History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c., Part 107

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968

USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c. > Part 107

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SIMPSON, JOHN, PROF., Superintendent of the city schools ; he was born in Richland Co., Ohio, June 26, 1829. He was married, Dec. 25, 1862, to Miss Millie J. Stringer, who was born in Ashland Co .: they have three daughters-Mary Blanche, born Feb. 16, 1864 ;

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Helen Agusta, Feb. 21, 1868, and Gertrude A., Feb. 10, 1870. Prof. Simpson graduated at Jefferson Col- lege, Penn., in 1858 ; he entered the Hayesville Insti- tute, as a teacher, about the year 1860; he was soon installed as Professor of mathematics, and lecturer on physical geography ; in this department he distin- guished himself, until he was recognized as one of the best instructors and ablest mathematicians of the State; he subsequently became President of the institute, and continued in this capacity until 1871; he then eutered the public schools of Mansfield ; after a little more than a year's experience of his ability, the Board of Education elected him Superintendent, a position which he has held with marked success for the past seven years, and to which he has been unanimously reelected by the board. The wide reputation of Prof. Simpson has been fitly recognized by the Faculty and Trustees of the University of Wooster in their bestowal upon him, at their annual commencement, of the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

SMITH, HIRAM R .; retired merchant. His father, Asa Smith, was born at Albany, N. Y., September, 1760; died on his farm near Huron, Ohio, Aug. 30, 1815. His mother (her maiden name Hannah Richmond) was born at Providence, R. I., March 21, 1774; died at Sandusky City Aug. 30, 1842. His parents with their family-four daughters and two sons-emigrated to Ohio just before the war of 1812; they embarked on a sail-boat (before any steamer was on the lake) at Buf- falo for Ohio, and landed at the mouth of Huron River, where they located their farm adjoining the present village of Huron ; here they remained during the war, encountering all the privations of a pioneer life and dangers from the Indians, who were prowling all over this section of country at that time. Here the subject of this memoir, Hiram R. Smith, was born, on the banks of Lake Erie near Huron, Ohio, Jan. 7, 1813. He came to Mansfield September, 1824; lived with Hugh McFall, tending store morning and evening, and went to school during the day; his teacher was Col. Alexander Barr, who kept in the old frame school- house of one room, known as the Big Spring School- house, on the ground where the soap factory now stands. He lived with Hugh McFall fifteen years as salesman in a general stock of goods. From 1824 until the opening of the New York Canal, there was no market for the products of the country ; therefore no prices to remunerate the farmer-wheat, 25 cents ; corn, 12}; oats, 10; flour, $1.50 per barrel; pork, $1.50 per hundred ; butter, 5 to 6 cents per pound ; eggs, 3 to 4 cents per dozen. Goods were bought in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, loaded on big Pennsyl- vania wagons with six horses in Philadelphia, and hauled through to Mansfield, which took from five to six weeks; on the return of the team they loaded with ginseng, beeswax, feathers, cranberries, butter and maple sugar. During the time he was with Hugh McFall he served as Deputy Postmaster for eight years and six months; did all the business in post-office department : through his fidelity, economy and energy he succeeded in accumulating some means; then en- gaged in business for himself in general merchandise, as was usually the custom in those times. He was married in 1839 to Ann C. Leiter; she was born in

Washington Co., Md .; died in Mansfield June 7, 1850. They had the following children : Henry, born March 31, 1840 (enlisted in the army during the rebellion ; died in Arkansas in 1862) ; Mary Felicia, born June 25, 1842, died July 20, 1876, (her death cast a gloom over the entire community ; she had the qualities of true womanhood-religious and social-also a gentle and kind disposition ; she endeared herself to many friends and had no enemies; she was a Christian and an earnest Sabbath school worker) ; Richmond Smith, born Dec. 14, 1844; Clara Ann, Feb. 8, 1848; died July 26, 1875 ; Miss Smith was for some time a teacher in the public schools ; she also won many friends through her kind and gentle disposition ; she was always ready to lend a helping hand in matters pertaining to the good of those around her ; although her sufferings were intense, she bore them with Christian resignation and departed in great peace. Mr. Smith's second marriage occurred May 16, 1854, to Ann Ward; she was born in Richland Co .; they have two children : Ward Smith, born Oct. 1, 1856, was married to Mattie Hart, of Mansfield, Nov. 9, 1879; Rena May, born Aug. 8, 1860, she resides with her parents in Mans- field. Mr. Smith has been engaged quite extensively in the mercantile business, has filled different positions of trust and honor, and has proven himself worthy ; also has added greatly to the improvements of this city ; has erected several fine buildings, among them the Opera Hall building; he has always encouraged every public enterprise that would be a benefit to the community and especially add to the advancement of the city ; he has also borne a portion of the pioneers' burdens, and can look back when Mansfield was in its infancy ; he has grown up with the progress of the city, has participated in the work of progression, and has been one to help Mansfield raise up to her present status-one among the number to say : " Let us have a good pioneer history of our county," with a helping hand; he ranks among the first on the list; this is characteristic of H. R. Smith.

SMITH, WILLIAM (deceased) ; he was born in Washington Co., Penn., Nov. 5, 1788, and was de- scended from an old Washington Co. (Penn.) family : he came to this county in the fall of 1822, and first settled on a tract of land about two miles east of Mans- field, where he lived several years, when he purchased an interest in what was then known as the Tingley & Phearson carding machine and woolen factory, then located a short distance north of town; he continued in this business nearly three years, when he removed to Mansfield : two years later, he purchased of Robert McCombs a tract of land situated one and a half miles east of the court house, on the Rocky Fork of the Mohican, at that time covered with a dense forest ; this he partially cleared, and on it he built a house, where he lived and continued to improve the land ; some years afterward, he erected a carding machine and fulling-mill on the stream, which he operated a few years, and then started a flouring and grist mill, in which business he was engaged until 1844, when he removed to Mansfield, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred May 5, 1846. William Smith was married in Washington Co., Penn., June 23, 1814, to Miss Sarah Lyle, a native of that county, who

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was born Feb. 1, 1794; they were the parents of twelve children-James, born Feb. 7, 1815, died Aug. 9, 1863 ; Sarah A., April 1, 1816 ; Robert Lyle, April 11, 1818, died Dec. 14, 1831 ; Abigail, June 28, 1820, died Oct. 6, 1831; William, Feb. 28, 1822; David Lyle, April 27, 1824 ; Mary Jane, March 4, 1826, died July 3, 1828 ; Rebecca, May 24, 1828, died Aug. 29, 1828; Ebenezer, Aug. 1, 1829, died May 23, 1852; Robert Ray, born Oct. 9, 1831 ; Samuel Lyle, Dec. 26, 1833, died Nov. 17, 1874; Isabella, May 18, 1836, died March 29, 1837. Mrs. Mary Lyle Smith died at the house of her son-in-law, Mr. James Clark, near Mansfield, Oct. 3, 1876.

SMITH, J. F., dealer in coal ; he is a native of Knox Co .; he came to Mansfield six years ago ; he is engaged as coal dealer, and has on hand a good supply of all kinds of coal, and delivers to all parts of the city ; office on North Main street.

SMITH, JONAS, JR., engineer ; a resident of Mans- field, who springs from an old Western Pennsylvania family ; his father, Henry E., was a native of Fayette Co., born in the year 1812; his mother, Margaret D. Carr, was born in Pittsburgh in 1816 ; in after years, the parents removed to Ohio ; Jonas Smith, Jr., was born in Wooster, Wayne Co., in 1849, and received his education at the Massillon public schools ; since 1867, he has been connected, as a fireman and engineer, with a number of the leading railroads of the West; for twelve and a half years, he was employed on the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R. and its divisions, as fireman and en- gineer, respectively, and, afterward, on the T. & A. A. R. R. Mr. Smith has the reputation of being a careful and well-posted engineer, enjoying the confidence of railroad officials wherever he has labored.

SMITH, RICHMOND (son of Hiram R. Smith), Sec- retary of the Richland Mutual Insurance Co .; was born Dec. 14, 1844. Married to Alice Dull, of Mansfield, Oct. 18, 1876. Mr. Smith has been very efficient in his labors, and has aided greatly in raising the company to its present substantial basis.

SMITH, E. W., insurance and real-estate agent ; he was born in Washington Township, Richland Co., May 8, 1822. Married, Sept. 26, 1854, in Zanesville, Ohio, to Sarah Guthrie Metcalf, who was born July 10, 1835, at Lenox, Berkshire Co., Mass .; they have the follow- ing children : Caroline L., born March 2, 1856 ; Anna M., May 15, 1860; S. Dwight, May 6, 1868. Mr. Smith was raised on a farm in this county. He gradu- ated at Oberlin College in 1845. In 1846, he went to Chicago with Rev. J. B. Walker, and assisted him in conducting a paper called the Herald of the Prairies ; continued there three years, and then returned to Mans- field. In 1850, he and M. Day bought of J. C. Gilki- son, and established the Mansfield Herald, which is yet published under the same name. While engaged in the publication of this paper, he was appointed, without solicitation, in 1851, General Agent of the American Bible Society for one-half of the State of Ohio, and continued in that work till May, 1870. Afterward en- gaged in the real-estate and insurance business, and still continues in that work.

SNYDER, SAMUEL S., contractor ; he was born in Cumberland Co., Penn., Sept. 13, 1816, the first child of Henry and Elizabeth Snyder. In September, 1834,

he removed to Ohio with his parents, who first settled in Mansfield, and afterward resided on a farm west of the city for two years ; during this time, and until the age of 21, he followed clearing, and carried the mail to Bucyrus and Delaware and return. In August, 1837. Mr. Snyder was married to Miss Irene Stevens of this county, with whom he raised a family of six children ; two sons are now in active business in this city. In the year 1846, he removed to Mansfield having previ- ously followed farming. For a number of years, he was engaged in the grocery business in Mansfield, and was located a great part of the time on the northeast corner of Main and Third streets. In 1850, Mr. Sny- der was appointed Deputy Sheriff under Wharf, which position he held for four years. It was while engaged in this service, he was attacked by a desperate prisoner in which he came near losing his life. During his long residence in Mansfield, he has held numerous official positions, and in each has been faithful to the trusts confided to him ; at one time Postmaster, then collector for Hall & Allen until elected Auditor of Richland Co., in 1864, and re-elected, serving two full terms. Mr. Snyder is now a resident of East Third street, and, of late years, has been engaged in business principally as a contractor in street improvements.

SNYDER, C. H., dentist ; he was born in Mansfield in 1854; he was educated and graduated in the city schools ; graduated at the Ohio College of Dental Surg- ery, at Cincinnati, Ohio.

SNYDER, GEORGE W., railroad agent ; he was born in Mansfield Jan. 25, 1847, where he received his ele- mentary education ; in 1864, he became connected with the A. & G. W. R. R., at Mansfield, as clerk in the agent's office, which position he held until March, 1873, when he received the appointment of ticket and freight agent on the same road; after the formation of the Mansfield Stock-Yard Company, controlled by the A. & G. W. R. R., his business qualifications were recognized by an appointment to the additional office of general manager of that company, both of which posi- tions he now holds. He was married Oct. 16, 1872, in Knox Co., Ohio, to Miss Lizzie Tulloss ; they have two children, a son and daughter-Bennie T., born Aug, 14, 1873, and Georgia Belle, born July 4, 1876.

SPENCER, JOHN G., proprietor of opera boot and shoe store; he was born, 1837, in Ireland ; came to Piqua, Ohio, 1854 ; engaged there in dry-goods trade for ten years ; came to Mansfield in 1866, where he engaged in the wholesale and retail boot and shoe trade; more recently, he established the Opera House boot and shoe store, one of the largest retail stores in Northern Ohio ; this establishment carries at all times an immense stock of first-class work, and, buying only from first hands, offers inducements not surpassed in this State ; buyers will here find an unrivaled assort- ment, consisting of over one thousand different varie- ties, and the reputation of Spencer's store for low prices is well known all over Richland Co., and commends itself to the general public.

STEVENSON, ANDREW, attorney ; was born April 1, 1844, in Weller Township, Richland Co .; was edu- cated at the Vermillion Institute, Hayesville, Ashland Co. He went to the army ; was in the Ohio Cavalry, served four months. He was discharged under a

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writ of habeas corpus, being under 18 years of age. He returned to Mansfield, commenced the study of law with the firm of Bartley & Johnson ; was admitted to the bar in 1865 ; then went to Pittsburgh, Penn., and com- menced the practice of law, and continued one year and six months ; then returned to Mansfield in the winter of 1866, and resumed the practice of law. In 1869, was nominated Prosecuting Attorney by a majority of 1,190 over his opponent, Thomas McBride, and served in that office two years. Went to Marysville, Union Co., Ohio, in 1873, and resumed the practice of law. Engaged in the political campaign for Hon. E. F. Pop- pleton ; stumped the entire district. In 1875, was strongly solicited to become a candidate for nomination for member of Congress ; district composed of the coun- ties of Marion, Delaware, Union and Hardin. He re- ceived the caucus vote of Union and Hardin Cos., and peremptorily refused to be a candidate, having pledged himself to give his influence to Hon. E. F. Poppleton for his renomination. In the winter of 1878-79, returned to Mansfield, resumed the practice of law with the Hon. R. B. McCrory.

STEWART, JAMES (deceased). Judge Stewart was born in Chanceford, York Co., Penn., Aug. 2, 1802 ; his paternal ancestors came from Ireland about the middle of the eighteenth century ; his father, John Stewart, was born in York Co. in 1776; his mother, Jane Dun- can, was of Scotch descent; they were married about the year 1800, and became the parents of three chil- dren-two boys and one girl ; the eldest son, according to the custom of those times, inherited the homestead where his son, James, now resides. In the spring of 1805, the parents of Judge Stewart moved to Ontario Co., where they remained until 1824, when they came to Richland Co .; when they moved to Ontario Co. it was then the "West," in a measure, and was yet unpopulated ; they purchased a farm of the Govern- ment, near the town of Seneca, and erected a hewed-log house, much better than the average cabins of the day ; they were industrious, frugal and economical, and soon had a pleasant and comfortable home. Under such influences Judge Stewart passed his early life; of an active mind, he soon learned to read and write, and having the advantage of good schools in Seneca, he made rapid progress in learning ; afterward he entered the academy at Canandaigua, where he continued to pur- sue his studies (save a few intervals spent in teaching) until he came to Mansfield in 1822; here he established the first academy in the town, which he conducted two years, when (in the autumn of 1824) he went to Oxford College, remaining only a year or so, not completing his course. In 1826, he was married to Margaret Loughridge, a beautiful woman, possessed of a lovely Christian character, from whom he had the sad mis- fortune to be separated by death two years later ; she left one daughter, Cecilia, now Mrs. John Sherman, of Washington City. Two years after he was married, Judge Stewart was admitted to the bar, having studied law in the office of Judge Parker; he soon rose in practice, occupying the front rank in his profession ; he continued the duties of his profession until the spring of 1850, when Judge Parker's term, as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, expiring, he was appointed to the vacancy, in accordance with the unanimous wish

of the bar; in the fall of 1851, this office was vacated by the new constitution ; Judge Stewart was called by the unanimous vote of the people of his district to the position of District Judge, there being no opposing candidate ; from this time until the expiration of his judicial term, in 1856, he was constantly occupied with the duties of the bench ; two years after the expira- tion of his term his death occurred (Feb. 24, 1858). He was married the second time, to Mary Mercer, who died Aug. 14, 1860. As a jurist, Judge Stewart had few superiors ; he was prompt, accurate, clear, unprejudiced and independent ; his mind was emi- nently a judicial one, and to no one could the younger members of the bar go, in whose word and opinion they could have more confidence ; in all public inter- ests he was ready and willing to do his part ; as a private citizen he was unexcelled, while as a parent and husband he was kind, congenial and true.

STRAUB, JACOB, wagon-maker; he was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., April 11, 1826, and removed to Richland Co., Ohio, with his parents when but 4 weeks old ; they settled on Sec. 17, in Mifflin Township. Having chosen wagon-making as his trade, he came to Mansfield, and began work in the shop of William Ber- ringer, where he completed his trade in 1847. Directly afterward, he commenced piece-work until accumulating sufficient capital to buy the stock of his employer in 1848, in which business he has continued to the pres- ent time; now considered the pioneer wagon-maker of Richland Co. He was married in 1850, to Elizabeth Christman, who died April 29, 1868, in Mansfield ; he had three children by this marriage, one of whom is living. Again married in June, 1871, to Mary Lehr ; he has one son by this marriage-Harry, born Jan. 9, 1873. During Mr. Straub's long and active life in this county, he has passed through many of the experiences of those who preceded him-having but a few dollars when leaving the homestead -nothing daunted, he has continued steadily at his trade while being called by his fellow- men to positions of honor and trust, as Land Appraiser, repeatedly chosen Assessor, and elected a member of the City Council three terms, three years of which he acted as its President, serving with distinction.

STRICKLER, CHRISTOPHER, cabinet-maker and wheelwright. The subject of this sketch was born in Chester Co., Penn., April 27, 1827 ; he is the fourth son of Amos and Mary Scott Strickler, one of the old fami- lies of that county; when 17 years of age, he was apprenticed to learn the trade of wheelwright, which he completed at the age of 21 ; not wholly satis- fied with this vocation, he worked at cabinet-making several hours each evening, which trade he finally accomplished some years later by denying himself many hours of rest ; some time after, however, he continued the trade of wheelwright exclusively, in his native county, where he remained until April, 1868, when he removed with his family to Mansfield, Ohio, and was employed in the shops of Blymeyer, Day & Co .; since then he has been constantly engaged in the Mansfield Machine Works. Mr. Strickler was married in Phila- delphia, Penn., Dec. 16, 1852, to Miss Susan Hopton, a descendant of an old Quaker family, by whom he has had four children-Sallie, born Sept. 30, 1853 ; Anna Elizabeth, Oct. 22, 1862; Clinton, April 15, 1865 ;

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Mary Gertrude, March 21, 1867 ; they are now resi- dents of Wood street, and members of the Congrega- tional Church.

STRONG, FREDERICK W., deceased ; he was born near Frederick, Md., Feb. 16, 1812 ; he came to Ohio when quite young, and located in Mansfield in 1840, where, for many years, he was engaged in the dry- goods trade, and afterward, and until his death, was the founder and head of the well-known produce and commission house of F. W. Strong, Son & Co .; during his long residence in this city, covering a period of nearly forty years, he was accounted one of its leading citizens and merchants ; a man of sound judgment and business tact, he was active and successful. Mr. Strong was married March 4, 1838, to Miss Lucina R. Poppleton, to whom were born two children-Lyman A. and Lucina J .; Lucina was married in this city Oct. 29, 1861, to Prof. W. H. Ingersoll, who died in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 30, 1876 ; one child, a daughter, by this marriage, is now living. F. W. Strong died June 10, 1879, in Mansfield, having lived an upright and consistent Christian life, and been a member of the Congregational Church for many years.

STRONG, LYMAN A., merchant; he was born March 2, 1839, and received his elementary education in this city, and afterward continued his studies at the Marietta College, where he graduated in 1861 ; return- ing home, he commenced the study of law in the office of Watson & Dirlam, and was admitted to the bar in 1864. Since 1865, he has been a member of the well- known firm of F. W. Strong, Son & Co., produce and commission merchants, and is one of Mansfield's repre- sentative business men. He was married Oct. 31, 1865, to Miss Fannie M. Whitney, of this city.

STURGES, EBEN P., SR. (deceased) ; Mr. S. was born in Fairfield, Conn., on the 12th of August, 1784. At the early age of 14, he embarked in a subordinate capacity on board of a merchantman owned by a rela- tive. It was not his design to make a sea-faring life his profession, but while on the vessel no one discharged his duties more assiduously. At 16 years of age, he was first officer, and before he was 21 was master and part owner of the ship. He commanded the merchant vessel Madisonia when hostilities broke out between Great Britain and the United States in 1812. Soon after the commencement of the war, he was homeward bound, on a voyage from South America, with a valuable cargo. Early in the voyage, he was informed by an American privateer of the existence of hostilities, and a few days subsequently, he was captured by a British frigate-the Garland-and sent with his crew as pris- oners of war to Kingston, Jamaica. Here, after endur- ing severe hardships and passing through an attack of yellow fever, he was released on parole. He em- braced the first opportunity to return to the United States, where he arrived safely, but enfeebled in health by confinement and disease. After recovering sufficient strength, he came to Ohio on a visit to his sister, the late Mrs. Ebenezer Buckingham, of Putnam. Having determined to relinquish the sea he turned his mind to a new field of enterprise. This portion of the State of Ohio was then an almost unbroken wilderness. Form- ing liis plan, he returned east and formed a connection with Buckingham Sherwood, late of Newark, Ohio.

They purchased a stock of goods, which they transported in wagons to Zanesville, designing to take them from that place to Gen. Harrison's camp near the frontier. In the accomplishment of this plan, they succeeded in conveying their goods with great difficulty to Mansfield, then the site of a new village. On their arrival, they were informed of the hostilities of the Indians along their proposed route, and were induced by the solicita- tion of the inhabitants to remain and offer their goods for sale to the settlers here. A store was opened in a cabin nearly opposite to where the Wiler Honse now stands, and thus Mr. Sturges became the first merchant who settled in Mansfield. Enterprising and energetic, he soon built up a large trade, attracting business from (at that time) quite remote points. Mr. S. was during his whole life an efficient friend of religious institutions. He, more than any other man, aided in the erection of the First Presbyterian Church in this city. Subsequently he embraced in heart the Gospel, the support of which he sought to promote by his means. After he made a profession of religion, he largely helped in building the Congregational Church here, where, while he was able to hear preaching, he regularly worshiped with in- terest and sincerity For many years before his deathı, he suffered from deafness, which prevented him from hearing ordinary speech. Mr. Sturges was married three times. In 1821 to Miss Amanda Buckingham, of Putnam ; in 1834, to Miss Jerusha M. Hale, of Connecti- cut, and, in 1850, to Miss R. M. Tracy, of this city. By his first wife he had three children-Messrs. Dimon, Col. S. B., and Edward. By his second-Henry A. and Miss Amanda. His last wife had no issue. She still survives him. He died Jan. 1, 1862.

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Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co. Number of Pages: 968

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968