Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 134

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

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out and returned to his parents at Twinsburg. Here he has continued to reside, taking an active part in public affairs and carefully regulating a large private business, looking after the operation of a farm of 175 acres. For seven and a half years he served as a justice of the peace at Twinsburg, for many years has been connected with the Board of Education, serving frequently as its presi- dent, for two years was township assessor, and for a number of years was township trustee.

On February 27, 1867, Mr. Lane was mar- ried to Mary E. Ames, who was born in Ver- mont, and is a daughter of Edwin and Anna (Scribner) Ames. The father of Mrs. Lane was born in Massachusetts, moved later to Illinois and still later to Minnesota, where he died. Her mother was born at Pough- keepsie, New York. After her widowhood she moved to Ravenna, Ohio, and subsequently died at the home of her daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Lane have had four children, namely : Carrie A., who married E. W. Hull, and has two children, Florence L. and Lois M .; Frank C., who died February 21, 1902, married Cleora B. Chamberlain; Edwin A., residing at Cleveland, who married Blanche Force, and they have one son, Wilbur C .; and Edna, who is a student at Oberlin College. Mr. and Mrs. Lane are members of the Congregational Church at Twinsburg. Mr. Lane is a Repub- lican.

T. M. PARKER, Sr., vice-president and manager of the Summit Lumber Company, with an extensive plant on West State street, Akron, has been a resident of this city since 1867. He was born in 1837, in Kent County, Delaware, where he was reared and educated.

Prior to leaving his native State, Mr. Parker engaged in farming, after which he spent eighteen months in the oil fields near Oil City, Pennsylvania. In 1867 he came to Akron and during the following year engaged in shipping fruit, when he became associated with the Thomas Company, contractors and builders, with whom he continued for eight- een years. Mr. Parker then engaged in a contracting business in partnership with Wil-

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liam H. Jones, who died in 1897, after which Mr. Parker purchased a tract of land on State and Canal streets for a site, and proceeded to organize the Summit Lumber Company. It was incorporated with a capital stock of $15,- 000, with T. M. Parker, Jr., president; T. M. Parker, Sr., vice-president and general man- ager; and William H. Mantz, secretary and treasurer. The business is both wholesale and retail and in addition to dealing in lumber of all kinds the company operate a planing mill and manufacture doors, sash and blinds, and do a general contracting business. This great industry gives employment to many men, adding both to the material prosperity of the individuals concerned and to the city at large.

In 1861, Mr. Parker was married to Cather- ine Millington, of Caroline County, Mary- land, who died in 1905, leaving one son, T. M. Parker, Jr. He was educated in the Akron schools and subsequently traveled for ten years in the theatrical business. For the past ten years he has given his attention to the demands of the increasing business of the Summit Lumber Company, and like his father, is numbered with the city's reliable and substantial citizens.

JOHN P. MACKEY, dairyman and gen- oral farmer, in Northfield Township, was born in Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio. August 23, 1853, and is a son of Thomas and Margaret (Pope) Mackey.

The father of Mr. Mackey came to America from County Antrim, Ireland, when seven- teen years of age, and joined an older brother, who had located in the State of New York. There he learned the carpenters' and joiners' trade, which he followed for seventeen years, and then, about the time of his marriage, set- tled down to farming. While following his trade exclusively, he worked in various cities through what is now the Central West, thus visiting Summit County. He was pleased with this section and subsequently bought the farm on Oak Hill, in Boston township, on which he spent the rest of his life. He was married in 1850 to Margaret, daughter of

John Pope, of Northfield Township, and four of their eight children grew to maturity, namely: John P., above mentioned; Amy, who married Rev. William G. Harper, a Methodist clergyman, residing at Washington Village; George F., residing at Rocky River; and T. IIarvey, also residing at Rocky River. The mother of the above mentioned family died in 1895. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church. The father, Thomas Mackey, died in 1891, lacking a few days of being seventy-five years old. His father, James Mackey, also came to America and farmed for a time in Northfield Town- ship, but later bought a farm near Everett, in Boston township.

John P. Mackey obtained his education in the public schools and remained on the home farm until the second year after his marriage. He then moved to Portage County where he farmed for one year, then returning to the home farm on Oak Hill, where he remained until February, 1907. While there he lived on a tract of sixty aeres just across the road from the old homestead, which he had pur- chased, and on which he carried on agricul- tural operations for twenty-seven years. fin- ally selling it to J. P. Nolan. In March, 1906, Mr. Mackey bought his present farm in North- field Township. It originally contained 100 acres and was settled by his maternal grand- father. Later 108 acres were added, but the A. B. C. Electric Railroad has taken forty-one acres, so that the present farm contains about. 167 acres, ninety of which Mr. Mackey has under a fine state of cultivation. He keeps twenty-four head of cattle and sells his milk to. the Brooks Creamery Company, uses all the oats he raises for feed, and markets his wheat and potatoes. He has taken a great deal of interest in his agricultural operations. and has paid considerable attention to improv- ing the stock of horses in this neighborhood. He owns a magnificent Percheron stallion. "Valiant," the pedigree of which is recorded in the Percheron Stud Book of America.

Mr. Mackey married Amelia Darrow, who is a daughter of Malcolm Darrow. of Bedford. They have one daughter. Margaret I., who

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married Henry Harrington and she and her husband reside with them. Mr. Mackey and family are members of the Congregational Church on Oak Hill, Boston Township, which is a branch of the Richfield Congregational Church, and of which formerly, Mr. Mackey was a trustee .. Mr. Mackey is one of North- field's most substantial men and highly re- spected citizens.

SAMUEL WARNER, a highly esteemed citizen of Copley Township, and the owner of 109 acres of fine farming land, was born January 13, 1852, in an old log house on his father's farm in Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Eliza- beth (Weaver) Warner.

Henry Warner, the grandfather of Samuel, was an early pioneer of Stark County, Ohio, settling in the woods with the Indians for neighbors, at which time Akron was still a small village, and Cleveland the nearest point at which salt could be procured. Later Mr. . Warner with his wife and several children came to Summit County, and became well known and highly esteemed residents of Cov- entry Township, where both passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Warner had eight children-John, the father of Samuel; Adam, now deceased ; William; Jacob; Abraham; Samuel; Solo- mon, and Daniel (deceased). Of this family Jacob and William were in the Civil War.

John Warner, father of Samuel, spent his boyhood days in the woods of Coventry Township, and attended the old log school- house. Throughout his life he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and he was the owner of the present farm of Samuel Warner, which he purchased from the Yearick estate. John Warner was married to Elizabeth Weaver, who died in 1901, and to this union there were born children as follows: William a resident of Coventry Township; Henry, who lives in New Portage; Samuel; John, of Nor- ton Township; Adam, who lives in Coventry Township; and a daughter who died young.

Samuel Warner was reared on his father's farm, and helped to clear the home place, modern machinery having come into use

about that time. After his marriage he rented a farm in Norton Township for about four years, and then returned to Coventry Township, where he carried on operations on the Thornton farm for a time, removing thence to the old Warner farm. There Mr. and Mrs. Warner lived until locating on the present property, originally the Yearick es- tate.

On May 26, 1872, Mr. Warner was mar- ried to Emma Sailor, who is a daughter of Lewis and Rebecca (Sonon) Sailor, and one child has been born to this union: Clara, who married Charles Winkleman, resides in Akron and has one child, Thore Wayne.

Mr. Warner has always been a Democrat in politics, but has never aspired to public office. With Mrs. Warner he attends the Methodist Episcopal Church.

PETER W. DOYLE, residing on his well- improved farm in Hudson Township, was born at Canton, St. Lawrence County, New York, June 5, 1853, and is a son of Michael and Mary (McGinnis) Doyle.

Both parents of Mr. Doyle came to America from Ireland, about 1825, unmarried at the time. Mrs. Doyle accompanied her parents, Thomas and Catherine (Rooney) McGinnis, and they located at Waddington, New York. Peter W. Doyle is the sixth member of a family of fifteen children born to his parents twelve of whom survived infaney, as follows: John, who served in the Civil War, died in a hospital at Washington, D. C., May 11, 1865; Catherine, who married James O'Brien, of Morley, New York; Thomas H., in the con- fectionery business, residing at Boston, Mas- sachusetts; Mrs. Margaret Bushaw, residing at Canton, New York; Mary A., residing at Columbus, unmarried; Peter W .; Jane, de- ceased. who married Harmon Sanford, also deceased ; Michael J., who is ticket agent for the great Pennsylvania system on Euclid avenue, Cleveland; Elizabeth, who married Henry Mohan, of Holyoke, Massachusetts; Edwin C., residing in San Diego County, California: Julia A., residing at Columbus,

ALLEN F. HOFFMAN

MAX L. HOFFMAN

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unmarried; and Agnes, who died at Colum- bus, in 1886.

Peter W. Doyle was twenty-four years of age when he came to Ohio and located at the town of Hudson. For a time he worked for the Straight cheese factory, and from 1879 until 1883, he engaged in farming for W. T. Chamberlain. From there he worked for Harvey Baldwin for three years, and at several other places prior to 1888, when he went to William Post's farm in Hudson Township. where he continued until 1892. He then came to his present farm, which he bought from W. B. Straight. He has made many improvements here and has a valuable property.

On April 25, 1881, Mr. Doyle was married to Mary Raleigh, who was born near North- ampton, Ohio, who is a daughter of Edward and Mary (Ryan) Raleigh. They have had (ight children, two of whom, twins, died in infancy. The others are: Sarah T., Mary Leona, Edward Walter, Leo Ignatius, Joanna Agnes; and Dorothy. Mr. Doyle and family belong to the Catholic Church at Hudson, of which he is secretary and one of the trus- tees. He is a member of the Board of Educa- tion of Hudson Township. In local affairs. Mr. Doyle votes independently, but in Na- tional affairs he supports the candidates of the Democratic party.

ALLEN F. HOFFMAN, one of the lead- ing business citizens of Kenmore, Ohio, where he holds the office of postmaster, was born on his father's farm in Medina County. Ohio. May 4. 1862, and is a son of Adam W. and Julia (Sutter) Hoffman.

Isaac Hoffman, grandfather of Allen F .. came from Pennsylvania to Ohio as a pioneer and settled in Mahoning County, later re- moving to Burbank. Wayne County. where he died. Mr. Hoffman was a mason by trade, but in his later years engaged in farming. He had three children: Joseph. who died when a boy: Caroline, who was the wife of J. Baker: and Adam W., the father of Allen F.

Adam W. Hoffman grew up on his father's

farm and was reared to agricultural pursuits, which he carried on in his younger year -. He now holds a responsible position as sta- tionary engineer at Burbank. He married Julia Sutter, who was born in Pennsylvania and who came to Ohio with her parents. Al- len F. was the only child born of this union.

Allen F. Hoffman attended the common schools and the Burbank High School, after graduating from which he began work as a clerk in a hardware store. He then spent some time in the hardware, grocery and post office of William Frary. In 1899 he removed to Barberton and entered the employ of the Barberton Hardware Company, in which he became a stock holder. His present place of business was then a branch of this company, he being the general manager thereof. and in 1907 he and his son Max L. purchased this place which is known as the Kenmore Sup- ply Company. Mr. Hoffman handles gen- eral merchandise, hardware, dry goods and groceries, and enjoys a steady trade. He is a director and stock holder in the People's Sav- ings and Banking Company of Barberton, at which place he owns property. In 1901 Mr. Hoffman was appointed postmaster at Ken- more. being the first to hold that office here. and he was one of the organizers of the Fourth Class Postmasters' League. of which he was elected president. Mr. Hoffman is connected fraternally with the Knights of the Maccabees. With his family he attends the United Brethren Church of Barberton.

Mr. Hoffman married Alta M. Inse, who is a daughter of W. B. and Sarah (Pelton) Luse. The fruit of this marriage is one child -Max L .- who at present is associated with his father in business, having been formerly connected with the Babcox-Wilcox Company of New York City. He married Olive G. Hoak. who is a daughter of Rev. J. T. Hoak. Mr. Hoffman is located on Kenmore Boule- vard. Kenmore, Ohio.

GENERAL CHARLES DICK. The State of Ohio has only once come to Summit County for a United States Senator. That was in February. 1904. when Charles Dick,

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then representing the nineteenth district in Congress, was triumphantly elected to the higher station. The fact that a trainload of the representative citizens of Akron journeyed to Columbus to be present at the joint-ses- sion of the legislature electing him, is evi- dence of the esteem in which he is held by his neighbors.

Most of those who have risen to high places during their residence in Summit County were born elsewhere. Most of them had the advantages of a splendid education obtained elsewhere. The subject of this sketch, on the other hand, is, in all respects, a product of our own county.

He was born in the city of Akron, Novem- ber 3, 1858. His parents were very poor, but eminently respectable people. His father, Gottlieb Dick, was born in Germany, and be- sides being able to rear his family in comfort and give them the benefit of the public schools education, he had not found America to be a place of riches for all who came to it. His mother, Mary M. (Handel) Dick, was also of German ancestry.

In September, 1864, he began his education in the Akron public schools and completed it by graduation from the Akron High School with the class of 1876. He was then com- pelled by circumstances to begin a business career at once and he secured a position as elerk in the store for men's furnishings on the corner of Market and Howard Streets, then kept by Chipman & Barnes. He clerked for two years, continuing his studies the meanwhile, especially the business branches. The banking concern known as The Citizens' Savings and Loan Association, since merged with The Second National Bank, offered him a position as bookkeeper and teller, which he accepted and honorably filled for a period of six years. His next advance was in 1879 when he became bookkeeper for the J. F. Seiberling Co., manufacturers of the Empire mowers and reapers.

In 1881, he formed a partnership with Lucius C. Miles, a son-in-law of Mr. Seiber- ling. under the firm name of Dick and Miles, and together they conducted the leading grain

and commission business of the city. In Feb- ruary, 1890, J. Ed. Peterson, brother-in-law of Mr. Dick, succeeded Mr. Miles in the part- nership. The new firm of Dick & Peterson continued until the increasing political re- sponsibilities of Mr. Dick made it necessary for him to withdraw from the active conduct of the business.

In the spring of 1886, Mr. Dick was nomi- nated for Auditor by the Republicans of Sum- mit County, after one of the hardest fights in Summit County's history. The Republican ticket that year was elected by good plurali- ties, and Mr. Dick took up the duties of audi- tor early in 1887. In 1889, he was re-elected and served the county faithfully until the ex- piration of his second term in 1893. In the conscientious discharge of his duties, he felt obliged to proceed against some of Akron's wealthy and most influential citizens because of their failure to list personal property for taxation. It was at best a disagreeable and unwelcome task; but he performed it faith- fully and to the satisfaction of the great mass of citizens of the county, even though one or two unavoidable enmities resulted from this resolve of a conscientious office-holder to per- form his full duty, without fear or favor. As an evidence of the commendation accorded his course, his second eleetion as county audi- tor was by a largely increased majority over his first.

He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1894, and to practice before the United States Su- preme Court in 1897. For about ten years he was senior member of the law firm of Dick, Doyle & Bryan at Akron, Ohio, until this partnership disbanded upon the election of Mr. Doyle to the Common Pleas bench.

Senator Dick was continuously and more or less actively interested in many of Akron's industrial and financial institutions until the point was reached when his genius (for such it is) for organization in the political field was afforded full opportunity to display itself and consumed most of his time.

His first experience was as member and chairman of the Summit County Republican Committee, with which he was actively identi-

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fied for a long time. Splendid success crowned his efforts, and throughout his entire public career of more than a score of years, practi- cally all political contests under his leadership have resulted victoriously. No one having knowledge of his record would assume to question his fame and merit as a great politi- cal general. In 1892 he was made Chairman of the Ohio Republican State Executive Com- mittee, in which capacity he is still serving, and during more than a decade of his service as State Chairman increasing majorities have been piled up for the Republican ticket.

In 1895-6 he co-operated most effectively with Senator Hanna in promoting the can- vass of William Mckinley for nomination as Republican candidate for President, and dur- ing the ensuing campaign officiated as Secre- tary of the Chicago headquarters of the Re- publican National Committee, continuing as Secretary of that Committee until 1900. He was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1892 and 1896, and delegate- at-large from Ohio to the Republican Na- tional Conventions of 1900 and 1904.

In recognition of the statesmanlike quali- ties he had displayed and of his efforts in be- half of the party, the Republican Congres- sional convention at Warren, in June, 1898, nominated him as its candidate for the House of Representatives. He was selected from a field of most worthy opponents after a liard fight. In March. 1899, he began his duties at Washington as Congressman and has been a national figure ever since. He was re-elected in 1900 and in 1902.

In February. 1904, on the death of Senator Hanna, he was elected to the United States Senate. to serve the remainder of the term expiring in 1905, and also for the full term expiring in 1911, receiving the unanimous vote of his party in the Ohio General As- sembly.

Mr. Dick's career in Congress has been such as to justify fully all the confidence and hopes which the people of Ohio have had in liim. Senator Dick is the author of the Dick Militia Law. was the main instrument in securing its passage. and has aetively participated in

much other important legislation. The Mi- litia Law put the affairs of the entire National Guard on a practical and efficient basis for the first time in our history. He is now Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining, and a member of several important committees, including that on Naval Affairs.

Early in his career Mr. Dick became inter- ested in military affairs and joined Company B of the Eighth Regiment, O. N. G. He rose by steady promotion to be captain of the com- pany, and in 1888 was elected major of the Eighth Regiment. He was afterward mnade colonel and brigadier general, and finally, in 1904, he was put at the head of the Ohio National Guard with the rank of major-gen- eral. He is also president of The Interstate National Guard Association. In 1898, on the breaking out of the war with Spain. Lieuten- ant-Colonel Dick went to the front with the Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served with the regiment in the short Cuban campaign. He was not one of the offi- cers participating in the famous "Round Robin," but was chosen and detailed by Gen- eral Shafter as the one to make personal rep- resentation to President Mckinley and the War Department concerning the precarious situation of our troops in Cuba after the ces- sation of hostilities.

Mr. Dick was married to Miss Carrie May Peterson. of Akron, on June 30, 1881. Seven children have been born to them, of whom five are now living. namely: Carl P .. . James E., Lucius A., Grace and Dorothy.

MORDECAI JOHN MORRIS. superin- tendent of the Massillon Navarre Coal Com- pany, the mines of which are situated four miles northwest of Clinton, in Summit County, with offices at Massillon and Cleve- land. is a practical coal miner and has had years of experience in the mining field, both as a worker and as an official. Mr. Morris was born in Cumbach, Wales. the name of his home being translated into English as "little valley." March 17. 1849, and is a son of John and Ann (Edmunds) Morris.

The father of Mr. Morris was a mining

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engineer who was educated at Oxford Uni- versity. After his marriage he emigrated to America, locating at Youngstown, Ohio, in 1845, where he engaged in a mining business with his cousin, David Morris, later coming to Summit County, where David Morris oper- ated the Chippewa mines in Franklin Town- ship, John Morris entering his employ. 1Ie was accidentally killed on the railroad at Orr- ville, in 1854, at the age of sixty-five year. His widow survived to the age of seventy-two years, dying in Arkansas. Of their family of twenty children, the following survive: Margaret, who married Benjamin Morris; Jane, who married Peter Brown; Martha, who married William Jones; William and Mordecai John. Five of the sons proved their patriotism during the Civil War, namely: John, William, Thomas, Benja- min and Mordecai, all of whom were brave soldiers, several of them gaining distinction. John and William were members of the Thir- ty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, William being captain of Company D, and John be- ing first sergeant. Thomas was a member of Company A, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served in that regiment for four years and six months. Benjamin was a member of Company Il, Ninetieth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and Mordecai served in Company G, 179th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. It was brave John Mor- ris who was the engineer that blew up Fort Hill, at Vicksburg, his death following from wounds received.

Mordecai J. Morris was a child when the family came to the United States, several weeks being passed on the sailing vessel that transported them. He went to school in a little stone structure that still stands across the road from his residence in Franklin Township and later attended the Union School at Massillon. His first experience as a miner came while still very young. He found employment in Clark's mine at Mas- sillon, first as mule driver and later as laborer, and he was thus employed when the Civil War was declared. Although but sixteen years of age he was of robust figure and when

he offered his services he looked capable of carrying a gun and was accepted as a member of the 179th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, and he served from 1864 until the close of the war, in the meanwhile participat- ing in the battles of Franklin and Nashville.

After the end of his military service, Mr. Morris returned for a short time to Massil- lon, from which place he went to Mineral Ridge, in Trumbull County, where he worked for his uncle until 1868. From there he went to Brazil, Indiana, in the heart of the coal fields, and was made assistant superintendent of the Clay Coal Company of Indiana, his brother William at that time be- ing general superintendent. He remained there for two years and then accepted the position of superintendent of the Sand Creek Coal Company of Parke County, Indiana, and continued there until the great business depression caused by the panic of 1873. Mr. Morris then went back to Summit County and subsequently be- came superintendent of the Johnston Coal Company. The mines of this company are located five miles south of Akron. He coil- tinued to perform the duties of this office for five years, becoming well known. Mr. Mor- ris then went to Massillon, where he became superintendent of the Massillon Pigeon Run Coal Company, remaining for five years with that concern. and then spent one year as su- perintendent of the J. F. Card Coal Company, at Wadsworth, Ohio.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 134

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