Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 76

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 76

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).

Ezra Taylor Elliott, son of Major W. W. Elliott and Eunice (Hunt) Elliott, was born September 26, 1847, in Union town- ship, Butler county, Ohio, having first seen the light of day on the paternal homestead, near the town of West Chester. His boy- hood was spent on the farm and after re- ceiving the usual education which the public schools afforded, he assumed much of the labor and responsibility of cultivating and managing the home place, his duties in both these capacities being ably and faithfully performed. He remained with his father,

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looking after the latter's interests, until his

acter, his popularity being circumscribed twenty-first year, when he took charge of only by the limits of his acquaintance. Mr. the farm and began life for himself. He Elliott is essentially progressive in his at- titude and this is not only exemplified in the ability and success with which he carried forward his farming enterprises, but also in the deep and helpful interest he has ever shown in all that tends to the material, social and moral advancement of the com- munity. Though he has never been an aspirant for public office, his signal eligibil- ity as well as his efficient political service led to his appointment to the responsible posi- tion of the postmastership. which he now so ably fills, his high standing in the Re- publican party giving him a prestige in po- litical circles second to that of few of his compeers. met with encouraging success as a tiller of the soil, soon won a conspicuous place among the leading agriculturists of his township and in due time acquired a com- fortable competency, which enabled him to discontinue manual labor and devote his at- tention to more sedentary pursuits. Mr. Elliott, in the year 1877. entered the mar- riage relation with Miss Anna A. Parker, of Butler county, who has borne him three children, two living, the older of whom is a son by the name of Walter P .. whose birth occurred on February 7. 1882. and who is now an employe of the Mill Creek Street Car Line in the city of Cincinnati ; Jessie Marie, who was born on February 27, 1889. is a young lady of intelligence and at this time a student with bright pros- pects before her.

Mr. Elliott remained on the farm until the year 1890. when he turned it over to other management and moved to West Chester, where he has since resided. Not caring to lead an inactive life, he accepted a clerkship in the Van Hise general store, but after four years in this capacity re- signed his position and in 1897 entered upon his duties as postmaster, to which of- fice he was appointed by President Mc- Kinley. on July ist of that year. His ad- ministration thus far has been eminently creditable and satisfactory and officials of the department authorize the statement that he is one of the most capable, systematic. and all-round efficient postmasters in their jurisdiction. He is kind and obliging, ever ready to do a favor, and his relations with the public are of the most agreeable char-

Mr. Elliott is interested in various lines of benevolent work and gives a willing and generous support to all his fellow men. He holds membership with Bethany Lodge, No. 202, Knights of Pythias: is also a leading worker in the Junior Order United Amer- ican Mechanics, and in religion subscribes to the Cumberland Presbyterian creed, his wife and himself being faithful and con- stant communicants of the church and keenly alive to its various benevolent and charitable enterprises.

NAPOLEON B. TUBBS.

The Fifth United States Cavalry. ! which Mr. Tubbs .was a member during ti Civil war, has a history of hardships a; privations not equalled in the volunte service in any department of the army. T Fifth United States Cavalry, formerly 1

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"old Second," was the synonym for bravery and military fortitude long years before the Civil war, and in that tempestuous strife it bore the brunt of cavalry maneuvers because of its known record as a regiment which could be relied upon to do its whole duty under any circumstances. It was therefore the leader in all kinds of military maneu- vers where men "tried and true" were es- pecially needed. Many of its members bear the scars of saber wounds, received from a foe not less brave and fearless, which were inflicted in the hand-to-hand conflicts which try men's souls. The official history of this regiment is as follows: The Fifth Regi- ment was originally the Second United States Cavalry, but under the reorganization of the army in the latter part of 1861 the following changes were made: The First Dragoons became the First Cavalry, the Second Dragoons became the Second Cav- alry, the Mounted Rifles became the Third Cavalry, the old First Cavalry became the Fourth Cavalry and the old Second Cavalry became the Fifth Cavalry. This old regi- ment, to which the subject belonged, origi- nally included several men who afterwards became prominent as Confederate leaders, namely, Lee. Hood, Van Dorn and Mc- Gruder, all being officers of the regiment at the opening of the war. The pride of the regiment. however, was "Pap" Thomas, at that time a major, and who, though a Vir- ginian, remained loyal to the government he had sworn to support. . The regiment was recruited up to the full quota at the beginning of the Civil war and the old cam- paigners who stood the test and remained with it were the leaven of the whole regi- ment. Recruits were selected with much greater care than in the volunteer service.

the first requisite being physical perfection. They were then carefully instructed by com- petent drill masters, practiced in the art of riding, and made fully acquainted with the "Rules and Regulations of War" by fre- quent readings at roll call and inspections. Thus equipped, the "raw recruit" was soon as conversant with his duties as the old veterans with whom he associated. N. B. Tubbs, of this review, was among the first of these recruits enlisted under the emer- gency call to fill up the regular army. He enlisted at Cincinnati, on the 2d of August, 1861. In due time he was assigned to Com- pany G, of the Fifth Cavalry, having en- listed "for general mounted service in the regular army." He joined his regiment near Washington, D. C., and then began a career of active service at the front, which was terminated only by the expiration of his three-years term of enlistment. He par- ticipated in every engagement and skirmish in which his company was engaged, escap- ing wounds, capture and sick-list calls, and rounding out a career as a faithful. valiant soldier. second to no man in the service. While the volunteer soldiers were lying in their comfortable winter quarters, inactive in everything except drawing their rations and their pay. the cavalry and particularly the regulars. were constantly engaged on scouting expeditions, protecting the rear of the army, and the bases of supplies, also doing. on the extreme outpost. picket duty. They knew no rest. \ warm and comfort- able "shack" built of puncheons split from the nearby forest trees, and covered with the tent clothes of those it housed, with a fireplace and stick-and-mud chimney was entirely unknown to the Fifth Cavalry, ex- cept as they saw these things in passing the

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volunteer camps. Often they had to scrape away the snow to put up their little shelter tents, with no fire save the cooking fire of rails or logs in the company street. They would lie down on the cold ground, prob- ably to be aroused before daylight to feed and groom their shivering horses, and start on another scouting expedition, which often continued for nights and days, with only temporary halts to feed their horses or ex- change a worn-out mount for a captured one. It was nothing unusual for the men to remain in the saddle twelve or fifteen hours without dismounting, much of this time spent in skirmishing and chasing at breakneck speed the retreating enemy. The fords of the rivers had to be carefully guarded and often it was a "race for life" between the scouting parties of the contend- ing enemies, to see which should first reach a particular ford and thus cut the other parties off from their supports.

While it is a fair presumption that all true men who enlisted for the various arms of military service during the Civil war did their whole duty as required of them, yet it is true that the cavalry have never re- ceived half the credit due them. The "doughboys" (infantry), on seeing the cav- alry start to the front, usually expressed themselves in language like this: "Well, they are going out to pick another fight, but they'll not be there when the fighting comes." During the early years of the war it was a common ex- pression among the infantry that there ought to be a premium offered for a dead cavalryman. But, whether or not there was any grounds for such an assumption at that time, it is nevertheless true that the later years of the war were fraught with great

activity and serious and often disastrous losses among the cavalry. Such men as Sheridan, Stoneman, Kilpatrick and Custer were needed earlier than they came, as were also Grant, Sherman and Thomas, as in- fantry organizers and commanders.

Mr. Tubbs participated in thirty-two bat- tles and skirmishes, and though he escaped personal injury, it can be safely asserted that it was more fatality than lack of opportunity. His military experience, if fully written in detail, would furnish very tempting food for the "doubting Thomases" and the loyal stay-at-homes. The hand-to-hand conflicts with men equally brave, and inspired by what they believed to be the right, the long weary marches through rain, snow, mud and sleet, the discomforts of constant march- ing in winter's cold, often without sufficient food, and never with an abundance, because of the impossibility of keeping supply trains up with the rapidly moving command, all these things conspired to render his services not only extremely hazardous, but also uncomfortable beyond the experience of many other men of the military service. To stop the cravings of hunger, he often had to munch a "hardtack" as he rode along, momentarily expecting a bullet from a lurk- ing reb concealed in ambush. But "the half can never be told."

N. B. Tubbs was born near Milford, Kent county, Delaware, on the 23d of Oc- tober, 1838. He remained in his native lo- cality until the age of twelve, receiving a good English education in the public schools. In 1850 he accompanied his parents from Philadelphia to Butler county, Ohio, and the family located at West Chester. The subject has been a resident of Butler county for fifty-four years, with the exception of

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the time spent in the army, and has been a to Ohio, probably about 1785. Thomas resident of Hamilton for the last thirty-five Hueston, father of Mrs. Tubbs, was a brother of Col. Matthew Hueston, one of the very early pioneers of Butler county, both having come here with General An- thony Wayne's army. years. From 1867 to 1869 inclusive he was a railway postal clerk in the employ of the United States government, resigning that position in 1870. He then engaged as a salesman for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, and rapidly advanced in the esti- mation of his employers until he was made the manager of the company's branch store at Hamilton. Some sixteen years he has been employed in this capacity, while he has been with the company in various capacities for more than thirty years. Mr. Tubbs is still indirectly interested in the sale of the "Singer," though he has in recent years given his attention to the sale of wall paper, house adornments, pictures, etc. He has a well-arranged store for this purpose on South Third street, near High, and gives employment to a large number of wage earn- ers. He carries a full line of seasonable goods and is doing a fine business.

Mr. Tubbs has been twice married, first to Miss Lucy Gillam, of Washington, D. C., and four children were born to bless this union, viz : Frank B., Cora, Charles P. and Jerome. Charles is the only survivor of this family and is a partner in his father's busi- ness. Mrs. Tubbs died in 1875, and on the 2d of December, 1880, Mr. Tubbs married his present companion, who was Miss Lizzie, daughter of Thomas and Mary ( Hardin) Hueston, of Seven Mile, Butler county. Her parents were among the earliest set- tlers of the county, having located here with their parents long before the admission of Ohio into the sisterhood of states. Mrs. Tubbs' grandfather was killed by Indians. in Pennsylvania, soon after the Revolution- ary war, and his widow brought her family

The subject has always taken an active interest in the welfare of his old comrades in arms, caring for and protecting the liv- ing and commemorating the achievements of the dead. He was one of ten incorpor- ators of the Soldiers, Sailors and Pioneers' Permanent Monument Committee, ap- pointed in 1898, by Governor Bushnell. As the name would suggest, this corporation came into existence for the purpose of erect- ing a monument to the memory of the de- parted heroes of Butler county. Though the project had been under consideration for several years prior to 1898, this was the first decisive action and from the time this committee was confirmed by the state sen- ate the work has been in progress. It was no easy matter to educate public sentiment up to the point of going into the pocket in the furtherance of the plan; but, through va- rious vicissitudes, the work progressed rap- idly within the last year, and the monument is now nearing completion. Mr. Tubbs was a charter member of Wetzel-Compton Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and has served it in various official capacities, being a past commander. He is also a member of Ham- ilton Council, No. 338, Royal Arcanum. Mr. Tubbs has never been an office seeker in any sense, but has been zealous and active in political affairs. His life has been de- voted to business, in which he has been rea- sonably successful, though a man of his generous impulses seldom achieves great riches. He is a man of sterling integrity

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and uprightness of character, and, within his means, has been public-spirited and ac- tive in the promotion of enterprises benefi- cial to his adopted city. As a resident of Butler county for more than half a century he has witnessed a wonderful growth and progress, and contributed his full share to that end.

Mr. Tubbs and family are members of the First Methodist church in Hamilton. The Hueston family, of whom Mrs. Tubbs is a worthy representative, have been identified with every phase of Butler county history, from the first settlements of white men down to the present time. They are re- lated directly or indirectly with the Mar- shalls. Taylors and Becketts, whose ances- tors were also among the first settlers, all coming about the same time.

WILLIAM BEAVER.

William Beaver, an active young busi- ness man of Trenton, was born in Mont- gomery county, Ohio, May 23, 1874. and is the eldest of two sons born to John and Mary Jane ( Gebhart) Beaver, natives re- spectively of Montgomery and Butler coun- ties. The father was born December 17, 1842, and spent his active years in farming. In this he was quite successful and accumu- lated a competence wherewith to smooth the pathway down through declining years. He and his estimable wife are retired from farm labors, only to assume more active duties about the hotel of which the subject of this article is proprietor. The parents own valu- able residence property in Middletown, their former home. The mother assumes

general management of the hotel, thus re- lieving her son's invalid wife, while the fa- ther busies himself in choring about the premises, thus gratifying the early acquired habits of industry. The second son of these parents is Frank, who is engaged in profit- able business at Miamisburg. Ohio. He married Miss Clara Rhodes, at Trenton.

William Beaver, the subject of this ar- ticle, was educated in the public schools of Middletown, where the greater part of his life was spent. He has always been an ac- tive and industrious man, willingly turning his hand to any honorable avocation. For a number of years he was employed in vari- ous ways about the Sorg tobacco industry . in Middletown, and was for some time em- ployed in a planing mill at the same place. Two or three years were spent on the road as a traveling salesman and in June, 1901. he moved to Trenton and engaged in the ho- tel business, in connection with which he also operates a livery business and meat market. The Traction Hotel, of which he is the pro- prietor. is the oldest hotel property in the village. The traveler may here find rest and refreshment in true Buckeye style, which always means abundance of palatable food. well-cooked. and served with an air of good will and hospitality often lacking in other localities.

Mr. Beaver was married, in 1897, to Miss Pearl Ingham, a daughter of Frank Ingham. of Germantown, Ohio. She is a handsome and accomplished lady, whose young life is blighted to some extent by ill health. Two sweet and interesting children have come to bless the home and engage the attention of loving parents and grand- parents. They are named Jessie Irene and Clarence, the latter a little toddler who is a

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formidable rival to the hotel management. of birth being as follows: Frederick, Mary, Little Miss Jessie is a modest and beautiful child, the guardian angel of her infant brother.

Mr. Beaver is a member of the Bankers' Fraternal Union, Improved Order of Red Men and the Junior Order of United Amer- ican Mechanics. In political views both fa- ther and sons are Democrats. The family is of German extraction, the founders of which emigrated to Pennsylvania, whence they came to Ohio in the early part of the last century.

GEORGE SUTTER.

The subject of this sketch is the propri- etor of the Star barber shop and bath rooms. at 12 South Second street, in the city of Hamilton, and is known as an enterprising business man and public-spirited citizen, en- joying marked popularity in the community. He was born in Baden, Germany, on the 12th of April. 1858. being a son of Jacob Sutter. The mother died in Germany and the father emigrated with his family to American in 1873. landing in New York city on the 3d of January, and thence pro- ceeding to New Jersey and taking up his residence near the historic old city of Mor- ristown. He had learned the trade of weaver in the fatherland but after coming to America turned his attention to the tail- or's trade. He continued to reside in New Jersey until his death, in June, 1900, at the venerable age of eighty-two years, having ever commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. Of his six children all are living except one, their names in order

Jacob, George, Katherine and Lena. Lena died in 1893, from an attack of typhoid fe- ver. The family all remain in New Jersey with the exception of the subject of this sketch.

George Sutter was a lad of seven years at the time of his mother's death, and was fifteen years of age at the time of the re- moval of the family to America, his early educational discipline having thus been se- cured in the excellent schools of his native land. In New Jersey he served an appren- ticeship at the barber's trade. in 1874. and thereafter was employed for a number of years in various places in New Jersey, where he remained until 1881, when he came to Ohio and took up his residence in Hamil- ton, where he was employed at his trade on salary until 1887. when he engaged in busi- ness on his own responsibility, opening a shop at 13 South Front street, where he re- mained until 1901, when he removed to his present finely equipped quarters, where he gives employment to three competent work- men, while in connection with his attractive shop he has a fine bath room, which is well appreciated by his patrons, his being one of the most popular establishments of the sort in the city and catering to a representative trade. While in New Jersey Mr. Sutter was for some time employed by a barber who was a practical taxidermist, and in this fas- cinating art our subject took a deep inter- est, becoming a skillful workman in the line and having done much work of a high or- der in the mounting of animals and birds. He has given considerable time to the secur- ing of fine specimens of various kinds, and he has today the finest collection of birds and small animals to be found in the county.

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Though devoting his leisure to this work as . der of birth. His parents died in 1902, a diversion, his services have been in requisi -. within a period of less than three months, tion in the turning out of a number of fine pieces for others. His private collection is valued at about six hundred dollars and in- cludes a specimen of nearly every species of birds to be found in Butler county. In poli- tics Mr. Sutter is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, and fra- ternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Protected Home Circle and the Fraternal Union of America. He was reared in the Protestant faith but is not formally identified with any church organization. this being a sore bereavement to the loving children who revered and honored their par- ents as far as children do. The subject of this article was reared on a farm in Ross township and attended the district schools until he had mastered the course, when he entered Miami University and pursued a two-years course in that institution. But his preference was for a mechanical trade rather than a professional career and he left the university to take practical lessons in engi- neering. His first experience as a station- On the 8th of May, 1886, Mr, Sutter was united in marriage to Miss Katie E. Lang, who was born and reared in Hamilton, be- ing a daughter of Valentine Lang, an hon- ored pioneer of this place. Mr. and Mrs. Sutter have one child. Joseph Roland. who was born May 13; 1887, and who is now serving an apprenticeship at the trade of machinist. ary engineer was at the heating plant of Miami University during his college days. He was with the Hamilton Machine Com- pany as engineer for nine years and was four years with the Cincinnati Brewing Company in the same capacity. Mr. Hester is thoroughly qualified by practical experi- ence and study and in recognition of his special fitness he was chosen, in August, 1903, as the chief engineer of the Busen- NICHOLAS HESTER. bark power plant, an important position on the Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo traction line, midway between Hamilton and Mid- dletown. He operates the complicated ma- chinery during the day time and exercises a general supervision over the plant at all times. He still retains his home in Linden- wald, where he owns a comfortable residence and is rated among the best residents of that important and beautiful suburb to the city of Hamilton.

Nicholas Hester, chief engineer of the Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo traction line at the power house at Busenbark, was born in Ross township, Butler county, Ohio, June 8, 1860. His parents, Nicholas and Mar- garet ( Mournin) Hester, were natives of the Emerald Isle and came to this county in early youth. They were married in But- ler county and located on a farm in Ross township, where by industry and frugality the family became very well-to-do. There were twelve children born in the parental family, of whom ten are now living and the subject of this article was the fourth in or-

Mr. Hester was married, in 1887, to Miss Mary Collins, of Reily township, a daughter of Martin and Hannah Collins, of that township. Four interesting children have come to bless the domestic fireside and gladden the hearts of fond and loving par-

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ents. These are Clara, Mary, Charles and Elsie, who are all at home and attending the village schools. The family are devout members of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church in Hamilton. Mr. Hester has been allied in political preferences with the Demo- cratic party, in the counsels of which politi- cal organization he takes an active interest.

EDWARD COOK, M. D.

Dr. Edward Cook, a regular practicing physician and surgeon in Hamilton, is a native of Newport, Kentucky, born on the 7th of June. 1867, and is a son of Charles and Teresa (Heidel) Cook, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father's oc- cupation was that of an iron molder, and he died at the age of . fifty-two years.

The parental home of Dr. Cook has been in Hamilton for the last twenty years, though he received his elementary educa- tion in his native city. His education was acquired in Corpus Christi parochial school. In 1888 he entered the Medical College of Cincinnati. completing a four-years course in 1892. Returning to Hamilton, the Doc- tor entered upon active practice and is well established in his professional life in Hamil- ton. He has a pleasant office, located adja- cent to his comfortable home at No. 241 Hanover street. The parental family com- prised two sons and three daughters, the oldest of whom is Mrs. Helen Bonner, a widow living in this city. Mrs. Benjamin Beckman, the second born, is also a resi- cent of Hamilton; Edward, of this sketch, was the third in order of birth; the only brother of the subject is Charles, whose resi-

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 76

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