A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 153

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 153

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On reaching the United States he went to Lansingburg, New York, and engaged in business in a brush factory. He remained there till 1853, when his wife, having a sister in Portsmouth, wished to locate there, and he came to Portsmouth and became pay-master for his brother-in-law, James Connolley, on the Scioto and Hocking Valley railroad. He remained as such for a year. In 1856, he engaged in the grocery business in Portsmouth, on the corner of Fifth and Chillicothe streets, and continued in that until 1875. In that year, he built the three-story building on the corner and retired from the grocery business. He continued farming until 1893, since which time he has been re- tired entirely.

Mr. Richardson has always been a democrat. In 1861, he was appointed Infirmary Director to fill a vacancy. In 1862, he was a candidate for that office,

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and was elected, receiving 1,862 votes to 1,294 for John McDowell. In 1865, he was again a candidate for the same office, but was defeated by Valentine Burkel. He received 1,760 votes to 2,185 for Burkel. In 1867, he was again a candidate for the same office, and defeated Silas W. Cole, receiving 2,532 votes to 2,306 for Mr. Cole. In 1877, he was a candidate for County Commissioner and received 2,699 votes to 2,777 for James Skelton. Mr. Richardson has always enjoyed the confidence of the business men of the city and county. He served as a mem- ber of the city Board of Equalization from 1875 till 1894, and made a most efficient officer.

On February 29, 1864, Mr. Richardson was married to Mary Jane Orme, daughter of John Orme. There are five children of this marriage: James, Jr., in New York city, engaged with Hill Brothers at the corner of Washington and Beach streets; Anna B., wife of John Ives, superintendent of the Tremper Shoe Company; Florence A., at home; William Benjamin, engaged in the store of Richardson, Neudorfer & Silcox; Alfred Hayward, with Brokaw Brothers, wholesale clothiers at the corner of Fourth avenue and Astor Place, New York. Mr. Richardson was once prominent as a Mason, but is now retired. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Portsmouth. Like all Irishmen, he has made money and saved it, and perhaps in this respect has done better than most of his countrymen. He is reluctant to create obligations, but when he makes one, he keeps it.

Captain Richard Parker Rifenberick, Sr.,

was born in Greenville, Clarion county, Pa., April 23, 1839. He was the son of Sylvanus Drake and Maria Parker Rifenberick. He grew up in Pennsyl- vania, and when very young came to Ironton, Ohio, and became a clerk in Clark Brothers' grocery.

In 1861, when the war broke out, he enlisted in Co. E, 18th, O. V. I., April 22, 1861, and was appointed First Sergeant and served in the regiment, un- til it was discharged August 28, 1861. He re-entered the service the second time on September 17, 1861, and was made First Lieutenant of Co. G, 4th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and was promoted from First Lieutenant, June 2, 1862, to Captain of Co. I., and resigned February 13, 1864. The regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, November 6, 1861, and was in the following battles: Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 15, 1862; Nashville, Tenn., March 8, 1862; Huntsville, Ala., April 11, 1862; Bridgeport Ala., April 29, 1862; Lexington, Ky., October 17, 1862; Murfreesboro, Tenn., January 1-2, 1863; Lebanon, Tenn., February 8, 1863; Bradyville, Tenn., March 1, 1863; Snow Hill, Tenn., April 2-3, 1863; Chicka- mauga, Ga., September 19-23, 1863; Middleton, Tenn., May 21, 1863; and Cleve- land, Tenn., November 27, 1863. Captain Rifenberick was in numerous skir- mishes incident to cavalry service, which are not given in the Ohio Roster. At Bradyville, Tenn., on March 1. 1863, he was in an engagement, in which he was wounded in the hip, and was absent from that time until February, 1864, on ac- count of his wounds. He resigned at the latter date, his resignation being nec- essary on account of his disability from wounds. Captain Rifenberick has car- ried the bullet from this wound ever since he received it.

After his return, he made his home in Cincinnati, and engaged in the commission business. He was married to Miss Lucy Bell, the daughter of the late Robert Bell, of Portsmouth, Ohio, November 21, 1866, and he engaged in the shoe business in Portsmouth, in partnership with his father-in-law, and re- sided there until 1876. He was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth for four years. In 1876, he moved to Cincinnati, and was engaged in various en- terprises until 1880, when he engaged in the railroad business with the Cin- cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad, which position, he still holds. He has two sons: Robert Bell Rifenberick, born March 30, 1868, at Cincinnati; and Richard Parker Rifenberick, born October 4, 1872, at Portsmouth, Ohio. Capt. Rifenberick is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Loyal Legion.

His son Robert Bell Rifenberick graduated at Chalfant and Marsh's school at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and afterwards entered Miami Uni- versity. He made a special study of Civil Engineering and has been following that profession ever since, and has been in the employ of one of the largest

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street railway syndicates in the country. He now has an office as Civil En- gineer in Cleveland. He was married to Miss Ada Cornelia Marsh, of Cleve- land, and they have one daughter, Eleanor.

Captain Rifenberick's second son, Richard Parker Rifenberick, Jr., grad- uated at the military school at Gambier, Ohio, and afterwards attended Kenyon College. While at Kenyon, he received his West Point appointment and passed a very creditable examination, but was compelled to give up that career, for the time being, on account of trouble with his eyes. He traveled for the Wil- son & McCallay Tobacco Co., of Middletown, Ohio, until 1899, when he received one of the four appointments of Second Lieutenant in the U. S. A., from civil life, allotted to the State of Ohio. There were not less than 8,000 applicants for the four appointments. He passed the necessary examination and received his commission April 10, 1899. He was assigned to Co. B, 16th Regiment, U. S. I. On May 30, 1899, he sailed from San Francisco for the Philippines and was there for eighteen months. His health, having broken, he was sent back to this country, and put on duty at the Columbus Barracks, where he was exam- ined for promotion and made a First Lieutenant. He was transferred to the 29th Regiment and detailed as Adjutant of the First Battalion of the 29th, which position he now holds. The regiment was stationed at Columbus Bar- racks until February 22, 1902, when it was sent to San Francisco, Cal., from which place, it was sent to the Philippines.

Captain Rifenberick is honorable and upright and is faithful to all mat- ters intrusted to his care. He is a loyal and patriotic citizen, and a capable business man. He is ambitious to excel and is zealous in the performance of all duties. He is a modest, high-minded and kind-hearted man.

Samuel Agnew Riggs

was born at Hanging Rock, Lawrence county, Ohio, March 1. 1835, and came an infant to Portsmouth with his parents. He received his early education in the public schools of Portsmouth, graduating from the High School in 1849. In 1851. he entered an academy at Marietta, Ohio, where he prepared for Marietta College. which he entered in the fall of 1852. He remained at this institution until the close of the second term of his junior year, when he entered Jefferson College, Canonsburgh, Pa., from which he graduated in 1856, with the degree of A. B., later receiving the degree of A. M. He studied law in Pittsburg for a time, and in 1858. graduated from the Cincinnati, Ohio, Law School and was admitted to the Hamilton County Bar.

In the spring of 1859, he located at Lawrence, Kansas, where he has since resided. From January, 1860, to January. 1862, he was County Attorney of Douglas county, Kansas; from January. 1862, to January, 1866. he was District Attorney of the Fourth Judicial District of Kansas, a district comprising eight counties and containing at that time, about one-fourth of the population of the state. In 1866, he was elected to the State Senate on the Republican ticket, was chairman of the Judiciary Committee and one of three commissioners appoint- ed to "revise and codify the Civil and Criminal Codes of proceedure and all laws of a General Character of the State of Kansas." The volume of "General Statutes of Kansas" of 1868, is the product of their labor. He resigned from the Senate in 1867, to become United States District Attorney for the District of Kansas, which office he held for two years.

In 1870, he left the Republican party, and in 1872, he was a delegate to the Liberal Republican convention in Cincinnati, which nominated Horace Greeley for the presidency. and was chosen as Kansas member of the National Committee. He was the candidate of his party in 1872, to represent the state at large in Congress. In 1878, he was a member of the Kansas House of Repre- sentatives, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and member of the Railroad Committee; and as the author of the "Riggs railroad bill" initiated the legis- lative effort to place the railroads of Kansas under the control of a board of Commissioners. In 1885, he was the Democratic candidate for Congress to take the seat made vacant by the death of Dudley C. Haskell. At the National Democratic Convention of 1896, he was a delegate and a member of the Com- mittee on Organization. In the fall of 1896, he was elected, on the Democratic ticket, Judge of the District Court, for the Fourth Judicial District of Kansas,

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embracing the counties of Douglas, Franklin and Anderson. This district usu- ally gives a republican majority of from 1,000 to 2,000. For the past ten years he has been connected with the Kansas State University as a lecturer in its law department.

He married in Pittsburg. Pa., December 31, 1861, Kate Doane, daughter of Henry and Jane (Kirkpatrick) Earle. Her father was for many years a whole- sale and retail merchant and prominent citizen of Pittsburg. They have one child, Henry Earle Riggs, who graduated from the University of Kansas, in 1886, was for six years chief engineer of the Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michigan Railroad, and is now a prominent sanitary engineer at Toledo.

Judge Riggs is a Congregationalist, while his wife is a member of the Episcopal church.

Charles F. Robey

was born February 4, 1834, near Wheeling, W. Va. His father was Isaac Robey, a native of Maryland, and his mother's maiden name was. Mary Ann West, the daughter of Rev. Abel West. Isaac Robey disappeared in 1837, and was never after heard of. It was believed he was murdered. His wife survived him but three years, leaving our subject and another son, James H., who was taken by relatives to Pennsylvania. Charles F. was reared in Ohio county, West Vir- ginia, and kept in ignorance of the history of his parents and their family. He was reared by a guardian, who was cruel to him and with whom he resided until 1860, when he learned photography, and became a traveling photographer. He followed this occupation in various places and in farming until 1888, when he located in Glouster, Ohio, and has since given his entire attention to the real estate business. In traveling about, Mr. Robey spent much time in attempting to solve the mystery of his life's history. He had a guardian who imposed himself wrongfully into the position and did all in his power to conceal from his ward the facts of his history. Mr. Robey is a republican and a faithful member of the Methodist church as his mother was before him. He tries to do the best he can for himself and those about him.

Joseph Rockwell

was born on the Judge Dawson farm, in Madison township, Scioto county, Ohio, November 22, 1847. His father was Charles Rockwell, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Norris. He was the oldest of eleven children of his par- ents. He attended school in the neighborhood and was reared a farmer. He) was about fourteen years of age when he started to go out for himself, and en- gaged in farming. He went to work for James D. Thomas, where he remained seven years, then he started in farming for himself at the age of twenty-one and farmed one year. He then moved to Clay township and resided nineteen years on the James D. Thomas farm in that township, which was originally the Charles T. Mastin farm. He left there in 1890, and moved near Lucasville on the Wm. M. Thomas farm. He has lived there ever since, and has been a farmer all his life.

He was married in 1870, to Mary Field, daughter of James Field. They have the following children: Charles, residing on the James D. Thomas farm, married, and is engaged with his father in farming; Eli, residing with his elder brother on the Thomas farm; Leroy, at home; Mary Elizabeth; Bertha, mar- ried Arthur Moulton, the son of Hon. Chandler J. Moulton, and is engaged in the timber and mercantile business with his father; John Henry, at home; Mary Belle and Ethel Louise. All of his children are living and in good health.

Mr. Rockwell had a brother John, who died in the service of his country in the civil war. He enlisted in Company B, 173rd O. V. I., August 26, 1864, at the age of eighteen, for one year. He died January 14, 1865, in the U. S. Gen- eral Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. He is buried in the National cemetery seven miles north of Nashville, on the Gallatin road. His father, Charles Rockwell, entered Company F, 140th O. V. I., May 2, 1864, and served 100 days, until Sep- tember 3, 1864. He died in 1898.

Our subject would have been in the service himself but he could not pass physical examination. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Lucasville, and Mt. Vernon Chapter and Calvary Commandery at Portsmouth. He has always

GEORGE KINNEY ROSS.

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been a republican, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lucas- ville.

George Kinney Ross

was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, July 1, 1855, in the old family Ross residence where his father and mother went to house-keeping directly after their mar- riage in 1847. His father was Samuel Randall Ross, who has a separate sketch herein, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Kinney, eldest daughter of Washington Kinney, who was then a prominent banker and business man of Portsmouth. Our subject attended the public schools of Portsmouth until the age of sixteen, when he was in the Junior Class of the High School. He left school then and at ouce engaged in business with his father for whom he clerked for about five years. For two years afterwards he was a commercial salesman.

In 1878, he located in Warren, Ohio. and formed a partnership with John H. McCombs, a banker and capitalist, in the wholesale grocery business. The firm was McCombs & Ross. They carried on the business in Warren, Ohio, until 1890, when on account of Mr. McComb's death, Mr. Ross moved the busi- ness to Cleveland. In the latter city, Mr. Ross formed a partnership with Leonard F., and Solon Burgess, under the firm name of Burgess & Ross. In 1894, Solon Burgess died and L. F. Burgess retired from the business, which was purchased by our subject, William F. Sprague and Thomas Waller Ross. They conducted it for four years under the firm name of Ross, Sprague & Co.

In 1898, the business was merged into a corporation as The Ross & Sprague Co., with George K. Ross, president, Thomas Waller Ross, secretary and treasurer, and William F. Sprague, vice president. The business was capi- talized at one-half million dollars and is now successfully conducted by the same corporation. The company is one of the largest in Ohio, with sales of over two millions annually. The Ross & Sprague Company occupies a whole block in Cleveland, aud have railroad traius deliver their goods into their building in carload lots, and ship them out in the same way. Their business has every modern convenience and the Company is the only one in its line in Cleveland, having railroad connections with every railroad in the city. It employs twenty-five traveling men and over one-hundred other employees.

In 1901, the Knickerbocker Sugar Refining Company of New York, com- posed of some of the larger wholesale groceries of the West and Northwest, was organized, with a capital stock of of $1,500,000. Mr. Ross was elected its president, and spends much of his time in New York city in connection with its business.

Mr. Ross was married in Warren, Ohio, Dec. 24, 1879 to Miss Helen Mc- Combs. She died in January, 1881, and in November, 1882, he married her sister, Charlotte McCombs. Mr. Ross has two children, John McCombs, who reached his majority in 1901, and the same year graduated from Harvard Col- lege. He has a daughter, Bessie.

Mr. Ross is a very busy man, and is highly appreciated wherever he is known. He is president of the American Exchange National Bank of Cleveland. He is a vestryman of the St. Paul's Episcopal church of Cleveland, a member of the Missionary Committee of the Diocese of Ohio, and a trustee of the Hiram House, iu Cleveland. He is also a member of the Union and Colonial Clubs of Cleveland, and of the Manhattan and Merchants' Clubs of New York. Mr. Ross enjoys the singular distinction of never having had any re- verses or backsets in his business career, but of having been uniformly suc- cessful.

Mr. Ross is everything that is noble and true. His greatest ambition is the welfare of his family and the happiness of his friends. He is a model churchman. He is active in every work he undertakes, whether it be business or social. In business he is most successful-of absolute integrity-does ex- actly what he agrees to do, and requires the same of all others. To all those under him, he is kind and firm, and he treats his business associates with the greatest respect. His relations with his associates in business are uniformly harmonious and pleasant. He is at all times a gentleman, has the highest ideals of life, and lives up to them. He is a prominent figure in the Chamber of Commerce in Cleveland. Not one does more work, or takes more interest, in charitable enterprises than himself. He is always level headed and cool, and is

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never perturbed or excited. From every point in which he may be viewed, he is a first-class citizen and business man. He endears himself to all his friends. He has taken a high position socially in Cleveland since his residence there. His residence is at 785, Prospect street.

Benjamin Franklin Royse

His earliest ancestors, on the paternal side, of which we have definite knowl- edge, were William Royse and Elizabeth Philson of Flemingsburg, Kentucky. Benjamin Royse, their son, married Rebecca Nichols of Adams county, Ohio, who was the daughter of William Nichols of Maryland, and Nancy Bacon, of Steam Furnace. Adams county, Ohio. To them were born William; B. Frank; George; Mrs. Elizabeth Teeters, afterwards Givens, late of Kansas; and John N. Royse. John Nicholas Royse, father of our subject, married Sarah Piatt, daughter of John H. Piatt, who came to Adams county, Ohio, from Virginia, and of Sarah Jones, a daughter of Andrew Jones, late of Brush Creek, Ohio. Mrs. J. N. Royse's grandparents were John H. Piatt of Virginia, a soldier of the war of 1812, and Sarah Caine.

John N. Royse was born March 6, 1833, in Nile township, Ohio. He was left an orphan at the age of six years, but, possessed of an unusual amount of energy and grit, by his own efforts, acquired considerable wealth. For several years, he engaged in general merchandising and lumbering at Friendship, Ohio. In 1870, he was elected County Commissioner and moved to Ports- mouth. From 1873 to 1876, he served as County Treasurer. In 1878, he moved to his large farm near Harrisonville, Missouri. Of late years, he has resided in Kansas City, Missouri. His family consists of Benjamin Franklin, Ports- mouth, Ohio; Lemuel E., Sumpter, Oregon; Otho O., Harrisonville, Missouri; Thomas B., Kansas City, Missouri; Orville D., Joplin, Missouri; Mrs. Roberta Von Volkenburgh, Kansas City; William Kinney, Kansas City, Missouri; Miss Nellie, Kansas City. Two daughters, Alice B. and Ina J. died in childhood.

B. Frank Royse, oldest child of John N. and Sarah Piatt Royse, was born on Carey's Run, Scioto county, Ohio, October 11, 1854. He received his early education at Friendship, Ohio, but on moving to Portsmouth, in 1871, attended its public schools. After leaving school, he went to work at the Court House in the Auditor's office, under Captain James Skelton, and afterwards in the Treasurer's office with his father and then served as Deputy Sheriff under Fred Reiniger.

On December 26, 1877, he was married to Miss Mary E. Feurt, daughter of James H. Feurt, of Portsmouth, Ohio, and a teacher in the Portsmouth Puhlic public schools. For about a year thereafter, Mr. Royse was proprietor of the Massie House in Portsmouth, after which time he purchased a farm two miles below South Portsmouth, Kentucky, and removed thereto. After eleven years of farming, he returned to Portsmouth, and has since been engaged in the man- ufacture of red brick, being at present proprietor of the Royse Pressed Brick Works. With the exception of one year, he has been a member of the School Board for the past eight years, serving two years as its president. His chil- dren are: Edith a teacher in the Portsmouth public schools, Sarah Helen, and Benjamin Harold.

Mr. Rosye is a gentleman who asks no political distinction. While a re- publican, he has no anxiety to follow a career of office holding. He devotes his whole time to his business and seeks success through it. He is a good neigh- bor and a good citizen. He is a very shrewd business man and can always hold his own in making a bargain. He has excellent judgment in all the affairs of life.

Henry Benjamin Ruel

was born at Burning Springs, West Virginia, June 10, 1861. He is a son of Jacob W. Ruel and Artemecia (Lankford) Ruel. His boyhood and youth were spent in Portsmouth. He attended the Fourth street school and obtained only a common education. His father was in the Civil war. He first engaged in liquor business in 1897. In 1900, he commenced in the feed and grocery busi- ness and is still engaged in that and the liquor business. He is a republican. At present, he is a councilman from the First ward. He was married December

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31, 1900, to Barbara A. Gasele, daughter of Michael Gasele, a native of Germany. They have three children: Henry G., Hugh H., and Madeline. Mr. Ruel is an industrious, active and energetic business man. He makes a good impression on all his acquaintances. He is prompt to observe all his obligations and pos- sesses the confidence of the business community.

Robert Charles Ruhlman

was born May 30, 1879 at Portsmouth, Ohio, and has always resided in his na- tive city. His father was Philip Ruhlman and his mother's maiden name was Amelia Goetz. His mother was born in Germany, and his father in Portsmouth. He is one of a family of two daughters and two sons. He obtained his education in the Portsmouth schools up to the B Grammar, when at the age of thirteen he left school and went to work in the Drew-Selby shoe factory, and worked there for eight years. He then went into Jenkins & Company's plumbing es- tablishment and there learned plumbing and steam fitting. He worked with them until they failed in business in June, 1896. He then went into business for himself opening a shop at No. 98 Gallia street, August 18, 1900, and has conducted the business on his own account ever since. Sept. 1, 1901, he changed his place of business to No. 941/2 Gallia street, where he is now located. He employs three men and carries on an extensive business. He is a steam fitter as well as a plumber, and puts up steam heating apparatus.

He was married May 14, 1901 to Catharine Bauer, a daughter of Philip Bauer, of Eleventh street, the well known broom-maker. Our subject resides on Kinney's Lane, No. 1,077. He attends the Second Presbyterian church and is a republican in his political views. He is a member of the Order of Red Men and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a young man of ex- cellent character and habits, and bids fair to be one of the prominent business men of the city.

Oscar Taylor Rupel

was born at Chillicothe, Ohio, September 23, 1848, son of Oscar and Mary G. Rupel. The early years of his life were spent at Slate Mills, a few miles from Chillicothe; later he moved to Chillicothe and attended the public schools. Among his classmates were Rev. John Ely, Henry and James Taylor Frank- lin, and Angus L. Sanford. After a course in business college, he was given a clerkship in his uncle, Theodore Rupel's store in Chillicothe, his mother be- ing a partner. He was industrious and ambitious. On September 20, 1866, he was made entry clerk for the wholesale dry goods house of Rumsey, Road & Reed of Portsmouth, Ohio and remained with them until 1869, when he en- tered the wholesale clothing house of Miller, Voorheis & Company of Ports- mouth. In December, 1875, he bought an interest in that business, which at that time was removed to Cincinnati, Ohio.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 153

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