USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio > Part 92
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 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
830
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
then given a position with the house as commercial salesman and thus repre- sented the interests of the business until three years after the death of Mr. Beer, when he purchased his share from the estate and became a partner in the firm. In 1902 he and Harry S. and J. Edward Kauffman, sons of the senior partner, acquired a half interest in the business. In October, 1904, the senior partner died and the following January Frederick Edwards was elected to the presidency and placed in charge of the sales department. Since the death of the founder Frederick Edwards and his two partners have acquired the entire busines which is capitalized for seventy-five thousand dollars, all paid in. Mr. Edwards travels most of the time in the interests of the business which has now grown to extensive and important proportions. The output has been extended to include the manufacture of various other products, es- pecially those made from steel wire, and the business of the house is constantly expanding.
On the 14th of November, 1890, Mr. Edwards was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Kauffman. £ He is a member of the United Commercial Travel- ers and in politics is a stalwart republican. The consensus of public opinion places him in a prominent position in commercial and manufacturing circles here and his success is being continually gained through the capable management of the business. He is a man of democratic spirit, genial and jovial in dis- position, with a circle of friends almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance.
MICHAEL HELBERT.
Michael Helbert, who carries on general farming on section 27, Vermillion township, his place comprising the southeast quarter, also owns other property in the county and may well be classed with its representative agriculturists. He was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1820, and has there- fore passed the eighty-ninth milestone on life's journey. He has been a resident of Mohican township, Ashland county, since 1835, in which year he came to Ohio with his parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Moch) Helbert. He is the oldest of the living members of a family that once numbered thirteen children. His entire life has been given to farm work. After the removal to Ohio he assisted his father in the arduous task of developing and improving a new farm, remaining at home up to the time of his majority, after which he purchased ten acres of his father's place in Mohican township and there resided for thirteen years. About forty years ago he purchased his present farm and it has since been his home. It comprises one hundred and sixty acres of land constituting the south- east quarter of section 27, and in addition to this he has a farm of sixty acres about a quarter of a mile from his home place. In the meantime, after tilling his original tract of ten acres, he bought seventy-four acres in Mohican township, living theron for about five years, or until he purchased his present place. In the midst of this farm he has a good brick residence and there are other substan- tial improvements on his land. His entire life has been given to general agri-
831
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
cultural pursuits and whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own labor and careful management.
On the 25th of October, 1847, Mr. Helbert was married to Miss Susan Ward, who died in April, 1860, at the age of thirty-three years, leaving five children : John, who died in 1885 at the age of thirty-five years; William, living in Ver- million township; Frank, a resident of Hayesville; Emma, the wife of George V. Ewing of Vermillion township; and Alma, at home.
On the 30th of October, 1861, Mr. Helbert was married to Miss Ann Hazelet, who was born in this county, May 10, 1843, a daughter of David and Mary (Mich) Hazelet. Her father was married twice and Mrs. Helbert was the only child of the second marriage. By her marriage she became-the mother of five children, of whom two died in infancy, the others being: Della, at home; Hattie, the wife of Samuel McClure of Vermillion township; and George Murton, who resides on the old home place and operates the farm. The land is well improved with good buildings and annually brings forth rich harvests. Mr. Helbert, now in advanced years, leaves the active work of the farm to his son. He is, however, a remarkably well preserved man for one of his age,, and his life has been one of untiring diligence, perseverance and well directed strength.
· M. B. DESHONG.
With the exception of brief intervals M. B. DeShong has been continuously engaged in business in Ashland for more than a half century and for some years has been associated with insurance interests here. Many chapters in his life record have won for him the respect, honor and good will of his fellowmen, for in military and political circles he has been loyal and in all of his business connections has been straightforward and reliable.
His birth occurred in Uniontown, Stark county, Ohio, February 27, 1836, his parents being Peter M. and Asenath (Bender) DeShong, both of whom were natives of Mount Joy, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, whence they went to Stark county after attaining their majority but prior to their marriage. The paternal grandparents of Mr. DeShong remained residents of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, but the maternal grandparents came to Ohio with their daughter Asenath. The wedding of Peter M. DeShong and Asenath Bender was cele- brated in Uniontown and there the young husband established business as a cabinetmaker. For many years, however, he filled public office, serving for long period as justice of the peace, while in 1851 he was elected sheriff of the county and removed to Canton, serving for two terms in that office. In the fall of 1855 he removed to Ashland county and purchased the Andrew Carter farm one mile east of the county seat. For about four years he devoted his energies to general agricultural pursuits and in 1859 sold the farm and came to Ashland, where he established a stove and tinware business, continuing in that line of trade for ten years. In 1869 he sold out and retired from active life, spending his last days in Ashland, where he died November 5, 1871, in his
832
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
sixty-eighth year. In politics he was a war democrat, advocating the Union cause. His sterling character and his well known ability made him a man of influence, while his labors constituted a factor in general progress and improve- ment. He held membership in the Dunkard church. Both he and his wife were of Huguenot ancestry, the families being founded in America at the time of religious persecution in the disputed territory of Alsace and Lorraine. They located in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and the DeShong family was of French lineage, while the Bender family was of German descent. There were four brothers of the Bender family who served in the Revolutionary war. The death of Mrs. Asenath (Bender) DeShong occurred in 1889 when she was seventy-nine years of age.
In the district schools M. B. DeShong pursued his early education and after- ward attended school in Canton. When seventeen years of age he entered the dry goods store of V. R. Kimball & Company, of Canton, there serving as a clerk for four years. In the fall of 1857 he came to Ashland and soon after- ward entered the employ of Gorham & Pritchard, dry goods merchants, remaining with the house during various changes in the firm until 1860, when he secured a situation with Zuber & Hower, with whom he continued until after the out- break of the Civil war. During the opening days of hostilities he enlisted on the 6th of June, 1861, becoming a member of Company G, Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, to serve for three years and was consecutively promoted until he became first lieutenant. On July 16, 1864, he was discharged but imme- diately reenlisted, becoming adjutant of the One hundred and Eighty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Huntsville, Alabama. He was mustered out of the service September 28, 1865, after having done faithful duty in defense of the Union for more than four years. He at first enlisted as a private but was promoted step by step until he became the first lieutenant of Company G. His military service was an arduous one, fraught with many hardships and dangers. He participated in the battle of Carnifax Ferry, September 10, 1861; South Mountain, September 14, 1862; Antietam, September 16 and 17, 1862; Cloyd Mountain, May 9, 1864; Newburn Bridge, May 10, 1864; and many others of lesser importance. He was also in the Lynchburg raid, where he was continu- ously under fire for fifteen days. He was never in a hospital for a day during his service, although he became ill with typhoid fever, but as he was first sergeant of his company he refused to give up and broke up the fever on the march. After the battles of South Mountain and Antietam in 1862, there were thirty sergeants selected to be sent home on recruiting service, among the number being Mr. DeShong and William McKinley, who later became president of the United States. They called on Governor Todd at Columbus at his request and were congratulated on the glorious victory at Antietam and Cloyd Mountain. The Governor then presented DeShong and Mckinley with commissions as second lieutenants, being the only two out of the thirty thus honored. Our subject became a great personal friend and warm admirer of his comrade, William McKinley, who often made reference to the above incident. Mr. DeShong commanded the Second Division of the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the line of march at the inauguration of President Mckinley and also at his funeral in Canton. As acting adjutant of his regiment, Mr. DeShong
833
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
had the honor of reading on dress parade the congratulatory order of President Lincoln announcing the victory of the Union army at Gettysburg and the surrender of Vicksburg. He commanded the Twenty-third Ohio as an escort at Mrs. Hayes' funeral and was one of the pall bearers at President Hayes' funeral at Fremont in January, 1893.
When the war was over and the country no longer needed his aid, Mr. DeShong returned home and for two years was connected with his father in the stove and tinware business. In 1869, however, he turned his attention to the real-estate and insurance business, which he conducted with growing success until 1878, when he was appointed postmaster of Ashland, serving under the administration of President R. B. Hayes. He afterward went to Columbia, South Dakota, where for a number of years he conducted a stove and tinware business, but in the fall of 1885 he returned to Ashland and in 1889 was again appointed postmaster by President Benjamin Harrison. On the expiration of his second term in that office he engaged in the fire, life and accident insurance business, with which he has since been connected and is recognized as one of the leading insurance men of the city, although he has now reached the age of seventy-three years. He also served as deputy United States marshal in 1870 and 1871 and in the former year was census enumerator for Ashland county.
Mr. DeShong is a member of Andrews Post, No. 132, G. A. R .; Mohican Lodge, No. 85, I. O. O. F .; and Ashland Lodge, No. 151, F. & A. M. He is in hearty sympathy with the beneficient spirit of these orders and exemplifies their teachings in his life. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is serving as one of its stewards. As a member of the Ashland Board of Trade, and in other connections as well, he has labored earnestly and effectively to promote the best interests and upbuilding of the city.
JOHN P. BOWMAN.
John P. Bowman, who since 1890 has been editor of the Loudonville Demo- crat, was born in Shelby, Ohio, March 2,. 1867, his parents being George and Sarah E. (Leppo) Bowman. The father, a native of Baden, Germany, came to Shelby, Ohio, when fifteen years of age in company with his widowed mother, who later returned to the fatherland and there passed away. Throughout his active business career George Bowman was identified with the dry goods trade in Shelby and Loudonville and was also a teacher of music and a musical director. At the time of the Civil war he aided in the preservation of the Union by his service as a member of the One Hundred and Sixty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry and also did duty with the Squirrel Hunters. His demise, which occurred at Sandusky in 1892, was the occasion of deep and widespread regret. His wife was a native of Richland county and there passed away. Unto this worthy couple were born four children, namely: John P., of this review; Ella, the wife of W. J. Weirick, of Loudonville; Georgia, who died when twenty-one years of age; and one who died in infancy.
834
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
John P. Bowman remained in the place of his nativity until 1882, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Loudonville, completing his education in the Loudonville high school with the class of 1884. After coming to this city and while still a high-school student, he spent his Saturdays and evenings in the office of the Advocate, of which P. H. Stauffer was then editor. After teaching several terms of school, in 1890 he purchased the Democrat, of which he has since been sole owner and manager, having enlarged the plant and quadrupled the circulation. When he first took charge of the paper he did most of the work in connection therewith himself but now employs five assistants and, in addition to editing the Democrat, also does considerable commercial printing. The Democrat is devoted to the dissemination of general and local news and that it meets the approval of the public is indicated by its large subscription list. Mr. Bowman has likewise served as secretary of the Northeastern Ohio Fire- men's Association and is widely recognized as a most progressive, enterprising and representative citizen.
In October, 1890, Mr. Bowman was united in marriage to Miss Addie Lyons, who was born in Medina county but was reared in Wayne county. They have one daughter, Ruth. Mr. Bowman has served as president and clerk of the board of education in Loudonville and also as clerk of Hanover township, ever discharging his official duties with promptness and capability. Fraternally he is connected with Hanover Lodge, No. 115, F. & A. M., at Loudonville, and exemplifies the teachings of the craft in his daily life. He has now been a resident of Ashland county for more than a quarter of a century and for almost two decades has been prominently identified with its journalistic interests, his labors proving an important factor in the growth and improvement of the county in recent years.
A. W. FRITZINGER.
A. W. Fritzinger, who is engaged in the insurance business in Ashland, conducting an enterprise of such proportions as to place him in high rank as a local financier, is a native of West Salem, Wayne county, this state, born September 20, 1861, and is a son of Edwin and Fannie (Greiner) Fritzinger. His father was born in Carbon county, Pennsylvania, in 1835, and there he was reared to manhood, but later located in Philadelphia, that state, where he had charge of the books for a wholesale establishment until 1855, when he came to Ashland. Here for a period of six years he was employed on the Times, and in 1861 located in West Salem, Wayne county, where he conducted a general mercantile business until 1877, during which year he returned to Ashland. Here he established himself in the insurance business, in which he met with great suc- cess, becoming known as one of the most influential men affiliated with that line of work in the city. In this enterprise he continued until he departed this life, July 7, 1901. He was a republican in politics but never an aspirant for public office, though he took considerable interest in local affairs and officiated for several years as a member of the city school board. He was a Royal Arch
835
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
Mason and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, having been active in its affairs and a member of the official board. The mother of our subject was a native of Ashland, born on the outskirts of the city in 1840, her family having come to this county at an early day from Pennsylvania and the grandfather became a farmer in Montgomery township. She still survives, enjoying a full measure of health and vigor, and resides on Cottage street, Ashland.
To the public school system A. W. Fritzinger is indebted for his education, having completed a course of study in the common schools and later in the West Salem high school, from which institution he was graduated in 1877. Soon afterward he removed with his parents to Ashland, where he entered a mercan- tile establishment, serving in the capacity of clerk for six years. Upon resign- ing his position he engaged with his father in the insurance business, subsequent- ly being made a partner, and upon his father's death succeeded him as sole proprietor of the business in which he has been engaged for the past twenty-six years. He is one of the best known and successful insurance men of this city and his prosperity has been such as to enable him to become interested in a number of other business concerns, among which are the First National Bank, in which he is a stockholder, also a stockholder in the Farmers National Bank, the Reliable Match Company, and the Ashland Steel Range & Manufacturing Company. His business relations have always been upright and he is rightly numbered among the representative commercial factors of the city.
On May 16, 1889, Mr. Fritzinger wedded Blanche Cowan, a daughter of Robert Cowan, deceased, a former harness dealer of this place, and to this union have been born: Ruth L., a student in the University of Delaware, this state; Paul C., a graduate of Ashland high school; Helen J., a pupil at that institution ; and Dorothy V.
Mr. Fritzinger is prominent in fraternal organizations, being a member of Ashland Lodge, No. 151, A. F. & A. M .; Ashland Chapter, No. 61, R. A. M .; and Mansfield Commandery, No. 21, K. T .; and he is also affiliated with the Ashland Colonial Club. Politically he votes with the republican party and his religious convictions become apparent at mention of the fact that he holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Fritzinger is a member of the Board of Trade, of which he is a director, has done much to further the interests of the city, and being foremost in formulating plans and furthering movements for its betterment, he is rightly numbered among its aggressive citizens and leading financiers.
AMOS M. KOHLER.
Amos M. Kohler, who for a number of years followed agricultural pur- suits and who was also influentially engaged in a number of financial enter- prises in Ashland, is now officiating as county treasurer, in which position he is displaying that measure of administrative ability which makes him an invaluable citizen of the county. His birth occurred at Flemings Falls, Richland county, Ohio, January 15, 1847, and he is a son of Daniel and Nancy (Brubaker) Kohler. His father, who was a son of Jacob Kohler, was a native of Adams
836
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
county, Pennsylvania, while his mother was born in Lancaster county, that state. Both came to Richland county with their parents in childhood, the journey being made by means of wagons. The paternal grandparents located in the forest about six miles north of Mansfield, where they erected a log cabin and there, after clearing off a sufficient amount of land, they spent their lives in the pursuit of agriculture. The maternal grandparents located near Flem- ings Falls and amid primitive surroundings participated in the experiences of pioneer life. In an undeveloped region, which at that time contained scarcely a field in condition for cultivation, Daniel Kohler and the lady who afterwards became his wife were reared. After their marriage he secured a tract of land and there engaged in general agriculture, at the same time becoming familiar with the saw-mill business with his father-in-law, who conducted an enterprise of that kind at Flemings Falls and also operated a grist mill. Later Mr. Kohler embarked in the milling business and for many years operated a plant in addition to his farming, the business being carried on in connection with his sons. After a long and useful life he passed away in his sixty-eighth year, while his wife lived to be eighty years of age.
Under the parental roof Amos M. Kohler was reared, the district schools affording him his educational advantages and, when eighteen years of age, he apprenticed himself to the carpenter's trade, following that occupation as a journeyman until the time of his marriage. He then settled on a farm in this county, near Black Fork, where he tilled one hundred and sixty acres of land which was the possession of his father-in-law and upon that farm he remained for three years. At the termination of that time he returned to Richland county, where he purchased a place four miles east of Mansfield, and in con- nection with husbandry he also operated a grist and saw mill in partnership with two others for about three years, when he disposed of his interests and turned his undivided attention to tilling the soil. During the harvest season of 1877 Mr. Kohler met with the misfortune of losing his foot in a mowing ma- chine which disaster changed the course of his life, causing him to retire from agricultural work, and in the spring of 1879 he removed to Ashland, where he has since resided. Becoming interested in the boot and shoe business, for ten years he acted as a salesman in this line, and for a part of the time was pro-
prietor of a retail shoe establishment. He gave considerable attention to politics and in the spring of 1885 was nominated on the democratic ticket as a candidate for county recorder but was defeated and in 1889 he was again
nominated, this time being elected. In 1893 he was returned to the office, thus
serving two successive terms. In 1903 he was elected county treasurer, the duties of which office he performed with such a high measure of ability that in 1905 he was again elected and is now serving his second term as the custodian of the county's finances, his term of office extending until September, 1909.
On February 7, 1871, Mr. Kohler was united in marriage to Miss Alice A. Cotter, a daughter of William Cotter, who came to Richland county from Warren county, Pennsylvania, where for several years he was a lumber merchant. To Mr. and Mrs. Kohler have been born three children, two of whom survive, namely: William O., who is employed with the Sterling boiler establishment at Barberton, Ohio; and Robert Lee, who resides with his parents.
837
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY
Mr. Kohler's fraternal affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of Mohican Lodge, No. 85, and also of Ashland En- campment, No. 130. His services as a public official have been in the highest degree useful and satisfactory as indicated by his reelection to important offices and particularly by the fact that as county treasurer he is now performing the duties of one of the most trusty offices proffered by the county. In all of his political experiences, having been straightforward and honest, desiring public preferment not through selfish interests but by reason of the amount of good he might do, he has sustained an excellent reputation, which numbers him among the honored and representative citizens of this part of the state.
D. H. GRAVEN.
While comparatively young in years D. H. Graven has, nevertheless, by unremitting energy and unfaltering perseverance reached a creditable place in the legal and financial circles of Loudonville, for he is the capable cashier of the First National Bank of this city while in his professional relations he enjoys a good and constantly increasing patronage. One of Ohio's native sons, he was born in Hanover township, Ashland county, Ohio, May 21, 1874, a son of Marion and Sarah J. (McCulloch) Graven, both born in Holmes county, near Millers- burg. The former, who was born February 2, 1847, devoted his entire life to farming and engaged actively in agricultural pursuits until 1901, when he retired and removed to Loudonville, where he passed away January 9, 1903. His wife, who was born January 17, 1851, still survives him and makes her home with her son, D. H. Graven, of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Marion Graven were the parents of three sons, Dr. T. A., D. H. and John Elmer. Dr. T. A. Graven, the eldest son, is a practicing physician of Wooster, Ohio, while the youngest, John Elmer, is deceased. He was born July 10, 1876, and was graduated from the college at Ada and the Wooster University. Subsequently he became a student in Harvard University but passed away April 15, 1900, while in his senior year.
When a lad of nine years D. H. Graven accompanied his parents on their removal from their home in Ashland county to a farm near Nashville, Holmes county, and there he attended the country schools until the winter of 1895, when he put aside his text-books for a year and engaged in teaching school. Resuming his studies in 1896, he pursued a classical course in Ada College and was graduated therefrom in 1897, when he again took up the profession of teach- ing, becoming teacher of Latin and mathematics at the Henderson Normal School, Henderson, Texas, where he remained during the scholastic year 1898-9.
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.