History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 63

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 912

USA > Ohio > Columbiana County > History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens > Part 63

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From this battle of Perryville, the Second Regiment moved successfully to Nashville, Tennessee, they being the first Union troops seen by the citizens in that hot-bed of secession. Private Surles served faithfully with his regi- ment to the end of the war, and participated in many bloody engagements, including Chick- amagua, the "Gettysburg of the West," where his brother was killed by his side, and Mis- sionary Ridge, where he captured a Confeder- ate officer and relieved him of his sword and belt. A pleasing close to the latter military act came about 40 years later, when Mr. Surles, after much investigation, found the officer still living and with Northern courtesy re- turned the Southern officer the insignia of his rank. Mr. Surles was mustered out on Octo- ber 10, 1864.

In common with the rest of Col. Anson G. McCook's command, Mr. Surles loved and es- teemed his leader and that the feeling was mutual is shown by the following letter, which was addressed by Colonel McCook to Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, who was then Secretary of War.

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CHATTANOOGA, TENN., Jan. 20, 186.4. HON. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War,

WASHINGTON, D. C .:

Sir-I have the honor to make application for the appointment to the U. S. Military Academy of Private William H. Surles, Co. G, of my regiment and to call your attention to the favorable endorsement of Brig .- Gen. Carlin, commanding brigade. Private Surles has served faithfully with his regiment since its organiza- tion and has at all times and under all circumstances acquitted himself creditably. He has been in action at Ivy Mountain, Perryville, Murfreesboro or Stone River, Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga (where an older brother was killed at his side), Lookout Mountain and Mission- ary Ridge, particularly distinguishing himself at the latter place, and also at Perryville, where he placed his breast between the writer and a rebel rifleman about to fire, when killed himself. Private Surles is now only nineteen, intelligent, vigorous and manly, just the kind of boy with a proper military education to make an accomplished professional soldier. I make the applica- tion because I know his real worth and because I feel that he is much better qualified in every particular than a boy taken from civil life.

Should the appointment be made, I feel confident that he will never disgrace the position. I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully yours, ANSON G. McCOOK, Colonel Twenty-second O. V. I.

From personal knowledge of this young soldier I very cordially recommend his appointment.

WILLIAM P. CARLIN, Brig .- Gen. Commanding.

I respectfully concur in the recommendation of Gen. Carlin. This young man has proven on the field that he possesses bravery and fidelity to duty, the high- est qualities of a soldier.

JOHN M. PALMER, Major-Gen. Commanding. Respectfully forwarded and recommended. GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-Gen. U. S. A., Commanding Department.

This paper containing expressions of ap- preciation from.so high a source and couched in terms most gratifying to a soldier, was lost for a number of years, having been with mail matter captured by the Confederates under General Wheeler. The paper was finally for- warded to Mr. Surles from the department at Washington some years after the war, and it

is needless to say it is most carefully treasured by Mr. Surles and family.

After returning from the army, Mr. Surles attended school for a season and then removed to East Liverpool where he engaged with his brothers, Harry H. and George C., in the brick-laying business. The former was ap- pointed postmaster of East Liverpool by Presi- dent Hayes and served eight years in the posi- tion. He died in 1890 and was survived by George C. until 1901. William H. Surles was engaged in contracting with his brothers for many years under the firm name of Surles Brothers and then engaged in a coal business. When he was appointed postmaster by Presi- dent Mckinley, he sold out his business in- terests and since then he has confined his at- tention exclusively to his official duties. These have been vastly increased during the years of his incumbency. In this responsible position he has shown the same qualities which made him the brave and faithful soldier, careful in the discharge of his duty and unswerving in his fidelity to his government.

Mr. Surles has a comfortable home and a pleasant domestic circle. He married Sarah J. Allen, daughter of Capt. Joseph Allen, of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and they have two children : Charles F., who is bookkeeper for the D. E. McNicol Pottery Company, is married and has two children : and Ada S., as- sistant postmaster, who married James S. Rinehart and has two daughters.

Politically a life-long Republican, the pres- ent office is the first and only one he has ever accepted. He is a charter member of Gen- eral Lyon Post, No. 44, G. A. R. and is past commander. In his religious views he is a Methodist.

ON. PETER A. LAUBIE has ranked for half a century among the ablest representatives of the legal profes- sion-at the bar and on the bench- which Eastern Ohio has produced. He was born April 21. 1829. at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He read law in the office of Keith & Underhill at Massillon, Ohio, and

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while yet a young man was admitted to the bar at Ravenna in July, 1854, and began to practice in the Columbiana . County and in the State courts at once ..

In August, 1861, he entered the volunteer service of the United States as Ist lieutenant of Company D, 19th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and on January 1, 1862, was promoted to captain of Company H, in the same regiment. During the latter half of the Atlanta campaign and the fall and winter of 1864-65, until his resig- nation, February 13, 1865, as ranking captain, in the absence of the major, he served as major of his regiment. Whitelaw Reid's "Ohio In the War" mistakenly gives his name as Capt. Peter A. Sanbie.

He was chosen, and served as judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the Third (after- ward the Fourth) Sub-Division of the Ninth Judicial District of Ohio, from November 1, 1875, to February, 1885, and as judge of the Circuit Court-in the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Ohio-from February 9, 1885, being drawn to fill the short term, and then elected for four consecutive terms of six years each, the last term expiring in February, 1911. This would round out an honorable career of 36 consecutive years upon the bench of the common pleas and circuit courts, all of which have been marked with ability of the highest order and a con- scientiousness in the discharge of his high functions which the repeated calls to assume the grave responsibilities abundantly attest.

Salem has been his legal residence since 1854, although his duties as circuit judge have for many years precluded his continued and uninterrupted enjoyment of home life. In the earlier years of his residence in Salem, he served as mayor of the town (elected in 1856) and as a member of the Board of Education.

Judge Laubie was married to Jane Will- iams, of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, No- vember 1, 1848. Mrs. Laubie, with four daughters and one son, still survive, as follows : Laura Jane, wife of Lemuel Clizbe, of New York City: Lillie M., wife of Charles Thom- son, of Washington, D. C .; Sarah, wife of Dr. James Campbell, of New York City; Marian, widow of Dr. Ira Sampsell,, of Cleve-

land, Ohio; and Ralph, a physician of Cleve- land, Ohio. A fifth daughter died in early life.

OHN B. McKINNON, a retired mer- chant of East Liverpool, was born April 6, 1834, in Columbiana County, Ohio, and is a son of George D. and Ada (Babb) Mckinnon. His paternal great-grandfather was an 'Episcopalian minister who came to America before the Revolution. Arriving here his sympathies were with the colonists but having sworn allegiance to the king in "taking orders" he would not be false to that oath and returned to England at the. beginning of the war.

Joseph Mckinnon, his son, remained be- hind to fight with the American troops and was paymaster during the Indian wars. He- was the owner of 300 acres of land in Penn- sylvania which he sold, receiving his pay in Continental money. This depreciated in value so much that what he received for his land would not have bought one bushel of wheat. Having lost all his property in this way, he removed to .Wellsburg, Virginia (now West: Virginia), and later in 1795 to East Liver- pool, Ohio, making his home with his children. He taught school for many years near Calcutta and erected the first frame house on Third street. This is near Market street and marks the place of his death June 22, 1809, at the age of 75 years. He married Margaret Dillon, who died March 27, 1830, at the age of 73 years. and six months. Their son, George D., is said to have been the first white child born in Colum- biana County. Another child, Nancy, who be- came Mrs. Riley, lived to the extreme age of .104 years and is buried in the Riley graveyard on the Riley farm, down on the lower Lisbon road.

George D. Mckinnon was born October 10, 1795, on what is now the farm of Hunter Connell in Liverpool township, in what is known as "California Hollow." Soon after" this his parents moved to East Liverpool, where he became a carpenter and boat-builder. In those days the railroads had not thrown.

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their network of tracks across the country and the Ohio River furnished the chief means of transportation for the States bordering on it. Many boats were needed to handle the business. Mr. Mckinnon purchased two tracts of land along the Ohio, one containing 20 acres and the other 125. After working at his trade for many years he began clearing this land and then engaged in its cultivation. The business portion of the East End, East Liverpool, is located on this farm, which he had in cultivation up to the time of his death, October 11, 1880. He was buried on his 85th birthday. He was a Mason, but as there was no lodge in East Liverpool in the very early days, it is supposed he must have taken the degrees in Wellsville. His wife, Ada (Babb) Mckinnon, was born May 30, 1812, and who died September 7, 1864. She was a daughter of John Babb, who was born March 5, 1768, and died August 18, 1829. He was the first owner of Babb's Island, which he bought from the government. Mr. and Mrs. McKinnon had II children and raised 10 of that number, namely : Margaret, who is the wife of Samuel Stewart, of East Liverpool; John B .; Rebecca, widow of Samuel. Dobbs; Theophilus A., of Los Angeles, Cali- fornia ; Ada, widow of William Price, of East Liverpool; George D., deceased; Michael D., of Holliday's Cove, West Virginia; Joseph B., of East Liverpool; Zillah, widow of Robbins Davidson; and Nancy, wife of John Glazer, of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The parents were members of the Disciples Church.

John B. McKinnon was born and reared in East Liverpool. He is a carpenter and worked at his trade until 1895, part of the time- from 1861 to 1873-being employed by J. & J. McDonald, of Pittsburg. About 1895 he be- came associated with the Forster brothers in the coal business and so continued until his recent retirement from active business. He married Jane Larkins, a daughter of Henry Larkins, a pioneer potter of East Liverpool, and became the father of 10 children, of whom he reared six, namely : Mary Della, wife of Joseph Wise, of Pittsburg: Laura, wife of James S. Murdock, of Willkinsburg, Pennsyl- vania; Lida, wife of John Anderson; U. S.

Grant, of Wheeling; Annie, wife of Charles Jones, of Pittsburg; and Lillie, wife of I. W. Fertig. Mrs. McKinnon is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Mckinnon is a member of Davage Lodge, No. 374, F. & A. M., of Allegheny, Pennsylvania; and was a member of Lodge, No. 362, I. O. O. F., of Temperanceville, Pennsylvania, and a charter member of Manchester Encampment, I. O. O. F., of Allegheny. He is a Republican.

ON. GEORGE P. IKIRT, M. D., a well-known citizen of East Liverpool, has attained prominence not only in the practice of his profession and as a business man, but as a statesman as well, having served one term in Congress.

Dr. Ikirt, on his father's side, is of Ger- man and Irish descent. His great-grandfather came from Germany late in the 18th century. George Ikirt, grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the War of 1812. He afterward moved to Ohio, where he followed his trade as a millwright until his death in 1858. His son, Jacob J. Ikirt, father of George P., was born at Lisbon, Ohio, in 1826, and in after life rose to prominence as a physician. In youth he learned the carriage-maker's trade at Lex- ington, Kentucky, but returned to Ohio, upon reaching his majority, and began the study of medicine. After the usual preliminary reading, he practiced in the West for several years, then returned and completed a course of study in Starling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, receiving the degree of M. D. He was then located at West Point, Columbiana County, Ohio, until 1875, when he moved to East Liverpool, where he practiced until his death in 1898. He married Elizabeth Fife, a daugh- ter of Joseph Fife, who was one of General Jackson's scouts at New Orleans in the War of 1812. After the war's close, Joseph Fife and his bride came to Columbiana County, Ohio, on horseback. His father, James Fife, born in Ireland of Irish ancestry, came to the United States in early manhood and ended his days in Pennsylvania. Dr. Jacob J. Ikirt and his wife

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became parents of four children, of whom one died in infancy. Those living are : George P .; Kate I., wife of A. H. Clark; and Mary C., widow of Charles E. Crow.

George P. Ikirt was born near West Beaver Church, Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1852, and received a preliminary education in the district and Lisbon schools. At the age of 17 years he began teaching school and at the same time pursued the study of the law under Hon. Jonathan H. Wallace, but ill health compelled him to give up both work and study. He went upon the farm until he regained his health, and then began the study of medicine in his father's office. He next attended a course of lectures at Columbus, after which he matriculated at the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, from which he was graduated in 1877. Shortly after, he embarked in practice at East Palestine, and a few years later located at East Liverpool, where he continued four years. At the end of that period he entered Bellevue Hospital Medi- cal College, from which he obtained a diploma in 1882. Since that year he has practiced with unvarying success at East Liverpool, having the unqualified confidence of his patients and the public in general.

Since early manhood, Dr. Ikirt has taken a deep interest in political affairs and has been a hard worker, for Democratic success. In 1884 he founded the Crisis, a Democratic paper, which strongly advocated Jeffersonian principles. Becoming very popular with his party, the Doctor was in 1888 honored with the nomination of his party for Congress, the opposing candidate being "Ohio's favorite son," William McKinley. It was a noble effort in a Republican stronghold, and although he was defeated the good active campaign served to increase the confidence of the Doctor's con- stituents in him. He had previously been in- strumental in causing the nomination of his early preceptor, Judge Wallace, for Congress and successfully managed the campaign that followed. Doctor Ikirt was again the party nominee for Congress in 1892, and after one of the hottest contests in the old 18th Congres- sional District, which was noted for its hard fight, he was elected by a good majority as a

member of the 53rd Congress. He was a faith- ful and zealous Representative and gained these commendatory words from "Czar" Reed, after a running debate before the ways and means committee : "He is as ready. in response as was Sunset Cox, and he is Jacksonian to the core." In accord with his convictions he broke on the silver question, with President Cleveland, whom he had twice helped to elect, and also voted against the burden of additional bonds being laid upon the shoulders of the people, when it could have been avoided by, he believed, carry- ing out Democratic principles. The Doctor re- fused a second nomination tendered him with- out opposition and, while he takes an active in- terest in politics, has since devoted his time to his professional and business interests. He is the owner of the Ikirt Block, in which his of- fices are located, at the corner of Fifth and Market streets.

In 1873, Doctor Ikirt was joined in mar- riage with Mary L. Hasson, a daughter of Jonathan Hasson. She died in 1876, leaving one son, Frank H. In 1880 our subject mar- ried Mary E. Holmes, of Alliance, Ohio, and they have had seven children, namely : Horace Holmes, Georgella; Mary R .; Olive E .; Jacob J .; Virgil C. and Geraldine B. Dr. Ikirt has been a member of the United Presbyterian Church since boyhood.

P HILIPP WIRSCHING, who is vice- president and superintendent of the Wirsching Organ Company, of Salem, manufacturers of church or- gans of the highest grade, also con- cert organs and chamber organs for, private residences, was born at Bensheim, Germany, February 7, 1858, and is a son of Jacob and Katherine (Krick) Wirsching.

The parents of Mr. Wirsching were born in the same part of Germany as himself. The father devoted his whole life to the tanning business. Our subject and one sister are the only survivors of the family and she resides in Germany.

Mr. Wirsching's father gave him good edu-

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cational advantages, including seven years in the gymnasium at Wuerzburg. Then he be- came an apprentice to the organ building busi- ness at which he remained four years. Dur- ing this time he continued his studies in mathe- matics and drawing and thus cultivated a natural mechanical talent which later resulted in the completion of the magnificent musical instruments, by the means of which his name has become so widely known. After finishing his apprenticeship, he worked in organ factories in all.branches of the business, and as a skilled organ builder came to Salem, Ohio, in 1886. Here he worked for two years and then or- ganized the Wirsching Church Organ Com- pany, of which he was superintendent and gen- eral manager for about seven years. On ac- count of prevailing hard times, this company was not successful and the business was closed out, after which Mr. Wirsching became asso- ciated with the great organ house of Farrand & Votey, of Detroit, for two years and for a like period with the W. W. Kimball Company, of Chicago.

During these four years his family had re- sided at Salem and Mr. Wirsching now re- turned to this city and reengaged in business under his own name for six years. The un- precedented expansion of the business led Mr. Wirsching to consider, the formation of a stock company and his plans were perfected on Feb- ruary 1, 1905, when the Wirsching Organ Company was organized, with a capital stock of $30,000. The officers of the company are all men of prominence and substance, William L. Deming being president; W. W. Mulford, secretary and treasurer, and Philipp Wirsching, superintendent and vice-president, the board of directors including the officers and D. Davis, C. C. Snyder, Charles T. Brooks and Walter F. Deming.

The large plant erected by this company consists of four buildings, divided thus : First, metal pipe department; second, voicing; third, erecting room, and fourth, the machine shop: All departments are fully equipped with all the latest modern machinery for the business and in addition the company has the advantage of possessing Mr. Wirsching's own methods of

construction, different from any elsewhere in use, and which are amply protected by patents. Shipments are made all over the country, the- first order filled being a magnificent instrument set up in the art room of Steinway Hall, New York City. The capital stock has been in- creased to $35,000 and the prediction is made that it will be doubled within the ensuing year. The business demands Mr. Wirsching's whole time, leaving him none to devote to politics. and little to fraternal life, although he is a stanch Republican and a member of the Elks and the Royal Arcanum.

In 1887 Mr. Wirsching married Anna A. White, a native of Salem, and they have these: . children : Arthur, Clarence Eddy, Elizabeth H., Mary and Charles Philipp, several of whom show indications of inheriting their father's. genius.

HOMAS J. McNICOL, president of The Salem China Company, of Salem, and a practical and exper- ienced potter, was born at East Liver -- pool, Ohio, August 4,'1858, and is a. son of Patrick and Ellen (Johnson) McNicol ..

The parents of Mr. McNicol were born in' Ireland and were there reared, but were mar- ried in America. Patrick McNicol came to " America with the, intention of locating at East Liverpool, Ohio, where he expected to secure work at his trade of potter. He reached Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania, in 1850, and floated in a skiff down the river to East Liverpool. Mr. McNicol was a good workman and he was. employed in the potteries in East LiverpooR until some seven years before his death, whichr event occurred November 13, 1894. His widow still resides in that city. Of their seven children six survive, all residents of Columbiana County, viz .: Thomas J., of this sketch; Patrick, vice- president of The Standard Pottery Company .. of East Liverpool; and Margaret, Mary A ... Daniel B. and Charles A.

Our subject attended school at East Liver- pool until he was 15 years old and has always resided in Columbiana County. As soon as his school days were over, he went into the:

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pottery with his father, although from child- hood he had been in and around potteries and knew all the details of the business long be- fore he began to be a paid worker. He began making jugs and worked for one firm at East Liverpool for five or six years, using the old hand jigger, which was later supplanted by the steam jigger. Mr. McNicol was then made foreman of the clay-shops in which position he served for a year, and then took charge of the engines and returned to jigging. In 1899 he removed to Salem and, in association with Cronin & Smith, organized a company to build the works of The Salem China Company. It is an incorporated company, of which Mr. McNicol has been president since its organiza- tion. He has personal charge of the clay de- partment in the factory, in which 150 hands are employed. It requires a great deal of prac- tical knowledge as well as tact and judgment to operate a large business of this kind, and the success which has attended Mr. McNicol testi- fies to his possessing both. This factory is one of the largest industrial plants of the county and is owned entirely by its operators.

In 1877 Mr McNicol was married to Mary A. Dechant, who was born at East Liverpool, Ohio, and is a daughter of George and Annie Dechant. They have two children : John and Carroll, the former of whom is employed in his father's office. Mr. McNicol is a member of the Catholic Church.

5 ON. JONATHAN HASSON WAL- LACE, deceased, for many years a prominent citizen of Lisbon, was one of the most eminent lawyers of this section of Ohio. He was born in St. Clair, township, Columbiana County, Ohio, Oc- tober 31, 1824, and was a son of Robert and Mary ( Hasson) Wallace.

Robert Wallace, father of our subject, was born in Ireland of Scotch parentage. Upon coming to this country, he resided for a time in Washington County, Pennsylvania, then moved to Columbiana County, Ohio, where he

lived the remainder of his days. He was joined in marriage with Mary Hasson, a daughter of Jonathan Hasson, who removed from Pennsyl- vania to Columbiana County, Ohio, early in the 19th century.

Left fatherless at an early age, Jonathan H. Wallace was indebted for careful early train- ing and for the liberal education he afterward received to the thrift and energy of his mother. He worked on the farm and attended school as he had the opportunity, and when sufficiently advanced was sent to Beaver Academy under the tutelage of Messrs. Olmstead, McClellan and Coulter, and later to select school at Cal- cutta, Ohio, under R. C. Elliott and D. C. Reed. He entered Washington College in the spring of 1843, and maintained a fair standing in his class. After graduation with the class of 1844, he taught school two seasons in the northern part of Columbiana County. Having selected the profession of the law as his life work, he read in the office of Umstaetter & Stanton, the junior member of the firm being E. M. Stanton, afterward Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Lincoln. Upon completing his course, he was admitted to the bar in 1847, and was then taken into partner- ship with his preceptors. This partnership con- tinued until the senior partner moved to Pitts- burg, and Judge Wallace was subsequently as- sociated with different men, including W. K. Gaston and Hon. Nathan B. Billingsley. He was an unswerving Democrat and took an active interest in political affairs. In 1851 he was elected prosecuting attorney of his na- tive county, in which office he served two years. In 1864 he represented his district as delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Chi- cago, which nominated General McClellan for the presidency. . Jn 1875, without his solicita- tion or knowledge, he was placed in nomination by his party for the office of judge of the Court of Common Pleas, the district compris- ing Carroll and Columbiana counties, but he was defeated. In 1882 he was elected to Con- gress, defeating the Republican nominee, Will- iam Mckinley, and served one term. In 1885 he was appointed by Governor Hoadly as judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the Fourth

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 63

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844 Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 912

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 912