Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 68

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

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C. F. FRANKLIN

W. A. FRANKLIN

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pany. Mr. Wills has taken an active interest in city politics and for four years served as a member of the City Council. Ile belongs to the beneficiary order of the Protected Home Circle.

WALTER A. FRANKLIN, of the firm of Franklin Brothers, also a general contractor, at Akron, has been for the past twenty-eight years a resident of this city, which has been the scene of his greatest business activity. He was born a Baltimore, Maryland, in 1868, and is a son of Charles Franklin, who is a retired citizen of Akron.

The parents of Mr. Franklin came to Ohio when he was about two years of age, and he attended school in this city. His entrance into business was as a clerk in a tea store for two years, commencing at the age of thirteen years. Afterward he worked in a brick yard for one year and then engaged in lathing. He also learned the plasterer's trade and subsequently served two years at the cooper's trade. Prior to his twenty-first birthday he had accom- plished all this and was then prepared to en- gage in contract plastering, which he did at the age of twenty-one. This easily led to mason work and general contracting. In 1898 the firm of Franklin Brothers was estab- lished for the purpose of dealing in all kinds of sand and gravel and other commodities and doing all kinds of excavating and heavy teaming, an extensive business being ear- ried on along all these lines. C. F. Frank- lin manages this business W. A. Franklin, independent of the Franklin Brothers does a large amount of contract work. private residences especially, in connection with city building. He has built the follow- ing fine residences: S. J. Rickie. B. G. Work's addition to residence. George G. Allen's, John Gross's. George Warner's, M. O'Neil's; I. R. Manton's, also Frederick Mil- ler's, of Cuyahoga Falls, and the addition to the palatial home of C. B. Raymond, besides many others.

In 1889, Mr. Franklin was married to Jes- sie E. Salmons, of Akron, and they have four children : William Charles, Harriet Ann,

James A. and Robert D. Fraternally Mr. Franklin is a Mason and he belongs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, and Council at Akron. His business location is at No. 327 Cuyahoga Street. He is recognized as one of the city's most capable business men, and is also an interested and active worker in advancing the welfare of Akron in every way. His portrait on the neighboring page will be regarded as an appropriate supplement to this article.

C. F. FRANKLIN, of Franklin Brothers, the leading general contracting firm of Akron, is one of the city's successful, self-made men. He was born in 1873. at Cleveland, Ohio, but was reared and educated in Akron, attending the North Hill School.

In boyhood he started out to make his own way in the world, and he was the first lad to carry the Cleveland Press north of the Balti- more & Ohio Railroad, which work he per- formed for three years, and under conditions which would have discouraged many less per- severing youths. At that time the newspa- per, which was greatly in demand, did not reach Akron until five o'clock in the after- noon, causing the brave little carrier to make a somewhat risky trip over the North hills at night. This determination of character lias been a winning attribute in later life. From being a newsboy he entered the employ of the Akron Building and Cabinet Company. and remained with this concern during seven busy years. He then took charge of L. D. Ewing's planing mill for two years. During the next two years he worked for the Akron Spirit Level Company, then for thirteen months was with the Summit Lumber Com- pany, following which came his partnership with his brother, Walter A. Franklin, under the style of Franklin Brothers.

This firm is one of the most progressive in the city. The Franklin Brothers were the first to make a business of delivering screened sand to their customers, and they own the only steam shovel. They are engaged in all kinds of heavy teaming. having thirty-eight teams in operation to assist in excavating and other contract work. A large contract now

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being filled is the building of the new State Mill Reservoir, which is progressing satisfae- torily.

The Franklin Brothers are the owners of the North Ilill sand banks, situated at the corner of North Howard Street and Glenwood Avenue, which contains fifteen aeres of sand and to an average of forty feet high.

On November 15, 1893, Mr. Franklin was married to Ada M. Gillett, of Akron, and they have five children, namely: Charles E., Howard L., Walter A., Ada May and Francis Gillett. Mr. Franklin is a member of the order of Modern Woodmen and of the Build- ers' Exchange.

MCALLISTER BROTHERS, the name in- eluding Isadore and Alexander McAllister, own the old Alexander MeAllister farm of eighty-eight and one-quarter aeres, which is situated in Bath Township. It formerly con- tained eighty-nine aeres but the McAllister sehool building, in School District No. 10, takes off three-fourths of an acre. This farm was purchased from an early settler, Dr. Cros- by, June 30, 1840, and has never been out of the family.

The parents of the MeAllister Brothers were born and reared in Ireland and came to Amer- ica in 1836, following their marriage. They settled first in Coventry Township, Summit County, and Alexander MeAllister, the father, was a contractor on the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal. Later he moved to Monroe Falls, where he took a second contract. His first contract was the building of the eanal be- tween Akron and Middlebury, now East Ak- ron. From Monroe Falls he moved on the present farm of his sons, in Bath Township, finding no buildings but an old log house. Many of the trees had been girdled and were dead, and old stumps made a lonesome ap- pearing landscape, but he was a man of great energy and industry and completed the clear- ing of the whole farm. This was a large undertaking. as in those days, the use of pres- ent explosives and machinery for this purpose was unknown, and all the heavy work had to be done practically by sheer strength. In

1843 he replaced the log house with the frame one in which his sons reside. He had seven children and Isadore and Alexander are the only survivors. The others were: John, who died in infancy in Coventry; Alexander (1), who died an infant, in Coventry ; an uunamed infant; Mary, who died June 20, 1854, aged three years; and James, who died in Bath Township, September 6, 1873, aged twenty- one years. The father died April 22, 1854, and the mother, February 6, 1891.

Isadore Mc Allister was seven years of age when his father died, leaving a family of small children for the mother to rear. Her children being too young to give much as- sistance, she let the farm out on shares until her sons were old enough to take charge, which they did when young. They have proven themselves good farmers and stock- raisers and excellent business men as well. They operate a fine dairy with twelve cows.

Isadore, the elder of the MeAllister Broth- ers, was born April 4, 1847. He married Miranda Vallen, who is a daughter of Wil- liam Vallen, and they have two children: Lloyd, aged twenty-one years, and Alma, aged seventeen years. Mrs. MeAllister died April 12, 1902.

Both brothers work together in harmony and present a picture of brotherly affection and devotion to each other's welfare that it is pleasant to contemplate. They are both consist- ent members of St. Vincent's Catholie Church. For four years, Alexander McAllister has served as a member of the School Board.

CALVIN SPADE, foreman of the Robin- son Clay Company factory No. 3, at East Ak- ron, a responsible position he has filled for the past five years, was born in Springfield Town- ship, Summit County, Ohio, September 6, 1851, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Heckman) Spade.

John Spade, the grandfather of Calvin Spade, came to Uniontown, Springfield Town- ship, in 1812, from Snyder County, Pennsyl- vania, and died when advanced in years. Of his fourteen children, all reached maturity except two, and the survivors reached a good

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old age, the majority leaving descendants. The eldest child, George, was born in Snyder County, in 1811, was brought by his parents to Springfield Township, where he married Rebecea Weaver; Jacob married Miss Myers, and died at the age of seventy-two years; Samuel also married a Myers, and died aged sixty-seven years; Catherine also married into the Myers family, and died aged seventy-three years; William married a Miss Weaver, and died aged seventy years; Henry married a member of the Myers family, and lived to be sixty-eight years of age; Noah married a Miss Starr, and died aged seventy-eight years; Thomas married a Miss Weaver, and died aged seventy years; Sarah married a Kreich- baum, and died aged thirty-five years; Eve never married, and lived to the age of eighty- one years; John, father of Calvin, lived to the age of seventy-seven years; and Michael mar- ried a member of the Weaver family. The grandparents died aged sixty-six and eighty- one years, respectively.

Both parents of Calvin Spade were born in Springfield Township, where their lives were passed. They had the following children : Samuel, who died aged two years; Catherine, who married Joseph Bollinger; Eve, who mar- ried Moses Israel ; Calvin ; Michael, who mar- ried Barbara Jane Swinehart; William, who married Barbara Keller; John, who married Minerva Schriner; Sarah, who remains un- married; Elizabeth, who is unmarried.

Calvin Spade had few educational advan- tages in his youth. His life had been one of constant industry and has been mainly contined to the pottery industry. He learned his trade at the pottery of his uncle, George Spade, and for the past thirty-three years he has been engaged at Factory No. 3, this plant having been established for a half century. Mr. Spade, from his long experience, has the work here well in hand, and sinee he has been superintendent, the product has not only been increased in quantity but has still more surely confirmed its reputation as to quality. Mr. Spade has thirty-six workmen under his eon- trol and the most cordial feelings exist between the foreman and his employes.

In 1873 Mr. Spade was married, and nine of his family of children still survive, namely : William Edward, residing in New Mexico, is a locomotive engineer, married Pearl Metzger and they have one child; Robert, residing at Atlanta, is a pitcher in the Southern Base Ball League, married Carrie Bolling and they have two children, Glynn and Vera; Grace, who married William Ritzman, a farmer of Spring- field Township, has one child, Hazel; Stella, who 'married John Ritzman, a farmer of Springfield Township, has one child, John; Louisa, who married George Ody, resides in the Hunt Allotment of Akron; Ira, who is engaged with his father at the pottery; and Huldah, Lillie and Carrie L., all residing at home. The family belong to the East Mar- ket street Reformed Church. For thirty years Mr. Spade has been a member of the order of Knights of Pythias, belonging to Aetolia Lodge, No. 24, Akron.

GEORGE A. SHAW, organizer, president and general manager of the Buckeye Match Company, of North Baltimore, Ohio, has been a prominent resident of Barberton and New Portage, for the past thirty-four years, serving with eredit in public offices, successfully di- reeting business affairs and taking an active part in political life. Mr. Shaw was born about one-half mile north of Johnson's Cor- ners, in Norton Township, Summit County, Ohio, September 1, 1853, and is a son of Merwin and Emily E. (Betz) Shaw.

The father of Mr. Shaw was born at Medina, Ohio, and spent the larger part of his life in Norton Township, Summit County, where he engaged in farming and also operated a grist mill.

Attending the district schools in the winter seasons and working on the home farm during the summers, made up the larger part of Mr. Shaw's boyhood life. Later he attended the High School at Doylestown and subse- quently attended the Mennonite College at Wadsworth, Ohio. The failure of his father's health, about this time, threw the responsibil- ity of managing the home farm on his shoul- ders. Several years later he went to South

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Dakota, where he took up a Government claim of 160 acres, but made his home at Mitehell. While there he entered into the employ of a railroad company, first as night yardmaster and later as manager of the day yards. After residing there for some two years and con- tinuing his railroad work, he was so seriously injured while making a coupling, that all further railroad work was abandoned and he returned to Summit County, on a pass gladly offered by the company.

Mr. Shaw located at New Portage, where he opened a general store, and for eight years he served as postmaster there, when, on being elected mayor of Barberton, he moved to his prsent home. He served four years also as postmaster of this city and. was elected a member of the first board of Public Affairs, of Barberton. Mr. Shaw is concerned in various business enterprises and is presi- dent of the Barberton Wire Loek Fence Com- pany, which plant employs about twenty-five men. He has recently organized an indus- try which promises to be one of great in- portance, the Buckeye Match Company, which has been incorporated for $100,000. The works are to be established at North Balti- more, Ohio. Mr. Shaw owns a majority of the stoek and is president and general mana- ger of the company. Ile is recognized as one of the able and enterprising business men of Summit County.

In 1898 Mr. Shaw was married to Harriet L. Marshall.

Politically he has always been identified with the Republican party and has been an im- portant factor of the same in Summit Coun- ty. He organized the first MeKinley elub in the county and has been liberal in contribut- ing to its work. Fraternally he belongs to the Junior Order of American Mechanics and to the Knights of Pythias.

C. CHARLES CONAGIIAN, a leading bus- iness citizen of Tallmadge, belongs to one of the old pioneer families of Ohio that crossed the mountains from Pennsylvania and en- tered the Western Reserve about 1800. C. Charles Conaghan was born October 16, 1842,

in Wyandot County, Ohio, and is a son of Charles C. and Mary L. Conaghan.

The Conaghan family is of Irish extraction, the grandfather, Dennis Conaghan, having been born in Ireland and left his native land in youth. Ile settled in Adams County, Penn- sylvania, married and subsequently came to Ohio, where he reared a large family, and died in old age in Wyandot County.

Charles C. Conaghan, father of C. Charles, carried on agricultural pursuits on what was known as the old Logsdon farm, in Wyandot County. He married Mary A. Bardoon, who was born in Perry County, Ohio, in June, 1822, and was a daughter of Anthony and Magdalene Bardoon, the former of whom was a native of France and the latter of Ger- many. There were two children born to Charles C. and Mary (Bardoon) Conaghan : C. Charles and A. Frank. Charles C. Conag- han, died aged thirty-two years. His widow married (second) William Best, and she be- came the mother of four more children, namely: Mary E., Agatha, Louisa and Ma- tilda. Mrs. Best died November 9, 1891.

C. Charles Conaghan, bearing his father's name along with inheriting his sterling traits of character, was reared on the old farm in Wyandot County, which his father and grand- father had redeemed from the forest. He attended the district schools in boyhood and had already become very useful on the home farm when the Civil War broke out and its issues absorbed the thoughts of young and old almost to the exclusion of every private in- terest. On August 12, 1861, Mr. Conaghan enlisted in the Federal army, at Tiffin, Ohio, entering Company B, 49th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, contraeting for three years or during the war. He was honorably discharged at Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sep- tember 5, 1864, having participated in num- berless engagements, many very serious bat- tles, and suffered both from wound and im- prisonment. He took part in the battles of Shiloh, Liberty Gap and Chickamauga, being wounded at the latter place, on September 19, 1863, but he recovered in time to participate in the Atlanta Campaign and also in the bat-

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tles of Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Adamsville, Cassville, Pickett's Mills, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and the siege and capture of Atlanta. The mere recital of these historie names brings the blood to the cheek and the fire to the eye of every noble old veteran, but a tear also falls, for in the National Cemetery, at Marietta, Georgia, with. thousands of their gallant com- rades, sleep 113 brave soldiers who once were members of the 49th Ohio.

Although Mr. Conaghan seemed to bear a charmed life through the furious battles which he never evaded, he was captured by a party of Gen. Kirby Smith's soldiers at Lawrence- burg, Kentucky, October 8, 1862. Fortu- nately for him his captors could not conven- iently take their prisoners with them at that time and he was immediately paroled. This kept him out of active service for a time, as did his wound for several months, otherwise he served with his regiment whenever it was in the field. Mr. Conaghan believes that he knows the States of Kentucky and Tennes- see better than many of their native sons, hav- ing marched three times across the former and five times across the latter, and under conditions which will never permit him to for-

ghan was but nineteen years of age when he entered the army and his only brother was but seventeen, the latter offering up his young life on the altar of his country, at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain. Mr. Conaghan is a prominent and interested member of Buckley Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Ak- ron, and has represented his post at the De- partment Encampment.

After the end of his military service, he returned to Carey, Wyandot County, where he remained until the spring of 1865, when he entered a commercial college at Cleveland and subsequently, for a few months, was book- keeper in a business house of that city. In February, 1866, he came to Akron, where he was engaged for one year in a coal busi- ness, later removing to New Portage, where he was in a grocery line for eighteen months. In 1870 he came to Tallmadge and engaged

in clerking until 1885, and in the following year went into a partnership in a mercantile business, with the late Frank E. Hine. Mr. Hine died in 1892, since which time he has continued alone, doing the most satisfactory business in his line, in the place.

Mr. Conaghan was married (first) at Ak- ron, to Olive R. Ellis, who died October 27, 1885. She was a daughter of Joseph D. and Mary A. (Brown) Ellis, and left two chil- dren, Nellie L. and Mary. Mr. Conaghan was married (second) March 25, 1897, to Mrs. Margaret E. (Hall) Hine, who was the widow of his former partner, Frank E. Iline. Mr. Conaghan is one of the town's public-spirited, enterprising and useful men. He commands the respect of his fellow-citizens and enjoys the esteem of a large circle of friends. The political offices he has held have been re- garded by him in the light of public trusts, and their duties as faithfully performed as were those of the young soldier in 1861-2-3.

W. J. WILDES, president of the Board of Public Service of Akron, has held this honor- able position since the organization of the board. He was born in this city in 1872, and get the landscape or the people. Mr. Cona- . is a son of James Wildes, a native of Sum- mit County, who settled in AAkron, a half century ago.

W. J. Wildes was reared in Akron and educated in her institutions, graduating from the High School in 1889. In the following year he went to Poughkeepsie, New York, en- tering Eastman's Commercial College of that city, where he completed the course. He then returned to Akron and entered into general contracting with his father. They have since executed a large amount of work, including the building of roads, streets and sewers. both in Akron and at other points, a number of important contracts having been filled in Northwestern Ohio. In recent years Mr. Wildes has taken quite an active interest in politics. In 1902 he was appointed a mem- ber of the Board of City Commissioners, by Mayor Doyle, and served one year, since which time he has been in service on the pres-

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ent board, a body which enjoys in large meas- ure the confidence of the people.

In 1902 Mr. Wildes was married to Flor- ence McCue, who is a daughter of T. W. Me- Cue, of Akron. Fraternally Mr. Wildes be- longs to the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of St. John, and to the Elks. He is a member of St. Vincent Catholic Church.

HON. CHARLES A. DAVIS, mayor of Cuyahoga Falls, and proprietor of the largest grocery house in the city, was born at Can- astota, Madison County, New York, January 19, 1856, son of George M. and Sarah J. (IIale) Davis.

Ilis paternal grandfather was Samuel Davis, a native of New Jersey, but of Welsh parentage, who came to this county at an early day. This Samuel Davis died in Len- nox Township, Madison County, in 1850, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, having moved from New Jersey to Lewis County, New York, in 1828. He was a farmer by ocenpa- tion.

Samnel's son, Aaron, grandfather of Mayor Davis, was born in New Jersey, sixteen miles from Brunswick, about 1808. Previous to his marriage he moved to Lewis County, New York. At the age of eighteen he learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed until the death of his wife, when he went West, to Des Arc, Prairie County, Arkansas, where he became the owner of 1,200 acres of land. In 1850 he wrote saying that he would return home in the spring, if nothing happened to prevent him, but that was the last news re- ceived from him. He married, in Auburn, New York, Angust 25, 1825, Rachel Merritt. They had four children, of whom three grew to maturity, namely: Mary, who is now de- deased; Sanmel, and George M.

George M. Davis was born in Lewis County, New York, and came to Cuyahoga Falls in the spring of 1866, being for some years after coming here in the employ of L. W. Loomis. In January, 1875. he returned to New York with his family. afterwards returning to the Falls, where he and his wife now live re- tired. They have two children. Charles A.,

whose name begins this sketch, and Frank .J., who is a resident of Larned, Kansas. Politi- cally George M. Davis is a Democrat. Ifis wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Charles A. Davis completed his literary edu- cation in the High School at Cuyahoga Falls, and then worked for several years on a farm, which he left to enter the printing office of the Cuyahoga Falls Reporter. In 1875, when his parents returned to New York, he accom- panied them and remained there for three years, later returning to Cuyahoga Falls. Sub- sequently he worked as a printer on the 1k- ron Daily Tribune for a year, or until its suspension. He continued in journalism a while longer. accepting a position with the Oil City Derrick, at Oil City. In the latter part of 1879 he returned onee more to Cuya- hoga Falls and entered the Jones Bros.' grocery store as a clerk. Two years later, on the firm's going out of business. Mr. Davis opened a store of his own and conducted it for eighteen months, after which he resumed clerking. He had long been an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party, and when President Cleveland entered upon his second administration, Mr. Davis was ap- pointed assistant postmaster. At the close of his term in that office he purchased . the Cuyahoga Falls Reporter, which journal he condueted with marked ability for six years.

In November, 1903, Mr. Davis sold the newspaper and bought his present grocery store, from H. E. Wells. He now condnets the largest grocery trade in the town, besides which he has other important business inter- ests, being a director in the Cuyahoga Falls Savings Bank, also in the Falls Savings and Loan Association and in the Elgin Butter and Ice Cream Company, and a member of the Finance Committee of the Cuyahoga Savings Society. He has been a strong political factor for many years, and was elected Mayor of Cuyahoga Falls on the Democratie ticket, as- suming the duties of the office January 1, 1906.

Mr. Davis was married to June E. Lang- head. a daughter of Carlisle B. Langhead of

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Middleport, Ohio. Mrs. Davis died in 1903, leaving two children, Leslie L. and Frank A. Mr. Davis is a member of Star Lodge, No. 187, F. and A. M. A patriotic and enterprising citizen, he keeps the public welfare ever in view, and his official acts have been fraught with beneficial results to the community.

HIRAM STUMP, the owner of 175 acres of excellent farm land in Franklin Township, was born on his present farm, in an old log house, in Summit County, Ohio, September 18, 1842, and has made his home on this property all of his life. He is a son of John A. and Mary (Grove) Stump.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 68

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