The father of Mr. Spurlin was a native of Virginia, his parents, however, moving from that state to Ohio when he was quite young. He was married to Hester Layman in the last named commonwealth, shortly after he had attained his majority, and they finally settled in Shelby county. They became the parents of a large family. The birth of George W. occurred on January 1, 1847. He attended school when not working upon the farm, and received a fair education. In 1866, when but twenty years old, he married Eliza Hupp, daughter of Samuel and Sarah E. Watson Hupp. She was born in July, 1850, in Warren county, Ohio, her parents moving to Shelby county five years later, where they settled on a farm. She took a course in the district schools of those days, and acquired what was then considered a very good education. Six children were the fruits of her marriage to Mr. Spurlin, as follows: Wellington, born 11 January 1868, married Dora Hawkins, died December 29, 1902; Monroe, born March 18, 1870, married Rosa Sullivan, resided at Shelbyville; William, born November 10, 1871, married Lethia Sullivan, is a farmer in Washington township; Ivrey, born in 1872, married Sarah Dill, lives in Addison township, Shelby county; Maud, born June 20, 1875, is the wife of Ora Spurlin and lives in Washington township; Marvin, born November 15, 1878, married Nina Cochran.
When Mr. Spurlin embarked upon matrimony he was not well off in this word's goods, but being a man of great energy and ambition, he determined to attain success and is today known among the prosperous men of the community. With the small funds that he possessed, he leased a farm, and in a few years by frugality and hard work had secured sufficient money to purchase a place of his own. He now holds the title to eighty acres of very fertile and productive land, which is located in section 11. The work of improving this land was performed by his own hand, and he has a farm that is well equipped with modern agricultural implements of every description.
Mr. Spurlin is a public-spirited man in the true sense of the term, and has always done his part toward aiding the progress of Washington township. The modern dwelling in which he and his family reside was largely constructed by himself. He has high moral ideas and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Flat Rock, being very regular in their attendance and taking a deep interest in the welfare of the congregation. Mr. Spurlin believes in prohibition, and has been a member of the party that opposes the continuation of the liquor traffic since the year 1886.
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