USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. II, Pt. 1 > Part 36
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Captain Barrett began his career on the Kanawha River, where he earned his title of captain. After locating in Cincinnati, he served as pilot on the ferry between Fulton and Dayton, and at that time was a man of large means, owning the Queen City Coal Harbor. Financial reverses came and
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he lost all his property. He then embarked in a small grocery business at Dayton, Kentucky, and later leased the Newport Coal. Harbor at Riverside, now known as Barrett's Landing. From this dates his business success, his prosperity continuing until his decease. In 1886 he bought the steamer "Excel," and in 1887 the "Robert Peebles," and subsequently used the machinery of the latter in the building of the fine steamer "John Barrett." He purchased a number of tow-boats and barges and used them in trans- porting coal from his elevator at Frankfort, Kentucky, and also operated the steamer "Houston-Coombs, No. 2," in the Kentucky River, owning also at the same time the large tow-boat "Sidney Dillon" and the steamers "Scotia" and "B. S. Rhea." Later he sold out all his wharf-boats and belongings to the White-Collier line.
Captain Barrett was a man of business enterprise and built up a great freight towing industry which he operated from the headwaters of the Mississippi River all the way to New Orleans, also to Pittsburg and on various side streams where traffic was profitable. This business still continues one of the largest in its line in the State, and is ably managed by our sub- ject's two sons, Capt. Oscar F. and Johnston G. Barrett, under the firm name of John Barrett and Son.
Captain Barrett was married to Dorothy Harpold, who, with the two sons named above, survives. He was a very prominent member of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and the loss occasioned by his death was deeply felt there. He is represented in that organization by his two sons. Fraternally he was a Mason of high degree, being a member of Henry Barnes Lodge, No. 607, F. & A. M., of Dayton, Kentucky, and of Kilwin- ning Chapter, No. 97, R. A. M., and Hanselmann Commandery, No. 16, K. T., of Cincinnati. Captain Barrett was a notable figure in any assemblage on account of his fine personal appearance. In manner he was genial and pleas- ant, and he possessed the kind heart and tender sympathy which made him ever ready to listen to tales of distress and to give generously to charities.
CAPT. GEORGE W. WALKER:
CAPT. GEORGE W. WALKER, one of the best known men in Hamilton County, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. R. E. Wyatt, in Wyoming,
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Ohio, on Thursday evening, March 19, 1903, after an illness of nine weeks. He had reached the age of 86 years and during all of his long life was active in ' business until January, 1903, when he retired on account of age.
Captain Walker was born in Cincinnati, January 28, 1817, and was one of seven children born to his parents, Joseph P. and Hettie (Stibbs) Walker. His father was born on the island of Guernsey, at that time a possession of France, and there he witnessed an exciting naval engagement between French and English vessels. He came to America at the age of 28 years. He was a personal friend of Robert Fulton, and being a carpenter by trade had the distinction of constructing the first model for a steamboat after the plans of the inventor. He was one of the charter members of the first Masonic lodge in the city of Cincinnati. In 1812, in New York City, he was united in marriage with Hettie Stibbs, who was born in New Jersey. She was one of those who placed flowers on the road for George Washington, in honor of his having crossed the Delaware.
Capt. George W. Walker was commander on Ohio River vessels for many years, and was well and favorably known in all of the towns and at all of the landing places along the river, from Pittsburg to New Orleans. Some 40 years ago he retired from the river, and engaged in the manufacture of paper at Lockland, where he became a prominent citizen. At the organization of the First National Bank of Lockland, he was elected president and served in that capacity until January 1, 1903, when he retired, feeling the weight of age. Until a fall during the severe winter weather, however, he was in ex- cellent health, but the infirmities of 86 years could stand no farther strain.
Captain Walker was united in marriage with Margaret L. Haines, of New Richmond, Ohio, who was born July 15, 1828. To this union were born two daughters : Mrs. W. C. Rankin, who died in 1891, leaving one son, Hugh Walker Rankin, and her husband to survive her, both residing on Mount Auburn; and Alice, widow of the late Dr. Richmond Elsworth Wyatt. Dr. Wyatt was born at Amelia, Clermont County, Ohio, April II, 1861, and was a son of Thomas L. and Martha (Corbly) Wyatt. After completing his schooling at Lebanon, Ohio, he entered the Ohio College of Dental Surgery of Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1886. He occupied a position of prominence as a dentist of Wyoming, and his death was sadly mourned by everyone who knew him. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a prominent Mason. In June, 1889, Dr. Wyatt was joined in the bonds
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of matrimony with Alice Walker, and to them was born one son, Washington. Mrs. Walker resides with her daughter, Mrs. Wyatt, at Wyoming, Ohio, in a beautiful and comfortable home.
· Captain Walker was a member of the Presbyterian Church and served as one of its official board. He left many friends and the memories of many kind and unselfish actions behind him. During his long life, he came in contact with many of this country's most prominent men, such as Daniel Webster, Zachary Taylor and many others. When General Lafayette vis- ited Cincinnati in his tour of the United States in 1825, the subject of this sketch, who was then a lad of about eight years, was with his father (who was a member of the committee of prominent citizens appointed to meet the distinguished Frenchman) and was picked up and embraced by Lafayette.
EDWARDS RITCHIE.
EDWARDS RITCHIE, a prominent member of the Hamilton County bar, was born in Greenfield, Ohio, March 18, 1858. He comes of distinguished ancestry, his father, Rev. Andrew Ritchie, being a man of learning and ecclesiastical prominence, and his mother, Mary Gray, being descended from Revolutionary stock.
Rev. Andrew Ritchie was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, but came in 1846 to Cincinnati. He entered and graduated from the old Woodward College in 1850 and four years later was graduated at Oxford Theological Seminary. He was installed as pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Green- field, Ohio, where he remained until 1865 when he was recalled to Cin- cinnati to assume the duties of the Western Tract Society, which position he held until his death. The Gray family, of which his wife was a member, originated in Ireland, its founder in America being Robert Gray, who came here prior to the Revolutionary War. In that struggle he took a prom- inent part and after its close settled on government land in Butler County, Ohio, paying for it in Revolutionary scrip. This land has always remained in the possession of the Gray family.
Edwards Ritchie was a graduate of the class of 1878 at Chickering In- stitute, Cincinnati, and prepared for the Cincinnati Law School, where he was graduated in 1880, under the able preceptorship of Reuben Tyler. He
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then accepted a clerical position in the office of W. S. Cappellar, county auditor, and two years later began the practice of his profession. Mr. Ritchie has been prominently identified with much important litigation in the city and county, and has won the right to be regarded as an able attorney and a judicious adviser.
On November 9, 1892, Mr. Ritchie was united in marriage with Mary Brice, a daughter of William Brice, a Presbyterian minister, and Clementine Cunningham, who was the first white child born in Lima, Ohio. Both Mr. Ritchie and wife attend the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he is a, Knight Templar and socially belongs to the Queen City Club. Mr. Ritchie lives in Wyoming, which suburb has been improved and developed largely through the interest he has taken in it.
SAMUEL J. HALE.
SAMUEL J. HALE, one of the prominent business citizens of Cincinnati, president of the Globe Insurance Company and a former mayor of Avon- dale, was born April 27, 1827, at Madison, Maine, and is a son of Shepard and Sarah L. (Jones) Hale, and a grandson of Col. Jonas Hale, and of Col. Samuel L. Jones, whose name he bears.
Mr. Hale was educated in his native State, completing his academic course at Bloomfield in 1843, in which year he accompanied his parents to the West. Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, was reached by the travelers, who then visited Chicago, which at that time was scarcely a promise of what that great and bustling city has since become. The journey to Ripley County, Indiana, was leisurely made by wagon, and the family remained at the village of Sunman for one year, during which time our subject taught school. In 1844 they all returned to New England and located at Boston, Massachusetts, where Samuel J. Hale engaged in business, becoming connected with a West India goods and ship store established in Boston, and there he remained until he reached his majority. At that time he had the opportunity of declin- ing a partnership in the business, and he decided to rejoin his people, who had returned to Indiana. At Aurora, Indiana, our subject embarked in the drug business and also read some law, and in 1851 was elected city clerk. In the same year he became secretary of the Aurora Insurance & Trust Com-
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pany. In 1853 he came to Cincinnati and in association with Thompson Dean established the general commission and steamboat firm of Dean & Hale, with which he was identified many years. In 1874 he helped to estab- lish the well known wholesale drug firm of Hale, Justis & Company. In 1865 Mr. Hale was one of the prime movers in the establishing of the Globe Insurance Company, and he has been an officer since its inception and its president since 1888. For 24 years he served as a member of the Avondale School Board, for 15 years of that time being its presiding officer. His popu- larity in Avondale, where his beautiful home is situated, was shown by his election as mayor of the suburb; he served through two terms and then declined further honors along that line.
In 1852 Mr. Hale was married to Lucinda Owen, who was a native of Vermont, and three children were born to this marriage, namely: William S., connected with the wholesale drug firm of Hale, Justis & Company, who married Carrie Burkhardt of Louisville, Kentucky; Sarah Agnes, who mar- ried Dr. J. F. Lemon of Los Angeles, California; and Samuel A., who is a.chemist by training, and is associated with his father. Mr. Hale is fra- ternally connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church at Avondale.
Although Mr. Hale is now in his 76th year, he shows neither in ap- pearance nor in mentality any serious ravages of Time. For many years he has been an active member of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and has been honored more than once by that representative body, serving as its vice-president in 1860 and 1861 and again in 1865 and 1866. He also served two terms, from 1889 to 1891, as a director, and is a familiar and most highly esteemed member. He has a wide city acquaintance and enjoys universal respect.
MAX KOEHLER, M. D.
MAX KOEHLER, M. D., one of the leading physicians of Cincinnati, was born in Pyrmont, Germany, March 1, 1853, and was one of 12 children born to Judge Edward and Adelheid (Droste) Koehler. .
Max Koeliler received his early education in his native town and in 1875 was graduated from the Leipsic Medical College. He then pursued a
CHARLES W COLE, A. M.
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post-graduate course in the hospitals of Berlin for a period of two years, after which he entered upon a general practice. He continued with much success and in 1882 came to America, where his success in the medical pro- fession has been unbroken. He had already established a reputation as a practitioner before coming to Cincinnati, and at the present time he enjoys an extensive general practice, maintaining an office at No. 124 West Ninth street. Since 1900 he has been assistant to the chair of medical clinic in the Ohio College of Medicine and Surgery. He is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and the Cincinnati Academy of Medicine.
While on a visit abroad, Dr. Koehler was married June 27, 1882. to Louise Balke, a daughter of Julius and Charlotte Balke, and a sister of Mrs. J. G. Schmidlapp, of Cincinnati. Our subject and his wife are parents of two sons: Edward Julius, who attends Princeton University ; and. Walter Ru- dolph, who is attending Yale University. They have a comfortable home at No. 1504 East McMillan street, Walnut Hills. The Doctor is a Republican in politics, and in religious attachment is a member of the German Lutheran Church.
CHARLES W. COLE, A. M.
CHARLES W. COLE, A. M., president and general manager of the Cum- berland River Route, president and manager of the Burnside Land Com- pany, and president and general manager of the Burnside & Burkesville Transportation Company, is one of the most prominent citizens of Cincin- · nati and a leading member of the Hamilton County bar. Mr. Cole was born April 28, 1843, in Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio, being the youngest of seven children born to Samuel Paul and Mary (Eastlack) Cole. On both paternal and maternal sides, he is of Revolutionary stock, and Mr. Cole takes a pardonable pride in his membership in the Society of the Sons of the Revo- - lution.
Mr. Cole was liberally educated, and closed his university career at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, in 1867, receiving the degree of A. B. ; his degree of A. M. was also received from that institution. Some years later he was elected a member of the board of trustees of the Univer- sity and served in that capacity for five years. For two years after leaving the University, Mr. Cole served as superintendent of the public schools of the
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i city of Greenfield, Ohio, resigning the same upon his admission to the bar. He then located in Cincinnati and this city has been his home ever since and the scene of many legal triumphs. His first year of practice was in partner- ship with Hon. Joseph Benson Foraker, who later became Governor of Ohio and is now United States Senator. Senator Foraker was his fellow student and continues a warm, personal friend. Mr. Cole has been a practicing attor- ney for over 30 years, but latterly the duties attendant upon the business of the numerous corporations and large enterprises with which he is connected have interfered with his practice. He still maintains an office, however, in the Wiggins Building, and continues to be the legal adviser and counsellor of many who have relied upon his ability for so many years.
Mr. Cole married Rebecca F. Kinsey, a daughter of Joseph and Ann Frances (Ammidown) Kinsey, of Cincinnati, and resides on Mount Auburn. He is a Master Mason and continues his interest in his old college society,- Phi Kappa Psi. He has never made himself conspicuous in politics, although he is an ardent Republican. In religious belief he is a Methodist. His por- trait accompanies this sketch.
GEORGE MOERLEIN.
After 15 years of suffering, from inflammatory rheumatism, George Moerlein, one of the most prominent men of Cincinnati, died at his home on Ludlow avenue, August 31, 1891. He was the vice-president of The Chris- tian Moerlein Brewing Company, and was one of the city's most benevolent citizens. Mr. Moerlein was born in Cincinnati, June 8, 1852, and was a son of Christian and Barbara (Oeh) Moerlein. A sketch of Christian Moerlein, who came to Cincinnati from Bavaria in 1842, will be found elsewhere in this volume.
George Moerlein was educated in Cincinnati and graduated from High School in 1869, bearing off the honors. To prepare for his future career, he then went to Nuernberg, Bavaria, and at the Brewer's School in that city was thoroughly instructed in all the various processes for the manufacture of beer. During a part of this time he was a pupil of the celebrated Professor Carl, who is the editor of the only hop journal in the world. Mr. Mperlein made a protracted stay in Europe, and for a season was associated with the
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German Army, as a visitor, taking advantage of this to study the problems of war during the Franco-Prussian struggle. In 1872, upon his return to Cincinnati, Mr. Moerlein at once entered his father's business house as gen- eral manager. Although the business was of immense magnitude then, it was mostly local, but with the new ideas introduced by George Moerlein, and through his energetic efforts, the product was brought before the whole country at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876. The imme- diate result was that sales were doubled in the following two years, and the brewery was run to its fullest extent. Expansion was necessary, and on September 5, 1881, the firm was incorporated under the name of The Chris- tian Moerlein Brewing Company, with a capital stock of $1,000,000. George Moerlein was made vice-president of this corporation, and through his busi- ness ability the product was introduced all through new country,-the South- ern States, Cuba and South America and even Australia,-supplanting many of the brews of other countries, and assisting in the great American invasion.
Mr. Moerlein was the organizer and sole proprietor of the Georgia Granite Company, located at Lithonia, about 20 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, and the finely paved streets of Cincinnati show the result of his foresight and use of capital.
In 1881, Mr. Moerlein, accompanied by his lifelong friends, Charles Cramer and John Leitlein, started upon a trip around the world, and during this most enjoyable pilgrimage he added much to his knowledge of science and music, both of which claimed a large part of his time. The library he built up testifies to the interest he long took in the former, while his ability as a musician was always a pleasure to both himself and friends. This enjoy- able trip was made the subject of an elaborately prepared folio volume, printed in both German and English, which Mr. Moerlein presented to his aged parents, with the beautiful words on the title page: "Dedicated to my dear parents, in filial love." The aged father and beloved mother have both since passed away, but it is probable that no act ever gave them greater pleasure than this tender attention from their son. Mr. Moerlein was a member of a number of political and social organizations; was the founder of the Elm Street Club and for a long period was its president; was an Odd Fellow; was a life member of the Lincoln and Blaine clubs, and was identified with all the German societies of the city, a liberal contributing member to the Turn-Verein, and a very appreciative one of the Musik-Verein, never will-
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ingly missing any of its meetings. Few calls of charity were disregarded, his name usually heading the subscription lists with substantial amounts. It was with more than passing regret that his friends missed him from his usual haunts, after August 2, 1891, for the encroachments of his malady confined him to his home until it closed the career of this brilliant business man, kind and genial friend and beloved husband.
On September 26, 1885, Mr. Moerlein was united in marriage to Carrie Werner, who survives him and manages his business interests with unusual ability. He left a large estate. In 1881 his father presented each of his children with $25,000 of brewery stock, and in 1888, on his 70th birthday, repeated the gift. Mr. Moerlein is also survived by his brothers, John, presi- dent of The Christian Moerlein Brewing Company; Jacob, vice-president of the same, Mrs. John Goetz, Jr., Mrs. Conrad Born of Columbus, and Emma.
HERMAN H. HOPPE, M. D.
HERMAN H. HOPPE, M. D., well known in medical circles in Cincinnati, a lecturer on neurology at the Medical College of Ohio and neurologist at the Cincinnati Hospital, was born in this city and is a son of Dominick and Mary (Dusterberg) Hoppe.
Dominick Hoppe, who was born in Germany, came to the United States in 1848, two years later locating in Cincinnati, where he became prominent and wealthy as the head of the great commission house of D. Hoppe & Com- pany. He died in 1885. His wife, who was born in Cincinnati, died in 1891. Her father, John H. Dusterberg, was born in Germany and came to America in 1834 with his parents, who first located in New York, then moved to Buffalo, and seven months later came to Cincinnati, where the father engaged in business. John H. Dusterberg received a good education and early in life entered the world of business, where he achieved success. He was the father of nine children, and was highly esteemed and respected.
Dr. Hoppe was reared in this city and received his primary education in the parochial schools of the Catholic Church in which he was carefully trained, and at the age of 13 years became a student at St. Xavier College. His collegiate training ended with his graduation in 1886 and then he took up the study of medicine, his preceptor being the late noted Dr. J. S. Cilley.
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In September, 1886, he entered the Medical College of Ohio where his schol- arship made him second in the graduating class of 90 members, in the spring of 1889. He easily secured by competitive examination the coveted position of interne at the Cincinnati Hospital, and his services and studies there were continued until the time of his departure for Europe.
During an extended visit to the various great scientific centers of the Old World, Dr. Hoppe enjoyed exceptional advantages. At Strasburg he studied pathology under Professor Recklinghausen, and at Berlin he was accepted as first assistant to Professor Oppenheim, a distinguished authority on diseases of the nervous system. In August, 1892, the young physician reluctantly left the laboratory of Professor Oppenheim in order to begin his own career in his native city. His recent opportunities had made him proficient in treating many of the ills which afflict the body and mind, particu- larly the latter, and his practice has been mainly directed to diseases of the nervous system. His success has been marked, and he probably has no superior in the city in this special line of the profession.
Dr. Hoppe belongs to the leading medical organizations: Academy of Medicine, American Neurological Association, American Medical Associa- tion, Ohio State Medical Society, Mississippi Valley Medical Society, and Berlin Society for Nervous Diseases and Insanity. His contributions to medical literature bear the weight of learning, scientific research and deduc- tion, and are much valued by the profession.
In 1895 Dr. Hoppe was married to Herminie Richard, a daughter of Dr. C. Richard. The beautiful family residence of Dr. and Mrs. Hoppe is one of the elegant homes which adorn Main avenue in Avondale. Dr. Hoppe occupies convenient offices at No. 32 Garfield place. In politics he is identi- fied with the Republican party. Professionally and socially he is very promi- nent.
LIPMAN LEVY.
LIPMAN LEVY, a prominent attorney of Cincinnati and secretary of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, associated with the Hebrew Union College of this city, is a well known and representative citizen. Mr. Levy was born in Prussia, August 25, 1836, and is a son of Lewis and Kittie Levy, who came to America in 1848 and located in Cincinnati. Here his
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father became a well known merchant, and died in 1887, surviving his wife seven years.
Lipman Levy began his educational career in Prussia, continued it in England, and completed it in Cincinnati. After finishing his school career, Mr. Levy engaged in mercantile pursuits, in the meantime also studying law, and graduating from the Cincinnati Law School in 1875. In the following year he formed a partnership with the law firm of Moulton & Johnson, the name becoming Moulton, Johnson & Levy. . The firm became Johnson & Levy upon the death of Colonel Moulton and so continues. While Mr. Levy is an acute and cool headed man of business and a master of his profession, he has also been noted for his public spirit and for the deep interest he has always displayed in the various enterprises which have been brought forward to benefit the city. Since its organization, he was been secretary of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, which has for its main object the maintenance of the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati.
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