History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 131

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 131

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LEVERETT JOSEPH IVES was born in Westfield, Mass., on the 19th day of Sep- tember, 1806. He was a son of Joseph Ives and Sarah Bishop, both natives of New Haven, Conn. His paternal ancestor, William Ives, likewise recorded "Eves," came, it is supposed. from England, previous to 1639. He settled in New Haven, and was one of the sixty-three original free planters, who, upon the 4th day of June, 1639, signed the " Funda- mental Agreement of Quinnipiack " in, as tra- dition states, the barn of Mr. Robert Newman. Joseph Ives, son of William, married Jan. 2, 1672 or 1673, Mary Yale, born April 16, 1650, daughter of Thomas Yale, Esq., and Mary Turner, of New Haven. Mary Turner was a daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Turner ; he, with Mr. Thomas Gregson, of New Haven, were of that "Godly company " who perished in the Phantom Ship, and both were direct ancestors of Leverett Joseph Ives. Gov. Elihu Yale,

in honor of whom, through his munificent donations, Yale College received its name, was likewise a son of Thomas Yale, Esq., and brother to Mary (Yale) Ives. Ensign and Dea- con Samuel Ives, son of Joseph Ives and Mary Yale, was born in New Haven, Nov. 6, 1677 ; he died there Nov. 24, 1726, aged 49 years ; he was one of the first two Deacons of the First Society Church of New Haven. He married Jan. 3, 1706, Ruth Atwater, born Dec. 31, 1688, daughter of Jonathan Atwater and Ruth Peck, of New Haven. Ruth Peck was a grand daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah Peck, who, " in 1660, was established, according to an act of court, in the Hopkins Collegiate Grammar School, of New Haven, and there taught the languages and sciences." Capt. Jonathan Ives, son of Deacon Samuel Ives and Ruth Atwater, was born March 14, 1716, "which perhaps is 1716-17." He married Feb. 19, 1737-38, Thankful Cooper, daughter of Joseph Cooper, of New Haven ; she was born, probably, April 11, 1721. Capt. Jonathan Ives had four sons, all of whom served faithfully in the Revolu- tionary war. Jeremiah Ives, son of Capt. Jonathan Ives and Thankful Cooper, was born in New Haven, Nov. 19, 1738 ; he married June 7, 1768, Hannah Bassett, born Dec. 26, 1739, daughter of Abraham Bassett, of New Haven, and Mehitable Street, of Wallingford. Joseph Ives, son of Jeremiah Ives and Hannah Bas- sett, was born in New Haven, Feb. 2, 1771 ; he married Sarah Bishop, born Feb. 3, 1777 ; she was a daughter of Isaac Bishop and Sarah Macomber, of New Haven. Joseph Ives and Sarah Bishop, as already stated, were the parents of Leverett Joseph Ives. On the 25th of April, 1832, he married in Perrysburg, Cat- taraugus Co., N. Y., Fidelia Elvira Field, born April 31, 1805, at Grass Hill, Gill, Mass. ; they settled in the adjoining town of Lodi. About 1833, Mr. Ives removed to Hamilton, Canada, West. In the spring of 1837, owing to the occurrence of the Canada rebellion, being un- willing to swear allegiance to the British Crown, he removed to Cleveland, Ohio, and in the following autumn, became a resident of Akron, Ohio, where he lived twenty-three years, ac- quiring there prominence as a druggist ; he identified himself largely in the interests of the town ; was energetie in promoting its early growth, and may be truly styled one of its pioneers. In 1860, he removed to Chicago,

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Ill. After remaining in the West a number of years, he returned East, and died at his resi- dence, in East Orange, N. J., on the 20th of Sep- tember, 1876, aged 70 years and 1 day. He was honest and upright in his dealings with men, a good citizen, a kindly friend and neighbor ; his manners were pleasing, and full of hospitality ; in politics, he originally belonged to the school of Whigs ; in 1848, he voted the Republican ticket, and adhered thereafter firmly to the Anti-Slavery party. He gave to "Old John Brown, the martyr," the rifle he took to Kan-

sas. Prominent in the early history of Akron, was the wife of the subject of this sketch. Fidelia Elvira Ives, daughter of Rodolphus Wright Field and Hannah Dwight Hollister, of Grass Hill, Gill, Mass. She traces her lineage through a number of the original settlers of New England, among whom may be mentioned Samuel Wright, of Springfield, Mass. ; Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass .; Thomas Ford, of Dorchester, Mass. ; Lieut. John Hollis- ter and Richard Treat, both of Wethersfield, Conn .; and Zachariah Field, of Northampton, Mass., grandson of John Field, of England, the astronomer, who, in 1556, wrote the first astro- nomical work ever published, based upon the tables of the Copernican system ; through it he has become known to history as the " Proto Copernican " of England. Like her ancestors, Fidelia E. Ives possesses energy, activity and strength of character; through all the years of her residence in Akron, her gentleness of spirit and large benevolence secured her many friends.

HENRY WARD INGERSOLL, Akron, Ohio. Lemi Ingersoll was born in Lee, Berk- shire Co., Mass., and was raised on a farm. Theodosia S. Humphrey, whom he mar- ried, was born at Goshen, Conn. They both came, when young, with their re- spective families, to this county. Six sons and two daughters were the fruit of their marriage. The subject of this sketch was born to them Oct. 23, 1833, in Richfield Township, Sum- mit Co., Ohio. When he was 2 years old, his family moved to Hudson. In 1857, he graduated from the Western Reserve College, and at once entered upon the study of law with Van R. Humphrey, of Hudson, then with Wolcott and Upson, of Akron, being admitted to the bar at the Supreme Court of Columbus, on March 29, 1859, after which he located in

Akron, where he has practiced ever since, ex- cept during the period passed in the army. He enlisted in September, 1861, in the 2d O. V. C., as a member of the regimental band, serv- ing in the Western campaign in the division of Gen. Blount. During that and the follow- ing years the regiment made an excellent rec- ord. After the band was discharged by order from the War Department, he enlisted at the call of Gov. Brough, in 1864, in 164th Regiment, Company A., O. N. G., and served on the Po- tomac, where they were garrisoned in six forts. In 1862, he was commissioned by Gov. Tod, Captain in the 124th O. V. I., but owing to the consolidation of the companies, he was mustered out. He came again to Akron in the fall of 1864, and has been in continuous practice since. For several years he has been a member of the Council, and Recorder and Attorney for the corporation. In 1863, he was a member of the Council and took the census and prepared the necessary papers and obtained from the Secre- tary of State, the present charter as a city of the second class. For many years he has been chorister of the Congregational Church. June 6, 1866, he married Miss Sarah H. Board- man, of Newton Falls ; there are two children living.

JAMES IRVIN, deceased ; was born in Center Co., Penn., May 29, 1806. His father was a farmer, and he was raised to the same busi- ness. He came to Ohio about the year 1838, and located in Middlebury, at that time one of the most energetic business places on the Reserve. He here formed a partnership with Mr. John Johnson, and did a general merchandise busi- ness for a number of years, when Mr. Irvin re- tired, and so lived until his death, Sept. 4, 1863. He married Nov. 2, 1842, to Miss Martha Clark, a native of Springfield Township, Summit Co., and a daughter of Wm. L. and Sarah (De Haven) Clark. Mrs. Irvin is living still on the old homestead, in Middlebury, where so many years of her life have been passed ; she has no children. Her father, William L. Clark, was a native of Union Co., Penn.

DANIEL A. JAMES, Akron ; youngest son of Daniel and Mary (Pells) James, was born in Paris Township, Portage Co., Ohio, Oct. 13, 1846. His father was a native of Wales, and died in Portage Co., Ohio, in 1846 ; his mother was a native of New York State. He learned cabinet-making in Ravenna, Ohio ; in 1866, he

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came to Akron, and worked for Miller, Thomas & Co., until 1875, when he started a manufact- ory of office and church furniture and interior decorations, which business he has carried on since with fair success ; in 1876, he located at 218 West Market street, employing five skilled workmen constantly ; he experiences a steady growth of business. He is the youngest of sixteen children, of whom but five are living. In February, 1879, he married Louisa Thomas, daughter of George Thomas, of Akron.

M. JEWETT, physician, Middlebury ; is a native of Massachusetts ; he was born in Green- wich, Sept. 4, 1815. He came to Ohio in the year 1836, and located at Hudson, where he read medicine with Drs. Noble and Town ; in 1839, he began practice at Mogadore, and the years 1850 and 1851 he spent in California, after which he returned to Ohio, and during the winters of 1855-56 and 1856-57, he represented Summit County in the State Legislature. In 1858, he removed to Middlebury, where he has since practiced his profession. The Doctor attended lectures at Willoughby, Ohio, and graduated from that college after its re-

moval to Cleveland. Now 66 years of age, he is one of the oldest practitioners in the county ; he has been associated in practice with Dr. Ferguson (a former student), of Moga- dore, Drs. L. S. Esbright and S. T. Odell, of Akron, and at the present time with Drs. C. C. Davison and F. W. Reed. Having a great love for horticultural matters, he has given his leis- ure moments to the management of a small farm, and has now in bearing the largest peach orchard in the county, besides a great variety of other fruits, the care of which afford an ap- preciated recreation.

DR. W. C. JACOBS, 605 High street, Akron, is a native of Lima, Ohio, where he was born Feb. 26, 1840. His parents, T. K. and Ann (Elder) Jacobs, were natives of Juni- ata Co., Penn., whence they came, in 1836, to Ashland, moving two years later to Lima, where they have since lived. His father was a tailor by trade, though turning his atten- tion to farming in the new country, and was one of the early pioneers of the latter place. Dr. Jacobs, the fourth in a family of nine chil- dren, spent his early years on the farm and in the village until the age of 16. when he received an appointment to the National Naval School at Annapolis, Md. He resigned in 1859, and

began the study of medicine in Cincinnati with Dr. William Carson, graduating in 1862, at the Ohio Medical College in that city. In April, 1862, he was appointed Assistant Surgeon in the 4th O. V. C., and served with the regiment until December, 1862, when he was promoted to the position of Surgeon and assigned to the 81st O. V. I., with which he served until the end of the war. During the Atlanta campaign, he served on the Operating Board of the Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. October, 1865, he came to Akron, where he has since practiced his profession. He is a member of the Summit County Medical Society, of the Union Medical Society of Northeastern Ohio, of the State Medical Society, and of the Ameri- can Medical Association. Of the second named society Dr. Jacobs was the first Secretary, and has held offices in other of the societies. Sep- tember 10, 1863, he married Miss Huldah M. Hill, a native of Knox Co., Ohio. Her father, Luther Hill, was a native of New York, and settled with his parents in Richland Co., Ohio, in 1811. Dr. Jacobs has one child-Herald L.

TIMOTHY S. JONES, of the firm of Jones, Wait & Co .. potters, Middlebury, was born in Venango Co., Penn., April 22, 1829. His father, Alpheus Jones, was a blacksmith. At the age of 16, our subject began the potter's trade, and worked at same for five years. He then went to Tionesta, Penn., where he was lumbering until 1855. In this year he came to Ohio and settled in Middlebury, working for three years in the Sewer Pipe Company. He then worked as a potter one year, when, in company with Harvey Baldwin, he opened a pottery, which they conducted a number of years, when he sold his interest and worked at his trade as a hand. In November, 1880, the present company of Jones, Wait & Co. was formed. They have liberal facilities for making all kinds of stone- ware, and will add double their present capacity during the summer. April 25, 1842, he mar- ried Miss Martha H. Watson, a native of Ve- mango Co., Penn. Of their seven children. four are living, viz., Sarah, now Mrs. D. C. Allen, of Middlebury ; Onna, now Mrs. C. M. Wait ; Ada H., now Mrs. H. Akers ; and Wilburn L., the latter and Mr. Wait Akers and T. S. Jones forming the company.

PARK B. JOHNSTON, Akron, is a native of Middlebury (now Sixth Ward of Akron). He was born Sept. 23, 1846, and is fifth in a family

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of ten children born to John and Elizabeth R. (Newton) Johnston. Our subject lived at home until the year 1865, when he took a position as clerk in the Post Office Department at Wash- ington, D. C., where he remained until 1871. He then returned to Akron and took the posi -. tion of Deputy Auditor, which office he held until November, 1880. Oct. 16, 1878, he mar- ried Miss Lois Caruthers, a daughter of Perry C. and Cynthia Clark Caruthers, of Tallmadge Township. By the marriage there is one child, viz., Ethel Lois Johnston.

MRS. ELIZA KENT, Middlebury (Sixth Ward), is the widow of Roswell Kent. He was born in Leyden, Mass., May 18, 1798, and was a son of Zenas and Ann (Plumb) Kent, who were natives of Massachusetts. They removed to Ohio about the year 1812, and settled in Hudson, where he followed his trade of carpenter and joiner. He soon after settled on a farm in Portage Co., and lived in that vicinity until his death, which occurred in 1824. Mrs. Kent lived with her son Roswell until her death, which occurred in Middlebury about the year 1838. Roswell Kent lived at home until some time after attaining his majority. His educa- tional advantages were limited. When he be- came of age, he went to Ravenna, where he clerked in his brother's store. About 1820, he came to Middlebury to establish a business for his brother and Mr. Oviatt, and about the year 1826 he bought the establishment, continuing in the business for a number of years. He then engaged in the manufacture of woolen machin- ery and later in the manufacture of sewer-pipe, which he followed until his death, which occurred July 19, 1871. He was married to Miss Eliza Hart, who was born August 6, 1808, in Middle- bury, and was the first white child born there, and the third in Tallmadge Township. She was the seventh child in a family of eight children of Joseph and Annie (Hotchkiss) Hart. He was a native of Nova Scotia, and at the age of 12 years went to sea, being a sailor for a num- ber of years, and finally became captain of a vessel. His wife was a native of New Haven, Conn. In 1804-5, they came to Ohio and stopped at Deerfield, and in April, 1808, came to Tallmadge Township, where the same year they erected a saw and grist mill. He died about the year 1830. Mrs. Ilart lived in this vicinity with her son William until her death. Mr. and Mrs. Kent had seven children, of whom

but three are living-Ella K., now Mrs. Finley McNaughton, of Akron ; Russell H., of the Ak- ron Stone Ware Company, of Middlebury, and Flora K., now Mrs. T. S. Paige.

DAVID L. KING, manufacturer, Akron ; was born in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, Dec. 24, 1825. He was the third son of a family of eight children born to Leicester and Julia Ann (Huntington) King, both natives of New En- gland. Mr. King's father commenced business as a merchant in Westfield, Mass., but, in 1817, desiring to establish himself in business at Natchez, Miss., he came West, spending some weeks in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio. He pro- ceeded to his destination, where, although the prospect of success was very bright, he could not reconcile himself to the thought of rearing his family under the degrading influences of slavery. He finally abandoned his scheme, and returned to New York by vessel, narrowly escaping death from the yellow fever on the voyage. The same year, he removed to War- ren, Ohio, and engaged in a successful mercan- tile business until 1833, when he became inter- ested in the land upon which Akron is built. He served one term as Associate Judge, and subsequently represented the Trumbull County Distriet in the State Senate for two terms, from 1835 to 1839. He became an ardent opponent of the institution of slavery, and afterward allied himself with the Liberty party, refusing the most flattering offers of advancement from the Whigs, in obedience to his convictions upon the question of slavery. He was the nominee of this party for Governor in 1844, and of the Free-Soil party for Vice President in 1847. though he subsequently declined, and gave his support to Martin Van Buren. He died Sept. 19, 1856, just as the principles for which he had labored were made the foundation of that great political party which has carried them on to such glorious fruition. The subject of this sketch, David L. King, graduated at an early age at Harvard College, and removed to Akron in 1846, where he at once entered upon the study of law in the office of King & Taylor. He was admitted to the bar in Cleveland in 1848, and, in 1851, established his residence there, practicing his profession with success until 1856, when he returned to Akron. Here, in 1867, he abandoned his profession and accepting the offices of Secretary and Treas- urer in the Akron Sewer Pipe Co., the largest

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institution of the kind in the world, he engaged in the manufacture of "vitrified sewer pipe." Since that time, this constantly increasing busi- ness has absorbed his whole attention. Rapid success followed his management of this com- pany, the product of which in the past year reached the amount of $400,000. The com- pletion of the Atlantic & Great Western Rail- way, in 1864, gave a great impetus to the manufacturing interests of Akron, and to Mr. King's intelligent activity and financial ability is largely due the advanced position as a manu- facturing point of which Akron is justly proud. All enterprises for the promotion of the city's growth have found in Mr. King a liberal sup- porter and a capable worker. He was promi- nent in securing the extension of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and, in 1871, was elected Pres- ident of the Valley Railroad, the establishing of which he did so much to secure. At the death of his father, Mr. King assumed the management of the large landed estate which his father owned in company with Gen. Simon Perkins, pursuing a policy in the dis- posal of these lands which materially aided the interests of the growing city. A member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and for fourteen years an active Superintendent of its Sunday school, he has ever been found a prominent worker in all charitable and benevolent enter- prises. He is known throughout the com- munity as an indefatigable worker, and is highly esteemed. He was married, May 1, 1849, to Miss Bettie Washington Steele, of Charleston, Va., a grand-neice of Gen. Washington. Of this union were born Ellen Lewis, Bettie Steele, Howell Steele, Susan Huntington and Martha Perkins King, all of whom are living except Ellen Lewis, who was married, Jan. 19, 1870, to David R. Paige, of Akron, and died Dec. 20, 1878, leaving two sons, Charles Cutler, born Nov. 25, 1870, and David King, born May 20, 1872. The second daughter, Bettie Steele, was married, Dec. 10, 1873, to John Gilbert Ray- mond, of Akron, and has one child, Harry King, born April 29, 1877.

FRANK J. KNAPP, manufacturer of stone- ware, Akron, is a native of Baden, Germany. His parents, John and Barbara (Schneider) Knapp, came to America in 1847 and settled at Pittsburgh, going thence to Minnesota, and, in 1850, to Akron. His father was a stone-mason and followed the trade in this country ; he died

about 1867 ; his wife died three years previous. Frank J. was born in Germany June 4, 1840 ; he came to this country with his parents, with whom he lived until he was about 22 years of age. At the age of 13, he was apprenticed to the potter's trade, and six years later, he was conducting his own shop ; entering his wares at an agricultural fair, he secured the first premium over five competitors. He has been conducting the business here ever since, save for eight years, during three of which he was engaged at the business in Stark County, and later, worked five years with Johnson & Bald- win, in the Sixth Ward. He started his pres- ent business in 1868 or 1869, which has grown until he now employs about thirty hands and from four to six teams, turning out from 12,000 to 15,000 gallons per week. His business is done entirely upon orders, although he employs no agents. In 1862, he married Miss Louisa Hines, of Coventry, Summit Co., Ohio, and by her had three children, two of whom are now living-Mary and Emma. In the fall of 1878, he married Miss Katie Strumk, of Wadsworth, Medina Co., Ohio.

REUBEN N. KRATZ, book-keeper, Akron ; was born in Milton Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, July 2, 1845 ; at 18 he began teaching, having received a good high-school education at Smithi- ville. Until 1870, he taught in Medina, Sum- mit and Wayne Counties. In 1871, he went to Pentwater, Mich., where, for two years, he had charge of the Union schools. In 1873, he came to Akron, and, in August of the same year, was married to Miss Amanda Miller, daughter of Charles Miller, of Akron; she bore him two sons ; one is deceased. He en- tered the employ of Mr. Miller, having charge of the shops and lumber yards ; finally, the firm was changed to Miller & Kratz. In 1877, he became a partner with Harvey F. Miller. continuing one year, followed by a year of teaching in the public school, since which time he has been book-keeper for D. W. Thomas. His mother was a native of Bucks Co., Penn., and his father, Jacob Kratz, was of German descent, also a native of Bucks Co., Penn., where he engaged in farming; he came to Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1838, and resided on a farm there until his death in 1872, leaving a family of five sons and one daughter, all now living, viz. : Samuel, a farmer in Wayne County ; Maria, wife of J. C. Stiner, of same county ;

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Reuben N. (subject) ; Henry E., of Bucyrus, Ohio ; Jacob L., farmer at Salt River, Mich., and Lee G., a student in the Cincinnati Con- servatory of Music. Reuben N. Kratz is a member of the English Lutheran Church, and Superintendent of the Sabbath school.

J. A. KOHLER, lawyer, Akron, Ohio ; is a son of Henry Kohler, and was born Ang. 15, 1835, in Franklin Township, in this county. He received his education at the public schools of the neighborhood, and at 18, went to the Lodi Academy. In 1853, he came to Akron, where he apprenticed himself to one Sanford for four years, and then began the study of law with N. W. Goodhue, and was admitted to the bar in 1859 ; elected Prosecuting Attorney two terms, beginning in 1868 and continuing to 1872 ; practiced with Hon. Sidney Edgerton for a num- ber of years, and since 1881, in firm of Kohler & Saddler. He was married in May, 1860, to Miss Frances Coburn, daughter of Dr. Coburn, of Akron. They have two children-Burt and George. Subject's grandfather came from Hol- land, and settled in Berks Co., Penn., at begin- ning of 19th century. He was born about 1788, and was a soldier in the war of 1812; he came to Franklin Township, this county, about 1836, where he lived until his death in 1843.

RICHARD H. KNIGHT, publisher of Akron City Times, Akron, Ohio ; is the second son in a family of seven children born to Jonathan and Deborah (Barber) Knight, Connecticut. The father was of English descent, but was born in Norwich, Conn., where he followed farming until 1832, when he came to Ohio and settled at Ridgeville, and resided there until his death. He had three sons and four daughters ; five children still living. Richard H. (subject) was born Nov. 11, 1813, in Litchfield Co., Conn., and came with his father's family to Ridgeville as above (in 1832) and followed farming and stone-cutting in Lorain Co. for fourteen years, and then moved to Dover, Cuyahoga Co., where he lived until 1873. He owned a farm there, on which was a stone quarry, and he worked in the various departments of stone-work at Ely- ria, and on the Cleveland, Columbus & Cin- cinnati R. R. In 1873, he removed to Akron, and purchased the Akron City Times, and has devoted himself to the business management of it since. He was married Dec. 31, 1837, to Miss Emma Beebe, of Ridgeville, Ohio. They have three children, viz .: Eber H., carpenter, at

Grand Rapids, Mich. ; Ellen, a teacher at Cuy- ahoga Falls, Ohio, and Clarence R., editor of the Akron City Times, who was born at Dover, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, Aug. 9, 1850. He (Clar- ence R.) entered Lombard University, at Gales- burg, Ill., at the age of 17 years, for four years, and in 1871-72 was in the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio. Came to Akron in 1872, and at the opening of Buchtel College, matriculated and finished the course in 1873; when in the December following he took charge of the editorial department of the Times, which position he has since retained.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 131

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