USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 96
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Clinton M. Orr, youngest of this large family, was born in Canaan township, Wayne county, Ohio, on November 9. 1873. His birtliplace was on the old farm owned and occupied by his father during his lifetime and now his own property and place of residence. Mr. Orr grew up on this farm and attended the nearby district school during the winter months. Ile was thoroughly trained to farm work in his youth, learning all about the putting in and the gathering of crops, the feeding, breeding and caring for livestock, and all the other things which enter into the making of a good farmer. So when he became the landowner on his own account he was v. ell qualified to take charge of the business. He has always lived on the home place and knows no other business than farming and he has made a success. being regarded as one of the progressive young farmers of the later genera- tion. He leads a quiet, unobtrusive life, attends strictly to his own business, is just in his dealings and enjoys the good will of his neighbors. In 1903 Mr. Orr married Daisy, daughter of Isaac and Emily ( Leiter) Hawk, of Stark county, where the family is well known.
892
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
IRA BRINKERHOFF.
For many years Ira Brinkerhoff has occupied a conspicuous place among the agriculturalists of Wayne county, Ohio. His career has been that of an honorable, enterprising and progressive business man, whose well- rounded character has enabled him to take an active interest in everything pertaining to the advancement of the community and to keep well informed concerning the momentous questions affecting the nation .. In all life's rela- tions he has commanded the respect and confidence of those with whom he has come in contact and his upright life is an inspiration to all who know him well and are familiar with his character.
Ira Brinkerhoff was born on the old Brinkerhoff homestead in Con- gress township, Wayne county, Ohio, on the 29th of June, 1858, and is the son of James and Elizabeth ( Ewing) Brinkerhoff, the former a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, born October II, 1817, and the latter born March 30, 1825. in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio. The subject's paternal grandfather, Daniel Brinkerhoff, was born March 14, 1780, in Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania, and he married Rebecca Frazier, who was born June 15, 1783. They were married in 1809 and his death occurred in 1848; she died in 1892. Daniel Brinkerhoff came to Wayne county, Ohio, settling first in Wayne township, but a short time afterwards he bought the place of one hundred and sixty acres in Congress township on which the subject of this sketch now lives. The place was densely covered with the primeval forest growth and Mr. Brinkerhoff entered at once upon the hercu- lean task of clearing this and putting it under cultivation. A log cabin was erected where the present residence stands and a happy and comfortable home was established, albeit lacked many of the comforts and luxuries which characterize the homes of the present day. Here the subject's father, James Brinkerhoff, labored in the arduous toil of the first few years and he spent the remainder of his life here. James and Elizabeth Brinkerhoff be- came the parents of the following children: Amos, born February II, 1846; Rebecca, born January 14, 1848, the wife of Jonathan Fetzer, of Chester township: Elizabeth Jane, born March 30, 1850, died December 15. 1854; William, born September 7, 1854, living in Canaan township; Martha, born January 3, 1855, married John Winters, of Wooster; Ira, born June 29, 1858, lives on the home place, and is the immediate subject of this sketch ; Anna, born May 22, 1860, died March 9, 1892, was the wife of William Barnard, of Congress township: James, born July 30, 1864, lives in Canaan township: Jane, born August 7, 1867, died in infancy. James Brinkerhoff, Sr., was a stanch Democrat in politics and in religion he gave his support
893
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
to the Presbyterian church. The subject's paternal grandfather, William Ewing, was one of the very earliest residents of Canaan township and his brother Simon was the first white male child born in the township, 1817.
Ira Brinkerhoff was reared by his parents and secured his education in the district school at Golden Corners, supplementing this by attendance at the high school at Burbank. He has, with the exception of one year spent in Michigan, spent his entire life with his parents on the old home farm. He was reared to the life of a farmer and in his early years he saw much arduous toil, assisting in bringing the farm to that splendid condition which has since characterized it. After completing his education, he was for a time employed as a collector and in various other capacities, but event- ually he went to farming and stockraising on shares with his father, in both of which lines he was eminently successful. At his father's death, he as- sumed charge of the home farm, and has since continued its operation. He has proven himself a man of progressive ideas, keeping in close touch with the latest advances in the science of agriculture and he is not slow to adopt those methods which appear to him as sound and practical. He has thus acquired a well-merited reputation in his community as a thoroughgoing and up-to-date agriculturalist. The home and other farm buildings are kept in the best of repair and the general appearance of the place reflects great credit on Mr. Brinkerhoff.
In politics Mr. Brinkerhoff is a Democrat and takes a commendable interest in public affairs, but he has never consented to run for public office of any character. While not a member of any church, he is a firm believer in their efficiency as a moral agency and their influence for good in any com- munity, and he gives a liberal support to the various churches in this com- munity.
On the 25th of July, 1898, Mr. Brinkerhoff wedded Nettie Wagner, the daughter of Michael and Mary ( Hawk) Wagner, the former a native of Alsace, Germany, and the latter of Wayne county, Ohio. They have become the parents of the following children : Charles Ira, born November 19, 1899: Harry Clement, born November 29, 1900; Erma June, born June 6, 1903, died October 15th of the sante year; Fay, born September 6, 1904: George, born September 20, 1906; Fern, born May 14. 1908. Socially Mr. Brinkerhoff is an appreciative member of Rising Star Lodge No. 22, Knights of Pythias. He is a man of splendid personal qualifications and has lent his influence to the support of every movement calculated to benefit the conflu- nity, morally, educationally or materially. A man of genial disposition and kindly manner, he enjoys the friendship of all who know him.
894
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
WILLIAM BELL.
The names of those men who have distinguished themselves through the possession of those qualities which daily contribute to the success of private life and to the public stability, and who have enjoyed the confidence and respect of those about them, should not be permitted to perish. Such a one is William Bell, whose name needs no introduction to the readers of this book, and whose reputation is internat onal, having long been one of America's importers of blooded horses. He is one of Wayne county's leading citizens and takes an abiding interest in whatever pertains to the general upbuilding of the community.
Mr. Bell was born in Bole, Nottinghamshire, England, December 17, 1861, the son of Samuel Bell, Sr., and Martha (Ell's) Bell. The father, a man of sterling worth and excellent business traits, was born at Gainsboro, England. He was a stock man and well known in that line of business.
William Bell was educated in the village schools of Bole, finishing his education at Wesleyan school, Gainsboro. Soon after finishing school he came to America, when nineteen years of age, bringing some horses with him, for he had early in his youth decided to follow the footsteps of his father in the stock business. He established himself at Montreal, Canada, and began importing horses, but believing that a better field for his opera- tions existed at Wooster, Ohio, he soon afterwards came here. He had some valuable experience before coming west, shipping horses from New York, where he first landed, to Boston and other points, gradually becoming a more expert judge of horses and learning how to manage the business profitably, having by this time gained a very extensive knowledge of the commercial side of stock raising and selling. He formed a partnership with his brother, Samuel, the firm being known as the Bell Brothers, in 1880. They were suc- cessful from the first in this venture and the business grew from year to year, until today it has a national prestige. They have imported one hundred stal- lions a year for the past five years. The first few years was not especially "easy sailing" and the business has gradually grown until it has reached im- mense proportions. They are importers of shires,-Percherons, Belgian, and German coach horses,-all full blooded, and they are greatly admired by all who see them. They also handle large numbers of American bred horses.
That Mr. Bell is an excellent judge of livestock is shown by the fol- lowing letter, which he received from the International Live Stock Exposi- tion at Chicago, where he was a judge in 1909, which is self-explanatory :
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
"Union Stock Yards, "Chicago, Ill., December 22, 1909.
"Mr. William Bell,
"Wooster, Ohio.
"Dear Sir: The able and efficient service rendered our Exposition by your worthy self, as judge of the Percheron horses, is deserving of more than passing comment, for you not only justified the action of the board who se- lected you to act in this important capacity, but you also acquitted yourself with such credit that your splendid service was a subject of much commenda- tion, and I am pleased to be able to report that not a single complaint of any description was brought to my attention in connection with your work. This must be exceedingly gratifying to you when you consider that your decisions were watched also by the entire livestock world, so to speak; for, as the In- ternational is regarded as the 'Court of Last Appeal,' you, therefore, descrip- tively speaking, held the position of a judge of the supreme court.
"I desire to thank you most heartily for your painstaking efforts, and sin- cerely trust that you will not hesitate to command me should I, at any future time, be able to prove myself of service to you.
"Wishing you the compliments of the season and hoping that the New Year will bring you much happiness and increased prosperity. I am,
"Yours very truly,
"B. H. HEIDE, "General Superintendent."
In all his extensive and varied interests Mr. Bell has shown himself to le a master of details, possessing rare executive ability and business acumen of a high order. With duties that would greatly worry the average man, he has his labors so systematized that he experiences little or no trouble in doing them. He is a vigorous as well as an independent thinker, a wide reader, and he has the courage of his convictions upon all subjects which he investigates. He is also strikingly original and fearless, having a keen dis- cernment, prosecuting his researches after his own peculiar fashion, caring little for conventionalism or for the sanctity attaching to person or place by reason of artificial distinction, tradition or the accident of birth. He is essen- tially cosmopolitan in his ideas, a man of the people in all that the term im- plies, and in the best sense of the word a representative of that virile man- hood which commands and retains respect by reason of inherent merit. sound sense and correct conduct.
Mr. Bell was married in Wooster March 28, 1888, to Ella Camp. Her parents were Ferdinand and Elizabeth ( Brosius) Camp, who lived in North-
896
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
umberland county, Pennsylvania. The mother died in 1876 and the father in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Bell had two children, a son, William Ellis, born October 29, 1894, died at the age of four years and seven months; a daugh- ter, Esta Elizabeth, born June 7, 1901, and who is attending school. She is a bright little girl and the joy of her parents.
Fraternally Mr. Bell is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. His religious membership is with the Lutheran church, to which his wife also belongs. Politically he is a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Bell are whole-souled and very pleasant people to meet in their home at No. III South Market street, where every one is made welcome.
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