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 30
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
The late James Douglass was born at Hamilton, Canada, June 10, 1824, and came into the world strong and healthy and with a good endowment of intellect. He grew up in Erie County from the age of nine years, and acquired his education in local schools. On reaching his majority he began earning his own way in the world, invested his earnings in land, and altogether accumulated about 230 acres, most of which were developed into highly cultivated tracts for the growing of fruit and other crops. Ile became well known in many ways, was promi- nent in the democratic party, and in 1874 was elected a member of the Legislature and was re-elected. Ile represented his district altogether for eight years. In 1882 he was elected to the office of county commis- sioner, in which he served two terms of three years each. His most important office came with his appointment in 1890 as a member of the State Board of Equalization, to the duties of which he gave his time and judgment for two years.
The late James Douglass died at his home in Erie County August 1, 1899, at the age of seventy-five. Ile was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and for many years was one of the most con- spicuous leaders in the Patrons of Husbandry, serving as master both in the local and state granges. He was also connected with school affairs.
James Douglass was married in Berlin Township November 24, 1857, to Miss Cornelia A. King, who was born at Randolph, New York, Janu- ary 5, 1833. Mrs. Douglass has lived in Erie County since 1834, having grown np in this part of the state. Since her husband's death she has occupied the old home with twenty-five acres of surrounding land, and that is one of the beauty spots along the lake shore in Berlin Township. Her home is a popular gathering place for a large circle of friends, and all have a hearty welcome under her hospitable roof. Mrs. Doug- lass is a daughter of Gideon King, and a granddaughter of Gideon King, Sr. Her grandfather was an early settler at Randolph, Cattarau- gus County, New York, and married Diantha Pixley, and both died at Randolph. Gideon, Jr., was born in Randolph, New York. November 15, 1795, and married Maria Hopkins, who was of the same family as Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. She was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, July 10, 1799, a daughter of Moses Ilopkins. The children of Gideon and Maria were all born in New York, and in 1834 the family came out to Erie County, Ohio. From Buffalo they took a boat to IIuron and after two years in Berlin Township went to the Village of Norwalk, spent ten years there, and in 1845 returned to Berlin Township. Gideon King thereafter was a farmer in this township and died there in January, 1879. He was survived by his widow, who passed away at the age of eighty-eight, and was strong in intellect to the last. Both of them were active mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Douglass were as follows: William L., who was born in October, 1865, was well trained and educated, and is now a prominent farmer, the owner of a fine place on the lake near the old homestead where he grows large crops, particularly peaches, to which fruit he has many acres planted; he married Anna Hill, a native of Pennsylvania, and without children of their own they have adopted a daughter, Winifred, who is now attending school. Dr. James King Douglass, the second child, was graduated from the University of Michigan in the dental department in 1894, and now has a fine practice at Sandusky ; he married Maora Hill of Berlin Heights, and they have a daughter, Elizabeth, aged thirteen and now in the eighth grade of the public schools. Mary, who was born on the old farm in 1872, and was educated in the public schools and in the Northern Ohio Normal
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School at Ada, became a teacher, and in 1900 married George S. Cook. Mr. Cook, who managed the homestead of Mrs. Douglass for some years, died July 31, 1914; he was a prominent member of Mark Lodge No. 359, A. F. & A. M., and had passed most of the chairs in that order and was also affiliated with the Berlin Heights Lodge in the Knights of Pythias, in which he was past chancellor.
WILLIAM CHARLES HEYMANN. From the earliest years of settlement Erie county's position on the Lake Erie shore has brought many sub- stantial benefits to that locality, and not least among these is the large fishing industry which has important centers in the various lake ports along the south side of this fresh water sea. In alluding to the various families and individuals who have been most prominent in this business, foremost mention must be given to the Ileymanns who for more than half a century have been identified with the business at Huron. Huron also claims the citizens of that name as among its most substantial men, and their industry has contributed in no small degree to the importance and prosperity of the village.
The late William Charles Heymann, whose two sons now carry on the active affairs of the business which he began before the Civil war, was born in Kaltenholzhausen, Nassau, Germany, March 1, 1834, and lived to be more than four seore years of age. He came of strong and wholesome stoek, his ancestors having been of the pastoral class of Germans, people of limited means but of most honest and industrious character. The father was Conrad Heymann, who reared a large family of children and endowed them with strong bodies and a willingness to work, character- isties which without any other advantages would certainly work to their credit and honorable stations in life. Most of these children founded homes in free America, and a number of them became identified with Erie county, Ohio.
William Charles Heymann was fourteen years of age and had com- pleted the course of the common schools in Germany, when he left the fatherland and with a party of neighbors and possibly some of his rela- tives came to seek his fortune in the New World. The record of his early life and experience is now largely a matter of tradition, and it is believed that when he left Germany he passed through France and took passage on some boat at a French port, believed to be Havre. He was at least eight weeks on this vessel before it reached Castle Garden, New York. and thenee he came by river and canal to Buffalo and up the lake to the welcome shores of Northern Ohio. The village of Huron was then a small but thriving lake port, and one of the favorite harbors and shipping points of the early days. His early training in honest and industrious habits profited him from the instant he arrived in Huron. The first ten years he applied himself with willing heart and hand to any occupation whiel promised legitimate returns and some possibilities of advancement. IIe had the qualities of efficiency and fidelity and never had to be pressed in order to perform his tasks in the best possible manner. Thus his services were in demand, and there was never a time in this early portion of his career when he had to seek employment. After he had lived in the country for some time his parents and other members of the family came to America, and all of them became identified with the State of Ohio.
William (. Heymann was still a boy in his teens when he was given the responsibility of looking after a grain elevator at Milan in Erie County. The manager of that elevator was unable to perform his duties on account of illness, and for one year the business entirely devolved upon the shoulders of young Heymann. It was the first important test of his real capacity for business, and he not only gave close attention to
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his work but kept his accounts so straight that he was not only compli- mented by his employer but given a substantial bonus in recognition of his work. Later he was given a place by the Wickham Company in charge of their grain elevator, and the trustworthy manner in which he performed his duties soon gave him a larger outlook on business and he was promoted to the position of fish buyer for the Wiekham concern. Ile also bought for Charles Ryan, another prominent fish dealer of that time. Thus he was gradually drawn into the industry which for so many years he followed and on which he built up his substantial fortune.
About 1860 Mr. Heymann took up the independent business of deal- ing in lake fish and also acquired the equipment and entered into the field as a producer or eatcher. Ile operated both in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, but his headquarters were always in Huron. His operations soon brought him to a position among the largest fish takers out of these lakes. The late Mr. Heymann was active in the management of his large business until 1903, and in that time his name became familiar through his dealings with all the important commission, wholesale and retail fish houses in both the West and the East.
Mr. Heymann was one of the very few men in the business in North- ern Ohio whose career contains no record of failure or important reverses. He was energetic, conservative in his business methods, kept a judicious watch upon both the productive and the selling ends of the business, and managed his assets so well that he eould always discount his bills. In Erie county he was regarded not only as a successful business man but a citizen of high ideals and of sterling worth. At his home on Wil- liams street in Huron his death occurred February 24, 1915, at the end of a long and fruitful career.
. William C. Heymann was a member of the German Reformed Church, in politics a very decided democrat, and for a number of years has been a member of the town council and for one term held the office of mayor. Ile was married in Huron to Miss Catherine Elizabeth Koch, who was about two years older than her husband and was born in Nassau in the same locality that contained his birthplace. When she was a young girl she accompanied her mother and stepfather to the United States and grew to womanhood in Huron. She is still living at the old William Street home, and well preserved and active for her advanced years. Her husband owed to her much of his success in life, since she was active and sympathetic with him in all his business ventures and a splendid home maker and mother.
William C. Ileymann and wife were the parents of the following children : Lonisa, wife of William Shepherd of Huron, and the mother of children; Mary, who died after her marriage to Robert Truett, with- ont children ; Henry, who died in childhood; Charles, the first of that name, who died in infancy; Libby, wife of Eugene Yarrick, and the mother of one son; Lydia, who lives at home with her mother; Sarah, who died in childhood; Caroline, who is the wife of Robert Cooper, a rarpenter at Cleveland : Charles F. and John P .. the sueeessors of their father in business: Anna, who died in early childhood: and Otto, who also died young.
Charles F. Ileymann, who with his brother .John P., has long been identified with the industry which his father established many years ago, was born in Huron, April 20, 1869. He was reared and edneated in his native village, and when a young man took up the work of fisher- man and has made that the basis of his suceessful eareer. Both he and his brother have beautiful modern homes on Center street, one of the best residential streets in Huron. Charles F. Heymann married Cora Rhinemiller, who was born and reared and educated in Huron County, a daughter of John Rhinemiller, who with his wife was born in the
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
United States, was a farmer, and a Presbyterian and democrat. Charles F. Heymann and wife have two daughters, Ethel L., aged seventeen and a student in high school, and Audrey Marjorie, who is now in the eighth grade of the Iluron public schools.
John P. Heymann, the second of the sons who have proved such worthy successors as business men to their honored father and have done much to increase the substantial fortune acquired by the elder lleymann, was born in Huron, July 17, 1871, and received his education in his home village. At the age of sixteen he began gaining a practical ex- perience in the fishing industry, and he and his brother subsequently bought out their father, and have been associated more or less closely for twenty-two years. For greater convenience of operation they subse- quently separated the business into two branches, and are now operating independently, John being at head of the branch of the business known as "Pound Fishing" while Charles operates the "Devil Net" or "Trap Fishing." Together they give employment to a large number of men, have a large amount of capital invested in boats, nets and other equip- ment, maintain a large warehouse in Huron, and have established con- nections with all the larger cities of both East and West.
John P. Heymann married Miss Elizabeth Seiling, who was reared and educated in Ohio, where her parents, of German stock, were sub- stantial farmers. John Heymann and wife have the following children : Edna E., a student in high school ; William Charles, now in the seventh grade of the public schools; Oliver Wendell, aged seven years; Virginia, aged two; and John, Jr., an infant who was born May 26, 1915. John P. Heyman and wife and his brother and family all attend the Presbyterian Church.
HENRY W. SMITHI. Among the old and honored families of Erie County of German origin must be mentioned that of which Henry W. Smith is a prominent representative. He and others of the name have been identified with agricultural and industrial development many years and in numerous ways have made their influence felt to the advan- tage of the locality.
For thirty-three years Henry W. Smith has been a general farmer in Berlin Township, his farm being bounded by two of the well-traveled thoroughfares of that township. He has lived there since 1882, and owns ninety acres of fine land, well watered by Chappell Creek. Nearly all of it is in cultivation, and its erops are mainly wheat, corn and oats, and he keeps some graded live stock, horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. He has a special distinction among Erie County farmers as an extensive and scientific grower of ginseng and golden seal, and for several years has made this a very profitable feature of his business. His land seems particularly well adapted for these specific erops. While the building improvements on his land are quite old, they are kept in the best of repair, and altogether he has one of the valuable estates of Berlin. Township.
The family located in Erie County in the early half of the nineteenth century. Henry W. Smith was born in Vermilion Township October 16, 1850, a son of John and Louisa (Cook) Smith. Both parents were natives of Germany, his father born at Blockheim in 1825, while his mother was born in 1828. They were still children when brought by their respective families to the United States. Both families made the journey in sailing vessels, starting from Bremen and landing at Balti- more. The Smiths and the Cooks came on west to Erie County, and arrived here in time to share in the pioneer development. Grandfather John Smith died in Erie County when quite an old man, and the same was true of Grandfather Henry Cook. Both families were members
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
of the Reformed Church, and in politics practically all in the successive generations have been democrats. John Smith and Louisa Cook both grew up in Erie County, and after their marriage started out with eighty-five acres of wild land in Vermilion Township. This was the scene of their continued activities for many years, in the course of which their land was transformed into a fertile and productive farm. John Smith died on that farm in 1899 and his wife passed away in 1912. They were Reformed Church people and he a demoerat. Of their twelve children, three died young, while all the others reached maturity and five are now living and have children of their own.
The oldest in the family, Henry W. Smith, grew to manhood on the old farm, and had to work hard even when a schoolboy. During several terms of his school attendance his duties required that he haul a eord of wood to Vermilion, three miles away from his home, each morning before taking his books and walking to school, and the same task had to be repeated after school hours in the evening.
In the spring of 1882, a few weeks before removing to his present farm, Mr. Smith married Eva C. Fischer. She was born in Brownhelm Township of Lorain County, March 10, 1853, but when she was still a child her parents removed to Erie County and she was reared and educated in Berlin Township. Her parents were Henry and Catherine (Reiber) Fischer, both natives of Germany, and coming to this country when quite young, with their respective parents, both the Fischers and Reibers settling in Lorain County. Mrs. Smith's parents were farmers in that county and later in Berlin Township, where her father died at the age of sixty-five. Her mother is still living in the township and preserves her vigorous mentality and physical health, though, at the venerable age of eighty-seven. The Fischers were likewise aetive mem- bers of the German Reformed Church, and Mr. Fischer was a democrat in politics.
Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Smith took up the work of improvement on the farm which has been mentioned, and where they have lived steadily and prosperingly for upwards of thirty-five years. All their children were born on the farm, and a brief record of this younger generation is as follows: Alvina is now the wife of Philip Sprankal, a farmer in Berlin Township, and they have a daughter named Eva C. Catherine, the second child, is the wife of Arthur J. Soult, residing in Norwalk, Huron County, and they have a daughter Catherine. IIenry W., Jr., now twenty-four, received his education, as did the other children, in the graded schools, and is now associated with his brother Nicholas in the ownership and management of a farm of eighty acres in Berlin township, and are both progressive and enterprising young men, still unmarried. Louisa died when five years and six months old. The son Nicholas, next in age, has been mentioned. Eva C., Marjorie and John A. are still young and living with their parents. Mr. Smith and his older sons are demoerats, and nearly all members of the family are active in Florence Grange No. 1844 of the Patrons of Husbandry.
WILLIAM G. FITCH and his father before him were native sons of the State of Ohio, both born in Sherman Township, Huron County. Lewis Fitch, father of the subject, was a son of Jonathan Fiteh, who was born in Connecticut and came to Huron County as a young man, settling there in 1816 in the township where his son and grandson were born. Ile built a log eabin in the heart of the wilderness, got his home in readi- ness for his bride, returned to Conneetieut and brought baek his young wife to their new home in the West. They were forty-five days making the trip with a team and wagon, crossing the Allegheny Mountains and
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G. E. Phinemiller.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
stopping wherever night overtook them. The trip was franght with a good many inconveniences, but they were undaunted by any of them, and brought to their wilderness home the courage and independence that dominated the early life of our country and made possible the conditions that exist today. In 1817 Jonathan Fitch settled permanently in Sher- man Township, and when he died he was eighty-six years old and one of the best loved men in the community. llis wife lived to the age of sixty- six years, and they reared a family of seven children.
Lewis Fitch was reared in Sherman Township, and there he married Jane Wright. They were the parents of five children, and the father lived to the age of sixty-six. He died at Monroeville, Ohio, where he spent his last years. Ilis widow still survives him and is now eighty- six years of age.
William G. Fitch came up to manhood in Sherman Township, Iluron County, and had his edueation in the public schools. In 1889, when he was thirty-two years old, he married Katie Andrews, who was born in England, and was a daughter of Joseph Andrews, late of Groton Township. Two children were born to them : Roy J. L. and Genevieve.
Mr. Fitch settled on the farm which is now the family home in 1895. The farm contains two hundred acres, and is the property of Fiteh Brothers, the subject being one of the owners. It is a prosperous place and yields a nice income to its owners. It is located most advan- tageously, and is reckoned to be one of the best farms in Erie County.
Mr. Fiteh is a republican and a man of much public spirit and devotion to the welfare of the community. He has served for several years on the local school board, and while he was a resident of Sherman Township he served for years in a similar capacity. He was also a mem- ber of the election board of Sherman Township for some years. Ilis career in Groton Township has been most ereditable to him, and he richly deserves the high standing he enjoys in the community.
GEORGE E. RHINEMILLER. That energy, eireumspection, ambition and progressiveness have been the dominating forces in the business career of this representative citizen of the younger generation in the City of lluron needs no further voucher than the fact that he has achieved pronouneed suecess entirely through his own initiative and well-ordered endeavors. Hlis eivie loyalty and enterprise have kept pace with his per- sonal advancement, and to him is due the credit of having erected one of the finest business buildings in the thriving little City of IIuron, the same being used for his admirably equipped automobile garage, salesrooms and repair shop. He began his business career with virtually but nominal capitalistie resources, and has had the judgment to discern his maximum potential in his present field of enterprise, in which he has built up a large and substantial business. Further interest attaches to his career by reason of his being a native son of Erie County and one whose loyalty has caused him to pay to the same his unwavering allegiance and to find here ample opportunity for productive business activities.
In 1912 Mr. Rhinemiller erected, on South Main Street, his present fireproof garage building, which is of brick and steel construction, three stories in height. 50x80 feet in dimensions, and modern in all equip- ments and appointments, the front portion of the second floor being arranged for office purposes. The general garage is 30x80 feet in dimen- sions and the repair shop has the best of mechanical equipment and all necessary aeeessories customarily found in a first-class department of this order. Mr. Rhinemiller has the agency for the Oldsmobile, the Chandler and Chevrolet motor ears and the Vim light delivery cars, and his assigned territory covers both Erie and lluron counties, throughout which he has developed a splendid business in these standard vehicles.
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The general facilities of the Rhinemiller garage and repair shop are not excelled by any establishment of the kind in Ohio, and in a review of this nature it is unnecessary to enter into details concerning the fine business which Mr. Rhinemiller has built up through his industry and excellent executive ability. As distributing agent for the motor vehicles named he employs an assistant agent at Berlin Heights and also in the City of Norwalk. It may be noted that his repair shop is equipped with a gasoline motor of 71/5 horsepower, the same providing for the opera- tion of the lathe and drilling machinery, all accessories being of the most modern type.
Mr. Rhinemiller established his initial business enterprise in 1908, when, with a capital of only $40, he engaged in the implement trade at IFuron. Later he developed a substantial sand and cement trade, and since January, 1915, he has given his exclusive attention to the automo- bile business, of which he has become one of the most successful repre- sentatives in this section of the state. For the site of his present business building he purchased an entire block of land, with a frontage of sixty- six feet on Main Street and running back to Williams Street. In addi- tion to this modern building Mr. Rhinemiller has recently completed the erection of his attractive and modern house of nine rooms, on South Williams Street, and he is known and honored as one of the most alert and progressive young business men of his native county as well as a citizen whose co-operation is always assured in the furtherance of meas- ures projected for the general good of the community, his political sup- port being given to the cause of the republican party.
On the homestead farm of his father, in Huron Township, two miles east of the City of Huron, Mr. Rhinemiller was born on the 25th of Sep- tember, 1884, and in addition to availing himself of the advantages of the public schools of Huron he completed an effective technical course of study along mechanical lines in the celebrated International Correspond- ence School, of Seranton, Pennsylvania, thus fortifying himself in a prac- tical way for the line of enterprise in which he is now engaged. He is a son of John and Margaret Rhinemiller, both of whom were born and reared in Huron Township, where the respective families were founded in an early day, the old homestead that was the place of his birth having been still the abiding place of John Rhinemiller at the time of his death, and his active identification with agricultural pursuits in Erie County having continued from his early youth until he was called from the stage of his mortal endeavors, his death having been of tragic order. While driving to his home he was killed on a grade erossing of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, a crossing that he had passed over hundreds of times. He was struck by the engine of a fast train and his death was virtually instantaneous, this sad accident having occurred on the 10th of January, 1912, and his age at the time of his death having been sixty-seven years, five months and five days. He was a man of the highest integrity, was earnest, sincere and loyal in all the relations of life, and he com- manded impregnable vantage-place in the confidence and good will of all who knew him. His success was achieved through honest industry and in addition to his farming operations he became specially well known through his operation of a threshing outfit, in which he kept his equip- ment up to the best standard at all times and found requisition for his services throughout a wide area of country in his native county. His operations in this line covered a period of forty-four consecutive years. Mr. Rhinemiller was a republican in his political proclivities and held minor township offices. Ilis devoted and bereaved wife survived him by exactly one year and was summoned to the life eternal on the 8th of Jan- mary, 1913, when about sixty years of age, both she and her husband hav- ing been members of the Presbyterian Church. John Rhinemiller was
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