USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio > Part 76
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Joshua W. Brothers, the fifth in order of birth and the only one of the family now living, remained in the county of his nativity until nineteen years of age, with the exception of a period of two years which he passed in Hagers- town, Maryland. There he learned the harnessmaker's trade, and in 1843 he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he began work as a journeyman, being
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thus employed until 1849. During that period, however, he joined the United States army and served until the close of the Mexican war, when he resumed work at his chosen vocation in Columbus. While working as a journeyman he also spent four winters in New Orleans, and followed harness- making at Marysville, Woodstock and Milford Center.
In the latter part of 1849 Mr. Brothers removed to Lockbourne, where he began business for himself and has since engaged in harness-making at this place with the exception of one year spent in South Perry, Hocking county, Ohio, and one year in Bloomfield. During his long connection with the business interests of Lockbourne he has enjoyed a liberal patronage, owing to the excellence of his goods, his reasonable prices and his honorable busi- ness methods and his courteous treatment of his patrons.
In 1853 Mr. Brothers was united in marriage to Miss Martha Jane Hen- derson, a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and a daughter of Thomas and Eliza Henderson, who were early settlers of that county. Four children were born unto our subject and his wife, but only one is now living, Viola, who married Sanford Brownlee, by whom she has two children living, Edward and Myrtle. There is also one great-grandchild, Lula Mance. In early life Mr. Brothers gave his political support to the Whig party, and on the organ- ization of the Republican party joined its ranks. During the period of the Civil war he served as a sergeant in the state militia. At all times he has been true to his duty to his neighbor, to himself and to his country, and through fifty-one years' residence in Franklin county, he has ever commanded the respect and confidence of his fellow men.
EDWARD L. TAYLOR, JR.
The subject of this review is actively connected with a profession which has important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any section or community, and one which has long been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining public right. One of the younger representatives of the legal fraternity in Columbus who has already gained a position of distinction as a member of the bar is Edward L. Taylor, Jr., the present prosecuting attorney of the city.
He is one of the native sons of the capital, his birth having here occurred September 10, 1869. His father, Edward L. Taylor, Sr., was born upon a farm in Franklin county, Ohio, March 20, 1839, and on the paternal side was of Scotch-Irish lineage. After arriving at years of maturity he pre- pared for the bar and is now one of the prominent lawyers of the city, the senior member of the well known firm of Taylor & Taylor.
His son and namesake pursued his literary education in the public schools of Columbus and is a graduate of the high school of the class of 1888. The following year he began preparation for the bar as a student in the office and under the direction of his father, who was a member of the law firm of Taylor & Taylor. On the 3d of December, 1891, he was admitted
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to practice and has since been an active member of the profession in his native city. The firm engages in general law practice and its knowledge of jurisprudence in its various departments is quite extensive and very reliable. On the 7th of November, 1899, he was elected prosecuting attorney of Frank- lin county for a term of three years, defeating Lee Thurman, the Demo- cratic candidate, a grandson of the Hon. A. G. Thurman. He had been appointed, in 1899, to serve out an unexpired term and had been nominated by the Democracy for the position in the fall of that year. Mr. Taylor, how- ever, was the victorious candidate, and entered upon the duties of the position on the Ist of January, 1900. He has been most faithful in their discharge, preparing his cases with care and precision and doing everything in his power to serve the ends of justice and protect the public liberty.
. On the 4th of January, 1894. Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Miss Marie Firestone, of Columbus, a daughter of C. D. Firestone, of the Columbus Buggy Company. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Order of Elks and is one of the trustees of the lodge in Columbus. He is yet a young man, ambitious, determined and energetic, and his natural talent and acquired ability, stimulated by earnest desire for advancement will undoubtedly gain for him a foremost position among those who have gained success and won fame at the Columbus bar.
WILLIAM M. FISHER.
William M. Fisher is one of the strong and influential men whose lives have become an essential part of the history of Columbus and of Ohio. Tire- less energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose and genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time, joined to every-day common sense and guided by great will power, are the chief characteristics of the man. Connected with one of the leading wholesale houses of Columbus, the posi- tion that he occupies in business circles is in the front rank.
Mr. Fisher is a native of Franklin county, his birth having occurred in what was then Hamilton but now Marion township on the Ioth of Septem- ber. 1840. His father, Jacob Fisher, was born in this county July 2, 1808, and was a son of Michael Fisher, a native of Virginia, who removed to Kentucky and was there married to Sarah Petty, a native of that state. Sub- sequently he removed from Kentucky to the territory of Ohio, for it was in the year 1798 and the state had not then been organized. He located four miles south of the courthouse in Columbus and purchased a tract of eight hundred acres on the west side of the Scioto river. There he erected a cabin home and began to clear away the forest trees, experiencing all the hard- ships, privations and trials incident to pioneer life and to the development of a farm in the midst of the wilderness. There were one hundred Indians to one white man in the state. The settlements of the white people were from four to five miles apart. The woods abounded with wild game of all kinds and hunting was the principal amusement of the people. The wants
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of the family were few and simple, for they lived in plain frontier style, dressed accordingly, and knew little of the luxuries of the east. They came to found homes in the wilderness, and their earnest labors laid the founda- tion for the present prosperity and progress of this great commonwealth. Michael Fisher died upon his farm in 1816, his wife surviving him until 1845, when she, too, was called to the home beyond. Their family num- bered the following named: Christy, the wife of W. M. Miller; Joseph; Jacob; Milton; Michael; George; Elizabeth, the wife of William Stewart; Sarah, the wife of William Cramer ; and Miranda, the wife of Arthur O'Hara.
Jacob Fisher, the father of him whose name introduces this review, died in Columbus, at the age of seventy-six years. In early manhood he wedded Mary Briggs, a native of New Jersey, who came to Ohio in her early girl- hood. By the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher thirteen children were born, six of whom reached years of maturity, namely : Milton, Edward, Joseph, Michael, Jacob, and Sarah Jane, the wife of Abram Schaffer. Five of the brothers are still living.
William M. Fisher, the well known wholesale produce merchant of Colum- bus, was reared as a farmer boy and received his primary education in the dis- trict schools. He early learned from practical experience in what the work of the farm consisted, for as soon as old enough to handle the plow he took his place in the fields and assisted in the plowing, planting and harvesting. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-seven years of age, but, not wishing to devote his entire life to agricultural pursuits, he determined to enter the field of commerce and embarked in the grocery business as a clerk for F. A. Sells for a short time, when Mr. Fisher entered into partner- ship relations with John Wagonseller, under the firm name of Fisher & Wagonseller. They, too, established a grocery, which they conducted for two years, when they sold out. Mr. Fisher then returned to the farm and was engaged in the raising of grain and stock, at the same time shipping grain over the Hocking Valley Railroad. Subsequently he again tok up his abode in Columbus and was once more connected with the grocery trade for eighteen months. During that time he also shipped fruit and produce and later merged his retail business into that of a wholesale fruit and pro- vision house, his location being on Fourth, near Town street, until 1882, when he moved to larger quarters,-No. 8 Guinn block. His business house, which is of brick, has a frontage of forty-five feet, a depth of one hundred feet and is three stories in height. It is especially equipped for the conduct of his extensive business, which has grown to great magnitude, the annual shipments constituting a considerable portion of the products which are exported from the capital city. He is also largely interested in the Dahlonega Gold Mining Company, of Georgia, which is rapidly developing its splendid property and from which he is deriving a handsome income.
He is a man of resourceful business ability, his fertile brain enabling him to form and execute many plans which prove of practical and profitable benefit to the enterprises with which he is connected. From 1875 down to
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the present time our subject has been one of the directors of the Ohio National Bank.
In 1862 occurred the marriage of Mr. Fisher and Miss Katherine Martheny, of Columbus, a daughter of John Martheny, of Fairfield, Ohio. She is a native of Indiana, and by her marriage has become the mother of six children, namely: Mary A., the wife of Charles Thurber, of Columbus; Grant S .; William G., a member of the firm of W. M. Fisher & Son; Martha A., the wife of Mark Gifford, of Toledo, Ohio; Kirk B., at home; and Kath- erine, who completes the family. Mr. Fisher is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also of the order of F. & A. M. He has an elegant home, with all modern improvements, at No. 695 Bryden Road. He to-day enjoys the reward of his painstaking and conscientious work. By his energy, perseverance and fine business ability he has been enabled to secure an ample fortune. Systematic and methodical, his sagacity, keen discrimination and sound judgment have made him one of the leading wholesale merchants of the city.
PETER YEAGER.
Among the wealthy retired residents of Prairie township, near Camp Chase, Franklin county, Ohio, is Peter Yeager, the subject of this sketch. The life history of our subject began in the little town of Bavaria, Germany, where his grandfather, Peter, was known in the village of Talmansfeld as a reliable and capable laborer, his father upholding the same excellent reputa- tion. The latter died at a comparatively early age, and his mother, Sophia Yeager, married Paulus Heidle, who with his wife and our subject's one sister sailed from Bremen in 1852 and located in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Heidle was a day laborer, and after his death, in 1881, our subject's mother made her home with him, where she died in 1883, having been born in 1800. The sister of our subject, Mary, who married Owen Zimmerman and resides in Cincinnati, was a daughter of the second marriage.
Mr. Yeager, of this sketch, has had a life which has thoroughly tested his manly qualities, and that he has overcome his many disadvantages is much to his credit. His birth took place September 30, 1830. When six years of age he removed with his mother to Burgsalach, county of Weissen- burg, state of Midelfranken, where he remained until he was twenty-one years old. He learned the trade of shoemaker when he was fourteen, work- ing at it until his majority, when, according to the draft law in his country, he was obliged to give his services to the army. For one and one-half years he was connected with the infantry, and four and one-half years were spent in the police corps.
During this time our subject became attached to the young lady who later became his wife, and together they took passage on a sailing vessel from Bremen to New York, where they landed after a stormy passage of seventy days. He had been able to save only money enough to pay the pas- sages of himself and the young lady through to Columbus, where he knew
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he could find friends. Borrowing seventy-five cents, our subject immediately bought a license and was married, in July, 1858, to Miss Mary Nass, by Rev. Mr. Mess, a German Presbyterian minister of Columbus. She had been born in Bavaria, October 12, 1831, and after twenty years of illness died June 8, 1900, having been a good and faithful helpmate.
After marriage our subject settled down to work at his trade in the new home, remaining for eight years, during which time he lived a sober, indus- trious life and succeeded in saving enough to purchase three acres of land, upon which place he continued at his trade for two years, but lost all his work on his land on account of an unusually dry season. He had in the mean- time rented out his place, but returned now to it, where he was stricken with fever and lost almost everything he had accumulated through so much self- denial and economy.
At this juncture kind friends appeared who assisted him to some extent and he started out in a new line. He had one old horse, an old wagon and nine dollars' worth of notions; with these he began the life of a peddler, suc- ceeding so well that his courage and health came back, and as time went on he added more and more to his stock until another horse and wagon became necessary to accommodate his trade.
His boys were growing up and our subject had trained them to habits of frugality and prudence, so that when he erected his brick store near his house, in 1876, he could entrust the peddling business to his sons, while he remained manager of the large mercantile business which he soon commanded. No extra good fortune came to our subject except that earned by his own efforts. He was honest and his patrons learned that fact and trusted his word; he was energetic, and hence made rapid progress; while he still con- tinued the habits of careful living that he had practiced since youth. In 1896 Mr. Yeager was able to retire from active business.
The estimable family born to Mr. and Mrs. Yeager comprises Peter, who now lives in Arkansas; John, who resides in Columbus; August, who is a resident of Dayton, Ohio; Mary, at home; Michael, who resides in Illi- nois; Christian, who lives in Columbus ; and Stephen, who resides in Arkansas.
Mr. Yeager is one of those men who have come up the hard road of toil and self-denial to the eminence of success. He combined shrewd business methods with other qualities, which made the names of customers and friends synonymous.
ABSALOM M. WALCUTT.
The lack of persistency of purpose accounts in large degree for the failure of men in business life. It renders effort futile and labor unavailing, but he who pursues a given course through an active business career and follows honorable methods that win the confidence and therefore the patronage of his fellow men is always sure to eventually gain the merited reward of labor. Prompted by a laudable ambition to win success and confining his efforts to
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a business of which he has practical knowledge, Mr. Walcutt has gained a place among the citizens of substantial worth in Franklin county. He resides in North Columbus and was born in Perry township, Franklin county, upon liis father's farin, his natal day being November 8. 1835. His father, Robert Walcutt, was a native of Virginia, born in Loudoun county in 1797. He followed agricultural pursuits and thereby gained a desirable competence. He wedded Miss Susan Legg, a native of the Old Dominion, and after their mar- riage they left that state for Ross county, Ohio, where they located in 1828. Two years later, in 1830, they became residents of Franklin county, settling in the green woods, some three miles northeast of the present city limits of Columbus. There his home was built of logs, being a primitive cabin of the pioneer times. A few years later it was replaced by a more modern and com- modious residence, which sheltered the family as the children grew to mature years. The fatlier's first purchase consisted of two hundred and thirty-five acres of lieavily timbered land, and later he purchased a second tract. com- prising one hundred acres, a mile south of his first farm. With characteristic energy he began clearing his land and preparing it for the plow, and in course of time his fields were under a high state of cultivation, yielding to him excel- lent return for his labor. He also engaged in dealing in live stock. which he drove across the mountains to the city of Baltimore, where he found a market, and also to Pennsylvania, making sales in both places. Through- out the greater part of his life he was actively engaged in agricultural pur- suits, and upon the old homestead in Perry township he died in 1877. having passed the eightieth anniversary of his birth. His parents were William and Sarah ( Mitchell) Walcutt, the former a native of Virginia.
The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Susan Legg and was born in Virginia in 1800, her death occurring upon the farm, in Perry township, in 1857. Like her husband, she was a devoted member of the Baptist church, doing all in her power to promote its work and secure the adoption of its principles by those with whom she was associated. By her marriage she became the mother of sixteen children, twelve of whom reached years of maturity, as follows: Anna, deceased wife of G. M. Peters: Jacob and Tabitha, who have also passed away ; James, who died in 1897; Lafayette, Margaret and John, all deceased: Absalom M .; Louise, who married J. E. Slyh and died July 13, 1900; Amelia, wife of Calvin Rutter, of Wester- ville, Ohio: Robert, who resides on Eighth avenue in Columbus; and Will- iam, a farmer of Blendon township, Franklin county.
In the usual manner of farmer lads Mr. Walcutt, of this review. spent the days of his youth, receiving such educational privileges as the district schools afforded, and later attended a select school taught by John Kinney. He remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-one years of age, when he began farming upon his own account and later extended the field of his labors by dealing in live stock, shipping hogs, cattle and horses. After his marriage he took his bride to his farm in Perry township, and there they resided until 1889, when they took up their abode in Columbus, and, although
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he left the farm, Mr. Walcutt still devoted his energies to the management of his farming interests and to stock dealing. He owns one hundred and four acres of valuable land in Plain township, which is under a high state of cultivation and which he rents.
On the 2d of July, 1857, occurred the marriage of our subject and Miss Mary E. Slyh, a daughter of Jacob and Emeline (Lakin) Slyh, who were pioneer settlers of Perry township, where they resided for many years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Walcutt have been born six children: Louisa A., widow of Charles W. Hoyt; Anna R., who died in her twentieth year; Della, deceased ; Mary E., wife of George Wiley, a son of Judge Wiley, who was prominently connected with railroad affairs for a number of years; and Fanny C., who is a student in the high school. Their home is at No. 39 West Duncan street, in North Columbus. In politics Mr. Walcutt is a Democrat, who stalwartly advocates the doctrines as advanced by William Jennings Bryan. While residing upon his farm he served for twenty-one years as a member of the school board and was also elected justice of the peace, but refused to qualify, preferring to devote his energies entirely to the management of his business affairs. For the past ten years he has given considerable attention to the handling of real estate, mostly city property. His close attention to busi- ness has enabled him to win prosperity and to-day he is numbered among the most successful representatives of agricultural interests in his native county.
H. G. STEICKLEY.
H. G. Steickley, who is engaged in the undertaking and embalming busi- ness in Columbus, was born in the capital city May 11, 1854, his parents being Christian and Fannie (Magley) Steickley. His father was born, reared and educated in Germany, while his mother was a native of Switzer- land, and with her parents came to the United States in childhood.
The subject of this review pursued his education in the public schools of Columbus, completing the grammar course, and after putting aside his text-books he entered the employ of W. H. Jarer, an undertaker, with whom he remained for five years, acquiring quite a thorough knowledge of the busi- ness. Afterward he entered the service of Louis Fink, an undertaker, with whom he remained for a short time. Subsequently he spent two and a half years in the employ of George J. Schoedinger, and in 1881 he entered into partnership with B. B. Anderson, under the firm name of Steickley & Ander- son, which connection was maintained for two years. The partnership was then dissolved and Mr. Steickley entered the employ of E. Fisher, who was engaged in the undertaking business, and with whom he remained for eight years. In 1893 he established his present business at No. 184 East Long street, where he has well appointed rooms and offices and carries a fine line of caskets. His wife is also quite proficient in the line of work to which he gives his attention and ably assists her husband.
In 1881 Mr. Steickley was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Briggs,
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of Briggsdale, Franklin county, Ohio, the second daughter of W. C. and Harriett A. (Demorest) Briggs. For several years Mrs. Steickley was a successful teacher in the schools of Franklin county. By her marriage she has become the mother of one son, Ernest C., who is now a student in the high school. Her father was born in Franklin county and now resides at No. 1507 Franklin avenue, where he is living retired. Her mother, however, . passed away in 1879. She, too, was a native of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Steickley have spent their entire lives in the capital city and have a wide acquaintance here, while the circle of their friends is extensive.
HENRY HUY.
Henry Huy, who owns and operates a farm in Clinton township, came to Franklin county with his parents when eleven years of age. He was born in the Rhine province, Germany, on the 22d of December, 1828, and is a son of Daniel and Philopena (Knost) Huy, also natives of Germany, in
. which country they were married. In 1840 they crossed the Atlantic to the new world, accompanied by their only son, Henry. The voyage continued for forty-two days, but was at length terminated when the vessel dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. They made their way westward to Buffalo, thence to Cleveland and on to Columbus, being three weeks on the way from New York to Franklin county. In the capital city the father purchased two acres of land, which he devoted to the raising of garden produce, and in addition he performed other labor which he could secure that would sup- plement his income. For thirty years he was a resident of Columbus, and then took up his abode in the home of his son in Clinton township, where he died in the year 1877, at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died in 1879, when about the same age. Both were members of the Lutheran church.
Henry Huy pursued his preliminary education in the schools of Ger- many, where he began his studies at the age of five years. After coming to Ohio he attended the subscription schools of Columbus and acquired a good practical education. He was married in that city to Miss Barbara Rentz, in the year 1850, and unto them have been born seven children, namely : Daniel, Elizabeth, Dora, Henry, Barbara, Abraham and Lena.
In 1870 Mr. Huy and his father purchased one hundred and sixty-two and a half acres, which was but partially cleared, and thereon he has since made his home, becoming one of the prosperous. enterprising and progressive farmers of the community. He is also the owner of city property in North Columbus. He is a molder by trade, and has followed that occupation for eighteen years in Columbus. In 1900 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 14th of February, at the age of sixty-six years. Both she and her husband became members of the Lutheran church in child- hood, and she was a consistent Christian woman. All of the children are also members of the Lutheran church. On matters of public importance Mr.
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