Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 58

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 58

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In 1884, in the city of New York, Mr. Levy was married to Sadie Federman, and they have a family consisting of seven children, namely: Bertha, who married Morris Gross- man, a prominent business man of Akron ; Rebecca; Sadie, who married Arthur Brown- stein, of Newburg, New Jersey; Harry, who is associated with his father; Hannah, Hilda and Edgar. Mr. Levy is a member of the Akron Hebrew Congregation.

SYLVESTER G. VIALL, who is cultivat- ing a finely improved farm of forty-three acres in Boston Township, was born March 13, 1844, in Northampton Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of Sullivan and Mary Ann (Freeby ) Viall. He attended his first term of school in the old log schoolhouse with split log floors and -eats, and after his father's death removed with his mother to Richfield Township, where Mrs. Viall pur-

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

chased a small farm. In 1864 Mrs. Viall sold this place and Sylvester G. started out in life for himself, his mother marrying Stephen Dales of Copley Township, where she died. In 1864 Mr. Viall worked in Bath Township, but soon thereafter married, and started house- keeping at Peninsula, where he was engaged in teaming for two years. He then removed to Copley Township and began farming a rented property, but in 1883 located on his present tract, which he had purchased some time previously. In this year he built his house, and in the following spring his barn. He now has growing fruits of all staple vari- eties and in addition raises wheat, corn and potatoes. He makes a specialty of breeding thoroughbred Poland China hogs.

Mr. Viall was married October 15, 1864, to Mary E. Ozmun, who is a daughter of Ilec- tor Ozmun of Boston Township. Ile and his wife have been the parents of seven children, namely: Florence, wife of F. C. Lee, a resi- dent of Brunswick Township, Medina County, Ohio; Theda, who is the wife of David C. Harpham, of East Akron, Ohio; Ward, who died when twenty-two years of age; Fred, of The Akron Plumbing & Heating Company of Akron; Rutherford II., also a member of the same firm; Maud, the wife of James Crum, of Brunswick Township, Medina County, Ohio; and Mabel, a stenographer, who lives at home with her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Viall are identified with the Congregational Church, of which the former has been a deacon for the past sixteen or seventeen years. They are also members of the Richfield Grange, No. 1260, of which Mr. Viall has been master, and he has also been overseer of Summit County Pomona Grange for six consecutive years. In political mat- ters he is a Republican, and he was personal property appraiser for three years and real estate appraiser during the last appraisement, which occurred in 1900.

Nathaniel Viall, grandfather of Sylvester G., was born March 28, 1732. After his death his widow Betsey, who was born December 14. 1768, in Vermont, eame to Northampton

Township with her son Sullivan, with whom she made her home until her death.

Sullivan Viall was born in Vermont March 3, 1811, and received his education in the common schools. Hle came to Middlebury, Ohio, which is now a part of Akron, and thence he went by team to Pittsburg, hauling flour there and returning with dry goods. In this business he was engaged for many years and aceumulated in it about $4,000, which he lost through the failure of a private bank. Ile then decided to engage in agricultural pursuits, and accordingly purchased a farm, on which the remainder of his life was spent. Ile met with a sudden and accidental death, being gored to death by a savage bull in 1851. Ile was one of the first Whigs in this county, and served as township trustee, and for nearly the full period of his residence in Northampton Township was a member of the School Board. Sullivan Viall was married August 28, 1836, to Mary Ann Freeby, who was born in Pennsylvania, August 28, 1813. Her father, George Freeby, was a shoemaker and farmer who came to America from Ger- many and died in Indiana about 1855. Mrs Viall died Mareh 21, 1890, having been the mother of three children, namely: Ilenrietta, who is the widow of Isaae Smith, of Portage Township; Sylvester G., whose name stands at the head of this article; and Damaris, who is the wife of Dr. F. N. Chamberlin, of Stow Township. Mr. and Mrs. Viall were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

FRANK J. CONVERSE, whose valuable farm of eighty aeres is situated in one of the best portions of Copley Township, was born on the old Converse homestead in Portage County, Ohio, November 23, 1863, and is the youngest child born to Chauneey and Eliza- beth (Stewart) Converse.

Chauneey Converse, the father, was born in New York and was brought to Ohio by his parents when he was a child five years old. The Converse family settled in Franklin Township, Portage County, the Franklin mills there giving the name to the place, which was later called Kent. Chauncey Con-

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verse assisted his father to clear and culti- vate the farm, and grew to manhood in the log cabin first erected on it. In early man- hood he married Elizabeth Stewart, who was born in Portage County and spent the whole of her life there. Chauncey Converse owned a farm of 144 acres at the time of his death. which took place in 1878, when he was seventy-three years of age. ITis widow sur- vived him some years. They had five chil- dren, namely : William J., residing in Sha- ron Township, Medina County; Emma A., deceased: Tillinghast, residing on the old home place; Edward S., deceased; and Frank Jefferson, residing in Copley Township.

It was upon the above mentioned farm that Frank J. Converse spent his boyhood and early manhood, attending the schools of Kent and assisting on the farm. After his mar- riage he lived for a year and a half longer in Portage County. In 1885 he moved to Summit County, renting a farm near Mont Rose, in which vicinity he remained for seven years. In 1892 he came to his present farm, which he purchased a few months later from the Joseph Decovy estate. IIere. Mr. Converse carries on general farming and dairying, and for eight years he ran a wagon to Akron. He is interested also in the Logan Clay Product Company, located at Logan. Ohio, where all kinds of clay products are manufactured.

Mr. Converse married Ella Moore, who is a daughter of O. C. and Marium Moore, who came to this section as pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Converse have had five children, namely : Vera, who married F. C. Thompson, a resi- dent of Cuyahoga Falls, Ruth, Bina, Pauline and Marcia. Mr. Converse is a member of the Church of Christ. He takes an interest in the public affairs of the township, and has served as a member of the Board of Edu- cation.

CHARLES R. MORGAN, president of the Pouchot-Hunsieker Company, prominent wholesale and retail general hardware house of long standing in this city, was born at London, England, in 1853. He was reared in England, and was in France at the time

Napoleon III. became a prisoner of war. HIe accompanied his parent- to America when seventeen years of age. He had been well educated in schools on the other side of the Atlantic, and after his parents located at Ash- land, Ohio, he attended an American school for one term and was then apprenticed to the Ashland Machine Company. He learned the pattern-maker's trade very thoroughly aud remained with that firm for ten years. In 1880 he came to Akron and for ten years was connected with the Buckeye Mower and Reaper Company, working in the winters, and through the summers working with the Webster, Camp and Lane Company. Later he became connected with the firm of Jahant and Weber, which was the oldest stove house of Akron. On March 24, 1893, Mr. Morgan embarked in his present business on South Howard Street, under the style of Morgan & Pouchot, the partnership lasting three years, when Mr. Morgan sold his interest and went to Chicago as representative of Kernan Fur- nace Company, of Utica. New York, where he remained for two years, when he returned to Akron, buying back his interest in the firm. which then became Pouchot-Hunsicker & Company. In 1903 they bought the brick building at Nos. 200-202 South Main, its di- mensions being 44 by 90, five stories high in the rear and three in front, where they are still situated. The company is an incorpo- rated one, its capital stock being $30,000, and the present officers are: Charles R. Mor- gan, president : 11. D. Holland, vice-president : Horace Hunsieker, treasurer, and Irvin Barth. secretary. All are active members of the firm and are practical business men in this line. They oceupy five floors of their build- ing, do both wholesaling and retailing in stoves and general hardware. and also oper- ate a tin shop, making a specialty of factory repair work. Mr. Morgan is interested also in Akron real estate.

In 1879, Mr. Morgan was married to Kate Stahlheber, of Ashland. Ohio. He is a mem- her of Trinity Lutheran Church and belongs to the church council. Fraternally Mr. Mor- gan is a Master Mason, a Knight of Pythias.

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and an Odd Fellow, belonging to the En- campment. He is connected also with the beneficiary order of Protected Home Circle.

E. S. UNDERWOOD, M. D., a representa- tive member of his profession, who has been engaged in the practice of medicine and sur- gery at Akron, for the past sixteen years, was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1868, and is a son of Dr. Warren J. Underwood, formerly a well known physician of Summit County.

AAfter completing the public school course at Akron, Edward S. Underwood, subject of this notice, entered Buchtel College, going thence to the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, and afterwards to Jefferson Medi- eal College, at Philadelphia, where he was graduated in 1891. He immediately located in his native city, where he has been in active and successful practice since. He has served as health officer of Akron for four years, his intelligent inauguration and supervision of various sanitary reforms in this connection resulting in a greatly lessened death rate. Dr. Underwood is a man of publie spirit, and dur- ing two terms when he served in the city council, he advocated many public improve- ments. He is visiting physician to the Ak- ron City Hospital and is a member of the Summit County, the Ohio State, and the Northeastern Ohio Medical Societies. IFe is also surgeon for the Akron fire department. In 1899, Dr. Underwood was married to Sarah J. Kile, who is a daughter of Salem Kile. The doctor belongs to the Elks and also to the Elks Club.

WILLIAM HI. BOWER, farmer and dairy- man, residing on his valuable farin of ninety- four acres, which is situated in Green Town- ship. was born on his father's farm in Stark County. Ohio, October 12, 1840, and is a son of David and Mary ( Bullinger) Bower.

The grandparents of Mr. Bower came to Ohio when their son David was not more than eighteen months old and settled on a farm in Stark County, where they were pio- neers. There David was reared and assisted his father to clear the land. The latter had

secured it from the Government, and it was still in its wild state when the Bowers located in Nimishillen Township. David Bowers was a man of an adventurous spirit and was so fond of traveling that he frequently made long journeys. He was a good tanner and had a business which kept a number of men employed, but when he felt the desire to travel he left everything and started out. He was a man of pleasant, genial manner and could always interest people telling them of his experiences. He spent nineteen years in California, in early days, during which period he was his own housekeeper. When he was about fifty-four years of age, he moved with his wife and family to Kansas, where his wife died. She was a native of Pennsylvania and had accompanied her parents to Stark County when about fourteen years old. David Bower died while traveling in Oregon. Of their fourteen children, but four survive, these being: William Henry, subject of this artiele; James, residing in Michigan; Ade- line, now Mrs. Studebaker; and David, who is a resident of Kansas. While living in Stark County, David Bower owned and oper- ated a farm together with his tannery.

William Henry Bower remained on his father's farm in Stark County until 1861, when he enlisted as a private to serve three months, in Company 1, 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which regiment formed a part of the force that drove the Confeder- ates out of their stronghokls in West Virgin- ia and saved that State to the Union. After the close of his first service, he returned to his home, thinking, like many others, that the war was practically over, but when Presi- dent Lineoln issued his eall for 600,000 men. he re-enlisted. entering Company HF, 107th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with the rank of third sergeant, and during his faithful subsequent service of thirty-five months, he rose step by step until the elose of the war found him wearing a lieutenant's uniform. He participated in many of the most telling battles of the war, notably those of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, Chan- eellorville. May 1-4, 1863, and Gettysburg,

F. WILLIAM FUCHS

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July 1-3, 1863. On the first day at Gettys- burg, he was struck in the breast by a bullet. but his life was saved by a buckle on his uni- form.

In 1865 Mr. Bower came to Summit County and found employment with John Chisnell, grinding potters' clay, at which work he continued for three years. Ile was faith- ful and industrious, and proved that he could do his duty in peace as well as war. On March 5, 1868, he was married to Lydia Winkleman, who is a daughter of Christian and Susan (Witmyer) Winkleman. The Winklemans came from Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Bower was born, and settled on the pres- ent farm, which was then wild land. For two years after marriage, Mr. Bower farmed for his father-in-law, and then rented a farm in Northampton Township for three years. It contained 229 acres and belonged to George MeMillen. After the expiration of his con- traet there, he rented his present farm for one year, and then removed to the old Goug- ler farm in Green Township, which he oper- ated for two years. Afterwards he farmed the Aaron Swartz farm for three years. In 1878 he purchased the present farm, the old Win- kleman property, from the heirs, moving here in 1879. He has put this property into fine condition, expending a large amount in repairs and improvements. He carries on general farming and makes a specialty of dairying, his products finding a good market in Akron.

Mr. and Mrs. Bower have had five chil- dren, namely: Cora, who married William A. Sutton, residing near Barberton, and has four children-Clarence, Lillian, Anna and Nellie; Mary Ellen, who died aged eighteen years; Anna, wife of D. Buekmaster, who farms for Mr. Bower, has two sons-Isaac and Charles William; two other children died in infaney.

F. WILLIAM FUCHS, secretary and man- ager of the Akron Brewery Company. who is interested also in other important business enterprises in this city, was born in Akron, in 1858. He is a son of Nicholas Fuchs, a na-

tive of Germany, who came to Akron in 1849, and embarked here in a grocery business, later keeping a hotel. He continued in active business life here for many years. His death took place in 1890.

F. William Fuchs, after leaving school, worked five years for a railroad company, af- terwards operating a summer resort at Cuya- hoga Falls. In January, 1886, he engaged in a wholesale beer business, and, since 1903, he has been largely interested in the Akron Brewery Company, which concern was organ- ized in that year and incorporated with a cap- ital stock of $150,000. The company has erected a fine plant at No. 851 South High Street, which has an annual capacity of 60,- 000 barrels. Mr. Fuchs has been manager and secretary since the enterprise was launched. He is also proprietor of the Buck- eye Supply House, located at 66 North How- ard Street, wholesale dealers in glassware, hotel and bar supplies of all kinds. He is one of the directors of the Dime Savings Bank and is connected with other successful busi- ness houses.

In 1886 Mr. Fuchs was married to Anna Wilhelm, and they have two children-Mina and Frederick W. The former is a student at Oberlin College, and the latter a recent graduate of the Akron public schools. Mr. Fuchs is a man of genial disposition, and is a popular member of the Knights of Pythias, the Elks, and the German Club.

WARREN J. UNDERWOOD, M. D. For twenty-three years the late Dr. Warren J. Un- derwood was a prominent physician and lead- ing citizen of Akron. He was a Pennsylvanian, born in York County, March 20. 1840, and belonging to one of the old representative families of that section. He died at Akron. Ohio, June 9, 1890.

Dr. Underwood obtained his education in the district schools, where he prepared him- self for the profession of teaching, which he followed thereafter until 1860. He then be- gan the study of medicine, and in 1864 was graduated at Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia. In the meantime he had served

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as assistant surgeon, attached to the Nine- teenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, later becoming surgeon of the 151st Regiment. In the spring of 1864, after re- ceiving his degree, he came to Ohio, finding a useful field of practice at Canal Fulton, where he remained for three years. He came -to Akron in August. 1867, and this city re- mained the scene of his professional labors for the remainder of his useful life. He identified himself with the various medieal organiza- tions of the State and belonged to the Ameri- can Medical Association, in all of which his high professional ability was recognized. In 1873 he was appointed examining pension surgeon, and continued as such until the or- ganization of the board in 1889, of which he was unanimously elected president. He was a man of enlightened views and public spirit and was a valuable member of the City Coun- cil for several years.

Dr. Underwood was first married in 1864, to Harriet Shoemaker, who died December 9, 1873. One of their three children survives- Dr. Edward S. Underwood, of Akron. Dr. Underwood married, second, Mrs. Frances C. Pizzala, of Brooklyn, New York.

JOIIN H. WEBER, M. D., a specialist in surgery, to which he limits his practice, is one of the skilled professional men of Akron, whose ability is recognized and whose services are in demand all over and even beyond Sum- mit County. He was born at Miamisburg, Ohio, in 1877, and is a son of the late Chis- tian Weber.

He acquired his elementary education in the schools of his native place, and then en- tered Adelbert College, where he was grad- uated in 1899, with the degree of Ph. B. He immediately entered the medical department of the same institution, from which he was graduated with his degree of M. D. in 1902. Having a strong predilection for surgery, Dr. Weber decided to make that branch his spe- cialty, and has directed the larger part of his study to that end. Ile spent two and a half years in the Charity Hospital, at Cleveland, where he had an opportunity to study ahost

every kind of surgical case, after which he spent six months in St. Ann's Maternity Hos- pital in the same city. Before settling in Ak- ron he still further increased his knowledge by visiting as a student, the clinics of Phila- delphia and Baltimore, witnessing and taking part in some wonderful surgical operations. He is surgeon of the Summit County Medical Society, and he belongs to the Summit County Sixth Councilor District, the Ohio State Medi- cal Society and the American Medical Associa- tion. On January 3, 1906, Dr. Weber was married to Norma Smith, of Willoughby, Ohio.

WARREN MILLER, who is well known throughout Summit County as a former sue- cessful buyer and seller of stock, to which busi- ness he devoted many years, now carries on general farming on his valuable tract of sixty- four acres, situated in Copley Township, ten miles west of Akron, on the township road of Bath and Copley, and the county road of Summit and Medina Counties. He was born in Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio, August 18, 1840, and is a son of William and Electa (Crosby) Miller.

William Miller, his father, was born in 1817, in the State of New York, a son of Morris and Hettie (Lucas) Miller, who came to Ohio in 1818. For a short time they lived with the Turner family on the very farmi that Warren Miller now owns, and then moved to Bath Township, locating west of Ghent, where Morris Miller cleared up a farm. He died in Bath Township, after which his widow returned to Copley Township and died at the home of a daughter. They had the follow- ing children: John, William, Aaron and Morris, all deceased; Harriet, now deceased, who was the wife of N. Hubbard: Charlotte, who is the widow of B. Lee; and Laura, who married George MeMillan, and, with her hus- band, is now deceased.

William Miller attended school for a short time at Lamb's Corners, not far from his son's present farm. but the greater part of his boy- hood was passed in Bath Township. He mar- ried Electa Crosby, whose parents came to

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Summit County at an early day. from New York, settling in Granger Township. After- ward, he and wife lived for a short time on Liberty Hill, Granger Township, and then settled in Bath Township, remaining there until 1858, when they moved to Copley Town- ship, living here for a number of years. Later, William Miller bought the Harris mill in Bath Township, but subsequently returned to Copley Township. Afterwards he built a fine residence at Akron. where he died in 1893. Ilis widow married a Mr. Findlay, who died in 1904, she surviving him up to the present time. There were two children born to William Miller and wife: Ralsamond and Warren, the former being now deceased.

Warren Miller spent his boyhood on the farm, and obtained his education in the schools at Stony Hill and Sharon Center. For a number of years and until quite re- cently, he devoted the larger part of his time to dealing in stock. In 1870 he pur- chased his present farm from the Turner heirs-Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Sackett. The present residence was then standing, but he built the substantial barn in 1880.

Mr. Miller was married (first) in Novem- ber. 1863, to Eliza Hawkins, who died in 1870, leaving one son, Forrest C. The latter married Effie Hoeglan, and they have one child, Florence. Forrest C. Miller is engaged in farming in Copley township. Mr. Miller was married (second) in June, 1877, to Emi- ly Huntley, who is a daughter of Seymour and Eveline (Miller) Huntley. One son. William II., has been born of this union. Mr. Miller is one of the solid. substantial men of his community and ha- the esteem of his fellow-citizens.

O. G. LYON, proprietor of the Lyon Rub- ber Co., Akron, came to Akron in 1893. He was born at Mt. Rose, Summit County, Ohio, in 1859, son of Morris Lyon. His father, a native of Connecticut and one of the early settlers in the county, died in 1883. The present Mr. Lyon resided in Mt. Rose until reaching the age of twenty-four, completing his literary education in the Copley high

school. He then went to Medina County, where he was engaged in farming until 1893. In that year he came to AAkron and engaged in the real estate business, with which he was connected for some six years. Ifis eon- nection with the rubber manufacturing in- dustry dates from 1899, in which year he became connected with the Faultless Rubber Co., in whose employ he remained for two years. Ile then established the Lyon Rub- ber Co., of which he is still the proprietor and which is doing a successful business in the manufacture of rubber cements and other similar products. In establishing this indus- try Mr. Lyon has placed himself in line with the many other enterprising business men who have helped to spread the fame and build up the fortunes of this wide-awake, bus- tling city.

Mr. Lyon was married in 1882 to Miss Miranda F. Adams of Munroe Falls, Ohio. He has one son, who is associated with him in business. Religiously Mr. Lyon and his family are affiliated with the Methodist Epis- copal church.

M. D. KUHLKE, junior member of the firm of Jones and Kuhlke, machinists, with plant located at No. 14 East Exchange street, Akron, was born in 1872, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Diedrich Kull- ke, who is connected with the American Cereal Company of this city. He was four years old when his parents came to Akron, and he has been identified with the interests of this place ever since, gaining his educa- tion here and his training as a machinist. He worked for the first three years of his industrial life in a pottery plant and then went into the shops of Webster, Camp & Lane, where he learned his trade, and where he continued for seven years, after which he worked in various shops throughout the city up to 1900, when he went into business for himself. In partnership with B. E. Jones, he established the Jones & Kuhlke Machine shops, the firm fitting up their plant with all kinds of improved machinery, and mak- ing it the best equipped in the city. On

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 58

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