Josiah H. Handley was born October 12, 1846, in Dorchester County, Md., son of Henry and Mary A. (Woollen) Handley. The father of our subject was born in Maryland about 1805, and died in his native state in 1850, and by occupation was a carpenter. His mother, also a native of Maryland, was born in 1815, and now resides in this county. Our subject received a common school education, and at ten years of age, began supporting himself. From 1861 until 1867 he led the life of a sailor on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. In 1867, he began farming in Maryland, and in 1868 came to Johnson County, and worked on the farm by the month, until February, 1869, when he began farming for himself, in Union Township, where he remained until 1879, when he removed to his present farm, which contains 104 acres. For several years he has been engaged in breeding fine-stock, and has been very successful. Mr. Handley was married December 10, 1868, to Miss Nancy J. Carnine, born in Johnson County, Ind., near where she now resides, September 30, 1848. Mrs. Handley is the daughter of Andrew and Nancy (Banta) Carnine, natives of Kentucky, the former born in 1804, and died in 1873, and the latter died in this county in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Handley are the parents of four children: Sarah A., born October 10, 1869; James E., June 3, 1873; Mary Anna, December 19, 1879, and Lorin A., February 12, 1881. Politically, he is a republican, and through his own industry and economy, has succeeded. Mr. and Mrs. Handley are members of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church.