USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, pt 2 > Part 38
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had ever been before the Supreme Court, upon whose ruling the judgment of the lower courts might depend. Defeated in both of the lower courts, Mr. Herriek carried the case to the Supreme Court of the State, before which he rendered oral argument, and, after years of de- lay, he succeeded in winning his ease before that tribunal, whose ruling in this case is looked upon as one of moment and importance.
Colonel Ilerriek is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is also an active worker in the Loyal Legion.
Ile was married May 23, 1877, to Miss Flora E. Waring. The following are the names of Mr. and Mrs. Ilerrick's children: Clay and Howard (sons), Flora Scott, Pauline Waring, Marion Gertrude and Marguerite Gladdys (daughters).
OSIIUA THOMAS, a dealer in oil and a manufacturer of pump governors and re- ducing valves and automatie water-feed regnlators, is located at No. 4 Lee Court, Cleve- land, Ohio. A brief sketch of his life is liere- with presented:
Joshina Thomas was born in Franklin eonnty, New York, in October, 1829, son of Joshua and Sophia (Kingsburg) Thomas, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Conneeti- ent. Their marriage oeenrred in New York. The senior Joshua Thomas was engaged in farming in New York previous to 1849, when he came to Cleveland, Ohio, and began working at the trade of masen. He followed that trade and was also engaged in contracting for many years. Many of the large buildings in this eity were ereeted by him. In religions belief, he and his wife were Universalists. Ile died in 1884, aged eighty-one years, and his wife passed away at the age of sixty-six. Both were most estim- able people and were held in high esteem by a large circle of friends. They had a family of ten children, brief mention of whom is as fol- lows: Sophia, widow of J. S. Stuart, resides in
Chieago; Alvira, who died at the age of fifty- seven years; Joshua, whose name heads this article; J. M., a resident of New York State; Emma, wife of Ervin Kennon, of Cleveland; Iliram, who died at the age of eleven years; William R., Dr. Willard B. and Cyrus C., all residents of Cleveland; and Edwin, who died in infaney.
The subject of onr sketch received his early edueation in the public schools of New York, but the greater part of his education was gained by home study. After he reached his majority he felt the need of more advanced study, and for four years he spent nearly all his evenings at home with his books. Previous to this time he had helped his parents in the support of their large family, and thus he had been de- prived of early educational advantages. He was for some time employed in work at the earpen- ter's trade and also at that time of stone entter, and in 1861 turned his attention to the oil business in Pennsylvania, in which business he is still interested. Ile has made a number of inventions which have proved of great value to him and to others. His pump governor and re- dneing valve, which are used together, forms one of the finest redneing values ever invented. These patents he is now placing upon the market and is meeting with success in their sale.
Mr. Thomas has been twice. married. In 1855 he wedded Miss Emily Cane, daughter of Sylvester and Mary Cane, and they became the parents of two children: John E., who married Mary Evans, is now with the Standard Oil Company; and Emily Mary, who died in child- hood. The mother of these children died in 1858, aged twenty-six years. In 1873 Mr. Thomas married Miss Maggie Shields, who is of Seoteh descent and whose parents died when she was an infant. They have had five chil- dren, viz .: Freddie, Bertine, Harry (dleceased), Eddie (deceased) and Elmer.
Politieally, Mr. Thomas is a Republican; fraternally, n Mason. He is a most worthy and respected citizen. A thorough American, he
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believes in America for Americanized citizens withont reference to the mother tongue. lle has much inventive genins and his inventions are of a most valuable kind. He represents that class of inventors to whom the nation is in- debted for that progress and unparalleled growth and enterprise which ranks her one of the fore- most nations of the globe.
E DWIN DUTY, the veteran street railway man of Cleveland and ex-Superintendent of the East Cleveland Railway Com- pany, has spent his entire business life in this city. Ilis father, Andrew Duty, came to Cleve- land in 1833, three years after Edwin's birth, and bought the old Streeter farm near this city, which he and his sons cultivated for many years, in addition to their manufacturing of brick, which they took up in this new country.
Andrew Duty was born in New Hampshire in 1804, and a few years later emigrated to New York and settled in Oneida county, where he married Elizabeth Haven, and was engaged for a time in distilling spirituous liquors. Ilis children were: Edwin; Daniel, President of the Forest City Ice Company, and Andrew, a manufacturer of brick in this city. Mr. Duty died in April, 1884, and his wife one year later.
Edwin Duty secured a fair school training from the country school at Doan's Corners and from Shaw's Academy. At twenty-two he be- gan business for himself, taking charge of the Farm and operating it till 1857, when he bought out an omnibus line running from Doan's Cor- ners -- now Fairmount street-to the city, and conducted it until the opening of the East Cleveland Railway Company in 1860, when he sold out his business to them and became superintendent of the new line. From this date until April 1, 1893, Mr. Duty rendered most efficient service as Superintendent, being out of the company's employ only once from 1876 to 1881, when he was engaged in the ice
business as part proprietor of the Cleveland Ice Company. Upon the consolidation of the East Cleveland lines in 1893, Mr. Duty was made superintendent of construction, where he still remains.
Mr. Duty was born in Oneida county, New York, November 8, 1830. He married first, in 1852,-a daughter of Stephen B. Mecker, a Cuyahoga county pioneer. Two children re- sulted from this union: Albert E., assistant superintendent of Cleveland City Railway Com- pany, and Emma, wife of II. B. Ferris, of this city.
Mrs. Duty died in 1860, and the next year Mr. Duty married Elizabeth, a daughter of Richard Salter, a butcher of Cleveland. Their children are: William B., drowned in Geauga Lake at nine years of age, in 1880; Harriet, wife of F. W. Burwell; Elizabeth, married H. T. Fisk; Frank and Nellie, both single daugh- ters; and Edwin, Jr.
E DWARD SIXT of Rockport Hamlet, Ohio, was born in Berea, Ohio, Deeen- ber 22, 1853, a son of William and Bar- bara (Noderer) Sixt. Personal mention of Will- iam Sixt is made elsewhere in this volume. Edward Sixt was quite young when his father removed to Cleveland, where he remained but a short time, from thence going to that part of Rockport township now known as Rockport ITamlet, where Edward grew to manhood. Ilere he has since resided. For ten years he has been engaged in the milk business in connection with farming.
Edward Sixt was married in Rockport town- ship, December 14, 1575, to Miss Sarah Herbe- son, danghter of the late Matthew Herbeson, of Rockport township. Mrs. Sixt was born in what is now Rockport Ilamlet, March 9, 1855. Matthew Herbeson, her father, was born in the North of Ireland, and her mother, whose maiden name was Mary Dunn, was also a native of Ire- land. Ile died January 15, 1889, and she in February, 1890.
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Mr. and Mrs. Sixt are the parents of four liv- ing children, namely: Edward, William M., Eliza and Stewart HI. They have buried two children: Lillie, who died in her twelfth year, and Laura, who died when eight years and six months old.
Mr. Sixt has served as School Director, and has taken a good degree of interest in local all'airs. Ile owns 120 acres of improved land. Mrs. Sixt is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
C ILARLES L. BROWN, the efficient young elerk of the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Company, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, September 12, 1870. IIe is a worthy representative of an old pioneer family led into Wayne county by his grandfather, a farmer, one of whose children, E. A. Brown, was the father of Charles L., who is the sub- jeet of this sketeh. lle was born in Apple Creek, and early in life became a publie official as Bailiff, Deputy and ultimately Sheriff of the county, dying in office November 28, 1891, aged sixty-four years. He married Jane Hunter, and was the father of Esther A., wife of Mr. Wynn, of Cleveland; Mary J., who married Mr. Mackey, of Wayne county; Clarence; and Ella, who married a Mr. Baker, and is now deceased.
John 11. Brown, born October 3, 1859, came to Cleveland in July, 1880, and entered the employ of the Big Four Railroad, remaining in the freight department till October 4, 1892, when he severed his connections, being then chief of the receiving department. He ac- eopted the station ageney of the C., C. & S. at Canton on leaving the Big Four, and remained until called to his present position as chief elerk and cashier of the Empire Fast Freight Line of Cleveland.
In April, 1879, he married Lillie. a daughter of Peter Reese, of German birth. Their chil- dren are: Clyde A., Grover C., Blanche J., David W., of Cleveland; Laura Belle, who mar-
ried Mr. Peppard; Minnie May, who is married; and Charles L. The last named went to work at the age of fourteen in a planing-mill in Wooster. A few months later he came to Cleveland and secured employment at the Union freight depot, until he entered into the service of the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Company as office boy. lle proved an apt and diligent pupil, and in two years was made bill clerk, and after a like service to the position of chief clerk in the spring of 1892.
It is the boy who possesses the energy and płuek that reaches the top round of the ladder, and since Mr. Brown reached the chief clerk- ship at the remarkable young age of twenty- one, it is only fair to predict a bright and pros- perons future for him.
RANK W. WARNER, an employee of the Valley Railroad, is a representative of an old and well- known family of Cleve- land. His grandfather, W. J. Warner, was born in Massachusetts, in 1804. Ile came to Cleveland, locating in a log house on Prospect street. Ife was a prominent contractor and build- er, and, among other buildings, erected the For- est City Hotel, the post-office building and the old stone church on the square. His labors yielded him a profit sufficient to retire from act- ive work soon after the close of the war, and his death occurred at 83 Prospect street, in 1882. Mr. Warner married a Miss Morris, and they had tive children: Elvira, widow of John Ruse; C. II., father of our subject; T. M., engaged with the Society for Savings; Fred, in the insur- anee business; and one whose name is unknown.
C. II. Warner was born in Cleveland, in 1839. Ile spent several years in Independence, Kansas, where he was first engaged in the boot and shoe business, next in the hardware trade, and lastly was proprietor of a hotel. Ile then returned to this city, and secured the position of Post-master. He was nited in marriage with Catherine, a danghter of Captain Robert Moore,
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a native of the Isle of Man; he came to Cleve- land, where he was engaged in the lake trade many years. Mr. and Mrs. Warner had five children, four now living: Frank W., our sub- ject; William, a traveling salesman; Albert, . and Jennie. Mr. Warner is deceased.
Frank W. was born August 5, 1862, and at- tended the Cleveland public schools until fifteen years of age. He then began his railroad carcer as fireman, on the Cleveland & Pittsburg Rail- road, under passenger conductor Thomas Car- lisle. This crew brought the Garfield funeral train from Pittsburg to Cleveland, with engine No. 27. In 1884, Mr. Warner was promoted to the position of engineer, but soon afterward left that road, and has since remained with the Valley Railroad. In his social relations, he is a member of the B. of L. E., and for the past five years has been chairman of the adjustment committee of the order.
Mr. Warner was married in this city, Febru- ary 21, 1888, to Carrie Caldwell. Her father, Charles S. Caldwell, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1844, was proprietor of a hotel at Mineral Point, this State, and his death oc- curred in 1883. Ile married Martha Sheldon, a native also of Trumbull county, who now re- sides in Cleveland. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell had two children,-Bert, of Canton, Ohio, and Mrs. Warner. Our subject and wife have one son, Charles C., born January 19, 1889.
A NNA GAAB is the widow of Joseph Gaab, who was born in the Province of Berne, Switzerland. Ile was left an orphan at the age of two years. Upon coming to America, he first purchased five acres of land in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, to which he afterward added 250 aeres more, and erected a good residence. His death occurred in 1869, of cholera; he retired at night in good health but died before morning.
Mr. Gaab was married in 1852 to the subjeet of this sketch, whose maiden name was Bock-
bower. She had four brothers and sisters, Fred- erick, Anna, Mary and Leonhart,-but is the only one of the family in this country. Mr. and Mrs. Gaab had five children, namely: Joseph, Mary, Lizzie, Anna and Catherine. The eldest son is engaged in making grindstones in the mill. Mr. Gaab was a hard-working and industrious man, and made what he owned by unrelenting toil. Ilis only help was $275 re- ceived from his father-in-law.
G EORGE W. NORAGON, one of the most faithful and reliable engineers in the employ of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad Company, was born in Wor- cester, Pennsylvania, in 1853. When he was about three years of age his parents became citizens of Butler county, Pennsylvania, and there George was reared to the age of sixteen, and ob- tained a common-school education. The par. ents decided that another move westward would be beneficial and accordingly they sought Ohio and made Alliance their stopping place. A short sojourn there was followed by another move, this time to Michigan, where the father, D. Nora- gon, died, in 1886. While a resident of Pennsyl- vania, the senior Noragon was a farmer, but in Ohio and Michigan he was a hotel-keeper. IIc married Anna Stephens, born in Pennsylvania, and yet living. Three sons and three daughters were bornto Mr. and Mrs. Noragon, viz .: George W .; Mary, who married and is a resident of Iowa; Samuel, road foreman of engineers of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Company, who married Mary Clingerman; Elizabeth; Thomas, engaged in merchandising in Michigan; and Ella. George W. Noragon was for a short period a teamster in Alliance, Ohio, giving it up and entering the employ of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Company, July 22, 1872, as freight brakeman, with con- ductor Lewis Myers. Two years' service in that capacity sufliced to make him fireman, where we find him seven years and a half. Ilis next pro- motion was to the position of yard engineer,
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awaiting a vacancy on the road. Ile ran through and local freight and passenger trains, and by preference he has, for three years past, been do- ing yard work solely. Ile is a careful and in- dustrious man, treating the property of the company as if himself financially responsible, and possessing withal a creditable record as an engineer.
H ON. ROBERT WALLACE .- To the heterogeneous and cosmopolitan elements which go to make up our composite national personnel there is perhaps no other foreign land that has made more valuable contributions than has the Emerald Isle, that cradle of legend and romance. The quick intel- legence, the ready wit and extreme versatility of the Irish type prove attributes that assure the ready assimilation of the subject into bone and muscleof the national individuality, and to men of such lineage we owe mneh honor for loyalty, for the accomplishment of ambitious ends, and for intelligent and well directed industry. The subject of this memoir, who attained to a posi- tion as one of the representative and honored business men of Cuyahoga county, was a native of Ireland, where he was born March 18, 1828, his parents being people of intelligence and eul- ture. When he was fourteen years of age the family left their native land, emigrated to America and finally located at Berea, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. Here young Robert grew to manhood, became a capable business man and eventually one of innch influence in the com- munity, and here he continued to reside until he answered death's inexorable summons. Ile became prominently identified with the stone quarrying enterprises of Berea, and during the latter years of his life was connected with that well known and important corporation, the Berea Stone Company, whose business ramities into the most diverse sections of the Union.
Ile was married in 1854, to Miss Maria Bryan, who was born in Strongsville, Cuyahoga
county, the daughter of pioneer residents of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace became the parents of three children, Mary J., Robert H. and Edith M.
Mr. Wallace was one of the progressive und public-spirited citizens of Berea, maintained a lively interest in public affairs of a local order, and was ever on the alert to aid and foster such enterprises and undertakings as conserved the advancement and best interests of the commun- ity in which he lived. Stanch in his support of the principles and policies advocated by the Republican party, he naturally occupied a posi- tion of no little prominence in the local coun- cils of that organization, and was honored with conspicious preferments in the gift of the people, who had perfect confidence in his executive ability, his integrity and fidelity to their inter- ests. Ile served in the war of the late Rebellion, as captain of Company C, One-Hundred-and- twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which company he organized. For several years he served as Justice of the Peace, and in 1880 he was the choice of the Republicans of his district as a candidate for the State Legislature, being elected to the office by a majority that gave unmistakable evidence of the popularity in which he was held. During the latter years of his life he was intimately identified with religi- ous work, being a consistent and zealous mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife is also a member.
Mr. Wallace died September 10, 1883, and his demise was sincerely mourned in both the business and the social circles of the city to whose interests he had been devoted. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Wallace has maintained her home with the family in Mid- dleburg Township.
Honored in life and held in grateful memory after its close, the subject of this sketch has well merited the recognition that has been onrs to aceord him, while the task would be a pleas- ing one were we permitted to enter more fully into the details which go to make up his life history.
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B ENJAMIN ROUSE .-- Withont extended notice of the life and character of that pioneer philanthropist, the late Benja- min Rouse, a biographical record of the city of Cleveland, the county of Cuyahoga or the West- ern Reserve of Ohio would be incomplete.
The Ronse family traces its ancestry direct to Sir Robert Le Rons, Knight Baronet under Edward, the Black Prince. Sir Anthony Rouse, the seventh in descent from Sir Robert, was the father of Francis Rouse, the Speaker of the "Little Parliament" under Cromwell, in 1653. The subject of this notice was the son of Joseph Rouse, who was born June 22, 1773, the second son of Benjamin Rouse, Sr., who was born in England, June 25, 1736, and the second in de- scent from the Francis Rouse of Cromwell's day.
Benjamin Ronse, our subject, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on the 23d day of March, 1795. His parents died when he was but six years of age, after which he found a home, first with an aunt and later with his ma- ternal grandmother. His opportunities for gaining an early education were to a certain ex- tent limited, but being possessed of great native ability he acquired rather an extensive knowl. edge of subjects of general interest. When bnt seventeen years of age he served in the war of 1812, and at its close he beeamne a build- ing contractor in association with Peter Osgood of Boston. Hle was married August 12, 1821, to Rebecca Elliott Cromwell, and in 1824 re- moved to New York eity, where he suecessfully followed the ovenpation of contracting and build- ing. During his business career in the city of New York certain eireumstances brought about radical changes in his plans for the future. Pos- sessed of all the elements of a good business man, he nevertheless was not disposed to devote the whole of his time and attention to the aceu- mulation of wealth. Being liberal-minded and benevolent, and having a true spirit of Chris- tianity, he became deeply interested in the cause
of Sabbath-school work among a certain neglected elass in the great city of New York, and to this work he devoted his time and energy with such snecess that to him was drawn the attention of the American Sunday-school Union. This organization urged him to become its agent for the Western Reserve in Ohio. Accepting this appointment, he came to Ohio with a commis- sion to open a depository and organize Sunday- schools and missionary work there, although this change entailed many personal sacrifiees. Mr. Rouse, while very practical, was full of sympathy, generosity and enthusiasm, and his young wife, although of a more quiet and less demonstrative temperament, was none the less earnest and devoted and ready to go wherever the cause of their Divine Saviour might require.
Accompanied by his family, Benjamin Rouse arrived in Cleveland on the 17th day of October, 1830, and found it a village of 1,075 people, with small promise of becoming the great manufae- turing eenter of Ohio, now far exceeding in pop- ulation the New York city of that day. He took up his residence on the northwest corner of Su- perior street and the Public Square, the location of the present Rouse Block, which he built in 1852 and which still remains in the possession of the family. Here he opened a Sunday-school book depository and for many years traveled through northern Ohio, holding religions meet- ings and accomplishing a great amount of good. From the very first he threw his whole soul into the work he had come to do, and among the results of his devoted labors were the organ- ization of a tract society, a Seamen's Friend Society, and over 200 Sunday-schools. He was also one of the constituent members of the First Baptist Church in the city of Cleveland, organ- ized in the year 1833, and for forty years there- alter was one of the most zealous workers in that church, in which he was Deacon all the while. Many years were allotted to him to lead a useful life, which ended on the 5th day of July, 1871.
Great was the strength and lirinness of his religious faith and force of will power. Ho was
Benjamin Rousel
de house
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a lion in the line of duty, never shirking any task placed upon him, never losing courage. IIe was a man of sterling qualities; he was a man in every sense of the term, strong against tempta- tion and zealous in whatsoever work he engaged. Assuring himself he was right, condemning wrong, he steadfastly and firmly remained in what he felt to be his path of duty. To illustrate, we will give the reader the benefit of an oft re- peated story by himself:
"Shortly after coming to Cleveland," said he, "{ had just settled my little family in a house and bought a horse and buggy, and one fine morning I took a quantity of Sunday-school books and tracts and started for Lorain county to organize a Sunday-school. I had crossed the Cuyahoga, and was well on my road to Rocky River, when suddenly some one spoke to me. The voice seemed to say, ' Well, Benjamin Ronse, you are pretty fellow! Yon, a strong young man, in the prime of life, with a fine young fam- ily. giving up a great business in the city of New York, selling your property l'or little or nothing and coming into this wilderness with a horse and buggy for the purpose of peddling tracts and Sunday-school books in the woods! 1 pretty fellow, indeed, Benjamin Rouse!'
"At the thought I stopped my horse and turned around as if some one were there, and said aloud, .Satan, begone! Did not Rebecca and I pray about this all night, and didn't the Lord tell us to come? and am I not here because God sent me? Yes, Ile did send me and I shall hold on to my work and trust Him to the end; and now, begone, you Tempter! Then the fieree trial passed forever, and I went on my way re- joicing. I established several Sunday-schools in the younger settlements; returned to Cleveland, and a few days afterward the Lord opened to me an opportunity to buy my corner on the Public Square and Superior street for $1,200, and I can see the Lord's hand in ordering my whole life."
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