USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 49
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
The Rankins family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction; its founders settled in Virginia at a very early day. There the great-grandfather of our subject, John Rankins, who was a large planter of Stafford County, lived and died. He married Isabel Bryan and to them were born three children, namely : Frances, who married Benjamin Hutchison ; Peter and George. After the death of John Rankins, his widow came to Ohio and lived in Clinton County at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Benjamin Hutchison, until her death.
George Rankins, grandfather of our subject
was born in Stafford County, Virginia, Sep- tember I, 1797, and was 15 years old when he enlisted in the army during the war of 1812. In 1814 he removed to Warren County, Ohio, and it is said that he covered the greater part of the distance on foot, his one-horse wagon being used to carry the household goods. Those were days when a steel cooking range had not yet been evolved, and an iron cook stove was such a rare addition to the kitchen equipment that Mr: Rankins at one stage of the trip was almost a hero. The people with whom he stopped had purchased a cook stove but none of the family had yet learned to operate it. Mr. Rankins had been about enough to have learned its use and construction and he imparted his knowledge to the very grateful owners. In 1839 he came to Allen County and located on what is now the Thomas C. Roberts farm, on the Marion road, which property at that time was still covered by the primeval forest. For the following six years he engaged in teaming from Cincinnati to Lima for J. W. King. Oc- casionally the trip in bad weather required 21 days; as there were no accommodations for travelers on the route, it was often necessary to camp along the road for several days. While engaged for Mr. King, he was gradually clear- ing his place, his cabin having been built before he located permanently. This log hut stood until some four years since and was habitable for a long time. He subsequently moved to another farm south of his first one, misfortune having fallen upon him on account of his going security for a neighbor. With the $300 he saved he secured forty acres of land, the best he could do with his limited capital, and al- though then 60 years old went manfully to work to clear a second farm. He married Wealthy Ann Tunget, who was born May 14, 1800, and was a daughter of John and Mary Tunget of Stafford County, Virginia. Mr. Rankins died on his farm in Perry township July 14, 1881, while his wife died April 12, 1891, aged 91 years.
John Rankins, father of our subject, grew up in Warren County, Ohio, and accompanied his parents when they moved to Allen County. When he left the home farm and located at
JOHN CARNES
367
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Westminster, he went into partnership with J. B. Roberts in dealing in stock. He contin- ued to reside there until a few months before his death. He was a Democrat in his political faith.' In religious belief he was a Baptist. He married Anna French, who was a sister of Samuel Davison French, of whom a sketch ap- pears in this volume. They had five children, viz .: William, a soldier in the Civil war, who lost his life at the battle of Corinth, in October, 1862; Receba; George H., of this sketch; Ly- man B., who resides in Perry township east of his brother George; and an unnamed infant, deceased.
George H. Rankins lived three years at Westminster and was then taken, with his youngest brother, by grandfather Rankins who reared them both, while the other child was taken by grandmother French. He was II years old when his grandfather went on his second farm and assisted him there until he reached his majority. After his marriage in 1867 he resided with his wife's people for nine years and bought his first farm in that neigh- borhood and lived on it until 1882 when he bought his present farm of 80 acres in section 16. Formerly he owned 280 acres but has sold 200 acres as he could no longer give a large farm the care it required. He has been an ex- tensive stock-raiser but has much reduced his activity within the past three or four years. He has had numerous producing oil wells upon his property and four of these are still in operation.
On September 24, 1867, Mr. Rankins was married to Celinda Williams, who was born in Kentucky and is a daughter of J. L. and Nancy (Crain) Williams, old residents of Bourbon County, Kentucky. Their three surviving chil- dren are: Minnie, born December 9, 1868, who married George B. McDonald, of Perry township, and has three children-Stella, Hel- en and Howard; A. E., born December 29, 1872, residing at Harrod, Ohio, who married Irene Henry, of Hancock County, Ohio, and has two children-Muriel and Ruth ; and Roy, born March 25, 1885, who lives on the home place and assists his father in the management of the farm. Mabel died April 29, 1902, aged 15 years.
Mr. Rankins is a good citizen but is not identified with any particular political party, voting independently. He is a member of the Christian Church.
OHN CARNES, founder of the Lima Locomotive Works, is one of the city's prominent and representative men, and is connected with one of the lar- gest manufacturing plants in this sec- tion of the State. Mr. Carnes was born in 1822 at Barre, Vermont, and is a son of James Carnes of that city.
John Carnes doubtless inherited mechanical skill from his father, who in his day was a car- penter and joiner of considerable reputation, and this natural leaning was developed from boyhood. He relates with pardonable pride that he had made a pair of shoes and a fine door panel before he was 12 years old. He learned his trade with his father and extended his knowledge to mill construction and, prior to coming to Lima, followed the trade of building sash mills. His mechanical skill covered other lines and after. he came to Lima he made the first pattern for the first locomotive that was ever built here, in the infancy of an industry which has made Lima famous. Mr. Carnes had become acquainted, through a business transaction, with a Mr. Shay, a capitalist, who desired to enter into engine building. The plans and designs made by Mr. Carnes were accepted and the ultimate result was the build- . ing of the noted Shay engines, which are known all over the world.
Prior to coming to Lima, Mr. Carnes owned a water-mill at Sycamore and a machine shop at Upper. Sandusky. In February, 1869, he came to Lima and in association with George Disman, Jesse M. Coe and Frederick Agerter, bought out the establishment of Chatman, Donnelly & Company, and started what is now the great Lima Locomotive Works. The first line of manufactures was threshing machines, then sawmill machinery, but since 1885 the out- put has been locomotives. This industry is one of the most important of Northwestern Ohio,
368
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
giving employment to an army of workmen and having a weekly pay roll which reaches into thousands of dollars.
Mr. Carnes was married in 1847 to Mary Baldwin, a daughter of Samuel Baldwin, and they have three children, viz: Ira P .; Emma, widow of Charles Garrison; and Homer, who is a skilled pattern maker. The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Carnes is a zealous member of the Prohibition party and to its advancement he has contributed time and effort.
Although now 83 years of age, Mr. Carnes has by no means retired into the background, his physical strength having been preserved and his mental outlook being as clear as it was years ago. During the past year, when many of his contemporaries sought the rest and re- tirement of the fireside, he was looking after the erection of a fine three-story brick building on his property on the corner of Spring and Central streets. His energy and talents have made his life a busy one and he can look back over many years filled with notable achieve- ments. His portrait accompanies this sketch.
REDERICK C. BEAM, auditor of the city of Lima, is recognized as one of the most efficient public officials of the county, and is also a highly esteemed citizen. He was born in Mercer County, Ohio, and is one of a family of four children born to his parents, John H. and Mary A. Beam, formerly of Mercer and later of Allen County. His birth took place September 27, 1871.
Mr. Beam was reared and educated in Mer- cer County, and engaged in business there prior to coming to Allen County in 1892. Until 1902 he was a telegraph operator for the Buckeye Pipe Line Company, which position he gave up upon being elected city clerk of Lima. In 1903 he was elected city auditor and has served in this capacity until the present, making a record for himself for accuracy which has never been excelled in this office. He has been active in the Republican party for a number of years and liis election to responsible offices shows a just
consideration for his services. Mr. Beam is a man of sterling character and of admirable public spirit. His fraternal connection is with the Masons.
Mr. Beam married Bertha Ryan, who is a daughter of George A. Ryan, one of Lima's oil producers. The pleasant family home is situ- ated at No. 316 North Washington street.
E UGENE JACOB BARR, M. D., who is efficiently serving his second term as sheriff of Allen County, was for 15 years a recognized and successful medical practitioner throughout Champaign and Allen Counties, Ohio. He was born in Auglaize County, Ohio, September 21, 1857, and is a son of Dr. Tobias and Margaret (Weaver) Barr. Dr. Tobias Barr was a well- known physician in his day. He died in 1857, leaving two children.
Eugene Jacob Barr first attended school in Clark County, Ohio, but when he was 12 years. old he went to Lebanon, Ohio, and there con- tinued his studies. For some time he taught school through Clark and Champaign coun- ties and then entered the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, where he was graduated March 3, 1880. In 1885 he settled in Allen County and continued to practice his profes- sion until 1895 when he engaged in the oil and timber business, in which he continued to be interested until he was elected to his first term as sheriff of the county. in 1901. His op- ponent was William McComb. In 1903 public- approbation of his administration was shown: by a reelection for a second term of two years. He has always been a strong supporter of the Democratic party. In addition to his duties as- a public official, Dr. Barr attends to the man- agement of the Consolidated Bottling Com- pany, of Lima, manufacturers of soft drinks,. and he is also largely interested in Southern lumber, and is an official of the Ohio Hardwood' Lumber Company.
In 1877 Dr. Barr was married to Sadie C. Michael, of Tremont City, and to this union was born one child, Ortha. In 1883 Dr. Barr was married to Mattie A. Miller, who is at
369
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
daughter of John G. Miller, and they have one child, Mabel. The family belong to the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.
Fraternally Dr. Barr is a Knight of Pythias and an Elk. He is a man qualified for the im- portant position he so efficiently fills. The work of the sheriff's office requires the assis- tance of two deputies. He has a large person- al following, being popular with all classes, both professionally, personally and officially.
IRAM A. HOLDRIDGE, president of The Hall & Woods Company, oper- ating the Model Mills, and one of the directors of The Ohio National Bank, is one of the most prominent and uni- versally respected citizens of Lima. He was born in Knox County, Ohio.
When Mr. Holdridge was but a child, his parents removed to New York City where his father was engaged some years in business ; but they subsequently returned to Ohio and settled on what are known as the Sandusky Plains, where the father carried on a mercantile busi- ness.
Our subject was reared in this home until the age of 18 years, and then entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, where he was a promising student when the Civil War broke out. Backed by generations of loyal forebears, the young man's patriotism led him to leave the university halls for the camp field at the first tocsin of war. His first service cov- ered six months with the 15th Ohio Regiment, and then he was given an appointment in the provost marshal's office of the Fifth Congres- sional District located at Lima. After one year of office work he reenlisted, becoming first lieu- tenant of Company I, 192nd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. He was on detached duty, serving as aide- de-camp to the general commanding the bri- gade, and afterward served in the capacity of inspector general and then as adjutant general of the brigade. When he was mustered out of the service at Winchester, Virginia, it was with the rank of acting assistant adjutant general of his brigade. He is a member of the Ohio Com- mandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, at Cincinnati.
After the war Mr. Holdridge returned to his home at Sandusky and engaged with his. father there in the mercantile business for four years, and then removed to Pittsburg and for two years was in the live stock commission bus- iness, after which he engaged in a commission- and a hotel business in Philadelphia. The lat- ter enterprise was carried on during the Cen -- tennial Exposition. In 1880 he came to Lima,. Ohio, where he renewed old associations and. went into a wholesale business which he carried. on for three years. Failing health then com- pelled a rest for a period extending over sev- eral years. Later he again became engaged in business, this time in the development of Ohio oil fields. Other interests also claimed him and. in October, 1899, he organized The Hall & Woods Company, with a capital stock of $60,- 000, for the operating of the Model Mills,. which are the largest flouring mills in the city of Lima. Mr. Holdridge is president of this company, I. O. Hover is vice-president and S. B. Douglass is secretary and treasurer. Mr. Holdridge is also a director in the Ohio Nation- al Bank and is president of the Northwestern Millers' Association. Although engaged in various important lines of business, he still finds time to take an interest in civic improvements of various kinds and to attend to social and re- ligious duties. He is a member of the Presby- terian Church.
Mr. Holdridge was married in September, 1869, to Lenore Roberts, a daughter of the late J. B. Roberts. They have a family of four children, viz .: Mary Alice, wife of Theodore McManus, of Toledo; W. R., who is engaged in mining at Johannesburg, South Africa; Margaret, wife of W. F. McGuire, of Sarnia, Canada; and Louise, of Lima.
AMUEL LIGHT, one of the most pro- gressive agriculturists of Allen County, owns 80 acres of land in sec- tion 23, Monroe township, where he has resided for 30 years. He was born in Franklin township, Richland County, Ohio, February 11, 1837, and is a son of Michael and Catherine ( Heinkst ) Light.
Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania,
20
370
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
the father of Dauphin County and the mother of York County. When children, they came to Ohio with their parents in wagons. Here they grew up and were married in Richland County, which was their home as long as they lived. He was a man of small stature, while she was a woman who weighed 275 pounds. The pa- ternal grandfather, John Light, was a native of Pennsylvania, of German extraction. Both the grandfather and the father of our subject used the German language almost entirely in their families. The grandfather had a family of two sons and five daughters. He died in Richland County at the advanced age of 93 years. The children of Michael and Catherine Light were as follows: Mary Reppert, de- ceased; Daniel, of Oklahoma; Samuel; John, who died at the age of 10 years; Catherine (Bradley), deceased, and Lydia (Urich), of Richland County, who were twins; George, who died in Oklahoma; Michael, who died at the age of 18 in Richland County; and Maggie (Rhodes), of Shelby. George Light served four years as drummer boy in the Civil war, being too young to enlist for regular ser- vice. Like his father, he was_small of stature but was a man of prominence wherever he lived, popular and of affable manner. He was a school teacher a number of years and was sent to the Legislature two terms by the Democrats of Putnam County, where he had been engaged in medical practice for 15 years before locating in Oklahoma.
Samuel Light made his home in Richland County until he moved to Shelby, Ohio, where he was employed in operating a jack in the woolen mills for five years, his machine taking 150 threads. He also assisted in the office. He then engaged in the grocery business with two partners for about three years and did a large volume of business, buying and shipping prac- tically all the eggs produced in the vicinity of Shelby. In March, 1871, he came to Monroe township, Allen County, and for 10 years ran a threshing machine here, introducing and op- erating the first threshing machine engine in Allen County. In 1876 he purchased his pres- ent farm of 80 acres in section 23, Monroe township, and the same spring moved into the
log cabin which had been built on the property. Since 1881 he has given his entire time to farm- ing and to improving his place which, under his intelligent methods, has become twice as pro- ductive as it was originally, and never fails to yield good crops. He has about 77 acres cleared and has beautified it with handsome buildings and other improvements.
Mr. Light has been twice married, his first union being with Mary N. Hood, a native of Wayne County, Ohio. Two children were born to this marriage, viz .: Sherman, who resides in Monroe township and is the father of four children; and Emma Catherine, wife of Rev. W. V. Davis, pastor of the United Brethren Church at Robinson, Utah, and formerly sta- tioned in Monroe township for 15 years. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have three children: Clyde, who is an electrician in the United States; Army; Leo, who is a talented musician; and Virgil E., a minister of the Gospel. Mr. Light's present wife was the widow of Jere- miah Hershiser, her maiden name was Mary Cline. She had three children by her first union, the only one living being Mrs. Jennie Bistline, of Williams County, Ohio. The sec- ond union resulted in the birth of two children : Maggie Elizabeth, who married Oscar Weaver, of Monroe township, and has five children ; and Carrie Luella, who married Clark Kidd, of Orange township, Hancock County, and has five children. Mr. Light is a member of the United Brethren Church at Columbus Grove and has been an active worker since his conver- sion at the age of 23 years. He was class lead- er during the entire eight years he lived at Shelby and has also acted in that capacity here. He has been a life long Democrat ; has served as justice of the peace and township treasurer two terms each, and for six years was an in- firmary director.
B. WILLOWER, manager of The Bes- semer Gas Engine Company, of Lima, was born in Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1877, but has resided in Lima since his fourth year, his father, C. A. Willow- er, having located here at that time. C. A.
12
37I
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Willower is the efficient manager of the Willow- er Grocery Company and is one of the influen- tial business men of Lima.
The first employment in which our subject engaged was with the grocery firm of Watson & Company, for whom he worked four years. He then accepted the position of foreman of the L. E. & W. freight house in Lima and re- tained that position about eight years. In June, 1901, he accepted the office of assistant mana- ger of The Bessemer Gas Engine Company and when, in the fall of the same year, A. A. Little, the manager, was transferred to Western ter- ritory, Mr. Willower was made manager of the company and has shown that he is well quali- fied for the place. He is also interested in a number of the leading industries of the city, being connected with the Willower Grocery Company and with the manufacture of gas pumps.
Mr. Willower was married December 18, 1903, to Helen Eleanore Whistler, daughter of Mrs. L. E. Whistler, of Lima, and a lady of pleasing personality and a favorite in Lima so- ciety. They are attendants of the Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church, to which they are liberal contributors both of their time and means. Mr. Willower is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
E LIAS CRITES, one of the esteemed citizens and substantial residents of German township, where he owns a finely improved farm of 228 acres lo- cated in sections 7 and 8, was born June 21, 1825, in Salt Creek township, Picka- way County, Ohio, and is a son of John D. and Catherine ( Peters) Crites.
John D. Crites was born in Linn township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and moved from there to Berks County, Pennsyl- vania, where he married Catherine Peters and later moved to Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, Ohio, where both died in the course of time. They reared a family of 13 children, 10 of these reaching maturity, our venerable sub- ject being the only survivor. John Crites and wife were consistent members of the German
Reformed Church, in which he was a ruling elder.
Elias Crites was reared on his father's farm and attended the district schools. His mother died when he was 17 years of age and he left home and learned the carpenter and cabinet- making trade at which he worked for some eight years. He then engaged in farming in Pickaway County, Ohio, until 1871, when he came to Allen County and bought 228 acres of land just north of Elida. This land he has placed under a fine state of cultivation and he has improved it with substantial houses and barns. He served eight years as trustee of Salt Creek township and for eight years was a trus- tee of German township.
On June 18, 1851, Mr. Crites was married to Catherine Mowery, who was a daughter of John Mowery. She died May 3, 1862, leaving three children-John D. and W. W., who op- erate the home farm; and Mary Selena, now deceased, who was the wife of Alvin Davis, of Elida. On October 5, 1862, Mr. Crites was married to a sister of his first wife, Mrs. Lean- nah (Mowery) Reichelderfer. Mrs. Crites by her first marriage had one son-George S. Reichelderfer, a resident of Pickaway County, engaged in the banking business at Laurelville, Ohio; and one daughter, Sarah Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Hon. S. D. Crites, of Eli-" da. Elias Crites is a member of the German Reformed Church, while his wife is a Lutheran.
AURENS HULL, vice-president and general manager of the Laurens Hull Lumber Company, of Lima, was born in New York in 1861, and is a son of the late Hon. M. A. Hull.
The father of Laurens Hull was engaged in the manufacture of woolen fabrics at Pike, New York, for a number of years and was a very prominent citizen of Wyoming County. He served two terms in the New York Assem- bly, and for 13 years was deputy inspector of customs at Suspension Bridge, New York, his service extending through two years of Presi- dent Cleveland's first administration; he was relieved of the position at his own request.
After a liberal education which was secured
372
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
in his native State, Laurens Hull began busi- ness in connection with the Sioux City Lumber Company, at Sioux City, Iowa, from which concern he went with the Aurora Lumber Com- pany, at Aurora, Illinois. Since then he has been connected with a number of lumbering interests at different points, having made the lumber trade his life work.' In 1901 he came to Lima, where he bought out the T. W. Dobbins Lumber Company, which was one of the oldest lumber companies in this city, and for two years he conducted the business under the firm name of Laurens Hull & Company. At the time the business was incorporated its present name-Laurens Hull Lumber Company-was adopted. The company is capitalized at $150,- 000, with Gilbert B. Shaw of Chicago, as pres- ident, and Laurens Hull, vice-president and general manager. Their yards are located at Lima, Tiffin, Ohio; and Chicago. The busi- ness is one of far reaching possibilities and is in a very prosperous condition. It deals ex- tensively, both wholesale and retail, in lumber and building material. The members of the company are all capitalists and men of business experience who command the confidence of the trade and of the public.
Mr. Hull was married in 1891 to Anna Howe, who is a daughter of J. W. Howe, a re- tired locomotive engineer, formerly of Sioux City, Iowa, but who is passing the evening of life with Mr. Hull and wife. Mr. Hull belongs to several of the exclusive social organizations of this section, including the Shawnee Country Club and the Lima Club.
AMUEL W. WRIGHT, county com- missioner of Allen County, was born in 1851 in Clinton County, Ohio, and is a son of W. G. and Louisa (Manker) Wright.
The father of Mr. Wright was born in Virginia and the mother in Ohio. The fa- ther came to Allen County in 1855 when pio- neer conditions still prevailed. His life was spent here following agricultural pursuits.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.