Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 44

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 44

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).

December 31st, 1864, Mr. Weygandt was married to Elizabeth Garman, who is a daughter of Benjamin Garman, and they have one son, Emory Marion. The latter married Jennie Baughman, who died in Illi- nois. He resides with his parents. The family belong to Grace Reformed Church.

J. E. PFLUEGER, vice-president and su- perintendent of the Enterprise Manufactur- ing Company, leaders in the saddlery Ini- dustry at Akron and commanding a trade that covers the whole United States, is one of the city's most active and enterprising men of affairs. Mr. Pflueger has scarcely reached middle age, having been born September 18, 1864, and is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a son of the late E. F. Pflueger, who was the founder of the present business.

E. F. Pflueger was born at Baden, Ger- many, in February, 1843, and after a most useful life, passed away at AAkron, Novem- ber 18,1900. An enduring monument to his memory is the prosperous industry to which he devoted many years of his life, and which had its inception in his inventive brain. He was brought to America in early childhood. being then an orphan, and by the time he was six years old had made himself of use to his protectors, by carrying water from the old town pump, in Buffalo, for use in a bakery. From the age of eight years to that of four- teen he was chore boy in a stove foundry. He then entered upon his apprenticeship to the molder's trade, which he followed until 1868,

355

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

when he eame to Akron. For a number of years he was connected with the Erie Stove Company, a Pennsylvania organization. A.s an example of his industry and business fore- sight, it is related that when the foundry was elosed during July and August, he was ae- customed to go through the country and buy up apples and produee, which he would ship to the city markets, making a good profit. It was in connection with this industry which he opened up for himself, that Mr. Pflueger came to Akron and with capital supplied by Mr. Miller, a wholesale grocer of Buffalo, New York, who had become interested in his operations, embarked in a grocery busi- ness on Howard street, which he continued with great success, until 1880. Then the in- ventions which for a number of years he had been engaged in perfeeting demanded factory facilities, and a business organization for their manufacture and sale.

Mr. Pflueger's first successful inventions were a horse head light and a harness rosette, and when these were put on the market, the inventor went out on the road and sold them himself, thus in great degree aeeumulating the capital with which the Enterprise Man- ufacturing Company was started. He sub- sequently continued his inventions until he had fifty patents granted him, of which the following is a partial list: Hinge-tug as applied to fishing spoons and baits, fish sealers, coil spring fastener for fishing float, sweat- pad spring for attaching sweat-pads to horses' collars, medicated sweat-pads, riveting loops to backs and mountings, luminous head-light and rosette, wire rosette, Jockey Club rosette; detachable rubber horse shoe, fist bait with flitter, weed protector as applied to fishing tackle, luminous paint as applied to fishing taekle, paper or pulp fishing float, fish bait decoy, swivel for fishing bait. wooden Trolling Peek. soldering machine, and a luminous pa- per weight, these being but some of the inven- tions which seemed to spring almost spontane- ously from Mr. Pflueger's active mind. He eontinned active to the time of his death, and died just as he would doubtless have wished, still in harness.

J. E. Pflueger was placed as superintendent of the Enterprise Manufacturing works while still young, following out his father's in- struetions, and gradually assuming more and more responsibility. After the death of the elder Pflueger, the business was reorganized and J. E. Pflueger became viee-president, George A. Pflueger sueeeeding his father as president of the business. J. E. Pflueger also has made many practical inventions which are manufactured by the company. Among them may be mentioned, the eyelone spinner, metal rosette fastener, a hard rubber side plate with metal eenter reinforcement for fishing reels, a leather thumb brake for fish- ing reels, and a reinforced flange washer for fishing reels; he has also many others pend- ing. His inventions, like those of his father, are all praetieal and add greatly to the value of the articles to which they are applied.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Company, organized in 1880, was incorporated in 1886, and was reorganized in 1901. The present home of the company is a four-story briek building, which has supplanted smaller quarters. This plant is equipped with all kinds of modern machinery, with original appliances made by the Pfluegers, and their products inelude many other articles in ad- dition to their rosettes, ornaments, spots, sad- dle-mails, fronts and houseing plates, which have been leaders in regard to popular de- mand.

In 1891, J. E. Pflueger was married to Lovina Ulm, of Brimfeld, Portage County, Ohio, and they have two children, Erne and Edna. Fraternally, Mr. Pflueger is a Knight Templar and belongs to all of the Masonie branehes at Akron; he is also an Odd Fel- low and a Knight of Pythias. He is cor- responding secretary of the Avansas Pass Tar- pon elub, of Tarpon, Texas ; and of the Tuna elub, of Catalina Islands. California.

AUSTIN J. TRIPLETT. a representative eitizen of Coventry Township, and the owner of a well-cultivated farm of thirty acres, was born in an old log house on his present farm in Kenmore. Coventry Township. Summit

356

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Laura (Bellows) Triplett.

William Triplett, the grandfather of Aus- tin J., was probably born in Virginia, from whence he moved to East Liberty, Logan County, Ohio, and there purchased a farm, which he cleared from the woods. Some years later he sold this property and bought a farm in Coventry Township, now a part of the Brewster brother's estate, which he culti- vated until within ten years of his death, when he retired, the rest of his life being spent with his children. ILis death occurred at the home of his son, Joshua Triplett, when he was over 70 years old, his wife having passed away some years before. William Triplett was twice married, his second wife being Saviera Viers, and had eight children, three of whom were sons and five daughters.

John Triplett, the father of Austin J., was born March 4, 1809, and was the first white child born in Green Township. Summit County, Ohio, and the eldest of his parents' children. He was reared to agricultural pur- suits and experienced all the hardships of pioneer life, clearing a home from the dense wilderness. Shortly after his marriage he located on what is now the farm of Austin J. Triplett, and cleared a small space in the center, on which he built a small log house, this being the family home until his son Aus- tin was four years old. At this time a house was built on the Manchester road, and in 1841 was built a frame house, in which Mr. and Mrs. Triplett spent the rest of their lives, the former's death occurring in August. 1888, and that of his wife in August, 1875. Ile was a Democrat in politics and served one term as township trustee, although he never cared for public life.

John Triplett married Laura Bellows, who was born in Coventry Township, a daughter of Ithemer Bellows, of Connectieut. To Mr. and Mrs. Triplett there were born three chil- dren, namely : Amelia, who married John Ilaines, of Lockwood Corners; Austin James, whose name begins this article; and Marietta, who was the wife of George W. Foust, of

Coventry Township, and who died May 3, 1905.

Austin J. Triplett was reared on the home farm, and his education was largely secured at home, as in his early youth there was lit- tle or no public money in the township, and as a result what educational institutions there were at that time were supported by what each family could afford to subseribe. Teach- ers were advertised for and bids for the posi- tions accepted, and school sessions were held in a double log-house, a family living in one side while the school was held in the other. Mr. Triplett's father was in poor health, and as soon as the son became old enough he took charge of the home farm, which he later re- ceived from his father's estate. About twenty acres of this land he sold for building-lots in Kenmore, and the remainder he has used for agricultural purposes. His home, which is located at the corner of the two roads, was erected by him in 1902 and its beautiful lo- cation and surroundings attract the attention of every visitor to this seetion. Mr. Triplett is a Prohibitionist in polities, and for many years has served efficiently as a member of the school board.

On September 19, 1858, Mr. Triplett was married to Mary Cartmill, who was born at Mogadore, Summit County, Ohio. There were three children born of this union, name- ly: William, a carpenter, residing near his father, who married Nellie Lodge and has three children, Claude, Lydia and IIattie (Mrs. Lloyd Stein) ; Charles, also residing near his father's home, who married Naney Norris and has two children, Flossie and Les- ter; and Jesse, a machinist living at Akron, who married Bertha Daily, and has three children, Elsie, Dorothy and Earl. Mr. Triplett. with his wife and family, belongs to the Evangelical Church, which he has served as trustee.

JOIN SOWERS, county recorder of Sum- mit County, now serving in his second term, is a veteran of the Civil War. IIe was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in 1845, where in

357

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

his boyhood he attended school and assisted on the home farm.

Mr. Sowers was not quite seventeen years of age when he enlisted for service in the war for the preservation of the Union, in 1861 be- coming a member of the Sixth Battery in Sherman's brigade. The command to which he was attached left Mansfield for Louisville, and for a time it was employed guarding the Columbia River, near Shiloh. It later took part in the siege of that city, participated in the battles of Corinth, Stone River, Chicka- mauga, Missionary Ridge, and through all the skirmishes and long marches of the At- lanta campaign, going from Atlanta to Jones- boro, then back to Tennessee, where were fought the battles of Franklin and Nashville. The command was then ordered to East Ten- nessec, and from there to Texas, and then to Cairo, Illinois, from which point it went by water to New Orleans. The end of the war closed Mr. Sowers' long military service and he was honorably discharged at Camp Chase, Ohio, September 1, 1865.

Ilaving suffered no serious injury in spite of the many fields of danger on which he had been, Mr. Sowers returned safely to Wayne County and set about completing his education. After a year at school he learned the plasterer's trade and in 1868 began work at it in Greensburg, where he subsequently fol- lowed it for some thirty years. He then pur- chased a meat market which he conducted until 1897, when he sold out and came to Akron, which city has been his home since. He has always been active in politics and while residing at Greensburg, was township asses- «or for eleven years and school director for three years, later serving three years as con- stable. Mr. Sowers was first elected county recorder in the fall of 1902 and assumed the duties of the office in September, 1903, per- forming them so satisfactorily that he was easily re-elected in the fall of 1905.

In 1870, Mr. Sowers was married to Kate Garman, of Summit County, and they have eight children, namely: Blanche, who is the wife of William Brady, residing at Massillon ; Grace, who is her father's assistant in the

recorder's office; Floyd, residing in Pennsyl- vania; William, chief deputy in the recorder's office; Leroy, residing at Akron; Maud, who is the wife of Joseph Funk, residing at AAkron ; and Paul and Fay, both residing at Akron. Mr. Sowers is a valued comrade in Buckley Post, G. A. R.

U. G. FREDERICK, secretary, treasurer and general manager of the U. G. Frederick Lumber Company, was born in Summit County, Ohio, and during the whole of his business life has resided in Akron. Ile is a son of Henry Frederick, who was one of the early settlers of this county, where he became a successful farmer.

U. G. Frederiek after completing the com- mon-school course in his native county was a student for awhile at Hiram College Later he took a business course in Eastman's Com- mercial College, at Poughkeepsie, New York. Prior to going east, Mr. Frederick had been with the B. F. Goodrich Company, for a short time, and after his return he entered the eni- ploy of the Thomas Lumber Company. In 1901, he bought the Thomas interests and in 1905 he incorporated The U. G. Frederick Lumber Company, at Akron, with a capital stock of $25,000. The officers of the con- pany are: Henry Frederick, president : L. A. Frederick, vice-president; and U. G. Fred- erick, secretary, treasurer and manager. The company does a general lumber and contract- ing business and its commercial standing is of high rating. In 1887, Mr. Frederick was married to Luln Walterman, who was born in New York, and they have one child, Ethel. With his family he belongs to the Disciples Church. Fraternally Mr. Frederick is a Knight Templar and an Elk, and he belongs to the Masonic Club and the Portage Country Club.

J. A. MAHAFFEY. Among the self-made men of Akron, whose business success has been the direct result of his own personal ef- fort, is J. A. Mahaffey, proprietor of the larg- est furniture and house-furnishing store in this city. He was born in 1858, at Freeport,

35S

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and was taken to Pittsburg when ten years of age, where he was educated, attending the public schools for a few years.

Mr. Mahaffey has displayed remarkable business faculty and he began to be self-sup- porting when only twelve years of age, work- ing first as a newsboy and later as a messenger in a telegraph office. He then became office boy for a civil engineer, and all the time, while performing the duties of the position for which he was paid, he was learning busi- ness methods and using his spare time to qualify as a bookkeeper. When seventeen years old he became assistant bookkeeper in a mercantile house and later bookkeeper in a Pittsburg wholesale house, where he continued for fourteen years. In 1890 Mr. Mahaffey went to Canton, Ohio, where he established a housefurnishing store, and later, in the same year, opened a branch store at Akron. He conducted both these enterprises until his Ak- ron business became so large as to be of more importance than the original enterprise at Canton, when he sold the Canton store, and has since devoted his attention exclusively to that in Akron. His commodious quarters give him 30,000 square feet of floor space and he carries a complete stock of all goods in his line.

In 1879, Mr. Mahaffey was married to Emma Foust, of Pittsburg, and they have three children: Edna Blanche, who married D. M. Krug, of Canton; and J. Earl and A. Roy, both of whom are associated with their father in the business. Fraternally, Mr. Ma- haffey is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, an Elk, a Knight of Pythias, and an Eagle, and be- longs also to other beneficial orders. He still retains membership with the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Canton.

D. R. HANAWALT, superintendent of the Hower Building, at Akron, and a director of the Lombard & Replogle Engineering Com- pany, of this city, was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, April 12, 1861. He remained in his home neighborhood until eighteen years of age, and completed his education at Ju-

niata College, having previously taught school for three years in central Pennsylvania. In 1883 he went to Philadelphia, where he was bookkeeper for five years with a wholesale grocery house and for nine years a traveling representative of a photographic supply house. Following this he became interested in the manufacture of stoves at Royersford, Pennsyl- vania, in which he continued for seven years, after which he came to Akron and became in- terested in the business life of this eity, as above noted. In making Akron his home, he has connected himself with local institu- tions, and has made friends among the peo- ple, to his and their mutual benefit. He is a member of the German Baptist Church. On July 11, 1900, Mr. Hanawalt was married to Matilda Augusta Preston, of Newark, New Jersey, and they have three children: George Preston, Joseph Donald and Virginia Brands.

GEORGE D. BATES, formerly mayor of Akron and founder and president of the See- ond National Bank of this city, was born No- vember 11, 1811, at Brandon, Vermont, and died at Akron, July 25, 1887, at the age of seventy-six years. In 1828 Mr. Bates came to Ohio and worked for a time on a farm in the vicinity of Solon, but in 1836 he opened a general store at Franklin Mills, which he conducted for about ten years. In 1848 he formed a partnership with Charles - Webber and James B. Taplin, under the firm name of G. D. Bates & Company, establishing the Globe Foundry, which business still survives under the name of the Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Works. Several years later Mr. Bates sold his foundry interests, and engaged in railroad building, in partnership with J. H. Pendleton, in which business he continued to be interested for some years. In 1855, in association with the late Gen. Philo Chamber- lin, he embarked in a private banking busi- ness, under the firm name of G. D. Bates & Company, several years later buying the stand of the old Akron Bank. In 1863 he organized the Second National Bank of Akron, and to the interests of this financial institution he devoted the greater part of his time for the

HON. J. PARK AALEXANDER

361

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

lest of his life. His public services to Akron included a performance of all the duties per- taining to the mayoralty, to which he was elected in 1864 and 1865, and to advancing the commercial importance of the city in every way possible to a good citizen.

Mr. Bates was married (first) to Anna Maria Warner, who died December 4, 1841. He was married (second) June 22, 1845, to Aliee Maria Baker, who was born at Olean, New York, and who died September 19, 1853. Three children were born of that marriage. On April 4, 1856, Mr. Bates married his third wife, Mary Ann Mathews, who was born at MeIndoe Falls, Vermont. and who died August 12, 1885, leaving two children, Jennie and George D. The latter is cashier of the Second National Bank of Akron and a member of the board of directors. His resi- denee is at No. 152 Adolph avenue.

HON. J. PARK ALEXANDER, who, after many years of prominence in business and public life, is now serving as a member of the Board of Commissioners in relation to the building of the magnificent new Court House, of Summit County, is one of Akron's dis- tinguished and honored citizens. For a pro- tracted period he was prominent in political life, representing this community first in the State Legislature, in 1882 and 1883, and the counties of Summit, Portage, Geauga, Lake and Ashtabula, in the State Senate, from 1888 until 1892, and again, from 1896 to 1898; and throughout his life up to the present time, he has been identified with matters of publie concern.

Mr. Alexander was born August 7, 1834, at Bath, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Mary (Scott) Alexander. Dur- ing his boyhood and early youth, he attended Richfield Academy and the Marlboro Normal School, at the latter institution taking a course in civil engineering. He then began to teach school, and from April, 1855, until July, 1857, he was principal of the Akron Gram- mar School, many of the present residents of this city having been students under him at that time. In 1866 he went into business,

purchasing the site of the present Diamond Fire Briek Works, where he began the manu- facture of silica fire brick, upon which he held a patent, also the manufacture of stone- ware, contracting for the output of some fifteen other potteries, and establishing warehouses at Akron, Detroit and Chi- eago. In 1887 he still further enlarged his business, and from 1872 until 1877, he op- erated in addition two oil refineries. Ile continued to be actively interested in illumi- nating and lubrieating oils until 1891, since which time he has turned his attention in other direetions.

On September 4, 1860, Mr. Alexander was married to Martha D. Wright, and into their household have been born eight children, namely: Clara W., who married Prof. Charles B. Wright, residing at Middlebury. Vermont; Helen B., who married Henry B. Sperry and resides in Akron, Ohio; George Bates, who is now deceased; Grace F., wife of C. N. Belden, president of the Taplin, Rice Company, and residing in Akron ; Martha D., who married Charles HI. Little of Cleveland; Bessie H., who married Stephen H. Pitkin, residing at Akron, where he is general mana- ger for the Wellman Seaver Company; John Park, who is deceased; and Alice S., who mar- ried Frank E. Hulett, who with his father is the patentee of the hoisting machinery known as the Hulett Unloader, residing at Cleveland.

During the greater part of his mature life, Mr. Alexander has been active in polities, and his fellow-citizens have recognized his claims to public confidence. Among many other causes which he has successfully chan). pioned, are the colonization of the imbeciles and feeble-minded youths of the State. and through his efforts an appropriation of $150 .- 000 was secured for that purpose, and an institution was established after he had worked ten years for its success. During the several years following he served on the board that regulated its affairs. While the needs of his whole State have always appealed to him, Mr. Alexander has been particularly anxious at all times to promote the interests of Akron

362

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

and Summit County. For some fifteen years he occupied a seat in the City Council, tor almost the whole of that time being president of the board. In 1858 he was made secretary of the Summit County Agricultural Society, and for fourteen years following, was its sec- retary and president. In 1872 he was elected treasurer of the State Board of Agriculture.

In fraternal life Mr. Alexander has been an Odd Fellow for many years, belonging to the various divisions of that order.

OTIS REED THOMPSON, proprietor of the Crystal Creek Celery Farm, a tract of 171 acres, situated in Stow Township, has been a prominent citizen of this section for a number of years. Mr. Thompson was born September 12, 1849, at Hartville, Lake Town- ship, Stark County, Ohio, and is a son of Benjamin F. and Susanne ( Werner ) Thomp- SO11.

Benjamin F. Thompson was born January 13, 1820, in the same house and on the same farm in which his son Otis R. was born, his father John Thompson, having been a very early settler in Stark County. All through his active life he has been engaged extensive- ly in farming, has bought and sold cattle on a large scale and raised many sheep. In politics he is a Republican, but he has paid less attention to office-holding than many oth- ers whose business interests were not so large. He has been twice married and he and his first and second wife have been consistent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Benjamin F. Thompson was married ( first) to Susanne Werner, who died in 1863. She was a daughter of John Werner, of Stark County, Ohio, and she became the mother of eight children, six of whom reached maturity, as follows: John L., residing at Cuyahoga Falls; Henry, residing in Cuyahoga Falls Township; Emily, who married Travella Wil- cox, and resides in Cleveland; Mary, wife of Cyrus Yerriek, and residing in Akron; Otis Reed; and Loretta, who married William Lane. Emily and Loretta are deceased. Mr. Thompson was married (second) to Martha

Linn, of New Berlin, Ohio, and they have had one son, Harvey, who resides at Cuyahoga Falls.

Otis Reed Thompson was reared in a home where all material comforts were abundant, but his educational advantages were very lim- ited. Ile was only fifteen years of age when he enlisted as a drummer boy in Company A, 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Col. Charles F. Manderson, and he re- mained in the service a little over two years. The first battle in which his mettle wa- tried, was at Ringold Station, below Chattanooga. He later took part in the Atlanta campaign, was engaged in battle of Franklin. Tennes- see, later on participated in the second battle of Nashville, after which he went with his regiment to Texas. After his honorable dis- charge from the army in which he had dis- played the enthusiasm of youth and the brav- ery. of manhood, Mr. Thompson returned to Lake Township and remained at home with his father whom he greatly assisted. Some two years later he accompanied his father and step-mother, the latter of whom was a kind, motherly woman, to Stow Township, where they settled on a farm on which the Test Sta- tion now stands. His parents subsequently moved to Cuyahoga Falls, but Otis Reed re- mained on that farm for fourteen years.

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 44

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