52 Ancestors #7: Jacob Ginter Fast is my 3x great grandfather. He was born June 4, 1840 in Fairfield County, Ohio to Abraham Fast and Mary Jane Ginter.

On October 7, 1861 at around 20 years old, Jacob entered service with the Union for the Civil War, serving with Company D of the 71st Ohio Volunteer Infantry alongside his younger brother Abraham. He came back home and married Sarah Ann Keyser on March 6, 1864 in Mercer County – their first son Charles was born that year but died before reaching adulthood.

After marrying, Jacob returned to service and on January 1, 1865 he was appointed corporal. After three years of service, he was mustered out on October 17, 1865 at Camp Dennison, Ohio by order of the War Department.

After the war, Jacob returned home to Mercer where he and Sarah raised their ten children while he became a pretty successful farmer. He was the first in the county to own a car, which he kept in his barn and some sources say that he actually went through the barn in his red auto.

In 1900, Jacob G. and Sarah took in their daughter, Martha Magnora Bender and her two children Jesse Preston Bender (my great grandfather) and Louella Bender after Martha was deserted by her husband, William G. Bender.

Fast loved to eat, but suffered from chronic stomach problems which made it necessary for him to carry a stomach pump. He is said to have gone back behind his barn to pump his stomach.

He died February 13, 1912 in Dublin Township, Mercer, Ohio of his stomach problems. On February 14 the local news wrote:
Jacob Fast, a well-known and aged resident of Rockford, died early Tuesday morning at his home in that village. He was about seventy years of age, and is survived by a large family. The funeral is to be held in the United Brethren church at Rockford, Thursday afternoon at one o’clock, and is to be conducted by the Rev. L. T. Lemunyon of this city, assisted by Rev. E. A. Lilly and Rev. Thomas Coates.

Jacob is buried at the Riverside Cemetery in Dublin, Mercer, Ohio next to his wife and near many of their children and grandchildren.