USA > Ohio > Brown County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 21
USA > Ohio > Clermont County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 21
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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
On June 30, 1896, occurred the marriage of Mr. L. S. Frid- man to Miss Lina Linn, a Brown county lady, a daughter of Carl and Louisa (Hensel) Linn, early residents of near Rip- ley. Mr. and Mrs. Fridman have had one child to bless their union, Leonidas Linn, who was born June 9, 1902.
In political matters Mr. Fridman is an active Democrat, but has refused public office because of his many private inter- ests. He was appointed by the mayor of New Richmond as trustee of the Electric Light & Water Works Building Com- pany, and served until the plant was completed, when he re- signed on account of pressing business affairs.
Mr. Fridman is a member and a trustee of the Presbyterian church, and has been a member of the board of education for several years past. Conscientious in all his business dealings, he has won the respect of all with whom he has been asso- ciated.
WILBUR S. STRICKLAND.
Wilbur S. Strickland, a well known educator in Cincinnati, who has been connected with the system of public education in the city for the past twenty-one years, has, since 1901, held the responsible position of principal of the Sherman Public School. The Sherman School is one of the largest schools in Cincinnati, having at times an enrollment of upwards of 1,400 pupils, with a corps of about twenty-five teachers. This school has a number of special features, including the pioneer Mothers' and Teachers' Club, of Cincinnati, introduced by Mr. Strickland, and a movement which is spreading rapidly.
The subject of this review represents a pioneer family in Clermont county, although his birth occurred at St. Louis, Mo., January 16, 1859. His parents were Paul M. and Isa- bella (Spargo) Strickland, the latter of whom was born at Pittsburgh. Pa .. in 1828, and passed to her eternal reward in the year 1871. She was a devout member of the Episcopal
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WILBUR S. STRICKLAND
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church and was a lady of very refined and artistic nature. During her active life she did some excellent pencil drawing.
The paternal great-grandfather of our subject, was Michael Strickland, a native of England, who settled first at Cape May, New Jersey, and came to Clermont county in 1809, where he secured six hundred acres of land in Tate township and erected the first brick house on Poplar creek, in 1811. Michael Strick- land was a fine mechanic and could construct almost any ar- ticle made with tools. A fine stone sundial made by him is still in existence. He was also an extensive farmer and stock- man and took great pleasure in transforming the wilderness of his possessions into a valuable property. He spent the re- maining years of his life in Clermont county, where his death occurred March 8, 1851, at the age of eighty-seven. His wife, Eleanor (Cullen) Strickland, was a member of the original "Bible Society," whose function was the distribution of re- ligious literature, giving Bibles to her sons, Mark, Paul, Dan- iel, Hope; and her daughters, Sarah (Light), Betsy (Ogden), Maria (Mason), Harriet (McCall), and Hannah (Edwards) ; and many grandchildren. She was a native of Ireland, and her death also occurred in Clermont county, June 15, 1865, at the age of eighty-five.
Mark Strickland, the grandfather of Wilbur S. Strickland, and a son of Michael Strickland, was born at Cape May, New Jersey, in 1792, and was among the pioneers of Clermont county. He was a noted Abolitionist and his home was a sta- tion on the "Underground Railroad," many slaves being as- sisted to freedom by his help. By occupation, he was a black- smith at New Richmond, where he had a very lucrative busi- ness. He responded to the call of his country for defense at the time of the War of 1812, and won much honor by his brave and courageous conduct. Being possessed of the pioneering spirit, he sold his property in Clermont county and became one of the early settlers of Louisiana, where he owned two hun- dred acres of land in Caddo Parish. On account of the slavery existing in Louisiana, he returned to Clermont county, where he remained until his death, in 1883, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He was a most interesting character, very active and high-minded, and upright in all his conduct. He was a devout member of the Presbyterian church, very strict in his beliefs and always ready to assist in all worthy enter- prises. He was trustee of New Richmond from 1831 to 1833, and of Ohio township from 1835 to 1836. Mr. Strickland was
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three times married, the first union being with Tryphosa New- ton, daughter of Ebenezer Newton, a Clermont pioneer, and author of a text book on spelling. To this union were born two sons and two daughters. His second marriage was with Margaret Quinlan and his third wife was Elizabeth Snider, who bore him two daughters, Belle, who married Mel Patchell, of Middletown, Ohio, and Emma, who married Arthur Grant, of Mt. Washington, Ohio. He survived all three wives.
Paul McGrew Strickland, son of Mark and Tryphosa (New- ton) Strickland, was born at Monroe, La., in 1821, and passed away in Clermont county at his father's farm, near Owensville, in 1874. He was one of a family of four children ; Francis B., his brother, was widely known and prominent as a writer and scholar prior to the Civil war; he published the "New Rich- mond Advertiser," 1854, was editor of the "New Richmond Weekly Dispatch" for some years, and his death took place at New Richmond in early manhood. One of the sisters, Alice, married first, John Swem, and second, John McDonald, who died recently at Louisville, Ill., at the age of ninety-one years. Two daughters, one of each union, are living: Mrs. Julia (Swem) Swift, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Mrs. Laura (McDon- ald) Barbee, of Louisville, Ill. The second sister, Eleanor, married John Graham. Paul M. Strickland was for many years chief engineer on steamboats plying western rivers. During part of the Civil war, he was chief engineer on the gunboat, "Juliet," under Admiral Porter, making a record for skill and bravery. He married Isabella Spargo at Upper St. Clair, near Pittsburgh, July 5, 1855, and their home was at various places, owing to his profession, and to their union were born five children :
A. Newton was born at Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1856, and became well known as an instructor, having taught schools at Forest- ville, Maple Grove and Clover, all of which are in Cler- mont county. His death occurred while teaching at Clover, in 1883, in his twenty-eighth year. He was of an artistic tem- perament and had he been spared would have developed into an artist of some note. He left a number of fine drawings, showing rare artistic talent, and highly prized by their owners.
Wilbur S., the subject of this mention.
Worden E. was born in Newport, Ky., February 16, 1861, and is a locomotive engineer, of Cleveland, Ohio, and married Irene Quirk in 1905.
Mary died at the age of ten years, in 1876.
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Joseph C. was born at St. Louis, Mo., April 13, 1868, and is a graduate of the University of Indiana. He is a Spanish scholar and has held important customs agent positions abroad, in the West Indies and Mexico. He was special agent of the Mexican Central railway at Tampico. On account of ill health, he has retired to his ranch near Tucson, Ariz. He is artistic and highly educated. His sketches, drawings and water colors are admired by critics of art work. He married, in 1899, Helen Endres, daughter of a well known family of St. Louis, Mo.
Wilbur S. Strickland acquired his education in the schools of St. Louis, Mo., Clermont county, Ohio, and at the National Normal University, at Lebanon, Ohio, from which he was graduated in the Scientific Class of 1887. He began his career as a teacher in 1879, near Bethel, Ohio, where he taught for a period of four years in rural schools. He then became the superintendent of schools at Amelia, Ohio, where he remained for three years, following which he filled the position of su- perintendent of schools at Bethel, Ohio, from 1888 to 1890. The next change was to take charge of the schools at Cheviot, now a part of Cincinnati. From 1892 to 1895, Mr. Strickland was first assistant of the Twenty-second district of Cincinnati and from 1895 to 1901 filled the position of principal of Whit- tier School, and from 1901 to the present time has held the position of principal of the Sherman Public School. The ex- tremely satisfactory manner in which he has filled these va- rious positions has placed him among the foremost instructors in this section of the State. The progressive measures which he has instituted in bringing mothers and teachers together for the common good of the children have proved to be a great benefit to all.
Mr. W. S. Strickland was united in marriage on August 20, 1890, to Miss Georgie Girardey, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Light) Girardey. The Light family is a pioneer family of the county and the members have always been prom- inent in the progress and growth of all its enterprises. Mr. and Mrs. Strickland now own the David Light estate, "Spring Dale," in Williamsburg township, making it their summer home.
Mrs. Strickland's father was George Girardey, Jr., born in 1835, and dying in 1912. He was the only child of George, Sr., and Mary Girardey, both natives of France. George, Sr., was a skilled confectioner and author of a valuable book on con- fectionery and baking. Losing both parents while very young,
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George, Jr., made his home with the family of David Light in 1847, and on the departure of the young men of the family for California, took charge of the estate. He married, in 1864, Elizabeth F. Light, daughter of David and Sarah (Strickland) Light. : His great fund of anecdotes and love of fishing made him the "Izaak Walton" of Clover. Mrs. Elizabeth F. Girar- dey, born in 1828, and dying in 1907, had the remarkable record of having her birth. marriage and death all occur upon the same farm. She had fine literary tastes, and during the Civil war made and embroidered many flags for the U'nion army, one rare and remarkably beautiful em- broidered banner being still preserved by Mrs. Strickland.
Through her mother, Mrs. Strickland is descended from the noted Light family, pioneers of Clermont county. John Light served in the Pennsylvania line three years in the War of 1776, and was the father of Jacob. Daniel and Peter Light, among Clermont's first pioneers, while it was not yet organized. Ja- cob Light, a Revolutionary soldier, was with the noted O. M. Spencer when the latter was captured by the Indians, as re- lated in Spencer's "Indian Captivity." and later founded New Richmond, in 1814. An account of these early settlers is found elsewhere in this volume and also in Rockey and Bancroft's "History of Clermont County" (1880). Before 1800, Peter Light, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Strickland, settled on five hundred acres of land north of Clover creek. He was county surveyor for ten years. His three children were. George C .. David and Susanna. George C. Light was county surveyor for five years, and representative in 1812-1813. and later be- came a celebrated minister and pulpit orator. He died at Vicksburg. Miss., on his seventy-fifth birthday, February 27, 1860. David Light, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Strick- land. died in 1845. his wife, Sarah S., in 1888. at the age of ninety-two years. The children who survived the parents were. George S., William Wayland. Harriet and Elizabeth F. (Girardey ). George S. Light became a pharmacist, and orig- inated several excellent remedies. He owned a fine estate. "Light Hills," now in Covington, Ky. Dr. William Wayland Light, who was born in 1817 and died in 1805, became a pio- neer of California, and a noted character of Sacramento City. A graphic account of his heroic struggle with a war party of Yaqui Indians, in 1868. after they had slain his brother, Andrew Hopkins Light, and his nephew. Julian M. Light, is found elsewhere in this volume, under the story of the
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"Gold Rush." Mrs. Strickland has many interesting relics, collected by her uncle, Dr. W. W. Light. The late R. J. Bancroft said, "The Light family has been one of the most notable in Clermont, and none that ever settled in it has a more famous pioneer record antedated by a splendid history in the Revolutionary and Indian times that tried men's souls."
Two children have come to bless and cheer the union of Mr. and Mrs. Strickland :
Elizabeth Girardey, born in 1892, a graduate of the Walnut Hills High School, has considerable artistic talent, being pro- ficient in pen and ink work, water colors and also in china painting.
David Light, born in 1896, a student of the Walnut Hills High School.
The city residence of Mr. and Mrs. Strickland is at 2005 Hudson avenue, Norwood, Ohio.
Socially, Mr. Strickland has membership in Norwood Lodge, No. 576, Free and Accepted Masons. He is particularly in- terested in the "Home and School League" movement, humane work, forestry and agricultural work, orcharding and the gen- eral improvement of rural life. His interest in these matters is evidenced by frequent addresses before parents and teachers and public meetings. He has given his life to a profession which is of eminent service to his fellow men, and his zeal and enthusiasm in his chosen calling, supplementing a naturally strong mind, have made him an educator whose ability is rec- ognized. He is an active member of the National Education Association, also of the Schoolmasters' Club and Principals' Association of Cincinnati, and was president of the latter or- ganization in 1911-1912.
HARVEY HAWLEY.
Mr. Harvey Hawley, one of the prosperous and substantial farmers and stock raisers of Clermont county, Ohio, has been a resident of Goshen township since 1839, when he was eight years of age. He recalls without difficulty the development and progress of the county and the present generation knows but little of and can hardly appreciate the suffering and labor and privation that brought about the present delightful condi- tion of the hills and valleys of Clermont from the wild un- tamed forests of "The Northwest Territory." Mr. Hawley
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owns and operates his finely improved farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres in Goshen township. He was born near Mason, Warren county, Ohio, October 9, 1830, and is a son of Joel and Mary (Dill) Hawley.
Joel Hawley was a native of Connecticut, a son of John Hawley, who brought the family to Ohio about 1812, settling near Oxford, Ohio. Joel and John, his sons, settled later in Warren county, Ohio, where the former remained until 1839, when he removed to Goshen township, Clermont county, and became a successful and greatly respected farmer. His birth occurred June 12, 1795, and his death took place in the year of 1855. He was a Whig in politics and later a Republican.
Mary (Dill) Hawley was born August 8, 1792, and departed this life in 1842. Her marriage to Mr. Joel Hawley occurred September 9, 1818. They were both members of the Metho- dist church, he being very active in church and Sabbath school work. and a local preacher. Their union was blessed with five sons, namely :
Hiram W., deceased.
Dr. Albert, a resident of Preble county, Ohio, where for many years, he was a prominent physician, is now in his nine- ty-second year of life.
Andrew D. was also a physician, and is now deceased.
Joel Franklin, deceased.
Harvey, the subject of this mention.
After the death of his wife, Mr. Joel Hawley chose for his second wife, Mrs. Sarah Lewis, nee Brown, and they became the parents of two children :
Charles E., residing at Ramona, Hamilton county, Ohio.
Julia, who married J. M. Vandervort, and who died in the spring of 1913.
Mr. Harvey Hawley was reared on his father's farm and enjoyed the educational privileges of a school at Milford, Ohio, for two years. He then continued his studies at Antioch College, under Horace Mann, until he was called home on account of the death of his father. Since that time he has managed the home farm, and he is justly proud of the great changes which have been effected on this property through the industry and good management of his father and himself.
The marriage of Mr. Harvey Hawley to Miss Mary E. Lewis occurred in 1859. Mrs. Hawley was born at Lebanon, Ohio, May 16, 1833, and died April 21, 1899. She was a daughter of William and Sarah (Brown) Lewis, the former a manufacturer
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of carriages. The Lewises were of Welsh descent and the Brown family were from Pennsylvania.
Mr. and Mrs. Hawley became the parents of five children : Evelyn Sarah, Albert Lewis, who died at the age of eleven months, Lavina Blanche, Cora Mary and Lura Merdith, who is the wife of O. P. Bodley, of Loveland, Ohio. They have two children, Harvey Hawley and Virginia Meredith.
Politically, Mr. Hawley is a staunch Republican, and has refused to accept all proffered public offices. He has, how- ever, served for many years on the school board.
Mr. Hawley is an active member of the Presbyterian church, to which Mrs. Hawley also belonged.
For a number of years, Mr. Hawley was president of the First National Bank of Loveland. As a first class citizen he has cast his influence in the directions of those movements which, in his opinion, have been for the best interest of the township and county, and is considered one of its representa- tive men.
JOHN C. FUHR.
John C. Fuhr, dealer in general hardware, ranges, plumbers' supplies, etc., in Williamsburg, was born in Dieburg, Starken- burg, Hessen, Germany, February 25, 1863, the son of John and Katherine (Deuter) Fuhr. After three and one-half years, his parents moved to Homberg, where John later attended public school, which ends there at fourteen years, when ar- rangements were made for him to serve an apprenticeship in the tinner's trade for three years, during the first two of which he attended night school for mechanical instruction. During the third year he received wages from his employer, William Kuhl, as he had become a skilled workman. At the same time he learned the work in the other two departments, that of bookkeeping and buying. He set out for America from Bremer-Hafen by the steamer "General Werder," and landed at New York on July 3, 1881, in the midst of the excitement over the assassination of President Garfield. Soon after he went to Piqua, Miami county, Ohio, where he was employed for a year and a half at more per day than his weekly wages would have been in his native land. He learned the language of his adopted country very rapidly, and later worked at his trade in various other shops in Cincinnati, with the idea of in- creasing his mechanical knowledge.
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In 1883 Mr. Fuhr came to Williamsburg, and for a time was employed in a tin and stove business, but in 1886 he bought out his employer, D. R. Rees, and added a stock of hardware, putting in the savings from his earnings, but by efficient busi- ness methods he has gradually prospered until he has a large stock and a paying business.
On December 28. 1886, John C. Fuhr was married to Cora B. Walker, of Williamsburg. She was born in Newtonville, Clermont county, Ohio, and is the only child of Ludwell G. and Nancy J. (Smith) Walker. Her father, a veteran of the Union army, is the only living son of William and Mary (Smith) Walker. William Walker was the sixth son among the sixteen children of Hillary and Elizabeth (Snell) Walker. Elizabeth (Snell) Walker was the eighth child of Adam Snell. Adam Snell and Hillary Walker came to Clermont county in 1806, from Pennsylvania. More than a score of their descend- ants were Union soldiers. Mary (Smith) Walker was a daugh- ter of Captain Stephen Smith, who commanded a noted com- pany from "Old Clermont" in the War of 1812. Captain Smith's wife was Sarah Kain, a daughter of James Kain, the first settler in the East Fork valley of the Little Miami river. Nancy J. (Smith) Walker, on the maternal side, is a grand- daughter of Adam Snell, and on the paternal side is descended from Jadiah and Millicent Smith, pioneers in Clermont county from Trenton, N. J. The Kains, Walkers and Snells are else- where mentioned. Mr. and Mrs. Fuhr have six living chil- dren : John Roy, born December 23, 1887, was graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1905, and from Mechanic's In- stitute, in Cincinnati, in 1907. He was married August 28, 1909, to Edna B. Davidson, also a native of Clermont county, and a daughter of Joseph M. and Carrie (Knauer) Davidson, and a granddaughter of James Davidson, elsewhere sketched. Stanley W., born April 15, 1889. carries on a job printing es- tablishment at Williamsburg. He married Carrie L. Nichols, of Batavia, Ohio. She is a daughter of Clayton B. and Maude (Hitch) Nichols, of Batavia. Pauline died in infancy. Lida S. graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1913. Ralph D., Mary K. and Helen L. are students in the public school.
John C. Fuhr has been a leading factor in many successful business enterprises. When the Williamsburg Furniture Com- pany was organized he was one of the promoters and stock holders, has served as one of its directors, and at present is vice-president of the company. He was also one of the pro-
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moters of the original brick company, and the present brick company is the result of that organization. When the Farm- ers' and Merchants' Bank was organized, he was one of the original stockholders and is one of the six directors. He was one of the first of the community to start a movement for a teiephone, and was the first president of the Williamsburg Home Telephone Company. He has built and owns several properties in Williamsburg. In 1908 he bought ninety-six acres of land in Williamsburg township, which he is develop- ing into a fine farm.
Besides being interested in many business ventures, Mr. Fuhr has been honored by his fellow citizens with many posi- tions of trust, which he has creditably filled. He became a Republican and has served as a delegate to State conventions, helping nominate several governors. He has served on the school board and in city council several times. His son, Roy, is village clerk, and Stanley one of the council. Mr. Fuhr is a director of the Clermont Publishing Company, the Republican organ of the county.' He takes an active part in both religious and fraternal life of his community. Although born and bap- tized in the Catholic church, his mother being a Catholic, he was confirmed a Lutheran, the faith of his father. After his marriage, he became a member of the Presbyterian church, as his wife was thus reared, and has served as assistant Sunday school superintendent. He was one of the prime movers and chairman of the building committee which erected the new modern edifice of that denomination. He became a vice-pres- ident of the Clermont County Sunday School Association, and served a number of times as delegate to their State conven- tions, also a delegate to International conventions at Toronto, Canada, Louisville and San Francisco. Mr. Fuhr became a member of the Angola Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1886. He has filled all the offices except sec- retary, and is past grand. He was a promoter and a charter member of the encampment. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fuhr are members of the Rebecca order, of which Mrs. Fuhr has passed through all the chairs. He is a member of Clermont Social Lodge, No. 29, in which he has served as junior warden. He has taken the Royal Arch degree at Batavia, and is a member of Hanselman Commandery, No. 16, of Cincinnati. He and his wife are members of the Eastern Star.
Mr. Fuhr has been an ardent worker in the cause of tem- perance, and has long been in the front rank in the battles that
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have been fought for that cause. He was chairman of the county local option committee prior to the election of 1908, which resulted in a victory for the "drys." Mr. Fuhr came to this country with no means except his talent, but by patient in- dustry and honest dealings with his fellow men, he has built an enviable position in both the financial and social world. By his public spirit and contribution of time, talent and money he has been a prime factor in the upbuilding of the com- munity. He has been abundantly blessed with this world's goods. His name and his works will be treasured and re- spected by his children and many friends.
WILLIAM H. MILLER.
William H. Miller owns one of the most up-to-date farms in Clermont county, which consists of two hundred and thirty- two acres of productive land on the Bantam turnpike. Mr. Miller has employed the most progressive. and still prac- tical methods, for the operating of his farm with fine success. He was among the first in the county to build a silo and his good substantial buildings are indicative of a keen business mind, as well as a justifiable pride in his possessions. He was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, near Mt. Washington, July 9, 1855, his parents being William L. and Elizabeth (De Bolt) Miller, who were married January 27, 1851.
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