USA > Ohio > Erie County > A standard history of Erie County, Ohio: an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic, and social development. A chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs > Part 108
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On December 26, 1895, Mr. Riecelli married Miss Anna Seheel. All the six children born to their happy marriage are still living, namely :
Morgan
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Arthur, born December 25, 1896; Clarence, born October 16, 1902; Florence, born September 19, 1904: Roy, born November 27, 1909; Kenneth, born January 15, 1912; Sterling, born May 12, 1915.
T. T. MORGAN. The wonderful success which has attended the Brown Clutch Company during the past few years, advancing it from a position of unimportance to one of the largest enterprises of its kind in the country, must be attributed equally to the excellence of its product and to the energy, business talent and gifts of aeumen, judgment and fore- sight possessed by its president and general manager, T. T. Morgan. This leading and influential business man of Sandusky has been the architect of his own fortunes, having worked his way from the bottom of the ladder in spite of reverses and disappointments with a determina- tion and fertility of resource worthy of the success he has achieved.
Mr. Morgan is a son of Erie County, and was born on his father's farm, April 24. 1864, his father being George Morgan. George Morgan was born at Milan, Erie County. He was adopted by Thomas Morgan and was before adoption George Hamilton, son of Chester Hamilton, of Milan, Ohio. So the subject of this review is not a Morgan, nor is he connected in any way with the Morgan family but is related to the Hamilton family, which were among the prominent settlers of Erie County, Pennsylvania, and many of the family represent that fine old stoek throughout the State of Ohio and other states of the Union. George Morgan followed agricultural pursuits during the period of his active career. He was an industrious workman and a substantial citizen. winning the esteem and confidence of his associates through a lifetime of useful and energetic effort. He married Miss Mary J. Monfort, a native of Dutchess County. New York, and they became the parents of two children, of whom T. T. is the younger.
T. T. Morgan was educated in the township schools of Erie County, and was reared in much the same way as other farmers' sons of his day and locality. He was his father's assistant until he reached the years of his majority, at which time he embarked in agricultural ventures on his own account. After eight years of experience in tilling the soil, he decided that a brighter future awaited him in the business field, and accordingly disposed of his farming interests and ventured into the retail grocery business at Norwalk, Ohio. There he was associated for one year with J. Seherer, under the firm style of Morgan & Scherer, and then purchased Mr. Scherer's interests and began conducting the business alone. Three years later he disposed of his holdings in a com- mercial way and became a traveling representative for a wholesale house, with which he had come into contact in a business way, and spent six years in this capacity. Having received injuries in a railroad accident he relinquished his services as a salesman, and after fully recovering, in 1905, he was compelled to make a new start to recover his place in the business world, and chose as the medium through which to accomplish this object the handling of realty. There followed three years of more or less profitable activity in buying and selling eity and farm property, but in 1908 Mr. Morgan was made general manager of the Brown Clutch Company, a Sandusky firm then in its infaney, which had at that time only a small and inconsequential business. Under the energetic and progressive management of Mr. Morgan the business rapidly grew and developed, and in 1913 he was chosen for the presi- deney of the company, in addition to which he continues to discharge the duties of general manager. The Brown Clutch Company manufac- tures friction elutches and friction hoists. and the product has become known all over the country for its excellence of workmanship, measuring up to every requirement and being of remarkable quality. As to output
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it is one of the largest manufacturing concerns of its kind in the United States. The main building occupies a spaee of 250 by 60 feet, two stories high, with basement and there are also additional buildings for varions purposes. A large foree of men is given employment. Mr. Morgan is a member of the Masons and has passed through all the bodies up to and including the Commandery. His political allegiance is with the republican party.
On March 18, 1885, Mr. Morgan was married in Erie County, Ohio, to Miss Maude Van Benschoten, danghter of D. H. Van Benschoten, and to this union there has been horn one daughter, Hazel Maud.
JOHN J. HEALY. As a merchant the name of John J. Healy has been associated with Sandusky enterprise for a great many years. Some of those who can remember him as a boy will reeall the fact that he spent several years in performing a good deal of menial work such as was customary in the general routine of business houses when a boy of all work was employed. Ile is now head of the Healy Company, operating one of the best managed and most completely stocked department stores in the eity.
Born in Ottawa County, Ohio, September 8, 1866. he is a son of James and Mary Healy. His father was born in Ireland, and after coming to Ameriea lived in New York City for a time. He then brought his family out to Sandusky, and became connected with Marsh & Company in the manufacture of plaster, and was connected with that company for forty years until he retired. His death occurred in 1895.
Jolin J. Healy received his early education in the publie and parochial schools of Sandusky. When only fourteen years old he started to learn mereantile life through the avenue of general utility boy with the old established house of Kronthal Brothers. He swept out the store, ran errands, helped keep the stoek in order, and did practically everything else that was demanded of him in proportion to his strength and ability. One responsibility after another was added to his duties, and he finally transferred his service to the firm of J. L. Hudson & Company. with which he was identified for many years. Mr. ITealy with all this experience, with the capital which he had slowly aeenmulated, and with a splendid credit which he had established, then organized the Healy Company, whose fine department store is located at 202-212 Market Street. The Healy store deals in all kinds of men's, women's and children's ready to wear goods.
There is no store outside of Cleveland that earries a better stock and is better known for reliable merchandise. Mr. Healy is president and manager of this sneeessful emporinm.
Fraternally he is a fourteenth degree Scottish Rite Mason and is also affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. He is also a director in the Erie County Agricultural Association. On March 12, 1894, Mr. Healy married Miss Olive Unele. Their two children are named Russell and Dorothy Healy.
WILLIAM M. LAUGHLIN. Many of the fine old pioneer homesteads of Erie County by subdivision and sale have passed entirely out of the control of the descendants of their original possessors. One of the traets of land still farmed by a man whose grandfather acquired it direct from the Government is the place of William M. Laughlin, in Berlin Town- ship. on Rural Ronte No. 2, out of Huron. At least a century has passed since the first efforts were made by the original Laughlin to clear, improve and cultivate these acres, and a host of family associations and memories center around the farm, and Mr. Laughlin is a man who has a regard both for the historical past and for the practical work of the present.
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Mrs. Langhlin, his wife, is also of an old and honored pioneer Erie County family and there are no people more representative of the sterling stock that first identified themselves with this section of Northern Ohio.
The Laughlin name is of Scotch-Irish origin. The grandfather John Langhlin was one of eleven brothers who came from Ireland about 1800, and in a few years were seattered about over the various states and territories both east and west of the Allegheny Mountains. John Laugh- lin in the early part of the last century eame out to Erie County, seeured a tract of wild land in the western part of Berlin Township and was one of the very first of those who penetrated the wilderness for the sake of acquiring a permanent home. It is not known whether he brought his wife to Erie County on his first trip or not, and her name and family connections are not a part of the recorded family history. After a time John Laughlin went baek to Pennsylvania, making the journey on horseback. Two days after he and his wife reached Pennsylvania their son Milton Laughlin was born December 25, 1812. He was still a child when his parents returned to Erie County and established their home in Berlin Township. The mother of Milton died a number of years later. and John Laughlin married a Miss Hollister for his second wife, and they spent their last years on the old homestead. John Laughlin was one of the early organizers of the Presbyterian Church not far from his home, and for a number of years served it as deaeon. He was an ideal type of the early settler, stood six feet two inches tall, and possessed a strength in proportion to his rugged and great frame. He had both strength and endurance for all the heavy work that confronted the first settlers in the wilderness. He became allied with the old whig party and had taken up with the doetrines of the new republican party before his death.
Milton Laughlin, who was born as already stated a short time after the outbreak of the second war with Great Britain was reared in Berlin Township on the old homestead of a hundred acres, half of which he subsequently seenred as his own place, and which is now in the possession of his son, William M. Milton Laughlin was somewhat like his father in respect to his physical proportions and strength of character, was an industrious farmer, was reared in and was always faithful to the Presbyterian Church, and voted the republican tieket until the end of his life. About two years before his death he removed from the old homestead to Milan Township, where he died in October, 1884. The immediate cause of his death was the taking of an overdose of raw tineture of iron. He was then past seventy years of age. Milton Laugh- lin married Mary Krom, who was born near the Hudson River about 1815, and was probably of the old Dutch stock of New York State. She eame to Ohio with her parents when she was a child, grew up in Milan Township, and her parents died there when quite old. Mrs. Milton Laughlin died in Milan seven years after her husband. She was like- wise a member of the Presbyterian Church, and should be remembered as a faithful wife and devoted mother. She and her husband became the parents of six children: Ransom F. is now a retired farmer in Milan, and has one living son and two grandchildren. Jane, the second «hild, is the wife of George Ilooper. living at Tiffin, Ohio, and they have a son and daughter. Nancy, who died in 1876, was the wife of William Squires, now living in Milan, and she left a son who is still living. Frank enlisted in the Union Army as a fifer in an Ohio Regiment, and after about three years of service died toward the end of the war from illness contraeted while with the army and was still unmarried. The next of the family is William M. Bertha, the youngest, married Frank Diamond, and they now live in Milan and have three living children.
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William M. Laughlin, who has succeeded to the ownership of his father's fifty-acre homestead, was born on that farm June 29, 1859, and has spent here practically all his life. His education came from the local schools of Berlin Township, and throughout that part of the county he is known as a practical and enterprising farmer. In addition to his farm he owns thirteen acres in Milan Township. It is all well improved, and his home is a comfortable seven-room brick house which was built before Mr. Laughlin was born. He has succeeded many seasons in equaling the best yields of general erops per acre, has grown wheat, eorn and oats, and latterly has planted some twelve to fifteen acres of potatoes. In Berlin Township in 1880 Mr. Laughlin married Miss Frances Hollister. She was born in Milan Township, December 3, 1857, and grew up and received her education in that locality. As already mentioned, her family is one of the oldest to be found in Erie County. Her grandparents were Jesse and Ann ( Horton) Hollister, both New Englanders by birth. They came to Erie County in 1817. after a long and tedious journey, established themselves in the wilderness of Milan Township, and lived there until death took them away when quite old. They were of the hardy old Vermont stock, and in character and activities well fitted for the responsibilities of pioneer life. Their son, Edwin Hollister, the father of Mrs. Laughlin, was born in Vermont in 1810, and was accordingly seven years of age when he arrived in Erie County. Ile grew up on the old homestead in Milan Township, and was married in that locality to Caroline Webb, who was a native of New York State and was quite young when her parents moved out to Erie County. She also grew up in Milan Township, where her parents died many years later. Edwin Hollister and wife became thrifty and pros- perous farming people of Milan Township and later owned a place in West Berlin Township on the Township Line Road, where Mr. and Mrs. Langhlin now live. Edwin Hollister died in 1895 and his wife in 1893. She was a member of the Methodist Church while he was a Universalist. He took much interest in township affairs, was a repub- lican voter, and he and four of his sons saw service throughout the period of the Civil war. One of the sons, Jacob, died from illness while still in the army.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin have been born four children. Earl W., who was born January 24, 1885, became a railroad man and lost his arm while employed by the Wheeling and Lake Erie, and is now living at home. Walter W. is living at Toledo and by his marriage to Ethel Whistler, has a daughter named Franees Della. Pearl II., who was born January 29, 1890, has for the past six years been a locomotive fireman on the Niekel Plate Railway, is now living at Belle- vue, Ohio, and married Maria Huskstein. Ada. the youngest, was edneated in the public schools as were her brothers and sisters, and is still living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin attend the Presbyterian Church and Mr. Laughlin and sons are republicans in politics.
F. E. SWAIN. Que of Sandusky's prominent younger business men, Mr. Swain, is secretary of The C. V. Baumgardner Piano Company, a large and important concern which has received considerable attention on other pages of this work.
Mr. Swain was born in Paulding, Ohio, December 20, 1888, the only son and child of his parents, E. C. and Catherine Genevieve ( Bittell) Swain. His father was a very prominent citizen of Paulding County, where he was engaged in general merchandising until the time of his death. At one time he served as sheriff of the county, and in other ways was a factor in its affairs.
E
L. L. CURTIS
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Mr. F. E. Swain acquired an education in the public schools at Fostoria and Sandusky. When only sixteen years of age he embraced a business career, starting as bookkeeper for the Homegardner Coal Com- pany. He remained with that company about four years, and there laid the foundation of a substantial business experience.
He has considerable individual talent as a musician, and it was un- doubtedly that which led him, on leaving the eoal company, to enter the piano store of J. F. Renner, as a salesman. He continued in that em- ployment until March, 1914, when he severed his connections and after a short time became one of the incorporators of the Baumgardner Piano Company. He was elected secretary and a director and has had much to do with the success of this eoncern. Mr. Swain is well known in loeal musical circles and is a member of several fraternal orders. In polities he is a democrat. IIe married Miss Margaret Davlin, a daughter of W. W. and Effie S. ( Skilliter) Davlin, of Whitmore, Ohio. They have one ehild named Florence Genevieve.
L. L. CURTIS. One of the best examples of individual commercial success found in Northern Ohio is in L. L. Curtis, who, beginning as stoek keeper, has filled all the successive posts of responsibility and for the past twelve years has been president of The American Crayon Com- pany of Sandusky, Ohio.
This business itself is one in which the people of Erie County take special pride. Like many other large concerns it had its origin in an idea when the manufacture was begun in a home shop, from which it has extended to one of the largest in Sandusky's commercial distriet and furnishes employment to probably as large a force of workmen as any other local concern.
The Curtis family has been identified with Ohio since pioneer times. Ezra S. Curtis, grandfather of L. L. Curtis, was born in the State of New York, but spent the most of his life in Lake County, Ohio. W. D. Curtis, the originator of the business now known as The American Crayon Company, and father of L. L. Curtis, was born in Orleans County, New York, in 1824. He spent nearly three years as a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting in 1862 in Company D of the One Hundred and Fifth Ohio Infantry, fought at the battles of Richmond and Perry- ville, but in 1863 was transferred to the medical purveyor's depart- ment, was stationed first at Nicholasville, Kentucky, and after a year was ordered to Louisville, where he remained until the close of the war. He was mustered out July 4, 1865. In 1851 he married Caroline E. Cowdery, who was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, in 1829. In 1866 the family removed to Sandusky. The children of W. D. Curtis and wife were: L. L. Curtis; H. J. Curtis, deceased ; Carrie, widow of John Whitworth; Mary, who married Judge F. C. Price of Kansas; and Carl C. A.
It was in 1869 that W. D. Curtis, with M. F. and John S. Cowdery, his brothers-in-law, conceived the idea of making erayon for school purposes and began experimenting toward that end in the kitchen of the Curtis home. From these initial experiments they realized a great future for the business, and started on a small scale and with crude equipment to manufacture crayon in a small building on Columbus Avenue in Sandusky. The next location was a larger building on Hayes Avenue. At that time the company was known as the Western School Supply Company. From time to time many improvements were intro- duced in molds and machinery, and the output of the concern soon included a variety of crayon for different uses and were shipped to all parts of the United States. In 1900 the plant was destroyed by fire,
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but it was soon rebuilt on Hayes Avenne, and the factory is now the largest of its kind in the world.
Mr. L. L. Curtis was born in Lake County, Ohio, June 16, 1852, but has lived in Erie County since he was fourteen years of age. He received his education in the public schools of Lake County, and soon after the Western School Supply Company was established he took a position as stock keeper. Some years later the company and the Waltham Crayon Company of Massachusetts were consolidated as The American Crayon Company, and Mr. Curtis became superintendent of the entire plant. Ile and his brother, 1I. J. Curtis, were active not only in the management but have supplied much of the equipment now useil in the manufacture, particularly the molds. The American Crayon Company is capitalized at $1.000,000, and Mr. L. L. Curtis is now the only member of his immediate family identified with the business. His brother, II. I. Curtis, died in 1901, and both M. F. and John S. Cowdery, who were also in the firm at the beginning, are now deceased. The American Crayon Company manufactures crayons of every description, for use in schools; oil crayons, which have an extended use; pastel crayons ; lumber crayons, used in the lumber trade; carpenter crayons; billiard tools and accessories, and the company also make a large variety of small wooden boxes for shipping their own merchandise and for supply- ing other industries. The plant of this company covers more than three acres of floor space, and trains are loaded and unloaded at each side of the factory. About three hundred and fifty men and women are on the pay rolls of the company.
In addition to this manufacturing concern of which he is president, Mr. L. L. Curtis takes just pride in the city where he resides, and largely through his influence this extensive factory was located in Sandusky. He is a public spirited man in every sense of the word, and his own success has been a big factor in Sandusky's prosperity. HIe has been a director of the Commercial Bank of Sandusky, Ohio, for a number of years, a director and the vice president of the Dauch Manufacturing Company, a director in the Komo Color Company. and a member of the Federated Commercial Club. In Masonry Mr. Curtis has gone through the various degrees and branches, including the thirty- second degree Scottish Rite and the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the Sunyendeand Club, the Sandusky Golf Club, and the Sandusky Ad Club. He served two terms on the board of education, and at different times has identified himself with other local business enterprises.
HIENRY C. MILLOTT. The art which constructs, either for utility, for beauty, or for both-the art of architecture-is one of the oldest of the civilizing and refining agencies of man. Natural conditions and con- figuration of the country in which it has been exercised have necessarily regulated it, but the development of a modern palace, either for resi- dence or business, step by step from the ancestral eave or tent, has been one of the great and interesting romances of civilization. Among the followers of the profession of architecture in Erie County, one who has contributed materially to the upbuilding and beautification of the City of Parks is Henry C. Millott, who since his return from a trip to Europe in 1907, has been located at Sandusky.
Mr. Millott was born December 20, 1878, in Erie County, Ohio, and is a son of Martin and Julia (Tracy ) Millott. His father, a native of Ireland, emigrated from that eountry to the United States in 1847, sub- sequently becoming a resident of the City of Sandusky, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying before he had reached middle age. Ile was the father of nine children, of whom Henry C. was the youngest.
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Henry C. Millott received his early education in the parochial schools of Sandusky, following which he took up the study of architecture at Cornell University and was graduated from that institution in the class of 1906. The basis of his present architectural style and standing was laid in Europe where he took an extended trip immediately after his graduation and where he was given the opportunity of viewing and studying many of the beautiful old edifices, churches, cathedrals, universities, musenms, etc., rich in architectural designs, an education that could have come to him in no other way, and which has been of incalculable value to him in his subsequent work. A number of these old structures have since passed entirely away, sacrifices to the war now raging in the old countries.
On his return from Europe Mr. Millott settled at once at Sandusky, here opened an office, and has continued in the enjoyment of a rapidly increasing business. No visitor to the City of Parks on Lake Erie fails to be impressed with the architectural values and beanties of its build- ings. They have been erected with a proper appreciation of their sur- roundings, and with an idea of producing a harmonious whole, and the result attained is close to the modern conception of the "city beautiful." In the accomplishment of this result Mr. Millott has played his full part. His field of operation, however, is not confined to his home city, for he is called upon to superintend as well as furnish designs for ele- gant residences, stately public buildings and massive business structures throughout a wide area. llis knowledge of his profession, his accuracy in making estimates, his thoroughness and excellence of labor and his strict fidelity to contracts have established him firmly in his calling and have given him precedence over many of his competitors. Several of the buildings planned and executed by him are: The Alhambra Theater Building, St. Mary School Building and the Third National Bank Building.
In religion Mr. Millott is and always has been a Roman Catholic, and has always been a consistent and sincere friend of the many worthy educational and charitable interests so actively promoted by that church. His sole fraternal connection is with the Knights of Columbus. While abstaining from anything that could possibly be called active political life, he is known as a supporter of the principles of the democratic party. Outside of his profession he has few business interests, but is a director in The Hinde Brick & Tile Company, of Sandusky, and has been a factor in its success.
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