Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 118

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 118

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1869 the subject engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, continuing in the dry-goods business until 1881, when he disposed of his interests and engaged in the occupation of a real-estate broker. In connection with this he has also added the feature of fire

insurance and represents a number of lead- ing associations of the country. This busi- ness he has conducted successfully for about twenty-five years, in which, as in all other enterprises which have engaged his attention, he enjoys the full confidence of the people. No man in the city sustains higher social and business relations than James Fitton. In connection with his other business, the subject is also the secretary of the People's Deposit, Improvement and Loan Company, an institution that bears upon its list of officers and directors some of the most prominent and successful busi- ness men of Hamilton.

Mr. Fitton has always been an unfalter- ing Republican in his political affiliations. He has served continuously as a member of the city board of elections since 1897. He is an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, of the Royal Arcanum, and the National Union. He and his estimable . ivife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, Mr. Fitton becoming a member of that church before he was fifteen years of age.

The immediate family of James Fitton. Sr .. comprised nine children, all of whom lived to mature life, and six are now living. The eldest was William H .. a well-known carpenter and builder. who died in 1901. Mary. the second. married Samuel C. Bel- den. One of her sons. Hon. Edgar A. Bel- den. is a prominent lawyer in Hamilton. and is the present common pleas judge. She has been dead for many years. Thomas is the deputy collector of internal revenue for the district of which Hamilton forms a part. Frances is now a resident of Los Angeles, California. She married J. P. P. Peck, who went to the Pacific coast in the

Digitized by Google

820

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

hope of improving poor health by the cli- matic change, but died there. Hannah be- came the wife of William T. Crawford and both are now deceased. Rachel A. is un- married and a resident of her native city. D. Webster is a well-known dry-goods mer- chant in this city. James, of this sketch, was the next in order of birth, and Samuel D. completes the family circle. He is presi- dent of the First National Bank in Hamil- ton. The parents of this well-known family are resting side by side in beautiful Green- wood cemetery, where a suitable monument marks their resting place; but it records only the facts of their birth and death. The record of their grand and noble lives, the duties they performed for humanity, the love. sympathy, and patience, and personal sacrifices for the good of their loved and loving family remain only as sacred memories. The devoted mother survived her husband for twenty-seven years, and upon her. more than the father, fell the re- sponsibilities of rearing and educating a large family. She lived to rejoice in the consciousness of duty well done, and knew that her sons and daughters would sustain the exalted relations in life for which she had labored, and honor her memory when she was dead. This sacred trust has not been betrayed. The Fitton family stands today on the solid basis of truth. honor. fidelity and uprightness of character.

WILLIAM O. SCHLOSSER.

William O. Schlosser, a well-known and prominent business man of Hamilton, was born in Collinsville, Butler county, Ohio, on the 2d of March, 1857. When a child of

two years, he was brought by his parents to Hamilton, and here his life has since been spent. Mr. Schlosser is a typical represent- ative of the popular and successful German- American citizenship so prominently identified with the history of Butler county. His ancestors were of purely German stock, whose long-continued residence in Hamil- ton has identified them with nearly every phase of material progress in the city. The father of the subject of this article, the well-remembered Henry Schlosser, was born in Erbenhausen, Hesse-Darmstadt, July 16, 1832. He was the eldest son of George and Maria (Schmitt) Schlosser. He was reared to agricultural pursuits and re- ceived a liberal education in his native land. In 1849 he decided to seek his fortune in the New World and emigrated alone to the United States. Every one knows the trials of the raw German boy among the English- speaking people. Henry Schlosser worked for two years as a farm hand in Hamilton county, Ohio, near Burlington, receiving the meager pay of seventy-five dollars a year. Later he learned the miller's trade, continu- ing that employment for a number of years. He came to Hamilton in 1854 and took up his residence in this city as an employe of Tapscott & Russell. proprietors of the Peo- ple's Mills. By close application and strict economy, he soon saved enough money to pay the passage of his father and brothers. Jacob and George, and they joined him in this city in 1854. In 1855 he married Miss Henrietta Bauersachs, a native of Nurem- berg. Germany, who was born on the 27th of November. 1828. Soon after his mar- riage. Mr. Schlosser rented a small custom mill at Collinsville. Ohio, and conducted it profitably for four years. The water power

Digitized by Google

821

BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO.

failing, he gave up the mill and entered the of thrilling interest, since it shows the re- employ of Jacob Schaeffer, of the Hydraulic Mills in Hamilton. In 1863 Mr. Schlosser purchased a one-third interest in this prop- erty and continued with the business until 1865, when he engaged in the commission business in Cincinnati, also purchasing and operating flouring mills at Connersville and Milton, Indiana. As a nucleus to this ap- parent acquisition of wealth, Mr. Schlosser made some profitable investments during the Civil war, the results of which brought him into affluent circumstances.

In 1870 Mr. Schlosser established him- self in the manufacture of malt, continuing that business in Hamilton the balance of his life time. This business was for many years one of the leading industries of Hamil- ton, and descended, after the father's death, to William O. Schlosser, of this sketch, as the only male representation of his family. William O. Schlosser, the subject of this article, was educated in the city and parochial schools of Hamilton, supple- mented by a business course at Nelson's Business College at Cincinnati. He was graduated from the latter institution at the age of nineteen. He at once entered upon an active business career as bookkeeper in his father's extensive malting business. Later he was placed in charge of the foreign trade of the company, in which capacity he traveled extensively, and almost continu- ously, for many years. This experience was a valuable educator in the way of making him thoroughly familiar with the wants of the trade. On the death of his father he assumed the exclusive management of the entire business, which position he occupied with singular ability and success until the plant was merged into other interests of Henry and Henrietta Schlosser were the parents of seven children, four of whom died in infancy, and George Carl, a promis- ing young man, died at the age of twenty- nine: Carrie F. became the wife of Dr. George Trebel. a leading physician, pre- eminently successful in his profession, a ripe scholar, an author of more than local note. and a man universally esteemed, whose un- timely death, on June 8, 1900, was greatly deplored by the people of Hamilton. To Dr. Trebel and wife one son. Edwin, and a daughter, Caroline, were born, both of whom survive. Their mother died on the , 9th day of July, 1898, in her thirtieth year. The father of the subject died on the 16th of April. 1896. in. the fullness of years, with the record of a well-spent life as the heritage of those who come after. The history of this life. here briefly told. is one even greater magnitude. Probably no man

sult of industry and perseverance, coupled with business sagacity and well-directed energy. Coming to a strange land, a self- dependent boy, unacquainted with the pre- vailing language, or the customs of the country, Henry Schlosser's achievements as a loyal and upright citizen of his adopted country are worthy of emulation. He was scrupulously honest and honorable in all his dealings with men and was open-handed and charitable with suffering humanity. He lived and died in the faith of the Lutheran church, and he and his loved companion were regular communicants in Zion's Luth- eran church in this city throughout all of their mature years. Mr. Schlosser was more than ordinarily successful in the finan- cial affairs of life. The mother of the sub- ject died July 2, 1891.

Digitized by Google

----

822

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

in Hamilton is as familiar with the malting and brewing business, even to the minutest details, as William O. Schlosser. He has had a wide and successful business career and sustains very high business relations in Hamilton.

Mr. Schlosser was married on the 21st day of May, 1885, to Miss Sue Mason, a daughter of Martin and Barbara Mason, a well-known and highly respected family in Hamilton. This union not only resulted in establishing happy domestic relations, but ultimately led to a change of business inter- ests upon the part of Mr. Schlosser. Mar- tin Mason, the eldest brother of Mrs. Schlosser, was the proprietor of the well- known Eagle Brewery in Hamilton, and the subject soon became associated with that enterprise in the capacity of secretary and treasurer of the firm. This concern is one of the best equipped brewery plants in southern Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. William O. Schlosser have an interesting family of four children, two sons and two daughters, named as fol- lows : Roy Henry. born December 2. 1886; Marie, born September 29. 1893, and Mar- tin Mason and Barbara Mason, twins, born December 12, 1897. A daughter, Henri- etta, born August 19, 1890, died July 29, 1899, from the effects of measles, which she had six years before.

CLAYTON A. LEITER.

Clayton A. Leiter was born in Middle- town, Ohio, on April 23, 1872, and is the youngest son of Frederick Ziegler Leiter and Louisa Marian (Breitenbach) Leiter.

His father came to Ohio in 1852, from Leitersburg, Maryland, he being a descend- ant of one of the five Leiter brothers who came to America late in the seventeenth century and founded the little city which bears their name. His mother was a daugh- ter of Josiah and Elizabeth (Shade) Breit- enbach, who came to Hamilton from Leba- non, Pennsylvania, early in the 'thirties.

Mr. Leiter came to Hamilton with his parents in the spring of 1877, and was edu- cated in the public schools of the city, gradu- ating from the high school with the class of 1891. On the first of August, the same year. he accepted a position as a reporter of the Hamilton Evening Democrat, and in February, 1893, was made the city editor of the paper. succeeding Frank E. Brandt, who resigned to go to the Hamilton Even- ing Republican. Mr. Leiter retained this position, although there were several changes made in the ownership of the paper, until June 18. 1898, when he resigned to accept the editorship of the Evening Crisis, at East Liverpool, Ohio, under the manage- ment of James C. Deitrick. He remained with the publication until August 1, 1899, when he returned to Hamilton to again be- come the city editor of the Democrat and has since retained this position. When, in September, 1901, the Democrat was pur- chased by Homer Gard, Mr. Leiter was made the vice-president of the Butler Coun- ty Democrat Company.

Aside from his newspaper work in Hamilton, Mr. Leiter for a number of years took an active interest in the musical af- fairs of the city, he having also been edu- cated as an organist. He served as or- ganist of the First Baptist church, then the Church of Christ, and of the First Re-

Digitized by Google

823

BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO.

formed church. He has also been interested R. and Elizabeth ( Wheeler) Hodges, both in the theatrical affairs of the city and has done considerable work in the interest of the Globe Opera House and the Jefferson Theater, under the management of Tom A. Smith.

While Mr. Leiter has never taken any unusual interest in secret organizations, still he was one of the charter members of Hamilton Tent, No. 317, Knights of the Maccabees, and its first commander. He is also a member of Hamilton Lodge, No. 93, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of Court Fort Hamilton, No. 1749, In- dependent Order of Foresters. Ever since childhood he has been a member of the First Baptist church and for a number of years was the secretary' and treasurer of the Sunday school of that church. Mr. Leiter is a Democrat in politics, but has never aspired to any political honors, al- though when the city government of Ham- ilton was reorganized in May. 1903, he was appointed a member of the board of trustees of the Lane Free Library, by Mayor Charles S. Bosch, for a term of two years, and upon the organization of the board was elected secretary.

Mr. Leiter was united in marriage with Miss Emma Louise Ziliox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Ziliox. April 21, 1897, by the Rev. S. Ezra Neikirk, pastor of the First Reformed church.

CLYDE WHEELER HODGES, M. D.

This popular and successful young physician was born in Batavia. Clermont county, Ohio, on the 20th of February, 1879. He is the only living child of John

of whom are natives of Clermont county. In earlier life the father was a farmer and merchant in his native county, but in re- cent years he has been an employe of the Long & Allstatter manufacturing plant, in Hamilton, with whom he holds a good position. The family has resided in But- ler county since about 1880, but located in Hamilton in 1901. Dr. Hodges received a liberal education, principally through his own unaided efforts. He attended the country schools of Butler county until suf- ficiently advanced, when he entered the Hamilton high school, pursuing his studies there for some time. when he decided upon taking a scientific course in an institution of higher learning. He entered the Na- tional Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and pursued this course until near the close of the senior year. when an opening ap- peared whereby he could enter upon the study of medicine. his previously chosen profession. He prepared for entrance to the medical college under the tutorship of Dr. E. C. Still, in Hamilton. He was graduated from the Medical College of Ohio on the 7th of May, 1901, with a very complimentary record in his class standing.

On competitive examination, Dr. Hodges was selected as house physician and surgeon at Emsworth Deaconess Hospital, at St. Joseph, Missouri, and served about one year in that capacity. This was a prac- tical experience. in addition to that of the previous years of theoretical study. He came to Hamilton and opened an office on the 23d of June. 1902, and has met with success from the start. He has established a fine general practice, largely exceeding his most sanguine hopes.

Dr. Hodges is a genial and companion-

Digitized by Google

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

824

able gentleman, endowed with a humane and sympathetic nature which does much in the way of relieving human suffering and in concealing the nauseous potions which the curriculum prescribes. The Doctor is still enjoying the freedom and independ- ence of "single blessedness," and remains at the parental home, No. 33 Main street. He was a formidable candidate for the office of county coroner. a position for which he is eminently qualified in 1904. Dr. Hodges aspires to public office at the hands of the Democratic party, with which political organization he and his ancestors for generations past have always affiliated. His grandfather, Thomas Hodges, was, in his day. a leading Democratic politician in Clermont county and served as county com- missioner. Dr. Hodges is prominently as- sociated with Lone Star Lodge, No. 39, Knights of Pythias, in Hamilton, and is the present chancellor commander. He is also a member of Red Cloud Wigwam, No. 18, Improved Order of Red Men, of In- dianapolis, and the Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan.

W. A. SINKEY.

The subject of this sketch was for many years one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of Butler county, but since the spring of 1902 he has been living a life of honored retirement in the city of Middletown, though still giving personal attention to his large , and varied business interests. W. A. Sinkey is descended paternally from an old family that figured prominently in the early history of Pennsylvania, his grandfather, John

Sinkey, having been born and reared in that state. John Sinkey married Mary Shields, a native of Ireland, and raised several chil- dren, among whom was a son by the name of Daniel, whose birth occurred in Ken- tucky, to which state the family removed in an early day. Daniel Sinkey grew to ma- turity in Kentucky, and in the year 1806 came to Butler county, Ohio, settling in Lemon township, where he purchased land, improved a farm and spent the remaining years of his life as a prosperous tiller of the soil, dying on September 14, 1877. When a young man he married Miss Mary Van Sickle, of Madison township, this county, who bore him five children, among the number being W. A. Sinkey, whose name in- troduces this sketch.

W. A. Sinkey was born on the home- stead in Lemon township, June 11, 1844, `and grew up pretty much after the manner of the majority of country boys whose early experience is closely identified with the rug- ged and wholesome duties of farm life. As soon as old enough he bore his part in the cultivation and harvesting of the crops, thus forming and fostering habits of industry and thrift, and under the direction of his father he early learned to appreciate the true dig- nities of self-reliance and honest toil. Mean- time he devoted the winter seasons to study in the district schools, and while he cannot be called an educated man in the sense the term is generally understood, he is never- theless well informed, the greater part of his knowledge being of the practical and valuable kind obtained by coming in con- tact with the world in various business ca- pacities, a knowledge such as schools and colleges fail to impart.

Mr. Sinkey remained at home as his

Digitized by Google

;

j - 1

W. A. SINKEY.

Digitized by Google

Digitized by

Google

825

BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO.

father's able assistant until twenty-seven years of age, at which time he started out to make his own way, chosing the ancient and honorable calling of agriculture for his life work. On January 25, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Shafer, daughter of John R. and Sarah (Davis) Shafer, of Butler county, and im- mediately thereafter moved to the farm in Lemon township, which was his home until a recent date, and on which he achieved such encouraging success as an enterprising agriculturist and raiser of fine live stock. Mr. Sinkey's career in his chosen vocation has been eminently honorable and his pros- perity such as few attain. For a number of years he devoted especial attention to fine live stock, in the breeding and raising of which he earned a wide reputation and it was from this source that he derived the greater part of the ample fortune which he now commands. In addition to raising fine shorthorn cattle and the best breeds of hogs obtainable, he also bought and shipped live stock upon quite an extensive scale, besides conducting public sales on his farm, which were attended by the leading stockmen in this section of the state. Mr. Sinkey al- ways took a pardonable pride in his domestic animals and exhibited them at a number of county and state fairs, where they in- variably won a goodly number of first-class premiums. To him more perhaps than to any other man is due the credit for the improvement of the live stock in Lemon . township, many of the farmers imitating his example and learning by practical experience that it is just as easy and far more profitable to raise good animals than to waste time and labor upon poor and indifferent breeds.

Mr. Sinkey gave personal attention to

his ,agricultural and live-stock interests on the farm until March, 1902, on the 5th of which month he took up his residence in Middletown, where he is now enjoying some of the fruits of his industry and judicious management in a life of leisurely retire- ment. As already indicated, however, he still looks after his various business in- terests. which are large and important, and keeps in close personal touch with every- thing pertaining to agriculture and live stock, being fully up-to-date in his ideas and progressive in all the term implies. He possesses excellent judgment and wise fore- sight and is a notable example of those cor- rect principles which invariably secure suc- cess, while his genial traits of character and sound, practical intelligence are such as to win and retain the esteem and confidence of his fellow men. As a citizen he dis- charges every obligation devolving upon him in a manner becoming his station, and his force of character and pleasing person- ality, combined with sterling integrity and fine social qualities, make him not only a useful man in the community, but popular with all classes and conditions of people. He has long been interested in the affairs of his township and county, served one term as real-estate appraiser, to the entire satisfac- tion of the public, and was also assistant ap- praiser of Lemon township at different times, besides taking an active part in the deliberations of the Democratic party, to which he has given his earnest support ever since old enough to exercise the rights and privileges of citizenship. In religious mat- ters he subscribes to the Baptist creed, and with his wife belongs to the First church of this denomination in Middletown, both being faithful and devout members, liberal con-

Digitized by Google

----

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

826

tributors to its support and influential work- ers in its various charitable and benevolent enterprises.

Mrs. Sinkey belongs to an old family that settled in Butler county as early as the year 1803 moving to Ohio from Kentucky, and to that state many years previous from New Jersey. Her grandfather. William Shafer, served as a lieutenant in the war of 1812, was a farmer by occupation and died in this county, a number of years ago, at the remarkable age of ninety-six years. After receiving preliminary training in the district schools, Mrs. Sinkey entered Oxford Female College, which she attended until completing the prescribed course of study, graduating in 1867 with a creditable record as a student. She is a lady of intelligence and culture, possesses a beautiful Christian character and, in addition to being a devoted and loving wife and mother and also a true homemaker, she has always wielded a whole- some moral influence and is popular with a large circle of friends. Her only child, a daughter by the name of Jessie, who was born in April, 1874, is also well educated, having spent three years in Glendale Col- lege, Glendale, Ohio, after which she be- came the wife of Hubert S. Vail, an em- ploye of the Aetna Insurance Company of Hamilton.

PETER BISDORF.

Peter Bisdorf, ex-sheriff of Butler county, has in his career set at naught the application of the statement that a prophet is not without honor save in his own coun- try, for he is a native of this county, has

here passed his entire life and has gained the unqualified confidence and esteem of its people. He was born in the city of Hamil- ton, on the 20th of April, 1866, and is a scion of sturdy German stock, a line notable for industry, honesty and good citizenship. His father, George Bisdorf, was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, on the 24th of July, 1835. In 1848, when but thirteen years of age, he took passage on a sailing vessel at Bremen, and after a tempestuous voyage of six weeks' duration landed in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. After a tem- porary sojourn in the east, within which time he visited Philadelphia, Wilmington and other cities, he decided to work his way westward, and he finally arrived in the city of Cincinnati, where he was employed in a flouring mill for several months. His de- sire for travel in the new world, however, was not yet satiated, and the alluring tales concerning the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia led the adventurous youth to join the argonauts of '49, and he made the long and perilous journey across the plains to the new eldorado. He passed three years in the far West, and within this time visited Pike's Peak, of which little was known in those days, and also made a trip into Texas and other sections of the West. He finally returned to the East and made Chicago his destination. From that point he sailed on the great lakes for several months. In 1852 he came to Hamilton, having now satisfied his ambition for uncertain adventure, and of this city he has ever since been a resident, commanding unqualified confidence in the community and being one of the sterling old citizens of the county. He has always taken an active interest in public affairs and has held many positions of local trust and

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 118

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