was born at Oxford, Massachusetts, August 25, 1802. He lived in Worchester [Sic.], Amherst, and neighboring towns till 1821, and by his own exertions obtained a classical education. In 1833 he came to Ohio, and located at Wordsfield, where he practiced law for several years. He was married at Somerfield, Monroe county, Ohio, to Mary J. Cleveland, and shortly afterward removed to Zanesville, where he resided until 1850, following his profession, and, in this interval, holding two or three important positions of public trust. In December, 1848, he commenced the publication of a newspaper called the People's Platform, which was, in November, 1849, removed to Columbus, and subsequently merged into the Columbian, afterwards, the Ohio Statesman, which he edited until his death. In 1850 his family followed him to Columbus, where he resided during the remaining twenty-five years of his life. Here Mr. ale practiced law for several years, but the greater portion of his time, after he became a resident of Columbus, was devoted to journalism, in an editorial and reportorial capacity. Also, during this time, he prepared for publication several books, pamphlets, and political documents, which made him thoroughly conversant with the politics and events of the day, and brought him in close contact with the leading men of the country. His acquaintance extended very generally throughout the State. In the year 1867 he was elected official reporter of the senate of the fifty-seventh general assembly, which position he filled at each subsequent session of the legislature until his demise. In April 1874, he was elected justice of the peace of Montgomery township, but died on the twentieth of the same month, in the seventy-second year of his age. His widow yet resides in Columbus.

Sylvester W., Ella A., John T., Mary E. and Anna S. Gale were born at Zanesville, Ohio--except the youngest, Anna S. The eldest, Sylvester W., is associate publisher and editor of the Columbus Herald, a weekly newspaper. John T. is probate judge of Franklin county, and all resided in Columbus, Ohio.

sherif, is the second child of Samuel and Ellen Kinnear. He was born in Clinton township, this county, on June 27, 1834. His father came to Ohio, form Pennsylvania, in 1806, first settling in Pickaway county, where he lived until 1833. He then removed to this county, and opened a hotel in what is now North Columbus. He was a justice of the peace some thirty-eight years, and died March 6, 1867. The mother, Ellen Hill, came with her father's family from Virginia, in 1813. She was then ten years of age, and rode the entire distance on horseback. He parents located near Darbyville, in Pickaway county. Mrs. Kinnear is now living in Columbus. Sheriff Kinnear began his education in the Columbus public schools, attended the university at Westerville some time, and finished at the Capital university, Columbus, Ohio. He began life as a farmer and surveyor, and in the latter capacity, laid out, in 1854, North Columbus. In 1870, he was elected surveyor for Franklin county, and at the end of three years was elected city engineer. In the fall of 1877, he was elected sheriff, his term of office expiring in the fall of 1879. He is a Democrat, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of Workmen, of which he has been treasurer since its organization. His wife is Josephine, daughter of Captain Alexander and Flora Shattuck, of Locust Grove, this county, by whom four children were born--Samuel A., William S., Edgar F., and Lizzie.

[Benjamin Franklin Bowen] county surveyor and civil engineer, is of Scotch ancestry. He was born in Wooster, Wayne county, Ohio on the twelfth of February, 1827, and, after receiving a common-school education, "finished up," as the phrase goes, at the old academy, on the hill, in Springfield, Ohio. But, as an eminent English lawyer, who, when asked the question, at what age he had completed his studies, replied, that he had never finished them, and did not expect to do so until he died. Mr. Bowen is still a student of some of the higher branches of mathematics, and particularly so of civil engineering. He has devoted all his spare time to them, and will remain a student while life lasts. After leaving the academy at Springfield, he taught school in Clark and Madison counties for several years. Preferring a more active life, in 1852 he became a resident of Columbus, where he was a successful contractor and builder. Here he commenced business as land surveyor and civil engineer. Three years after, he became connected with the office of city civil engineer, and in 1867, was elected chief of that office, which position he held for five years.During his connection with this office, more improvements in main trunk sewers, wood block pavements, etc., were made, necessitating the attention of the city engineer, than for any like period either before or since. In May, 1871, Mr. Bowen was appointed county surveyor to fill a vacancy, and, with it, that of county civil engineer. Since then he has been twice elected by the people as county surveyor, and is still retained by the commissioners as county civil engineer, in which latter office he has had charge of the bridges erected, and all other county matters requiring engineering skill.

At the time of the Ashtabula bridge disaster, in December, 1877, where many lives were lost, and much property destroyed, by the giving way of the bridge, while being crossed by a long train of passenger cars, a legislative examination was demanded. A joint committee of the senate and house of representatives was appointed, who visited the scene of the disaster, taking with them, as experts, three civil engineers of Columbus, at the head of whom was Mr. Bowen. The report of the committee, with diagrams of the bridge by the engineers was published. The report of the engineers was credited to Mr. Bowen as the author. A prominent civil engineer, residing in Michigan, sent to the author of this for a copy, and, in acknowledging its receipt, pronounced it the clearest and plainest expose of the defects of railroad bridge building he had ever read. The report was widely commented upon in scientific papers, and always in terms of highest praise.

In land surveying, Mr. Bowen has always given satisfaction. As county civil engineer, he has much experience and a thorough knowledge of his business. As an officer, he is prompt and attentive to his duties. He is a man of positive character, good morals and strict integrity, and has the esteem of all who know him.

Mr. Bowen was united in marriage on July 2, 1868, to Miss Carrie H., daughter of Hon. Charles B. and Mary Flood, of Columbus, Ohio, by whom four children were born: Josephine, Frank, William K., and Charles, who are all living.