USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Centennial history of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Vol. II > Part 71
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WALTER ZINN.
Walter Zinn, a capitalist now living retired on a fine country Delaware county, was formerly closely associated with business in Columbus. He started upon life's journey in Cincinnati in 1850 Peter Zinn, who was born in Columbus in 1818. His grandfathe Zinn, removing westward from York, Pennsylvania, settled in Col 1808. when the now populons and thriving capital was but a mer
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He located on the present site of the Ohio State University and for many years was proprietor of a stage coach business operating between Columbus and Sandusky. Later he became a freighter handling traffic between Columbus and Pennsylvania and other eastern points. The extent of his business affairs and his activity in public interests made him a prominent representative and valued pioneer settler.
Peter Zinn, the father, born on the home farm, on the present site of the Ohio State University, was reared in Columbus and became an attorney at law. In 1848 he removed to Cincinnati, where he engaged in practice for almost a third of a century, or until 1880. He, too, was a leading resident of his distriet and for many years represented Hamilton county in the state legis- lature. He continued in practice as a member of the law firm of Bruff & Zinn and a keen analytical mind and powers of deduction enabled him to gain a place of distinction at the Cincinnati bar. By appointment of Governor Bruff, he had charge of Camp Chase at Columbus during the Civil war, with the rank of major. He was also well known in railroad circles, being for many years president of the Kentucky Central Railroad Union, that ran from Covington to Lexington. He was also the author of a legal publication entitled Zinn on Trusts, an important and valuable work. He married Margaret Goodin, a na- tive of Cincinnati and a representative of one of the pioneer families and large land owners of that city. She died in 1876.
Walter Zinn was educated in the public and high schools of Cincinnati and the Penn Military Academy at Chester, Pennsylvania, after which he took a trip abroad and then returned to Cincinnati. During his term at the military academy he acted as one of the escort for General Grant, then presi- dent of the United States, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1876. 1878 he returned to Cincinnati and was apprenticed as roll turner in his father's roll- ing mill and became a journeyman roll turner. He never followed the busi- ness, however, for his father died and in 1883 he came to Columbus. Here he engaged in the wholesale hat business as a jobber in men's hats, continuing under the firm style of Zinn & Judkins until 1904, when he sold out. This was a very successful venture and the business was indicative of the careful management and undaunted enterprise of Mr. Zinn. Following his retire- ment from mercantile circles Mr. Zinn engaged in the brokerage business as senior partner of the firm of Zinn & Thurman, handling local securities until 1906, when he sold out. His splendid business success had brought him a sub- stantial capital and released him from necessity for further labor, so that he removed to his farm at Powell, Delaware county, where he is now living a retired life, his property being known as the Meadow View Farm. Here he is raising fine fancy bred horses and cattle, having some of the finest stock raised in the state.
In January, 1882. Mr. Zinn was married to Miss Elizabeth Dora Jones. of Columbus, and they have two sons: William P., who was born in 1883, and is now engaged in the real estate business in Columbus; and Walter D., born in 1895.
Mr. Zinn is a member of the Columbus Club and the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He has a wide acquaintance in central Ohio and his social, genial
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nature has gained for him an extensive circle of friends. His business ability was recognized by all with whom he had trade relations and his keen discern- ment and carefully managed affairs have placed him in a most comfortable financial position.
DEWITT C. JONES.
Occasionally one finds a man who is self-made, self-contained and self- assertive and yet without what is known as selfishness, as applied to the human race. DeWitt Clinton Jones comes as nearly up to this idea as one is likely to find in an ordinary tour of observation. He has convictions, opinions, some prejudices perhaps, and they are all emphatic. His prejudices are eradicable, his opinions may be modified by new facts and angles of presentation, but his convictions, like the laws of the Medes and Persians, do not change. Being an attorney, he believes that the commission of the lawyer should be regarded as the title of a legitimate nobility. He was born near the present city of London, the seat of justice of Madison county, September 5, 1848, his parents being John C. and Sarah (Taylor) Jones, natives of Tennessee and Virginia respectively. They were farmer folk, lived happy, useful and contented lives and reared their children to good citizenship.
De Witt C. Jones acquired his preliminary education, like most of the boys of his time and environment, in the country schools and, in 1866, en- tered the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, being in the same class with Senator Joseph B. Foraker. This was a period in the university's his- tory in which it turned out more Methodist ministers, lawyers and statesmen, comparatively, than any other collegiate institution in the state. During a part of his course, which was completed in 1870, Mr. Jones was in the same classes with Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks and the late Governor John M. Pattison, of Ohio. Almost immediately following his graduation he came to Columbus and studied law under Hon. Chauncey N. Olds, a noted attorney of that day. On the 22d of February, 1872, he was admitted to practice in the courts and at once opened an office for the prosecution of his profession in this city. From 1875 until 1886 he practiced in partnership with George D. Jones but has since been alone, and is strong and vigorous both physically and men- tally and capable of ahnost limitless mental labor. His clientage is large, par- ticularly in municipal assessment cases, for which he is especially fitted. For more than a third of a century he has now been a member of both the state and county bar associations. In 1895 he became editor of the Press Post and was on the staff of that paper until 1899, winning an excellent and enviable reputation in that connection.
On the 9th of April, 1876, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Laura C. Hoerigen. an educated and accomplished German lady, whose par- ents, George and Caroline Hoerigen, came to this country in 1838. Her mother is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have two children, R. E. and Norma.
Politically Mr. Jones is a stanch supporter of right and has taken an ac- tive and helpful interest in the affairs of the municapality. From 1876 until 1878 he served as a member of the city council and in 1886 was appointed
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postmaster of Columbus by President Cleveland, acting in that capacity for one term of four years. He attended to the business of the postoffice in the same faithful and capable manner as he attends to his private interests and accordingly the public business was well performed. Socially he is connected with the Ohio Club and the Sigma Chi fraternity and has an extensive circle of friends throughout Columbus.
JAMES ROSS.
James Ross, prominent in business and politics, is probably one of the best as well as one of the most favorably known men in Ohio. Left an orphan at the tender age of four years, he made his home for a time with relatives, but later, by dint of energy, he made his way through the common schools, became a high school student, and subsequently attended business college. Thus equipped for life's battles, he rose by degrees from the position of the struggling orphan boy to one of prominence and affluence in the community in which he was born and reared. He scorned no employment in his youth and early manhood which would yield him an honest living. He worked on a farm, did other manual labor, clerked in a store and was then introduced into politics by being made a deputy in the county clerk's office by John J. Joyce.
Mr. Ross was born at Reynoldsburg, Truro township, Franklin county, July 10, 1862. His parents, Frederick and Christina (Grossman) Ross, were natives of Germany and came to America in 1849. They settled in Franklin county on what is now known as the Sullivant farm, west of Columbus. Mrs. Ross died in 1862 and Mr. Ross passed away in 1866. The subject of this no- tice was then four years old. He lived with his relatives until he felt that his age and experience justified him in launching his own little bark upon the uncertain sea, but under his guidance it has been made to plough the most angry waves in both business and politics.
Mr. Ross early evinced a taste for politics, and identified himself with the democratic party. From a private in the ranks, he rose to the position of leader of the Franklin county democracy, a position he has occupied for many years. His qualities of leadership and organization commended him to his party associates in his own county and attracted the attention of those higher in the conneils of the party in the state. He soon became a factor in democratic state politics. At this time, 1909, he is a member of the demo- cratic state central and executive committees, and was one of the close per- sonal friends and advisers of Judson Harmon in the campaign of 1908, which resulted in his triumphant election by a plurality of nearly twenty thousand, while William Howard Taft. republican nominee for president, carried the state by a plurality of more than seventy thousand.
Mr. Ross was made deputy county clerk in the carly '80s, and in 1888 he was appointed a deputy sheriff by Brice W. Custer. He occupied this posi- tion four years, and at the expiration of that time was made the party candi- date for sheriff of the county. His most ardent supporter for the nomination was Mr. Custer, whom he had served so faithfully. He was easily nominated and elected. Mr. Ros was reelected sheriff in 1893, being the only man on
JAMES ROSS
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men on account of his clothes he spent his first earnings in dressing like an American, and his evenings in study, that he might become an American ; his heart's chief desire. After a few years he came west to Wheeling, Vir- ginia, where he worked at the glass cutter's wheel in one of the large fac- tories.
Wherever we find Mr. Westwater he is in the front rank of affairs in which he is interested, and so it was among the working men at Wheeling. He was an active member of a debating society composed of working men in the various glass factories and as a fluent talker he said many unpopular things about the slaves then in Virginia. He was dubbed by many of his comrades "the nigger lover," because of his opposition to slavery. By a few who thought as he did the question of slavery was proposed for debate at one of the regular meetings of the society and our ardent young Scotchman was the only one who, having the courage of his convictions, dared to face his unsympathizing audience in his arguments against slavery. We find here a germ which grew and had influence upon his future work in Ohio, to which we will presently refer.
The family left Wheeling and came to Columbus, arriving July 18, 1840. His father, brother William and himself began business under the firm of John Westwater & Sons, in a store room on West Broad street where the Wheeler building now stands. At first they bought their stock of queens- ware from New York dealers but later became direct importers and thus widely extended their trade. For nearly fifty-four years through grand- father, sons and grandsons the business has continued and the firm has ranked as one of our most substantial and successful.
His suavity made Mr. Westwater one of the most popular business men and his truthfulness was sufficient guarantee as to the quality of the wares he sold. He was a man of remarkable mental capacity ; though not possess- ing the advantages of early education he was a close student, a wide reader and an extensive traveler, who readily and intelligently absorbed and retained the useful and instructive. Courteous in manner and gifted with fluency of speech, he was highly entertaining in social life. He was true to his own convictions yet liberal towards all and knew that there are "many men of many minds" and acted upon the principle that he would do unto others as he would have others do unto him. His sumy nature looked upon the bright side of life with a thankful heart, while at all times he did what he could to brighten the darkness in the lives of others through his words of hope and by his open hand that gave generously and quietly. He loved with an inborn love things beautiful and graceful. Flowers were to his re- fined and delicate organization a joy and study and he petted his favorites and watched their growth as mothers pet their children. His office was sel- dom without an array of bright living colors and permeating redolence, which came from his own growing and which he appreciated as propagator and botanist. as well as for the pleasure they gave to others.
He was an active life member of the Columbus Horticultural Society and did much practically to secure and develop the best of fruit by his own culture. He loved art with appreciation and judgment of exquisite taste.
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His home bears witness, by its collection, that pictures and statuary were the preferred companions which gave him a constant pleasure when busi- ness hours were over. As as member of many benevolent societies he was liberal and active, being one of the founders and main supporters of the Home of the Aged, which will keenly feel the loss it has sustained in his death. He was also a generous giver to the Home of the Friendless and responded liberally to all calls for aid in public calamity. He was a cheerful giver who did not too closely scrutinize the asking as he preferred to err on the side of mercy as he listened to tales of want. As foreman of a non-paid volunteer fire company he fought the flames to save the property of his neighbors when he was not a real-estate owner. He was one of the most fearless and efficient of that little band of volunteer cholera nurses who went where they were sent by the board of health in 1849 and 1850. He was one of the charter members of the Columbus Gas Light & Coke Com- pany, a director in the Green Lawn Cemetery board, n director of the Na- tional Exchange Bank and also in other corporations. As a merchant in one business method he was unique, he never took account of stock; when remonstrated with as to that, he said, "I pay every debt I owe every Satur- day, as I don't want to think of business on Sunday; what is here is my own and I don't love money well enough to bother about counting the gains all the time." Acquisitiveness was not a trait of his character. His business gave him pleasure. He was a reliable friend and ready helper of young men upon starting ont in their business careers. His habits of life were modest and simple and his personal wants few. He did not attribute what success he attained so much to himself as to the business advantages of the land he loved.
Coming in the vigor of his manhood to the capital of Ohio during an exciting political campaign his bright Scotch mind at once took up an intelli- gent study of American politics. He was a democrat because he had found that his fellow workmen were democrats in both New York and Wheeling.
He assisted in editing a democratie campaign paper here in 1844. His life in a slave state had its influence and he became an anti-slavery demo- crat as he could not see how one man conld own another man : and while no longer a working man he remembered the bad effeet that slave competition had upon the wages of men who had left Europe on account of the pauper competition which existed there.
He also remembered that his favorite poet had written, "A man's a man for a' that."
So believing and true to his conscience he openly and actively esponsed the cause of the slave and was a pronounced abolitionist when that term was one of obloquy. In his work he was associated with Chase, Gid- dings and Wade and thus was far in the van of that vast army yet to come whose bloody work. under Grant. Sherman and Sheridan. culminated in the Emancipation Proclamation of the immortal Lincoln. When the republi- can party was organized Mr. Westwater was one of its leaders and continued an active member during his life. As an abolitionist he fought for the black man oppressed by law. fought for the man who had no rights that
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a white man was bound to respect and for black men born in Ohio who could not testify in a court, who had no vote and yet paid taxes. It was because of his sense of injustice under law towards the negro that he became an active member of the underground railroad company, as it was called This railroad with many hidden tracks which ran continuously throughout the state reached from the Ohio river to Canada where, under the laws of monarchical England the manacles of slavery fell as the slave touched the soil. This underground railroad had stations throughont Ohio, and the station houses were stables, garrets, outbuildings, cellars, any place where escaping and pursued slaves, men, women and children could be hidden dur- ing the day that they might travel by night. Over this railroad, safe, quick, and secret transportation, with supplies of food and clothing were freely given by little bands of determined and despised men called abolitionists, who had to do their Christian work under darkness and in defiance of law. As the men in Boston harbor did, so did the abolitionists. The same spirit animated both yet the first sought liberty for themselves while the others sought freedom for their fellowmen. Such was the work in which our young Scotch American citizen engaged; not for himself, not for his family, but for humanity leveled by law to the domain of the brute. And yet the end was not, for in the issue pending. Justice and Truth demanded a hearing and a result. The Old Liberty Bell of the nation's ancient capitol says in letters of brass, "Protect liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof." The abolitionist defiantly said, "That bell is a clanging lie," which the average citizen resented, as a slander and as a reflection on the flag. It remained to him and to ns, living in the light of the fullness of time to hear Truth say, "That legend was not a lie, but a prophecy waiting its fulfillment that was to come from the seed planted by the abolitionist, through oceans of blood and the sacrificed lives of heroes." Our friend had the supreme satisfaction of seeing the flag float over the garnered harvest, which came from the plantings of more than half a century ago, of his own and the hands of his fellow workers in the cause and to hear that bell proclaim justice and truth-the completed work of the abolitionist which brought the dawn- ing of the better day which has come with its moral and physical enrich- ment not only to our land but also to the nations of the earth, where civiliza- tion upon higher planes, has proven that it is far nobler to protect the weak, whether bond or free, than to oppress them-the world wide fruitage of Christianity. Such is a chapter in the life of a man who, in the face of bitter opposition, dared to do what his conscience told him was right. Of that little band in our city, not one-whom we can recall yet lives here, Mr. Westwater was the last. The fiat of "three score years and ten" has called them from their labors but their work remains. The old station house of the Underground Railroad, where Mr. Westwater had charge, stood on Chestnut street. near Fourth, and it too is gone. It was a harbor of safety where food and rest and secretion from the search of United States officers, were furnished without money and without price and its beacon light was a half hidden tallow candle at the back window of an old smoke house made fit for the service. Here the frightened, pursued, escaping slaves were in some niyste-
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rious way piloted. All this was over fifty years ago. Now ' apotheosis of the dim candle light of that old smoke house. U in the harbor of the commercial metropolis of our country is a high towards heaven by the right arm of a nation's strength wl the rays of a beacon light which are seen afar as Liberty enlighten: Under the shadow of that rock whereon liberty stands the emigr May, 1832, was piloted, laden with men, women and children the slavery of pauper labor as they touched the shore. There lande group, a man and wife with their three sturdy boys, one of "Jamie," who has done for others what that landing did for hi possible the enthronement of liberty, and stronger the arm bearin. lit by the abolitionist. That the world has been bettered fror we all know and we also know that this Board of Trade Associa better for that membership and here drop a flower at the grave who lived not for himself but for others."
FRANK P. GOBLE.
Frank P. Goble, engaged in the undertaking business in W his native town. was born September 6. 1849. He was a grand Rev. Jacob and Bathsheba (Payne) Goble, the former a native and a minister of the Baptist church, while the grandmother wa. of Thomas Payne. Dr. Peter Goble, the father of Frank P. Gobl at Gobles, Ontario, and was a graduate of Kings College at Moi acquired his professional education in Buffalo, New York, and, 1 practice in Worthington, was a prominent and successful repres the profession in this place for over thirty years. In 1873 he California, where his last days were passed, his death there of 1877 when he was seventy years of age. He married Eliza C daughter of Roswell Riggs and Phoebe (Stansbury) Chapman, a daughter of Judge Recompense Stansbury, a native of Conn one of the original settlers of Worthington, where he located ir spent the remainder of his days. He had served a seven years' ship at the cabinet maker's trade in Baltimore, Maryland, afterw law and became an, attorney and judge in Franklin county. The were one of the distinguished old families of the county, closely with its substantial development and improvement. R. R. Cha maternal grandfather of Mr. Goble, was also one of the first home in this town and for a number of years he successfully merchandising in Worthington. In possession of his grandson. are the books which he kept in 1827, while carrying on the store are models of neatness and exactness.
It will thus be seen that Frank P. Goble is a representative of the old and prominent families of Franklin county. He has sided in the section of the county in which he was born and is
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oldest native male resident of Worthington. Here he was reared and edu- cated and. for the past twenty years, has engaged in the undertaking bus- iness both at Worthington and at Dublin. For the past few years he has resided on a farm in Washington township but still manages his business interests in the two villages and is accorded a liberal patronage. He is widely recognized as a most reliable and progressive business man and well merits the success which has come to him.
Mr. Goble's wife bore the maiden name of Mary Mitchell. She is a native of Washington township and a daughter of Charles and Eliza ( Reed) Mitchell, the former a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Union county. Ohio. Charles Mitchell came to Washington township in his boyhood days with his parents and spent the remainder of his life upon a farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Goble have a wide and favorable acquaintance in this county, where their many good qualities have gained them the warm regard and friendship of those who know them. He is modestly inclined and never speaks in terms of self praise but those with whom he has been associated from his boyhood days down to the present speak of him in terms of high regard.
THOMAS GRANT YOUMANS, M. D.
Dr. Thomas Grant Youmans comes of old colonial stock. He is a great grandson of Captain Llewellyn Davis, who was a member of the Society of Cincinnati, and who served as captain of General Washington's body guard. He is a great grand-on of General Lewis Evans, a landed proprietor and manu- facturer in Pennsylvania, who had charge of the state militia of Pennsyl- vania during the Revolutionary period. He is a grandson of Dr. Thomas Jones Davis of Philadelphia, a surgeon in the Mexican war. He is a son of Colonel M. and Mary Davis Youmans. His father won his title by active and meritorious service in the Civil war.
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