USA > Ohio > Richland County > A centennial biographical history of Richland county, Ohio > Part 46
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den, and acquired his education in the public schools. At the time of the Civil war Mr. Crum, with patriotic spirit, responded to the nine-months call for troops and enlisted in Company F, Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His time expired two days before the battle of Gettysburg, but he did not resign; feeling that his services were still needed, he entered that fight and was wounded in both legs by a minie ball on the first day of the engagement. After three weeks spent in the hospital he returned home and later received an honorable discharge.
As a companion on life's journey he chose Elizabeth Coble, a daughter of Christian and Mary (Gortnier) Coble, who were among the early settlers of Richland county, and they aided in laying broad and deep the foundation of the present prosperity and progress of this section of the state. In their family were four sons and five daughters, eight of them living. Mr. Crum was married September 28, 1876. In the next spring he erected an elegant residence upon his farm, one mile west of Shelby, and there he and his wife are still living, in the enjoyment of the fruits of their former toil. They have but one child, Franklin Paul, who was born January 25, 1879, and is now married and lives on the old homestead adjoining.
SAMUEL J. COLWELL.
Prominent among the energetic, far-seeing and successful business men of Richland county is the subject of this sketch. His life history most happily illustrates what may be accomplished by faithful and continued effort in carrying out an honest purpose. Integrity, activity and energy have been the crowning points of his success, and his connection with various enterprises and industries have been a decided advantage to this portion of the state, promoting its material welfare in no uncertain manner. As a wholesale and retail dealer in hardware in Mansfield he holds a conspicuous place in commercial circles in the city which is now his home.
Mr. Colwell is a native son of Richland county, his birth having occurred in Lexington September 10, 1859, his parents being Samuel B. and Mary (McIntire) Colwell, both of whom are natives of Pennsylvania. His father was born in Southampton township, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1810, and there grew to manhood and learned the trade of blacksmith- ing, which he followed until his removal to the west in 1830. In that year he came with his father, Samuel Colwell, to Richland county, settling at Lexington, where they were associated in operating one of the first grist- mills in this portion of the state. They carried on business for some time,
yours Very July Samuel Colure
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and afterward the father of our subject engaged in farming near Lexing- ton. Later he removed with his family to Missouri, where also he fol- lowed agricultural pursuits, making his home in that state for about eight years. While there his wife passed away in death, in 1871, and soon after- ward the family returned to Ohio, locating in Mansfield, where the father made his home until his death, which occurred June 23, 1879. He was highly respected for his many good qualities of heart and mind and in his life manifested many of the sterling characteristics of his Scotch lineage. His wife, of Irish extraction, came with her parents to Richland county in 1835. This worthy couple had nine children, three of whom are now deceased.
Samuel J. Colwell, whose name introduces this review, was about four years of age when his parents removed to Missouri, where he gained a com- mon-school education. After the return of the family to Mansfield he secured a clerical position in the employ of A. & E. Thompson, wholesale milliners of this city, and in the employ of that firm he remained for eight years. During the latter part of the time he represented the house as a traveling salesman. For about two years thereafter he was.a traveling sales- man in the employ of W. S. Plummer & Company, wholesale milliners, of Toledo, and later he became a representative upon the road of the suspender industries of Mansfield. This city is known far and wide for its large and successful suspender factories, and for fifteen years Mr. Colwell was a traveling salesman, introducing that line of goods first for one house and then another, the changes in his business connection being induced by the increased salary offered him. He was the first salesman west of Chicago to sell suspenders direct from the manufacturers to the dealers. His territory was large and the volume of business transacted was correspondingly extensive. He was widely and favorably known and his career as a "traveling man" " was a marked success. On the Ist of December, 1899, he engaged in the whole- sale and retail hardware business in Mansfield, under the firm name of the Colwell Hardware Company, and has since enjoyed a steadily increasing trade. He carries a complete and excellent stock of hardware, tools and farm implements, and the business methods and policy which he has fol- lowed have gained for him in a brief period a most excellent reputation in commercial circles.
In 1886 Mr. Colwell was united in marriage to Miss Fannie B. Miller, a daughter of David P. and Harriet (Beverstock) Miller, of Richland county. Our subject and his wife have two sons, namely: David Miller and Jud Allen. The parents and their elder son are members of the Pres- 28
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byterian church, and fraternally Mr. Colwell is connected with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. He is broad in his views, liberal in his judgment, strong in his convictions and earnest in his opinions. His life will bear the closest scrutiny without suffering criticism. Such men leave a lasting impress for good and their histories cannot fail to exert a beneficial influence on the youth of succeeding generations.
SAMUEL SHAFER.
Samuel Shafer, deceased, was identified with the farming interests of Richland county for a number of years, but spent his last days in a well-earned retirement from labor in the city of Bellville. He was truly a self-made man, one who owed his advancement entirely to his own efforts, and by determined purpose and unfaltering labor worked his way steadily upward to a position of affluence. He was born in Jefferson township, August 6, 1817, and was the first child baptized in the Salem Lutheran church. His parents were Adam and Sarah (Kess) Shafer, who came from Bedford county, Pennsylvania, to Jefferson county in 1817, locating in the midst of the forest, within the present site of the city of Bellville.
Amid the wild scenes of the frontier Samuel Shafer was reared, and with the family experienced the hardships and trials of pioneer life when the comforts of civilization were difficult to secure, owing to the isolated condi- tion of the farms and the bad condition of the roads. He assisted in clearing and cultivating his father's land until twenty-seven years of age, when he was married, his wedding day being March 21, 1844, on which occasion Miss Rebecca Durbin became his wife. At her death she left a family of eight children, all of whom reached years of maturity. She passed away May 13, 1872, at the age of forty-five years, and on the 28th of February, 1875, Mr. Shafer was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Mary A. (Lemley) Weaver, who was born August 21, 1845, in Richland county, near Butler, a daughter of Caleb and Mary (Montz) Lemley. Her parents were both natives of Germany and were married in the Fatherland. They had twelve children, eight of whom are deceased, one having died while the parents were crossing the ocean. After reaching the new world they took up their abode in Butler, Ohio, in the midst of the forest, erecting a log cabin, where they spent their remaining days. The father died when about seventy years of age. He was a self-made man and a successful agriculturist. In his political views he was a stanch Democrat, and in his religious connections
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was a German Lutheran. His wife died when about sixty-five years of age, and she, too, was a devoted member of the Lutheran church.
Mrs. Shafer spent her girlhood days in her parents' home and was early trained to the labors of caring for the household. She was first married to David Weaver, a native of Richland county, where he spent his entire life. He survived his marriage only four years. In March, 1875, Mr. and Mrs. Shafer took up their abode on the farm, but the same year removed to Bell- ville, where Mr. Shafer died, on the 17th of November, 1898. His business affairs were energetically prosecuted, and by close application, energy and sound judgment he accumulated a comfortable competence. In politics he was a stanch Republican, but the honors or emoluments of office had no attraction for him. He and his wife held membership in the Lutheran church and his life was in harmony with his professions. His word was as good as his bond, and in all his dealings he was straightforward and honorable, commanding the respect of those with whom he was associated. His widow is a thorough Christian woman, whose many excellencies of character have gained for her a large circle of friends.
CHARLES HENRY HUBER.
In these days, when politics is dominated by business men and managed on business principles, men of business ability are called to places requiring good judgment and experience in affairs of moment, and the line which long practically separated business men from politicians is being rapidly erased and bids fair soon to be entirely obliterated. The office of county recorder is an important one, demanding much of its incumbent and having much to do with the most important affairs of property owners and heirs to estates. In Richland county, Ohio, this office is filled ably and satisfactorily by Mr. Charles Henry Huber, who, while his official duties require his presence in Mansfield, retains his residence in Shelby.
Mr. Huber was born in Shelby, April 21, 1857. His parents were brought from Germany, in 1852, by their parents, and both families settled . at Shelby. At that time his father was sixteen years old, his mother twelve. They advanced to manhood and womanhood and were married and entered upon their life work together at Shelby. Their son, Charles Henry, attended the common and high schools at Shelby, and, having completed his education, engaged in business as a cigar manufacturer, and continued his enterprise with success until he disposed of it, advantageously, in 1899. While direct- ing his energies to that industry he gained an enviable reputation as a relia-
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ble and substantial business man and became so popular with the general public that in 1895 he was elected to the office of recorder of Richland county, a compliment that will be more fully appreciated when it is understood that for twenty-two years no other man not a resident of the city of Mansfield had been called to that responsible position, or, in fact, to a county office in the court house. He was re-elected in 1898, and is now filling his second term. The population of Richland county is fifty thousand, and its taxable property aggregates two million and five hundred thousand dollars; and these figures will afford some idea to the casual reader of the responsibility resting on Mr. Huber in the discharge of his onerous official duties.
From a period antedating his majority Mr. Huber has been actively identified with Democratic politics in Richland county, and he has been a member of the Democratic county and state central committees and has been a delegate to several state conventions. He was elected a member of the Shelby city council in 1893. He is a popular secret-society member, being identified with the Knights Templar, the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen and the Maccabees. He married Miss Rosamond Gates, a daughter of Martin Gates, who was brought to this county by his parents at the age of ten, from New Jersey, and is still living in the county, aged eighty-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Huber have three children, named in the order of their birth Mabel F., Mary L. and Charles F. A lover of home, Mr. Huber spends at his resi- dence in Shelby the little leisure time his office permits.
GEORGE W. STAKE.
The Stake family is one of prominence in Richland county, where a settlement was made by the parents of our subject in early pioneer days. In the work of development and progress when this was a frontier region the father bore his part, and his labors were supplemented by those of his sons. At the time of the Civil war the loyalty of the family was plainly manifest, for the five sons all "donned the blue" and went to the defense of the Union. Few families can show a parallel of this record and it is one of which they have every reason to be proud.
Peter Stake, the father, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, reared upon a farm and was married in the Keystone state. He came to Rich- land county, Ohio, about 1834, purchasing a tract of wild land in Monroe township, which he cleared of timber and transformed into a good farm. He became the owner of a valuable tract of ninety-six acres, but was not long permitted to continue his labors here, his death occurring at the age of thirty-
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six years. He made the journey from Pennsylvania in a one-horse wagon and earnestly took up the labor of subduing the wild land for purposes of civilization. His political support was given the Democracy. His father, Peter Stake, was a native of Germany and when a young man came to the United States, locating in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, where he met with a fair degree of success in his farming operations. He died when eighty- seven years of age. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Caroline Hallman and was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. She was an earnest Christian woman and lived to be sixty-five years of age. She had seven children, and all are now deceased with the exception of George W. and his brother Perry, a farmer living in Kansas.
At the time when the south attempted to overthrow the Union, when men went from the workshops, the fields, the stores and offices to aid in its preservation, the five sons of Mr. and Mrs. Stake joined the army. Andrew J. became a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio In- fantry, and served for over three years. He was captured at Camp Ford, Texas, was held a prisoner for thirteen months and died in the fall of 1871, at the age of thirty-four years. Perry served for four years and three months as a member of the Fourth Missouri Cavalry and his clothing was eight times pierced by rebel bullets. Daniel, who enlisted in the Sixty-fourth Ohio Infantry, was killed after eighteen months' service in an engagement at Stone river. John was a member of the Fourth Missouri Cavalry for four years and four months.
George W. Stake, whose name introduces this review, was born in Mon- roe township, Richland county, September 25, 1838, and his boyhood days were spent on the home farm. He was nine years of age at the time of his father's death, and two years later he began working by the month as a farm hand in Monroe township. During his youth he was also employed in a woolen mill at Newville for two years. On the Ioth of August, 1862, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he responded to the country's call for aid and was assigned to Company H, One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, in which he served for about one year, when he was discharged on account of disability. He participated in the battle of Vicksburg, taking part in the siege for five days and working on the canal there for six days. He was with Sherman's troops at Arkansas Post, where, on the IIth of Jan- uary, 1863, seven thousand prisoners were captured. He was also in a number of skirmishes and after his health failed he was in Van Buren Hos- pital at Milliken's Bend, near Vicksburg, for about two months. He was
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also at Columbus and at Camp Chase Hospital, where he received his dis- charge.
Mr. Stake then returned home and when he had sufficiently recovered he engaged in business by renting a farm in Worthington township, which he operated for five years. On the expiration of that period he purchased the farm which he now owns, and has since made it his home. As a companion and helpmeet on the journey of life he chose Miss Sarah Brubaker, a native of Wayne county, Ohio. She came to Richland county with her parents when fifteen years of age. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Stake has been blessed with four children : Effie M., now the wife of Charles Forbes, of Worthington township ; Samuel Kirkwood, a farmer of the same township; and John Frank- lin and James, who work their father's land:
Mr. Stake owns a valuable tract of a hundred and sixty acres, which is under a high state of cultivation and is improved with all modern accessories, conveniences and buildings, including a beautiful residence which stands as a monument to his thrift and enterprise in former years. He is a stalwart Democrat and has served as a school director, but has always refused to accept other offices. For forty years he has been an active member of Sturges Lodge, No. 357, I. O. O. F., of Butler, and he also belongs to Samuel Bell Post, No. 536, G. A. R., of Butler, while he and his wife hold membership relations with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has held various offices. He has also taken an active part in church work and is a man in whom the people place the utmost confidence. Their trust in him has never been betrayed in the slightest degree and he has many friends in the com- munity.
JOHN SIMPSON, PH. D.
Rising above the heads of the mass there has always been a series of individuals, distinguished above others, who by reason of their pronounced ability and forceful personality have always commanded the homage of their fellow men and who have revealed to the world those two replendent virtues of lordly race,-perseverance in purpose and a directing spirit which never fails. Throughout all the great west have been found men who have marked with deeds the vanishing traces of swift-rolling time and whose names are kept green in the memory of those who have cognizance of their lives and accom- plishments. Such a man was Professor John Simpson, who for twenty years was at the head of the Mansfield schools and placed the educational interests of the city upon the high plane which they now occupy. His work was far-
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reaching in its influence and immeasurable in its benefits, and his strong in- dividuality left the impress for good upon the lives of nearly all with whom he was associated.
Professor Simpson was born in Richland county, on the 26th of June, 1829, his parents being Samuel and Catherine Simpson. His father was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, November 26, 1793, and having arrived at years of maturity he married Catherine Hout, who was born in Martinsburg, Virginia, March 13. 1796. In 1818 the parents removed from Jefferson county to Richland county, Ohio, locating near Petersburg, where they built their first log cabin in the midst of a wilderness which stood in its primeval strength. There the little home stood on a spot within a few feet of the site of the substantial brick residence in which they spent their remaining days in the enjoyment of all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. At the time of their arrival in Richland county there was only one cabin within what is now the corporation limits of Petersburg, and the county seat was a block house surrounded by probably about thirty pioneer cabin homes. The Presbyterians worshiped in a block house and the Simpson family traveled there, a distance of eight miles, making the journey through the wilderness on horseback in order to take part in its services. All the experiences of pioneer life were familiar to them, including the arduous task of developing new land in order to make it productive.
Upon his father's farm John Simpson was reared and assisted him in clearing and cultivating the fields. His early educational privileges were quite limited, and when quite young his father sent him to the Vermillion In- stitute at Hayesville, where he continued his studies for one term. He displayed special aptitude in his school work and manifested a strong desire to improve his scholastic opportunities. After leaving Vermillion Institute he engaged in teaching in the district schools, and thus made and saved money enough to return to the institute, where he continued his studies and at the same time served as a tutor. On leaving Hayesville he removed to Alabama. where he engaged in teaching school for three years. Not content with the privileges he had already enjoyed he next entered Jefferson College, at Can- nonsburg, Pennsylvania, as a member of its senior class and was graduated in 1858. Throughout his entire life he devoted his energies to educational work. On the completion of his collegiate course he taught in an academy at Millersburg, Ohio, and about 1860 he became a member of the faculty in the Vermillion Institute. In a short time he was made the professor of mathematics and astronomy and subsequently became the president of the institution, filling the position with marked ability until 1871, when he accepted
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a call to the principalship of the ungraded schools of Mansfield. In 1873 he was chosen the superintendent of the Mansfield public schools, and for twenty years was in control of the educational interests of this city, filling the posi- tion with rare efficiency and ability, as is indicated by his long connection therewith. He came to the position well equipped as far as education, habits and industry were concerned, but without experience in the direction of managing a graded school, and his task was severe. He had to follow such eminent educators as Professors Henry M. Parker and J. H. Reid, but he entered upon his work with determined purpose, resolved to follow the best methods which he knew and to improve upon these as a result of his experience and observation. His connection with the schools was a period of continuous, persistent and devoted work. He was himself a most diligent student and on scientific questions kept abreast with the most advanced thinkers of the day. He had few equals in mathematics and astronomy, and his knowledge of the higher sciences was comprehensive and exact. As an instructor he was plain, direct and practical and as a disciplinarian he was firm, yet kindly, and his pupils recognized that he had their best interests at heart. The school buildings erected during his administration are objects of the city's pride and stand as monuments to the efforts of Professor Simpson, who made the schools a credit to Mansfield. He attempted to render the course of study as attractive as possible and at the same time of great benefit as a preparation for life's responsible duties. He received the hearty indorsement of the school board and of the citizens in general, and many of the students under his guidance have reason to remember him with gratitude for the aid which he gave to them. His success as an educator gained him prominence among the leading instructors of the state and the proficiency of the Mansfield schools became widely known.
The honorary degree of Ph. D. was conferred upon Mr. Simpson by Wooster University, of Wooster, Ohio.
On the 25th of December, 1862, Professor Simpson was united in mar- riage to Miss Millie J. Stringer, a native of Ashland county, Ohio, and a daughter of Thomas and Harriet (Potts) Stringer. For many years her father was a prominent merchant and business man of Ashland county, con- ducting two mercantile establishments, one of which was located in Ashland, the other in Loudonville. He also had milling interests, and was thus actively identified with industrial affairs. In 1849 he went to California, attracted by the discovery of gold there, and for three years he remained upon the Pacific slope, meeting with excellent success in his efforts as a miner, miller and merchant. In 1852 he returned to Ohio, with the intention of taking his
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family to the west, but his wife objected because her children were so young, and they accordingly determined to remain in this part of the country. Mr. Stringer then again went to California to settle up his business there and two years later, when on the eve of returning to Ohio, he was murdered for his money.
To Professor Simpson and his wife were born three children: Mary Blanche, the wife of Edwin D. Baxter; Helen Augusta, a graduate of Cornell University, who is now completing her education in Europe; and Gertrude, the wife of Charles H. Keating, a prominent attorney at Mansfield. Professor Simpson was a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was also an active representative of the Royal Arcanum, serving for some years as the secretary of Ohio Council, No. 9. He took a deep and active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of Mansfield and withheld his support from no movement or measure which he believed would contribute to the public good. He had faith in its future and pride in its growth and attainments, and when Mansfield was little more than a village he built for himself and family an elegant home in what was then a suburb of the town but is now almost within the heart of the city. He did all in his power to promote the intellectual and moral advancement, and he enjoyed the unqualified regard of Mansfield's citizens. His earnest Christian life led others to have faith in the sovereign power of Christianity, for he daily exemplified his belief in his dealings with his fellow men, and his history is as an open book that all might read.
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