Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 72

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 72

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traversed with great difficulty even on horse- back, has given place to well-kept roads, at convenient distances apart, passable at all seasons, in comfortable carriages, which were once a rare luxury. Steel bands unite the most distant portions of the continent and traverse the county in every direction. The "Golden Gate" is brought within fifty hours' travel, while the wealth of the Rockies may be reached in a few hours. These are but a tithe of the wonderful de- velopment of the New World within the memory of this venerable pioneer.

"The groves were God's first temples." and these, of pioneer days, and the crude log meeting houses in the woods have given place to modern churches in every neigh- borhood, while the poor man's colleges dot the landscape o'er. The circuit rider and the backwoods schoolmaster, useful in their day and generation, have been superseded by an educated clergy, advanced religious ideas, and a thoroughly competent teaching force whose mission in life is to study and develop child nature by kindly persuasive methods, relegating the hickory gad and dunce cap to the barbarous age.

CAPT. ANDREW J. LEWIS. .

Capt. Andrew J. Lewis was born in Hanover township, Butler county, Ohio, February II, 1833. He is a representative of one of the earliest pioneer families, dating back to 1804, when the paternal grandfather, Andrew Lewis, came to Butler county. He was a native of County Armagh, Ireland, who emigrated to this country in company with his brother David. The latter settled

in Newport, Kentucky, but Andrew located in Pennsylvania, where he married. He en- tered land in Hanover township, where he continued to reside until his death in 1848. Upon the old Lewis homestead James Lewis, the father of the subject, was born, the prop- erty descending to him and through him to his heirs. The father married Maria Marshall, who was also a native of Butler county. The father of the subject was the youngest of seven children. He continued to improve and cultivate the old homestead until shortly before his death, in 1864, his wife surviving him until April, 1888. They were the parents of ten children, of whom eight are still living. Capt. Andrew J. Lewis was the third in order of birth, and received a thorough education in the public schools, at the Farmers' College and at Mi- ami University. At the age of nineteen years he entered a general store at Venice, as a clerk, and remained there two years. In 1856 he was married to Miss Martha J. Dick, and the same year they established a home in Hamilton, where Mr. Lewis was engaged in the hardware business until the outbreak of the Civil war. Being inspired with the spirit of patriotism to the exclusion of business interests, he assisted in or- ganizing a company of which Dr. Henry Mallory was the first captain, and Mr. Lewis was commissioned first lieutenant. On the resignation of Captain Mallory, in Feb- ruary, 1862, Mr. Lewis was promoted cap- tain of the company, and served throughout the active campaigns in Kentucky and Ten- nessee and Alabama, and until three months before the expiration of his term of enlist- ment. At the battle of Chickamauga the Thirty-fifth lost fifty of the men engaged on the battlefield.

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Captain Lewis resigned his commission by reason of disabilities incurred in the service, and was succeeded by Captain Philip Pockenbush, and herein is a peculiar coincidence of the war: Three captains of Company I, Thirty-fifth Ohio Infantry, are now living, and all are located in Hamilton. For further details, the reader is referred to the personal sketches of the individuals. It is very doubtful if any company doing active duty at the front for three years can. after more than forty years from date of enlistment, show three captains now living. Captain Lewis returned to Hamilton, but in 1866 took up his residence at Decatur, Il- linois. The death of his father-in-law, Mr. Dick, necessitated his return to Butler county in 1868, and he then took up his residence on the old Dick homestead in Ross township. This is also one of the pioneer farms of the county. The house which the Lewis family then occupied was built before the days of sawmills and cut nails. The lum- ber was sawed out by hand and the nails were forged by a blacksmith. But under the successful management of the Lewis fam- ily this ancient landmark soon gave place to a commodious and modern residence, fully in keeping with the progress of the times. Captain Lewis and his family lived upon this farm for many years, and still own it, in connection with other valuable farming lands in the county. While in Ross town- ship. Captain Lewis served almost continu- ously as a member of the school board and took a very active part in educational af- fairs.

Mrs. Lewis died in 1885, leaving a fam- ily of six children, Harry D., James, Martha E., Charles G., Maude and David E. All are happily married and engaged in honor-

able and successful callings. In December, 1887, Captain Lewis was married to his present companion, who in maidenhood was Miss Ettie Engeart, a native of Troy, Mi- ami county, Ohio, where she was reared and educated. At the time of her marriage with Captain Lewis she was the widow of John Howland. She is a devout Christian lady, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Captain Lewis has long been identified with the Presbyterian church, and has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years. Politically he was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, since which time he has been identified with that organization. He is a radical tem- perance advocate and for some years es- poused the cause as advocated by the Pro- hibitionists, but is essentially a Republican in political faith. The pleasant family home is located on Franklin street, in West Ham- ilton, where the Captain superintends his landed interests and enjoys the respite from active labors which earlier years of industry have rendered possible.

HERMAN GOEBEL.

Herman Goebel, a prominent business man of Trenton, Ohio, was born in Madison township, within three miles of his present location, on the 13th of August, 1866. He is a son of Leonard and Dorothy ( Kennell) Goebel, natives of Germany. They ac- companied their parental families to this country in early life, and were married in Butler county, Ohio, where they have al- ways lived. The father spent his productive

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years in agricultural pursuits, and became well-to-do. He and his estimable wife are now retired from active farm labor, and liv- ing in Trenton. They reared a family of two sons and two daughters, of whom John W. is the eldest. He is a prosperous farmer and merchant in Oklahoma territory. He was among the "boomers" of 1891 and se- cured a very desirable quarter section of land at the opening of that country to set- tlement. After securing his homestead rights, he located in town and engaged in merchandising, in which pursuit he has been very successful. Herman, of this sketch, is the second in order of birth. Mary is the wife of Emil Scheibert, who is cultivating the home farm in Madison township. Louesa married Jacob Ulm. and resides in Trenton.

Herman Goebel, of this article, received his education in the public schools of Tren- ton. Being inclined to mechanical pursuits, he learned the carpenter's trade with Bender Brothers, a well-known and extensive con- tracting firm in Hamilton, and remained in their employ for ten years, during which time he mastered all the details of his pro- fession and left their employ a master me- chanic in his line. On the 4th of June, 1902, he established his present business in Tren- ton, erecting a large and commodious shop and office building, lumber sheds, etc. There was an opening for just such a plant in Trenton and Mr. Goebel met with success from the start. He carried a large stock of lumber and builders' materials, supplying the trade with these commodities, as desired. He gives employment in season to a large force of skilled workmen and averages a complete structure each month of the build- ing season. He prepares his own draughts,

specifications and estimates, his long ex- perience under the most capable instructors enabling him to secure profitable contracts at figures below those of the village carpen- ters, whose facilities are limited. Mr. Goe- bel was the successful bidder on the con- struction of the First Presbyterian church. now in course of building at Trenton. This is quite an imposing edifice, modern in all features, and is a credit to the skill and architectural design of the builder.

Mr. Goebel was married March 3, 1891. to Miss Mary Imhoff, a native of Butler county and a daughter of Jacob and Lena Imhoff, of LeSourdsville, in this county. Four children have been born to this union, Clayton, Arthur, Stabley and Gordon. In political affiliations the subject is an active Democrat and wields a potent influence in the counsels of Democracy. He is president of the town council of Trenton. He is a member of Aerie No. 407, Fraternal Order of Eagles, at Hamilton. In religious af- filiations he is a member of the German Lutheran church and his wife is a Mennon- ite. Mr. Goebel is an active, energetic busi- ness man who has made a success of life. though yet in the prime of his manhood.

JOACHIM T. BOCK.

Joachim Theodore Bock is a native of the noted seaport city of Kiel, Germany. born on the Ist of March, 1846. He was reared and educated in his native city, where he received careful educational training, his father, Prof. Klaus Seigfried Bock, being a teacher in the national schools of Germany, in which avocation his life was spent. Both

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parents lived to a ripe old age, the mother, whose Christian name was Elizabeth, dying in 1900, while the father survived her but two years. There were seven children in the parental family, of whom the subject of this article was the second born. Their names are Hermann, Joachim Theodore, George Seigfried, Sophia, Margaret, Wil- liam and Adolph. The four first named are in America and the others remain in their native country. Margaret married an officer in the Prussian navy, her present name be- ing Wege; William is also an officer in the royal navy; Hermann is proprietor of a bookbindery in London, Ontario; George S. is a mechanic in Hamilton, Ohio.

Theodore Bock, of this sketch, learned the florist's business in his native country. On coming to America, in 1871 he soon se- cured profitable employment and occupied some very good positions. He was em- ployed in Cincinnati for two years. In 1873 he formed a business partnership in In- dianapolis, which existed for six years and proved a very profitable venture. Being alone, and unhampered by family cares, he decided to combine his business with pleas- ure, and see the sights of the New World. He severed. his business connections at .In- dianapolis and went to the nation's capital, where he readily secured a lucrative posi- tion as landscape gardener and florist at the White House. He was employed there for three years, when he went to St. Louis, and accepted a position as foreman in a large greenhouse, remaining there two years. He then accepted a position in the well-known establishment at Reisig, near Riverside, in Chicago, remaining there one year. Follow- ing this, he made a pleasure trip to the

Pacific coast, and returning, re-entered the services of his old employer at St. Louis. He came to Hamilton in 1886 and leased some land directly across the street from his present plant. There he established a first- class greenhouse, something to which Ham- ilton was then a stranger. He operated a successful business there for five years, when the owners raised the rent beyond the figures which he thought were just, and he pur- chased the land which comprises his pres- ent plant and moved his stock to premises of his own. Here he has been constantly improving and enlarging his domain, and today has the largest and best kept green- houses in Hamilton. He has over twelve thousand square feet under glass, with fine equipments for managing his large business. Mr. Bock sells locally all of the product, and buys largely from foreign concerns to supply his trade. His annual sales reach above four thousand dollars and his business is prosperous and highly satisfactory. Two assistants are employed by the year, while other laborers are engaged as needed. Mr. Bock is a thorough-going business man, eminently qualified in his chosen field of labor and sustaining high reputation among the business people of Hamilton. He has made a success of life, yet has not denied himself the pleasures of travel and sight- seeing nor the companionship of intimate friends. He is a bachelor from choice and not from necessity.

In his social affiliations, Mr. Bock is a member of Hamilton Lodge, No. 93, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church and is a believer in the doctrines of that religious organization, though denied

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the privileges of church affiliation by reason of his business demanding attention on Sun- days. In political preferences Mr. Bock is a Democrat of the old school, though not in sympathy with "Bryanized" Democracy.

LEO L. CRIDER.

The city of Middletown has long been noted for the character and standing of its representative citizens, prominent among whom is the well-known business man whose name appears at the head of this article. Leo L. Crider springs from one of Butler county's old and highly esteemed families and his career has added not a little to the honorable ancestral name he bears. The first of the Criders to settle in this part of Ohio was the subject's grandfather, who came from Pennsylvania in an early day and located in Madison township, where he pur- chased land, developed a farm and spent the remainder of his life as an industrious and fairly prosperous tiller of the soil. Among his children was a son by the name of Abram Crider, whose birth occurred on the family homestead and who afterwards be- came one of the county's most successful teachers, having devoted a number of years to educational work in the district schools of his own and neighboring townships. Still later he studied dentistry and acquired great proficiency in the profession, and for a con- siderable period he traveled from place to place and built up a large and lucrative prac- tice. When a young man Abram Crider married Miss Daicos Smith, whose people were also early settlers of Madison town- ship, and in due time became the father of

three sons and one daughter, among the former being Leo L., of this review, who with his mother are the only members of the family now living.

Leo Crider was born March 24, 1854, on the home place in Madison township and grew up in close touch with nature as a country lad, becoming while quite young familiar with the varied and rugged duties of farm life. At the proper age he entered the district schools where he prosecuted the common branches of learning until his six- teenth year, when he left home and took up the study of telegraphy, in which he became quite proficient. After acquiring sufficient skill to hold a position in the rail- way service, he engaged with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company as operator and from that time to the present, a period of twenty-eight years, he has been with this line, being now one of its oldest and most capable and trusted employees. Mr. Crider has charge of the office at Mid- dletown, one of the most important stations on the road, and it is needless to state that his duties are ably discharged, his long period of service being evidence of the con- fidence reposed in him as an efficient teleg- rapher and faithful and conscientious agent. While devoted to the interests of the company and making his obligations to. the same paramount to every other consider- ation, his relations with the public have ever been of the most honorable and courteous character, which fact accounts very largely for the friendly feeling entertained for the road by the people of Middletown and sur- rounding country. Aside from the duties of his position, he manifests an abiding in- terest in the welfare of the community and for a number of years his name has been

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closely identified with the public affairs of his city and county. He votes the Demo- cratic ticket and has long been an influential factor in local politics, doing much in various ways to promote the interest of his party and insure its success. As a slight indication of his standing among the voters of his township, it may be stated that for fifteen years he held the position of township clerk, in addition to which he has also acted in other official capacities, proving in such relations a most capable and obliging public servant. Mr. Crider gives his encourage- ment and support to various enterprises, in- cluding among others the local telephone system, which was established through the joint efforts of himself and Dr. C. H. Bundy, and from which he realized hand- somely on the capital invested. He is in- deed a public-spirited man, closely in touch with every agency for the material advance- ment of Middletown, and is none the less in- terested in measures having for their object the social, educational and moral well-being of his fellow citizens. Intelligent, broad- minded and resourceful, he would naturally be looked up to as a leader in almost any community-one of those strong, aggres- sive characters who rise equal to every oc- casion ; the more trying and momentous the crisis, the greater the strength and resolu- tion to encounter it.

Mr. Crider has been twice married, the first time to Miss Ida Robinson, of Middle- town, who bore him one child that died in infancy, and sometime after her death he married his present wife, whose maiden name was Edith Lefferson. Mr. and Mrs. Crider are greatly esteemed in the social circles of Middletown and have many warm friends among the best people of the city.

EDWARD L. FRISCH.

Among the prominent and enterprising business men of Butler county is the subject of this sketch, who is at the head of the well-known firm of E. L. Frisch & Broth- ers, manufacturers of brick. in Madison township. He is a native son of the county and has here passed his entire life. while he and his brothers have well upheld the high prestige of the honored name which they bear and have succeeded their father in the business enterprise with which they are now identified. Our subject is likewise incumbent of the office of justice of the peace of his township, and this preferment indicates the high esteem in which he is held by the people of the community in which he has grown to manhood and in which he has proved himself a loyal and valuable citizen.

Mr. Frisch was born in Middletown, this county, on the 14th of July, 1864, and is a son of D. L. and Catherine Frisch, both of whom were born in Germany, whence they came to America in childhood, the for- mer having immigrated to the United States when a lad of but twelve years, having at that time started out in life on his own re- sponsibility and having come alone to the new world, his parents remain- ing in the fatherland until the close of their lives. The mother of our subject accom- panied her parents on their immigration to America and they located in Butler county soon after their arrival. D. L. Frisch as a youth learned the trade of brick manufacturing, in which he eventually en- gaged on his own account, establishing him- self in business in Middletown, this county, where he built up a most successful enter-

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prise in the line, continuing to be actively identified with the same until he retired, be- ing succeeded by his three sons. The par- ents reside in their attractive home in Mid- dletown and are held in the highest respect and esteem in the community. They have four sons and one daughter, the names of the sons, in order of birth, being as follows : Edward L., Charles, Homer and Gardner. Ida, the only daughter. is now the wife of Charles Bauman. D. L. Frisch is a stalwart Republican in his political proclivities and both he and his wife are devoted members of the German church.

Edward L. Frisch, whose name initiates this review, passed his boyhood days in his native place and here duly availed himself of the advantages of the public schools. after which he completed a course in a commer- cial college in the city of Dayton, thus pre- paring himself for the proper direction of his business affairs. He early began to as- sist his father in the work of his brick manu- facturing business and became familiar with all details of the industry, so that he was well fortified for assuming control of the business upon the retirement of his father, while his brothers have proved most able and effective coadjutors. The concern manufactures pressed brick of the best type. as well as the common building brick, and their plant has a capacity for turning out twenty-five thousand brick per day, while a very considerable portion of the output is shipped to points outside the limits of the county, the business being one which is showing a constant expansion in scope and importance, while the members of the firm are known as reliable, progressive and straightforward business men, thus holding the confidence and esteem of those with

whom they have dealings. He has also been engaged extensively in contracting and building, in which he has achieved a decided success.

The subject is a stanch adherent of the Republican party and has taken an active part in furthering its cause in his section. In April, 1903, he was. elected justice of the peace, for a term of three years, and as incumbent of this important local office he has shown marked discrimination and abil- ity and is giving a most satisfactory admin- istration. That he was elected to this posi- tion in a township whose normal Democratic majority is fully five hundred votes stands in significant evidence of his personal popu- larity in his home township. He has been president of the Madison township school board for the past six years, which position he still holds. In a fraternal way Mr. Frisch is affiliated with Middletown Lodge, No. 257. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He remains a bachelor.

JAMES GRAY.

Conspicuous among the representative farmers and public-spirited citizens of But- ler county is James Gray, of Union town- ship. He is a man of sterling worth, whose life has been very closely interwoven with the history of the community in which he resides and whose influence has always made for the material advancement of the same as well as for the social and moral welfare of his fellow men.

His father, William Gray, a native of Pennsylvania, moved to Hamilton county, Ohio, as early as the year 1818 and a little

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later changed his abode to the county of Butler, purchasing land in Union township, where he engaged in farming and stock- raising, in connection with which he also devoted considerable attention during the late Civil war to dealing in grain, meeting with encouraging success in all of his busi- ness undertakings. He was intensely loya! to the Union while the Rebellion was in progress, took an active and prominent part in inducing young men to enlist and few men in the county were as earnest in con- demning secession or as influential in arous- ing and keeping alive a strong sentiment in favor of the government during the trying period when it seemed trembling in the bal- ance. In politics he was one of the original Republicans of Butler county, earnest and enthusiastic in upholding the principles of his party and largely instrumental in pro- moting its interests and leading it to victory. Financially he was quite fortunate, accumu- lating a handsome competency and becom- ing one of the well-to-do men of the com- munity honored by his citizenship, and in all that constituted the enterprising, wide- awake man of the times he was easily the peer of any of his contemporaries. When a young man, William Gray married Miss Amanda Fost, who bore him thirteen chil- dren, of which large number there are four sons and five daughters living, the subject of this review being the sixth in order of birth. After a long and useful life, fraught with good to all with whom he came in contact, William Gray was called to the un- seen world in 1892, his wife surviving him until the year 1895.

James Gray was born December 31, 1845, on the homestead in Union township and from that date to the present has spent

his life in Butler county, being, as already indicated, actively identified with its growth and development and an influential factor in all laudable enterprises making for its prosperity. His early training, under the wholesome influence of farm labor, was con- ducive to a strong and healthful physique, and he grew to rugged, symmetrically de- veloped young manhood with a proper con- ception of life and its responsibilities and a well-defined purpose to make the most of his advantages, so as to become an honor to his family and a benefit to the world. Dur- ing his boyhood and youth he attended the public schools until acquiring a pretty thor- ough knowledge of the branches taught therein and until attaining his majority he lived at home, assisting with the cultivation of the farm and contributing to the support of the family.

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 72

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