Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 128

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 128

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

An independent Democrat in politics, Mr. Cranz has served efficiently for twelve years on the School Board, has been town trustee for five years, and in 1903 was a candidate for the State Legislature, but because of his party being in the minority he made no canvass for election. IIe is a prominent member of the Grange, having been secretary of Pomona Grange, Summit County, for ten years, and master for three years. He has also served the Ohio State Grange in minor offices for four years, at present being an assistant secre- tary.

Mr. Cranz was married, in 1893, to Miss Nettie Parker, of Hinckley Township, Me- dina County. Her father was Oliver II. Par- ker, a carpenter and prominent bridge builder of Summit and Medina Counties. He and his wife are the parents of six children- Luman P., Gracia E., Doris E., Damon D ..

Ilarmon F., and Paul II. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cranz are members of the Congregational Church in which al-o they are useful workers. They and their family are among the most respected residents of the town-hip.

ARMIN SICHERMAN, M. D., one of Akron's leading physicians and surgeons, whose well-equipped offices may be found in the Hamilton Building, and whose surround- ing- all indicate the presence of a man of scholarly tastes, was born in 1865, in Hun- gary.

From the schools of his native land. Dr. Sicherman entered the college of Eperje -. Im- perio-Royal University of Vienna, Austria, where he was gradnated. Following the clo-e of his university career, he spent two years in the general hospital at Vienna. During the term of his medical studies he gave one year of service in the regular army. From Vienna, Dr. Sicherman came to America. reaching Akron in March, 1893, and this city has re- mained his field of labor ever since. He has won the confidence of his fellow-citizens. in his profession. and their esteem and friend- ship, in personal relations. He is a member of the Summit County, the Ohio State, the Union Medical and the American Medical 1- sociation-, and he belongs to the Summit County Medical club. Ile is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. Dr. Sieherman was married in 1900. to Rose Loewy, of Alle- gheny, Pennsylvania. and they have two sons, Merryl and Karl. He belongs to the Hebrew congregation, at Akron.

COL. GEORGE TOD PERKINS. presi- dent of the B. F. Goodrich Company. and of the Akron Rubber Company, and formerly president of the Second National Bank, of Akron, is one of the leading men of this city, where he was born, May 5. 1836. He is a son of Colonel Simon and Grace Ingersoll (Tod) Perkins, separate notice of whom may be found in this volume.

George Tod Perkins was educated in the schools of his native city and at Marietta Col-

1020

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

lege. In 1859 he went to Youngstown, where he was associated with his uncle, David Tod, later Governor of Ohio, as secretary of the Brier Ilill Iron Company. In April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company B. Nineteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, and was elected by the company to the rank of second lieutenant. During his enlist- ment he served in West Virginia. In 1862 he re-enlisted, becoming major of the 105th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; he was made lieutenant-colonel, July 16, 1863, and colonel, February 18, 1864, and was mustered out at Washington, June 3, 1865. Colonel Perkins' service included many of the most serious battles of the whole war, notably Per- ryville, Kentucky, where two of his captains and forty-seven of his men were killed; Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge. Kenesaw Mountain and the siege of Atlanta. were among his other ex- periences. He commanded his regiment in the "March to the Sea," with General Sher- man, and was one of the gallant officers who won and received deserved promotion.

Colonel Perkins then returned to Akron and entered into business, from 1867 to 1870, being secretary of Taplin. Rice & Company. In the latter year he became president of the Bank of Akron, continuing from 1870 to 1876, and then served as cashier of the same until the consolidation of that institution with the Second National Bank, in March, 1888, of which latter bank he was president for some years. As mentioned above, Colonel Perkins has other important business inter- ests. In 1900 he presented to the city of Akron seventy-six acres of land for park pur- poses-to be known as Perkins Park.

On October 6, 1865. Colonel Perkins Was married to Mary F. Rawson, and they had three children, the one surviving being Mary. who is the wife of Charles B. Raymond. of Akron. Colonel Perkins has a beautiful home at No. 90 North Pro-pect Street.

JAMES PIERCE NOLAND, general farm- er and nur-eryman, resides on his valuable

64 1-2 acre farm in Boston Township, and also owns the well-known Mackey place, which contains sixty acres, with a fine resi- dence and farm buildings attached, also a valuable silo. He was born in Pike Town- ship, Coshocton County, Ohio, May 6. 1853, and is a son of James D. and Mary ( Porter} Noland.

The father of Mr. Noland was born in Coshocton County and in childhood accom- panied his parents to Indiana and later to łowa, but returned to his native county, where the rest of his life was passed. He died in 1903, aged eighty-seven years. In politics he was a Democrat and he served in almost all the local offices of his township. He mar- ried Mary Porter, who died in 1884. aged fifty-three years. She was a member of the Disciples Church. Of their eight children, James Pierce was the eldest.

Until he was twenty years of age, James P. Noland remained on the home farm, in the local schools having good educational ad- vantages. Ile then went to Painesville, Ohio, where he entered the employ of Storrs & Har- rison, nurserymen, and after two years of practical experience there, formed a part- nership with his brothers, W. A. and C. C., under the firm name of Noland Bros. To- gether they conducted a nursery business at West Carlisle, Ohio, for three years. After Mr. Noland's marriage, in 1886, he took up his residence with his wife's parents in Boston Township, and put out a lot of nursery stock that same spring. The sixty aeres which com- pose the Vowles farm, together with the Mackey farm, gives him a large acreage and all sections of the whole estate is made to pro- duce to its limit. Mr. Noland raises corn, wheat. hay and oats, but his main business is raising nursery stock of all kinds and he has the distinction of being the most extensive grower in Summit County. From the age of thirteen years Mr. Noland has given this line of business close attention, and he is not an indifferent acceptor of just what the Jand will produce, but a scientifically educated tree, plant and flower developer. one who, seeming-

1021

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

ly, can bring forth any variety from the fer- tile land that he chooses. Ile is an indefati- gable worker, a keen observer of all climatic conditions and also an excellent business man.

Mr. Noland has originated a number of choice varieties of flowers and fruit. He has been very successful with strawberries, his main producers being the Bubach, the Sen- ator Dunlap, the Haviland. the William Belt, Sample- and Yant, and the Noland, the latter a large, firm, berry that he originated him- self. He raise- many raspberries and black- berries, all of the kind easiest to ship. He has now on his place, 60,000 Norway spruces, a specialty, standing from four inches to eight feet, designed for the Christmas demand. while his fruit stock include all the varieties which will stand the climate. He calls atten- tion to a very fine species of crab apple, large. of fine flavor and handsome color, which he originated himself. IIe has an abundance of roses and flowering shrubs of all kinds and in almost all seasons of the year he is sur- rounded by a perfect wealth of natural beauty. On March 9, 1886, Mr. Noland wa- married to Mary Vowles, who is a daughter of Levi and Janes Vowles, of Boston Township.

THE FOSTER FAMILY. Among the well-known and respected families of North- field Township, the Foster family, which has been established here since 1841. is now repre- sented by three members-two brothers and one -i-ter.

Lyman Foster was born at Bangor, Maine, in 1805 and died in Northfield Township, Summit County, Ohio, in 1875. Lyman Foster's wife, Minerva Everest Foster, was born in Essex County. New York, in 1806, and died in Northfield Township. Summit County. Ohio, 1892.

In the spring of 1841 Lyman Foster, wife. and family of six children started for Ohio. Taking canal boat at Albany. they arrived at Buffalo three weeks later, from there they took the steam-boat to Cleveland, from which place they made their way to Northfield Township by canal and overland. They

were met at the canal boat by Zadac Everest. brother of Minerva Foster, who took them to her father's home ( William Everest's) in Macedonia, Northfield Township. Remain- ing a short time with then, they then rented some land of Gabriel Curtis and commenced the battle of farming for a livelihood. By hard work and good management they were fairly prosperous and very soon purchased land where their present home has been for the past fifty-four years. This home is now occupied by L. R., A. L. and Z. M. Foster. Two children were added to the family, being born in Macedonia, making eight children in all who lived to reach their majority.

The record- of the children are as follows : Orlando H. Foster, born in Warrensburg. Warren County, New York, in 1830, married in 1861 Mrs. A. R. Willard (now deceased), of Ravenna. Portage County, Ohio; he died at Macedonia in 1862, leaving no children.

LeRoy Foster. born in Warrensburg. War- ren County, New York, in 1831. married Maria Stevens of Princeville, Peoria County. Illinois, in 1859. She died in 1862 leaving one child. Ora M., who became the wife of T. D. McFarland. of Hudson, Ohio. in 1885. She died in 1892 leaving one child, Doris Marie. T. D. McFarland died in 1907. Doris Marie now makes her home with her grandfather, L. R. Foster.

Andrew J. Foster was born in Warrens- burg, Warren County, New York, in 1833. married Mary A. Taylor, of Twinsburg. Sun- mit County, Ohio, in 1860, died at Fo-ter City. Michigan, in 1896. She died at the home of L. R Foster in 1905: no children living.

Amanda Elizabeth Foster, born at Warren -- burg. Warren County. New York. in 1535. married James H. Clark, of Northfield Town- ship in 1859. To them three children were born, one now living, Mrs. F. M. Vaughn, of Cleveland. Mrs. Clark died at Macedonia in 1865. Mr. Clark died at Cleveland in 1903.

Alonzo L. Foster, born at Warrensburg. Warren County. New York, in 1837. was mar- ried in 1870 to Frances E. Barlicomb of Cadil-

1022

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

lac, Michigan, who died in 1878, in Cleve- land, leaving no children.

Sarah Jane Foster, born at Greenwich, Washington County, New York, in 1839, married Rev. William Campbell, of North- field Township, in 1862. To them two chil- dren were born: William, Jr., and Lillian, all of which now live at Minneapolis, Minn. Zorada M. Foster, born in Macedonia, Sun- mit County, Ohio, in 1841.

Amelia M. Foster born in Macedonia, Suni- mit County, Ohio, in 1844, married B. D. Hammond. of Smithfield, Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1865, died in 1887 at Wichita, Kansas, leaving six children: Foster, Myrtle, Daniel. Thorne, Lyman, and Tracey.

Lyman Foster and wife were active mem- bers of The Free-Will Baptist Church of Ma- cedonia and brought up their family in strict, New England Evangelical codes; were up-to- date Americans, Republicans in politics. The whole family was interested in the under- ground railroad. At one time eight negroes were concealed in a straw-stack at the barn. The Foster family sang as a choir in church for many years.

At the present time the three living mem- bers of the family at the old homestead and the granddaughter of L. R. Foster, Doris Marie MeFarland, are active members of the Christian Science Church of Macedonia.

ROSWELL KENT, once one of the leading business men of Akron, was well and widely known as a merchant and as a member of the manufacturing firm of Irish, Kent and McMillan, later Irish, Kent and Baldwin, and subsequently Kent, Baldwin and Company. He was born May 18, 1798, at Leyden, Massa- chusetts, and accompanied his parents to Hud- son, Ohio, in 1812.

Mr. Kent was educated in the best schools of his day. He became industrially interested at Akron, then Middlebury, in 1820, when he established a general store for his brother and Capt. Ileman Oviatt. In 1826 he bought the business and conducted it himself until his retirement. When the firm of Irish, Kent

and MeMillan was formed for the manufac- ture of woolen machinery, he became its sec- ond member, and during the changes in the course of years, remained a member. His name is associated with many of Akron's early enterprises and his assistance was given to a large number of its public-spirited efforts. The Sixth Ward Kent school building, one of the finest educational edifices of the city, was named in his honor.

In 1826 Roswell Kent was married to Eliza Hart, who was a daughter of Joseph and Annie (Hotchkiss) Hart, who settled at Mid- dlebury in 1807. Mrs. Kent was born in 1808, and was the first white child born in the present limits of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Kent had seven children, of whom three grew to maturity-Ekka K. (deceased), who was the wife of Findley McNaughton; Russel II., and Flora K., who was the wife of T. S. Page.

Russel HI. Kent, the only surviving son of the late Roswell and Eliza (Hart) Kent, who is secretary and treasurer of the Summit China Company, was born September 26, 1841, in Akron, Ohio. His education was se- eured in the common schools of Akron, after which he became associated with The Kent and Baldwin Company, of which his father was the head. In 1879 the Akron Stone- ware Company was organized, which was ste- ceeded in 1900 by The Summit China Com- pany, and Mr. Kent is still identified with this enterprise. Mr. Kent was married to Miss Mary Melissa Brewster, who is a daughter of the late Alexander and Margaret Ann (Kin- ney) Brewster. Mr. and Mrs. Kent reside at No. 398 East Buchtel Avenue.

Alexander Brewster, who was one of Sum- mit County's prominent pioneer citizens, was born September 10, 1808, at Augusta, Oneida County, New York, and died at Akron in May, 1899. In 1812 the parents of Mr. Brew- ster came to Summit County and settled as pioneers in the wilderness of Coventry Town- ship. There father and son developed a fine homestead farm, and together they worked at the carpenter's trade, although Alexander later gave his attention entirely to agricultural

1023

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

pursuits. In 184S a vein of coal was discov- pred on his land, but not being a practical miner, he did little to develop it until after his return from the California gold fields, in 1852. He soon found it more profitable to engage in mining than in farming, and after successfully operating on his own land, in 1865 he organized a stock company. under the title of the Brewster Coal Company. with a capital stock of $100,000. Of this organiza- tion, Mr. Brewster became president and his two sons, Alfred A. and Austin K., were asso- ciated with him, the former as general agent, and the latter as secretary and treasurer. This company is still active in the coal fields and for years, during Mr. Brewster's management, mined 300,000 tons of coal annually. He was a man of fine business judgment and be- came one of Akron's most substantial citi- zen -.

CHARLES HENRY STROMAN, one of Springfield Township's substantial citizens and leading agriculturalists, resides on his farm of 115 acres, and owns other land, thirty-eight and one-half acres being situated in Coventry Township. He was born in Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio, May 14. 1854, on his father's farm, a mile and a half south of his present home, and is a son of John and Rosanna (Raber) Stro- man.

John Stroman was born in Pennsylvania and he accompanied his parents. Charles and Rebecca Stroman, who settled in Green Town- ship. Summit County, but later removed to Indiana. The grandfather of Charles II. Stroman died on his farm there, after which the grandmother returned to Ohio and lived the remainder of her life in the vicinity of her children. These were: Gemima, Matilda, Lucy Ann, Rebecca. Barbara. Elizabeth, Sarah. Mary Ann, Samuel, John and Charles, the latter two remaining residents of Summit County. John Stroman married Rosanna, daughter of Henry Raber, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. They had two children, Charles H. and Lovina. The latter married

John P. Kepler. She is deceased. John Stro- man sold the farm where Charles Henry was born and bought the latter's present farm in 1856. He also owned 100 acres in Coventry Township. John Stroman died in 1884 at the age of fifty-eight years. Ilis widow died in 1894, aged sixty-eight years.

Charles Henry Stroman was two years old when his father purchased and moved to the farm on which he has spent fifty-one years. He secured his education in the district schools and has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. For some five years he rented the present farm and then purchased it and has made many improvements here.

In 1900 Mr. Stroman was married to Nora Ellen Taylor, who is a daughter of Henry and Amanda (Ringer) Taylor. of Coventry Township. Henry Taylor was born in Ire- land and accompanied his parents to America and they still survive, living at Kistler, Penn- sylvania. The mother of Mrs. Stroman was born at Royalton, near Cleveland, Ohio, and died in 1889, aged forty-eight years. Mr. Taylor resides at Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Stro- man have one little daughter. Amy Viola, who was born in 1901.

Mr. Stroman is a Democrat in his political views, but he is broad-minded enough to see merit in men outside the ranks of either party and usually votes for the man he believes best qualified for office. Ile is a member of Sum- mit Lodge, No. 50, Odd Fellows, at Akron.

FLORENZO F. FENN, a citizen of Tall- madge Township and the oldest living repre- sentative of the Fenn family, was born Janu- ary 17. 1828, in Tallmadge, Ohio. Ili- par- ents. Fowler F. and Esther (Law) Fenn, were born in Milford. Connecticut. and after their marriage in 1818 came to the Western Re- serve, Ohio, and located in Tallmadge in 1820. Tallmadge was at that time a dense forest. Hlis farmi was in the eastern part of Tallmadge, and his father, Benjamin Fenn, Florenzo F. Fenn's grandfather, occupied a farm half a mile west of the center. As Mr. Femme's father made his home with the grand-

1024

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

father while preparing a home of his own, it involved a walk of two miles and a half each way through a wilderness of trees and brush. Mr. Fenn's father once encountered a panther that bounded from one side of the path to the other, screaming like mad. LIe armed himself with a club and reached his home safely. After that incident he was care- ful to start for home before dusk.

They built their own log cabin and the first tree cut for it was felled by his wife, he cutting off the larger part. Although frail in body, Mr. Fenn's mother was a helpmate in every sense of the word. She paid a sub- scription of $50.00 to the church by spinning flax and weaving linen. They were blessed with five children: Nathan W., who died at two; Lucinda S .. still living at eighty-six; Henrietta L., who died at twenty-one; Nathan W. (second), who died at twenty-one; and Florenzo F., the youngest, the subject of this sketch, still living. His mother died when he was thirteen months old, at the age of thirty- two. He was reared by his mother's sister, Abigail A. Law, whom his father afterward married, in 1830. She was the mother of three children : Edward P., who died at the age of two years; Esther E., who died at the age of twenty-three years; and Edward P. (second), who died at the age of forty-one. She was a devoted and loving mother, and lived to the good old age of ninety-three years, spending the last years of her life in the home of Florenzo F. Fenn.

When Mr. Fenn was nine years old, at a time when he most needed the loving care and watchfulness of a father, his father was taken away, at the age of forty-four. Mr. Fenn attended school until seventeen years of age, when he went to Hudson and learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade. He also at- tended the preparatory department of West- ern Reserve College, which was in ITudson at that time. He, however, did not continue his studies, as his health would not permit. In the year 1854 he was married to Julia Eu- nice Treat. Iler parents, Andrew Treat and Marietta Newton Treat, were born in Con- neeticut, and lived there until they were mar-

ried in April, 1823, at which time they left their home for the adventures of a new coun- try. They made the journey in a one-horse wagon, which for a time was the only wagon in the neighborhood and was used for all pur- poses- to go to mill, to meetings, to weddings and funerals. It is still preserved by Mr. Fenn, and is a curiosity which attracted con- siderable attention at the Tallmadge Centen- niał held in 1907, when a large up-to-date automobile stood beside it, showing the prog- ress of events. Mr. Treat bought land on the southeast road in Tallmadge Township and settled on the same. By industry and fru- gality he became the largest land owner and one of the wealthiest citizens of Tallmadge. Ile cleared acres and acres of land by hand. chopping magnificent trees down in windrows and burning them-trees that would be a for- tune to any one owning them now. They built on the land he had cleared and lived there all their lives, Mrs. Treat dying in 1857. aged eighty-three years and Mr. Treat in 1888, aged eighty-seven years.

They had two children, Joseph A. and Julia E. Treat. Julia, who was the wife of Florenzo F. Fenn, secured her grammar edu- cation in Tallmadge. At the age of fourteen went to Cleveland to school, and later to New Haven for special study in music. She was married at the age of twenty-one and spent the remainder of her life in Tallmadge, her death occuring in November, 1901, when she had attained the age of sixty-eight years. She was a woman of estimable character, a devoted mother, and beloved by all who knew her. She was the mother of eight children : Frank and Florenzo. Everton Newton, Julian; Marietta A .. Andrew Edward, Elbert Dwight and Julia. Frank and Florenzo died in in- faney, Julian at the age of three and a half years, and Marietta at thirty years of age. The other four are still living and reside in Cleve- land. Since Mr. Fenn's marriage he has spent most of his years in farming, and has always taken an interest in the affairs of the township. He and his wife joined the Con- gregational Church in their youth and were active members ever afterward. He has been

1025

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

a member of Tallmadge Grange and Summit County Horticultural Society for years. He has always supported the candidates of the Republican party, and during the Civil War was a member of Company D, 164th Regi- ment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

In his youth Mr. Fenn was not blessed with good health, and his friends feared an early death from consumption. Many of those he has outlived. and, although he has pa -- ed four score years, he bears their weight better than many do the half century. He con- tinnes to be actively interested in all that concerns the public life of his neighborhood and country, keeps thoroughly posted and in tonch with modern thought along many lines, and enjoys social converse and family reunions. Mr. Fenn is a descendant of Gov- crnor Law, once governor of Connecticut. Also he and his wife are both descendants of Governor Treat.

RANSOME MILTON SANFORD was born in Hudson Township, Summit County, Ohio, on the old Buck farm, May 26, 1830. and is a son of Garry and Emily (Richard- son) Sanford, and is probably one of the best-known men of Hudson Township. There are few buildings standing in Iludson that he has not either constructed or repaired. and in large part. the same may be said over much of Hudson Township.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Sanford never left Connecticut and lived continuously in the old family home, which was built 120 years ago, and which is still occupied by a descendant. The father of Mr. Sanford came from Bridgewater, Connecticut. to Rootstown, Portage County, Ohio, in September, 1819, and seven years later to Hudson Township. He was married in 1822, and located in the southeastern corner of Hudson, where he lived until 1833. when he bought the farm where T. B. Terry now lives. He cleared up that property and died there June 7. 1845. He married Emily Richardson, who survived un- til 1870, her death taking place near Akron. They had the following children: A habe that died: Lorenzo. born in 1824. residing at

Bridgeport; Perry L., who died m Pennsyl- vania; Henry M., who died at Hudson; Ran- some MI .: Emily, who died, aged eighteen years; Marcus, who died aged fifteen years; Electa, born in 1839, who married Abel Un- derhill, residing near AAkron; Harlan P., who died aged three years: and Sarah Jane, who died in childhood.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 128

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