USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, Ohio, from the founding of Franklinton in 1797, through the World War period to the year 1920 > Part 84
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Patriotic blood courses in his veins, for his father was first a captain in the Civil War and in the 77th O. V. V. I., and afterwards a colonel of the 148th O. V. I. As a member of the former regiment he participated in many battles, great and small.
Judge Kinkead belongs to Lincoln's common people. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was educated in the common schools, the Marietta Academy and the Marietta College, receiving from the latter the degrees of Master of Arts and LL. D. His scholarship was of high grade; he never wasted any time; he was always striving to enlarge his stock of knowledge and to increase the breadth and depth of his mind.
He started in active life with the disadvantage of narrow circumstances, against which he had to strive. But in his case, as has occurred in others, while the discipline of necessity' was hard to bear, it was a sure guarantee of the making of a great lawyer and of gaining great fame as an author.
His position as deputy clerk of the Probate Court of Washington county and of the Supreme
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Court of Ohio and Assistant State Law Librarian were accepted as means of helping him to become a lawyer. Without wealth, these were necessities.
He became a lawyer in 1889. For a while he was special attorney for the Attorney General of the State, in special charge of eases against the Standard Oil Company, or of all Anti-Trust litigation. Early in his career as a lawyer he had the impulse that he should per- from the duty which Lord Coke said every lawyer who had the necessary brains, owed to his profession, namely, to write a law book. Judge Kinkead has written, not only one law book, but numerous books. Excepting one, they are on cognate subjects-pleading, practice and pro- cedure. of the law. Their titles are: "Code Pleading and Practice," "Instructions to Juries," "Common Law Pleading," "Probate Court Law and Practice," "Trial Procedure," "Error and Instructions to Juries," "Libel and Slander in the Cyelopedia of Law," "Ohio Civil Trial- Appeals and Errors, and Torts." They are all useful books; they occupy a fair place among standard books on the same subjects, in all of the law libraries and colleges of the country. The beneh and bar and litigants owe him a debt of gratitude for his efforts to make the prac- tice and administration of the law easier, a task which he has performed with distinguished ability.
In 1908 he was elected Common Pleas Judge, and in 1914 re-elected for a second term, which he is now serving. For twenty years he was professor of law in several branches of the law college of the Ohio State University. There is a multitude of lawyers in Ohio and in other states who studied the law under him with profit to themselves and to their elients; and undoubtedly he contributed much by his work there to give the just fame and name which the law college enjoys.
It is not easy to make a perfect estimate of a judge while he is still on the bench. He may become better after the estimate has been made, or possibly he may deteriorate. But of Judge Kinkead, up to this time, it can be conservatively said that he knows the anatomy and physiology of law. As an author and as a judge he has been indefatigable in his labors. He has a wonder- ful capacity for work, and never fails to be prompt in the decision of cases submitted to him. He is accomplished in the learning of his profession. He is "familiar with the currents, streams and tides of authority." He is above the average in working knowledge of the eases. One of his distinguishing traits is his affability on the bench. He is not one of those judicious holy terrors, who try to overawe and intimidate litigants and their lawyers by austere or auto- eratic manners. He does not become mad when a lawyer argues with or against him. He patiently hears those with whom he disagrees, and he is sometimes persuaded that his first im- pressions were wrong, in which cases he is not ashamed to change his opinions. He does not often render decisions that do not satisfy either party to the suit; generally he deeides in favor of one party and against the other.
When he is called upon to decide cases in unexplored fields of litigation, he determines what he thinks the law should be upon the undecided questions. He has the courage that makes him always ready to assume responsibility and to act when required. If misdirected popular sentiment or publie clamor should attempt to influence or control the administration of law and justice, in cases coming before him, he would doubtless be ready to do his duty, whatever might be the personal consequences to himself.
While he has always been a diligent and industrious student, burning a great deal of mid- night oil, still he has spent some of his life in the open, keeping in touch with his eontempor- aries and studying their human nature. If a judge is not easily duped, deceived by crafty persons, who try to use him for their own aggrandizement, this is a valuable quality in a nisi prius judge. Without that quality, he is handicapped in his work.
While Judge Kinkead generally knows the authorities, he never makes fetish of precedents. He has the courage to point out the mistakes of other courts, even those that are his superiors in authority. For this reason, he has sometimes been called by his erities an iconoclastie, a revolutionary judge. But that is not a true eriticism. His aim, in such instances, is to be original and independent, and to help other courts, even those that can affirm or reverse him, to correct their errors. Soeially and personally Judge Kinkcad is genial ; he has a vigorous and breezy, and yet sufficiently, dignified personality; his tastes are simple; he is demoeratic in his disposition; he is charitable in his judgment of others; and he is human in his foibles and virtues. He is a Mason, a Knight of Pythias, a member of the Delta Epsilon and Delta Phi college fraternities and of the Elks.
And not of least importance is the fact that his domestie relations have been happy. When
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one knows what kind of a wife (who was Nellie M. Snyder) he has, he does not wonder that the judge has been in favor of woman suffrage, He has but one child, Mrs. W. W. Alexander of Atlanta, Georgia, and two grandsons.
ALEXANDER CHALMERS BRYCE. It cannot be other than interesting to note in the series of personal sketches appearing in this work the varying conditions that have com- passed those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to throw well-focused light onto the individuality and to bring into proper perspective the scheme of each respective character. Each man who strives to fulfill his part in connection with human life and human activities is deserving of recognition, whatever may be or have been his field of endeavor, and it is the function of works of this nature to perpetuate an anthen- tic record concerning those worthy of preservation. The beginning of the career of Alex- ander C. Bryce, for many years one of the well-known business men of Columbus, was char- acterized by hard work and conscientious endeavor, and he owed his rise to no train of for- tunate incidents or fortuitous circumstances. It was the reward of application of mental qualifications of a high order to the affairs of business, the combining with keen perceptions mental activity that enabled him to grasp the opportunities that presented themselves. This he did with success and, what is more important, with honor. His integrity was ever unas- sailable, his honor unimpeachable, and he stood high with all who knew him.
Alexander Chalmers Bryce was born on March 16, 1852, in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, and his death occurred March 15, 1920, in Columbus, Ohio. He was the second son among seven children who blessed the union of William and Mary (Chalmers) Bryce. The only survivors of these children now are, Mrs. J. H. Weldon, of Clark county, Illinois, and Mrs. John S. Menzier, of San Diego, California. The subject's parents were both of Scottish birth, the father having been born in Edinburgh and the mother in Glasgow, and both are now deceased. On the paternal side, the subject is descended from the same stock as James Bryce, ambassador from England to the United States, 1906-12. Alexander C. Bryce received his educational training in the public schools of his native town. After he had completed his studies, the family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and soon afterwards Mr. Bryce became a traveling salesman out of Cincinnati, for a hat concern. A short time later he accepted a similar posi- tion with a large wholesale clothing firm, making his headquarters in New York City. In- tensely ambitions to get into business on his own account, as soon as possible he established a clothing store in northern Indiana, and so successful was he in this enterprise that he was soon enabled to establish other stores at Terre Haute, Muncie and Logansport, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to these, about twenty-five years ago Mr. Bryce came to Columbus and, in partnership with his brother, Thomas J. Bryce, established a store which was known as Bryce Brothers & Company. After the death of the brother, the name of the Columbus business was changed to the Bryce Company, under which name it has been con- ducted. Some years ago, the subject disposed of all his stores excepting the one in Columbus.
Mr. Bryce was a man of much more than ordinary force of character, a fact univer- sally recognized by all who had opportunity to form his acquaintance. For some years prior to his deccase, he was handicapped by very poor health, yet, despite this, he courageously bore his part of the burdens of life and set a splendid example of the ability to subordinate per- sonal feelings to the demands of business, home and community. Naturally of a retiring and quiet disposition, he cared nothing for club life or the excitement of political activities, yet in his quiet and effectual way he performed his whole duty to the community in which he lived. He was a member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, where he was held in high regard, and in business circles in New York and Indiana he was held in great esteem. He was a stanch Republican in his political views, but never sought office, though several times importuned to allow his name to be used. His membership in the Columbus Athletic Club was more in the nature of a support than any sportive inclination on his part. His religions membership was with the Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus.
September 11, 1878, Mr. Bryce was married to Helen Prevo, of Clark county, Illinois, daughter of Henry and Amy ( Lindley) Prevo. To their union two daughters were born, Mable Bryce Dunn, deceased, and Ethel, who became the wife of J. J. Stevenson and is the mother of two children, Justin, jr., and Helen Jane. Mrs. Bryce has two brothers living, Samuel J. Prevo, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Charles Prevo, of Clark county, Illinois. Her paternal grandfather was Samuel Prevo, who was of French extraction and who was one of the pioneer settlers of Illinois. His wife, Jane (Lee) Prevo, was descended from the Lee
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Charles L. Brown
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family which figured so prominently in the Colonial history of this country and which has had many honored representatives in the public life of the nation during the subsequent years.
Alexander C. Bryce possessed many of the sterling characteristics of his Scotch ancestry, his success having been based upon the substantial qualities of unfaltering industry, perseverance and integrity in motive and action. He was a publie-spirited citizen and a whole-souled gentleman, whom to know was to respect and admire. Beginning his business career at the bottom of the ladder, he forged ahead steadily and the prosperity which finally crowned his labors was riehly earned, for he had been dominated throughout his career by the highest principles of integrity and honor. His benevolences and charities were large, but were given unostentatiously and without thought of praise. He knew the spring of human motive and action, so that he was kindly and tolerant in his judgment and ever ready to lend a helping hand to any worthy movement. His admirable qualities of head and heart and the straight- forward, upright course of his daily life won for him the esteem and confidence of the circles in which he moved.
CHARLES HENRY BROWN. The record of a life well spent, of triumphs over obsta- eles, of perseverance under difficulties and steady advancement from a modest beginning to a place of honor and distinction in the commercial and civic worlds, when imprinted on the pages of history present to the youth of the rising generation an example worthy of emula- tion. Dominated by the highest principles of integrity and honor was the course of the late Charles H. Brown, who for a long lapse of years was among the leading men of affairs of Columbus. He placed true values on men and events, so that he was essentially demo- cratie and unassuming and showed the intrinsic strength and loyalty of his character. His benevolence and charities were ever unostentatious and admirably placed. He knew the spring of human motive and action, so that he was kindly and tolerant in his judgment and ever ready to lend a helping hand to any worthy movement. His long residence in Columbus, his upright life and mature judgment, and the many services he rendered have made his name a synonym for character and worth. He was imbued with the deepest and most helpful public spirit, and was well fortified in his opinions as to matters of public policy, giving of his best to the furthering of good government, as he was neglectful of no civic duty. It is scarcely necessary to say that in the inviolable precincts of an ideal home life the true nobility of Mr. Brown found perfect expression, but there is no desire in this connection to lift the sacred veil of the fireside circle. In dealing with mankind his word was his bond; deceit never entered into any transactions he had with his fellow men. His plain, rugged honesty, his open-hearted manner, undisguised and unaffected, is to his family and friends a sweet last- ing memory.
Charles Henry Brown was born in Zanesville, Ohio, February 28, 1862, and his death occurred in Columbus, September 17, 1919. He was next to the youngest of five children born to Robert and Sarah (Gregg) Brown, the surviving children being Harry, of Conneaut, Ohio; Asa, of Columbus; Smith T., of Zanesville, and Anna B., of Columbus. The subject's early mental training was received in the public schools of Zanesville and Newark, but when he was still quite young his father died and it became necessary for him to leave school and go to work, though he continued his studies assiduously at such times as opportunity offered- indeed, he never forsook his habits of close reading and was possessed of unusually varied and accurate information on a wide range of subjects, being an excellent conversationalist in any company where he might be found. His first employment was as a newspaper carrier in Newark, and when about sixteen years of age he came to Columbus and accepted a position as clerk at the State Blind Institution. Subsequently he was appointed clerk at the State Insane Asylum, later being advanced to the position of storekeeper in that institution. His next employment was as a traveling salesman in the Columbus district for the Heinz Pickle Company, of Pittsburgh. Abont 1891 Mr. Brown became secretary of the Central Building, Loan and Savings Company, of Columbus, and remained identified with that institution up to the time of his death. The company at that time was but a small concern, but under his man- agement it soon began to grow and eventually became one of the largest and most important companies of the kind in central Ohio, the greater part of this splendid achievement being directly traceable to the energetic efforts, sound business ability and personal influence of the subject. Mr. Brown took an active part in state building and loan affairs and was seere- tary of the State League of Building and Loan Associations and a member of the national association. Of his own company he was a member of the board of directors and also served
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on the real estate board, he being an unusually competent judge of real estate values. He was also a director of the New Nu Ex Fire Extinguisher Company, of Columbus.
"Charley" Brown, as he was most generally known among his friends and associates, was one of the biggest boosters for his own eity and in many ways contributed to the devel- opment, growth and prosperity of Columbus. He not only had an effective part in further- ing commercial enterprises, but in his capacity as seeretary of the building and loan assoeia- tion he assisted many to acquire homes of their own. He was a director of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, active in all phases of its work, and was an efficient member and past president of the Columbus Rotary Club. In 1918-19 he served as distriet governor of the Rotary Clubs of this district, among whom he held an exalted position in their esteem and good will. In evidence of this faet is the following extract from a letter sent to Mrs. Brown from the Rotary Club at Toledo: "The Rotarians of the Tenth distriet in session in Toledo instructed me to write you and tell you how greatly we missed your presence and that of your genial husband. It would have made you proud indeed if you could have heard the beautiful tributes spoken of him on the floor of the convention and how it was said that everyone had been made brighter and happier on account of him."
During the World War Mr. Brown took an active and effective part in support of the various war activities and was recognized as one of the most effectual four-minute men in Columbus, performing splendid service in the Liberty Bond sales. He was a member of the Columbus Athletic Club and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he was a past exalted ruler, and while serving in that eapaeity officiated at the laying of the corner stone of the Elks' Home. His religious membership was with St. Joseph's Cathedral, to which his widow and daughter also belong. He was liberal in his support of worthy benevo- lent objeets, though his giving was so quietly done that it attracted no attention. He was a lovable man and everyone loved him. He possessed to a marked degree an optimistic tem- perament and had the happy faculty of imparting to those about him the spirit of good cheer and fellowship which was so apparent in him. A self-made man in the truest sense of the word, his career was complete and rounded in its beautiful simplicity; he did his full duty in all the relations of life, and he died beloved by those near to him, and respected and esteemed by his fellow citizens.
September 28, 1887, Charles H. Brown was married to Miss Cecelia Schwarz, of Logan, Ohio, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Kessler) Schwarz, both of whom are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown were born two children, Ruth, who died in infancy, and Elizabeth, who became the wife of Dr. Joseph M. Gallen, of Columbus, and they have two children, Mary Virginia and Joseph M., jr.
CHARLES G. HENDERSON. In the death of the late Charles G. Henderson the city of Columbus lost one of its most substantial and reliable men of affairs, who, through a long lapse of years, was prominent in the circles in which he moved. As the day with its morning of hope and promise, its noontide of activity and accomplishment, its evening of completed and successful efforts, ending in the grateful rest and quiet of the night, so was the life of this good and honored man. His career was a long, busy and useful one, fraught with much good to himself, his family and to humanity, and his memory will long be revered by those who had occasion to come in contact with him on life's highway. Devoting the major part of his time and attention to the upbuilding and development of special interests, he never allowed the pursuit of wealth to warp his kindly nature, but preserved his faculties and the warmth of his heart for the broadening and helpful influence of human life, being to the end a kindly, genial friend and gentleman whom it was a pleasure to meet.
Charles G. Henderson was a native son of the Buekeye state, having been born in San- dusky, Ohio, on the 7th day of April, 1856, and his death oeeurred at his home in Columbus on January 11, 1920, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. He was a son of DeWitt C. and Volinda ( Lamson) Henderson, the former being of Scotch descent and the latter of English antecedents. When the subject of this memoir was about five years of age, the family moved to Cincinnati, and in the excellent schools of that eity he sceured his education, completing the publie school course when seventeen years of age. Having decided to complete his studies abroad, he went to Europe, but soon afterwards changed his mind and returned home. Lo- cating in Columbus, he took a position in the Citizens Savings Bank, the president of which at that time was Gen. John Beatty, whose daughter Mr. Henderson subsequently married. B. able and faithful service, he won successive promotions until he became eashier of the bank,
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holding that position until 1883. In that year General Beatty founded the Columbus Sav- ings Bank and Mr. Henderson was placed in the management of the new institution, finally becoming its president and holding that relation until about five years prior to his death, when he retired on aeeount of ill health. It speaks well for the energetic efforts, the exeeu- tive ability and the personal power of Mr. Henderson that he was able to build up the business of this bank from a modest beginning to the prosperous and influential position which it event- ually oeeupied among the banks of Columbus, and this in spite of the fact that the Columbus Savings Bank was, as to location, less favorably situated than many of its competitors. He was wholly devoted to the upbuilding of this institution, giving himself to it to the practical exclusion of all other interests and to him was given the credit for the splendid growth which characterized this bank during his incumbency as its presiding officer.
One of the most noticeable characteristies of Mr. Henderson was his aversion to anything bordering on publieity for himself. Able and efficient in his special sphere of activity, and cognizant of his own powers there, he was content to let results speak for themselves, and it is true that among his fellow bankers his abilities and accomplishments as a financier were appraised at their full value. Quiet and undemonstrative in manner, nevertheless he im- pressed all who came in contaet with him with the fact that his chief pleasure came from the simple consciousness of work well done. He was universally recognized as a splendid citizen, one of Columbus' leading men of affairs, progressive in the best sense of the word; a man of lofty character, sturdy integrity and unswerving honesty.
Mr. Henderson was keenly appreciative of the beautiful in literature, music and art. He had read extensively and of a wide range of subjeets and was unusually well informed. He was essentially public spirited and consistently gave his support to every movement for the advancement of the best interests of his city. He was a member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and in his earlier career took an active part in its affairs.
On July 21, 1877, Mr. Henderson was married to Miss Ellen Beatty, the daughter of Gen. John and Luey (Tupper) Beatty, who are represented by an appropriate memorial elsewhere in this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Henderson were born two children, namely: Helen, who be- came the wife of George S. Butler, of Columbus, and the mother of three children, Henderson, George and Roger; Volinda Lucy, who is the wife of Major James Kelly Parsons, of the regular army and who at this time is stationed at Rochester, New York. Major Parsons served in France during the World War, with the rank of colonel, and was gassed in battle, being confined to hospital. Mr. Henderson was devoted to his home and his family, finding his chief enjoyment when by his own fireside and with his loved ones. His personal relations with his fellow men were ever mutually pleasant and agreeable, and he was highly regarded by all, having been easily approached, obliging and straightforward in all the relations of life
JAMES H. HESS. The biographies of the representative men of a country, either of a past or present generation, bring to light many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their descendants and of the community, and it is a source of regret that the people are not more familiar with the personal history of sueh men, in the ranks of which may be found agriculturists, mechanies, teachers, as well as lawyers, bankers and members of other vocations and professions. Columbus and vieinity have been the home and scene of labor of many men who have not only led lives which should serve as a lesson and inspiration to those who follow them onto the stage of life's activities, but who have also been of commendable service in important avenues of usefulness in various lines. James H. Hess, a well remembered pioneer citizen and influential man of affairs of Columbus, was one of the useful workers of his day and generation, whose name should be perpetuated on the pages of local history. He was a man of well rounded char- acter, sincere, devoted and loval, indeed there are many salient points which render consonant a tribute to his memory in this compilation.
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