Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 114

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

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J. R. CAMPBELL

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His dairy products are first-class in every par- ticular and meet with ready sale.

On September 23, 1893, Mr. Kepler was married to Maggie B. Grubb, who was born at Manchester, Summit County, Ohio, and is a daughter of William and Rose (Mills) Grubb. The father of Mrs. Kepler is de- ceased. The mother resides with Mr. and Mrs. Kepler. For twenty years she was ma- tron of the Summit County Children's Home. They had six children: Harry, residing at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; Edwin, residing at Paine, Ohio, where he is a physician : Maggie B .; Catherine, who married E. Baum- gardner; Artie; and Elma, who married Charles AAdams.

Mr. and Mrs. Kepler have one son, Chester Sterling.

In his fraternal relations Mr. Kepler be- longs to the Masonie lodge at Barberton, and he is prominent as a Knight of Pythias. hav- ing twice represented his lodge at Sandusky and the Grand Lodge of the order at Cohim- bus. He is one of the substantial men and successful agriculturists of Coventry Town- ship.

J. R. CAMPBELL, who is interested in a real estate and insurance business, with of- fices in the Arcade Building, Akron, is a sur- vivor of the Civil War, having spent several vears in the service of his country. Mr. Campbell was born in Green Township, Wayne County, Ohio, December 15, 1843, and is a son of John Campbell, who formerly conducted a tannery at Smithville, Wayne County.

J. R. Campbell was reared and educated in his native place, where he learned the tanning business. On August 6. 1862, he en- listed in the Union army for three years, en- tering Company H. 102nd Regiment. O. V. I. In February. 1863, he was honorably dis- charged on account of disability, but in May, 1864, he re-enlisted, becoming a member of Company A. 169th Regiment, O. V. T., and was stationed at Fort Ethan Allen, Virginia, until the expiration of his second term of

service, when he was again honorably dis- charged. He returned to his home and be- gan work as a tanner, his father purchasing a tannery at Smithville. This plant Mr. Campbell purchased of his father in 1872, but the venture proved disastrous on account of the panie of 1873. In 1879 he came to Akron, and being without capital, went to work for James Christy & Sons for $1.25 a day, pending better business prospects. For six months he lived frugally and economic- ally, when things took a turn for the better, and now Mr. Campbell owns property val- ued at $6,000. In his ease, energy, patience and perseverance brought a sure reward. For eleven years he was at the head of the mal- leable department of the Whitman-Barnes Company, and in 1897 he was elected justice of the peace, in which office he served nine years, or three terms. Ile made an excellent officer and was noted for his wise decisions and incorruptible judicial attitude on all oc- casions. Since retiring from that office he has devoted himself to the real estate and in- surance business, and although competition is keen at Akron, he has had no trouble in securing a large part of the business along these lines. He has been prominently iden- tified with the beneficiary order of Royal Areanum for a number of years, and has done much to build up that organization in this section.

In 1867 Mr. Campbell was married to Mary MI. Bacheman, who is a daughter of Rev. Bacheman, a minister of the Reformed Church, and they have three children, namely: Arletta C., Homer C. and Carrie MI. The latter is the widow of Robert E. Patterson, and resides at home. The older daughter is the wife of C. F. Tobey, residing at Cleveland. Homer C. Campbell, a practic- ing attorney at Cleveland, graduated with second honors at the Akron High School and later at the Adelbert Law School.

Mr. Campbell is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Akron and has been identified with its Charity Associa- tion. He is serving in his twelfth year as chaplain of Buckley Post. G. A. R., has been

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all through the chairs of the organization, and was commander in 1895. He is serving also as secretary of the county board of the Soldiers' Relief Commission.

WILLIAM SOUERS, a prominent citizen and retired agriculturist of Summit County, who resides in his beautiful home at Ken- more, was born May 16, 1841, in Franklin Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of David and Catherine (Smith) Souers.

Phillip Souers, the grandfather of William Souers, brought his family from Pennsyl- vania to Green Township, Summit County, and settled as a pioneer in the woods, where he lived for about forty years, clearing a small farm and pursuing the carpenter trade. In his later years he removed to Roanoke, Indiana, near Fort Wayne, where he died at the ripe old age of ninety years. His first wife having died in Green Township in 1851, Phillip Souers was married a second time in Indiana. To the first union there were born five children: David; Allen; Sarah, who married Daniel Wiltrout; Mary, who married George Weston; and Elhanon, all now deceased.

David Souers, father of William, was just a boy when the trip to Ohio was made in wagons, and his youth was spent in helping his father to clear the home farm. When still a young man he learned the carpenter trade, at which he worked until his marriage, when he bought a farm of about eighty acres in Franklin Township, which he sold after q number of years, in 1857, buying 120 acres of land from John R. Buchtel. This land, now known as the Cobern Allotment, cost him fifty dollars per acre, and here he carried on operations for three years, when he traded it off and removed to the Reservoir farm in Coventry Township, where his death occurred September 29, 1888, at the age of seventy- eight years, his widow surviving him until April 17, 1892, when she died aged seventy- seven years. In 1840, Mr. Souers was mar- ried to Catherine Smith, whose family also came from the East, and to this union there

were born six children: William; Daniel, who resides in Akron; Ellen, the widow of Daniel Warner; Sanford, who is deceased; Frank, who lives at Akron; and Charles who is a resident of Coventry.

William Souers was born in one of the first frame houses erected in this section of Franklin Township, and grew up on the farm, where most of his boyhood was spent. He attended the district school, which was situated about four miles from his home, and also worked for some time at New Portage. He lived with his father until thirty-one years of age, when he rented the farm where Kenmore is now located, a tract of seventy- five acres, from George Strawhecker. After living there about ten years, Mr. Souers pur- chased the farm at ninety dollars per acre, and here he continued to operate another ten years, when he sold the property to W. A. Johnson for about $12,000, and removed to his beautiful residence in Kenmore, where he and his wife have since lived in quiet retire- ment. At the time Mr. Souers first located on this property it was a barren waste of land, and he has seen it grow into one of the most beautiful sections of Coventry Town- ship, the town of Kenmore. In business circles Mr. Souers is regarded as a man of good judgment and clear insight, while as a citizen and as a neighbor he is held in high esteem. In political life he is a Republican, but he has sought no political preferment. With his family he belongs to the Evangelical Church at Kenmore, in which he is class leader.

William Souers was married in 1864, to Susan Weaver, who was born in Coventry Township, and is a daughter of Daniel E. and Rebecca (Renninger) Weaver, the former of whom was a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs Souers there have been born four children, namely: One who died in infancy ; John, who died when twelve years old; George, who died at the age of nine years; and Mary, who married Aaron Faylor, and resides at Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Faylor have one child, Ray.

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FRED W. WOLF, dealer in staple and fancy groceries and smoked meats, who has an excellent business location at No. 41 Ad- ams Street, Akron, was born in 1867, at Cuyahoga Falls, and was brought to Akron in his infancy, where he was reared and edu- cated, graduating from the Akron High School in 1885.

Following his graduation, Mr. Wolf be- came identified with a business house, the Whitman & Barnes Company, with which he remained for thirteen years, during five years of this period being employed at the branch conducted at West Pullman, Chicago, After leaving West Pullman, Mr. Wolf en- gaged, in 1899, in a grocery business at Akron and purchased the stock of Mr. Ely and subsequently the property at No. 41 Adams Street, a building two stories high, with basement, its dimensions being 22x60 feet. In the rear he has a warehouse which is 24x30 feet. Business men generally con- sidered it an excellent investment. Mr. Wolf is also one of the stockholders of the Aladdin Rubber Company, the Tyler Wholesale Com- pany, the Akron Brewing Company, and others. In 1890, Mr. Wolf was married to Helena McMullen, of Akron, and they have three children: Cecelia, Howard and Ralph. Mr. Wolf is a Mason, belonging to Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council, and Commandery, and is also a member of the Masonic club.

WILIAM M. VANDERSALL, who owns a valuable farm of ninety-four acres in Co- ventry Township, situated about five miles south of Akron, belongs to an old pioneer family of this section and was born in Green Township, Summit County, Ohio, June 8, 1851. He is a son of Samuel and Susanna (Yearick) Vandersall.

Samuel Vandersall was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Jacob Vandersall, who was born in Germany and sailed for America, in childhood, with his parents. They were unfortunate in their choice of a sailing vessel, as it lost its course and before landing was made, many of the

poor emigrants starved to death. Perhaps this would have been the fate of the Vander- sall family had not Jacob found a place in the hold of the vessel where rats had a nest and at night when the rodents came out, he would catch them and thus provide food which kept the party from starving. The Vandersalls settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Jacob Vandersall, the grandfather of William M. became a preacher there in the Evangelical Church and preached also after he came to Stark County, Ohio. He had the following children: Jacob, John, David, Samuel, Mary A., Catherine and Elizabeth.

On the Stark County farm, Samuel Van- dersall grew to manhood, helping to clear the land and also learning the wagon-making trade, having a shop of his own for several years. After his marriage he moved to Sum- mit County and settled on a farm in Green Township, on which he lived for forty-five years, his death taking place there in 1892, at the age of seventy-nine years. He was married January 21, 1834, to Susanna Year- ick, who was born on her father's farm in Green Township and who still survives, now being the oldest woman in that township, hav- ing passed her ninety-second birthday, June 17, 1907. She has often told her children of her girlhood, when she used to pasture the cows on the site of the present great reservoir. The children of Samuel and Susanna Vander- sall were the following: John, residing on his farm of 160 acres in Coventry Township; Mary, who married George Gougler; Abra- ham, at present preaching at Wellsville, Ohio, in the Evangelical Church; Simon, an Evan- gelical preacher, residing at Salem. Oregon; Sarah, residing on the old homestead with her venerable mother; Joseph; Elias Wesley ; William Madison; Cornelius, who is deceased ; and Daniel O.

William M. Vandersall grew to manhood on his father's farm in Green Township and obtained a good education for the time and locality, attending the district schools and a private school at Greensburg. He was, how- ever, expected to do his share of farm work

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and thus he was trained both physically and mentally. Shortly after his marriage he pur- chased his present farm, from William Shutt, his father-in-law. For a few years he lived with his family on his father's farm and for two years at Pleasant Valley, and then returned to this farm where he has remained ever since. He has always carried on a general line of farming and is numbered with the township's successful men.

On September 1, 1876, Mr. Vandersall was married to Samantha Shutt, who is a daugh- ter of William and Susan (Cook) Shutt. They have had five children, namely: Clara E., who is a successful and valued teacher in the public schools of Akron; IIerman M., who is a carpenter; Gomer, who died aged fourteen months: Laura C., residing at Ken- more; and Ora, residing at home. Mr. Vandersall and family belong to the Evan- gelical Church at Kenmore, and at various times he has served in church offices. He is one of the sterling men of the township and he and family are all held in great es- teem.

CHARLES SWITZER, one of Summit County's most substantial citizens whose mag- nificent farm of over 200 acres is situated in the southeastern corner of Coventry Town- ship, was born August 28, 1822, in York County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of An- drew and Eva (Stumer) Switzer.

The grandparents of Charles Switzer, who spelled the name Schweitzer, eame from Ger- many and settled in York County, Pennsyl- vania, where they spent the remainder of their lives. They had two sons, the young- est of whom was Andrew, the father of Charles. Andrew Schweitzer grew up on the farm in York County, Pennsylvania, but about twelve years after marriage removed with his wife and five children to Indiana County, Pennsylvania, where they settled on a rented farm. In about 1832-3 the family went to Portage County. Ohio, making the journey by four-horse team and wagon, and here Mr. Schweitzer purchased a farm of sev-

enty-five acres, four acres of which were cleared and a log house built thereon. With the help of his children he cleared this prop- erty, and here made his home until after the death of his first wife, when he removed to Greensburg, Ohio, south of East Liberty, and here his death occurred in his eighty-second vear. Andrew Schweitzer was married (first) to Eva Sturmer, whose parents had also come from Germany to. York County, Pennsyl- vania, where she was born. She died on the Portage County farm in her fifty-ser- ond year, having been the mother of six children : Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Hilderbrand; Christiana, who mar- ried George Enders, lives in Califor- nia, aged ninety-three years; Catherine, who married Adam Yerick; John, who died at the age of ten years; Charles; and Sarah, who married Franklin Tousley. Mr. Schweitzer was married (second) at Greens- burg. Ohio, to Barbara Sweitzer, who survived him ten years.

Charles Switzer had to contend early in life with a lack of educational opportunities, as his services were demanded on the home farm, first in York County, Pennsylvania, and later in Indiana County, even before he had reached his tenth year. In his native State he received about one month's school- ing, and after the family located in Portage County, Ohio, he attended school for short periods at odd times, and later received about two and one-half months' educational train- ing in Summit County. When about twenty years of age Mr. Switzer left home to make his own way, going to East Liberty. Ohio, where he worked for John Castitter at farm- ing, receiving twelve dollars per month and his board, which were considered very high wages in that day. He continued with Mr. Castitter for two summers and then spent one season in the employ of Adam Yerrick. After his mariage, Mr. Switzer rented a part of his present property, which was then owned by his father-in-law, John Tousley, and here he has made his home ever since. By 1853, he had accumulated enough capital to enable

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him to purchase this excellent property. a tract of over 200 acres, and here he erected a large eight-room frame house, a substantial barn and good outbuildings. Although re- tired from active pursuits for the past twenty years, Mr. Switzer still superintends the opera- tion of his farm, which is conceded to be one of the finest in this section of the county. In 1880, a fine vein of coal was discovered on a part of this property, and for twelve years it was mined by the Todd Stanbaugh Com- pany .. Mr. Switzer has been a stock holder in the People's Savings Bank since that insti- tution's organization, and is a stock holder and director in the Dime Savings Bank at Akron.

On October 6, 1844, Charles Switzer was married to Rebecca Tousley, who was the daughter of John and Rebecca Tousley, and to this union there were born five children, namely: John A., who married Anna Leach ; Joel B., who married Mary Yerick : Orlando, who died at the age of three years: Almira. who married John Brown; and Daniel Scott, who married Mazie Stoolberry. The mother of these children died in 1862. aged thirty- seven years. In October, 1864, Mr. Switzer was married (second) to Lydia MI. Boone, who was the daughter of George Boone. Here death occurred in April. 1904, at the age of sixty-two years.

Mr. Switzer is a Republican. lle has al- ways taken n an interest in the affairs of his community and has been found at the head of movements calculated to be of public benefit although he has never sought political office.

WILLIAM F. LAUBACH, treasurer and general manager of the Akron People's Tele- phone Company. was born at Allentown. Pennsylvania, and was four years old when his parents moved to Loyal Oak, Summit County. Ohio, where he received his early educational training. Later he attended the Copley High School.

When fifteen years of age, Mr. Laubach came to Akron and began to learn the jewelry

trade under one of the leading jewelers of the city, devoting his evenings to advancing his knowledge, especially along the line of com- mercial college work. From 1878 until 1883, Mr. Laubach served an apprenticeship under the supervision of the firm of Foltz & Frank, and continued with them as a clerk until 1892, when he was admitted to partnership and remained active in the business until 1900. Failing health warned him to change his occupation. and he then identified himself with the Akron People's Telephone Com- pany, becoming treasurer and general man- ager.

In 1898, Mr. Laubach was married to Grace Henry, who is a daughter of M. W. Henry, one of Akron's pioneer merchants. They have one daughter, Martha. Mr. Lau- bach is a member of the First Congregational Church and one of its board of deacons. His fraternal connections are mainly with the va- rious Masonic bodies, as follows: member of Adoniram Lodge, No. 517: Washington Chapter, No. 25; Akron Council No. 80: Fast eminent commander of Akron Com- mandery, No. 25: member of Lake Erie Con- sistory, and a thirty-second degree Mason.

CHARLES E. WISE. who owns 160 acres of fine land in Franklin Township, which lies along the dividing line from Green Town- ship, is one of the representative farmers of this section, and one of its substantial and reliable men. He was born on the farm of his grandfather, in Coventry Township, Sum- mit County, Ohio, December 29, 1865, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth ( Kepler ) Wise.

Daniel Wise. the grandfather of Charles E., was born in Snyder County. Pennsyl- vania, and was a son of Peter Wise, whose whole life was passed in Pennsylvania. His children were: Peter. John, Jacob. Willian, Daniel. Samuel. Betsey, Catherine and Lydia, all now deceased except Betsey, who married l'eter Miller.

Daniel Wise was the first of the family to come to Ohio, and he walked all the way to Summit County from Bucks County. Penn-

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sylvania. He located in Green Township among the early pioneers and began to clear land, and when opportunity offered, worked at his trade that of stone-mason. After a time he was joined by his brother Samuel, who made the long journey with a horse and wagon. The brothers married sisters, Samuel espousing Catherine, and Daniel, Sarah Ra- ber, both being daughters of Henry Raber, a pioneer farmer in the locality. At one time Henry Raber owned 1,000 acres of land in Summit County, and he gave each of his children a farm. In early times he carried his wheat by wagon, to Cleveland, where he sold it for from forty to fifty cents a bushel. He died on his original homestead farm of 160 acres, when almost ninety years of age.

After his marriage, Daniel Wise gave the larger part if his attention to farming. He died in Green Township, owning at that time three farms, aged eighty-two years, and his widow died within three days of one year later. Daniel and Sarah Wise had the follow- ing children: John D .; Henry, father of Charles E .; Louisa, who married John Neal; · Daniel, residing in Illinois; Frank and Cal- vin, both residing in Green Township; and Sarah, now deceased, who married L. Preere.

Henry Wise was reared on his father's farm in Green Township, assisting from boyhood in the heavy work which was made necessary by the wild condition of a large part of his father's property at that time. For a short period he attended the old log school-house and sat on the rough benches which were con- sidered perfectly suitable in those days, but he had time to acquire no more than the rudi- ments of knowledge. From 1861 to 1863 he was engaged in drilling oil wells at Oil City, Pennsylvania, but with that exception, his whole life was spent in Summit County. For a time he resided south of Barberton, but later moved to the north of that town, where he died November 25, 1905, aged sixty-two years. He married Elizabeth Kepler, who was born and reared in Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Jacob and Susan (Marsh) Kepler, both of whom sur-

vive. They had four children: Charles El- mer, Olive, Harvey A., and Ida A., all now living, except the youngest, who died aged four years. Ida A. married Martin Ling.

Charles Elmer Wise was born while his parents lived in the house now owned by Hus- ton Keppler, which was the home of his ma- ternal grandfather. In a short time they moved to Franklin Township and located on the farm where Harvey Wise now lives, and where the three other children were born. It was on that farm that Charles E. Wise lived until his marriage, in the meanwhile obtain- ing his education in the district schools. For one year following his marriage, Mr. Wise farmed for his father-in-law at Norton, re- moving from there to a farm in Franklin Township, where he remained until 1891, when he settled on his present place which he secured from his father. In addition to car- rying on general farming, Mr. Wise operates a portable sawmill. He has added to the orig- inal farm acreage and has much improved the property. In 1893 he built his substantial barn all of his buildings are kept in good order, his farm machinery is sufficient for his needs, and his surroundings indicate thrift and good management. In addition to this valuable property he owns the residence site at No. 76 Fay street, Akron.

In February, 1888, Mr. Wise was married to Cora A. Miller, who is a daughter of Jacob J. and Theresa Miller, and they have one son, Walter A. Mr. Wise is a good citizen, but he takes no very active interest in politics.

FRANK CORMANY, residing on his valu- able farin of fifty-one acres in Coventry Town- ship, is the owner of 112 acres, the balance being situated in Long Lake Park. Mr. Cor- many was born March 12, 1855, on the old Cormany homestead in Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Rebecca (Harter) Cormany.

John Cormany was born in Pennsylvania and died in 1859. With his brothers he came to Summit County in early days, and they bought a large tract of timber land in

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Coventry Township, which they set about clearing. When the land was subsequently divided, each brother secured about forty acres. John Cormany married Rebecca Hart- er who was born in Pennsylvania and died in Ohio, in 1906, aged eighty-five years. She was a daughter of Jacob Harter, who settled in the green woods of Summit County, on the site of the present city of Barberton. To her marriage with John Cormany there were born eleven children, namely: Jere- miah, who died aged five months; Phillip; Catherine, who married George Pow; Mrs. Araminta Miller; Mrs. Rohama Allen; Levi; Lushia, who is deceased; Frank; Aaron, who is deceased; Mary, deceased, who married Frank Shick; Mrs. Emma Wartsbaucher. Mrs. Cormany later contracted a second mar- riage with Moses Shick, to which no children were born.

Frank Cormany remained with his mother for a short time after the death of his father, and then went to assist his uncle, Samuel Cormany, with whom he remained until the latter's death. In the meantime he had be- come a skilled farmer and after his marriage he purchased land, first from Samuel Peifer and next from Samuel Cormany, his uncle. His land is well improved and would com- mand a high price if placed on the market. For some years he has been practically retired from agricultural work, his stalwart sons be- ing capable of looking after the property, and they also are engaged in all kinds of teaming.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 114

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