Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 82

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 82

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Judd Hart is engaged in farming in Tall- madge Township. Raymond Hart, the youngest member of the family, conducts a meat-market at Mogadore. On October 14, 1900, he married Mrs. Maggie ( Flick) Kline.

Benjamin Hart has been a life-long Repub- lican and was a strong supporter of the policies of the late Governor Pattison. He has always been a vigorous fighter for the cause of tem- perance and lives up to his convictions. He has never used intoxicants nor tobacco, and in the vigor of his seventy-five years may be read an excellent and convincing temperance lecture.

Mr. Hart is one of the prominent and sub- stantial men of this part of Summit County, not only on account of his material posses- sions, but for the sturdy qualities and sterling attributes which have marked the family name. The years have touched him kindly, silvering his hair but leaving his heart young. In the friendly clasp of his hand and the hearty sound of his voice is a cheer that speaks of a well regulated life, a clear past and a hopeful future.

ROSSEAU HESS, proprietor of the Ak- ron Nurseries, which are located on Butler Avenue, North Hill, and include seven and one-half aeres, was born in Guilford Town- ship, Medina County, Ohio, July 30. 1865, and is a son of Henry and Charity (Howe) Hess.

When Rosseau Hess was eight years of age, his father, who was a blacksmith by trade, moved to Akron, and the son enjoyed excel- lent school advantages there. Subsequently, he attended Buchtel College and later en- gaged for some years in teaching school. he- ginning in Geanga County. Later he became principal of the schools at Frontenac. Kan- sas, and from there went to Montana, where he taught school for three years on a govern- ment reservation. When Mr. Hess returned to Akron, he became secretary and treas- urer of the Akron Soap Company for one year, and for two following years conducted a roofing business under the firm name of Kasch & Hess. When he sold out his inter-

DAVID J. THOMAS

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est in this concern, he embarked in his pres- ent line. Mr. Hless makes a specialty of or- namental trees, shrubbery of all kinds and perennial plants. He employs five agents and is doing a large business. His natural bent led him into landscape gardening, and dur- ing the eight years in which he has been in the nursery business, he has done a large amount of work in this line, being the only landscape gardener at Akron. He is frequent- ly called to different parts of the county to lay out grounds around country houses.

On May 26, 1892, Mr. Hess was married to Mamie Rockwell, who is a daughter of Dr. J. W. and Elvira (Van Evera) Rockwell. Dr. Rockwell is one of the leading physicians of Akron. Mrs. Rockwell died July 20, 1907. Her father, Reinhardt Van Evera, operated for many years the old stage coach hotel at Copley Center. Later he became proprietor of the old Erchange Hotel, at Akron, and, after it burned down, he bought a farm in Tallnadge Township, but later returned to Akron. Ile died at the home of his daugh- ter. Mrs. Peterson, who is the mother-in-law of Hon. Charles Dick.

Mr. and Mrs. Hess have two children : Hazel R. and J. Ross. Mr. Hess belongs to the Modern Woodmen and the Odd Fellows.

DAVID J. THOMAS, coal dealer, at Cuya- hoga Falls. is an honored survivor of the great Civil War, from which he safely emerged after many thrilling adventures and innumerable dangers and hardships. Mr. Thomas was born at Palmyra, Portage County. Ohio, March 14, 1841, and is a son of John and Anna (Rees) Thomas.

John Thomas, his father. was born in Wales, came to America in 1835, and died on the farm which he had cleared from the virgin forest, in Portage County, when aged seventy years. Prior to emigrating he had met with an accident which necessitated the - amputation of a leg, and. as typical of his character and showing his physical courage, he calmly watched the surgeon at his work, disdaining to even deaden his senses with the alcohol, which, at that time, was the only

merciful help known in surgery. Although disabled, he held his own with men who had more advantages, and in addition to clearing up his pioneer farm and carrying on its cultivation, he worked as a blacksmith and was employed in this line on the old Ohio and Pennsylvania Canal. After coming to America he became interested in politics, and up to the time of the formation of the Ro- publican party, was a strong Whig. later giv- ing active support to the new organization, and for years was one of the two Repub- licans in his township. He married Anna Rees, who died in 1867. aged seventy-one years, and they had ten children, namely : Sarah, now deceased, who married David Williams; Rees, deceased; Ann, who married Henry Harris, both being now deceased; Margaret, who married Evan Hughes, of Braymer, Missouri ; David J., John. deceased; Martha, who married David Jenkins, both of whom are deceased, and three others that died in infancy.

David J. Thomas remained at home assist- ing in the farming. until he was nineteen years of age. He attended the district school, had one year's instruction in the High School, and then went to Tallmadge. where he worked in the coal mines until 1862. Early in this year, Mr. Thomas enlisted for service in Company C, 115th Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which organization he served in the Civil War for three years, lacking a month. This regiment was kept actively engaged and Mr. Thomas took part in all its movements until he was taken pris- oner at Lavergne, Tennessee, during General Hood's raid on Nashville. After ten days, with two other members of the regiment. he escaped, and a recital of the way in which this was managed is very interesting.

The weather at this time was very cold and the prisoners were guarded in the Court House at Columbia, Tennessee, in which they hnddled around one little fire which was to- tally inadequate for the space it was supposed to heat. The Union prisoners were sent out to gather the wood to burn and these expe- ditions gave them the opportunity to learn

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the lay of the land and to secure other in- formation necessary in effecting their escape, which was foremost in the minds of all.

Mr. Thomas remembers saying to his fel- low prisoners, on the day of capture: "If they get me to Andersonville, they are smarter than I think they are," and to this significant remark Samuel Perry replied : "Davie, I am with you," and they shook hands on it, meaning that each one should watch for an opportunity and follow up any advantage gained. The other comrade, James Cassidy, soon joined in the compact, all three deciding to stand together. While the pris- oners were stamping about the room, in this way trying to keep up a circulation, Mr. Thomas and his companions were able to secretly remove the nails from a barricaded door, which happened to be unguarded, and they managed to place their blankets on the floor right by this door, pretending to go to sleep there, but they were never more wide awake. The night guard became drowsy, and Cassidy managed to slip the cap from his gun, in this way preventing his shooting if he awakened while they were getting away. As all preparations had been made to take the prisoners to Andersonville, Mr. Thomas and his comrades felt there was no time to be lost. In the afternoon they had all been given full rations. As Mr. Thomas and his two friends shipped out, he threw his blanket, for which he had swapped his overcoat, over his shoulders, a common practice among the thinly-clad Confederates, and picking up an old musket, which was really entirely use- less, he marched his two comrades, appar- ently prisoners, down the street in front of him. It was a daring venture, the night be- ing one of bright moonlight, but the ruse was never suspected by the many Confed- erate soldiers whom they passed, and on and on they went, crossing rivers and barely es- caping capture on many occasions. Once they came face to face with a Confederate officer, whom they had thought was a Union man, but escaped from him, although fired on a number of times. On another occasion they just got over a fence in time to escape

a marching regiment of Confederates. They suffered greatly from the drenching rains and from fording creeks where the water came up to their armpits, the intensely cold weather but adding to their misery. By means of a compass which they had secured through trading an overcoat, they were able to shape their course, traveling by night and secreting themselves by day. On one occa- sion they overheard one man tell another, unconscious that three half-famished Union soldiers were lying behind the cedar log by the roadside, the good news that the Con- federates were retreating from Nashville. Be- fore the conversation ended, a third man joined the others, and the horse he rode came so near Mr. Thomas that the latter thought every moment his brains would be crushed out by his hoofs. Not daring to make a motion, Mr. Thomas thinks that ten or fif- teen minutes was about the most perilous of his life. Under such circumstances Mr. Thomas and his comrades managed to make their way to a point three miles back of La- vergne, where they met kind treatment from a Mr. Austin, who hid them for several days, and in the meantime their locality was brought within the Union lines. Ever since the close of the war, these three old veterans have held an annual reunion, and it is a privilege indeed, when one of the younger generation is permitted to hear this story from the lips of the participants. Mr. Thomas is a member of Eddy Post, Grand Army of the Republic.

After the close of his army service, Mr. Thomas returned to Tallmadge, where he lived until the fall of 1867, when he came to Cuyahoga Falls and embarked in the gro- cery business, in partnership with John I. Jones, under the firm name of Jones and Thomas. Fourteen months later, Mr. Thomas sold his interest and started a pot- tery opposite his present coal office, where, in partnership with his brother, R. J. Thomas, he engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of stoneware, under the firm name of Thomas Bros. Until the plant was de- stroyed by fire, several years later, the firm

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did a large business. Mr. Thomas then opened up his coal office, which is the oldest coal business in the town, and his yards are favorably located just opposite the wire mill.

Mr. Thomas married Ruth Williams, who is a daughter of William II. Williams. She was born in Wales, where her mother died, and she was five years old when she and a sis- ter were brought to America by her brother- in-law and her sister. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have had seven children, the four to reach maturity being: Ella, who married William Graham, residing at Akron; Elizabeth, who married Dr. L. J. Kehres, residing at Cleve- land; Sarah Josephine, deceased, and Tracy David, residing at Massillon. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the Congregational Church.

Politically, Mr. Thomas is identified with the Republican party, and he has served some seven years as a member of the School Board at Cuyahoga Falls, and one term in the Town Council. He is one of the directors of the Agricultural Society.

JOIIN GIRDEN BRITTAIN, a represent- ative member of one of the honorable old families of Springfield Township, which has been established here for a period of seventy- five years, was born June 16, 1847, in Spring- field Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of John Thomas and Hannah (Rodgers) Brittain.

John T. Brittain, residing on his farm of 135 acres, in Springfield Township, was born in Pennsylvania in 1823, and was about seven years of age when he accompanied his father, John Brittain, to Ohio. He has been married twice, and has had ten children, thirty grandchildren and forty great-grand- children, and in this large family. up to the present writing, there has been but one death, a remarkable proof of vitality. Mr. Brittain has long been regarded as one of the most substantial men of his community.

John G. Brittain was the second eldest and only son born to his father's first marriage, there being three daughters, all of whom sur- vive. His education was obtained in the dis- triet schools.

He was only sixteen years of age when he offered his services to his country, enlisting in Company D, First Ohio Regiment, Volun- teer Light Artillery, in February, 1864, the officers of which were: Captain Cockrell, First Lieutenant Reid and Second Lieutenant Palmer. After the company was mustered in at Cleveland, it proceeded to Columbus, and thence to Knoxville, Tennessee. It took part in the engagements from Chattanooga to Atlanta, participated in the battles of Resaca and Big Sandy, and at Atlanta assisted in cut- ting the railroad communication. From that city the regiment returned to Tennessee, where Mr. Brittain was detained for a time by sickness, but rejoined his regiment at Moore- head, North Carolina, and continued to per- form his duty as a brave and effective sol- dier until the expiration of his term of serv- ice, and in July, 1865, was mustered out at Cleveland. That was a very strenuous period for a youth of sixteen years, but Mr. Brit- tain has a record that would do credit to a seasoned veteran.

In 1869 Mr. Brittain was married to Frances A. Demass, who is a daughter of Jacob and Lney Demass. Jacob Demass was a soldier in the same regiment with Mr. Brit- tain and he still survives, aged seventy-eight years. Mrs. Brittain was reared in Portage County. Mr. and Mrs. Brittain have the fol- lowing children : Thomas R .. who married Minnie White, has five children; Judson who married Margaret Selser. has three chil- dren : Dilla, who maried Clement Chew, has three children; Mead, who married Lizzie Roberts, has four children; and John, who resides at home.

Mr. Brittain owns a comfortable home in one of the allotments of East Akron. in Springfield Township. He is a carpenter by trade. He belongs to Buckley Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Akron. In poli- tics, he is a Republican.

ALBERT H. RUCKEL, general farmer. residing on his valuable farm of fifty-one acres, is a well known citizen of Tallmadge Township. where his father settled in 1849.

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Albert HI. Ruckel was born on the Susque- hannah River. in Columbia County, Pennsyl- vania, November 4, 1843, and is a son of George and Hannah (Crivling) Ruckel.

The father of Mr. Ruckel was also born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, and resided there until after his marriage, when he and family started to Michigan in one of the great covered wagons of pioneer days. Ile proposed to buy 640 acres of land at $1.25 per acre, but, after reaching Michigan, he found that climatic conditions were such that it would be difficult to establish there a com- fortable home. In six weeks' time the wagon was again on its way in the direction of Me- dina County, Ohio. Mr. Ruckel settled in Sharon Township, Medina County, and lived there for three years, removing then to Tall- madge Township. Summit County. Here al! the five children were reared. namely: An- drew, who died in 1856; Abner, who has re- sided at Whitehall, Illinois, for the past thir- ty-five years, engaged with his son in the manufacture of pottery, married Emma Adams of Akron; Clinton, who carries on farming on his property at Fairlawn, west of Akron, married Frances, a daughter of John Hart; Albert H .; and Washington, the lat- ter being the only child born after the family came to Ohio. He married Delia Baldwin and resides with his father-in-law at Akron, and is engaged in the manufacture of sewer pipe. George Ruckel died August 25, 1878. in his sixty-eighth year, having long survived his wife, who died in 1855, aged forty-four years.

Albert Ruckel assisted his father in culti- vating his farm of 110 acres, and, after his marriage, he purchased fifty-one acres of the homestead. In addition to learning to be a first-class farmer, Albert H. Ruckel worked for some time at the carpenter trade, and also traveled for a pottery firm after finishing his education in the Sixth Ward School at Akron. However, for the past twenty-eight years he has devoted his attention to culti- vating and improving his land. In 1873 he built the comfortable farm residence and as they were needed, has added the other sub-

stantial buildings. Mr. Ruckel makes some- thing of a specialty of growing potatoes and he also raises timothy hay.

On August 30, 1873, Mr. Ruckel was mar- ried to Mary Greenman, who was born at North East, Erie County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Norton and Elizabeth (Irish) Greenman. Both parents of Mrs. Ruckel were born in Washington County, New York. Hler father died March 22, 1901, aged eighty- five years, and the mother died February 10. 1903. at the age of eighty-nine years. The four children of Norton Greenman and wife were: Cynthia, who is the widow of Leonard Cole; Mary, who is Mrs. Ruckel; Job, residing at Bradford, Pennsylvania, mar- ried Adell Cole; and Josephine Cole, who is deceased. The family record of Mrs. Ruckel can be traced far baek. Her great-grand- father Bassett followed the sea and lived at Martha's Vineyard. He was commander of a coasting vessel that touched many shores in the course of his voyage. The paternal grandfather was Job Greenman, a farmer, and the grandfather on the mother's side was Charles Irish, who was also a farmer. All seem to have been men who left an impress that recalls them to their descendants.

Mr. and Mrs. Ruckel have two daughter-, Nora and Edith. The former is employed in the office of the American Cereal mill. The latter married Harry Feudner, who is the son of the vice-president of the M. O'Neil Dry Goods Company, one of the largest business houses of Summit County. Both daughters of Mr. Ruckel were educated at Akron.

The Democratic party claims Mr. Ruckel as a member, but he is very liberal and broad-minded and usually exercises his right to support those candidates for office, who, in his judgment, will best provide good govern- ment and make wise laws.

FRANCIS HANMER WRIGHT, a lead- ing eitizen of Tallmadge. was born in Tall- madge Township, Summit County, Ohio, July 7. 1834. and is a son of Francis H. and Clarinda (Fenn) Wright.

In 1810 the grandparents of Francis Han-

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mer Wright, Elizur and Rhoda (Hanmer) Wright, came to Summit County. They set- tled on what was known as the Southwest road, along which Mr. Wright bought a large tract of land. Hle built here the first frame barn in Tallmadge Township, and this struc- ture was utilized for a time as a place in which to hold religious exercises. He con- tinued to acquire land until he owned a large portion of the western half of the township, ineluding the valuable property known as Coal Hill. Ile had been a prominent man in both church and public affairs at Canaan Connecticut, and he continued to be held in high esteem after settling in Summit County. He reared a family of five daughters and four sons, all of whom became more or less noted in their various communities, They were: Philo, Elizur, Francis H., James, Pol- ly, Clarissa, Harriet, Amelia and Lucy. Philo Wright married Sally Owen and they resided in Tallmadge Township, where he practiced medicine for many years. Elizur Wright (2) was a distinguished man. He resided for a time in the city of New York and was the able editor of a strong anti-slavery paper there. He became professor of mathematics at the Western Reserve University, at IIud- son, which position he was obliged to resign on account of his radical views against slav- ery. He then removed to Denham, Massa- chusetts, and had an office in Boston, where he was an actuary of life insurance, and for several years was Commissioner of Insurance for the state. He died in 1890, aged eighty years, at which time a biographical sketch of his life was produced in MeClure's Magazine. James Wright became a minister of the Con- gregational Church. After a pastorate at Na- poleon, Henry County, Ohio, he went to Cal- ifornia and died there in 1900. Polly Wright married Dr. Daniel Upson, then of Worth- ington, Ohio, who later eame to Tallmadge, and they were the parents of William, Daniel A .. James W. and Francis H., the latter of whom died in Cleveland, and left a family of children. Clarissa Wright married a Mr. Burrell, of Elyria, Ohio. Harriet Wright married Rev. John Seward, who became a

minister of the Congregational Church, who was stationed at Hudson and at other points. Amelia Wright married Rev. William Hana- ford, who entered the Congregational minis- try, and after serving pastorates at a num- ber of places, died at Tallmadge.

Francis H. Wright, father of Francis Han- mer, was born at Canaan, Litchfield County, Connecticut, July 16, 1795, and died in Tall- madge, in 1886, aged ninety-one years. Hle accompanied his parents to Summit County and subsequently inherited a part of the val- uable Coal Hill property. In partnership with his brother-in-law, Dr. Daniel Upson, he was engaged for many years in developing coal mines here, shipments being made to ('leveland and Chicago, Mr. Wright accom- panying the first load of coal ever shipped to the latter city. He married Clarinda Fenn, who was born in 1802, and died in 1888.

Francis Hanmer Wright was reared in Tallmadge, attended the Tallmadge Acad- emy and spent one year in the Cleveland Ag- ricultural College, leaving when nineteen years of age and teaching school for a year. Ile then started to farm and subsequently went into a dairy business, which latter in- dustry he continued until the spring of 1897, supplying patrons at Akron for a period of twenty-two years. During the Civil War, when the governor of Ohio called out men to serve for 100 days, Mr. Wright responded and became a member of Company D, 164th Regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in as first lieutenant. He was mus- tered out at Cleveland, after assisting in the defense of the forts around Washington city. Ile is a member of Buckley Post. Grand Army of the Republic. He belongs to the Grange.

Mr. Wright married Harriet Kilbourn, of Akron, who was a daughter of Lewis and Eliza Kilbourn. Mrs. Wright died July 27, . 1904, at the age of sixty-six years. They had four children, namely: Winnifred B., who died in 1882, at the age of nineteen years; Elherta, who married E. R. Hine, died in 1900, aged thirty-five years, leaving one son and two daughters, Leland W .. Winnifred

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and Leora ; Francis H., who was born in 1868, ing children : Lois, Amanda, Perry, Lucinda, married Frances Parmalee, a daughter of Charles P. Parmalee, and has five children, Julia, Geneva, Kathryn, Dorothy and Francis H., resides with his father at Tallmadge; and Ida, who married W. A. Osborn, lives at Ak- ron, Ohio.

CLARENCE M. ZWISLER, a leading citizen of Springfield Township, who is en- gaged in farming and also follows butchering, is a representative on the maternal side of one of the oldest families in Summit County. Ile was born in Summit County, Ohio, No- vember 2, 1867, and is a son of John and Irene (Norton) Zwisler.

John Zwisler, father of Clarence M., was born in Wayne County, Ohio, and came to Summit when a young man, where he died in March, 1900. at the age of seventy years. He was a son of Charles and Rebecca Zwisler. Ile followed agricultural pursuits all his life. On January 7, 1864, John Zwisler married Irene Norton, who was a daughter of Les- ter and Susan (Johnson) Norton.

The earliest records of the Norton family trace to one De Norville, who was a soldier and who accompanied William the Con- queror to England in 1066. His descendants were early American colonists, coming from Bedfordshire to Cambridge and Boston, Mas- sachusetts, to Guilford, Connecticut, and to points in New Hampshire.

Tracing the generations baek, it is found that from Richard Norton descended John (1), John (2), Ebenezer, Bethuel, Peter and Lester, the latter being the grandfather of Clarence M. Zwisler.

Ebenezer Norton, son of John, had chil- dren : Christiana, Sarah, Freelove, Bethuel, Ebenezer, Isaac and A. Norton.

Bethuel Norton, son of Ebenezer, had these children : Peter, Zenas, Hart, Ashhel, James, Eunice and Sally.

Peter Norton, son of Bethuel, had these children: Anna P., Anderson, Lester, Lois, Thomas and Seth D.

Lester Norton, son of Peter, married Susan Johnson, in 1821, and they had the follow-

Harvey, George, Irene and Susan. The two survivors are Amanda and Mrs. Zwisler. Les- ter Norton accompanied his father to Ohio and they located first in Trumbull County and then came to Summit, Peter Norton pur- chasing the Thomas Cook place in Akron, where he died. In 1822, in the year follow- ing his marriage, Lester Norton settled on the farm on which his grandson, Clarence M., now resides. In 1832 he built the house and made many improvements during his active years. He died in 1881 at the age of eighty- two years, survived by his widow until 1894, she dying aged ninety-two years and six months.

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 82

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