USA > Indiana > Adams County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 47
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 47
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
OBERT A. DRUMMOND, farmer and cabinet maker, seetion 24, Root Town- ship, was born in this county, Decem- ber 9, 1541, and educated in the common schools of his father's district. Ile lived with his parents on the old homestead until the breaking ont of the civil war, when he enlisted, in July, 1862, in Company I, Eighty- ninth Indiana Infantry, Captain Henry Banta, and served with his company until January 28, 1863, when Peter Litzel, the First Lien- tenant, became Captain. Hle then served until May, 1865, when John J. Chubb was promoted to Captain, he being the last C'ap- tain of the company. The first Colonel of the regiment was Charles D. Murray. IIe was only the Colonel of the regiment, but he served in a higher capacity during the life of the regiment. Mr. Drummond was engaged in the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, April 9, 1864, the regiment being under the com- mand of C. D. Murray, of A. J. Smith's com- mand. Ile was wounded by a minie ball, April 9, 1864, in the right foot. Ile went to the hospital at Grand Ecore, Louisiana, where the limb was amputated below the
knee. The ball struek the inside of the right foot and passed through, breaking the bones of the foot. Mr. Drummond remained at this hospital but a short time, when he was sent to the United States barracks hospital at New Orleans, remaining there two weeks, then eame up the Mississippi River in a hospital boat to Memphis, and there remained several weeks, and had the small-pox, that dread scourge breaking out on the boat while coming up the river. From Memphis he was transferred to St. Louis hospital, at Jefferson barraeks, and was discharged April 30, 1865, when he came home to Adams County, where he has since resided. He was married November 13, 1866, to Miss ITuldah J. Allen, who was born on the farm where Howard Shaekley now lives. When she was seven years old her parents removed to Whitley County, this State, where they lived four years, then emme to Root Township. Iler parents were John and Adeline (Pierson) Allen. Iler father was born in Pennsylvania, February 4, 1815, and died in Fulton, Indiana, November 5, 1881. Ile was a blacksmith by trade, and followed both farm- ing and blacksmithing. Her mother was born in Ohio, March 1, 1819, where she was reared and married. She died in Whitley County, this State, May 20, 1859. Of their six children, only two are living-Mrs. Drummond, and Samuel M., who lives in Fulton, this State. Mrs. Drummond was born in Rout Township, this eounty, March 15, 1843. Both parents were members of the Presbyterian church in early life, but later were members of the Methodist and United Brethren churches. At death the father was a member of the United Brethren ehreh and the mother of the Presbyterian church. At the time her parents settled in Adams County there were but few settlers and times were hard. Their milling was
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done at Fort Wayne. Deer, and oven bears, were plenty. Mr. Drummond's father, Robert Drummond was born on Chestnut street, Philadelphia, in 1SOS. When he was quite young his parents removed to Ross County, Ohio, where he was reared and married. IIe lived in that county until two children were born, then came to Adams County and settled on a part of the farm now owned by the son, Robert A. They came to the county September 12, 1838. The father entered eighty acres of land from the Govern- ment, for which he paid $1.25 per aere. When the family came there were no roads, only the underbrush was cut out. They came with a one-horse wagon, bringing wife, two children, and all their worldly possessions. They had all the trials and discouragements of pioneer life. The father had just money enough to make the first payment on the place, and had to go to work among the older settlers to get supplies for his family, depend- ing in a great measure on the game in the woods for a living. His mother, Mary (Rains) Drummond, was born in Ross County, Ohio, Jannary 15, 1817. She is still living on the old homestead with her son John. Mr. Drummond's grandfather, Robert Drum- mond, was born in Scotland and died in Ross County, Ohio. Ilis grandmother, Elizabeth (Case) Drummond, was born in Pennsylvania. Ilis maternal grandfather, Isaac Rains, was born in North Carolina, and came to Ross County, where he died January 1, 1842. Ilis grandmother, Susan (Gregg) Rains, was prob- ably born in North Carolina, and came to Ross County with her parents. She died in 1827, aged thirty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Drummond are members of the United Brethren church, and in politics Mr. Drum- mond is a Republican. Mrs. Drummond's grandfather, Samuel Allen, was born in Eng- land, and brought to America when a babe, 28
his parents settling in Pennsylvania. He died in Root Township, this county, in 1851, aged about seventy years. Iler grandmother, Margaret (Seott) Allen, was of Seoteh-Irish descent. She died in Washington Township, in 1864, past seventy years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Drummond have only one living child -Mary Adeline, born October 14, 1870. Two sons are deceased-John N., born No- vember 9, 1872, died November 25, 1873. Robert Aaron, born October 23, 1874, died March 31, 1875. Both are buried in Union Chapel cemetery at United Brethren church.
ANIEL P. TEETER, a prosperous agri- eulturist of Wabash Township, residing on section 1, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, June 2, 1819, a son of Abraham and Hannah (Paul) Teeter, who were also natives of Pennsylvania, born re- spectively in Lancaster and Chester counties. The Teeter family are of German deseent, the name being originally Deitrick, after- ward changed to Deeter, and subsequently to Teeter. The parents of our subjeet emi- grated to Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in an early day, being among the first settlers of that county, where the father lived till his death, March 10, 1837, at the age of sixty- five years. In 1839 the mother removed to Randolph County, Indiana, where she spent the remainder of her life. The father was a tanner by trade, but in later life engaged in farming. His family consisted of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. Daniel I'. Teeter, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood on the home farm, receiving but a limited education in the schools of that early day. Being the eldest son at home after his father's death, the care of the family devolved mainly on him, he remaining at home till
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October 9, 1846, when he was married to Miss Mary Strait, who was born in Perry County, Ohio, September 14, 1827, a dangh- ter of Jacob and Lettia (Bailey) Strait, the father born in Perry County, Ohio, and the mother in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. They removed to Darke County, Ohio, when Mrs. Teeter was a child, being one of the first families to settle there. The father died in 1877, aged about seventy-seven years, the mother surviving until July 11, 1885, when she died at the advanced age of eighty-one years. They were the parents of twelve children, three sons and nine daughters. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Teeter, of whom only seven are living -C'alvin, Susie E., Isaae N., John F., Han- nah L., David M. and Samuel L. After his marriage Mr. Teeter engaged in farming in Darke County, Ohio, where he remained till April, 1870, when he removed to the farm in Adams County, where he still resides, which had been purchased by him prior to his settlement there. He has met with good snecess in his farming operations, and is now the owner of 275 aeres of choice land, all in one body, but located in Wabash and Monroe townships. In his political views Mr. Teeter was originally a Whig, but now affiliates with the Republican party.
LBERT P. FORD, engaged in farming on seetion 11, Wabash Township, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, June S, 1842, his parents, John W. and Martha (Minehart) Ford, being born, reared and married in the State of Ohio. The father came to Indiana with his family in 1855, settling in Randolph County, where the mother died in 1862. In 1862 the father went to Edgar County, Illinois, where he
lived till his death in 1882. They were the parents of six children. Albert P. Ford, whose name heads this sketch, was reared to manhood on his father's farm, remaining with his parents till attaining the age of twenty-two years, when he came to Adams County and bought a farm, which he sold soon after, and later purchased land in Mer- eer County, Ohio. Ile was married in Mer- eer County April 2, 1865, to Miss Sarah Ann Lehman, who was born in Perry County, Ohio, November 8, 1546. Five of the nine children born to this union are yet living- Charles B., William Perry, Julia M., Enos Melvin and Minnie V. Mr. Ford came with his family to Adams County, Indiana, in the year 1869, settling on his farm, where he has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits, where he has eighty aeres of well-improved and cultivated land.
OSEPII PRESTON WELDY, dealer in poultry, eggs, butter, etc., was born near Logan, Hoeking County, Ohio, April 23, 1847. Ilis parents, Sammel and Martha (Kennedy) Weldy, were also natives of Ohio, his father of Swiss and his mother of Irish ancestry. In 1857 they came to Adams Connty, Indiana, and located on a farm in Kirkland Township, where they still live. They are the parents of seven children, but two of whom are living-Joseph P. and Sarah Catherine, wife of James Snyder, of Kirkland Township. The mother is a member of the Brethren in Christ church. From his tenth year Mr. Weldy was reared in Kirkland Township on a farm, receiving the advantages of the common distriet schools. From 1868 until 1882 he was varionsly employed with varied sneeess, but in the latter year em- barked in his present business. In addition
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to supplying the wants of the public in his line he buys large quantities of butter and eggs from the farmers, which he ships to the large cities. IIe was married March 9, 1881, to Miss Mary Jane Barnett, daughter of Henry and Jane (Haverfield) Barnett, both now deceased. They have three children- Wanda Diora, Fannie Arvilla and Samuel.
.ILLIAM JACKSON is a native of Ohio, born in Wayne (now Ashland) County, January 16, 1823, a son of Henry and Emma (Iloeh) Jackson, natives of Berks County, Pennsylvania, of English and German deseent. Ilis parents were mar. ried in their native State, and in 1822 moved to Ohio. They had a family of twelve ehil- dren-Jacob, William, Isaae, Peter, Henry, Andrew, Daniel, Catherine, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Nannie. William remained with his parents .until twenty-three years of age. When twenty-one years of age he started in life for himself, with the determination to live honestly and keep even with the world. One of his first efforts was to purchase eighty acres of land in Adams County, Indiana, of his father. December 30, 1846, he married Esther E. A. Spangler, who was born in February, 1828, a daughter of Jonas Spang- ler. Three years later, in 1849, they moved to Adams County, Indiana, where he bought another eighty-acre tract, adjoining the one he already owned. At that time there had been very little improvement made in his part of the county. There were no publie . roads, the highway that now runs east and west on the south side of his farm being ent ont in 1851 by Mr. Jackson and four others, and all withont remuneration. He has always been a publie-spirited man, liberal with both his time and money, and none of the old set-
tlers are held in higher esteem than he. Ile has been a hard-working man, and by good management and diligence has seenred for himself and family a competence. He now has 539 aeres of nineumbered land, all under cultivation, his farin being one of the best in his township. He has always been a temperate man, the only times he was ever intoxicated being onee when a child, when he was given whisky in the harvest field, and another time by drinking cider. Mrs. Jack- son died August 2, 1885. She was an esti- mable Christian woman, and a true helpineet to her husband. They had a family of seven children born to them, three sons and four daughters-Sophia, born November 22, 1847, was married in 1868 to Ervin Carter; Sarah Ann married Philip Koose, in 1875, and died November 24, 1877, the youngest of her two children dying three days before; Henry, born May 26, 1854, was married in 1875 to M. Striekler; Andrew, born April 22, 1856, was married February 25, 1877, to Naney J. Bay; Mary Miranda, born July 17, 1561; Daniel, born March 12, 1863; Irena, born January 28, 1867.
YLVESTER WOLF, farmer, section 12, Root Township, Adams County, was born September 24, 1817, and when a year and a half old was taken by his parents to Riehland County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, and where he was married Septem- ber 8, 1842, to Hannah Gladden. She was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, and when six months old her parents brought her to Rich- land County, where she grew to maturity. Her parents were James and Jemima (Jen- nings) Gladden. Her father was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1795, and her mother in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1810.
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They were reared at their birthplace. She married James Gladden, who had five chil- dren. Mr. and Mrs. Gladden had twelve children, of whom Mrs. Wolf was the oldest. Eight of the children are living, and the mother died March 10, 1887, in Ashland County, Ohio, where the father died May, 1863. Mr. Wolf was the son of Isaac and Naney (Small) Wolf. The father was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, April 30, 1789, where he was reared and married, and where three children were born. They removed to Richland, Ohio, in 1819, where the father died in 1840, at the age of fifty-one years. Ile served in the war of 1812 nine months, for which his wife received a pension after his death. The mother was born February 20, 1796, also in Beaver County, Pennsylva- nia, where she was reared. She died in Ash- land County, Ohio, January 9, 1879, aged eighty-one years. After the marriage of Mr. Wolf he lived in Ashland County until 1852, when he came with his wife and four chil- dren and settled upon his present farm in Root Township. Not a stick had been eut on the place nor a honse built. They stopped with Hiram Gladden until a cabin could be built, into which they moved and commenced to make a home. Ile lived in this round-log house, by adding a frame apartment, until he built his present house in 1871. Ile now has a good house and barn, and other farm build- ings. Mr. and Mrs. Wolf have nine children -Margaret C., born August 9, 1843; Sarah J., born March 25, 1846; Adamson R., born December 9, 1847; Isaac O., born January 4, 1850, died September 8 of the same year; Oliver C., born August 7, 1851; Martha E., born April 23, 1854; Lanra A. E., born Oc- tober 15, 1858; Ida I., born May 3, 1862; Mary E., born April 20, 1864. The five old- est were born in. Ashland County, Ohio, and the others in Root Township, Adams County,
Indiana. Mr. Wolf has served as school director for many years. In his father's fam- ily were ten children, of whom our subject was the third child. Ilis paternal grand- father, John Wolf, was a native of Germany, and died in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Ilis paternal grandmother, Christena (Guy) Wolf, was a native of Holland, and was twice married, being a widow (Mrs. Myers) with two children when she married Mr. Wolf. By her second marriage she had seven ehil- dren, Isaac being one of the younger. Ilis maternal grandparents died in Southern lo- diana.
ICHARD KENNEY ERWIN, attor- ney-at-law, Decatur, Indiana, is a na- tive of Adams County, born in Union Township, July 11, 1860. Ile is the second of six sons and one of ten children of David and Mary Ellen (Need) Erwin, natives of Ohio, the father of Seoteh-Irish and the mother of Irish descent. Richard was reared a farmer, remaining at home until nineteen years of age, when having received a good education, attending the district schools sup- plemented by one term at the Fort Wayne Methodist Episcopal College, Fort Wayne, he engaged in teaching, and followed that vocation a short time in Allen County and six years in Adams County, still, however, spending the summer months on the farm. In 1884 he was elected justice of the peace, but resigned his office after serving one year. In 1886 he began the study of law in the office of France & Merryman, and was ad- mitted to the bar at Decatur in the spring of 1887, and at onee engaged in practice at De- catur. Ile is a member of Kekionga Lodge, No. 65, K. of P. In polities he is a Demo- crat. lle was married January 17, 1883, to
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Lnella Wass, of Monroeville, Indiana, dangh- ter of W. I. B. and Lizzie (Pottoff) Wass. They have two children-Harry George and Mabel.
ILAS WRIGHT ILALE, senior mem- ber of the firm of S. W. Hale & Brother, at Geneva, dealers in grain and produce, was born in Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana, September 18, 1844, the second in a family of four sons of Bowen and Mary A. (Deam) Hale. His father was of Scotch and his mother of German parentage, He was reared at Bluffton, where he received his education in the common and high schools, and gradnated from the Bluffton High School in the class of 1864. In December, 1864, he enlisted in the war of the Rebellion asa private, to serve three years, and was assigned to Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-third Indiana Infantry. Ile was discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, at the close of the war, in September, 1865, when he returned to Bluffton and entered the store of A. Deam & Co. as clerk, being thus employed until the winter of 1870. May 27, 1869, he was married at Bluffton to Miss Phoebe C. MeFadden, a daughter of John and Elizabeth MeFadden, who were pioneers of Wells County. Mrs. Hale was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, but was reared from childhood in Bluffton, and is a gradnate of the high school of that eity. Mr. and Mrs. Hale have three children living -William, clerking in his father's office, and Frank and Clara attending school. In the winter of 1870 Mr. Hale beeame associ- ated with his brother, John D., dealing in grain and produce, under the firm name of J. D. Hale & Brother, until 1872, when they re- moved from Bluffton to Geneva, Adams County, where they continued in business
until 1878. From 1873 until 1878 he was also engaged as telegraph operator in the office of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Rail- way Company, at Geneva, and during 1876 -'77 he was station agent of the same road at Geneva. In 1878 our subject retired from the firm of J. D. Hale & Brother, and engaged in the same business at Portland, Jay County, until 1883, when he returned to Geneva and again beeame associated with his brother, John D., in the grain and produce business, under the firm name of S. W. Hale & Broth- er. In politics Mr. Hale is a Demoerat. From 1883 nutil 1886 he served as a member of the school board of Geneva. In the fall of 1886 he was elected State Senator by the dis- triet composed of Adams, Jay and Blackford counties, Indiana. Both Mr. andMrs. Hale are members of the Presbyterian chureh. Ife is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
OIIN W. RAY, a pioneer of Adams County, Indiana, is a native of Cecil County, Maryland, born April 16, 1817, a son of Jonathan and Deborah Ray, also natives of Maryland. When he was six years of age his parents moved to Jefferson County, Ohio, and ten years later to Ilarrison County, the same State. He is the third of ten ehil- dren, but two beside himself now living- Levi and Mary. Ile spent his youth and early manhood in Ohio, and in the fall of 1851 eame to Adams County, Indiana, and settled on 160 acres of timber land in Mon- roe Township. lle erected a log honse, and began the work of clearing, and by hard work made of his land one of the finest farms in the township. Ile lived on his farm until 1884, when he moved to the village of Salem, where he now lives. Mr. Ray was married October 27, 1842, to Mercy Smith, a native
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of Jefferson County, Ohio, and to them were born nine children-Catherine, wife of Bald- win Clark; Mary, wife of Joshua Day; Levi W., deceased; James II., of Willshire, Ohio; David S., of Jay County, Indiana; Margaret, wife of Pinkney Gilpin, of Jay County; Martha, wife of David Tricker; Rosa, wife of David Hendrieks, and Lemuel, of Monroe, Indiana. Mrs. Ray died January 19, 1850, and January 24, 1884, Mr. Ray married Re- becea Campbell, widow of George Campbell, and daughter of Elijah and Etha Gilpin, early settlers of Adams County. She had seven children by her first marriage-Atha A., wife of John Beatty; Sarah J., deceased; William, George, Elijah; Cynthia, wife of Freeman Miller, and Roxana, deceased. Mr. Ray is a member of the Evangelieal Lutheran church. In polities he is a Prohibitionist.
OSEPHI CLEM, farmer, section 3, Union Township, was born in Monroe Town- ship, Allen County, Indiana, January 29, 1853, where he was reared and educated in the common schools. Ilis parents are Noah II. and Magdalene (Ridenour) Clem. IIe was married October 25, 1876, to Miss Mary A. Baker, who was born in Richland County, Ohio, May 29, 1855. When she was a year and a half old her parents removed to Pauld- ing County, where she was reared and mar- ried. Iler parents were Henry and Anna (Kurshner) Baker. The father was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1818, and when a boy removed to Riehland County, Ohio, and lived there until after his marriage. Ile afterward removed to Pauld- ing County, where he still resides. The mother was born in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, January 15, 1822, and when thirteen years of age removed to Richland County. The
parents have six living children and five de- ecased-Oswald W., Samuel L., Catherine M., Mary A., Eliza J. and Leonard J. The tive deceased died very young, the oldest one being bnt two years old. Mr. and Mrs. Clem have had four children-Charles A., born August 18, 1877, died when two weeks old; Melvin A., born May 13, 1880; Harry, born November 22, 1882, and Clarence C., born November 16, 1885. Mrs. Clem's grand- father, Christian Baker, died in Richland County, Ohio. Her grandmother, Margaret (Kissell) Baker, died in Paulding County, same State, in 1881.
ENRY MARTZ, one of the old and re- spected pioneers of Adams County, who is now deceased, was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1792, his parents being natives of Germany. On com- ing to America they settled in l'ennsylvania, where they lived till their death. The father was killed while assisting to raise the frame- work of a mill. Henry Martz, our subject, was reared on the home farm in Pennsyl- vania. Ile was first married to Julia A. Tim- berly, who was born in Frost-town, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and to this union were born seven children, three sons and four daugh- ters. Mrs. Martz died in Pennsylvania in 1824. In 1828 Mr. Martz went with his children to Ohio, and after visiting different parts of the State, located in Knox County, where lie was married to Catherine Lydiek, a native of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, born Novem- ber 10, 1807. Her parents were also natives of Pennsylvania, where they spent their lives, and her grandparents eame from Ger- many. Six children were born to this union -Mrs. Lydia Wagoner, George 11., Mrs. Catherine Whiteherst, Mrs. Ellen Swiger,
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James K. and Mrs. Frances Hartnett. After living in different parts of Ohio Mr. Martz, in 1839, came with his family to Adams County, Indiana, and settled on section 11, Monroe Township. lle first entered forty acres, and afterward purchased land until he had 140 acres. The surrounding country was then new and covered with timber. The family camped out three days and nights un- til Mr. Martz, assisted by his sons, erected their log cabin, in which they lived until their hewed-log house was ereeted, in 1852. llere the parents lived till their death, Mr. Martz dying May 20, 1870, and Mrs. Martz, February 3, 1884. Mr. Martz was a promi- nent man in his township, and took an active interest in all public affairs. In polities he was a Democrat, and voted at the first elec- tion held in Monroe Township, when he was elected justice of the peace. lle held that oflice continuonsly for twenty-one years by re-election, and also fills other local offices, including trustee and elerk. Ile was a mem- ber of the Maryland militia during the war of 1812, and participated in the battle of Baltimore Heights. For his services in that war he received two land warrants for 160 aeres, and after his death his wife received a pension.
OHIN MEIBERS, proprietor of the Mei- bers Opera House, and general insurance agent at Decatur, where he is ranked among the leading citizens, is a native of Germany, born in the Kingdom of Hanover, January 6, 1822. In his seventeenth year he immigrated to America, landing at Phila- delphia in July, 1839, and a few days later started over the Allegheny Mountains for Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained two weeks. Ile then went to Minster, Ohio, but
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