USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, pt 2 > Part 62
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Mr. Lighthall holds a membership in the Grand Army of the Republic.
- EROME J. SHEPARD, an extensive manufacturer of and dealer in fire briek, was born in this eity near what is now No- C 423 Franklin avenue, September 1, 1861. He is an only son and second child of Joseph Shep- ard, who came to this city in 1826 aboard a French man-of-war. He was then a boy of thirteen before the mast, and had been in the French navy some time. Although Mr. Shep- ard was born in France, his ancestors were all English. His father moved his family from the British Isles to the land of the Bonapartes a few years prior to the famous battle of Waterloo. On leaving the French man-of-war Joseph Shepard entered the American navy and sailed every sea and visited every prominent port, en- circling the entire globe probably three or four times before his retirement in 1851. He was present as an officer of the United States during the war with Mexico, being Captain of the brig
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Cumberland. Upon his retirement to civil pur- suits he engaged in heavy contracting, confining his work to railroad contracts mainly. He was an industrious man and possessed a good capacity for making money, and although his means came easily they went in a similar man- ner, and his death in 1872 found him in only good financial circumstances.
He married, in 1857, Mariette, a daughter of Captain John De Mars, a noted Cleveland pio- heer. Captain De Mars secured the first license given by the city of Cleveland to run a ferry across the Cuyahoga river, became afterward a large boat-owner, and engaged extensively in the lake-carrying trade. From this business and from an investment in real estate at Detroit in its infancy, Captain De Mars amassed a snug fortune, which he left to his heirs. He was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1793, and died in Cleveland in 1879.
Jerome Shepard, when only thirteen years of age, engaged to work for William Lacy, of this city, the largest manufacturer and dealer in lire brick. Three years later he changed employers, engaging with G. II. Barstow, a brother of ex-Governor Barstow, of Wisconsin. While serving with these two gentlemen Mr. Shepard mastered the most intricate features of the business, and on the death of Mr. Barstow be- came by purchase proprietor of the entire busi- ness. In 1889 he bought out the business of John Colahan, and, desiring to further enlarge, he purchased in 1893 the large business of his former employer, Captain William Lacy.
Mr. Shepard's trade is most extensive and is distributed throughout the breadth of our con- tinent. To supply the great demand made on him from this broad market, he operates two large warehouses, one in Detroit, and the other in Cleveland. These warehouses aro supplied from his factory at Wellsville, Ohio. He has other interests, diversified and extensive. lle is a stockholder in the Central Pressed Brick Company, in the Cleveland & Buffalo Steam Navigation Company, and in the Backus Wire. Nail Company, all of Cleveland. He is a
director in the Vulcan Clay Company, of Wellsville, Ohio, and a stockholder in the John Parter Company, of New Cumberland, West Virginia (the most extensive paving brick works in the world); also a director of the Argyle Gold-Mining Company, of Central City, Colo- rado, -- one of the few mining companies that pay satisfactory dividends.
In October, 1882, Mr. Shepard married, in Cleveland, Trecy, a daughter of James Dempsy, an old railroad man, who has since been general freight master of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad. Of this union there are five children : Mary E., Bertha S., Frank R., Jerome J. and llelen.
Mr. Shepard is a thorough business man. His standing in the commercial world is unem- barrassed by questionable or unprofitable invest- ments, and those with whom he deals place un- bounded confidence in his ability and integrity.
J E. MILLER, Trustee of Olmsted town- ship, elected in the spring of 1886 and now serving his third term, came to this place in 1872, locating on his present farm, after having resided in Cleveland two years.
Hle was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, June 1, 1850, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Lower) Miller, both also natives of that conn- ty. llis father, a farmer, lived in Springfield township, that county, but sold his place there and purchased a place in Beaver township, same county, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying June 1, 1887; his wife survives, and still resides there. They brought up six chil- dren, namely: Sarah Ann, wife of William Winter, of Indiana; T. E., our subject; Wil- son, married and resides on the old farm in Beaver township; Celeste, now the wife of Issac Easterly, of Columbiana county, this State; Melissa, now Mrs. Joseph Herrold, of Mahon- ing county; and Laura, the wife of Isaac Chapple, of Lectonia, Ohio. The grandfather,
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Henry Miller, came to Mahoning county when a young man, with his father, and they were the first pioneers of the county, built the first log cabin in that section of the county, and made the first clearing. Mr. Miller, our sub- jeet, was reared in Mahoning county to the age of twenty-one years, attending school mean- while, and then he came to Cleveland and en- gaged in the dairy business. Afterward he moved, having married, to Olmsted and set- tled on the old farm, whereon he has erected a fine, large two-story dwelling, and also a large barn, having a capacity of 100 tons of hay. A gas well on the place supplies all the material necessary both for heating and lighting, and also for the school house. The farm comprises eighty acres. Mr. Miller has seen many changes in the improvement of his neighborhood since his settlement there. He takes an active inter- est in the public welfare and in national poli- tics, as a Republican. He has been a member of the School Board for sixteen years.
He was married at the age of twenty-three years in Ohusted township, to Miss Catherine Onocker, a daughter of Rudolph and Mary (Oswalt) Onocker, who in an early day came to Cuyahoga county, locating south of Cleveland, and were burned out there, losing five children in the fire. Mr. Onocker died at the age of ninety-seven years, September 28, 1890; the widow still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have three children, -- Mary E., Emma and Emmet. Mrs. Miller is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church at Olmsted Falls.
H ON. JOHN M. COOLEY is a gentle- man whose honorable and upright life and the prominent part he has taken in public affairs entitles him to biographical mention among the leading men of his section of the country.
Mr. Cooley's father, Dencon Asher Cooley, was one of the earliest pioneers of northern Ohio, he having come with his wife and live
children to Dover township, Cuyahoga county, prior to the '20s, and located at the place where the subject of this sketch now resides. Asher Cooley was born in Hawley, Massachusetts, January 9, 1787, and was married there, De- cember 1, 1808, to Lydia Smith, a native of Chatham, Connecticut, born October 4, 1789. They came to Ohio from Ashfield, Massachu- setts, and upon their arrival here settled on a Farm just south of Dover, and on this farm they spent the rest of their lives and died, his death occurring June 2, 1853, and hors March 30, 1866. Other children were born to them after they came to this frontier home, their family comprising ten, of whom John M. is the youngest.
John M. Cooley was born in Dover township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, November 20, 1830; was reared here, and has been a resident of this place all his life, farming being his occupation. He owns the old Cooley homestead, which com- prises over 100 acres of line land, well im- proved with good buildings, etc.
Mr. Cooley was married in Plymouth, Ashta- bula county, Ohio, January 26, 1854, to Miss Luey Seymour, daughter of Bennett Seymour, who removed from Connecticut to Ashtabula county at an early day. They had a family of three children who grew up to ocenpy honorable and useful positions in life: Arthur S., George L. and Lucy E. Luey E. is now the wife of IT. Z. Blenkhorn, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Cooley departed this life April 28, 1887. April 6, 1893, Mr. Cooley suffered a stroke of par- alysis, in consequence of which he is now con- fined to his room, being unable to walk or converse.
While farming has been his life occupation, Mr. Cooley has all along given considerable at- tention to public affairs. During the war ho was a member of Company I, One Hundred and Fiftieth Ohio National Guards, and was in the 100-day service, having enlisted in May, 1864. He has lilled various township offices, was Post- master of Dover for a number of years, and served one term in the Ohio State Legislature,
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having been elected to the last named office in the fall of 1874, on the Republican ticket. Ile is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of Olmsted Post, No. 634, G. A. R. For many ยท years he has been a member of the Congrega- tional Church; his wife was a devoted member of the Episcopal Church of Ashtabula.
D R. A. S. COOLEY, the eldest son of Hon. John M. Cooley, was born in Dover township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, June 11, 1858. lle remained upon the home farm until after his majority, farming summers and teaching school during the winter months. lle then took a course in veterinary medicine, graduating from the Chicago College of Veteri- nary Surgery. lle located in Cleveland, and began the practice of veterinary science, and although still a young man his celebrity as a veterinary practitioner is wide-spread and his record as a manipulator of the surgeon's knife and skill in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of domestic animals is unapproached. Ile has erected a perfectly equipped equine hospital, which is a model of its type.
He was married May 10, 1894, to Miss Flora A. Arnold, and resides at 1,224 Curtis avenne.
G EORGE L. COOLEY, son of the Hon. John M. Cooley, was born in Dover township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, Jan- uary 14, 1861. Ile was reared and edu- eated here, and here he has resided all his life. Up to the time he reached his majority he re- mained on the farm with his father. Then he turned his attention to teaching school and to contracting and building, and for eight years he has taught school during the winter and worked at his trade through the summer.
Mr. Cooley was married, December 28, 1887, to Miss Clara E. Hall, daughter of Renben Hall, a prominent and highly respected citizen
of Cuyahoga county. She was born in Dover township, this county, December 29, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Cooley are the parents of three chil- dren: Pant N., Lney M. and an infant.
Like his father, Mr. Cooley affiliates with the Republican party, and takes an active interest in political affairs. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church.
M. JOHNSON, M. D., has been en- gaged in the practice of his profession at Bedford for thirty-five years. He was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, October 28, 1832. a son of Thomas and Mary ( Mullin) John- son, natives of Ireland. The paternal grand- parents lived and died on the " Emerald " Isle, both remarkable for their longevity; the grand- father attained the age of 102 years, and the grandmother 101 years. Thomas Johnson emigrated to the United States after his mar- riage, his first residence being in New York. Later he removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and thenee to Jefferson county, New York, where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives; he died at the age of ninety years, and she was eighty-seven. Joe Johnston, the famous Rebel general, was a first cousin to Thomas Johnson.
Dr. Johnson is one of a family of nine ehil- dren, six sons and three daughters. He began the study of medicine under the instruction of Dr. Ramsay, of Jefferson, Ohio, and received his degree of M. D. in 1864. His first practice was at Bloomington, MeLean county, Illinois, but at the end of two years he went to Fort Scott, Kansas; there he had a most snecessful career as a physician and surgeon, and during the time was connected with the hospital at Kansas City, Missouri. Returning to Jefferson county, Ohio, he resumed professional work, and in 1892 came to Bedford, where his excel- lent reputation has followed him. He is fully abreast of the times in all discoveries pertain-
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ing to the science of medicine, and is regarded as one of the most skillful physicians in the county.
The Doctor was united in marriage, at the age of twenty-two years, to Ann Boyd, at Coshoc- ton, Ohio. Mrs. Johnson is the daughter of John Boyd and is a native of the State of New York. Four children have been born of this union: James L., William B., John and David W. The mother died in 1871. Dr. Johnson was married a second time in 1884, to Eliza J. Porter, a daughter of Joseph Porter. The Doc- tor's sons are all residents sf Bourbon county, Kansas.
S AMUEL M. HAMILL, son and name- sake of the late Rev. Samuel M. Hamill, D. D., widely known as the principal of the famous Lawrenceville school, is the secretary 'and general manager of the Brush Electric Company. The name of Hamill has for many years been identified with our best edneational interests, and for several generations it has been connected with the ministry of the church. Through the achievements of the subject of this sketch the name has become distinguished in the electrical world.
Rev. Samnel M. Hamill, D. D. was born at Morristown, Pennsylvania, in 1812. Ile married Matilda Green, born at Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 1812. Their marriage was consummated in 1838. They had nine children, three of whom are living. The mother is yet living and resides in Trenton, New Jersey. The father died in 1889. For fifty years he sustained prominent relations as an educator, being con- nected with several famous institutions of learning.
The subject of this sketch was prepared for college at his father's school. He was gradu- ated at Princeton College-an institution founded by Jonathan Dickinson, its first presi- dent, Mr. Hamill's ancestor -- with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in the class of 1850. Since
that time he has received the degree of Master of Arts from the same institution. For more than three years Mr. Hamill was a guecessful teacher in the Lawrenceville school, and during that period he first gave evidence of his admin- istrative capacity in the practical management of the affairs of that large institution, and in the discipline and control of its students. Sub- sequently he studied law with the expectation of becoming admitted to the bar in New Jersey, but an attractive future was at this time opened to him in railroad life, through the influence of a relative highly connected with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, and to this field he turned. He entered actively upon the duties of this new position, and served that company in its freight department, its pay master's department and in the oflico of the first vice president of the road, at Chicago, and the year 1886 found him in charge of the large grain elevators owned by the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy Railroad Company in Peoria, Illinois. Mr. Hamill severed his connection with the railroad company to accept the position of assistant secretary of the Brush Electric Company of Cleveland, Ohio, where he now resides. Three years later he became secretary of that company with his office in New York city, where he took charge of its business af- fairs in the East. Later he became director of the company and its secretary and general man- ager, which position he now holds. lle also fills a similar position for the Short Electric Railway Company. He is vice president of the Swan Lamp Manufacturing Company, presi- dent of the Goneva Brush Electric Light & Power Company, of the Ellsworth Maine Illu- minating Company, of Geneva, of the Waterloo Street Railroad Company, and to the Trenton Electric Light Company of Ontario; he is also secretary of the Brush Electric Power Company, being a director in each of the above named concerns.
Mr. Hamill is possessed of decided ability hoth theoratical and practical, and hence is well fitted for the various positions in the several
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electrical, gas and other companies which he holds in the different parts of the United States.
Mr. Hamill is a member of the Electric and University Clubs of New York, and of the Electric, Union and Country Clubs of Cleve- land. While at Princeton he was one of the founders of the Ivy Club.
M APES BROTHERS are among the well-known, honorable and respected familes of Orange, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. Their grandfather, John D. Mapes, was born in Seneca county, New York, December 20, 1807, a son of Seth and Julia (Smith) Mapes, natives also of that State. Two of their sous, William and Samuel, were soldiers in the war of 1812. John D. Mapes came to Ohio at the age of ten years, and seven years afterward located in Orange township, Cuya- hoga county. His death occurred on the farm on which he had located in 1831, in October, 1885, at the age of seventy-eight years. Mr. Mapes was married May 10, 1831, to Henrietta Patchen, a native of New York, and a daughter of Noah and Sarah (Jenne) Patchen, who were born in Vermont, but their deaths occurred in Pennsylvania. They were the parents of nine children. John D. Mapes and wife had eight children: Edwin, Alvin and Alameda, deceased; Alpha, l'erry, Rial, Sarah, and Jenny. Six of the children were successful school teachers. Mrs. Mapes still resides on the old homestead in Or- ange township.
Edwin Mapes, father of our subjects, was born on the home farm, November 27, 1833, and re- ceived his edneation at Chagrin Falls. In 1858 he went to Ogle county, Illinois, where he re- mained three years, and then returned to this place. He was an active worker in the Repub- lican party, and for a number of years held the position of Justice of the Peace. Mr. Mapes was married September 17, 1856, to Mary Thorp, a native of Massachusetts, and a daughter of Ferris and Mary Ann (Bell) Thorp, the form-
er born in Massachusetts, and the latter in Rus- sell, Geauga county, Ohio. They had six chil- dren: Perry E .; J. P .; Charles A .; Hortense Strait, of Otsego, Michigan; Gertrude Jenks, a resident of Bainbridge, Ohio; and Fred E., at home. One child, Frank, died in infancy. Four of the children were school-teachers. Edwin Mapes died on the old homestead, September 1, 1884.
Perry E. Mapes, a son of the above and a member of the firm of Mapes Brothers, was born August 3, 1857. Ile received his educa- tion at this place and at Austintown, Ohio. HIe was united in marriage with Dolly Segebeer, a native of Cleveland, and they have two chil- dren, Lucy May and Theodore Perry.
John P., of the firm of Mapes Brothers, was born in Ogle county, Illinois, January 15, 1859. He received his education in the district schools of Austintown, and for the following nine years was a successful and popular teacher. He was married August 16, 1885, to Anna J., a dangh- ter of Robert MeFarland, of Solon, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Mapes have one son, Edwin G.
The Mapes farm is one of the most valuable places in Orange Township, contains fine springs of pure cold water, and many valuable improve- ments. In addition to general farming, the Mapes brothers have been extensively engaged in the dairy business for many years. They conduct a business amounting to $12,000 per annum, in milk, cream and maple syrup. Their beautiful residence was built in 1889, at a cost of $30,000, and contains all the modern im- provements.
D YER W. NICHOLS, of Rockport, town- ship, is a son of Leren D. and Ma- rilla J. (Bassett) Nichols, residents of Rockport Hamlet. The father was born in this township in 1832, the mother in North Adams, Massachusetts, in 1830. They had nine children, of whom our subject is the eldest. Ile was born in Rockport Hamlet,
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Cuyahoga county, Ohio, October 18, 1856, where he was brought up, receiving a com- mon-school education. At fifteen years of age he was employed by the Lake Shore Rail- road Company as brakeman, for four years. He then engaged in the milk business for five years, and since that time has followed the occupation of a carpenter.
Ile was married in Cleveland, Ohio, Decem- ber 3, 1878, to Miss Minnie F. Schmidt, daughter of Jacob F. Schmidt, who died in Rockport Hamlet in January, 1891. Mrs. Minnie F. Nichols was born in Rockport Ham - let, November 22, 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have had three children: Fred, who died when five years of age; William J. and Hazel Il.
Mr. Nichols was elected Clerk of Rockport township in the spring of 1892 and Clerk of Rockport Hamlet in the spring of 1893. Ile has held the office of Township Assessor for some twelve yearsand is also Clerk of the School Board. He has taken quite an active part in local and political affairs.
B ENJAMIN F. PIHINNEY, of Cleveland, a member of the Board of Equalization and Assignment, was born in Avon, Lorain county, Ohio, August 3, 1845. He is a son of Benjamin Phinney, who devoted his life to mercantile pursuits, beginning in Dover and concluding his career at Rockport in 1865. He was born in the old Bay State in 1505, and nine years later immigrated to this new west- ern country with his father, Sylvanus Phinney, and located in Dover. Sylvanus Phinney was a tanner and carried on that business thirty- nine years in Dover, dying there at seventy years of age.
The Phinney family were among Massachu- setts' first settlers, and found their way to that new country from the British Isles. Their occupations have not been numerous, as is gen- erally the case where the family have a large
connection, but they have confined themselves to merchandising and manufacturing in the main. Sylvanus was twiee married, his first wife being the mother of his five children.
Benjamin Phinney was a merchant from early manhood, and was a useful and esteemed citizen. In early times he was a member of a militia company, but was never ealled into active service. For his first wife he took in marriage Miss - Thompson, one child re- sulting from the union, Ehnira, now Mrs. D. L. Oviatt. For his second wife Mr. Phinney mar- ried Susan Perry, who bore him three children, as follows: Helen, who died young; Benjamin F. and Theodore, who died at two years.
Our subject's youthful days were spent in about the usual way-attending the village school and in addition spending one year in Berea College. Possessing a rather restless, ad- venturous nature, the breaking out of the Civil war offered just such an opportunity as young Benjamin wanted -- to break away for a time from the humdrum of school work and feast on new sights and experiences. Accordingly in August, 1861, when about seventeen, and with- ont the consent of his father, he stole away at night, and, accompanied by a cousin of like age, proceeded to Ridgeville Center, Lorain county, where a company was being raised, en- listed and was sworn in before morning, thus precluding the parental interference. The com- pany was raised by Lientenant (afterward Cap- tain) Benham. Upon order it reported at Camp Chase, and was assigned to the Forty-second Ohio, in command of Colonel James A. Gar- field.
While the company was being drilled and made ready for active service Mr. Phinney con- tracted the measles and only became convales- cent in time to accompany his regiment in De- cember on its first expedition. They were ordered to Big Sandy valley to drive Humphrey Marshall out of that region. Afterward the Forty-second was ordered to Louisville to join the Army of the Ohio for a movement against the Confederates in southern Kentucky, meet-
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ing them at the historic Mill Springs, where General Zollicoffer, of Confederate honors, was killed.
Proceeding thence to Cumberland Gap, the regiment was engaged in fortifying the place during the greater part of 1862. In Septem- ber of that year the army succeeded in getting in rear of the gap and cut off the garrison's supplies and it became necessary to abandon the place. Tents were burned at night and the garrison proceeded to make its escape toward the Ohio river.
For fourteen days while crossing Kentucky not a ration was issued, the boys supplying themselves individually from the corn-fields and grating their eorn into coarse meal and cooking it in their tin enps. Had this been their only hardship they would have fared fortunately, but they had no clothes and were ragged and had to walk, making progress necessarily slow. They reached the Union lines at Portsmouth and were warmly received by the populace for miles around bringing food and raiment.
When again ready for duty the regiment was ordered up the Kanawha into West Virginia to Charlestown and there received another order returning then to Cincinnati where they received six months' back pay.
A new order placed the regiment in the Department of the Mississippi and they trans- ported it down the Mississippi river to Mem- phis, and up every night to avoid the possibility of a collision with the Confederates, who were al- ways in close proximity. General Sherman was at Memphis preparing to move onto Vicksburg. The Forty second Ohio was made a part of his army and the whole was landed at the month of the Yazoo river and immediately found an en- gagement on its hands. In the second day of the fight, Mr. Phinney was struck on the head with a piece of a shell and was reported killed in battle. He was placed in the hospital at Memphis and later transported to Benton Bar- racks, Missouri, being in both from January until April. Before he was pronounced conva- lescent he was given option of remaining in the
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