USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 57
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The Brannans are of Scotch descent and were early settlers in Pennsyl- vania. Mr. and Mrs. Brannan are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Before the organ- ization of the Progressive party in 1912 Mr. Brannan gave his support to the Republican party and is now a firm believer in the principles and policies advocated by the new Progressive party. Mr. Brannan is a man of genial personality and has a host of friends throughout the county.
CLARENCE C. PERFECT.
A successful business man of Marysville, Ohio, is Clarence C. Perfect, the vice-president of the Perfect Cigar Company, which was organized in 1906. He is a wide-awake, capable business man, who started in a very modest way as a cigar manufacturer and has built up a business which now employs twenty-five hands. Mr. Perfect is a man of high personal qualifica- tions and measures up to the best standard of American citizenship of his county. Pleasing in manner and kindly in his disposition, he has earned the regard of all with whom he has been associated.
Clarence C. Perfect, the son of Charles D. and Mary E. (Moore) Per- fect, was born in Galena, Ohio, November 3, 1872. His parents, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, had three children, Burton E., Willis H. and Clarence C.
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Charles D. Perfect was reared on his father's farm in Delaware county, Ohio, and from the age of thirty to fifty was engaged in the general mer- cantile business at Sunbury, Ohio. In 1883 Charles D. Perfect came to Marysville, and he and Judge Sprague built one of the first flouring mills in the county and Mr. Perfect engaged in the flouring business until he retired in 1905. In 1897 his two sons, Burton and Willis, bought Judge Sprague's interest in the mill, and after their father's retirement the sons continued the business until 1907, at which time they disposed of the mill to J. C. Spurrier. Charles D. Perfect died January 31, 1913, at the age of seventy-eight, and his widow passed away on July Ist of the following year at the same age. Both were members of the Presbyterian church.
The paternal grandparents of Clarence C. Perfect were William Perfect and wife, early settlers in Delaware county, Ohio, where they died. William Perfect lived to be eighty-five years of age, while his wife died in middle life. To William Perfect and wife were born a large family of children, Alfred, James, Thomas, Emory, Edwin, Charles D., a son who died in the Civil War. and a daughter, who became the wife of Thomas Van Fleet. The paternal grandparents of Clarence C. Perfect were Cornelius and Hannah Moore, natives of Pennsylvania, and early settlers of Delaware county, Ohio. Cornelius Moore bought a farm near Sunbury, in Delaware county, and lived there the remainder of his life, his death occurring at the age of eighty-five. His wife passed away at the early age of thirty-five, leaving two children, Burton and Mary.
Clarence C. Perfect was eleven years of age when his parents moved from Delaware county, Ohio, to Marysville, consequently his schooling was received in the schools of both places. He has lived in Union county since 1883 with the exception of three years which he spent in Oklahoma. After graduating from the Marysville high school in 1889, Mr. Perfect took a busi- ness course in the Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, New York, and then returned to Marysville and opened a cigar manufacturing establish- ment and has been connected with this particular line of business since that time. He was in partnership with W. P. Beightler until 1906, at which time the Perfect Cigar Company was incorporated with a capital stock of ten thou- sand dollars with the following officials: William P. Beightler, president; Clarence C. Perfect, vice-president : Gordon Beightler, secretary and treasurer. . The company has no difficulty in selling all the cigars which are made by their twenty-five employees and is gradually increasing its sale all the time.
Mr. Perfect was married February 17, 1897, to Aurie M. Perry, the
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daughter of Edson and Phoebe ( Hunt) Perry, and to this union have been born two children, Moore and Perry. Mrs. Perfect was born in Union county, her parents both being natives of Massachusetts and early settlers in this county, where they lived the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Perry reared a large family of children, Addie, Genie, Mary, Belle, John, William and Aurie M.
Mr. and Mrs. Perfect are loyal members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Perfect is a member of Marysville Lodge, No. 100, Knights of Pythias, while in politics he is a Republican.
CHARLES BRAUN.
In the year 1882 there arrived at Marysville, Union county, Ohio, a German lad of fifteen years. He was without resources, had no knowledge whatever of the English language, but had a stout heart and an unusual willingness to work. He came here alone from his native land to make his home with an uncle in Marysville, and this same impecunious German boy who arrived here in the early eighties is now one of the wealthiest and most substantial citizens of Union county. Charles Braun little dreamed when he first came to Marysville that in the course of a comparatively few years he would be one of its leading citizens, and yet such is the case. A review of his career should certainly be stimulating to those of the coming generation.
Charles Braun, the cashier of the Union Banking Company, and one of the leading business men of Marysville, was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, in the village of Oberschmitten, January 18, 1867. His parents. Conrad and Anna Katherina (Wird) Braun, spent all of their lives in Ger- many, and reared a family of three children : Eliza, the wife of Louis Jochim, of Rimbach. Hessen Darmstadt, Germany; Wilhelm, of Oberschmitten, Ger- many, and Charles, of Marysville, Ohio. Conrad Braun was the son of Hartman and Anna Margaret ( Miller) Braun. Hartman Braun was the owner of a flour mill in Under-Schmitten, Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, from which place he moved to Ober-Schmitten.
Conrad Braun was a life-long farmer in his native land and spent all of his days in Hessen Darmstadt, where he was born. He died in 1904 at the age of seventy-one, and his wife died in 1909 at the age of sixty-eight. They were both members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. Conrad Braun was a member of the town council for nearly twenty years and a
RESIDENCE OF CHARLES BRAUN
CHARLES BRAUN
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member of the board of commissioners who looked after the city's welfare. The paternal grandparents of Charles Braun lived all of their days in Ger- many, his grandfather being a farmer and flouring mill operator, and the father of five children: Conrad ( the father of Charles Braun), John, Eliza- beth, Katherina and Margaret. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Braun also spent all of their lives in Germany and Anna Katherina Wird, the mother of Mr. Braun, was their only child.
Charles Braun was reared in Oberschmitten. Germany, and received his education in the public schools of that village. He left school at the age of fourteen and when fifteen years of age came to America to reside with his uncle, John Braun, in Marysville, Ohio. His uncle was a tailor by trade and Charles learned this trade and followed it for several years. In 1890 he opened a general merchant tailoring shop and in 1897 opened a general cloth- ing and gents furnishing store. In 1911 be built a handsome modern busi- ness block at the southeast corner of the public square known as "Fountain Corner." He owned the former building which stood on this site and tore it down to build the present handsome block. He employs a number of clerks and handles the latest styles in clothing and gentlemen's furnishing goods.
However, the clothing business has been only one of the many ventures of Mr. Braun. He helped to organize and was the first president of the Commercial Savings Bank and still owns the building in which the bank is located as well as the building in which the postoffice is now situated. He is now cashier of the Union Banking Company and president of the Citizens Home & Savings Company. He is also president of the Marysville Cabinet Company and vice-president of the Marysville Light & Water Company. In fact, Mr. Braun has been heavily interested in more enterprises than any other man in Marysville, a fact which speaks well for his business ability.
MIr. Braun was married in March, 1889, to Clara Weber, the daughter of William and Katherine ( Doelph) Weber. To this union seven children have been born, William, Christina, Carl, Helen, Alma. Adelbert and Clara. William is in his father's clothing store. William and his sister, Christina, graduated from the Marysville high school, and all the other children are still attending the public schools of Marysville.
Mrs. Clara ( Weber) Braun died May 20, 1007, at the age of forty-one. She was born in Marysville, Ohio, and always lived here. Her father was born in Germany and her mother in the German settlement in Union county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Weber had several children, only two of whom are now living, Walter and Ella, the wife of Montfort Powers, of Malta, Ohio.
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On August 28, 1910, Mr. Braun was married to Mrs. Meta Zwerner, the daughter of William and Kate Otte, and the widow of John F. Zwerner. Mrs. Braun was born in Marysville, while her father was a native of Ger- many and her mother of Richmond, Indiana. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Otte, eight are now living, Ella, Louis, Meta, Frank, Anna, Minnie, Mary, Edith and Lily.
Fraternally, Mr. Braun is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In politics, he has always given his stanch support to the Democratic party, but such has been his extensive business interests that he has never taken an active part in political matters. Such, in brief, is the life history of the poor German lad who arrived in Marysville at the age of fifteen and has made a name for himself as one of the leading business men of the town. It seems very fitting that his career be preserved in the history of the county which he has honored by his residence.
GEORGE EVERETT WHITNEY.
The Whitney family represented here by George Everett Whitney, have been residents of Union county, Ohio, since 1855. During the three score of years which have elapsed since that date they have been important fac- tors in the commercial life of the county. George E. Whitney was born in Marysville and with the exception of the years which he spent in college has always lived in the city of his birth. He is a man of broad and liberal views and has always stood for those measures which he felt would benefit his community.
George E. Whitney, the son of Alonzo and Kate ( Peck) Whitney, was born in Marysville, Ohio, August 29, 1875. His father was born in Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, and his mother in Milford, Connecticut. His parents came to Marysville, Ohio, in 1855 and here his father engaged in the general merchandising business until 1877, when he retired from active busi- ness life and devoted all of his attention to the Peoples Bank, which he had helped to organize in 1874. He died July 4, 1900, at the age of seventy-one. His wife passed away January 4, 1904, at the age of sixty-six. She was reared a Congregationalist and he was brought up in the Presbyterian faith, but both later united with the Methodist Episcopal church and gave that denomination their loyal support the rest of their lives. Three children were
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born to Alonzo Whitney and wife: Bessie, who died in infancy: George Everett, whose history is here presented, and Willard A., who died at the age of thirteen.
The paternal grandparents of George E. Whitney were Everett and Julia (Merriman) Whitney, natives of Connecticut and early settlers of Pennsylvania, where they located in Susquehanna county and lived the re- mainder of their days. He was a farmer and gunmaker. He and his wife reared a family of five children, Frank, Duane, Alonzo, Ellen and Carrie. The maternal grandparents of George E. Whitney were Elisha and Amy (Clark) Peck, natives of Connecticut. Elisha Peck was a contractor at Mil- ford in that state, and he and his wife both died in Milford. Five children were born to Elisha Peck and wife, Jonathan, George, Julia, Emma and Kate.
George E. Whitney was reared in Marysville and graduated from the local high school in 1892. He then entered Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware and graduated from that institution in 1897. He at once entered the Peoples Bank of Marysville as assistant cashier, and in 1900 was pro- moted to his present position of cashier.
Mr. Whitney was married July 8, 1898, to Mary G. Murray, the daugh- ter of James and Mary ( Bennett ) Murray, and to this union three daughters have been born, Helen C., Katherine M. and Mary L.
Mrs. Whitney was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her father came from county Tipperary, Ireland, and her mother was a native of Brown county, Ohio. Her father died in 1896 and her mother is still living in Urbana, Ohio. James Murray, the father of Mrs. Whitney, was a Methodist minister and preached in many of the important cities under the jurisdiction of the Cincinnati conference. Four children were born to James Murray and wife. Bennett, Robert, James and Mary.
Mr. and Mrs. Whitney are earnest and consistent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and Mr. Whitney is the church treasurer and one of. its trustees. He is a member of Palestine Lodge, No. 158, Free and Accepted Masons; Marysville Chapter No. 99, Royal Arch Masons; Samuel Jewell Council, Royal and Select Masters; Raper Commandery, No. 19, Knights Templar ; Scioto Consistory. Scottish Rite, and Aladdin Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Politically, Mr. Whitney is a Republican and is a member of the board of commissioners who are now building the State Hospital at Lima, Ohio, being secretary and treasurer of the board.
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JAMES E. ROBINSON.
Standing out distinctly as one of the central figures of the bar of his county, is the name of James E. Robinson, of Marysville, Ohio. Prominent in the legal circles and equally so in public matters in his county, with a reputation in one of the most exacting professions, he has won a name for service in a calling which has included many of the representative men of Union county. Characterized by perseverance and directing spirit, two vir- tues that never fail, such men always make their presence felt and the vigor of their strong personalities serve as a stimulant and incentive to the young and rising generation. To this energetic and enterprising class Mr. Robinson very rightfully belongs.
James E. Robinson, an attorney at Marysville, Ohio, was born in Paris township, August 15, 1868. He is the son of John W. and Sarah (Coe) Robinson. His father was born in Darby township, in January, 1831, and is still living in Marysville. John W. Robinson was actively engaged in farming until 1911 when he retired from active farm life and moved to Marysville to spend his declining years. He and his wife are the parents of seven children: J. Heber, of Marysville; Mary E., the wife of Allen E. Plate, of Marysville; Aaron F., of Milford Center, a hardware merchant; Jennie C., the wife of Albert Burnham, a farmer of this county: Carrie B., the widow of John M. Longbrake, of Marysville: J. Clyde, of Milford Center, and James E.
The boyhood days of James E. Robinson were spent on his father's farm in this county. He received a good common school education and then graduated from the Marysville high school, after which he spent two years in Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware and one year at the State Uni- versity at Columbus. He studied law with an uncle and took a course of law for one year in the university, being admitted to the bar in 1893. For the first six years he practiced his profession at Richwood and rapidly forged to the front as one of the leading lawyers of his county. He was elected on the Republican ticket to the office of prosecuting attorney and served two terms in this capacity, giving entire satisfaction to the citizens of his county irre- spective of their political affiliations. At the expiration of his second term he formed a law partnership with William T. Hoops, and in the fall of 1912 Clarence A. Hoops entered the partnership. On September 16, 1914, W. T. Hoops died and the firm name is now Robinson & Hoops. Mr. Robinson has been connected with many of the most noted legal cases coming before
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JAMES E. ROBINSON
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the bar of Union county and has won a reputation as a pleader before the jury which has extended far beyond the confines of his immediate county.
Mr. Robinson was married May 31, 1895, to Lulu D. Flickinger, the daughter of J. M. and Sarah ( Haines) Flickinger. Mrs. Robinson is a graduate of the Richwood high school. To this union four children have been born: Pauline, a graduate of the Marysville high school and now a student in Miami University ; Sarah L. and Eloise, students in the high school at Marysville, and James Edgar, who is still in the grades.
Mr. Robinson and his family are members of the First Presbyterian church of Marysville and are generous contributors to its maintenance. Politically. he has always been identified with the Republican party and has been one of its leaders in county affairs for many years. He is a man of sterling qualities and because of his high professional standing he is eminently deserving of the position he holds in the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens.
REV. JOHN L. DAVIES.
During the last century one of the most significant facts in the move- ments among civilized nations has been the great influx of people from for- eign lands to America. This immigration movement has been increasing from year to year until now the foreign people who are coming to our shores every year are numbered by the millions. A large proportion of these mil- lions who are coming now and have been coming for the past several years, are from countries of southern Europe and are largely of the undesirable class, and are a menace rather than a benefit to the citizenship of America. This has brought about a serious problem, a condition which this government is endeavoring to control by the strictest regulation. But in the earlier period of America's history this condition did not prevail. The immigration was largely from countries of Europe where a higher degree of civilization pre- vailed, and the people who came were of an intelligent and industrious class. It is of these that our best citizenship is composed. Of the immigrants of the class just mentioned none rank higher for intelligence, industry and sturdy moral character, than the people who come from Wales. A Welshman is a synonym for character and integrity ; a Welsh ancestry is a badge of honor.
These observations are prompted by a consideration of the character and life history of the gentleman of whom this brief review is concerned, and to
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whom the native characteristics described in the foregoing paragraph are applicable.
Rev. John Lewis Davies was born in Abereman, Glamorganshire, South Wales, March 16, 1848. He is a son of Rev. Evan and Mary (Pugh) Davies, who were also natives of Wales. Their family consisted of four daughters and one son, namely : Amy Jane, deceased, who was the wife of William J. Davies ; Gwenllian, wife of John E. Rosser, of Parkersburg, West Virginia ; Rev. John Lewis Davies, of Marysville; Eliza Mary, of Parkers- burg, West Virginia; Ann, widow of Rev. D. D. Davies, of Granville, Ohio. The father of our subject was reared on a farm in Wales and became familiar with the rugged duties and wholesome exercise of outdoor life. When a young man he began studying for the ministry and graduated from the Neuaddlwyd Ministerial Institute, in Cardiganshire, Wales, was licensed to preach and continued preaching the remainder of his life. With his wife and family he came to America in 1855 and settled in Blosburg, Pennsyl- vania, where he became pastor of the Congregational church. He remained with this charge for two years and then came to Gallia county, Ohio, and took the pastorate of two churches. TynRhos and Nebo, and continued in this charge until his death in 1875. His wife survived him and died in 1878 at the age of eighty-three years.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was John Davies. He followed various occupations and lived to the age of ninety-six years. His wife was a very devout Christian woman, but he did not accept her faith and did not unite with the church until he was ninety-three years old. For the last four years of his life he was blind. They had quite a large family of children, namely : David, who was a farmer; Rev. Evan Davies; Timothy, who was a man of great literary ability ; Thomas, who was a sailor, and three daugh- ters. The maternal grandfather was Lewis Pugh, a farmer, who died in middle age; his wife survived him and lived to a good old age. The two children by this union were Elizabeth and Mary; the wife had one son, John Jenkins, by a former marriage.
Rev. John Lewis Davies was only seven years old when he came with his parents to America. He grew to manhood in Gallia county, Ohio, and re- ceived his elementary education in the district schools of Perry and Raccoon townships, supplementing this with studies in the higher branches in Gallia Academy at Gallipolis and Ewington Academy. While attending school as a student at Ewington he enlisted as a private in Company D, One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in 1864, and served until 1865,
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when he was honorably discharged. By this service he manifested his loyalty and devotion to the flag of his adopted country, an example followed by many others of his nativity in the great Civil War.
After the war Reverend Davies was at home for about a year before he resumed collegiate studies. Deciding to take up these studies and complete his college course, he entered Marietta College and graduated in that institu- tion in 1872 with the honors of his class, being honored as the class valedic- torian. Prior to this time, before enlistment in the army, he was engaged for two terms in teaching school, starting to teach when he was fifteen years of age. After his graduation from college he taught for two years in the institution at Marietta. He entered the theological seminary at Lane, Ohio, completed the course and was licensed to preach. He was ordained pastor of the Shandon Congregational church, in Butler county, Ohio, and continued in that charge for five years. Following this he became pastor of the Welsh church in Youngstown, Ohio, for a term of one year. While there he organ- ized the Plymouth Congregational church in October, 1882, with a member- ship of eighty-six. He was pastor of this church for nine years and the re- sult of his labors was an increase of membership to three hundred and fifty, a flourishing congregation of active and influential members. His next charge was at Scranton, Pennsylvania, but he had only been here about four- teen months when he received a call to the West church at Akron, Ohio, which he accepted. He remained here for twelve years when he resigned his charge and accepted a call to become the pastor of the South church, Columbus, Ohio, where he remained until 1911, when he came to Marysville and took charge of the First Congregational church at this place.
March 21, 1876, Reverend Davies was united in marriage with Jane Jenkins, daughter of John and Ann ( Thomas) Jenkins. Their two children are Gertrude Ann and Gordon. Gertrude Ann is a graduate of the Akron high school and a student in Buchtel College. Gordon is a graduate of the Akron high school and of the Ohio State University; he studied law and graduated in the law department of Michigan University at Ann Arbor. He now lives in Columbus, Ohio, and is in the employ of the state board of health.
Mrs. Davies was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, England, March 21, 1847. Her parents were natives of England and spent their lifetime in that country. Their children were Mary Ann, John, Thomas, Catherine, William, Jane and Fannie. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Davies was a native of Wales. The maternal grandfather was John Thomas.
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Rev. Davies' labors in Marysville, as in all the other communities in which he has had pastoral charges, have been highly creditable to himself and satisfactory to the congregation to which he ministered. He keeps in close touch with his membership, ready with counsel, encouragement and sympathy as occasion requires. He is in thorough sympathy with every cause that is conducive to the public good and tends to a higher standard of morals, and for the things that promote a better life. He stands high in the esteem of his fellow ministers and co-workers in the cause of Christianity and enjoys the confidence and respect of the public, irrespective of faith or creed.
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