History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 133

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 133

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

733

CITY OF AKRON.

himself with the newly organized Republican party, presented himself before the Republican County Nominating Convention as a candidate for State Representative ; but the honors were fairly won by that then stanch Republican, Dr. Mendall Jewett, of Mogadore, now an equally stanch Prohibitionist of the Sixth Ward in Ak- ron. On the accession of Salmon P. Chase to the Gubernatorial Chair of Ohio, in January, 1856, Mr. Lane, backed by a majority of the business men of Akron, both Republicans and Democrats, applied for the position of Canal Collector for the port of Akron ; but his genial and rotund friend, Nathaniel W. Goodhue, Esq., carried too many political guns for him, and won the prize for himself. Thus far, though doing his best to establish and maintain Re- formatory and Republican principles, Mr. Lane's political aspirations had proved such utter fail- ures that, though still working both on the rostrum and with the pen and the paint-brush, in the fabrication of party banners and mottoes, he had concluded to make no further efforts in the office line, when, in the fall of 1856, during the celebrated Fremont-Buchanan campaign, the Republicans in different parts of Summit Co. spontaneously fixed upon him as their can- didate for Sheriff, and in their Nominating Con- vention nominated him for that position on the first ballot, by the very handsome majority of 17 over all competitors, some six or seven in number. Though bitterly opposed, on account of his radical temperance proclivities, he was triumphantly elected, and in 1858, was renomi- nated by acclamation, and re-elected by a greatly increased majority. On the expiration of his second term, January 1, 1861, Mr. Lane became the editor-in-chief of the Summit County Beacon, then, as now, the sole Republican organ of Summit Co. Some three months after as- suming his editorial duties, he was appointed by Gov. William Dennison, without solicitation on his part, or on the part of his friends, Pro- bate Judge of Summit Co., to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Judge William M. Dodge. The honor, however, was respectfully declined, his editorial duties not permitting him to fill both positions, and as the appointment was only until the ensuing October election, about three months, and as he had but just re- tired from the office of Sheriff, he did not feel like asking the people for another county office so soon. Mr. Lane continued to devote the

best energies of his mind and body to the building-up of the Weekly Beacon, and its later adjunct, the Akron Daily Beacon, as detailed elsewhere in this volume, for nearly fifteen years, meantime becoming the one-third owner thereof, when, from causes entirely beyond his control, he was obliged to retire therefrom in the fall of 1875, without a dollar. At this crisis in his affairs, he again, in the fall of 1876, asked the people of Summit County for his old position of Sheriff, which, notwithstanding the objections urged against him that he was too old (being then 61 years of age) ; that he had already held the office two terms, and that he was too radical in his temperance and other reform notions, was generously given to him by a handsome majority of the voters of the county ; as was also another term, by a still larger majority at the October elections in 1878. Notwithstanding his "advanced " age, his ad- ministration of the office was so successful and satisfactory to the people, that still another term would undoubtedly have been tendered to him, but for the constitutional provision that no incumbent of that office shall serve more than four years in any consecutive six years. Trans- ferring his office to his successor, William Mc- Kinney, Esq., on the 3d day of January, 1881, Mr. Lane continued to make himself generally useful about the court house, as Mr. McKin- ney's Chief Deputy, some three months, when, on the 1st day of April, 1881, the Republican Convention of the City of Akron placed him in nomination for Mayor, by the very decisive vote of 36 to 12. At the election, April 5. almost superhuman efforts were made to com- pass his defeat, not only by his old-time bitter enemy, Democracy, but by the entire "bummer " and " hoodlum " element of the city, and though in no way seeking or working for the office himself, Republicanism and Law and Order principles so far prevailed as to secure the election of Mr. Lane by a small majority, to be the Mayor of the city of Akron for the period of two years.

In thus presenting the merest outlines of the varied and somewhat eventful history of Mr. Lane, compiled mainly from data furnished by himself, we have, at his request, omitted a large number of interesting, thrilling, as well as ludi- crous reminiscences of his life-his youthful exploits as a " Gay Lothario " among the girls, and otherwise ; his rich experiences as clerk

734

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

and book agent ; his getting lost in the woods and spending a night among the untamed Creek Indians in Alabama ; his frequent personal ren- contres with blacklegs and other desperate characters, while publishing the Buzzard and Cascade Roarer; the numberless egg-peltings and other indignities received while preaching the gospel of temperance ; the hazards and hardships of his overland journey to Califor- nia ; scenes, tragical and comical, including the excitements of the vigilance committee period, in San Francisco ; his " hair breadth 'scapes by land and sea," from shipwreck and pestilence upon the journey home ; the successful system of criminal detection pursued by himself and others, while filling the office of Sheriff from 1856 to 1861 ; his many encounters with both male and female desperadoes in and about the jail during his eight years of official service ; his experiences with the fire-fiend by which he was twice reduced from comparative affluence to substantial beggary ; his struggles with pov- erty, with disease and with domestic afflictions ; all possess an interest of no ordinary type, but which Mr. Lane thinks would occupy more space in this volume than their importance to the public would justify. But a few words more regarding the family matters of Mr. Lane should not be omitted. With the wife of his youth, Mr. Lane lived harmoniously and hap- pily for almost a third of a century, her death occurring on the 2d day of July, 1871. To them were born eight children, four of whom, three sons and one daughter, were taken from them by death, in infancy and early childhood. Of the survivors, the eldest, Julius Sherman Lane, now in the 40th year of his age, is an honored citizen of Akron, a machinist by trade, and is one of the proprietors and the superintendent of one of Akron's most successful manufactur- ing establishments-The Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Company. The next son, Fred- erick Alanson Lane, now in his 32d year, is an engineer and pressman ; at present, after about ten years' acceptable service in the extensive newspaper and job press rooms of the Beacon Publishing Company, in Akron, is in charge of the presses and machinery of the Ohio Farmer in the city of Cleveland. The third son, Arthur Malcolm Lane, now 25 years old, is under the training of his elder brother, both a practical machinist and an experienced draughtsman, and, after about three years' service in the

draughting room of the celebrated Baldwin Locomotive Works, in Philadelphia, is now fill- ing a similar position in the Rhode Island Lo- comotive Works, in the city of Providence. The youngest, a daughter, Carrie Maria Lane, now 23 years of age, was married, Sept. 11, 1878, to Mr. Albert J. Pitkin, also a graduate from the works of the Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Company, in Akron, who, after four years experience in the draughting rooms of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, at Philadel- phia, is now the superintendent of the draught- ing department of the Rhode Island Locomotive Works, above alluded to, at Providence. And now, in summing up this brief sketch of his family, Mr. Lane bids us say that each and all of his living children are in every respect the superior of their paternal ancestor, a cireum- stance which he attributes entirely to the care- ful early training bestowed upon them by their sainted mother. Nov. 11, 1872, Mr. Lane mar- ried, for his second wife, Mrs. Emeline Manning, a sister of the former Mrs. Lane, with whom he has since lived in perfect harmony and happi- ness. Thus, in the 66th year of his life, though not rich in this world's goods, Mr. Lane is com- fortably situated, and, in the companionship of his most excellent wife, the society of his chil- dren and grandchildren, and surrounded by kind friends and neighbors, he is happy in the thought that during his nearly half a century's residence among them, he has so largely attained and retained the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens of the city of Akron and of Sum- mit Co.

CARSON LAKE was born March 17, 1852, at Fredonia, N. Y., being descended on his fath- ers side from stock of Gen. Warren, of Bunker Hill fame, and on his mother's side from the family which numbered among its branches the noted scout Kit Carson, and the Hills of South- ern fame. He was the sole survivor of a family of six children. His father died when he was quite young, and in 1861, his mother going into the hospitals of Alexandria, Va., he spent some two years amid the thrilling surroundings of Washington and Alexandria at that period, a portion of the time serving as a Government messenger. Returning North, after some time in the Akron schools, he was sent for a year to the well-known Academy at Madison, Ohio, and then entered the office of the Weekly Beacon as an apprentice. His first newspaper work was

735

CITY OF AKRON.

done about this time as local correspondent for the Cleveland Herald. He was finally promot- ed to the position of reporter, after the start- ing of the Daily Beacon. For some months, although not yet 18 years of age, during an unsettled condition of the office affairs, he had entire editorial charge of the paper. Resign- ing to euter college, he was for a year a student at Dennison University, Granville, Ohio, and a year at Buchtel College, leaving the latter just before graduating, to accept a position on the Tri- Weekly and Weekly Times, which was re- signed a year later, the Tri- Weekly having sus- pended, and the Times changed hands, to accept the position of managing editor of the Toledo Democrat and Herald, the organ of northwestern Ohio Democracy. He occupied this position for a year and a half, when he was for a year business manager of the Toledo Daily Commer- cial. In December, 1876, he purchased the Akron Daily and Semi- Weekly Argus, which he sold in July, 1879, to Messrs. Weiner & Nelson, in order to accept the position of corresponding secretary of the Democratic State Executive Committee. This position kept him in Colum- bus for a year, during which time he was man- aging editor of the Times and Statesman, and State correspondent of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. In September, 1878, he became editor and manager for the Gazette Co. of the Sunday Gazette. In 1878, he was appointed an aide on the staff of Gov. Bishop, with rank of Colonel, but resigned the following year. He has a wide acquaintance throughout the State, and has several times been prominently mentioned in connection with State offices. He has, how- ever, never desired such mention. Being warmly attached to Gen. Ewing's cause, it is probable he would have been given a promi- nent position, had that gentleman been elected Governor. He was married in 1873 to Olie E. Helfer, by whom he has four children.

DENNIS J. LONG, Agent Union Express Company, Akron ; was born in Albany, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1844, where he lived until he was 15 years of age, when he came to Akron with his brother, J. A. Long. In 1859, he became an apprentice in the Beacon office, where he served about four years. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, 104th O. V. I., serving the first two years as private soldier. In February, 1864, he was appointed to a clerkship in the office of Gen. Schofield, where he remained in

the Department of Ohio until the close of the war. June 28, 1865, he was mustered out at Greensboro, N. C. On his return, with A. L. Paine, he started a new weekly paper entitled, the Summit County Journal, in 1865, with Judge Carpenter as editor ; this they conducted with good success two years, when Mr. Long sold out his interest and bought a one-third in- terest in the Beacon, being connected with that paper as stockholder and proprietor until 1875, when he became book-keeper in the office of the Akron Iron Company, continuing for two years. March 1, 1877, he was appointed agent of the Union Express Company ; he is now agent of the Union, American and Adams Ex- press Companies. In May, 1870, he was mar- ried to Miss Eliza A. Potter, of Akron.

CHARLES LIEBMAN, Akron; was born at Dayton, Ohio, June 30, 1854; when very young, his family removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, that he might have better opportunities for studying music. His father, Rev. L. Liebman, was a Rabbi at Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland ; also twelve years at Youngs- town, Ohio. At each of these places the sub- ject of this sketch studied music, for which he had early formed a great love. From 1874 to 1876, he attended the New England Conserva- tory of Music, at Boston, Mass., studying the piano and violin. In 1876, he went to New York City where he was under Prof. Mills and other noted teachers. In 1877, he became director of the Youngstown Maennerchor, where he remained two years ; in June, 1879, he came to Akron, and, at the solicitation of the Akron Harmonic Society, he became the leader, also engaged in teaching piano, organ, violin and theory ; he is a director of the society. Oct. 26, 1877, he married Miss Emma Ritter, of Youngstown, Ohio.

REV. W. LOTHMAN, Akron ; oldest son of Ernest Lothman, was born in the village of Buer, situated in the southren part of the King- dom of Hanover, Jan. 31, 1845. He was but 2} years old when his parents came to Cleve- land, Ohio, where his mother still lives, and where his father was in the employ of Morgan, Root & Co., having charge of their grocery un- til his death in 1861. The subject of this sketchi attended the Cleveland Public Schools until he was confirmed in 1858, when he en- tered Concordia College at Fort Wayne, Ind., and graduated from the gymnasium of that

736

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

school in 1862. He then entered the Concordia University at St. Louis, Mo., from which he graduated in June, 1866, when he entered the ministry, serving the German Lutheran Church at Elyria and the St. Paul's Church at Liver- pool, Medina Co., on alternate Sabbaths for six years, during which period, the membership of the Elyria Church largely increased, a new building was erected and a school established. In 1872, he received a call from Zion's Lu- theran Church of Akron, and became its Pastor in August, having since continued. On June 20, 1867, he married Miss Betty Husmann, daughter of Rev. F. W. Husmann, Pastor of the German Lutheran Church of Euclid, Ohio. She bore him five children, and all are living.

J. A. LONG, Secretary and Treasurer of Akron Iron Co., Akron ; is a son of John and Margaret (Reilley) Long, and was born April 10, 1837, at Albany, N. Y., where he lived until 18 years of age, when he left school and took the position of clerk in a lumber yard. In 1855, he came to Akron, Ohio, and became teacher in the public schools of Summit Co. for eleven terms, and working during vacation at various employments. In 1864, he became book-keeper for Aultman, Miller & Co., remain- ing with them for five years, when he was ap- pointed Secretary and Treasurer of the Akron Iron Co., which position he still holds. Since his connection with the establishment, its busi- ness has increased threefold. He was married, Nov. 10, 1859, to Miss Mary A. Falor; daugh- ter of Geo. A. Falor, one of the pioneers of Coventry Township. Twelve children have been born of this marriage, seven of whom are living-Ludie B., Celia R., Bennie A., John H., George A., Mary A. and Lloyd G. Mr. L. is Republican in politics ; is a member of the Central Committee. Was first City Clerk, and held the office from 1865 to 1867, and Council- man from 1867 to 1869.

FRANK F. LOOMIS, an engineer in fire department, Akron ; is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Taylor) Loomis ; was born in Akron April 2, 1854, where he attended public schools until his father died, when he lived with an uncle at Wadsworth for some time. In 1869, he went into a pottery, working in it for one year; then learned the blacksmith's trade, and, in 1870, he became a minute man in Steamer No. 1, and served as fireman and blacksmith in the city fire department. At the death of James

H. Stanford, he was made engineer of steamer in January, 1881. He was married, July 10, 1879, to Miss Barbara Grad, of Akron. His father was born in Medina Co., and lived there till he was 14, and then went to Lake Co. When grown, he came to Akron, and became captain of a canal-boat for the Navigation Co. He followed this business until the war broke out, when he enlisted in the 29th O. V. I., and after a hard campaign with the Army of the Cumberland, he caught cold from fording a river, and died at Cumberland, Md., in January, 1862. Subject is the oldest son ; one brother, Charles H., is a farmer, near Sears, Mich. Mother still lives in Akrou.

DR. THOMAS M. LEIGHT, physician, Ak- ron ; was born on his father's farm in Perry Township, Snyder Co., Penn. (then included in Union Co.), on the 8th of August, 1827, and resided in the vicinity until 1857. He was married, Feb. 8, 1853, to Miss Bella R. Bobst, of Milton, Penn. They have no children. He commeneed the study of medicine in the office of Drs. Wilson & Bibighouse, of Selin's Grove, then Union Co., Penn. (now Snyder Co.) He read with them some four or five years, and then began practice at McKee's Falls, in Snyder Co., where he remained about nine years, dur- ing which time he attended lectures at Phila- delphia (Jefferson Medical College); also the University of Pennsylvania, attending a month or two each year, graduating at the Jefferson Medical College in July, 1857. From McKee's Half-Falls, he removed to Mifflin, Juniata Co., Penn., where he practiced in partnership with Dr. E. D. Crawford about seven years, during which time they served as surgeons of the Pennsyl- vania R. R. Co. He then came to Akron, Ohio, where he has since practiced. He is a member of the Summit County Medical Society, of which he is now (1881) Vice President, and is also a member of the Union Medical Society of Northeastern Ohio.

HON. SAMUEL W. MCCLURE, son of Jairus McClure and Amma Hobbs, was born Nov. 8, 1812, at Alstead, Cheshire Co., N. H. His parents, when he was about 3 years old, returned to the place of their nativity, Brook- field, Worcester Co., Mass., with their children, two in number, consisting of the subject of this sketch and an elder sister. There they remained until he was about 7 years old, when they emi- grated to Western New York, ultimately

737

CITY OF AKRON.

settling in Monroe County, near what is now the city of Rochester. There they remained until the spring of 1828, when they removed to Medina, Medina Co., Ohio, where both died- the father in 1865, in the 89th year of his age, and the mother several years earlier, at the age of 71. His parents were of Scotch ancestry, though, on the paternal side, they had lived in the North of Ireland for two generations or more before emigrating to the United States, or rather to the British colonies of America, for such they then were. The mother, inheriting the fervent religious sentiments of her Scotch an- cestry, intended to devote her son to the Chris- tian ministry, and molded his youthful efforts and education in that direction ; and, she was so far gratified that she saw him enter into full membership with the Congregational Church at the age of 15. With the ministry in view, he pursued his academical studies while he lived in New York, and until he was near 16 years old. At the age of 18, he commenced teaching in the public schools of Medina County during two or three years ensuing, when he entered Allegheny College, Meadville, Penn., and where he prosecuted his colle- giate studies with great zeal, embracing in them other branches as well as the prescribed course. At about the expiration of three years, he retired from the institution and took private instruction for nearly one year of Rev. Lee, who was then Pastor of the church to which he belonged. He was in advance of his class when he left college. In 1837, he opened a select school in Medina, taught the same two terms, and at the same time entered the law office of Canfield & Camp as a student, with the view of entering the legal profession. In 1838, he went to Ashland, then in Richland County, and organized a select school there, which was afterward called the Ashland Acad- emy when transferred to a new building erected by the citizens expressly for its accommoda- tion. In this school he was employed less than two years, successfully managing the same, and also prosecuting his legal studies, a portion of the time in the office of Silas Robbins, Esq., and the residue in the office of the late North- ern District Judge, Hon. Charles S. Sherman. During a part of the above time, he also edited the Ashland Phoenix, a non-partisan paper, and made of it a first-class literary and racy paper for his readers. In 1840, he returned to Medina, and

took charge of the editorial department of the Medina Constitutionalist, its former editor, then James S. Carpenter, Esq., having been elected to the State Senate for the Medina district. All through the exciting campaign which resulted in the election of William H. Harrison to the Presidency, both through the columns of his paper and upon the stump, he advocated, with much success, the cause of the Whig party, whose candidate Harrison was. Soon after his return to Medina County, he formed a law partnership with Senator Carpenter, and in the organization of the new county of Summit, Grant B. Turner, of Cuyahoga Falls, was added to the firm-Carpenter and McClure residing in Medina County, and Turner in Summit. In January, 1842, he married Miss Matilda E. Deming, of Ashland, and, in the spring of the same year, settled in Cuyahoga Falls, where he continued to live until 1865, when he re- moved to Akron, where he now resides. Grant B. Turner did not remain long in the practice of the law, and, retiring from the firm, it was left as originally formed, until 1850, when it was dissolved. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of his county in 1847, but the next year, and before his term as Prosecutor had expired, he was nominated and elected to a seat in the Ohio Legislature, which office he held for one term only. From 1850 to 1864, he had associated with him, as law partner, the Hon. Henry Mckinney, late State Senator from Summit and Portage District, and now Common Pleas Judge of the Cleveland sub- division.

In 1865, he associated with himself as law partner, Edward Oviatt, Esq., and that firm continued until the spring of 1871, when he was elected to the Common Pleas Bench, for the subdivision composed of Summit, Medina and Lorain Counties, serving in that capacity five years ; and, not desiring a re-election, he re- tired to private life, and measurably from the practice of his profession. Possessed of an ample fortune, it was not necessary for him to endure the drudgery and fatigue of active practice. Still he is largely called upon for counsel in important business matters and suits, and occasionally engages in the trial of causes, especially in the District Court. In the mean time, he has visited Europe with his younger daughter ; and with his wife and same daughter he visited California, making thorough tours

738

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

in each of those great sight-seeing portions of the globe.

He had by his marriage two daughters : Julia E., who became the wife of Mr. Henry G. Mathews, with whom she lived fourteen years, and died in February, 1881 ; and Ida M., who continues to live in her father's family. Judge McClure possessed elements of strength which gave him extraordinary power as a lawyer. He was an incessant and tireless worker, in- tensely enthusiastic in whatever he undertook to accomplish ; had great courage, and was wonderfully quick in his perceptions. These qualities, combined as they were with a remark- able grasp for business affairs, rendered him a most dangerous adversary, and, for many years, made him one of the very foremost lawyers of the State. Probably no lawyer in Ohio tried more causes during the twenty-five years of his life between 1846 and 1871, than he, or was more successful. He more than made the cause of his client his own. With all his zeal, however, he never forgot the courtesy due from one gentleman to another ; and while dealing the hardest kind of blows, in any given pro- fessional contest, he always left opposing counsel feeling kindly toward him personally, and to young men especially he was considerate and encouraging. Naturally he possessed a very quick, fiery temper, which required for its con- trol constant watchfulness and a strong will, and this, as a general rule, he succeeded well in ac- complishing, under all the varying changes of practice at the bar. For ready wit, vigorous thought and thrilling eloquence, he had no superior among his associates at the bar. He was always systematic, logical and ready in his public addresses ; a fact somewhat surprising, since, at the commencement of his career, he dared not venture an attempt at speaking ex- temporaneously, and until he was 30 years old he had always carefully to write and commit to memory all his public addresses, being too timid and nervous to trust himself before an audience without such preparation.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 133

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