Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 107

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149

USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 107

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The above John Cleves Symmes was a brother of Mrs. Hunter's grandfather, Tim- othy Symmes, of Sussex county, New Jer-

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sey, father of John Cleves Symmes, who tions to polite literature earned him honor- achieved almost as notable a career as did able repute as a writer. The family has long been distinguished for mental ability, public spirit and enterprise and the name is des- tined to continue for all time, one of the brightest in the annals of American achieve- ment. his distinguished relation. John Cleves Symmes, Jr., whose birth occurred in New Jersey in 1780, entered the army when a young man, was a captain in the war of 1812 and in due time rose to high position in the military service. Severing his con- Celadon Symmes, father of Mrs. William N. Hunter, and grandfather of the subject of this review, inherited much of the mental force and alertness and many of the ster- ling characteristics for which his ancestors were noted, and during his early manhood became a factor of considerable influence in the community where he resided. He came to Butler county in pioneer times and select- ing for his home a section of land a short distance south of Hamilton, immediately be- gan the work of its improvement. He cleared and developed a fine farm, became one of the leading agriculturists of his town- ship, also one of its most intelligent and progressive men of affairs, and the prestige of himself and family fastened his name to the locality which from that time to the present day has been known as Symmes Cor- ners. Mr. William N. Hunter was a man of mark in the community, a leader in a number of important local enterprises and a liberal supporter of schools and churches, having assisted in the erection of four houses of worship, besides contributing freely to other measures for the material good and moral welfare of his fellow men. Calvin- ism was his religious creed and for many years he was an earnest and influential mem- ber of the Presbyterian church at Hamilton and an elder in the same, his life having always been in close accord with his faith and his actions the outgrowth of motives which demonstrated beyond a doubt the nection with the army, he retired to New- port, Kentucky, where he gave himself to philosophical pursuits and scientific experi- ments and it was while residing there that he promulgated in 1818 the celebrated the- ory which made his name familiar in learned circles throughout the world. Briefly stated, this theory was that the world is a hollow sphere, inhabitable within and without, open at the poles for the admission of light and containing, besides the exterior surface, six or seven other concentric spheres, also open at the poles. He wrote fluently in defense of this singular hypothesis, also made fre- quent addresses before large audiences of learned men and in 1822-3 petitioned con- gress to fit out an expedition to test the truth of his theory. He delivered a number of lectures before the students and faculties of various colleges and universities and was always heard with interest, but his pet theory was received with ridicule and the supposed aperture at the north pole finally became known as "Symmes Hole," this being about the only appellation by which he is now re- membered by the general public. The the- ory of concentric spheres was first published in 1826 and an abstract of his theory and arguments appeared for the last time in the Atlantic Monthly of April, 1873. Another brother by the name of Peyton Symmes, who lived in Cincinnati, became widely known as a journalist and poet and his contribu- 47

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depth and sincerity of his religious connec- tions. He died many years ago, but his memory is still alive and the land on which he originally settled and from which the old family homestead was carved is now in possession of his descendants.

Reverting to the marriage of the latter and Esther Symmes, it is learned that the union resulted in the birth of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, of whom all but two survive. Calvin S. Hunter, the third of these offspring. is a native of Butler county, Ohio, and was born on the old homestead in Fairfield township on January 22. 1838. He was reared to agricultural pursuits on his father's farm, early learned the lessons of industry and thrift which form the basis of nearly every successful career and as soon as old enough entered the dis- trict school near his home where he pursued his studies until finishing the fundamental branches. Later he supplemented this train- ing by a two-years course at College Hill and after spending two years in an institu- tion of a higher grade at Hanover, Indiana. engaged in teaching, his first term being in a country school south of Hamilton, which was attended by a number of pupils who afterwards became' the leading men and women of their respective communities. Mr. Hunter's experience as an educator covered a period of ten years, during which time he achieved an honorable reputation as a suc- cessful instructor and discreet disciplinarian and quite a goodly number of the country's representative citizens were indebted to him for their first instruction in the mysteries of books and for the judicious advice which shaped their youthful minds in the direction of well-minded manhood and womanhood and gave them proper conceptions of the

dignity, duty and responsibility of life. While engaged in educational work, Mr. Hunter devoted the summer and autumn months to agriculture and he also gave con- siderable time and attention to horticulture, being one of the first men in Butler county to make this interesting pursuit profitable. He early began experimenting with small fruits, making the strawberry a specialty, and he not only introduced the now cele- brated Longworth's Prolific and McAvoy's Superior varieties into his county, but also later, through the county agricultural so- ciety. helped introduce the Haverland, one of the most delicious berries known to the fruit growers of the United States. After abandoning the school room, he made till- ing the soil his life work and has prosecuted the same with much more than ordinary suc- cess to the present time, the meanwhile com- ing prominently to the notice of the public by his interest in organized efforts for the promotion of farming and by his numerous contributions to various agricultural period- icals, also as a lecturer on subjects pertain- ing to husbandry. Mr. Hunter has been connected with every agricultural society of Butler county within the last fifty years and did as much, if not more, than any other man to promote their efficiency as a stimulus to the farmer and to make them meet the purposes for which intended. He served in various official capacities in these organiza- tions and for a number of years past has been vice-president of the present society. besides doing much in other capacities to keep up an interest in its behalf, being a leading spirit in all of its meetings and an influential member of the different commit- tees which have in charge its management. He was formerly associated with Prof. F.

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G. Carey in the latter's scientific and exper- imental work in agriculture and horticul- ture; made full and exhaustive reports of the same, which were published from time to time in the leading agricultural papers of Ohio, and in this way his name first became known as an easy, graceful and fluent writer, the reports being varied at intervals by orig- inal articles in which his views on the sub- ject so close to his heart were given pub- licity. He still wields the pen for various periodicals and his contributions are always read with interest, being, as above indicated, clear and forceful in thought, beautiful in diction and generally accepted as authority in the subjects treated and discussed. Mr. Hunter is a lecturer of considerable note and his services as such have been in great demand by agricultural associations, farm- ers' institutes and like bodies in his own and many other states, having traveled in this capacity throughout the greater part of the Union, at one time going as far west as the Pacific coast and making a number of ad- dresses in the leading cities of California. He has also been a leisurely traveler, with pleasure and the improvement of his health in view, and in this way he has visited many places of interest in the United States and Canada.

Mr. Hunter had two years' experience (as a student) with F. G. Carey while he was president of the horticultural farm at College Hill and during that time lived with him. assisting in his experimental work. His deep and abiding interest in everything pertaining to the tilling of the soil has led him to devote considerable attention to the implements of husbandry. on a number of which he has made decided improvements. besides inventing others whose superiority

over the older kinds is cheerfully acknowl- edged by all who have used them. From these implements and tools he has realized liberal financial returns, but by far the greater part of his work in behalf of the farmer has been for the latter's benefit in- stead of his own material interest. Mr. Hunter lives on the home farm of two hun- dred and eighty-eight acres in Wayne town- ship, and has spared neither pains nor ex- pense in its improvement. His dwelling, with its beautiful and attractive surround- ings, impresses the beholder as an ideal coun- try home of the better class; his other build- ings are modern in point of architecture and admirably suited to the purposes for which intended, while the excellent fencing and the fine condition of the cultivated fields leave little to be desired in the way of a farm complete in its every department. On the place Mr. Hunter has made many of his experiments in agriculture and horticulture, and by reason of the success which has at- tended nearly all of his efforts it is now one of the most widely known as well as one of the most productive and well-improved farms in Butler county. Among the more noted Mr. Hunter's scientific experiments are his tests of the various kinds of fruit to which he has devoted his attention ; also the improvements he has made in adding to the quality and productiveness of many dif- ferent varieties. Since making horticulture his specialty he has tested and improved thirty kinds of strawberries; one hundred kinds of apples and one hundred and twenty kinds of grapes, besides developing several distinctively new and improved varieties of each, the results of his labors and investiga- tions being a great boon to the farmers of his own and other states.

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While ranking among the foremost in the lines of endeavor which he has long made his life work, Mr. Hunter is also a public-spirited man who keeps pace with the times and keeps himself fully informed upon the leading questions and issues in which the American people are interested. Like the majority of intelligent up-to-date Ohio men, he is a politician and believes that in a free government every citizen should man- ifest much more than a passive interest in one or other of the great political parties in which the people are interested. While staunchly and uncompromisingly Republi- can in his views, he has refrained from en- tering the political arena as an office seeker or aspirant for any kind of public honor, being content to vote his principles, defend the soundness of his opinions and leave to those so inclined the scramble and partisan conflict for place and leadership.

Mr. Hunter is not only a man of strong mental powers and wide general informa- tion, but he is also versatile in many re- spects, being skilled in music and a success- ful teacher thereof, also a composer of much more than local reputation. A number of his compositions have obtained wide pub- licity. He plays with ease five or six kinds of instruments, and he is equally talented in voice culture, which he has taught for many years with gratifying success. His religious convictions are strong and profound and from early life he has been a faithful mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, being at this time connected with the congregation at Jacksboro, in which he holds the office of el- der. While deeply interested in all lines of religious endeavor, he is especially concerned in the Sunday school and for over a half century has been one of the most active and

efficient workers in this important branch of the church in the township of his birth and of his residence. During the period noted he has assisted in organizing a num- ber of new schools in different parts of the country, and as a teacher has rendered faith- ful and valuable service, being well read in the Holy Scriptures and general religious literature and apt in imparting his knowl- edge to his classes.

The marriage of Mr. Hunter was solem- nized on the 5th day of November, 1868, with Miss Anna Baird, a native of Butler county and the daughter of a wealthy farmer and influential citizen whose parents came to this part of Ohio in an early day from the state of New Jersey. The fruits of this union are four children, the oldest of whom is Arthur B., who was educated in the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, and who is now a prosperous farmer of Butler county, being at the present time an elder, a supervisor, a director and presi- dent of the school board. Prof. Joseph S. Hunter, the second son, is a young man of fine intellectual attainments and at this time holds the position of principal of the schools at Morris, Illinois. He was graduated from the Ohio State University and has passed his second year at the Chicago University. He has made an enviable record as a teacher and manager of schools, and bids fair to be- come, at no distant day, one of the state's leading educators. Clarence Noble, who also received a fine mental discipline in his youth, chose agriculture for his vocation, and is now helping to manage the home farm. Harry D .. the youngest of the fam- ily, acquired his intellectual education in the public schools, after which he took a full business course at Muncie. Indiana, becom-

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ing especially proficient in shorthand and typewriting. For some time past he has been official stenographer for the American Seeding Company, of Springfield. Ohio, and enjoys the confidence and high personal esteem of his employers.

FRED M. BETZ.

Fred M. Betz, a prominent young busi- ness man in Hamilton, is a native of that city, born on the 26th of August, 1871. Though he has traveled extensively in his business career, he has always retained his residence in the city of his birth. excepting four years at Newport, Kentucky.

Mr. Betz is a man whose career is a worthy object lesson to aspiring young men who desire to work out their own destiny. After leaving school at the age of sixteen, with only ordinary attainments, he secured a clerkship, through the intervention of an influential friend. In June, 1889, he entered upon the discharge of his duties in the office of the postal inspection service at Cincin- nati, at a salary of six hundred dollars per year. He was then a mere boy, though en- dowed with the characteristics which make successful men. The salary he received was the lowest paid by the government in that department of public service. By reason of faithful and intelligent services, the salary was soon increased to nine hundred dollars per year, and this was followed soon after by another increase to one thousand dollars and promotion to chief clerk, and private secretary to his principal, the postoffice in- spector in charge of division. While in this position his salary was again increased, be-

ing now double what it was when he entered the service but a few months before. In December, 1896, Mr. Betz was promoted to the office of traveling postoffice inspector, at a salary of about three thousand dollars per year and enjoyed the worthy distinction of being the youngest chief clerk and now the youngest traveling postoffice inspector in the government service. His route covered portions of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. He traveled in this capacity for over six years, during which time he had married and established a home in Hamilton. Finally the postal authorities desired to send him into the southern states and establish a new route, to which he objected and tendered his resignation, which was accepted on the Ist of September, 1902. Previous to this, how- ever, he had desired to leave the road and establish himself in some line of the manu- facturing business in Hamilton. This desire was gratified by this proposed change in his official duties, which afforded an excuse for his resignation. He erected a fine home in the beautiful suburb of Lindenwald, where his family has since lived, at No. 1026 Mount Pleasant avenue. Lindenwald has enjoyed a prosperous growth and soon the need of better educational facilities became apparent to Mr. Betz and he began to agitate the question of a special school district. This he carried through successfully and served three years as president of the board of edu- cation, during which time a handsome and commodious school building was erected.

Being an active member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and recognizing the inconvenience of attending the services at the First Methodist Episcopal church in Hamilton, he caused to be circulated a pe- tition seeking a division of that parish and

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the establishment of a church and resident pastor at Lindenwald. This was accom- plished and Mr. Betz is now a member of the official board, board of trustees, and a member of the building committee now en- gaged in the erection of a church edifice. In 1903 Mr. Betz established himself in the manufacture of sheet metal specialties, and opened a small plant at Lindenwald. His product was safety deposit boxes for the safe manufacturers, banks, etc., and rural mail boxes. He met with some discouragements in the beginning of his work, owing to the difficulty of securing competent help, but upon the whole, the enterprise proved suc- cessful. The existence of a plant of some- what similar import, but of larger capacity and more diversified products, led Mr. Betz to consider the wisdom of a consolidation of interests and incorporation of the concern. This was brought about on the 24th of Feb- ruary, 1904, when the Betz Manufacturing Company absorbed the Bess Machine Com- pany and the New Bess Machine Company. under the title which had formerly existed in his first venture in business. The in- corporators were Fred M. Betz, E. G. Ruder, H. V. Moore, Jr., S. D. Fitton and E. C. Bott, all well-known business men of Hamil- ton. The officers selected were: Fred M. Betz, president and general manager; E. G. Ruder, vice-president, and H. V. Moore, Jr., secretary and treasurer. The nominal capi- talization is twenty-five thousand dollars. The product of the plant now includes the articles previously manufactured by Mr. Betz when alone and in addition thereto the products of the Bess Machine Company, embracing a full line of laundry machinery and supplies and sheet metal specialties, in- cluding gasoline engine and automobile

tanks, house mail boxes, mail tubes, etc. When running at full capacity the plant gives employment to about forty skilled me- chanics.

The family genealogy of Mr. Betz is a matter of interest to the older residents of Hamilton. He is a son of Martin and Anna K. (Euler) Betz, the former being a native of Germany who came to Hamilton in boy- hood. In 1861 he entered the service of the government as a soldier in the gallant Thirty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served three years and three months at the front. He was twice wounded, and was mustered out of service as lieutenant of Com- pany G. Returning to Hamilton, he became a member of the hardware firm of Flenner & Betz and later was senior member of the firm of Betz & Baursachs. But during the later years of his life he was in charge of the Cincinnati Brewing Company's ice plant and collector for that firm. He was a mem- ber of the local Grand Army of the Republic post in Hamilton. His death occurred at the family home, No. 334 South Second street, June 14, 1899. His widow, who still lives at the old homestead, was born in Hamilton in a house now standing at the northwest corner of Court and Water streets, where all of her five children were born. Mrs. Betz is a daughter of Peter Euler, a native of Germany who enjoyed the distinction of being the first shoemaker in Hamilton. He died in this city at the age of ninety-one years. His wife, Margaret Euler, was also a native of Germany and both came to this country in early life. The parental family of Fred M. Betz was five in number, three of whom are living: Charles, the eldest, died at the dawn of young manhood, being in the twenty-first year of his life; Susan is

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now Mrs. William Warwick, and resides in a portion of the old parental home; Fred- erick M., of this sketch, was the third in order of birth; Ernst is a machinist by trade, and resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Emma died in her eighteenth year. Thus the eldest and youngest of the family have passed to the other shore at a period in life when the world looked bright and promis- ing.

Mr. Betz was married on the 8th of Sep- tember, 1891, when he led to the altar Miss Margaret, daughter of H. V. and Margaret Moore, of Hamilton, Ohio, now of Piqua, Ohio. This happy union has been blessed with an interesting family of three chil- dren, Dorothy, Margaret and Frederick. The second daughter enjoys the distinction of being the fourth generation of "Mar- garets" in the Moore family. The parents of Mrs. Betz formerly lived in Hamilton. where her father served seventeen years as general superintendent of the F. & L. Kahn Stove Company. He now occupies a similar position in the employ of the Favorite Stove Company of Piqua.

Mr. Betz is a member of the Masonic fraternity in Hamilton, holding membership in Washington Lodge, No. 17. He is also a member of Hamilton Lodge, No. 93. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and both are zealous members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.

HENRY H. HAINES.

The subject of this sketch dates his ad- vent into Butler county from the year 1872, and within the three decades intervening he

has made a commendable record for himself. His career has been one of signal activity and due conservatism along the lines of his chosen profession. He has taken an active interest in public affairs and in the local political field he has wielded no little in- fluence, though a representative of the mi- nority party in the county, being a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party. Though in no sense an office seeker he consented to permit the use of his name on the party ticket in con- nection with the nomination for the office of mayor of the city of Hamilton in 1903, and while local influences were considered stronger by the masses than partisan ties. yet Mr. Haines enlisted in his behalf a very strong following of the law and order ele- ment in the city. The opposition, however. was reinforced by the machinery of the city government as well as by a large majority of voters, and was thus successful in bring- ing about the re-election of its candidate. though by a majority greatly reduced from that usually accorded in former municipal elections. Mr. Haines's quiet and dignified manner of prosecuting the hotly contested campaign gained to him the strongest al- legiance of the leaders of his party and paved the way to his future preferment should he desire to again appear as a candi- date for public office. In the administration of his professional business Mr. Haines stands far above the mediocre in the legal fraternity. He is a wise counsellor, a logical reasoner and a talented and convincing pleader. As a public speaker, either before a jury or on the political stump he is force- ful and magnetic, having a well-trained mind, retentive memory and pleasing per- sonal address. Mr. Haines has been more

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than usually successful as an attorney and counsellor at law, both in civil and criminal actions, and has established for himself an enviable reputation as an honest, industrious and thoroughly capable lawyer. His ex- perience has been varied, covering prac- tically the whole gamut of legal practice. In the social affairs of life he is a genial friend, a public-spirited citizen and a helpful ad- junct to society. He is devoted to his fam- ily and friends and is a zealous supporter of worthy enterprises for the advancement of the interests of his adopted city and county.

Henry H. Haines is a native of the Buck- eye state, having been born in Preble county, Ohio, on the 3d of October, 1862. He is a son of Charles S. and Francena (Morey) Haines, who are honored citizens of Hamil- ton, where the father is successfully engaged in the practice of law, being one of the able and honored members of the bar of the state. Of their two children the elder was Elmer C., who was an able and successful news- paper man and who died in 1898, at the age of thirty-five years. The subject of this sketch received his rudimentary educational discipline in the public schools of his native county, and was a lad of ten years at the time of his parents' removal to the city of Hamilton, where he was reared to manhood. Here he completed the curriculum of the city schools, being graduated in the high school as a member of the class of 1882. Prior to this he had determined to adopt the practice of law as his vocation in life, and with this end in view he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Ar- bor, soon after leaving the high school, and was there graduated as a member of the class of 1885. In the following year he was admitted to practice in the courts of

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 107

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1149

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149