A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 152

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 152

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He attended the schools at Piketon until 1846. His father died in 1840 and in 1846 he came to Portsmouth to reside with his uncle, John R. Turner. He attended school in Portsmouth at the Fourth street building under Supt. A. J. Rikoff for about three years. His schoolmates were F. C. Gibbs, Henry E. Jones, Abe Brown and others. He went into the Clerk's office in 1849 as a

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

clerk, or copyist, for his uncle. He remained in the Clerk's office until 1851 and became a clerk for one Daniel Whittenmyer in his dry goods store. He clerked there for one year and then went into B. L. Jefferson's dry goods store on Front street, just east of the McDowell block. He was there a year or more and then became a clerk in the dry goods store of William Elden on Market street, on the site of the rear of the Washington Hotel. One year after, Mr. Elden moved into the upper building now occupied by the Davis Drug Com- pany. He then went into the retail dry goods business with his brother Jo- seph G. Reed, as Reed Brothers, in the same building on Front street which had been occupied by William Elden. The firm bought a large stock of goods before the panic of 1857 and as a consequence failed in 1858. Mr. Reed then clerked with Charles and William Elden, a few months in 1859, at their dry goods store on Market street, where A. Hurth has his liquor store.

On November 21, 1859, Mr. Reed entered the Portsmouth Branch of the State Bank of Ohio, as book-keeper, and has been connected with that bank or its successor ever since. In April, 1865, this bank organized as the Ports- mouth National Bank and Mr. Reed was elected cashier. He served as such till 1884, when he was elected its vice president and has held that office ever since. He has not been in any other business.

He has always been a republican, since that party was organized. He became a cominunicant of Christ Church, Protestant Episcopal in 1859. In 1874 he became a communicant of All Saints church and is now a vestryman.

He was married August 20, 1857 to Ellen, daughter of Washington Kinney. His children are: Mary Kinney, William L. and Mrs. Carietta Turley, wife of Leslie C. Turley.

Mr. Reed is a successful banker. He has seen many ups and downs in that business in his forty-three years of banking in Portsmouth. He has been longer in the banking business than any one who has ever resided in Ports- mouth and in that time has been connected with but one bank and its suc- cessors. In his sixty-ninth year he is as attentive to business as ever and his head is as clear and his faculties as alert as the day he entered the business forty-three years past. From December 4, 1893 until March 1, 1901, he was a Trustee of the Scioto County Children's Home. Mr. Reed delights in work of that kind. He keeps up his health and maintains the spirit of youth by spending much time at Camp McCulloch fishing, boating and resting.

As a citizen he is always in favor of progress. As a churchman he is faithful. He aims to do every duty well and his friends say he has succeeded.

William L. Reed

son of Samuel and Ellen (Kinney) Reed, was born July 6, 1863, in Portsmouth, Ohio. He received his education in the schools of that city, attending school until the Junior year of the High School. He was married October 10, 1888 to Margaret B. Hiestand, daughter of Captain J. M. Hiestand and Elizabeth (Wharton) Hiestand of Hillsboro, Ohio. Their children are: Paul, Mary Kin- ney, Elizabeth and twin sons: Samuel Chenoweth and Joseph Hiestand. He was first engaged in the clothing business, but later has conducted a general fire insurance agency. He was clerk of the Board of Education of Ports- mouth, Ohio, during the years 1901-1902. He is a member of All Saints Episco- pal church and has been treasurer of the Sunday school for several years.

Captain William Wallace Reilly,

the son of Christopher and Margaret Young, his wife, was born in Philadelphia, August 5, 1825. He attended school in Philadelphia. He came to Portsmouth in 1839 and clerked in the first book store for Eli Glover, and in the first whole- sale dry goods house for Stuart, Jones & Company until 1842. In 1842, he went to Pittsburg and from there to Philadelphia where he clerked in a dry goods store until 1846. When the Mexican war broke out, he enlisted in Com- pany A. New Jersey Battalion, at Camden, New Jersey, May 29, 1847, and was honorably discharged at Jalapa Mexico, and mustered out at Castle William, New York.

In 1849, he returned to Pittsburg and on April 11, 1850 was married to Miss Anna Margaret Young. He went to Cincinnati in 1851, and after remain- ing there a year, went to Dayton and engaged in the grocery business with

CAPTAIN WILLIAM WALLACE REILLY.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Samuel B. Brown, McGee and Harshman until 1853, when he returned to Cin- cinnati, and with Drs. Newton and others published the first Ohio Business Directory, under the firm name of W. W. Reilly & Company, and in the spring of 1853 went east to solicit subscriptions for the work. He then returned to Dayton, and was with L. F. Claffin & Company, until 1854, when he went to Chillicothe, Ohio, and assisted Rev. H. R. Johnson to open a book store. Six weeks later, he returned to Dayton and was engaged with More, Clarke & Com- pany in the book business, where he remained until 1857, when he came to Portsmouth and opened the Valley Book Store as an agent for E. A. & T. T. More, and in 1859 bought the stock.

In July, 1861, he raised Company A, Thirtieth O. V. I. He enlisted August 2, 1861, for three years. September 1, he joined Rosecrans and was with him at Carnifex Ferry and through the campaign until they went into winter quar- ters at Fayetteville, West Virginia. December 20, 1861 he resigned on account of his health, to take effect in April, 1862. He again resumed business in Portsmouth. May 2, 1864, he was ordered out by General Brough as Captain of Company G, 141st O. N. G. and was in command of the post at Guyandotte, West Virginia, until September 3, 1864 when he was mustered out with the company.

After returning from the army, he resumed his business, in which he remained until 1878. In November, 1878, he formed a partnership with his son-in-law, H. C. Murfin, in his old business, under the name of W. W. Reilly & Company, which continued till May, 1882, when Mr. Murfin retired. He con- tinued business under the same name until his death.

His children are: Margaret, the wife of H. Clay Murfin of Jackson, Ohio; Kate More; William Wallace, Jr .; Helen Clark; Sara Louise; John Gordon; Marion Young. He died December 26, 1896. after three years illness. His wife survived him till January 15, 1897 when she died.

He was a member of the Masons, Knights Templars, Royal Arcanum and Odd Fellows, and a Past Commander of Bailey Post, No. 164, G. A. R. Cap- tain Reilly was Commander of Bailey Post for the year 1883. It was during his administration, and owing largely to his influence that the City Council set aside by deed, and the Grand Army of the Republic dedicated what is now known as the Soldier's Memorial Circle in Greenlawn cemetery. From a Grand Army standpoint it is a suitable monument to the memory of Captain Reilly. In the zenith of his powers Captain Reilly was a notable man. He was always dressed neatly and tastily. Everything about him was and had to be "spick and span." He was a delightful companion, especially in traveling. He was a good story-teller and had an extensive vocabulary of fitting proverbs equal to King Solomon or Robert Christy. He could illustrate any subject by an anec- dote or a proverb. He was uniformly courteous and genteel. To the public and his friends, he was always on dress parade. He had an inexhaustible fund of humor and it ever sparkled for the delectation of his friends. He was fond of Masonry and of the Loyal Legion. No man was more missed in Portsmouth than he when the afflicting hand of disease was laid on him.

Charles Frederick Reiniger, Jr.,

was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, January 8, 1840. His parents were Major Charles Frederick Reiniger, a native of Germany, and Barbara Suiter, his wife. He was one of thirteen children. His boyhood was spent in Portsmouth where he at- tended the public schools until sixteen years of age. He was elected a Trus- tee of Clay township in 1866 but resigned in the spring of 1867 and moved to Portsmouth. In 1871, he was elected Street Commissioner. The vote stood: C. E. Edwards, republican, 823; C. F. Reiniger, democrat, 949; Reiniger's ma- jority, 146. In 1873 he was a candidate for re-election. The vote stood: John McNeal, republican, 565; C. F. Reiniger, democrat, 1,307; Reiniger's majority, 742. In 1874 Reiniger was a candidate for Sheriff on the Democratic ticket. His oppponent was Henry Raugh. The vote stood: Raugh, 2,275; Reiniger, 2,765; Reiniger's majority, 469. In 1876, he was a candidate for re-election against T. J. Pursell. The vote stood: Reiniger, 3,184; Pursell, 3,155; Reini- ger's majority, 29. He was the only democrat elected that year. In 1880, he was his party's candidate for Sheriff and was elected. The vote stood: Rein-

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

iger. 3,563; T. J. Pursell, 3,263. In 1883, he was a candidate for Street Com- missioner but was defeated by Josiah Barlow by a vote of 1,268 to 1,227. Bar- low's majority 41.

Mr. Reiniger has been engaged in farming and teaming and is at pres- ent in the coal business. He was married in May, 1865, to Mary J. Ramsey. She was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in April, 1840. They have six children: Jennie F., the wife of William Cooley, resides in Montana; Minnie M., the wife of S. A. Watkins, lives in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Charles P. re- sidos at Payne, Parlding county, Ohio: Ellen Esther, the wife of William B. Prather resides in Cincinnati, Ohio; Grace is at home and Edgar James died in infancy.

Ignatius Reitz

was born February 4, 1845, in Hesse, near Hanau, Germany. His father John Reitz, a stone cutter, was born in 1812. His mother was Amelia Weber, born in the same place, in Germany. He was one of three children-himself and two sisters: Mrs. Adolph Hurth and Mrs. Joseph Vollmer of Portsmouth, Ohio. His parents came to this country in 1847, landing near Baltimore. They had friends at Portsmouth and came directly to this place. His father spent the remainder of his life in Portsmouth in died in 1866, and his mother in 1899. Mr. Reitz attended the public schools of Portsmouth for a time and then went to St. Mary's school, until he was fourteen years of age, when he went to learn the business of stone-cutting of his father, John Reitz, who built the first stone- sawmill in Portsmouth on Second and Massie streets in 1865. After his death, his son Ignatius undertook the business and has conducted it ever since.

He has been engaged in quarrying as well as sawing stone since 1866. The quarries are located at Carey's Run four miles from Portsmouth. He employes 75 men, 30 in the mill, 30 at the quarry, and about 15 teamsters. The mill has eleven gangs of saws which run day and night. It cuts 1,000 cubic feet of stone per day. The stone sawed in this mill is used for building purposes, caps, sills, steps, trimmings, and paving. Mr. Reitz also manufactures scythe- stones some of which are sent to Europe. The business is now confined to sawed stone. From 1872 to 1880, he conducted the business with Charles Bode as a partner. Since 1880, he has conducted the business alone. May 29, 1892, the business was incorporated under the name of The Reitz Stone Company. Its capital stock is $100,000, $60,000 of which is paid up. The officers of the Company are: Ignatius Reitz, president; Simon P. Reitz, vice president; Al- bert J. Reitz, secretary and treasurer.

Our subject was married June 9, 1874 to Mary A. Balmert, daughter of Simon and Elizabeth (Hauk) Balmert. They have the following children: Al- bert J., mentioned above; Eleanor, at home; Simon P., mentioned above; Mary Amelia; Antoinette; Cecilia: John and George. Mr. Reitz was a democrat un- til seven years ago when. dissatisfied with the financial policy of his party, he became a republican. He is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church and has never sought or held any public office except as a member of the City Board of Equalization.

Captain George Washington Rhodes

was born in Saratoga county, New York, March 23, 1830. His father was Ira Rhodes and his mother's maiden name was Lydia Deming. His grandfather. John Rhodes, was a Revolutionary soldier. (See Revolutionary Soldiers.) His grandfather on his mother's side, Daniel Deming, was also a Revolutionary soldier, whose record is published in this book. His father moved to a farm near Chautauqua Lake when he was four years old. His brother Daniel had come to Portsmouth in 1842 and our subject came here in 1844, his brother John came in 1846 or 1847.

In coming to Portsmouth, he came from Olean to Pittsburg in a skiff and from Pittsburg he came on a steamboat. He attended the Fourth street school in 1845. He went into the lumber business with Dan Rhodes, who oper- ated the first planing mill in Portsmouth in 1850. It was situated on the north- east corner of Third and Gay streets. He remained with his brother until 1857 when the two went to Cottageville, West Virginia, having exchanged property

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

with Colonel Oscar F. Moore. He remained there twenty years and his brother Dan died there in 1884.

In 1859, he went into the saw-mill business for himself and remained in it until 1862, when he rented the mill for one dollar per day, recruited a com- pany and went into the army. His brother Dan was a prisoner for six months in 1861. George W. went into Company K, Ninth Virginia Infantry, for three years. He was in for one year and was discharged. He was First Lieutenant and was in several engagements.

After he left the army, he returned to Cottageville and was in his broth- er's store for two years. Then he moved to Syracuse and kept boarders. In 1867, he bought the "Mocking Bird," a propeller, and run her on the Ohio river. He was master and pilot. In 1869 he took this boat to Cincinnati and towed for the company which had the contract for building the Cincinnati Southern bridge. He made $35.00 a day there and afterwards his boat was sunk in the ice and he lost $5,000. He built another boat called the "Silver Star" but soon sold her and went on the wharfboat at Syracuse till about 1871. Then he ran on the "Humming Bird" for Captain Melvin Brown for six years, as pilot.

He came to Portsmouth in 1877 and went into business with Frank Kef- fer and Carl' Lehman in lumber and was with them for three years. In 1880, he kept a feed store on Gallia street and was in that business until 1890. He was Truant Officer in Portsmouth for four years from 1889 to 1901.

He was married in March, 1854 to Annis D. Hicks, daughter of William Hicks, at Spencer Chapel. They have had the following children: Mary, wife of Lee Saltzer, died in 1894 and left two children, daughters, Annis Saltzer employed at Drew, Selby & Company's and Esther a teacher in the public schools; Garret Dow, died in childhood; William A. clerk in the gas office in Portsmouth; George H., accidentally killed at the age of sixteen; Lizzie mar- ried William Edwards, a book-keeper at Drew, Selby & Company's; Cora lives at home; Susie, the wife of Henry Farmer, a son of James H. Farmer. He has thirteen grandchildren.

He is a member of the Second Presbyterian church and has been ever since he returned to Portsmouth. He has always been a republican. Mr. Rhodes is a quiet citizen, modest and retiring. He tries to do every duty pre- sented to him in every relation of life. He enjoys the respect and confidence of all who know him and is regarded as a model citizen.

Captain James Wood Ricker

was born July 15, 1841 at Jackson Furnace, Jackson county, Ohio. He was the only child of Jacob Hurd Ricker and Mary Frances Wood, his wife, a daughter of Benjamin Wood. His boyhood was spent at Ohio Furnace, Iron Valley and Madison Furnace, where his father was employed. He also attended school in Portsmouth, Ironton and Jackson, Ohio. He was store-keeper at Madison Furnace, Jackson county, Ohio, when the war broke out. On September 1, 1861 he enlisted in Company H, 2d West Virginia Cavalry for three years and was made first duty Sergeant, October 1, 1861. He was promoted to First Ser- geant, June 1, 1862, and to Second Lieutenant of Company A, June 1, 1863. He was made First Lieutenant of Company H, May 24, 1864 and was mustered out November 29, 1864.

After his return from the army he went to Madison furnace and bought an interest and became Assistant Manager. The firm was Peters, Ricker & Company. They owned the furnace until the fall of 1868, when they sold out to Clare, Duduit & Company. Mr. Ricker came to Portsmouth in March, 1869, and bought an interest in the drug store of Bartram, Jones & Company, for- merly the old Shackleford drug store on Front street. He remained in that business until August, 1873, when he sold out to Doctor John F. Davis. He was then in the Portsmouth Foundry and Machine Works for five years. He had charge of a ranch in Dakota for two years. He was clerk of the city Water Works Board from 1889 to 1894. In 1900, he was sergeant-at-arms of the State Decennial Board of Equalization.

On November 3, 1870, he was married to Miss Louisiana Moore, daughter of Captain William Moore. They have had five children: Margaret Tracy, a teacher in the Portsmouth High School; William Wood, now in Cleveland, a

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

mechanical engineer; Robert Carleton, secretary and treasurer of the Ports- mouth . Foundry and Machine Works and of the Portsmouth Pressed Steel Company; Elizabeth Virginia, a teacher in the Portsmouth Free Kindergarten and Mary Frances at home.

Mr. Ricker has always been a republican. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Loyal Legion. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian church and assistant superintendent of the Sabbath school of that church.

James Silas Rickey

was born December 17, 1851. His parents were Ephraim Wanser Rickey and Anna (Rockwell) Rickey. He was born in Madison township, Scioto county, where he now resides. He had a common school education. He played truant as often as he studied. He was raised a farmer. In 1874, he became a partner with Oliver E. Emory, at California, Pike county, Ohio. He went into the cat- tle business, buying and selling cattle, and was engaged in that for twelve years, buying and selling only. In 1888, he lost all he had in the cattle business and was insolvent. It was caused by his having 600 or 700 head of cattle on hand when the price went down. He sold his farm and was not sued by anyone when his condition was known. The same year he went into the timber busi- ness and made back all he had lost. He was in the timber business until 1894, when he was nominated for Sheriff on the Republican ticket and was elected over C. A. Cole, democrat, by a vote of 4,227 to 1,463. He was elected again in 1896 over J. C. Shively by a vote of 5,495 to 3,622.

After he left the Sheriff's Office, he went to farming on the Emory place in Madison township and bought the Marshall, the Dawson and also the Hugh Wooten places in the same township. His house and all his farm buildings are new and are built on the most modern plans for convenience and comfort. His house stands on a commanding point just below the foot hills on the right side of the valley coming from California to Harrisonville, and occupies one of the finest building sites in the county. There he and his wife dispense a gen- erous hospitality.

On March 16, 1873, he was married to Alice Wells, daughter of Elijah Wells. She died in 1890. He was married the second time to Harriet Alice Warren, daughter of Lewis Warren. He has a son Lewis Denver, aged twen- ty-five, residing in Pittsburg. His second son Charles Edmond is a book-keeper at the Excelsior shoe factory in Portsmouth. He has a son Ephraim Elijah residing at home. Of the second marriage, he has had two daughters Rosetta Frances and Margaret Adelaide who died in infancy. He has one surviving daughter Jessie Marie aged seven years. Mr. Rickey is a man of a generous dis- position,genial and courteous with everyone, free-handed to every good and public enterprise. He is a man very popular in his neighborhood and through- out the county. He has as few enemies as any man could have who is exten- sively engaged in business as he is. He has a good farm, but his forte is stock raising.

Nathan T. Rickey

was born in Madison township, Scioto county, Ohio, February 9, 1859. He is the son of Ephraim W. and Anna (Rockwell) Rickey. His paternal grandpa- rents were Jacob and Tryphena (Strong) Rickey, who came from New York to Ohio in 1817. His maternal grandparents were Jonathan and Rebecca Mead Rockwell, natives of Madison township. The Rickey's are of Scotch-Irish descent. The boyhood and youth of Nathan was spent on the farm and in the district school. He completed his education by a two years course at Dennison University, at Granville, Ohio. He is a republican, and was at one time pres- ident of the Blaine Club, of Portsmouth. He is a Mason and a member of the Third Street Christian church.

He married Lois H. Brown, daughter of Nathan and Julia ( Wells) Brown, of Pike County, August 3, 1880. They have four children, Anna, Nathan Er- nest, Angus L. Sanford, and J. Huston Varner. Mr. Rickey was traveling sales- man for Sanford, Varner & Company, clothiers, from 1887 to 1892 and for J. Eisman, clothier, from 1892 to 1898. Since 1898, he has been engaged in the real estate business,

JAMES SILAS RICKEY.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Mr. Rickey has the happy faculty of adapting himself to any situation confronting him. He is noted for his even disposition and good temper. No one ever saw him angry or perturbed. He is a born philosopher without mak- ing any professions on the subject. As a result of this happy disposition, Mr. Rickey is popular with all sorts and conditions of men. But while he is phi- losophizing, he never lets any business escape him. Mr. Rickey is one of the most honorable of men. He can never do too much for a friend. He never lost any position he ever held, but made all changes of his own motion. He is one of the best types of the progressive, energetic, young American.

David Riesman, M. D.,

was born in Stadt, Lengsfeld, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, March 25, 1867, the son of Nathan Riesmann and Sophie Riesmann, nee Eisman. He attended the public schools in Salzungen until the age of twelve, and then the Gymnasium at Meiningen the two years following. He emigrated to the United States in the fall of 1881, with his mother and sister. They came at once to Portsmouth and our subject entered the employ of his maternal uncles, L. Eisman & Brother. He attended the public schools in Portsmouth and worked in the store before and after school hours. After completing the course in the High School, which he did in three years, he became a clerk in his uncle's store, where he remained for three years, having charge of the manufacturing, after the demise of Leopold Eisman.

He entered the Medical School of the University of Michigan in 1889 and remained there one year. The next two years, he studied in the University of Pennsylvania where he completed his course in medicine and was graduated in 1892. After graduation, he served for fifteen months as a resident physician in the Philadelphia hospital. He then located in Philadelphia and became at- tached to the University of Pennsylvania, first in the Department of Pathology where he was demonstrator for several years. At present, he is teaching clin- ical medicine, and is engaged in private and consulting practise.

Among the positions held by him are the following: Visiting Physician to the Philadelphia and Polyclinic Hospitals, Consulting Physician to the Jew- ish Hospital, Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for Graduates in Medicine, Instructor in Clinical Medicine in the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, Visiting Physician to the Northern Day Nursery, and Neurologist to the Northern Dispensary.

He is a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia; a member of the County Medical, Pathological, Neurological and Pediatric Societies, and of the American Medical Association; an honorary member of the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Medical Society; a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and of the German-American Society; president of the Northern Medical Association and a member of the University and Faculty Clubs.

James Richardson

was born in Ireland, December 24, 1825. His father was Robert Richardson, and his mother was Martha McDonald. His parents had four children of whom James was the youngest. His father was a farmer. He went to school in Ire- land, and married Margaret Simmons, in the year of 1847. On July 4, 1847, he landed in New York, coming from Ireland with his wife. He had four children of his first marriage, but all died young. His wife died in 1860.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 152

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612