History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 122

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Ohio > Summit County > History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 122

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JOHN H. BELLOWS, retired farmer ; P. O. Akron ; is the eldest son of Ithamar Bellows. who was born Feb. 11, 1794, in Groton, Conn., and died in 1868, he being a son of Ephraim, who came, among the early settlers, to Coventry and Springfield Townships. The wife of Itha- mar was Lanah Haynes, born June 28, 1796 ; died Jan. 17, 1867. Her parents were Daniel and Jane (Haynes) Haynes, who were the first white settlers in Coventry Township. The father

of our subject drove an ox-team from Groton, Conn., to Coventry, in the fall of 1811, for Capt. Amos Spicer, with whom he lived until his marriage to Lanah Haynes, by whom he had seven children-Laura, born March 30, 1816 ; John H., April 24, 1818 ; Samantha J., Oet. 20, 1823; Ephraim G., Dec. 15, 1825 ; Harriet D., March 11, 1830 ; Henry J., Dec. 18, 1833, and Mary E., Dec. 22, 1837. He was always a very hard-working man, honest and upright in all his dealing, by which he amassed a considerable fortune, although very liberal, and meeting with many reverses. John H., being the oldest son, received a very limited education, he being employed in assisting his father in clearing up the old homestead until about 25 years of age. He was married, Oct. 9, 1857, to Lydia Ann Myers, daughter of Simeon Myers, an old settler in Norton. They have two sons-Francis Leroy, born Dec. 25, 1859, now engaged as Assistant Superintendent at Akron Rubber Works-and Charles Orlando, born Oct. 25, 1861, now engaged in the manu- facturing of brooms, with Bechtel & Pontius.

JAMES H. BURT, book-keeper at Brewster Coal Chutes, Akron ; was born Aug. 19, 1843 ; the son of William Burt, whose father was also named William ; they were natives of England. Our subject is a native of Glamorganshire, South Wales ; and, in the fall of 1853, came from Liverpool to New York with his parents and four sisters. They resided at Wampum, Penn., for one year ; then came to the city of Youngstown, Ohio, where the father now lives, and is engaged as an horticulturist. His mother was a sister to John Beese, whose history ap- pears in Coventry Township. James attended school until 13 years of age, when he engaged as a mule driver in the Mahoning Valley until the breaking-out of the war, when he enlisted as drummer in an independent band called " Dixon's Band ;" but was subsequently con- nected with the 155th Pennsylvania Regiment, the band being discharged some time after en- listment, he returned home, and re-enlisted in the 84th O. V. I. three months' men ; but were kept several months overtime, when they were discharged. He then, immediately, Jan. 2, 1864, enlisted in the 15th Ohio Battery, in which he served until June, 1865, when he returned home, and worked on a farm and attended school un- til April, 1866, when he was engaged as book- keeper by the Crawford. Davis & Co. Coal Mining

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Company, near Youngstown, until 1874, at which time he accepted the position which he now occupies. He was married, Nov. 28, 1867, to Harriette E. Beatty, daughter of John and Lu- cretia (Darrow) Beatty, natives, he of Ireland, she of New England. By this marriage, there were five children-Harrison J., Franklin P., Clara May, Alfred and Martha J.

ARTHUR F. BARTGES, Akron ; son of Dr. Samuel W. Bartges ; was born in North George- town, Ohio, April 2, 1838, and came with his parents to Akron in 1842, where he attended the public schools until he was 16, entering Western Reserve College of Hudson in 1856, where he spent two years. In 1857, he entered the law office of Ranney, Backus & Noble, of Cleveland. being admitted to the bar at the session of the Supreme Court at Columbus, April 4, 1859. Returning at once to Akron, he formed a partnership with Gen. A. C. Voris, which lasted until 1864. In 1865, he opened a coal mine in Norton, and engaged in the coal business, going to Cleveland in 1869, where he had his principal office, and did a large busi- ness in the sale of coal until 1877, when he again came to Akron, and resumed the practice of law, being in active practice ever since.

CAPT. A. P. BALDWIN, Agent Akron Iron Company, Akron, oldest son of James and Mary (Robertson) Baldwin, was born Jan. 28, 1838, near 110 North Howard street, Akron ; at 14. he entered the employ of P. D. Hall & Co., as clerk, where he remained until 1859, when his father opened a hardware store on Howard street, under the firm name of James Baldwin & Son; this they conducted until the war broke out, and, in October, 1861, he enlisted in the 6th Ohio Light Battery, or- ganized at Mansfield, Ohio, by John Sherman, by whom he was commissioned 2d Lieutenant. After the battle of Mission Ridge he was pro- moted to 1st Lieutenant, and during the Hood campaign he was made Captain of the 6th Battery ; he was mustered out at New Orleans September 1, 1865, having served nobly in the Pittsburg, Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River, Chat- tanooga, Lookont Mountain, Atlanta Cam- paign, Resaca, Atlanta (Jonesboro), Spring Hill and Nashville battles. For his gallant services at Spring Hill, of Franklin, Tennessee, he was offered a commission in the regular army, by Corps Commander Gen. D. Stanley, but de- clined it. On his return to Akron he went into

the hardware business with H. W. Wetmore, under the firm name of Wetmore & Baldwin, and in 1867, it became Wetmore, Baldwin & Paige, so continuing until 1869, when he retired, and in March became General Agent for the Akron Iron Company, a position he still retains, repre- senting the company throughout the East, West and South. November 10, 1863, he married Miss Celia F. Ayres, of Akron ; he has four children-James A., John Sherman, Susie and Mary E.

JAMES BALDWIN, Akron, was born at Amsterdam, N. Y., in 1805, and cameto Akron in 1831, having but little means ; he was a car- penter and builder. The firm of Kilbour & Baldwin was presented with lots on corner of Howard & Market streets, for the purpose of erecting a hotel, which they did, and named it the "Pavilion Hotel ;" they rented it to Charles B. Cobb, who kept it for several years. Mr. Baldwin . put up the present block, comprising Nos. 102, 104 and 108 North Howard st. He went into the hardware business in 1859, con- tinning until 1864, when he retired, and died Sept. 19, 1865. His wife, Mary (Robertson) was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1805, came to Ohio, with her parents, in 1831, and was mar- ried. She died in 1872, leaving a family of six children, viz., Miranda P., resident of Akron ; Isabella R., wife of William C. Sullivan, of Oak- land, California ; Aaron P. (of whom see sketch) ; James W., died in 1875, near Cincin- nati ; Mary J., who was the wife of B. D. A. Melvin, of Akron, and died in 1877 ; and Olive J., wife of C. L. Benjamin, of Dennison, Tex. James Baldwin was a civil engineer on the railroad from Schenectady to Albany, N. Y., in 1830, the first railroad in the United States, with Hon. Horatio Allen and James Mills ; he was a man of great industry, and possessed a character without a flaw.

JAMES F. BRUOT, Notary Public, general insurance and real estate agent, Akron; was born Jan. 29, 1827 ; is the son of John Nicho- las Bruot and Catharine Bruot, nee Guyot, of Valentigney, near Montbeliard, Department of Doubs, France; and the descendant of an an- cient Huguenot family. Ile was educated in the normal school of his native town, and in 1843 came ont best of his class and drew the first prize of honor ; in May, 1848, he came to the United States, stopping at Buffalo, N. Y., where he engaged to work for an attorney in

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order to learn the English language ; he went back to France in 1851 on a visit, and while ; people ; he is a member of Summit Lodge, No. there received a power of attorney from Mr. 50, I. O. O. F., and a Republican in politics. He has been almost wholly dependent upon his own resources, and, however prominent his position may be in connection with the mercantile industries of Akron, that position has been attained by his own energy, ambition and honesty. Peter Gressard, of Coventry Township, Summit Co. On his return to the United States, and at the solicitation of Mr. Gressard, he came to this county and visited the latter, when he first became acquainted with his wife ; he did not remain long, however ; he, being an only child was again called to France by his parents for the third time. While there his father died acci- dentally, and, after arranging matters relating to the estate, he returned to Buffalo, and, Dec. 2, 1854, was married in Akron to Miss Rosalie Gressard. He took his wife to Buffalo, and re- mained there in the grocery and provision bus- iness until November, 1857, when he sold out his house, lot and business, at a good margin, and took his wife and first child on a visit to Europe. In 1860, he returned with his family to Akron, where, a few months later, after the death of his father-in-law, he purchased the latter's farm. In 1864, he erected a large build- ing on South Main street, where he opened a wholesale and retail grocery store, and, a few years later, erected the Harmonie Block, at a cost of $23,000 ; in November, 1871, he en- gaged in the general insurance and real estate business, and is at present Notary Public, insur- ance and real estate agent. He has five chil- dren, all of whom are living. Mr. B. has made eight trips to Europe, which, with his original trip to the United States, makes seventeen times crossing of the Atlantic.

G. C. BERRY, merchant, Akron, of the well- known firm of G. C. Berry & Co .- of which so much is said in the sketch of Mr. Henry of this firm-is a native of Medina Co., Ohio, though he became a resident of Summit County when he was 3 years old ; in 1863, he became a partner in the firm of which he now stands at the head, which change was made in 1874. His has been a life without remarkable incident, yet crowned with success. During his early life he had the ad- vantage of the public schools of Akron ; his opportunities were not left unimproved, the re- sult of which was the acquirement by himself of a good education. In social as well as in business affairs, he is not given to ostentation. He was a member of Co. F of the 164th O. V. I., 100 days service during the war of the rebell- ion ; he has been a member of the Board of Education of Akron, which fact is pretty good

evidence of his ability and the confidence of the

GEORGE BURKHARDT, retired, Akron, who is a representative of the industrious and enterprising German element of Akron popu- lation, was born in Baden, Germany. When he was 11 years old, his father died, and, at the age of 13, he was doubly orphaned by the death of his mother. He, however, had the advantage of attending school until he was 14 years of age. When 15 years of age, he was apprenticed for three years to a toolmaker to learn that trade, in addition to serving which time, he paid $32. At the closing of his term of apprenticeship, he began life among stran- gers on his own account, by beginning a tour of five years' travel through the States of Germany, and by special pass into France and Switzer- land. This period of travel was for the pur- pose of working in the different States of Ger- many, and was what was known as his term of journeyman workmanship, at the end of which time he was termed a master workman. In 1848, he emigrated to America and came direct to Akron, where he has since resided. He first began work for a Mr. James Hale, at Lock No. 7, of Akron. His work has been principally in iron and brass. He has received good

wages on account of his being a fine workman. By saving his money and investing it in real estate he has become the owner of valuable residence and business property in Akron. To aid him in succeeding better in his business, he for a time, shortly after his arrival in Akron, attended a night school for the special instruc- tion of Germans in the American or English language. Mr. Burkhardt has not been a political office seeker, though he has held the office of Chief Engineer of the Akron Fire Department, and has been a member of the Akron City Council from the Fourth Ward. He is a member of the order of A., F. & A. M., and of a number of secret societies that are strictly German. He is also a member of the Reformed Church. In 1870, he paid his Father- land a visit, where he remained for about three

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months. He is now one of that class of the residents of Akron who are reaping the reward of their early industry and economy in the possession of a comfortable home and a com- petency for old age.

ALMON BROWN, County Coroner and Justice of the Peace, Middlebury (Sixth Ward, Akron), was born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., Nov. 26, 1801, on his father's farm, and is the third child of a family of eight children, born to Holland and Sarah (Mix) Brown. They were natives of Brimfield, Mass., and Litchfield, Conn., and were married in Tompkins Co., whither they had removed with their parents. In January, 1814, Mr. Brown and family, then consisting of seven children, came to Ohio. His means of transportation was a sled, drawn by two yoke of oxen, the stronger members of the family, of whom was Almon, our subject, walking the entire distance. The trip required twenty-six days. Upon his arrival he bought 160 acres of timber land, and, while building a cabin, lived with a friend. The cabin put up by Mr. Brown was twenty feet square, and of round logs ; there was one room, " cut down " inside, oiled paper window, board door, made from the sled box, and a stick chimney. He lived here two years, then sold his improve- ments and bought 135 acres adjoining, on which he erected another log cabin, and com- menced clearing his land. He lived in the vicinity some ten years, making in the mean- time several improvements. He then removed to what is now Wadsworth Township, Medina Co., where he bought land, upon which he lived until his death, which occurred in April, 1844. His wife died in Medina in. 1861, where she had lived with a daughter most of the time after her husband's death. Almon Brown, our sub- ject, made his home with his parents until he was 21 years of age. He received but a limited education-his schooling amounting to about four months' attendance, one month each at four different terms of district schools. He was married, Jan. 1, 1828, to Miss Rosalind Hinman, a native of Allegany Co., N. Y., who came to this county (Coventry Township) with her parents about the year 1818. She died May 13, 1847, leaving five children. He was a second time married, on Sept. 9, 1847, to Miss Evan Shively, a native of Columbiana Co., Ohio. She died June 17, 1857. Two children were born of this marriage. May 13, 1858, he

was again married. to Mrs. Read, formerly Miss Catharine Paulus, a native of Huntingdon Co., Penn. She was born June 13, 1811, and was the third of five children born to Daniel and Hannah (Miller) Paulus. They were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and were mar- ried in Pennsylvania, removing to Ohio in the year 1815. They settled in Jackson Township, Stark County, where Mr. Paulus died the next year after settlement. His widow, two years later, married Mr. Jacob Jubb, and bore him five children. They lived in Stark Co. until his death, when she went to Indiana, and passed the remainder of her life with her children. Catharine, the wife of our subject, lived at home until her first marriage to John Read, a wagon-maker in Middlebury. He died Aug. 18, 1856 ; they had no children. She has since resided here, with the exception of about eight years passed in the western part of the county. After the first marriage of our sub- ject, he followed carpentering for about twenty years, and then worked at wood-turning in Norton Township, and, in 1866, came to Mid- dlebury, where he has since resided. He has served most of the time as Justice of the Peace ; also served as Ward and Township Assessor some eight or nine years. He was mail agent for several years, and is now serv- ing his fifth term as County Coroner. He was Mayor of Middlebury two terms-the last dur- ing the vote to annex it to Akron. He has been a member of the Disciples' Church since 1834, and an Elder of the same a number of years. Mrs. Brown was a Methodist about thirty years, but since 1860, has been a mem- ber of the Disciples' Church. Mr. Brown's first vote for a Presidential candidate was for John Quincy Adams. He was a Whig until 1840 ; then anti-slavery until the organization of the Republican party, since which time he has been a zealous member of it.

JUDGE CONSTANT BRYAN, lawyer, Ak- ron. A son of Elijah and Content (Fowler) Bryan ; was born Sept. 6, 1809, in Delaware Co., N. Y., where he was brought up on a farm until he was 16 years old. He then com- menced teaching, continuing it for three years, when he entered upon the study of the law at Bainbridge, Chenango Co., N. Y., in the office of John C. Clark, remaining with him about two years. In the fall of 1831, he went to Milford, Conn., and afterward to New Haven,

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where he continued his studies in the Law De- partment of Yale College, teaching in the pub- lic schools during the summer vacation. In the fall of 1833, he came to Ohio and located in Akron, and, in 1834, was admitted to the bar at Columbus, he walking to Wooster, and going by stage from that place. He opened an office for practice at once ; was the partner of George Bliss for two or three years. In 1852, he was elected Probate Judge of Summit Co. Judge Bryan's practice has been chiefly in civil cases and in the chancery courts. He was the first Recorder of the incorported vil- lage of Akron, and long a member of the School Board. He was one of the early Free- Soilers, and was elected Probate Judge by that party and the Democrats. He was married in May, 1839, to Miss Sophia Dennison, a native of Rutland, Vt. Two children were born of this marriage, one of whom is living-Henry E., City Clerk of Columbus, Ohio. His wife died, and in September, 1854, he was again married, to Miss Susan L. Barnum, of Flor- ence, Huron Co., Ohio. Of this marriage, there are two children living-Fred C., in the Cincinnati Law School, and Isaac J., at home. Judge B. is a member of the Congregational Church.

REV. JOHN B. BROUN, Pastor of St. Bernard's (German Catholic) Church, Akron, was born in Rennes, France, March 2, 1834. When he was 13, his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Monroe, Mich., in 1847. He entered Assumption College at Sandwich, Ontario, at the age of 20, remaining there three years, then entered St. Thomas College, near Bardstown, Ky., where he gradu- ated in June, 1859; was in St. Mary's Semi- nary one year in Cleveland ; studied theology three years in Assumption College, and, Aug. 28, 1863, was ordained priest, in the Cathedral St. Mary, by Bishop Baraga. He was located at Eagle Harbor. on Lake Superior, Mich., having a ter- ritory of fifty miles in length, containing three churches and sixteen missions, comprising over one thousand families. He visited each mis- sion every month and church every two weeks, for three years, often traveling on foot. In 1866, he came to Cleveland, and was sent to St. Bernard's Church at this place, where he has since remained, with the exception of a short visit to Europe in 1873. The church had but sixty families when he came, and now

it has three hundred with about nine hundred communicants, full particulars of which are given in the history of St. Bernard's Church in another chapter.

J. W. BAKER, of Baker, Merriman & Co., Akron, was born in Auburn, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Jan. 27, 1827, and was the youngest of ten children born to Edward and Mollie (Sherman) Baker, who were natives of Massachusetts. He was an edge-tool maker. In 1843, he came to Ohio and settled in Akron. The subject of these lines lived at home about one year after coming to Akron, and then went to Columbus, Ohio, where he learned the cabinet-maker's trade, serving until he became of age, and then returning to Akron, working at his trade until 1850. In company with others, he then went to California overland, where he remained two years, engaged in mining. He returned via Panama and New York, and engaged in the manufacture of musical instruments, continu- ing until the spring of 1857. He then became a member of the Akron Melodeon Company, manufacturers of musical instruments, contin- uing in that business ten years, when he en- gaged in the manufacture of cigar boxes, and gradually added wood-turning and japanning. In about 1870, he and Mr. J. C. McWilliam established the present business, which they have since continued. In May, 1853, he mar- ried Miss Caroline Thayer, a native of New York, who bore him three children, two of whom are living, viz., Frank and Alice. Politi- cally, he is a Democrat.

CHARLES BAIRD, Prosecuting Attorney, Akron. Is a son of Robert and Helen Knox (Moir) Baird ; was born in Akron March 25, 1853. His father was the son of William and Susan (Smith) Baird, and was born in Kineff, Kincardineshire, Scotland, March 8, 1818. His father and grandfather were blacksmiths, and while quite a boy he learned the trade, which he has followed all his life. In 1842, he and his brother came to the United States, and he worked at his trade at Buffalo until May, 1843, when he came to Akron, engaging his services at his trade until 1846, when he established a shop of his own on Main street, at which place and in which business he still continues. On Sept. 21, 1846, he married Miss Helen Knox Moir, a native of Buchan, Forfarshire, Scot- land. She bore him five children, viz., Will- iam (of Akron), Isabel, Charles and Mary (of

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Akron), and Helen, who died at the age of 21. Charles, the subject of this sketch, attended the public schools of AAkron, from which he graduated in 1872. In August, 1873, he en- tered the office of Upson & Ford, where he studied law, being admitted to the bar at the session of the Supreme Court at Columbus Nov. 2, 1875, immediately afterward forming a partnership with William H. Upson, under the firm name of Upson & Baird, which continued until the return of Mr. Ford from Mexico Jan. 10, 1877, when the firm became Upson, Ford & Baird. Oct. 20, 1875, he was appointed Clerk of Portage Township, which office he retained until April, 1878, being twice elected. On Feb. 15. 1879, he was appointed Canal Col- lector for the port of Akron, which he contin- ued to be until, on Jan. 15, 1881, he resigned the office to take charge of the Prosecutor's office, having been elected Prosecuting Attor- ney of Summit Co. in October, 1880, at which election he ran largely ahead of his ticket. With the exception of one year, he has been a member of the Republican Central Committee since 1875.

ALFRED BALDWIN, undertaker, Akron. William and Lneinda (Ladd) Baldwin were natives of Vermont, and were the parents of three sons and three danghters, their second son Alfred, the subject of these lines, being born to them on March 18, 1823, near Sackett's Harbor, in Northern New York. In 1836, they moved to Ohio, and settled on a farm in Port- age County, where they lived until 1870, except a period of seven years. The subject of this sketch lived there on a farm until 1853, when he went to Ravenna, Ohio, there to assume the duties of Deputy Auditor, remaining such until 1856, when he was elected Auditor of Portage County on the Republican ticket, which posi- tion he held for two years, at the end of which time he again served as Deputy for two years. (At that time, the County Auditor was given but one term. ) In 1863, he became Deputy Clerk in the Probate Judge's office, which he continued two years. During these years, he retained the farm which he owned at Rootstown, on which he lived until 1865, when he came to Akron and purchased the furniture estab- lishment of E. D. Dodge, and, with E. A. Reed, continued the business one year, when Reed retired. In February, 1880, Mr. George W. Weeks became a partner, and the busi-

ness since then has been conducted under the firm name of Baldwin & Weeks. They carry a full line of undertakers' goods, bur- ial robes, caskets, and the elegant appoint- ments of the business. On Sept. 29, 1850, he married Miss Anjanette E. Reed, of Roots- town, Portage Co., daughter of Horace Reed, who was born in 1806. in Rootstown, and who is said to be the first white male child born in Rootstown. One daughter-Lois E., was born of that marriage. Subject is a member of the Congregational Church. His father died in 1870, aged 90 years, and his mother, nine years later, followed him, aged 91. Both were con- sistent members of the M. E. Church. His brothers and sisters are Wm. L., Methodist minister, now located at Gilmore, Ohio ; Rev. Chancey. of Centralia. Ill., and Encebia, wife of Thomas Kingsbury, of Berwick, Ill. His sister Sarah A., who was the wife of Harvey Laughlin, died at Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, in her 25th year. One sister, Armelia, died at 16 years of age.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 122

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104