USA > Ohio > Darke County > The history of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; > Part 63
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ABRAHAM N. BREWER, harness-maker, Greenville. The gentleman whose name heads this article was born in Warren Co., Ohio, July 1, 1833, and is a son of Abraham and Ann Brewer ; his father was born in Kentucky Jan. 17, 1800, and departed this life July 27, 1843 ; his mother was born in Pennsyl- vania March 18, 1797, and died Aug. 26, 1873. Our subject's early days were spent on the farm, and, after he had attained a proper age, he learned the carpenter trade, which he followed for five years, and then followed wagon-making in Arcanum, where he settled in 1858 ; in 1865, he turned his attention to the man- ufacture of harness, in which ever since he has been successfully engaged ; none know better how to do their patrons justice, and Abraham will always be found
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ready and willing to give his patrons the best stock in the market, and his jobs are turned out in a workmanlike manner. His first marriage was consummated with Mary Hough June 8, 1858 ; to their union, five children were given, viz., Lorenzo, Thomas N., Ella HI., and two dying in infancy ; Mrs. Brewer departed this life Nov. 9, 1863 ; his second marriage was celebrated with Miss Emeline Baker. in November, 1874.
JOSEPH BRYSON, farmer and stock-raiser; resides on Sec. 9, Township 11, Greenville Township ; P. O. Greenville. Among the old settlers of Darke Co., the gentleman whose name heads this sketch is assigned a place in the front ranks. being born upon the place where he now resides, on the 30th of November, 1821 ; he was a son of James Bryson, one of the early pioneers of Darke Co., who came from Bedford Co., Penn., and located upon the above place in 1817 ; he was born near Hagerstown, Md., May 21, 1786, and died March 20, 1863, upon the place where he had lived for nearly half a century. He married Mrs. Rachael Rush Aug. 12, 1817 ; her maiden name was Rachael Creviston ; she was born March 3, 1784, and died Feb. 14, 1855 ; she came to Darke Co. in 1810; her first husband was Henry Rush, and Lemuel Rush, now living three and a half miles north of Greenville, is the only child now living by that union, and is probably the oldest continuous male resident of Darke Co .; the children of James and Rachel Bry- son were six in number-Morris, whose sketch appears in this work, born May 13, 1818 ; Mary Ann, born Jan. 29, 1820, died Dec, 15, 1854 ; Joseph, born Nov. 30, 1821 ; Rachel J., born Dec. 25, 1823 ; Eliza, born Jan. 23, 1826, and James H., born Feb. 26, 1829. Until 25 years of age, Joseph followed farming on the old place ; he then followed carpentering and farming during the summer, and school- teaching during the winter, for seventeen years, since which time he has devoted his whole attention to farming ; he has resided upon his present place for a period of fifty-eight years, and is the oldest continuous resident upon any one place that the writer of this article has yet found in Darke Co.
MORRIS BRYSON, farmer and stock-raiser. Sec. 8; P. O. Woodington ; one of the old settlers of Darke Co., Ohio ; born in Darke Co., what is now Green- ville Township, May 13, 1818 ; his father, James Bryson, was born in Washington Co., Md., May 21, 1786, and came to Darke Co. in 1816. He held various offices in the county, among which was County Commissioner, and served a term in the Assembly of Ohio ; was County Judge some ten years, and was Justice of the Peace many years, and held other offices. He died March 20, 1863. He married Mrs. Rachel (Creviston) Rush ; she was previously the wife of Henry Rush, who died in Ft. Rush, during the campaign of Harrison; his brother Andrew was killed in 1812, by the Indians, upon their first depredation ; the first white child born in Darke Co. was Thomas Rush, a half-brother of the subject of our sketch ; the latter was raised to agricultural pursuits, and, upon the 8th of April, 1846, was united in marriage with Mary Ann Cole ; she was a daughter of Joseph Cole, one of the early pioneers of Darke Co., who located here in 1818; upon his mar- riage, he farmed rented land two years, and, in 1848, purchased 80 acres of his present place, where he has lived for a period of thirty-one years ; he now has 287 acres of land. all of which he has earned by his own hard labor, with the exception of 80 acres. The children of Morris and Mary Ann (Cole) Bryson were ten in number, of whom seven are now living, viz .: James W., Rachel, Joseph C., Isaac N., Anna C., Volney D. and David H.
JOHN K. BUTT, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Greenville; born in Butler Co .. Ohio, Oct. 22, 1824; when 5 years of age, his father died ; he lived with his mother until 16 years of age, when he commenced to learn the blacksmith trade, which business he followed with the exception of six years, until 1871 ; he then came to Greenville Township, and purchased 12 acres of land upon Secs. 12 and 13, where he lived until the spring of 1879, when he rented the farm upon which he lives. He is now farming 89 acres, and is engaged in raising corn, wheat and tobacco ; he first came to Darke Co. when 13 years of age, and, after a residence
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of three years in Palestine, went to Preble Co. and has since lived in Preble, Montgomery and Darke Cos. He has been twice married; his first wife was Delia Arnett ; they were married Oct. 10, 1844; she was born in Montgomery Co. and died Oct. 22, 1858, leaving two children, viz .: Sarah A., born Sept. 12, 1845, now Mrs. Jacob T. Miller, of Montgomery Co .; Marion A., born Feb. 8, 1852. now Mrs. Philip Hartzell, of Darke Co. His marriage with Eliza Lantz was celebrated in Montgomery Co. Dec. 6, 1859 ; she was born in Berks Co., Penn., June 3. 1837 ; they have three children-Flora F., born July 18, 1861 ; William P., born Oct. 3. 1864; Franklin E., born July 11, 1867.
ANDREW ROBESON CALDERWOOD, attorney at law, Greenville ; another of the old settlers of Darke Co .; born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Sept. 14, 1818, and was a son of George and Margaret (Robeson) Calderwood, natives of Hunting- con Co., Penn. They were married Sept. 14, 1811; in the fall of 1817, they removed to near Dayton, Ohio, and from there, in 1832, to Darke Co., where George Calderwood died Sept. 7, 1849 ; his wife survived him until Aug. 12. 1873, when her decease occurred. George Calderwood was of Scotch parents, and, though uneducated, was a man of sound judgment, great firmness and very cour- ageous ; of large stature and possessed an iron constitution ; he was kind and generous to a fault. Margaret Robeson descended from Scotch, Welsh and Irish ancestry, and was a woman of remarkable good sense, fine natural talent and great kindness. Our subject was employed in early life upon the farm, digging ditches, mauling rails, etc .; his education was meager ; ยท being called upon to serve as juror, he was so inspired by the eloquence of some of the attorneys in the case that he resolved to become a lawyer, and at once commenced the study of the same, being admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in 1851. Was elected Probate Judge in 1854 ; after serving three years, he entered the Union army as Second Lieutenant ; was promoted Captain of Co. I. 40th O. V. I .; resigned his commission on account of injuries received from being thrown from a horse ; on regaining his health he was recommissioned as Captain by Gov. Tod, and, by Col. Cranor, assigned to the command of his old company ; after six months' service, in the above position, by loss of his voice and previous injuries he was again com- pelled to leave the active service of the army and acted in the capacity of recruit- ing officer until the close of the war, after which he again resumed the practice of the law. On Dec. 3, 1876, he assumed the editorial control of the Sunday Courier, a leading organ of the Republican party of Darke Co. He has been three times elected Mayor of Greenville, and, in 1868, the Republicans of Darke Co. presented his name in the Fourth Congressional District of Ohio, his opponent, Mr. McClung, being nominated by a small majority over Judge Calderwood. He has a liberal share of the practice in this county, and enjoys somewhat more than a local repu- tation as a criminal lawyer ; at the forum, his abilities are best shown ; he has an original faculty of developing a subject by a single glance of the mind. detecting as quickly the point upon which every controversy depends. There is a deep self- conviction and emphatic earnestness in his manner and a close, logical connection in his thoughts ; he wears no garlands of flowers to hang in festoons around a favorite argument. yet for impromptu appeals and eloquence he stands among the first in his profession, and, by his great knowledge of human nature. he is acknowl- edged to be one of the best judges of a jury at the bar.
HENRY CALKINS, lawyer, Greenville. The subject of this memoir was born in West Burlington, Bradford Co., Penn., upon the 5th of December. 1832, and is a son of Moses and Eveline (Broffett) Calkins, who were married in Penn- sylvania about the year 1826; Moses Calkins was born in Bradford Co .. Penn., April 6, 1797, his father being one of four men who first settled in the county in 1790, was the father of five sons and four daughters, and died at the advanced age of 80 ; his widow's decease occurred two weeks later, at the age of 78; of their children, three now survive, viz., Moses. the father of our subject, now 84 years of age, and two daughters, aged 82 and 86 years, all in good health ; the
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children of Moses and Eveline (Broffett) Calkins were six in number, of whom five are now living. viz .. Charles, born Feb. 11, 1827, and whose biography also appears in this work. our subject being the next surviving member ; Edward, born in 1836. a prominent lawyer of Richmond, Ind., since 1862 ; Alfred, born in 1838, a resident of and Mayor of New Paris. Ohio; Emma, born in 1841, now Mrs. C. B. Northrup. of New Madison. The maiden name of the great-grandmother of our subject on his mother's side was Gore ; her husband was killed at the Wyo- ming massacre ; she, with two children, one of them the grandmother of Mr. Cal- kins, escaped with other fugitives by boat up the Susquehanna River, then across the mountains, and located in the Sheshequin Valley. Bradford Co .. Penn., where she died in 1833, being 90 years of age ; her daughter Rebecca. the grandmother of Mr. Calkins, was born in 1774 ; was married, in 1794, to James Broffett, and were the parents of five children. all of whom were early settlers of Darke Co .. viz .. Silas and Alfred Broffett, at Broffettsville, Harrison Township ; Celinda, wife of Judge Jaqua, of New Madison, and Lucinda, wife of Rial Lawrence ; her sec- ond husband was Joseph Bloom, by whom she had four children-Charles, Guy. Hiram, and Celinda, now the wife of A. L. Northrup, residing in New Madison ; she died at the age of 84; the parents of Mr. Calkins are now living at New Paris, Preble Co .; they came to Darke Co. in 1852, and settled in Harrison Town- ship. The education of our subject was obtained in the common schools up to 16 years of age; he then received an academical course at Troy, Bradford Co .. Penn. ; then was a student of the Delaware (Ohio) College two years ; afterward studied medicine and attended a course of lectures at Cincinnati Medical College ; in the spring of 1856, he went across the Plains, remaining until 1859. Upon Dec. 12, 1862, he was married to Harriet E. MeClure, at Peru, Ind. The following August, he enlisted a company of 101 men, and went out as Captain of Co. C. 87th Ind. V. I., serving through Kentucky and Tennessee. After returning from the army, he returned to Illinois and engaged in farming. stock-raising, etc. Was Police Judge of the city of Jerseyville, Ill., in 1868 ; was admitted as a member of the bar in 1870, and was afterward elected two terms as City Solicitor; in 1874. he came to Greenville, and engaged in the law business with his brother Charles. Was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Darke Co. in 1877, and re-elected in 1879. Has always voted the Democratic ticket. Henry Calkins is the father of three children now living, having lost three by death. During the residence of Moses Calkins in Pennsylvania, he was largely identified with the lumber trade. and, upon locating here, has been engaged in loaning money, etc .; he is a man of sterling worth, and a great champion of the cause of temperance.
CHARLES CALKINS, attorney at law, Greenville. The subject of this sketch was born in Burlington Township, Bradford Co., Penn .. Feb. 11, 1827, and is a son of Moses Calkins, who is prominently mentioned in the biography of Henry Calkins in this work. The early education of our subject was obtained like other boys of the age, in an old log schoolhouse ; at 16 years of age, he entered the academy at West Troy, where he received his academic education under the instruction of Ezra Long. Afterward, 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 of his son, to liquidate the same; accordingly he built four saw-mills, and Charles run one of them one-half of the time, day and night, until his majority, the balance of the time being employed in rafting and running lumber down the Susquehanna River. At the age of 21, he commenced the study of law at Towanda, Penn., with John C. Adams, who was an able lawyer, a just man, and distinguished throughout the State for his prominence and ability. He continued his studies with the above gentleman until April 11, 1849, when through the kindness and generosity of Allen and Eliza MeKean, he was furnished with means to take him to the gold mines of California, and to the above parties he holds the deepest feelings of gratitude and esteem. After remaining in California some eighteen months, meeting with fine success. he returned to Bradford Co., Penn.,
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thence to Darke Co., with a cousin, in 1851, with the expectation of remaining but two weeks, but through the fortuity of Providence, he has made it his home for nearly thirty years. Upon the 1st of June, 1852, he formed a partnership under the firm name of Collins & Calkins, this partnership continuing until September, 1855, when it was dissolved by the death of Mr. Collins. In 1854, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for two years ; re-elected in 1866 for two years, and again in 1868 for the same length of time, and has had an honorable and lucrative prac- tice since being admitted to the bar in 1852. His marriage with Elizabeth Stamm was celebrated in the spring of 1853. She was also a native of Pennsylvania. They have four children now living, viz., Leulla, Harriet and Henry (twins) and George.
L. E. CHENOWETH, attorney at law, Greenville ; was born in Washington Township, on the 3d of December, 1840. His father, Thomas F. Chenoweth, came to Darke Co., from Franklin Co., Ohio, in 1818, and entered the farm on which he has since resided. L. E. Chenoweth was brought up a farmer, but with three brothers learned the trade of bricklaying. He received a good common-school education, and, at the age of 16, taught a district school. He taught school sev- eral terms. On the 13th of May, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Co. K, 11th O. V. I., for three months' service, and was honorably discharged Aug. 17, 1861 ; re- enlisted Oct. 25, 1861, in Co. E, 69th O. V. I .; was appointed Commissary Sergeant of said regiment, Feb. 1, 1863, at Murfreesboro, Tenn., and soon after appointed Quartermaster Sergeant of said regiment. Re-enlisted as veteran volunteer, Feb. 26, 1864, at Chattanooga, Tenn .; was discharged from service as Quartermaster Sergeant, at Sister's Ferry, Ga., Feb. 1, 1865, and was mustered in on same day as First Lieutenant of Co. H, 69th O. V. I., and, on same day, was appointed Quarter- master of said regiment. Was appointed Brigade Quartermaster on the staff of Gen. George P. Buell, commanding 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Army Corps, at Goldsboro, N. C., March 27, 1865. Was commissioned and mustered as Captain of Co. I, O. V. I., June 16, 1865, at Louisville, Ky., and was discharged on the 17th of July, 1865, at the close of the war. Was present at the following battles : Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Ringgold, Snake Creek Gap, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Chattahoochie River, Peach Tree Creek, siege of Atlanta. Jonesboro and Savannah and Goldsboro, N. C. Since the war, has been engaged in the grocery busi- ness, miller, engineer, merchant tailoring, boot and shoe store, foundry and machine shop and a traveling salesman, handling school furniture and supplies, in Ohio, Indi- ana, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Canada. On the 5th day of December, 1876, in the Supreme Court of Ohio, was duly admitted to the practice of the law, since which time he has been engaged in the business of his profession. He married, on the 3d of July, 1867, Effie A. Arnold, daughter of Noah Arnold, Esq., of Jaysville, Darke Co. Has two children-Millie and James.
B. H. CLARK, Sec. 4; P. O. Woodington ; an early pioneer of Darke Co .; born in Lebanon Co., Penn., Sept. 16, 1821 ; he was a son of Samuel Clark. who was born in Pennsylvania March 31, 1796; he came to Darke Co. in 1831, and located in Washington Township, where he lived until his decease, which occurred in November, 1872. He married Margaret Hofnagle in Pennsylvania ; she was born in the same State in 1797, and died in Washington Township in February, 1863. Our subject came to Darke Co. with his parents in 1831, and is, conse- quently, one of the carly pioneers, and among the oldest continuous residents of the county, having lived here nearly half a century ; his education was obtained in a log schoolhouse with stick-and-mud chimney, a large fireplace in which they used logs as large as two or three of the largest boys could handle, and the desks and seats were made of slabs, as well as the writing-desks which extended around the house ; he remained with his father until 21 years of age, when he commenced farming for himself, and, in 1857, moved upon his present place, where he has since lived ; he has about 80 acres of land, with good farm buildings, which he has
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secured by his own hard labor, in which he has been nobly assisted by his amiable wife, to whom he was united in marriage April 25, 1844; she was born in Wash- ington Township, Darke Co., April 18, 1830; her maiden name was Mary Ann Martin, a daughter of Hugh and Eve (Cox) Martin ; her father was one of the early pioneers, emigrating from Pennsylvania in 1818, and locating in Washington Township ; her mother was a daughter of Jacob Cox, who located here in 1816 ; he was born in 1801 and died April 7, 1842, upon the farm he first settled on after his marriage : her mother was born in 1796, and died Dec. 13. 1866. The children of B. H. and Mary Ann (Martin) Clark were thirteen in number, of whom eleven are now living-William H., Isaac N., John C., Frank, Margaret E., Clatie F., Angeline M., Jennie, Sherman. Walter and Arthur ; the deceased were Charles and Baxter, dying in infancy.
JOHN C. CLARK, firm of Breaden & Clark, attorneys at law, Wilson & Hart's Block, Greenville. The subject of this memoir was born in Washington Township, Darke Co., on the 17th of January. 1849, and is the son of B. H. Clark, another of our old settlers, whose biography also appears in this work. The early occupation of our subjeet was that of a farmer's son, his education being obtained in the common schools, until 18 years of age, after which he attended the graded schools of Greenville for three years ; the following three years he devoted to school-teaching, and, during vacation, gave his whole attention to study ; in 1873, he commenced the study of law with Calderwood & Cole, was admitted to the bar in 1877, and, shortly after, associated with J. E. Breaden, Jr., under the firm name, now doing an extensive law business, which is yearly increasing.
HENRY M. COLE, lawyer, Greenville ; was born in Darke Co., March 17, 1845. His grandfather, Samuel Cole, Sr., was a native of Sussex Co., N. J .; he was one of the earliest settlers, and the first Justice of the Peace of Washington Township ; his father and mother are natives of the same township ; his father, Samuel Cole, Jr., is a substantial farmer ; his mother was Elizabeth Cox ; of a family of eleven children, our subject is the eldest ; by arduous study, with only common-school advantages, he obtained a fair English education ; he entered the service of the United States in the war of the rebellion in 1864, and was fifer-boy in Co. G, of the 152d O. N. G .; he read law with Messrs. Knox & Sater, of Green- ville ; graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in the spring of 1869; was at once admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Greenville ; in August, 1872, he formed a law partnership with Judge A. R. Calderwood, of Greenville, and is still so associated. Politically. he is a Republican. He possesses good legal talent, is a close student, and is devoted to his profession : as a pleader and advo- eate, he is effective ; in legal and general literature, he is well informed, and has the manners of a polished gentleman.
WILLIAM COLE, farmer and stock-raiser. Sec. 14: P. O. Greenville ; born in Greenville Township, Darke Co., March 3, 1849 ; he is a son of Samuel Cole, who was one of the early settlers of Darke Co., and is one of the oldest continual residents of the county, and is now living in Washington Township. and is a brother of Joseph Cole, whose biography appears among the sketches of Washing- ton Township in another part of this work. Wm. Cole received a common-school education, and assisted his father upon the farm until he attained his majority ; in 1872. he located upon his present place where he has since lived ; he has 160 acres on his home farm. with good buildings. He married Clarissa Alexander Aug. 3, 1871 ; she was born in Preble Co., Ohio, Sept. 7, 1852 ; they have five children-Baxter, born April 11, 1873 ; Samuel G .. Aug. 8, 1874, John, Sept. 21. 1875; George, March 25, 1877, and an infant, JJuly 10, 1879. Mrs. Cole was a daughter of Samuel Alexander, who died in Washington Township Oct. 7, 1873 ; her mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Roberts, who died in 1874.
JACOB W. COX. manufacturer of boots and shoes, Sec. 31 ; P. O. Green- ville. One of the old settlers, born in Greenville Township, Darke Co., Ohio, Aug. 12. 18441. Hle was a son of Jesse Cox. the first white child born in Washington
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Township (date of birth, 1817), whose occupation was farming ; his death occurred on Oct. 4, 1873. He married Prudence J. Wintermute, a native of New Jersey, born in 1820, who is still living in Greenville Township. Jacob W. raised to farm labor until 14 years of age, when he commenced to learn the shoemaker's trade, which business he followed in connection with farming until 1873, since which time he has devoted his whole attention to his trade upon Sec. 31, where he resides. Upon the 14th of March, 1869, he was married to Mary E. Bechtold, daughter of Samuel Bechtold, whose sketch appears among the biography of Greenville Township ; they have three children-Charles N., Francis M. and Bellzoria.
FRANK T. CONKLING, book-keeper, Greenville ; born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, Feb. 27. 1858 ; his early education was obtained in the common schools of his native place, and completed by a study of eight years in Cincinnati ; in 1875, he came to Greenville, and in July, 1876, accepted a position as book-keeper of the Greenville Bank, which situation he has since filled with credit to himself, and satisfaction to his employers.
DAVID CRAIG, retired ; P. O. Greenville ; another of the early pioneers of Darke Co. is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch ; born in Montgomery Co .. Oct. 5, 1804, and was a son of John Craig, a native of Virginia, who had a hatred to the institution of slavery, and emigrated to Kentucky, then a free State, but upon slavery being admitted as one of its institutions, he came to Mont- gomery Co., Ohio, where his death occurred in 1812 ; in the spring of 1816, our subject came to Darke Co., being then 12 years of age, and he and his twin brother contracted and cleared several acres of land in Wayne Township, by which they cleared upward of $1 per day each ; at 15 years of age, he went to Butler Co., and learned the blacksmith trade ; his skill and reputation in the making of edge tools soon became established, and for three years he found employment at Amanda, most of the time making stonecutter's tools for the contractors of the Miami Canal ; he was a witness to the commencement of the building of the canal, and saw the first dirt thrown out by Gov. Merrill, of Ohio, and Gov. Clinton. of New York ; in 1828, he and his twin brother purchased two lots on Main street, Greenville, erected a wagon and blacksmith shop. and carried on the above business in connection with the manufacture of plows and agricultural imple- ments until 1850, when he located upon his farm, two and a half miles south of Greenville, and here he engaged in farming until the spring of 1877, when he dis- posed of his farm, removed to Greenville, where he has since lived. Mr. Craig has suffered the privations and hardships of frontier life ; upon locating here he had to go to Montgomery Co., purchase corn at $1 per bushel, and bring it to Greenville upon horseback ; it may be said of him that he is one of the self- made men of Darke Co .; coming here at 12 years of age, he battled against adversity for many years, and now at the advanced age of 75 years is in posses- sion of all his faculties, and has accumulated sufficient property by his hard labor and correct business habits to carry him and his amiable wife through their declining years. Upon the 3d of August, 1834, he was united in marriage with Rnhanah Shanon, who was born in Cumberland Co., Penn., Feb. 17, 1816, and came to Darke Co. with her parents in 1832. They were the parents of three sons and four daughters, viz., Elizabeth A., born Sept. 15, 1835 ; James M .. Nov. 29, 1836, now in Government employ at Washington ; Thomas A., born March 2, 1839-died Feb. 22, 1845 ; Marietta, May 5, 1842; Martha J., Jan. 18, 1844 ; Phoebe S., Dec. 17, 1845, and David Edgar, June 1. 1852.
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