COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD


JAMES INMAN was born August 11, I839, in Fremont, Ohio, son of William and Calista (Barringer) Inman, who when he was five years old moved to Scott township, Sandusky county settling in Section 27, where they remained one year. They then removed to Section 26, there purchasing 200 acres of wild land, where they lived for seven years, at the end of that time removing to section 24, where they purchased 100 acres; this they soon sold, however, and returned to Section 26.

When twenty-one years of age James Inman began life for himself, farming, for a time in Scott township. On July 4, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Drusilla Gossard, of Scott township, and for the following three years the young couple lived at Mr. Gossard's, Mr. Inman working a year in all on his father-in-law’s farm. Mr. Inman then purchased thirty acres near Mr. Gossard's farm, the latter adding forty acres adjoining, on which he erected buildings and settled in 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Inman have added to the small farm which they at first owned, and now have 236 acres, for the most part under cultivation. In 1875 Mr. Inman went to California. but did not engage in any business there and soon returned to Ohio. In 1887 he, in company with others, put down the first gas well on Mr. H. Lendig's farm, and one year later in company with others, he put down another. Since then he has sunk twenty-four oil wells, sixteen of which are in successful operation. These wells yielded at first from ten to seventy-five barrels each per day. It should be mentioned that only six of the above-mentioned wells are on Mr. Inman's farm; the rest were put down for others on land that the company leased. In addition to these six he has an interest in nine others, making fifteen wells in all in which he is directly interested.

To Mr. and Mrs. Inman were born three children: (1) William W., born March 1, 1863, was educated in Scott township, and was for a time a successful teacher in Sandusky county; in 1886 he was married to Olive M. Fisher, of Scott township, and to their union have been born two children Florence, in 1887, and Clay, in 1890. (2) Zelora C., born November 23, 1865. was married November 30, 1882, to D. F. Long. of Seneca county, and they have three children Almon W., Milan L. and Orlo Wayne. (3) Alvin G. was born June 2, 1869, and was married August 2, 1889, to Ardilla Miller, and February 14. 1891, there was born to them a daughter Goldie Theodorie.

Mrs. Drusilla (Gossard) Inman, the estimable wife or our subject, was born November 5, 1837, in Scott township, daughter of A. P. and Mary (Cooley) Gossard. She received her education in her native township, and was at home the greater part of the time until her marriage, keeping house for her fatherfor five years after her mother's death; also teaching school part of the time. A. P. Gossard was born June 6, 1808, in Ross county, Ohio. When a young man he came to Sandusky county, purchasing a farm in Scott township, adding thereto until 190 acres were secured; he was a great stockgrower and dealt largely in cattle; in which line he was very successful. Peleg Cooley, father of Mary (Cooley) Gossard, was born in New York about 1765. Martha (Basset) Cooley, wife of Peleg Cooley, was born about 1770. They were married when quite young, and located in Canada, where they were residing during the war of 1812. At the close of that struggle they came to Sandusky county, and Mr. Cooley, who was carpenter by trade, built the first frame house in Lower Sandusky (now Fremont). He split the siding with a froe, dressing it with a drawer knife, and this was undoubtedly the first frame house in the county. Philip Gossard, father of A. P. Gossard, was born about the year 1785, and Drusilla (Plummer), his wife, was born in Kentucky about 1788.

William Inman, father of our subject, was born February 14, 1816, in New Jersey, removing with his parents in boyhood to Sandusky county, Ohio, where they settled on a large farm of 400 acres, near Fremont. Here he went to school, receiving a fair education atthe public schools of Fremont. At the age of twenty-two years he was married to Miss Calista Barringer, of Fremont, and shortly afterward, in 1844, they purchased a farm of forty acres in Scott township, which was added to until at one time they had a tract of 200 acres. Mr. Inman made two trips to California in the interest of gold mining, in which he was quite successful, realizing a snug sum from this source. He died in 1892, and was buried in the Metzger Cemetery.

Mr. Inman's grandfather, Brazil Inman, was born about 1785. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Calista Barringer, was born October 15, 1816, nine miles from Columbus, Ohio, where she lived until fifteen years of age, there receiving her education. She then came to Sandusky county, where she has spent the greater part of her life. Her father William Barringer, was born about 1791, was a farmer by occupation, and was killed by the fall of a tree when Calista was a child. His wife, Sarah (Campbell), was born about 1793 to them were born four children two sons and two daughters. Andrew Barringer, father of William Barringer, was born about 1759. Jane Campbell, mother of Mrs. Sarah (Campbell) Barringer, was born about 1760.

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