USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, Vol. II > Part 10
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H. S. GARBER.
H. S. Garber, who now owns and operates two hundred and twenty acres of valuable land on section 34, Jefferson township, was born on this farm on the 5th of July, 1864. His parents, J. L. and Rebecca (Wallace) Garber, also natives of Richland county, Ohio, were of German and Scotch descent respectively. Their children were as follows: Ella, the wife of John Watson, of this county; Irene, deceased; Clara, the widow of S. A. Oyster, who likewise makes her home in this county; Ida M., at home; H. S., of this review; J. W., of Richland county ; J. M., who is a civil engineer of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; George Wallace, Myrtle E. and Mamie D., all of whom have passed away. Mrs. Garber is one of the two survivors in a family of six children and now lives with her daughter, but the death of the father occurred in 1903. He always took an active interest in politics as a champion of the democracy, and served nearly seven years as county commissioner. He was identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Grange.
HI. S. Garber remained on the home farm until he had attained his majority and supplemented his preliminary education by a course in Ashland College, and a course in the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, of which he is a graduate. He was engaged in teaching school for fifteen years and for a period of four years was located in Missouri, but, returning to Ohio in 1896, has here since resided. He now owns two hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land on section 34, Jefferson township, and in addition to the tilling of the soil makes a specialty of feeding stock, both branches of his business returning to him a gratifying annual income.
In 1898 Mr. Garber was united in marriage to Miss Sylvia Swank, who was born in Jefferson township, Richland county, Ohio, in 1874. a daughter of John
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and Leah Swank, natives of this state. They have become the parents of five children, namely : Lucile C., Leora E., Gladys M., J. L. and Vance W.
Mr. Garber gives his political allegiance to the democracy and has served on the school board, the cause of education finding in him a stalwart champion. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Universalist church, while fraternally he is connected with the Maccabees and the Grange. Natives of this county, both he and his wife are widely and favorably known through- out the community by reason of their genuine personal worth and sterling traits of character, having gained the respect and regard of all with whom they have been brought in contact.
WILLIAM LUTZ.
William Lutz, residing in Lexington, is a prominent representative of industrial interests in this part of the state. He is a man of unfaltering activity who readily sees and utilizes his opportunities and recognizes that the present. and not the future is the moment for action. He is now connected with various business interests of the community and belongs to that class of repre- sentative American men, who in advancing individual success also contribute to the general welfare.
Mr. Lutz was born in Washington township, this county, December 1, 1865, and is a son of Thomas Lutz, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Spending his boyhood days under the parental roof he acquired his education in the district schools and when not busy with his text-books he gave his father the benefit of his services, working with him until about twenty-three years of age. At the age of twenty-five years he began operating a sawmill in con- nection with his brother, and for sixteen years has lived in Lexington, where he has been engaged in business as owner of a sawmill, handling about two hundred thousand feet of lumber annually. He buys the standing timber or the logs, converts it into marketable lumber and has furnished building material for big contracts, including some of Mansfield's finest residences, and also for one of the largest and best hotels in that city. A man with resourceful business ability, he has not confined his attention to one line, but has extended his efforts into other departments of business activity. In 1900 he bought out his brother's interest in the sawmill and conducted that enterprise alone. He is also engaged quite extensively in buying and shipping logs and he buys and bales hay and makes shipments of that commodity every year, owning and operating two steam balers. He likewise is engaged in threshing and in this connection owns four threshing outfits which are constantly employed during the busy season.
On the 1st of March, 1892, Mr. Lutz was united in marriage to Miss Callie Gritz, who was born in Douglas county, Illinois, in 1868, and is a daughter of John and Mary (Mason) Gritz. the former a native of Germany and the latter of Illinois. They are both living in Douglas county, Illinois, at the present time Mr. Gritz came from the fatherland to the new world at
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fifteen years of age. in company with his parents, who located in Coles county, Illinois. By his marriage there were born to him and his wife six children, of whom three are living, viz .: Mrs. Lutz, Mrs. Christiana Ann Newman, a resident of Indiana; and Frederick C., of Illinois. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Lutz has been blessed with six children, of whom four are living: Clarence, Fred, Ralph and Floyd. Clara, the third in order of birth is deceased and the youngest died in infancy. Mr. Lutz erected a residence in Lexington, but having an opportunity to sell this at a handsome profit he did so and now has plans under way for a fine home which he will occupy. He is one of the prominent and influential residents of the community and at the present time is serving as a member of the council. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity of Bellville and to the Modern Woodmen camp of Lexington, while his political allegiance is given to the democracy. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the German Lutheran church and his wife belongs to the Christian church. Mr. Lutz certainly deserves much credit for what he has accomplished for he started out in life empty-handed and has worked his way upward by reason of honorable methods and unfaltering industry. Brooking no obstacles that could be overcome by persistence, he has steadily advanced and the success which he has achieved has been but the just reward of his earnest labor and commercial integrity.
SAMUEL L. STROUP.
Samuel L. Stroup, a representative of the farming interests of Plymouth township, living on section 32, was born near Blain, Perry county, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1862. He resided there until he came to Richland county, November 25, 1880. His parents, Peter and Susan (Moose) Stroup, spent their entire lives upon a farm in Perry county. The mother died when her son was but six years of age, and the father passed away on the 1st of November, 1880, when his son was a youth of eighteen. The family numbered six children: Mrs. Maggie Baker, who is living in Pennsylvania; David, a retired farmer of Shelby; Henry, who resides in Sharon township: George .. living in Fremont, Ohio; James, whose home is in Michigan; and the subject of this review.
On removing west Samuel L. Stroup made his way at once to Richland county. As he had no capital to aid him in starting out in life he worked by the month as a farm hand for Thomas Bradley for five years. He then rented land for two years, in connection with his brother Henry, afterward locating on the present John Dempsey place, where he lived for twenty years, operating that farm until the death of Mr. Dempsey, four years ago, and since that time he has had charge of the property for the estate. In this connection he had charge of seven hundred and twenty acres of land, which has now been reduced to four hundred acres. It is a valuable stock farm on which is a race course, and road horses have been made a feature of the place. Mr. Stroup breeds and sells these and has also engaged in dealing in cattle and
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sheep. Adjoining this place is a tract of land of one hundred and twenty-seven acres, on section 32, Plymouth township, which is the property of Mr. Stroup and which he now rents.
In 1888 occurred the marriage of Mr. Stroup and Miss Emma Stein, a native of Cass township and a daughter of Henry Stein. Unto this marriage three children have been born: Lolai, Clarence, and Fred. Mr. Stroup was elected a trustee of Plymouth township in the fall of 1907, and is therefore filling the office at the present time. He has been a school officer for twelve years and he usually votes with the republican party, for he believes that its principles will best conserve good government. Fraternally he is connected with the Tribe of Ben Hur, with the Modern Woodmen and with the Knights of Pythias, being associated with all these organizations through their local branches in Shelby. He is accounted today one of the most progressive, enterprising farmers and stock-raisers in this part of the state, for his business interests have reached extensive proportions and are most capably managed.
RUFUS LORD AVERY.
As long as memory remains to the American people, the story of the soldiers of the Civil war will fill our hearts and awaken our gratitude. Richland county supplied her full quota to the army which defended the Union and among the number of her gallant sons who went from Mansfield was Captain Rufus Lord Avery, who gave his life a willing sacrifice on the altar of his- country.
He was a representative of one of the oldest families of Mansfield. His- father, Curtis Lord Avery, was born at Groton, Connecticut, June 1, 1810, and was one of the earliest inhabitants of Mansfield. He came of a family of English lineage that was established at Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1630. Representatives of the name were active supporters of the cause of inde- pendence in the Revolutionary war and also fought for American interests in the war of 1812. Arriving in Mansfield in 1833, in the days of its village- hood, Curtis L. Avery, engaged in merchandising and while promoting his individual succcess also aided largely in advancing the prosperity of the city along many substantial lines. He was a man of broad humanitarian principles and naturally was one of the first to espouse the anti-slavery cause. He refused to follow the teachings of many of the clergymen of that. day, who believed that the institution of slavery should be let alone, even though they did not advocate it. Mr. Avery, however, was a man fearless in defense of his honest convictions and he could not be content to remain affiliated with a church that did not take a strong stand in opposition to what he rightly believed was a great evil. Accordingly, in company with several of his neighbors who held views similar to his own, he founded the first Congregational church of Mansfield, which recently celebrated its semi-cen- tennial anniversary. Soon after the close of the war he retired from business and removed to Wayne, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. He had lived to see
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the principles which he advocated become a part of the national laws. In Mansfield he was numbered among the upbuilders of the city and his name is yet honored as that of one who took a prominent and helpful part in the city's advancement. In 1854 he erected the house which afterward became the home of Senator Sherman.
Rufus Lord Avery, a son of Curtis Lord Avery, was born in Mansfield, April 16, 1838, and was educated at Kenyon College, after which he entered the mercantile business with his father. In 1860 he formed a partnership in mercantile lines with F. E. Tracy, and under the firm name of Tracy & Avery they conducted the first wholesale grocery house in Mansfield. The business has had a prosperous existence from the beginning and is still carried on as first founded, Captain Rufus L. Avery's name being still retained in the firm. A complete history of this institution appears elsewhere in this volume. At the opening of the rebellion he was the first to respond to the country's call for troops. Hardly had the smoke from Fort Sumter's guns cleared away when he placed his name on the roll of Company C, Fifteenth Ohio Infantry. This was on the 17th of April, 1861, only five days after the first gun had been fired. He was made sergeant of his company and was promoted on the field to the rank of second lieutenant. He participated with his regiment in the engagement of Phillipi and a few days later was at Ridge Mountain. He also took part in the operations in the Cheat River Valley, which resulted in driving the enemy from that part of West Virginia. He also went on a long march of one hundred and thirty miles in pursuit of Buchanan. When the three months' term of enlistment had expired, the regiment returned to Ohio for reorganization in August, 1861. Captain Avery's business, however, demanded his personal attention and he did not return to the field until May, 1864, but during the interval he was active in promoting the Union cause in many ways, especially in assisting in organizing and drilling troops for the fields. As captain of Company A, of the One Hundred and Sixty-third Ohio Infantry he again went to the front in May, 1864. The regiment spent a month in the entrenchments at Washington and reached Deep Bottom Bridge, June 14, 1864, taking up his position at Fort Waltham in the trenches in front of Petersburg. They had destroyed six miles of the road when they were attacked by General Mahone's division and after a hotly contested fight were forced to withdraw. Captain Avery contracted "chickahominy" fever on an expedition under General Gilman Marston for the relief of a foraging expedi- tion operating in the peninsula in July, and from that disease died in the hospital on the receiving ship, Matilda, off Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, August 2, 1864. He gave his life for his country, never faltering in his loyalty to the flag and the cause it represented, and he realized that when he went a second time to the front he was facing dangers and perhaps death, but he never faltered in the performance of his duty. His name is now enrolled among the brave soldiers that Richland county furnished to the war and his memory will ever be honored here.
To his family Captain Avery was a most devoted husband and father. On the 15th of October, 1861, he had wedded Miss Mary Diantha Tracy, who was born at Huron, Ohio, January 12. 1839. She was a daughter of Judge
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Josiah Tracy, the eldest son of Josiah Tracy, Sr. His birth occurred in Franklin, Connecticut, October 1, 1796, and he was married August 18, 1824, to Diantha Lathrop, who was born about 1802 and was a daughter of Eleazor Lathrop, of Connecticut, who became one of the earliest settlers of Sherburne, New York. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Tracy were born the following named children : Lathrop J., Eunice N., Frederick E., Ruth M., Sarah P., Mrs. Mary D. Avery and Frances. Mrs. Avery is the only one of the family now living. Judge Josiah Tracy settled at Painesville, Ohio, and was engaged in merchandising there with his brother, who was a colonel of the state militia. In 1832 he moved to Vermilion, Ohio, and became identified with business interests of that locality as superintendent of the Huron Iron Works. About 1835 he removed to Huron, Ohio, where he engaged in the commission business. He was also mayor, justice of the peace, state senator and one of the judges of Erie county. The official positions to which he was called indicate most clearly the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens. He was a man well fitted for leadership and he left the impress of his individuality for good upon the community in which he lived. He took an active interest in all public affairs and at all times stood for progress and improvement, whether in business, social or political life. In 1840 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died at Huron on the 22d of April of that year. In 1847 he removed to Mansfield, where his last days were passed, and Richland county regarded him as one of its most prominent and respected citizens. Here death came to him on the 11th of January, 1857, and at his request his remains were taken to Huron, Ohio, for interment and placed by the side of his wife.
As stated, their daughter, Mary Diantha, became the wife of Rufus L. Avery and unto them was born a daughter, Sarah Lord Avery, on the 18th of March, 1863. On the 27th of June, 1888, she became the wife of Rev. Alfred Chapman Hand. Their only son was born at Cannes, France, April 27, 1889, and is now a student in Amherst College. Mrs. Mary Diantha Avery still makes her home in Mansfield, where she has many friends, being held in the highest esteem by all who know her.
HENRY WEBER.
Henry Weber, of the Renner & Weber Brewing Company, is one of the prominent citizens and leading business men of Mansfield. He is a native of Germany, born in Schillingstadt, Baden, on the 27th of March, 1835, and is a son of Henry Weber, a brewer at that place, as was also his grandfather, John Philip Weber. The brewery they conducted there had a capacity of only ten barrels per day and only brewed in the winter time, not having ice machines as they do now, while in the summer months they made weis beer.
Mr. Weber of this review was educated in the public schools of his native town and at an early age began work in the brewery which had belonged
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to his father, who died when our subject was only six months old. An uncle then took charge of the business, the entire family being brewers, and under his supervision Henry Weber learned the trade. In 1859 he came alone to America and for one year was in the employ of Eberhardt's Brewery at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. At the end of that time he removed to Mansfield, Ohio, and entered the service of Frank & Eberle, for whom he worked two years, and in the fall of 1862 secured employment in the B. Fox Brewery at Sandusky. The following year he went to Bucyrus, Ohio, to become fore- man for George Donnenwirth & Son, who had just commenced the manufacture of lager beer.
After one year spent at that place, Mr. Weber returned to Mansfield and rented a half interest of Joseph Leuthner in the brewing business of Leuthner & Schmutzler. In 1866 this arrangement ceased and he formed a partnership with Martin Frank and they conducted what was known as the Union Brewery, under the firm name of Frank & Weber, now Frank & Son. This connection continued until October, 1883, when Mr. Weber purchased the interest of Theodore Aberle in the brewing firm of Reiman & Aberle, conducting a brewery which was established in Mansfield in 1855, and the firm name became Reiman & Weber. The capacity of their plant was then thirty barrels per day. In 1884 George J. Renner purchased Mr. Reiman's interest, and the firm name was changed to Renner & Weber. From that date great improvements were made in the buildings and machinery. The officers of the company were George J. Renner, president; Henry Weber, vice president; and John Weaver, secretary and treasurer In 1900 they erected a large new building and at various times since then have installed modern machinery, a refrigerator plant, etc., and the capacity is now one hundred and fifty barrels per day. In 1888 Mr. Renner removed to Akron, where he purchased a brewery, and since that time Mr. Weber has been the resident head of the firm. The name of the plant was changed to the Eagle Brewery some time previous to his becoming a member of the firm and it is still known by that name. The business was incorporated in 1901 under the name of the Renner & Weber Brewing Company, with a capital of forty thousand dollars. Their Red Band beer has won a wide reputation through- out this section of the state, as has also their Eagle Export bottled beer, and the former is now the leading beer of Mansfield. Mr. Weber has not con- fined his attention alone to the brewing business, but is interested to a considerable extent in Mansfield real estate, owning some good property, including his own nice home on North Franklin avenue.
On the 2d of May, 1863, at Sandusky, Ohio, Mr. Weber was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Heiser, a daughter of Rudolph Heiser, of Schwe- genheim, Rhein-Pfalz, Germany. She came to the United States with a sister in 1860, at the age of twenty-four years, and located in Mansfield, but later removed to Sandusky, where they were married and began their domes- tic life. They have six children, namely: Henry, Jr., now a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota; Adolph, who is conducting a saloon at Shelby, Ohio; Julius, who is connector for the Renner & Weber Brewing Company and is proprietor of the Crystal Ice plant of Mansfield: Philipina, the wife of Ernst
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Reinewald, foreman of the Crystal Ice plant; and Ida and Julia B., both at home.
In his political views Mr. Weber is a democrat, but is not strictly parti- san, voting for the men whom he believes best qualified for office even at national elections. He has been offered official position, but has always de- clined to serve as his own business interests claim his entire time and attention. He is a member of Richland Lodge, No. 161, I. O. O. F .; Mo- hican Encampment, No. 13; the Mansfield Liedertaffel; and the old German Pioneer Society, in all of which orders he has held office. Religiously he is a member of the German Brethren, he and his family all belonging to St. John's church. He is a man of fine physique and, although seventy-three years of age, his hair is still untouched by gray and he has the vigor and strength of most men of forty. In everything he has been eminently prac- tical and this has been manifest not only in his business undertakings but also in his private life. Social and genial by nature, he makes many friends and he is held in the highest esteem by all with whom he comes in contact.
JOHN WATSON.
John Watson, a successful agriculturist, was born on the farm on which he now resides on section 19, Jefferson township, the date of his birth being January 23, 1847. His parents, Levi and Sarah Ann (Daugherty) Watson, were natives of Pennsylvania and removed to Richland county in 1845, purchasing the farm on which our subject now makes his home. Their family numbered four children, as follows: Eliza Jane, the widow of D. L. Young, of Jefferson township; Sarah Ann, the widow of T. Love, who resides in Michigan; John, of this review; and Levi, of Jefferson township. The father voted for Abraham Lincoln, but afterward gave his political allegiance to the democracy. He was killed by a horse power machine on the 9th of December, 1873, his wife passing away February 18, 1874.
John Watson remained on the home farm until the time of his father's death, supplementing his preliminary education by a course in the high school of Bellville. Subsequently he was engaged in teaching school for eighteen terms, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. He now owns a half interest in two hundred and nineteen and a half acres of land on section 19, Jefferson township, and is meeting with a well merited measure of prosperity in the conduct of his farming interests, being recognized as one of the substantial and enterprising agriculturists of the community.
On the 30th of March, 1880, occurred the marriage of John Watson and Miss Eleanora Garber, a daughter of Jehu L. Garber, who is mentioned on another page of this work. Their union has been blessed with two children : Zola May, a graduate of Western Reserve and now teaching in the high school at Shelby, and Clara Edith, a teacher for some three years, but is now attending the normal school at Athens.
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In his political views Mr. Watson is a stalwart democrat, and has served on the school board for two years. He is a public-spirited citizen whose aid and influence can always be counted upon in the promotion of any movement or measure calculated to advance the best interests of his native county.
JOHN MOFFETT.
John Moffett is a retired farmer and mechanic now residing in the vil- lage of Lucas, but for many years he was closely associated with industrial and agricultural interests and through the capable direction of his business affairs won the success which now enables him to rest from further strenuous labor. A native of Richland county, he was born in Monroe township on the 14th of November, 1844. His father, Samuel Moffett, was a native of New Jersey and came to Richland county about 1838, settling in Monroe township, where he followed farming for a time, but later took up his abode in Lucas, where he engaged in blacksmithing until his death in 1871. He was buried in the Odd Fellows' cemetery, having been a devoted member of living: John, of this review; and Frederick S., who is now living retired in Chicago.
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