Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 47

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 47

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Fisher for three years and then entered the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, where he was graduated in 1879. A few days later found him established at his present lo- cation, ready for business, and through all the succeeding years he has never failed to an- swer a eall for medical help. Dr. Woods is held in the highest esteem, both personally and professionally.

In 1881 Dr. Woods was married to Ella Harrier, who is a daughter of Daniel Harrier, and they have one daughter, Lily Blanche. who married Dr. Bert 1. Shriber, a dental surgeon of Akron.

Dr. Woods has practically retired from practice, but eonsents occasionally to serve in consultation or to visit in an old family. whose physician and friend he has been for a quarter of a century. He has never identi- fied himself with seeret organizations, his only fraternal connection being with the bene- ficiary order of Pathfinders.

EDWARD B. MILLER. manager of the People's Improvement Company, at Akron, has been a resident of this eity since child- hood, and has been identified with many of the city's important industries. Hle was born February 15, 1859, at Canton. Ohio, and is a son of Lewis Miller, who was the originator and founder of the Chautauqua Association.

Ile was scarcely more than five years old when his parents moved to Akron, where he attended school. He later entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, remaining three years. In the meantime he evinced a natural lean- ing toward mechanics, and this led him to en- ter Stevens' School of Technology, at Ho- boken, New Jersey, where he took a course in mechanical engineering. Mr. Miller then went for a tour of Europe, and on his return he entered the foundry department of his father's coneern, the Aultman-Miller Com- pany, with the determination of learning every detail of the business. This plan he carried out and became assistant superintend- ent of the shops, remaining for eight years with that company. Later he was superin- tendent of the Akron Iron Company for eight

years. During all this period he had been quietly investing in land in and around Ak- ron, which since then he has been platting and building thereon comfortable homes for the public. His foresight has proven him a man of business faculty of high degree. ITis land is well improved, and, while materially benefitting himself, he has added much to the general attractiveness of his city. Sinee childhood he has been united with the First Methodist Episcopal Church at AAkron,

JOHN H. DELLENBERGER, whose busi- ness connection with the Akron Lumber Com- pany, with plant located at No. 575 South Main Street, Akron, dates from 1890, has been a resident of this city for the past forty- one years. He was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1844, and was reared on his fath- er's farm in Suffield Township.

Mr. Dellenberger is one of the surviving veterans of the Civil War. When twenty years of age he enlisted for service in Com- pany H. 184th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. and his period of service covered about nine months, during which time he was sta- tioned mainly in Tennessee and Alabama. He survived all the dangers and disasters of war, and returned safely to his home in Por- tage County. He was then engaged in ear- penter work until the fall of 1866, when he came to Akron and began contracting, in which occupation he continued until 1870. when he went into the lumber business and was associated twelve years with Simon Hankey. The Hankey Lumber Company was then organized, of which Mr. Dellenberger was a member for five years. Sinee then he has been identified with the Akron Lumber Company, which handles all kinds of build- ing materials and manufactures sash, door. and blinds and deals in all kinds of lumber.

In 1868 Mr. Dellenberger was married to Elizabeth J. Aeker. He has three sons: Al- bertus J .. Harry A. and John II., Jr., all of whom are connected with the Akron Lum- ber Company. In addition. John II., Jr .. is a veterinarian, a graduate of the Ontario Veter- inary College. Mr. Dellenberger is a member

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of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to Buckley Post, Grand Army of the Republic. He has never taken any very active part in politics, but is num- bered with the quiet, solid representative men of his city, ever ready to do his part in pro- moting matters of public welfare, but seeking no personal emolument therefrom.

ROBERT TURNER, residing on his val- uable farm in Portage Township, lying just outside of the limits of the city of Akron, came to this locality from the city where he was engaged for many years in a mannfac- turing business.

Mr. Turner was born in Norfolk, England. January 5, 1833, and is a son of James and Mary ( Walker) Turner. He was reared in England and remained in his native land un- til 1852. After he left school he began work in a flour mill and served an apprenticeship of five years to the millers' trade. When he left England, his objective point was Akron, which city he reached on July 8, 1852, and on the following day he went to work at the old Center mill, operated by the Allen-Per- kins Company. Here he remained for ten years and three months, for eight years of which time he was head miller. On July 1, 1862, Mr. Turner bought a steam flour-mill of George Ayliff, which he operated until 1872, when he sold it and bought the woolen factory on Cherry Street. This he converted into an oatmeal mill, having from 1864 made oatmeal in the steam mill. He continued the manufacture of oatmeal until 1881, when he sold out to J. H. Hower & Sons. Mr. Turner had been living up to this time in a comfortable home on North Summit Street, which he now traded for a farm of ninety acres, known as the old Judge Pitkin farm. This land, on account of its location, is each year becoming more valuable, and Mr. Tur- ner is selling town lots from it, and the time is not far distant when this will be one of the finest residential parts of Akron.

In 1858 Mr. Turner was married to Jane Cooper, who died in February, 1892. The children of this marriage were: Robert, who

died young; Addie, residing in Akron; Nel- lie M., who married George W. Carpenter, re- siding in Akron; and Robert, residing also in Akron. Mr. Turner was married (second) to Emma E. Gibbons, who is a daughter of Edward Gibbons. Mrs. Turner was born and reared in England and accompanied her brother to America when she was twenty-five years of age. She learned stenography and secured a position, first with William Tay- lor Son & Company. and later was with the William Bingham Company and the Stand- ard Lighting Company, where she continued until her marriage in 1893 to Mr. Turner.

Since becoming an American citizen, Mr. Turner has been a loyal supporter of the Government, serving during the Civil War as a member of the Sixty-fourth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, which was stationed for the 100-day term at Akron. He has since served acceptably in various offices of responsibility, to which his fellow citizens elected him. For ten years he was a director of the old Portage Township school and for years was a member of the Summit County Agricultural Society. being its treasurer for a part of the time. Fra- ternally he is a Mason, belonging to Akron Lodge, No. 83, A. F. & A. M., and the Royal Arch Chapter, also of Akron.

CHARLES E. AKERS, proprietor of the large hardware business, located at. No. 984 S. Main Street, Akron, has been a continuous resident of this city for the past thirty-three years. Mr. Akers was born in England about 100 miles distant from the great city of Lon- don, and in his native land attended school through boyhod and learned the tinner's trade.

Thus, when the young man arrived in Ak- ron. he was ready to go to work and his serv- ices were accepted by Cramer & May, but within six months he realized that there was a good opening in his line of business for an- other first-class establishment, and, according- ly, in association with his brother. he formed the firm of Akers Brothers. This firm con- tinned for twelve years, doing a general hard- ware, roofing and tinning business. Charles

JACOB KOCH

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E. Akers is now sole proprietor of the large business, dealing in all kinds of hardware, tinning, roofing and spouting, besides doing general job work. Mr. Akers enjoys a large patronage and is numbered with the leading business men in his line of industry in Akron.

In 1880 Mr. Akers was married to Anna White, and they have four children, namely; Edith, who married Frederick Stornan, re- siding at Akron, and Eva, Alfred and Ruth. Mr. Akers and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Politically Mr. Akers is a Republican. He is a member of several insurance societies and has served on some civic boards, but he is in no way a politician. Quite recently he has enjoyed a visit to Europe, spending six weeks in viewing the various places of interest in London, Liverpool, Paris and other famous Old World cities.

JACOB KOCH, a prominent citizen of Akron for many years, but now living re- tired from business activity, was born at Baer- stadt, Bavaria, Germany, May 29, 1840, and is a son of Henry and Mary Koch. His par- ents were natives of Germany who emigrated to America in 1841, finding a home in the city of Philadelphia. The father lost his life through the foundering at sea of a sailing vessel on which he was a passenger, in 1845, between Philadelphia and Savannah, Geor- gia, and in 1846 . Jacob accompanied his mother to Cleveland, Ohio. He was educated in the schools of that city. In 1854 he came to Akron, where his uncle was the senior member of the clothing firm of Koch and Levi. and secured a clerkship with them. During the next ten years he devoted himself so closely and thoroughly to the business that in 1864, when his uncle retired, he was able to take his place. In 1878 Mr. Levi was suc- ceeded by Louis Loeb, and the firm name then assumed was J. Koch and Company. The business was removed to commodious quar- ters on South Howard Street, subsequently removal being made to the corner of Mill and Main Streets. Mr. Koch continued at the

head of the firm and in time built up the largest establishment in Akron dealing in gents' furnishing goods and boys' and men's clothing. In January, 1907, he disposed of his interest in the business, and since then has been enjoying a quiet life of ease and leisure. Since his retirement the business has been changed to a stock company, composed of clerks who had served under, and were trained in business methods by, Mr. Koch, Louis Loeb being manager.

On March 12, 1878, Mr. Koch was married to Leah Hexter, of New York, who died in that city September 3, 1878. February 8, 1893, Mr. Koch married (second) Miss Ella Dessaner, of Montrose, Pennsylvania. Of this union there is one child, Marion Blanche, born March 15, 1895.

Mr .. Koch takes a good citizen's interest in public matters, and has frequently demon- strated his patriotism and public spirit. He responded to the call of Governor Brough, in 1862. for troops for State defenders, and in 1864, as a member of the 164th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, served 100 days in front of Washington. He has been connected with a number of civie bodies, and served for a time on the Board of Trustees of the De Roo Hospital fund. He has a beautiful home at No. 36 Adolph Avenue.

J. A. SWINEHART, president and man- ager of the Swinehart Clincher Tire and Ruh- ber Company, a large business enterprise of Akron, has resided in this city for the past thirty-one years. He was born in 1851, at Suffield, Portage County, Ohio, where for some time he attended school, completing his education at Smithville.

Mr. Swinehart was nineteen years of age when he came to Akron and he spent seven years teaching school in the surrounding dis- tricts. He having a natural taste for wood- working, he finally left the educational field and learned the millwrights' trade, subse- quently developing into a contractor. For some sixteen years he engaged in contract- ing, building many of the largest mills, be- sides numerous other buildings, at Akron and

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throughout Summit County. When the Fire- stone Rubber Company was organized he became interested in it as a business enter- prise, and accepted the position of vice-presi- dent, which he retained for three years. He then went to Europe, where he was engaged for a number of years in selling patents on his side-wire tire. Mr. Swinehart made six trips abroad in the interests of the above named business, but in the meanwhile he was studying out other inventions, which resulted in the production of the clincher tire, and, in 1904. of the organization of the Swinchart Clincher Tire and Rubber Company. This became an incorporated body. Its present capital stock is $200.000.00, with J. 1. Swine- hart as president and general manager; B. C. Swinehart as vice-president; Fred 1. Boron, as treasurer, and C. O. Baughman, as secretary. The manufacture of the Swinehart Clincher Tires is the company's main industry. Mr. Swinchart is interested also in other con- cerns and is one of Akron's stirring and prom- inent business citizens, From 1893 to 1895 he served as a member of the Akron sehool board.

In 1880 Mr. Swinehart was married to Cal- lie C. Coldren, of Springfield Township, Sum- mit County. They have three children, namely: B. C. Swinchart. who is vice-presi- dent of the Swinehart Clincher Tire Com- pany, and a resident of AAkron, and Ada and Esther, who reside at home with their parents. Mr. Swinchart and family belong to the Grace Reformed Church of Akron, which he is sery- ing as a member of the official board.

NATHANIEL LOMBARD, superintend- ent and chief engineer of the Lombard & Replogle Engineering Company, at Akron, with quarters in the Hower Building on West Market Street, is of New England aneestry and was horn at Springfield, Maine, in 1865.

Mr. Lombard received his educational training in his native state, and when nine- teen years of age he went to Boston Massa- chusetts, and found employment with the American Arms Company of that city. with whom he continued for four years. Here he

had an opportunity of working out some ideas of his own and his experiments resulted in the invention of a praetieal machine for cov- ering electrical wires. Its value was imme- diately recognized and he sold it without difficulty to the Eastern Electrical. Cable Com- pany, entering their works to build a few of the machines. His busy brain kept at work and he soon produced a lasting machine for lasting shoes, which he sold to the Me- Kay Shoe Machinery Company, of Boston. About the same time he sold his hydraulic car brake to the eity of New York, where a number of cable cars were equipped with this life-saving appliance. Other important in- ventions of recognized utility are his water- wheel governors, the Lombard water-wheel governor, which is controlled by the Lombard Water Wheel Governor Company, of Boston, and his other invention. the improved water- wheel governor, which is being built by the Holyoke Machine Company, of Worcester, Massachusetts.

In 1905 Mr. Lombard came to Akron and. after inventing and perfeeting the Lombard « Replogle mechanieal water-wheel governor, he formed the Lombard & Replogle Engineer- ing Company, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $100,000. The officers of this company are: M. Otis Hower, president ; II. Y. Ilower, vice-president ; M. A. Replogle, secretary, and Nathaniel Lombard, superin- tendent and chief engineer. Mr. Lombard retains a one-third interest in the Improved Water-Wheel Governor Company, of Worces- ter. Massachusetts; is a stockholder in the Lombard Water-Wheel Governor Company, also of that city, and is interested in a number of smaller eoneerns. He has been equipped by nature with inventive gifts, which he has developed to great advantage, and in his spe- eial field, he has no superior.

In 1899 Mr. Lombard was married to May- etta Harddy, of Boston, Massachusetts, and they have one daughter, Sybil.

NORMAN FREDERICK RODEN- BAUGII, M. D., physician and surgeon, at Barberton, stands very high in his profession,

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all through Summit County, where his fam- ily is an old and honored one. Dr. Roden- baugh was born in Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio, September 15, 1865, and is a son of Abraham and Rebecca (Hart) Rodenbaugh. The Rodenbaugh family is of German extraction, but has been American for a number of generations. The founder of the family in Ohio was John Roden- baugh, the grandfather of Dr. Rodenbaugh, who came from Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1840, and settled on a farm in Springfield Township, Summit County, elose to the line of Green Township.

Abraham Rodenbaugh. father of Dr. Rodenbaugh, was born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. December 18, 1818, and accompanied his parents to Ohio when about twenty-two years of age: he was a soldier drilled for the Mexican War, under Colonel Buckley, and was on his way to the front when the order was countermanded. He was married to Rebecca HIart in 1846. She was born in Springfield Township, and was a daughter of John Hart, Jr .. and a grand- daughter of the John Hart, formerly from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, whose name is signed to that immortal document, the Dee- laration of Independence. The grandfather, to uphold his pledge, enlisted and fought seven years through the Revolutionary War, under General Lafayette. John Hart, Jr., was a soldier under General Jackson in the war of 1812, and was with Old Iliekory against. England in the famous battle of New Orleans. The children of Abraham and Re- becca (Hart) Rodenbaugh were seven in number, and five of these still survive.

The boyhood days of Dr. Rodenbaugh was spent on his father's farm, where his train- ing was that of the usual country boy, including attendance in the local schools. Later he entered the Uniontown High School, and attended Buchtel College, and subsequent- Iv taught school for six terms. in the mean- time doing considerable preliminary medical reading. after which he entered the Ohio Med- ical University, which is now connected with Starling Medical College. In 1899 he ad-

mitted to partnership Dr. George .1. Brown, Senecaville, Guernsey County, Ohio. for six years, who was superseded by his nephew in 1905, Dr. Herbert Rodenbaugh, both being graduates of Ohio Medical University at Co- lumbus.

In 1897 Dr. Rodenbaugh was married to Minnie Kepler, who is a daughter of Sammel Kepler, a highly respected resident of Akron. They have two children, Josephine and Hugo.

Dr. Rodenbaugh has always associated with the Methodist Episcopal Church. His fra- ternal connections inelude the Elks, the Odd Fellows, the Foresters, and the Maccabees.

Few men were more prominent in the early development of Springfield Township than Abraham Rodenbaugh, father of Dr. Roden- bangh. He was a man of progressive ideas. In the early days he. with John R. Buehtel. founder of Buchtel College, were boys from the same neighborhood, grubbed and cleared the timberland on several farms in the south- ern part of Coventry and Springfield Town- ships and purchased and ran one of the first. separators for thrashing wheat in that part of the county. Abraham Rodenbaugh survived until 1897, aged seventy-nine years, his wife having died in June, 1891. They were wide- ly known for their many worthy character- isties and for the generous hospitality that prevailed in their home.

A. WINKLER, vice-president of the Pettitt Brothers Hardware Company, a leading house in its line of business at Akron, has been a resident of this eity almost all his life. al- though his birth took place in Germany. Ile was three years of age when his parents came to Akron in 1876. His boyhood was passed in attending to home duties. He was taught to be frugal and careful. from necessity, and he attended school until he was old enough to begin to learn a trade. Ile chose to be a tinner and worked under William Kasch, at Akron. for three years and then became asso- eiated with the firm of May & Fieberger, with whom he continued for eleven years, becom- ing well and favorably known. both to the trade and the general public. Since 1903 he

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has been a member of Pettitt Brothers Hard- ware Company, and one of its leading officers since its incorporation.

In 1897 Mr. Winkler was married to Anna Trommer, who was born at Millersburg, Ohio, and they have one daughter, Beatrice. Mr. Winkler's only fraternal connection is with the order of Maccabees. He is a man of prac- tical ideas and of thorough knowledge of his line of business, and finds time, in the course of his busy life, to lend his influence to fur- ther the city's welfare, and when the repre- sentative men of Akron are mentioned, his name is included in the honorable list.

JOSEPH A. BALDWIN. The death of Joseph A. Baldwin, which took place at his home, No. 805 East Market Street, Akron, removed from this section a man who was formerly one of the most important factors in its business life. Mr. Baldwin was born at Goshen, Connecticut, December 6, 1820, and was a son of Erastus and Lucretia (Aus- tin) Baldwin, and a grandson of Daniel Bald- win.

Mr. Baldwin became a resident of Copley Township, Summit County, when seventeen years of age. Four years later he secured em- ployment as a clerk with Kent, McMillen & Company, merchants, subsequently entering into partnership with Roswell Kent, under the firm name of J. A. Baldwin & Company, for the manufacture of woolen machinery. The firm style subsequently became MeMillen, Trish & Company, and later Kent, Baldwin & Company. Mr. Baldwin was a man of keen business perceptions and was active in promot- ing and furthering many of the city's most important industries. In 1872 he became secretary and general manager of the Buck- eve Sewer Pipe Company and was identified with it until the close of his life. Ile was also president of the Summit Sewer Pipe Company and of the Permanent Savings and Loan Association, and a director in the Cen- tral Savings and Trust Company. He was looked upon as the pioneer in the clay indns- try in this section.

In 1853 Mr. Baldwin was married to Mary

A. Kent, a daughter of Alson Kent, who was a well-known citizen of what was formerly known as Middlebury. Two children were the fruit of this marriage: Alson, born in 1856, who died at the age of eleven years, and Eleanor L., born in 1859. The latter, in 1883, married Ilarry H. Gibbs, a prominent busi- ness man of Akron, who is treasurer of both the Buckeye and the Summit Sewer Pipe Companies. Mr. Baldwin is also survived by a brother, Harvey Baldwin, of Akron.

During the whole course of his life, Mr. Baldwin was interested in public affairs, and especially active in advancing the cause of education. In early years he served on the Council of Middlebury and in later life on the Akron City Council, as a citizen ever being true to the responsibilities he accepted. In his political views he was a Republican. Hle was actively interested in church work and for many years he had been a member and a trustee of the First Congregational Church at Akron. He was known in different parts of the country, it having been his cus- tom for the past twelve years to spend the winter months in the South. In all places of sojourn he impressed those who were admitted to his acquaintance as a man of business ability and high personal honor.

CHARLES BRADLEY, one of Stow Township's highly esteemed citizens, who is now retired from active pursuits, was for many years engaged in farming. Mr. Brad- ley was born April 29, 1838, at Streetsboro, Portage County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Naney Paulina (Peck) Bradley.

Stephen Bradley, the grandfather of Charles, was a native of Lee, Massachusetts, where he was engaged in agricultural pur- suits. He and his wife Lydia were the parents of a large family. George Bradley, one of this family, was born at Lee, Massachusetts, and as a young man came to Streetsboro, Ohio, where he purchased a farm of seventy- one acres. ITe was married May 17, 1837, to Nancy Paulina Peck, who was born July 20, 1809, in Connecticut, and who was a daughter of Rufus Peck, of Litchfield, that state, who

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came to Ohio in 1835. MIrs. Bradley died June 9, 1874, and her husband survived her until 1894, when he passed away, aged eighty-five years. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom grew to ma- turity, namely: Emily (deceased), who was the wife of George Nighman; Charles, whose name begins this sketch; Clara, who is the wife of Samuel Foster, of Richland, Michi- gan; William, a twin with Clara, and Susan, who married James E. Olin, of Ravenna, Ohio.

Charles Bradley was reared in Streetsboro. Ohio, and remained on the home farm un- til attaining his maturity. In the fall of 1863 he came to Stow Township and purchased a farm of forty-one acres, which he increased from time to time by purchase, until it ag- gregated 100 acres. Mr. Bradley has always engaged in general farming and dairying, and his herd of from twenty-five to thirty head of cattle include some of the finest to be found in the township. His milk finds a ready sale at Cleveland. His farm build- ings are all large and substantial, and include a circular silo, 14x281/2 feet.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 47

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