USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 40
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WALTER P. BLOOM
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County; Charles A., of Shawnee township; and Jacob Edward, of Amanda township.
Jacob Edward Bowsher was reared on the farm in Shawnee township; where like other youths of the neighborhood, he attended school through the fall and winter months, giving his assistance on the farm during the spring and summer. He also attended Lima College and the Ohio Normal University at Ada, and thus had an advantage over many of his compan- ions. He taught school for some 12 months in Shawnee township prior to settling down to farming, and is one of the best read and most thoughtful, intelligent men of his community. Mr. Bowsher came to his present fine farm of 106 acres, situated in section. 27, Amanda township, in December, 1896, this being a farm once owned by his father. It was mostly. new land and Mr. Bowsher has cleared 22 acres and placed the cleared portion of the property under a fine state of tillage, has remodeled and erected buildings and has demonstrated his industry and ability as an agriculturist.
In 1895 Mr. Bowsher was married to Amanda E. Hocker, who is a daughter of Louis and Catherine (Herring) Hocker, and- they have an interesting family of five children, viz : Brandon De Witt, Waldo Gern, Ethelind Joy, Lovell Constance and Audrey Rudolph.
Mr. Bowsher is one of the most zealous supporters of the public schools and for three years has been a member, of the School Board. In April, 1904, he was appointed trustee of Amanda township and. in April following he was elected to the office, in which he is still giving intelligent and effective service. He is one of the leading members of the Lutheran Church in Shawnee township near Criderville.
ALTER P. BLOOM, proprietor of the largest lumber and coal yards in Lima, is also an agriculturist and stock-raiser, of considerable prominence, and is widely known as one of the best posted men in the lumber business. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan, was born August 23, 1867, and is a son of O. C. Bloom, who is a highly esteemed citizen of
Allen County, residing on the farm of our sub- ject, The elder Bloom was for 36 years en- gaged in the mail service in Detroit; he retired to spend the evening of life in the quiet of the country. He is a veteran of the Civil War, having served in the Fifth Michigan Regiment.
Walter P. Bloom was educated in Detroit, and began his business career as bell-boy in the Michigan Exchange Hotel. A short time later he embarked in the lumber industry, entering the employ of W. A. C. Meller, with whom he remained for more than three years, becoming familiar with every feature of the business and. gaining a thorough knowledge of the work re- quired of an inspector. From there he went to Northern Michigan, visiting Bay City, Sagi- naw and all the principal lumber. centers along the lake shore as inspector, at the same time conducting a small individual trade in lumber. Following this experience, he was inspector and buyer for C. W. Restrick for a few years, purchasing all the material handled by that gentleman .. His knowledge of the business was so thorough that he became well known throughout the lumber, district, and he was offered a lucrative position as salesman with Bennett Brothers, of Muskegon, Michigan. He remained with them about six years, or until 1894, and was their able representative in Ohio and Indiana and in Pennsylvania and other Eastern States. For some time having con- templated engaging in business for himself, in · 1894 he came to Lima and established the lar- gest lumber-yards in the city, placing therein a complete stock of both hard and soft lumber and also a supply of coal. He does a large wholesale and retail trade, and keeps a number of traveling salesmen continually employed, oc- casionally taking a portion of the territory him- self. In order to fill all his orders satisfactor- ily he purchases his stock in the various mar- kets of the North and South and in California.
Mr. 'Bloom is also largely interested in farming and stock-raising, and carries on this work with a success equal to that which he has achieved in the lumber and coal business. He owns two fine farms in Allen County, and is a breeder of draft horses which have more than a local reputation and find a ready market.
Mr. Bloom was married, in 1891, to Flor-
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ence Langley, daughter of Charles Langley, de- ceased, a native of London, England, who came to America and for a number of years was a shipbuilder of Detroit. Three sons have been born to, Mr. and Mrs. Bloom: Milton D., Powell H,, and Walter L. The second son died in 1901, aged eight years. Mr. Bloom is a member of the First Congregational Church, of which he is treasurer and trustee. He frater- nizes with the Royal Arcanum. His portrait accompanies this sketch.
LFRED J. YOUNG, formerly an ex- tensive farmer in Bath township, but for the last two years a business man of Lima, who deals extensively in hay, was born in 1863 in Richland township, Allen County, Ohio, and is a son of Freeman and Charity (Roberts) Young.
The father of Mr. Young is now a resident of Beaver Dam, Ohio. In 1850 he came to Allen County. Charity Roberts, who became his wife, was a daughter of Washington Rob- erts, one of the pioneers of Allen County. The children of Freeman Young are: Wilson, a farmer of Richland township; G. Washington, a farmer and hay dealer, of Beaver Dam; Emma, the wife of Cyrus Marshall, of Rich- land township; Eugene, of Richland town- ship; and Alfred J., of Lima.
Alfred J. Young was reared in Richland township, and secured a good, common-school education there. He remained on the home farm until about 25 years of age, and then bought a farm of 100 acres in Bath township, which he operated very successfully until he retired from farming, in 1904. He then moved to Lima and engaged in a feed business for one year, after which he went into the hay business. He is a heavy dealer in this com- modity, baling and shipping large quantities every year.
Mr. Young was married December 2, 1884, to Phobe Baker, who is a daughter of William and Deborah (Kollar) Baker. The late William Baker came to Allen County in 1863. His wife Deborah was a daughter of
Joseph Kollar, formerly a leading farmer of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and a soldier of the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Baker had nine children, as follows: Joseph, living on the home farm in Bath township; Ella, wife of G. Stockton, of Van Buren, Indiana; Margaret, wife of G. W. Young, of Beaver Dam, Ohio; Pleaza, wife of William Roeder, of Bath town- ship; Phoebe, wife of A. J. Young; Emma, wife of Samuel Roeder, of Lima; Rilla, wife of Daniel Armentrout, of Bath township; Molly, wife of John Norman, of Lima; and Hays, also of Lima. Mr. Baker died in June, 1904, but Mrs. Baker still survives and resides in Bath township. The members of the fam- ily are well and favorably known.
Mr. and Mrs. Young have two children, Mertie O. and Grace, the latter still in school. The family belong to the United Brethren Church. Mr. Young is a member of the Fra- ternal Order of Eagles. The family residence is at No. 843 West Spring street.
EORGE KLEIN, one of Lima's well- known citizens, who has been con- nected with the machine shops of the C., H. & D. Railway for over a quar- ter of a century, and is treasurer of the Citizens' Loan & Building Company, of Lima, was born in Baden, Germany, in 1855, and is a son of Martin Klein, a native of Ger- many, who came directly to Lima in 1876.
George Klein was educated in his native land and was 17 years old when he came to Lima, Ohio. Here he entered the employ of the machine department of the C., H. & D. Railway, and there he has remained for 34 years, with the exception of one year when he worked in the Pennsylvania shops. He has an established reputation for reliability and efficiency.
In 1876 Mr. Klein was married to Lizzie Schnabel, who is a daughter of John Schnabel, a mechanic, who came from Germany and set- tled at Lima in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Klein have five children, namely: Anna, who grad- uated at the Lima High School in 1896, and
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has been teaching in the public schools since 1897; Flora, who also graduated at the Lima High School, in 1902, and is a stenographer for the Chown Commercial Company, having also taken a business course; Bertha, who was graduated in 1903 from the Lima High School and is the wife of Herman Rable, a boiler- maker in the railroad shops at Lima; Charles, who is a machinist now serving his apprentice- ship with the C., H. & D. Railway; and Lil- lian, who is a student in the Lima High School.
, Mr. Klein and family belong to the Ger- man Reformed Church in which he has been an elder for a number of years. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow. He is a man of quiet tastes, an independent thinker, and while not active in political life, he is always interested in all matters that promote the general welfare.
ILLIAM ROUSH, M. D., one of Spencerville's well established physicians and surgeons, belongs to an old pioneer family of Allen County. He was born on the old homestead in Amanda township, December 6, 1864, and is a son of Jacob M. and Elizabeth (Holtzapple) Roush.
The family is of Pennsylvania-Dutch ex- traction. The father of Dr. Roush was born in Pennsylvania in 1816 and came to Ohio in 1848. He lived to be over 77 years of age. He married Elizabeth Holtzapple, who died in 1903, aged over 76 years. They had 12 children, of whom two sons and two daughters still survive.
Dr: Roush received his primary education in the district schools and spent two years at Elida, also two terms at the Ohio Normal Uni- versity at Ada, following which he taught school for four years in Marion and Amanda townships. He read medicine for 18 months with Dr. S. A. Hitchcock, at Elida, before en- tering the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery. He was graduated in the class of 1891, receiving a gold medal for his high standing on general examination. He settled first at Elida, but removed in 1893 to Spencer-
ville, where he now controls a very satisfactory practice. At various times he has taken post- graduate courses at Baltimore. and Cincinnati. He belongs to all the leading medical organiza- tions of county and State. In 1893, he was appointed pension examiner, and served during President Cleveland's second administration, He has always taken a more or less active part in politics as becomes an intelligent citizen, and he has also shown his interest in public matters by serving on the Board of Public Service, the Board of Education and other civic bodies; he was one of the original trustees of the city electric plant.
In June, 1894, Dr. Roush was married to Vade Wright, a native of Highland County, Ohio, a sister of County Commissioner Sam- uel W. Wright and a daughter of W. G. Wright, now a resident of Michigan. They have three children, viz: Gerald, Richard and Lucile.
Dr. Roush belongs to Lima Lodge, No. 162, B. P. O. E., and is a past grand of Deep Cut Lodge, No. 311, I. O. O. F., and a past chief patriarch of Spencerville Encampment, No. 279.
H. SECREST, attorney-at-law at Lima, and junior partner of the law firm of Klinger & Secrest, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, in 1871, and is a son of Noah E. and Eliza J. (Spriggs) Secrest.
Noah E. Secrest is a prominent agricul- turist of Guernsey County. He married Eliza J. Spriggs, who was a daughter of Morris Spriggs, and a brother of Joseph W. Spriggs, a prominent attorney of Portland, Oregon, and of John P. Spriggs, who was the Democratic . candidate for judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio from Woodsfield, in 1902, and was for- merly judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Another brother is Judge David S. Spriggs, of Caldwell, Ohio, one of the ablest attorneys in the State, long a judge on the common pleas bench and a popular candidate for Congress.
It will thus be seen that Mr. Secrest came naturally into the profession of the law, un- doubtedly inheriting a tendency in this direc-
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tion. He remained at home on his father's farm, attending the local schools, until he was 17 years of age, and then entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, where he was grad- uated in the classical course, receiving the de- gree of M. A. in 1894. His law reading was commenced at the university and was continued in the office of Spriggs & Spriggs, at Paulding, Ohio, and later, with Risser & Smith, at Ot- tawa. He was admitted to the bar in 1903. The following year he located at Lima and en- tered into his present partnership. The firms are located in the Metropolitan Building. In addition to a large practice Mr. Secrest devotes some time to other important business inter- ests.
After completing a very liberal education, Mr. Secrest served for three years as county school examiner of Paulding County. He was superintendent of schools at Antwerp, Ohio, for six years and for three years at Ot- tawa. In 1903 he was put forward by the Democratic party as the candidate for school commissioner of Ohio.
Fraternally, Mr. Secrest is a Mason, be- longing to Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council at Ottawa. He is recognized as a young man of great ability and has already made a name in his chosen profession.
D. MASON is a representative agriculturist of Allen County, and @ has passed his entire life on a farm in section 16, Bath township. where he was born October 3. 1840. He lives on a farm of 7374 acres ad- joining the place of his birth. His parents were Jarvis and Elizabeth (Hall) Mason, the former a native of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and the latter, of Oneida County, New York. The Mason family was founded in America in 1649 by Alexander Mason, who came to this country from England and took up large tracts of land along the seacoast of Massachusetts. Little more is known concerning him, except that he was of Scotch-Irish lineage. Elisha Mason, the grandfather of our subject, was a descendant of this Alexander Mason, belong-
ing to the fourth generation, and farmed on the ancestral acres in Massachusetts.
Jarvis Mason was born January 6, 1789, and learned the trade of a stone mason while a boy and built a great many walls with "nig- gerheads" or boulders. He went to Oneida County where he was married. Later he re- turned to his native State, but shortly after again went to New York where he lived until his removal to Ohio in 1834, when he brought with him his wife and seven children, leaving two children in the East. They had a family of 15 children, six having been born after their removal to Ohio. Franklin, an elder son, had preceded the family here one year. He was a blacksmith and set up the first anvil used in Allen County; but soon abandoned his trade to take up the more lucrative work of teaming, making trips to Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and other points. General Armstrong related to our subject that he had at one time, about 1836, employed Franklin, who had the only horse team here then, to make a trip to Colum- bus for cannon, the return journey taking six weeks. Franklin Mason was laid to rest in the cemetery at Lima.
M. D. Mason owns part of the original quarter section entered by his father and clear- ed and put under cultivation by the family. For many years the family occupied the little cabin, but Mr. Mason has a cozy, comfortable residence and has improved his place until it is equal to the best. He was married October 2, 1866, to Amy L. Snyder, who was born Sep- tember 13, 1848, in Bath township, and is a daughter of Peter and Clarinda (Edgecomb) Snyder, the former of New York and the lat- ter of Trumbull County, Ohio. Thirteen children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ma- son, viz: Clarinda, who married Frank Roeder, of Lima ; Elmer, who was murdered in 1904, aged 36 years; Frank, killed in an acci- dent; Pulaski, of Lima ; Jennie, wife of Claud Hennen, of Lima; Milton; Luella; 'Talma, wife of C. D. Miller, of Lima; Nellie, wife of James Richards, of Michigan; Harry ; Charles; Donald; and Amy. Mr. Mason is a Republi- can and has served as trustee three terms; for several years he was on the School Board.
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ENRY C. RICHARDSON, druggist at Spencerville, was born in October, 1860, on the Richardson farm in Al- len County, and is a son of George Washington and Julia Ann (Fran- cis) Richardson.
The paternal grandfather of Mr. Richard- son was William Richardson, a veteran of the War of 1812, who was born and reared in the shadow of the Blue Mountains, in Virginia. He came of sturdy, virile mountain ancestry and lived to the age of 106 years, dying in Ohio. His son, George Washington Richard- son, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, February 27, 1822, and died January 30, 1879, in Allen County, having settled in Amanda township in 1858. In 1841 he was married to Julia Ann Francis, who was born near the Ohio River, in Virginia, March 4, 1822, and died July 14, 1900. She was quite young when her parents moved to Auglaize County, Ohio, where she was married ..
The children of George Washington Rich- ardson and wife were: William, Daniel, Eliza- beth, Margaret, Sarah Ellen, George Wash- ington, Henry C., David Mc., and Emma Jane. William Richardson was born March 14, 1842, and is a veteran of the Civil War. He was married May 15, 1861, to Mary E. Miller, and they have seven children. Daniel Richardson was born June 8, 1844, and was a veteran of the Civil War. He was married April 6, 1867, to Lydia Miller, who survives him with six children. He died in Kansas, November 26, 1886, and was buried in Allen County. Elizabeth Richardson was born Feb- ruary 7, 1848, and died in March, 1880. She married William Harruff and is survived by four children. Margaret Richardson was born May 14, 1854, and was married June 24, 1871, to Simon Shaffer, of Spencerville; they have six children. Sarah Ellen Richardson was born September 7, 1856, and was married May 8, 1875, and died in Charleston, Miss- ouri, in August, 1902. She is survived by her husband, W. T. Hooker, and children. George Washington Richardson (2), named for his father, was born May 9, 1858, and was mar- ried July 21, 1879, to Fannie A. Logan. She
was born in Perry township, Allen County, Ohio, April 24, 1858, and is a daughter of David and Mary Ann (Graham) Logan. . Of their five children, three sons-C. C., G. C. and John E .- survive. David Mc. Richard- son was born May 13, 1864, and was married January 18, 1882, to Emma Whirl. Emma Jane Richardson was born May 9, 1866, and was married February 12, 1883, to John Mc- Donald, of Buffalo, New York.
The parents of this family united with the Christian Church under Elder Whetstone, when they were. about 30 years of age. On February 10, 1888, the mother united with the congregation at Spencerville, under Elder C. J. Hance. At the time of her decease she had been a member of the Christian Church for 50 years, and this fact was dwelt upon by Rev. W. L. Lundy at the time of her funeral.
Henry C. Richardson was primarily edu- cated in the local schools and then took a course in pharmacy in the Ohio Normal Uni- versity at Ada, where he was graduated in 1891. After a period of clerking at Ada and then at Cincinnati, he came to Spencerville, and later, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Harmon Dunathan, purchased the Harbison drug business and also was in a drug partner- ship with Mr. Dunathan at St. Marys. When this business association was dissolved; Mr. Richardson continued at Spencerville and Mr. Dunathan at St. Marys.
In 1884 Mr. Richardson was married to Mary M. Dunathan, who is a daughter of J. H. Dúnathan, and they have four children, viz : Luro, who married Elden Core and has one child, Glenn; and John, Howard and Ruby, who live at home.
Our subject was formerly a member of the Board of Education at Spencerville, and is one of the city's representative men. He was the Allen County delegate to the convention of the National Pharmaceutical Association, held in Boston in 1905.
The substantial brick residence in Spencer- ville, now occupied by William Richardson and owned by his brother, the subject of this sketch, was built by their father, who was taken
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ill the day before the family intended moving in, and died without ever having had the pleas- ure of making it his home.
HOMAS H. JONES, the efficient treas- urer of Allen County, is one of the best known and most popular public officials of the State. Mr. Jones was born February 18, 1835, in North Wales, a country which has contributed largely to America's good citizenship. His parents were Josiah and Mary (Hughes) Jones.
Josiah Jones was a large woolen manu- facturer prior to emigrating with his family to America, in 1850. He settled in the town of Gomer, Allen County, Ohio, where he engaged in an undertaking business and also carried on farming to some extent. His death oc- curred there in 1887, at the age of 81 years, his wife surviving him until 1889. They had a family of eight children.
Thomas H. Jones was 15 years of age when Ohio became his home. After four months of school attendance at Gomer, he be- came a clerk in a village dry goods store and later worked in the same capacity at Columbus Grove, Ohio, where he was living at the time of his enlistment for service in the Civil War. He entered Company F, 118th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he served until his honorable discharge on July 9, 1865, after a service of three years, a portion of which time he was quartermaster of his regiment. Mr. Jones then returned to Gomer, where his parents were living, and, in September following, ac- cepted a position as clerk and bookkeeper for William Ashton & Company, at Lima, and thus continued with their successors, W. K. Boone & Company, who purchased the busi- ness in 1867. Subsequently he became an ac- tive partner in this firm, and remained in this connection for a period of 40 years.
Ever since attaining his majority, Mr. Jones has shown .his devotion to the principles of the Republican party, and at various times has been called upon to fill positions of respon- sibility. In 1903 he was elected treasurer of
Allen County, a position in which his sterling integrity and close and careful attention to duty have won him the confidence of his fellow- citizens in the highest degree. On November 7, 1905, Mr. Jones was reelected county treas- urer by a majority of 906 votes. He has al- ways shown himself to be a public-spirited cit- izen, and on many occasions has thrown the weight of his influence in support of measures for the public welfare. He was elected a mem- ber of the Board of Education of Lima and served for six years, being president of that body for three years of this period.
In 1862 Mr. Jones was married to Susan Francis, a daughter of Ellis Francis, and they have five children, two of whom are also coun- ty officials, viz: Harry, who is deputy county treasurer, and Mrs. G. J. Pence, assistant coun- - ty treasurer. Although Mr. Jones is in his 7Ist year, the infirmities of age seem to have no hold upon his *vigorous faculties; in fact, with valuable experience, he combines the alert business qualities of far younger men, while his cheerful personality and thorough kindness of heart have won him the affectionate cogno- men of "Uncle Tommy."
Mr. Jones is an elder in the Market Street . Presbyterian Church. He has always been interested in Sunday-school work, and fre- quently gives lectures before various bodies, which are very popular. He belongs to the Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R. of Lima, and finds a hearty welcome awaiting his attendance. His fraternal connection is with the Odd Fellows. Mr. Jones has a comfort- able home at No. 519 West North street.
E LMER D. WEBB, who is engaged in a general insurance business at Lima, with offices at No. 561/2 Public Square, and is also interested in oil production in the Ohio and Indiana fields, was born in 1876 in Union County, Ohio. He is a son of the late Isaac Webb.
The father of Mr. Webb was a prominent farmer in . Union County, Ohio, for many years. His death took place in 1901. During
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HON. WILLIAM RUSLER
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the Civil War he served his country with gal- lantry and fidelity, and for his personal brav- ery was promoted from the ranks to an official position. On several occasions he was severe- ly wounded. He was a veteran of the 17th Regiment, Ohio Vol. . Inf.
Mr. Webb was reared in Union County and attended the local schools and the Dela- ware Business College, and for several years was engaged in business at different points, for a short period being on the road for a crockery firm. In 1896 he was called to Fort Wayne to accept the position of assistant superintend- ent of the Prudential Life Insurance Company, where he remained until 1898, when he came: to Lima as special agent for the Union Central Life Insurance Company. ,Later he went into a general insurance business and now repre- sents such reliable companies as ; The United States Casualty Company, of New York; the Union Central Life, of Cincinnati, Ohio; the American Central Fire, of St. Louis, ·Miss- ouri; and the Traders Fire, of Chicago. For a number of years Mr. Webb has been finan- cially interested in oil productions and is a member of the National Oil Company and of the Surety Oil Company, both operating in the Ohio and Indiana fields, and owns stock in other corporations.
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