History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 141

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 141

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commenced this manufacture, which he con- tinned some five years, at the same time keep- ing a music store, which he has continued ever since. He sells the celebrated Weber Pianos and the Mason & Hamlin organs, also the Bur- dette organs. He was married Jan. 5, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth Eisenhauer, of Akron. Mr. Straub is a member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church.

H. C. SANFORD, lawyer, Akron ; a na- tive of Portland, Me., was born Sept. 11. 1833, and is a son of John Q. and - (De Lano) Sanford, who were natives, the former of Brunswick, Me., and the latter of Plymouth, Mass. His father was an extensive lumber dealer, and suffered heavy losses from the embargo laid by the General Government, from the effects of which he never fully recov- ered. He died when subject was but 8 years of age, and, being anxious to do something for himself, he left home at the age of 9, and went to Manchester, N. H., where an older brother resided. He worked in the locomotive shops there, and attended the public schools, and spent one year, also, in Kendall Academy, of that city. At the age of 18, he came to Ohio, and was engaged successively on the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark, and the Cleve- land & Toledo R. R. He commenced as fire- man, but was soon promoted to Engineer, and ran a passenger train before he was 21 years old. He continued on the C. & T. R. R. until 1855, when he went to Quincy, Ill., and at once began running on the " Northern Cross Road," now the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and, when the road was completed, he took the first passenger train over it from Quincy to Gales- burg. He remained on this road about six years, and then gave up his position for a train at Augusta, Ill., that he might be at home, and also to have an opportunity for the study of law, which he had resolved upon. He procured some law books, and read them on the foot- board of his locomotive, at the rate of thirty miles an hour. While running on this road, he saved a passenger train of cars from run- ning into a river near Plymouth Station, where a bridge had been washed away, by running his locomotive into the train. At the time, he was bringing out the construction train in the morning, and taking it back in the evening. The passenger trains transferred their passen- gers at the river, and, to facilitate matters,

the locomotive was put behind the train at the last station, to push it to the river, and, coming down grade one day. at a rate of speed they were unable to stop before arriving at the broken bridge, where the water was about twenty feet deep, and to prevent the train go- ing into the river, Mr. S. started his engine un- der a full head of steam, and struck the bag- gage car, which was in front. When the trains stopped, his engine was within a few feet of the end of the rails over the yawning river, and he still standing' at his post. The train was crowded with pasengers, and, but for this act of heroism of his, doubtless many would have lost their lives. The engineer of the passenger train was at once discharged. Mr. S. left Illi- nois in 1861, and came to Amherst, Ohio, where he engaged in the dry goods business, but soon after went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, but was unsuccessful in " striking ile," and he found employment on the A. & G. W. R. R. He did not stay long with this road, but went to Fort Wayne, Ind., and took an engine on the Wabash Railway ; returned to Meadville, and ran between that place and Akron, until the shops were put in operation at Kent, when he took charge of the engineers and men at that place, and also of an eating-house for the rail- road company at $175 per month. He left their employ in the summer of 1867, and went to Ann Arbor, Mich., and attended the law school one college year, and was admitted to the bar at Ravenna, Ohio, April 24, 1868. He then formed a partnership with Hon. N. W. Goodhue, of Akron, for one year, at the end of which time he went to Kent, but returned to Akron in 1870, where he has since practiced. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney on the Republican ticket, and served one term ; was elected City Solicitor in 1877, served one term, when he declined further honor. He was mar- ried on the 19th of January, 1857, to Miss Em- ily J. Fairchild, of Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, a daughter of Elam and Lydia Fairchild.

ERHARD STEINBACHER, merchant and banker, Akron ; is a son of John and Catharine Steinbacher, and was born March 30, 1825, in Bavaria, Germany. He attended the common schools until 14 years of age, and spent two years at Heidelberg. In 1844, he came to the United States, remaining two years, a portion of the time as clerk in a hotel (Cobb's Ex- change, of Akron) at $8 per month ; then went

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to Cleveland, Ohio, and, in the fall of 1846, went back to Europe. He stayed there five or six months, and then returned to the United States, and came to Akron in 1847. In 1849, in company with fifteen others, went to Califor- nia by the overland route, arriving in the land of gold in the latter part of July. He was suc- cessful, and returned to Akron, leaving Califor- nia in December, 1850, via Panama, reaching Akron in February, 1851. He now opened a drug and grocery store (firm of Weimer & Steinbacher-Weimer retired in 1865), and has been an enterprising business man of Akron ever since. He has been President of " Citi- zens' Saving and Loan Association," ever since its organization in May, 1872 ; he has also been a stockholder in the First National Bank for fifteen years, and a stockholder and director in the Akron Iron Co., from its beginning. He was married, in April, 1853, to Miss Phœbe Potter, of Suffield, Ohio ; they have three children, viz., Kate L., Edward E. and Georgia Belle.

CHARLES E. SHELDON, Superintendent of Whitman and Miles Manufacturing Com- pany, Akron. Is a son of Samuel D. and Augusta (Smith) Sheldon, and was born July 18, 1850, in Fitchburg, Mass., where he attend- ed school until 16 years of age. He then spent two years in the office of City Engineer of Fitchburg. In 1867, he became a clerk in the office of the Whitman & Miles Manufactur- ing Co., at Fitchburg, Mass., of which establish- ment his father was foreman previous to that time. He was made Superintendent at Fitch- burg, which position he held until 1876, and the next year he came to Akron, and has since been Superintendent of the Whitman & Miles works here. He was married in November, 1870, to Miss Ruth L. Gifford of Fitchburg, Mass.

HARRY J. SHREFFLER, Akron, son of Frederick and Mary A. (Auble) Shreffler was born in Center Co., Penn., March 26, 1847. At 18, he worked on a farm near Wadsworth, Ohio, one summer. In 1866, he went into part- nership with his father at West Salem, engag- ing in the manufacture of carriages, and con- tinuing two years, when they removed to Bur- bank, Wayne Co., Ohio, where they continued in the same business. In July, 1871, he came to Akron and clerked two years in the post office, he was made Assistant Postmaster in April,

1874, and has held that position ever since. He is superintendent of carriers and registry, and has general charge in the absence of the Postmaster. Oct. 29, 1872, he married Miss Eva Cubbison, of Akron ; she died Oct. 31, 1873. Aug. 6, 1878, he married Miss Fannie I. Fouser, of Akron, who bore him one daughter.

LOREN N. SMITH, Akron. Moses Smith was born at Stonington, Conn., Nov. 30, 1783, and died at Akron in his 83d year, Feb. 4, 1866. His wife, nee Miss Sarah Haley, was born Nov. 2, 1792, at Groton, Conn .; she was married to him on June 19, 1807, being only 15 years of age. They moved to Akron in 1826, and the following year he purchased a tract of land containing about 100 acres ; here he farmed and engaged at the cooper's trade, having erected a shop for the purpose. He was an excellent marksman, and, as game was plentiful, he had many opportunities to display his skill. He regarded his word and was very exact in dealing. He was a stanch Democrat. Six children were born to him, viz., Sarah, wife of Hiram Hart, of Coventry ; she died in 1862; Warren H., who died in 1865, on the Atlantic Ocean, in which he was buried, while on his return from California, being in his 53d year ; Lucy A., wife of the late D. A. Hine, now living in the Sixth Ward ; Henry, who died in his 6th year ; Harriet H., who was the wife of J. B. Curtis, and died at Kent, in 1853, in her 35th year ; Caroline S., widow of the late Alvin Austin, now residing in Akron ; William H., the only one of the family born in Ohio, died in Chili, South America, in 1872, in his 45th year ; and Loren N., the subject of these lines who was born in Dalton, August 16, 1823, being 3 years old when his family moved to Akron ; he remembers seeing the first tree eut where his present residence stands. He went to school about six months per year until he was 17, learning the cooper's trade and to do farm work, from his father. In 1841, he be- came a clerk for the firm of James Sawyer & Co., remaining in their store until 1844, in the summer of which year he became proprietor of a confectionery and grocery store, it being the first one established on North Howard street. He was afterward engaged in the same busi- ness on the site of the First National Bank ; from which place he removed to South How- ard street until 1851, thence to Xenia, where,

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under the firm name of Austin & Smith, he did a large business in confectionery ; thence he removed to Cincinnati, in 1858, where he met with great success, remaining until 1878. While there he was President of the Phoenix Insurance Company ; and a member of ! the City Council for several years. On account of failing health he relinquished his business in Cincinnati and located in Akron, taking charge of the old homestead. Nov. 6, 1845, he mar- ried Miss Sarah J. Adams of Akron ; she was born in Cavendish, Vt., and came to Akron in 1837. They have three sons and one daughter, viz., Henry N., of Cleveland ; Fred. A., of Cincinnati ; Frank E., of Cincinnati ; and Ida M., wife of R. S. Kirtley, of Cincinnati.

PROF. GUSTAV SIGEL, musician, Ak- ron ; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Jan. 30, 1848. He studied music in the conserva- tories of Germany until 1868, when he came to the United States, and for four years taught in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1872, he came to Akron, Ohio, at the call of the Liedertafel Society, and has since been its Director. From 1872 to 1878, he was teacher of instrumental music in Buchtel College. He is now teacher of piano and stringed instruments. He was Director of the Saengerfest held in June, 1880, at Akron, and through his efforts it was a success. He owns some valuable stringed instruments.

GEORGE G. SCHAFFER, Akron, son of John and Mary (Good) Schaffer, was born in Alsace (then a province of France), March 13, 1846. He learned weaving from his father, and engaged in that until he was 18 years of age, when, alone and with but a few dollars, he came to the United States, where he entered the em- ploy of John T. Good, in whose oil refinery he worked for three years, followed by one year's employ at Oil City, after which he clerked for some time for Jacob Good, and six years was with Cook & Sons In 1878, he opened a gro- cery on West Hill, where he did a good busi- ness. In 1880, he built the present two-story building, following out his own ideas and im- proving on the failures of others. As a matter of interest, we give the following from the Daily Beacon, descriptive of this establishment :

The grocery room is 22x60 feet in the clear; it has counters on either side with a cross counter in the rear end of the room; the side counters contain one of the new features in the way of glass front cases 12 inches high and 10 inches wide. These cases are about 14 inches long and are directly on the front

margin of the counter, leaving about 22 inches of counter room in the rear. There are some 60 of these cases which will at once be seen serve to dis- play a large amount of goods, doing away with hav- ing boxes standing around with the lids half off. Sugar, crackers, etc., are kept in barrels incased in separable apartments behind the counters, and di- rectly above them are all kinds of packages and canned goods on shelves, protected from dust by glass doors. The old style of drawers is superseded with permanent boxes with glass door covers, show- ing the goods without exposure. Beneath the coun- ters on three-inch-high platforms is large space for apples, potatoes, etc., in full sight but not under foot as is the case in so many places, and all this class of matter being on platforms is free from the dust that naturally accumulates on any floor in a public place. All classes of goods are classified and all articles of a greasy nature are separated entirely from other goods, occupying the space behind the rear counter. The entrance to the cellar is from the warehouse which is conveniently reached by a parti- tion door. By this arrangement no odors from the cellar can reach the grocery proper and furnishes every precaution against anything objectionable in the grocery department. The warehouse is arranged just as systematically as the grocery. In one depart- ment is a tier of shelves with the name of streets. When an order is filled, the goods are put in a bas- ket and placed on the proper shelf. A drive-way leading through the warehouse, the deliverying man can drive directly to his place, load his goods and be off, doing away with carrying loads of goods through the store. Tackling is provided so that all heavy articles do not have to be lifted. Molasses, cider, oil, etc., are kept in a department in the wareroom; in fact, there will be nothing on which to tear or grease your clothes as you walk about in the store- room, and everything will be open to inspection, and yet protected against dust or soiling by evapora- tion.

Jan. 29, 1874, he married Miss Caroline Buchman, of Wayne Co., Ohio, and have one daughter and two sons.

HIRAM J. SPICER, Akron, son of Maj. Miner Spicer, was born in Akron, Oct. 24, 1816, near the springs, about forty rods from his present residence, that being the spot where his father first built his cabin. He worked on the farm until he was 19 years old ; he went to school at Middlebury, his first teacher being. one Squire Brown, a very severe man, who re- sorted to the "gad" upon the slightest misde- meanor, real or imaginary, of the pupils. These "gads" were first roasted and then twisted to make them tough in order that they might hurt more, and some were notched for the same pur- pose. Subject shared the same lot with other school children in those days for three months per year, until he was 19. When he was but 9 years old, he carried the mail once a week

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from Akron to Bolivar, a distance of forty miles, traveling on horseback, and continuing four years, except during the winter seasons. At the age of 19, he learned the carpenter's trade with one Gideon Gardner, serving for board and clothing two years ; he soon after began taking contracts, working with his brother Miner, who was a millwright, on several of the early mills of this vicinity. He worked for ten years on the Austin Powder Mills, and for several years on residences. Feb. 31, 1839, he married Miss Marilla A. King, daughter of Joshua King, who was one of the pioneers of Northampton Township. Their children are Avery King, of Akron, and Alice M., wife of Sevillian Payne, of Davis Co., Mo. Three died when young. Our subject entered the employ of Aultman, Miller & Co., in 1865, and has since continued. He has worked in woodwork, and had charge of the repairs of the shop-ma- chinery for the last nine years. He was a Whig and cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Harrison ; became a Free-Soiler in the days of Van Buren, and a Republican at the organi- zation of the party. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1872. His wife died Jan. 19, 1861, and, in August of the same year, he married Mrs. Cerenia L. Barnett, of Akron, Ohio.

JOSEPH S. SMITH, druggist, Akron ; son of Christian Smith, was born in Warren, Warren Co., Penn., Dec. 4, 1855 ; at 14, he entered a drug store in Warren, where he remained four and a half years as clerk, after which he entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in the spring of 1877, being engaged as clerk in a Philadelphia house at the same time. In the fall of 1877, he and his brother bought a drug store at Wilkesbarre, Penn., continuing until 1878, when they sold out and bought the present store in September, 1878, of Sisler & Sorrick, located the first door north of the post office ; they have a full stock of pure drugs, chemicals and sundries ; they have a laboratory for the manufacture of fluid and solid extracts, gelatine-coated pills, elixirs and pharmaceutical preparations in general ; they are doing a prosperous wholesale and re- tail business.

SIMON C. SMITH, druggist, Akron ; was born in Warren Co., Penn., May 25, 1850; he attended the public schools of Warren until he was 15, when he clerked in the post office under

his father for five years ; in 1868, he clerked for his father in a shoe store, and, the following year, became his partner, continuing as such until January, 1877, when he became a partner with his brother, Joseph S., at Wilkesbarre, Penn., in a drug store, remaining a year, when they sold out, and, under the firm name of Smith Bros., purchased their present drug store at 193 South Howard street; the business rooms are 80x22, with elegant modern appoint- ments. He was married at Indianapolis Sep- tember, 1873, to Miss Mary E. Cale, of that place ; they have one son and one daughter.

EDWARD C. SIMPSON, Chief Engineer of Fire Department, Akron ; is a son of Thomas C. and Mary J. (Hildreth) Simpson, and was born in New Haven, Conn., Feb. 18, 1836 ; in his 17th year, he came to Cincinnati, Ohio, with his father's family, and, in 1854, came to Cuyahoga Falls, where he served an apprenticeship with Bill Bros., at the machinist's trade, for about three and a half years ; he worked at different points in Ohio until 24. when he went to Hart- ford, Conn., where he worked two years at his trade ; in November, 1864, he came to Akron and entered the employ of the A. & G. W. R. R. Co. as mechanic until June, 1865, when he went to Kent in the employ of the same company until 1873, when he came back to Akron, and was employed in the C., Mt. V. & C. R. R. shops ; in 1875, he became foreman of the finishing de- partment of Aultman, Miller & Co.'s shops, employing a force at present of ninety men ; he entered the fire department in 1876, and was appointed Assistant Engineer, which he held until June, 1878, when he was appointed Chief Engineer, a position he still holds. He was married June 3, 1862, to Miss Abbie Wilson, of Warrensville, Ohio ; they have three children.

WILLIAM SHUTT, retired farmer ; P. O. Akron ; is a son of George, the son of Jacob Shutt, who came to America from Zweibrechen, Germany, before the war of the Revolution, and was sold by the ship's captain to pay his passage ; after his marriage, he took np a large tract of land at Pittsburgh, where he resided at the time of Gen. Braddock's defeat, and, on ac- count of the troublesome Indians, they returned to Maryland, to a farm near Boonesboro, Wash- ington Co., two miles northeast of the battle- ground of Antietam. He had seven sons and one daughter-Jacob. born Aug. 15, 1764; Jolin, born May 20, 1766, died at the age of 96,

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in Stark Co., Ohio ; Peter, born Jan. 18, 1768 ; Philip, born Dec. 1, 1770 ; George (the father of the subject of this sketch), and Henry, his twin brother, born Jan. 10, 1772 (George died Sept. 17, 1847) ; Adam, born March 15, 1774 ; Catharine, born Jan 16, 1776 ; all are dead. The father of our subject married Mary Mag- dalena Kreitzer, who was also a native of the State of Maryland ; they had seven sons and two daughters-Henry, Elias, Jolın, Susannah, Jacob, George, Abraham, William (our subject, born July 16, 1822), and Margaret ; William and George are the only two living. The parents sold the old homestead formerly owned by the grandfather, and moved in 1836 to Paint Town- ship, Holmes Co., Ohio, where they resided until their death ; in 1852, William moved to Tus- carawas Township, Stark Co., where he resided fifteen years, and, in 1867, removed to Coventry Township, where he remained until in Decem- ber, 1877, when he came to the city of Akron, where he has since resided. He was married Nov. 7, 1844, to Catharine Moyer, who died about five years later, leaving one daughter, who died May 2, 1873 ; he was re-married Oct. 24, 1850, to Amanda Cook, daughter of Adam and Regine (Harmon) Cook, natives of Frank- lin Co., Penn ; they had two children-Saman- tha, born May 6, 1852, now Mrs. W. M. Van- dersall, residing near East Liberty ; and Uriah, born Nov. 29, 1856, died May 9, 1873. He is a stanch Republican. He received a liberal education, and began teaching school in 1844, which he followed for several terms. He and family are members of the Evangelical Asso- ciation.

COL. DUDLEY SEWARD, Justice of the Peace, Akron ; was born in Utica, N. Y., Jan. 14, 1819. He is a son of T. G. and Elizabeth Seward, and the fifth of a family of nine chil- dren. His parents, in 1812, removed to Water- town, N. Y. In 1835, Dudley went to Man- chester (same State), where he clerked in a gen- eral store some four years, after which he taught school in winter, and worked on the farm in summer, until 1842, when he came to Ohio, and first located in Middlebury, but went to Wads- worth, then to Tallmadge, and finally to Akron. In the fall of 1847, he was appointed Deputy Sheriff, and served five years, when he was elected Sheriff, and served two terms. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the 19th O. V. I., Co. G, of which he was Sergeant. At the end of his

term of three months' service, he, in company with George A. Purington (now Captain in the 9th U. S. C.), recruited Co. A, for the 2d O. C., Purington being Captain, and Mr. Seward First Lieutenant. He remained in the service until October, 1865, and was promoted successively, by regular gradation, to Colonel of the regi- ment, which position he held when mustered ont. He was in the battles of the Wilderness, Rich Mountain, etc., on the Morgan raid, the Wilson raid and in other hard service. Upon his return from the war, he remained two years in Akron, and was assistant clerk in Ohio Senate one term. He was then appointed Captain in 8tlı U. S. Cavalry, and served in California, Oregon and the Territories ; in the regular army four years. In 1871, he returned home, and in 1873, he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he has held ever since. He was married, Nov. 2, 1848, to Miss Lois Clark, a na- tive of this county. Three children were the fruit of this marriage ; two living, Louis D. and Mary C.

DAVID A. SCOTT, machine forger, Akron ; was born in Springfield Township, Summit Co., Ohio, Nov. 21, 1812, and is a son of Josiah and Mary J. (Irvin) Scott, who were natives of Penn- sylvania and Virginia, and were married in Pennsylvania. In 1811, they moved to Ohio, by team, and settled in Stark Co., in the fall of the same year moving to Springfield, now Sum- mit Co. He was a blacksmith, and followed his trade, in connection with a small farm, on which he located, near Mogadore, where he lived until his death in 1824; she died in 1820. David A. (the subject), lived at home until he was 9 years old, and was then apprenticed to the blacksmith trade, with Mr. Abraham De Haven, of Springfield, and served with him un- til he became of age. He then went to Mid- dlebury, where he worked at his trade until the fall of 1836. After some time spent at Madison, he went into business for himself, and in 1845 removed to Tallmadge, Summit Co. Four years later, he removed to Akron, and has worked at his trade since, except a few years, when he served as Constable, later as Deputy Sheriff, and, during the war, as Deputy United States Marshal. He held the office of Deputy Sheriff eight years. He was married, Nov. 21, 1838, to Miss Mary Ann Burton, a native of Montgomery Co., N. Y., and a daughter of Smith and Elizabeth (Wilcox) Burton, who

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came to Middlebury, Ohio, in 1831. He con- ducted a sash and blind factory there, it being the first of the kind in the county. Four chil- dren were born to him, two of whom are living, viz., George S., merchant in Akron ; Lois E., at home. Of the two deceased, William I. was telegraph operator, and died in 1866, and Walter B. was Captain of Co. H, 104th O. V. I., and died in Cincinnati, April 23, 186 :. Mr. Scott was an early resident of the county, and often has shot deer and turkeys where Akron now stands.

M. SEIBERLING, Secretary and Superin- tendent of the Akron Straw Board Company, Middlebury (Sixth Ward), Akron ; is a native of Norton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and was born on his father's farm Jan. 16, 1839, and lived at home until he was 25 years of age. He is the fourth in a family of twelve children, born to Nathan and Catharine (Peters) Seiber- ling, and received a common-school education. In the spring of 1844, he took the management of a farm and saw-mill he and his brother J. F. had previously purchased, and conducted the business for five years, when he sold to his brother and moved to Canton, where he en- gaged in the lumber business for three years. He then sold out and came to Akron, and pur- chased an interest in the Akron Straw Board Company, and was made the Superintendent, and the following year he also took the office of Secretary ; both offices he has held since. He was married in the fall of 1863 to Miss Sarah L. Miller, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John Miller, who came to this county about 1843. By this marriage, there have been nine children, seven of whom are liv- ing, viz., Emma, Alton, Katie, Ella, Frederick, Laird and George. Mr. S. has always been a Republican in politics. He is a member of the English Lutheran Church, in the affairs of which he takes an active interest, and has been both Deacon and Elder. In the spring of 1880, he bought a farm of 100 acres, located in Norton Township, about eight miles southwest of the city, which joins the old homestead, and which he operates, hiring the labor.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 141

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