Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 103

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens > Part 103

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Jacob Lapp was educated in the public schools of his native place, and learned the trade of cooper, working for many years ac- cording to the methods in vogue before coop- erage machinery was invented. He made many of the barrels formerly used by the Standard Oil Company. Later he associated his son with him in business and in 1883 they established the plant at its present location in Akron, where a very large business is now carried on. Staves are shipped to this plant by the carload from all parts of the United States. Mr. Lapp owns a stave factory him- self, which is situated at Woodside. He also owns four other cooper shops located in Orr- ville, one in Columbus, another in Toledo, and still another in Kent, Ohio. These sev- eral plants give employment to about 100 men. Barrels of all kinds are manufactured, and the name of Lapp gives evidence of their superior quality.

On July 8, 1863, Mr. Lapp was married to Frances E. Rice and they have the follow- ing children: Fred M., who is associated in business with his father, married Sarah Roth- rock, and has two children, Harry and Clay- tus ; Harry J., managing a branch cooper shop

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at Toledo, married Elizabeth Furness; Alma and Grace E., both residing in Akron, the former of whom is the wife of August Manthey, a molder by occupation; and the latter, wife of Charles Smith, captain of Fire Department No. 2, of Akron.

Fraternally, Jacob Lapp is an Odd Fellow, while Fred M. is identified with the Knights of Pythias. They both are men of high stand- ing commercially and belong to the progres- sive, reliable class of citizens to which Akron owes much of its prosperity.

HARRY BROWN MILLS, proprietor of the Kleanit Manufacturing Company, at Ak- ron, is one of the city's native successful busi- ness men and representative citizens. He was born in 1867, at Akron, Ohio, and belongs to a old pioneer family of this section.

Ithel Mills, the grandfather of Harry B., was born in New York, and was a pioneer of resourceful and enterprising character. He located in Summit County at a very early day and he built the old county court-house. He married Emily Spicer, who was a daughter of Major Minor Spicer, who was the first set- tler of Akron, and one of Summit County's prominent men in his day. The late William H. Mills. the father of II. B., was born at Akron, where his life was spent. He mar- ried Alice S. Brown, a daughter of Charles W. Brown, the Browns being also old Summit County settlers.

Ilarry B. Mills was reared and educated in his native place. Early in his business ca- reer he conducted a grocery, but for the past sixteen years he has been interested in his present manufacturing business. The introdue- tion of his product, Kleanit, met with snecess from the start, and in face of all competition, has been accepted as the best article of its kind ever put on the market. It has required comparatively little advertising, proving its merits wherever used. Mr. Mills has a con- stantly increasing business which now extends over a large territory. Ile is located at No. 1009 South High Street, Akron.

In 1890 Mr. Mills was married to Carrie L. Smith, who was born at Clinton, Ohio. Her

father was George Smith, a well-known citi- zen of that section. Mr. and Mrs. Mills have three children-Ruth, Paul and Mildred. Mr. Mills belongs to the First Christian Church at Akron.

CHARLES EDWARD HANSON, resid- ing on his finely-improved farm of 124 acres, in Stow Township, is one of this section's rep- resentative agriculturists. Mr. Hanson was born August 24, 1855. in Hudson Township. Summit County. Ohio, and is a son of Rich- ard and Susanna (Briggs) Ilanson.

Richard Hanson was born August 10, 1827, in the town of Whapwood, Lincolnshire, Eng- land, and was there married. He came to this country with his children, and immediately afterward engaged in the wagon-making busi- ness, with his brother Charles, under the firm name of Hanson Brothers, later becoming sole proprietor. Subsequently he purchased a farm in Stow Township, which he cultivated until his retirement from active farm work, when he removed to Hudson Township, and there his death occurred in his seventy-fifth year. Originally a Whig, Mr. Hanson later became a Republican, but he never aspired to political office. Ile was married to Susan- na Briggs, who was born in 1828, and to them there were born the following chil- dren: Charles Edward ; Richard and Hewson, of Stow Township: Thomas Henry, of Hud- son Township; William George and James, of Stow Township; Mary Susanna and Char- lotte, both of Hudson Township; and Albert David. The family belong to the Episcopal Church.

Charles Edward Hanson resided in Hudson Township until he was eleven years old, at which time his parents came to Stow Town- ship, and here he worked on the farm until 1880, at which time he purchased his present 124-acre tract, which he has cultivated to the present time. He also manages twenty-four acres belonging to his sister-in-law. He de- votes considerable attention to cattle-raising and has from twenty to twenty-five head. He ships milk to the condensing milk factory. at Kent. Ohio. . Mr. Hanson recently remod-

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eled his home, which now includes twelve rooms and a bath, and built his present barns, one being a combined horse-barn and wagon- house 30 by 60 feet, with 18-foot posts, and the other 58 by 60 feet, with' 22-foot posts, for his stock, and, in addition, has a fine granary, 20 by 28 feet. He keeps his build- ings in the best of condition, and his farm in general presents a fine appearance.

Mr. Hanson was married to Orrie Stewart, who was a daughter of Thomas and Catherine Stewart, of Stow Township. She died in 1896, aged thirty-eight years, having been the mother of six children, namely: Rose E., Zena, Charles Frederick, Abigail I., Thomas S. and Eddie, the latter of whom died aged seven years. In his political views, Mr. Ilan- son is a Republican, and he has filled the of- . fices of school director and supervisor, and been township trustee for sixteen years.

JULIUS OSCAR WILLIAMSON, one of Stow Township's leading citizens, resides on his well-equipped farm of 186 acres, which he devotes to general farming and dairying. Mr. Williamson was born in Stow Township. Summit County, Ohio. on the farm he now owns, March 14. 1846, and is a son of Pal- mer and Amy ( Horton) Williamson.

Palmer Williamson was born in Westches- ter County. New York. October 9, 1802, and died April 30, 1883. From the age of six- teen years he was entirely dependent upon his own efforts, and from poverty and through many hardships he climbed to affluence also. and gained the respect and confidence of all who came within his sphere. In his youth he worked on the docks and engaged in lumber- ing. In 1823 he secured a position as ship- ping clerk at Poughkeepsie. where he con- tinued for three years, doing the hardest kind of dock work. After his marriage in 1827, he settled down to farming and this contin- ued his main occupation during the rest of his life. Prior to coming to Ohio he kept a tavern for one year at Goshen, New York. In the spring of 1831. he brought his family to Tallmadge Township, Ohio, hut three years later settled in Stow Township, where he in-

vested his capital in a farm of eighty acres. With the help of a frugal, industrious wife, he achieved success and became a man of ample fortune. His life proved the value of industry, temperance and perseverance, and while it presented no heroic qualities, its un- selfishness and general well-doing left its beneficient influence on his family and com- munity.

In 1827 Palmer Williamson was married to Amy Horton and they had the following children : Mary, Horton, Bradner, Susan, Jane, Aldrette and Julius Oscar. The mother died September 27, 1879, aged seventy-six years.

Julius Oscar Williamson found life much casier in his boyhood than did his father, and he was afforded fair opportunities in the way of education. After graduating from the High School at Cuyahoga Falls, he attended Hiram College, and for the subsequent eight years taught school through the winter seasons, and gave his father assistance on his farm and in the dairy during the summers. In 1865 he enlisted for service in the Civil War, enter- ing Company D, 198th Regiment, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, contracting for two years, but actually serving but five weeks, on ac- count of the happy termination of the great struggle, and he was honorably discharged on May 8. 1865.

Mr. Williamson is an intelligent, practical farmer and dairyman, who successfully en- ploys modern methods in the conduct of his business. ITis dairy requires twenty cows to keep up the necessary supply of milk, and he devotes from eighteen to twenty acres of his land to corn, the same to wheat, and from fif- teen to twenty acres to oats, and some six acres to potatoes. His silo is fourteen foet square. His dwelling is substantial and every- thing about the farm gives testimony to care- ful management. Formerly Mr. Williamson was a member of the local Grange, and has always been interested in the agricultural de- velopment of his section.

On February 21, 1875, Mr. Williamson was married to Rozetta Z. White, who is a daughter of H. J. White, of Ravenna, and

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the have had six children, namely : Henry J., residing at Stow Corners, married Ruth Gay- lord, of Stow, and they have three children, Valda, H. Julius and Gaylord; Homer E., operating the home farm with his father, mar- ried Alice Nickerson, of Stow, and they have one child, Arlene; Don P., residing at Stow Corners, married Jessie Durbin; Arba G., re- siding at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; and Earl C. and Amy A., residing at home. The fam- ily belong to the Church of Christ, in which Mr. Williamson is an elder, and formerly was superintendent of the Sunday School. He is a thoughtful man who casts his vote as his judgment advises. For many years he has held local office, serving as township trus- tee and supervisor and also as a useful mem- ber of the School Board. His father was a Mason, having joined the fraternity in New York, but Mr. Williamson is not identified with any secret society.

W. LEWIS SHOEMAKER, president of the Day Drug Company, a large retail drug organization of Akron, is one of the leading business men of the city. He was born Oc- tober 10, 1869, in Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania. At the age of twenty-three years he left the home farm on which he had been reared and began work as clerk in a drug store, being thus employed first at Cumber- land, Maryland, and later at Wheeling, West Virginia. In April, 1899, Mr. Shoemaker came to Akron and engaged in a drug busi- ness. In November, 1905, The Day Drug Company was incorporated, with a capital stock of $15,000. Its officers are: W. Lewis Shoemaker, president and treasurer, and Sal- lie B. Shoemaker, secretary, which officials, together with Mark Gair and Scott House- keeper, constitute a board of directors. The business, entirely retail, is in a very prosper- ous condition. In addition to his drug inter- ests, Mr. Shoemaker is a stockholder and a director in the Dollar Savings Bank, and is also interested in Akron real estate. In De- cember, 1890, Mr. Shoemaker was married to Sallie Bradley, of Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania, and they have two daughters, Mary

and Blanche. Mr. Shoemaker is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs to the Masonic club.

LUCIUS C. MILES, vice-president of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, is a leading citizen of Akron, whose activities have been directed along both business and political lines. He was born at Brookline, Massachusetts.

In 1870 Mr. Miles came to Akron and com- pleted his education in the Akron High School. He entered into busines in partner- ship with Charles Dick, and they dealt in grain for a period of six years. He became identified with other business enterprises and subsequently was elected president of the Ak- ron Cereal Company, which was merged with the Great Western Cereal Company in 1901. Mr. Miles is on the directing board of the above company, and is also vice-president of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

Mr. Miles married Harriet M. Seiberling, who is a daughter of John F. Seiberling. Mr. Miles has been an active citizen and to such a degree that in 1895, he was elected treas- urer of Akron and of Summit County, was re-elected in 1896, and served for four years. Personally he is a man of business honor and of social standing.

CHARLES S. SPANGLER, a representa- tive business man of Clinton, Ohio, who is dealing in general merchandise, was born on the old Spangler home farm in Franklin Township, Summit County, Ohio, April 24, 1859, and is a son of Joseph and Caroline (Smith) Spangler.

David Spangler, the grandfather of Char- les S., came to Ohio from Adams County, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Elizabeth (Boety) Spangler, and settled north of Clin- ton on a farm still in possession of the fam- ily, where the rest of their lives was spent. Their children were: Joseph, John, David. Ephraim, Henry, Jane and Elizabeth.

Joseph Spangler father of Charles S., was born on the home place in Franklin Town- ship, and grew up on the farm which he

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helped to clear. Mr. Spangler now lives a retired life at Akron, but still owns a farm in Franklin Township. He was married, first, to Caroline Smith, a native of Franklin Town- ship and daughter of Daniel Smith, who came from Pennsylvania and settled as a pioneer in Ohio. There were ten children born to Joseph and Caroline Spangler, of whom six died in infancy. Those who reached mature years were: Adam G .; John, now deceased; Charles S .; and Jennie C., who married O. W. Baum. After Mrs. Spangler's death, Mr. Spangler married for his second wife Adeline Hoy, who was born in South Perry, Hocking County, Ohio. Three children were born of this union-David E., Irving H., and Joseph G.

Charles S. Spangler attended the district schools in boyhood, and worked on his fath- er's farm until 1893, when he located in Clin- ton and went into partnership with P. M. Frase in a general store. After ten years of successful business dealings this partnership was dissolved, Mr. Spangler purchasing Mr. Frase's interests, and since that time he has carried on the business alone. Here he han- dles a fine line of general stock, while at Turkeyfoot Lake, where he established a branch store in 1906, he carries fancy and staple groceries.

On October 3, 1881, Mr. Spangler was mar- ried to Eleanor H. Whitmyer, who was born in Franklin Township, on her father's farm, and is a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Haring) Whitmyer. Mr. and Mrs. Spang- ler have been the parents of four children --- G. Howard, a graduate of Buchtel College; Clinton Grover; Charles Russell; and Eliza- beth Beatrice. Mr. Spangler is a member of the order of Maccabees, and in politics is a Democrat. He belongs to the Christian Church, in which he is an elder, and his son Howard deacon and superintendent of the Sunday School.

LUTHER KESLEY RANNEY, fruit grower and farmer, residing on his highly- cultivated farm of fifty acres, in Boston Town- ship. was born in Summit County, Ohio, Au-

gust 19, 1856, and is a son of Luther B. and Caroline (Clapp) Ranney.

The Ranney family is one of the oldest in America and has produced many famous men and women. The ancestral line may be traced to one Thomas Raney, who came to the colonies from Scotland, subsequent men- bers adding the other letters which make the name as it now stands. The original settler, Thomas had a son, also Thomas, whose son Nathaniel, was the great-great-grandfather of Luther Kelsey Ranney. Nathaniel Ranney (1) died in 1766.

Nathaniel Ranney (2), the great-grand- father, died in 1800, leaving a son, Comfort Ranney, who came as one of the earliest set- tlers to Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio, from a place which is now known as Cromwell, Connecticut. Luther K. Ranney has in his possession a wooden bottle, holding a gallon of liquid, which was made in the days of the French and Indian Wars, which was carried by Comfort Ranney, and which his father had used during the Revolutionary War. It is said that on one occasion the great General Washington accepted a draught from its contents.

Comfort Ranney was born March 20, 1788. His wife, Betsey Hubbard, to whom he was married in 1808, accompanied him to Ohio. He was a ship-builder by trade. He located first at Hudson, but soon afterward removed to Cleveland, where he later acquired a large amount of land which subsequently became valuable, but, unfortunately for his descend- ants, not before it had passed out of his pos- session. He returned to Hudson and operated a sawmill, and after it was destroyed by fire, in 1820, he moved to Boston Township, pur- chasing the farm on which Luther K. Ranney resides. He died July 14, 1823. His widow subsequently married William Collier, and died January 4, 1868, aged seventy-eight years. There were two sons born to her second marriage, M. J. and Fred M. Collier, both of whom made brilliant records during the Civil War. Both are deceased.

When Comfort Ranney died, it seemed necessary to part with the homestead farm.

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This loss was keenly felt by his son, Luther B. Ranney, who was then a youth of fourteen years. IIe determined to regain possession of the old home and immediately accepted a proposition made by a neighboring farmer named Deacon Hudson. This was that Mr. Ranney should receive the sum of five dol- lars a month for his service for a specified time, while Mr. Hudson should take up a pending mortgage and thus give Mr. Ranney's mother, brothers and sisters a home. Mr. Ranney continued to work for Mr. Hudson until he was twenty-one years of age, gradu- ally being able to command more pay, and he lived to see his commendable ambition satis- fied, becoming the proud owner of the old farm on the State road. While in Mr. Ilud- son's employ, he hauled a portion of the brick for building the Western Reserve College.

The farm now contains eighty acres, Mr. Ranney having added a few acres to the orig- inal tract after it came into his possession. He was a man of great firmness and determin- ation. Naturally gifted with a fine under- standing, he would doubtless have made his mark had he been afforded educational ad- vantages. As it was, he overcame difficul- ties that would have discouraged an ordinary man, took a leading part in the life of his community, and a- an exemplary Christian. set an example. He never united with any re- ligious body, but was a great student of the Bible, reading it with a broad sense of its meaning, such as he could never find included in the tenents of any church. In all things moral and temperate he was praiseworthy. and so lived that his fellow-citizens commended him and pointed him out as an example to the rising generation. In his political life he supported measures and candidates who could show their substantial claims to recog- nition, but in no sense was he ever a politi- cian, and the only office he ever held was that of township trustee. He was born November 28, 1809.

In 1833, Luther B. Ranney was married (first) to Salley M. Carter, who died July 29, 1846, leaving the following children : Martha, who died aged eighteen years; Mary deceased,

married Willis Leach; Comfort, residing at Lansing, Michigan; Harriet Sophia, who died in 1907, was the second wife of Willis Leach; and Sarah M., residing with her half-brother, Luther K. Ranney. On April 6, 1847, Lu- ther B. Raney was married (second) to Caro- line Clapp, who was born May 3, 1821, and died May 26, 1895. She was a daugh- ter of Rev. Richard and Anna (Alvord) Clapp, of Northampton, Massachusetts. There were three children born to the second union, namely: Julia Ann, who married John Criss, residing at South Frankfort, Michigan; Luther Kelsey ; and Carrie M., who married William H. Evans, residing at Akron. The family always has resided on the farm, with the exception of three years when they lived at Akron, coming to the city in order tc provide better educational facilities for the children. During the early western gold dis- coveries, in 1850, Luther B. Ranney went to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and was absent for four years, engaged in min- ing, and met with success.

Luther Kelsey Ranney attended the dis- triet schools until he was seventeen years old, when he accompanied the family to Akron, where he entered the preparatory department of Buchtel College. There he worked hard, crowding the studies of three years so that he completed the preparatory course in two years. HIe then entered the classical department of the college, taking the course but not com- pleting it. at the same time doing a large amount of extra work on the farm. Ile was especially proficient in Greek and Latin, and this led the faculty to urge on him the project of fitting himself for a professorship in lan- gnages. Mr. Ranney would have found in professional life, especially in this line, much that was congenial. but he had to consider the failing health of his parents and the need they. had of his strength, judgment, and services on the farm, and he speedily settled the mat- ter. by putting aside his own personal desires, and returning to Boston Township.

On the homestead farm he carries on a general line of agriculture and makes the growing of fruit a specialty. His peach or-

MR. AND MRS. JOHN T. FISHER

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chards have particularly interested him, and he raises a large amount of alt varieties of fine fruit and berries. His fruit stock has been scientifically selected, and under his fos- tering care produces in abundance. Formerly. he did some trucking. He keeps about fifteen head of cattle and ships his milk to Cleveland.

Mr. Ranney married Mary M. Ozman, who was a daughter of Abrahanı Neuman Ozman, of Boston Township, and they had three chil- dren: Luther Carroll, Neuman Clinton and Caroline Eliza. Mrs. Ranney was formerly a member of the Congregational Church at Hudson and a leader in Sunday-school work. HIer death, which occurred July 27, 1897, re- moved a woman of most lovely Christian char- acter from her home and community. Polit- ically, Mr. Ranney is an Independent Demo- crat. He retains his membership in the Delta Tau Delta Greek letter fraternity of Buchtel College. He has a magnificient library of over 1,000 carefully selected volumes, and when other interests fail, Mr. Ranney can gen- erally be found finding pleasure and recrea- tion in his books, toward which his natural iu- clinations have always led.

JOHN T. FISHER, a member of the firm of Fisher Brothers, humber dealers and manu- facturers of doors, sash and blinds, at Akron, was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1859, where he was reared and secured a district school education. In early manhood Mr. Fisher learned the carpenter trade and learned it so thoroughly that for twenty-six years his work was in demand in every section he lived in, and it has all stood the test of time. He became a somewhat noted builder of bank barns, his record being of sixty-two of these substantial structures. The one he erected for W. G. Hays & Son, near Ravenna, was 200 feet long and 50 wide, with 32-foot posts, being the largest barn ever built in this sec- tion of the country. He also erected numer- ous residences of different styles of archi- tecture. For four years he was interested in a lumber business at Kent and came to Ak- ron in 1901, where, in association with his brother Philip. his partner. he erected the

planing mill and lumber plant at No. 945 South High Street. The firm of Fisher Brothers do an extensive business and person- ally they stand high in public esteem.

In 1887 Mr. Fisher was married to Mary Knapp, of Suffield, Portage County, Ohio, and they have three children, namely: Jennie, Edith and Esther. The eldest daughter was educated in the schools at Kent and Akron, and after graduating from the Akron Busi- ness College, became bookkeeper for the firm of Fisher Brothers and is a very capable young lady. Mr. Fisher and family belong to St. Bernard's Church.

LUCIUS V. BIERCE, who has resided on his valuable farm of over 100 acres, situated in Tallmadge Township, for the past thirty-two years, is a member of a family which has made the name one of distinction in Ohio, ever since it journeyed down the Connecticut Valley to the Western Reserve. Lueius V. Bierce was born June 2, 1827, in Athens County, Ohio, and is a son of William and Harriet ( Ilineman) Bierce.

For seven years the grandfather of Lueius V. Bierce fought in the Patriot army, in the Revolutionary War. The first of the family concerning whom reliable records have been found, was James Bierce, who was born in England prior to 1730, and who emi- grated and settled at Halifax, Plymouth County. Massachusetts. his son. Hezekiah Bieree being born on May 25th of that year. The latter married Deborah Sturtevant, who was born January 23, 1732, and they were the great-grandparents of Lucius V. Bierce.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 103

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1150