Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 138

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

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GEORGE HEER,* superintendent of the plant of the Wellman, Seaver, Morgan Com- pany, at Akron. is serving in his second year in this capacity. He was born in 1875, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, but was reared and educated at Alliance, Ohio. After leaving school, he served an apprenticeship in the machine shops of the Morgan Engineering Company, at Alliance. following which he was with the Harris Automatic Printing Com- pany, of Niles, Ohio, later with the Lloyd Booth Engineering Company, of Youngstown, for four months, and with the Diamond Match Company, of Barberton. for one year. Mr. Heer then entered the Sterling Boiler Works, where his training was severe and practical. He remained there until Septem-

ber, 1901, when he entered the Cleveland of- fice of his present firm, where he continued three years as an inspector, after which he came to Akron as assistant superintendent, later becoming superintendent of the whole plant. Mr. Heer is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM 1. HELFER,* proprietor of the Imperial greenhouses at No. 565 Bowery Street, Akron. is one of the enterprising busi- ness men of this city. He was born July 24, 1860, at Akron, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of the late George H. and Rebecca (Luce) Helfer.

The grandparents of Mr. Helfer were the first of the family to come to Ohio. They were natives of Pennsylvania and they crossed the mountains in the winter of 1820 and set- tled at Millbrook, Wayne County. Grand- father Christopher Helfer was a shoemaker by trade, but he later became a landowner and farmer in Congress Township. Of his six children, the late George H. Helfer was the second in order of birth.

George H. Helfer was born at Bellefonte. Pennsylvania. January 25, 1820. Until 1849 he engaged in mercantile pursuits in Wayne County and then settled at Akron, where he became the senior partner in the general mer- cantile firm of Helfer and Sechrist, which con- tinued until 1867, when Clinton Helfer, the eldest son of George H., purchased Mr. Se- christ's interest. The firm continued Helfer and Son until 1877, when Clinton H. bought his father's interest and still conducts the business. For some twenty-one succeeding years Mr. Helfer was associated with the Ak- ron Iron Company, of which he had long been a stockholder.

George H. Helfer was married (first) to Mary Elgin and they had five children, Clin- ton E. being the only present survivor. Mr. Helfer was married (second) to Rebecca Luce, who was born in Wayne County and is a daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Luce. Five children were born to the second mar- riage, the four survivors being: William 1.,

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Emma, Mrs. Clarence Rudolph; Edwin W., and Minnie B. (Mrs. Henry Adams) .

William H. Helfer was educated in the Ak- ron schools and subsequently entered the Ak- ron Iron Company, where he learned the prac- tical details of the business and became a skilled workman. Later he became shipping clerk, and remained with the company for five years as general foreman of the polishing department. lle then went into the retail coal trade, which he followed from 1885 until March 1, 1897. In the meantime he had permitted his natural inclinations to domi- nate his future business career, from boyhood having been interested in the growth of flowers and plants. lle sold his coal business in 1895 and erected his modern greenhouses which are situated at No. 565 South Bowery Street. He soon found himelf forced, in order to meet the demands of his trade, to greatly enlarge his capacity, and he now has six houses and does the largest business in his line in Summit County, giving constant employment to four skilled men. The business includes the growing of cut flowers and plants, fine decorating being a specialty. Baskets, bouquets and designs are made to order and weddings, parties and fu- nerals are supplied. On June 26, 1893, Mr. Helfer was married to Hattie May Rothrock, who died January 1. 1902. She was a daugh- ter of William Il. and Sarah ( Messer) Roth- rock, prominent residents of Akron. Poli- tically Mr. Helfer is identified with the Re- publican party but he has never sought polit- ical honors. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Woodmen. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which his late wife was also identified.

CHARLES B. CARR. M. D.,* physician and surgeon, has been a resident of Barber- ton since 1890, and ean almost lay claim to being one of the oldest inhabitants, as the town was then being just laid out. Dr. Carr was born July 25, 1861, in East Union Town- ship, Wayne County, Ohio, and is a son of David F. and Sarah E. (Boydston) Carr.

The father of Dr. Carr was a farmer and stockraiser and the boyhood of the future physician was spent in learning the details of agriculture, while securing a good primary education in the local schools. Later, after a literary course at Smithville, in Wayne County, he entered the university at Wooster. His inclination and ambition being in the di- rection of medicine as a profession, he made the necessary preparation and then entered the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, where he was graduated in 1890. He came to Bar- berton July 14, of the same year, which fact makes him the oldest physician in point of service, in the town, having practiced here continuously ever since, with the exception of the years 1893 and 1894, when he practiced at Youngstown. His reputation as physician and surgeon has carried his name all over Summit County, and he is often called into consultation at distant points. He is a mem- ber of the American Medical Association and of the Summit County Medical Society. For some seven years he served as surgeon for the Erie Railroad. On February 14, 1904, Dr. Carr was married to Mary H. Morgan, of Shreve, Ohio, who is a daughter of John Morgan, a well-known eitizen. They have two sons, Charles B. and Otis Paul. . Dr. Carr owns a large amount of valuable property at Ken- more, where he has a beautiful summer home, in which he has resided since 1905. and he is making preparations to build residences on his lots in this section.

PERRY DELAAZEN HARDY .* the owner of 106 acres of fine farming land in North- ampton Township, who has been prominent in the agricultural, educational and politieal af- fairs of this section of Summit County for many years, was born in Northampton Town- ship, Summit County, Ohio, April 11. 1834, and is a son of Nathaniel and Rebecca (Reed) Hardy.

Nathaniel Ilardy, the grandfther of Perry D., was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, in which he lost a leg. He came from New York State to Northampton Township, Ohio, at an early day, and lived here retired for the

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rest of his life being a pensioner. Nathaniel his son, father of Perry D., was born in Mas- sachusetts, October 11, 1796, went to Western New York as a child, and when sixteen years old came to the vicinity of Old Portage, Sum- mit County, Ohio,, where his first employ- inent was farming. Later he assisted in building several loeks on the Ohio Canal, and after the completion of that waterway, erected, and for many years conducted a hotel and small store at Yellow Creek Basin, now known as Botzum Station. Mr. Hardy sub- sequently engaged in farming. purchasing 250 acres of land in Northampton Township, east of the Cuyahoga River. After cultivat- ing it successfully for many years, he sold it to his sons, William and Norton R. For a long period Mr. Hardy served as justice of the peace and was active in ridding the township of many disreputable characters and prac- tices. Mr. Hardy was married in 1824 to Re- becca Reed, who was born June 11, 1805, at Delaware, Ohio, and to them were born eight children : Caroline, who married Jasper Drake; William; Norton Rice; Perry Delazen ; Mary, who married (first) Champion Belden and (second) Hiram Ayres, and resides in Akron; Harriet, who is the widow of Henry Hall, of Akron; Clarissa, who is the wife of Charles Walters of Cuyahoga Falls; and Na- thaniel, Jr. Of this family Caroline and William are deceased. The father of these children died December 4, 1866, his wife hay- ing passed away July 11, 1865.

Perry Delazen Hardy received his eduea- tion in the primitive log schoolhouse of his district, and was reared on the home farm. Early in life his energy and tenacity of pur- pose earned for him the nickname of "Com- modore Perry," and this was later changed to that of "Old Zach," after General Zachary Taylor, the hero of the Mexican War. Dur- ing the Civil War Mr. Hardy was very active in raising bounty money and securing recruits for the Union Army, and served as constable for several years, during which time by his vigilance he succeeded in ridding the town- ship of a gang of toughs known as the "Nor- wegians." For eight or nine years he served

as school director of District No. 9, being for one year president and the remainder of the time clerk, was township trustee for four years, and ex-officio member of the Board of Education, securing after a long fight, a schoolhouse, for his district of the township. Mr. Hardy remained on the home farm until 1858, when he purchased fifty-five acres of farming land in Northampton Township, to which he has added from time to time by pur- chase until now he owns about 106 acres. He marketed large quantities of hay and wheat and did a large dairy business, his milk be- ing sold at the cheese factory, but he has now retired from active pursuits and is renting his property. For thirty years he was engaged in selling agricultural implements, traveling through Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, and during all this time did a large business on his own account.

In 1854 Mr. Hardy was married to Eliza- beth A. Lanphier, who was a daughter of Al- bert Lanphier, of Coddingberg, Ohio, and to this union there were born nine children, six of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Ida S., born October 2, 1855. who was mar- ried October 1, 1888, to William Darrow, of Hudson; Harry B., born November 1, 1857, who resides in Portage Township; Willis Perry, born December 12. 1865. was married September 18. 1887, to Ida Lilley, and lives in Cleveland, Ohio: Nellie B., born July 2, 1869, who is the wife of William Walters of Northampton Township; Myrtle I., born De- cember 18. 1871. who is the wife of Dennis Clements of Akron ; and Vinton M., who was born January 1, 1874, and resides in Akron. The mother of these children died April 11, 1907, after a long and painful illness. She had borne her suffering with patience, and passed away in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Hardy completed a new home to replace the one totally destroyed by fire in 1905, in which he lost his violin, bass viol and several other stringed instru- ments. From boyhood he had been a lover of music and was very proficient on the violin, often playing at dances in the early days. He is known to be one of Northamp-

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ton's foremost citizens and he stands deserved- ly high in the estimation of his fellow-citi- zens.

GOTTLIEB VONGUNTEN .* one of the self-made men of Copley Township. Summit County, Ohio, the products of whose fine 138-acre truck farm find a ready sale in the markets of Akron, was born in April. 1858, in Switzerland, where his father followed agricultural pursuits all of his life.

Mr. Vongunten lost his parents when a boy of twelve or thirteen years of age, and when nineteen years old he came to America, locating at once in Wayne County, Ohio, where he worked at the shoemaker's trade, an occupation which he had learned in his native country. Two years later he re- turned to Switzerland, but in a few months he again came to America. bringing with him his three sisters and one brother. He worked at odd jobs in Wayne County until his marriage, when he removed to Ashtabula County, Ohio, purchasing a small farm. which he later sold in order to rent a much larger property. After living there for ten years Mr. Vongunten and his family came to Summit County, where he purchased ten acres of land located in Portage Township. but in October. 1901, he came to his pres- eut property, buying at first ten acres, the balance being purchased in 1908. On this fertile tract. the old Sackett farm. Mr. Von- gunten has carried on truck farming to the present time and his onions, celery and other small vegetables are of the finest grown in the county. He has always made a point of thoroughly cleansing his produce before put- ting it on the market, and for this purpose keep- large vats of running water, through which everything passes before leaving his hands. His success is due to his own indus- try and earnest efforts. and he is respected and esteemed as one of the representative agriculturists of Copley Township.

In March, 1882. Mr. Vongunten was mar- ried to Anna Hein. also a native of Switzer- land, who came to America as a girl of twenty years. her parents having died some

year- previously. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Vongunten, namely : Fred. who conducts a dairy, married Mary With, and has one child-Ruth Anna; Ed- ward; Mary, who married P. Dockus, has one child-Mabel Anna; Christ; Emma; Elizabeth; Ernst; Clara; William, and IIer- man. With his family Mr. Vongunten at- tends the Apostolic Christian Church.

CHARLES E. PERKINS,* chief engineer of the public works at Akron, is a graduate of the School of Mines of Columbia College, New York, and has had many years of prac- tical experience in his line of work. He was born May 7, 1850, at Akron, and is a son of Col. Simon Perkins, one of the early settlers of this region. Charles E. Perkins was educated and trained in his specialty in the Western Reserve College. the Polytechnic Institute. at Troy. New York, and later at Columbia College. Upon his return to Akron he was made city engineer and served as such from 1873 to 1877 inelusive. From 1878 until 1883. he conducted an agricul- tural warehouse business at Akron. In Oc- tober. 1883, he was elected county surveyor. and was re-elected in 1886 and again in 1889. Hle stands at the head of his profession in Akron and fills the most responsible posi- tion. in his line, in the gift of his fellow- citizens. On January 14. 1880. Mr. Perkins was married to May Adams, who is a daugh- ter of Frank Adams, of Akron.

JOHN S. BARLET .* one of the represen- tative citizens of Green Township, Summit County, Ohio, who in addition to farming twenty acres of fine land. has been in the auctioneering business for the past thirty years, was born December 5. 1848. in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. and is a son of William and Harriet (Sonnon) Barlet. William Barlet was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and there learned the trade of lime burner. On December 9, 1862. he brought hi- family to Ohio, and the train on which they traveled was frequently side-tracked to allow the train-loads of soldiers going to the

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front to pass. The family came immedi- ately from Canton to Green Township, where Mr. Barlet rented a farm from Jacob King for five years, and then purchased a home at Greensburg. where he died at the age of seventy-six years. his wife having passed away in 1895 when sixty-seven years old. Mr. Barlet was married to Harriet Sonnon, also a native of Pennsylvania, where all their children except the youngest were born. These were: Lydia. deceased, who was the wife of F. Winkelman; John .Samuel; Har- riet, who married a. Mr. Perry; Ellen, who married Benjamin Allman; and Jennie, who married Newman Smith.

John Samuel Barlet attended the old frame district school in his native locality, and remained with his parents until his mar- riage. When a young man he became a very successful auctioneer, and thi- occupation he has followed for the past thirty years, hav- ing had charge of most of the important sales in this section of the State. In addi- tion to his own twenty acres of land. Mr. Barlet rents fifty-five acres more, and on- gages in general farming. For the past ten years he has been overseer of the grounds of the Highland Park Camp Meeting Associa- tion. In 1869, Mr. Barlet was married to Emma Dickerhoof, who is a daughter of William Dickerhoof, an old Civil War veter- an and pioneer of Summit County, who was killed on a railroad. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barlet, namely : Effie May, who married Charles Leonard. of the O'Neil Boiler Works, Akron, has one child-Ilarold; Harvey, foreman of the Akron Linoleum Works, is married and has two children. Myrtle and Dorothy; Lloyd. a farmer and auctioneer in business with his father. married Catherine Stark ; and Ward, foreman of the Diamond Rubber Works at Akron, who married Lovina Fes- sler.

J. DWIGHT PALMER,* one of Akron's native sons and prominent business men, was born in this city in 1867, a son of R. F. Palmer. £ Ile was reared in Akron and

graduated from the High School in 1886. For some time after leaving school, Mr. Palmer traveled for his health, mainly through the New England States, but when prepared to enter into business life, he re- turned to his native city and shortly after- ward became connected with the collection department of the Aultman-Miller Company. with which he continued for eighteen years. On severing his relations with that firm he decided to remain in the collection business, in which he had become experi- enced, and in December. 1904. he established the J. D. Palmer Collecting Agency, which he has successfully operated ever since. Mr. Palmer is a prominent factor in local politics. being a leading Republican, and at the pres- ent writing, has just received the nomina- tion for councilman, from the Second Ward. lle has every qualification for a first-class city official, being publie-spirited, judicious and popular. In 1897, Mr. Palmer was married to Jeannette Groesel, who is a daughter of G. 1. Groesel, of Akron, and they have two sons : Roland F. and George .1. Mr. Palmer is a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons, in which order he has advanced as far as the commandery.

SOWARAS GOUGLER .* a highly ro- spected citizen and successful farmer. resid- ing on an excellent property of 140 acre in Coventry Township, not only owns this valu- able farm but also a tract of twenty-five acres which is situated across the line in Spring- field Township. Mr. Gongler was born in Snyder County. Pennsylvania, May 30, 1850, and is a son of Daniel and Phoebe (Arnold ) Gongler:

Daniel Gougler was born in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Til- den Gougler, whose whole life was passed in Pennsylvania, where he died at the age of eighty years. His children were: Samel. Susan, Peggy. George, Mrs. Stoll, Bivy. Daniel, Jacob. Sarah and Mary. Daniel, the seventh member of the above mentioned family, grew up on the farm, and learned

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the blacksmith trade. IIe married Phoebe Arnold, who was born in Snyder County, and in 1870 they came to Ohio, settling at Greensburg for one year, and then moving to near East Liberty, where Mr. Gougler died March 15, 1887, aged fifty-nine years. His widow survives, having reached the age of seventy-four years, and lives on the old home- stead near East Liberty. The children of Daniel Gougler and wife were: Sowaras; Lonisa, who married Frank Miller; Jacob; Jackson; Maria, who married Julins Gear- hart; and Calvin. The whole family, with the exception of Jackson, who lives at Kent, are residents of Summit County.

Sowaras Gougler received his edneation in the district schools of Snyder County and was about twenty years of age when he ac- companied the family to Ohio. He attended school for a short time afterward. He en- gaged in farming and teaming. driving a team for two years and ten months for Steas & Company, after which he returned to work on the farm.

On November 23. 1876, Mr. Gongler was married to Mary Bettler, who died October 14, 1902, aged forty-seven years. She was a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Tritt) Bet- tler. Mr. and Mrs. Gougler had six chil- dren, namely: Frank, who married Susan Spreggle, has three children-Park, Pearl and Dayton-and he lives on a part of his father's land; Elmer: Emma: Daniel: Lulu, and Clara Leona, the last mentioned of whom died aged six months.

Mr. Gougler rented his present farm be- fore he purchased it. In partnership with his brother-in-law. Joseph Bettler. he bought 140 aeres, and in 1890, Mr. Gongler bought Mr. Bettler's interest. The house was stand- ing, and this was remodeled and improved and the whole farm was gradually put into as fine shape as it is today. Mr. Gougler has resided right here for the past thirty years and can count all his neighbors as friends. He is a Democrat in his political views, but has never taken any very active part in poli- ties.

F. H. ADAMS,* cashier of the First Na- tional Bank of Akron, has been identified with this financial institution for a long period and for the past eleven years has filled the responsible office of cashier. Mr. Adams was born at Akron. Sunnit County, Ohio, in 1885, and is a son of Frank Adams, who came to Akron as early as 1838 and who still survives, being a representative pioneer citizen.

F. H. Adams was reared in this city, where his father was one of the early manufact- urers, and his education was secured in the excellent schools for which Akron has an established reputation. After leaving school, the young man went to Mexico, where he re- mained for one year interested in mining. Ile returned to Akron for a short time and then became connected with a large mannfac- turing concern at Fort Wayne, where he re- mained for two years. Ile then returned to Akron in order to become bookkeeper in the First National Bank, with which he has been associated ever since. He is interested also in other prospering enterprises at Akron and is recognized as one of the city's able busi- ness men. In 1891, Mr. Adams was married to Frances Robinson, who is a daughter of William Robinson, who was the pioneer manufacturer of sewer pipe at Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the First Presbyterian Church of this eity. His social connections include membership in the Por- tage Country club.

JOHN F. DICE,* one of Summit County's good. practical farmers, who resides on an ex- eellent farm of ninety acres, located in Frank- lin Township, was born May 9, 1856, near Manchester, Summit County. Ohio, and is a son of Jeremiah and Caroline (Dissinger) Dice.

Jeremiah Dice, who was a native of Penn- sylvania, came to Ohio as a young man, and for some years was engaged in work on vari- ous farms in Franklin Township. He sub- sequently purchased the farm now operated by John F. Dice, and at the time of his death, February 28, 1904. in his seventy-

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seventh year, he was considered a man of ample means. Shortly after coming to Ohio, Mr. Dice was married to Caroline Dissinger, daughter of John Dissinger, one of the early pioneers of this section, and a native of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Dice, who was born in Ohio, survives her husband. Seven children were born to Jeremiah and Caroline Dice, namely: John Franklin; Mary, who married M. Waltz; William; Alma, who mar- ried J. Baughman ; Elton; Emma, who mar- ried Thomas Sauers; and Marvin.

John F. Dice received his early educa- tional training in the district schools of his native township, and here he has spent his entire life in agricultural pursuits. In as- sociation with his mother he owns the home farm of ninety acres, and his careful cultiva- tion has largely increased its value. On January 31, 1877, Mr. Dice was married to Savilla Snyder, who is a daughter of George and Susan (Kepler) Snyder. Two children have been born to this union, namely : Bertha, who married Clarence Snyder, resid- ing in Akron; and Irving, who also makes his home at Akron. Mr. Dice is a member of the Reformed Church, of which he is now serving as treasurer. In political matters Mr. Dice is a Democrat, but he has never aspired to public office, preferring to give his time and attention to his home interests. He is fraternally connected with the Maccabes.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TRACY,* capi- talist and a leading citizen of Barberton, is vice-president of the Rubber Product Company, of this place, a large and im- portant industry, and has been for many year- identified with the strawboard interests of this section of Ohio. Mr. Tracy was one of the original settlers at Barberton, coming to this point in 1879 when the town was founded. Mr. Tracy was born in Parkman Township, Geauga County, Ohio. December 10, 1840. and is a son of Evander and Almeda Tracy. The father of Mr. Tracy was born in the State of New York and the mother in Trumbull county, Ohio. Evander Tracy was an early settler in Trumbull County.

after marriage moving to Geauga County, where he engaged in farming. Both he and wife died when their son Benjamin F. was young.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 138

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