A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III, Part 86

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1106

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order now in process of construction. He is also a member of the Cleveland Ath- letic Club.

To Mr. Hartwell there is no sport equal to driving a good horse. He under- stands horses thoroughly, is a splendid judge of them and is an authority on horseflesh throughout the county. He always has from fifty to one hundred head on hand at a time. Genial in manner, enterprising in his business methods, he is a favorite with his friends and associates and stands well in his locality.

WILLIAM BATES.

William Bates, local sales agent for the Detroit Graphite Company, is one of the progressive young business men of Cleveland, who has worked his way up from the bottom of the ladder. He was born in Birmingham, England, May 8, 1873, a son of Henry and Elizabeth Mary Bates. When he was only three years old the family removed to Kingston, Canada, and there he attended school until he was fourteen years of age.

At that time Mr. Bates entered the employ of John Corbett, a retail hardware merchant of Kingston, Canada, and continued as his clerk for seven years. Leav- ing Mr. Corbett, he entered the employ of John Muckleston & Company, whole- sale hardware merchants as salesman. After three years with this company, he went to New York city to become traveling salesman for Pomeroy & Fisher and continued on the road for five years. Mr. Bates was favorably impressed with Cleveland on his visits to this city and at the expiration of the five years located here as salesman for the Kirk-Latly Company, in 1901 becoming their sales manager. In the eight years which followed he greatly developed the busi- ness and was largely instrumental in placing it on its present footing. In No- vember, 1909, he engaged with the Detroit Graphite Company as local sales manager, which is his present position.

Mr. Bates was married in Cleveland, April 4, 1904, to Miss Shepard, and they have a little two-year old daughter, Alice Gloria. The family residence is at No. 8315 Detroit avenue. Mr. Bates is a republican, but while supporting the party with his vote and influence he does not take an active part in public mat- ters. The family are Episcopalians in religious belief. Mr. Bates is a thoroughly up-to-date business man, who is constantly trying to improve the service of the company and to develop new territory. His live and progressive methods have met with hearty commendation from his associates and competitors.

IRA S. GIFFORD.

The material development of any locality is largely governed by the progress achieved by its representative business men. It is according to their efforts that progress is made. Through them is new blood infused, additional capital em- ployed and labor required. The history therefore of all communities is after all but the record of the lives of the men who compose it. In reviewing the develop- ment of Cleveland therefore it is interesting to trace the influence of the men and the concerns that have controlled its progress. Among those thus represen- tative is Ira S. Gifford, who, belonging to the younger generation, has always taken a very important part in certain lines of industrial activity.

He was born January II, 1874, a son of Edwin S. and Harriet J. (Searles) Gifford. His father was born in 1830 in New York state, but later moved to Connecticut, where he lived about fifty years, following the trade of carriage- making. The Gifford family is an old one in the east and its representatives are

WILLIAM BATES

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to be found in New York and Connecticut, but it originated in England. Mrs. Gifford was born in 1841 in Connecticut and still lives in that state.

Ira S. Gifford was born in Stamford, Connecticut, and was there educated in the public schools. Not content with the opportunities offered there, the young man came to Cleveland upon leaving school and entered the employ of the King Bridge Company, remaining in their general offices for four years. For the follow- ing eighteen months he was on the road as a salesman for the same concern. Leav- ing them in 1897 Mr. Gifford engaged with the Forrester Plaster Company as manager of the Cleveland branch of their business and for seven years he looked after their interests in an able manner. Severing his connections with that com- pany, in 1904 he formed a partnership with Mr. Tarbet as Tarbet & Gifford and this association was only terminated by the death of the senior member of the firm in April, 1909. Mr. Gifford bought the interests of the other heirs and since then has continued alone. The business has spread over all of Ohio and the sur- rounding states and contracts are handled of immense magnitude. The house contracts for extensive lathing and plasturing and the growth of the business has been a steady and healthy one, its success being founded upon real merit.

Mr. Gifford is also interested in the Cleveland Building Supply Company and several other houses in his line of business and they are all benefited by his con- nection with them for he is recognized as a keen, capable man whose grasp of affairs is comprehensive. He is also a director of the Builders Exchange of Cleveland.

In 1895 Mr. Gifford married Emma Tarbet, who was born in Cleveland. He is a Royal Arch Mason. Politically he is a republican but is in no sense a politi- cian. He is a man of sound, reliable and practical judgment and unquestioned integrity, is a good manager and a friend of progress, championing and adopting any changes in his business which he is convinced will improve his work or benefit his customers.

W. F. ROTHLISBERGER.

Some of the leading concerns in the country are located at Cleveland be- cause of the superior facilities there afforded for production and transportation. One of these is the Ohio Baking Company, bakers of bread, biscuit and crackers, established in 1884, with immense plant at No. 1506 Superior avenue, North- east. The general manager of this company, William F. Rothlisberger, is largely responsible for much of the prominence obtained in recent years by this concern.

Mr. Rothlisberger was born in New Martinsville, West Virginia, November 23, 1871, and is a son of Peter and Mary Rothlisberger. The father was born in Switzerland, January 3, 1832, but came to America at the age of sixteen years and was employed in a tannery at Wheeling, West Virginia, for two years. For many years, however, he was a farmer and became prominent in his com- munity, being deputy surveyor and treasurer at the time of his death in 1897.

After attending the public schools until he was seventeen, W. F. Rothlis- berger was a teacher for two years, following which he went to Pittsburg and entered the employ of the R. B. Ward Baking Company. For six months he was engaged in general work by them and then returned to Wheeling, West Virginia, and traveled for Edward Wagener, a cheese manufacturer. After a year on the road for this house he traveled for two and one-half years for the Neill Grocery Company. Leaving the road, he returned to Pittsburg and did general work for Ward & Mackey Company for six months, when in 1895 he went on the road for the firm and was their traveling salesman until 1900. He was then made manager of the Wheeling branch, thus continuing until May I, 1905. when he and Mr. Ward came to Cleveland and bought the Ohio Baking Company. When they became the proprietors the firm was losing twenty-five

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thousand dollars a year. At the close of their first year their books showed a profit of five thousand and since then the sales have increased with marvelous rapidity. Employment is given to two hundred and fifty people and thirty-six wagons are required to make deliveries.

On May 14, 1900, he was married in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Miss Richardson, a daughter of William Richardson, who was stage manager for the Court Theater for three years but is now retfred and makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Rothlisberger at No. 11118 Superior avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Rothlis- berger have two children : Helen, eight years old, who is attending public schools and already displays a remarkable talent for music; and William, six years old, who is also in school.

Mr. Rothlisberger is a Master Mason and belongs to the Elks, the Cleveland Commercial Travelers Association and the United Commercial Travelers Associa- tion. He is extremely fond of all outdoor sports, especially automobiling and golf. In politics he is a republican and in religious faith an English Lutheran. The record of his life shows how much can be accomplished provided a man is willing to discharge whatever duty lies at his hand and to ambitiously work up- ward and onward.

CHARLES S. PENNINGTON.

Charles S. Pennington is an architect of considerable local prominence, long connected with building operations in this city. He was, as it were, "to the manner born" inasmuch as his father, Alexander W. Pennington, was connected with building operations, and under his direction the son received his preliminary training. His birth occurred in Rochester, New York, June 26, 1863. The family was established in Cleveland about thirty-eight years ago when Alexander W. Pennington removed from the Empire state to Ohio. He was born in New Jersey in 1833, but when a youth of twelve years went to New York with his parents and twelve years later became a resident of Rochester, where he met and married Miss Sarah A. Speer. He was engaged in carpentering and con- tracting for fifteen years and was closely associated with important work in that city. He afterward removed to Ohio and spent a year in Painesville in the contracting business, after which he came to Cleveland taking up his abode on South Water street. Here he continued in the same field of business and by hard work, industry and determination he became recognized as one of the leading contractors of the city, having an extensive patronage that was indicative of his skill, ability and business probity. His political allegiance was given to the democracy and in all matters of progressive citizenship he took a deep interest and in many affairs of public moment cooperated. He died in October, 1908. Unto him and his wife were born six children: Adelbert D., who is the president of the Pennington Metal Washer Strip Company and resides in Cleveland; Fan- nie ; Charles S., of this review; Arthur J .; Harry W., who is with the Otis Lithograph Company and makes his home in this city ; and Walter W., who is a mining engineer of Montana.

Charles S. Pennington acquired his early education in the public schools of Rochester and following the removal of the family to Cleveland continued his studies in the public and high schools here. He was but ten years of age when he arrived in this city and at the age of eighteen he left school to take up the more difficult lessons in the school of experience. He at once began work for his father, who was conducting a successful contracting business, and while his days were devoted to that work he gave his evening hours to the mastery of architecture. He remained with his father for fifteen years, gaining not only practical experience in every department of carpentering but also bringing into play his skill as an architect in making many plans and designs. He afterward

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entered into partnership with M. M. Gleichman, but later severed that associa- tion and opened an architect's office on his own account. He has since continued in the business alone and his success is of a character that indicates his thorough understanding of the profession and his practical, excellent and approved work in that direction.

On the 30th of November, 1899, Mr. Pennington was married to Miss Mary E. Evans, who died sometime ago, leaving a daughter, Mary A. Pennington. In April, 1904, Mr. Pennington was again married, his second union being with Ida Jenny, a daughter of John C. and Elizabeth (Trimpy) Jenny. Their three children are Elsbeth, Charles Frederick and Howard.

Mr. Pennington is independent in politics. He does not consider that all the principles of good government are embodied in one platform and he casts his ballot as his judgment dictates. He belongs to the West Side Chamber of In- dustry and is interested in all of its projects for the improvement and develop- ment of that section of the city. He is fond of automobiling and .all outdoor sports and in those ways finds relief from the cares of business life. While he is winning success his business is growing, therefore making greater demands upon his time, yet he finds interest in the solution of intricate professional prob- lems and has ever merited the liberal patronage which is given him.

JACOB JOHN WIDLAR.

Cleveland has long since been regarded as an important center of the iron industry with all of its kindred and allied interests. It is in this special field of labor that Jacob John Widlar puts forth his energy and seeks in new fields the expansion of trade for the American Range & Foundry Company, of which he is the president. Through all of his business career he has been connected with the iron working interests of this section of the country and in his personal rela- tion is extending his efforts in keeping with the modern ideas of trade.

He. was born in Cleveland, May 12, 1841, and is a son of Jacob Widlar, whose birth occurred in Germany about 1812. He came to America in 1835, settling first in Cleveland, where he engaged in the blacksmithing business, con- ducting the Eagle Blacksmith Shop on St. Clair street hill. He was thus closely associated with the early industrial development of the city and so continued until his death in 1857. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Bilz, was also a native of Germany, but they were married in Cleveland in 1836. They reared a family of nine children: Catherine, the wife of Frank Myers; Jacob J .; Phillip, now deceased; Mary, the wife of William Furst; Carrie, the wife of Fred Brand; Francis, deceased; Louisa, now Mrs. William Hofer; Leonard, who has passed away but is survived by his wife; and John, who is an agent in Cleveland.

Jacob John Widlar was educated in the St. Clair street public school and the Academy school. After putting aside his text-books he became connected with the Leader Printing Company as press boy, remaining there for two years. Subsequently he was in the employ of Silas Merchant, a foundryman, and af- terward with P. P. Myers, under whom he completed his trade, having de- voted four years to the thorough mastery of the business in principle and de- tail. He next became foreman and manager of the Cleveland Cooperative Stove Company and was connected therewith for thirty-two years, being foreman of the foundry and general manager of the manufacturing department. In 1868 he was admitted to a partnership in the business and still retains his interest in that company. In 1903 he organized the American Range & Foundry Company, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars and was chosen its first president and one of its directors. His previous long and varied experience well qualified him for this position of executive control and the enterprise has been placed on a

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very substantial basis and has every indication of continued future growth. He is also a director of the Aurora Mineral Land & Lead Company of Cleveland. He was the founder of the Cooperative Stove Company, which has grown to be one of the city's important manufacturing institutions.

In 1864 occurred the marriage of Mr. Widlar and Miss Fredricka Fisher. There was one son of this marriage, Frank, now deceased, and the mother died in 1865. In 1872 Mr. Widlar was again married, his second union being with Miss Florentine Bluim. Mrs. Widlar is very active in the charities of the city, taking great interest in the work for the unfortunate. By her marriage she has become the mother of five children: Florinda, who was educated in the public and Central high schools and is a teacher in the Sibley school; Mayme, who was a student in the public schools until she completed the Central high school course; Katherine, who was similarly educated; Jessie I., a graduate of the Central high school; and Norman R., who was graduated from the Central high school in 1904 and is now manager for the American Range & Foundry Company. The family home, at what is now 6816 Cedar avenue, Southeast, was erected by Mr. Widlar in 1894 and has since been occupied by the family.

Mr. Widlar exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and meas- ures of the republican party but the honors and emoluments of office have no attraction for him. He finds his chief recreation in travel and spends much of his leisure in reading, having a very complete and well selected library.

ADOLPH BENEDICT SCHNEIDER, M. D.

Dr. Adolph Benedict Schneider, who stands as one of the prominent repre- sentatives of homeopathy in Cleveland, well known as a practitioner and edu- cator, was born December 31, 1866, at Dunkirk, New York. His father, Bene- dict Schneider, a watch-maker, married Marie Abrecht, the daughter of a promi- nent Swiss educator. Both parents were natives of Switzerland and in the year 1865 came to the United States.

In the public schools of his native town Dr. Schneider pursued his educa- tion, after which he engaged in watch-making, being thus associated with his father until he took up the study of medicine. In 1891 he came to Cleveland and entered the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical College, completing a three years' course by graduation with the class of 1894, at which time his Doctor of Medi- cine degree was conferred upon him. He at once entered upon the private tice of medicine in Cleveland and has so continued save for the periods which he lias spent in further study. In 1900 he pursued post-graduate work in Phil- adelphia and New York and in 1904 studied in Berlin and Vienna, devot- ing special attention to diagnosis and diseases of the chest. He has carried his investigation far in the realms of medical knowledge, and scientific research has brought him comprehensive understanding of the correct principles of health and the treatment of disease. In 1894 he was appointed assistant demonstrator of anatomy in the Cleveland Medical College and throughout the years of his connection with the profession has done excellent work in educational lines. From 1895 until 1897 he lectured on physical diagnosis and from 1896 until 1898 filled the position of demonstrator of anatomy. In the latter year he was elected professor of anatomy, which chair he filled until 1900, and was then elected professor of physical diagnosis and clinical medicine, which chair he still occupies. For two years, from 1901 until 1903, he was also registrar of the college. He has been visiting physician of the Cleveland Homeopathic Hospital and the Cleveland City Hospital for a number of years and has been chief of the department of diseases of the chest in Good Samaritan Dispensary for the past ten years. He keeps in touch with the onward march of the profession through his membership in the American Institute of Homeopathy, the Homeo-

DR. A. B. SCHNEIDER

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pathic Medical Society of Ohio and the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical So- ciety. He has been an occasional contributor to the current literature of the profession and has presented papers before various societies. He is also a mem- ber of the Cleveland Medical Library Association and for several years was secretary of the Alumni Association of the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical College.

On the 12th of December, 1906, at Springfield, Massachusetts, Dr. Schneider was married to Miss Ila Roberts, a daughter of Dr. O. W. Roberts, of that city. Mrs. Schneider is a graduate of Smith College, is an accomplished musi- cian and is active in the social and musical circles of Cleveland. She is a de- scendant of Thomas Dudley, second colonial governor of Massachusetts, and her ancestors were active in the colonial and the Revolutionary wars. Dr. and Mrs. Schneider hold membership in the Pilgrim Congregational church. In politics Dr. Schneider is republican in principle but does not feel himself bound by party ties and votes independently if he deems such a course wise. His attention is principally given to his professional duties which are onerous and important and his ability and close adherence to a high standard of professional ethics have gained for him the unqualified regard of his colleagues as well as of the general public.

WILLIAM GEORGE EBERSOLE, M. D., D. D. S.

This is an age of progress and America is the exponent of the spirit of the age. No other country has made as great advancement in the lines of science and mechanical invention and the superiority of her invention has been widely recog- nized. In this steady growth and development which has characterized the age the science of dentistry has kept pace with the general progress, and among the members of the profession in Ohio Dr. Ebersole occupies a prominent position.

He is a native of Carrollton, Carroll county, Ohio, born November 18, 1864, the eldest son of John E. and Nancy (Lyons) Ebersole and a descendant of one of the pioneer families of that section. The first representative of the name in Ohio came from Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and settled near Carrollton. John Ebersole, the grandfather of Dr. Ebersole, was for a number of years asso- ciate judge of the common pleas court of Carroll county. John E. Ebersole, the father, now a retired farmer and stock dealer, is one of the leading citizens of Carrollton and active in all movements for the general good and welfare of the community.

Dr. Ebersole was born in Carrollton, where his parents lived until he was two and one-half years of age, when they moved to a farm. It was there that he spent his boyhood days and early learned the lessons of industry and application -prominent characteristics of the man today. His education was acquired in the grammar and high schools at Carrollton, and during the summer seasons for eight years, beginning when he was sixteen years of age, he was superintendent of a brick plant, having charge of a number of men all older than himself. De- sirous of obtaining a better education than was hitherto afforded him, he spent three winters in the Ohio Normal University at Ada, Ohio, his labor providing the funds necessary for tuition and other expenses. Following this he took up the study of law, spending a year and a half in the office of Fimple & Holder at Carrollton; but, his health was undermined by his physical exertions to earn means to take him through school and he was obliged to abandon his law studies for the time. He accepted a position as traveling representative for Dr. George Graham, of Carrollton, founder of the Graham Anaesthetic Company, introducing a pioneer preparation to the dental and medical profession shortly after the dis- covery of the anaesthetic properties of cocaine. Five years were spent on the road and it was while thus engaged that a knowledge of the antipathy of the laity

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toward dental operations and their attendant suffering was acquired. He learned that many people were giving their teeth and mouth absolutely no attention, either from the hygienic or dental standpoint except to have a tooth extracted when it ached. The knowledge of these conditions gave Dr. Ebersole the idea of develop- ing what he called humanitarian dentistry and led him to believe that he could do more for humanity in this way than in the legal profession. He therefore gave up the study of law and turned his attention to the development of the idea which had taken possession of him.

In 1892 Dr. Ebersole entered the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, pursuing courses in both the medical and dental departments, and although com- pelled to leave college for one year on account of ill health, he carried on and completed six years' work in four years, being graduated from the dental depart- ment May 19, 1896, and the medical department May 18, 1897.

On the Ist of October of the latter year he began the practice of dentistry in the Permanent building and two and one-half years later he moved to the new Rose building, paying the first office rent in that structure. When the Schofield building was first projected he filed an application for rooms four years before the ground was broken or work commenced. He was mainly instrumental in having two floors in this building set aside for physicians and dentists. In both buildings he was very active in having gas and compressed air installed for the use of the professions ; and more recently he has been agitating the erection of a building for the exclusive use of the dental and medical professions. In the fall of 1897, a few months after graduation, Dr. Ebersole was appointed demonstra- tor of operative dentistry in the Dental College of Western Reserve University. He continued in this capacity for about two and one-half years, having charge of the surgical and anaesthetic departments. In 1898 and 1899 and a part of 1900 he was lecturer on oral surgery in the same institution, and so far as is known was the first to require students to become thoroughly familiar with dental anaesthet- ics, making it obligatory for every graduate to have thorough experience in the administration of nitrous-oxide gas and in the work of operating under its influence.

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III, Part 86

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1106

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1106