20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 91

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 91

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).

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and which became, in his hands, a very important business. Among other enter- prises with which Mr. Frey was connect- ed were the S. M. & P. Ry., in the organi- zation of which he was a prime mover, and which is now a part of the Big Four system ; and the JJackson & Pomeroy Rail- way, now known as the D., T. & I.

In 1879, after over forty years of ac- tivity, Mr. Frey retired from the busi- ness field, taking with him the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens.

In 1851 Mr. Frey was married to Jane Quigley Ward, who was a daughter of Isaac and Mary Ward, of Springfield. Mrs. Frey died in April, 1881, having been the beloved mother of twelve chil- dren, the following of whom survive: Isaac Ward, residing at Joplin, Missouri; George H., Jr., residing at No. 297 East High Street, Springfield, who is president of the Springfield, Wilmington & Cinein- nati Railroad Company; Albert C., resid- ing at No. 204 North Fountain Avenue, who is an extensive real estate dealer: Robert R., who is manager of The Grand Detour Plow Company, at Dixon, Illi- nois; and Susan II.

Mr. Frey is a stanch Republican and for many years was active in political life. While serving as county commis- sioner, some important additions and im- provements were made in the county buildings, among them the county Court House and Jail, the Children's Home, the County Infirmary (main building) ; also several turnpikes and many bridges throughout the county were constructed. Mr. Frey was also president of the board of trustees of the water-works depart- ment which, in 1881-83, constructed the present water-works system.

Mr. Frey was an elder in the Second Presbyterian Church at Springfield. His name is associated with many of the city's benevolent enterprises and charitable or- ganizations.

CHARLES H. MERRITT, a highly es- teemed agriculturist of Madison Town- ship, and owner of 300 acres of fine farm- ing land, was born October 11, 1848, near Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, on the present site of the Springfield water- works, and is a son of Edward and Maria (Mullen) Merritt. Thomas Merritt, the grandfather of Charles H., came from Mt. Holly, New Jersey, to Clark County, in 1831, and here engaged in farming. He married Jane Gaskill, of New Jersey, and to them were born two sons and two daughters, Edward, father of our sub- ject, being the second in order of birth.

Edward Merritt was born April 8, 1820, in New Jersey, and came to Clark County with his parents, who settled near Sonth Charleston. Here he followed farm- ing all his life, his death occurring near South Charleston, in August, 1906. His marriage with Maria Mullen, of Warren County, Ohio, resulted in the birth of four children, three of whom are living.

Charles H. Merritt was reared in Springfield Township, receiving his pri- mary education in the country schools and completing this by a course of study at Wilmington, Delaware, after which he engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1880 he came to his fine farm of 300 acres in Madison Township, and has re- sided here continuously since, having one of the finest country homes in this local- ity.

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In 1886 Mr. Merritt married Alice Buf- fenbarger, a daughter of Peter and Eliz- abeth Buffenbarger, residents of Clark County, who were at one time large land owners in this county. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Merritt, namely : Beulah E .; T. Edward; Esther A .: Mary E .; and Charles H., Jr., all residing at home. In politics Mr. Merritt is a Prohi- bitionist, but votes independently. Re- ligiously he is a member of the Society of Friends.

CHRISTIAN L. HEISTAND, one of Clark County's most highly respected citizens, resides on a valuable farm con- taining 12116 acres, which is situated in Bethel Township, about six miles west of Springfield, and owns an additional 165 acres which is located in Springfield Township. Mr. Heistand was born on his father's farm in York County, Penn- sylvania, December 26, 1836, and is a son of Abraham and Leah (Lonnecker) Hei- stand.

The Heistand family in America is co- temporary with William Penn's settle- ment in Pennsylvania. The first authen- tie record is when John Heistand sailed from Germany in the ship "Brittania," in 1731, accompanied by his two broth- ers, Abraham and Balser, and two sisters, Barbara and Anna, to join the Penn col- ony in Pennsylvania. They had fled prior to this to Switzerland on account of re- ligious persecution. These emigrants landed at Philadelphia in the fall of the above year and they settled in Lancaster County. According to family tradition the family had been represented in cept Alice, who was the wife of J. Ro- Penn's earliest settlements, but only au- baugh.

thenticated records are here given. The John Heistand above named took up 500 acres of government land, and 200 acres of this remains in the possession and the name of the Heistand family. John and Abraham remained in Pennsylvania, but Balser went to the South, and all trace of that line is lost.

Abraham, son of the above John Hei- stand, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he lived to the age of eighty-eight years. His occupations were those of the prosperous men of his day, tanning, distilling and milling. He was a man of robust constitution, and it is recorded that he frequently took a horseback ride of sixty miles between York, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland. He also traveled over the country by the same means and visited Niagara Falls. Later in life he removed to York County and engaged in farming. becoming a man of large means for his day. He was twice married, his children being those of his union with his first wife, Elizabeth. Inamely: John, Abra- ham, William. Balser, Sarah, Nancy and Susan. His second marriage was to Anna Carl.

Abraham Heistand, father of Christian L., was born on his father's farm in York County, Pennsylvania, where his whole life was passed, his death taking place at the age of seventy-eight years. He married Leah Lonnenecker, who survived to be ninety-two years old. They had eleven children, as follows: John, Cather- ine, Sarah, Christian L., Abraham, Susan, William, Jacob and Amanda, twins, Anna and Alice, all of whom still survive ex-

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Christian L. Heistand remained on the lome farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to Baltimore and learned the machinist's trade in the Pool & Hunt machine shops, where he served an apprenticeship of four years. From there, in 1860, he came to Ohio and worked for a short time in the Pitts ma- chine shops at Springfield. His brother, Abraham, then joined him, and together they bought the old General Mason farm in Moorefield Township, situated on the Urbana Turnpike, consisting of 220 acres, and on this place they lived for four years.

On December 22, 1863, Mr. Heistand was married to Catherine M. Leffel, who was born on the present site of the Ma- sonic Home, which then belonged to her father, Daniel Leffel.

The latter married Margaret Sintz, a daughter of Peter Sintz, of Clark County. They had four children, of whom Cath- erine (Mrs. Heistand) was the youngest, and is the only survivor. On the site above mentioned Mr. Heistand then con- ducted the O. K. tavern, and is credited with having originated that abbreviation so generally used. In 1867 Mr. and Mrs. Heistand came to the present farm, hav- ing lived during 1866 at Sugar Grove. He bought this land from the Miller es- tate in 1868 and has greatly improved the place. He has erected substantial farm buildings and has placed the land under a fine state of cultivation. He carries on general agriculture and sells a large quantity of milk by wholesale.

Mr. and Mrs. Heistand have four chil- dren. two sons and two daughters, both of the former being physicians. They are as follows: Horace, who is a graduate

of the Ohio Medical College at Cincin- nati, is engaged in practice at Donnels- ville; he married Anna Minnick. Clin- ton, who is also a graduate of the Ohio Medical College, married Luella Forgy, and they have two children, Robert and Richard. Nora, who married Frank Car- ter, has three children, Floyd H., Chris- tian D. and Arthur H., and they reside on the home farm. Anna, who married F. E. Fundeberg, resides on the Spring- field Township farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Heistand are members of the Baptist Church. He has served as school director for some eighteen years, but otherwise has taken no par- ticular interest in official life.

CLAUDE F. RICE, residing in Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, where he is engaged in agricultural pursuits, is also occupied extensively in the threshing and saw-mill business and is widely known throughout this section of the state. He is a native of this county, having been born a mile north of his present residence May 26, 1874.

Mr. Rice is a son of William and Matilda (Goudy) Rice, and a grandson of Edward Rice, who some time after his marriage came from the East to Clark County. The latter located on the old Rice homestead, now owned by Zella B. Kissell, and later traded it to his son. William. William Rice was born in the East and was three years old when he came with his parents to this county. He lived for the remainder of his days on the old homestead. He and his wife were the parents of six children, four of whom

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MR AND MRS. GEORGE \ SPENCE

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are now living, and of these our subject born and reared in England and who came was next to the youngest.

Claude F. Rice was reared on the home place and received his educational train- ing in the district schools. He lived at home until after his marriage, then pur- chased his present farm of eighty acres of the Stewart heirs. His residence is lo- cated half a mile distant on a tract of one acre. In addition to general farming, as above noted, he operates extensively throughout this section of the state with a thresher in the season and is operating a saw-mill. His outfit represents an ex- penditure of $7,000, which exceeds the ontlay of any two other men in the coun- ty, similarly engaged. He enjoys the patronage of his home community almost exclusively.

November 4, 1896, Mr. Rice was united in marriage with Autice Skilling, a daugh- ter of Lewis Skilling, and they have a son, Fremont Charles. Politically Mr. Rice is a Republican. In religious attach- ment he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. He is a member and past counselor of the Junior Order United American Mechanics, and a member of Company Eight, First Independent Regi- ment, Junior Order United American Mc- chanics. He also is identified with the Patrons of Husbandry.

GEORGE A. SPENCE, an extensive farmer and stock-raiser, who owns a tract of 638 acres in Pike Township, was born January 30, 1852. in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Mark and Mary (Harshbarger) Spence. The Spence family was first established in this country by William Spence, who was

to Ohio at a very early period, settling in Clark County, December 25, 1820. Here he spent the remainder of his life and be- came possessed of large landed interests, acquiring a tract of 638 acres, which is now owned by the subject of this sketch and his mother.

Mark Spence was born in Clark County and died January 8, 1878, aged fifty-seven years. In politics he was a Whig, always taking an active interest in the affairs of his party, and although not seeking politi- cal honors, was elected county commis- sioner just previous to his death. He married Mary Harshbarger, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio with her parents when ten years of age, and who is still living, making her home with her son George.

George A. Spence was just eight years old when his parents came to his present farm and here he has spent his entire life, engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. He received his education in the district school, and being the only child, much of the work of the farm fell to him. He is the largest landowner in Pike Township, the entire estate having been left to him and his mother. He has remodeled the large seventeen-room house, which was built by his grandfather, and has erected new barns, the old barn, ten horses, seven head of cattle and the faithful old shepherd dog having been de- stroyed by fire April 20, 1890. Mr. Spence is extensively engaged in stock-raising, especially horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. He owns Chamberlin De Limelette, known as Jack, a hay stallion, weighing 2,000 pounds, Reg. No. 1568, foaled May 1, 1900, and imported from Belgium May 16,

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1904, by Melaughlin Brothers, of Column- bus, from whom he was bought by the North Hampton Horse Company July, 1904. Mr. Spence is treasurer and keeper manager of the North Hampton Horse Company. Besides his farming interests he is also financially interested in a hard- ware concern of Springfield.

Mr. Spence was joined in marriage February 12, 1880, with Anna J. Frier- mood. a daughter of Renben and Mary Friermood, and of their union have been born the following children: Mary Etta, who is the wife of Asa Baker, who oper- ates a general store at Dialton, and has two children-Correne and Willard S .; Della, who died aged nineteen months; Millie Blanche, a teacher in the Dialton School ; and Russell Mark.

Fraternally Mr. Spence is a member of the Knights of Pythias, White Star No. 292. North Hampton, and of the Junior Order United American Mechanics, Don- nels Creek No. 121, and is trustee of both these lodges. Politically he is a Repub- lican.

HON. PHINEAS P. MAST, formerly president of the Springfield National Bank, was also the prime mover in the or- ganization of a number of Springfield's leading industries, and became the head of the great firm of Mast, Foos & Com- pany. manufacturers of the Buckeye lawn mowers, force-pumps, wind-engines and iron feneing. The present members of this company are among the leading capitalists of Springfield, namely : R. H. Rodgers, president; W. H. Rayner, vice president and general manager: C. A. Harris, treasurer: and F. R. Burton, sec-

retary. Scarcely less important is that other great industrial firm known as P P. Mast & Company, in which the late Phineas P. Mast was also the leading spirit, and whose president and treasurer is now H. D. Maize, with P. A. Lewis, vice president. Its business is the manu- facturing of Buckeye grain-drills, seeders and sowers, cultivators and cider-mills.

Mr. Mast was financially interested in many more of the city's successful busi- ness enterprises, was a prominent and useful member of the Springfield Board of Trade, and as long as he lived, even after he had somewhat withdrawn from the arena of active business life, took a deep and helpful interest in the city's prosperity. Mr. Mast died at his beauti- ful home in Springfield November 20, 1898. He is survived by two danghters, Belle and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the wife of Hon. Francis B. Loomis, residing on the southeast corner of High Street and Western Avenne, who served under appointments from President Roosevelt as assistant secretary of state. Belle is the wife of George H. Frey, Jr., president of the Springfield, Wilmington & Cinein- nati Railroad, and resides at No. 635 East High Street.

Mr. Mast was a remarkably successful man from a material point of view, but he was much more. His intelligence and public spirit constantly brought him into active co-operation with his fellow-eiti- zens on matters pertaining to the general welfare, and he was honored on various occasions by election to public office. For two years he served Springfield as its mayor. Science claimed many of his spare moments, as he was an ardent geologist. He was a man of genial pres-

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ence and his attractive social qualities won for him many personal friends and sincere admirers.

CHARLES W. FISTNER, who oper- ates a seventeen-acre garden farm, sitn- ated three miles southeast of Springfield. on the Burnett Road, was born November 15. 1859, in Clifton, Hamilton County, Ohio, and is a son of Michael and Marie (Thunhorst ) Fistner.

Michael Fistner and his wife were both born in Germany, but were married after coming to this country. He was a gar- dener by occupation, and died when onr subject was quite young, after which his widow married Frederick Butz, whom he had employed on the farm for some time. Three children were born to Michael Fistner and wife: Catherine, who died in infancy; Charles W., subject of this sketch, and Marie, the Jatter's twin sister.

Charles W. Fistner was four years old when his parents moved from Clifton to Winton Place. He attended the schools of Winton Place and became a gardener by occupation, assisting his step-father on the farm until the death of the latter in 1878. The step-father left one child. Fred Butz, with whom Mr. Fistner and his sis- ter Marie continued to operate the farm for the two succeeding years, after which they sold out.

Mr. Fistner was married December 25, 1881, to Minnie E. Thiede, who came from Germany to this country with her father. Frederick Theide, the latter locating in Cincinnati. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Fistner came to Springfield and in 1890 purchased his present farm consisting of seventeen acres, twelve of which he has

planted in vegetables. He makes a spe- cialty of early vegetables, having a stall in the City Market and in the fall puts up a great deal of krout.

To Mr. and Mrs. Fistner have been born five children: Walter F., Alma Marie, Clara E., Anna M. and Bertha .A. Fraternally Mr. Fistner is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the I. O. O. F., the F. O. E. and Mad River Eneampinent, I. O. O. F., of which he is a trustee.

CHRISTIAN M. SMITH, a representa- tive citizen and large farmer of Pike Township, where he owns two valuable farms, aggregating 222 aeres, was born in Pike Township, Clark Connty, Ohio, October 14, 1837. He is a son of Peter and Jane ( Maxon) Smith.

Peter Smith was born in Virginia and was a child one year old when his father, Christian Smith, brought his family to Pike Township, and settled in the woods near the present home farin of his grand- son, Christian M. Peter Smith grew to manhood in Pike Township and later bought a farm of his own, which he cleared from its native condition. He married Jane Maxon, a daughter of Jesse Maxon, who was a pioneer on Mnd Run, settling there before the Indians had left this neighborhood. For many years Peter Smith remained on his farm, but later retired with his wife, to New Carlisle. He died there aged seventy-four years, but she survived to be ninety-one years old. They had the following children : C. M., Elzina and Perlina, twins, Christena. Sarah M., Jesse M., Lydia, Charles, Peter M .. Mark and Ruth. Several of these chil- dren died in infancy.

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hood assisted in the work of clearing and cultivating it. For some five years he . operated a water-power saw-mill, but con- tinued to live at home until his marriage. He bought his first farm from Jacob Ote- walt and lived on it for seven years, when he traded for an interest in one of his present farms. He lived there from 1878 until 1906 and moved to his present home in 1907. Mr. Smith has always been counted with the successful farmers of Pike Township.

On January 9, 1862, Mr. Smith was married (first) to Mary Jane Zinn, a daughter of Daniel R. and Matilda (Stur- geon) Zinn. Mrs. Smith died March 21, 1883. She was the mother of the follow- ing children: Marcellus, residing at Troy. Ohio, married Nellie Tannehill and they have two children, Raymond and Hartley ; Albert Z., residing at New Carlisle, mar- ried Laura Fuller and they have three children, Algie, Lona and Elva; Matilda Angeline, residing in Bethel Township, married Frank Shellabarger and they have four children, Delbert, Horace, Adella and Edward; Oren Z., residing at Portland, Oregon; Adella May, residing in North Dakota, married Charles Fun- derburg and they have two children, Cletus and Walter; Arthur Z., residing in Pike Township, married Bertha Jordan and they have two children, Harold and Lloyd; Clarence Z., who married Iva Rich- ardson ; and Alla Eveleen, who married Casius Schaffner, has two children, Lewis C. and Mary Hetty.

Mr. Smith was married (second), Oc- toher 13, 1887, to Mrs. Caroline D. Tener, who died without issue, February 25,

Christian M. Smith grew to manhood 1888. She was the widow of James Tener. on his father's farm and from early boy- On February 26, 1890, Mr. Smith was married (third) to Wilhelmina Dresher, who was born in Clark County and is a daughter of Nicholas Dresher by his sec- ond marriage, to Margaretha Suphert, who died aged fifty-four years. Mr. Dresher lived to be sixty-eight years old. The children of his first marriage were: Godfrey, George, Margaret, Barbara and Martin. Those of his second marriage were: Catherine, Mary, John, Henry, Peter, Caroline, Wilhelmina, Clara, Charles and Anna.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had the fol- lowing children: Margaretta Jane, Cyn- thia T., Vernon D., Helen C., Gilbert and Luther W. Vernon D. died aged nine- teen months and Helen C. at the age of six years.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith are valued mem- bers of the German Baptist Brethren Church, in which he is a deacon and a trustee.

GUS SUN, president of the Sun Amuse- ment Co., and owner of the New Sun Theatre Building, Springfield, Ohio, is perhaps one of the best known showmen in this country. He has been identified respectively with the circus and minstrel branches of the amusement profession, and now stands at the head of one of the principal vandeville circuits in this coun- try, known as the Sun & Murray chain. He has risen from the ranks of a per- former to the eminent position he now holds, and is identified with a dozen or more theatrical and amusement incorpo- rations.

Gus Sun was born in Toledo, Ohio, Oc-

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tober 7, 1868. From boyhood he was iden- tified with the show busines, at an early age he, with three brothers, started the well known Sun Brothers' Circus, which is still on the road, although Mr. Sun dis- posed of his interest in it some years ago. While with the circus he acted as manager and laid the foundation of the present successful circus organization. Also dur- ing this time he gained considerable prom- inence as a skillful juggler, and in 1889 joined the forces of the great P. T. Bar- num Circus, and his juggling turn was one of the featured attractions of the cir- ens.

After disposing of his interest in the circus business, Mr. Sun conceived the idea of forming a minstrel company, and in a few months the celebrated Sun Min- strels were touring the country, and inei- dentally during their existence played every first-class city from Maine to Cali- fornia. On October 1st, 1904, Gus Sun, as proprietor and manager of the Sun Minstrels, came to Springfield, Ohio, and started the first family vaudeville theatre in this section of the country. It was on October 19, 1904, that the pioneer family theatre in the Fisher Building was thrown open to the public. At first it was an np- hill battle; the public was skeptical, for heretofore, popular-priced amusements had been considered trashy, and it was some time before any profits were real- ized. In 1905 the little Orpheum Theatre. now an assured snecess, was moved to the Barrett Building on Fountain Avenue, where many new friends were made, as the change was for the better, and several improvements were made in the family theatre. Gradually the family theatres were opened in other cities and Mr. Sun

went into the vaudeville booking business. While the Orpheum was located on Foun- tain Avenue, Mr. Sun became associated in business with Mr. O.G. Murray, a prom- inent broker in Richmond, Indiana, and the firm of Sun & Murray now controls ten first-class family vaudeville theatres in Ohio and Indiana, and are recognized as one of the most flourishing theatrical combinations in the country. On July 1st, 1907, ground was broken in Springfield on the old Wigwam site for the New Sun Theatre, which was thrown open to the public November 24, 1907, and is known throughout the country as the home of "Approved" vaudeville.

Mr. Sun employs between four and five hundred acts weekly, in houses he books and those of the circuit with which he is identified. Mr. Sun has many interest- ing mementos of his professional career, and some old programs in his possession recalling the time when he worked on the same vaudeville bill with such well known entertainers as Macintyre & Heath, Wal- ters & Wessen, Billy Van, and others.

His three brothers are also in the theat- rical and circus business. George and Pete Sun own and still control the Sun Brothers Circus. On January 16, 1897, Mr. Sun was married to Miss Nellie L. Alfredo, of Youngstown, and they have three children, Louise, Nina and Gus Sun, Jr. Mr. Sun is prominently connected with fraternal organizations, among them being the Masons, Elks, K. of P. and Eagles. As a citizen of Springfield he has been identified with various move- ments for the good of the community, and is always ready to lend a helping hand in securing the advancement of Greater Springfield.

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20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 91

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