History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 159

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 159

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John A. Gormly was born at Pittsburg, Pa., July 19, 1804, a son of John and Elizabeth (Gill) Gormly, the ancestry being Irish on the paternal side and Scotch on the maternal. John A. Gill, the maternal grandfather, served in the War of the Revolution. In 1830 John A. Gormly removed from Pittsburg to Brownsville, Pa., where he embarked and continued in a mercantile business until 1836, when he moved to Bucyrus and conducted a store on Sandusky Avenue. He was a man of excellent business perception and his fore- sight was shown in his acquisition of much property, both in the growing town and in the adjacent region, and in addition to his subsequent holdings in city realty, he had 1,000 acres of land which became valuable for farming purposes. He established one of the earliest financial institutions here, founding the Peoples' Deposit Bank, in 1859, in asso- ciation with his son, James B. Gormly, and continued the same until he found the time ripe for still broader business dealings, and in 1864 organized the First National Bank of Bucyrus. His business acumen and sterling honesty contributed to the success of this in- stitution as they had to his other undertak- ings, and he continued at the head of this bank until the time of his death, which occurred May 8, 1878. He was a ruling elder in the Pres- byterian church and served in public capac- ities at important conventions of this religious body, both in Ohio and in other parts of the country. In 1833 he married Louisa Bowman,

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who died May 6, 1872. They had three chil- dren : James B., George C. and Mary L., the last named becoming the wife of Rev. James .G. D. Findley.

In 1859 Mr. Gormly was married to Miss E. Virginia Swingly, a daughter of Dr. Fred- erick and Mary (Denman) Swingly, and two ·daughters and one son have been born to them : Ella K., who became the wife of F. S. Monnett, of Columbus, O., a prominent public man, once attorney-general of the state; Susan E., who became the wife of W. H. Pickering, a representative business man of Bucyrus; and James B., who is now deceased. Mr. Gormly and family attend the Presby- terian church and they are people of social im- portance, not only at Bucyrus, but also at the state capital and in other cities.

JAMES SOWASH. general manager of the Crestline Pump Works, very important

business enterprise of Crestline, O., one that is well financed and ably officered, was born at Mansfield, O., in the spring of 1872, where he was educated.

James B. Gormly was educated at Bucyrus Mr. Sowash has been in his present line of business since he was 19 years of age and after learning his trade was foreman for some years for the Humphrey Company of Mansfield and afterward, for seven years, was with the Barnes Manufacturing Company of the same city, coming from there to Crestline in 1903, and continued at school until he was 17 years of age, when his uncle, James P. Bowman, offered him a clerkship in his mercantile store, and he remained there for one year. Later he entered Bartlett's Commercial College, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated in 1856, and then became bookkeeper and teller of the . when the Crestline Pump Works business was Exchange Bank at Bucyrus, where he gained started. This company has officers as follows : Judge Daniel Babst, president and a director ; Jacob Babst, treasurer and a director; John H. Warden, secretary; and James Sowash, general manager. In addition Mr. Sowash has been chief designer of all the pumps, which include 250 varieties, manufactured by this company. Additional directors of the company are: J. W. Ross, who is also vice president; Jacob Flowers, Abraham Seib, R. M. Taylor, and John H. Warden, all men of capital and high business standing. They manufacture and handle as jobbers all water supply goods and utensils and in addition to manufacturing hand, power and spray pumps, they cast sinks, traps, brackets, etc. The plant is extensive, 135 pumps alone being turned out per day, and employment is af- forded 65 skilled men. In advancing the in- terests of his house, Mr. Sowash displays those . enterprising qualities which mark the successful American business man all over the -world. his first banking experience. He continued there until 1859, when he became associated -with his father in financial affairs, which, under careful and conservative management, developed into enterprises of vast importance. Mr. Gormly's name and activities have been .of great value to many other business con- cerns. He served for some years officially with the Gas and Electric Light Company of Bucyrus and later as president of the Bucyrus Water Company ; in 1893 was made and served as assignee of the estate of the late Governor .Foster, of Ohio; from 1871 until 1875 was .secretary and treasurer of the Ohio Central Railroad Company ; and was one of the organ- izers of what is now known as the American -Clay Working Machinery Company, of which he also served as treasurer. In local affairs, where the public welfare is a matter of con- cern, Mr. Gormly has never failed to per- form a good citizen's duty, and has served on many charitable boards and has liberally con- tributed to benevolent movements.

Mr. Sowash was married at Mansfield, O., to Miss Alice Burns, who was born and reared there and their one son, Russell, now 16 years .of age, is a student in the Crestline High School: Mr. and Mrs. Sowash are members .of the Presbyterian church. Politically Mr. Sowash is a Republican and fraternally be- longs to the order of Knights of Pythias, the Blue Lodge at Crestline and Council and Chapter at Mansfield.

ALBE MOE, vice president of the Home Savings & Loan Company, at Galion, O., of which city he is a leading business man, was born at French Creek, Lorain county, O .. May 22, 1840, and is a son of Husted and Hannah Moe and a descendant of an old French family that came to the United States very early, set-

ALBE MOE

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tling in Vermont before the Revolutionary War.

Husted Moe was born in Genesee county, N. Y., and was young in years when the fam- ily settled in what was then the wilderness of Lorain county, O. He engaged in farming and later conducted a stage route hotel at French Creek. His death occurred in 1850, when aged about 45 years. He married Han- nah Moe, who was born also in New York and was a daughter of Isaac Moe, who engaged in farming near French Creek. Both he and wife lived into extreme old age. Mrs. Husted Moe survived her husband for many years, be- ing aged almost 89 years at the time of her death. She was a devoted member of the Baptist church. Of her five children four lived to maturity and all married and had children.

Albe Moe was reared and attended school at French Oreek. He and his older brother, Perry Moe, who still survives and resides at Cleveland, entered the Union Army in May, 1861, the latter enlisting while Albe became a teamster and after one year in the transporting department, became team foreman in the com- missary department and later was made as- sistant superintendent of the horse corrals at Washington, D. C. Mr. Moe has a record of sending out more than 25,000 horses during the time this important assisting office to the efficiency of the Government was in his charge. After the war was over he was tendered a posi- tion in the quartermaster's department but by that time he was tired of war and its trappings and a home in the North, amid peaceful sur- roundings appealed to him and finally he locat- ed at Galion and for some years afterward was in the restaurant business here. Afterward he began to deal in real estate and carry insur- ance risks and subsequently entered politics and served in the city council in 1888-9. In 1890 he was appointed city appraiser and in 1892 was elected mayor; in 1894 was elected county commissioner and served six years in that office. In 1900 he was made. a member of the city board of Review, a position he has continued to fill, being remarkably well quali- fied for the same. He was one of the organ- izers of the Home Loan & Savings Company, with a capital of $2,000,000, of which he is a director and for the past II years has been vice president. Mr. Moe has been exceedingly

active along many lines and has so conducted his undertakings that they have been success- ful.

At Galion, O., Mr. Moe was married to Miss Sarah C. Blosier, who has always lived in Crawford county and is a daughter of David and Leah (Rex) Blosier, who came from Pennsylvania and settled in Vernon township, Crawford county. One son, Ralph, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Moe, but he died early. Mr. Moe is a Democrat in politics.

JACOB F. ROSS, one of the leading citi- zens of Lykens township, Crawford county, O., where his valuable farm of 119 acres is situated, was born in this township, Sept. 4, 1871, and is a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Schimpf) Ross.

Peter Ross and wife were both born in Germany and he yet survives and resides on his farm in Lykens township. She passed away in 1911. They had the following children born to them: Philip, who is de- ceased; Jacob F .; Charles; Matilda, who is the wife of Chirstian Brown; Adam; Chris- tian; Henry; and Martha, who is the wife of Jacob Kalb.

Jacob F. Ross attended the district schools when he was a boy and ever since then has given a large part of his time to general farm- ing, prior to his marriage working by the month but since then has operated his own land. He is a practical, industrious man, not given to experimenting but rather keeping to methods which he has proved to be sensible and safe, and is recognized as one of the successful agriculturists of this section.

In 1884, Mr. Ross was married to Miss Anna Shafer, a daughter of Valentine and Elizabeth (Schaaf) Shafer, formerly farm- ing people in Chatfield township but now liv- ing retired in Chatfield village. The parents of Mrs. Ross had the following children: Catherine; William Leonard; Mary, who was married (first) to Benjamin Zucker, and (second) to Daniel Koch; Anna, who became Mrs. Ross; Sophia, who is the wife of Albert Hartchue; Henry; Arlena, who is the wife of Harrison Kibler; and Frank, George and Harvey.

Mr. and Mrs. Ross have one daughter, Marie. They are members of the Lutheran

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church. In politics Mr. Ross is a Democrat and has served as supervisor of Lykens township.

REV. A. H. SCHRIENER, pastor of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church at Galion, O., has been an active and earnest worker in his present field for a number of years and has been permitted to witness both spiritual and material growth in his congregation as a compensating result. Father Schriener was scarcely 18 years of age when he entered St. Mary's Seminary, at Cleveland, O., com- pleting his classical course at St. John's Col- lege, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Father Schriener was appointed assistant priest at St. Peter's, Cleveland, later was pas- tor of the Immaculate Conception Church at Port Clinton, Ottawa county, O., where he remained two years and then had charge of the Catholic church at Bowling Green, O., for four and one-half years, coming from there to Galion in January, 1899. St. Jo- seph's German Roman Catholic Church or- ganization is one of the oldest in the city, having been founded in 1854 and ever since has been administered to by a regular priest. At present Father Schriener has a congrega- tion of 500 souls and the flourishing parochial school has 85 pupils. He is deeply beloved by his own people and commands the respect of the citizens of Galion, irrespective of religious faith, who recognize his spiritual influence and his zeal in the cause of Chris- tianity.

WILLIAM W. BUCK,* chief clerk of a division of the railway mail service, is a well trained and experienced man in his line and in January, 1905, was appointed chief clerk of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Division on the Pennsylvania road, his juris- diction covering a wide territory, with office at Crestline, O. He was born at Philadel- phia, Pa., in February, 1855, where he was reared and was graduated from the High School.

In his native city Mr. Buck was appointed a postal clerk, and has been in the Govern- ment service for 23 years, serving with efficiency in every department into which he was promoted, his first run being between

Pittsburg and Chicago. The work of the Crestline office, as above stated, covers a wide territory, there being 260 postal clerks under its direction. When he was appointed to his present position he succeeded W. L. Poe, who became assistant superintendent with headquarters at Cincinnati. Mr. Buck lias been very loyal to both employers and comrades and is justly held in high esteem. He is prominent in Masonry, belonging to Blue Lodge, No. 272, at Crestline, and to . Chapter No. 88 of this city, being treasurer of both branches; belongs to the Command- ery at Mansfield and the Shrine at Dayton.

In the city of Philadelphia, Mr. Buck was married to Miss Sara K. Hayes, who was born at Camden, N. J., and at that time was a successful teacher in the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Buck have one daughter, Leah M., who graduated in music from the Wes- leyan University, at Delaware, O., in the class of 1912. Mr. Buck and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Republican in his political affiliation.

GEORGE J. STRAUCH, one of the rep- resentative men in the hardware line at Crest- line, O., a member of the firm of Strauch Bros., the oldest hardware dealers in this city, with commodious quarters on the corner of Main and Seltzer Streets, was born in Rich- land county, O., Aug. 19, 1862, a son of Conrad and Elizabeth (Lippert) Strauch.

Christian Strauch, the grandfather, was born in 1802 in Germany, and in 1848 came to America with his family and settled in what is now Crawford, then Richland county, O., where he and wife died, about 1888, hav- ing been farmers ever since coming to Ohio.

Conrad Strauch was born in Bavaria, Ger- many, and was 14 years of age when his parents came to the United States and had followed agricultural pursuits ever since. In politics he is a Democrat and was reared in the German Reformed faith. He married Elizabeth Lippert, who was born and reared in Ohio, of German parentage. They died of cholera, in Auglaize county, O., when she was two years old. Mrs. Strauch still sur- vives, the mother of ten children, eight of whom survive and seven of these have mar- ried.

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George J. Strauch was two years old when his parents came to Crawford county, where he was reared and educated and later fol- lowed the carpenter trade for 15 years, when he went into the hardware business with his brother, Michael Strauch. The latter is a graduate of a business college at Ada, O., and is bookkeeper for the present firm and serv- ing in his second term as city clerk. In 1892 George J. and Michael Strauch embarked in their present business, succeeding a Mr. Frye, which business was founded by Mr. Frengel in 1862. They have commodious quarters, their main store having dimensions of 160x22 feet and additionally have two warehouses for storage and exhibition of buggies and farm wagons. They carry a full line of heavy and shelf hardware, tin roofing and do gas and sanitary plumbing, carrying all sup- plies.

George J. Strauch was married in Craw- ford county to Miss Sarah E. Schwarer, who was born in Vernon township, in 1864, a daughter of Jacob Schwarer, and the follow- ing children have been born to them: Estella, who is the wife of Charles Pry and lives at Crestline, having one son, Harold; Erie E., who was educated in the Crestline schools and Wooster University, and who is a teacher in the public schools; Frank B., who is a clerk for his father; Clarence J., a student at Wooster University, who is agent for the Cleveland Press, at Crestline; and Ruth, Eleanor M., Alvin and Jacob, all at home. Michael Strauch is unmarried. Both broth- ers belong to the Knights of Pythias and the latter also to the Elks. They are Demo- crats politically and for some years George J. has been a township trustee and a member of the school board. In their various busi- ness relations and in public office, both men command the respect and have the confidence of their fellow citizens.

REV. G. M. SCHMITZ, first resident pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, at North Auburn, Crawford county, O., was born at Luftelberg, Germany, Sept. 13, 1880, a son of Joseph and Margaret (Welter) Schmitz. The parents of Father Schmitz were born in Germany and the father died there when his son was nine years old. The

mother came to America in 1906 and resides with Father Schmitz at North Auburn.

St. Mary's Catholic Church, like other congregations, was developed from a mission and attained its present standing and impor- tance through the zealous Christian efforts of its priests and the generosity of its faithful members. It was in the spring of 1879 that the Catholics living in the neighborhood of Waynesburg, O., called a meeting to en- deavor to make some plans whereby services could be held on Sunday and a Sunday-school started nearer than New Washington, to reach which place was often a tax on both sick and well. The decision was to erect a suitable building, hence arose a frame structure on a corner of the old Faeth farm and from 1880- 81 Rev. Amadeus Dambach was pastor of what was the beginning of St. Mary's Church. He was called away in the summer of 1881 and the church was then made a mission of the New Washington Church and from 1881 to 1888, Rev. Laurence Heiland administered to the two congregations. The summer of 1888 brought Rev. George Vogt, who, while serving as priest inaugurated many improve- ments and it was during his term as pastor that the church was frescoed and the stained glass windows replaced the old plain glass panes, Father Vogt donating one window and Father Horstman another. In 1899 Rev. Vogt left for a larger field and Rev. John Kunnert took charge of the church at New Washington and the mission of St. Mary's and during his administration a basement was dug and the building equipped with a furnace, the roofs of both church and priest's house were slated and the church tower, which had for- merly been too high for safety, was somewhat lowered.

On July 5, 1906, the members of St. Mary's heard the welcome news that they were to have a resident priest, a favor they had long besought of the Bishop, and Rev. G. M. Schmitz was sent and as been in charge ever since. He met with a hearty reception from the majority of his parish, although there were a few who doubted, at that time, the financial ability of the congregation to give adequate support, but long since then all these fears have been dispelled and the parish is in an exceedingly prosperous condition. He

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has not only looked carefully after the spir- charge of a church in Michigan, and his wife itual welfare of his people but has been a died in Shelby county, O. Of their family three yet survive. wise executive and the improvements that have been brought about under his direction Burt E. Place was educated at Bellevue, O., and attended school also at other points where his father was located. When he first .entered the business house with which he has ever since been identified, it was in a minor posi- tion and through ability, intelligence and fidelity he has steadily advanced and not only is indispensable to the firm of E. M. Freese & Co., but is also interested in other business enterprises which indicate his reliability as a citizen and business man. He is vice presi- dent of the First National Bank of Galion and a member of its board of directors. and encouragement, have added greatly to the value of the property. Under his foster- ing care various church organizations have become a part of St. Mary's life. The Chris- tian Mother Society was canonically estab- lished with the sanction of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Horstman and a membership of 37 enrolled. In May, 1907, the young ladies and young men of the parish were enrolled into the Sodality of B. M. V. under the name of St. Agnes Sodality and St. Aloysius Sodality, respectively. At different times eloquent members of the Catholic clergy have visited the parish and have carried away good reports.

Father Schmitz has about 60 families in his parish and also supplies St. Anthony's Church, which he organized three years since. In connection with St. Mary's there is a successful parochial school. The church owns two and one-half acres of land, which is conveniently located and on which stands the church, the priest's house and the ceme- tery. Father Schmitz is one of the younger members of the Catholic clergy in this section and is a man of scholarly attainments. He was educated in Europe and completed his theological studies at Washington, D. C., and was ordained at Baltimore, Md., Dec. 17, 1904, by Cardinal Gibbons. Prior to coming to St. Mary's he was in charge at Cleve- land, O.

BURT E. PLACE, general manager for the firm of E. M. Freese & Co., Brick, Tile and Fire Proofing machinery manufacturers at Galion, O., has been identified with this concern for 23 consecutive years. He was born Sept. 7, 1870, at Grand Rapids, Mich., and is a son of Rev. Horace Place. The fam- ily is of old New England stock and Rev. Horace Place was born in Vermont. From there, in early manhood he came to Ohio, where he worked at the trade of cabinetmak- ing and later became a preacher in the Meth- odist Episcopal body, in which work he con- tinued for 30 years, his death occurring at Cleveland, O. He was married while in

Mr. Place was married at Plymouth, O., to Miss Mabel Swope, and they have three chil- dren : Lawrence, Margaret and Horace. The eldest son is employed in the First National Bank in this city. Mr. Place and family at- tend the Methodist Episcopal church. He is identified with a number of the leading frater- nal organizations and belongs to committees appointed to promote commercial progress, and, with other leading men accepts the re- sponsibility of citizenship along the line of charity and benevolence.

BENJAMIN HEFFELFINGER, deceased, was one of the early business men and prom- inent and useful citizens of Crestline, O. He was born in Washington township, Richland county, O., Dec. 26, 1833, and died at his home in Crestline, Dec. 30, 1908. He was a son of Jacob and Esther (Lime) Heffelfinger.

Jacob Heffelfinger and wife were of Ger- man ancestry and Pennsylvania parentage. Soon after marriage, about 1820 they came to Ohio and settled on wild land in Washing- ton township, Richland county, securing 40 acres, and to the clearing, cultivating and im- proving of this property, Jacob Heffelfinger devoted his after life. He was an honest, upright, industrious man, qualities which be- long to his descendants. She lived to the age of 72 years and he until about 78 years old, both dying in the faith of the German Luth- eran church. Of their eight children all sur- vived to be about 70 years of age, with the exception of one who died in his 16th year. The one survivor, Jacob, Jr., a millwright

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living at Brighton, Ia., has passed his 86th birthday.

Benjamin Heffelfinger remained on the home farm until 21 years of age and then learned the trade of shingle maker. In April, 1861, he embarked in the grocery business on East Main Street, Crestline, where he con- tinued for 30 years, during this period erect- ing his own business house and investing in other property, including five acres of valu- able realty and owning a handsome residence situated at No. 716 West Bucyrus Street, where he spent the closing years of his life, in comfortable retirement. He was identified with many of the progressive movements that contributed to the city's advancement, was one of the early members of the city council and for years served as treasurer of the school board. In his political views he was a Dem- ocrat.

Mr. Heffelfinger was 27 years old when he was married, in Washington township, Rich- land county, to Miss Mary E. Kerr, who was born at Rensselaer, Jasper county, Ind., April II, 1843, a daughter of John and Susan (Piper) Kerr, natives of Richland county, of Scotch-Irish extraction. They were married in Ohio and in the thirties moved to Jasper county, Ind., where they both died early, the father of Mrs. Heffelfinger when aged but 36 years and his wife, when but 35. They left one daughter and two sons, Thomas and John, both of whom married and died when aged about 66 years.

A family of eight children was born to Mr. and Mrs. Heffelfinger, namely: Melvin C., who resides with wife and children at Bu- cyrus; Martha J., who died at the age of 40 years, who was the wife of Henry Foltz and was survived by four children; Elihu E., who is a resident of Crestline and a conductor on the Pennsylvania Railway; Charles A., who is an engineer on the same road lives at Crest- line and has a family of wife, son and three daughters; Thomas D., who died at the age of eight months; Lavina B., who is the wife of John Cook, of Pensacola, Fla .; and Dora and Rosa, twins, who died near together, when aged 19 months. Mrs. Heffelfinger and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 159

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302