USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 28
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Joseph Tapscott, the grandfather, came from New Jersey to Warren County, Ohio,
and lived there until his death. He took up 800 acres of land in Allen County, but never moved here. His long life was spent on his lands in Warren County. which he improved as he had opportunity, and which were divided among his children when he passed away. He was a man of courage and enterprise and possessed many of the char- acteristics of his hardy Scotch-Irish ancestors which made him a typical pioneer. He mar- ried Annie Schenck, of the Schenck family of New Jersey, one which for generations has been prominently connected with the affairs and public life of Southern New Jersey. They reared a family of nine children, the eldest of these being James Tapscott, the father of our subject.
James Tapscott was born in 1808 in War- ren County, Ohio, and continued to reside on the old homestead until 1848, when he removed with his possessions to Allen County and set- tled on a 200-acre tract of land, which his father had entered at an early day. He was a practical agriculturist and cleared a large por- tion of his land, making a comfortable home- stead, where he spent a number of years. Sub- sequently he bought the farm which is now owned and occupied by his son, our subject, who also owns the old place, 470 acres in all. Mr. Tapscott was one of the reliable and in- telligent men of his community, and was elected to a large number of the local offices by the Democratic party, of which he was a life-long member. He died in 1884.
On March 6, 1850, James Tapscott married Marie Rankins, who was a daughter of George Rankins, one of the early settlers of Perry township. Of their four children our subject is the only survivor.
Joseph Tapscott spent his boyhood in at- tending school and assisting in the work of the farm, which finally devolved entirely upon his shoulders. For many years he has been looked upon as one of the township's most successful agriculturists and progressive citizens, his method being those of accepted scientfic value. His large acreage is not only productive under his management in an agricultural way, but the discovery of oil on some portions of the estate
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has given increased value to what was already considered one of the most valuable farms of the township.
Mr. Tapscott was married November 28, 1872, to Elizabeth A. Crossley, who is a daugh- ter of Ross Crossley of Lima, and they have these children : Jessie, who married William Hardesty, son of Joshua Hardesty, of Perry township, and has five children: Augusta, who married Oliver Rankins, of Perry town- ship, and has three children; Mulford, who married Mattie Brown, daughter of Henry Brown; and William, who married Margaret Brown, daughter of William Brown. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Tapscott has been very active for years, taking a deep interest in both church and Sunday-school, and serving as steward and as trustee.
In political sentiment Mr. Tapscott is a Prohibitionist. He has accepted no public of- fice with the exception of a trusteeship of the Allen County Children's Home. Fraternally he belongs to the Foresters.
e S. LATHROP, general contractor, at Lima, was born in 1858, near the city of Topeka, Kansas, and is a son of George D. and Columbia A. (Hover) Lathrop, and a grandson of Rodney Lathrop.
The Lathrop family is of English extrac- tion. Its American founder settled in Mass- achusetts in 1638, having been banished from his own country on account of his religious tenets. He is supposed to have died at Barn- stable, Massachusetts, as it is known he lived and preached there. His son, Samuel Lath- rop, was one of the founders of the town of Norwich, Connecticut, and from him descend- ed the branch of the family to which C. S. Lath- rop, of Lima, belongs. The mother of our subject belongs also to an old colonial family, her ancestor, Thomas Adgate, being a member of the colony at Norwich.
Rodney Lathrop, our subject's grandfather, was a master mechanic of the Mad River Rail-
road at the time of his death from cholera in 1849. George D. Lathrop, son of Rodney, was born in New York City and came to Allen County at a very early date. In 1849 he went to California where he remained five years, and then located at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1856 he settled in Kansas, and as he was a Free State man he became identified with many of the public activities of that period in that sec- tion. Always a politician, according to old standards, he was also an abolitionists as far as restricting the extension of slavery. In 1863 he returned to Ohio where he soon be- came a leader in Allen County, and for 21 years he served as a justice of the peace, being elected to the office in a community which, at that time, was overwhelmingly Democratic. He was a man of sterling character and his fellow-citizens showed that they appreciated his ability and integrity.
C. S. Lathrop was five years old when the family left Kansas and returned to the old homestead in the extreme southwestern part of Allen County. This was known as old Fort Amanda, which was built in the days of Indian warfare, and its site was one of the first pieces of ground entered in the county. In this his- toric old place our subject was reared. He attended the common schools of the county, the Lima High School and enjoyed two terms at the Ohio Normal University at Ada. Then he returned to the old home and remained after his father's death, to rear and educate his younger brother, whom he finally left in charge there.
During the time he remained on the home farm, our subject engaged in contract work for the county in the way of bridge-building and road-grading and later worked at the carpen- ter's trade. His first houses were erected for himself in 1890, at Lima, and since then he has been extensively engaged in contracting and building. Some of the attractive and sub- stantial structures built by him are: Mrs. M. A. Karn's apartment building on the corner of Market and Pierce streets; the Adgate Block; some of the fine residences on West Spring street; the A. L. White residence on South Cole street, which is regarded by many as the
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finest house in Lima; and others. He is also interested in a number of other enterprises and also owns a fine farm which is located on the line between Allen and Auglaize counties.
Mr. Lathrop was married on August 29, 1903, to Lelia G. McGuire, who is a daughter of the late Elisha J. McGuire, and they have one son, Rodney. Mr McGuire served four years in the Civil War, was in early life an en- gineer on the C., H. & D. Railway, and for 20 years was a trustee of the poor in Allen County. Politically Mr. Lathrop is a Republican. He served 12 years as a justice of the peace while living in the country. He belongs to such leading fraternal organizations as the Masons, Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. As a business man and as a citizen he enjoys a large measure of public esteem.
D AVID M. BREESE, the patriarch of one of the old pioneer families of Al- len County, was born in Butler Coun- ty, Ohio, February 27, 1825, and is a son of Griffith and Mary (Mowen)
Breese.
Robert Breese, the grandfather, was born in Wales and came to America at an early day, settling in Pennsylvania with his children. The grandfather settled in Hardin County, near Round Head, where he died and was buried. The parents of our esteemed subject were mar- ried in Pennsylvania, the father having been born in Wales and the mother in Pennsylvania. In November, 1832, they came as pioneers to Allen County, having previously lived in But- ler County. The children of Griffith and Mary Mowen were: Nancy, George, John, William D., David M. and Griffith. The father of this family settled where Alva Breese now resides in Shawnee township. He cleared the land and developed a good farm. His death oc- curred in 1848.
David M. Breese was seven years old when he accompanied his parents to Shawnee town- ship. His education was secured in the pion- eer schoolhouses of the time and until his mar- riage he assisted his father in clearing the
farm. After marriage he settled in section 3, Shawnee township, on the Spencerville road, and occupied that place for 14 years. He came to the present farm in section 10 in 1863, hav- ing previously erected a residence here. This was at the close of his service in the Civil War. He enlisted for the three years' service in the 99th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., but was not ac- cepted on account of a bad knee. In 1864 he enlisted in Company B, 15Ist Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and was at Washington, D. C., at the time of Gen. Early's raid. He performed his loyal duty during the term of his enlistment and was then honorably discharged and returned to look after the interests of his family.
On January 1, 1849, Mr. Breese was mar- ried to Mary Valentine, who was born in Champaign County, Ohio, March 23, 1827, and is a daughter of Crane and Mary ( Harper) Valentine. William Valentine, the grand- father of Mrs. Breese, lived and died near Quincy, Ohio. In August, 1832, Crane Val- entine located on Elm street, Lima. His wife died here, and later he removed to Berrien County, Michigan, where he died. The child- ren of Mr. and Mrs. Breese were: Mary E., living in Lima, married to Thomas Maltbie; George L., who lives on the homestead farm in a house adjoining that of his parents, and has some excellent farm property in sections 9 and 10; and Emmett, who died at the age of seven years.
Mr. and Mrs. Breese are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Since 1862 Mr. Breese has been a member of Lima Masonic Lodge No. 205, F. & A. M. Politically he is identified with the Republican party.
Visitors at the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. Breese find them delightful entertainers. They both can recall so many interesting events of a half century ago, when life was a little harder in Allen County than it is to-day, and the listener carries away knowledge that he could scarcely have obtained from other sources. Among other interesting reminis- cences, they tell of the days when a cook-stove was enough of a curiosity in their locality to at- tract visitors from miles away. As corn meal was a staple food and mills were far distant, it
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was the custom to grate corn on a tin grater which, in all probability, had been made at home. No road commissioners had yet looked after the public highways and trips to and from the market towns were difficult to make at some seasons of the year and frequently impossible. Mr. Breese remembers his little Indian play- mates to have been just as ready in games as white boys and just as faithful in their attach- ments. Game was very plentiful and Mr. Breese had the reputation of being a "dead shot." When 16 years of age he had a long- barreled cap gun given him by his father, who had purchased it of a neighbor who did not know its age at that time. It deserves a place among the county's historic archives.
Mrs. Breese remembers going to school and also to church, in the old log Court House, built in 1832, just after the organization of Al- len County. Mr. and Mrs. Breese have a number of valuable household properties which lovers of historic treasures would greatly value, one of these being a sugar bowl which her peo- ple bought at Urbana prior to coming here in 1832. The old family clock has ticked out the hours for 100 years and there are many articles of homely comfort that suggest an old estab- lished family.
J. BANTA, one of the leading business men of Lima, a member of the firm of F. J. Banta & Son, manufacturers of candy, confectionery and chewing gum, was born at Troy, Miami Coun- ty, Ohio, in 1857, being a member of one of the old families of that section.
Mr. Banta was reared and educated in Miami County, began his business career as a clerk in a grocery store and for five years was interested in that line of business at Troy.
In 1881 Mr. Banta came to Lima and here entered the grocery field, but, finding it well occupied, one year later became a wholesale candy manufacturer. He has established an enormous trade based on the superior qual- ity of his goods, the business expanding from a very small beginning until at
the present time it averages $150,000 annually. The goods manufactured include choice chocolates and creams-daintily pre- pared and of fine, pure flavors-and some eight or ten brands of chewing gum, the leader being "Banta's Pepsin." The plant is located at No. 122 West Wayne street, and traveling salesmen visit the dealers in the territory ad- jacent to Lima. In 1902, Roy Banta, a son of our subject, was admitted to a partnership in the business.
Mr. Banta belongs to the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. He is ranked with the city's most enterprising and progressive busi- ness men.
W. HENSLER, one of the proprietors of the Kniseley Shirt Company, at Lima, and an active business man of the city, was born at Carysville, Cham- paign County, Ohio, in 1871, and is a son of Joseph Hensler, who was an undertaker and furniture dealer for many years at Rose- wood, this State.
Our subject was reared and educated in his native place, where he also gained a varied bus- iness experience. In order to fit himself more completely for a business career he came to Lima, in 1892, and completed a full course at the Lima Business College. After graduation he accepted a position with the Kniseley Shirt Company and continued in their employ until 1902, when, in association with Frank Schlupp, he purchased their business. He has since con- tinued in this line, extending its scope and im- proving its output. This well-known house does an immense custom trade, keeps 14 sales- men on the road, and thoroughly covers Ohio, Eastern Indiana and Southern Michigan, while orders come from every State in the Union and even from Mexico. Their manufacture of shirts is for the custom trade only and they have also established a large business in the manufacture of underwear, made to order.
In 1896 Mr. Hensler was married to Ella Schlupp, who is a daughter of his business part- ner. They have two children-Dorothy Eliza- beth and Phillis Mae. Mr. Hensler is promi-
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nent in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having been identified with that organization since he was 21 years of age. In politics he is a Democrat.
HARMAN TRUST, the village blacksmith at Allentown, was born in Paris, France, and is a son of Wil- liam and Katrina (Schwertman) Trust.
When our subject was 12 years old his parents moved to Saxony, Germany, where he completed his education. When 14 years of age he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade, his father making a con- tract by which he paid $100 and provided his son with clothes for three years, the youth to have no wages during this period. He was thoroughly instructed and after his training was finished he went out as a journeyman, ac- cording to the German usage, and worked his necessary three years at different points, being then considered capable of starting into busi- ness for himself. When 20 years old he enter- ed the army, according to German law, and served as a cavalryman for three years in the flying artillery. He took part in the Franco- Prussian War, and was on the battlefield at Sedan, when Napoleon was captured.
In 1875 Mr. Trust came to America and reached a strange country without any capital. He was not discouraged, however, and walked the distance between New York and Cincin- nati, and from there to Chicago. Subsequent- ly he returned to Dayton, Ohio, and soon open- ed a shop at Seven Mile, Butler County, Ohio. After one year at that point, he removed to Champaign County, remaining there a year, and then to New Bremen, Auglaize County, for 18 months, and then to Shelby County. Mr. Trust operated his own shop there for nine years and then went back to Germany for a visit. Upon his return to America, he worked for six months in a sawmill in Washington, and then came east to Mercer County, Ohio, where he rented a shop, during all this time having had his Shelby County shop rented. One year
later he went back to Shelby County, in a few months closed up his business there, and then came to Allentown, buying his present shop in 1888. He is a fine workman and has a large repair business.
Mr. Trust was 32 years old when he was married, April 21, 1881, to Katie Wolff, of New Bremen, Ohio, who is a daughter of Philip and Maragaret Wolff. They have had seven children, the two survivors being: Will- iam Philip Frederic, who was born March 15, 1885, and assists his father in the shop; and Margaret Augusta Theressa, who was born April 27, 1888, and lives with her parents. The family belong to the Lutheran Church at Elida. Mr. Trust is not only a capable, relia -. ble workman, but a well-informed, intelligent man and good citizen.
ARREN E. PENNY, hardware merchant and one of the leading citizens of Lima, was born in 1850 in Miami County, Ohio, but ac- companied his parents, in child- hood, to Darke County, where he was reared and educated.
For a number of years in early manhood, Mr. Penny taught school in Darke and Miami counties, entering business in 1877, when he- established a meat store at Van Wert. He continued there for two years and then, for some five years, dealt in agricultural imple- ments, thus becoming connected with the Mc- Cormick Harvester Company. Later he be- came general agent for this large company in: Western Ohio, remaining in that capacity for eight years, and then represented the State of Wisconsin for the J. I. Case Thresher Com- pany, of Racine.
On June 1, 1900, Mr. Penny came to Lima and, in association with a nephew, established the hardware firm of Penny & Penny, one of the city's large and prospering concerns.
Politically Mr. Penny is a Republican. He is president of the Business Men's Association of Lima, and stands as a representative citizen.
Mr. Penny was first married, in 1874, to
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Francis Brown, who died in 1893, leaving three children, viz: Aaron A., Russell L. and Velma Grace. In 1897 he was married to Mrs. Anna (Bryant) Gillette. His church affiliations are with the Presbyterians.
S K. KRAUSS, one of the prominent citizens of Lima, was born near Al- lentown, Lehigh County, Pennsyl- vania, in 1839, and is a son of Jacob Krauss, a native of Lehigh County and a lifelong resident there.
Although Mr. Krauss was best known to the citizens of Lima, for a number of years, as an artistic photographer, he had perfected him- self in other crafts prior to entering that field. After leaving school, when about 19 years of age, he learned the carpenter's trade and still later, the machinist's trade at Philadelphia. With a desire to see something of the country and also as a business experiment, he then built for himself a photographic car in which he traveled for about a year, pausing, wherever his fancy led him, to photograph people and landscapes. After disposing of his car, he lo- cated in Philadelphia, studied the photographic art more thoroughly and then worked in this line at Allentown and Pittsburg. Thence he removed to Wooster, Ohio, being for a short time connected with the Teeple Brothers, photographers, after which he embarked in the business for himself. In association with William Plummer he opened a photograph gal- lery in Wooster, and the business was conduct- ed one year under the firm name of Krauss & Plummer, when Mr. Krauss sold his interest and went to South Toledo. There he con- ducted a studio for seven months. In Novem- ber, 1866, he bought a gallery at Lima which he operated alone for about 16 years, and then admitted R. H. Ebersole to partnership. This firm continued in business until 1902, and its fine work was thoroughly appreciated all over the surrounding country.
The close confinement of the studio and contact with chemicals impaired the health of Mr. Krauss, and, disposing of his interests to
Mr. Ebersole, for some six months he enjoyed the relaxation of travel. He has very exten- sive property interests, and has dealt in both city and county real estate for a number of years. About this time Mr. Krauss erected what is one of the finest and best located busi- ness blocks in the city. It is a three-story and basement brick structure, 25 by 205 feet in di- mensions, at No. 234 North Main street, with offices and store rooms below, and flats above.
Since retiring from his photographic enterprise Mr. Krauss has been handling, as a means of occupying his spare time, a very pop- ular surgical appliance known as the "Finger- Cushion Pad Truss," which has been the means of curing thousands of afflicted people. He feels that he is doing a good work by call- ing the attention of the public to such an ap- pliance. He is also largely interested in the various city utilities, being a stockholder in The Lima Telephone & Telegraph Company. For some years he has been a valued member of the City Council.
In 1867 Mr. Krauss was married to Cath- erine E. Workman, of Wooster, Ohio, who was a daughter of Rev. Morgan Workman. She died in 1885, the mother of one child who died in infancy. In 1889 Mr. Krauss was married (second) to Bertha Haines, who is a daughter of the venerable Jeremiah Haines, who was one of the pioneer agriculturalists of German township-he has now reached his 88th year and resides with Mr. Krauss. Mr. and Mrs. Krauss are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias.
E DWIN CLYDE AKERMAN, auditor- elect of Allen County, Ohio, and one of the best known educators in this section of the State, was born June 2, 1864, on a farm located one mile and a half northeast of LaFayette, Allen County, Ohio. He is a son of William Henry and Mary Jane ( Ransbottom) Akerman.
The grandfather of Mr. Akerman, William Henry Akerman, was a native of Pennsylvania.
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He came from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Ohio, in 1833, settling first in Morgan County, but removing later to a farm near LaFayette, Allen County, where he lived to a good old age and reared a family of 13 children, giving three of his sons-Samuel, John and Henry- to the service of their country during the Civil War. He died October 9, 1878.
William Henry Akerman, Jr., father of our subject, was born in Jackson township, Allen County, Ohio, April 17, 1840, and almost all his brief life was spent in this locality, engaged in farming and teaching school. In 1862 he en- listed in the Union Army as a member of the 8Ist Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and was the bugler of the regiment and subsequently was advanced to the rank of captain of his company. After nine months of faithful service, he was honorably discharged. His lamented death took place on October 25, 1868. In comment- ing upon his decease, a local paper gave expres- sion to the general feeling in these words: "A model young man and the idol of the neighbor- hood." On January 1, 1863, he married Mary Jane Ransbottom, and two children were born to them, viz: Edwin Clyde and Walter Clin- ton, the latter of whom died aged one year and IO months. The mother was born in Sugar Creek township, Allen County, Ohio, October 2, 1840, and is a daughter of Wesley B. and Emily (Wright) Ransbottom, natives of Vir- ginia. She still survives, being an esteemed resident of LaFayette.
Edwin Clyde Akerman was left fatherless at the age of four years. He was seven years old when he removed from the farm to LaFay- ette and he remained in that village until 23 years of age, attending school until his 17th year. He then began to teach and has contin- ued in this profession until the present time. In 1887 he became principal of the Bluffton High School and filled the position most satis- factorily. . He remained in charge for four years and then resigned in order to complete his college course in the Ohio Normal Univer- sity, where he was graduated in 1892, with honors.
It was in 1892 that he received a High School life certificate and in the same year was
elected to the superintendency of the public schools of Elida, Ohio. In 1897 he returned to Bluffton to assume charge of the high school and he remained in that position until 1900, when he was elected superintendent of the schools of Bluffton. For these important pos- itions Mr. Akerman proved to be eminently qualified. Politically, Mr. Akerman has al- ways been identified with the Democratic party. He was elected to the office of county auditor in November, 1905, his election being not entirely a party favor but in large part a token of personal popularity.
He is one of the valued members of the Allen County Teachers' Association, the Northwestern Ohio Teachers' Association and the Ohio State Teachers' Association.
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