Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 56

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 56

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Willis E. Pettitt was married in 1899 to .1b- bie 1. Mead, who is a daughter of the late William H. Mead, of Illinois. They have one child, Grace Virginia. Politieally, Mr. Pet- titt is a Republican. He is a member of the West Akron Congregational Church and is on its official board.

THOMAS JEFFERSON SNYDER, owner of the East Side Dairy Farm, which com- prises 150 acres of valuable land situated in Coventry Township, belongs to an old pioneer family which settled in this section of Sum- mit County eighty-eight years ago. Mr. Snyder was born in his father's log cabin, not far distant from his present farm, in Cov- entry Township. Summit County, Ohio, Aug- ust 16, 1857, and is a son of George M. and Mary (Rex) Snyder.

George M. Snyder was born in 1814, in Pennsylvania, and was five years old when his father, Yost Snyder, brought his family and possessions to Coventry Township, making the long journey through the wilderness with an ox-team. When he built his log cabin in the woods, Akron was a hamlet of a half dozen rude shanties, and it would have required a vivid imagination to depiet in its place the present busy, beautiful city. The digging of the canal was a great event and George M. Snyder told his children how the whole fam- ily walked to Akron to see the first eanal boat on its waters. Yost Snyder and wife lived to old age on this farm and reared a large fam- ily of children, George M. being among the

older ones. The latter assisted in the clearing of the farm and later learned the masou trade, at which he worked for twenty-two years, during the summers, and during the long, cold and stormy winters .he would use the old loom and weave cloth. He acquired land of his own, and possessed the farm in the Snyder allotment, through which Snyder Avenue, Barberton, now extends. He lived to the age of eighty years, and in many ways was a remarkable man. He had enjoyed but few advantages of any kind in his youth and had never learned to either read or write the English language until the Civil War, when, on account of the deep interest he felt in pub- lic affairs, he set himself the task of learning to read, his children being his teachers, and became thoroughly informed in this way, al- though, at his age, it doubtless required great perseverance. He was a stanchi Democrat. of the old type.

George M. Snyder was married (first) to Catherine Harter, who bore him two children : Henry, now residing at Barberton, and George, who is deceased. He married (see- ond) Mary Rex, whom he also survived. and they had fourteen children, namely: Jacob, Daniel, Lewis, Thomas J., William F .. Mary (Mrs. Anderson), Sarah, who married H. Deisen, residing in North Dakota; Inez, who married J. HI. Horner; Elvina, who married 1I. Pontius; Emma, who married William Stott : and four children now deceased. George M. Snyder was married (third) to Lucinda Bachman, but they had no family.

Thomas J. Snyder remained with his fa- ther on the farm on which he was born until 1859, when the family moved to what is now the Snyder allotment. Land then could be bought for $2.50 an acre which later has been valued at $300. During his boyhood the family endured many hardships, their home having few of the comforts or conveniences of the present day. Mr. Snyder remembers when his mother used to come with her broom and sweep away the heavy snow that had sifted through the wide eraeks onto the floor, so that her many children could get out of bed without having a chill. He attended the

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old district school whenever farm work per- mitted. In 1887 he bought his present farm in Coventry Township, purchasing it front George Fouser, and settled on it in 1891. It was cleared land at the time, but he has spent a large amount of money in making the ex- cellent improvements, which are to be seen on every side. Ile practically rebuilt the house, making it both attractive and comfortable, and erected commodious barns and other buildings made necessary on account of his farming operations and dairying. He is as- sisted in the work of the farm by his sons, and superintends the dairy himself, keeping twenty-four head of cattle, and running a milk wagon to Barberton. Ile has spent al- most his whole life in Coventry Township, and is interested in everything concerning its welfare. With peace and plenty on every side, eongenial work, many friends, and the re- spect and esteem of his fellow citizens, Mr. Snyder perhaps enjoys life to a greater de- gree than many of those who spend their time and substance moving in a larger cir- cle.

On October 5, 1877, Mr. Snyder was mar- ried to Mary E. Deiter, who was a daughter of Samuel and Lorinda Deiter. They have had ten children, namely: George, who mar- ried Cora Croser, and has three children- Love, Celia and Blanche; Lucy, who married O. Nicodemus, and has three children-IIazel, Park A. and Ethel: Carrie, who is the wife of M. Hissem, and the mother of four ehil- dren- Guy, Helen, Pauline and Clifford ; Lil- lian, who married W. Nicodemus, and has three children-Chester, Roy and Elmora; Thomas R., who married Mary First: Wil- liam. Nora Belle, Halley Maude, Howard, who died aged fifteen months; and Edna Fern. Mr. Snyder and family belong to the Reformed Church. Politically he is a Demo- crat.

ADAM HUDDILSTON, whose death on December 28, 1905, removed from North- field Township, one of her leading citizens, was a native of Ireland. born near the city of Belfast. October 31, 1840. He was a son of

Gilbert and Sarah Elizabeth (Whigham) Huddilston.

The father of Mr. Huddilston was born near Belfast, in 1796. In Ireland he had charge of large estates belonging to his un- cle, Adam Patterson, whose heir he became. The estate is still in the Chancery Court, and forty years must yet elapse before the heirs can come into possession. With his wife and three children, Gilbert Huddilston left Bel- fast for America, on the ship Wales, June, 10, 1841, and landed at the port of New York, August 12, 1841. He settled first at Glen- ville, Ohio, and in 1842 bought a farm near Solon, where he died in 1878. Ilis wife survived him until 1900.

Adam IIuddilston was reared on the farm at Solon, which when, he grew to manhood, he conducted, also carrying on a flour and feed store and dealing in agricultural imple- ments. For seventeen years prior to his mar- riage, he traveled over the country selling farm machinery for Warder, Bushnell. Glas- ser & Company. In 1886 he came to North- field and settled on Mrs. Huddil-ton's home- stead farm, and two years later he bought the Z. P. Sorter place of 100 aeres, adjoining the other farm. Of his land Mr. Huddilston made a dairy and grain farm, raising over 900 bushels of oats annually and other grain in proportion, cultivating 100 acres. He kept thirty head of cattle. Since his death, which was caused accidentally, his horses becoming unmanageable when struck by a car. Mrs. Huddilston has kept up the farm and dairy.

In 1884 Mr. Huddilston married Anna McNeice, of Northfield Township, and they had five children, namely: Leigh, born March 4, 1886: Ilessie Marian, born March 26, 1888; Mercedes (deceased), born June 24, 1890; Gilbert Leonard, born June 11, 1892; and Warren Paul, born May 12, 1895.

Leonard MeNeice, father of Mrs. Iloddil- ston, was born in County Antrim, Freland, and was twenty-eight years of age when he came to America, accompanied by his wife. For a time he worked as a molder at Cleve- land, and then came to Northfield Town- ship, where he bought the farm which Mrs.

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Huddilston owns, and where she was born December 29, 1859. Mr. MeNeice married Anna Bell, also of County Antrim, and they had six children, the two who survived to ma- turity being: Jonathan B., residing at Solon, and Mrs. Huddilston. Prior to her marriage she built her comfortable residence, a com- modius and attractive one, with seventeen rooms. The bank barn, 36 by 60 feet in di- mensions, was built in 1898. The Lake Erie and Pennsylvania Railroad purchased ninety aeres of her land when they built their cross line. This farm is one of considerable value and has always been well kept up. Mrs. Huddilston has a magnificent apple, plum and small fruit orehard. She was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, and during his residence at Solon, the late Mr. Huddilston was an elder in the same. ITis untimely death was a terrible blow to his family, and a shock to the community in which he was so highly esteemed.

P. H. SCHNEIDER, president of the Schneider Building Company, of Akron, be- longs to that elass of able, far-seeing business men, whose energy and enterprise have added greatly to the reputation of this city as an important commercial and manufacturing center. Ile was born December 1, 1866, in Wayne County. New York, but was reared on a farm in Kent County, Michigan.

Being a farmer's boy, he attended the country schools, and was nineteen years old before he found an opportunity to attend the High School, at Lowell, Michigan, where he spent one year. He then became employed in a grocery and dry goods store, first as a clerk, and later as manager of the dry goods departments of the different stores conducted by the J. L. Hudson Company, of Detroit, Michigan, remaining in their employ for ten years. In 1897 he came to Akron in the capacity of manager for the dry goods store of William Taylor, Son & Company, at 155 and 157 South Howard Street, a position Fe filled for eighteen months. He organized the P. H. Schneider Company, purchasing the Taylor store. Of this company Mr. Schneider

was president, treasurer and general manager, and he continued to operate the store for seven years, in the meantime doing an exten- sive dry goods business. Disposing in Au- gust, 1905, of his mercantile interests to the M. O'Neil Company, he decided to enjoy a period of rest from the demands of business life. In March, 1903, the Schneider Build- ing Company was organized, of which Mr. Schneider is president and treasurer. Subse- quently, Mr. Schneider bought the buildings between the Central Savings and Trust Com- pany and the Odd Fellows' Temple, on South Main Street, one of them being a six-story, and the other a five-story building, both val- uable and paying properties. Mr. Schneider is a director, and member of the executive committee of the Central Savings and Trust Company, and took a prominent part in the consolidation of the Central Savings Bank and the Akron Trust Company, at which time he was director of the Akron Trust Company. He is interested in other successful enterprises in this vieinity.

In 1880 Mr. Schneider was married to Jen- nie Winegar, who was born in Michigan. He and his wife reside in a beautiful home at 120 Adolph Avenue.

Fraternally, Mr. Schneider is a Thirty-sec- ond Degree Mason, and belongs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Couneil and Commandery at Akron and to Lake Erie Consistory at Cleve- land.

GEORGE T. RANKIN, JR .. M. D., one of the leading practitioners of medicine and sur- gery at Akron, was born in this eity, Septem- ber 6, 1875, and is a son of George T. and Mary C. (Shumaker) Rankin.

The father of Dr. Rankin was born at Hud- son. New York, where he learned building and contraeting. In 1872 he came to Sum- mit County, Ohio; he followed contracting at Akron and became superintendent of the improvements made in the public school buildings.

George T. Rankin was reared at Akron. and, after completing the public school course, attended Buehtel College. He then began to

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read medicine. His medical education was completed in the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, where he was graduated in June, 1899, following which he served six months as an interne in the Allegheny Hos- pital, and two years in the Kings County Hospital at Brooklyn, New York. In 1901 Dr. Rankin returned to his native city and opened an office. He is surgeon of the Akron City Hospital, and also of the Mary Day Hospital. He occupies well-appointed offices in the Hamilton Block, being well equipped to handle any case of modern surgery in- volving the most complicated treatment. Dr. Rankin is a member of the American Medi- cal Association and of the Ohio State, and Summit County Medical Societies. Politie- ally. he is identified with the Republican party. Fraternally. he is a Thirty-second Degree Mason, and belongs also to the Elks.

MILTON A. VAN HORN, clerk of North- field Township, which position he has ably filled since the spring of 1904, was born in Summit County, Ohio, March 27. 1843, and is a son of Robert and Catherine (Kuhn) Van Hloru. and a grandson of Edward Van Horn.

Edward Van Horn, the grandfather, was born in Mifflin County. Pennsylvania, in 1778, and died in Ohio in 1854. He came to Harrison County.Ohio, in all probability, immediately after his marriage to Margaret Hamilton, who was a woman of rare gifts and noble character. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, being stationed near Toledo, where either wounds or sickness pro-trated him, and word was sent to his wife far away in her little log cabin, that her husband was dving. The courageous woman stopped only long enough to wrap her infant son warmly, and, with him in her arms, in the dead of winter, she rode alone through the deep virgin forests until she reached the military camp. There she found prepara- tions were being made to bury one whom his comrades believed to be past help, but the sight of his brave wife and habe created a reaction, and he recovered and lived many

years afterward to show his devotion to so faithful a wife. He was one of the first men to banish liquor from the harvest field, going against a popular custom of the day.

Robert Van Ilorn was born at New Athens, Harrison County, Ohio, January 10. 1812, and died in November 24, 1905. He was a man of exeellent parts, well edneated for his day, having spent a year at Franklin Col- lege. In 1837 he came to Northfield and taught school. and he subsequently purchased a farm of eighty-six acres northwest of North- field Center, on which he raised cattle and sheep. Hle was an out-spoken Free-Soil man and attended many of the early conventions as a delegate and subsequently became a zeal- ous Republican. Ile served in many loeal offices and was a truly representative citizen. Ile married a daughter of Archibald Kuhn, a prominent man in his dav, who represented Allegheny County in the Pennsylvania State Legislature. To this marriage three children were born: Archibald, who died in 1889, aged fifty-eight years; Jennie 1 .. who mar- ried Joseph Boyd, residing at Northfield; and Milton A. The mother of this family was born in Pennsylvania in 1809 and died in Northfield in March, 1889.

Milton Van Horn attended school in North- field Township and continued to assist on the home farm until his marriage. He owns a farm of fifty aeres on which he resided until 1903, condueting it mainly as a dairy farm, making a choice grade of butter and cheese. He erected a comfortable and attractive home residence at Northfield Center, where he has resided since retiring from the farm in 1903. For nearly thirty years he served as a mem- ber of the school board, being eleeted by the Republican party in 1878. He is a progres- sive, publie-spirited citizen and has contin- ually shown a commendable interest in pub- lie affairs,

Mr. Van Horn was married (first) in 1864 to Harriet Thompson. who died in 1872. aged twenty-nine years. She left two ehil- dren, namely: Rev. Francis J., D. D., who is a minister of the Congregational Church, stationed at Seattle, Washington; and Jen-

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nie, who married Bird Waite, a farmer in Northfield Township. Mr. Van Horn was married (second) to Mary Rincar, who died in 1889, leaving no issue. Mr. Van Horn was married (third) in 1890 to Cynthia Honey, who died October 16, 1906. Mr. Van Horn is an active member of the United Presbyterian Church, of which he is clerk. For a period of forty years he was choir mas- ter of this church and is now Sunday-school superintendent.

JOSEPH COURTNEY, a general farmer and extensive dairyman, owns 190 acres of valuable land in Summit County, 159 acres lying in Portage Township, and 31 acres in Northampton Township, the township line passing through his land. Mr. Courtney was born in Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio, July 13, 1862, and is a son of James and Julia (Bergin) Courtney. His parents were born in Ireland. James Courtney came to America in early manhood, settling in Bos- ton Township. His second wife, Julia, mother of Joseph Courtney, was mar- ried first in Ireland to John Hogan, and with him came to America. Mr. Hogan died in New York and his widow, with her chil- dren, came to Summit County. Three of the latter still survive, namely: Stephen ; Nora, who married Francis Courtney, a son of James Courtney by his first marriage; and Mary, who married James MeGuire, of Peninsula. By his first marriage James Courtney had three children- Francis, who married Nora Hogan; James, who was killed in the Civil War; and Ellen (Mrs. Tosier). who is now deceased. Two children were born of the second marriage of James and Julia Court- ney-Joseph and Julia, the latter of whom married Charles Martin, of Akron. James Courtney acquired a farm of eighty acres, in Boston Township, which he sold in 1864, at which time he bought ninety-six acres of the present home farm, later adding ninety-one acres, his son Joseph also adding five acres. When James Courtney came to America he was a poor boy, entirely dependent upon his own efforts, but he was industrious and pru-

dent and when he died in February, 1878, he possessed what was for him an ample for- tune. He was survived by his widow until December, 1905. At her death she was al- most eighty-three years old. Both were ear- nest Christian people.

Joseph Courtney was reared on the farm he now owns, and with the exception of a few years, when he lived at Akron, he has been continuously engaged in farming. In 1893 he entered into the dairy business, and now keeps from twenty to twenty-five head of cows. In April, 1894, Mr. Courtney was married to Maud Cassidy, who is a daughter of William Cassidy, and they have seven children : James, William, Julia. Joseph, George, Mary and Margaret. Mr. Courtney, with his fam- ily, belongs to the Catholic Church at Akron. He is one of the leading agriculturist men of this section and is held in esteem by all who know him.

WILLIAM H. STONER, secretary and general manager of the Baker-McMillen Com- pany, at Akron, was born in this city, in Sep- tember, 1870, and is a son of Samuel D. and Lucinda E. (Shirk) Stoner. the former of whom is deccased.

William H. Stoner completed his education in his native city. and when sixteen years of age, entered the employ of the Baker-McMil- len Company, with which he is still identified, having risen step by step from the humblest position to that of general manager, which he has ably filled for the past four and one-half years.

In 1895 Mr. Stoner was married to Julia 1. Pardee, who is a sister of Judge Pardee, of the Summit County Probate Court, and a daughter of the late George K. Pardee, who was for many years one of Akron's promi- nent attorneys.

Mr. Stoner has long been considered a rep- resentative citizen of Akron, and has taken part in publie movements of various kinds. For four years he served on the Board of Jury Commissioners, of which he was secretary. He is a member of the First Disciples Church of Akron.

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ANDREW HALE, who bore the distinc- tion of being the first white child born in Bath Township, died in the same township, July 29, 1884, aged seventy-three years. He was a son of Jonathan and Mercy S. (Piper) Hale.

The father of Mr. Hale was the first perma- nent settler in Bath Township, Summit County, to which he had come from Gla-ton- bury, Connecticut, in 1810. Andrew at- tended the subscription schools and spent his life engaged in clearing and improving the lands belonging to himself and father. He was a man of sterling character, and is men- tioned as a faithful friend and good neighbor. Like his father, he possessed the qualities which marked the representative settlers of those times-men to whom we like to point as our ancestors of unpretentious honesty, dauntless courage and untiring perseverance. Mr. Hale was married April 12, 1838, to Jane Mather. Of this union there were six children : Pamela L. Oviatt, Sophromia J. Ritchie, Clara Ashnun, Charles O. Hale, Alida Humphrey and John P. Hale. Mr. Hale, with his family, belonged to the Con- gregational Church.

GEORGE A. McCONNELL, dairy farmer of Northfield Township, was born in Coshoc- ton County, Ohio. April 8, 1856, and is a son of John and Jane L. (Shannon) McConnell.

John McConnell was born in County Done- gal, Treland, and was brought to America by his parents when he was eight years of age. He died March 6, 1905, aged within a few days of his eightieth birthday. He lived on the home farm in Coshocton County, where his parents had settled, until 1864. Prior to his marriage, with his brother Alexander. he operated the home farm of 480 acres. After coming to Northfield Township he bought one tract of land after another until he owned 367 acres, on which he wintered from sixty to seventy head of cattle, and raised many horses and hogs and some 200 sheep. Later he turned his attention to raising wheat, at which he was very successful. and he also en- gaged in dairying. He took an intelligent in-

terest in public. matters, but he was never a politician. In Coshocton County he mar- ried a daughter of Isaac Shannon. She died March 30, 1896, aged sixty-five years. They had nine children, namely: John, who is deceased; Isaac, of Northfield Township; George 1., subject of this sketch; Hervey A., justice of the peace in Northfield Township; LaGrande, a physician, now deceased; James and Albert, deceased; Sarah, who married H. R. Boyden, of Northfield; and Charles, of Magnolia, Colorado.

George A. McConnell attended school in Northfield Township until he was sixteen years of age, in the meanwhile assisting on the home farm, as did also his brothers, all working for the common benefit. He then learned cheese-making, an industry that he followed for six years, and with the excep- tion of that period, has ever since been a farmer. He keeps from thirty to thirty-five head of cattle and ships milk to Cleveland. He raises nearly all his own cows and is mak- ing plans to keep only the Ayreshire stock, having purchased a thorough-bred Ayreshire bull. He has had a valuable silo constructed with dimensions of 16 by 18 feet, 27 feet high. In 1892 he built his present com- fortable residence.

Mr. McConnell married Jane A. Willey, of Northfield Township, and they have a family of five promising children: Albert A., Carl W .. Ella L., Clark and Lney. Mrs. McCon- nell is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. McConnell is affiliated with the Repub- lican party. He has never served in any of- fice except one connected with educational af- fairs, including a number of terms on the school board, and for a few years as township trustee. He is giving his children every edu- cational and social advantage in his power.

FRANK S. PRIOR, secretary and treasurer of the Akron Plumbing and Heating Com- pany, at Akron, was born in 1880, in Sum- mit. County, Olio, and belongs to a family which was numbered among the first settlers in the county. His grandfather. Samuel S. Prior, was a native of Massachusetts, and his

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father, Frederick S. Prior, was born in Sumn- mit County, in January, 1848. He resides at Akron, where he follows the profession of stationary engineer. He is active in Repub- lican political circles.

Before becoming identified with the Akron Plumbing and Heating Company Frank S. Prior was mainly engaged in securing a good education, attending the schools of Cuyahoga Falls and Hammel's Business College. He was connected with his present business house before it was incorporated in March, 1907, at which time he became its secretary and trea -- urer. Ile is one of the younger set of busi- ness men at Akron, who are injecting much vigor into the city's commercial and indus- trial life. In 1905 Mr. Prior was married to Leota J. Zink, who was born at Akron and who is a daughter of Z. E. Zink, foreman at the plant of the American Cereal Company. Mr. Prior is a member of the Disciples Church at Cuyahoga Falls. He belongs to the bene- ficiary order of the Protected Home Circle.

JOHN P. ILLE, one of Akron's promi- nent business men, proprietor of a large jewelry establishment, belongs to one of the earliest pioneer families in Summit County. his father having been the first white child born in Bath Township. He was born in Bath Township. Summit County, Ohio, in 1862, son of Andrew and Jane (Mather) Hale. He was reared on the home farm and was mainly educated in the schools of Tall- madge, spending one year in the Ohio State University at Columbus. After completing his college course, he spent three years on the farm. and then, in 1887. came to Akron and embarked in a jewelry business with a Mr. George Jackson, with whom he remained associated for two years. Since then he has been established alone, doing a large retail business at his convenient location, No. 54 South Main Street. He has made an exten- sive study of optics and lens-fitting, and, like his forefathers, is used to hard work. He is engaged in both the manufacturing and repairing of jewelry. and carries a large and

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 56

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