History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 118

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

USA > Ohio > Stark County > History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 118

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PETER GRIBBLE. livery stable, Massil lon; was born in this city May 4. ISTO. the eldest child born to Henry Gribble and Matil-

the number now living. The mother of our subject died when he was 1 years of age: for several years he lived at Navarro, in Both- lehem Tp .. but since has been a constant rosi- dent of the city: he began elerking for his father in the store, and in 1862 went into partnership with him, in the livery business, under the firm name of Gribble & Son, which association lasted until 1868, when he pur- chased his father's interest, and sinee has been alone interested He has one of the best ognipped establishments in the city. being supplied with excellent horses and vehicles of all kinds and styles, consisting of open and top buggies, both single and double, car- riages, coaches, elarences, landans and coupes, his long association in the business and. his good accommodation. rendered in a gentle- manly manner. have secured him a large pat- ronage. May 3. 1870. he married Laura, daughter of Sylvester Buckins, whose wife was Sarah Adams. Mr. Gribble has two daugh- ters. Lola May and Nellie JJosephine.

SAMUEL HOOVER. Massillon: was born in 1921, Angust 29. in Cumberland Co., Penn. : son of Martin Hoover. of Frederick Co .. Md .. about the year 1773. of Swiss ances- try. The mother of our subject was Mary Graybill. of York Co .. Penn .. daughter of Joseph Graybill, whose ancestors were also from Switzerland. Our subject was raised on the farm of his father, where he remained until the age of 16, when he struck out of for himself. learning the trade of hatter at Ship- pensburg. Penn .. which business he followed for eleven years. continuing in the business until 18.19. Feb. 27. 1545. he married Eliz- abeth Ann Phillips, born in Shippensburg in 1521. May 16. daughter of Lonis Phillips and Ann MeElroy. From 1545 to 1549, he was engaged in the manufacture of hats. making this a specialty, really, from 1838 to 1849: from this time to 1553, he was Post- master at Williamsburg: subsequently to this was engaged in teaching until 1857; was then elected County Treasurer of Blair County. which position he filled until 1859; in 1560. he resumed the hat trade, doing a retail business until 1870, when he removed to

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Ohio. locating in Massillon, and purchased the interests of MeCurdy & Geesaman in the Massillon American, James J. having one-half interest; since that time has been engaged in conducting the same, in conjunction, under the firm name of S. & J. J. Hoover, which is being conducted up to the present time. He has six children living-Publius W., Leonidas Q., John R .. James J. (twins). Martin and Frank.

DANIEL HEMPERLY, hardware, Massil- lon; was born in Lebanon Co .. Penn., in 1830, June 1; son of David and Mary (Houck) Hemperly, David being a son of Anthony, of German extraction. To David and Mary were boru seven children, all of whom grew to maturity; he was a farmer. Daniel, in the spring of 1846. came to Tuscarawas Tp. when a lad, his father dying when he was but 13; at 16, he began learning the blacksmith's trade, after the completion of which, at the age of 20 years. in March, 1850, he went to the Pacific Coast, where he engaged in min- ing for two and a half years; then returned to this county, in September, 1853, and re- snmed his trade on his own account, which he continued until 1875, when he engaged in the hardware business under the firm name of Brown & Hentperly, which has continued since. Jan. 25, 1855, he married Lonisa M. Hamil- ton, born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Rev. J. Hamilton, who came here in 1843. He had nine children, seven of whom are living Mary, E., Mrs. Franklin Heirman, Austin, Texas; Emma K., Franklin L., Flora A., William E., Jennie and Nellie. Mrs. Hemperly is a member of the Lutheran Church, and her hus- band is a Mason; also a Republican. Mr. Hemperly does business in the city of Massil- lon, and resides in Brookfall, Tuscarawas Tp.

JAMES A. HACKETT, furniture and up- holsterer, Massillon; was born July 23, 1839, in Tuscarawas Tp., this county, the fourth child and second son born to Andrew and Hannah J. (Brown) Hackett; he was a native of Pennsylvania, born Jan. 22, 1806, and came West about the time of the war of 1812, and to whom were born a family of eleven children. Our subject was raised to farming, but at 15 years of age, disliking his ocenpa- tion, and desiring to get an education, left

home and worked out for his board, while at- tending school. In 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany I, 76th O. V. I., the first man in the township to enter the service from Tuscarawas Tp., for three years; after serving eighteen months, he was discharged, in December, 1862, on account of disability. Upon his return home, he went to work at the boat-yard, and there became familiar with the use of tools; then went to work for Russell & Co., and re- mained with them five years. Having accumu- lated $2,500, he started in 1869, with about $1,500 worth of stock, and now ( 1881) runs a stock of over $10,000. In 1871, he married Harriet Rethrough, who died in 1872, giving birth to twins, Clarence and Charles. She was an adopted daughter of I. N. Doxsee. In 1877. he married Josie Priest, born in Rich- land County, daughter of John Priest, a prom- inent citizen of that county. He has one child by her, Carrie J .; is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and passed through all the de- grees to Knight Templar: is also member of the I. O. O. F., and of the Encampment: al- ways been a Republican.

ANTHONY HOWELLS, coal and furnace operator, Massillon: was born in Wales April 6, 1832; son of Howell and Rachel (Evans) Howells, to whom were born a family of six, all of whom grew to maturity. Anthony emi- grated to Ohio in 1850, and settled at Youngs- town, Mahoning County, where he lived for twenty years, engaged in the mercantile and coal business; came to Massillon in 1870, and has since been engaged in the coal and iron business, being at present one of the proprie- tors of the Pigeon Run coal mine and Volcano furnace. In 1854, he married Elizabeth James, a native of Wales, daughter of Will- iam James, who had a family of six children. Mr. Howells has four children-Melvina, Mrs. J. C. Albright, of this city; William E., law- yer, Youngstown; Byron and Edwin S. Mr. Howells is a Democrat, and was elected Secre- tary of State, serving two years; he is an I. (). O. F. and a Knight of Pythias.

F. HOOKWAY, clothier and merchant tailor, Massillon. One of the oldest clothing merchants in this city is F. Hookway, who came to this town in 1846, and has since been engaged in business here. He was born in 1822, in Bid-

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dleford. Devonshire, England, son of William ! R. John, his only brother, died when IS years of age.

and Ann (Bailey) Hookway, with whom he emigrated in 1836, to New York, locating in Onondaga County. Soon after his arrival. he left the paternal home, and apprenticed him- self to learn the tailor's tra le with William Dale, at Janesville. After his trade was com- pleted, he started out on his own resources, and worked as a journeyman tailor at varions places in different States, and seeing in the time much of the world, remaining but a short time comparatively in any one place, until 1546, when he came to this city, where he worked, for a time, on piece-work, soon after opening a shop of his own, first doing only enstom and merchant work, but adding, by degrees, a stock of goods, which were in- creased with his means, and as business would justify, until he had one of the best fur- nished stores of the kind in the city. Being a first-class cutter, and having had over forty years experience, he has succeeded in estab- lishing a good trade in the merchant tailor line, at the same time keeping his store amply stocked with ready-made clothing and gents' furnishing goods. He was married, in 1845. to Henrietta Byle, a native of Stark County. her parents being natives of Pennsylvania. She died in 1873. leaving three children. His daughter. Alice, resides in Wooster, Wayne Co., the wife of Abram Saybrook. He is a member of the varions Masonic bodies in the city, and is a man of industry and of a quiet and retiring disposition.

ALFRED HOPPER. Superintendent of gas works, Massillon; was born in Jersey City in 1857. the only child living born to his parents, Thomas Hopper and Ann ( Freeman) Hopper. Thomas Hopper was born in 1829. in Kont, England, son of John Hopper. Thomas llopper came to New York in 1850; he was a builder and contractor, which busi- ness he followed for several years. The fam- ily came West in 1877, locating in Massillon, where they now reside. Since 1979. Alfred Hopper has had charge of the gas works: hav- ing had much experience in the business hereto- fore, is well qualitied for the position he holds. In Angust. 1579, he married Jennie C. Reilly, who was born in Cleveland, daughter of Robert C. Reilly. He has one child, Thomas

WILLIAM B. HUMBERGER, merchant, Massillon; was born in this city Sept. 13. 1547: his father, Adam J. Humberger, came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1539, and set- tled in Stark County, and after clerking for a year each in Brookfield and Bolivar, removed to Massillon, and embarked in the dry goods trade, being the oldest man at present thus engaged at that place. He was one of the first members of the Methodist Church of Massillon. the organizer of the Sunday school, and was the first Superintendent; formerly an Abolitionist, now a Republican. He has always sustained an excellent credit as a business man. In September, 1843. he married Har- riet E. Chestnutwood, whose father, Abraham Chestnutwood, came from Pennsylvania to Stark County in 1828. He was one of the original members of the Methodist Church, in Massillon, and assisted largely in the erection of the first house of worship, and was a lead- ing and influential member of the denomina- tion. In 1870, Mr. Adam J. Humberger was afflicted with a stroke of paralysis, and has since been laid aside from active business, but still retains an interest in it, the business be- ing conducted by his oldest son, William, the subject of this sketch. After receiving an edu- cation in the public schools of his native place. young Humberger graduated from the tro City Commercial College, in Pittsburgh, Penn., in the spring of 1865. He then became con- nected with the dry goods store of his father, as clerk and general manager. In 1567, he became, and since continued, a partner with his father. His house is the oldest dry goods establishment in Massillon, and has always sustained an excellent credit. Mr. Humber- ger has been a member of the Massillon Board of Education for several years, and for a number of years School Examiner for the Massillon district. In politics, he is Republican. Nov. S. 1572, he married Laura Willson, daughter of George Willson, by whom he has had one son, George H., now deceased.

SALMON HUNT, President of the First National Bank of Massillon; was born Feb. 13, 1813, in North Norwich, Chenango Co., N. Y .; his parents were Timothy and Nancy ( Long)

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Hunt, both natives of Vermont: his father was a carpenter, miller, farmer and manufact- urer, and also a contractor on the public works in New York and New Jersey, among which was one on the Erie Canal, and also one in New Jersey: his last work was the construction of a dam in the Niagara River. from the shore to an island. thereby uniting the Erie Canal with the Black Rock Harbor: he died during the prosecution of the work. Salmon is the only son in a family of seven children, of whom one sister only survives. She is the wife of John Calkins. a lumber dealer of Grand Rapids, Mich. Mr. Hunt received his education in the common schools, and in Hamilton Academy, Madison County, his native State, his school privileges ceasing at the age of 16: he then began his business career as a store clerk, in Norwich, and was employed in that capacity, in different locali- ties in New York, Illinois and Ohio for about eight years, a small portion of which time having a personal interest in the Imsiness. In February, 1837. he married Helen. a daughter of Abraham Per Lee, of North Nor- wich, Chenango Co .. N. Y. In the following spring, he made a reconnoitering trip to the West. passing through portions of Michigan and Ohio, finally settling in Massillon, and embarked in the dry goods trade with his wife's nnele. T. R. Butler, but continued in this but a short time: in the spring of 1538. he became a salesman in the store of Robert H. Folger, of Massillon. where he remained until 1839, when he entered the bank of Mas- sillon as book-keeper and teller: was subse- quently made Assistant Cashier, and afterward Cashier. being connected with the institution twelve years. In 1864. the bank was merged into the First National Bank of Massillon. Mr. Hunt retaining the position as Cashier. and upon the death of the President. Dr. Isaac Steese. in 1874, he was elected President. which position he yet holds. He has been a resident of Massillon over forty-three years. and connected longer with its banking in- terests than any other citizen of the place. Mr. Hunt's family has consisted of four ehil- dren: but two are living, James H., Cashier of Union National Bank. and Helen M., with her parents. In politics, he is a Republican :

his religious views are not such as some might term orthodox that the soul has a distinct existence apart from the body, and that it has a past, as well as a future immortality.

J. F. HESS, manufacturer, Massillon; was born in Baden, in August. 1834, the third child and second son of a family of five chil- dren, born to JJacob and Catharine (Bomerlin) Hess. Our subject emigrated to this State, with his parents. in 1853. locating in Massil- lon. From the age of 12 years until he was 17, he worked with his father in the coal mines. At the age of 17, he began learning the tin- ner's trade, machinery being his delight; his preference was to enter a machine shop, and there familiarize himself with the business, but there being no opening, he abandoned his cherished desires, and learned the tinner's trade instead: about the year 1851. he caught the gold fever, and went to California, where he worked at his trade. for a time, in San Francisco. and afterward went to Oregon, where he engaged in mining: returning to this county in 1861, he engaged in business with Mr. Smith. under the firm name of Hess & Smith, which partnership lasted until 1864, Mr. Smith retiring. Mr. Hess continuing the business alone two years. then taking in his brother, Leonard, the firm has since been known as J. F. Hess & Bro, and is doing a good business, both brothers being practical mechanies and energetic business men. They carry on a foundry and machine shop, where they manufacture the latest improved cooking and heating stoves, grates. farm boilers, etc .. and all castings to order. They make a specialty of lift and force pumps, and are the sole patentees and manufacturers of the cele- brated " Novelty," which is a combined lift and force pump: also patented and mannfact- ure rain-water cut-off's and pave-trough hang- ers. Their salesroom is at Nos. 9 & 11 North Erie street. Mr. Hess is one of the self-made men of the town. In 186!, he married Cath- arine Stahl. who was born in Bethlehem Tp. They have seven children.

GEORGE HARSH. retired, Massillon: was born March 15, 1810. in Washington Co., Penn., being the youngest son and only surviving child of a family of six chil- dren. born to George and Catharine (Stricker)

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Harsh, who were natives of Pennsylvania; his father emigrated to Ohio in 1513, and settled in Stark County in the vicinity of Massillon; he was a substantial type of the genuine pio- neer, and passed his life in agricultural pur- suits, and was a worthy and influential mem- ber of the community; his death occurred at the age of 78 years. Our subject passed the greater part of his minority at home, having only the advantages of a common school edu- cation. In 1830. at the age of 20, he became a clerk in the store of his brother, Jacob Harsh, of this city, and afterward engaged in the same business as partner, which continued until 1534. when his brother died: from that time forward, he conducted the business upon his own account, for about twenty-five years; he was subsequently associated in the mercan tile business with Messrs. Humberger and Oberlin, of this city; since 1563. he has been retired from active business, but has not been idle, having been engaged in dealing in real estate, and performing a considerable amount of work as executor and administrator in the settlement of estates, having done probably as much business in this line as any man in Stark County. At an early day, he served as a member of the Town Council for eighteen years in succession, and served as a member of the Board of Education, and as Clerk and Treasurer. He was formerly a Whig. but since the dissolution of that party. has been a Republican. From 1546 to 1947, he repre- sented Stark County in the Lower House of the Ohio Legislature; in 1860, he was elected to the Ohio Senate, and re-elected in 1562, thus serving four years. From 1567 to 1873 inclusive, he served on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Penitentiary. Aside from his other business affairs, he has been extensively engaged in farming interests, owning a con- siderable amount of real estate: he was one of three receivers appointed by the Court. to close up the atfairs of the old Bank of Massil- lon: he is now Vice President of the First National of this city. He has been thrice married: his first wife was Susan Stockly, of Stark County : second wife was Jane E. Smith. of Cannonsburg, Penn .; his present wife is E. A. JONES. educator, Massillon: was born Feb. 11. 1$12, in Rockville, Mass .: his Sarah E. McCarty. of Wayne County, this State. By the first marriage he had three parents were Elisha Adams and Rhoda ( Ellis)

children; by his present wife seven, all de- ceased; he is not a member of any orthodox church, but contributes to the support of the ministry and religious institutions.

WILLIAM H. JUSTUS, milling, Massil- lon; was born Oct. 11, 1528, in Bedford Co., Penn., the fifth of a family of nine children, born to William and Hannah (Hanse) Justus, he a son of David, of Welsh ancestry, the Hause family coming from Germany. David Justus had five children -- James, Wilson, Hannah, Harriet and William. The latter, the father of our subject, was a miller by oc- cupation, and left Pennsylvania in 1834, com- ing to this county, where he lived two years, then moved to Canton and engaged in farm- ing and milling. In 1840. he moved to Miami County, where he followed farming, and died, in 1849, his wife following him in 1856. William, our subject, went to learn his trade, in February, 1851, and worked for his brother, James, in the Sippo Mills two years, and then went to Millport, where he remained until 1853, then to Tippecanoe till July of 1854, when he went to Allen Co., Ind., and built a saw-mill. which he ran till August, IS56, then sold out and went to Huntington County. where he took a contract to furnish plank for fourteen miles of road. In May, 1855, he returned to Massillon and purchased an interest in the Earl Mill, the firm being J. H. & W. H. Justus, which lasted until 1563; then, on account of failing health, he moved to this town and engaged in the grocery busi- ness two years, then moved to Lima, Allen Co., remaining eighteen months, and then returned to this city and bought an interest with J. H. Justus & Co., in Sippo Mills, and ran the same until 1574, John G. Warnick being a member of the firm, when James withdrew, and he became associated with J. G. Warnick, under the firm name of Warnick & Justus, which has since continued. He was married. in 1563, to Franees M. Shaffer, born in this county in 1541, daughter of William and Gracie Carr. They have one child, Me- linda Maude. He is a Democrat, and his wife a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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Jones. Elisha Jones was a farmer, and dur- ing a part of his life taught school in the East. Our subjeet, during his boyhood, had the advantages of the distriet school, during the winter months. working the rest of the vear on the farm: his preparatory course was obtained at Mt. Hollis Academy, Holliston, Mass., where he attended for five terms, teaeh- ing sehool during the winter months, a course which he continued throughout his whole eol- legiate life. this helping to defray the ex- penses of his edneation. In 1860, he entered the Amherst College, Mass., in the regular elassical department. During his Sophomore year, while applying himself zealously to the proseention of his studies, the Government was shaken by the war of the rebellion: in the hour of his country's peril, inspired by that spirit of patriotism which animated the breasts of so many loyal men of his native State, he abandoned, for a time, his chosen course, and hastened to the defense. He enlisted in Com- pany B, 42d Mass. V. I., in the nine months' service. In the battle of Bayou la Fourche, La., he was wounded in the shoulder, and during his convalescence his term of enlist - ment expired. Thus, after the service of about a year, in which he received compli- mentary military mention, he returned to civil life, resumed immediately his course in college, and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1865. and that of Master of Arts in 1868. After graduation, he was engaged at the Lake Forest Academy. at Lake Forest, Ill .. as Professor of Latin and Gym- nasties, and afterward was elected as Prinei- pal. After spending four years in the insti- tution, he came to Massillon, Ohio, and ac- cepted the position of Superintendent of Pub- lie Schools. Near the close of his fourth year in this capacity, he resigned his position, and accepted, soon afterward, the Superintendence of the Publie Schools at Marietta, Ohio. After a term of two years' service, he returned to Massillon, in 1875, and resumed his orig- inal position, where he has sinee been unin- terruptedly employed. While not an active politieian, Mr. Jones has always been an ad- herent of the Republican party; in religious belief, he is a Congregationalist, though at present is connected with the Presbyterian

Church. at Massillon, and is an active worker in the church, and for a member of years was Superintendent of the Sunday school; he is a pronounced temperance man. is identified with the Massillon Christian Temperance Union, being at one time President of the association; he has been one of the prominent workers in the County Institute, served as Examiner on the County Board, and was con- nected with the educational interests both in the city and country. Dec. 23, 1873. he mar- ried Flora, daughter of Warren C. Richards, of Massillon.

WILLIAM KITCHEN. miller, Massillon; was born in 1819, in Jackson Tp., Stark Co., Ohio: son of Wheeler and Agnes (Shoemaker) Kitchen, both born in Pennsylvania. They eame to this, Stark. County, about the year 1813. first locating in Perry Tp., and after- ward moved to Jackson Tp., where they lived several years, finally locating permanently in Lawrence, where they lived until about the year 1850, when they moved to Putnam County, and resided until their death. They have a family of six children who came to maturity Jacob, Samuel, William, Joseph. Sarah and Wheeler G., all living. Our sub- jeet left home at 16. and went to live with his unele, for whom he worked at low wages until he was about 30 years of age, when he bought 5 aeres, afterward adding 4 more, which he finally sold, and bought 49 acres, which he improved and lived on until about the year 1868: he built the mill he now owns in 1875: it has four run of buhrs, and does merchant as well as exchange work. Previous to build- ing this mill, Mr. Kitchen had run the Earl Mill for four years. He was married, in 1840, to Elizabeth Clapper, born in Lawrence Tp., about the year 1822. daughter of David Clapper, who was an early settler, and was in the war of 1812. Mr. Kitchen has three children- David, Jeremiah. and Sarah (Mrs. John Swihart). He is a Republican.

DAVID KERSTETTER, retired. Massil- lon: was born May 7, 1816, in Center Co .. Penn., the third of a family of seven children. six of whom grew to maturity, being the issue from the union of John and Elizabeth (Young) Kerstetter; he was born in 1791, in Montgom ery, in the Mackinaw Valley: son of Leonard.

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who was of German ancestry, and who had been a soldier in the Revolution. Elizabeth was born near Philadelphia, in 1791, daughter of Christian Young, a native of Germany, and who had four children. Leonard came West in 1814. settled in Lawrence and bought a grist-mill. which he ran for several years; he also bought two sections of land, some of it being underlain with coal; he died in 1822; to him were born Sebastian, Leonard, George. Adam, John. Peter. Jacob and Christian, all of whom grew to maturity and settled in Tus- carawas Tp. John, the father of our subject. was raised in Lawrence Tp .. and was killed by being run over by his team and farm wagon; he had seven children, two only liv- ing. Our subject was raised on the farm of his father, where he was born, until 1853. after which he made various changes, buying sev- eral farms: located in town in 1865; in 1842, he married Sarah Weygant, born in Lawrence Tp., daughter of Henry Weygant, one of the early settlers of that township: she died in 1858, leaving four children David, Melissa, John and Benjamin: he married the second time. in 1859, Sarah Bitler, born in Canton Tp .. daughter of John Bitler: by this wife he has four children- Marietta. Viola, Sadie M. and Marcellus. David served in the army six years, four in the rebellion and two after its close at Fort Kearney, being Sergeant Major at the fort: received two honorable discharges during service, and was a brave and loyal soldier.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 118

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