, and Mr. Stockdale, at once seeing the object of his errand, gathered together the necessary funds and started to Zanesville on foot in order to enter his land. His neighbor, in the mean- time, obtained the desired money, and also started for that place with the same object in view, but on horseback. Stopping on the way to feed his animal, Mr. Stockdale made the best of the delay and kept far in advance of his rival, and thus reached Zanesville first and entered the land. To this he added from time to time, until he became one of the largest land-owners and prominent and successful farmers of the county. He started in life a poor man, as we have already shown, and his possessions

James Stockdale was married to Phebe Lennington in Madison Township, this county, in 1825. She became the mother of eleven children, as follows: Lydia and Moses, deceased; Mary, who married John Finney, of Antrim; Sylvanus, residing in this township; E1izabeth, now Mrs. John McBride, of this locality; Jane, deceased; James, the subject of this sketch; Martha B., who married Charles Bom, and is now deceased, as are also Thomas and Margaret; and Elias, a resident of Sangamon County, Ill.

The father was for some ten years engaged in mercantile business in the village of Antrim. On disposing of his stock of goods he removed to his farm, and there passed the remainder of his life following agricultural pursuits. He departed this life in 1889, and in his death the county lost one of its most valued citizens. Politically he was an old-line Whig in early life, but afterward voted the Democratic ticket. He was for many years a member of the Presbyterian Church, and greatly honored by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.

James, of this sketch, received his early training in the schools of the township, and was reared by his honored father to a full knowledge of farm work in all its details. This business he followed until 1892, up to this time being widely known as one of the most extensive stock raisers and buyers of this section.

In the above year Mr. Stockdale sold his farming interests, and has since been engaged in running a hotel in Antrim. It is known as the United States, and is one of the best equipped establishments in the township. Since moving into Antrim he has purchased the old homestead, which had been sold, and gives his spare time to superintending its operation.

The lady who became the wife of our subject, February 14, 1860, was Miss Eliza K. Boyd. To them have been born eight children. Lillie B. married William Cunningham, and lives in Cambridge; Ulysses Grant is also a resident of that