History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; their past and present, Part 133

Author: Nelson, S.B., Cincinnati
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Cincinnati : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1592

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

gave him up for lost, and searched for him the following day. The news of his sup- posed drowning in an heroic attempt to save another after having saved one life was telegraphed to the press of the country, and thus conveyed to his home. In com- pany with the colored boy, he had found his way to the cabin of a negro family, and there he fell asleep and remained over night.

Capt. McGuire, though deprived of schooling advantages in his youth, has been self-tauglit to great advantage. He speaks French fluently, and is as conversant with the German language as he is with his own. After the war he embarked in the trunk-manufacturing business; in which he has since been engaged, and he is now the leading custom trunk-manufacturer in the city. He has been frequently urged to become a candidate on his party (Republican) ticket, but has always declined to accept a nomination for political office. He was married July 5, 1865, to Camilla L., daughter of Charles Vogel, an old resident and druggist of Cincinnati, and seven children born of this marriage survive: Horace G. and Camilla, both graduates of Hughes High School, the latter also of the Normal School; Edmund B., Lily, Rosa, Ida and Ella. The family reside on Kirby avenue, Cumminsville. They are mem- bers of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Cumminsville.

BENEDICT HENRY BRUNSWICK, a stockholder and one of the directors of the Bruns- wick-Balke-Collender Company, was born in Cincinnati, February 18, 1860. His father, John Moses Brunswick, was born in Bremgarten, Canton Argau, Switzer- land, in 1819, coming to this country when a boy. From the humble employment of an errand boy in New York he rose by dint of indefatigable industry, pluck and enteprise to become the founder of the greatest manufacturing establishment of its kind in the world. The billiard table manufacturing business of this immense con- cern, which now has great factories in Cincinnati, Chicago, New York, St. Louis and San Francisco, and branch offices and salesrooms in all of the large cities of the United States, was started in Cincinnati, John Moses Brunswick making the first table with his own hands in an upper room of a small house on Main street. He was a public-spirited citizen; served in the State Legislature; as a member of the board of aldermen of Cincinnati, and was sought as candidate for numerous offices within the gift of the people, including that of mayor. He died July 25, 1886. Four daughters and one son born of his marriage survive. The daughters are Han- nah, wife of M. Marks, of Cincinnati; Eleanora, wife of M. Bensinger, president of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, with headquarters at Chicago; Clara, wife of A. Reis, manager of the Bensinger Cigar Company, of Cincinnati; Eliza, wife of I. S. Deutsch, manager and stockholder of the George W. McAlpin Com- pany, of Cincinnati.

The son, whose name introduces this sketch, attended the public schools and Woodward High School, Cincinnati. He was employed for one year with Reis Bros. & Company, and then became associated with the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Com- pany, with which he is still connected. He was inarried May 24, 1888, to Belle, daughter of Simon Rothschild, of the firm of S. Rothschild & Brother, of New York. Mrs. B. H. Brunswick died October 27, 1893. One child born of this marriage, Jerome M. Brunswick, survives.

WILLIAM HOWE BALDRIDGE, secretary of the Cincinnati Church and School Fur- niture Company, southeast corner of Fifth and Sycamore streets, Cincinnati, and a popular resident of Norwood Heights, was born at Hamilton, Ohio, March 7, 1867, a son of John Wood and Mary Jane (King) Baldridge, natives of Four Mile Creek, Ohio, and Allegheny, Penn., respectively, and of English and Irish origin. The father began his business career as a druggist at Hamilton; in 1869 he removed to Pittsburgh, Penn., and six years later came to Newport, Ky. There he lived two years, and then moved to Covington, his present residence. He is vice-president of the City Hall Bank of Cincinnati, in which his son, Robert King, is clerk.

Engraved by J.R.Rice & Sons Philada

1. 7. Baldim

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

The subject of this sketch was educated at the public schools, Chickering Insti- tute, Cincinnati, and at Butler University, Irvington, Indiana, which he left, just before graduating, to accept a business position as secretary and treasurer of the com- pany with which he has since been connected, and which does an extensive jobbing and retail business. On December 23, 1891, he married Fannie, daughter of A. O. Russell, of Norwood, and they are the parents of one child: John Lakin. While at college, Mr. Baldridge took an active interest in athletics, and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In politics he is a Democrat.

WILLIAM V. PECK. late of Baldridge and Peck, constituting the Cincinnati Church and School Furniture Company, now manager of the Cincinnati Church Seating Company, was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, March 9, 1859, son of William V. and Harriet E. (McCollister) Peck, natives of Ohio, and of English and Scotch origin. His father, who was a physician, and served in the army under a special call, died at New Richmond, Ohio, in 1877, at the age of forty-two; his widow still sur- vives, and also their family of nine children: William V .; Mary A., wife of J. C. Willenbrink, of New Richmond, Ohio; Helen W., wife of John H. Smith, of New York; Maggie S .; Lewis D., of the Snow Flake Laundry, Cincinnati; Paul Summer; Charles Catlin; Ralph; and John Hugh.

The family moved to New Richmond, Ohio, in 1861, and there the father died. Our subject attended the public schools of that town, and completed his education at Parker Academy. He began his busi- ness career as assistant storekeeper at Kenton Furnace, Kentucky, which position he filled nine months, and was there assistant manager a year and a half. In 1881 he came to Cincinnati, and was in the employ of the Excelsior School Furniture Company six years; afterward junior member of Baldridge & Reis for seven years, and then became general manager of the Cincinnati Church Seating Company. On June 20, 1884, Mr. Peck married Lizzie Stephenson, of Cincinnati, and they are the parents of one child: William V. Mr. Peck is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and a Republican in politics.

WILLIAM A. BENNETT, senior member of the firm of Bennett & Witte, wholesale dealers in poplar lumber, was born in Dover, Mason Co., Ky., January 8, 1854. His father, George W. Bennett, a farmer by occupation, and a native of Vermont, born of English descent, in 1844 located in Mason county, Ky., where he married Matilda Nichols, a resident and native of that county, whose family were Virginians by birth.

· The subject of this sketch was the sole issue of this marriage. His early educa- tion was acquired in the public schools of Dover, and completed at the Kentucky University. In 1872, he entered the employ of C. W. & L. G. Boyd, leading lum- ber dealers of Cincinnati, with whom he remained until January, 1884, when he formed tlie partnership above mentioned with Charles H. Witte, who had been connected with Messrs. Boyd as bookkeeper. The firm transacts an extensive busi- ness in the sale of poplar lumber, in which they deal exclusively, buying their lum- ber in logs in Kentucky and Tennessee, having it sawed at the nearest point to the place of purchase as practicable, and selling throughout the territory bounded by the Alleghany Mountains and the Mississippi river. Mr. Bennett was married December 19, 1879. to Miss Alice E., daughter of J. N. Henry, of New Vienna, Ohio. and two children blessed the union: George W., who died in 1887, and Julia A. The family reside on Chase street, North Side, and attend the Central Christian Church.

ANTHONY VAN AGTHOVEN, barrel manufacturer, was born in Holland in 1822, and came to America in 1848, landing at New Orleans with the intention of taking up his residence in St. Louis, but, being advised to come to Cincinnati, did so, and has made this city his home ever since. He has been engaged in his business for over forty years, formerly where the Southern Railroad Station now stands, but for the past sixteen years at No. 187 Commerce street, where his main business is now

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located. Our subject was married, in 1854, to Nellie Dow, also a native of Holland, and they have had born to them seven children, four of whom are still living. Mr. Van Agthoven is an expert at his business, and ranks high among our most enter- prising business men.

GEORGE HENSHAW, senior member of the firm G. Henshaw & Sons, extensive manufacturers of furniture, Cincinnati, was born in London, England, July 17, 1805. His education he obtained at one of the boarding schools in the suburbs of his native city, until he was fifteen years old, at which age he was apprenticed to the cabinet-making trade with a prominent manufacturer of London, with whom he thoroughly learned the art of making all kinds of furniture. At the age of twenty- one he married, and started in business for himself in that city, soon establishing a reputation as a first-class business man, and a manufacturer of elegant and substan- tial goods. In 1843 he sailed with his family for the United States, and located in Edwards county, Ill., intending to follow farming. Unaccustomed to that kind of life, however, he soon found his way to Cincinnati, where a large field for his energy and enterprise awaited him. In this city he commenced the manufacture of furni- ture, which at that date was nearly all made by hand. His former experience was brought into requisition, and his business grew rapidly, while he himself grew no less rapidly in favor with the public for his excellent personal traits and qualities and business capabilities. Upon the invention of machinery, and the application of steam in the manufacture of furniture, he was among the first to adopt the innova- tions, and in succeeding years he kept abreast of all such inventions and methods as he deemed an acquisition in the development of his industry. It was not long before he had a large manufacturing establishment, with which was connected an

extensive store and salesroom. In this, his chosen vocation, his life was chiefly spent, laboring zealously in behalf of his interests, which was rewarded with great success in a financial point of view, but none the less than by the honorable name and position he acquired among his fellow-citizens; and his name and character will be engraved in the memory of many who knew him as a man of great personal worth, probity of character, and of noble and generous impulses. His career forms an important part in the industrial history of Cincinnati. In 1873 he retired from active business, and spent in a quiet way the remainder of his days at his home on College Hill, a beautiful suburb of Cincinnati, where he died at the age of seventy- seven, leaving a widow, four sons and three daughters. Since then, on October 16, 1883, the wife and partner of his life for fifty-five years entered into her rest. Two of the sons, Edward and George, both men of high character and business standing, continue the business left by their worthy father.

JOHN WILHELM GOLDKAMP, contractor and builder, senior member of the firm of Goldkamp & Son, Madison avenue, Walnut Hills, was born in Osnabruck, Hanover, Germany, May 12, 1835, and is the only surviving one of two children born to J. Frederick and Maria E. (Stoppelkamp) Goldkamp, Mary, the sister, having died in 1858. The father of our subject was born January 17, 1803, and died at Minster, Ohio, in 1862. The mother was born April 17, 1802, died in 1873, and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Cincinnati; both parents were natives of Hanover, Germany.

Our subject came to the United States with his parents when seventeen years of age, arriving in New Orleans in September, 1852, and Cincinnati January 5, 1853. He had received but a limited education in the common schools of Osnabruck, Han- over, but later on attended night school in Cincinnati. At different periods after his arrival in this country he worked at the cabinet-making business, in railroad car shops, on the Miami canal, and other business. He embarked in the contracting and building business on his own account at East Walnut Hills in 1865. Mr. Gold- kamp was married in June, 1857, to Louise Frederiecke (Knemuller), who was born in Prussia, March 2, 1837, and their union has been blessed with twelve children: Anna M. (wife of B. Woste), born March 4, 1858; Louis G., born April 24, 1860, at

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present residing at Hyde Park, this city, and is a partner in his father's business; Louise A. M., born December 21, 1862, died in 1892, was the wife of Frederick Keifel; Amelie C. M., widow of George Schaefer, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was born August 4, 1865; Rosa M., born January 20, 1868, wife of Joseph Ronnebaum, of Cincinnati; Fred. E. William, born January 9, 1870, died in infancy; Carolina J., born January 4, 1871; August J., born April 3, 1873; Albert B., born March 3, 1875: Wilhelmina F., born April 23, 1877; Mary W., born August 15, 1879, died in 1881, and Emilia, born December 16, 1881.

The firm of Goldkamp & Son is among the largest and best known of Cincinnati's contractors and builders. Their business is one of the most extensive in the city, giving employment to some forty or fifty men, and doing a business of more than one hundred thousand dollars a year. Some of the notable buildings erected by them are the Lunatic Asylum at Carthage, the Cincinnati Exposition building, St. Francis de Sales School building, and Sisters of Notre Dame School building, East Walnut Hills. Mr. Goldkamp was for a number of years a trustee of St. Francis de Sales Church, of which he has been treasurer. He is a member of the German Pio- neer Society; politically he is a Democrat.

FRANK HELLER, builder and contractor, office and place of business No. 647 Gil- bert avenue, residence on Fairview avenue, Walnut Hills. This prominent business man was born in the Province of Alsace, and is the second eldest in a family of five children born to Charles and Madeline (Diss) Heller, both of whom were also natives of Alsace. He was educated in the schools of his native home, and after leaving school worked at the trade of file cutting for about two years, when he was enlisted in the French army, and served during the Franco-Prussian war. He was made a prisoner at New Brissoe, and taken to Germany, where he was kept a prisoner for five months. After being released he returned to his home, and in 1872 immigrated to the United States, arriving in Cincinnati July 19 of that year. He went to work at the carpenter business with his uncle, F. J. Diss, at Avondale, in 1876 going into business for himself, and by his strict integrity, good business qualifications, and constant study of the wants of his patrons, he has made an enviable reputation and gained a trade that is rapidly increasing.

Mr. Heller was married, May 3, 1876, to Mary, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Lessel, natives of Bavaria, and to them were born four children: Charles, George, Frank and Elsie. The father of our subject died January 9, 1861; the mother died May 26, 1893. The other members of the family are Alphonse, Elenore, Caroline, and George, all of whom are living, and reside in their native home, the Province of Alsace.

ANTHONY STOEHR, senior member of the firm of A. Stoehr & Co., stair builders and wood manufacturers, was born in the southern part of Germany, February 5, 1847, and is the second eldest of a family of six children born to Raymond and Mary (Kemmich) Stoehr.

Our subject came to the United States in June, 1867, and after residing some · nine months in Cambridge City, Ind., removed to Cincinnati, where he has ever since remained. Up to the year 1873, he worked at the cabinet-making business, and ever since that time has been engaged at stair building. In 1883 he went into business for himself at No. 99 East Eighth street, and removed to his present place of business in 1889. Our subject was married, January 2, 1872, to Julia Rothan, daughter of Joseph and Barbara Rothan, natives of Alsace, and three children have been born to them, as follows: John A., born in 1876; Joseph R., born in 1879, and Julia Augusta, born in 1878. The firm manufactures everything in the line of stair building, and constantly employs from fifteen to twenty men. The career of a busi- ness house is the rule and standard by which the public test its general worth. Where the progress of a firm has been uniformly and steadily increasing, under able and efficient management, it necessarily imparts confidence to its patrons, as

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in the case of the above, who, by making a constant study of how to please, and by turning ont good work, has made an enviable reputation and gained a trade that is rapidly increasing. Mr. Stoehr is a member of the German Young Pioneer Society of Cincinnati.

FRANCIS S. ROHAN, stair builder, Charles street, was born in Cincinnati, in May, 1852, and is the youngest of two children born to David and Mary Ann (Stonebraker) Rohan. The father of our subject was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1809, and in 1818, when only nine years old, came to the United States with his parents, who settled in Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio. He came to Cincinnati in 1831, and in 1840 engaged in general building, but later on gave his attention entirely to stair building, his place of business being situated on the southwest corner of Fifth and Race streets, where the Glenn building now stands, afterward on Jackson street, between Canal and Twelfth streets, and still later at No. 372 Elm street. He retired from business in 1878, and was succeeded by his son, Frank S., the subject of our sketch. He died December 9, 1887, and is buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Price Hill. The mother of our subject was born in Frederick, Md., and was some eight years the junior of her husband. She was the daughter of Francis and Nancy (Greenwell) Stonebraker; she died in February, 1854, and is buried in the old St. Peter's Cem- etery. The brother, Archibald Hamilton, died December 8, 1878, and is also buried in St. Peter's Cemetery. In February, 1858, David Rohan married, for his second wife, Mary Bardsley, a native of Stockport, England, and to this union were born three children: John and Thomas, both dead, and David, still living. The second wife died July 3, 1872. The grandfather of our subject, who was a native of Ire- land, died in 1849, having attained the good old age of one hundred and four years; when he was one hundred years old he walked from Wheeling to Cincinnati, re- fusing to ride on a railway train.

Our subject was married, in August, 1875, to Clara, daughter of David and Mary Jane (Freel) Trovinger, and to them have been born six children: Frank W., born September 11, 1877; Olive E., born February 23, 1882; Louisa Ethel, born June 30, 1884; Arthur Leo, born February 19, 1886; Willard Sylvester, born September 10, 1887, and Lawrence Trovinger, born June 9, 1890. Mr. Rohan received his- education in the public schools of Cincinnati. He is a member of the National Union and also of the Catholic Young Men's Institute. Mr. Rohan is an active, pro- gressive business man, and has built up a reputation by his high ability, keen intel- ligence, and unswerving integrity.

CHARLES MARTINDILL, carpenter and builder, whose business is situated at No. 1514 Eastern avenue, and who resides at No. 44 Tusculum avenue, was born in Vin- ton county, Ohio, and is the second youngest of six surviving children born to David and Margaret (Murphy) Martindill, of German and Irish nationality, the remaining members of the family being Sophia Jane, wife of John Miller, of Vinton county; Har- riet Maria, wife of William West, of Ottawa county, Mo. ; Joseph Austin, residing in Cincinnati; Arthur M., residing in Hamilton, Ohio, and Narcissus, wife of Lafayette . Hawkins, of Athens county, Ohio.

Our subject was educated in the public schools of Cincinnati, and ever since the time of his leaving school has worked at the carpenter business. He was married October 19, 1879, to Nancy Ellen, daughter of Samuel B. and Sarah Ann (Myers) Coffinbargar. She died April 2, 1886; their union was blessed with two children, who survive: Nora Ellen and Ennie May. Mr. Martindill is a practical mechanic, thoroughly posted in all the branches of the carpenter business, and although only a little over a year in business for himself, has, by his strict integrity and constant effort to please his patrons, made an enviable reputation and gained a constantly increasing trade. The father of our subject was also a carpenter and builder, and died in Vinton county in 1889. His mother, who still survives, resides with her youngest daughter in Athens county, Ohio. Mr. Martindill is a member in good standing of Spencer Lodge No. 347, I. O. O. F., and politically is a Republican.

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

JOHN FEARNLEY, carpenter and builder, a member of the firm of Sievers & Fearn- ley, contracting wreckers, office and yards situated at the corner of Eighth and Harriet streets, was born in Indianapolis, Ind., April 12, 1835, a son of John and Ann Duke Fearnley. He received such education as was obtainable in the schools of that date, and after leaving school learned the carpenter business, which he followed in Indianapolis until his removal to Cincinnati in December, 1869. Since his arrival in this city he has been engaged in the carpenter business, together with manufac- turing of different kinds, and of late years has been engaged in the wrecking and removal of old buildings. He was married October 31, 1860. to Caroline, daughter of Royal and Lucia (Huntington) Mayhew, and their union has been blessed with six children, all of whom survive, as follows: Harry S .; Hattie M., a teacher in the public schools of Cincinnati; Blanche E .; Mary; Sarah, and Lawrence. Politically, Mr. Fearnley is a Democrat; he is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and his fan- ily attend the Presbyterian Church.

The parents of our subject were of English and Irish extraction. His father was a butcher by profession. They both passed away in Indianapolis, the father October 31, 1844, and the mother December 16. 1861. They had born to them five children, three of whom still survive, viz. : Priscilla, widow of the late Jacob Smith, residing in Olympia, Oregon; John, our subject, and Mary, widow of the late Stanton J. Batchelor, residing in Pittsburgh.

EDWARD A. WOERZ, wood turner, was born in Cincinnati, September 16, 1859, and is the eldest son of Ignaz and Elizabeth (Knoff) Woerz, natives of Germany, who came to this country about the year 1850. Ignaz Woerz, the father of our sub- ject, was engaged in wood turning up to the time of his death, in 1891, when our subject, Edward A .. succeeded him in business. Mrs. Elizabeth Woerz, the mother of our subject, is still living, as are also three sisters and one brother, who all reside in Cincinnati. Our subject was married in 1887 to Nellie Bonnell, daughter of Stephen and Bridget Bonnell, and they have had born to them three children, all of whom are living. Mr. Woerz is an active, experienced business man, and fur- nishes employment to a number of men in his factory, doing all kinds of wood turn- ing for building and other purposes. His factory is situated at the corner of Hunt and Abigail streets.

ARTHUR T. BLENNERHASSETT, wood turner, whose place of business is situated at No. 208 West Pearl street, corner of Plum, was born March 29, 1823, in County Kerry, Ireland, and is the second eldest of eight surviving children who blessed the union of Thomas A. and Susan (Hill) Blennerhassett. He was educated in the com- mon schools of Ireland, receiving only a limited education, such as was afforded by the schools of that day. On the 14th of April, 1852, he left Ireland for the United States, reaching New York on the 26th of May after a very stormy and eventful passage. He remained in New York but a few weeks, proceeding thence to Castleton, Rutland Co., Vt., where he worked for one year at the agricultural implement busi- ness; in March, 1853. he removed to Cincinnati, and worked at carpenter work for about a year. In 1854 he was employed by Squire Johns, when his business was situated where the gashouse now stands. and worked for him about eighteen months. He afterward engaged with the Royer Wheel Company, and remained in their em- ploy for twenty-eight years, doing all their carriage wood-work business, and has been doing business on his own account for about five years.

Mr. Blennerhassett was married in 1856 to Euphenia, daughter of James and Snsan (Slater) Murray, and two children were born to them, Thomas and Susan. The mother of these died, and our subject married, for his second wife, Susan, a sis- ter of the first wife; this union has been blessed by three children, James, Mary and Charles. The parents of our subject were both natives of County Kerry, Ireland, where the father engaged in farming; he lived to the age of eighty-five years; the mother attained the age of ninety-five years before her decease. Mr. Blennerhassett

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History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; their past and present, Part 133

Author: Nelson, S.B., Cincinnati Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Cincinnati : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1592

Author: Nelson, S.B., Cincinnati
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Cincinnati : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1592