History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 105

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060

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the time has been identified with the mcreantile and banking business in Mount Union and Alli- ance in the capacity of salesman and book- keeper, and in 1862 enlisted as a private in Co. F, of the 115th O. V. I., serving with his com- pany and regiment one year, when he was de- tailed as ('lerk at Headquarters. Department of the Ohio. where he spent the remaining two years of his term of service. Upon being mustered out of the serviee in 1865. he re- turned to Alliance. In 1871, he accepted the position of Deputy Auditor of Stark Co., under Edwin A. Lee. Mr. Lee resigning about two months before the expiration of his term of office, Mr. Barnaby was appointed to fill the unexpired term. In 1879, his name being pro- posed and brought before the Republican Con- vention, he received the nomination as their candidate for the ensuing term of Recorder of Stark Co., and at the October election of 1879, he was elected by a majority of 165 votes. In January of 1880, he took formal possession of the office, and has since been en- gaged in the discharge of the duties devolving upon him.

O. T. BROWNING, retired ; Canton ; was born in Stonington, Conn., March 31, 1806; his ebildhood was spent on the farm, where he lived until he was 13 years of age, he then en- gaged with a Groton merchant as clerk, and was engaged in clerking for eleven years in Groton and Middletown. In 1830. he purchased a stock of goods in New York and shipped the same to Cleveland, not knowing where to locate, although ('leveland was where he intended to lo- cate. He was unable to proeure a salesroom and he shipped his goods to Canton and opened a store, and continued in the business until 1848. During these few years he had aceumu- lated considerable money. He started branch stores in Mansfield, Ohio; Lancaster, Ohio ; Jackson, Ill .. and Benton, Mo. He purchased the mill property known as the Fogle Mill, built by Dr. Fogle in 1834. He has been engaged in the milling business up to the present time. In 1834, he united in marriage with Miss Elnora, daughter of Dr. Wm. Fogle, who was a native of Pennsylvania. She died in 1840, aged 24 years. She left one child-Oren F., who has the super- vision of his father's mill. In 1849, he married for his second wife, Miss Frances McTaggert. of Philadelphia, Penn. She died in 1866, aged 39 years. She was the mother of two daughters,

one now living, Anna C .; she is now the wife of Dr. George Foster, of Westerly, R. I. Mr. Browning is a consistent member of the Presby- terian Church.

L. BIECHELE, of the firm of L. Biechele & Bro., stoves, tin-ware, cooper work, etc., Canton: is a native of Baden. Germany. lle was born in the year 1826. At the age of 17, he was apprenticed to the tin- ner's trade. Upon finishing his trade, he was drafted for the army, but, owing to his parents residing in America (they having moved previously), he was released. and, in company with his brother Gustavus, came to this country and settled in Canton, where his brother and some relatives lived. His father died in Germany. His mother, step-father, brother and sister were on a steamer on the Mississippi, and all met their deaths from the blowing up of the steamer. Our subject worked for Mr. D. II. Harmon, in Canton, about six years. He then, in company with his brother Gustavus, engaged in the present business, which at first was small, and has gradually grown to its present proportions. Mr. Biechele has served one term in the City Council. In July, 1853, he married Miss Louisa Held, a native of Ger- many. Of their six children, four are living- George, Laura (now Mrs. Lewis Wernett). Rosie and Nettie.

PHILO PARSONS BUSH, engineer and manufacturer, Canton ; was born in East Hampton, Conn., March 15, 1836. He belongs to a family of mechanics, who trace their line- age back to the early settlers of America. Through his mother, whose maiden name was Lydia Strong, he comes from Puritan stock and is connected with one of the most numerous families of New England. He was the ninth in a family of ten children, five of whom are living. At the age of 8, on account of the death of his mother and consequent breaking- up of the family, he went into a brass mold- ing shop. in Westerly, Rhode Island, where he remained one year. Ilis early education in the schools was very limited, but his industrial training in the shop was very thorough and practical. From Westerly he went to New London, Conn., where he engaged to work in a machine shop, where he continued until he was 22 years of age. His next employment was in a steel die manufactory at New Haven, where he remained until the breaking-out of

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the rebellion. In 1861, he enlisted in the three- months service under Col. (afterward Gen.) Terry, and was in the first battle of Bull Run. In June, 1862, he re-enlisted for three years as principal musician of the 14th C'onn. V. I. He participated in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg ; during the en- gagement at Antietam he was permanently injured in the back by being struck with a rail knocked off a fence by a shell. By an order of the War Department, issued in 1863, he was released from the service and returned home. and began the manufacturing of machinery with his brother. Later, while on a visit to Ohio, he decided to locate in Canton and estab)- fish a machine shop, and in 1871 removed his machinery and some of his best workmen, and the new enterprise called the "Canton Steam- Engine Works " was started. The business be- came involved, but Mr. Bush sustained his credit, and began business again with reduced capital. He is now the sole proprietor of the Novelty Iron Works. Jan. 30, 1857, he mar- ried Miss Melissa Godfrey, of New London, Conn. They had five children, of whom three are living ; of these Alfred L. and Frederick W. are employed as workmen in their father's manufactory, and the youngest. Philo P., is attending Publie School. In 1869, Mrs. Bush died, and before his removal to Ohio in 1871. ! Mr. Bush married. on Feb. 6, of that year, Mrs. Sarah Adams, daughter of Samuel Jettery, an old sea captain of New London, Conn., who has borne him one child.

ERNEST BACHERT, firm of Bachert, Silk & Co., paper manufacturers, Canton ; is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and was born Dec 21, 1834. He lived in his native city until about 13 years of age, receiving in the meantime his education. His parents dy. ing, he was taken to a large paper mill at Freiburg, where he learned the trade, serving there until he was 20 years of age, buying his release from the army. He then came to the United States, landing in New York, in October, 1855, and came direct to Cleveland, Ohio. He at once found employment in a paper-mill, where he worked about six years and was then put in charge of one of the mills and conducted the same for about three years. He then formed the present company, came to Canton and bought the mill they now occupy, and which they improved and opened. Mr. Bachert took

charge of the mill, and in 1871. in company with others, bought the paper-mill at Massillon, forming a stock company, known as the " Mas- sillon Paper Co." Under his management the business has been successful and has increased largely. Ile was married in December, 1856, to Miss Barbara Silk, a native of Germany, who came to Cleveland when young. They have had ten children, eight of whom are living, viz. : John, Kate, Earnest A .. William, Fannie, Edward, Frank and Affen. He is Republican in politics, and a member of the German Re- formed Church.

DR. P. H. BARR. druggist, Canton ; was born Sept. 3, 1836, and is the youngest of five children born to Joseph and Elizabeth (Dottawar) Barr, natives of Pennsylvania, where they were married. About the year 1830, they came to Ohio and settled near Paris. in Stark Co. He was an undertaker in the East, but after removing to Ohio, followed farming. lle died in the year 1810: Mrs. Barr is still living on the ofdl homestead, and is now past 87 years of age. Our subject was born after the family moved to this county, and hence is an " Ohio man ;" he lived at home until he was 15, then went to La Fayette. Ind., where he remained two years, working at carriage trim- ming ; he then returned home, and attended a select school at Paris for three years. He had been reading medicine for some time, and after leaving school, came to Canton, and formed a partnership with Dr. C. J. Geiger, with whom he had been reading. Under the firm name of Geiger & Barr, they carried on the drug busi- ness where Mr. Barr now has his store. In 1859, Dr. Barr attended a course of lectures at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, and in 1860, having abandoned the idea of practice, gradu- ated at the College of Pharmacy. in Philadel- phia. He returned to Canton, and remained until 1863, when he sold his interest to Dr. Geiger, and opened a store in Alliance, with his brother-in-law, T. G. Hare. as a partner. P. H. Barr & Co. conducted this business until the death of Dr. Geiger, in 1876, when he (Barr) bought the Canton store, and again removed to this city, retaining his interest in the Alliance store. In 1869, he was a prime mover in the organization of the First National Bank of Al Fiance. and upon the completion of its organi zation, he was made Vice President, and con- tinued as such until after his removal to t'an-

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ton. In 1879, he became one of the organizers of the Canton Bank, of which he was made President, and in 1880 the charter was changed to a National bank, he retaining the office of President. He was married, July 14, 1859, to Miss Ada F., daughter of Dr. Geiger, his old partner ; she is a native of Stark Co. By this marriage there have been seven children, of whom six are living-Minnie L., Winnie G .. Fan- nie E., Daisy D., Bessie B. and Fred. G.

DR. AUSTIN C. BRANT, physician, Can- ton ; was born in Ashland Co., Ohio, July 12. 1852, and in addition to the public school course of his neighborhood, he received a col- legiate course at the Vermillion Institute and the Lebanon Normal School. He began read- ing medicine in 1872, with Dr. T. S. Hunter, of Ashland, Ohio, and in 1877 he graduated at the Bellevue Hospital, New York City, after which he took a course of private study, including surgical and physical diagnosis. He began practice in February, 1878, at Canton, where he has since remained. He is a member of the State Medical Association, of the Union Medical Association of Northeastern Ohio, and the Stark County Medical Society, of which he has been Secretary for the past three years. For two years he has served as a member of the Canton City Board of Health, and physician to the jail for one year. In January, 1881, he was elected by the City Council to the office of City Phy- sician.

GUSTAVUS BIECHELE, of the firm of L. Biechele & Bro., stoves, tinware, etc., Can- ton ; was born in Baden, Germany, in the year 1828; he early learned the stone cutter's and mason's trades, and in 1847 he came to the United States, and served two years at black- smithing. In 1850, he went to California, via New Orleans and the Nicaragua ronte, and worked some six or eight months at mining in Nevada Co., his wages averaging $36 per day ; the surface digging played out, and he and eleven others, all from Canton, Ohio, each took a claim on the quartz lead, and began making a tunnel ; they worked for six months, day and night, and put the tunnel 300 yards into the mountain, striking a lead, but other miners had passed a law which enabled them to close the tunnel and occupy the lead ; the twelve beat the first suit, but, for want of funds, preferred to sell ont at $800 each. He then went to Alameda Co., when another company of twelve men (part

of the first twelve) made a canal along the hills and brought water into the mines, to complete which they ran in debt $45,000, they giving water privilege for the amount, paying $40,000 of the debt in six months; the water then be- came scarce, and they ent another canal, font- teen miles long, as a feeder to the first one. The following summer our subject came to Can- ton, and he and his brother L. engaged in their present business. In 1856, he married Mary Anna Lothamer, a native of France, who came to Canton, Ohio, when young ; they had nine children, of whom seven are living.

J. F. BAUIIOF, Canton Marble Works, Can- ton ; is a native of Switzerland ; he was born March 1, 1834 ; his father, a German by birth, was a baker in the city of Berne. At the age of 17, J. F. came to Cleveland, Ohio, where he had a brother and sister living ; his brother was working in the marble business, and J. F. worked for the same party for two years ; he then went to Toledo, where he remained three years, working in the same business ; and then, after working two years longer in Cleveland, he came to Canton, and he and his brother R. opened the Canton Marble Works. In 1875, J. F. became the sole proprietor of the business, he buying his brother's interest. They started with nothing but their own labor, where the Opera House now stands, and two years later came to the present location, 36 E. Tuscarawas, which property they bought. The business is successful. and now employs six to eight men and do all classes of granite and marble work. In 1858, he married Miss Catharine Rist, a native of Germany. They have three children, viz .: Albert, Edward and Louisa.

WILLIAM BERG, manufacturer of car- riages, wagons, and repairer, Canton ; is a native of Gettysburg, Penn. ; he was born in the year 1832. His early life was spent in the neighboring counties ; in 1846 they moved to Pittsburgh. William worked at cutting nails, and assisted his father, who was a wagon manufacturer. He finally apprenticed himself to wagon making in Allegheny City, and com- pleted his trade at the age of 23, and opened a shop in that city, where he married Miss Mar- garet Stephens, of Washington Co., Penn. In his 24th year he came to Ohio, and bought and built a place in Dunganon, Columbiana Co., where he conducted business for nine years. lle then sold out and came to Canton, Ohio

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(1866). and has followed his business here since. He does a first-class job of home-made work, and makes a specialty of repairing. Of a family of eleven children, nine are living.

JOSEPH BIECHELE. manufacturer of soaps, cie., Canton. This gentleman is a native of Germany, but has been for many years a resident of Canton, of which place he has grown to be one of the leading citizens. lle succeeded his brother, Mr. C. Bicchele. in business, who founded the business over thirty years ago. The manufacture was begun in a small way, and gradually grew to its present pro- portions ; the main building now occupied is a two-story briek, covering an area of 75x200 fect, and an extensive trade is established in all their brands of manufacture, to which Mr. Biechele gives his personal attention. lle is also identified with the insurance interests of the city, he being President of the Canton Mutual.

LAWRENCE BECHEL, blacksmith, Can- ton ; is a native of Stark Co., Ohio. IIc was born in Canton Dee. 17, 1830, and is seventh in a family of thirteen born to Phillip and Rosanna (Chandel) Bechel. They were natives of Alsace. France. They married in their native land, and came to Canton Nov. 28, 1830. He was a blacksmith, and fol- lowed his trade in Canton for many years. Latterly, he followed lock-smithing. He died Oct. 10, 1855. Mrs. Bechel ched March 14. 1866. Of their family, our subject and his four sisters-Mrs. Melvin, Mrs. Baxter, Mrs. Reigler and Mrs. Becher, all of Canton-are the only survivors. Our subject has always lived in his native city, residing on his present place since he was less than 2 years of age. He early as- sisted his father in the shop, and engaged regu- larly therein when about 16 years of age, and, excepting about two years, has followed the business sinee. He has served in the City Council of Canton for two terms. also as Town- ship Trustee for three years. Nov. 22, 1855, he married Miss Maria Phillips. a native of Alsace, France. She came to Canton with her parents. Of eight children born to this mar- riage, seven are living, viz. : Charles B., Henry J .. Mary, Emma, Clara, Francis and Mena.

ROBERT A. CASSIDY, editor and pro- prietor of the Canton Republican : was born at Blairsville, Penn., Dee. 20, 1839. In July, 1856, he entered the office of the True American

to learn the printing trade, in his native town ; in February following he removed to Belle- fonte, Penn., where he finished his trade in the otliec of the Center Democrat, and pursued his calling until August, 1862, when he enlisted in Co. Il, of the 1-48th Penn. V. I .. and at the organi- zation of the regiment he was appointed Prin- cipal Musician, in which position he served until the close of the war. In 1860, he was married to Miss Carrie M. Johnson, of Belle- fonte. Penn. They removed from Pennsylvania to Canton, Ohio. in August, 1865, and for a few months Mr. Cassidy was employed on the Stark County Republican. After a brief en- gagement in other kinds of business, he entered the employ of E. Ball & Co., manufacturers of mowers, reapers and threshers, and in October, 1870, was elected actuary of the concern, and continued in that position until October. 1880, when he established the Canton Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy have a family of six children. Since his residence in Canton he has been continuously identified with the manage ment of municipal affairs. as a member of the City Council, Boards of Education and Board of Health.

HENRY A. CAVNAH, book-keeper, Can- ton ; son of Mr. S. Cavnah, who was one of Canton's early manufacturers. He became a resident of Canton in 1832, where he worked at his trade (that of a wheelwright) until about 1850, when he began the manufaet- ure of furniture, doing his first work with the old-style foot lathe. He made rapid progress in the business, and in 1861 he had a stock of about $10,000, and employed twenty-five men. In 1861, he began the wholesale trade, which he continued until 1865. when he sold out and went to Indiana, and is now a resident of Bour- bon, of that State. The son, Henry A., was born in Canton, in 18.11, and remained with his father most of the time until the breaking-out of the rebellion of 1861, when he enlisted in Co. 1, 64th O. V. L., for three years service, after serving which he veteranized. Hle enlisted as a private, and was in the ranks for about three years. At the battle of Stone River he was promoted to Sergeant. In 1864, he was detailed Chief Clerk in Cumberland Hospital, and had charge of the death records, furloughs. ete. He participated in many of the hard- fought battles, among which was the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862; siege of Corinth, May.

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1862. They then went on Buell's famous march, after this the battle of Perryville. They then followed Kirby Smith to Hall's Gap, Ky. ; then up to Nashville, Tenn., for winter quar- ters. Dec. 31, 1862, they fought at Stone River until Jan. 3, 1863; then went in camp at Murfreesboro for six months. Their next bat- tle was Tullahoma, then followed Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and the fa- mous charge of Mission Ridge; thence to the siege of Knoxville, and from there to a place called Bfain's Cross Roads, Tenn., where the regiment veteranized on Jan. 1, 1864. He came home on a furlough, and returned in the following March. Shortly after returning to duty, they went on the memorable Atlanta campaign. After the battle of Nashville, the regiment was on its way to Richmond, when Lee surrendered. They were mustered out in January, 1866. After leaving the army, Mr. Cavnah went to Texas for a short time, and then to Bourbon, Ind., where he remained about four years. He then returned to Canton, and was with Il. 11. Myers for about five and a half years, and then changed to his present position-chief book- keeper for Bucher, Gibbs & Co. He is a mem- ber of the G. A. R .. and agent of Canton Post, No. 25. He is also a member of K. of H. In 1867. he married Miss Mary. daughter of John Neesz. She died in 1873, leaving him one son and one daughter. In 1876, he married Miss Sally, daughter of Robert Van Horn. One son and a daughter are the fruits of his second marriage. Mr. Cavnah has been a member of the United Brethren Church for the past eleven years, and is their local minister.

C. B. CAMPBELL, carpenter, Canton ; Sup- erintendent of the large manufacturing estab- lishment of John Danner ; has been a resident of Canton for abont thirteen years, his native place being Dane Co., Wis., where his father (see sketch of James Campbell) resided for some years. In 1869, he began learning his trade with his father. with whom he remained until 1874. In 1875, he built the first case for Mr. Danner. He was married in 1865, to Miss C. L., daughter of Thomas (. Cuuingham. Two children have been born to them. Mr. Camp- bell is a member of the I. O. U. W., and is, though a young man, one who has for a number of years filled a responsible position.

DANIEL COBAUGH, manufacturer, Can- ton ; senior member of the firm of Cobaugh &

Kuhns, proprietors of the Steel Spring manu- factory, known as the Canton Spring Company; is a native of Stark County, of which his par- ents became settlers as early as 1834. In 1853, he began work for Ball, Aultman & Co., and subsequently worked for E. Ball. He changed again and became identified with the firm of Ballard, Fast & Co., and in 1878, began busi- ness on his own account in a part of the old Ballard, Fast & Co.'s shop. The space occupied by the firm at present is about 40x450 feet. They give employment to about seventy-five men, and have a monthly pay-roll of $3,000. Annually they use about four hundred tons of steel, and have a sale of manufactured goods of about $150,000. They are live, energetic business men, and have, by their own energy and good financiering, placed themselves among the leading manufacturers of Canton.

JAMES CAMPBELL, lumber, Canton, whose name is familiar to the citizens of Can- ton, is a native of Portage Co., Ohio, and was born in 1818. His earlier life was spent in a new country, with but little opportunity of ob- taining an education. At about 18 years of age, he began serving an apprenticeship of three and one half years, at learning the trade of a carpenter. During this time he received $36 per year, but was obliged to buy his own cloth- ing. Having friends in the state of Mississippi, after finishing his trade, he went to Vicksburg, and engaged in work. He was at "jour' work in the South about four years, when he returned North, and engaged in work in Canton. He has since remained a resident of this city, except a short time spent in Iowa. It was dur- ing his stay in that State that the war of the rebellion broke out. He entered the Federal army in September, 1861, and continued in the service of his country until September, 1865. Hle entered the service as a private, in Co. L., 3d W. V. C., and was mustered out as Captain of Co. D. During the four years of his service his command was on duty west of the Mississippi River. Ile is now Quartermaster of this post of the Grand Army of the Republic. In their business, the firm of Campbell & Son, stand second to none in Stark County. The firm was formerly Campbell, Eck & Co., but on April 1, 1881, changed to the present proprietors. Their business is now confined to the lumber trade and to the manufacture of builders' supplies, though formerly they did

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contracting and building, and as an evi- dence of their enterprise, the Stark County Court House, and the First Baptist Church of Canton, as well as many other private and public buildings, are still standing as monuments of their workmanship. A little of the genealogy and history of the family may be of much interest in connection with the above. The grandfather of our subjeet -by the same name -- was a native of Scot- land; his father, John Campbell, was a native of South Carolina. and his mother, Rebecca Marshall, was a native of Chester Co., Penn. James was the eighth child, and fifth son horn to them of a family of seven sons and three daughters. John Campbell became a resi- dent of Marlborough Tp. in 1808, though he remained but a few years and then re- moved just across the line to Portage County. Our subject, married Miss Susan Eck, whose people were among the early comers to Stark County. Four children have been born to them, viz .: Joseph M., now of the firm of J. Campbell & Son .; Charles B., for the past four years Su- perintendent for .J. Danner, of Canton; Amanda, (deceased), and James F., for the past three years a resident of Cañon City, Colorado, and at present, a stockholder and cashier of the Fre- mont County Bank, where he began on a salary of $40 per month.

HENRY CORL, of Corl & Rauk, Canton City Mills. Canton ; is a native of Lancaster Co., Penn., born Feb. 10, 1837. His mother died when he was about 7 years of age, and he went to live with an uncle who was a miller. Henry worked about the mill until he was 16 years of age ; he then engaged at another mill, and worked until 1855, when he came to Stark County and worked in a mill at Navarre, where his father had moved some years previous. From Navarre he went to a mill north of Mas- sillon, after which he worked at various mills, and in February, 1880, in company with his brother-in-law. Mr. Rauk, bought the present mill, which they have continued since. In 1864, he enlisted in the 166th O. N. G., and served about four months. Feb. 15, 1860, he married Miss Margaret Taylor, a native of Stark County. She died in 1872 ; of their four chil- dren, two are living, viz. : Harrison and William. March 4. 1875, he married Miss Sarah Rauk, a native of Pennsylvania. They have three chil- dren, viz. : Iloward. Kent and Isaac.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 105

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1060

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060