Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 104

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 104

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William Bierce, son of Hezekiah and Deb- orah Bierce, was born at Plymouth, Massa- chusetts, March 26, 1753, and he married Abigail Bell, who was born October 2, 1754. In April. 1775. William Bierce enlisted in the Continental army. in which he served until honorably discharged in November, 1783. He belonged to Colonel Herman Swift's regiment of Connecticut troops sent immediately after his enlistment. to Ticonderoga. This was then considered, as it truly was, an ontpost of civilization, and with the rank of orderly

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sergeant, William Bierce did good service here as at other points, participating in the bat- tles of Monmouth, White Plains and Fort George, and starving with his comrades through the dreadful winter at Valley Forge. No better proof of the strenuous life these patriots led in those stormy times, can be found than the fact that when Sergeant Bierce left the army, every superior officer of his company had either been killed or died front hardship. Another unhappy condition was that the soldiers were paid in money that at the end of the war was not negotiable, and for his seven years of faithful service, Wil- liam Bierce found himself possessed of a bunch of script, of no use except as playthings for his children. He came to Nelson, Ohio, an old man, and his death occurred there. Early in life he was a miller. His grandson, Lucius V. Bierce, preserves the old veteran's powder horn, of which he made good use at Ticon- deroga, in 1775, and which he carried during his seven years of service. Mr. Bierce also treasures a title deed to property, which was given his grandfather in 1803, which bears the signature of Thomas Jefferson, as Presi- dent of the United States, and of James Madison, Secretary of State.

The children born to William and Abigail Bierce were the following: Lucretia, who was born July 30, 1787, died March 10, 1847, and became the mother of Judge Robert F. Paine, of Cleveland; Hannah, who was born March 2, 1789, married Jeremiah Fuller and died at Nelson, Portage County, where they lived; Columbus, who was born at Litchfield, Con- necticut, March 8, 1791, became a physician, and moved to Athens, Ohio, and later to Cir- cleville, in Pickaway County, where he died; William, father of Lucius V., was born in Connecticut, in 1793; Lucinda, who was born December 20, 1796, married Dr. Hopkins, of Nelson, Ohio, where she died: Marcus Aure- lius, who was born in Litchfield County, Connecticut, August 16, 1799, settled at Nel- son, Portage County, Ohio, where he was a merchant, but died in Indiana, and is sur- vived by a son, Ambrose Bierce, who is an au- thor. and Lucius V., who became so promi-

nent in military life and so distinguished a citizen of Ohio.

General Bierce was born in the family home at Cornwall, Litchfield County, Con- necticut, August 4, 1801, from which place he moved to Athens, Ohio, where he entered the Ohio University, from which he was graduated September 11, 1822. He then went to the South, starting for South Carolina, Oc- tober 9, 1822, carrying his grip-sack in which, along with his clothing and small necessities, he had a splendid letter of indorsement to Robert J. Fennel, a lawyer at Yorkville, under whom he began the study of law, after he had recovered from his long walk to that point. In 1823, he was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Alabama, to which State he had subsequently removed, and the whole course of his life might have been dif- ferent had he not listened to the entreaties of his father to return and comfort the latter's declining years. Again strapping the grip- sack on his shoulders, the young man started on his homeward trip of 1,800 miles, and reached Ravenna, Portage County, in time to be admitted to the Ohio bar in 1824. In 1825, he was appointed district attorney, an office he creditably filled for eleven years, when he removed his activities to Akron. During 1837-8 he was prominently identi- fied with the military operations along the border and had command of the forces at Fort Malden. He then returned to Akron and re- sumed the practice of law until the Mexican War broke out, in which he took an active part. Aside from his military record, had well-deserved notoriety for professional ability and literary accomplishment. One of the valu- able results of his studies is found in the two volumes of Digest cases which he compiled and arranged in alphapetical order. He also wrote a comprehensive history of the Western Reserve. He was an authority on historical matters and this interest has descended to his nephew, Lucius V., who has been identified with the Tallmadge Historical Society since its organization, in 1858, has filled all its of- fices and is the only surviving member of its body of organizers. General Bierce was

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prominent politically and served as mayor of Akron until he declined to longer hold the office. As early as 1853, he was elected grand master of the Grand Lodge of Masons, in Ohio.

William Bierce, father of Lucius V., was married (first) in 1818, at Athens, to Lucinda Culver, and they had two children: Mary N., who was born July 30, 1820, married Derastus Harper, and died when more than eighty years of age; and James Culver, who was born in 1822, and resides in California. The second wife of William Bierce was Harriet Hindman and they had two children, Eliza- beth L. and Lucius V. Elizabeth L. Bierce was born in 1825, and is a resident of Tall- madge. She survives her husband, the late Spaulding Beach, with two children, Edward E. and Jessie. The latter resides with her mother. The former, Edward E. Beach, is manager of the Baldwin Piano Factory, at Chicago Heights, Illinois.

Lucius V. Bierce came from Athens County, Ohio, to Portage County, when two years of age. His education was secured in the schools of Ravenna, and in 1843, he came to Tall- madge, where he completed his education under Gov. Sidney Edgerton. Later he learned the carriage-trimming trade, com- mencing his apprenticeship in the Oviatt, Sperry Carriage Works, but in 1875, he turned his attention to farming, settling then on his present property, removing from Tallmadge Center, where he had previously lived. He has long been one of the township's leading citizens, taking an active part in its educa- tional, religious and political life. In his early years he was a Democrat, but for the whole life of the Republican party, has up- held its principles. At various times he has served in township offices and always to the satisfaction of his fellow-citizens.

Mr. Bierce was married (first) to Delia Robinson, December 11, 1850, who died No- vember 15, 1856. They had two children, Alice Delia and Edmond Lucius, the latter of whom was born November 3, 1856, and died June 4, 1857. Alice Delia Bierce was born December 4. 1851, and subsequently was mar-

ried to A. E. Lyman, of the Lyman Lum- ber Company, of Akron. They have one son, Lucius Bierce Lyman, who married Laverne Bishop, of Medina County, Ohio, and they have one son, Richard.

Lucius V. Bierce was married (second) to Harriet H. Camp, who can claim kindred with a number of the oldest and most promi- nent families of New England. Mrs. Bierce was born in Tallmadge Township, and is a daughter of Martin and Sallie (Coe) Camp. Martin Camp was born at New Preston, Litch- field County, Connecticut, October 6, 1791, and came to Tallmadge in 1815. He resided at the home of his uncle, Asaph Whittlesey. He purchased 200 acres of land northeast of Tallmadge, which became very valuable. On March 28, 1816, he married Sallie Coe, who was born at Granville, Massachusetts, and ac- companied her family who settled at Charles- ton, Ohio. She was a teacher at Charleston and Tallmadge Center. This marriage was the first one celebrated at Charleston, Portage County, Ohio.

Tracing the Coe branch of Mrs. Bierce's ancestry, it is found that Robert Coe lived at Litchfield at a very early date and died at Jamaica, New York, after 1687. He was a native of England, where he was born in 1596. His wife Anna was born in England in 1591 and died prior to 1674, at Jamaica, New York. They had three sons: John, born in 1626; Robert, born in 1627, and Benjamin, born in 1629. In June, 1634, they settled at Watertown, Massachusetts, and in 1635 removed to Wethersfield, Connecti- cut, in 1641, to Stamford, in 1644, to Hemp- stead, New York, and in 1652, to Newton, New York, where the son John settled. Ben- jamin settled at Jamaica, New York, and there Robert Coe went in 1656. Robert, the second son, left his father at Stamford, Con- necticut, in 1644, and went to Stratford, where he married Hannah Mitchell. Their son, John Coe (3), married Mary Hanley and lived at Stratford, where their fourth son, Ephraim Coe, was born. He removed to Dur- ham, Connecticut, and later to Middletown. He married Hannah Miller and their son,

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Samuel Coe, married Ilope Hubbard and they removed to Granville, Massachusetts. Their son, Capt. David Coe, was born March 3, 1761, and died July 24, 1824. Captain Coe served in the Revolutionary War. lle married Sarah Pratt, and in 1813, settled at Charles- town, where she died in July, 1828. Martin Camp died January 14, 1872, his wife having passed away September 17, 1850. They were pioneers in all the civilizing movements which benefitted the community.

The children of Martin Camp and wife were: Ileman Coe, now aged eighty-four years, who resides at Mentor, Ohio, married Samantha Clark, of Lake County; Henry Newton, aged eighty-one years, married Celia Wright, daughter of Amos C. Wright, and re- sides with a daughter at Detroit, Michigan; Leroy, aged seventy-nine years, married Har- riet Scott, of Tallmadge, and they reside at Cleveland; Mary Whittlesey, born in 1818, married Orestes Wright of Tallmadge, and died in February, 1883; Sarah C., born in 1821, married John Emery, of Philadelphia, and died October 29, 1895; and Harriet H., the youngest of the family, who is the wife of Lueius V. Bieree.

The children born to the second marriage of Lucius V. Bierce are the following, all prominent members of the communities in which the circumstances of life have placed them: Antoinette, born June 28, 1861. mar- ried Harry D. Reed of Weeping Water, Ne- braska, and they have three children, Donald, Robert and Helen; Wallace Camp, born Sep- tember 5, 1863, married Mollie Hoge, of Kearney, Nebraska, and they have three chil- dren. Alice, Bruee and Marion; Flora Eliza- beth, born March 27, 1868, married Thomas J. Dee, of Chicago: Fannie Louise, born April 26, 1872, married Carlton B. Skinner, of Tallmadge, who died October 27, 1900, leaving one daughter, Charlotte Bieree and Henry Newell, born July 30, 1874. unmar- ried.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Bierce have been mem- bers of the Congregational Church for the past fifty years and they are widely known for their practical Christianity. Since he

was twenty-two years of age, Mr. Bierce has been connected with the Masonic fraternity, and has been a member of the local Grange since its organization.

Il. J. EMERMAN, senior member of the firm of H. J. Emerman and Company, of Akron, wholesale dealers in iron, steel and metals, was born in Germany, in 1880, and is a son of Benjamin Emerman.

The father of Mr. Emerman engaged in a clothing business at Akron, after coming to the United States. Later he removed his busi- ness interests to Erie, Pennsylvania, and makes his home at Cleveland. H. J. Emer- man attended school at Akron, after which he was engaged for eighteen months as a clerk in a grocery store, following which he served in the same capacity in his father's clothing store for two years. He then became a clerk for Emerman Brothers, who conducted a serap iron business, and he continued eight years in that postition with the same firm. When new yards were opened at Cleveland, H. J. Emerman was placed in charge of the Akron branch, and in 1904, the old firm was suc- ceeded by the present one. Mr. Emerman is interested in other Akron enterprises.

On February 16, 1904, Mr. Emerman was married to Bertha B. Louer, who is a daughter of Meyer Louer. Mr. Louer is now a resident of Omaha, Nebraska, but for a number of years he was in the elothing business at Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Emerman have one son, Walter. They are members of High Street Temple, of the Akron Hebrew Congre- gation.

Fraternally, Mr. Emerman is identified with the Masons and the Elks. Socially, he belongs to the Kirkwood club.

FRANK BUTLER, who, in partnership with his brother, John Butler, has been eulti- vating their excellent farm of 150 aeres, in Boston Township, since 1870, is one of the leading agriculturists of this seetion, and is a son of Thomas and Catherine (Brennan) Butler.

Thomas Butler was born in County Wex-

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ford, Ireland, where he learned the trade of mason. After his marriage, he came to America and with his wife eight months later settled near Botzum, Northampton Township, Summit County. He worked at first on the old Clinton Air Line Railroad, but later pur- chased a farm of sixty acres, in Northampton Township. He was a very capable and indus- trious workman and built nearly all of the briek houses in his neighborhood, plastered hundreds of structures and built over 150 cellars in Peninsula alone. Ile married Catherine Brennan and they had eight chil- dren, namely: Frank, John, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Martha, Catherine and Chris- topher.

Frank Butler was educated in the common schools of Boston Township, and in his youth did much work in the woods at lumbering, this being a heavily timbered region at that time. In the spring of 1864, he enlisted in Company B, 188th Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and his services continued until the close of the war. His brother John Butler served in Company E, 124th Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Chicamauga, Lookout Mountain .and Missionary Ridge. While on the march from Missionary Ridge to Knoxville, he was taken prisoner by the Confederates and was sent to Richmond, from whence he was re- moved to the prison at Belle Island, where he was kept for four months. It is stating the truth to say that while there, John Butler was nearly starved to death. Ife owes his life to a comrade, whose loyal friendship and per- sistent entreaty seeured recognition from some Confederate officers of Mr. Butler's piti- able condition. Both Frank and John But- ler were brave and gallant soldiers, the cheer- ful, faithful, hard-fighting kind of men that made the Northern forces invincible. Their war records are such as any man might well be proud to acknowledge.

In 1870, the Butler brothers purchased their present farm, of which seventy-five aeres are under cultivation, being devoted to hay, wheat, corn and oats. in addition to which is an apple orchard of 100 trees. In 1877, a fine

residence was built by Frank Butler, a sub- stantial structure having ten rooms. Mr. But- ler is a Republican in polities.

LOUIS R. MAY, secretary and treasurer of the Frantz-Body Company, one of Akron's large and important manufacturing concerns, was born in 1876, at Akron, and is a son of R. A. May, of this city.

Mr. May's happy boyhood was spent in study and play, in his native eity, where he completed the High School course prior to taking a commercial course in a business eol- lege at Buffalo, New York, and later a general literary course at Buchtel College. For seven years he was connected with the Citizens Na- tional Bank, and when it was consolidated with the Second National Bank, he remained with the new organization for one year, and then came to the Frantz-Body Manufacturing Company, with which he has been identified ever since, becoming secretary and treasurer at the time of its reorganization, in 1904.

In January, 1905, Mr. May was married to Gertrude Wanamaker, who is a daughter of Hon. R. M. Wanamaker, of Akron.

Mr. May stands deservedly high among the business men of Akron.

JAMES SULLIVAN, a representative eiti- zen of Boston Township, who owns an unu- sually fine farm, consisting of 151 acres, was born in County Clare. Ireland. August 14, 1847, and is a son of Michael and Bridget (Ryan) Sullivan.

Michael Sullivan, who was also a native of County Clare, Ireland, came to America in 1850, bringing his family with him, and in 1853 he purchased his first farm, which was in Twinsburg Township, Summit County, Ohio. In 1865, he removed to a farm on the State Road, in Boston Township, where his death occurred when he was over eighty years of age. He was a Democrat in politics. He married Bridget Ryan, who was also born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1825, and died in 1889. They had five children : James ; John, who is deceased: Delia, who resides at Hudson: Lawrence, who lives in Boston

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Township; and Agnes, who also resides at Hudson.

James Sullivan went to school a part of a term in Boston Township, and the balance of his education was obtained at Twinsburg. He remained on his father's farm until twenty- six years of age, at which time he was mar- ried. Two years before marriage he pur- chased a farm, with his brother Lawrence, but in 1886 he sold his interest to his brother, and purchased his present property. At that time the land seemed barren, for not even a tree was growing on it, but Mr. Sullivan soon changed its appearance. He set out all of the beautiful shade trees which now are so thrifty, built an addition to the home then standing, improved all the buildings, and has a substan- tial barn 32x102 feet, with 18-foot posts, and built a silo 16x32×32 feet. He has made this one of the best farmns in Boston Town- ship. He cultivates about sixty-five acres, raising wheat, corn, oats and hay, and keeps about thirty head of cattle, disposing of his milk at Cleveland. Mr. Sullivan is a Demo- crat in politics. He is a member, of the Grange at Darrowville. For the greater part of the past twenty years he has been a mem- ber of the Board of Eudcation in Boston Township.

Mr. Sullivan was married to Mary McGuire, who is a daughter of John McGuire, of Solon, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. They have five children, namely: Charles A., who resides in Hudson Township, has one child, Mil- dred ; Hugh A., who resides in Hudson Town- ship; Laura, who married H. C. Robinson, of Cuyahoga Falls, has one child, Gladys Mary; Elsie, who married H. A. Wolcott of Mace- donia, Ohio; and Lawrence C., who lives at home. Mrs. Sullivan is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, and is active in church and charitable work.

CAPTAIN ADAM BOTZUM, one of the grand old men of Northampton Township, resided there for nearly a half century. He was born October 25, 1830, in Strasburg, Germany, and died in Summit County, Ohio,

October 15, 1907, and is a son of John George and Katherine (Dragaser) Botzum.

John George Botzum was born in Germany in 1796, a son of John Botzum. He mar- ried Katherine Dragaser, who was born in 1796, in the village of Urmmerspach, Ger- many, whose parents removed to Poland when she was seven years old, and whom she never saw again, she making her home with relatives until her marriage. In 1836, John George Botzum and his family left home and traveled by ox-team to the nearest seaport, where they took passage on the vessel Princessa for the United States, arriving at New York, November 17, 1836. Here they met an agent who persuaded Mr. Botzum to agree to go to South America, where he was told that a fortune awaited him, but before arrangements were completed, Mr. Botzum discovered from the authorities that it was merely a scheme to get Mr. Botzum and his family to that country to be sold into slavery. Soon after the family took passage on a flat- boat to Albany, went thence by canal to Buf- falo and by lake to Cleveland, where they stopped for a time on account of illness in the family, and on resuming their journey traveled upon an open flat-boat to Niles, from whence they made their way to Ghent, Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio. There Mr. Botzum secured his first employment, being engaged at digging on a mill race, at fifty cents per day. There the family con- tinued to reside for two years, and while Mr. Botzum worked at digging. his wife went out into the wheat-fields, her gleaning the first season being eight bushels of nice wheat. The family then removed to Niles, where they re- mained for four years, and by the strictest economy and frugalty were able at this time to purchase a farm in Northampton Township, where Mr. Botzum continued to live until his death in 1855. He and his wife were faithful members of the Catholic denomi- nation, and Mr. Botzum assisted to build the first church of that faith in Akron. John George and Katherine (Dragaser) Botzum had the following children: Michael : Susan, who was the wife of George Neiberg;

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Nicholas; George; Adam; Katherine, who is the widow of Conrad Buills of Centralia, Illi- nois; John A., and Conrad, who resides at Akron. Michacl, Susan, Nicholas, George and John A. are deceased.

Captain Adam Botzum was six years old when the family came to America, and until seventeen years of age he made his home with- his parents. At this time he became a driver on the Ohio Canal, an occupation he continued to follow for twenty years. In 1855 he built the canal-boat Germany, which he sold in 1860, and he built the boat Democrat, which he sold two years later. In 1861, he quit the canal and located on the farm, which he had purchased three years previously. Mr. Bot- zum engaged in general farming from that time until his death, his eighty acres of fine, fertile land being in a high state of cultivation and yielding good crops. He marketed wheat, corn and potatoes, while for his own use he raised hay and oats. He kept about seven head of cattle, and he also fattened calves and hogs for the market.

On June 22, 1857, Captain Botzum was married to Eliza Seeley, who was a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, and she survives, as do also their six children: George A., who re- sides at Akron; Emma, who is the wife of Frank Averill, of Akron; Frank, who also resides at Akron; Stella, who is the wife of Clyde Bookwalter, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Lida, who resides at home; and Lillian, who is the wife of Charles Worth, of Akron.

The late Captain Botzum was a Democrat in political faith and from the age of twenty- one years until his death, he never missed casting his vote believing that every good citi- zen should exercise this privilege. He was frequently sent as a delegate to conventions of his party and frequently was elected to township offices. He served for eight years as township trustee and for many years as school director. In. religious belief he was liberal-minded, depending largely on the vir- tues included in looking after the welfare of his family and doing his full duty to his neighborhood, his state and his country.

DANIEL McGARRY, of the firm of Mc- Garry & McGowan, general contractors, at Ak- ron, was born in Ireland, in 1861, and came to Akron in 1873, where he obtained his edu- cation in the parochial schools.

Mr. McGarry learned the brick-layer's trade and worked for six years at brick-lay- ing before entering into general contracting. For the past twelve years he has been at the head of the firm of MeGarry & McGowan, which has done a large part of the important work on the Ohio Canal, and a great amount of street paving, concrete laying and sewer building, at Akron. A large contract which this firm is engaged in filling at the present writing (1907) is the putting in of ten and one-half miles of sewer, at Ravenna, Ohio. Mr. McGarry owns an interest in the Storer Land Company.

In 1884 Mr. McGarry was married to Mar- garet McGowan, and they have six children, namely: Stephen, who is engaged in news- paper work at San Antonio, Texas; James, who is associated with his father; Arthur, who is a student at Holy Cross College; and Belle, Elizabeth and Madge. Mr. McGarry and his family belong to St. Vincent's Catho- lic Church. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Mutual Bene- fit Association. Formerly, Mr. McGarry took considerable interest in politics and at one time was a member of the city board of com- missioners, but in later years he has not been active in public life.

NICHOLAS KNAPP, trustee of Boston Township and a prominent agriculturist who resides on his valuable farm of 286 acres, was born in Rheinfalz, Hessen-Cassel, Germany, August 28, 1843, and is a son of Peter and Barbara (Knapp) Knapp.

The father of Mr. Knapp was born in the same place as his son and came from there to America in 1844, the voyage lasting sixty- five days from Liverpool to New York, joining some friends who had previously located in Portage County. Peter Knapp acquired a farm in Suffield Township some five years after locating in Ohio, on which he lived for

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the remainder of his life, his death occur- ring in October, 1856, at the age of sixty-five years, his wife, having died in May, 1856, aged sixty years. Although she was named Knapp before her marriage, she was no rela- tive of Peter Knapp. They had twelve chil- dren.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 104

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