History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 196

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 196

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Mr. Milne was born in the State of New Jersey, and later moved to Hornellsville, New

York. It was there that he first became identi- fied with the gas business, to which he has given so much attention in his after life. For a time during his residence in New York he was associated with the Jamestown Gas plant and later was employed as superintendent in the building of several gas plants in that State, Pennsylvania and Ohio. He has made his home in Marietta since March, 1891, when he became interested in the gas plant there and for the past 12 years he has lived at the Bellevue Hotel.

In social circles Mr. Milne is a charter men- ber of Lodge No. 477. B. P. O. E., of Mari- etta. He affiliates with the K. O. T. M., of New York State, and is a Mason of high de- gree. being a Knight Templar, a member of the commandery at Hornellsville, New York. and of the Syrian Shrine, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is popular among his friends, and in busi- ness life and is rapidly mounting the ladder of success.

h ON. DAVID ROBERT ROOD. Al- though Judge David R. Rood, of Marietta, is a native of McConnels- ville, Morgan County, Ohio, where lie was born February 23, 1847. this city claims him as one of her products, as his rearing and education were accomplished here. Here, also, he has made an enviable record both in professional and business life.

The Rood family is one held in honor and esteem in the New England States, and the name is frequently found among the prominent citizens of Massachusetts and Connecticut.

In the early summer of 1817 Judge Rood's great-grandfather, Elijah Rood, his wife, Mar- tha ( Stephens ) Rood. a daughter, Thankful. two sons, Elijah and David, the latter's wife. Cyrena ( Halstead) Rood. James, her oldest son, and Jadiah Scott, the husband of Thank- ful, came from the vicinity of Hornellsville. New York, and settled in Waterford township. Washington County, Ohio. Elijah and Mar- tha ( Stephens) Rood, their son, Elijah, Jadian Scott, David and Cyrena ( Halstead) Rood. and Richard H. Rood, died in Washington

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County. After her husband's death Thankful Scott moved to Dresden, Ohio, where she died at an advanced age. At one time David Rood and his family moved into Meigs County. where the grandfather operated a farm, and during this time and afterward took occasional trips to New Orleans. Later he returned to Washington County and died about 1835 on his farm on the Little Muskingum River, five miles from Marietta.

Richard H. Rood, the father of David R., was born November 2, 1817, probably ju :: prior to the removal of the family from Hor- nellsville, New York, to Washington County. Ohio. Richard adopted the trade of cabinet- maker, which he followed in McConnelsville and later at Marietta. For a long period before his death, in April, 1873, he was one of this city's prominent carpenters and builders. At first he was a Whig, but in 1854 he became identified with the new Republican party. He married Mary A. Williams, a daughter of Rob- crt Williams, who came to Washington Coun- ty early in the 19th century and settled on Duck Creek, near Marietta. He engaged in farming and reared his family there. Mrs. Rood was born in February, 1820, and resides at Norwood, a suburb of Marietta. The chil- diren of Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Rood were as follows: David R. : John W. : Mary ; Lydia C .; Martin M. : Hattie; and Dudley H. John W. resides in Illinois. Mary died in 1879 at Marietta. Lydia C. resides at Norwood ( Mar- ietta ) with her mother. Martin M. died at Rushsylvania, Ohio, in January. 1894. He was educated at Marietta, graduated in medi- cine at Miami Medical College, and practiced successfully at Xenia, Kenton, Mount Cory and Rushsylvania, Ohio. His widow and seven children are residents of Chicago, Illinois. Hat- tie died in 1879, aged 19 years. Dudley H. lives in Chicago.

From his boyhood the city of Marietta has been the home of David R. Rood, and here lie attended school until 1864, when, at the age of 16 years, he enlisted in Company L, ist Reg., Ohio Vol. Cav. This company was made the escort of Gen. George H. Thomas, and Mr. Rood, despite his youth, was made an

orderly and rode with many of the commanders of the armies of the Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio. He was mustered out of service on September 26, 1865. having served nearly two years. Upon his return from this loval serv- ice to his country, on October 5. 1865, Mr. Rood very sensibly resumed his studies and prepared himself for teaching. For thirteen years he followed this profession in Washing- ton County. In the meantime he studied law and was admitted to the bar at Athens, Ohio, in May, 1877, beginning practice one year later at Belpre and Marietta. For the 15 years suc- ceeding Judge Rood was occupied almost ex- clusively with a very successful practice, which he relinquished in 1803 when he was elected judge of the Probate Court, succeeding Will- iam H. Leeper. He continued in this office un- til February, 1900. During these years Judge Rood has given considerable attention to real estate, and at present is interested in manufac- turing enterprises. He is a director, and also vice-president, of the Becker Lumber & Man- ufacturing Company, and is also interested in oil production in Washington County. He is at present identified with some of the leading industries of this city, and has been an import- ant factor in their development.

In 1884 Judge Rood was married to Pris- cilla Hadley, a daughter of William Hadley, wh owas an early settler and leading farmer of Marietta township, where he died in :889. A family of five children resulted from this union, viz. : Edna M., who is attending high school : Elmer H., who is taking an academic course; Ethel C. and Melville H., who are students ; and Rowena C., who is still at home. In his fraternal associations Judge Rood is prominent and popular. Since 1868 he has been connected with the I. O. O. F., at Belpie and Marietta, and is now a member of Lodge No. 69, of Marietta. He first joined Lodge No. 319, of Belpre, where he filled all the chairs. He has filled all the chairs in Blenner- hassett Lodge, No. 64. K. of P., of Belpre, and represented that lodge in the Grand Lodge of Ohio for two terms. He belongs to Buell Post. No. 178, G. A. R. In polities Judge Rood has always been an active Republican and an en-

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ergetic political worker. He has been a dele- gate to many judicial, congressional and coun- ty conventions, and was elected alternate from this district in 1888 at the time of the nomin- ation of the late President Harrison. He has taken a prominent part on his party's execu- tive committees in this district. Judge Rood is now president of the Blennerhassett Build- ing Company. For the past eight years he has been president of the Washington County Sav- ings. Loan & Buildings Association, and to- gether with its able Board of Directors has so managed its affairs that it is now one of the strongest and safest institutions of its kind in the country. It has never lost a cent for its members except from $200 to $300 in the re- cent cyclone. The association has recently purchased an elegant property in the heart of the city and will henceforth do business on its own premises. In religious belief, Judge Rood is a Baptist. He is well known and univer- sally respected, his business and professional career having met with the commendation of his fellow citizens.

OHN A. LOVELL, one of the prom- inent oil producers of Washington County, Ohio, was born in Morgan County, Ohio, and is a son of John Lovell. of Massachusetts ancestry. John Lovell, at the age of 76 years, is still an extensive farmer and prominent stockman in Morgan County. In politics he, with his son and grandsons, supports the Republican party.

For about twenty years John A. Lovell has been interested in oil as manager, superintend- ent, operator and owner. Earlier in his career he operated in the shallow oil fields in Morgan County, but since 1898 he has been engaged mainly in Wesley township, Washington County. He is associated with the Cumberland Oil Company and largely interested in the Southwestern Petroleum Company, of which he has been superintendent for several years. The president of this company is G. A. Fore- man, of Buffalo, New York. Mr. Lovell has 41 wells on the Emma Bowman farm in W'es-

ley township. His two sons are contractors for the same company, and attend to the drilling and other necessary contracting work. His long experience has made Mr. Lovell a very safe advisor in oil matters.

Mr. Lovell was married to a daughter of S. M. Hobson, cashier of the Ist National Bank, at Athens, Ohio. She was born in Wes- ley township. but was educated at Beverly, Ohio. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lovell, namely : Jessie ; Annie ; Paul and Earl. twins: Alice and Helen. Mr. and Mrs. Lovell belong to the Methodist Church. The pleasant family residence it as No. 607 Third street, Marietta.

HARLES JONES, a Civil War veter- an, and also proprietor of the flour- ishing dry goods establishment at No. 172 Front street, has been a resi- dent of Marietta for 70 years, and is now living at No. 321 Fourth street. He was born in Montgomeryshire, North Wales, Oc- tober 6, 1823, and is a son of Joseph and Jane ( Evans) Jones.

Joseph Jones was born October 6. 1800. He came to America in 1832, bringing with him his wife and three children, and they set- tled at Cincinnati. Early in 1833. soon after the flood, they came to Marietta on the steam- er "Grenadier," and here they afterward made their home. Mr. Jones died July 20, 1878. in his 78th year. On January 30, 1823, he mar- ried Jane Evans, who died in 1883, in her S4th year. By this marriage there were five children, of whom Charles was the eldest. Jane, now a resident of Toronto, Canada, mar- ried a Mr. Fisher, who is deceased. Thomas,

who was born in North Wales February 13. 1827, and became a bricklayer and contractor, died at Helena, Arkansas, October 9. 1851. John M. died at Cleveland May 29, 1899. at the age of 66 years. Letetia, born July 21. 1836. married George H. Eells, a pension ex- aminer. and they reside on Fourth street in Marietta.

Charles Jones received his early education in Wales and later attended school at Marietta

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for some time. At the early age of 12 years, on account of some financial reverses of his father, he was obliged to leave school and take up the trade of a bricklayer, which he after- ward followed, often filling large contracts, until 1852. In that year he opened a dry goods and notion store on the site now occupied by Fred Wehr's grocery store, and here he contin- ued business for many years. During this period he also conducted an auction room and was a licensed auctioneer for 25 years.

At the opening of the Civil War he enlisted for three years as Ist lieutenant, and first served with the 18th Reg. Ohio Vol. Inf. He was afterward quartermaster in the 2nd Reg. W. Va. Cav. He remained as quartermaster in the regiment about one year. Mr. Jones was sworn into the service in this regiment as Ist lieutenant and quartermaster October 25. 1861. his commission being signed by F. H. Pierpont. Governor. In 1863, while stationed at New- bern, North Carolina, he procured a furlough. Soon after returning home, however, he re- ceived orders to act as quartermaster of the expedition sent to meet Morgan at Buffington's Island, the order being as follows :

Special Order No. 1. HEADQUARTERS, CAMP MARIETTA.

The following companies now at camp are hereby detached under command of Capt. D. L. Wood, 18th U. S. Inf., and will put themselves in readiness to march : Marietta Artillery Co .- Lieut. Nye, commanding. Vol. Mounted Company-Capt. Bloomfield , com- manding.

Co. A, 128th O. V. 1 .- Capt. Steadman, commanding Capt. J. P. Putnam's Company, Capt. Putnam, com- manding.

Post Quartermaster Croxton will provide transpor- tation and forage for five days with fifty horses. Post commissary R. B. Treat will turn over to Charles Jones (who will act as quartermaster of the detachment) 1,250 ratious.

Surgeon S. D. Hart will be acting surgeon. By order of

WM. R. PUTNAM, Colonel Commonding.

In response to the above order Mr. Jones took the steamer. Starlight, from Blennerhas- sett's Island, and transported provisions to the forces sent against Morgan. On the return trip the Morgan prisoners were conveyed to Cincinnati. Upon the expiration of his fur- lough Mr. Jones returned to headquarters at

Newbern, North Carolina, and shortly after -. ward was mustered out of service. Having made a splendid record he was soon offered a liberal salary (which he accepted) to assist Captain Noble, at Crab Orchard, Kentucky, in straightening out accounts, and turning over government supplies to Camp Nelson. After finishing this work he returned to Marietta and engaged as bookkeeper for J. S. Connelly, proprietor of the Phoenix Mills. In 1867 he returned to Marietta and purchased of Col. John C. Paxton, the dry goods store near the St. Cloud Hotel; where he continued business for some time. Later he moved to a large, two-story brick store at No. 172 Front street, where he has conducted business until the pres- ent time.

Mr. Jones married Amy Harris, who was born in Washington County and was a daugh- ter of Russell Harris. After her death, which occurred in 1865, he married Josephine Thomp- son, of Wilmington, Delaware. By the first marriage there were five children, namely : Frank: Bertha: Thomas W .: an infant. de- ceased : and Mattie, who married a Mr. Dye, and resides in West Marietta.

Mr. Jones has long occupied a high social position in Marietta. For about 30 years he has belonged to the I. O. O. F. : and for about the same period to the American Union Lodge, No. I. F. & A. M. Although his parents were Congregationalists, and both his wives Epis- copalians, he is liberal in religious sentiment. Politically he votes with the Republicans.

EORGE B. EYSSEN. As traveling representative of the National Sup- ply Company, and as a large investor in numerous other corporations, Mr. Evssen is exceedingly well known in and about Marietta. His success in conduct- ing his various lines of business seems quite phenomenal, and the qualities which command it are undoubtedly inherited. Mr. Eyssen was born on a farm in Noble County, Ohio, in 1861, and is a son of Charles and Nancy ( Wor- stell) Eyssen.

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Charles Eyssen is a native of Germany. In carly manhood, about 1858, he left his family and his country and set out alone for America. In Monroe County, near Stafford, Ohio, he married Nancy Worstell, and they had four children, namely: George B .; William P .; Lewis; and a daughter, who now resides at Caldwell, Ohio. Mr. Eyssen is the only one of his family who came to the United States. He has, however, a nephew who is in business in Guatemala, Central America, who has vis- ited this country.

George B. Eyssen was reared on a farm in Noble County, Ohio. At the age of 18 years he began teaching school and followed this occupation for about 10 years. During the last four years of this period he taught at Macksburg. While here he became interested in the oil industry in the employ of Clark & McCormick, and later was with M. C. Geider, in Eureka, West Virginia. He continued in this line until 1895. At that time he entered the employ of the National Supply Company at Marietta, and soon afterward became their traveling representative. With shrewd busi- ness insight, he has never failed to invest his money where it would pay the largest divi- dends, and he now owns stock in the Delta Oil Company, the Alta Oil Company, the Leader Publishing Company, the Crystal Ice Company and the Acme Brick Company. He is also a director of the First National Bank. of Ches- ter Hill, Ohio.

In 1900 Mr. Eyssen erected a handsome res- idence on Fairview Heights, one of the pleas- antest sites in the city, and here he and his family reside. His wife was formerly Maria L. Williams, of Lebanon, Ohio. His children are Raymond C .. Hirshell W., Timothy S. and an infant son.

Besides attending to his varied business in- terests Mr. Eyssen always finds time for public and social duties. Since 1897 he has served on the Board of Education, and is now filling his second term. As a Republican he exerts a large influence in local politics. Fraternally he belongs to American Union Lodge, No. 1, F. & A. M .; Lodge No. 366, K. of P., of Macksburg : Lodge No. 477, B. P. O. E., of

Marietta; Marietta Council, No. 32, United Commercial Travelers ; and Olive Lodge, No. 259, I. O. O. F., of Caldwell, Ohio. He is one of the most substantial members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church in Marietta.

ILMER A. PATTERSON, secre- tary and treasurer of the Diamond Pants Company, of Marietta, and for several years auditor of Wash- ington County, was born in Mon- roe County, Ohio, in 1859, and is a son of James and Sophia ( Gray ) Patterson. The mother has resided with her son since the death of her husband in 1893.

James Patterson, the father of Wilmer A., was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, where his father had located on coming from Ireland. James was one of the younger mem- bers of the family, and was but a lad when it removed to Ohio. His business life began as a tanner at Woodsfield .. During a part of the Civil War he was engaged as a coal operator in Washington County, Ohio, and also worked on steamboats plying on the rivers. In the coal business he was associated with W .F. Robertson, and with another partner at Coal Run. Later in life he engaged in mercantile pursuits at Coal Run and was located there at the time of his decease, in 1893, at the age of 60 years. Wilmer A. Patterson had a half- brother, J. D. Patterson, who is a resident of Lucas, lowa.

Wilmer A. Patterson came with his parents to Washington County in 1862 and acquired his mental training here. Until he was 25 years of age he assisted his father in the man- agement of his business. In 1885 he entered the county office as deputy to Auditor B. B. Stone, and served as such until 1894. In 1893 he was elected auditor and served most accept- ably until 1900. On March 1, 1901, Mr. Pat- terson became identified with the Diamond Pants Company, and since then the business has very materially increased. This company was incorporated in 1900 with quarters at No. 200 Second street, Marietta, where two floors

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are occupied, in addition to the third floor at No. 207. The present officers of the company are: C. W. Otto, president ; W. L. Neubeck, vice-president : W. A. Patterson, secretary and treasurer : and L. A. Pease, manager. The firm name was changed in 1902 to the Diamond Pants Company. This is an important Mari- etta business house. It requires 50 machines and from 50 to 60 employes. besides traveling salesmen, and the trade covers Eastern Ohio and a part of West Virginia.

Mr. Patterson may be called a wide-awake business man, one who is fully aware of the de- mands of the times and prepared to meet then !. He is well and favorably known in Marietta and is a liberal supporter of the Methodist Church.

A B. REGNIER, senior member of the jewelry firm of Regnier & Wittlig. at Marietta, bears a name which is in- delibly associated with the early set- tlement of Washington County. He was born at Marietta and is a son of A. B. and Eunice ( Anderson ) Regnier, a grandson of Dr. Felix Regnier, and a great-grandson of Dr Jean Baptiste Regnier, who was the founder of the family at Marietta.

As the name indicates. France was the original home of the Regnier family and in Paris, France, occurred the birth of Jean Bap- Liste Regnier, where his father followed the profession of "notaire." or writer for the law courts, while his thrifty mother conducted a small notion store, and possessed the grace and beauty of a typical French woman. She be- came the mother of seven sons and two daugh- ters. Jean Baptiste bore the name of his fa- ther, whose ambition it was to make of his son an architect, and for this purpose affording him excellent opportunities for study. How- ever, the young man's inclinations were in the direction of medicine, and he had attended pre- liminary lectures at the time when the strug- gles of the French Revolution began. The el- der Regnier with his older sons adhered to the Loyalist cause, and trouble came when, in 1790. the young men were called upon to en-

roll themselves with the revolutionists. The father, in this dilemma, quickly collected all his means and arranged to send them as exiles out of their own country. Jean Baptiste, with his little brother, Modeste, the former but 20 years of age and the latter 14 years old, joined a company of emigrants who had purchased lands of Joel Barlow, and embarked for the United States, parting at the port of Havre, from their brothers, Francis and Benjamin, aged, respectively, 18 and 16 years, who sailed at the same time for the island of St. Domingo.

Early in 1790 the two brothers first named landed in the new country at Alexandria and on October 16, of the same year reached the lately founded city of Marietta, Ohio. A few days later they set out for their new possessions. They were provided with a year's provisions by the agent. Mr. Duer. in New York, and in their boats they proceeded to the assigned lands on the right bank of the Ohio at a point a little below the mouth of the Little Kanawha River, which was supposed to be the upper end of their purchase. Here the French refugees founded the city of Gallipolis, and here Jean Baptiste built for himself and brother during that first winter the only frame house in the place, the other dwellings all being made of logs. The strangers soon found that they could obtain no clear titles to this land, and the conditions were such that want began to stare the colony in the face. Young Jean decided to go with his brother to New York and in the last of February, 1792, they embarked in their pirogue, finally reached Pittsburg on the way, and in the course of time after many vicissi- tudes, appeared in New York. Finding here neither friends nor employment the two young men embarked on a vessel for Newfoundland, where they joined a French settlement.

In 1794, giving up all hope of returning to his beloved land, Jean Baptiste returned to New York and settled on the military tract on the Conesewata Creek, having been commis- sioned an agent to explore the land, then a wil- clerness, and to induce settlement and to sell to actual settlers only. Dr. Regnier at that time was the only white man within 40 miles of the territory who had any skill in medical

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science, and in attending to the sick and sup- plying the necessities of life at a general store. he found employment for his superabundant energy.

After his marriage in 1796 to Content Chamberlain. of Unadilla, New York, he stud- ied medicine for a year with his friend, Dr. La Moine, who had located at Washington, Pennsylvania, and there spent the greater part of the year 1802. Returning then to Unadilla. where his wife and children remained, he de- cided to return to Ohio, and carried out this in- tention in 1803, landing at Marietta in that year. He settled on land on Duck Creek. which is now included in Fearing townsh .: and entered upon the practice of his profession. making his visits on foot. In February. 1809. he felt justified in moving into Marietta, and there entered into a partnership with his broth- er Francis, who had reached there a short time before from St. Domingo. When his brother later removed to St. Genevieve, the Doctor purchased a drug store and added the sale of medicine to his other business. About 1814 he bought a square of city property which he grad- ually improved and sold it in 1819 purchasing 320 acres of government land on Duck Creek. In the next year he erected fine farm buildings and a large flouring mill. In 1818. Dr. Reg- nier was elected county commissioner and as- sisted in drafting the plans for the court house. which was erected after his death in 1882. Dr. Regnier was an original member of the first incorporated medical society in the State of Ohio, in 1812. This remarkable man, public- sipirited citizen and noted physician, died from an attack of bilious fever in the winter of 1821.

Dr. Felix Regnier adopted his father's pro- fession. He married Libbie Barber, a great- granddaughter of Colonel David Barber, who was the first Congressman to represent the Northwest Territory. His son. A. B. Regnier became the father of the second A. B., who is so well known in the jewelry trade in this city A. B. Regnier, Sr., was a graduate of Mari- etta College and the time may be indicated by the fact that he was the first passenger to cross the railroad bridge erected between Har- mar and Marietta. Later Mr. Regnier grad-

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History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 196

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490