Allen Co. History, Shawnee Township, pg. 789: "Abraham Crider, farmer and county commissioner, P.O. Lima, was born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, October 19, 1828, son of Ephraim and Mary (Dunkle) Crider, former born 25 Dec 1805, d. in 1880. Ephraim Crider was a son of Abraham and Sophia (Larick) Crider, who settled in Pickaway County in 1814, and were parents of Sophia (married to Andrew Thompson and who died, leaving a family in Wyandot County, Ohio), David (deceased, left family in Ross County, Ohio). Sally, wife of Timothy Spangler (died leaving a family in Pickaway County, Ohio), Ephraim, father of our subject; Amelia, the only one living of the family, married to a Mr. Howell, who died leaving a family in Ross County, Ohio; and George (deceased, left family near Adeiphi, Ohio).

The children of Ephraim and Mary Crider were ten in number: Isaac (residing near Howard, Kans.); Eliza (died, aged six years); Abraham; Hannah, wife of Jacob Darst, in Auglaize County, Ohio; Maria, wife of Alexander Shaw. of Cridersville, Ohio; Leanna, wife of Allen Spiker, in Cridersville, Ohio; Reuben, in Auglaize County. Ohio; Susan (deceased wife of John Reichelderfer, who lives in Auglaize County, Ohio); Ephraim (deceased, aged two years); and John J., in Cridersville, Ohio. Ephraim Crider came to Auglaize County, in 1854, and in 1855 laid out the town of Cridersville."

From Crider History Binder, compiled by Helen Hamilton, Allen Co. Gen. Library:
"Ephriam Cryder purchased 80 acres of the northwest quarter of Section 35, Auglaize Co., Ohio, on April 3, 1854, after his son Isaac had made a like purchase the preceding March 11. Ephraim's purchase was made from Joseph Weaver and wife, Isaac's from Samuel Moyer and wife. This land included the are of what is now Cridersville, and what was familiarly known as Ezra DeLong's Grove. On April 17, 1856, Harrison Maltbie surveyed and laid out for the Criders the original town site, which consisted of 24 lots, 17 of which faced Main Street, west from the C.H. & D. Railway and seven face on High Street, the latter seven were owned by Isaac and the Main Street lots, belonged to Ephraim. They gave their name to the village that soon was to become a hustling town and eventually a thriving oil center.

The Criders were not, however, the earliest settlers in this vicinity. George DeLong, who attended a Land sale at Piqua, Ohio, on February 5, 1834, made a purchase of 80 acares in Auglaize County, was the first. Benjamin and Daniel Bowsher purchased in the spring of 1835. The next year Jacob DeLong, at a Lima land sale, purchased on May 2, a tract of 80 acres in Sec. 34 of Duchouquet Township, May 3, 160 acres in Sec. 35, and 80 acres more in Sec. 34 and again, June 3, he added another 80 acres. These purchases were made direct from the U.S. Government, as was that of
David Stepleton (Stopleton) who purchased 80 acres in Sec. 34, on May 24, 1836.

Cridersville first bore the name of Weavers Corner and as such maintained a shore [sic] shop, a blacksmith shop and a general store. They were located on what is now Main Street, an old Indian trail. The first railroad line was already there when Ephraim and Isaac had their lots surveyed. It was known as the Dayton and Michigan Railroad, later it became known as the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, then finally as the Baltimore and Ohio. Today, Cridersville, although still thriving, has not increased much in area or commercial enterprises since its famous oil well days ended about fifty years ago. Time seems to have stayed its hand there. To the city dweller, it appears as a quiet charming little town, a pleasant place to go to retire.

Ephraim Crider was in Auglaize Co., as early as February, 1851, for he appears on the list of donors for St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church. This would refute the tradition that his son Abraham arrived in Allen County in December, 1852, preceded him. Ephraim was probably already living on his farm land when he made his purchase of land in 1854."

Excerpt from "The Lima News" pg. 7-B, Sunday, September 6, 1953, an article titled,
'Busy Cridersville, Lima's Near Neighbor, Keeps That Pleasant Small-Town Atmosphere':
"The history of Cridersville goes back to the 1830's. Isaac Weaver was the first settler. According to tradition, he operated a store here along the Lima-Wapakoneta road. There were two or three cabins around the store. This settlement was known as Weavertown. In 1836 (note that in this article the year is 1836!) Ephraim Crider and his son, Isaac, came here from Fairfield County. They purchased 80 acres of land from Weaver. This land is the present site of Cridersville. The Criders used the land for farming for the next 20 years until the construction of the Dayton and Michigan railroad, now part of the Baltimore and Ohio. The village was platted and named Cridersville in 1856."