20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 65

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 65

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

David Zinn, who was one of the early set- tlers of Clark County and a native of Pennsylvania.

Peter Zinn was born in 1841, in Clark County, Ohio, one of a family of seven children, David, Aaron, Edward. Richard, William, Peter, Sarah (Mrs. John Freeze), and Mrs. C. Smith. Peter Zinn grew to manhood on the farm and assisted his father in clearing the land. He later operated a stone quarry for about fifteen years, and furnished a great deal of the stone used in the bridges, turn- pikes, culverts, etc., in this part of the county. He is a substantial citizen, own- ing two fine farms in Pike Township and resides on one of them. He was united in marriage with Elzina Smith, who was born and reared in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a daughter of l'eter Smith, who came here from Pennsylvania. Nine children were born to Peter and El- zina Zinn: Jennie, wife of James Greer; Willard; Etta, wife of John Funderburg; Ella, wife of Clark Overholtzer: G. Waithe; Lydia, wife of Clyde Leathly; Warren K .; Everett; and Ivy, wife of Charles Byres.

G. Waithe Zinn was reared in his na- tive section and in youth spent much of his time at work in his father's stone quarry. He remained at home until his majority, after which he worked out by the day for several years. After his mar- riage he conducted the home farm for two years, then rented the Black farm of two hundred acres in Pike Township, and since then has successfully engaged there in general farming and stock-raising.

GOLD WAITHE ZINN, one of the trustees of Pike Township, who is en- gaged in general farming and stock-rais- ing on the Robert Black farm of two hun- dred acres, is one of the progressive young agriculturists of this section. He was born on the family homestead in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, February Mr. Zinn was married August 22, 1897. in Bethel Township, to Mary Emmeline 26, 1874, and is a son of Peter S. and Elzina (Smith) Zin, and a grandson of Hunt, who was born at Mt. Rose, Mereer

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County, New Jersey, and when a child of three years was brought to Clark County by her parents, John and Laura (Reed) Hunt, who live on a farm near Mr. and Mrs. Zinn. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are the parents of nine children, Mary E., Jennie, Ida May, Ura Ann, Theodore, Walter, Delia (deceased), Nellie, and John.

Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Zinn, Edgar Bryan, Raymond, Schuyler, and Eva Theresa.

In politics Mr. Zinn is a Democrat and was elected trustee of Pike Township in 1907. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, belonging to White Star Lodge No. 192, of Northampton, and the Jr. O. U. A. M., No. 195, of New Car- lisle.

CHARLES H. HISER, superintendent of the Springfield Metallic Casket Com- pany, with business quarters on the cor- ner of Columbia and Center Streets, Springfield, was born at Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, October 2, 1861, and is a son of Daniel B. and a grandson of Henry Hiser.

Henry Hiser was a manufacturer and inventor and his son, Daniel B., came nat- urally by his remarkable inventive talents. The latter invented the metallic casket that is now manufactured by the Spring- field Company. This business was started on a small scale, but it has so expanded that now it is one of the most important of its kind in the country.

Charles H. Hiser obtained his educa- tion in his native locality. When he was fourteen years of age he went to work in a planing mill for a short time and then entered a tin ship, where he worked for

two years. The family then moved to Orrville, Ohio, and he was employed for three years thereafter in the works of the Orrville Burial Case Company, subse- quently returning to Wooster and enter- ing the employ of the Wooster Burial Company. He had been with the latter company for four years, when his father started the present business at Spring- field with which he has been identified ever since, for the past fifteen years hav- ing been its superintendent. He is also interested in the Reeser Floral Company at Urbana. Mr. Hiser is a 32nd degree Mason, is a member of the Springfield Commercial Club, of which he has been treasurer, and belongs also to the Country and the Lagonda Clubs. He is one of the Masonic Temple trustees and has been vice president of the Masonic Club since its organization. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Springfield-Urbana Shrine Club. Mr. Hiser is one of Spring- field's acknowledged capitalists and owns a large amount of valuable city real estate. He is one of the company of twelve investors that bought the old West property on the corner of Fountain and High Streets.

AMOS SEITZ. proprietor of the Tre- mont City Mills, and one of the leading business men of Clark County, was born in German Township, this county, De- cember 21, 1842. He is a son of Andrew and Mary Ann (Circle) Seitz.

Andrew Seitz, the father, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Henry Seitz, who came to Clark County in 1831. accompanied by his son Andrew. Andrew Seitz married

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Ann Baker, who was a daughter of berg College and upon the completion of Rudolph Baker. She was born in Vir- his course in that institution went ginia and in infancy was brought to through Nelson's Business College. Ile Clark County. After the War of 1812, then entered the University of Michigan and finished a special law course in prep- aration for the business life which he be- gan immediately upon his return to Springfield. Rudolph Baker settled on what is now known as the Valley Turnpike Road, near the Springfield Base ball Park, in German Township. In 1845 Andrew Seitz bought the Tremont City Mill and in 1859 he erected a new mill, which stands on the site of the old one. His son, Henry Seitz, began to work in the first mill in 1849 and ran the new mill until 1873. when Amos Seitz took charge, Henry retiring to his farm. In 1883 Amos Seitz bought the mills and has been conducting them ever since. These mills are equipped with the Barnhard & Lee roller inill machinery and a large amount of first-class flour is mannfac- tured, the special brands being "Silver Spray" and "Fancy Family."

Amos Seitz married Dora Belle Mar- tin, and they have had three children, namely: Charles, who is engaged as a stenographer with the Big Four Rail- road; Emma Elmira and Mattie Belle, the last mentioned of whom died Novem- ber 8. 1907, aged twenty-two years. Mr. Seitz is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias.

HARRY W. RUBY was born in Springfield. Ohio, and is one of the city's most prominent and successful yonng business men. He is the son of G. F. Ruby, who also is a resident of Spring- field, but with manufacturing interests in Dayton, Ohio.

Mr. Ruby's able and energetic deal- ings in stocks, bonds and real estate soon identified him with the handling of many important interests, both local and for- eign, and won for him a prominent place in the front rank of Springfield's busi- ness men. The financial ends of numer- ous projects have been developed by, and owe their success to, his ability. Among these may be mentioned the Ruby Lum- ber Company, with which he has main- tained an active connection as president. This concern owns large tracts of timber- land and operates mills throughont mid dle and western Tennessee. The excep- tional progress Mr. Ruby has made as a young business man may be read in hi- close connection with numerons projects and commercial institutions of important financial influence.

In April, 1907, he was married to Miss Gertrude Bauer, a daughter of W. F. Baner, one of Springfield's prominent men.

Mr. Ruby is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and belongs to the Commercial, Country and other leading clubs and organizations of the city.

JOHN H. WILSON. a prominent and substantial citizen of Moorefield Town- ship, residing on a valuable farm of 30)

After leaving the Springfield High School, Harry W. Ruby entered Witten- aeres, which is situated in Section 32. on

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the Urbana Turnpike Road, four miles his land and it is known all over this sec- from the center of Springfield, was born tion on account of the high grade of stock produced here. February 18, 1850, in County Down, Ire- land, within sight of the spires of the city of Belfast. He is a son of Robert H. and Mary (Hamilton) Wilson.

Until he was ten years of age, John II. Wilson attended a local school and was then apprenticed to a tailor, with whom he served for seven years, after winch, according to the law, he traveled as a journeyman. In this way he visited the leading cities of England and also worked in Wales and Scotland. This taste of travel made him anxious to see America and as he was well equipped with his self- supporting trade, he crossed the ocean with no apprehensions of failure in a strange land. He landed in the port of New York on June 21, 1870, and took lit- tle time to get acquainted with the won- ders of that great metropolis, accepting work at his trade on the very day he ar- rived.

Mr. Wilson remained in the city of New York until 1872, when he came to Spring- field, Ohio, and until 1877 worked for leading tailoring firms in that city as a cutter. He then embarked in business for himself, opening a tailoring establish- ment at No. 26 East Main Street and sub- sequently, as his business increased, took in the premises at No. 28 East Main, and he continued in the same line for twenty- two years, during this period enjoying the largest trade in the city. In 1882 he bought 320 acres of land, which was the old Jacob Thomas farm, to which he sub- sequently added forty acres, but parted with ten acres to the railroad running through his property. He has given the pleasant name of Spruce Lawn Farm to

Prior to 1899, when Mr. Wilson sold out his tailoring business to Thomas Hack and retired to his farm, he had lived on the place even while carrying on his business at Springfield. Since that time he has devoted himself closely to his large interests here and to improving this prop- erty. He has spent some $15,000 in im- provements, has built several residences and other substantial buildings and has his own water system and electric light plant. His home is fitted with every mod- ern convenience and probably has not its equal in any other rural district in this section of Ohio.

Mr. Wilson was married (first) to Emma Lolmer, who died June 4, 1880. She was a daughter of John Lohner, who came from Germany to Springfield with his wife before her birth. There was one son born to this marriage, Robert J., who was born at Springfield, March 19, 1878. Robert J. Wilson was educated in the Springfield schools and Wittenberg Col- lege and attended Starling Medical Col- lege at Columbus for one year. He then became interested in stock-raising and in raising and dealing in horses. He is widely known over the United States as a judge of horses and as a starter of races. He owns four valuable stallions-At- Inntic King, with a record of 2:0934 ; The Jester, with a record of 2:1914, with a trial record of 2:111/1 ; Con Bell, with a record of 2:2414. and a registered Nor- man draft stallion named Phidias. Robert J. Wilson married Leah Dalie, who is a daughter of John Dalie, of Springfield, and they have one son, John L. Robert J.

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Wilson and family reside at Spruce Lawn Farm.

John H. Wilson was married (second) August 15, 1889, to Martha E. Mowatt. who died February 19, 1892, leaving one son, James M., who was born at Spring- field, at the home of his grandmother, September 5, 1890. He resides with his father in Moorefield Township.

John H. Wilson has been an active cit- izen and has always done his duty in ie- gard to public responsibilities. He has never been particularly active in politics and has never consented to serve in any official capacity except as a member of the School Board. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church and is a liberal sup- porter of its many benevolent enterprises.

JOHN S. CROWELL, president and general manager of the Crowell Publish- ing Company, of Springfield, Ohio, until February, 1906, when the business was sold to others. Mr. Crowell was the founder of that business in 1877, and has been one of the city's most active and progressive men since that date. A man of recognized business ability, he has been exceptionally successful and become widely known among publishers and ad- vertisers throughout the United States as the founder and president of the Crowell Publishing Company, owners of the "Woman's Home Companion" and the "Farm and Fireside," two periodi- cals with over a million subscribers.

Presbyterian Church, at Louisville, of which he was elected a deacon for life. John S. Crowell attended the public schools of his native city, and showed such aptitude in his studies that he was placed in classes with older pupils, among whom he ranked first. He completed an eight-year course in six years. Ambi- tious and self-reliant even in his boyhood days, at the age of eleven years, contrary to the wishes of his parents, he became a newsboy, his original capital invested be- ing five cents, which he obtained in 1961, by holding a soldier's horse. For two years he sold papers in the early morning and attended school during the day. At fifteen years of age he secured a situation in a small printing office at $2.50 per week. This was a short time before the close of school, and so desirous was his instructor that he should take his final. or public examination, that he organized a posse of older scholars, who by force of arms conveyed him to the school-room in his work clothes, where he acquitted him- self with credit. Contrary to the wishes of his parents and the advice of teachers. he refused to enter college and continued in business. Within six months a large job printing office offered him $12.00 per week, and he was soon made assistant foreman, and at seventeen years made foreman. His energy, industry and abil- ity were so marked that his fellow-work- men at that time predicted that in the future he would have a large publishing house of his own. That he possessed rare presence of mind and was capable of quick thought, enabling him to grasp a trying situation on the spur of the me-

John S. Crowell was born in Louisville, Kentucky, January 7, 1850, and was the seventh child born to his parents. His father. S. B. Crowell, was a member and . ment, was demonstrated while he was em- one of the founders of the Walnut Street ployed in this printing office. A workman

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JOHN S. CROWELL

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was caught by the arm and held between the ceiling and a pulley making 150 revo- lutions per minute, and while others were looking on in horror, expecting to see him crushed, young Crowell grasped a belt with one hand, was instantly hurled to the ceiling, where, securing a footing, he released his companion, who fainted in his arms. Early in the year 1868 Mr. Crowell became foreman of the Louisville Courier-Journal job printing establish- ment, and so continued until October. 1869, when he met with an accident which incapacitated him for work for a time. About an inch of his right thumb was mashed off while he was attending a pow- er paper-cutting machine; he quickly ad- justed the severed portion of his thumb while the man who had caused the ace- dent shut his eyes and called for help, but young Crowell was able to go alone in search of a doctor. While thus disabled he invented an elastic hand stamp, and the rubber-like material out of which it was made, and while he deemed the inven- tion scarcely worthy a patent, commenced their manufacture. He employed his three brothers in the work, and did a very prosperous business until the panic of 1873. Then, after a visit to a few states and the Northern Lakes, he entered the office of B. F. Avery & Sons, the well known plow manufacturers, of Louisville. He conducted the publication of their ag- ricultural journel, "Home and Farm," which prospered under his management. On a trip in the interest of "Home and Farm" he first met Mr. P. P. Mast. of Springfield, Ohio, to whom he afterward suggested the idea of publishing an ag. ricultural journal, with the result that in August, 1877, Mr. Crowell being twenty- marriage, November 20, 1877, with Miss

seven years of age, moved to Springfield and established the "Farm and Fire- side," which has had a long and prosper- ous career, and was probably the first cheap periodical, or publication, to pros. per and obtain a national circulation and reputation. He may feel a just and pard- onable pride in the success attained hy this publication, as it was probably the pioneer to demonstrate that newspapers and magazines could be made profitable when sold at a price one-third to one. fourth the price charged previous to 1877.

The publishing house was known As Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick for many years. Early in its career they pur- chased "The Home Companion" from Cleveland parties, and changed the name or title to "The Woman's Home Com- panion," under which name it grew in size and influence until it reached a cir- enlation of nearly six hundred thousand copies.

At an early age John S. Crowell be- came a member of the Walnut Street Presbyterian Church, at Louisville, and during his residence there, was active in church and Sabbath-school work. At the age of seventeen years he was elected librarian, at twenty became assistant 30- perintendent and at twenty-one years be- came superintendent of the Sabbath- school. At twenty-five years of age he was chosen a deacon for life of the Wal- mt Street Church. He and his wife are now. 1908, members of the First Presby- terian Church, of Springfield, which they joined in November, 1877. Our subject, at the age of twenty-seven, was joined in

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Ella C. Mangold, who comes of an old for fifty years without an endowment. and prominent Louisville family.

Since coming to Springfield, Ohio, on August 17, 1877, Mr. Crowell has been actively identified with many religious, educational, charitable and business or- ganizations, and also has been an active advocate of the improvement and better- ment of Springfield. His activities have resulted in his being chosen to occupy many positions of trust and honor, such as director of the First National Bank, of Springfield; also a director of the Co- lumbia Life Insurance Company, of C'in -. cinnati, and president of the board of trustees of the Western College for Women, at Oxford, Ohio; also president of the board of trustees of the new City Hospital, of Springfield; elder of the First Presbyterian Church, and director of the Y. M. C. A., all of the foregoing positions being held by him at this time, 1908. He has also been president of the Springfield Board of Trade, and a direc- tor of the Associated Charities, and for five years was president of the Spring- field College and Seminary, and for two years president of the Young Men's Christian Association. and president of the Men's Literary Club. He was also elected superintendent of the Sunday- school a number of times, for a term cf one year each, and for nine successive terms of three years each, to the position of elder of the First Presbyterian Church, and is elder of the First Church at the present time, 1908.

A COLLEGE ENDOWMENT.

and no effort was being made to secure an endowment, therefore the college labored under many disadvantages. . At the suggestion and earnest solicitation of Mr. Crowell, the board of trustees de- cided to employ a financial secretary cr agent, whose duty it would be to give hi- entire time and attention to the subject and work, solely and only for an endow- ment, and present the merits of the Western College to philanthropists, and others, interested in educational matters. Up to the present time over $260.000.00 has been subscribed, or pledged. This in- cludes two gifts of fifty thousand dollars each from Andrew Carnegie and the Gen- eral Education Board, which was found- ed by John D. Rockefeller. These two latter gifts are endorsements of the high- est character of the "Western College for Women" and its trustees, as Mr. Car negie and the General Education Board do not give such large amounts without careful investigation of the merits and standing of an institution.

FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR SAVED FOR MANY YEARS.

In 1887 Mr. Crowell instituted an in- vestigation of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, which is located at Philadel- phia, Pa. This resulted in learning that the board was paying far more than it should for much of its printing. binding. folding, stitching, etc. When a report was made to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, of the United States, it ordered a change in the meth-

When Mr. J. S. Crowell became a ods of the Board of Publication, as sug- trustee of the Western College for gested by him, which resulted in a sav- Women. at Oxford, Ohio, it had existed ing of over fifty thousand dollars each

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year, for many years, to the Presbyterian Church. The Presbytery, of Dayton, sent Mr. Crowell as a delegate to the Gen- eral Assembly four years in succession, in order that he might attend to and re- port upon the investigation which resnit- ed in such a great benefit to the Presby- terian Church.

THE FIRST COMPLETE STEAM RAILROAD IN AMERICA.

Stephen B. Crowell, the father of John S. Crowell, was a mechanic of more than ordinary ability. When he first came west, about 1825, he settled in Lexington, Kentucky, and became superintendent of his Uncle Joseph Bruen's Foundry and Machine Shop. In 1828 parties in Lex- ington requested Joseph Bruen to devise, or invent, some method to carry freight on land, so that Lexington, which was an inland town, could compete with river and seaport cities. Joseph Bruen turned the whole matter over to his nephew, Stephen Bruen Crowell, who designed the plans and made the drawings, and also the dif- fieult parts of the patterns and castings and machine work, and built a locomotive, a train of three cars, also a track in the form of a circle, on which the train trav- eled round and round. This train car- ried cars, passengers and freight, and was able to ascend an incline having a grade of eighty feet to the mile. The his- torian says, "The railroad and cars ere- ated the belief that carriages and heavy freight could be drawn as easily and cer- tainly by steam power upon railroads as boats could be propelled by steam power through water." The whole outfit was exhibited in Lexington in 1829, and in Frankfort in March, 1830, and afterwards

in Louisville, and it was so convincing to those who saw it, that the full amount of the estimated cost of a railroad from Lexington to Louisville, one million dol- lars, was soon subscribed and the build- ing of the railroad commenced, with great military pomp and civic and re- ligious ceremony. It is now a part of the Louisville and Nashville system. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad used horse power until 1832, which was four years after Stephen Bruen Crowell decided that steam was the proper power for rail- roads. A study of the history of rail- roads will not leave any doubt that Stephen Bruen Crowell. the father of John S. Crowell, was the first man in | America to invent, design, build and op- erate a complete steam railroad, with locomotive, cars and track, that carried passengers and freight.

W. O. PADEN, owner of eighty acres of farm land in Green Township, was born November 29, 1848, in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of James and Catherine (Whitmer) Paden, and a grandson of James and Nancy (Beard) Paden.

James Paden, grandfather, was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and after coming to Clark County, he operated a woolen mill near Lagonda until his death, which was caused by accidental drowning while crossing Buck Creek, on a foot log. He married Nancy Beard, who married (second) William Overpeck, a life-long resident of German Township and one of the largest landowners in this locality. She died at the advanced age of ninety-four years. Her marriage with

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James Paden resulted in the birth of three Township, where he has since followed children, of whom James, the eldest, was farming in a general way. born near the present site of Lagonda. Mr. Paden was united in marriage with Laura J. Garlough, a daughter of W. H. Garlough, a life-long resident of Green Township. Mr. and Mrs. Paden have had two children: Gertrude and Junis P. The former married Irvin G. Hammna, who was born and reared in Green Township and is a son of Andrew Hamma. They have three children: Clarence, Thelma, and Gretta. Mr. Hamma formerly followed farming, later conducted a restaurant, after which he was proprietor of a hotel in Kentucky until his removal to St. Louis, where he at present resides and owns a hotel. Junis P. Paden died aged fourteen months. The mother of Mrs. Paden is still living at the advanced age of eighty- four years, making her home with Mr. and Mrs. Paden. After the death of his father he went to live with Peter Sintz, by whom he was reared and for whom he worked until the time of his marriage. He then settled at Springfield, where he conducted the West- ern Hotel and livery barn for some time, it being the best hotel the city then af- forded. He subsequently located on Mar- ket Street and operated the Union Hotel, and he opened the first ice-cream parlor in the city of Springfield, and later built an ice house in Springfield, another inno- vation. His death occurred shortly after the completion of that building. He mar- ried Catherine Whitmer, who was born and reared near Tremont and was a daughter of Jacob Whitmer. Five chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Paden. One daughter, Susan, died in young wo- In politics Mr. Paden is a Democrat, and although an active worker in the in- terests of his party, has never cared to hold office. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow and also belongs to the Grange. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church. manhood. David, the eldest of the fam- ily, was a soldier in the Union army dur- ing the Civil War. After his return home he bought a farm in Shelby County. Ohio. In 1875 he was accidentally killed while fighting a fire, a burning tree falling on him.

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20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 65

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993