Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning, Part 19

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786

USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 19
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 19
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 19

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Dr. Mahaffey was born in Mount Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, February 21, 1857, is a son of William and Margaret (Rodgers)

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Mahaffey, of Scotch-Irish ancestry and natives of this country, who were the parents of seven children.

The subject of this sketch was reared in his native city and attended the common and high schools of that place. At the age of twenty years he commenced to teach district schools, which vocation he continued for seven or eight years. This was his sole source of in- come, but the ambitious instructor outgrew the bounds of his profession, and about 1881 began the study of medicine. He took one course at the Columbus Medical College and afterward entered the Medical Department of the Wooster University, at which latter insti- tution he graduated in 1885. He subse- quently practiced a year in his native county of Knox, after which he removed to Jeffer- son, where he has since resided and where he has, by careful attention to his professional duties, secured a good and paying patronage.

The Doctor was married in 1890, to Miss Jennie Wood, a lady of social accomplish- ments.

Fraternally, Dr. Mahaffey is a member of the Knights of Pythias. In his various rela- tions of domestic, civil and professional life, his actions have been characterized by the same intelligence and cordiality which have deservedly gained for him a high position in the regard of his community.

H ENRY HUBBARD .- As a mighty monarch of a forest, which has long been a notable landmark, at last suc- cumbs to time's ruthless hand, so may be regarded the recent taking away of the subject of this sketch, whose interests had been identified with those of Ashtabula, Ohio, for more than seventy long years, diversified

by light and shade, by storm and sunshine.

He was born in Trenton, Oneida county, New York, July 19, 1803, and was a son of Isaac and Ruth (Coleman) Hubbard. His early education was obtained in the district schools of short summer and winter terms, and this instruction he supplemented by three terms in an academy at Steuben Val- ley, near his home. In November, 1825, he left his Eastern home and slowly traced his steps westward to Ohio, then on the frontier, and, making his way to Ashtabula, he be .. came Assistant Postmaster, his brother, Matthew Hubbard, being then Postmaster at that place. Two months later, in December of that year, he and his brother made a sur- vey and estimated the cost of constructing a harbor at the mouth of Ashtabula river, and with the data thus secured they forwarded to Congress a petition praying for an appro- priation by the general Government of the amount necessary to make the necessary im- provements. May 20, 1826. a grant was made by Congress of $12,000, and the ensn- ing fall the work of building the piers was commenced. In the spring of 1830 Mr. Hubbard engaged in the forwarding and commission business at the harbor, which, in consequence of the recent improvements, had become the entrepot for the produce of the farmer and the merchandise of tradesmen from a large area of country. In 1832 Middlesex post office was established at the harbor, and Mr. Hubbard became Postmaster, in which position he continued until 1835. He then resigned and was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs, and in 1844 was made Disbursing Agent for the Government moneys appropriated that year for the repairs and improvements of the harbor, which disburse- ments were made to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. In 1853 Mr. Hubbard was

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instrumental in the formation of the Aslıta- bula and New Lisbon Railroad Company, in which he became a director. In 1857 he assumed the office of vice-president of this corporation, and in 1859 became its presi- dent. Owing to an impending financial cri- sis in 1856, Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Henry Fassett, secretary of the company, effected a compromise with contractors to save the stockholders from personal liability for the debts of the corporation. The company sub- sequently sold the road, and other changes have since taken place, until it is now known as the important line of the Pittsburg, Youngstown & Ashtabula Railroad. Mr. Hubbard continued to be a prime factor in the management of this road until his death, his labors in its interest being manifold and impossible to be justly touched upon in the short space of this article. He was a person of great financial and executive ability, in- domitable enterprise and untiring energy and perseverance, with a deep and abiding interest in the public weal of Ashtabula and vicinity, by the inhabitants of which he will ever be held in affectionate remembrance, as well for his great material benefactions as for his high integrity, benevolence and purity of character.

In June, 1836, Mr. Hubbard married Julia Ann, a sister of Joseph D. Hulbert, for many years his partner in business. In 1859 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his devoted companion, who was a lady of many estimable qualities of mind and heart. March 26, 1862, Mr. Hubbard was married to Miss Harriet C. Stanhope, danghter of John R. and Harriet (Cornell) Stanhope, the former a prominent pioneer and esteemed citizen of Ashtabula county. There were no children by either marriage.

In religious faith Mr. Hubbard was a de- vout Episcopalian, contributing liberally to all church and charitable affairs, as well as to the general welfare of all worthy objects tending to benefit the community. Few will reach his exalted standard, as few possess thie powers of mind and heart, with which he was endowed to an eminent degree.

HARLES SUMNER PUTNAM was born May 27, 1859, in a little red cot- tage on the farm of his grandfather, in Stockton, Chautanqua connty, New York. His parents were Welcome and Maria L. (Flagg) Putnam. The father was born and raised and also died on this farm -- dying in October, 1872, at the age of fifty-two years. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one of its pillars in the little community where he lived. He was an en- terprising, intelligent, public-spirited citizen, of good education and well read, possessed of the strictest integrity. He was a stanch Re- publican from the date of the organization of that party. His unbounded admiration for that champion of human liberty, Charles Som - ner, was the cause of his naming his son after the great statesman. His wife survived him until March, 1892, dying at the age of seventy years. She was a woman of great energy, kindness and cheerfulness, and a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church nearly all her life. Two children were born to them-the subject of this sketch, and May V., born 1861, and now the wife of W. B. Horton, an insurance agent of Jamestown, New York.

The mother, however, was a widow of James Putnam, a cousin of the father, at the time of their marriage. By her first mar-

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riage she had one son, Edgar P. Putnam, of Jamestown, New York, who is now (1893) forty-nine years of age. He enlisted in the · war in 1861, at the age of seventeen years, and served until its close. He entered as a private in the Ninth New York cavalry, and was mustered out with the rank of Major, later on receiving from Congress one of its special medals of honor, awarded for dis- tinguished services and acts of bravery on fields of battle. During the war he was wounded twice and had two horses shot from under him. He was in the Army of the Poto- mac, serving during the latter portion of the war for a time on General Sheridan's staff. After the close of the war he went to Min- nesota, where he obtained employment on the Government surveys. His energy and faculty of command were soon the means of placing him at the head of a surveying party, and for several years he was engaged in the ardu- ous work of surveying townships and sections in northern Minnesota counties, at all times far away in an unbroken wilderness. While engaged in this work he became an expert in selecting and locating valnable tracts of pine lands, which were purchased from the Govern- ment by capitalists at the nominal sum of $1.25 per acre. Into these lands he put every dollar of his savings, and iu 1874, owing to greatly impaired health from over- work, he sold his lands at a handsome figure and returned with his family to Jamestown, New York, to reside. After a time, with re- turning health, he engaged in the drng bnsi- ness. He was appointed Postmaster of the city of Jamestown by President Arthur, and succeeded in getting the free delivery service established there, but was removed from office soon after President Cleveland's elec- tion. Two years later (1888), he was elected County Clerk of Chautauqua county. He re-

fused a re-nomination after serving most ac- ceptably his three-years' term of office, and returned to his home in Jamestown, and soon after became identified with the management of the Chautauqua County National Bank. For a number of years he has been active in politics, holding the position of chairman of the county executive committee of the Repub- lican party during several campaigns, and is regarded as one of the leading Republicans of western New York. He is a man of excellent business qualifications and has accumulated an independent fortune in his various avoca- tions.

Two years after his father's death the sub- ject of this sketch removed with his mother and sister from the home of his boyhood to Jamestown, where for two years he attended the union high school. In 1876 he came to Conneant, Ohio, where his grandparents then resided, and entered the office of the Conneaut Reporter as an apprentice. March 8, 1878, at the age of eighteen, he was married to Lanra E., danghter of E. A. and Eliza A. Stone. Two children have been born to them -Eppie May, born June 3, 1879, and Walter, born February 14, 1886. Mrs. Putnam was born June 23, 1858. She is a member of the Christian Church of Conneaut.

In the fall of 1878, he, in company with his brother-in-law, L. V. Stone, engaged in their first business venture by establishing the Conneaut Express. After publishing this paper a year in Conneaut, Mr. Stone sold his interest in the same to G. P. Foster, of Geneva, Ohio, and the plant was moved to that village, where the publication of the Express was continned, our subject continuing as its editor and manager another year, when, after a long and very serious illness, he sold his interest in the newspaper. With return- ing health he moved to Cleveland, Ohio,

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where he remained a year engaged in working at his trade on daily newspapers and in job offices. Again returning to Conneaut, he purchased a half interest in the Reporter, in 1882, and in company with J. P. Rieg. con- tinued in its publication until 1889, when he sold his interest in the business to Mr. Rieg.

During 1888, he held, by appointment from the Governor of Ohio, the office of Lake Erie Warden. His duties in enforcing the laws of the State relative to fishing in Lake Erie, called forth various and exciting experi- ences in dealing with the many rough and law-breaking fishermen. Resigning his office after one year's experience in that ca- pacity, he at once engaged in successfully car- rying out a large newspaper advertising con- tract which he had secured from one of the leading advertisers of the country.

In 1890, at the outset of the work then be- gun on the eleventh census, he was appointed a Special Agent in the field work pertaining to farms, homes and mortgages. At the conclu- sion of his work in the field he was called to Washington by the Superintendent of census, and appointed a clerk in the Census bureau. He continued in that employ two years, re- signing his position in June, 1892, to return to his home in Conneaut once more and en- gage in his present business, embracing furni- ture, carpets, curtains, and undertaking in its scope. In June, 1893, he associated with himself Mr. C. H. Simonds, of Jefferson, Ohio, under the firm name of Putnam & Simonds.

As may be imagined from the foregoing sketch, our subject is an active, aggressive Republican in politics, and has done much work for the party during the past fifteen years, both in the capacity of a newspaper writer and as an active participant in local and State politics.

The Putnams of this county are principally the descendants of John Putnam, who, with three sons, emigrated from England to the colony of Massachusetts in the seventeenth century. The race of Putnams, while not so numerous as many others, is one characteris- tically strong and noted for the traits of honor, honesty, patriotism, integrity, and tenacity of purpose with which its individuals are imbued, as exemplified by the lives and actions of those bearing this name. It is an occurrence most rare indeed to see or hear the name of Putnam coupled with criminal transactions, and it is an undoubted fact that whenever such case is discovered, a taint in the individual will be found to have been in- herited from some other source through mar- riage relations.

The subject of this sketch is a descendant along the same branchi, though not directly, which produced General Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, and he is more directly a descendant from General Rufus Putnam, a Revolutionary soldier of distinction, and the founder of Marietta, Ohio. Captain Andrew Putnam, a near relative of General Rufus, moved from Massachusetts, and finally settled in Chautauqua county, New York, in 1817, while it was practically yet a wilderness of forest. His entire family of thirteen children (one girl and twelve boys) accompanied him. Newell, the oldest son, and the grandfather of our subject, soon took np a farm of 100 acres near that of his father's, and in time had cleared some sixty acres of it. He lived upon this farm over forty years. Becoming too old for farm labor, he disposed of it to his son, Welcome, and removed to Conneaut, Ohio, where he resided some twenty years at the Center, close beside the home of his daughter, Mrs. Rev. O. T. Wyman. But after the death of his wife, in 1887, he re-

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turned to Chautauqua county and took up his home with Mrs. Wyman (Rev. Wyman having moved there two or three years pre- vious). He remained with them until his death, in 1890, at the advanced age of ninety- five years. Newell Putnam was for a short tine a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a participant in the battle of Lundy's Lane. In politics he was a Whig and then a Republican. He was a man of sterling character, strong physique, strict honesty and propriety, a teetotaler, and a conscientious Christain of the Baptist faith. He was most highly respected by all who knew him well.

E DWARD C. GROSS, general yard master of the Nickel Plate Railroad, Conneaut, Ohio, is the right man in the right place. His strict integrity and busi- ness qualifications have secured him promo- tion to his present position. The following facts have been gleaned in regard to his life and ancestry.

Edward C. Gross was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, February 25, 1862, son of William and Carolina (Wherle) Gross, the father a native of Germany and the mother of Erie county, Pennsylvania, in which county they were married. William Gross came with his parents from Germany to America when he was a boy, and settled in the city of Erie, where he and his wife still reside. For twenty-eight years he was in the restaurant business, but is now retired. During the late war he served a short time in the Union army. Both he and his wife are members of the German Lutheran Church. Mrs. Gross, while a native of Pennsylvania, is a descend- ant of German ancestors, her parents, Michael and Carolina Wherle, having come from

Germany to the United States in the early part of this century. They settled on a farmi twelve miles south of Erie, which was at that time a mere village, and there they passed the rest of their lives and there died. They reared a family of three sons and three daugh- ters, all of whom are living and in Pennsyl- vania, namely: John, Frank, Michael, Lizzie, wife of Colonel Kurtis; Carolina, and Mary, wife of Norten Newell. William and Caro- line Gross had five children, as follows: Will- iam, engaged in the lumber business in Brooklyn, New York, married Lilly Hughes, daughter of a wealthy contractor of that city; Edward C .; Emil, a boiler-maker of Erie, Pennsylvania, married Kate Liebel; Nettie, wife of Robert Dunkin, of Erie; and Flora, the youngest, at home.

Edward C. Gross started out in life as a traveling salesman, and for two years was in the employ of a wholesale boot and shoe house of Erie. Then he spent three years working at the trade of boiler-maker in Brooklyn, after which he began railroading. He was brakeman on the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Rail- road four years. In 1885 he accepted a posi- tion as conductor on the Nickel Plate and came to Conneaut, where he has since resided. He was changed from conductor to night yard master in 1889 and was promoted to his pres- ent position in June, 1891. The position of general yard master is one of great import- ance. He has under his charge between thirty or forty men, besides all crews entering Con- neaut, hiring and discharging the men being a part of his duty.

Mr. Gross was married October 15, 1878, to Miss Maggie Sherman, daughter of Mott Sherman of Albion, Erie county, Pennsylva- nia. Her parents are still living. Their family is composed of three daughters, of whom Mrs. Gross is the oldest, Nellie and Rose being the

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others. Miss Nellie is a fine pianist and is now in the Musical Conservatory of Alle- gheny College. Mr. and Mrs. Gross have four children: Willie Morrison, Lulu Belle, Eddie and Lillie. Both he and his wife are members of the Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and in politics is a Democrat.

EROME N. FREDERICKS, blacksmith, Conneaut, Ohio, was born in Jefferson county, New York, June 29, 1823. He is a son of John and Eunice (Nutting) Fred- ericks. The father, a native of Holland, came to America in 1806, and settled in Groton, Massachusetts, and in that State married Miss Nutting, a native of Massachusetts and a descendant of Scotch ancestry. He was a mason by trade, and while in the East was employed in stucco work. He moved to Conneaut in 1837, and passed the rest of his life in this county. He died at

Kingsville, December 30, 1855, aged ninety years. Few men were better known in this part of the State than he, as he did plastering and mason work all over north- eastern Ohio. His wife died about 1859, aged sixty-six years. Both were members of the Congregational Church for many years. They had a family of nine chil- dren, namely: Emory, who resides in Call- ada; Betsey, wife of Luther Spencer, both deceased; Harriet, wife of Seth McNutt, is deceased; William, of New York State; Jerome N .; Mrs. Elial Risdon, Conneaut; Barsheba, widow of Captain Lent, resides with her sister, Mrs. Risdon; Levi, of Con- neaut; and Elbridge, of Humboldt county, California.

Mr. Fredericks started out in life as a clerk in a store in Buffalo, and remained there two

years. He came to Conneaut in June, 1839, and at once began to learn the blacksmith trade. He was the first boy in this town to serve a regular apprenticeship at any trade. After completing his term of service he trav- eled through this country and Canada, spend- ing two years in Hamilton, Canada West, and eigliteen months in St. Catherines, and after. an absence of five years returned to Conneaut. He has been a resident here since 1847. Some time in the '50s Mr. Fredericks opened his shop on Sandusky street. His house, the first one built on the street, is still standing. At that time all this part of the town was in tin ber. About two years before the war he received an injury which rendered him unfit for service, and upon examination for en- trance into the army was rejected. He served as Councilman of Conneaut one term, at the end of which term he refused to serve longer.

Mr. Fredericks married Miss Milura, daughter of Sylvester and Sophronia (Mason) Cowles, of Medina county, Ohio. Both her parents are deceased, her father dying about 1878, aged seventy-three years, and her mother in 1875, aged seventy-five. They were life-long members of the Congregational Church. Mrs. Fredericks is the oldest of their six children, the others being as follows: Shepard, who was drowned at the age of two years; Newel M., engaged in farming in Medina county, Ohio; Shepard B., a Michi- gan farmer; Emily J., wife of Lewis Rens- burg of Illinois; and Ellen H., who died at the age of five years. Mr. and Mrs. Fred- ericks have had two children, namely: Ed- mund J., a partner in business with his fa-ther, and a young man of fine physique and good habits; and Minnie, who died in 1882, aged nineteen. Mrs. Fredericks is a member of the Christian Church.

Mr. Fredericks' life has been characterized

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by industry and the strictest integrity. His honest toil has been rewarded with success. To-day he is in confortable circumstances and owns valuable property in Conneaut. He has long been a Democrat, taking, however, little interest in politics now. He is a member of the blue lodge, chapter, council and com- mandery of Conneaut, of the Alcoran Temple and of the Scottish Rite, having taken the thirty-second degree, at Cleveland. In all these organizations he has held official positions. He is one of the members of Cache Com- mandery.

H ENRY C. McKELVEY, engineer on the Nickel Plate Railroad, Conneant, Ohio, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, fourteen miles from Johnstown, September 17, 1858, son of Ephraim W. and Sarah C. (Croft) McKelvey.

Ephraim W. McKelvey was born in Ire- land, being of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a general contractor; took the contract for and built a part of the Pennsylvania Rail- road. A man of marked business ability, he succeeded in whatever he undertook. For many years he was engaged in the general merchandise business and at the same time was in the employ of the Adams Express Com- pany. His death was the result of an acci- dent. While riding on the express wagon a box fell off, causing him to fall at the same time. He sustained injuries to his head, from the effects of which he died about three hours afterward. This was August 9, 1865, he being fifty-two years of age. He was a Presbyterian, of which church his widow is also a member. She is now sixty-three years of age and resides at Pittsburg. Her parents were John and Barbara (Herr) Croft. John

Croft was an English soldier in the war of 1812, and after the war returned to England and remained there several years. Coming back to America, he settled near Herr's Island. He was a merchant, and while transporting goods with teams was hurt by an accident from which he died some time later. Herr's Island, between Allegheny and Pittsburgh, in the Allegheny river, is a part of the Herr estate, which amounted (before the division previous to the war) to 2,000 acres. This island has lost one-third its area by the action of the water. Here the Herr family were engaged in raising fruit and vegetables. John Croft and his wife had four sons and two daughters, only two of whom, Mrs. McKelvey and her brother David, both of Pittsburgh, are now living. Mrs. Croft died in 1874, aged seventy-eight years. Ephraim W. MeKelvey and his wife had six children, namely: William, who married Kate Gettemy, is a resident of Wilk- insburg, and has been running a locomo- tive on the Pennsylvania Railroad for nearly thirty-five years; Lewis died July 30, 1871, aged twenty years; Martha, wife of James B. Anderson, of Wilkinsburg, has three chil- dren,-Florence, Lewis and Mary; Henry C., the subject of this sketch; Francis M., who married Ida McCormic, is an attorney of Pittsburg; Edward Wallace, Pittsburg, married Hattie Lindsey, and has three chil- dren, Mark, Blair and Marguerita.

Henry C. McKelvey started out to carve his fortune at the age of fourteen years, and for one year was employed in the sheet-iron department of the boiler works. Then for over a year he was messenger boy for the Western Union Telegraph Company. After that he served a two-years apprenticeship to the trade of making ladies' straw and felt hats. The elose confinement incidental to

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that business did not agree with his health, so in 1876 he entered upon a railroad career, beginning as fireman on the Pennsylvania Railroad. He served as fireman from Septem- ber, 1876, until March, 1878, on the Pennsyl- vania Road; was fireman on the Pan Handle from December, 1878, until May, 1880, when he was promoted to a position as engin- eer; engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio four months; engineer on the Pittsburg & Lake Erie one year; engineer on the Pitts- burg & Western and the Pittsburg, C. & T. Railroad from 1883 until March, 1886. From March, 1886, until January, 1887, he was employed as assistant engineer in the Cartwright, McCurdy & Co. rolling mills, Youngstown, Ohio. Since February 9, 1887, he has been engineer on the Nickel Plate. He has never had an accident that cost the company anything as the result of his fault, nor an accident in which any per- son lost limb or life. His changes were all for increase of wages or improvement of condition.

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Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning, Part 19

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 786

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786