USA > Ohio > Darke County > A pictorial outline history of Darke County, Ohio with portraits and biography of prominent citizens of the county, county and ex-county officials, attorneys at law, city officials, bankers, capitalists, business men, teachers, ministers, agriculturalists and notable citizens of the county > Part 10
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union. Mr. Calderwood is endowed with superior natural abilities, which have been developed by industrious personal application. He stands in the front rank of his profession, and is one of the best criminal and jury lawyers in the state. Though a man of strong feelings and positive views, he possesses fine social qualities, generous impulses and great kindness of heart, and like his father, is benevolent to a fault. In religious faith he is more a philosopher than a Christian. In 1884 he was the Elector for the Dayton district for Blaine and Logan; is now connected with J. E. Braeden in the practice of law.
John Devor.
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JOHN DEVOR
W AS born in Greenville, O., in 1831. His grandfather,
John Devor, entered the first half-section of land in Darke county, and laid out the town of Greenville in 1810. Upon the organization of the county in 1817, he was appointed Treasurer and served three years. He followed the business of surveying for several years. His son, James Devor, learned surveying from his father, and for a number of years was Surveyor of Darke county. He was also the first Auditor of Darke county, from May, 1844, to October, 1847. He was County Treasurer afterward, and for a number of years was Justice of the Peace He died in October, 1855. He was the father of ten children, the second of whom is the subject of this sketch. He received a common-school education and acquired a knowledge of surveying under his father's instruction. At nineteen years of age he began the study of law with the late Hiram Bell, of Greenville, and was admitted to the bar in 1852, and at once opened an office in Greenville. In 1855, he was elected County Surveyor and re-elected in 1858. From 1854 to 1867 he was the law partner of the late Michael Spayd, of Greenville. In the fall of that year he formed a law partner- ship with the late Hon. William Allen, which continued for eleven years. For four years he was assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Fourth district of Ohio. He was also Register in Bankruptcy for the same district during the existence of the Bankrupt law. July 29, 1856, he married Miss, Elizabeth Travis, daughter of John Travis, of Butler county, O. Mrs. Devor died October 22, 1878. Formerly a Whig, Mr. Devor naturally became a Republican and for many years has served as chairman of the Republican County Central committee. He was a member of the Electoral college at the election of Benjamin Harrison, president in 1888. Mr. Devor is very sociable and no one in this section of the country has more warm friends than he. At present he is a member of the law firm of Devor, Donavan & Devor.
Elijah Devor.
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ELIJAH DEVOR
AS born on a farm three miles west of Greenville, Ohio, October 16, 1849. He received a common-school education by attendance both in the country and Greenville, finishing in the latter place. He began the study of law in 1868, with the well known and able law firm of Allen & Devor, and graduated from the Cincinnati Law school in 1871; was admitted to the practice of law immediately upon graduation. At the present time he is United States Commissioner of the Circuit Court, having been commissioned some ten years ago. . He has been Secretary-Treasurer for the Greenville Artificial Gas company. Is a member of the well and favorably known law firm of Devor, Donavan & Devor, Mr. Devor is one of the leading, solid members of the Greenville bar, is widely known in his profession and as a citizen of the highest repute. He has been highly successful in obtaining the world's goods and lives comfortably. The firm of which he is a member does a large and highly satisfactory practice at the Green- ville bar.
Residence of Elijah Devor, Greenville, Ohio.
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J. W. Donovan.
Swan Judy.
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SWAN JUDY.
D ECEMBER 7, 1850, the subject of this sketch was born in an old log-cabin which stood on his grandfather's (Isaac Wilson's) farm in Clark county, O., and resided with his parents, Samuel H. and Lydia Judy, in said county, the most of the time in the village of Enon, attending the schools of Enon until April, 1869, at which time, together with his parents, he moved to Darke county, O., on a farm adjoining Greenville. He attended school in Greenville whenever he could until he obtained a teacher's certificate, after which he taught school. In ISto, he hired to his cousin, Alex Wilson, of West Jefferson, Madison county, O., and worked on the farm for him until the spring of 1871, at which time he entered into co-partnership with his employer in the business of buying and selling live stock. Possessing an ambition and natural taste for the law, he always studied with a view of qualifying himself for the profession. After employing his idle and odd moments wherever he was, in the study under the direction and guidance of the late Hon. William Allen, of the Greenville bar and other equally able lawyers, in the fall of 1872 he entered the junior class of the Law department in the University of Michigan and graduated from there with honor and distinction on the twenty- fourth day of March, 1875. He immediately entered upon the practice of the law in partnership with the late Michael Spayd, (at one time a very able lawyer of the Greenville bar), and continued in the practice with Mr. Spayd in Greenville, O.,; and Decatur, Ind., until some time in 1876, when Mr. Judy dissolved the partnership, and in 1877, opened an office of his own in Greenville. He continued in the practice alone until 1879, at that time taking in a partner in the person of D. P. Irwin, Esq., which partnership continued until the fall of 1887, when Mr. Judy, while returning home with his family from the county fair, on the thirteenth day of September, took suddenly sick with congestion of the lungs and nervous prostration and was by reason thereof absolutely excluded from transacting any kind of business whatever up to the spring of 1889, at which time he was elected a Justice of the Peace of Greenville township, and April 15, 1889, entered upon the duties of the office, connecting therewith the practice of his profession again. On the twenty-seventh day of February, 1879, he was married to Miss Lilly May Bertch, youngest child of Dr. Daniel J. and Armira Light Bertch, and a very
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estimable young lady of a very highly respected family. To this union has been born one child, Hawes Judy, an exceptionally brilliant little boy now in his eighth year. Mr. Judy's future (at the time he was taken sick), as a rising and prosperous lawyer, was most flattering, as his past career to that time had been almost absolutely successful, and with the natural ability, high legal education, force of character, honest and pure determinations that he posseses, (health permitting), he surely is destined to reach the summit of his profession within the near future.
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GEORGE A. KATZENBERGER,
NLY son of Charles L. Katzenberger, merchant of Greenville, was born December 11, 1867. His mother, Elizabeth Ashman, was a daughter of the pioneer, Peter Ashman, who departed this life in 1868, and was followed a few years later by her only daughter, Mary. Our subject's early life was spent in Greenville, his rearing having been given in charge of Mrs. Rosina Rehfuss ; attended the Public schools in Greenville, completing the preparatory High school course in May, 1884. In July, of the same year, he began a course in Nelson's Business college, at Cincinnati, completed the same, and accepted the position of head book-keeper for the firm of Gilmore & Co., bankers, of Cincinnati, and from July, 1885, to January 1, 1886, was business manager of said firm, owing to the absence abroad of its principal, Virgil Gilmore; at the close of which time the continued illness of Mr. Gilmore made the dissolution of the firm a necessity, and our subject entered the services of the Cincinnati News company, in the capacity of book- keeper. In the fall of 1886, desiring to pursue a course in science, relinquished his position and entered the Ann Arbor High school, from which he graduated in June, 1888, three weeks after his class at Greenville. In October of the same year he began a course in the Law department of the University of Michigan, and received the degree of LL. B. in June, 1890. During his collegiate term he was honored by being admitted to the legal fraternity of Plui Delta Pli, a Greek letter secret society, founded in the Law department in 1869, by Judge Thomas M. Cooley, now chairman of the Inter-state Commerce commission. During his college career he was actively interested in various organizations, viz: Shakespeare Club, Hobart Guild, Choral Union, Knowlton Nine, and others; was also associate-editor of The Michigan Argonaut, and correspondent from Michigan for the Columbia Law Times. The mindful guardians of our subject: his father, foster-mother and uncle, (G. Anthony Katzenberger, ) with high conceptions of a pure life, have molded him into a model of manhood and progressive' citizenship. Our subject, with the correctness of the habits of life so instilled into his mind, with his natural and acquired abilities, will place him cre long in a high rank among men.
W. S. Meeker.
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W. S. MEEKER
TSS a son of Judge D. L. Meeker, and. was born near Greenville, Darke county, O .. September 25, 1867, and has lived in Greenville ever since. He graduated from Greenville High school in June, 1882; studied law under his father and took a full course in the Law department of the University of Michigan, graduating in 1886, with the degree of Bachelor of Law. He was admitted to practice law in Ohio in 1886, and has been in practice ever since; first was junior member of the law firm of Meeker, Bowman & Meeker, and at present is a member of the firm of Meeker & Gilbert. He was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Lowry, a daughter of J. N. Lowry. in April, 1887. They have had born to them a daughter, Corrine. Mr. Meeker is one of the brightest young attorneys of the Greenville bar and is of high character and correct business habits. Nothing seems to be in the way for a bright future for him, both socially and in the practice of law. The firm, although one of the youngest, is one of the ablest of the Green- ville bar, and naturally and deservedly their practice is increasing.
W. H. Gilbert.
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WILLIAM HARRY GILBERT.
TIN preparing this brief biography we regret that our space is so limited, for here is a person worthy of more than a passing notice. He was born in Adams township, Darke county O., on the twenty-eighth day of December, 1864, and lived there until the spring of 1887, when he moved with his parents upon a farm near Leightsville, Darke county. During the summer of 1884 he attended Normal school at Cortland, Ind., and during the summer of 1885 attended Normal school at Ada, O. He taught school in the summer of 1882, and four consecutive years in his own neighborhood near Leig'itsville. He began reading law in the office of Meeker & Bowman in March 1886, Was appointed special Court Bailiff and Law Librarian in May, 1887, and completed the study of law in the Law Library. He was admitted to the bar in October, 1888, by the Supreme Court of Ohio. On January 1, 1889, he formed a law partnership with Walter S. Meeker, his present partner, in the practice of his profession, and they have taken rank among the strongest law firms in Greenville. His education, received in the various schools he has attended, is only meagre to what he has attained, for he has been a diligent student all his life and is entirely self-made. He is one of the brightest and and most prominent young men in this section of the state. With his natural ability and untiring energy he will be able to surmount all obstacles and go on to fame and success.
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Charles Calkins, Deceased.
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CHARLES CALKINS, (DECEASED.)
TEN Burlington township, Bradford county, Pa., the subject of this sketch was born February 11, 1827, and was a son of Moses Calkins. The early education of Mr. Calkins was obtained in a log school-house. At the age of eighteen he entered the academy at West Troy, where he finished his education. His father becoming largely indebted to the Bank of North America, in Philadelphia, for lands then owned by him, required all his efforts as well as his son's to liquidate the same. At the age of twenty- one he commenced the study of law at Towanda, Pa. He con- tinued his studies until April 11, 1849, when he, with friends, took a trip to the California gold mines. After remaining in California for about eighteen months he returned to Bradford county, Pa., having been very successful in California; located in Darke county, Of, in 1851, where he made his home until his departure from this earth. In June, 1852, he formed a law partnership under the firm name of Collins & Calkins. In 1854 he was elected Prosecuting attorney for Darke county; re-elected in 1866, and again in 1868. It was accorded to him unanimously, by the Greenville Bar, that he was the most able, conceptive, decisive and successful lawyer in this section of Ohio. He had a thorough knowledge of the law, and rarely lost a case in which he took a hand. He always had a lucrative patronage in his profession. His marriage with Elizabeth Stamm was celebrated in 1853; she was also a native of Pennsylvania. They had born to them four children, viz: Luella, Harriet and Henry (twins), and George.
Edward J. Tobin.
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EDWARD J. TOBIN,
MY AS born July 10, 1867, at Dayton, Montgomery county, O. He graduated from the common schools at Union City, O., and taught school for a number of years. He began the study of law with Anderson & Bowman in Greenville, July 17, 1888, and entered the Cincinnati Law school October 9, 1889. Mr. Tobin is one of the brightest and most promising young men in the profession of the law in Darke county, and has a large circle of warm friends in his community, and is filled with ambition and determination to make life a success.
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David P. Irwin.
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DAVID P. IRWIN,
B ORN near Greenville, Darke county, O., November It, 1849. He taught school eight years in the county, and in the spring of 1876, he began reading law with Elijah Devor and A. T. Bodle, who were then partners in the practice of law in Greenville, under the firm name of Devor & Bodle. September 19, 1878, he was married to Miss Sarah Alice Baker, daughter of Jacob and Susanah Baker. May 23, 1879, at Troy, O., he was admitted to the practice of law in all the Courts of Ohio, since which time he has given his exclusive attention to the practice of his profession and at this time has his office in the Anderson block, opposite Court-house. Mr. Irwin is highly respected and stands well up among the men in his profession.
Levi F. Limbert.
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LEVI F. LIMBERT,
ON of Lewis and Sarah Limbert, was born in Montgomery county, O., September 4, 1854. After receiving a common- school education he entered the Miami Commercial college, Dayton, from which he graduated in 1870; was employed as book-keeper until 1873, when he entered the Normal school at Lebanon, O .; read law and was admitted to practice in the fall of 1877, and has been in active practice in Greenville, O., since 1879, except six months (in 1886), spent in the Indian service in the West. He is at present City Solicitor of Greenville, and resident attorney of the Ohio, Indiana & Western Railway company.
Millard Filmore Myers.
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MILLARD FILMORE MYERS.
N TEAR Harrisburg, Pa., the subject of this sketch was born March 17, 1850, and is the son of Ex-County Surveyor David S. Myers. who moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1850. Mr. Myers' early occupation was that of a farmer's son, his education being obtained in the common and graded schools of Greenville. O., after which he devoted two years to school teaching. . He married Hannah M. Hartzell, daughter of Daniel Hartzell, October 3. 1871. They have but one child, a daughter (Minnie). who was born July 2, 1873. Mr. Myers commenced the study of law in 1870 with Hon. David L. Meeker, and on February 25. 1874 in the Supreme Court of Ohio, was duly admitted to the practice of law, since which time he has been engaged in his profession.
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229-230 missing en original
VOLNEY MILLER.
HIS necessarily brief biography of our subject is an inadequate sketch of this promising young attorney, but we will endeavor to state a few facts concerning his life that we hope will interest and instruct our readers. He was born on a farm near New Madison, Darke county, O., April 14, 1860. He moved from New Madison in 1865 to a farm four mile south-east of Greenville, and resided there until 1886, when he removed to Greenville. He attended the common schools in his neighborhood and during the winters of 1879-80 at Greenville High school. He taught school the winter following. During the years of ISSI- 82-83-84 he followed farming, improving odd hours in the study of law under the instructions of Judge D. L. Meeker. In October, 1884, he began a course in the Ann Arbor Law school of Michigan, graduating in July, 1886, having previously been admitted to practice in the States of Ohio and Michigan by the Supreme Courts of those states. He began the practice of law in Greenville in August, 1886, and at the present time is a member of the law firm of Brandon & Miller. He is also interested in a large undertaking business in Greenville, the firm being Curtis &
Miller. September 27, 1885, was united in marriage to Miss Della Moss Albright. of Arcanum, Darke county. They have had born to them one child, Fern B., whose birth occurred September 5, 1886. It is needless to say that Mr. Miller is popular in his
community. He united with the Christian Church at Greenville in 1889, as did his estimable wife, and both are earnest and zealous workers in the church. Mr. Miller is the son of George D. (deceased,) and Elizabeth Miller. His father was a member of the Constitutional. Convention of Ohio in 1873-74, and was Commis- sioner of Darke county during the years 1878-79-89. Both his parents were early pioneers of Darke county.
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Aaron C. Brandon.
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AARON C. BRANDON.
PRIL 20, 1859, the subject of this sketch was born in Darke county, O. Mr. Brandon followed farming and teaching school until he commenced the study of law under J. C. Elliott, November 24, 1884. He was admitted to the practice of law in the courts of Ohio, December 7, 1886. Mr. Brandon is one of the promising young attorneys of the Greenville Bar. He is practicing his profession in the firm of Miller & Brandon.
Jacob Baker.
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JACOB BAKER.
D ARKE county, Butler township, the subject of this sketch was born May 17, 1840. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1864, and has practiced in our courts continuously since, having been engaged in some of the most important civil and criminal cases ever tried in the county. Mr. Baker was the Democratic nominee for the Legislature in 1865, when, owing to the disaffection of certain party leaders, he with the entire ticket was defeated; was re-nominated by acclamation and elected by over seven hundred majority. In the Legislature he voted for Allen G. Thurman for Senator in preference to Mr. Vallandigham. Although the youngest member in the House except one Mr. Baker was the author of several measures which he successfully carried through ; among these were: the codification of ditch laws; an act to create an additional Judgeship; an act to authorize the building of a new court-house and jail; an act to keep in repair turnpike roads without toll-gates, and to provide for making toli-roads free, etc. Mr. Baker was a delegate from the Fourth district to the St. Louis Convention which nominated Tilden for President in IS76. He was defeated in nomination for the Judgeship in 1872, again in 1883, and for nomination for Congress in 1878. Mr. Baker has found time and means to indulge his inventive tastes, having invented a steam canal-boat, an office-desk, and is at present developing a centrifugal force-pump for water-works and other purposes, that gives promise of great success.
C. F. Parks.
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C. F. PARKS.
ERE is a young attorney whose professional future will undoubtedly be a brilliant success. Mr. Parks was born in Preble county this state October 23, 1861. With his parents he removed to Arcanum, O., in 1874, and taught school about seven years before being admitted to the bar in 1890.
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S. V. Hartman.
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James I. Allread.
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JAMES I. ALLREAD
TETAS born September 29, 1858, on a farm adjoining the village of Arcanum, in Darke county, O. He attended the Public schools at Arcanum and the High school at Greenville, as well as a short term at Ann Arbor, Mich. In 1878 he com- menced the study of law and was admitted to the bar October 6, 1880, and at once engaged in practice. He was married August 1, 1883, to Emma S. Roland, who was born February 25, 1862, at Lancaster, Fairfield county, O. They have two children : Marie, born July 1, 1886, and Charles Harold, born August 13, 1889. Mr. Allread ranks well up in the profession of the law, and is highly respected in his community. He is a member of the law firm of Bickel & Allread, one of the strongest firms practicing in Darke county.
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Joseph M. Bickel.
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J. M. BICKEL,
TORN in Darke county, O., December 2, 1852, is the son of Tobias Bickel. He commenced school teaching in 1871, and taught in the winter from four to eight months each year for twelve years and was engaged in farming during the summer months. On May 22, 1883, he entered the office of Judge D. L. Meeker in Greenville, O., as a law student, and was admitted to the bar in June, 1885, and in the month following opened an office in Greenville where he has since been engaged in practice. In September, 1885, he was appointed as one of the County-school Examiners of Darke county, which position he resigned in August, 1889. He was married October 1, 1883, to Miss Mertie Clark of Wood county, O. They have had two children: Lucille, born October 11, 1885, and Paul Clark, born September 30, 1887. At present he is a member of the law firm of Bickel & Allread. Mr. Bickel is one of the most successful members of the Greenville Bar.
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George A. Jobes.
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GEORGE A: JOBES
EORGE A. JOBES, son of Dr. John A. and Almena Hecker Jobes, was born at Palestine, Darke county, O., January 8, 1864. He graduated from the Greenville High school June 2, 1882, and attended the Law school of the Cincinnati college graduating from that institution in 1887, being admitted to the bar of Ohio in that year, and since that time has been practicing law in Greenville.
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Henry M. Cole.
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HENRY M. COLE
AS Born at Coleville, Dark county, O., March 17, 18.45, and lived with his parents, Samuel and Elizabeth Cole on the farm until he was past twenty-one years of age, when he commenced reading law, and graduated at the Cincinnati Law School in the spring of 1869. Mr Cole commenced the practice of his profession in Greenville in November, 1869, and has enjoyed a lucurative practice to the present time. He was married March 9, 1879, to Elizabeth Porter.
W. Y. Stubbs.
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W. Y. STUBBS
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AS born March 24, 1860, at Mt. Heron, O. He com- menced teaching school October 20, 1878; entered the law office of H. M. Cole as law student June 1, 1881, and was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court at Columbus, O., at the January term, 1886, and is now practicing law corner Third and Broadway in Greenville. Mr. Stubbs was married to Miss Belle Bookwalter of Baker's Store, Darke county, O., October 19, 1887.
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Judge John W. Sater.
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JOHN W. SATER.
N July 9, 1839, in Maryland, the subject of this sketch was born. Was admitted to the practice of law by the Supreme Court of Ohio in December, 1862, and began the practice of law in Greenville in January, 1863. Mr. Sater was Prosecuting Attorney for Darke county part of the year 1863, and the years of 1864-65. Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the First Sub-Division of the Second Judicial District of Ohio, for five years, ending May, 1888. While on the Bench he had the well-deserved reputation of being one of the most able Judges who ever held court in this District, and his legal ability and professional acumen place him first in the bar of Greenville, and he is generally recognized as one of the most successful lawyers in the south-western part of the state. He was one of the original promoters of the Greenville Law Library, of which he is one of the principal stockholders, and is President of the association. He has an interesting family consisting of a wife and two accomplished daughters. He is now engaged in the practice of his profession with the the Hon. A. C. Robeson in Greenville.
E. W. Otwell.
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E. W. OTWELL.
EBRUARV 19, 1831, the subject of this sketch was born in Guilford county, N. C., and emigrated to Williamsburg, Wayne county, Ind., with his parents in 1833. He came to Darke county in 1840 and settled in Greenville in 1848. In 1856 he was admitted to the practice of law. November 19, 1857, he was married to Lucinda Hartzell, of which union two children are now living: E. C. and Nillie. In 1879 he resumed the practice of law, and is still engaged in the practice of his profession, with office on the corner of Broadway and Fourth streets, immediately over the Greenville bank.
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