USA > Ohio > Lorain County > A Standard History of Lorain County, Ohio: An Authentic Narrative of the. > Part 36
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After securing his educational training in the public schools, Louis Hadaway went to work with H. M. Andress, who was engaged in the livery business at Elyria, thus early gaining experience in a business in which he was later to win marked success. He remained with Mr. Andress for six years, and then turned his attention to the trade of machinist, in the plant of the National Tube Company, a concern with which he was
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connected for eight years. When he had thoroughly mastered his trade and demonstrated his ability and capacity, he was sent by that company to Cleveland, Ohio, as an inspector, but after two years returned to the mills at Elyria, where he was employed until engaging in business with his brother, George H. In 1902 they bought the livery business of George Bivins, who was located on the present site of the American Theatre, on Broad Street, and from the start the venture was a decidedly successful one. In 1905, finding larger and more up-to-date quarters necessary, they built what is the largest storage building and livery in Lorain County, located at No. 607 Broad Street. Here are kept seventy horses and ten automobiles and automobile trucks, used for hack and transfer service, heavy teaming, moving, etc., with a patronage that extends all over the county. The Hadaway Taxi Company maintains a line of taxicabs, and makes a specialty of furnishing these vehicles for weddings, funerals, touring parties, etc.
Like his brother, Mr. Hadaway is a republican, but also like him his activities in civic life have been confined to an effort to secure good legis- lation and efficient officials. He is an enthusiastic automobilist and a popular member of the Elyria Automobile Club, but finds his greatest recreation, perhaps, in trout fishing. Each summer he spends his vacation in the vicinity of Traverse City, Michigan, and rarely returns without some magnificent specimens to show for his skill in the piscatorial art.
Mr. Hadaway was married October 11, 1899, to Miss Margaret M. Hutchins, who was born and educated at Elyria, where her family were old pioneers. Her parents were Almon and Phoebe (Madison) Hutchins, the former of whom is deceased, while the latter still makes her home at Elyria. Mr. and Mrs. Hadaway are the parents of two sons: Louis Sterling, born June 15, 1901; and Almon Russell, born September 9, 1907, both at Elyria.
JAMES A. HEWITT. As a general contractor and builder Mr. Hewitt has filled an important niche in the business community of Elyria for more than ten years. His record of practical achievement as a builder is a long one, and is unmistakable evidence of his thoroughness and reliabil- ity and his reputation is now such that people entrust to him a task with the complete confidence that it will be fulfilled in both the letter and spirit of the contract and the specifications. Mr. Hewitt was formerly asso- ciated with other firms and partners, but now is in business alone, and his offices are in the Masonic Temple.
A Canadian by birth and of English ancestry, James A. Hewitt was born in the Village of Blyth, Ontario, December 26, 1878, a son of James A. and Annie Elizabeth (Wismer) Hewitt, the former a native of Lon- don, England, and the latter of Jordan, Ontario. They were married in the Town of Oshawa, Ontario. James A. Hewitt, Sr., was about seventeen years of age when he came from England to Canada, and for many years has been a successful contractor and in addition to that business now conducts a planing mill and lumber yard at Beamsville, Ontario, where he and his wife have lived for the past ten years. He was formerly a resident of Grimsby, where he was honored with the offices of mayor and councilman several times. He and his wife were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. All their five children, two sons and three daughters, are living: Mrs. S. S. Russ of Beamsville, Ontario; James A., who is the only member of the family in the United States; Mrs. T. J. Noble, living near London, Canada ; Ethel, at home; and Roy, who is with his father at Beamsville.
James A. Hewitt got into practical activities when little more than a boy, after finishing his education in the common and high schools of
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Grimsby, Ontario. His first work was one year in a printing office, the Grimsby Independent at Grimsby, but he left that to learn the car- penter's trade. He had been doing carpenter work for two years when he met an accident. His right hand was deeply cut by a saw, inflicting a painful if not dangerous wound, and for nearly a year totally incapaci- tated him for further work at his trade. By careful treatment the wound was healed, and only a scar now exists as a memento of the accident. Though unable to work at his trade, he found a situation as conductor and station agent on the H. G. & B. Railway at Grimsby. This position was given him on account of his acquaintance with C. H. Green, who was at that time superintendent of the road. Mr. Green is now superintend- ent of motive power for all the radial lines and city lines running into Hamilton, Ontario. Being once more fit for work, Mr. Hewitt resumed his apprenticeship as a carpenter, and was one of his father's trusted and efficient workmen up to eleven years ago.
Mr. Hewitt came to Elyria from Grimsby, Ontario, in 1904, and for the following two years was foreman with the general contracting firm of Hinkson & Halpin. He was next with F. C. Wolf, general contractor at Elyria, for a little more than a year. . In 1907 he started out for him- self as a general contractor, but in November of the following year formed a partnership, The Halpin & Hewitt Company, general contrac- tors. After a year and a half Mr. Hewitt withdrew from the company, on April 1, 1909, and at that time opened his office as an individual con- tractor in the Masonic Temple. He has since looked after his business alone, and has been highly successful. His specialty in the building line is the construction of residences, and there are now more than a hundred houses in Elyria and vicinity which testify to his ability in this direction, and which represent investments of many thousands of dollars. Some of the notable private homes and other structures which have gone up under his superintendence and with the facilities which he supplies are the following: The A. B. Taylor residence on Washington Avenue; Mrs. Clayton Strauss' home on Washington Avenue; the residences on Colum- bus Street of A. L. Patrick and J. B. Thomas; F. A. Smyth's home on Washington Avenue, and he also built the Charles Flower Block and the Hecock Floral Company's building.
While a young man living in Canada Mr. Hewitt took an active part in politics, but he has not been inclined or has found no time for such matters since locating in Elyria. Fraternally he is best known in Ma- sonic circles, having affiliations with King Solomon Lodge No. 56, Free and Accepted Masons, with Marshall Chapter No. 47, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is past high priest, with Elyria Council No. 86, Royal and Select Masters, Elyria Commandery No. 60, Knights Templar, in which (1916) he is eminent commander, and with Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland. He is also a director and second vice presi- dent of the Elyria Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Elyria Automobile Association. While not members he and his wife attend and give their support to the First Congregational Church.
On November 20, 1901, at Beamsville, Ontario, Mr. Hewitt married Miss Fannie T. Gibson. Her parents Joseph G. and Margaret (McGill) Gibson, were both born in Scotland, and on coming to this country settled in Grimsby, Ontario, from there moved to Olmsted Falls in Cuya- hoga County, Ohio, and died there. Mr. Gibson was foreman of railway bridge construction. It is interesting to note how the destiny of life brought Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt together. She was born in Grimsby, On- tario, in a house next door to where her future husband then lived, but so far as known neither one of them was conscious of the other's exist- ence until years later. When she was one year old her parents took her to Olmsted Falls, Ohio, and she did not return to Canada until an attrac-
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tive young lady of about eighteen, and while at Beamsville she and Mr. Hewitt first came to know each other. A few years after their marriage they came to live in Elyria, which is not far from her girlhood home in the adjoining county in Ohio. Mrs. Hewitt was educated chiefly in the public schools of Olmsted Falls. To their marriage have been born two children : Margaret Frances, whose birthplace was Beamsville, Ontario, and George Phelps, who was born in Elyria. Their home is at 315 Park Avenue. Mr. Hewitt takes his principal recreation in automobiling.
FRANK ALLEN SMITH. A resident of Lorain County most of his life, Mr. Smith's name is associated with various phases of Elyria's commer- cial activities. For nearly twenty years he has been in the real estate and insurance business as his chief line of enterprise, has assisted in the pro- motion and has financial interests in different business concerns, and has identified himself with the organized movements for the general improve- ment of the community. There is hardly any event of importance in the civic and commercial history of Elyria during the past twenty years with which he has not been connected in some public spirited manner. He is now secretary and treasurer of The F. A. Smith & Brother Company, probably the leading concern in Lorain County in the handling of real estate and insurance and surety bonds. The corporation, which has been only recently formed to succeed the former partnership of F. A. Smith & Brother, has offices in the Elyria Block.
He was born in Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio, April 25, 1868, a son of Milo R. and Abigail (Haskell) Smith. His father died at Elyria August 30, 1913, and the mother is still living, her home being in Oberlin. Milo R. Smith was born at Amherst in Lorain County, and his wife is a native of Augusta, Maine, born on the Penobscot River. She came to Lorain County with her mother, locating about 1856 in Oberlin, where she and Milo Smith married. The Smiths came to Ohio from Northern New York, their original seat having been near the head of the Hudson River. Milo Smith spent all his active years as a farmer in Huntington Township in Lorain County. There were six children, four sons and two daughters, all of whom reached maturity and all but one are now living. In order of age the children are: Will M., now president of The F. A. Smith & Brother Company; Edward H., who died in 1884 at the age of twenty-one on the home place in Huntington Township; Margaret, Mrs. L. S. Hazel of Atlanta, Georgia; Frank A .; Mason D., a teacher in the public schools at Elyria; and Minerva, Mrs. Harry Crosier of Pittsfield, Ohio. All the children claim Lorain County as their birthplace, and as children attended the local public schools and all graduates of the Wellington High School. Will and Frank also attended business college in Terre Haute, Indiana, while Mason took his higher instruction in the Ohio Northern University at Ada.
Frank A. Smith graduated from the Wellington High School with the class of 1888, then entered business college at Terre Haute, and fol- lowing his graduation became bookkeeper with J. R. Duncan & Company of that city. A year later he went to Williamsburg, Kentucky, and spent five years with the Kentucky Lumber Company as bookkeeper. Return- ing to his home county, he located in Elyria in 1895, and about a year later engaged in the insurance and real estate business. He shared an office with Clayton Chapman, but did business alone until 1912, when he was joined by his brother Will. Mr. Frank Smith moved from the Chapman office into the old Elyria Block, and was the first tenant in that structure, which subsequently was burned. With the construction of the new Elyria Block he was the first tenant to take possession, and that is still his business home. When his brother Will joined him in the busi-
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ness the firm became known as F. A. Smith & Brother, but in May, 1915, the business was incorporated under the name The F. A. Smith & Brother Company, with Will Smith as president and Frank A. Smith as secretary and treasurer. This company handles surety bonds, fire insurance and city real estate, and is the leader in these lines in Elyria. The firm platted and laid out the Dewey Avenue allotment in Elyria in 1907, and all of that subdivision is practically sold out.
Mr. Frank Smith is a stockholder in the Lorain County Abstract Company. In politics he is a republican, and in many ways has made his influence count for good in the improvement of the community. He served five years continuously as a member of the city council, and dur- ing the first two years represented the Third Ward and in the last three years was councilman at large. He was also city assessor in the Fourth Ward for three successive years.
Mr. Smith is much interested in fraternal affairs, and is affiliated with King Solomon Lodge No. 56, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Elyria; Oriental Commandery of the Knights Templar at Cleveland; Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland; Lake Erie Con- sistory of the Thirty-second Degree at Cleveland; and is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias, the Royal Arcanum, the Tribe of Ben Hur, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Order of the Eastern Star and the National Union in the local bodies at Elyria. He is a working member of the Elyria Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Smith was married to Miss Nell E. Short of Wellington, Novem- ber 4, 1891, and on the same day he also voted for Major Mckinley for governor of Ohio. Mrs. Smith was born in Devonshire, England, and when about two years of age was brought to the United States by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Short. About six years later she lost her father, and her mother had passed away when Mrs. Smith was about six years of age. She was reared and educated principally in Berea, Ohio, and subsequently lived at Wellington until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have a daughter, Esther La Rue, aged twelve, and now attending the grade schools at Elyria.
WILL M. SMITH. The active business career of Will M. Smith covers fully thirty years, and the first half of that period was spent in the lumber industry and for the past fifteen years he has been associated with his brother in the large real estate and insurance firm now known as The F. A. Smith & Brother Company, with offices in the Elyria Block in Elyria.
A native of Lorain County, born at Huntington October 9, 1860, Will M. Smith is a son of the late Milo R. and Abigail (Haskell) Smith. His mother is still living at Elyria. Further particulars concerning the family will be found in the sketch of Frank A. Smith. Reared on a farm, Will M. Smith attended the country schools, also the Wellington High School, and prepared for business by a course in the Terre Haute Busi- ness College of Terre Haute, Indiana. He got into active business life as a sawmill operator, and spent fourteen years in that industry, two years in Huntington and twelve years at Centerton, near Chicago Junction, in Huron County. Having sold out his interests at Centerton he moved to Elyria in September, 1901, and the following summer built his attractive home in that city, performing a large share of the work him- self. In the fall of 1902 Mr. Smith entered into business relations with his brother Frank A. under the firm name of F. A. Smith & Brother. In May, 1915, his business was incorporated as The F. A. Smith & Brother Company, with Will Smith president and his brother secretary-
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treasurer. This company handles surety bonds, fire insurance and city real estate and stands at the top as a reliable agency in these lines. The firm in 1907 platted and laid out the Dewey Avenue allotment in Elyria, and at this writing practically the entire subdivision is sold out.
Mr. Smith takes much interest in fraternal affairs. He is secretary of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen, and has held that office for the past ten years. For the past eight years he has been recording secre- tary of Elyria Lodge No. 103, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of King Solomon Lodge No. 56, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Elyria. He belongs to the Elyria Chamber of Commerce, and in politics a republican, was quite active in local affairs while living at Centerton, in Huron County, serving as a trustee of Norwich Town- ship, as justice of the peace and as school director during his twelve years of residence there. His church is the Methodist Episcopal, and he was treasurer of the Sunday School a number of years up to Janu- ary, 1915.
His first wife was Miss Stella M. Rotson of Spencer, Medina County, Ohio. She died in Elyria in 1901, one month after the family removed to this city. Her only daughter is now Mrs. C. R. Summers of Oberlin. On August 24, 1904, Mr. Smith married Mrs. Nellie White of Chicago Junction. The two children of her former marriage, both now with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, are Dale and Ethel White. Dale White is a young man who has become widely known for his athletic accomplishments. He is fond of all outdoor sports, including basketball, football, and is an expert swimmer. In the spring of 1915 he assisted the local police as expert diver in recovering the body of a small boy who had been drowned, and also swam out and saved the life of a boy whose canoe had been over- turned. He is a graduate of the Elyria High School with the class of 1913 and is a young man of great promise.
HARVEY T. WINCKLES. Two of Elyria's most successful business men are members of the Winckles family, which was originally established in North Ridgeville of Lorain County. The parents of these two men are Thomas and Lucy (Hurst) Winckles, who are now living retired at Elyria. On other pages will be found information concerning them, and also the brother, Carey .T.
Harvey Winckles was born at the homestead in North Ridgeville June 3, 1871. When a boy he attended the district school, also the public schools of Elyria and made himself independently supporting before he was out of his teens.
For a time he and his brother were engaged in farming together. He took great interest in live stock and horses, and at different times owned and handled a number of fine animals.
In 1896 he became actively associated with the Farm Implement Company, of which he is now the head. This company originated as a joint enterprise of the Winckles brothers and four senior associates. These were in turn bought out, while Mr. Robbins retained his interest and remained with them until his death in 1811. Thus the Winckles brothers own most of the stock in the Farm Implement Company, but Harvey T. has all the responsibilities of its management.
The Farm Implement Company is the largest concern of its kind in Lorain County. Besides having a large supply of general hardware, it handles farm machinery, buggies, harnesses, stoves, paints, oils and var- nish, and also has a large trade in field and garden seeds.
Harvey T. Winckles is a director of and largely interested in the Elyria Construction Company, of which his brother is president and manager, and is also one of the directors of the Savings Deposit Bank
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and Trust Company of Elyria. He is a member of the Elyria Chamber of Commerce and of the First Congregational Church.
On December 2, 1896, Mr. Winckles married Miss Lizzie Philpott, a sister of George Philpott, the well known shoe merchant of Elyria. Mrs. Winckles was born and educated in Elyria, is a graduate of the high school, and for about four years prior to her marriage was one of the popular teachers in the public schools of Elyria.
J. HARRY HURST. The proper measure of importance and prosperity for a city is not found in its buildings and other material facilities so much as in its men. In proportion as a community has a group of live and enterprising individuals, it is performing its share of the world's service and is making progress in the right direction. In the nucleus of live and energetic citizens who are the core of Elyria's prosperity, one of the first to deserve mention is J. Harry Hurst. Mr. Hurst was for many years in the employ of the National Tube Company, rising from an humble place in that industry to an executive office. A few years ago he resigned and has since directed the full current of his energies to the business life of Elyria. He is president of its Chamber of Commerce, is identified with a number of local concerns, and is active head and senior member of the firm of The Wilkins-Hurst Company, the largest and oldest furniture and undertaking house in Lorain County.
At their location 382-386 Broad Street, three large floors are filled with an elaborate stock of furniture and rugs, while at 248 Broad Street are located the undertaking parlors, containing a chapel, a morgue, and a show and storage rooms for the largest line of caskets in Lorain County. The company also operates an auto invalid car and has every facility for perfect service.
J. Harry Hurst was born at Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, October 9, 1859, a son of Joseph Lee and Nancy (Jack) Hurst. His father was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and is now living at Mckeesport in that state at the age of seventy-eight. Since 1900 he has continuously held the office of county assessor of real estate. The mother is also still living at the age of seventy-nine. Joseph L. Hurst made a notable record as a soldier in the Civil war, serving as a private in Captain Henry L. Donnelly's Company G of the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania Infantry. He enlisted August 8, 1862, for a term of nine months, and was discharged at the expiration of his term on May 24, 1863, at Harrisburg. He is now a popular member of Colonel Sam W. Black Post, No. 59, Grand Army of the Republic, at Mckeesport. He and his wife are the parents of six sons and three daughters, but the daughters all died in infancy. The six sons are living, and in order of age are named J. Harry, Frank W., Charles F., James Edward, J. Lee Jr., and William B. All except J. Harry live in Mckeesport, are con- nected with the National Tube Company interests in various capacities, as foremen, furnace men, etc., and their homes are so located that all can be with their parents if required in fifteen minutes time. The children were born at different localities in Pennsylvania, but within a radius of 100 miles around Pittsburg.
A short time after the war Joseph L. Hurst had engaged in the dry goods business at Latrobe, but reverses came and the financial stress fell heavily upon his family. J. Harry Hurst was at that time attending the public schools, but soon afterward found it necessary to get into some self-supporting activity. Most of his school attendance was at McKees- port, and it has always been a matter of deep regret with him that he was unable to continue his education as far as he desired. An education he holds one of the greatest advantages man or woman can possess, and with this idea he has been very liberal in securing the best of schooling
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for his own children. When fifteen years of age Mr. Hurst entered the employ of the National Tube Company, and continued with that industry for twenty-seven years. From a position hardly more than that of office boy, he went through many grades of responsibility, had charge of a number of departments, and after the company entered the trust he was transferred from Mckeesport to the treasurer's office in the Frick Build- ing at Pittsburg, where he remained five years, and was then transferred to South Lorain, Lorain County, as chief clerk of tube and pipe depart- ment. This was in March, 1905, and after holding that position two years he resigned, and has since been actively identified with the business community of Elyria.
Mr. Hurst came to Elyria in November, 1907, and secured an interest in what is now the Wilkins-Hurst Company. At the location on Broad Street already named a furniture store has been in business continuously since 1837. Until Mr. Hurst came to Elyria the firm was Ensign & Wilkins. On the death of Mr. Ensign Mr. Hurst bought his interests. Mr. Ensign was at one time a sheriff of Lorain County. The business has since been incorporated as the Wilkins-Hurst Company. Mr. C. H. Wilkins still has an interest in the company, but since 1911 on account of ill health has been obliged to live in Redlands, California, where he looks after an insurance business. Mr. Hurst is now the senior partner and owns the bulk of the stock and is active head of this flourishing business.
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