Jacob Fast ^{4 5 6}

  General Notes:

Jacob was accused of stealing $30.00 from a man in March of 1818. The notice in the Ohio Eagle newspaper of Lancaster, Ohio listed Jacob, Richard Poling, who later married Jacob's sister, Elizabeth, and a F. Myers as being tried for robbing a Jacob Hunsaker in Fairfield County. Charges were dismissed when Mr. Hunsaker said the defendants were clear of the charges.
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Jacob apparently fathered about 20 children from his three marriages; 5 from his 1st wife, Catherine Springer; 9 from his 2nd wife, Sarah Springer (sister of Catherine); and 6 from his 3rd wife, Elizabeth Bright. But was he actually married to Sarah Springer? The 1850 Census shows Sarah living with Jacob but she was using her maiden name. In December 1850 Jacob married Elizabeth Bright.
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(Source: "History of Northwest Ohio" written by Nevin Otto Winter, 1917
(pages 1734-1736)

The present generation of the Springer family in Northwest Ohio has Springer blood on both sides. This is due to the following "loop" in the genealogical records. A sister of the George Springer mentioned above was born in 1763, married a member of the Fast family, and became the mother of Jacob Fast, Sr. Jacob Fast, Sr., married for his first and second wife Sally and Catharine, respectively, both the children of George Springer, 1763. Sally was born in 1798 and Catharine in 1794. The children of Jacob Fast, Sr., were: Phillip, Sally, Rebecca, Simon and Jacob, Jr. Jacob Fast, Jr., was born January 22, 1820, and died January 7, 1872. By his marriage to Barbara Stuck he had Sarah, Amanda, Christina, Mary, Ellen, Jacob Charles, Benjamin and Phoebe Ann Fast. Phoebe Ann Fast was born December 23, 1858, and married Joseph Springer .

Now to take the other side of the "loop," Jacob Springer, 1788, son of George, died October 4, 1855. His children were: John, 1812; Jacob, 1814; Andrew, 1817; Henry, 1819; Catherine, 1822; and Abraham, who was born April 14, 1824, and died December 7, 1899. Abraham Springer's children were: David, Levi, Abraham, Rebecca, Kaziah Jane Lucy and Joseph Springer. The last named Joseph Springer was born September 11, 1856, and married Phoebe Ann Fast.

Both Joseph Springer and his wife, Phoebe Ann (Fast) Springer are still living. They were born in Mercer County, and Joseph has made a gratifying success of his life, having started as a poor man and for a number of years has been engaged in the manufacturing business near Celina, but is now living on his farm practically retired. He is a republican, has served on the school board for a number of years, is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife belong to the United Brethren Church. Both of them worked hard and denied themselves many luxuries as young people in order to provide for the education and training of their large family of ten children, six sons and four daughters.

The names of these children, all of whom are living, are as follows: Clarence Wilfred Springer, born January 6, 1879, and mentioned at the head of this sketch. Elnora Esther, born March 5, 18880, married Aquilla Shupp and resides at Mercer, Ohio. Dennis S. Springer, born May 15, 1881, unmarried and now serving in Company K of the Second Regiment Ohio National Guard on the Mexican border. Ashley B. Springer, born July 30, 1883, unmarried, and living at Celina, Ohio, where he is assistant manager of the Celina Manufacturing Company. Walter L., born March 26, 1886, employed at the Celina Manufacturing Company in Celina, where he resides, and is married. Russell C. Springer, born September 15, 1887, married and residing on a farm near Neptune, Ohio. Mary E. Springer, born July 1, 1890, married M. Duse and resides in Celina. Barbara Alice Springer, born February 28, 1892, unmarried and a stenographer in Toledo. Lawrence N. Springer, born September 19, 1893, married and residing near Mendon, Ohio, on a farm. Elsie Hannah Springer, born May 19, 1897, unmarried and attending Oxford College.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He appeared on the 1850 US Census in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, OH on 5 September 1850. ⁵

1850 US Census
Page 416A, Dwelling 103, Family 105, Roll 677
Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, Ohio
Jacob Fast..53..PA..Farmer
(Living with 2nd wife and 2 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Center Township, Mercer, OH on 15 July 1870. ⁶

1870 US Census
Page 22, Dwelling 154, Family 155
Center Township, Mercer County, Ohio
Jacob Fast..75..PA..Farmer
(Living with 3rd wife and 5 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in 1796, then his age should have been 73 or 74 instead of 75.
.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Center Township, Mercer, OH on 16 June 1880. ⁴

1880 US Census
Page 361A, District 181, Dwelling 154, Family 158, Roll 1048
Center Township, Mercer County, Ohio
Jacob Fast..Head..84..PA..Farmer
(Living with 3rd wife.)
.

Jacob married Catherine Springer, daughter of George Springer and Anna Fast, on 24 November 1814 in , Fairfield County, OH.^{1 2 3} (Catherine Springer was born on 5 February 1793 in , Rockingham County, VA ¹ and died after 1820.)

Jacob next married Sarah Springer, daughter of George Springer and Anna Fast, about 1821 in , Fairfield County, OH. (Sarah Springer was born on 20 September 1798 in , Rockingham County, VA,^{1 2 8} died on 13 February 1885 in Berne Township, Fairfield, OH ^{1 2 7} and was buried after 13 February 1885 in Berne Township, Fairfield, OH ¹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1850 US Census in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, OH on 5 September 1850. ⁵

1850 US Census
Page 416A, Dwelling 103, Family 105, Roll 677
Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, Ohio
Jacob Fast..53..PA..Farmer
Sarah Springer..50..VA
Samuel Fast..16..OH..Laborer
Margaret Fast..14..OH
.

  Marriage Notes:

Indentures of Fairfield County, Ohio 1824 to 1880
compiled by the Fairfield County Chapter of OH Genealogical Society
(call no: 977.101 F16IND)

Indenture made 8 November 1828: Eli Fast, a poor boy aged 5 years, 8 months, 8 days is bound by the Trustees of Rushcreek Township to Samuel Willis, farmer, till age 21 years, on 31 Jan 1844.

Indenture made 8 Nov 1828: Mahela Fast , a poor girl aged 1 year, 10 month, 13 days, daughter of Catharine Fast of Rushcreek Township, is bound by Trustees of Rushcreek Township to Noah Beery, as housekeeper for 16 years, 1 month 14 days, till age 18 on 21 Dec 1844.

Indenture made 16 Jun 1829: Rebecca Fast, is bound by her father Jacob Fast of Rush Creek Township as a maid servant to Daniel Berry of Berne Township, until 13 Sep 1836, when aged 18 years.

Of the above three indentures, only the one for Rebecca does not conflict with dates or names. I can find no reference of a son named Eli ever fathered by Jacob Fast. The dates for Mahala Fast seem to be well past her known birth date and it is believed that Catherine Fast died about 1820 so how could she be listed as the mother of Mahala. Mahala's mother is believed to be Sarah Springer.
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Jacob next married Elizabeth Gable Bright on 29 December 1850 in Ashland County, OH.⁴ (Elizabeth Gable Bright was born on 23 June 1828 in Virginia ^{1 2 4 6 7} and died on 27 December 1881 ^{1 2 7}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Center Township, Mercer, OH on 15 July 1870. ⁶

1870 US Census
Page 22, Dwelling 154, Family 155
Center Township, Mercer County, Ohio
Jacob Fast..75..PA..Farmer
Elizabeth Fast..32..VA..Keeps House
Gideon Fast..18..OH..Works on Farm
Dortha A. Fast..16..OH..At Home
Rachel J. Fast..16..OH..At Home
Andrew Fast..13..OH..Works on Farm
Harriet Fast..11..OH..At School
.

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Center Township, Mercer, OH on 16 June 1880. ⁴

1880 US Census
Page 361A, District 181, Dwelling 154, Family 158, Roll 1048
Center Township, Mercer County, Ohio
Jacob Fast..Head..84..PA..Farmer
Elezebeth Fast..Wife..51..VA..Keeping House
.

  Marriage Notes:

At the time of their marriage, Jacob was more than twice the age of Elizabeth. He was 54 years old and she was 22 years old. He had already fathered 12 children from his first 2 wives.
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Multiple researchers show this as a valid marriage yet no official document proving the marriage has yet be found. The best available proof seems to be in the Death Certificate for their alleged son, Andrew Henderson Fast, who died on 19 Mar 1924 in Drake County, Ohio. That certificate shows the father of Andrew to be Jacob Fast and the mother to be Elizabeth Bright.
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