USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, pt 2 > Part 32
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they were yet children, and the friendship be- tween the two families continued until the two young people had attained maturity, when they determined to cement the friendship by a still closer bond. They were accordingly united in marriage, July 4, 1845, in Cuyahoga county. They settled in Middleburg township and there passed the remainder of their lives, useful, popular and honored citizens. The mother died in February, 1858, and the father survived un- til September 2, 1885, when he passed away in the fulness of years. They had three children, one of whom died in infancy. The two surviv- ing are our subject and Mary, the wife of W. A. Cumbernorth, of Medina county, Ohio.
Edwin Scrivens remained on the parental farin until he had attained to years of maturity and he has ever continued to reside in the town- ship. Ile served for three months as a Govern- inent laborer while the late war of the Rebellion was in progress. Ile has always devoted his attention to that most important and honorable oceupation, farming, and has been successful by reason of his thorough familiarity with practi- cal details of the work, his intelligence, indus- try and progressive methods. He is a man who has taken an active interest in all that tends to conserve the welfare and prosperity of the com- munity in which he lives, is public-spirited to the maximum degree, and is recognized as one of the leading citizens of the township. It is but in natural sequence that he has been called upon to serve in positions of publie trust, for his aetive concern in local affairs has never abated. Ile was one of the Trustees of the township at the time the beautiful Woodvale cemetery was purchased and platted, and was one of the most active in seenring this neces- sary and consistent improvement. Ile has also served as Justice of the Peace and as Constable. In his political adherency he ardently espouses the cause of the Republican party, and in its local constituency is a prominent figure. Fraternally he is identified with the 1. O. O. F. His line Tarm of eighty acres is one of the most highly improved in the section, giving unmistakable
evidence of the painstaking care devoted to its cultivation. In connection with his farming operations Mr. Serivens has been for some time a public anetioneer, his services in this line be- ing in much demand.
April 3, 1867, at Strongsville, Cuyahoga coun- ty, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Lettie A. Kingsbury, daughter of the late Will- iam Kingsbury, of Royalton, of which town. ship he was one of the pioneer settlers. He died there on the 27th of June, 1883. Mrs. Serivens was born in Royalton, May 18, 1848.
Mr. and Mrs. Scrivens are the parents of seven children, of whom we offer the following epitomized record: Gertrude T., the wife of H. L. Fuller, of Middleburg township, Cuyahoga county; William R .; Amy M., the wife of Al- bert Hoffman, of Parma township; Edwin N., Arthur II., Esther II. and Lettie J.
A EBERT FRIEDMAN, manager of the National Fire Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, for the States of Ohio and Kentucky, with office at 482, The Arcade, Cleveland, assumed his present po- sition in January, 1894; but he has been with the company since the beginning of the year 1892, when he took the territory of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. He first came to Cleveland during the first of the year 1884, and has been engaged in the insurance business for five years, commeneing with the Equitable in Kentucky, with which company he was connect- ed for about three years, controlling a part of Kentucky and Tennessee. He is thoroughly familiar with the details of fire insurance and reliable, and therefore one of the most snecess- l'ul tire insurance men in the county. During the months of October, November and Decem- ber last he wrote over a million of dollars. He represents one of the leading young insurance companies of the con .. try, which was organized in 1885, and now has a capital of $1,400,000, . - n ratio of twenty to one.
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Mr. Friedman is a native of Vienna, Austria, born in 1869, a son of Benjamin and Theresa (Bergman) Friedman. His mother died in 1893, and his father is still living, making his home with him; he is an expert mechanic in hardwood lumber.
Albert was reared in his native country, com- pleted a thorough course in the best schools of Vienna, and beeame proficient in six languages. After completing his education he was employed in a bank in Vienna for two years as bookkeeper and cashier, and then, in 1888, he emigrated to America, locating first in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was engaged in the insurance busi- ness, to which he has since given his attention. With the thorough foundation he has had, both in school education and in the severe training characteristic of the old country, future success is assured to Mr. Friedman in anything he may undertake; he is a live young business man.
He was married in Lynchburg, Tennessee, in 1891, to Miss Fanny Danee, daughter of Rev. S. E. H. Dance, M. D.
F B. BERRY, manager of the Cleveland Type Foundry, has been associated with this institution for the past sixteen years, having arrived in this city in 1877, and the fol- lowing year accepting a position in the service of this company. First he was traveling sales. man for two years, when he became secretary of the company, in which capacity he served until two years ago, 1892, when he became manager. From the first he has been a stock- holder in the establishment. The business has grown from that of a small supply house to its present magnificent proportions, becoming the largest in the State.
Although a native of Ohio, born in 1853, Mr. Berry was reared in Massachusetts. His parents were E. B. and E. W. (Wright) Berry. At the age of sixteen years he commenced to learn the printers' trade in Dover, New Hamp- shire, which he followed until he came to
Cleveland. Here he is one of the representa- tive business men of the city, belonging to the class which go to make up a substantial, pros- perous commonwealth. His residence is in the " East End."
In 1882, in this city, he married Miss E. W. Allen, a native of Massachusetts, and they have two children,- Ruth and Mildred.
C HARLES GUNN, of Collinwood, was born in East Cleveland township, Sep- tember 10, 1844, a son of Encien and Charlotte (Smith) Gunn. His father, a native of Medina county, this State, was brought to the above named township when fourteen years of age. On passing through the ground that is now the site of Cleveland, his father turned his oxen into a ten-acre lot that is now the public square. Purchasing thirty acres of the Coit traet, npon which his son, Marcus, now resides, he settled there and continued a resident the re- inainder of his days. By occupation he was a charcoal-burner all his life, but in this county he was also a farmer. ITis life was ended by being run over by the railroad cars October 31, 1891. Ilis wife had died January 11, 1887, at the age of sixty-two and two-thirds years, a member of the Disciple Church. ` They had two sons and one daughter: the last mentioned is now deceased.
The subject of this ontline, Mr. Charles Gunn, received a common-school education to the age of seventeen years, since which time he has followed, at intervals, farming and carpentering, but is now retired. He is the owner of a nice farm, a homestead of five acres and some village lots at Collinwood, and also a farm of twenty-nine acres in Euclid township. For public life he has not been ambitious, but he has been one of the Judges of Election for the past eight years, and has also been Trustee of his township for that length of time. lle is a Republican, as well as all the members of his family.
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Ile was married, in 1867, to Elizabeth Whit- lock, of Orange, who was brought from England by her people when six years of age. They have eight children. namely: Harry, Clarence, Chand- ler, Elmer, Earl, Lucien, and Lottie. Clarence is married and resides in Collinwood, in the employ of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Company; Chandler, also married, is at work in Wilson's meat-market; and Elmer and Earl are in the service of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company. Mr. Gunn is a member of Thatcher Lodge, No. 439, and also of Webb Chapter.
J C. TRASK, holding a representative pre- ferment as general agent for the North- western Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, well merits the ree- ognition aceorded him in this volume.
The old Empire State contributed its quota to the throng of valiant pioneers who left their comfortable home in the East and made their way to the western frontier, there to undergo the trials and vieissitudes which ever fall to the lot of those who lead the march of civilization and development into new fields and provinees. The parents of our subject are Cuyler and Ruth F. (lloag) Trask, both of whom are natives of the State of New York and of English and Scottish lineage respectively. J. C. Trask was born in the town of Farmington, Wayne county, New York, in the year 1854. In 1861, when our subjeet was a lad of seven years, his parents set forth for Ohio and upon their arrival took up their residence in Ashtabula county, where they still abide. The father is now eighty-two years of age, and the mother seventy-six ; and notwith- standing their advanced age, both are yet hale and strong and in the enjoyment of excellent health. They are residents of the town of Ans- tinburg. Cuyler Trask devoted himself assid- nonsly to farming in early life. Ile is now probably the oldest aetive life insurance man in the Union. lle has represented the North- western Mutual Life Insurance Company, of
Milwaukee, as special agent for the last seven years, and has written a large amount of business for that corporation. As recently as 1891 he was invited to the annual meeting of the eom- pany at their expense, this courtesy being a recognition of their appreciation of the efforts put forth by him while he was active as an agent in their employ.
The subject of this review passed his boy- hood years on the farm and after coming to Ohio enjoyed such edneational facilities as were then afforded, securing his preliminary training in the publie schools of Ashtabula county. Ile graduated at Grand River Institute in 1876. and subsequently was enabled to complete a one year's course in the law department of the State University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. IIe had commenced his legal studies by a course of reading in the office of E. Jay Pinney, of Jefferson, Ashtabula county. After returning From Ann Arbor Mr. Trask entered into a part- nership with J. P'. Cadwell, now Probate Judge of Ashtabula county, and for four years the firm of Trask & Cadwell maintained a snecessful praetiee in the county just mentioned, being really successors to the law office established by those honored patriots, Ilon. Benjamin F. Wade and Hon. Joshua R. Giddings.
After a successful practice of four years' du- ration Mr. Trask was offered and accepted the position which he now holds, that of general agent of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insur- ance Company, of Milwaukee, his assigned ter- ritory being the eastern half of the State of Ohio. His management of the field has been signally effective and one statistie alone will show how thoroughly the interests of this stannch and reliable company have been fur- thered in the territory under the supervision of our subject. He has been enabled to increase the collection of premiums from the field from $50,000 to more than $300,000. Ile under- stands thoroughly the objects, range and fune- tions of insurance and his presentation of facts and figures constitutes an indubitable argument in favor of the policies he advances. Ile is re.
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garded among insurance men as one of the best informed, most proficient, enthusiastic and suc- cessful of their profession. Ile has devoted his entire time to the interests of this celebrated in- surance company, whose record is one of the most brilliant, successInl and honorable of all similar corporations. As the American republic stands to-day pre-eminent among all the nations of the globe in its capacity for conducting affairs of great breadth and scope, so does the wonderful enterprise of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company stand as a conspicuous example of the truth of this cir- cumstance. The character and extent of this undertaking are to be comprehended only by the noting of its extraordinary business, successful management, accumulated assets and notable surplus. The reputation of the concern is such that its great continuous growth comes natu- rally when its claims are presented and compre- hended. It was founded in 1857 and its man- agement has always been distinguished for its conservatism, soundness and liberality toward policy holders, and as a consequence it has be- come recognized as one of the best in which to secure the necessary protection for those depend- ent upon the wage carner for their support. The company has been represented in Cleveland For a quarter of a century, and the present gen- eral agent, Mr. Trask, has been a representative of its interests for the past decade, eight years of which time he has passed in this eity, in rooms 282 to 289, the second floor of the Arcade, Euclid avenne, front. The energy and ability displayed by Mr. Trask in his responsible po. sition are best illustrated by the fact that during the year 1893 there was only one other mutual life insurance company that wrote more busi- ness in Ohio than did the Northwestern. Mr. Trask is an experienced and capable insurance man, and while he makes no claim to being a " lightning solicitor," yet he does take pride in having the ability to select an able corps of re- liable men as agents, whose statements on the subject of life insurance can be relied upon im- plicitly.
The marriage of our subject occurred at Jef- ferson, Ohio, September 20, 1882, when he was united to Miss Mand Norton, the accomplished daughter of R. M. Norton, of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Trask have four children: Ethel M. Norton R., Mildred R, and Florence E.
In politics our subject warmly esponses the cause of the Republican party, though he has never songht or desired official preferment. In his fraternal relations Mr. Trask is prominent in Masonic cireles, having taken the thirty- second degree (Scottish Rete). IIe is a mem. ber of Tyrian Lodge, of Oriental Commandery, No. 12, of the Northern Ohio Consistory and of Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine.
E IDWARD PETERJOHN, who holds the responsible and important preferment as foreman of the Cleveland Dryer Com- pany's establishment, in Rockport llamlet, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, was born in that place, November 22, 1865. Ile is a son of John Michael and Margaretta (Engelhardt) Peterjohn, old and honored residents of Rockport Hamlet. Both are natives of Germany and both passed the early years of their lives in the fatherland, the father being seventeen years of age and the mother sixteen when they came to America with their respective parents. They were mar- ried in Cleveland, Ohio, March 14, 1844, and shortly after that memorable event they settled in that part of Rockport township which now bears the name of Rockport llamlet. Here they have ever since continued their residence. John M. Peterjohn has developed one of the linest farms in this section of the State, having been engaged in agricultural pursuits from the time of his advent in the township. The farm comprises thirty-eight acres and all is under a high state of cultivation, while the permanent improvements in the way of buildings are of inost excellent and attractive order.
These well known and honored residents of Rockport Hamlet have had ton children, of
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whom eight are 'living, namely: Mary A., the wife of Henry Dorr; George J., who married Kate Baumgartner; Auna, the widow of Will- iam Barthelman; Fred T., who married Louisa Smith: John M., Jr., who married Julia Brun. Her; Louisa, the wife of William Renz; Edward, subject of this sketch; and Henry C. The two deceased children are: John, who died at the age of three years; and llenry, who lived until his thirteenth year.
Edward Peterjohn grew to manhood beneath the parental roof, scouring his education in the common schools of the locality. He carly manifested distinctive business and executive ability and to this endowment is doubtless due the preferment he now holds.
lle was married, in Parma township, Novem- ber 12, 1891, to Miss Anna Hoehn. They have one son, Alvin C.
E MIL RING, professor of innsie, con- ductor of the Cleveland Philharmonie J Society, and also conductor of the Cleve- land Gesangverein, was born at Tetschen-on- the-Elbe, a small village in the northern part of Austria, in what is known as Saxonian Switzer- land, on November 21, 1863. Ile was given as good an education as the public schools of his native town afforded, and at the age of ten years took up the study of harmony and vocal mnsie, and also the use of the flute and clarinet. Ilis parents had entertained the idea of some other calling for him, and were disappointed at his choice of a vocation.
In 1875 he went to Dresden, where he re- ceived his first scientific training under Ed- mund Kretschmer, the well known composer. Here he became a member of the Royal Saxon- ian Church Singers, as boy soprano, singing for over three years in the Catholic court church. Ile was then obliged to abandon his profession for a time, on account of the changing of his voice, and spent the interim in attendance at a gymnasium (high school). Resuming, he con
tinned his musical studies under Kopell Meis- ter Karl Krebs, a celebrated conductor of church minsie, becoming proficient in the study of har- mony and theory.
Next he went to Prague, the capital of Bo- hemia, and entered the conservatory there, his previons training enabling him to complete the regular six years' course in four years. At this time he was twenty years of age, and, according to the custom of his country, he spent a year in the volunteer army. Near the close of the year 1884 he passed a severe examination and was made a Lientenant of Reserves. At the elose of his military experience, not having availed himself of the rank conferred npon him, he joined a musical organization then in the zenith of its fame, namely, the Mansfeldt Orchestra, which had its headquarters in Dresden. During the following season Professor Ring traveled throughont Germany and Belgium, visiting all the large cities and participating in the concerts given by the orchestra. The next two years were spent in England, in study, and during the latter part of 1886 Mr. Ring moved to Berlin; and while there he received an offer to become a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which he accepted, first setting foot on Ameri- can soil in March, 1887. The next year he was engaged to conduet the Cleveland Philharmonie Orchestra, and he accordingly arrived in this city in September, 1888. Since his residence began here he has made many friends through his kindly, genial disposition, and his excellent musical ability. lle is connected with many of the musical organizations of the city, is one of the instructors in the Conservatory of Music, and has charge of the music in the Jewish Or- phan Asylum. The Cleveland Gesangverein, of which he is conductor, is the oldest and most noted singing society west of Philadelphia, having been founded in September, 1854.
His father, Alvin Ring, was the youngest of twelve sons, was engaged in expressing and forwarding, and spent all his life in his native land, dying in 1883, at the age of forty-eight yours. He had but very little musical inclina
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tion. A brother of his, Max by name, was court conductor of music, and lost his sight by too close application. In 1849 he left the country, went to Hamburg and shipped to Ans- tralia, and was never heard of afterward; and. it is presumed that he is drowned in the sea. Ilis father paid much money to learn of his where- abouts, but could never discover anything.
Professor Ring's mother, whose name before marriage was Anna Rotzsch, was born in 1838, and is still living. Mr. Alvin Ring and wife had four sons, namely: Emil, the subject of this sketch; Gustave, who studied medicine at the university, has passed his State examination, and is still a resident of the old country; Ru- dolph, the successor in his father's business; and Fred, who resides in Cleveland and is a bookkeeper in the Arcade music store.
- JAMES SANDERSON, division superin- tendent of the Cleveland Electric Railway Company, was born near Ottawa, Canada, September 26, 1855, a son of James Sanderson, who was born in Dundee, Scotland, October, 1819. He came to America when young and followed carpenter work all his life. Ile mar- ried in Canada, May Christie, a daughter of Archie Christie, born in Scotland. Mrs. San- derson's children are: Mary, wife of D. Car- penter, in Cleveland; John, at New Lisbon, Da- kota; James; George and William, at Cleve- land; and Maggie, who married G. Baird, a resident of Denver, Colorado.
James Sanderson left the public schools at sixteen and began driving team. Ile next en- tered a commission store in this city and re- mained eleven years; then became a driver for the East Cleveland Railway Company on Euelid avenne, and was promoted in line to be a con- ductor, a night watch, and finally a clerk in the office of Superintendent Duty; and retained this last position till the formation of the Cleve- land Electric Railway Company, in 1893, when he was made division superintendent, having in charge the Central avenue line.
Mr. Sanderson was first married January 3, 1880, to Rosa, a daughter of Christian Ubersax, of Switzerland. The children of this marriage are Cora and Freddie. Mrs. Sanderson died September 5, 1885. Ilis second marriage, Janu- ary 3, 1888, was to Edith Loretz, of Swiss birth, and a daughter of Philip Loretz. One child has been born by this marriage, named Nellie.
Mr. Sanderson is a Knight of Pythias, and in politics a Republican.
N S. POSSONS .- A man of distinguished ability and attainments, one who has ac- complished much in the line of his pro- fession and who has thereby contributed to its advancement and incidentally wrought for the good of his fellow men, Mr. Possous may with particular congruity be accorded representation in this volume, though it will be possible within the limitations of the same to give no more than an outline of the more no- table features of his career.
Of French and German extraction, Mr. Pos- sons is enabled to trace his lineage back to an- cestors who became residents of America in the latter part of the sixteenth century. IIe was born in Coeymans, Albany county, New York, in 1844. Ilis parents were William Fiero and Maria A. (Zimmer) Possons, natives of Scho- harie county, New York. The father was ap- prenticed in early life to the dyers and fullers' trade, which he followed up to the time of the advent of woolen factories. IIe graduated at the Albany Normal School, but much of his education was obtained after his marriage, and by the help of his wife, a lady of advanced scholarship. Later he greatly interested him- self in educational matters, teaching school with marked success, by methods ahead of his times. Ile was " apt to teach," having a natural ability for imparting instruction in the most efficient manner, and being one of the pioneer leaders in giving instruction by object lessons, so much in vogue in the latter days. In his religions re-
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lations he was a member of the Baptist Church, in which he held the office of Deacon; and in more public life he also was City Clerk and School Trustee for many years. In the educa- tional field, indeed, he was a leading factor. He died in 1879, at the age of sixty-eight years. Ilis wife died April 22, 1886, aged seventy-one years. She also was a life-long member of the Baptist Church, wherein she was a shining ex- ample of Christian consistency.
Her parents were Jacob and Maria Zimmer. Mr. Zimmer was a large land owner, whose es- tate comprised what was known after his name as " Zimmer's Hill," in Schoharie county, New York. He was a Revolutionary soldier, lived to a ripe old age, and was an extremely useful man.
Mr. N. S. Posson's paternal grandfather, Wilhelmus Possous, was the first farmer in Schoharie county who practiced the system of renewing the soil by raising clover upon it, which has now for many years been so popular among scientifie agriculturists. Ile also in- vented the first threshing machine, doing all the mechanical work himself, and the machine was signally successful. For his wife he married Eliza Borst, who died comparatively young, a noble and devont Christian.
Mr. Possons, whose name heads this sketch, received in his native State a thorough academic education, and, having a natural aptitude for mechanics, devoted his attention to this seience until he had mastered its details and intricacies. Being regularly apprenticed to John Whitin & Son, builders of cotton-mill machinery at HIol- yoke, Massachusetts, he served a full term, 900 days. He became a die sinker and model maker in the celebrated Remington armory at Ilion, Herkimer county, New York, remaining there until the month of May, 1864, and acquiring a most discriminating knowledge in regard to the manufacture of fire-arms. This knowledge stood him well in band for the prefermeut to which he was forthwith called, that of United States Inspector of Small Arms, under W. A. Thornton, of the Ordnance Department, and
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