A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 68

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 68

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clared by competent judges to be "the ablest treatise on the subject written by an American."

His work on School Management, issued in 1893, was at once recognized as a work of the highest practical value. He has just completed a new work on the "Art of Teaching".

He is the man who suggested the establishment of a National Bureau of Education at Washington.

In 1890, he prepared for the National Bureau of Education a monograph on "Promotions and Examinations in the Graded Schools." A second edition was issued in 1898.

He was a prominent layman in the Presbyterian church. He was sent in 1877 and again in 1896, as a lay delegate to the World's Presbyterian Council held respectively in Edinburg and Glasgow, Scotland, and in 1890, he was appointed by the General Assembly a member of the committee to revise "the confession of faith." He has been for years the President of the Board of Trustees of Lane Theological Seminary, Cincinnati.

He received the degree of A. M. from the Western Reserve University, and the degree of LL. D. was conferred on him by the Indiana State University.

He married in 1853 to Mary Ann Sabin of Hudson, Ohio, by whom he had five children. His son, Albert E., is now governor of West Virginia.

His life has been a succession of high achievements and hon- ors.

John Bolton

was born, November 4, 1820, near Hagerstown, Maryland. His father's name was John Bolton, Sr. His grandfather came from Ireland, and served in the Navy of the Colonies during the Revolu- tion. His mother's maiden name was Eve Eisaminger of German descent. She died when our subject was about two years old. About 1827 or 1828 he came, with his father and brother William, west and settled near Connellsville, Pa., which place he has always looked upon as his home. His early advantages for education were limited, as there were no public schools and few private schools. It was necessary for him at an early age to make his own living, which he did by working in a wool factory on the farm, and finally at the saddler's trade at which he served the regular time as an apprentice, according to the customs of the time. Wishing to fit himself for common business, when he was twenty-two years old, he attended a private school. His object was to improve himself in the common branches and especially in arithmetic, in which he felt himself very deficient. This he did in a term of three months. His curiosity to know something more of the higher branches led him to go to school for four months more in which time he studied Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, etc. This completed his schooling, which amounted

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to not more than two years. He worked at his trade and studied his books until 1850, when books and leather parted company, and he went to teaching in New Haven and Connellsville earning $20 to $30 per month. In December, 1855, he came to Portsmouth, Ohio, at a salary of $600 a year, and it was through the recommendation of his friend Samuel Heslett who had hailed from the same region, and who was then Superintendent of the Portsmouth schools. Here our subject taught until 1863, when he became Superintendent and serv- ed in this capacity until September, 1872. In November, 1872, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, as a teacher of Chemistry and Physics in the Old Central High School. In 1876, he was transferred to the West High School in which he has been ever since. Before he came to Ohio he had lost but three weeks by sickness ; and never lost a sin- gle day in the seventeen years he was engaged in Portsmouth by sickness, and only four weeks since going to Cleveland yet he never had a rugged constitution. Those who knew him at twenty never supposed he would live to be thirty. He has taught almost without interruption for over fifty years. He has had great success in teaching ; and has always held situations on account of his merit, and not on account of any pull. He was married in March, 1852, to Martha Russell McCune, a daughter of a well-to-do farmer near Connellsville, Pa. A teacher in his 82nd year in a Cleveland High School does not require a character estimate from any one. Mr. Bolton is revered and loved by his old friends in Portsmouth and they will be glad to know he is as highly esteemed in Cleveland as he was in Portsmouth.

Joseph F. Lukens

was born at Upper Falls, Baltimore County, Maryland. December II, 1838. His father was Benjamin C. Lukens. His mother's maiden name was Louisa Smith. His father came to Ohio in 1839. and the boyhood and youth of his son, Joseph, were spent in Noble County, Ohio. He had a good common school education. He en- listed as a private soldier in Company D, 85th Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, June 5, 1862, for a period of three months, and was trans- ferred to Company K 87th, July 22, 1862. He was mustered out with the Company, October 3, 1862. He was in the engagement at Harper's. Ferry during his service. He cast his first vote in 1860, at Athens, Ohio, for Valentine B. Horton for Congress, and for Abraham Lincoln for President. He took a college course at the Ohio University at Athens, and graduated in 1866. He received a High School State Certificate in 1867 and in 1869 received the de- gree of A. M. from Ohio University. In 1877, he was admitted to the Bar of Ohio, at Akron. In the same year he was a Republican candidate for State Commissioner of Common Schools, but was de- feated with the entire state ticket. He is a member of the Presby- terian Church, and a ruling Elder. He was married near Craw-

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fordsville, Indiana, August 3, 1868, to Miss Eliza Trout. He has one son, born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1872, who is now First Lieu- tenant of the 46th United States Infantry and detailed a professor in the Manila Normal School, where he serves under the Civil Com- mission. He was Superintendent of Schools at Wooster, Ohio, for one year in 1866. From 1867 to 1872, he was Superintendent of Schools at Kent, Ohio. From 1872 to 1875, he was Superintendent of the Portsmouth Schools and from 1875 to 1891, he was Superin- tendent of the schools at Lebanon, Ohio. From 1899 to 1901, he was Principal of the Normal Department of the Collegiate Institute, at Jackson, Kentucky. He is now manager of the Warren County Record.

Middleton Summerfield Campbell

was born in Virginia, August 4, 1838, and died in Cleveland, Ohio, April 19, 1889. He came to Ohio in 1841 and remained a resident of this state until his death. He attended the district schools and spent his youth on his father's farm. He attended the Ohio Uni- versity, at Athens and graduated in 1865. He received the degree of A. M. from the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1871. He entered at once upon the profession of a teacher. He filled the following positions : Public Schools at Circleville, Ohio, one year; Principal of the High School in Portsmouth, Ohio, from 1866 to 1875; Super- intendent of the Public Schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, from 1875 to 1879; Principal of the Youngstown High School from 1879 to 1883; Principal of the Central High School, Cleveland, Ohio, from 1883 to his death. In all these positions he achieved success. He was entirely devoted to his profession, very enthusiastic in it and in the judgment of all his contemporaries was successful. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Church both in Portsmouth, Ohio, and Cleveland, Ohio, and has a memorial window in the Ep- worth Church on Wilson Avenue, in Cleveland.

William Miller Friesner

was born January 21, 1851, near North Berne, Fairfield County, Ohio. His parents were Abraham Setz Friesner and Eliza Jane Miller. They died when he was young and he was reared by his grand-parents near Lancaster. As a boy and youth, he worked on a farm and attended the district school of the neighborhood until he was eighteen years of age. He entered an academy at Pleasantville where he fitted himself for college, teaching school during each win- ter and thus paying his way. He entered the Junior class of the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, in September 1873 and graduated in 1875, with honors. During a portion of his senior year, he held a position as Tutor. In July, 1875, he was elected Principal of the High School, in Portsmouth, Ohio, and in 1879, was elected Super- intendent and served as such until 1881. He was Superintendent

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of Schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1881 to 1885. In 1885, he was elected Superintendent of Schools in Los Angeles, California, which position he held until 1893, when he resigned on account of loss of his health. He was married December 16, 1886, to Miss Addie Belle Towell, daughter of James F. Towell, at that time a res- ident of Los Angeles. They had two children; Esther, who died at the age of two years, and James Towell Friesner. Mr. Friesner died August 1, 1894. He was a man of high Masonic standing, hav- ing reached the 32 degree in the Scottish Rite, and a Knight Templar. The anniversary of his birthday, January 21, 1895, was observed by 12,000 children and 400 teachers of the public schools of Los Angeles, as a memorial of their teacher and friend. The great hall where the teachers and friends assembled in the evening was decorated by the children with thousands of calla lilies, roses and smilax. Addresses were delivered by many of his Principals who had served under him, by teachers, and members of the School Board. Letters of condol- ence from old friends, among whom were these, his classmates : Rev. F. W. Gunsaulus, President of the Armour Institute, Chicago, and Rev. John C. Jackson, of Columbus, Ohio. The proceedings, with all the addresses and letters, were published in a handsome Me- morial Volume for distribution among his teachers and friends.

James Andrew Irwin Lowes

was born September 3. 1816, near Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated at Miami University in 1841, and directly after that studied for the ministry in the Presbyterian Church, and was licensed as such in 1843. In 1846, he located at South Salem, Ross County, Ohio, and conducted the celebrated Academy at that place for twenty-one years, until 1867, in which year he went to Oxford and remained there as a teacher in the preparatory school until 1872. After that he went to Ripley, Ohio, where he was a teacher and minister to the Presbyterian Church. In 1879 to 1881, he was Superintendent of schools at New Richmond, Ohio. From 1881 to 1883, he was Superintendent of the public schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, and thereafter during the re- mainder of his life resided in Portsmouth.

Prof. Lowes was three times married, but was a widower at the time he came to Portsmouth. On January 30, 1882, he was married to Miss Fanny Gertrude Switzer, who survives him. He was a member of the City Board of School Examiners for a number of years.

In politics, Prof. Lowes was a Whig and afterwards a Repub- lican. He was a Representative Presbyterian, both as a member of the Church and as a minister. He was a master of the Latin tongue and had as extensive a knowledge of that language and its literature as any of his co-temporaries.

Prof. Lowes believed in maintaining the dignity of his profes- sion as teacher and minister and did so. As a gentleman, scholar

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and a model citizen he was respected by all who had the honor of his acquaintance.

Thomas Vickers, B. D.,

was born in Otley, Yorkshire, England. His father, Joseph Vick- ers, and his mother, Grace Chaffer, were both natives of the same town. His paternal grandfather, Jacob, and his great-grandfather, Thomas, were born in the same locality. The family is of Danish origin, and its history runs back to the invasions of the north of England by the Northmen in the ninth century. The more imme- diate ancestors of the subject of this sketch were farmers and shoe- makers. His parents came to this country in 1849, when he was a child. He received his early education in the Boston public schools ; later he received his academic and theological education at the Uni- tarian Theological School at Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he re- mained four years and was graduated. He then went to Germany and spent four years at the University of Heidelberg and one half year at the University of Zuerich in Switzerland, engaged in the study of philology, philosophy, history and educational theory and methods. His letters of introduction to some of the most eminent professors in Heidelberg, procured him admission to their families and gave him a social position not usual among students. He thus became intimately acquainted with Professor Edward Zeller, the famous historian of Greek Philosophy, Professor George Gottfried Gervinus, the author of the best known history of German Litera- ture, Professor George Weber, the Historian, and Rector of the Hoehere Buergerschule, and Richard Rothe, the most eminent the- ologian of his time. Prof. Vickers' philological and linguistic studies included Greek, Latin, Hebrew; German including the Ger- man dialects, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. He has a speaking knowledge of the principal modern languages, and a reading knowledge of them all, excepting the Sla- vonic tongues. His instructor in Hebrew was the famous oriental- ist, Weil, who spent five years disguised as an Arab among the Arabian tribes for the purpose of studying their language, customs and religion.

A year before Prof. Vickers returned from Europe, he had ac- cepted the pastorate of the First Congregational ( Unitarian) Church in Cincinnati, which, beginning with January, 1867, he held for seven years. In the last year of this pastorate (1873) he was elected Professor of the German Language in the first faculty of the University of Cincinnati, and afterward, in the same year, Chief Librarian of the Public Library of Cincinnati. He entered upon his duties as Librarian, January 1, 1874, when the present building was nearing completion. The task fell to him of re-classifying and recat- aloguing the entire library, and of re-organizing it in accordance with the larger demand to be made upon it both by scholars and students,

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and by the general reading public. His success in all these respects was almost phenomenal and attracted attention among professional librarians both in this country and in Europe. Dr. Richard Garnett, the Librarian of the British Museum, took especial occasion, at the International Congress of Librarians held in London in 1877, to commend Professor Vickers' system of departmental catalogues as "eminently sensible and practical." Until his resignation of the of- fice of Librarian, he was unanimously re-appointed every year, and had entire control of more than fifty assistants and of all purchases of books. He was twice sent to Europe by the Board of Managers in the interest of the Library.

On his return from Europe in 1877, Professor Vickers was elected acting President of the University of Cincinnati, which with the consent of the library authorities, he accepted. The following year, 1878, he was elected permanently as President of the Univer- sity and Professor of History. By an agreement between the two governing boards, he accepted the university position, but still con- tinued the work of supervision in the library. At the end of the following year, December 31, 1879, having found the duties of the two positions entirely too burdensome, he resigned the Librarian- ship. While in charge of the Cincinnati Public Library he insti- tuted many reforms in the management and was one of the origi- nators of the movement, since become popular, for the technical education of librarians. The "charging system" invented by Pro- fessor Vickers, was exhibited at the World's Fair in Chicago and pronounced the best in use.

Professor Vickers took up the University work with the en- thusiasm and vigor for which he is known, doing far more than his share of the actual teaching and at the same time organizing the courses of study in the Academic Department, the Art School, and the Astronomical Observatory. In the two latter departments there had been no faculty, which had occasioned a good deal of friction be- tween the teachers ; this soon disappeared under his management. When the Art School was separated from the University and united with the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Hon. M. E. Ingalls, the Pres- ident of the Art School Board, said, at the final conference with the University Directors, that they would be thoroughly satisfied if they succeeded in managing the schools as well as President Vickers had done.

Besides three regular courses in History, the teaching of Pro- fessor Vickers in the University embraced at various times lectures on Pedagogy, on the science of Government, on the elements of juris- prudence, and also instruction in German, Spanish, and Italian. He was also at one time a member of the Cincinnati Board of Education, and also, for many years, a member of the Board of School Examin- ers.

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In April, 1884, Professor Vickers resigned both his positions in the University to take effect at the end of the academic year. For four years succeeding he was mainly occupied with literary work. In the seventies he did a great deal of editorial writing for the Cincin- nati Commercial; he was a contributor to the New York Nation ; and edited the department of foreign literature in the Christian Quarterly Review, which the New York Independent characterized as fully equal to that of any of the English or American quarterlies. In 1868. he published a life of Grant in German, and in the same year his cele- brated controversy with Archbishop Purcell, which called forth much comment both in this country and in Germany, appeared in book form, with an appendix containing the famous Encyclical Letter of Pius IX and its Syllabus of Modern Errors, in Latin, with a par- allel English translation by Professor Vickers. He has also pub- lished a great many educational addresses both in English and Ger- man.

In 1888, Professor Vickers came to Portsmouth as Superinten- dent of Public Schools, which office he retained for thirteen years. For a part of this time, he was a member of both County and City Board of School Examiners. He aimed to bring the schools to the highest point of efficiency and succeeded. He reorganized the High School and made it one of the best in the state. He also sought by giving instruction to the teachers in various languages to inspire them with a desire for wider study and a more general culture. His chief aim, however, and his ambition, was to keep in touch with the work of each individual child from the moment it entered school until it was graduated from the High School, or had withdrawn before reaching that point. He was able to do this by means of an adjust- able alphabetical system of records which he invented and copyright- ed. It may be truly said that Professor Vickers posssessed more linguistic accomplishments than any other who was ever at the head of the Portsmouth schools, and in general scholarship and efficiency he led them all.

In 1901, Professor Vickers was elected Superintendent of the schools in Mansfield, Ohio; but was not a candidate for re-election, in 1902. He still retains his residence in Mansfield, although he owns a fine home on North Waller street in Portsmouth. He has been twice married, the first time while he was still a student in Germany ; the second time in Cincinnati, in 1884, to Leonora Oppen- heimer. The children of the first marriage were: George Theodore, at present Assistant Prosecutor of the Pleas in Jersey City, formerly an attache of the Harvard Observatory at Arequipa, South America ; Robert Frederick, who holds a clerical position in New York City; Grace Elizabeth, the wife of Wilhelm Doering, a well known artist in Berlin, Germany; and Victoria Katharina, who also lives in Berlin. The children of the second marriage were: Leonhard, who died in

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Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1892, at the age of seven years; Helen Judith, born in 1888; and Alwyn, born in 1891.

Professor Vickers was an old time abolitionist, and personally acquainted with William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Samuel May, Gerritt Smith, and most of the other prominent anti-slavery people. When he went to Europe to study, he took with him a circular letter from William Lloyd Garrison introducing him to all the leading anti-slavery men and women in England, Ireland and Scotland.

The parents of Professor Vickers, and also his son Leonhard, are buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Portsmouth, Ohio; his father having died in 1892, and his mother in 1902.

John Imboden Hudson

was born in Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia, April 17, 1863. He was educated in the common schools of that city and graduated from the High School in 1880. He entered the Virginia Military · Institute at Lexington, Virginia, in September, 1881, and remained there four years. He was graduated from that Institution July 4, 1885, as Senior Captain of the Corps of Cadets and ranking third in a class of 25. He took service with the Maysville & Big Sandy Railroad (now the C. &. O.), as an Assistant Civil Engineer and rose to the position of Resident Engineer. In 1887, he was appointed Resident Engineer by the Ohio & Northwestern R. R. Co. under Col. John D. Letcher, and later he was Resident Engineer of the Southern Railroad. From 1890 to 1893, he taught Civil Engineering and Military Tactics at the Ohio Military Institute at College Hill, Ohio. From 1893 to 1896, he was with the Kentucky Training School at Danville, Ky. He entered the Portsmouth High School as Principal in the fall of 1896, and held that position until April, 1901, when he was chosen Superintendent. He was re-elected for 1902 and 1903. He was City Civil Engineer of Portsmouth for a short time, and a member of the Flood Defense Committee. He has received the degrees of "Bachelor of Science" and "Civil Engineering," and has been a member of the City Board of School Examiners for five years. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Doty, daughter of Theodore Doty, September 3, 1891, and their children are: Edith Mae, George Baird, Harold Doty (died in infancy), John Imboden and Howard Doty. In politics, Mr. Hudson is a Democrat. As Superintendent of the Portsmouth Schools, he is active, energetic and progressive. He has managed the schools with as great efficiency as any of his predeces- sors.

James H. Poe

was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, June 6, 1822. He was a descendant from the same family as the pioneers Adam and Andrew Poe. His family was connected with that of the poet, Edgar Allen Poe. In

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1838 he began teaching school near Chillicothe, Ohio, at $8.50 per month in a rude log cabin, and he taught from that time until failing eyesight compelled him to cease.

He was married March II, 1847, to Miss Lucy A. Taylor, who survived him. They had five children, of whom three daugh- ters, Sadie, Mattie and Ella are still living. In 1851 he came to Portsmouth, Ohio, as a teacher, and remained until 1867. In Ports- mouth, he was a District Superintendent and had charge of the lower Fourth street building.

On returning to Chillicothe in 1867, he took charge of the east- ern building and held it till 1875, as Principal. He then opened a private school on Hickory street. He kept that up until compelled by his health to give it up. He then taught summer review schools in the summer vacation for the benefit of teachers. He was school examiner for Ross County for several years. He died February 21, 1888. He possessed the ability to interest his pupils in their work. He had a rare faculty of imparting instruction. He was a man of fine physical appearance and presence until broken down by disease.

Elona White Rankin

was born in Littleton, New Hampshire, about 1815. Her father was Gen. David Rankin and her mother's maiden name was Persis Daniels. The family consisted of seven daughters and one son. About 1843 the family came to the French Grant. Miss Rankin taught school in Kentucky two years, and taught in the public schools of the town of Portsmouth about fourteen years, one year of which was in a private school. She married Alexander LaCroix, father of Professor LaCroix. She died in 1891, at the age of seventy-six, and is interred in Woodland Cemetery at Ironton, Ohio. Her father, David Rankin, is buried at the Haverhill burying ground, also her mother. Her grandfather Rankin came from Scotland. She was regarded as one of the best of Portsmouth teachers and taught High School branches for many years.

Mrs. Mary Ann Mulligan

is one of the veteran teachers of Portsmouth, now living in honored retirement, waiting for the better country out of sight. She was born in Portsmouth, December 22, 1838, and has never lived else- where. Her father, Edward Bannon, was a native of Ireland, as was her mother whose maiden name was Bridget Dervin.

Our subject began as a pupil in the Portsmouth schools in 1845, and attended there until 1854. The last four years in school she was a pupil of Miss Rankin, a famous teacher.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 68

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