Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 115

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 115

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In July, 1877, Mr. Cormany was married to Malinda Sellers, who is a daughter of Ja- cob and Catherine (Rinninger) Sellers, both of whom, in Coventry township, died in ad- vanced age. Mrs. Cormany has the following brothers and sisters: Mary, who married Daniel Thomas; Maria, who married Robert Bidiker; Henry; Hiram ; Malinda, and Joel.

Mr. and Mrs. Cormany have had five chil- dren, namely: Anna, who died in infancy ; Irvin, who married Miss Wagner, resides near his father, and they have children; Sam- nel, who married Miss Mosier, has one child,

and they reside at Barberton; and Clinton and Grace.

Politically, Mr. Cormany is a Republican. In March, 1907, he was elected, with Allen Swartz and William Bergdorf, road superin- tendent in Coventry Township, and has proved a careful and efficient public official.

JOHN ROSE, a representative citizen of Coventry Township, residing on his fine tract of 125 acres, was born on his father's farm in Lake Township, Stark County, Ohio, October 29, 1838, and is a son of George and Susan (Pontious) Rose, and a grandson of Philip Rose.

George Rose was a native of Berks County, Pennsylvania, and was one of a family of five children, his only brother dying unmar- ried, at the age of twenty-one years. . He was young when the family came to Stark County, Ohio. After his marriage, in 1867, Mr. Rose sold his farm in Stark County, and came to Coventry Township, Summit County, where the rest of his life was spent. Both he and his wife reached advanced age, and died at the home of their son John. Reared to agricultural pursuits, George Rose continued to be a farmer all his life, and prospered to such an extent that he was able to give each of his children a start in life. George Rose was married in Stark County, Ohio, to Susan Pontious, who was also a native of Pennsyl- vania, and who came to Stark County with her parents when about twelve years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Rose there were born three chil- dren : Jacob, who moved to Indiana, where he became a man well thought of, and died at the age of sixty-nine years; Susan, who married Joseph Young, also moved to Indi- ana and later to Kansas; and John.

John Rose received his education in the dis- trict schools of Stark County, and was reared on his father's farm, where his youth was spent in hard, honest toil. For about four years after his marriage he carried on farm- ing in Stark County, and then moved to Cov- entry Township. Summit County, and pur- chased his present farm from John Donner.

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Ile cleared off the timber, stumps and built a substantial barn, and has done much to make his farm one of the best in the town- ship. Mr. Rose has always been an industri- ous, hard-working farmer, and has the respect and esteem of the entire community.

Mr. Rose was married in Stark County, to Sarah Garl, who was born in Portage County, Ohio, and she died April 6, 1906, at the age of sixty-seven years. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rose, namely: Mary, who married E. P. Fouse: Christina, who married M. Fouse: Jacob, who married Amanda Focht; Lydia, who married F. Fouse; Elsie, who married Adam Warner; Amanda, who married J. Hicks: Daniel, who married Julia Willems, resides on his father's farm, and has three children, Chester, Wil- liam and Irene: Charles, who married Mary Hembauch: and Eli, who married Tillie Yanker.

In political matters Mr. Rose is a. Denio- crat. and he has served as township trustee for twenty-three years. He and his family belong to the Reformed Church.

FRANCIS X. ADAMS, M.D., a very sur- cessful general medical practitioner at Akron. with well-equipped offices at No. 728 Sonth Main Street, has been engaged in professional work in this city since 1893, and has built up a large and very satisfactory practice. He was born in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. When Dr. Adams was a youth of fifteen years, his par- ents removed to Kent, Portage County, Ohio, where he completed his literary education. after which he entered the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1885. Dr. Adams settled at Kent, where he continued to practice until 1888, when he removed to New Portage, Sum- mit County, and subsequently to Akron, in September, 1893. Dr. Adams is a progressive member of his profession and keeps well posted on all matters pertaining to it, belong- ing to the Ohio State Eclectic and the North- eastern Ohio Eclectic Medical Societies.

Dr. Adams was married, in 1877. to Cath-

erine L. Sheridan, of Kent, Ohio, who died in October, 1903. She is survived by two daugh- ters: Gertrude R., who married Clyde Orr, who is in business at Akron; and Geraldine, who is still at school. Dr. Adams and his daughters belong to St. Mary's Catholic Church. He is a member of the Catholic Mu- tual Benefit Association, the Knights of Co- lumbus, and the Ancient Order of Hiber- nians, at Akron, and the Ohio State Eelectic Medical Society.

WALTER L. SACKMANN, manufac- turer, with a general machine shop located en Sweitzer Avenue, Akron, does a large business in the manufacture of steel stamps, stencils and seals, brass and alumi- num checks, steel letters and figures. He was born at Cleveland, Ohio, in December, 1876, and is a son of the late Henry Sackmann, who settled in Cleveland in 1844 and carried on a manufacturing business there for a num- ber of years.

From the schoolroom, Mr. Sackmann en- tered the manufacturing plant of his brother, who was engaged in the manufacturing of steel stamps and stencils, and after four years of experience there, entered the employ of A. Il. Diekey, in the same line. In 1900, he came to Akron and engaged in the mold let- tering business for the Goodyear Rubber Com- pany. and in May, 1901, he embarked in the stamp and stencil business. In his machine shop he manufactures special machinery. molds of all kinds. blanking and forming dies and also does punch press work. The business is one which demands special train- ing and a large amount of care and accuracy from every employe. In 1903; Mr. Sack- mann was married to Emmy M. Droz, of Cleveland.

R. M. WILSON, manager of the Akron Laundry Company, which operates the larg- est and most modern laundry in Akron, was born in Summit County, Ohio, in 1862, and is a son of the late Jonathan Wilson.

Since completing his education, Mr. Wil-

CAPT. SUMNER NASHI

HIOPHNI NASH

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son has been mainly engaged in the laundry business, operating a plant of his own. In 1901 the Akron Laundry Company was in- corporated, with a capital stock of $20.000, with N. P. Goodhue, president ; E. J. Alder- fer, vice-president; and R. M. Wilson, secre- tary and treasurer. The company has erected a fine brick building, 42 by 132 feet in di- mensions, and two stories in height, which they have equipped with all modern appli- ances for the rapid, thorough, and sanitary conduct of their industry. They give work to forty-five employes and have five wagons in continual use. Their efforts to please the public have been generously recognized. In 1892, Mr. Wilson was married to Sophia MI. Smith, of AAkron. Mr. Wilson is an Elk and i: a trustee of the Akron branch of this order.

CAPT. SUMNER NASHI, for years score- tary and treasurer of the Akron Belting Company, and a member of the board of di- rectors of The Permanent Savings and Loan Company, and of The Abstract Guarantee & Trust Company, at AAkron, is now numbered with the retired manufacturers of this city. Captain Nash was born May 10. 1836. in Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of Hophni and Lovisa (King) Nash. The ancestors of Captain Nash on both pater- nal and maternal sides were of Scotch-Irish extraction and were carly settlers in Massa- chusetts, where both the Nash and King fan- ilies have been identified with important public affairs for generations.

Hophni Nash was born in Williamsburg, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. January 10, 1797. At the age of twenty years, in the fall of 1817. he came to Ohio and during the following winter taught school in the vi- cinity of Ghent, Summit County. In 1819 he was elected the first township clerk of Bath. In the same year. he returned to his native State and was married to Miss Lovisa King. at Chesterfield. Soon after they settled on a farm near the center of Bath. He was re-elected and served as clerk of Bath Town- ship for many years, which office was in later

years held by each of his three sons. He followed his chosen occupation of farming during the whole of his active life. He died at the home of his son, Sumner, in Akron, April 17, 1882. at the age of eighty-five years. After his death. the widow resided with Dr. E. K. Nash at Montrose, in Bath Township, where she survived until January 6, 1892. dying at the ripe old age of ninety years. They had born to them five children, namely: Harriet, married Curtis D. Barber and settled at Plymouth. Sheboygan County, Wisconsin : later she married a Mr. Williams, and for many years resided in Rock County, Minnesota. Again left a widow. she -pent her few remaining years with her children, Mr. and Mrs. George B. Whitney, at Beaver Creek, Minnesota, where she died December 2, 1907, at the age of eighty-two. Dr. E. K. Nash entered the U. S. service in 1862 as assistant surgeon, was assigned to duty in the Fourteenth O. V. I. Regiment, in the Department of the Cumberland. He was in service on the field and in hospital at Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain. Mission Ridge, Atlanta, and thence with Sherman to the sea. In July. 1835 he returned home with the rank of major. He practiced medi- cine at Montrose for many years. and re- cently removed to Akron. Nancy Ellen, widow of R. D. Pierson, now resides at Lin- coln. Nebraska, with her daughter Mary .1. Freeland. Thomas W., on October 3. 1861. enlisted in the 29th Regiment. O. V. I .. for three years; at the expiration of this period he re-enlisted in the same regiment. He was in service in the Department of the Potomac and participated in all impor- tant battles until captured at Port Re- public. He was prisoner for four months. was transferred with the Eastern Army to the Army of the Cumberland at Lookout Mountain. Mission Ridge, then on to Atlanta, etc. He was discharged July. 1865. with rank of captain of Company B. He is now bookkeeper and private secretary at Akron. Ohio. for A. M. Barber. a millionaire of Chicago. Ill. He married (second) Mrs. Clara Van Orman, of Akron.

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Sumner Nash was born in a log cabin on the farm, near Bath Center, had the usual district school education and also an academic course at Richfield. He was of a somewhat venturous disposition, and when but nineteen years of age, left home and penetrated into the wilds of Wisconsin. Ile had many ex- periences with Indians, while driving the stage-coach between Oshkosh and New Lon- don. The Sheboygan and Fond du Lac Railroad Company was then constructing its line from Plymouth, Wisconsin, westward, and Mr. Nash secured the contract for clear- ing off the timber and making it into rail- road ties and cordwood, which contract he filled to the satisfaction of both parties. In the fall and winter of 1856-57, at Oshkosh. he had entire management of a hardware store for Mr. E. H. Barber, during the lat- ter's absence in the Southern States. In 1857 he returned to Ohio, and again attended the Richfield Academy, later farming for his father during several summers and teaching school through the winters. On August 6, 1862. he enlisted in Company G, 115th Regi- ment O. V. I., and served with courage and fidelity until the close of the war. IIe was mustered out July 7, 1865, as first lieutenant, although for months he had held the position of captain and was the commanding officer of Company A of said regiment. He entered the service as private of Company G. 115th Regiment, O. V. I., August 6, 1862. He was promoted by being elected by vote of the com- pany to Orderly Sergeant August 12. 1862: Second Lieutenant, .August 21. 1862, and First Lieutenant of Company A, Angust 11, 1864.

Service .- His regiment was organized at Camp Massillon, Ohio, and mustered into U. S. service for three years, on September 18. 1862. The regiment was ordered to Cin- cinnati. Ohio, September 27. 1862: to Camp Chase, Ohio, October 4, 1862: was on duty there till November; then to Maysville, Ken- tueky, remaining on duty there till Novem- ber 18, when it was ordered to Covington, Kentucky, where it remained on duty till June. 1863. Ile was detailed to command

an expedition from Covington to Boone County, Kentucky, to enforce Burnside's general order No. 6. Also in command of a detachment to follow the rebel, General Mor- gan, in his raid through Ohio, to collect Goverment property and property aban- doned by him, amounting to between 1,000 and 2,000 horses and mules, together with much other property, all of which was turned over to the post quartermaster at Cincinnati, Ohio. He was on duty in Cincinnati from July, 1863 to October. He was detailed by Gen. J. D. Cox, commanding the Depart- ment of Ohio, to take command of the forces and post at Dayton. Ohio, during the October election for governor, at which time and place political strife became intensely heated, re- sulting in several persons being shot by "Val- landingham Copperheads." George L. Wat- erman, Second Lieutenant of Company C, and one of its noblest soldiers, was fatally wounded while on duty in said city. After election he was ordered to Chattanooga, Ten- nessee, where Mr. Nash remained, while Hood occupied Lookout Mountain and nntil just before the latter was routed from the mountain never to return. Thence he went to Murfreesboro. Tennessee, First. Brigade. Third Division. Twelfth Corps, Department of the Cumberland. In November; 1863, he was detached in command of sixty men to garrison Blockhouse No. 4. at Lavergne, Ten- nessee. In November, 1864. he was detached on staff duty by order of General George H. Thomas. ITe was assigned to duty as assist- ant inspector of railroad defenses, under Ma- jor James R. Willetts, First U. S. Engineers. He was assigned to duty on the Nashville & Western Railroad, owing to Hood's advance and capture of said road. He was then as- signed to general staff duty in Nashville, he- ing placed in absolute charge of the Con- script Division, which was engaged in estab- lishing and perfecting the defenses in and around that city during Hood's investment, December 1 to 14, and the battles of Decem- ber 15th and 16th. which resulted in the defeat of Hood and complete route of his entire army of 70.000 men. After Hood's

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retreat Southi, he was assigned as assistant inspector of railroad defenses on the Nash- ville & Clarksville Railroad headquarters at Springfield, Tennessee, from December, 1864, to February, 1865. After getting all garri- sons on this road established and equipped, he was transferred on same duty to Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, and in charge of all gar- risons and defenses of all railroads East and South of Chattanooga in the Department of the Cumberland, from February to June, 1865. On June 22. 1865, by order of Gen- eral Thomas he returned to the regiment at Murfreesboro. Tennessee, thence forward in command of Company 1, 115th Regiment. He was honorably discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, July 7, 1865, thence home to Bath, place of enlistment. The three brothers all in the Civil War from two to four years, till the close of the war and all re- turned held a family reunion at the old homestead. All are members of the Grand Army of the Republic, and Sumner is a member of tlie Loyal Legion. Ohio Com- mandery, of Cincinnati.

In the fall of 1865 Sumner Nash, in com- pany with his brother, T. W., took Greeley's advice. went west and purchased a farm of 160 acres near Chatsworth. Illinois. Return- ing to Ohio, Sumner taught school the fol- lowing winter at Bath Center.

Captain Nash was married March S. 1866, to Rebecca MI. Means. daughter of Captain John A. Means. of Northfield. Summit County. Ohio, and at once they settled on their Illinois farm, which they worked till the fall of 1868. when, owing to the failing health of Mrs. Nash, they returned to Sum- mit County, where Mrs. Nash died July 18. 1869. at her father's home, leaving one child, Maude M. Sumner Nash worked his father- in-law's farm for the following two years. In the year 1872 Mr. Nash was appointed Deputy County Clerk, which position he filled to the close of John 1. Means' term, when he was reappointed and served in the same capacity through two terms of three years each for Clerk George W. Weeks. He was himself elected clerk in 1878 and in

1881, serving two full terms of three years each. Mr. Nash was married (second) June 23. 1874, to Linnie S. Cross, of Columbus, Ohio, since which time they have resided continuously in Akron at No. 275 East Mar- ket Street.

In 1891 M. Maude Nash married Dr. J. W. Rabe, of Cleveland, Ohio, after which the doctor has followed his profession in Ak- ron. They have two children, Mary .\de- laide and James W., Jr.

In 1885. after the close of his second term as clerk of courts, Sumner Nash raised a stock company for the manufacture and sale of leather belting and other mill supplies. The company was duly organized and in- corporated under the laws of Ohio with a capitalization of $50,000, in the name of "The Akron Belting Company," he being chosen its secretary and treasurer, which of- fices he held for many years. Under his management the business prospered as a new company till the quality of its manufactured goods, the "Akron" brand of belting, had proven itself to be what was claimed for it- "Second to None," requiring only extended patronage to insure correspondingly large profits. In 1895 "The Brigger Belting Coni- pany." of South Akron, being unsuccessful financially, at its own solicitation, was pur- chased by "The Akron Belting Company." including its "liabilities," etc. Mr. A. S. Rinchart, former president of "The B. B. Company," was placed in charge of the Ad- vertising and Sales Department of "The A. B. Company." Under this combined man- agement, the anticipated increased patronage was secured. The capitalization of the com- pany was increased to $100.000. and the building capacity has been doubled and quadrupled to keep pace with the output of the goods manufactured. These goods have given general satisfaction and gained such a reputation at home and abroad that they are now shipped to all parts of the United States and to many foreign countries. The output has increased from a few thousands to nearly half a million dollars annually. In 1904 he resigned as treasurer of said com-

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pany. For many years the company has de- clared a liberal quarterly dividend from its surplus earnings, which surplus is largely in excess of its capitalization. The present of- ficers are: President. 1. B. Rinehart; vice president, Sumner Nash; secretary and treasurer, George Wince, and superintend- ent, Webster Thorp.

Mr. Nash has visited the Island of Cuba two or three times and became so delighted with the climate that he, with an equal part- ner, purchased about 1,200 acres of timber land situated between the Cubitas Mountains and the north coast, an exceedingly fertile valley. the nearest point of which is only one mile distant from La Gloria, in Porto Principe Provinee, the largest and oldest American Colony in the island. The climate and soil are well adapted to citrons and other tropical fruits. Mr. Nash owns an improved farm .of 280 aeres near Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, 100 miles west of Kansas City, Missouri. Politically, Mr. Nash has al- ways been a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Nash and daughter are members of the First Con- gregational Church of Akron.

ST. CLAIR STEELE. who is successfully engaged in a general mercantile business at Silver Lake Junction, or Old Village, as the place is generally denominated by residents of Cuyahoga Falls, was born in Stow Town- ship, Summit County, Ohio, September 13. 1842. He is a son of Isaac and Margaret C. (Steele) Steele, a grandson of Isaac, and a great-grandson of Adam Steele.

Adam Steele served through the Revolu- tionary War and his son Isaac. in boyhood, served as a bugler and a mail carrier for the fighting patriots. Adam Steele moved to Ohio from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and settled in Stow Township, Summit County, among the pioneers, where he died in 1811. His son, Isaac, was born in Pennsylvania, and settled permanently in Stow Township, in 1820. He participated in the War of 1812. He married Betsey Galloway, and their chil- dren were: Jolin, Isaac, Mary, Eliza, Anna, and Margaret, all long since passed away.

Isaac Steele, son of Isaae, was born in 1812. and died May 27, 1883. In 1842 he married Margaret C. Steele, a distant cousin, who died September 21, 1853. They had the following children : St. Clair, Nancy, Henderson, Ellen E .. and Thomas, both daughter- being deceased.

St. Clair Steele was edueated in the district schools of Stow Township and assisted on the home farm until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he was one of the first to offer his services to his country. Mr. Steele en- listed in April, 1861, in Company K, Nine- teenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but was taken siek soon after reaching Camp Taylor, and was sent home. On September 10, 1861, he re-enlisted, entering Battery D. First Ohio Light Artillery, and continued in the service until October 17, 1864. During this last summer of the war, Mr. Steele filled the position of a non-commissioned officer and for a short time acted as a commissioned officer, in the drilling of the troops. He was taken prisoner at Munfordsville, Kentucky, but was paroled, on condition that he would remain with the Confederate Army until per- mission was given him to leave. With his comrades he ran away and joined the Union lines, 110 miles distant, subsequently reach- ing the parole eamp at Columbus. On Feb- ruary 22d, following he was exchanged and then went back to the front with his regi- ment.

Following the closing of the war, Mr. Siecle engaged in business as a wholesale buteher and bought and sold livestoek for eighteen months. after which, for two years. he was with a Cleveland lumber company. He then engaged in farming, threshing and lumber- ing until 1880, when he took charge of the shop at the State Penitentiary for nearly two years. He then went to work for his brothers Henderson and Thomas, as sawyer. this be- ing about 1897. In 1892 he built his store building and stocked it with groceries, but in a short time sold that stoek and rented the building. In 1897 he again took possession of his former store and since then has been engaged in a general mereantile business. He

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is a reputable business man and honored citi- zen.

Mr. Steele married Sarah J. McCauley, of Hudson, who is a daughter of Peter and Mary McCauley, and they have two children : Harry (., who is connected with the street railway; and Mabel M., who married Wil- liam Taylor, who is employed in her father's store. The family belong to the Episcopal Church.

Peter McCauley, father of Mr -. Steele, was born in Ireland and was a small child when he accompanied his mother to America. Here he learned the shoemaker trade which he fol- lowed for many years at Streetsboro, Portage County, Ohio, later moving to Hudson, where he spent the rest of his life on a farm, dying in April, 1863. He married Mary O'Brien, who was born at Hudson, Ohio, and who was a daughter of Harry O'Brien, a Protestant Irishman, who came from Ireland and set- tled in Portage County in the year that Ohio became a State.

Politically, Mr. Steele is identified with the Republican party. He served as trustee of Stow.Township for two terms and was a mem- ber of the City Council of Cuyahoga Falls for one term. He is one of the active members of Eddy Post, G. A. R., at Cuyahoga Falls.

MATTHIAS COFFMAN, a highly es- teemned retired farmer who resides on his well- cultivated farm of seventy-five and one-half acres of excellent farming land in North- ampton Township, was born January 4, 1835. in Berlin Township, Trumbull (now Mahoning) County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Swartz) Coffman.

Samuel Coffman was born in 1802, in Pennsylvania, and there received his educa- tion. After his marriage he removed to Ber- lin Township, Summit County, Ohio, where he acquired 100 aeres of land, on which he raised principally flax, a crop not generally grown now in this section. He and his wife were members of the United Brethren Church, but because there was no church of that denomination in their vicinity, they at- tended the German Reformed Church.

Mr. Coffinan died in 1861 . Ile was married to Elizabeth Swartz, who was also born in Pennsylvania and was a daughter of Matthias Swartz, and they had the following children: Mary Ann, Zacharias and Samuel, all deceased; and Matthias, Tobias and Abra- ham.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 115

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