USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, Vol. II > Part 35
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S. P. CARL.
S. P. Carl well deserves mention in a history of the farming interests of Richland county, for through the force of his own character, capable manage- ment and keen discrimination he has gained a place among the substantial agriculturists of the community, although he has met many difficulties and obstacles on the journey of life. He was born in Madisonburg, Wayne county, Ohio, July 4, 1852, his parents being George and Christina (Wetzel) Carl, both of whom were natives of Germany, the mother's birth having occurred in Wurtemberg. The father came to the United States in the '40s and settled at Madisonburg, Wayne county, Ohio. He had previously learned the sad-
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
dler's and harnessmaker's trade in his native country during his boyhood and he followed that pursuit there until his emigration to the new world. After coming to Ohio he conducted a hotel and also carried on a harness shop in Madisonburg for sixteen years, but in 1856 he turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits, in which he continued until his death in 1904. His life was one of unceasing toil and industry, and his indefatigable perseverance and well directed labor brought him a comfortable living. He long survived his wife, who passed away March 28, 1876.
They were the parents of eleven children, namely: Alexander and George, who are partners in the conduct of a hardware business in Shreve, Wayne county, Ohio; Caroline and Emeline, both of whom are deceased; S. P., of this review; Elizabeth and Clara, who have also passed away ; Brada, who is engaged in the hardware business in Jeromeville, Ashland county, this state; Edward, who makes his home in Colorado; William, who is junior member of the firm of Carl Brothers, engaged in the hardware business at Shreve, Ohio; and one who died in infancy.
S. P. Carl was educated in the district schools and in a select school at Shreve, Ohio. In his youth he became familiar with the labors of the farm, as he assisted his father in tilling the soil and caring for the crops. Throughout his entire life he has carried on general agricultural pursuits. Twenty-five years ago he came to Richland county and purchased one hundred acres of land in Madison township, which he still owns and operates. When he bought this farm it was entirely unimproved and in its midst stood a little log cabin with the usual accompaniments in the way of other buildings and improve- ments. With characteristic energy he began the further development of the farm, erected a commodious residence and subsequently put up substantial barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. As the years have passed he has kept persistently at work in improving his place until it com- pares very favorably with other farms in the vicinity of Mansfield and its owner is looked upon as one of Richland county's substantial agriculturists. Al- though he has faced adverse circumstances in life, Mr. Carl has been prosperous and has accumulated a competence sufficient to enable him to enjoy life, if he so desires, without further recourse to labor. He has made judicious and profitable investments in real estate and his property interests now include five residences in the city of Mansfield.
Mr. Carl was married in 1874 to Miss Caroline Smith, then a resident of Ashland county, Ohio, and unto this marriage have been born eight children, as follows: Ella, the wife of Jacob Mottayau, a farmer in Willow township, Richland county ; Clarence, who wedded Irene Alleman, who is engaged in the hardware business in Jeromeville, Ashland county; Lottie, the wife of Or- ville Dixon, a farmer of Franklin township, Richland county; Bertha, the wife of Roy Blizzard, a liveryman of Mansfield; Walter, who married Hall Fletcher and is acting as cashier of the bank at Jeromeville, Ohio; Roy, who is in the employ of the Oliver Chilled Plow Company at Mansfield; and Stella and Harland, at home.
The parents are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church and are active and helpful workers in the church, doing much to promote its growth
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and extend its influence. Mr. Carl votes with the democratic party but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him. He prefers to give his attention to his business affairs and as the years have gone by he has met with signal prosperity in his undertakings.
DAVID J. MCCREADY.
The fitting reward of a well spent life is a period of rest in which to enjoy the fruits of former toil and this has been vouchsafed David J. McCready, who for a long period was actively connected with agricultural interests in Rich- land county. He worked diligently year after year until his labors have brought him sufficient capital to enable him to put aside active business cares and yet enjoy all of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life. He is now living in Butler.
His birth occurred in Washington county, Pennsylvania, November 13, 1842, his parents being William and Elizabeth (Douglas) McCready. The father, also a native of Washington county, was born April 14, 1804, and having arrived at years of maturity he was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Elizabeth Douglas, whose birth occurred in Washington county on the 9th of November, 1804, there being only about six months' difference in their ages. They lived in the east until 1859, when they removed to Ohio, settling in Washington township, Richland county, where the father rented land and then carried on farming for a number of years. Living economically and industriously, he at length saved a sum sufficient to enable him to purchase a small farm and upon that place he and his wife spent their remaining days. They were both consistent members of the Presbyterian church and enjoyed to the fullest extent the good will and friendship of all with whom they came in contact. Mr. McCready died in 1874 and his wife passed away in October, 1876. They were the parents of eight children, of whom four are yet living: John, a resident of Nebraska; Mrs. Elizabeth Pollock, whose home is in Wash- ington township; David J .; and Mrs. Amanda Byerly, of Butler. Those who have passed away are Rebecca, Sarah Ann, William and Mary.
David J. McCready spent the first seventeen years of his life in the county of his nativity and then came with his parents to Richland county. Through the medium of the public schools, which he attended in the winter seasons, he acquired his education and in the work of the farm he assisted largely so that practical experience had well qualified him for the duties of the fields when he started out in business life on his own account.
In 1864, when a young man of twenty-one years, he offered his services to the government in defense of the Union, enlisting as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Sixty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He thus served until the close of the war and met many of the hardships which fall to the lot of the soldier. He took part in a number of hotly contested engagements and the long hard marches, but never faltered in the performance of any duty for the protection of Union interests.
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
Following the war Mr. McCready returned to Richland county, tock up the occupation of farming and soon made arrangements for having a home of his own by his marriage on the 31st of October, 1867, to Miss Samantha Pollock, who was born in Washington township, February 9, 1842. She is a daughter of Thomas and Mary E. (Morrell) Pollock. Her father was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1801, and the mother's birth occurred in Huntingdon county of the same state on the 3d of February, 1801. They were married on the 1st of April, 1824, but in the meantime- in 1818-Thomas Pollock had come to Richland county with his parents. Mrs. Pollock had removed to Beaver county, Pennsylvania, with her parents when a little maiden of nine years and there remained until after the close of the war of 1812, when they removed to the mouth of Block river, near Cleve- land. The family home was maintained at that place until 1822, when they came to Richland county. While living on Block river Mrs. Pollock washed four pocket handkerchiefs for President Monroe, who with General Lewis Cass, R. M. Johnson and others were making a trip of inspection to the then northwest. President Monroe gave her fifty cents for this work and she kept the piece of money for years. She had a brother who was a soldier in the war of 1812, as was her father. As stated, it was in Richland county that Mr. and Mrs. Pollock were married and here they spent their remaining days, becoming well known as respected and representative farming people of this part of the state. The former died in Washington township, August 27, 1881, and the latter on the 27th of April, 1880. There was only a few months difference in their ages and but a few months difference in the time of their death. They had traveled life's journey together for about fifty-six years, their mutual love and confidence increasing as the days passed by. Their family numbered ten children, three of whom are yet living: Andrew, now a resident of Delaware, Ohio; James, whose home is in Madison township; and Mrs. McCready. Those who have passed away are William, Elizabeth, Joseph, Caroline, John, Milton, and Laban. The home of Mr. and Mrs. McCready has been blessed with four children: Orton M., James T., and L. W., all of Butler; and Eva A., at home.
Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. McCready began farming in Washington township and as his financial resources did not permit him to purchase land, he rented a farm for several years or until 1874. As a care- ful expenditure in the meantime had brought him a sum sufficient to justify his purchase of fifty-two acres of land, he took up his abode thereon and made the place his home for many years, or until the fall of 1906, when he rented his farm and came to Butler, where he and his wife are now living. Mrs. McCready has always been an able assistant and helpmate to her husband and they both deserve the rest from the arduous work of the farm which they are now enjoying. Both are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Mc- Cready exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party. He has lived in this county during the greater part of his life and has witnessed its growth for almost half a century. He has proved how effective are the qualities of unfaltering perseverance and per- sistent energy in achieving success, for it has been along these lines that he
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has won his present place among the men of affluence of the community. The business methods he has employed have ever been such as have gained for him the trust and confidence of those with whom he has been associated, and he is justly accounted one of the respected residents of Butler.
HARVEY IMHOFF.
Harvey Imhoff, who has been superintendent of the county poor farm since 1906, was born in Ashland county, Ohio, January 2, 1870, his parents being Jacob and Elizabeth (Gates) Imhoff, who were natives of Ashland, Ohio. The father passed away in March, 1905, but the mother is still living in this county. Their family numbered eight children, namely: John W., of Ashland county, Ohio; Adella, deceased; William H., a resident of Shelby, Ohio; Harvey, of this review; Jennie, who resides in Ashland, Ohio; Fannie, who is also deceased; Alice, who makes her home in Ashland, Ohio; and Bessie, the wife of William Remy, of Richland county.
Harvey Imhoff acquired a common-school education and when he had reached the age of sixteen years began working as a farm hand, being thus employed by the same man for six years. He then rented this man's farm for four years, and for the succeeding seven years engaged in the operation of another tract of land which he rented. Subsequently he took charge of the county infirmary in 1906 and has thus been identified with this institution to the present time, having always more than one hundred inmates under his care.
In 1892 Mr. Imhoff was united in marriage to Miss Alice Wolfe, a native of Weller township, Richland county. Her mother passed away in 1904, but her father is still living in Ashland, Ohio. Unto our subject and his wife have been born two sons, Roscoe E. and Carl.
Politically Mr. Imhoff is a democrat and has served as school director for six years. Fraternally he is a Mason, being a member of the Blue lodge at Mansfield, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, with which his wife is also identified. They are well known and highly respected residents of the community and have gained an extensive circle of warm friends here.
WILLIAM M. HAWK.
William M. Hawk is a representative of one of the old and well known families of Richland county. His birth occurred about one and a half miles south of Shelby on the 26th of March, 1865, he being the eldest of the six children of Jacob and Sarah Hawk, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. He now lives on section 20, Sharon township, where he is actively and successfully engaged in general farming. During his infancy he
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was taken by his parents to the farm on which he now resides and throughout his entire life he has been connected with the tilling of the soil. He now has ninety-six acres belonging to his father which he cultivates and in the spring of 1908 he purchased fifty-two acres of land in Jackson township. This, how- ever, he now rents while he operates the farm belonging to his father. In all his business affairs he displays keen enterprise and untiring energy, and that his farming interests are well managed is indicated by the generous harvests which he annually gathers. He has also been a stockholder in the Independent Telephone Company since its organization and is likewise financially interested in the canning factory at Shelby.
On the 16th of September, 1891, Mr. Hawk was married to Miss Ella H. Stone, who was born in Crawford county, August 27, 1864, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Dickson) Stone. In 1898 Mr. Hawk was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 12th of September in that year, leaving a little son, William Harold, who was born April 2, 1898. On the 15th of November, 1899, Mr. Hawk was again married, his second union being with Florence C. Hartman, who was born in Jackson township, this county, November 20, 1865, and is a daughter of John F. and Louise (Kuhn) Hart- man. There is one daughter by the second marriage, Sarah Louise, born October 15, 1900.
In his political views Mr. Hawk is an earnest republican, never faltering in his support of the party. He has been a lifelong member of the Reformed church, is active in its work and loyal to its interests. For eight years he filled the office of deacon and for seven years has been an elder of the church. His life is upright in its purpose, manly in its conduct, and wherever he is known Mr. Hawk receives the respect that is always accorded to genuine worth in every land and clime.
STEVENSON E. WARD.
Stevenson E. Ward, the efficient and popular cashier of the Bank of Mans- field, was born in this city July 22, 1879. His father, M. D. Ward, also a native of Richland county, was formerly cashier of the Bank of Mansfield, but is now secretary of the Mechanics' Building & Loan Association, which position he has held for twenty years. He wedded Mary Stevenson, and further mention of him is made on another page of this work.
Stevenson E. Ward was graduated from the Mansfield high school in the year 1898 and subsequently attended the University of Michigan until 1902, pursuing both literary and law courses. On returning to this city he became bookkeeper for the Mansfield Telephone Company, his term as such extending throughout the entire period of its construction. The plant was built by the Everett-Moore syndicate, of Cleveland, with only a small local interest, but, becoming financially embarrassed early in 1903, it was purchased from them by Mr. Ward and others, who assumed control on the 1st of November, 1903. At that time our subject became general manager. This company developed
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
the entire county, having a plant in Mansfield and exchanges in this city, Adario, Bellville, Butler, Lexington and Shiloh, a total system of more than four thousand subscribers and an investment of over three hundred thousand dollars. This wonderful growth has been attained in five years and is attribut- able in no small degree to the excellent executive ability and keen discrimination of Mr. Ward in his position as manager. The Mansfield ex- change is noted as being one of the best constructed in the country and the county system is one of the best developed. Throughout the business district their lines are all underground. Though still retaining his interest and mem- bership on the executive committee, Mr. Ward resigned the management of the concern on the 1st of January, 1907, on that date succeeding his father, who had retired, as cashier of the Bank of Mansfield. He is still filling that position and is notably prompt and capable in the discharge of his important duties.
On the 5th of October, 1904, at Mansfield, Mr. Ward was united in mar- riage to Miss May L., daughter of J. J. Sullivan, now deceased, who was a boiler manufacturer and one of the most popular residents of Mansfield. Mrs. Ward graduated from Mansfield high school in the same class with her future husband, and later completed a course in the Georgetown convent. She is a niece of J. H. Barrett, deceased, formerly general superintendent of the South- ern Railway, who transported all troops to the scene of conflict in the Spanish- American war and was very highly complimented by Secretary Root for his efficient service in that direction .. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ward has been born one child, Mary Katherine, two years of age.
In his political views Mr. Ward is a democrat but has no desire for official preferment, for he finds that his time is fully occupied by other interests. He is secretary of the Westbrook Country Club and is serving as exalted ruler of the Elks lodge, while his membership relations also connect him with the Masonic fraternity and Our Club. His religious faith is indicated by his identification with the First Methodist Episcopal church. He is a lover of literature and spends most of his leisure time in reading, while golf and tennis, of which he is very fond, also furnish him recreation. Both he and his wife are active and prominent in social and club circles and have gained the high regard and esteem of all with whom they have come in contact. Although still a young man he has already won for himself a prominent position among the representative business men of his native city and well deserves mention as one of its substantial and enterprising residents.
WILLIAM McCOY.
William McCoy, a successful agriculturist of Jefferson township, was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1835, a son of Benjamin and Sarah McCoy, who were also natives of the Keystone state. There the mother died when our subject was a little lad of seven years, and the father subsequently married again. By the first union there were four sons, the
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MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM McCOY.
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY
others being: Benjamin, who has passed away; Israel, a resident of Canton, Ohio; and John C., who makes his home in Kansas. There was one child by the second marriage. Leaving Pennsylvania, Benjamin McCoy brought his family to Ohio, the trip being made with a two-horse wagon, and after spending a few months in Wayne, he located in Lexington, Richland county, in 1848. For two years he made his home in Troy township and then re- moved to Morrow county, where he died in 1851.
When William McCoy had mastered the branches of learning taught in the common schools he learned the tanner's trade, with which he was connected at Bellville for fifteen years. He then located on his present farm in Jefferson township, where he owns eighty-four acres of valuable and well improved land, the property returning to him a gratifying annual income. He has made all of the improvements upon the place and now has a very desirable property.
In 1860 Mr. McCoy was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Aungst, who was born on the 17th of February, 1835, and passed away in 1905, leav- ing one son, Frank, engaged in the drug business in Lexington, Ohio.
Mr. McCoy gives stalwart allegiance to the men and measures of the democracy and has served as a member of the council at Bellville. He is well and favorably known in the community and now receives the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one who has traveled thus far on life's journey and whose course has at all times been honorable and upright.
JAMES ABRAHAM LEONARD.
James Abraham Leonard, superintendent of the Ohio State Reformatory at Mansfield, was born on a farm in Black Log valley, near Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1854, and is of English and Scotch-Irish parent- age. His father, Captain Leonard, was born in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and was of English descent. Upon reaching manhood he engaged in the iron and steel industry, with which the family had been connected through many generations. At the outbreak of the Civil war he entered the army as a member of the organization known as the Bucktails and served as captain until the close of hostilities. The last year was spent in special service in the west under General Thomas. His service was often of the most arduous nature but he never faltered when duty called and throughout his entire life has manifested the same loyalty in citizenship. After the war he again engaged in the iron and steel business but on the opening of Oklahoma he went to that territory as one of its first settlers and took an active interest in the develop- ment of the new town of Edmond, serving as its mayor during the entire period of his residence there. He was also one of the founders of the State Normal School at Edmond and in fact was largely instrumental in securing its location there. Later he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he is now living retired, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza-
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beth Wallace White, was born near Londonderry, Ireland, and came to America about 1850 with an aunt who located at Three Springs, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. Her parents were of sturdy Scotch-Irish stock and Mrs. Leonard was a woman of extraordinary strength of character, strongly influ- ential among her children, her sons especially having the greatest respect for her opinions. She left her impress for good upon the lives of the many with whom she came in contact, and her death was therefore the occasion of deep regret when she passed away, at Detroit, Michigan, in December, 1907.
James A. Leonard is the eldest in the family of four sons and three daugh- ters, of whom six are still living, and he is the only one of the brothers who is not connected with the steel and iron industry. The second son, W. R. Leon- ard, of Youngstown, Ohio, is president of the Wilkins-Leonard Hardware Company of that place, also engages in banking and for two years was county auditor; S. C., of Detroit, Michigan, is now general manager of the iron and steel department for the American Bar & Foundry Company, also president of the American Bar Iron Association and is prominent in educational work, being president of the school board of Detroit; John D., of St. Louis, Missouri, is general manager of the Helmbacher Iron & Steel Company and very promi- nent in Masonic circles; Mary A. is the widow of S. B. Lantz, of Detroit; and Frances J. is the wife of Millard Walker, general manager of the Foster Lumber Company at Norton, Kansas.
James A. Leonard spent his boyhood to the age of fifteen years upon a farm, and his earliest recollections have to do with events of the Civil war, in which he took deep interest. His grandfather was a great admirer of Abra- ham Lincoln and had named our subject in his honor. On the third day of the battle of Gettysburg he took his grandson to a point near their home, where they sat and listened to the heavy firing. He received his early education in the country schools and there learned the self-reliance to which he accredits his success in life. He afterward pursued a course in a private normal at Worthington, Ohio, and subsequently was a student in a private business col- lege. In keeping with the traditions of the family, he was required to enter the mills after he left school and learn the iron and steel business. When he had mastered it, however, he turned his attention to educational work, to which he devoted the succeeding twenty-five years of his life, in the mean- time receiving the degree of A.M. from Mount Union College, in 1885. He proved a capable educator, teaching in the district, township and city schools of the state, giving twenty years of active service along educational lines in Youngstown. During that period Mr. Leonard was also county examiner for nine years and served as principal of ward schools and the normal training department for several terms. A year after his arrival in Mansfield he was tendered the office of superintendent of schools at Youngstown, which offer appealed to him very strongly, because it came as a unanimous expression from the city in which he had spent his early manhood. However, his sense of right would not permit him to leave the reformatory in which he had be- come intensely interested. His work here had won the hearty approbation of the governor and board of trustees and he felt that it was his duty to remain where his service was proving a benefit to the state at large.
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