Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 111

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 111

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On December 21, 1871, Mr. Warner was married to Hattie O. Rininger, who is a daughter of Christian and Rachel Rininger, who reared a family of seven ehildren, name- ly: Lucinda, Mary, William, Christina, Maria, Hattie O. and Sadie. The father of Mrs. Warner died in Green Township, aged seventy-five years, and the mother, aged sixty-two years.

Mr. and Mrs. Warner have had three chil- dren, namely: Ofie, who died aged two years and five months: Chloe, who married Byron Bowers, residing near Mr. Warner, has three children, Ralph, Iloward and Myron: and Russell Glen, who resides with his father. The Warners are Demoerats. They belong to the Evangelieal Church.

C. A. KEMPEL, one of Akron's substan- tial citizens and representative men of busi- ness, who is engaged in a general mercantile line at No. 264 Wooster Avenne, was born at Akron, Ohio, in 1860, and is a son of the late George Kempel.

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The father of Mr. Kempel was born in Ger- many and came to Akron in boyhood. In 1849, when twenty years of age, he was one of a party of forty miners who left Akron and went to California, where he remained for three years. He then came back to Ak- ron and subsequently married Barbara Ho- noddle. They had five children, the three survivors being: F. J., residing at Ashtabula Harbor; C. A. and George, both living at Ak- ron. For some years the father of the above family engaged in a shoe business at Akron and later in a brewery business, continuing in the latter until within two years of his death, which occurred in 1867. He was a well-known citizen.

C. A. Kempel learned the tinning trade after leaving school and followed it for four years and then went into the grocery business. This he developed, gradually adding to his stock, until now he operates a general mer- cantile store and for the past twenty-one years has been at his present location. He erected his present building, a commodious structure with dimensions of 38 by 57 feet.

In 1885 Mr. Kempel was married to Louise M. Fricker, who is a daughter of the late John Fricker of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Kem- pel have the following children: Frank, who is a student at Canisius College, at Buffalo; and Caroline, Karl, Florence, Ernest, Freda and Augustine, residing at home. The fam- ily belong to St. Mary's Catholic Church.

R. H. DUNCAN, general farmer, residing in Northfield Township, was in Londonderry Township, Guernsey County, Ohio, March 13, 1858, and is a son of John and Mary Jane (Karr) Duncan.

Adam Duncan, the grandfather, was an early settled in Guernsey County. John Duncan, father of R. H., continued to live on the home farm until 1878, when he moved to Adams Township, where he resided until his death, in 1905, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a man of sterling character and on account of his judgment and reliabil- ity was frequently elected to township offices.

He married a daughter of Robert Karr, of Coshocton County, Ohio, and they had the following children: R. H .; Martha, de- ceased, who married Charles Jackson, of Mich- igan; Mrs. Kenney, residing in Minnesota; Laura, deceased, who married James Dew- huirst, of Huron, Ohio; Andrew Calvin, re- siding on the home farm in Adams Town- ship; and James Boyd, residing at Cleveland. The mother of the above family died in 1871. She was a consistent member of the United Presbyterian Church. John Duncan was married (second) to Helen Francy, but no children were born to this union.

R. H. Duncan was reared in the comfort- able old home and in boyhood attended the district schools. He was nineteen years of age when, as his services were not needed on the home farm, he started out for himself, coming to Summit County. He found re- munerative work as a farm hand for five years, after which he rented a farm for two years and in 1885, he operated a creamery, at New Concord.

In January, 1886, Mr. Duncan married Lillis Means, who is a daughter of A. S. Means, of Northfield Township, and in April of that year settled on the Wilson farm which he rented and operated for the following thirteen years. In December, 1898, he came to the present farm which formerly belonged to his father-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have two children: John Andrew and Lois. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church.

CHARLES D. HÅRDY, a well-known res- ident of Northampton Township, who fol- lows an agricultural life, cultivating a large body of land, was born in Summit County, Ohio, April 23, 1864, and is a son of Norton Rice and Mary Rebecca (Belden) Hardy.

Norton Rice Hardy was born in Northamp- ton Township, where he received his educa- tion in the common schools. When twenty years old he went to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, where he remained for one year. engaging in mining, and was for-

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tunate enough to locate a paying mine near Georgetown, from which he took considerable gold. Upon the urgent solicitation of his mother, who grieved over his absence, he started home after a year of mining, leaving prospective wealth behind. On the return trip, during a terrible storm, one of the steam- er's shafts broke, and even the officers gave the ship up for lost, but good seamanship enabled it to weather the storm, and after repairs were made it completed the voyage. On his return home Mr. Hardy purchased the farm now occupied by his youngest son, Nor- ton, and later he purchased one-half of the old homestead, on which he lived until 1872. He also bought and remodeled the residence at No. 22 West Street, Akron, where he lived retired from then until his death. His widow returned to the farm, where she resided ten years, but after her son's marriage she again made her home in Akron. Mr. Hardy was a Republican in politics, and he served as township trustee. Near the close of the Civil War, he served 100 days in the Home Guards at Cleveland. He was a member of the Odd Fellows at Akron.

Mr. Hardy was married to Mary Sophia Belden, who was born in Boston Township, Summit County, July 27, 1842, and is a daughter of Champion and Mary (Pratt) Bel- den, natives of Quincy, Massachusetts. Mrs. Hardy's parents came to Boston Township, Summit County, with their two eldest chil- dren, and the father died when she was a small child. Their children were: Daniel Chester, Champion Edson, Charles Wright and Mary Sophia. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy had three children: Lilly Rebecca, Norton Rice and Charles D. Mrs. Hardy is a faithful member of the Congregational Church.

Charles D. Hardy began his education in Northampton Township and finished it at Ak- ron, and then returned to the homestead to take charge, at the age of sixteen years. He has continued here ever since, renting the property from the heirs of the estate. It con- tains 360 acres, Mr. Hardy operating about 250 acres of this, and he owns 270 acres,

which he rents out. He gives special atten- tion to his large dairy, keeps on an average twenty-five cows, and sells his milk to the Akron Pure Milk Company. He has a circu- lar silo 12x30 feet, raises from 300 to 400 bushels of wheat, and in addition to what he uses for his stock, markets from fifteen to twenty tons of hay. Mr. Hardy is a Repub- lican in his political principles, and has served as township trustee for two terms and a num- ber of years as supervisor.

Mr. Hardy was united in marriage with Mary Leona Carter, who was born in Portage Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Thomas Carter; an agriculturist of that section. To Mr. and Mrs. Hardy there have been born two children, namely : Margery R. and Daniel C.

CAPT. GURDEN P. HARRINGTON, postmaster at Everett, where he is engaged in a mercantile business, is a leading citizen of Boston Township. He was born in North- ampton Township, Summit County, Ohio, August 16, 1838, and is a son of Jeremiah and Hannah (Thompson) Harrington.

The grandfather, Abraham Harrington, was the founder of the family in Ohio, com- ing from Massachusetts and settling in North- ampton Township, Summit County. Jere- miah Harrington was born in Massachusetts, accompanied his father to Ohio and died in 1842, aged thirty-two years. For a number of years he lived on what is known as the Botzum farm, in Northampton Township. He married Hannah Thompson, who was born in Massachusetts, and was one of a family of eleven children. Her father, Robert Thomp- son, came to Summit County, where he fol- lowed shoemaking, being a traveling work- man, carrying his kit of tools from one house- hold to the other, as was the early custom. Jeremiah Harrington and wife had four chil- dren: Amanda, deceased; Gurden P .; Betsey, who married Nathaniel Point, of Boston Township, both deceased; and Russell M., de- ceased. Mrs. Harrington contracted a second marriage. with Walter Hawkins, and they

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had one son, Perry W., who resides with Cap- tain Harrington.

The father of Captain Harrington died when he was four years old and he was taken into the family of his uncle, Dudley Thomp- son. Mr. Thompson shortly afterward re- moved from Northampton Township to Kent County, Michigan, settling near Grand Rapids, and there his nephew was reared and educated in the public schools. He was about eighteen years of age when he returned to Boston Township and began to work on the canal, beginning as a driver and continuing on the water until he became commander of several boats. For a number of years no man was better or more favorably known to canal men than was Captain Harrington. He purchased the Ararat, when it was new, which he ran for a long time, and he was captain of the Ætna, in the Akron and Cleveland trade. He commanded a boat during the big wheat trade in 1862, and continued until 1867. For ten years afterward he had charge of a gang of men who made repairs on the canal.

After leaving active work on the water, Captain Harrington worked at wagon-mak- ing for several years at Everett, but in 1880 he embarked in his present mercantile enter- prise. He owns a first-class general store. which is equipped with modern fixtures, cash register and other improved methods of do- ing business, and he carries a very complete and well-selected stock of seasonable goods. In 1889 he was appointed postmaster and has continued in office ever since. He is a Re- publican in his political preference, but dis- claims being anything of a politician.

For a number of years Captain Harrington has been identified with the Masonic frater- nity, and is a member of Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 266, F. & A. M., of Richfield, and North Star Chapter. R. A. M., of Bedford. He be- longs to the Disciples Church. Captain Har- rington has never married.

CHARLES E. BISHOP, a highly esteemed citizen of Peninsula. residing on a fine farm of 250 acres, 160 of which are under cultiva-

tion, was born in York Township, Medina County, Ohio, October 27, 1849, and is a son of Zephaniah and Ellen M. ( Waterman) Bishop.

The grandparents of Charles E. Bishop were John and Jane (Wilson) Bishop, who came to York Township from the state of New York, where they lived during the re- mainder of their lives. John Bishop died in 1863, aged seventy-five years. Of his chil- dren, Zephaniah, father of Charles E. Bishop, was born in New York and was eight years old when he accompanied his parents to Ohio. The family home had probably been at Whitehall, near Lake Champlain, but many of the old family records have been lost and some points cannot be clearly established. This is the case with many of the old fam- ilies whose ancestors became pioneers in a far distant locality from the original home.

Zephaniah Bishop attended the old Mallet Creek school. With the exception of ten years, which he spent in Litchfield Township, his whole life was passed in York Township, where he owned 125 acres of land, on which he carried on general farming and sheep-rais- ing. In politics he was a Republican and he held various township offices. He married a daughter of Elisha Waterman, who, for inany years was one of the leading citizens of Medina County, Ohio. The latter was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a son of a Revolutionary soldier, who served through the whole seven years of that war. In 1843 Elisha Waterman brought his family from Otsego County, New York, to York Township, Medina County, Ohio. He mar- ried Diana Young and they had four chil- dren, namely: Lawson, Onesimus, Marietta and Ellen. The family of Zephaniah Bishop and wife consisted of three children, namely: Charles E., Henry and Frederick. the latter of whom died at the age of five years. The parents were members of the United Brethren Church. Zephaniah Biship died January 11, 1901, and his widow died September 30, 1907, having reached the age of seventy-nine years.

GEORGE HEINTZ AND BROTHERS

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Charles E. Bishop attended the schools of Litchfield and York Townships, more or less regularly, until he was twenty years of age, after which he came to Peninsula and entered the employ of his uncle, the late Lawson Waterman, for whom he worked for seven years by the month. Since that time he has had entire control of the farm, the manage- ment of which requires the work of himself and son, with the assistance of two capable men. The great yield of grain from the farm is used in the feeding of the stoek, as each year some stock is fattened and marketed. About twenty cows are kept and many Po- land China hogs. The apple orehard covers about six acres and produces choice fruit. This land is valuable in many ways. There are two fine sandstone quarries, one of which was sold to the Cleveland Stone Company in 1897, while the other is leased to the Inde- pendent Stone Company, also of Cleveland. Mr. Bishop's residence was built in 1852, by his uncle, and is yet one of the finest in this section. It is situated on an elevation which commands a beautiful view and is surrounded by a well-kept sloping lawn, shaded by trees.

Mr. Bishop married Catherine 1. Boodey, who is a daughter of Merrill Boodey, of Pen- insula, and they have one son, Fred.

In polities, Mr. Bishop is nominally a Re- publican, but, like many thoughtful men of the times, reserves the right to vote independ- ently on many questions. Fraternally he is connected with Meriden Sun Lodge, No. 266, F. & A. M., of Richfield.

For some years Mr. Bishop has given a great deal of attention to promoting athletics at Peninsula, especially the great national game of base ball. For the past five years he has managed the ball team at this point, which is made up entirely of local players and it ha- developed considerable talent. He is a broad-minded, genial man, one whom it is pleasant to know, and one who enjoys wide popularity in the community where he has passed the most important years of his life.

GEORGE HEINTZ, general farmer, resid- ing on his well-improved farm of fifty acres, situated in Coventry Township, about two miles south of the city limits of South Ak- ron, was born in an old log house, on his present farin, January 28, 1847, and is a son of Phillip and Mary (Beard) Ileintz.

Phillip Heintz, father of George, was born in Germany, in 1810, and went to school until it was time to learn a self-supporting trade, when he chose that of weaver, although he was apt in almost any kind of mechanical work. He then served his allotted time in the Germany army. He married Mary Beard and after the birth of four children, they decided to emigrate to America. They took passage in a sailing vessel March 15, 1845, and spent forty days in covering the distance which the ocean steamers of the present day eover in seven days. They landed safely, however, and in a few weeks were settled on the farm which George Heintz now owns. At the time they came here the land was not very attractive, as a large amount of timber was still standing and burnt stumps marked the spots where the trees had been cut, but the ground was fer- tile, and with industry the land was developed into an excellent farm. An old log house was on the place, in which the family took up their residence, and here the father died in 1876, aged sixty-six years. His wife, who was born in 1812, survived to the age of eighty-four. After coming to America the family was increased by the birth of five more children. Those born in Germany were: Catherine, who married Philip Laubert : Philip J., Louise, deceased. who married Frank Knapp, and John. Those who were born in America were: George, subject of this sketch: Mrs. Esther Glass. Mary. who married Urias Cramer: Lena, who married Eli Peatre, and Matilda, who married Walter Sherbondy.

George Heintz grew up on the old farm and began farm work while still young, in the meanwhile going to school as opportunity afforded. He then learned the potter's trade, which proved remunerative. and in eight

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years he made enough to purchase the old homestead from the other heirs. This was in 1878, and ten years later he tore down the old log house and erected his present comfortable nine-room frame residence. Not stopping there, he made many other substan- tial improvements which have added to the value of his property. Beautiful shade trees and green lawn make it very attractive. Mr. Heintz also owns property in Akron.

On November 15, 1877, Mr. Heintz was married to Mary M. Beck, who is a daughter of George and Catherine (Blose) Beck. Mrs. Heintz's parents came from Germany about 1845, but she was born in America, her par- ents having been married in the United States. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Heintz, namely: George Philip, who died in April, 1897, aged eighteen years; William A., who married Theresa Canfield, and Ernest Walter, Adella and Earl Forest. Mrs. Heintz is one of a family of six chil- dren, as follows: Catherine, who married F. Schultz; Christiana, deceased, who married William Gayer; Mary; Carry, who married William Thornton, and John and George. George Beck and wife died in Coventry Township. Mr. Heintz and family belong to the German Reformed Church. They are kind, industrious and worthy people who en- joy the esteem of the community in which they lived so long.

LAWSON WATERMAN. Few citizens of Peninsula, Summit County, passed off the stage of life followed with more sincere ex- pressions of respect and esteem, or left be- hind a better record of a useful, blameless life than did Lawson Waterman, who was born at Decatur, Otsego County, New York, January 21, 1811, and died after a short illness, Sep- tember 21, 1892.

At the age of nineteen ycars he went to Rochester, New York, where he found em- ployment in a ship yard, and in the follow- ing summer went on the lakes as a sailor, a calling he followed for several years. In 1836 he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he met Angeline C. Roger, whom he married

October 24, 1840. She was born April 11, 1821, in Kingsville, Geauga County, Ohio, and died on the home place at Peninsula, January 12, 1906. They had two children, George Lawson, and a child that died in in- fancy. George Lawson Waterman was a gal- lant soldier in the Civil War, and was pro- moted to the rank of lieutenant. He died September 19, 1863, from a wound received while quelling a mob, at Dayton, Ohio.

The parents of Lawson Waterman were Elisha and Diana (Young) Waterman. Elisha was a son of a Revolutionary soldier, who served through the entire seven years, settling at Decatur, Otsego County, New York, where Elisha was born. In 1791 he married Diana Young, who was born at Decatur, New York, and was a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier, the wife of a soldier of the War of 1812, and the grandmother of an officer in the Civil War. She was a woman of noble character and impressed herself on her chil- dren. Elisha Waterman enlisted at the open- ing of the War of 1812, and was taken prison- er by the British at the battle of Queenstown, but was soon released on parole and eventu- ally discharged. He had four children : Lawson, Onesimus, Marietta and Ellen. In 1843 he brought his family to Ohio and set- tled on a farm in York Township, Medina County, where he died at the age of eighty- four years and his wife at the age of eighty- six years.

After marrage Mr. and Mrs. Lawson Water_ man came to Peninsula and for many years he engaged in the manufacturing of canal boats, and prospered because of his energy, prudence and upright dealing, amassing a modest but honest fortune. He was a man of sterling character, charitable to a fault, be- stowing benefits in a quiet way and always giving a petitioner the benefit of the doubt. His friends were numbered only by those who had come to his acquaintance. His pass- ing away was that of going to sleep and when he was no more, the community in which his kind and exemplary life had been led, had lost a good man.

Politically he was a Democrat, for a num-

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ber of years was postmaster at Peninsula and served in town and township offices. He be- longed to Meridian Lodge, No. 266, A. F. & A. M., West Richfield.

NORMAN WISE, millwright for the Cleveland-Akron Bay Company at Boston Mill, in Boston Township, was born at East Liberty, Green Township, Summit County, Ohio, April 26, 1865, and is a son of William J. and Mary A. (Bower) Wise.

William J. Wise was born January 6, 1840, and for many years carried on agricultural pursuits in Tallmadge Township, where he still owns a large farm, although he is now retired from active pursuits and is living a quiet life at Akron. He was married to Mary A. Bower, who was the daughter of John Bower, of Newheim, and they had two sons and four daughters, Norman being the eldest child. Mr. and Mrs. Wise were members of the Presbyterian Church.

Norman Wise was educated in the common schools of Green Township, and when he was sixteen years old left the home farm and went to Cuyahoga Falls, where he began to learn the trade of machinist, in the plant of Tur- ner, Vaughn and Taylor. Later he went to Cleveland, where he followed his trade in dif- ferent shops, and subsequently went from place to place, both in the East and West, gain- ing varied and valuable experience. In 1887, when he entered the employ of the Cleveland Paper Bag Company, Mr. Wise's ability was recognized, and he held a prominent position with that firm for three years, when he went to the Taylor and Boggis Foundry Company, and was in charge of their machinery for ten and one-half years. In the spring of 1900, Mr. Wise came to his present position, to in- stall the machinery of the paper mill, the erection of the building having been started in the fall of 1899. To gain some idea of the machinery which comes under Mr. Wise's care, one need only glance at the following equipment of the plant: one 84-inch paper machine, one 124-inch paper machine, four rotary boilers, two rope cutters, two dusters,

a devil-picker, one 60-horse-power engine and coating machine, seven boilers, two feed water pumps, oue fire pump with a capacity of 750 gallons per minute, one supply pump with a capacity of 1,000 gallons per minute, one rotary pump with a capacity of 550 to 600 gallons per minute, two water wheels manu- factured by the Dayton Globe Iron Works with a capacity of 400 horse-power, a 1,000- horse-power cross compound Hamilton Cor- liss engine, one Snyder Hughes condenser, 1,398 feet of pipe line, composed of 6, 8, 10 and 12 inch pipe to a dam in the woods near the mill, which has a twelve-foot head of water and delivers water at a pressure of twenty-eight pounds, and a 4,600-gallon fire tank at an elevation of 120 feet, the plant being supplied with automatic sprinklers throughout. The plant has a machine ship equipped with drills, lathes and all other ma- chinery necessary to make repairs on equip- ment, and Mr. Wise has the services of com- petent assistants.

Mr. Wise was married to Rose Wolfe, who is the daughter of Adam Wolfe, of Cleveland, and they have three children: Daisy G., Norman and Marion. In political matters Mr. Wise is a Republican. In 1901 he was elected justice of the peace of Boston Town- ship, and he is now serving his second term, which continues until 1910. He has been a member of the Board of Education since 1905. Fraternally Mr. Wise is connected with Pavonia Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of Cuyahoga Falls.

ALLEN WELTON, formerly a very prom- inent citizen of Boston Township, where he carried on agricultural pursuits on a large body of land which once aggregated 300 acres, was born July 18, 1809, in Vermont.

Mr. Welton was given but limited educa- tional opportunities in his youth, and for a number of years his fortunes fluctuated. As a young man he began to clerk in a store in his native state, and later went to New York. There he was variously employed, finally acquiring a wood yard and on one oc-

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casion he chopped 400 cords of wood, only to see it swept away by the sudden uprising of a river. From New York he then went to Cleveland, Ohio, which city was but a small village, and from there to Bedford, and shortly afterward to Boston Township, south of Peninsula. He settled on the farm on Oak Ilill, now owned by his widow, which was then covered with timber and this he cleared and cultivated in the course of years, accu- mulating 300 acres. A large part of this land has since been sold, the farm now containing 187 acres. For a number of years Mr. Wel- ton conducted a dairy, and at one time milked forty cows. He was a man of many practi- cal ideas and began making cheese at home, the industry soon growing to such proportions that he built a cheese factory, which was the first one in Summit County, and later oper- ated another factory at Bath, which his son Frank helped him to conduct. For many years he was a member of the Ohio Dairy- men's Association.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 111

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