Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 89

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 89

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E. H. Jones, probate judge of Butler county. Ohio, was born in Gomer. Ohio. February 2. 1865. He is a son of Edward Mr. Jones was elected clerk of the board of deputy state supervisors of elections in 1891, and served several years as a member of that board. He also served the city of Hamilton in the office of city solicitor, a in the practice of law and the popularity at- tained through his geniality made him a log- ical candidate for higher official honors, and he received the nomination for the office of probate judge, as a Democrat, and was tri- umphantly elected in 1899, being his own successor in 1902. Judge Jones is a thor- and Ann ( Evans) Jones. His father was a native of Wales and his mother was of Welsh descent, though a native of Ohio. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Edward Jones, was a farmer , position he held for two terms. His success in Wales, and came to America in 1842, dying at Gomer. Allen county, Ohio. He was a devout member of the Congregational church, in which faith he zealously reared his family of two sons and two daughters. The maternal grandfather of Edward H. Jones was John Evans, a native of Wales,

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ough student and well versed in the intrica- cies of legal lore. He is popular with all classes, and is an active, public-spirited citi- zen who stands very high in social and polit- ical functions of the city and county.

Edward H. Jones was married on the 6th of August, 1891. to Miss Elba, daughter of C. E. and Phoebe Butterfield, to which union have been born two children, Gordon B .. aged ten years, and Frances C., aged six years. Judge Jones is an active member of the Knights of Pythias.

HON. LAWRENCE M. LARSH.

Hon. Lawrence M. Larsh. an ex-mayor of Hamilton and a prominent business man of this city, was born on a farm in Preble county. Ohio. February 9. 1851. He is the youngest of two sons born to Major New- ton and Eleanor W. ( Pottinger) Larsh. both parents being natives of Ohio. Major Newton Larsh was a son of Paul Larsh, who became thoroughly identified with the early history of Preble county and was a man of prominence and influence. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and took up his home in the then far West soon after peace was restored, coming from Pennsylvania in early manhood. He was one of the early sheriffs of Preble county, but subsequently removed farther west, and died at Kaskas- kia, Illinois, at the age of eighty-six years. He reared a family of six sons and four daughters. On the maternal side, the an- cestors of L. M. Larsh were Virginians, his grandfather. John Pottinger. emigrated to Butler county from the Old Dominion. He was a farmer by occupation. Major New- ton Larsh was a man who attained promi-

nence and influence in his native county. His. principal life work was that of farming, in which he was successful. He served two terms in the Ohio legislature from the dis- trict embracing Preble county. He died, at the age of forty-six years, on the farm which his father had pre-empted in the early days. His wife survived him until 1883. and died at the age of seventy-three years. The eld- est son of these parents was John M. Larsh, who is in the employ of a railroad at Peru. Indiana.

Lawrence M. Larsh remained on the parental farm until he attained his major- ity, enjoying excellent educational advan- tages. After leaving the public schools of his district, he took a course in Antioch Col- lege at Yellow Springs, Ohio, supplement- ing this by a course at Miami University. He then entered a commercial college at Dayton, Ohio, and there prepared for the practical business of life. He came to Hamilton in 1874 and from 1875 until 1890 he was engaged in the grain business with the firm of D. M. Kennedy & Co. In the spring of 1891 Mr. Larsh was elected mayor of Hamilton, serving two years in that ca- pacity, and being one of the very few Re- publicans who have attained to that honor in Hamilton. He gave the city a clean, con- servative and impartial administration.

In May. 1893, L. M. Larsh and Walter Sherer organized the Sherer Milling Com- pany. Through the impetus gained by the energy and business ability of the new or- ganization the business venture proved a success, and on the retirement of Mr. Sherer, a few years later, the title was changed to the Fort Hamilton Milling Com- pany and is now one of the solid and pros- perous manufacturing industries of the city.

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Charles 'Howald is the president and Mr. Larsh is the secretary and treasurer. The firm transacts a general exchange business in connection with mercantile manufactur- ing.

L. M. Larsh is a man of great energy and perseverance. He believes in honest la- bor, and through personal industry -- at manual labor if necessary-he has estab- lished himself in affluent circumstances and attained to a position of prominence in the commercial world. He is genial in his na- ture and social in his habits. He is public- spirited and enterprising, a zealous worker in any public position to which he is elected or appointed, and scrupulously exact and honorable in all his dealings with men.

Mr. Larsh was for several years a mem- ber of the commission having charge of the affairs of the Butler County Agricultural Society, and it is largely due to his efforts . that the society was placed on a solid finan- cial basis. He is prominently associated with various secret societies and is held in high esteem by those associated with him in fraternal work. He has attained exalted rank in the Masonic fraternity, being a thir- ty-second-degree member, and sustains membership in the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

JACOB SIPP.

The city of Hamilton has reason to take pride in its well-equipped and finely disci- plined police department, and it is largely due to the efforts of its able chief. the sub- ject of this sketch, that it has attained so high a degree of proficiency.

Mr. Sipp is a native of Butler county, having been born on the parental farm- stead, in St. Clair township. on the 24th of November, 1862. His father, William Sipp, was born in Germany, on the 5th of April, 1818, and as a young man he emi- grated to America and finally took up his residence in Butler county, Ohio, in the early pioneer days. Here was solemnized his marriage to Miss Katerine Baehr, who was likewise born in Germany, whence she came with her family to Butler county in the pioneer epoch. This worthy couple contributed their quota to the development and upbuilding of this favored section of the Buckeye state, being honest, industrious and God-fearing people and commanding the respect and confidence of all who knew them. Their names are well worthy of be- ing permanently inscribed on the roll of the honored pioneers of the county. The de- voted wife and mother was summoned into eternal rest on the 23d of November. 1883. and her husband survived her by almost a score of years, passing to his reward on the 2d of January. 1903, at the venerable age of eighty-three years and nine months. They became the parents of five sons and one daughter. The daughter, Wilimina, be- came the wife of John L. Smith, and died at her home in Urbana. Ohio, at the age of fifty-six years. The sons are all living and all are successful and respected citizens. their names, in order of birth, being as fol- lows: William, John. Christian, Valentine and Jacob. William and John are successful farmers and extensive land owners in Doug- las county. Illinois; and Christian and Val- entine are numbered among the prosperous farmers of Butler county. Jacob, the sub- ject of this review. is the "baby of the fam-

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ily," and to resort to an appropriate collo- quialism, "he looks the part," since he is about six feet in height and tips the scales considerably above the two hundred notch.

Jacob Sipp was reared to the invigorat- ing discipline of the homestead farm, and his educational advantages were those af- forded in the public schools of his native township. He continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits until 1893, and was known as one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of St. Clair township. He was called upon to serve in various offi- ces of local trust, having been for six years a member of the board of township trustees and having served two terms as township assessor, besides holding minor official pre- ferments. Mr. Sipp took up his residence in the city of Hamilton in 1893. and here he has been successful as a contractor, deal- ing in moulding sands and being a general contractor along that line. He has served for a total of six years as a member of the board of education, representing the first ward, having been several times elected to this office. He has always taken an active interest in local politics and has been a prominent factor in the councils of the Democratic party in his home county and city. He was a member of the Democratic county central committee in 1885 and 1886, and has at all times evinced a genuine and JAMES E. B. STEWART, D. D. S. public-spirited interest in the supremacy of the doctrines of the Democracy. Mr. Sipp Dr. Stewart, who is numbered among the prominent and successful representa- tives of the dental profession in Hamilton, was born in Lemon township, this county, on the 16th of April, 1864, being a son of John W. D. and Martha E. (Mallory) Stew- art. both of whom were likewise born in has never been an office seeker, and the hon- orable and responsible position of which he is now incumbent came to him without per- sonal solicitation, while his preferment came as a great surprise to others who were aspiring to the office. He is honorable and upright in all the relations of life and as a Butler county, being representatives of hon-

city official has proved himself signally faith- ful and capable, his administration as chief of the police department having been such as to gain him unequivocal popular endorse- ment. He and his family are prominent members of St. John's German Evangelical church, and with utmost respect for the present pastor, Mr. Sipp states with appre- ciative regard that he was christened, con- firmed and married by the Rev. C. A. Her- mann, D. D., who for thirty-seven years was the pastor of the church and one whose labors have been attended with a generous and grateful harvest, both spiritually and temporally. Chief Sipp is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of various other fraternal and religious societies, and as a citizen and an official he enjoys the highest popularity in his home city and county.

On the 20th of December, 1883, Mr. Sipp was married to Miss Lizzie Turner. who was born and reared in Butler county, being a daughter of Leonard and Margaret Turner, and this happy union has been blessed with four children, all of whom re- main beneath the home roof. namely : Clara, Eva, Mamie and Leonard.

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ored pioneer families of this favored section of the Buckeye state. John W. D. Stewart was born on the 2d of August. 1818. being a son of Charles Stewart, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1803, the year in which the Buckeye state was admitted to the Union. He located near the present vil- lage of Monroe, in what is now Lemon township. Butler county, securing a tract of government land in the midst of the primitive forest and there developing a farm, the same being the birthplace of the father of our subject. while a portion of this ancestral homestead is still retained in the possession of the family. The father of the subject became one of the successful and influential farmers of the county, honor- able and steadfast in all the relations of life, and while he was public-spirited and a stanch advocate of the principles of the Democratic party he never had aught of am- bition for official preferment. . He passed to his reward on the 23d of July, 1902, ten days prior to the eighty-fourth anniversary of his birth. Soon afterward his widow re- moved from the old homestead farm to the village of Monroe, where she now makes her home with her children, all of whom accord her the utmost filial devotion. Of the eight children of this union seven are living, and a brief record concerning them is here en- tered: Catherine is the wife of Bland S. Levering, a prominent carriage manufac- turer in Piqua, this state; Miss Ruth re- mains with her mother; Charles died at the age of eighteen months; Miss Flora is also with her mother. in Monroe: John E .. who married Miss Etta Fisher, of Blue Ball, this county, is engaged in the shoe business in Middletown: James E. B., subject of this sketch, was the next in order of birth ; Mag-

gie remains at the maternal home, and Wil- liam M. is engaged in the grocery business in Monroe.

Dr. Stewart passed his boyhood days on the homestead farm and early began to con- tribute his quota to the work of the same, while his educational training was secured in the public schools. He first attended the district school and later the school in Monroe, and in 1889 he began the work of preparing himself for his chosen profession by entering the office of Dr. E. G. Logan, a prominent dentist of Middletown. where he devoted a year to preparatory work and then entered the Ohio Dental College. in Cincinnati, where he completed the pre- scribed course and was graduated on the 9th of March, 1892. with the degree of Doc- tor of Dental Surgery. On the Ist of the following .August he opened an office in the Daily News building, in Hamilton, where he remained until February 1, 1896, when he located in his present attractive and finely equipped offices, at the southwest corner of Third and High streets. Dr. Stewart has been successful in his profession, has built up an excellent practice and is held in high esteem as a citizen and as a skilled dental surgeon. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church, in which he renders valued service as a member of the choir, while he is also a zealous worker in the various departments of the church, particu- larly the Sunday school. In politics he holds to the ancestral faith and is a stanch sup- porter of the principles and policies of the Democratic party. The family genealogy is of Scotch-Irish derivation. The original American ancestors located in Pennsylvania, in the early colonial epoch. The old home- stead farm of the Stewart family is located

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in Lemon township and comprises one hun- dred and ninety acres of highly improved and valuable land. The parents of the Doc- tor were born on adjoining farms and on leaving the respective parental. homes to walk side by side down the pathway of life each "came half way." settling on the farm on which their long and ideal married life was passed, the mother being now in her seventy-eighth year. Dr. Stewart remains a bachelor.

MARCELLUS THOMAS.

The Thomas family has been thoroughly identified with the history of Ohio since the birth of the state. The paternal grandfa- ther of Marcellus Thomas emigrated from New Jersey to the Northwest Territory in 1802, the year of Ohio's admission to the sisterhood of states. He located upon land which subsequently became a portion of Fairfield township, Butler county, and there ended his days. On this farm Squire L. Thomas, the father of the subject, was born and also spent his life in agricultural pur- suits. He was born in 1813, and died in 1863. He married Miss Sarvain Ewart, who was a native of the same locality as himself. and also descended from New Jer- sey ancestors. She survived her husband eight years, and died in 1871, at the age of fifty-eight years. Squire L. Thomas was a successful farmer and stock raiser and achieved enviable success in his chosen voca- tion. He was a man of many excellent traits of character, and though his death occurred before the birth of the present generation. he is remembered by the older citizens of the county as a man of sterling integrity and

uprightness of character. He was an inces- sant toiler. careful and frugal in his habits of life, and a warm friend to the distressed and unfortunate. His wife was his counter- part in all which went to render the home happy and the surroundings comfortable. She was devoted to her family. an exem- plary mother and counsellor and in the later years of her life stood in the relation of both father and mother to her young and grow- ing family.

Marcellus Thomas, of this review, was reared on the parental farm, and remained at home until he attained his majority, in 1863. the year of his father's death. He then began farming independently. and leased land until 1871. the year of his moth- er's death. Mr. Thomas had scarce reached his majority when he began to take an ac- tive interest in political affairs. The six- ties were stirring times, both at home and at the front. Men. and women too, were prone to take sides in the great controversy. which was costing the nation oceans of blood and millions of treasure. There were stern duties for all to perform. The civilian contributed the fruits of his toil to the sup- port of armies in the field. and to that ex- tent was as great a patriot as those who bore the guns. But in 1871 Mr. Thomas received tangible recognition of his efforts along political lines, and was appointed dep- uty sheriff under W. H. Allen. This be- gan a long record of political and of- ficial life. He served four years as deputy sheriff. and in 1875 he was the choice of the Democratic party of the county for the higher position. to which he was twice elected, serving as sher- iff from January, 1876, until January, 1880. On retiring from that office, after practically

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eight years of continuous service, he left be- hind a record for efficiency, capability, integ- rity and promptness seldom equalled by either predecessor or successor. While still in the sheriff's office Mr. Thomas bought a farm in Fairfield township, which he occu- pied as a home from 1883 until 1886, and, aside from this temporary absence, his home has been in Hamilton since January, 1872.

In the fall of 1879 Mr. Thomas, in com- pany with four other business men of Ham- ilton, organized the Miami -Ice Company, of which he was business manager. They constructed a pond covering nine acres of : land and erected near by four commodious buildings for storage purposes, the capacity being ten thousand tons. The product was principally sold in Cincinnati, being shipped on the canal. This enterprise proved to be a profitable venture in its time, but was suc- ceeded by the introduction of artificial ice plants.

Mr. Thomas has represented the fifth ward on the board of education, being elected from a Republican ward, which em- phasizes his popularity at home. He also served on the school board in Fairfield town- ship during his residence there. In 1887 he was deputy internal revenue collector of Butler county, and declined the office of land appraiser for the fifth ward, to which he was elected in 1889. In the year last men- tioned Mr. Thomas was appointed chief of police in the city of Hamilton, and served in that capacity through a long series of years, gaining strength and popularity with each succeeding year. As a public official. in whatever sphere he was called to serve he was always the same genial, obliging and painstaking officer. He was prompt and

fearless in the discharge of his duties, yet never officious in assuming authority in mat- ters not legally before him. Probably the crowning work of his life was in his admin- istration at the head of the city's peace guardians. His thoroughness and systema- tizing methods brought order out of chaos, and his methodical arrangements greatly simplified and at the same time strengthened the efficiency of the police force. Since retiring from the office of chief of police Mr. Thomas has been living a semi-retired life, though he has not been wholly inactive. His familiarity with the needs of public officials in the line of office supplies, and the difficulty in obtaining promptly what is wanted, led him to inves- tigate the propriety of opening a store de- voted exclusively to this line of goods. The result was that the Hamilton Office Supply Company was established and his son Wil- liani F. placed in charge. This enterprise has proved a wise venture in the business world, as well as a source of satisfaction to the patrons and of profit to the enterprising . promoters. There is scarcely . a city of twice the population of Hamilton which can boast of such conveniences along this line. Every article for office use, from a pencil to a typewriter or fine desk, is to be found in the carefully selected stock, in- cluding all kinds of stationery. blank books. office cutlery. mechanical drawing instru- ments, pens and inks of all kinds, cylinders, novelties, etc. Though a decided departure from all lines of mercantile pursuits, the Office Supply Company has come to stay and is growing in popularity every day.

It is needless to add, after what has been written, that Mr. Thomas wields an active influence in local politics. He has never

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lost an iota of interest, and is as active and influential today as when in the heyday of young manhood, seeking the suffrages of the people for personal honors or profit. He has served long years as a member of- the Democratic central committee, has been a delegate to congressional, judicial, county and state conventions, and, in fact, the dele- gations are hardly considered complete if his name does not appear on the list. Mr. Thomas has carefully held aloof from party bickerings and internal dissensions, at least to the extent of possibility, in view of his high standing in the councils of the party.

The subject was married on the 22d of December, 1864, when he chose for his life companion Miss Ellen F. Sheley, of Fair- field township. She was born and reared on the farm which subsequently became the property of her family. This has been a most happy union, blessed with the advent of three promising sons, Marcellus B., who was born August 8, 1871 ; William F., born February 14, 1874, and Mark C., born De- cember 18. 1886.

Mr. Thomas is prominently associated with various social orders, having been an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1872, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen since 1875, a . Knight of Honor since 1878 and a member of the Royal Arcanum since 1880. The family is one of prominence and high standing in the community. Its record is not a transitory one, but has rounded out a full century and more as a distinguishing element in the history of Butler county. Very few of the present-day citizens of the county have been so long identified with its history, assuredly none have a more worthy place in its annals.

The subject's maternal grandfather, Jo- seph Ewart, came from Pennsylvania and landed in Cincinnati on the first day of May, 1800. He was then thirteen years old. He was the founder of the Ewart family in Butler county. He was a soldier throughout the entire war of 1812, returned after the war and established the first woolen mill in Butler county, which he continued to oper- ate until 1845, when he lost his eyesight. He spent the last twenty-five years of his life sightless, yet he could go five miles to Hamilton, driving a team as well as those who could see. He died in his ninety-sev- enth year. He was a man of exceedingly strong constitution. He was a member of the subject's parents' family for the last twenty-five years he lived, and the subject remembers him with a great deal of pleas- ure, as the connecting link between the past and present generations. He relates with great satisfaction many of the incidents of his early life, especially during his grandfather's days, and reverts with pleas- ure to his boyhood days, when the innocent neighborhood sports satisfied the young peo- ple of his day better than expensive balls of the present.

FRED E. BISDORF.

The subject of this sketch has been deputy sheriff of Butler county since Janu- ary, 1900, and has recently been reappointed under a new principal. His brother, Peter Bisdorf, held the office of sheriff for four years, and retired on the first Monday in January, 1904. The subject is a native of Hamilton and was educated in the city schools, and while quite young apprenticed

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himself to the jeweler's trade. Five years were spent in that line of work, but the close confinement was neither congenial nor conducive to health, and he left that busi- ness and learned the trade of a house car- penter. He had been thus employed for ten years when called to the position which he now holds.

HON. ROBERT S. WOODRUFF.

Robert S. Woodruff, prosecuting attor- ney of Butler county, was born in Hanover township January 20, 1869. He is de- scended from New England stock, estab- lished in this county in the early part of the last century. Some of the family are known to have been born in Butler county, as early as 1804, while others bearing the family name came from New Jersey in 1800. It is probable that the immediate ancestors of Robert S. Woodruff followed an earlier settlement of the family in this county, since Ephraim L. Woodruff, his father, was born in New Jersey. His mother, whose maiden name was Eliza Stevenson, is a native of Pennsylvania. Both are now liv- ing on the farm where the subject was born. The father has spent his life in agricultural pursuits. They were the parents of three sons and one daughter, the subject being prosecuted vigorously, and perhaps not

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 89

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