J. P. McGeath

    J. P. McGeath, real estate, notary public and abstractor, established his office in the C. Q. Shull block, Montpelier, in 1883. He has abstracts of all the real estate in Blackford County, and pays special attention to buying and selling property, and attending to the interests of non-residents.

    He was born in New Castle, Henry County, Indiana, August 24, 1845, a son of Thomas R. and Rebecca (Perfect) McGeath. In 1857 his parents moved to Wells County, locating a mile northwest of Montpelier, where he grew to manhood. His youth was spent in working on the farm and in attending school. He had good educational advantages, completing his school days at Bluffton. When twenty-one years of age he began teaching, at which he was very successful, and taught fifteen winter terms, eight of them being in one district.

    Mr. McGeath was married in 1870 to Miss Sarah L. Bales, a native of Wells County, a daughter of Absalom Bales. She died in 1877, leaving two children -Augustus M. and Lerti E. In 1881 Mr. McGeath married Mary Alice Brannum, born in Wayne County, Indiana, July 23, 1857, a daughter of H. C. Brannum, hardware merchant of Montpelier.

    He has served acceptably as township trustee and assessor. He is a member of Lodge No. 410, I. O. O. F.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887.