USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut > Part 39
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In December, 1916, Mr. Girl became the organizer of the Standard Parts Company, which succeeded the Perfection Spring Com- pany, and at the same time acquired the prin- cipal assets of the Standard Welding Com- pauy, since which time it has acquired the Boek Bearing Company of Toledo, and has complete negotiations to take over the Western Spring and Axle Company, consisting of seven plants in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, and other properties, also of the very best in their lines, which will give further diversity to the product of the Standard Parts Company, mak- ing it the world's leading producer of springs, rims, heaters, tubing, axles, bearings, brake rods, etc. The officers of the company include Christian Girl, president : P. A. Connolly, for- mer secretary of the Perfection Spring Com- pany and widely known for his marked ability in reference to credits and collections, secre- tary; T. E. Borton, former treasurer of the Perfection Springs Company and a member of the firm of Borton & Borton, underwriters of the highest grade of securities, treasurer ; F. F. Prentiss, vice president of the Cleveland Twist Drill Company and connected with other leading business enterprises, first vice president ; and E. W. Farr, chairman of the board of the Barkwill-Farr Brick Company, second vice president. The board of directors include the following: H. P. McIntosh, Sr., president of the Guardian Savings & Trust Company of Cleveland ; H. P. McIntosh, Jr., vice president of the Guardian Savings & Trust Company ; C. C. Bolton, assistant treas- urer of the Bourne-Fuller Company ; Arnold II. Goss, of Detroit, a director of the Chevrolet Motor Company; and Benjamin A. Gage,
senior member of the law firm of Gage, Day, Wilkin & Wachner, of Cleveland.
Christian Girl was married at Cleveland, in September, 1909, to Miss Hittie Schottler, and enjoys the pleasures of his home, which he never allows to mix with his business. His hobby is found in the management of his farm at Madison, and he is well known in club and social life, belonging to the Union Club, the Cleveland Athletic Club, the Detroit and Toledo Country Clubs, and the Society of Au- tomobile Engineers.
BURT A. MILLER. Few men engaged in the bond and surety business have had a broader or more varied experience than Burt A. Miller, who is now conducting operations along this line at Cleveland, where he is well known in business and professional circles. He is a well qualified lawyer and as a citizen has been prominent in a number of movements which have benefited the city commercially and in other ways.
Mr. Miller was born at Canton, Ohio, March 17, 1871, a son of William K. and Sarah (Bur- well) Miller, both now deceased. His father was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, of Eng- lish parentage and his mother at Niles in Trumbull County, Ohio. She was a first cousin of the late President William Mc- Kinley. The Burwell family occupied while living at Niles a double house, one-half by the Burwells and the other by the MeKinley family. William K. Miller was for many years engaged in the manufacture of reapers and mowers and threshing machines, having a long and active connection with the firm of Russell & Company of Massillon, Ohio, and later with the Peerless Reaper Company of Canton. He originated many inventions ap- plied to reaping and mowing machinery, in- eluding what is known as the Hinge bar.
Burt A. Miller was educated in the public schools of Canton, also attended Cornell Uni- versity, and was graduated from the Cincin- nati Law School in May, 1895. For a time he practiced law with the firm of Miller & Pomerene of Canton. This firm consisted of the late Charles R. Miller and Hon. Atlee Pomerene, present United States Senator.
In 1897 in addition to practicing law Mr. Miller became agent for the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company of Balti- more, a surety corporation then just or- ganized. For several years Mr. Miller was second lieutenant in the Eighth Regiment, Ohio National Guard. At the outbreak of the
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Spanish-American war he assisted in the or- ganization of another regiment which was not called into the field. During the winter of 1898-99 he went to Cuba and was one of the pioneers in the surety bond business, organiz- ing it when the flag went up for the first American occupation. He remained in Cuba until the fall of 1901. While there he pre- pared the Insurance Deposit Law under which all foreign insurance companies do business in Cuba. This law fixes the amounts of their deposits to be made with the treasurer of Cuba.
On leaving the island Mr. Miller came to Cleveland in 1901 and for three years was connected with the organization of the Bankers Surety Company. The surety bond business has been his chief business ever since and he is now manager at Cleveland for the New Amsterdam Casualty Company of Bal- timore. He is also vice president of the Surety Association of Cleveland.
The only secret society to which Mr. Miller belongs is Canton Lodge of Masons. He is a Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a member of the Cleveland Athletic Club, the Cleveland Cham- ber of Commerce, and the Cleveland Rotary Club. He is Presbyterian by adoption.
At Canton December 27, 1899, Mr. Miller married Miss Jane Rabe, daughter of Thomas H. and Josephine S. Rabe. Her parents still live in Canton, her father being president and treasurer of the Canton Malleable Iron Com- pany. To their marriage have been born two children : Thomas Rabe Miller, now a student in University School; and Jane Katherine Mil- ler, a student at Laurel School.
WALTER S. LISTER. While the words at- torney at law still follow his name on the door of his offices in the Williamson Build- ing, Walter S. Lister has for a number of years been less known as a lawyer and more as a business man with interests and increasing responsibilities not only in Cleveland but in various sections of the United States.
His is the case of a young man of restricted opportunities who gets a liberal education out of rather than in school, and proves him- self a man of affairs by hard work in different fields.
Walter Scott Lister was born at Windham, Iowa, March 3, 1871. His parents, Rev. James and Margaret (Mackenzie) Lister, were both born in Cumberland County, England, were married there in November, 1861, came to this country in 1865, and are now living retired
at Cleveland. These good people had a large family of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, and the vitality that has carried the parents to advanced years is also shown in their children since eleven of them are still living, and it was an accident which caused the death of the other child. In order of age the children are noted briefly as follows: Mrs. E. P. Coulter, of Spokane, Washing- ton; Thomas, of Cleveland; Mrs. Charles Lawrence of Canton, Ohio; Mrs. J. M. Groff of North Lawrence, Stark County, Ohio; Walter S .; Albert F., also of Cleveland ; Charles H., of Minneapolis; George W., of Hudson, Ohio; Nettie, wife of Rev. W. S. Lake of Miles City, Montana; William J. of Cleveland ; Ida May, who died in childhood ; Elsie M. wife of J. S. Ross of Northport, Washington. The two eldest were born in England, and the others were born in Ohio except Walter S. and Albert F., both natives of Iowa.
Walter Scott Lister was educated in the public schools of Ohio, but had only thirty- three months of schooling all told. At twelve years of age he entered the coal mines in the famous Massillon District, continuing at this work for three years; thereafter, and until he reached his majority, by farm labor, carpentry or machine shop employment, he helped bear the burden of maintaining the family of younger children, but, throughout these years of toil, in all his leisure hours he kept up his studies, and made the best of every opportun- ity. After reaching his majority he attended Denison University for a short time.
When only a boy Mr. Lister developed a passion for the study of law, and while earn- ing his living at Cleveland he studied under Cleveland lawyers until, in June. 1895, he was admitted to the Ohio bar. He then be- gan practice in this city; but gradually his time and energies were taken away from the strict lines of his profession and more and more have been absorbed hy business affairs. In the past five years he has given almost his entire time to the business of certain cor- porations at Cleveland and elsewhere.
- Mr. Lister is a director, secretary and treasurer of The C. O. Bartlett & Snow Com- pany of Cleveland: director, secretary and treasurer of Cobwell Corporation, of Cleve- land : director of the Pacific Reduction Com- pany of Los Angeles; director and secretary of The C. Masek Glne & Reduction Company, of Cleveland.
Mr. Lister is a Wilson democrat, a mem-
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ber of the Cleveland Athletic Club, Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, and of the Congrega- tional Church of Twinsburg, Ohio.
Since 1908 Mr. Lister has made his home in that noted old Western Reserve community with its New England spirit and people, Twinsburg, Ohio. When in 1917 Twinsburg prepared to celebrate the one hundredth anni- versary of its founding, Mr. Lister was placed at the head of a committee to plan the cele- bration. He developed the idea of producing a pageant illustrative of the town's history. There were 355 persons taking part. The ob- ject and purpose of the pageant may be briefly described by quoting from the "Book of the Pageant" written by Miss S. Gertrude Had- low, Pageant Director :
"A community pageant is the history of a town presented in dramatic form by the citi- ens of the town, their wives and children. Its object is to revive and maintain a memory of the past and, by honoring the worthy men of earlier days, to awaken civic pride. It is neither a theatrical nor spectacular perform- ance. It is a simple straightforward story of the life of a typical agricultural community. It is performed by them in a spirit of rever- ence and must be so received by those who watch its enactment."
Mr. Lister has been largely instrumental in effecting improvements in many conditions affecting the lives of the people of Twinsburg, such as telephone service, water system, elec- tric lighting, the centralization of schools, the organization of a public library, and along other lines, and both he and his wife have identified themselves thoroughly with the so- cial spirit and civic life of that wholesome com- munity.
On May 18, 1898, Mr. Lister married Miss Minnie Frances Bartlett, daughter of Charles O. and Emma R. (Snow) Bartlett. Her parents now reside at the old Snow home- stead at Brecksville, where Mrs. Lister was born.
In 1904 Mr. Lister had the leading part in organizing the Glen Valley Club of Brecks- ville, which has since become one of the notable organizations of its kind in Northern Ohio, and has developed for country club purposes a beautiful site of about two hundred acres.
Mr. Lister now owns a country home and farm of about a hundred acres at Twinsburg. MIrs. Lister is a member of the Woman's City Club of Cleveland, and for the past six years has been a member of the Board of Education
of Twinsburg and has done much for the cause of education in that locality. The four chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Lister, all born at Cleve- land, are : Walter Bartlett, who, in January, 1918, while a junior in Denison University and at eighteen years of age, enlisted in the 135th Field Artillery; Alice Fay, now in high school at Twinsburg; Fanny Snow and James Mackenzie.
A. E. GOLDHAMER. An active business career preceded Mr. Goldhamer's entrance into the legal profession where he has been making for himself unusual opportunities and has gained distinet prestige as one of the able members of the Cleveland bar. He has offices in the Cuyahoga Building and is engaged in general practice. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1912 and has also been admitted to practice in the United States Court.
Mr. Goldhamer was born at Cleveland August 1, 1877, a son of Max and Lena (Kel- ler) Goldhamer. Both parents were born in Hungary, were married there, and came to the United States after the birth of two chil- dren, in 1874. In Hungary Max Goldhamer was a school teacher and also for a time was superintendent of a coal mine. In Cleveland he engaged in business as a metal manufac- turer and plater and conducted one of the leading establishments of that kind for many years. He died April 10, 1907, his widow still living. They had a family of six sons and one daughter, the latter dying in infancy. All the sons are alive and all residents of Cleveland except William N., whose home is in Chicago but who is in business as a manu- facturer of stoves and ranges at Benton, Illi- nois. The other sons are: L. D., a dry goods merchant on St. Clair Avenue; J. W., pro- prietor of The Cleveland Platers Supply Com- pany ; Samuel, secretary of the Federation of Jewish Charities ; and Joseph, an oil salesman. Max Goldhamer was founder of the Jewish Orphans Home at Cleveland, and his widow is now treasurer of that organization and more than thirty years ago she also founded the Austria-Hungarian Woman's Charitable As- sociation of Cleveland.
A. E. Goldhamer received a limited edu- cation in the Cleveland public schools and as a hoy went to work in his father's factory, known as the Buckeye Plating Works. That was twenty-five years ago and the old shop stood on Sheriff Street, now East Fourth
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Street. He continued to work in that estab- lishment for about ten years and subsequently for eight years was in the grocery business with his brother-in-law under the name P. H. Unger Company at 2108 St. Clair Avenue.
While he had no reason to be dissatisfied with his success in business Mr. Goldhamer's real ambition was for other lines of activity. He took up the study of law, attending the night school of the Cleveland Law School and graduated in 1912 with the degree LL. B. While attending law college he also wrote life and fire insurance policies and thus paid his expenses. After his admission to the bar he opened his office in the Cuyahoga Building, and has always practiced alone. He is a mem- ber in good standing of the Cleveland Bar Association, is a member of the City Club, Civic League, Cleveland Lodge No. 18 Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, and of Euclid Avenue Temple.
Mr. Goldhamer and family reside at 957 Parkwood Drive. When not busied with the cares of his profession he gets his favorite recreation in hunting and motoring. On Feb- ruary 23, 1902, he married Miss Jennie Unger, who was born at Zanesville, Ohio, daughter of P. H. and Lottie Esther (Newman) Unger. She received most of her education in the Zanesville public schools. Mrs. Goldhamer is a member of the Temple League of Cleve- land. They have two children : Eleanor Frances and Milton S., both born at Cleveland and both now attending high school.
ORIEL D. ESHELMAN, head of the law firm Eshelman, Barnes & Richmond, in the Ameri- can Trust Building, began practice at Cleve- land in 1910. There was no period of waiting for clients in his case, and from the first hc has been enjoying a good living practice and has acquired many influential interests both as a lawyer and business man. Good sound ability coupled with hard work has been re- sponsible for his rapid advancement.
Mr. Eshelman was born in Ashland, Ohio, May 20, 1884, a son of David and Harriet (Landis) Eshelman. His parents were both born in Ohio, his father at Congress and his mother at Albion. The mother died in 1892 and the father is now living with his son Oriel. The Eshelman family traces its origin back to Switzerland. The first American was Hen- rich Eshelman, who came from Switzerland in 1719 and settled near Lancaster, Pennsyl-
vania. His relationship to O. D. Eshelman of Cleveland is best stated as grandfather of the latter's grandfather. Mr. Eshelman's grand- father was Rev. Joseph Eshelman who came from Pennsylvania and was one of the pioneer settlers of Wayne County, Ohio. He was an early day preacher and circuit rider of the Dunkard Church and also filled the office of presiding elder in that church.
David Eshelman spent his active career as a farmer. From Wayne County he moved to Sullivan, Ohio, operated a saw mill there for several years, also lived at Ashland, and finally returned to Wayne County where he had his home until 1894. In 1895 he came to Cleveland and has since lived with his son in this city. His wife's people were the Lan- dis, Berry and Fast, all well known families of Ashland County. David Eshelman and wife were married at Ashland and were the parents of five daughters and one son : Mrs. Earl L. Stafford of Rocky River ; Miss Lavina Eshelman of Ashland; Mrs. James Fish, who died at Cleveland in 1906; Mrs. Adam Rum- banghı of Lodi, Ohio; Mrs. James L. Wilson of Rocky River; and Oriel D.
Oriel D. Eshelman, the youngest of his father's family, was educated in the public schools of Ashland, took his preparatory work in the Wallace College at Berea and in 1908 graduated Bachelor of Science from the Ohio Northern University at Ada and in the follow- ing year completed the law course and re- ceived the LL. B. degree. Mr. Eshelman was admitted to the bar in June, 1909. While at Ohio Northern he was active in debating socie- ties and was president of the Adelphia Literary Society. He began practice at Cleve- land in 1910.
Mr. Eshelman in Masonry is affiliated with Dover Lodge No. 489 Free and Accepted Masons, Mount Olive Chapter No. 189 Royal Arch Masons, Forest City Commandery Knights Templers, El Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and is also a member of Guyer Lodge of Knights of Pythias. His parents were both Dunkards and he was reared as a Methodist. Mr. Eshelman is a member of the Cleveland Bar Association and the Commer- cial Law League of America.
At Bowerston, Ohio, October 5, 1914, he married Miss Dolletta Mary Penn, daughter of William B. and Martha (Weyant) Penn, both now deceased. While Bowerston was a town of only 500 population her father built
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np a general merchandise business there which required the services of thirty-five clerks, and was one of the most prosperous general country stores in Ohio. His sons, Oliver W. and Harry W., still carry on this business. Mrs. Eshelman was born at Bowers- ton, graduated from the high school there and finished her education in Wooster Col- lege where she studied music. Mr. and Mrs .. Eshelman have their home at 15400 Hillard Road in Lakewood. Both their children were born there, Martha Elizabeth and Robert Penn.
FRANK S. BASKIN. After a long experience as a traveling salesman for school furniture, Frank Baskin became one of the chief or- ganizers of The Cleveland Seating Company, one of the principal industries and business houses of Cleveland, and is now its president.
The Cleveland Seating Company manufac- tures school furniture and supplies, opera chairs and seating facilities for every type of public edifice, while another considerable fea- ture of their output is playground and manual training equipment. The business is the out- growth of long study and experience of prac- tical men and also of expert technical skill. It would be possible to draw up a long list of churches, auditoriums, laboratories, offices, all over the country which use the output of The Cleveland Seating Company, while its school furniture has rapidly made headway against all competition and its desks, chairs and other equipment are used in literally thousands of institutions.
Mr. Baskin, the president of this company, was born in Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio, September 26, 1859, the only son and child of Thomas H. and Ellen (Turner) Baskin. In the paternal line he is of Irish ancestry, while his mother represented Pennsylvania Dutch stock. Both families were early settlers of Pennsylvania, but the parents were born in Highland County, Ohio. Thomas H. Baskin was an attorney by profession at Hillsboro, but paid more attention to his farm in that county than to his law practice. He died at the age of seventy-eight and his wife when seventy-three.
Frank S. Baskin attended the country schools of his native locality and in 1880 grad- uated from the Normal School at Danville, Indiana. After a few years of experience as
a teacher in Highland County and Madison County, Ohio, he went on the road as a travel- ing salesman from London, Ohio, representing the United States School Furniture Company of Chicago. Three years later he continued with the successor of that company, The American School Furniture Company, and was one of its most efficient business getters until 1909. For the last two years he had charge of the branch office of this firm at Cleveland.
It was in 1909 that Mr. Baskin organized The Cleveland Seating Company. He served as its secretary until 1915, since which time he has been president and general manager.
He is independent in politics, is a charter member and treasurer of Heights Lodge No. 633 Free and Accepted Masons, a member of Heights Chapter Royal Arch Masons, Cleve- land Council Royal and Select Masons, Lake Erie Consistory of the Scottish Rite and Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He still retains affiliation with the Knights of Pythias Lodge at London, Ohio, and is a member of the Cleveland Rotary Club, the National Credit Men's Association and the Trinity Congregational Church.
At Hillsboro, Ohio, March 26, 1883, Mr. Baskin married Miss Ida Cluxton, daughter of James R. and Therese (Moore) Claxton. Her parents are now deceased and they repre- sented some of the early families to settle in Southern Ohio. Mrs. Baskin was born at Sar- dinia, Brown County, Ohio, but was reared and educated at Hillsboro. Mr. and Mrs. Baskin have three children: Roland A., a successful young lawyer of Cleveland ; Wanita, who was born at London, Ohio, and graduated from the Central High School of Cleveland in 1910; and Kenneth S., who was born at Lon- don, Ohio, July 4, 1898, the day the news of the glorious victory of the American Navy at Santiago, Cuba, was received, and is now a member of the class of 1918 in the Heights High School. During his vacation in 1917 he made a splendid record as a traveling repre- sentative of The Cleveland Seating Company in Michigan. Frank S. Baskin has few in- terests between his business office in the Rose Building and his residence at 2903 Edgehill Road in Cleveland Heights. He is a home man, and business and home life have fur- nished him everything that his modest ambi- tion craves.
Nonson
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HUGH J. MONSON. Some twenty years ago Hugh J. Monson was attending a modest retail store for a relative down at Columbus, Ohio. It would have been called a rash prediction which would have foreseen a wide and impor- tant horizon for his youth, enterprising and diligent though he was. It was as a matter of fact through the humble trade of a lamp maker that Mr. Monson found his big opportunity. It is not so many years ago that he left the ranks of wage earners to set up in business for himself, and his early struggles in getting recognition for his product would make a story in itself. It is sufficient to say that today Mr. Monson and his associates have one of the leading businesses in the country for the sup- ply of lamps for the automobile trade.
He was born in a country district of North- ern Missouri, in Lynn County, December 30, 1878, a son of Samuel T. and Mattie (Squire) Monson. His early environment was shut in by the duties of his father's farm and by a few months each year of attendance at district schools. When fourteen years of age he went to Columbus, Ohio, and it was there for several years he paid his way by working for his aunt, as clerk in her small store. In 1897 another avenue of work, though hardly a promotion, was presented when he became bell boy for the Southern Hotel of Columbus.
In the spring of 1898 Mr. Monson responded to the call of patriotic enthusiasm and enlisted in Troop D of the First Ohio Volunteer Cav- alry. Later he was transferred to Troop G. He was with the volunteer forces for eight months, and on returning to Columbus he and his cousin, Dwight Shannon, bought a horse and wagon and for a year traveled about the city and surrounding territory selling candy to retail merchants.
He left this to become a roustabout employe of John W. Brown & Company, lamp manu- facturers. From casnal duties he was assigned to a bench and learned the lamp making trade and followed it three years at Columbus. The next year he spent at Richmond, Indiana, with the Richmond Manufacturing Company, also as a lamp maker, and after that until 1907 was a lamp maker for the Badger Brass Com- pany, manufacturers of automobile lamps, at Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Mr. Monson came to Cleveland in 1907, and with William F. Persons and William Bunce established the Guide Motor Lamp Manufac- turing Company, with a small shop on East Fourth Street between Prospect and Euclid.
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