USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > Lancaster > Centennial history of Lancaster, Ohio, and Lancaster people : 1898, the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the spot where Lancaster stands > Part 21
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Mr. Stewart was esteemed by all who knew him, and was an honor to his adopted city. For forty or more years he was a leading member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Stewart died May 7, 1896, at the ad- vanced age of nearly eighty years, having lived a long, useful and honorable life.
"A life well spent, whose earthly care it was
His riper years should not upbraid his green."
HUGH CANNON
Mr. Cannon was born April 25, 1827, in Donegal, Ireland. For many years in partnership with William Watson, an open-hearted, generous Irishman, he con- ducted a grocery on lower Broad Street. They were attentive to business and accumulated a handsome property. Mr. Cannon was elected mayor of Lan- caster in the year 1884, and served two or three terms very acceptably.
They were both (Cannon and Watson) good citizens, honorable men, and respected and esteemed in a large circle of acquaintances.
Henry Cannon, the son, is a merchant of Charleston, W. Va. Watson was a bachelor. John Naughten, his nephew, succeeded to his business and a share of his estate.
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CHRISTIAN LEHMAN
Mr. Lehman was born in Baden, Germany, August 1, 1811. He received a good education and learned the shoemaker's trade. He came to America in 1832, and settled first in Baltimore, Md., where he remained eight years.
In the year 1840 he came to Lancaster, Ohio, and pursued his calling of shoemaker.
He had been brought up in the Lutheran Church and soon became one of the leading members of St. Peter's in Lancaster.
About the year 1855 he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he engaged in the grocery business, and handled some real estate with profit. He returned to Lancas- ter in 1858 and opened a grocery, which he conducted until his death in 1860.
Mr. Lehman was a man very much esteemed. He was a prominent member of the I. O. O. F. His sons Henry and William, reside in Des Moines. His son Christian lives in Lancaster and continues the father's business.
PHILIP NESTER
Mr. Nester was born in Baden, Germany, and came to Lancaster from there in the year 1850 with his father, then an aged man. He was a painter by trade and followed his business for many years. He then became proprietor of a large beer saloon and owner of a part of the old Tallmadge House.
He was for years the chief of the fire department and a very efficient officer.
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HENRY LITTLE & CHARLES DRESBACH
Henry Little and Charles Dresbach under the name of Little & Dresbach bought the stock of goods, which John Effinger purchased of Ainsworth in the year 1849, and continued business in the old room of Ainsworth & Willock for about fifteen years. They were clever gentlemen and confined themselves strictly to selling goods, having no outside entanglements.
They married in Lancaster and belonged to the young set of 1840 or 1845.
Charles Dresbach for his second wife married the widow Rowland, a sister of Senator Morgan, of New York. His brother-in-law procured him a position in the Custom House and he then moved to New York and made that city his home. Samuel Dresbach had an interest in the business and was a good salesman.
JACOB WETZEL
Mr. Wetzel was a native of Baden, Germany. He came to America in the year 1848, and located in Lan- caster, Ohio. Here he followed his trade of a butcher until the year 1853, when he rented the frame hotel now known as the Betz House and named his hostelry The Golden Sun. Later he occupied the brick build- ing just east of Kinney's warehouse and named his hotel the Badischer Hof. Here he continued for many years. He died in the year 1878.
George Wetzel, the druggist, and Jacob Wetzel, a printer, are his sons. Wm. A. Ritchie built the brick building referred to.
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JACOB SHOFF
Mr. Shoff was a resident of Lancaster in 1850, and for some years prior to that time. He was a dealer in stock, and owned a good farm. He reared a large family of children. He moved to Nebraska and died there. Mrs. Blaire owns and occupies his old home- stead.
Horace Wiley, clerk in Stockwell & Baininger's store, married one of his daughters.
A. FROMLET
Mr. Fromlet was a native of Germany. He came to the United States in 1851, and to Lancaster in 1889, where he was a good dry goods merchant. He mar- ried Julia, daughter of the late G. G. Beck, in 1896. He died recently and was succeeded in business by James & Fromlet, the latter being his only child.
WILLIAM L. KING
Mr. King was born February 20, 1814. He was a printer by trade and the first telegraph operator in Lancaster. He, with Jack Gruber, started a weekly newspaper about the year 1851, in Lancaster, called the Telegraph, in honor, no doubt, of King's occu- pation.
He was recorder of Fairfield County for two terms, deputy clerk of the court of common pleas for seven- teen years, and city clerk for twenty years. Mr. King was a very quiet, modest citizen and much respected. He died February 27, 1883.
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CHARLES F. RAINEY
Mr. Rainey was born in Lancaster and lived here most of his life. He was for many years a clerk for Reber & Kutz. At one time he ran a grocery on the Green corner. He was elected clerk of the court of common pleas and served two terms.
He was appointed by Cleveland a land inspector. This took him to the West, and at the expiration of his term he settled in California, where he recently died. He married a daughter of Jno. A. Collins. The great sorrow of his life was the loss of three fine children by scarlet fever in two weeks' time.
SOME LANCASTER MECHANICS
CHRISTOPHER WEAVER
Mr. Weaver came to Lancaster very early in the century. He and his wife were of the few who organ- ized the Methodist Church in 1812. His wife was a daughter of Frederick Arnold and sister of Henry Ar- nold, the merchant. He was one of the contractors who built the first Presbyterian church. He was a carpenter by trade and a good workman. In 1825 he was elected one of the commissioners of Fairfield County. He built the fine three-story brick dwelling now known as the Hillside. It was not completed at the time of his death, which occurred July 5, 1829. He and Judge Sherman were near neighbors and inti- mate friends. They both died the same summer, leav- ing large families of young children.
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JOHN U. GIESY
Mr. Giesy came to Lancaster from Germany in the year 1804, and worked for John Schurr, acquiring the baker's trade. He soon established a bakery of his own and it was not long until he kept a tavern in con- nection with his bakery. He built a handsome frame house on the south side of Main Street, which was long known to Lancaster people as Giesy's Hotel. It was torn down a few years since to make room for the Phil. Bauman Block. His brick buildings adjoining on the west became the property of his daughter, Mrs. H. Williard.
Mr. Giesy was an industrious man, attentive to busi- ness, and a good landlord. As a result, he accumulated a handsome estate.
In his old age he retired to his fine farm south of town. Two of his daughters married clergymen, Rev. C. Spielman and Rev. H. Williard. One of his sons is an Episcopal minister; two of them were attorneys. His son, H. H. Giesy, of the Forty-sixth Ohio was killed in battle before Atlanta. Emanuel Giesy was for years a prominent citizen of Lancaster. His son Daniel was for a time a merchant of Lancaster. He married a niece of H. H. Hunter. H. H. Giesy, Jr., son of Daniel, is an enterprising young man, industrious and full of energy.
John U. Giesy was one of the original members of the German Reformed Church in Lancaster.
JACOB BECK, SR.
Mr. Beck came from Switzerland to Lancaster in 1810. He was delayed in Pennsylvania a year or two. He purchased lots on Columbus Street and erected his
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dwelling and a blacksmith shop. The houses of Dr. Beery and Mrs. G. G. Beck are on the same lots. Mr. Beck was an industrious, public-spirited citizen, and continued his business for more than twenty years.
A part of this time he kept one of the old-fashioned pioneer taverns called the Buck, at least he so adver- tised it in the Ohio Eagle of 1819. He was one of the original members and founders of the Lutheran Church and gave the lot upon which the church building was built.
His wife was a sister of the father of Dr. J. H. Goss, of this city. Mr. Goss learned the trade of a black- smith with Mr. Beck. In good weather he worked hard in the shop all day, and in the evening rode to his clearing several miles and burned logs and brush so that he might have land for corn the coming spring. Wm. Hutton's father had contracted to supply Beck with charcoal. On a Saturday he learned that Beck was out of coal and on Sunday morning he and his son took each a bag of coal on the horse before them and delivered it to Beck, very much to his surprise.
Jacob Beck, of Hocking, ninety-three years of age, is his son. The late George G. Beck was a son. Mrs. Bury and Mrs. Orman were daughters. Mr. Beck died in the year 1839.
GEORGE BECK, SR.
Mr. Beck came from Switzerland to Lancaster in 1810, with his brother, Jacob Beck, Sr. His business was that of a rope-maker, a good trade at that period. He was one of the original members of the Lutheran Church. He was, like his brother, a worthy and in- dustrious pioneer, respected and esteemed by his neigh-
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bors. He died in the year 1839, the same week in which the death of his brother Jacob occurred.
His sons were Jacob F. Beck, the merchant, George Beck, of Lithopolis, and Martin Beck, of Lancaster. His only daughter married Matthew Myers. the merch- ant. Jacob F. had a family of five sons and two daughters. Fred. Beck, the merchant, and George W. Beck, the cashier of the Lancaster Bank, are his sons.
Matthew Myers sold out his store and moved to In- diana, where he was accidentally killed. George Myers, late the probate judge of Hancock County, is his son, and resides in Findlay.
MARTIN BECK
Martin Beck was a rope-maker and at one time kept a grocery store. He was born in Switzerland, and died in Lancaster, March 2, 1868, at the age of sixty years. His sons are J. F. Beck, shoe merchant, Melanchthon, the butcher, Frank H, a clerk, Amos M., a railroad agent at Green Springs, Ohio, and Daniel J., railroad agent at Bellevue, Ohio.
FREDERICK A. SHAEFFER
Mr. Shaeffer came to Lancaster from Lancaster County, Pa., and opened a tailor shop in the year 1811.
In a few years he abandoned his trade for hotel keep- ing. He located where John Sweyer had kept hotel for several years, on the corner of the public square, long known as Shaeffer's corner.
He kept a fine hotel and made a handsome fortune. In his old age he moved to his fine farm west of town, where he spent the evening of his days.
F. A. Shaeffer reared a large family, seven sons and
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four daughters. Charles F. was a Lancaster attorney and U. S. Revenue Assessor under Abraham Lincoln. Jacob was a tanner by trade. John was an accom- plished horseman, horse dealer and farmer, and withal an elegant gentleman. Gilbert, the youngest, was for some years county treasurer, and a farmer at the old homestead west of town.
Frank, Frederick, and William were stock dealers and ranchmen in the West.
His daughter Susan married Dr. P. M. Wagenhals. His three daughters by his second wife are married and are residents of the far West.
JACOB SHAEFFER
Jacob Shaeffer, brother of F. A., came to Lancaster in 1809, and commenced the saddle and harness busi- ness. He built a two-story block on Main Street, one room of which he occupied. His old age was spent on his farm south of town.
TOLE McMANAMY
Mr. McManamy was a brick-mason and plasterer. He was one of the pioneers and a good citizen. He was accidentally killed in the year 1830. He was the father of James McManamy.
PETER TITLER
Mr. Titler was a carpenter and came to Lancaster from Pennsylvania in 1817. He returned to Pennsyl- vania for a short time. Coming again to Ohio he spent three years in Franklin County, arriving in Lancaster the second time in 1826, where he died at an advanced age.
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THOMAS FRICKER
Mr. Fricker was a native of Berks County, Pa., and came to Lancaster from the city of Reading in the year 1802, as is stated in his Bible.
He was a hatter by trade and followed his business in his own room that stood on the lot where the Mc- Sweeny Block now stands. He invested in Lancaster property and was at one time considered wealthy; but endorsing for friends swept away his fortune. He served as a justice of the peace for several terms.
In 1822 he subscribed five dollars to the new Presby- terian Church, payable in hats. This was a common thing in those days, the contractor accepting the trade offered in this way.
He gave the lot on which the first Catholic church was built on Chestnut Street near Front, and also a sub- scription in addition. He was a member of the Cath- olic Church, but his children by his second wife are Protestants.
Later in life he moved to his farm southeast of and adjoining the Brasee farm on the Hamburg road, where he died. His sons, George and John, reside in Lancaster.
DANIEL ARNOLD
Mr. Arnold came to Lancaster from his farm north of town in 1830, where he had been a farmer for thirty years. He came to the county in 1800. In 1830 he established a tannery in Lancaster. This he carried on, in connection with his sons, many years. He was the father of Mrs. Geo. H. Strode.
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JACOB EMBICH
Jacob Embich came to Lancaster from Hagerstown, Md., in the year 1815. He carried on the boot and shoe business for a number of years, but, being elected a justice of the peace, he gave up his shoe trade. He was the father of Wm. and P. B. Embich.
PHILIP EMBICH
Philip Embich came to Lancaster from Hagerstown, Md., in 1816. He was a dyer by trade, to which he added carpentry. He remained only a few years, re- turning to the East.
JESSE WOLTZ
Mr. Woltz came from Hagerstown, Md., to Lan- caster in the year 1815, in company with Samuel Herr, who paid his expenses. He was a cabinet-maker by trade, and first worked for Samuel Herr.
In 1816 he began business for himself. He was an ingenious mechanic, and besides many other things that he did, manufactured several pianos and organs. Late in life he kept an ice cream saloon on Wheeling Street. His son, Jesse, went to Chillicothe and followed the trade of his father.
JOHN STULL
Mr. Stull was a carpenter and came to Lancaster in 1801. He made the window sash for John Baldwin's house, a famous old landmark on the Newark road. He planted the sycamore trees in front of his lot on Broad Street, where Will Thimmis now lives, and which once belonged to him. The present house was erected by John Lyons. To his trade he added that of plas-
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terer. He was a devoted disciple of Izaak Walton and spent much of his time in fishing. He died in 1846.
STEPHEN SMITH
Mr. Smith came to Fairfield County in the year 1810. In the year 1822 he acquired the blacksmith trade in Lancaster. He then spent two years in Pennsylvania and a year working in Cincinnati, Nashville, and New Orleans.
Returning to Lancaster in 1829, he opened a shop for blacksmithing. He was a well-known character. He was a splendid workman in iron and a very indus- trious and honest man. He was a great favorite of John T. Brasee, who admired his skill and his quaint independent manners. He lived to old age and left an interesting family and a modest estate.
FREDERICK IMHOFF
Mr. Imhoff came to Lancaster in 1813, and began his business of coverlet weaver. He moved from Lan- caster to Newark, Ohio, many years since.
SAMUEL HERR
Mr. Herr was born in Hagerstown, Md., and came to Lancaster in 1815. He devoted himself to his trade, that of a cabinet-maker, and an undertaker. He re- tired from business in 1858. Mr. Herr served as county commissioner more than one term, was city treas- urer for two years, and township trustee two or three terms.
ISAIAH VORYS
Mr. Vorys was a carpenter and came to Lancaster in the year 1823, antedating his competitor, Henry
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Orman, one year. He first worked for Christopher Weaver.
In 1825 he married a Miss Wachter, who still survives him (1897). In that year he commenced business for himself. He died in the year 1866. His three sons, William, Isaiah, and Charles carried on his business. William and Charles have joined him over the river. Isaiah still continues a builder. His grandson, A. I. Vorys, is one of the prominent young attorneys of Lancaster. He built the present Mumaugh house and John Creed's residence on Broadway, now the Dr. White property.
DANIEL HARD
Mr. Hard was a native of England, and came to Lancaster in 1822. He was a shoemaker and a Jack- of-all-trades, and was marshal of Lancaster for eight years.
ISAAC STORTZMAN
Mr. Stortzman was a wagon-maker. His shop was on Wheeling Street. The date of his coming to Lan- caster is not known, nor the time of his removal to Bellefontaine, Ohio.
JAMES LAFEARE
Mr. Lafeare came to Lancaster in his youth and acquired the carpenter trade under Christopher Weaver. In 1827 he was a partner of D. Sifford. In 1829 he was appointed superintendent of the County Infirmary. He died of cholera in Wood County, Ohio, in 1852.
WILLIAM RICHARDS
Mr. Richards came to Lancaster in 1817. He was a shoemaker by trade. In the year 1822 he married a
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daughter of Daniel Arnold. He lived to a good old age.
DAVID COWDEN
Mr. Cowden was a brickmaker and a brick-mason. He came from Frederick, Md., in 1817. He did the brickwork of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died at an advanced age in the year 1897.
ROBERT R. CLASPILL
Robert R. Claspill came from Virginia to Lancaster in 1833. He was a famous ploughmaker in his time. All old farmers remember the Claspill moldboard. He was long an honored citizen of Lancaster and a lead- ing member of the Methodist Church. Two of his daughters married Methodist clergymen. He died in the year 1847.
GEORGE W. CLASPILL
George W. Claspill, son of Robert R., was born in Virginia and came to Lancaster in 1835. He was a silversmith by trade and good on every kind of delicate mechanical work. He lived a long and honorable life in Lancaster.
JOHN GEBELEIN
Mr. Gebelein came to Lancaster from Verdin, Han- over, Germany, in 1832. He was a good cabinet- maker. He was for a number of years a trustee of Hocking Township. He made one false step and ruined his hitherto good reputation.
ROBERT REED
Mr. Reed was a boot and shoemaker and came here in 1837. He soon became a partner of Joseph Work. From 1831 to 1840 he carried on his trade alone, but
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in 1840 John Pearce became a partner. In 1843 the firm became Reed & Baughman. In 1853 John Baughman retired from the firm. Mr. Reed was one of Lancaster's popular citizens. No man of Lancaster was ever more highly esteemed.
JOHN C. SMITH
Mr. Smith was a native of Germany and arrived in the city of Baltimore in 1833. He lived in Columbia and Lancaster, Pa., and in Newark and Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Lancaster in the year 1843, and carried on the business he had learned in the East, that of confectioner. His partners for a short time were John H. Reed and A. L. Hunt. Smith was a quiet,. industrious, modest man. His store and workshop- were models of neatness, and he was a very competent caterer. He died at an advanced age, leaving his family in good circumstances. His wife was a daugh- ter of George Meyers. Two of his sons are English Lutheran ministers.
WALTER McDONALD
Mr. McDonald came to Lancaster from Washington, D. C., in 1816. He served in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Bladensburg, and ran with the rest of his comrades in the Bladensburg races. When he first settled in Lancaster he was a chair maker, but in later years he was a butcher. For forty years he was a fam- iliar figure in the "amen corner" of the Methodist Church. His daughter, Ann, married George W. Beery, for many years an attorney and banker at Upper Sandusky. His son practiced medicine in the same- town.
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HIRAM HANSON
In 1821 Hiram Hanson came to Lancaster. He was a shoemaker by trade and prominent in the early years of Lancaster. In 1830, with a Mr. Keltner as partner, he opened a grocery store. He died in 1832.
JAMES WEAKLEY
Mr. Weakley became a resident of Lancaster in 1817. He was a carpenter by trade and followed this business thirty years. He was one of the builders of the first Presbyterian church and in connection with Isaac Church built the second Presbyterian church. This church was ornamented with a fine, well-proportioned tower and steeple, designed by Isaac Church. Mr. Weakley built the fine large residence of General Wil- liam J. Reese. He built many other handsome and substantial dwellings. He was long an honored elder of the Presbyterian Church.
CHRISTOPHER LOCHMAN
Mr. Lochman was known by the nickname of "Judge." He was a tailor in Lancaster in 1822 in part- nership with M. Walter. He was a partner of Geo. H. Smith in 1837. Jacob Hite worked for Lochman two years when a young man. Lochman moved to Indiana many years ago.
CHARLES MYTINGER
Mr. Mytinger was in Lancaster as early as 1830. He was a tailor by trade and reputed to be a good one. He was the father of Mrs. James Weaver. Late in life he moved to Portsmouth, Ohio.
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BALTZER SHAEFFER
Mr. Shaeffer was a tailor by trade and carried on his business in Lancaster for many years. He was an odd character and many amusing stories are told of him. He was a brother of F. A. Shaeffer. In old age he moved to his farm south of town, where his son, Charles, now resides.
ISAAC COMER ยท
Isaac Comer was a tailor by trade. He was an honest man and a good citizen. Where he came from or when he died we cannot ascertain.
Isaac had the advantage of his competitors, for 'tis said that it was not necessary for him to take a man's measure. He looked at a customer and cut a coat to fit him. He was a long time employed by Reber, Kutz & Co.
GEORGE HOOD, SR.
Mr. Hood came to Lancaster from Maryland with Isaac Church, in 1816. He was a painter by trade and followed the business all of his life. He was a man of good reputation, honest and industrious. He reared a large family of children. He died in the year 1839. His sons, George and Charles Hood, after his death, continued the business of painting. They were indus- trious, honorable men.
JOHN GIBBS
John Gibbs came to Lancaster in 1824 and opened a gunsmith shop. In later years he took up the busi- ness of house painting. He was a good fifer and was in demand on militia days or Fourth of July parades. He lived to an advanced age. His wife was a daugh- ter of Geo. Hood, Sr.
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AMOS HUNTER
Mr. Hunter was born in Pennsylvania and with his father came to Fairfield County in 1799. In 1810 he came to Lancaster to learn the blacksmith's trade with James Hardy. In 1816 he went to Pittsburgh, where he married. He returned to Lancaster in 1819, and commenced business. In 1821 he became a part- ner of Thos. Edingfield, which partnership continued until 1838, when Edingfield was elected sheriff. In 1845 his son Andrew became his partner, and so con- tinued until his death. He was one of the honored pioneers and for a long period a member of the Meth- odist Church.
DAVID FOSTER
David Foster was born in Lancaster and learned the chair-making business with Joseph Grubb. In 1831 he began work for John B. Reed and continued with him for ten years. He also worked ten years for Geo. Smith. He commenced business on his own account in 1854. He was the best tenor drummer of the town. He was a staunch Methodist.
GEORGE SMITH
George Smith came to Lancaster from Virginia, in what year we cannot ascertain. He was a chair-maker and followed his trade in Lancaster. He made chairs for many years, and about the year 1855 was a partner of George L. Eckert, conducting a shop and a general furniture business. When he and Eckert dissolved, he moved to his farm east of town on the George Smetters section. His wife was a daughter of George Smetters, a famous old wagoner of pioneer times and the strongest man of Fairfield County.
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JOHN PEARCE
John Pearce was a shoemaker, and, for a time, a partner of Robert Reed. Leaving Reed he began work for Joseph Work and remained with him eighteen years, when he worked two years for Crook & Brum- field. Later, in partnership with his son, Robert, he continued the business for a number of years. Robert in the meantime served during the war as a Union soldier.
JESSE ANDERSON
Jesse Anderson was born in Pleasant Township in 1816. He served an apprenticeship to Henry Orman and learned the carpenter trade. In 1838 he began the business for himself and continued it until 1847, when he engaged in the stock business. In 1851 he became a butcher and pork-packer. Late in life he moved to Kansas City, where he died a few years since.
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