USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume II > Part 85
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103
The entire Coover family are members of the United Brethren church and are people of high moral worth, occupying a foremost place in social circles of the community. Politically Mr. Coover is a stanch republican, casting his ballot for the men and measures of that party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, and doing all in his power to further the influence of that party throughout the locality in which he resides. He has been township trustee for six years and has also served as land appraiser. For twelve years he was presi- dent of the Farmers County Institute and throughout his entire career has been deeply interested in the cause of education, giving to all of his children excellent
887
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
advantages along that direction. For several terms he served as a member of the school board and during that period acted as president of the board part of the time. He was influential in establishing the high school of Butler township and has always done everything in his power to uphold a high standard of edu- cation.
Preeminently public-spirited in his citizenship, the influence of Mr. Coover is always on the side of progress, reform, improvement and advancement. His life has been one of continuous activity for, recognizing the fact that oppor- tunity is always open to the man of ability, energy and diligence, he has labored earnestly and well for the success which he has attained and he stands today as a splendid example of the power and force of honorable manhood, of earnest effort and of high principle. Mr. Coover has spent his entire life in Butler township, Montgomery county, and during this time he has remained one of its representative, worthy and honored citizens. He has won notable success in business and no man's history indicates more clearly the value and power of close application, of concentration, of earnest and honorable purpose and of wise utili- zation of opportunity.
JAMES C. TRUMBO.
James C. Trumbo, recognized as one of the representative agriculturists of Montgomery county, is also numbered among the respected, valued and influential citizens of the community. For sixteen years he has been actively connected with farming interests in Wayne township, making his home on a fine farm of one hundred and twenty-eight acres on section II, known as Willow Lawn Farm. A native of Clark county, Ohio, he was born August 12, 1855, and is a son of Moses and Marie (Leffel) Trumbo. The father, who was born in October, 1828, in Pendleton county, West Virginia, came to Ohio in 1853, settling in Clark county. He had acquired his education in the common schools of his native state, and after his arrival in Clark county he became identified with agricultural pursuits as a general farmer. He was a member of the Methodist church and for a num- ber of years served as superintendent of the Sunday school. His death occurred in 1880 and his remains were interred at Donnellsville, Ohio. His wife, who was born on the 25th of September, 1833, in Clark county, Ohio, was a daughter of Daniel and Catharine Leffel. She was married to Moses Trumbo in 1854 and by her marriage became the mother of seven children : James ; Warren (who died at the age of two years) ; Jeremiah Denton, Ora, Mary, Ida and Gertrude. She still survives her husband but is at present in very poor health. She holds member- ship in the Methodist church and in the past has been a very energetic woman and prominent in the affairs of the community. The son Jeremiah Denton is a Meth- odist Protestant minister and is now located in Williston, North Dakota. Ora is a telephone manager at Donnellsville, Ohio, while Mary is now married and re- sides in Williston, North Dakota. Warren, Ida and Gertrude are deceased.
It was upon the home farm in Clark county that James C. Trumbo grew to manhood, attending the common schools in the acquirement of his education. He
888
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
assisted his father about the farm during the periods of vacation and early became familiar with the tasks that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Upon attaining his majority he engaged in farming on his own account, and remained in his native county until 1893, which year witnessed his arrival in Montgomery county, where he located in Wayne township, upon the farm which is now his place of residence. His farm consists of one hundred and twenty-eight acres of excellent land known as the Willow Lawn Farm, and is one of the well improved proper- ties in the township. He engages in general agricultural pursuits and he has been very successful in his business affairs, ranking among the substantial and repre- sentative farmers of the community.
It was on the 29th of November, in the year 1888, that Mr. Trumbo was united in marriage to Miss Ella Brown, a daughter of William and Molly (Duffy) Brown. The father, who was born in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio when a young man, was a general farmer by occupation, and passed away about forty years ago, his remains being interred at Woodland cemetery, Dayton. His wife was also a native of the Keystone state, and came to Ohio in early life, where she was married and passed away in 1894, being buried by the side of her husband in Woodland cemetery. In their family were four children: Laura, Ella, May Ger- trude and America, the last named being now deceased, her remains lying in the family lot at Woodland. Mr. and Mrs. Trumbo are both members of the Meth- odist church and are very active and helpful workers therein, the former acting in the capacity of treasurer of the official board and also as a teacher in the Sunday school. He is a gentleman of excellent repute and stands very high in the com- munity in which he lives. His career has been a most honorable one, in which there has been not a single esoteric phase, his dealings with his fellowmen at all times commanding the entire respect and confidence of those with whom he is associated.
HENRY B. SHOUP.
Henry B. Shoup scarcely needs introduction to the readers of this volume for during the many years of his residence in Montgomery county he has be- come widely known as an enterprising business man and valued and representa- tive citizen. He also deserves mention in these pages because of the fact that he is a veteran of the Civil war, giving valiant aid to his country in her hour of need.
A native of Pennsylvania, his birth occurred in Roherstown, Lancaster county, on the 3Ist of October, 1835. He is a son of John and Mary (Beuhler) Shoup, natives of Switzerland and Germany respectively, the former being born in 1806 and the latter in 1805. They came to the United States in childhood, at the age of four or five years. Upon their arrival in America, because of their in- ability to pay for their passage, they were bound out for service but fortunately their employer was a good man and they were soon able to work out their pas- sage, the father selling bread and cakes. They were married in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio in 1838, where the father engaged in general farming. He passed away in the fall of 1862, while his wife's demise occurred in 1848, their
H. B. SHOUP
891
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
remains being interred in Woodland cemetery. In their family were eleven chil- dren : Martin, Henry B., Rev. John, Elias, Fannie, Caroline, Elizabeth, Mary, and three who died in infancy. Elias was killed in the Civil war, while Fannie, Car- oline and Mary have also passed away. The others are still living.
Henry B. Shoup was a little lad of three years when he accompanied his parents to Ohio, the family home being made near Canton. In 1845 he re- moved to Clark county but he has been a resident of Montgomery county since 1848. He attended the common schools of Ohio and therein acquired a good education that fitted him for the responsible and practical duties of life. Throughout almost his entire business career he has been engaged in the lime business and has met with gratifying success in that line of activity. In the year 1880 he moved to his present location in Wayne township, Montgomery county, his farm consisting of one hundred and eighty-one acres. This property is not only excellent farming land but is also rich in its lime deposits and here Mr. Shoup has since been continuously engaged in making or burning lime, marketing his product in Dayton. That he has been successful is indicated by the extent of the business which he does which, having reached large propor- tions, is continually increasing in size and importance. He averages about seventy- five thousand bushels of lime every year and has three wagons which carry from eighty to ninety bushels to Dayton every day.
An interruption to his busy career came in 1862 when, in March of that year, he put aside all personal considerations and enlisted in Company F, Sixty-first Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This was consolidated with the Eighty- second Ohio Volunteer Infantry in April, 1865, owing to the small number of men left in the regiment. He participated in several important battles and in various skirmishes, among the former being the second battle of Bull Run and the engagement at Gettysburg. He was also with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea and participated in the grand review held at Washington, which was the most famous military pageant ever witnessed in the history of this country. He was honorably discharged in Kentucky, August 5, 1865, and re- turned home with an excellent military career, for throughout his entire service he had never lost a day through sickness or injury and at all times was most gallant in his defense of the old flag and loyal to the cause which it represented.
It was on the 25th of September, 1855, that Mr. Shoup was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Lewis, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1834. Unto this union were born ten children, namely : William H., born March 21, 1858; John, July 22, 1860; Benjamin, October 19, 1862; Elias, May 15, 1866; Myrtle, January 12, 1868; Rose, June 6, 1870; Baniah, February 28, 1872 : Anna, February 6, 1873; Dolly, December 2, 1874; and Maud, June 28, 1878 Rose and Baniah have both passed away, their remains being interred in Shears cemetery. The other members of the family are all married with the exception of Benjamin. On the 17th of April, 1892, the wife and mother was called to her final rest and her remains were buried at New Carlisle. She was an excel- lent wife, a loving mother and a true friend and her loss was felt throughout the community in which she resided.
Mr. Shoup is a prominent and valued member of the United Brethren church, of which he is treasurer, and was the superintendent of the Sunday school for
.
892
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
fifteen years. His loyalty to the church is indicated by the fact that for several years during his residence in Dayton he drove each Sunday all the way from that city to attend the services held at Sulphur Grove. In politics he is a repub- lican and he has served as trustee of his township. Mr. Shoup may well claim the proud American title of a self-made man for whatever success that is his today has come entirely through his own well directed efforts, his industry and persever- ance. Personally he is esteemed and honored by all men. His name is not only inscribed upon the list of those who went valiantly forth at the time of the nation's peril and faced the dangers of warfare, but, as a worthy and upright citizen and Christian gentleman, he will be honored throughout the coming years. He has just returned from Salt Lake City where he attended the Grand Encampment of 1909.
HENRY C. LOWE.
The memory of Henry C. Lowe is one cherished by all who knew him and his record remains as an example well worthy of emulation, for his relations to the public in matters of citizenship, to his employes and to his associates in every walk of life was largely ideal. He held to high standards and labored ever to reach the ideal which he set up for himself. Uniformly popular he was at the same time a forceful factor in business circles, ranking for a long period as one of the fore- most manufacturers of the city.
Mr. Lowe was a native of Dayton, born on the Ist of February, 1848, and the old Lowe home was on the site of the Lowe building on South Main street between Fourth and Fifth streets. His parents were Colonel John G. and Marianna L. Lowe, the former one of the pioneer lawyers and business men of Dayton. The mother was a widow, Mrs. Marianna L. Thruston, at the time of her marriage with Mr. Lowe and had four children : General Gates P. Thruston, of Nashville, Tennessee : Mrs. Eliza P. Houk, of Dayton ; Jeannette J. and Dickinson P. Thrus- ton, now deceased. Unto Colonel and Mrs. Lowe were born two sons and three daughters and with the exception of the subject of this review all are yet living, the others being: Houston Lowe; Mrs. Charles Newbold, of Washington, D. C .; Mrs. E. Fowler Stoddard; and Mrs. Thomas P. Gaddis.
In the public schools of his native city Henry C. Lowe began his education, mastering the work of each successive grade until he was graduated from the Central high school. At the time of the Civil war he was greatly interested in the events which brought on the conflict and which marked the progress of the struggle, and although but fifteen years of age when Morgan made his famous raid into the north he joined the army of volunteers that enlisted for the defense of Ohio homes and people against the intrusion of the southern general and at length put the Confederate army to rout. Later (1863) he enlisted as a private soldier in the One Hundred Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, his father's regi- ment. Subsequently in the continuance of his education he entered Williams Col- lege, from which institution he was graduated in 1869. He was voted the most popular man in his class and was president of it at the time he completed his course
893
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
and the same genial qualities, appreciation for the good in others, enjoyment of the pleasures and opportunities of the moment, and above all his own sterling manhood, rendered him equally popular throughout all the ensuing years of his life.
Following his graduation Mr. Lowe returned to Dayton and for two years thereafter was connected with the Dayton Malleable Iron Works in the capacity of secretary. On the Ist of September, 1872, he joined his brother Houston in the establishment of a paint business on a small scale. Under the firm name of Lowe Brothers they began business and under that style the enterprise was con- ducted until September, 1893, when it was incorporated under the name of the Lowe Brothers Company, with Henry C. Lowe as president. They at first had a small store on East Third street between Jefferson and St. Clair streets and sold paint manufactured by others, but in 1882 established a factory and com- menced to make the paint that has given the Lowe Brothers wide fame through- out the country.
Henry C. Lowe continued to actively direct the business and to expand the trade throughout the entire period of his connection therewith. During the thirty-seven years of its existence the house has maintained an unassailable repu- tation. There was no unusual feature nor esoteric phase in the business career of Mr. Lowe. Through the persistent pursuit of a well defined purpose he reached an enviable position among the substantial business men, and by his col- leagues for his reliability and enterprise, and by his employes for his justice and fairness in all business relations. Never did any one hear of a strike or of any dis- sension among the employes in the Lowe Brothers factory and few changes oc- curred in the personnel of the representatives of the house. The employes recog- nized the fact that faithful service on their part was appreciated and would be rewarded by promotion as opportunity offered. They knew, too, that their em- ployers felt a personal interest in them and their welfare and all worked together in the utmost harmony. The Lowe Brothers had the faculty of making their employes feel that each one was to a degree responsible for the success of the business and each man in his service knew that he was receiving a just equivalent for his labors. One of the rules of the house was to keep the output at a high standard and the words "high standard" were eventually used as a trade mark of the house. With the passing of the years the Lowe Brothers Paint and Varnish Works became one of the most important enterprises of the kind in any part of the United States and the output has been widely shipped. This was the visible ex- pression of the business ability, keen discernment and unfaltering energy of Henry C. Lowe and his brother. His course was marked by rigid honesty as well as busi- ness sagacity. His record was that of a business man whose advancement was attributable to his close application, unwearied industry and unfaltering integrity. He displayed sound judgment in discriminating between the essential and the non- essential, using those forces which are effective in the attainment of success and at all times conforming to high standards in his commercial activity.
In every relation of life Mr. Lowe made an equally creditable name. He was devoted to the welfare of his family though death deprived him of both wife and daughter some years ago. He married Miss Ella Harries who passed away shortly after the birth of their daughter, Marianna, and another almost unbearable blow came to Mr. Lowe in the passing away of his daughter about 1903. Mr. Lowe
894
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
was a man notably generous and just. This was evidenced in one clause of his will which provided that all the dividends of his stock should go to his employes for a period of ten years following his demise, one-fourth of this to be equally divided between those receiving a salary of less than one thousand dollars a year ; one-half to those receiving from one thousand to twenty-five hundred dollars a year ; and one-fourth to those receiving over twenty-five hundred dollars a year. He had the deepest respect and love for those who served him in a business way for they all recognized his deep interest in their personal welfare and were made to feel that the enterprise depended in large measure upon their activity and help- ful cooperation.
Mr. Lowe was never affiliated with any fraternal organizations but held mem- bership in the Dayton City Club and in the Country Club. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and he for many years adhered to the First Presbyterian church, the church of his ancestors on both sides, and was interested in its work and a generous supporter thereof. He was one of the founders, the first president and an active member of a society organized in Dayton for the pre- vention of cruelty to animals and children. He held friendship inviolable and was deservedly one of the most popular men in the city, having that disposition that makes friends among many classes of people. He was genial to a marked degree and the position of a man in society made no difference to him in his selection of friends. Where there was genuine worth and a similarity of tastes his friendship was given, and he ever held it as a sacred trust. Death came to him suddenly, for after a brief illness of a few hours he passed away on the 4th day of July, 1909.
GEORGE KUNTZ.
George Kuntz is still a resident of Dayton, his native city. He was born July 28, 1863, and is a son of Joseph Kuntz, whose sketch is embodied in the biography of his younger brother, William Kuntz. Our subject was here reared, devoting five years in his boyhood to the acquirement of an education in the public schools, while two years were spent as a student in parochial schools. He put aside his text-books at the age of fourteen years and entered the employ of his father, who was a gardener. He was a young man of about twenty-two years when, in 1885, he established a meat market and succeeding in that undertaking he at length ex- tended the scope of his business by adding a stock of groceries, his store being located at the corner of Third and Clinton streets. There he prospered as the years went by and in 1893 he removed to his present location at Nos. III3 and III5 East Third street. His trade is now quite. extensive for his establishment is entirely modern and complete in its equipment and in the line of goods which he carries. He is also president of the Dayton Grocers' Baking Company and is a stockholder in the Dayton Loan & Credit Company.
On the 7th of October, 1885, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Kuntz and Miss Ida Hochwalt, a daughter of Frederick Hochwait, who was born in June, 1834, on the ocean while his parents were coming to this country. On reaching
GEORGE KUNTZ
897
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
manhood Mr. Hochwalt started in the market gardening business on the Ger- mantown pike and continued to carry on operations in that locality until he re- tired in 1905 to enjoy a well earned rest. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Kuntz has been blessed with four children, but they lost one in infancy. Three of the family still survive, namely : Etta, Viola and George Frederick Joseph.
Mr. Kuntz is known in fraternal circles as a member of the Knights of Co- lumbus, the Knights of St. John and the Catholic Knights of Ohio, in which order he holds the office of treasurer. He belongs to the Holy Trinity Catholic church and has acted as one of its trustees for the past eight years, and for the last two years has held the office of treasurer of the Holy Trinity congregation. Politi- cally he gives his allegiance to the democratic party. Dependent upon his own re- sources from the age of fourteen years he is a self-made man, whose energy and diligence have brought him the success which he now enjoys.
RABBI DAVID LEFKOWITZ.
Rabbi David Lefkowitz, who since 1900 has filled the pulpit of the Temple B'Nai Yeshurun in Dayton, was born in Eperies, Austro-Hungary, April 11, 1875. He came, however, to America in early youth and his preliminary education was acquired in the public schools of New York city, while subsequently he was ma- triculated in the College of the City of New York, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He at once entered upon educational work at the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York city and subsequently con- tinued his studies in the Hebrew Union College at Cincinnati and also the Uni- versity of Cincinnati. He was graduated from the latter in 1899 with the degree of Bachelor of Letters and was also admitted to the honor society, the Phi Beta Kappa.
Mr. Lefkowitz was ordained a rabbi of the Hebrew church the following year. At that time the Dayton pulpit was vacant and for six months before his ordina- tion he served the congregation by weekly visits and upon the date of his ordi- nation, June 17, 1900, was unanimously elected to fill the pulpit of the Temple B'Nai Yeshurun, where he has since remained. His work here has given entire satisfaction to the congregation and he has their undivided loyalty in large meas- ure. The various branches of the church work are well organized and there is a flourishing Sabbath school attended by one hundred and twenty-five children. Rabbi Lefkowitz acts as its superintendent and personally instructs the confirma- tion class. In the work he is ably assisted by a number of young ladies and gentle- men who teach the younger children. In all of his work Rabbi Lefkowitz im- presses those with whom he comes in contact by his intense earnestness and the people of his own congregation cooperate with him in all of his high purposes, for the growth of the society has helped materially to add strength and numbers to the membership.
Rabbi Lefkowitz is recording secretary of the central conference of American Rabbis and chairman of the committee on church and state. He does not feel any narrow racial or sectarian boundaries but is a man of broad humanitarian spirit
898
DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
who has been a close student of vital questions of the day and is frequently called upon to address both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations at the orthodox syna- gogues and at the Christian churches. He is a most public-spirited man and dur- ing the months of 1907-08 distinguished himself by the active interest he took in the "army of the unemployed," acting as chairman of the citizens' relief com- mittee. Moreover, he has long been intensely interested in the vacation schools and their purpose, and that he throws himself with great earnestness and energy into the work is indicated in the remark of one of the executive members of the vacation schools, who said: "Your Rabbi must take better care of-himself or he will overdraw his bank account." In the winter of 1907 he acted as chairman of the citizens' investigating committee and he is the vice president of the Mont- gomery County Humane Society, vice president of the Dayton Vacation School Association and chairman of the playgrounds committee. He is also on the edu- cational committee of the Chamber of Commerce.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.