John S. Kasbeer, Ohio, was born December 28, 1818, in Wayne County, Ohio, and is the son of Samuel and Mary  Kasbeer. The

father was born February 4, 1794, in New Jersey. The mother was born January 22, 1799, in Pennsylvania. They were the parents of twelve children, the eldest of whom is the subject of this sketch. He lived on a farm i his native county till he came to this state an settled in East Grove, in Lee County, in the fall of 1846. He lived there one season, when he removed to Ohio  Township, and settled on th eland which he now owns.

March 6, 1842, Mr. Kasbeer married Hannah Ross, the daughter of Rev. William and Jane (Whitaker) Ross (see sketch of James Ross), who was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, February 12, 1825, and lived in her native state till she came to this state in 1846. Mr. and Mrs. Kasbeer are the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are now living; Mary Jane, born July 5, 1843, died August 29, 1844; Rachel, born August 16, 1845, died March 14, 1858; Margaret R., now Mrs. T. D. Mercer, Ohio, Ill., born March 19, 1848; Mildred, born August 7, 1850, died September 10, 1852l Asa W., farmer, Ohio, Ill., born December 28, 1852; Ira, farmer and land agent, Colony, Kan., born May 13, 1855; Joan, teacher and farmer, Ohio, Ill., born August 24, 1857; Sumner, farmer, Belton, Mo., born February 12, 1860; Melissa, Ohio, Ill., born May 25, 1862; Alice, Ohio, Ill, born March 3, 1865; Hattie, born August 29, 1867, died January 9, 1868; John W., Ohio, Ill., born March 28, 1869. Mr. Kasbeer owns 806 acres of land in Ohio Township, and 3,600 acres in Allen and Anderson Counties, Kan., also 640 acres in Nebraska. In the improvements of this county Mr. Kasbeer has for thirty-seven years taken a very active part, and in that time he has probably planted more forest trees than any other man in bureau County; and the large groves and long lines of cottonwood, walnut, hard and soft maple, and other varieties of forest trees, some of which are three feet in diameter, are towering monuments and living witnesses of his patient and unceasing toil. In politics Mr. K. was formerly a Whig, and is now a Republican, and member of the M. P. church.