History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 85

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

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tween General Jackson and his adversary. He married Minerva Chittenden, a native of one of the most distinguished families of Vermont.

Albert G. Catlett, father of our subject, and the eldest son of Dr. and Mrs. Catlett, was born in 1813, at Fort Bellefonte, Maryland, and after the death of his father, in his youth, removed with his widowed mother to the vicinity of Beaver, Pennsylvania. When about 20 years of age he came to Wellsville, Ohio, and clerked for, a time in the dry goods store of A. G. Richardson. After his marriage he established himself in a wholesale and retail grocery business, which he continued until his death on March 14, 1848. He married Cather- ine Aten, who was a daughter, of Henry Aten, one of the early pioneers of Wellsville. Of their five children, but two reached maturity, viz: Hanson, of Wellsville, and John C., of this sketch. The mother passed away in 1896, in her 78th year. Both parents were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church from youth.

Our subject was reared in Wellsville until the death of his father, 'when he went to live with his grandfather Aten on the latter's farm, there remaining until he reached his majority. He enjoyed liberal educational advantages, at- tending Washington and Jefferson College and later the Cleveland Law School, where he was. graduated in 1865. For some years Mr. Cat- lett traveled through the West, teaching school and viewing the country and its resources and opportunities, but in 1873 he returned to Wells- ville and here purchased the furniture busi- ness, which had been formerly conducted by William Snowden. Mr. Catlett was one of the organizers and now is president of the Per- petual Building & Loan Company. Politically a starch Republican, he has served two terms. as a member of the Council and was mayor of the city from 1878 to 1881. For many years. he has been a member of the School Board and has always been most active in promoting the. general welfare.

Mr. Catlett was married January 22, 1873, to Julia F. Abbey, who is a daughter of \Vill- iam Abbey, of Hartford, Connecticut. She was a resident of Cleveland at the time of her mar-

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riage. Two of their four children reached ma- turity, namely : Albert W., of Wellsville, who married Margaret Lindsey ; and Fred W., who is a graduate of Harvard College, class of 1904 and is a member of the Harvard Law School, class of 1907. The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Catlett is president of the board of trustees. His fraternal associations are with the Mystic Circle and the Protected Home Circle.

ILLIAM H. DEIDRICH, vice- president of The Sevres China Company, of East Liverpool, which commands an extensive pat- ronage throughout the United States and in foreign countries, is a man of sound business ability and inventive genius. An invention of his promises to revolutionize the decorating of designs on pottery, china and glassware.

William H. Deidrich comes of a well-known family of this county. His great-grandfather, George Deidrich, was born in Germany and came to America in 1832, bringing his wife and nine children. Tradition says he was a tailor by trade. He settled in Hollidaysburg, Penn- sylvania, in which section there are many Deidrichs at the present time, all with a com- mon origin, although there may be slight dif- ferences in the spelling of the name. An asso- ciation has been formed and a reunion is held every two years. Much progress has been made in tracing the genealogy, although there are' several missing links, which are necessary to complete the chain. It has been discovered that the family is prominently mentioned in the annals of the German Empire, tracing back to Deidrich von Bern, who was King of the Ostrogoths, A. D. 454-526. The family was most powerful before the Reformation. George Deidrich, above mentioned, married Katherine Frey, by whom he became the father of 10 children.

George Deidrich, son of George and Katherine (Frey) Deidrich, was born in Ger- many in 1809 and died in this country in Oc-

tober, 1866. He came to East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1835, and established a blacksmith shop. Two years later he built a home on the corner of Third and Washington streets, hav- ing his shop on the same lot for many years. He had one of his eyes injured by a spark of fire and finally abandoned blacksmithing. He then opened a feed store and later added a line of groceries, finally carrying groceries exclu- sively. Politically he was a Democrat. He was united in marriage with Katherine Gar- rett, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who died in December, 1876, after having given birth to II children, eight of whom grew up. Mrs. Deidrich was a German Lutheran, while her husband was an earnest Catholic, being one of the earliest members of the Catholic Church in East Liverpool, of which he was a liberal supporter.

William Q. Deidrich, father of our sub- ject, was born at East Liverpool, Ohio, and died in 1887, at the age of 62 years. He learned the trade of a wagon-maker with Stacy Ingalls, of Van Port, Pennsylvania, and was employed by the government during the war to build army wagons. After the war, Mr. Deid- rich returned to East Liverpool and for some years engaged in contracting and building with his brother George W. He then started the manufacture of wheel-barrows, especially adapted for pottery requirements, and wagons, continuing in that line until his death. He was a Democrat until late in life when he became a Republican. Fraternally, he was a charter member of Peter Cooper Council. No. 772, Royal Arcanum. He married a daughter of Henry Deitz, of East Liverpool, and they had six children, as follows: Elizabeth C., wife of Herman Tatgenhorst, of East Liverpool; William H., subject of this sketch; Mary, who died at the age of eight years; Rena L., wife of Samuel Pacy, of Wellsville; Charles E. ; George Henry ; and J. Robert, of Denver, Colorado. The family were members of the German Lutheran Church.

William H. Deidrich was educated in the public schools of East Liverpool, then went. into the pottery of McNicol, Burton & Com- pany, where he learned the practical details

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of making pottery. He worked in various positions in East Liverpool until 1891, when he helped to organize The Crown Pottery Com- pany, of Evansville, Indiana, of which he was general manager until 1895. He then returned to East Liverpool and took a position on the road with The D. E. McNicol Pottery Com- pany. continuing with this concern for five years. He helped to organize The Sevres China Company in 1900 and became vice-presi- dent and manager. In 1902 he gave up his duties as manager of The Sevres China Com- pany but continued as an officer, and went to Salineville. Columbiana County, where he or- ganized the Dresden China Company and built its plant. He served as president until 1904, when he severed his connection with that com- pany and gave his attention to the work of increasing the output of The Sevres China Company by negotiating a consolidation of The Derry China Company, of Derry, Pennsyl- vania, with The Sevres China Company, which now operates both plants.

While Mr. Deidrich was .traveling on the road he was studying, and during the inter- vals at home he was experimenting on an in- vention which he was successful in perfecting and which is one of the greatest labor-saving devices ever introduced into the manufacture of pottery. . It was nothing less than a print- ing press to stamp the designs on pottery and to do away with the old method, which was to stamp each unit of the design by hand with a rubber stamp. By the new method, a rubber stamp of the complete design is placed on a large flat sheet of rubber, called a diaphragm, which is stretched over a block of wood or metal. In this block four tubes are inserted at the sides for the admission of air, and the face of the block is pierced with many small holes for the emission of air forced through the tubes from a tank of compressed air The diaphragm is locked in a chase in a similar manner to the forms used on a common job press and the tubes in the block are connected with the tank by hose. When the press closes. the moment the plate or other article, which is fed into the press the same as a sheet of paper, comes in contact with the diaphragm the air is turned on by a

cam movement and the rubber diaphragm carrying the design is inflated from behind and bulges outward, completely conforming to the shape of the piece of ware, implanting the de- sign perfectly, completely and in its proper place. As these presses run 1,200 impressions an hour, the advantage over the slow hand- stamping process is readily seen. This ma- chine has been patented in all foreign countries, and is controlled by him and The Sevres China' Company, which has the shop rights.

Mr. Deidrich was united in marriage with Sarah E. Brunt, a daughter of. William Brunt, of East Liverpool, also a pottery manufac- turer, and they have one child,-Henry W. Fraternally, he is a member of Riddle Lodge, No. 315, F. & A. M. : East Liverpool Chapter, No. 100, R. A. M ; Pilgrim Commandery, No. 55. K. T .; Alcoran Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Cleveland; Carson Lodge of Perfection, of Steubenville; and Lake Erie Consistory, of Cleveland. He has taken all York and Scot- tish Rite degrees except the 33rd.

HARLES A. LENTZ, cashier and manager of the bank of Chamberlin: Brothers & Company at East Pales- tine, is one of the most progressive and successful business men of the community, being identified with many enter- prises. He was born in Unity township, Col- umbiana County, Ohio, February 9, 1868, and is a son of Daniel F. and Sarah J. Lentz.

Daniel Lentz, great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in Wittenberg, Germany, and was the first of the family to come to America, locating at an early date in New Harmony, In- diana. His wife died at that place, and he afterward moved with his two children to a farm near Unity village, Unity township, Col- umbiana County, Ohio, where he died at the home of his daughter. His children were: Hannah, who was born at New Harmony, In- diana, about the year 1808, and became the wife of Gottlieb Wilhelm: and Benjamin, grand- father of our subject.

Benjamin Lentz was born at New Har-

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mony, Indiana, December 7, 1818, and was shortly after taken by his father to Unity town- ship, where he grew to maturity. He pur- chased a tract of 80 acres in this township, which he owned until his death, April 14, 1904, when he was aged 85 years. He married Re- becca Miller, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Snyder) Miller. She was born near Allen- town, Pennsylvania, and died at the age of 35 years. To them were born three sons and five daughters, of whom but two are now living, namely: John. residing at Whiting, Jackson County, Kansas, who married Margaret Keener and has three sons; and Elizabeth, who married O. S. Rauch, now a retired farmer of Unity township, and has two children,-Harvey M., who married Minnie Roebke and has a daugh- ter, Olive Elizabeth, and Blanche A., wife of Clark Floor, of Unity township.

Daniel F. Lentz, better known as D. F. Lentz, the eldest son of his parents, was born in Unity township, Columbiana County, Ohio, September, 19, 1840, and died July 31, 1898. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, 19th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., commanded by Major General Rosecrans. This regiment saw much hard service throughout the war and at times was greatly reduced in numbers. There were 202 men who served in this regiment from Colum- biana County and they made a most honorable record. They did heoric work at Stone River. where the regiment lost 213 out of a total of 449 men engaged, nearly one-half its strength, and afterward they were conspicuous in the battles of Liberty Gap, Chickamauga and Mis- sion Ridge. Returning to Chattanooga, they then marched with Sherman toward Knoxville, thence to Strawberry Plains and Flat Creek, where on January 1, 1864. 400 of the gallant 19th Ohio re-enlisted as veterans. They re- turned to Ohio for a brief furlough, reaching Cleveland on February 16th, and again re- turned to Knoxville on March 24th, thereafter taking part in the battles of Rocky Fall Ridge. Carrsville, Pickett's Mills, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta. Lovejoy Station, Franklin and Nash- ville. They were mustered out at San Antonio, Texas. October 21. 1865. reached Columbus, Ohio, November 22nd, and were discharged at

Camp Chase three days later. During his ser -- vice of four years, two months and 10 days,. Mr. Lentz was never sick nor wounded and never, in the hospital.

Upon his return from the war D. F. Lentz engaged in general merchandising at East Rochester, Columbiana County, until 1868, when he moved to East Palestine and first en- gaged as clerk in the store of R. Chamberlin & Sons. He later became a member of the firm and continued in that connection until he moved to New Waterford and conducted a store in partnership with W. C. Chidister, from 1873 to 1878. He was thereafter interested in a mer- cantile business in association with Max W. Beyer until 1882, when he moved to Minerva and established a large dry goods store. This he conducted alone until 1885, when his son, Charles A., became a member of the firm, the name being changed to D. F. Lentz & Son. They continued successfully in this business until 1895, when both located in East Pales- tine and purchased a half interest in the bank of Chamberlin Brothers & Company, with which our subject is still identified. Upon the death of Mr. Lentz in 1898, his widow suc- ceeded to his interest which she still retains. He was an extensive property holder in East Palestine and vicinity and was a wealthy man at the time of his demise. He was past com- mander of the G. A. R. Posts at East Pales- tine and Minerva ; and a Royal Arch Mason and Knight Templar, being a member of the. Royal Arch Chapter at Lisbon and Salem Commandery. No. 42, Knights Templar. He. was a member of the Christian Church of Min- erva and served as deacon many years.

Charles Albert Lentz was reared in Colum- biana County and received his educational train- ing in the public schools of East Palestine. Leaving school at the age of 14, one year later he took charge of the clerical work of his father's store. becoming a partner in the busi- ness during the same year. He has given evi- dence of great business ability, particularly in his present capacity as cashier and manager of the bank of Chamberlin Brothers & Company, one of the safest financial institutions in East- ern Ohio. He was assistant cashier four years

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under F. B. Chamberlin, and since 1900 has held his present position. He is a member of the East Palestine Store Company, president of the Hartford Chemical Company, president of the Ohio China Company, and has a control- ling interest in the East Palestine Reveille- Echo. He has been a member of the Sons of Veterans for 19 years and is a major of the First Battalion, First Regiment. He is also :a member of the Sons of the American Revolu- tion and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, also a Knight Templar, Mystic Shriner and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. He also belongs to the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, Woodmen of the World and National Union.

Mr. Lentz was united in marriage Septem- ber 25, 1889, with Elizabeth Mercer, a daughter of Obed and Ann Mercer. She was four years of age at the time of her mother's death, and was reared by Mrs. W. F. Faas, who gave her a mother's care. She is a woman of handsome appearance and refinement and moves in the best social circles. This union resulted in the birth of three children : Norma, born July 15, 1890, who is an accomplished pianist, having in her 14th year been one of three to carry off the honors in a musical recital: Genevieve, born September 28, 1892, who is talented in art; and Clementine, born August 7, 1894. The family are members of the Christian Church, of which our subject is a trustee.

R. FELLOWS, superintendent of the Salem Iron Company, of Leetonia. has been identified with this line of work since the beginning of his busi- ness career.

He was born at Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, and when a lad went with his parents to Youngstown, Ohio, where he attended the pub- lic schools and later studied law. He was ad- mitted to the bar at Youngstown but never practiced. Soon after leaving school he ac- cepted a position with the Himrod furnaces in Youngstown, at first having charge of outside work. He was soon afterward made superin-

tendent of the furnaces and continued in that capacity one year. He was next with the Union Coal Company, of Youngstown, and subse- quently was with the Andrew & Hitchcock Iron Company as superintendent for II years. He afterward served as superintendent of the Iroquois Furnace Company, of Chicago, for one year. In 1899 he came to Leetonia to ac- cept the position of superintendent of the Salem Iron Company, with which he has been since identified.

In 1881 Mr. Fellows was joined in mar- riage with Elizabeth Rudge, a native of Ohio.

HARLES S. JONES. It is often said that in these days of trusts, large combinations of capital and vast en- terprises, the young man thrown en- tirely upon his own resources has little, if any, chance. Ability to do one thing well, combined with energy, tenacity of purpose and a strict adherence to the fundamental prin- ciples of right and honesty, will bring a just reward the same as it ever did, as is shown by the career of Charles S. Jones, which is here briefly traced. Probably no one ever began the battle of life more seriously handicapped than he.

Mr. Jones was born in London, England, December 7, 1860, and is a son of George and Maria (Shearman) Jones. His father was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1835, and for a period of 25 years drove the Brighton coach in London. where he has lived in retirement during the past 20 years. His wife, who is 69 years of age, was born in London and is a daughter of James Shearman. George Jones and his wife are both members of the Church of England.

Charles S. Jones is the second of 17 chil- dren born to his parents. The necessities of a large family made it necessary for him to seek employment very early in life. At the age of IO we find him applying for a job in a brush factory, assuring the foreman that he could do anything. He was put to work and when he erred and was corrected showed such willing-

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ness to learn that he retained his position. When he reached the age of 14 years, with the consent of his parents, he was bound out to his employer to serve an apprenticeship of five years at the trade. So well did he make use of his opportunities he was acknowledged at the end of the five years to be the best brush-maker in the factory. During these years he had not been neglecting his physical development, but had made such use of the facilities afforded by the Life Guards' Barracks, which were located near by, that when he had completed his ap- prenticeship he was able to pass the physical examination for enlistment in the First Life Guards, probably the most rigid examination of the kind in the world. For two and a half years he was a member of Queen Victoria's body-guard. In 1883 the regiment was sent to Egypt where Mr. Jones participated in three engagements. Upon his return to London, he drifted into one of Moody and Sankey's gos- pel meetings and there came in contact with in- fluences which were destined to change the whole current of his life. These Christian workers made a profound impression upon his life. lle asked an American lady, who had stopped to speak to him about spiritual things, where they all came from, and she replied : "New York." He hadn't the faintest idea where that place was, never having been to school a day in his life, and she informed him it was in America. He made up his mind he would like to go to a country whence such peo- ple came. He secured his discharge from the Life Guards and came to America in the fall of 1884. Here he was directed to a Bible mission in New York City, where he attended evangelical services and determined to lead a Christian life. The superintendent of the mis- sion gave him a letter of introduction to a man named Bradley, one of the largest brush manu- facturers in America and with him he remained until 1902, winning recognition as the most expert brush-maker. in the plant, which was the best in this country. He had not been in the plant long before his employer discovered that he could not read and write and, telling him that a man need not remain ignorant in this country, directed him to an evening school.

He made immediate application for admission and there pursued his studies for a period of five years, making rapid progress.

In 1902 he was persuaded to enter the em- ploy of a brush manufacturer in Pittsburg, who supplied brushes to the potteries in this section. Atter, 10 or II months, Mr. Jones, not being satisfied with his position, determined to locate at East Liverpool, Ohio, and establish himself in business. The obstacles in his way were many. His wife was dead and he had four children t6 care for. After paying his fare from Pittsburg and the freight on his furni- ture he had practically nothing left except his tools and knowledge of the business. The first day he called upon a number of potters and from that day to this he has never done any soliciting, the orders for his product now be- ing in excess of his ability to keep up with them. When his former Pittsburg employer learned that he was in business and began to feel the loss of the pottery trade, which was all going to Mr. Jones, he went to the dealers in bristles and supplies and made it impossible for Mr. Jones to purchase raw material, even if the orders were accompanied with cash. This be- came known to one of the buyers for a leading pottery in East Liverpool, and through him the circumstances were related to Mr. Bradley, the early employer of our subject, who has always proved a true friend. Being one of the largest customers of the wholesale dealers in supplies. he was able to present the matter in such a light that they were anxious to sell Mr. Jones any- . thing he wanted and also eagerly offered favor- able terms of credit. Mr. Jones, however, has always refused to buy his materials on time. These details are gone into to show the great obstacles which Mr. Jones has surmounted and that success is possible to anyone who has in him the essential qualities. The first year his sales amounted to more than $3.000 and each succeeding year has seen an increase. He is undoubtedly the superior of any other brush- maker in the United States. His wide knowl- edge of materials and of the requirements for the different kinds of brushes enables him to select the kind of bristles best suited to the purpose and to make a brush in such a manner

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that it not only does the work better but wears longer than any other manufactured. This ac- counts for the fact that he does not have to seek a market for his product, orders coming to him faster than they can be filled. His Chris- tian character shows in his business. affairs as he puts his honor into his work. He is conser- vative to a degree that retards the development of his business, for he could soon have a fac- tory of mammoth proportions which capital- ists now stand ready to erect, but he wants ab- solute control of his product, in order that their high degree of excellence may be maintained.

On October 23, 1888, Mr. Jones was joined in marriage with Lottie Dougherty, a daughter of Joseph Dougherty, of New York City. She died June 15, 1898, leaving four children, as follows: Charlotte A .; Florence, who died at the age of 13 years ; Mabel A .; and Henry L. Mrs. Jones was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On August 26, 1903, he married Laura May, who was born at Wells- ville, Columbiana County, Ohio, February 22, 1860. They have one child, Elton. She is a Presbyterian in religious belief, while our sub- ject is a Methodist. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, Foresters of America and American Legion of Honor.

LEXANDER CRUIKSHANK, M. D .. C. M., physician and surgeon, lately established in the village of Hanover, but since October 1, 1905, a resident and practicing physician of Salem, was born June 12, 1871, at Leeds, Province of Quebec, Canada, and is a son of William and Margaret ( Melrose) Cruikshank.

Our subject's ancestry can be traced to Scotland and to France. His grandfather, Robert Cruikshank, was born in Scotland and removed to Canada to enter the service of the Hudson Bay Company, in which he continued many years. He had, however, retired and settled at Leeds prior to his death in 1885, at the age of 85 years. In Canada he was mar- ried to Caroline Glanville Cook, who was a descendant of the old Huguenot family of De Glanville. The parents of Dr. Cruikshank

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 85

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