USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio > Part 121
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The press of Ohio at the time of Mr. Landon's death paid eloquent tribute to his nobility of character and unimpeachable honor as a man and to his high professional ambition and brilliant career in the profession of his choice. The following excerpt is taken from "Representative Men of Ohio," a work published under the administration of Governor Asa S. Bushnell :
"Karl E. Landon, of the Cincinnati Enquirer, at the age of fifteen began newspaper work as an office boy. He was educated at the Westerville ( Ohio) public schools and at Otterbein University. His first experience was with the old Columbus Times, where he reported the police courts. He was next city editor of the Piqua Daily Call. After a year in that position he returned 10 Columbus and became a general reporter and political writer for the Daily Press. His next change was to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where he was a police and political reporter. Returning to the capital some time later, he resumed his old connection with the Daily Press. He was subsequently city editor of the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Daily Press, and after an interesting experience in Indiana newspaper work returned again to Columbus, where he re-engaged on the Daily Press,-then owned and published under the same management as its Indiana namesake. He remained with that paper and incidentally acted as a legislative correspondent for the Cincinnati Commer- cial-Gazette and the Cleveland Leader until 1891, when he became the Colum- bus correspondent of the Enquirer."
Mr. Landon remained with the Cincinnati Enquirer more than ten years, during the last five years of his life acting as state political correspondent, with headquarters at Columbus. He was the Enquirer's special correspondent at Canton during the first presidential campaign of President Mckinley. He traveled with Hon. John R. McLean as personal and confidential repre- sentative during a gubernatorial campaign, and had established headquarters in Canton to remain during the Mckinley-Roosevelt campaign when sudden death from heart failure closed his work on earth.
A commemorative resolution passed by newspaper associates offers this eulogy : "At the comparatively early age of thirty-three, Karl E. Landon had no superior and few, if any, equals as a political correspondent in Ohio."
ROBERT THOMPSON.
Among the prominent men of the city of Columbus, must be mentioned Robert Thompson, who was born in Perry township, Franklin county, Ohio, June 3. 1861, and is the son of James G. and Maria (Freed) Thompson. The father of our subject was born in 1823, on the farm where he still lives, enjoying the fruits of his labor. The grandfather, on the paternal side,
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was named Joseph Thompson and was a native of Maryland. He married Elizabeth Smith and settled in Franklin county in 1810, locating in the woods where he built a home in company with other pioneers. His ancestors came from Scotland and the name is one honored among all American settlers.
Our subject, Robert Thompson, spent the first nineteen years of his life upon the farm, and received the educational advantages afforded by the dis- trict schools, later attending the village school in Dublin. Opportunity of- fering, he studied telegraphy, at Powell, Ohio, and for six months was em- ployed as an operator for the Hocking Valley Railroad. In 1888 Mr. Thomp- son became a candidate for county recorder on the Democratic ticket, receiv- ing a handsome majority in the election. So acceptably did he perform the duties of the office that in 1891 he was re-elected, and served in all for a period of six years. After his retirement from the duties of recorder he entered into the business of dealing in real estate and loans, the fine property in the city and the fertile farm lands offering an extensive field.
In 1884 Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Stella Evans, a niece of the well known jurist, Judge George Evans, but her death occurred in the fall of 1898, two children, Robert and Belle, surviving her.
Politically, Mr. Thompson has always affiliated with the Democratic party and for the past fifteen years has been one of the faithful occupants of the office in the gift of the party. In 1900 he was honored with an appoint- ment as chairman of the Democratic executive committee. Socially Mr. Thompson is a member of New England Lodge, No. 4, A. F. and A. M .; of Horeb Chapter, R. A. M., both at Worthington; and is also a member of Lodge No. 39, B. P. O. E., at Columbus.
CHARLES W. JARVIS.
Popularity as a railroad official arises from two or three causes. One of these is close attention to duty, another keen discrimination, and the third is an obliging manner. Possessed of all these qualities Mr. Jarvis has become one of the most popular of the younger engineers on the Pennsylvania road. He now resides at No. 388 Denmead avenue, Columbus, and is numbered among Ohio's native sons, for his birth occurred in Gettysburg, on the 16th of January, 1865. His paternal grandfather was Rev. Jesse Jarvis, a resident of New Harrison, Darke county, Ohio, where he died in 1862. His son, Parker Jarvis, the father of our subject, was born in this state and served throughout the Civil war as a member of the Eighth and Forty-fourth Regiments of Ohio Volunteers, but while in the service he contracted disease which caused his death in 1866. He had married Miss Mary Jane Sheals, who is still living at the old home in Gettysburg. Her father was a farmer, residing in Darke county, Ohio, where he died in 1899, at a very advanced age. He was a son of Patrick Shields, also an agriculturist, owning many sections of land in Darke county. The latter's father, Abraham Shields, came to Ohio from the east and took up his abode in Darke county at a very early day. His descend-
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ants are still living in that locality and are prominent and successful farmers. Charles W. Jarvis is indebted to the public school system of Gettysburg, Ohio, for the educational privileges which he enjoyed in his youth. At a later day he entered Ada College, at Ada, Ohio, and was graduated in that institution in 1888. Two years later he entered the employ of the Panhandle Railroad Company as a fireman and acted in that capacity for about nine years, when in 1899 he was made engineer, in which capacity he has since served. He belongs to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and to the Odd Fellows Lodge, in Columbus.
Mr. Jarvis was married in 1891, in Middleburg, Logan county, Ohio, to Miss Kate Whittaker, whose grandparents were also natives of Logan county. Her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Whittaker, now reside in Columbus. Her father served as surgeon in the Fourteenth Ohio Artillery during the Civil war. His wife's brothers, Joseph and George Speece, were members of an Ohio regiment during the war and the former was killed in battle, while the latter died soon after the close of hostilities from disease contracted during his service. In the year 1895 Dr. Whittaker brought his family to Columbus, coming to the city from Middleburg, Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis have been born three children: Parker Whittaker, born April 28, 1893; Charles E., born Au- gust 28, 1895 ; and Nettie B., born April 22, 1897. The parents hold mem- bership in the Disciple church of Columbus and have a large circle of friends. in the city where they have made their home since 1893.
LOGAN C. NEWSOM.
No adequate history of Logan C. Newsom can be written until many of the useful enterprises with which he has been connected have completed their full measure of good in the world, yet there is much concerning him that can with profit be set down here as an illustration of what can be done if a man with a clear brain and willing hands but sets himself seriously to the real labors and responsibilities of life.
Through a long period he name of Logan C. Newsom has appeared upon the roll of prominent business men of Columbus. He was born in Gallia county, Ohio, near Gallipolis, in 1851, his parents being Julius L. and Eliza- beth (Gibbs) Newsom. His father was a native of Gallia county, born in 1810, and was for many years engaged in merchandising and farming, his life labors being ended in death in the year 1878. His mother, also a native of Gallia county, was born in 1815 and was reared and educated there. The grandfather was a native of Virginia, born near the Natural bridge. He married Miss Gabrielle Menanger, who was the first white child born in the French colony which was organized about 1791, her family having been driven from France on account of religious persecution.
Logan C. Newsom spent the days of his childhood and youth in the county of his nativity and was allowed the privilege of attending its public schools and later became a student in the Home Academy. He afterward
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continued his studies in the Steubenville high school through a three years' course, and on leaving that institution he went to New York city where he entered the employ of the New York Transfer Company. Subsequently he removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in the grain business and later returned to Ohio, where he opened the cooperage depart- ment of the Ohio penitentiary, and as its foreman engaged in the manufacture of casks, superintending the penal labor. A change in the administration relieved him of that position. He then became a contractor of public works of the city of Columbus in the construction of sewers, laying the pipes and doing other kinds of contract work of a large nature. He constructed many miles of sewers in the city, employing at times a force of six hundred men. To successfully engage in this line of business requires a comprehen- sive and accurate knowledge of mechanical engineering and of all the scientific principles which underlie that branch of industry. His business, so extensive in volume, brought to him a handsome financial return and he ultimately be- came interested in banking, aiding in organizing the First National Bank, of which he became one of the principal stockholders. He was also connected with the Electric Light Company and was one of its heavy stockholders. In 1897, however, he disposed of his banking interests and his stock in the elec- tric light and machine shops and retired from active business on account of failing health. He now devotes his attention to the management of the Moneypenny estate. He is a stockholder in the Central Ohio Trust Company, of Columbus. The many important business concerns with which he has been connected indicate his superior ability. His wise council has been an import- ant factor in the successful conduct of many leading enterprises and seldom, if ever, is his business judgment at fault regarding the best policy for the conduct of any commercial, industrial or financial concern.
In 1885 Mr. Newsom was united in marriage to Miss Sally M. Money- penny, a daughter of the late William and Maria ( Branson) Moneypenny. Her father was one of the most prominent and wealthy citizens of Columbus and the family has long occupied a leading position in social circles of the city. Mr. and Mrs. Newsom now have two children, Helen M. and William M., the former now in school. Their home is at No. 492 East Broad street. Endowed by nature with a sound judgment and an accurate and discrim- inating mind, Mr. Newsom has feared not that laborious attention to the details of business so necessary to achieve success, and this essential quality has ever been guided by a sense of moral right which would tolerate the employment of only those means that will bear the most rigid examination and by a fair- ness of intent that neither seeks nor requires disguise.
FRANKLIN G. HUNT.
Franklin G. Hunt, one of the popular and efficient passenger conductors of the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus railroad, residing at No. 326 Cleveland avenue, in the capital city, was born July 21, 1859, on a farm near Mount
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Vernon, in Knox county, Ohio. He represents one of the old New England families. His paternal great-grandfather, Jonathan Hunt, was born in that section of the country and in an early day emigrated westward, becoming one of the first settlers of Knox county, Ohio, and the subject of this review has heard him relate many of his early experiences with the Indians in those days. The red men were befriended by both him and his wife in many ways and in consequence Mr. and Mrs. Hunt received from them kind treatment and did not suffer from the pilferings of the Indians as so many of their neighbors did. Jonathan Hunt lived to the advanced age of ninety-seven years. Thomas Hunt, the grandfather of our subject, was accidentally killed in the woods by the falling of a tree when his son Thomas, the father of our subject, was but seventeen years of age. He was born on a farm five miles south of Mount Vernon, Ohio, at what was called Hunt's station, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. His son, Richard Hunt, had a sawmill there in an early day and when the railroad was built furnished the ties and bridge material for its con- struction. Thomas Hunt, the father of our subject, learned the carpenter's trade with his father with whom he worked until the latter's death. He and his wife now reside in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Their eldest son, John C., when eighteen years of age became an employe of the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad Company and served as one of its conductors for many years, resign- ing that position in 1896, since which time he has been engaged in the under- taking business in Mount Vernon. Charles R. Hunt, the second son of the family, is now twenty-eight years of age and is' serving as night yardmaster of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad at Petosky. Clinton Hunt, who is now twenty-two years of age, is in the dry-goods business in Mount Vernon. Everett, another brother, died in 1870, when five years of age. In the family were two sisters, but both are now deceased, Belle having died in 1888 when twenty-four years of age; while Kith died in 1889 at the age of eighteen years. after an illness of only twenty-four hours, her demise being caused by spinal meningitis.
Franklin G. Hunt acquired his early education in the country schools which he attended during the winter seasons. Through the remainder of the year he worked with his father until twenty years of age when he determined to enter the railroad service and secured a position as brakeman on the Balti- more & Ohio, running out of Newark the most of the time on the Sandusky division. He was thus employed for a year after which he accepted a position on the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus railroad. He was for some years a brakeman on a freight train and was afterward brakeman, express messenger and baggage master on a passenger train, being thus employed for seven years. While acting as yardmaster at Mount Vernon, he lost one of the fingers on his left hand, but this is the only personal injury he has ever sustained in the railway service. For some years he has been a passenger conductor and is one of the popular employes of the road. He is a member of Division No. 100 of the Order of Railway Conductors, of Columbus, and also belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters.
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On the 4th of July, 1883, in Wooster, Ohio, Mr. Hunt was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Crehain. Her parents are both deceased. Her father, Eugene Crehain, was a foreman on a section of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad for many years, residing at Orrville, Ohio. Later he removed to Wooster, Ohio, and one day while at his post of duty he was struck by a passing train and killed, this occurring in 1882 when he was fifty-five years of age. He was a native of Ireland and had come to America with his parents, residing in New York until after his marriage, when with his wife he came west. She too was a native of Ireland and had been brought to the United States in her girlhood. Her death occurred in 1897, when she was sixty-two years of age. They had three children, namely: Mrs. Hunt; Richard, who is in the boot and shoe business in Wooster, Ohio; and Anna, who resides with her brother in that city. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hunt has been. blessed with one son, Eugene, who was born April 3, 1884. He acquired his education in St. Patrick's school, Columbus, and in Parson's Business College, where he was graduated. In the spring of 1900 he was offered and accepted a position as assistant bookkeeper and cashier with the firm of Kingan & Coof, of this city. The families are members of the Catholic church and both Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are widely known in Columbus.
DR. CHARLES HENRY WETMORE.
The subject of this sketch was the son of the Rev. Izrahiah Wetmore, the youngest of a family of twelve children. His mother died a few months after his birth, and while he was yet in his boyhood his father also died. Notwithstanding the loss of his parents at so early an age, he was enabled by the practice of industry and economy to acquire a thorough education. Enter- ing Yale College in 1800, he completed the required course and was graduated in 1804. There he was associated with many who in after life were distin- guished for excellence in their respective public relations. On the roll of his classmates we find the honored names of Ezra S. Ely, Christopher E. Gadsden, Richard C. Lansing, John Pierpont, Henry R. Stone and John C. Calhoun.
Having completed his preparations for the practical duties of life, Dr. Wetmore entered upon the study of law, which, however, he did not long" pursue, abandoning it for a profession more in consonance with the kindly and generous qualities of his heart and mind. In 1805 he commenced the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. Henry, of Lansingburg, New York, and at the same time taught in the academy at that place, under the charge of Rev. Samuel Blatchford. He continued his medical studies with Dr. Eli Bunet, of Troy, and, having attended medical lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the University of New York, he received from the censors of the Rensselaer County Medical Society a license to practice medicine and surgery, March 15, 1808.
After practicing his profession for some months in Troy he removed.
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to Waterford, in 1810, and there he was early admitted to the confidence of leading families and received the warm support of many friends. During the war of 1812 he was commissioned by Governor Tompkins, surgeon of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Infantry, but was only a short time in active service, peace having been declared soon after the regiment was ordered to the field.
In the year 1814 he married Eliza, a daughter of John Rathbone, of New York city. Mr. Rathbone was a wealthy retired merchant, being the owner of large and valuable tracts of land in Ohio and his name is even yet familiar to many persons in the state.
In 1816 Dr. Wetmore removed to New York city, where he at once formed new acquaintances and made new friends and was soon established in a lucrative practice. His father-in-law, having, as has been stated, extensive land interests in Ohio, he was induced to remove to this state in 1819. On the 7th of November of that year he started in a two-horse wagon from New York city on his journey to Ohio with his wife and three young children, and a man and a maid servant, arriving in Zanesville on the Ist of December. There he tarried a few days with his brother-in-law, Dr. D. W. Rhodes, and then proceeded to Worthington, arriving at Demas Adams' Hotel on the 18th of December. His first professional call in Worthington was on Jan- uary 4, 1820, to the house of Jonathan Parks, an obstetrical case; and his second case was on the 6th of January, to attend the Rt. Rev. Philander Chase, the first bishop of the diocese of Ohio. On the 3Ist of December, 1820, the following entry appears upon his books: "This ends the year 1820, being one year and two weeks residence in Ohio. On the 13th of November, re- moved from the village and commenced housekeeping on Rathbone, section No. I, in my own house, having a log house and stable not furnished, although comfortable. Family all well. Charged last year, or rather this year, $637.81." It will be remembered that this was the day of low prices in all the various callings of life, professional and otherwise. During this year the following entries, among others, appeared on the books, namely: "Demas Adams, to visit for wife, twenty-five cents. Ezra Ginnall, visit for son, twenty-five cents. Bishop Chase, to visit, emetic tartar for son and extracting tooth for wife, fifty cents." The Bishop's residence was one mile south of Kilborne Hotel. Other charges ranging from twenty-five to seventy-five cents for visits and medicine are found running through the year. In those days there were no prescription druggists and every physician was obliged of necessity to furnish the medicines prescribed.
On removing to his farm Dr. Wetmore continued his profession, combin- ing with it agricultural pursuits, and soon became widely known as a skill- ful and successful physician. At an early date sickness pevailed to an alarm- ing with it agricultural pursuits, and soon became widely known as a skill- of time for the Doctor to start from home on a circuit of many miles, from Alum creek to the Scioto, from the southern part of Delaware county to the Darby plains, returning after an absence of two days or more. The road in
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many places was a mere track through the woods, admitting of travel on horseback only. The hardships and exposure incident to the profession had its effect upon a constitution never robust and his infirm health compelled him to withdraw from the active discharge of his professional duties, after an arduous and laborious practice of more than a quarter of a century in that locality.
Dr. Wetmore's genial, cordial, social disposition and hospitable nature made his house-Locust Grove-widely known and it was a favorite resort of the educated and refined. Here he lived through many ensuing years, in possession of the richer sources of enjoyment. On the 24th of February, 1853, Eliza Wetmore, the wife of the Doctor, died at Columbus. She was loved and revered by all who knew her. She animated her family circle by her cheerful and affectionate disposition. Her conversation was intelligent and instructive and her life was guided by strict religious principles. She was the idol of the household, and the sweet remembrance of her many vir- tues will be cherished for a long time. In his declining years Dr. Wetmore was active and vigorous to an unusual degree and retained his faculties unim- paired to the last. He died at the family homestead, where he was tempo- rarily sojourning, on the 10th of October, 1868, in the eigthy-sixth year of his age.
WILLIAM C. WILLIAMS.
William C. Williams was born in Licking county, Ohio, on the 26th of December, 1858, his parents being William and Jane Williams. The father was a native of Guernsey county, Ohio, and in an early day learned and fol- lowed the carpenter's trade, but afterward purchased a tract of land and gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. He died at the old home in Summit, Licking county, Ohio, in April, 1895, and his wife, who was a native of Wales, passed away at the same place in 1882. The subject of this review is the youngest of their three children, his brothers being Elijah and Julien.
William C. Williams acquired his early education in the public schools near his home, and during his youth assisted in the work of the farm, but, not desiring to follow the plow throughout his' active career, he left home and in August, 1881, began railroading on the Pacific line, his run being from Columbus to Dennison, Ohio. He was a brakeman for two years and was then made conductor, in which capacity he has served for seventeen years. He is on the preferred run and is one of the most trustworthy and efficient conductors on the line, neglecting no duty and at the same time winning the regard, gratitude and friendship of many patrons of the road by his obliging manner and considerate treatment.
Mr. Williams was married in 1880, to Miss Mary Hummel, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hummel, who are residents of Licking county, Ohio. Our subject and his wife have one child, Pearl, who is a graduate of the high school of Columbus and is now a student in the normal school. Mr. Williams
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became a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, Division No. 100, in Columbus, but since transferred his membership to Division No. 278, at Dennison, Ohio. He is also a member of Excelsior Lodge, I. O. O. F., of this city, and belongs to the encampment. He and his wife have resided in the capital city since 1882, and on the 18th of August, 1899, they moved into their elegant new home at No. 187 North Eighteenth street, where they are surrounded by many of the comforts and luxuries of life that have been secured through the industry and energy of our subject. ,
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