A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Part 39

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1156

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio > Part 39

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Dr. Loy is a model teacher, respected and beloved alike by his colleagues and his pupils; a man of extensive learning, a profound and clear thinker and a good disciplinarian. His mastery of the English language is admir- able, though he prefers good, plain Anglo-Saxon speech to high-flown ora- tory. In theology the systematic branches have been his special field, a field for which his natural gifts and favorite studies have fitted him in an eminent sense. He is also a preacher of great power and eloquence, evangelical throughout. His popular Sermons on the Gospel Lessons of the Church Year, published in 1888, is a very valuable book for preachers and laymen ; but it conveys no adequate idea of the spiritual and heart-moving oral delivery of the author. Dr. Loy is also the author of a number of lovely hymns contributed to the Hymnal of the Ohio Synod, breathing childlike faith and earnest Christian resolve. His theological publications, all of them an ornament to the Lutheran church of America, are numerous. The fol- lowing are the most prominent : Justification by Faith, 1869; The Ministerial Office, 1870; Sermons on the Gospels, 1888; Christian Prayer, 1890; and the Christian Church, 1897.

The prayer of Dr. Loy's many friends and pupils, of the whole synod whose foremost member he is, and of a great part of the Lutheran church outside of his synod, is that God may still prolong his days and preserve his

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powers of body and mind for a great deal of useful work in the service of Christ and His church.

Dr. Loy was married, in 1853, to Miss Mary Willey, of Delaware, Ohio. Seven children were the issue of this marriage, of whom two are dead. All the living are devoted members of the Lutheran church. The three sons are engaged in business. The oldest, Luther, is the organist of Grace Lutheran church, in the city of Columbus; the other two, Harry and Carl, at Dayton, Ohio. Of the two daughters, the older, Minnie, is the wife of Rev. Dr. L. H. Schuh, of Valley Crossing, Ohio. The younger, Ada, is still with her parents.

FRANK FLEMING.

Frank Fleming was born in Sidney, Ohio, January 25, 1826, and in early boyhood came to Franklinton, now Columbus, Ohio, in company with his parents, Samuel and Sarah ( Henderson) Fleming. His father was a shoe- maker and for a number of years resided at the corner of Sandusky and Cook streets, in Franklinton, working at his trade. His mother died when the subject of this review was about seven years of age. His father afterward married, in 1833, and his second wife passed away in Columbus January 16, 1901, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. The subject of this review learned the stone-quarry trade and for some years operated a stone quarry, taking contracts for furnishing the stone used in the construction of the state capitol and the penitentiary buildings. After a time he took up his residence at the corner of Scidmore and West Broad streets, where he remained for forty years.

In 1847 occurred the marriage of Frank Fleming and Miss Mary Bar- bee, the wedding taking place in Franklinton. Their children are: Owen, who was born in 1849 and resides in Columbus; Joseph, who was born in 1851 and died in 1881; and William, who was born in 1855 and is now a farmer of Franklin county. The mother of these children died in Frank- linton, in 1858, and in 1860 Mr. Fleming was again married, his second union being with Miss Lucinda Straley, of Columbus. Her father, John Straley, was born in Virginia, was married in early manhood and came to Ohio with his family when Mrs. Fleming was seven years of age, their home being at the corner of West Broad and Sandusky streets. The father died in 1851, and the mother, surviving him ten years, passed away in 1861. The mem- bers of their family were as follows: Eliza died in 1870; Margaret is the wife of C. Anthony and resides upon a farm in Franklin county ; and John, who was a prominent and influential citizen of Lancaster, Ohio, died in that place in 1895. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fleming have been born six children : Laura, who was born in 1861 and died in 1886, was the wife of Charles Timmons and left one son, Frank, who was born in 1886 and is now a student in the public schools of Columbus, his home being with his grand- father, Mr. Fleming; Samuel, born in 1862, is married and resides in Mor-

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rison, Colorado, near Denver, his children by the first marriage being Ger- trude and Mary, the first named being a student in the high school of Colum- bus, while by his union with Rosa Edmunds he has three children,-Ray, Gladys and a baby boy; Daniel, who was born in 1866 and is engaged in the stone-quarry business with his brother Samuel at Morrison, Colorado, is married and has four children,-Edmund, Frank, Edith and Leah G .; Mar- garet, Ella and Wilson reside with their parents in Columbus. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

GEORGE RIORDAN.

George Riordan was born in Romney, Virginia, October II, 1794. His father, Richard Riordan, was a native of Virginia and there spent his entire life. His wife, Mrs. Margaret (Kirk) Riordan, was born March 7, 1756, in Virginia, and died April 30, 1854, in Columbus. In their family were two sons,-George and Robert. The latter came from the Old Dominion to Ohio and took up his abode in Franklinton at an early period in the develop- ment of this portion of the state.

George Riordan left his old home in 1808 and cast his lot with the pio- neer settlers of Franklinton, but returned to Virginia in time to enlist in the war of 1812. He served throughout the second struggle with England and in 1821 returned to Franklinton. He was married in the old Sullivan house at that place, now the House of the Good Shepherd, on the 30th of March, 1826, to Miss Sarah Downs, who was born in Amsterdam, New York, Octo- ber 14, 1803. They reared a large family of children: Henry Clay, the eldest, born January 19, 1827, married Miss Stella Turner, at Davenport, Iowa, in 1854, and took up his abode in that city, there engaging in business. Margaret was born February 1, 1829. George H., born December 12, 1830, died June 25, 1871. Thomas, born November 20, 1832, died May II, 1855. John, born October 17, 1834, died April 8, 1835. Richard who was born February 9, 1836, now resides with his sister, Mrs. Uncles. For many years he served as librarian in Columbus, retiring from the office in 1860. He was also a member of the first board of equalization under the present state constitution, when the board held its sessions in the hotel over the store building now occupied by Brice Brothers, on South High street. James, born January 12, 1838, died January 4, 1848. Sarah L., born September 9, 1840, married John Uncles, of Columbus, in 1866. Her husband was born in Franklinton May 25, 1825, and by their marriage there are five chil- dren, namely: Nellie was born in 1867 and died in 1876; Mattie, born in 1870, died in 1872; Sarah L., born in 1873, is a high-school graduate; Mar- garet A., born in 1875, attended the public schools of Columbus, was grad- uated in the high school, also in the Ohio State University in the class of 1897, and is a school-teacher; and Emma, the youngest of the Uncles family, was born in 1880 and in 1898 became the wife of Harry Edwards, who is a clerk in the Cleveland office of the Big Four Railroad Company. They

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have one child, Harold Edwards, born in 1900. The daughters, Margaret and Sarah, are residing with their mother, who for eighteen years has made her home at No. 31 Gill street. John Uncles was a veteran of the Mexican and Civil wars and was wounded in the leg in one of the engagements with the Mexican troops. He was an honorable and influential citizen and died in Columbus December 5, 1882. Edward Riordan, the next member of the Riordan family, was born October 3, 1842, and died on the 22d of Novem- ber of that year. Mary E. Riordan, the youngest, was born November 9, 1844, and died May 15, 1874.

George Riordan, whose name introduces this record, was a popular citizen of Columbus in early days and took a very prominent part in public affairs, his fellow townsmen frequently calling him to public office, and he filled many positions of public honor and trust. He was a constable, city marshal and also crier of the supreme court for many years. He died August 29, 1864, at the extremely old age of one hundred and two years. His life was one of usefulness and honor and wherever he was known he was held in highest regard.

IVILLIAM MERION, JR.

Through more than four-score years William Merion was a resident of Franklin county and in his death the community lost one of its honored pio- neers. He was born on the 10th of September, 1811, upon a farm which is now within the city limits of Columbus, its location being a mile and a half due south on High street from the capitol building. The Merions were of French lineage, but the father of our subject, William Merion, Sr., was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, becoming a resident of Franklinton, now Colum- bus, in the year 1808, when a young man. He married Miss Sarah Wayte, and pre-empted a farm on which he carried on agricultural pursuits for many years. He died at the age of fifty and the property was inherited by his son and namesake.

William Merion, Jr., was born and reared on the old family homestead and early became familiar with the work of the fields, learning what was required by the different products in order to produce good harvests. From the time when he was old enough to handle the plow he aided in the farm work and successfully carried on agricultural pursuits until the year 1888. He was united in marriage, on the 28th of October, 1858, to Mrs. Martha (Uncles) Sheldon, the wedding being celebrated at the home of the bride in Columbus. She was then a widow. Her father, James Uncles, was born in Bradford, England, August 5, 1794, and in the year 1812 became a resi- dent of Franklinton, where he followed his trade of decorating. He was married, in Franklinton, in 1816, to Miss Elizabeth Crisswell, whose people were from Lancaster; Pennsylvania. She was early left an orphan and was reared in the family of Dr. Ball, of Franklinton, remaining there until her marriage to James Uncles. Their children were: Nancy, who was born in

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1818 and died in 1877; Mary, born in 1821, who is the wife of Leroy Royce, a resident of Toledo, Ohio; Martha, who was born in 1824 and is now Mrs. William Merion; John, who was born in 1826 and died in 1890; and James, who was born in 1828 and died in 1858, from injuries sustained in a rail- road accident. John H. Uncles, a cousin of Mrs. Merion, and now a widower, is living in Columbus. James . Uncles, the father of Mrs. Merion, died of pneumonia. He was engaged in decorating the residence of Dr. Parsons and caught a severe cold which resulted in pneumonia, causing his demise. He and his family were members of the Episcopal church.

Mrs. Merion was born in her father's frame residence on a lot adjoin- ing the First Methodist church, which was standing at the time, the house and church both occupying the present site of the public-school library build- ing on East Town street. She continued to reside there from 1820 until 1844. January 21, 1844, she gave her hand in marriage to Thomas H. Shel- don, of Columbus, and they located at Tiffin, Ohio, where they remained for four years, when they returned to Columbus. Mr. Sheldon died in 1854, leaving two children: R. E. Sheldon, who was a prominent business man of Columbus; and Mrs. J. S. Roberts, now a widow. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Merion was blest with three children. Only one son is yet living, J. E. Merion, who for ten years was the chief clerk in the general offices of the Cleveland, Sandusky & Hamilton Railroad Company at Columbus, but is now the auditor. He was married, September 15, 1891, to Miss Sarah Peters, and since that time they have resided in the capital city. Mr. and Mrs. William Merion continued to reside upon their farm on Parsons avenue from the time of their marriage until October 28, 1880. Mr. Merion then retired from active business and took up his abode at No. 616 Franklin avenue, and there spent his remaining days, his death occurring on the 13th of December, 1893. He was a man of resolute purpose, of firm convictions and upright principles. As a citizen he took a deep and commendable inter- est in everything pertaining to the welfare of the community, and by all who knew him he was held in highest regard. His widow, who is a faith- ful member of the Broad street Methodist church, still lives in Columbus and has many zealous friends.

GEORGE EVANS.

George Evans has been long in public service and at all times has mani- fested his loyalty to the duties of citizenshin, showing that the trusts reposed in him are well merited. At the present time he is by appointment serving as financial officer of the Institution for Feeble-minded Youth.

He was born in Waterville, Wood county. Ohio. September 26. 1829, and is a son of George Webster and Nancy R. ( Eberly ) Evans. His father was a manufacturer and farmer. born in Dover, Delaware, and his death occurred in 1862. He married Miss Eberly, who was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, in 1806, and was a daughter of Henry Eberly, who for many

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years was a gunsmith at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. He was employed in the government service during the war of 1812. He went with his company to the front and was never heard from again.

George Evans, whose name introduces this record, accompanied his par- ents on their removal to Franklin county, Ohio. In 1832 the family located in Worthington. Three years later, in 1835, they removed to Dublin, where he acquired the greater part of his education. Subsequently he became a student in Worthington Seminary for a short time, after which he returned to Dublin, becoming a clerk in a general store, where he remained for five years. In 1853 he came to Columbus, accepting a position in the county clerk's office, under Kendall Thomas. In 1857 he became a clerk in the post- office, where he remained until 1861. The following year he was appointed by President Lincoln commissary of subsistence, with the rank of captain, and served in that capacity until the end of the war in 1865, when he was honorably discharged and promoted to the rank of major by brevet.

When the war was over Mr. Evans again returned to Columbus and later to Dublin, where he established a drug and grocery store, conducting it successfully until 1884. He carried a large and well selected stock of goods and enjoyed a liberal patronage. In the year mentioned, however, he was appointed to his present position, as financial officer of the Institution for Feeble-minded Children, at Columbus, in which capacity he has proved him- self a competent and trustworthy officer. In all public positions which he has filled he has discharged his duties with marked fidelity, administering the affairs in a businesslike and satisfactory manner. He is indeed worthy of the public confidence, for the trusts reposed in him have never been betrayed, even in the slightest degree.

Mr. Evans has been twice married. His first wife died in 1854, leaving a daughter, Bell, now the wife of David H. Everitt. In 1891 his second wife died, leaving three daughters: Lillie, the wife of Samuel H. Davis, Jr., of Dublin; Anna, wife of F. J. Thomas; and Stella, wife of Robert Thomp- son, of Columbus.

Mr. Evans has two brothers, John E. and Eli P., and a sister, living.

He is a member of Evening Star Lodge, No. 104, I. O. O. F., of Dub- lin, to which he was admitted in 1850; and belongs to Johanna Encampment, No. 57, of the same fraternity.

JOHN HARVEY WASSON.

It is the province of the writer now to present in brief the story of the career of an upright and progressive self-made man, who left to his sons, Edgar and William Wasson, of Columbus, Ohio, the legacy of a good name.

John Harvey Wasson, for more than thirty years prominently identified with the salt business of this state, was born in Preble county, Ohio, April 18, 1827, and in 1834, with his parents. removed to Wayne county. Indiana, where he was reared to the occupation of farming, attending township schools

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as a rural scholar in the winter, alternated with teaching occasional terms of school in a country district in the summer. On arriving at his majority he engaged in the sawmill and lumber business near Richmond, Indiana, furnishing large quantities of timber and ties for the construction of rail- roads which are now owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Company. From 1855 to the close of the year 1857 he was engaged in the grain and flour trade at Richmond, Indiana, and New Paris, Ohio, doing a large, pros- perous business until the crash of the great panic of 1857, occasioned by wild land speculation and precipitated by the failure of the Ohio Life and Trust Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio, when he was caught with large quan- tities of wheat and flour on hand and unsold, stored in Cleveland, Buffalo and New York, aggregating something over one hundred thousand dollars in value, all of which he closed out during the first stages of the panic, with comparatively small loss, when it is remembered that prices of both flour and grain declined nearly or quite fifty per cent of the original cost within thirty days thereafter. In 1858 he became associated in the salt business with the Kanawha & Ohio River Salt Company, under the presidency of Hon. V. B. Horton, of Pomeroy, establishing his headquarters as north- western sales agent first at Richmond, Indiana, afterward in Chicago, and remained there until 1871.

During the summer of 1871 he was engaged in the work of organizing the central Ohio salt manufacturers, embracing the Hocking valley, Muskin- gum valley, Guernsey county and Tuscarawas valley salt producers, under one control and management, the total capacity of which was three hundred thousand barrels annually. Associated with him in this enterprise was the late M. M. Greene and Judge P. B. Ewing, of the Hocking valley, and Hon. E. M. Stanbury and other associates of the Muskingum valley. Mr. Wasson was made the general agent and manager of its affairs, with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. He moved to Columbus and took charge of the busi- ness immediately after the great fire at Chicago of October 9. 1871.

He remained with this association for ten years, winding up its busi- ness in 1881, when nearly or quite all of its members ceased to make salt, and the organization expired by limitation. In the meantime the manu- facture of salt in the state of Michigan began to assume large proportions, and Mr. Wasson became interested with the Michigan association. The lat- ter was put in possession of the territory lately occupied by the central Ohio company, and in furtherance of this arrangement large warehouses for the storage of salt have been erected at Columbus, Toledo and other points, where large stocks of salt are carried and kept under cover for the convenience of the trade. The Michigan Salt Association was organized in 1876, with a capital stock of two hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Wasson, as the agent of the association, handled large quantities of dairy and table salt, as well as a grade especially adapted for packers and the ordinary grades of salt. Mr. Wasson died December 25, 1895.

John Harvey Wasson married Miss Wrexaville E. Braffett, of New

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Paris, Ohio, whose parents came from Vermont. Their sons, Edgar, born at New Paris, Preble county, Ohio, and William Wasson, born at Richmond, Indiana, were educated principally in the schools of Columbus, and continue in the salt business, established by their father, at Columbus.

DAVID TAYLOR.

David Taylor was one of the early pioneers in Franklin county. His father, Robert Taylor, came with his family to Ohio from the province of Nova Scotia in 1806 and remained two years in Chillicothe. In the fall of 1807 he built his house on the west bank of Walnut creek, in what is now Truro township, on lands which he had before that time acquired. His was the fourth house built in Truro township, which he occupied with his family in March, 1808. It was the first frame house built in that portion of the county and is still standing in a good state of preservation. In this house Robert Taylor continued to live until the time of his death, which was March 28, 1828. During the time the house was being constructed David, then a boy of seven years of age, lived with the workmen engaged in the construction of the house in an unoccupied Indian hut near by and assisted them in such ways as he was able at that time of life.

He continued to live with his father's family until 1826, when he mar- ried Nancy T. Nelson, of Franklin county, and about that time constructed a house for himself a short distance north from his father's house, and on the line of what is now Livingston avenue, in which he continued to reside until 1844. This house also is still standing. In the last named year he built a new house on the line of the National road, on the north end of his farm and about one mile north from his original residence. In this new house he continued to reside with his family until March, 1858, when he removed to the city of Columbus and took up his residence on East Broad street, where he continued to live until the time of his death, which occurred July 29, 1889.

David Taylor was born in the town of Truro, in the province of Nova Scotia, which is at the head of the bay of Fundy, July 24, 1801. His great- grandfather, Matthew Taylor, emigrated from near Londonderry, now Derry, New Hampshire, in 1722. He and his family were a part of a colony of Scotch-Irish people who came from the north of Ireland and settled at the above named place on lands allotted to them by the governor of Massa- chusetts, supposing at the time that the lands were within the boundaries of that state. Subsequently, when the line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was fixed, the land upon which the colony had settled was found to be in the state of New Hampshire; but this circumstance did not disturb them in their occupancy of the land which had been allotted to them. The location was then the very frontier of civilization. All beyond to the north and west was wilderness. The Taylor family continued to live in New Hampshire until the close of the French and English war in 1763, the result of which war was to give England dominion over the province of Nova

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Scotia; and this was the cause of the emigration from New Hampshire to that province.

The second son of Matthew Taylor, the original head of the family in this country, was Matthew Taylor. Jr., who was born at Londonderry, New Hampshire, October 30, 1727. In time he was married to Miss Archibald, of Londonderry, and six sons and two daughters were born of that marriage, the birth of Robert, the fourth son, father of David, being on April 11, 1759. Matthew Taylor, Jr., removed with his family from New Hampshire to Nova Scotia about 1764. His son Robert was then in his infancy. On Decem- ber 6, 1781. Robert was married, at Truru, Nova Scotia, to Mehetabel Wil- son. There were born to that marriage four sons and several daughters, David, the subject of this sketch, being the youngest son and the youngest of the family except his sister Susan. The older sons were named respect- ively: Abiather Vinton, Matthew and James. They all came with their father to Ohio and settled in Truro township, where they afterward married and brought up families worthy of the highest respect. When Truro town- ship was organized in 1810 it was named for Truro, Nova Scotia, the town from which the Taylor family came.

David Taylor commenced business for himself when twenty years of age. His first ventures were in live stock. From 1820 to 1827 he was very active in this business, collecting large herds in Ohio and driving the same to the eastern markets. During this period he went "over the mountains," as the route' was then called, with stock eighteen times, and was successful in almost every venture. He continued to deal extensively in live stock for many years, but after about 1827 he adopted the policy of collecting stock and preparing it for the eastern market, but selling at home. It was only when he failed to secure a satisfactory purchaser at home that he drove his animals to market. In the meantime he invested the gains of his enterprise in lands, which were brought into cultivation as fast as it could profitably be done. In 1850 he purchased a large tract of land then known as the Brien section. It consisted of the southwest quarter of Jefferson township, Franklin county, and contained over four thousand acres of land. This he subdivided into tracts of from fifty to one hundred and sixty acres and sold a considerable portion of it, reserving for himself such portions as best suited his purpose. He has always taken an active interest in the development of the agricultural interests of the state. He was one of the founders of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, and was the president of that organ- ization for the years 1857, 1858 and 1870. In 1861 he was elected as one of the members of the state board of agriculture for the state of Ohio, and was twice re-elected, serving in all six years. From 1862 to 1866 he was the treasurer of that organization, and on his retirement, so satisfactorily had he performed his duties in that respect, that a suitable testimonial was voted him.

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A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Part 39

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1156

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1156