USA > Ohio > Brown County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 73
USA > Ohio > Clermont County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 73
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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
FRANKLIN M. FRIDMAN.
Prominent in both agricultural and commercial circles, and known as a worthy son of one of the foremost of pioneer fami- lies of Clermont county, Ohio, is Franklin M. Fridman, who was born at Clermontville, Monroe township, in the home which he now owns, December 8, 1849. Mr. Fridman was reared and educated in the schools of the county, assisting his father. Franklin Fridman, Sr., on the farm, thus becoming
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thoroughly conversant with all the details that fall to the lot of the successful farmer. After finishing the common schools, he attended Parker's Academy for several terms, after which he assisted his father in the management of his varied busi- ness interests, until 1895, when death severed the pleasant re- lations.
Mr. F. M. Fridman was united in marriage to Miss Ella Luke in 1875, and to their union have been born three chil- dren :
Miss Veola, at home.
Miss Carrie, employed in Cincinnati.
A twin sister of Carrie died in infancy. .
Mrs. Fridman is a daughter of Charles and Mary Luke, both members of early resident families of the county. Charles Luke was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and came to America when quite a small boy. Mrs. Fridman was born and reared in Monroe township, and attended Parker's Academy.
Politically, Mr. Fridman is a Democrat, being now nominee for county commissioner. He has served in the various town- ship offices as trustee, assessor, and has been a member of the school board for nearly twenty years. Socially, Mr. Fridman holds membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, of New Richmond, Ohio. The family as well as himself are members of the Mt. Zion Christian Church.
For many years Mr. Fridman has been an extensive dealer of tobacco and live stock, and has met with an unusual degree of success by reason of his keen business insight and practical methods. Mr. Fridman's characteristics include unswerving loyalty to personal and political friends, adhering to principle regardless of political favor, and limitless faith in whatever he undertakes. His personal qualities contribute largely to his successful career.
CHARLES MITCHELL (Deceased).
The late Charles Mitchell was a substantial and highly re- spected citizen of Pleasant township, Brown county, and had a large number of friends. His leading attribute was kindness of heart and uprightness in all his dealings. He spoke no ill of anyone, but looked for the good points of his friends and acquaintances. His parents cleared land for a farm and were
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upright, honest, God-fearing people and highly respected among the early settlers. Mr. Mitchell was born in Ireland in 1845, and died on his home in Pleasant township, Brown county, June 15, 1909. He was a son of William and Catherine (Murphy ) Mitchell, natives of Ireland, who brought him, when he was nine years old, to Brown county. The father was a carpenter, contractor and farmer, and he and his wife had eight children, of whom three now survive: Elizabeth, widow of William Carroll, of Buffalo, New York; William, of Day- ton, Ohio; Margaret, wife of Martin Talbut, of Buffalo. The father died some sixty years ago, being drowned in White Oak creek while crossing with a team, and the mother died in Buf- falo, about forty-five years ago. Mrs. Elizabeth Carroll is known among her friends as a second Hetty Green, from the way in which she has managed her financial affairs. She has displayed great energy and thrift and made her start with her needle.
Mr. Mitchell was educated in Brown county and there learned the trade of brick mason, after returning from the Civil war. He had enlisted in 1861 in Foster's Fourth independent cavalry, in which he served two and one-half years, being eighteen years old at the time of his enlistment. He won an excellent record and after his return to Brown county, worked at his trade in Buffalo, N. Y. For a number of years he re- sided at Charleston, W. Va., where he continued to work at his trade. He returned to Brown county in 1879 and engaged in work at Georgetown, also becoming a contractor. He secured the contract for and erected the bank, hotel, commercial block, the printing office, and most of the prominent buildings of the town. He was a conscientious workman, and thor- oughly looked after every part of the work he undertook.
In 1881 he was united in marriage with Miss Anna Timany, who was born in Georgetown, in March, 1861, daughter of Patrick Timany and wife. Her father was born in Ireland in 1819, and died in 1901, and her mother was born in Ireland in 1829, and died in 1912, both being buried in Georgetown. He came to America as a young man and worked on coal boats at Cincinnati, and later in Georgetown, where he worked build- ing pipes, and various kinds of work. He and his wife had eight children, five of whom are now living: Mary, born in Cincinnati, is a Sister of Charity and a teacher in a boys' college at Fayetteville, where she is known as Sister Mary ; Bridget is the wife of William Moyer; Anna, Mrs. Mitchell;
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Elizabeth, wife of Frank Campbell, of Forestville; Ignatius lives in Cincinnati.
After marriage Mr. Mitchell lived in Georgetown six years and in 1889 located on the fine farm of fifty-six acres where his widow now lives. He sold the house he had erected in Georgetown and built the present family home on the farm, as well as the other buildings. He set out the orchard and in many ways improved the place. He still continued his con- tracting in the town and had a very good business. He was a Democrat in politics and he and his wife were members of the Catholic church. He served as chief of police of a town in Virginia for several years while residing there. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were the parents of nine children, all born in Brown county, namely : Paul J., born September 12, 1882, a graduate of the Morris School of Telegraphy, is a railroad contractor, living in Norwood, Ohio, married Rosa Weiser, and they have two children, Florence and Louisa; Catherine Beatrice, born August 2, 1884, is taking a course for a trained nurse in Colo- rado Springs, Colo .; Mary Elizabeth, born February 27, 1887, is at home with her mother; Charles V., born September II, 1889, was nineteen years old at the time of his father's death, but took hold of the management of the farm and has since carried it on in a very efficient manner; Anna Agnes, born April 23, 1892, graduated from Georgetown schools and at the age of nineteen years became a teacher, being now employed in the Boys' Industrial School at Lancaster, Ohio; Margaret Miriam, born October 7, 1894, is a graduate of the Georgetown High School; Leo Francis, born January 21, 1897, at home ; Genevieve Regina, born January 10, 1900, at home; William Frederick, born September 19, 1902. The youngest child was baptized in Mt. Mary's Catholic Church in Georgetown, in December, 1903, by young Father Ignatius, being the first child baptized in the new church, and the first child the young priest had baptized. Mr. Mitchell lived each day by the faith of his church, and was greatly honored for his simple piety and his broad and liberal attitude toward all.
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Mr. Mitchell was a self-made man and reached comfortable circumstances through hard work and earnest effort. He was left in early life, a poor boy, to make his own way in the world. He had an independent spirit and was eager to make a good start in life. When his parents decided to come to America he did not like the idea of leaving his native land, so at the time the ship was ready to sail, he took off his shoes, threw them
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to his mother, returned to shore and walked fourteen miles to his uncle's home. His parents, meanwhile, grieved for him all the journey long, thinking he had found a watery grave. When they landed they found a letter from the uncle, telling of his safety. He was always very fond and proud of his family and gave his children the best care and thought of which he was capable. He was much respected for the manner in which he conducted all his affairs and for his high courage and honesty. Mrs. Mitchell is a soft-spoken, lady like woman, much es- teemed for her many virtues, and held in great affection by her children. She owns a farm of seventy-nine acres on the Rus- sellville pike road. All her sons who are old enough to vote are Democrats in political matters. Mr. Mitchell's brothers, William and Thomas, enlisted in the Union army, the former spending some time in Andersonville prison, and both served four years. William was sixteen, Charles eighteen and Thomas twenty years of age, and they ran away from home to enlist because their parents objected to their doing so. The father went after them and brought them back, but they ran away a second time and succeeded in enlisting their services.
MANVILLE LYON.
Manville Lyon is well known in the neighborhood of Eden- ton, Clermont county, where he has built up a good business in the past twenty-two years. He is a good business manager and has won success by his uprightness and honesty. Mr. Lyon enjoys the confidence of his customers and carries the best line of goods possible. Although his home is in Wayne township, Clermont county, his operations are chiefly within the boundaries of Brown county. He was born on a farm near Westboro, Clinton county, Ohio, December 29, 1861, son of Azel and Julia (Odon) Lyon, his father being a son of Thomas Lyon, who was a soldier in the Revolution.
Azel Lyon was born and reared at Whitehall, N. Y., and served in the War of 1812. He was twice married and died when his son, Manville, was but six years old. After the death of the father the widow had a home, but had to earn her living, with the help of her children.
The subject of this sketch received a good common school education and remained with his mother until he reached
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young manhood. He began at an early age to earn money to. help his mother, and his first recollection of work was drop- ping corn at twenty-five cents per day. He left home when he was seventeen years of age and went to work by the month on a farm, remaining four years each at two different places, in the latter of which he learned the huckster business, which he has since followed on his own account. He was married, June 7, 1884, at Midland City, Clinton county, to Miss Mary J. Conklin, of Westboro, where she was born. She is a daughter of James R. and Margaret E. (Morseman) Conklin and re- ceived a common school education. In November, 1886, this couple moved to Edenton, and in 1890 they were able to buy a huckster business for themselves. It was small at first, but by his honorable dealing Mr. Lyon has added to his list of cus- tomers, year by year, until he has an extensive trade. In 1899 he added farming to his business, purchasing seventy- eight acres near his home.
Mr. Lyon has done business with some of his customers ever since he began operations on his own account, and is on excellent terms with them. He has stopped on his rounds every time he made a trip, for the past twenty-two years, with one customer, where he remains over night. He takes an in- terest in everything affecting the general welfare and pros- perity of the region and in politics is a Democrat. He has served as township treasurer and has been school treasurer for ten years. He is a member of the Blue Lodge and Chapter of Masons at Blanchester, and has filled all the chairs in the for- mer. He is a representative citizen, well regarded by all, in- dustrious and energetic, and has many friends.
Six children were born to Mr. Lyon and his wife, namely : Emmett, who was a student in the high school at Blanchester, died at the age of eighteen years; Margaret E., a graduate of the Blanchester High School, in the class of 1910, attended Wesleyan College, at Delaware, Ohio, one year; two children died in infancy ; Tacy is at home with her parents, and Galen M. The family have a pleasant home in Edenton, and the farm land is well improved.
ROBERT L. JOHNSTON.
The Johnston Paint Company 224-30 Main street, Cincin- nati, wholesale and retail dealers and manufacturers of paints, oils and paint supplies of all kinds, is well known over the
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.entire United States by reason of the excellency of their products and the business integrity and enterprising methods of the men who are at the head of the concern. The company makes a specialty of "Johnston's Dull Kote" paint, which gives such perfect satisfaction in every way.
The officials of the company are as follows: R. F. John- ston, president ; R. L. Johnston, vice-president ; W. G. John- ston, secretary, and H. P. Aiken, treasurer. The board of di- rectors are : R. F. Johnston, R. L. Johnston, W. G. Johnston, H. P. Aiken, B. F. Bruenger, Charles Boalt and Lowe Emer- son.
The Johnston Paint Company was incorporated in 1905, with a capitalization of $50,000, and employs nine traveling rep- resentatives, who distribute their goods from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Great Lakes to Mexico. The growth and progress of this company has been very gratifying to all who are interested in any way.
Mr. Robert L. Johnston is a native of Clermont county, his birth having occurred at Moscow, August 30, 1846. He is a son of William and Mary (Fee) Johnston, the latter being also a native of the county and died in the forty-seventh year of her age, at her home in Moscow, Ohio.
William Johnston was born at Campbell. Scotland, in 1806, and came to America with his widowed mother when he was nine years of age. They located at Nicholsville, Monroe town- ship, and there William was reared and educated in the school at that place. Later he studied medicine and practiced at Mos- cow, where he resided until his death, in 1876. He was a Ma- son, being a Knight Templar.
The marriage of Mr. Johnston to Miss Mary Pattison was celebrated in Moscow, Ohio. Her father, W. G. Pattison, re- sides in Brown county, where she was born.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have had six children born to their union : Robert F .; L. P. is in the War Department at Washington, D. C., where he was married, and is the father of one child, a daughter ; W. G., of Cincinnati, is a member of the Johnston Paint Company ; Miss Mary A., at home; Mrs. Dr. George Lane, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y .; Mrs. C. B. Jones, of Cincinnati, is the mother of one child.
The life of Mr. Johnston has been one of great activity in business, and is an example of that class of men who, by their earnest and honest industry, have achieved success in the battle of life, being rewarded by a measure of prosperity.
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JOSEPH FOSTER WEAVER.
Joseph Foster Weaver, who resides at Batavia, Ohio, in a beautiful home, which consists of three well-laid lots and a splendid modern house, at the corner of Broadway and Water streets, conducts a thriving feed business, operating under the firm name of J. F. Weaver & Sons. The firm enjoys a large patronage and is well known throughout Clermont county for their prompt and efficient service.
Joseph Foster Weaver, who is a son of Henry Griffith and Ellen (Foster) Weaver, was born in Batavia township. Henry Griffith Weaver was a captain of the militia in the early days before the Civil war. He passed away in 1891 and is buried in the Union Citizens' cemetery. Ellen (Foster) Weaver died in 1879. Both of these good people were devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a Whig and cast his vote for William H. Harrison. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver were the parents of seven children :
Laura V., married Martin Wood. They had two children. Mrs. Wood is deceased.
William, died at the age of five years.
Ulysses Randolph, deceased. He left five children.
Eben Idephard, deceased. He had no children.
Joseph F., the subject of this sketch.
John W., deceased. He left no children.
Charles H. lives in Batavia township, and has three chil- dren.
John. Weaver, the paternal great-grandfather of Joseph Weaver, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, while his maternal grandfather, Thomas Foster, was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Joseph Foster Weaver was reared on the home farm of his father, and received a good common school education. He remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age, as- sisting his father in the duties that fall to the lot of the average farmer.
When Mr. Weaver left home, he did so to attend the com- mercial college of Higginsport, Ky., which is a branch of the commercial college of Cincinnati.
Mr. Weaver was married to Miss Eva Applegate, in 1879. She is a daughter of Nelson and Jane (Tate) Applegate. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have eight children :
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Homer Foster, is one of the firm of J. F. Weaver & Sons. He lives at home.
Lloyd, also one of the firm and lives at home.
Ethel, is a graduate of the Batavia High School. She at- tended the college at Oxford, Ohio, for two terms, and at the . Wesleyan College at Delaware for one term, and at the Ohio State University. She is a' teacher in the high school at Batavia.
Frank W., a member of the firm.
Lulu Belle, a graduate of the Batavia High School.
Ruth, is in the high school, class of 1913.
Dale, at home.
Harold, agent for the "Cincinnati Post."
Mr. Weaver is a Republican and a member of the Batavia Lodge, No. 104, Free and Accepted Masons. He is a member of the Methodist church, while Mrs. Weaver is a member of the Presbyterian church. The family attend both churches.
FRANKLIN FRIDMAN.
Franklin Fridman's record as a progressive and honor- able business man of Clermont county for many years entitles him to representation among the honored dead of the county. He resided for fifty-four years at Clermontville, where he won the respect and high esteem of all with whom he was asso- ciated by his kindly purposes and upright conduct.
Mr. Fridman was born in Stolhoven, in the principality of Baden, Germany, on the River Rhine, October 4, 1816, and died August 21, 1895, his life taken by a negro. He was the youngest son of George and Elizabeth (daughter of Michael Miller) Fridman, who had six children born to them: Leon- ard, who came to America about 1830 and was a contractor in the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and who died in 1889, aged about eighty years ; Mathias, who died, aged eighty-eight years; Franklin, Theresa, Sabina and Elizabeth.
The mother and two sisters died in Germany. In 1833, the family started for America, but the father died in France while en route. They spent a little time in Baltimore then moved to Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, Ky., finally locat- ing at Rockford, Ind., on the White river, near the present site of Seymour.
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When only eighteen years old, Franklin came on to Cincin- nati, alone, to learn boiler making under Thomas Justice and Mr. Banks, following the same for two years under Richard Dumont and Mr. Parker.
Mr. Fridman was second engineer on the "Lady Scott," the first steam packet plying the Ohio river between Maysville and Cincinnati, for nearly a year, when he met with a severe accident to his hand, which compelled him to give up this work. He then began peddling over parts of Ohio and Ken- tucky, on foot. In this business, Mr. Fridman was most suc- cessful, and he was enabled to locate, in 1839, on Boat Run, near the Ohio river. Shortly after this time he established a store near the present home of his son, Franklin M., and sub- sequently built a large store and warehouse in Clermontville, where he conducted one of the largest general stores in Cler- mont county until 1880, when he transferred that business to his three oldest sons, and by them carried on until a few years since.
Mr. Fridman married, September 9, 1840, Rebecca Bush- man (daughter of Demos and Elizabeth Bushman, early set- tlers of Clermont county). To this union was born the follow- ing children : George Henry, Lewis L., Franklin M., Lincoln W., Charles A. (died in infancy), Elizabeth (Tomkins), Annie (Rice). Mrs. Fridman is deceased.
On September 28, 1859, Mr. Fridman married a second time, to Millie A. Bushman (daughter of William and Drucilla Houseman Bushman). Their children are as follows: Cal- vin D., William M., Leonidas S., Fred W., Belle, Wallace and Grace (deceased).
Mrs. Fridman was born, April 5, 1835, and passed away January 31, 1897, in the sixty-second year of her life. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fridman were members of the Christian church.
Politically, Mr. Fridman was a staunch Democrat and was often solicited and strongly urged to accept a candidacy for office, but refused because of his many other public interests. He was a director and one of the largest stockholders of the First National Bank of New Richmond from its organization and was president from 1880 until his death. He was for years a director of the Clermont Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany, and was one of the owners of the "Virginia Home" steamboat, plying between Foster's Landing and Cincinnati. For many years this enterprising man of affairs built and owned a large number of flat boats trading on the Ohio river,
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and with Mr. Theodore Steelman owned and operated at New Richmond, Ohio, the largest steam saw mill in Clermont county, which was afterwards incorporated as the Fridman Lumber Company, and is now owned and operated by his sons.
On the exchange in Cincinnati and in the business circles of Southern Ohio, Mr. Fridman's name and word were ever held in high regard. A man of strictest integrity, but ever public- spirited, doing much to relieve the distress of the deserving poor. Never taking advantage of the necessities of others for his own gain.
Mr. Fridman was strong in his convictions of right and wrong, and never allowed himself to be turned from his deci- sions. One instance of this trait of character: Nearly all the merchants of his time handled whiskey to a certain extent, but feeling that he could not conscientiously sell liquor he could never be persuaded to do so. Such a character as this well deserves the most reverent remembrance.
JOHN W. LYTLE.
Mr. John W. Lytle, whose death occurred December 7, 1875, was for many years a well known farmer of Williamsburg township, Clermont county, Ohio. He represented one of the oldest families of this part of the. State, the name of Lytle having been closely interwoven with the history of the county for many years. John W. Lytle was a son of John and Dor- cas (Warring) Lytle, both of whom were natives of Ken- tucky, the former being a brother of Gen. William Lytle, known as the founder of Clermont county.
John W. Lytle was united in marriage to Miss Isabelle Wiseman, who was born in Manchester, England, in January, 1828, the marriage rites being solemnized on January 15, 1856. Isabella Wiseman is a daughter of Rev. John and Christina (Thompson) Wiseman, both of Scotch nativity, of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, Scotland, respectively. They came to Amer- ica in 1851, settling at Paterson, N. J. Rev. John Wiseman was ordained to the ministry in Glasgow, Scotland, having been graduated at St. Andrews. He became a Presbyterian minister in England and accepted a pastorate at Paterson, N. J. He later came to Clermont county, where for many
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years he preached at Williamsburg and elsewhere in the county. His death occurred May 2, 1876, at the home of a son, Gavin Wiseman, at Danville, Ky.
Gavin E. Wiseman, a brother of Mrs. Lytle of this mention, entered Hanover College in 1851, remaining until 1853, after which he entered Centre College, at Danville, Ky., from which institution he graduated in 1858. He was engaged in the dry- goods business at Danville until 1902, when he retired from active life.
Mrs. John Wiseman, the mother of Mrs. Lytle, passed away at the home of a daughter, at Springfield, Ohio, a few years after the death of her husband.
Mrs. Lytle has resided at her present home near Williams- burg, Clermont county, Ohio, for the past fifty-one years. During the Civil war the Confederate soldiers camped in the yard during John Morgan's raid, and Major Weber used the home as an office for a time.
The union of John W. and Isabella (Wiseman) Lytle has been blessed with three children :
John W., a prominent business man of Williamsburg, who makes his home with his widowed mother.
Mrs. T. G. Foster.
Mrs. Dr. D. L. Hines, of Williamsburg, Ohio. .
During his life time, Mr. Lytle affiliated with the Demo- cratic party and served in many of the school offices, being school treasurer at the time of his death.
Mrs. Lytle is an earnest Presbyterian and has always taken an active part in all that tends to the betterment of those around her, doing good at all times, a living example of the faith she professes.
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