Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 64

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 64

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

M. Cole & Company, bankers. In short, Dr. Cole may be described as a man of wide and useful activities, in close touch with every- thing connected with the growth and ma- terial advancement of the thriving city in which he has made his home.

In his fraternal and religious affiliations also he is not lacking. In the Masonic Or- der he has advanced as far as the Command- ery, and both the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows claim him as a brother. Au Episcopalian in re- ligion, he is a member of the Church of Our Saviour at Akron, which he consistently helps to support. his benefactions flowing also at times, as he sees cause, in additional channels.

Dr. Cole was married, January 20, 1876, to Mrs. Lucy J. Truscott, of Cleveland. who. besides the two children she brought to him, Harry and Jessie Truseott, has borne him two sons-Samuel Jackson, born May 30, 1879; and Edmund Herbert, born November 25. 1882. Of the two latter, Samuel J. Cole is now cashier for the United States Express Company, while Edmund H. Cole is his fath- er's associate in business. Mrs. Cole is a sis- ter of the Hon. A. L. Conger. The family home is at No. 18 Bowery Street.

PERRY GIBSON EWART was born August 28, 1847, in Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Elizabeth ( Harris) Ewart.

The Ewart family is of Scotch-Irish extrac- tion, the great-grandfather, in company with several of his brothers, coming to America at a very early day and settling in Pennsylvania, where he died. His son Joseph Ewart, the grandfather of Perry G., in company with his family and James Caruthers and family, came to Ohio, in 1811, and both settled at Tallmadge, where the Caruthers family re- mained, but Grandfather Ewart pushed far- ther into the country and in 1812 settled in Springfield Township, on the farm now occu- pied by C. C. Ewart. He lived on that farm until his death in 1852, at the age of eighty- eight years. This land he purchased for eight

dollars an acre. It had formerly been ten- anted and an old blacksmith shop stood on the place. His wife died aged eighty-seven years. They were perfeet types of the early pioneers and faced the certain dangers and hardships with cheerful hearts and brave de- meanor. Their children were: James, Josiah, Campbell, John, Robert Lee, Polly and Mar- tha.

John Ewart, father of Perry G. Ewart, was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1809, and came to Ohio in the arms of his mother, in 1811, who rode on horseback the whole dis- tanee. Ile was educated in the early district schools and followed farming all his life. He married Elizabeth Harris, who was left an orphan when young. They had the following children : Joseph, who died when five years old; Perry G .; Charles Calvin; Belle, who married John L. Sheppard, residing in Lake County, Ohio; and Ada, who married Hubert J. Wright, residing in Lake County. John Ewart died in 1901, aged ninety year-, hav- ing lived on the same farm continuously for eighty-eight years.

Perry G. Ewart was educated in the com- mon schools of his township and later be- came a student in the Akron High School. when Professor Hole was superintendent, and subsequently was graduated from a military academy at Cleveland, in 1867. Ile then took a business course in the Bryant and Stratton Commercial College, following which he ac- cepted a position as bookkeeper in Cleveland. After he returned to Summit County, he took charge of the books for the Brewster Brothers Coal Company, at Akron, and for six years was bookkeeper with the Thomas Phillips Co.'s Paper Mill. For the past twenty-five years he has been residing on his present farm.

Mr. Ewart was married to Jennie Shaffer, who is a daughter of Samuel and Katherine (Kepler) Shaffer. The remote ancestors of Mrs. Ewart were natives of Pennsylvania, but her parents came to Summit from Stark Coun- ty, Ohio, about 1824, and both are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Ewart have had two sons and two daughters, three of whom are living:

SAMUEL COOPER

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Harry, who operates the home farm, married Laura Brumbaugh and they have one son, Donald Brumbaugh; Jessie, who married Dr. Floyd J. Metzger, residing in New York, have one daughter, Elizabeth; and Claude, who was born in 1886, graduated from the Akron High School and has taken two years of the four-year course at Buchtel College. One daughter, Mabel, died in November, 1895, aged eighteen years.

Politically Mr. Ewart is a Democratic leader in this section. For twelve years he served as a justice of the peace and has been elected to various township offices, and in 1893, he was chosen by his party as their candidate for the Legislature. Although conditions were such that no Democrat could have been elected, he cut the majority very materially. Later he was selected as candidate for auditor of Summit County. He has been identified with insurance affairs for many years and has been a director in the Farmers' Lake Township Mutual Company for twenty-four years. In 1907 Mr. Ewart was elected a mem- ber of the State Board of Agriculture. He is a member of the local Grange, having always taken an interest in this movement.

SAMUEL COOPER, briek manufacturer, a member of the firm of Cooper Brothers, came to Akron May 15, 1883, from Stafford- shire, England, where he was born July 27, 1853. In his native land, Mr. Cooper learned the brick business, to which he has devoted his attention almost all of his business life. For a short time after reaching Akron, he worked in the brick manufacturing plant of Byron Allison, and later for eighteen months was in a brick business with John Dehaven and Dr. Jewett. Subsequently he went into partnership with his brothers, Joseph and William Cooper, in a brick manufacturing business which has been continued with great success until the present time. The firm of Cooper Brothers manufacture at their plant at No. 573 Spieer Street, all kinds of build- ing and sewer brick, and their produet has entered into the construction of many of the substantial buildings of Akron.

November 18, 1872, Mr. Cooper married Ann Edge and of this union have been born four children, namely: Ann Elizabeth, who married Timothy Emery, a missionary, resid- ing at Liverpool, England; Samuel, Jr., and John William, both of whom are connected with the firmn of Cooper Brothers; and Sarah Jane, who married William Johnson, a stu- dent at the Bible School at Alliance, Ohio.

Mr. Cooper is identified politically with the Republican party. He belongs to the order of Foresters and to the Sons of St. George. He is one of the attendants of the Gospel Mis- sion Church on East South Street, Akron, of which his family are members.

CHARLES A. HARING, who owns sev- enty-nine acres of fine land, was born on his present farm in Franklin Township, Summit County, Ohio, April 3, 1869, and is a son of Daniel and Mary E. (Ludwick) Haring.

Charles Haring, the grandfather of Charles A., was born in Green Township, Summit County, Ohio, to which place his parents had come in early days. After his marriage he settled on a farm in Franklin Township, and here he and wife spent the remainder of their lives. Charles Haring was married to a Miss Willtrout, who was born in Pennsyl- vania and came to Franklin Township. when quite young. They had a family of eight children: Joel, Daniel, Allen, Hiram, Mrs. Whitmire, Mrs. Dailey, Mrs. Swigart and Mrs. Marsh, all of whom are deceased with the exception of Mrs. Swigart. Allen Haring was a school teacher and was credited with teaching more terms than any other native teacher of the township.

Daniel Haring, father of Charles A .. was reared on his father's farm in Franklin Town- ship, which he helped to clear, and after his marriage he removed to the present farm of Charles A. Haring, which he purchased from a Mr. Kaler. There the rest of his life was spent, his death taking place in 1886, at the age of fifty-six years. He married Mary E. Ludwick, who died in 1891. aged fifty-three years. She was a daughter of Samuel Lud- wick. Three children were born to this union :

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Elmina, who died at the age of ten years; Charles Alvin; and Della M., the latter of whom died aged eighteen years.

Charles A. Haring was educated in the district schools and was reared to agricultural pursuits. For two years he was in partner- ship with E. O. Cox and Warren Miller in a threshing business, but for the past five years he has carried on this line of work by himself, owning. a complete threshing outfit and portable saw mill.

On September 5, 1895, Mrs. Haring was married to Carrie M. Young, and to this union there have been born two children: Russell and Ophir. With his family he at- tends the Reformed Church at Barberton, Ohio. He is a Democrat.

FREDERICK G. SHERBONDY, secretary of the Biggs Boiler Works Company, of Ak- ron, was born in this city, in 1884, and is a son of Joseph P. Sherbondy, a business man residing on Sherbondy Hill, at Akron. The grandfather, Levi Sherbondy, came to Ohio in 1814, traveling by wagon from Penn- sylvania. He was an extensive farmer and large land-owner and a prominent man in Summit County for many years. He died at Akron in 1898, aged eighty-six years.

Frederick G. Sherbondy was reared and educated at Akron, and immediately after leaving school, entered the Biggs Boiler Works Company's employ as

hook- keeper. In February, 1907, he became secretary of the company. He is rec- ognized as one of the capable and pro- gressive young business men of Akron who hold the future prosperity of the city in their hands. On November 22, 1906. Mr. Sher- bondy was married to Pearl M. Winkler, who is a daughter of Frank B. Winkler, of Akron. Mr. Sherbondy is a member of the Disciples Church.

JACOB FINLEY JAMES RICHEY, who, for the past seven years has been a trustee of Northfield Township, is one of the progressive and successful general farmers of this section, and resides on the homestead farm of 231

acres, of which he owns 116, his mother re- taining the balance. He was born September 20, 1859, and is a son of Andrew K. and Elizabeth (Bain) Richey.

Thomas Richey, the paternal grandfather, came to America when twenty-one years of age and first worked in fisheries near Phila- delphia. During the War of 1812 he was employed in the Du Pont Powder Works at Wilmington, Delaware, and then came to Ohio, pre-empting land in Chippewa Town- ship, Wayne County. He continued to work in the powder works until he had made two payments on his land, and after making his third payment he settled on it, and lived there until 1852, when he sold that property and bought 211 acres in Northfield Township. He carried on large agricultural operations, en- gaging in farming and dairying in the old way, when butter and cheesemaking were im- portant household industries. On April 3, 1826, Thomas Richey was married to Mar- garet Koplin, who came from Pennsylvania to Wayne County. She died June 22, 1879, having passed her eightieth birthday. Thom- as Richey died August 27, 1867, seventy- seven years. All of their children are now deccased, namely: Andrew K., Matthias, Jane, Margaret, George, Catherine, Thomas, and Mary Ann.

Andrew K. Richey was born in Chippewa Township, Wayne County, Ohio, January 31, 1828. He obtained his education in the old Tallmadge school, which, like others of that period, made the study of the classics a lead- ing feature of the curriculum. He was a fine Latin student and at the age of eighteen years began to teach school, and he taught one year also after his marriage. He subsequently purchased the present homestead farm, start- ing with 114 acres and adding to it grad- ually until he owned 231 acres. He erected buildings here and made improvements which have been still further added to by his son, one of these being the enlarging of the barn until now it is a handsome, substantial struc- ture with dimensions of 105 by 40 feet, with basement and 24-foot posts. During the Civil War, Andrew K. Richey served as a lieuten-

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ant in the militia. He was a man every one trusted, one who met every obligation, treated all men fairly and displayed in full the manly qualities which brought him universal esteem. Ile served as a justice of the peace, and as township assessor and township trustee.

On November 6, 1856, he married Eliza- beth Bain, a daughter of Jacob Bain, who was born in Washington County, New York, April 30, 1807, and who died May 5, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Richey had six children, namely: Margaret Zephina, who married John L. Ritchie; J. F. J., of Northfield Town- ship; Thomas Tell, residing at Cleveland; Andrew Fenn, residing at Northfield ; Emmer Ross, now deceased; and Elizabeth Catherine, residing with her mother. Mrs. Richey was born September 19, 1836. She is a member of the old Associated Presbyterian Church in which Mr. Richey was a deacon and trustee. He died July 7, 1900.

The paternal great-grandfather of Mrs. Richey was James Bain, who was born at Argyle, New York, where he married, and where his nine children were born. Jacob Bain came to Ohio in 1855, and reaching Macedonia in July, and in the following De- cember he settled on the farm on which he subsequently resided until his death. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade and assisted to build the first museum ever erected in the city of Albany, New York. In 1832 he mar- ried Catherine MeNaughton, a former neigh- bor of his, who was born April 14, 1806. They had five children: Finley. deceased; Mrs. Richey; Mary Etta, who married Joseph C. Finney, residing near Mansfield, Ohio; Catherine M., who married Dickson T. Har- bison, residing at Robinson, Illinois; and James M., residing at New York city. The Bain family was affiliated with the Associated Presbyterian Church.

Jacob Finley James Richey has spent his life on the homestead farm. Ile tills about 160 acres, his main crops being corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes. Ile raises horses and keeps thirty head of young cattle. Mr. Richey believes in scientific farming to a large degree, and makes use of modern machinery,

following the latest improved methods. The fine condition of his farm testifies both to his industry and to his thorough knowledge of his chosen calling.

Mr. Richey was married to Mary Alice Martin, who is a daughter of Henry Martin, of Northfield Township, and they have four ehildren-Clarence La Mar, Laura Alice, Wil- lis Paul and Ada Blanche.

WILLIAM H. WAGONER, the owner of seventy-six acres of excellent farm land which is situated in Coventry Township, about five miles south of Akron, is a well-known citizen. He was born in Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, not far from his present farm, March 4, 1857, and is a son of David and Margaret (Swigart) Wagoner.

The grandfather of Mr. Wagoner was George Wagoner, who was born in Pennsyl- vania and after coming to Summit County. located on land near Manchester, which he eleared and developed into a good farm. He was married (first) to a Miss Roades and (second) to Catherine Souers. Both grand- parents died on that farm, when about eighty- three years old, the second wife surviving her husband for thirteen years. There were four children born to the first marriage and ten to the second, six of the children still sur- viving, as follows: Philip, who is an ex- county commissioner of Summit County ; Ilenry; John; Aaron; Harriet, who is the widow of John Harpster; and Mrs. Amanda Spangler, who is also a widow.

David Wagoner, father of William H., had a twin brother, who died in childhood. They were born near Manchester and were children of the first marriage. David became a farmer and also a carpenter working at his trade to some extent all his life. He bought twenty- six acres of the farm now owned by his son, from Emanuel Sholley, and resided on it until his death in his fifty-seventh year. He married Margaret Swigart, who survived him for nine years. She was born on an adjoin- ing farm, near Manchester, and was a daugh- ter of George Swigart, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. He had fifteen children and

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the mother of William H. Wagoner was one of the first to die. David Wagoner and wife had six children, namely: Oliver, who was a soldier in the Civil War, a member of Company H, 104th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died while at home on a fur- lough; Mary, who died aged three years; Al- berta, who died aged one year; John, who is deceased; William Henry; and Sarah, who is the widow of Adam Carmany.

William Henry Wagoner was nine years of age when his parents moved on the present farm and he has lived here ever since. From boyhood he has been accustomed to farm work and from the age of twenty years, when his father died, he has had charge of this property. The original farm of twenty-six aeres was divided among three children, each one receiving a small amount after the debts of the estate were paid. Mr. Wagoner cleared off the above claims, and by hard and honest effort acquired land for himself, adding until he became possessed of his present farm. He owns also a one-half interest in thirty-one aeres of timber land in Green township. He greatly improved his property by building a comfortable home in 1889, having ereeted the barn in 1883.

On November 26, 1886, Mr. Wagoner was married to Clara E. Shook, who is a dangh- ter of George A. and Elizabeth (Mutehler) Shook. They were born near New Berlin, Stark County, Ohio, where they lived until 1881, when they bought and moved on the farm adjoining that of Mr. Wagoner, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Shook had four children, namely: Clara; Henry; Ir- win and Anna, the latter of whom was born in Summit County, and married Edward Eippert. Mr. and Mrs. Wagoner have had four children, namely: Edward Samuel, Elsie May, Floyd H. and William Ray. Ed- ward Samuel died in infancy.

Mr. Wagoner is a Republican and he has been elected by that party to a number of important offices. For nine years he served as township trustee and then resigned in order to assume the duties of infirmary direetor, to which office he had been eleeted, in a normal

Democratic township, by an overwhelming majority. For a number of years he has served as school director and at the present time is a valued member of the School Board. With his family he belongs to the Lutheran Church at Akron, having assisted to build this church edifiee. He was one of the build- ing committee and a trustee and gave his time and services as well as financial assist- anee. Mr. Wagoner has given his children excellent educational advantages and Elsie May and Floyd H., both graduated from the Kenmore High School in 1907, receiving di- plomas and teacher's certificates. Prior to her marriage, Mrs. Wagoner was a teacher as were her brothers and sisters.

CHARLES S. JOHNSON, who stands de- servedly high as a business eitizen at Barber- ton, where he is the leading dealer in hard- ware, is president of the Ohio Hardware As- sociation and is known all over the State as a man of thorough knowledge along hardware lines. He was born at Allegheny, Pennsyl- vania, March 7, 1867, and is a son of George R. and Florence Estella Johnson.

The father of Mr. Johnson was an oil well engineer and was also employed in the oil fields as a well shooter. For about ten years he followed farming, but during his later years he was in business with his son Charles S., at Barberton. As his business demanded, he moved to different sections of the country, in 1873, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he remained for three years, in the fall of 1876, to Philadelphia, and from there to a farm near West Liberty, Iowa. For several years he was also engaged in a hotel business.

It was during the residence of the family in Iowa, that Charles S. Johnson took a com- mercial course at Drake University, at Des Moines, where he was graduated with the highest honors in a elass of twenty-two stu- dents, and earried off the coveted prize of being chosen valedietorian. Mr. Johnson then went to Pittsburg, and for a number of years he was employed there in the auditor's office, but, desiring a more active life, he aceepted a position at Salem, Ohio, with Bakewell

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& Mullins. About one year later, he took charge of a general store at Burkettstown, Pennsylvania, for six months, and then re- turned to Salem, where, in 1886, he became bookkeeper and collector for the firm of Mc- Lern & Crumrine, hardware merchants. In 1891 Mr. Johnson retired from this connec- tion and embarked in business for himself at Barberton, locating first in a frame build- ing situated just across the street from his pres- ent spacious quarters. In 1892 he purchased this property and in the following year he added a second story in order to facilitate in- creasing demands of business, and in 1902 he was obliged to still further add to his prem- ises by building a third story. His line of goods comprises everything denominated hard- ware and his trade covers a large territory. Mr. Johnson's thorough knowledge of this line of goods, as well as his well established reputa- tion for business ability and commercial in- tegrity, caused his election to the office of vice- president of the Ohio Hardware Association for two successive terms and later to the presi- dency of the organization. He is connected with other successful business interests of Barberton, and is a member of the board of directors of the Barberton Savings Bank and also of the Deming Manufacturing Company.

Mr. Johnson owns real estate of consider- able value in this city, including a pleasant home. He married Laura Hartong. He is a member of the Christian Church.

Fraternally Mr. Johnson is connected with the Masons, the Elks and the Maccabees.

PETER LEPPER, whose farm of 255 acres is situated in Springfield Township, is a promi- nent and substantial citizen of this section. He was born October 7, 1826, at Milton, Ma- honing County, Ohio, and is a son of John A. and Magdalena (Stine) Lepper.

The Lepper family belonged originally to Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. There the grandfather of Peter Lepper, John A. Lep- per, followed his trade of milling and lived and died. He had a family of eleven chil- dren and three of his sons, Johan A., Anthony and John A., served in the Germany army,

all members of the same regiment. John A., father of Peter, served ten years and survived all dangers, but his two brothers were killed on the field of battle. The Stine family also belonged to Hesse Darmstadt and Grand- father Henry Stine was reputed a prominent and wealthy man at one time. He married Louisa Ritthousen and they had four chil- dren, Mrs. John A. Lepper being the eldest. John A. Lepper was born in June, 1779, and in 1803 he was married in Germany to Mag- dalena Stine. She was born in April, 1780, and died December 11, 1871, surviving her husband exactly three years. They both were faithful members of the Lutheran Church and through a long life which brought them many undeserved misfortunes, they preserved their old faith intact.

To John A. Lepper and wife were born the following children : Elizabeth; an infant that died on the ocean while the family was coming to America; Adam, who died at New Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio; Philip, who was killed in 1864, while serving as a soldier in the Civl War, was born in Germany in 1813, owned a farm in Missouri : Gerhardt, who died January 11, 1865, aged fifty-two years, ten months and twenty-one days; Cath- erine, deceased, who married Joseph Crase; Louisa, who never came to America, died in Germany, in 1893, and was the wife of Philip Hommel; and Peter, who is the only survivor and the only one of the family who was born in America.

Early in the year 1819, John A. Lepper be- gan to make preparations to emigrate with his family to America, and finally reached the docks at Bremen ready to take passage in one of the old sailing vessels of that time. It was a great undertaking for these quiet. home-loving people to break all old ties and start for a strange new country, but possessed of such courage and determination were the early pioneers whose efforts have made the United States the great grand land that it is. It was no easy matter to accumulate at one time the required passage money, a sum of some $510, but it was finally obtained, the amount was paid and the eager emigrants

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were gathered awaiting the last arrangements before they went on the ship which they con- fidently believed was to take them to a land flowing with the proverbial milk and honey. Just then happened one of those unforescen accidents, brought about innocently but of vast importance to the Lepper family. One of the waiting emigrants picked up a bullet, about the size of a small nut, and instead of throwing it away, unfortunately gave it to one of the restless Lepper lads, who, boy-like, immediately saw in it a plaything with which to while away the weary hours of waiting. He attached it to a string and found amuse- ment in swinging it in a cirele, until suddenly the string broke and the piece of lead flew off at a tangent, crashing into the front of a business house on the street and breaking a show window valued by the irate proprietor at $400. The passage money of the Lepper family was immediately attached, and for a time it seemed as if they would have to re- turn to their old home instead of sailing across the Atlantic. The glass broken was a fine one and among the passengers the broken bits were purchased to take with them to their new homes as relics, and to assist the unfor- tunate family, but although they paid good prices, there still remained $200 to be paid. In this serious dilemma, the captain of the vessel came to the aid of the Leppers with the suggestion of a custom then in force, that of giving free passage to the port of Baltimore to those members of the family who could not pay, if such members would consent to be auctioned off as servants, to work until the amount was settled, or, if children, until the age of majority. This was a hard propo- sition for the honest old German father, but he saw no other way and finally signed the necessary papers.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 64

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