George A. GARRINGER, one of Jay county's well known and substantial farmers and landowners and proprietor of an excellent farm in Pike township, where he and his family are living, rural mail route No. 2 out of Portland, is a native son of this county and has resided here all his life. Three of his sons served as soldiers in the American army during the World war, two serving overseas, and one, James GARRINGER, did not return, giving his life in France for the cause for which he was fighting. George A. GARRINGER was born on a farm in Pike township, a part of which farm he now owns and is living on, April 29, 1863, and is a son of Alexander and Betsey ( BONNELL ) GARRINGER, who in their generation were among the best known residents of that neighborhood. Alexander GARRINGER was born in Columbus, Ohio [Franklin Co.], and there grew to manhood. He married at about the age of twenty-one and then came over into Indiana and established his home on a tract of forty acres which he had bought in Pike township, this county. He was a good farmer and as his affairs prospered he added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of 300 acres and was regarded as one of the substantial members of that community. He and his wife were the parents of four children, the subject of this sketch having three sisters, Hannah, Mary and Ida. Reared on the farm on which he was born, George A. GARRINGER received his schooling in the neighboring schools and from the days of his boyhood his attention has been given to farming. He married at the age of twenty-two and then began to work a part of the home place and there established his home. Upon the death of his father he inherited eighty acres of the home farm and has continued to make his home there, meanwhile having improved the place until now he has a well equipped farm plant. Mr. GARRINGER is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of the Baptist church. On June 13, 1885, George A. GARRINGER was united in marriage to Amelia FINCH, who also was born in this county, and to that union eight children were born, James, Betsey, Alexander, Grover, Ruth, Myrtle, Ivy and Pauline, all of whom are living save James, who died while serving the cause of American arms in France during the World war. James GARRINGER enlisted for service in September, 1917, and was sent to Camp Taylor for preliminary training. He was sent thence to Camp Shelby, Miss., and from that camp was sent to France, where he died in service, as is set out in the ''Gold Star" roster of service men from Jay county elsewhere in this work, a member of Company A, 323d Field Artillery Signal Battalion. Alexander GARRINGER, the second son, responded to the call to service on July 24, 1918, and from Camp Taylor was sent to Ft. McClellan, Ala., where he remained until the conclusion of the war, when he was returned to Camp Taylor, where he received his discharge. Grover GARRINGER, the third son, was sent from Camp Taylor to Camp Shelby and thence to France, where he was attached to the military police and where he served for ten months. Of the daughters of this family, Betsey GARRINGER married James MONEYSMITH, of this county, and has two children. Florence and Adrain. Ruth GARRINGER married Toney BECKTEL, of Bearcreek township, ibis county.